The Force's Shepherds
by TheBobcat18
Summary: Obi Wan thought he was dead. The Empire had found him and baby Luke as they sped away from Polis Massa. Yet here he is now, alive, breathing, and force knows where. Desperate to find the baby boy, he finds help in some of the unlikeliest of people. All the while, a calamity brews on this strange planet that he now calls home.
1. The Will of the Force

Chapter 1

The Will of the Force

Obi Wan took a deep breath as he stared out the expansive view port of the Tantive IV. The ship was quiet. Or as quiet as a diplomat's ship avoid any imperial entanglements could be. He could sense the unease of Prince Bail Organa's crew on board. They were tense. Each nervous and anxious. Obi Wan did not fault them. If the Empire found out that he and Master Yoda were aboard this vessel…

He took another deep breath, forcing that thought from his mind. His eyes closed and he retreated into the nether realm of the force. One time, in days that felt like forever ago, it had been a calming exercise. The force would embrace him. Soothe his unease and allow him to relax, unwind, process the day's events. But now, the force was in turmoil. He found himself quickly shrinking away from the force and back to the real world.

There was still so much pain in it. He could feel it all. The voids in the force where his fellow Jedi once stood. Those bright specks of light were gone. Snuffed out violently by the Empire. Murdered by at the orders of an evil Emperor. Executed by a man they had all once called friend.

He gasped and rubbed his temple. Pain lanced through his heart, then there was silence once again. He knew that feeling. It had become all too familiar to him in the past week. Despite the familiarity, Obi Wan could still feel his hands shaking. Another Jedi had fallen.

He did not know what was worse. The feeling of pain, sorrow, and death at the loss of his friends. Or the fact that those feelings were starting to happen less frequently. When the purge first began, when the sinister Order 66 was issued, it had hit Obi Wan like an oppressive wave. The shock gave way to anguish in the force as thousands of Jedi perished in what felt like an instant. Now hours would go by before another Jedi was lost.

He wanted to believe that perhaps what Jedi survived the initial assault were simply surviving now. That they had realized what was occurring and moved to defend themselves or escape.

He knew he was wrong though. Obi Wan's feelings did not lie to him. Not this time. The Jedi were not fighting back, they were not fleeing. They were all dying. The infrequency of their deaths merely signaled that the Empire had nearly completed its mission.

Obi Wan himself, a Jedi Master of the order, had barely survived the massacre himself. He had been on Utapau at the time. Leading an assault on one of the last Separatists strongholds commanded by the infamous General Grevious. He had just defeated the sinister droid commander actually when his soldiers had opened fire on him. A trembling hand ran over his soot covered beard.

He had not sensed treachery. Not a single ounce of it. One moment his clones followed him. Absolutely loyal. Men he would have gladly given his life to protect, and vice versa. The next a blaster bolt had sent him plummeting hundreds of feet down into one of Utapau's massive sinkholes. After the initial shock had worn off, he quickly commandeered a separatist ship and did the only sensible thing he could think of at the time.

Call for help.

When the only reply was from Senator Organa, he could hardly believe it. It was only when Master Yoda greeted him along with the Senator aboard the Tantive IV did Obi Wan truly realize the extent of what was occuring.

Force, he still could not believe it. A shuddering breath left his lips. He ran a hand over his ash covered head and gulped.

He was still processing the whirlwind of events after his rescue.

Meeting with Master Yoda. Their return to the Jedi Temple which they found blasted and in flames. The revelation that…

It all flashed in front of his eyes again. He could see it so clearly. The fires of Mustafar glowing orange around him. The soot in the air nearly choking him as he tried to breath. The hum of his lightsaber in his hand as he stared down at the bank of a river of lava.

The shrill scream of hatred from a man he had called brother.

" _I HATE YOU!"_

Obi Wan squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his jaw. Those words managed to do far more damage than any blaster bolt or any lightsaber ever could. His legs felt unsteady. Obi Wan found himself crumbling to a knee just as the door behind him hissed open.

The sound of a small cane clicking against the ship's floor rang out. Obi Wan already knew who was entering the room. If this was before the events of the past few days, he would have straightened himself out. Brushed the hair from his eyes. Stood up tall once again and shown as little emotion as he possibly could. The last thing he wanted was for Master Yoda to think he was broken.

But that was then. That was before the destruction of the Jedi Order.

That was before he was forced to kill Anakin.

He sensed the wizened old master draw up beside him. The little green alien said nothing. His large eyes simply stared out the viewport as Obi Wan rested on one knee. Yoda's eyes closed and he took a calming breath.

"Dwell on it, you should not." He counseled.

Obi Wan's eyes opened and he stared at Yoda. Normally, he would heed the advice of the Jedi Master. After all, Yoda had far more experience than Obi Wan could ever hope to have as a Jedi. But this was not a normal moment. Obi Wan could feel frustration bubbling up in him.

"I can't help it." He croaked, his lungs still choked with the ashes of Mustafar.

Yoda glanced over at the younger Jedi Master, "The responsibility, on Skywalker, it was. Not you. Carry such a burden, you should not."

Obi Wan shook his head, "I failed him, Master." Obi Wan could feel fresh tears building in his eyes. He had cried once in the past few days. Again, the fires of Mustafar filled his vision. The stench of scorched bodies from the dead Separatist council. The flash of lightsabers clashing through the narrow corridors of the mining facility.

" _Don't make me kill you."_

"Fail no one, you did. Fail himself, Skywalker did. Failed you, he did." Yoda said. His voice stern, but at the same time comforting. A long sigh escaped the old Jedi's lips, "The fault of all this, lie at the feet of Darth Sidious it does."

Obi Wan's fists clenched at the mention of that name. The name of the man responsible for it all in the end. The death of his Jedi Master, Qui Gon Jinn. The start of the Clone War. The eradication of the Jedi Order. And in the end, the death of his closest friend. Obi Wan felt an emotion burning in him that he had not felt in many years.

Fury.

Yoda jabbed Obi Wan's side with his gnarled wooden cane.

"Anger, only lead to hatred and suffering, it will." Yoda let out a long breath, "Need those, you do not. Stronger than that, Master Kenobi, you are." Yoda sighed, "Stronger you must be, for Senator Amidala's children."

Obi Wan's heart sank. It had only happened an hour or two ago. On Polis Massa. The death of Senator Padme Amidala just as she gave birth to her twins, Luke and Leia Skywalker. Obi Wan was there when she drew her last breath. He was there when she said her last words. A still, quiet whisper that echoed in his mind.

" _There is still good in him."_

He shook his head. No, there was not. Anakin Skywalker was gone. And so was Darth Vader. Obi Wan had seen to that himself.

But that still did not mean he, Master Yoda, or Luke and Leia were safe.

Obi Wan took and deep breath and rubbed his beard.

"What are we to do with them?" He asked.

Yoda hummed, "Senator Organa, take Leia to Alderaan, he will." He looked at Obi Wan, "Raise her as his daughter, he will."

Obi Wan nodded. That made sense. Bail Organa was a staunch ally and old friend of Padme. But more important, he was a good man. He would see that the girl was kept safe during the dark times to come. Obi Wan had no doubts about that.

"And Luke?" Obi Wan asked.

"To Tatooine." Yoda continued, "To his family, you will take him."

Obi Wan frowned. He wanted to protest. Tatooine was a harsh world. A desert planet that was constantly baked by the fury of it's twin suns. Because of its location in the Outer Rim, far from the influence of any government, it was well known as a wretched hive of scum and villainy. To put it simply, it was the last place Obi Wan felt Luke should be taken.

He did not want to go there either. Tatooine felt too personally for Obi Wan. It was Anakin's home planet. Where his master, Qui Gon, had found the boy and took him in. Obi Wan first met the boy in that planet's orbit as they escaped from an assassin. He had never been back to that planet. And to do so now, would only dredge up painful memories.

But if Master Yoda felt that was the wisest course of action, then who was he to say no. Obi Wan nodded silently.

"Far out of the way, it is. Away from the Empire." Yoda nodded, as if sensing Obi Wan's hesitation, "Long time it will take, for Sidious's hold to strengthen there."

"Yes, Master."

"And…" Yoda smiled gently at Obi Wan, "An old friend, commune with I have, from beyond the grave." Obi Wan's eyes narrowed in confusion, "You're old master-"

Obi Wan felt a burst of warmth in him. A voice he had not heard in ages whispered in his mind.

"Qui Gon." Obi Wan breathed in shock.

Yoda nodded, "How to commune with, I will teach you."

….

Obi Wan strode through the bright halls of the Tantive IV. He had just finished his first training session with Master Yoda. And it confused him a great deal. Nevertheless, he did feel as if he had made progress. To be able to communicate with a person who had long ago become one with the Force baffled Obi Wan. How Qui Gon Jinn had achieved such a thing baffled him even more. Yoda did his best to answer Obi Wan's questions. But it seems that even the ancient Jedi Master struggled with the concept as well.

Eventually, their training had transitioned into Obi Wan talking with Yoda about what had happened. Venting was probably the more appropriate term. And Yoda had patiently listened. He gave Obi Wan council that the young Jedi Master desperately needed to hear. It soothed his mind a little.

Obi Wan brushed his robes. His hand came away black with soot. And the fires of Mustafar danced in his mind once again. He swallowed hard then turned into the room he was searching for.

It was a dark, quiet room. Two little cribs sat inside of it. A small window allowed the twins a view of the stars outside of the ship. Leia was sleeping peacefully in her crib. Luke on the other hand, was wailing. Obi Wan winced as he neared the child. He looked down into the crib and sighed.

Force the boy could scream.

Obi Wan shook his head, reached down, and lifted young Luke out of the crib. As soon as Luke felt Obi Wan's hands, the boy's wailing stopped. Obi Wan saw sparkling blue eyes, full of innocence, staring up at him. Studying his face. Despite everything that had happened in the past few days, Obi Wan could not help but crack a small smile.

"Am I that interesting?" He asked Luke.

The door hissed open once again.

"Oh, Master Kenobi."

Obi Wan turned to see the regal form of Bail Organa enter. Well, he was as regal as one could be given the circumstances. His normally carefully combed hair was frayed in several places. His eyes, normally strong and filled with conviction, were heavy. Large bags sat beneath them as he walked up to Obi Wan. There was also fresh stubble on the Senator's cheeks. Shaving was the least of the Senator's priorities.

"I did not expect to find you in here." Bail commented as he reached over and brushed Leia's cheek.

"I figured I better get to know Luke before I whisk him away to what is the galactic equivalent of an oven." Obi Wan replied.

Bail snorted, "Even after all of this, that sense of humor of yours still exists?"

Obi Wan sighed, "I suppose it is a way for me to cope."

Bail nodded wearily. The senator walked over to a chair and sat down. The man buried his face in his hands and groaned.

"How did this all go so wrong so fast?" He asked.

Obi Wan could not help but laugh, "That is a question I have been asking myself as well." He replied as he cradled Luke in his arms.

Bail shook his head, "Are you sure you will be safe of Tatooine? I can make room for you on Alderaan."

Obi Wan grimaced, "Master Yoda believes it best to separate them. They are Anakin's children. Which means they share his potential in the force." Obi Wan looked down at Luke. The boy was beginning to doze off, "They must not fall into Sidious' hands."

Bail nodded, "And if they are separated that will make it harder for the Emperor to find them. I get it." The senator tilted his head. Obi Wan heard several pops come from the Senator's neck, "Well… we should be jumping to Alderaan soon. But before we go, I'll make sure a shuttle is ready to transport you and Luke to Alderaan."

"Thank you, Senator." Obi Wan felt Luke softly snoring in his arms. He glanced back at Bail and saw the man get up, plant a soft kiss on Leia's forehead, before heading back to the door.

"Senator."

Bail paused at the door, "Yes, Master Kenobi."

"Thank you." Obi Wan said, "Truly."

Bail smiled back, "It's what friends are for right?" He sighed, "And friends got to look out for each other nowa-"

The ship shuddered and groaned. The lights in the hall flickered. Obi Wan could feel a shift in the force. The crew's anxiety had been replaced with terror. Luke's eyes flicked open and the boy began to whimper in Obi Wan's arms.

"What the hell?" Bail muttered. He opened the door.

Outside, the crew was sprinting through the hall. Each one carried a blaster pistol at the ready. Bail grabbed one man's arm.

"What is going on?"

"Senator," The soldier gulped, "They've found us."

Bail's face paled. Obi Wan's turned grim.

"H-how?" Bail gasped, his eyes wide.

"We don't know sir. But they are about to start boarding us." The soldier gulped, "We will hold them off. But you and the Jedi need to get to the escape pods."

Bail looked back at Obi Wan.

"Grab Leia, Senator." Obi Wan ordered. Any thoughts of fear or worry were banished from his mind. He looked down at the small bundle in his arms. Obi Wan's purpose was clear. He would protect Luke until he drew his last breath. The Jedi Master held Luke in one arm then grabbed his lightsaber with his free hand, "I will meet you at the escape pods."

Bail nodded. As Obi Wan sprinted out of the room, Bail shouted after him.

"Master Kenobi! Good luck!"

Obi Wan nodded back then sprinted towards the escape pods.

"There's no such thing as luck." Obi Wan muttered to himself.

And if there was luck, he refused to believe that his was this rotten. How had the Imperial's located them? No one knew about Obi Wan or Master Yoda being aboard the Tantive IV. No one except Senator Organa and the crew.

Obi Wan's eyes widened. Senator Organa had a traitor in his midst.

The ship shuddered and groaned. Then it shook violently. Obi Wan felt several lives get snuffed out. They were being fired upon. Obi Wan sprinted through the ship's corridors. He stumbled as the ship stopped suddenly.

Obi Wan paused and looked out a window. An imperial star destroyer sat above them. Long arms holding the little corvette in its grip. It would not be long now before soldiers stormed the Tantive IV.

 _Where are those escape pods!?_ Obi Wan thought as he started running again.

He turned just as a blast rocked the ship. A door flew off of it's hinges at the end of the hall he was in. Crewmen winced as shrapnel flew through the air. Blue blaster bolts screamed through the air. Men cried as they were blasted to bits by Clone Troopers.

Obi Wan's lightsaber thundered to life in his hand. The blue blade danced in his grip. Deflecting bolts back at the doorway. In his other hand, Luke wailed.

"There!" A clone pointed at Obi Wan, "The Jedi!"

"Blast him!"

Obi Wan cursed under his breath. Now that they had found him, they would not stop. More soldiers would come pouring into the corridor now. He glanced at Luke. He could not stay and fight. That was not his purpose. His destiny was not to die here. Luke must live. The boy must remain free of Sidious's grasp. As more crewmen fell to the clone's assault, Obi Wan deactivated his blade, sent a massive force push at the breach, then sprinted away.

The lights flickered again. The sounds of blaster fire grew closer. The clones were gaining on him. The professional soldiers made quick work of Bail Organa's crew. Obi Wan grimaced. He hoped the senator made it safely to the escape pods.

Obi Wan slid around a corner and felt relief surge through him. He made it.

As quickly as he could, Obi Wan punched a code into the escape pod door. The door hissed open and he hopped it. The Jedi strapped Luke in then closed the escape pod door. As soon as the door closed, the pod launched.

Obi Wan fell back into a seat. Exhaustion raced through his veins. He took several deep breaths. That was too close.

Dread filled him. The force screamed in warning. Obi Wan felt his eyes get drawn to the escape pods small view port. He looked out and saw more pods flying beside his. His heart jumped to his throat as blaster bolts destroyed them one by one.

"No."

A pit formed in Obi Wan's stomach. Luke wailed loudly. The Jedi Master slumped into his seat. His lightsaber clattered to the pod's floor. His hands were no longer shaking. His head hung low. He looked over at Luke.

"I'm sorry." He muttered to the terrified boy.

The force screamed in warning once again. Obi Wan closed his eyes and took one last breath. He heard the scream of blaster fire. Felt the cold of space as his escape pod shattered around him.

Then nothing.

….

A whirlwind of images filled his mind.

He was in a palace of some sort. A great battle was occurring outside. He could hear the screams of dying men and women. He could sense the pain and suffering around him. But inside of the palace there was only three figure.

One was a young man in a long, hooded coat. The second was another young man wearing simple training leathers. He wielded a primitive steel sword. A design that Obi Wan had never seen in any galactic culture before. Across from the two young men was a tall, thin man with bright yellow eyes and a wicked grin.

Darkness billowed out from the older man. An aura of power clung to him that surprised the Jedi Master. The man grinned at the two young men as they charged.

"You fools!" The man laughed, "You cannot unwrite what is already written!"

The image shifted. Obi Wan found himself in a barren wasteland. Around him was the burnt out husks of houses and shops. Red dust flew around him. He heard long moans through the eerie silence. Several creatures wearing strange masks shuffled around him. They did not appear to notice him. And if they did, they did not care.

The mindless creatures were all marching towards a palace. Obi Wan felt himself flying towards it. Carried to this strange place a force unknown to him.

The building was, at one time, a grand structure. There were many towers, now destroyed and crumbled to dust. The walkway up to the palace doors was littered with the corpses of armored men and women. More of the moaning, mindless monsters marched this way. They still paid the Jedi Master no mind. It was as if he did not exist to them.

Obi Wan entered the palace.

The sound of steel clashing with steel echoed around him. Obi Wan saw a woman with vibrant blue hair engaging in a desperate battle with the monsters. That same, strange sword he saw from earlier danced in her grip. Felling monsters left and right.

The roof shook. Obi Wan looked up and saw roof be ripped away by a massive claw. Six blazing red eyes stared down at him and the woman. The woman gave a fear filled cry. She sprinted towards a strange blue portal that sat at the end of the palace great room. Obi Wan felt himself follow her.

The world faded to black.

...

" _Obi Wan."_

He groaned. Every muscle in his body ached. Obi Wan's eyes fluttered open then quickly snapped closed again. The sunlight was too bright. And he had a splitting headache. The Jedi Master uttered another long groan.

" _Wake up, Obi Wan."_

 __That voice. He knew that voice. Obi Wan's eyes flew open. He winced as more sunlight hit his sensitive eyes.. Through his bleary vision, he made out a clear blue sky above him. Puffs of white clouds lazily floated above him. Obi Wan blinked, several panic filled breaths left his lungs.

"Luke." He gasped. He shot upright. Pain lanced through his entire body. His muscles ached in protest as he forced them to move. His head swiveled around. Shock filled him.

He was not dead? Or was he? All around him was a field. A field filled with some of the greenest grass he had ever seen in his life. A breeze drifted by him, kissing his skin with cool air. He recoiled.

"Where- what- when- Luke!" Obi Wan jumped to his feet. He ignored the ache in his muscles.

" _Calm yourself, Obi Wan."_

Obi Wan wheeled around. Who was speaking to him? Wait, he already knew the answer to that. A better question would be, how and why was Qui Gon speaking to him? Obi Wan shook his head. Did that really matter at this point?

"Qui Gon," Obi Wan breathed, "Where is-"

" _I do not know, Obi Wan."_ Qui Gon said to him. His voice still calm and gentle, " _But I can tell you this. You are not dead."_

Obi Wan's eyes widened. Without thinking, his hands patted down his body. He was still wearing his ash covered robes. Brown cloak too. There were still spots where the heat and flames of Mustafar had burned through the cream colored cloth. But there were not holes in his body. Everything was right where it was supposed to be.

"H-how?" Obi Wan stammered.

" _The force, it appears, did not deem it your time to die, my friend."_ Qui Gon replied, " _You destiny has not taken shape yet. You have much further to go on your journey."_

Obi Wan took a deep breath and rubbed his forehead. The headache was only getting worse now.

"But Luke." Obi Wan started, "I have to find, Luke."

" _Yes, you must."_ Qui Gon agreed, " _But panicking will get you nowhere. Calm yourself and search your feelings. Luke his safe. You know this."_

Obi Wan did as his former master commanded. He closed his eyes and touched the infinite pool of strength that was the Force. Instead of feeling the shadow of the dark side, the death of the Jedi and rise of the Empire, he felt peace. A strange serenity in the world around him. Obi Wan could feel a soothing breath leaving his lungs. It had been far too long since the force felt like this. It did not feel hostile. It did not cry out in agony. It felt like he had discovered a long lost companion.

As Obi Wan rested in the force, he could feel himself reinvigorated. Some of the pain in his limbs faded. The panic that had swollen in his chest dissipated. Everything started to feel clearer.

"Qui Gon." He said. Obi Wan opened his eyes again and took a brief survey of the land around him. Now that his mind was somewhat clear, he finally could grasp the land around him.

Obi Wan was nearly dumbstruck.

This world was beautiful. Tall grass drifted in lazy waves as a gentle breeze brushed over the field. In the distance, Obi Wan could see a small forest. And even further, standing like giants over the flat plain he was on, were snow capped mountains. Just at the edge of the forest was a small village. Obi Wan could not tell if it was inhabited or not. But the force buzzed with life around him. This world held life of some sort. Intelligent life as well.

He could feel his jaw falling as he looked around.

"Where am I?" he asked Qui Gon.

The spirit of Qui Gon Jinn, if Obi Wan could call it that, was silent for a moment.

" _I don't know."_

 __Obi Wan felt something inside of him snap.

"You don't know?" He grumbled.

" _Correct."_ Qui Gon replied, " _If I sense things as you are, then you are on a life bearing planet that is remarkably beautiful."_

Obi Wan pinched the bridge of his nose.

"So let's clarify the situation then." Obi Wan breathed deep, "One moment, the Tantive IV is being attacked. I am getting blown to bits inside of an escape pod with Luke. The next moment, I wake up. I am somehow not dead. Luke is missing. Alive but missing. I am somehow communicating with you even though I've had all of one training session with Master Yoda. Oh… and I am hopelessly lost now." Obi Wan dragged a hand over his face, "And somehow this may not be the strangest thing that has ever happened to me. Nor the most irritating."

Qui Gon Jinn chuckled.

" _Like I said, Obi Wan, the Force was not done with you yet. You must not worry about what happened or what will happen. What did I always tell you. Concentrate on the here and now. That is where your attention belongs."_

"And I will reply as I always did. Master Yoda said to be mindful of the future." Obi Wan snapped back.

" _But not at the expense of the moment. Be mindful of the living force, my young student."_ Qui Gon replied, " _The living force willed this to happen. You were brought here by powers neither of us understand. But the important thing now is not to dwell on how you came here, but to figure out where it is you are."_

"Easier said than done." Obi Wan sat down in the grass, "I can't just go around asking for help. The Jedi are wanted throughout the galaxy now. If anyone so much as knows that I am a Jedi, I will either be killed or handed over to the Imperial's so they can kill me." Obi Wan shook his head, "I cannot just go looking for help."

Qui Gon made a clicking noise. Obi Wan frowned.

" _You are worrying about the future again, Obi Wan. Live in the moment. For all you know, the people of this world are not friends with the Empire. Go. That village is not far from you."_

Obi Wan arched an eyebrow.

"Are you sure that is wise, Master?"

" _You will get further that way than you would sitting here."_

 __Obi Wan sighed. Why did his old Master have to be right? Obi Wan rose to his feet and looked over at the little village in the distance. He did not see any spaceport. For that matter, he did not even see any speeders. He frowned. Just what manner of place was this? He shook his head.

"No time." He muttered to himself. He began walking towards the village, "I must find Luke quickly. Before the Empire finds us both."

 **And chapter! Hello Everybody! Welcome to a new story! The Force's Shephards! (I really suck at story names, I apologize.)**

 **Now, why did I decide to write this one? For one, it sounded like fun. I finally found my Nintendo DS (Was packing up for moving and found it in a box) and just so happened to charge it up and play Fire Emblem: Awakening once again. Man do I love that game. And then I got to thinking, what if? (A truly dangerous thought for a writer. We often lose hours of time and often have no clue what is going on around us when this question hits the brain). I also felt like it was time to take a break from my other stories. I was starting to burn out on them. Plus, I wanted a new challenge. Something to get the creative juices going again. And so, this crossover between Star Wars and Fire Emblem: Awakening was born.**

 **I do want to shout out Metallover. He's an awesome writer who wrote the best Fire Emblem story I have ever read on this site,** _ **Invisible Ties.**_ **If you haven't read that one yet… what are you doing here? Go read that masterpiece already! His story was a huge influence when it came to deciding whether or not to write this one.**

 **Anyways, one long winded AN later, that is why I decided to write this one. I'll do my best to update as often as I can. But I have other projects I'm working on (A Fairy Tail x GOT crossover; Fairy Tail x Star Wars one too… those are the ones I'm stuck on. And an original novel that is giving me a hell of a headache). So yeah, I really got to get my priorities straight.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this first chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	2. Invisible Ties

Chapter 2

Invisible Ties

It had happened so fast. Robin could not comprehend it. One moment, he had was taking Chrom's hand. The prince of Ylisse helping his tactician to his feet. Ready to embrace his best friend and celebrate their victory over the evil Validar. The next… Robin could not piece it together. It all just went blank. A void in his memory. He did not know what he did. But all he could see now was a pained look in Chrom's eyes.

His best friend gasped in front of him. Robin felt sparks charge in his hand. The famed Ylissean tactician glanced down at his hand. The color ran away from his face.

"Ch-Chrom?"

The prince of Ylisse stumbled back from Robin. A dagger made of lightning jutted out of his chest, where his heart was. Blood began to trickle from the wound. Robin's eyes widened as he watched the crimson blood of his friend drip down Chrom's light armor. His heart was pounding in his ears. In the back of Robin's mind, he heard a maniacal voice laughing at his despair as his friend took another pained gasp.

"This is not your fault." Chrom breathed, "Prom-promise me… you will escape this place. Protect them all."

 _No! No!_ Robin sprinted towards his friend as he fell limp to the palace floor.

"Chrom!" Robin screamed.

A searing pain ripped through Robin's head as he knelt beside his fallen friend. The voice in his mind had grown louder. The insane laughter reveling in his pain. Robin gripped his head and pulled at his hair. And he screamed. Whether from the pain or the sorrow of having killed his friend, he did not know. But he screamed for what felt like an eternity.

 _This cannot be happening. This is a nightmare._ He thought.

" _But it is."_ The voice said as it stopped laughing, " _You have fulfilled your destiny, my avatar."_

Robin's eyes widened. The palace shook all around him. An ear splitting roar erupted in the black sky as the roof was ripped to pieces by forces far to powerful to belong in this world. He could feel dark magic unlike any he had ever felt in his life swirling over him. Robin lifted his tear filled eyes. A massive claw appeared from the black cyclone that circled over head. Another roar rocked the sky. The stones in the palace shook. Robin felt the tears falling freely down his face as he looked above him.

A dragon's head emerged from the cyclone. Six monstrous red eyes glared down at the world.

" _I AM AWAKENED!"_

The dragon opened its tooth filled maw. The roar sounded like it would tear the sky asunder. Robin looked up in terror. He then lowered his gaze back down to the body of Chrom. His hands were slick with his friend's blood. The tactician bowed his head, his shoulders shuddered as sobs began to wrack his body.

"I failed."

He gripped Chrom's armor. Hoping beyond any hope that somehow he could will his friend back to life. But the rational part of his brain squashed that hope. Another ear splitting roar tore through the air. Robin could hear men and women screaming in terror around the palace. The battle that had been taking place outside had come to a screeching halt. He had told the Shepherds about the strategy should Chrom and him fail against Validar.

It was not a strategy for victory. It was a strategy for survival.

There was no hope for victory anymore.

He heard loud shrieks and groans around him. Robin looked around. The shadowy forms of Grima's dreadlords appeared around him. Robin looked down at his friend one more time and closed his eyes.

"Forgive me." He whispered.

* * *

"Well what do we do?"

He let out a long groaned. Who was talking? Why did his head hurt so much? And was it just him, or did it feel like he had a tree root sticking up his-

"What do you mean?" A man's voice replied.

"Well we can't just leave him."

Robin let out another long groan. Gods it felt like ages since he was allowed to have a proper sleep. His body resisted his commands to awaken. In the end, he managed to force his eyes open. To his surprise, two people stood over him. A young man and woman.

Both gave him a kind smile as he woke up and shielded his eyes from the sun.

"Look who finally woke up." The young man chuckled.

The blonde girl chuckled to herself before the man shook his head.

"There are better places to take a nap, friend" The man extended a hand to Robin, "Give me your hand."

He gave the man's hand a hesitant look. Then he grabbed it. With a strength that surprised him, he was yanked to his feet by the young man. As he got to his feet, he absently noticed a strange, six eyed tattoo on the back of his hand. But he paid it no mind. After all, he was mostly focused on the ache in his back.

Once on his feet, he winced and rubbed his lower back.

"Geez, what was I sleeping on?" He winced.

"A rock." The girl smiled.

"Sure does feel like it." He replied.

The man chuckled, "Are you alright other than that?"

He gave his coat a quick dust off. He then nodded.

"Yeah. Thank you Chrom."

Chrom jerked in surprise, "Ah, so you have heard of me?"

He blinked. Had he? Who was this guy again? And how did he know him? How was it that the man's name came so easily? He didn't know how he knew this man's name. It had just come to him. Out of the blue. He glanced at the girl to Chrom's right. Her name was not coming to his mind at all. His mind was blank.

"I-I think so?" He scratched the back of his head, "Honestly, I'm not sure how I know you. Your name just sorta came to me, I guess." He looked around. Getting a good glance of his surroundings for the first time.

He was in the middle of a field. In the distance he could see a small town resting on the edge of a large forest. Nothing looked familiar about the area. He wracked his mind for answers. But none came to him. His brow furrowed in confusion. Just where exactly was he?

"Really?" Chrom replied, "Well, can I ask what you are doing sleeping in the middle of a field?"

"Not far from Southtown too." The girl continued.

He thought hard again. Then frowned.

"That… is an excellent question." He muttered.

Chrom arched an eyebrow, "Ok. So, you somehow know who I am. And you don't know how you ended up passed out in a field." He rubbed his chin, "How about we start with your name?"

He gave Chrom a sheepish look. Blank again. Internally, his frustration was growing. Seriously, how in the world did he not remember anything except this random guy's name?

"Would you believe me if I said I can't remember?"

"Oh! Oh!" The girl started, "I know this! It's amnesia."

"It's a load of pegasus crap. That's what it is."

He nearly jumped out of his skin at the third voice behind him. Both Chrom and the girl chuckled a little.

"Really, Frederick?" Chrom asked through his chuckle.

"I'm only pointing out the obvious." A man, bigger than the other two, and wearing full blue and white plate armor said as he guided a horse towards the Chrom and the girl, "You really expect us to believe that you remember milord's name but not your own?"

"But it's true." He retorted.

Before the armored man could reply, Chrom held up a hand.

"What if it is true, Frederick? We can't just leave him alone and confused out here. What kind of Shepherds would we be if we did that?" Chrom reasoned.

"I feel the need to your remind milord that we have been tracking bandits that we suspect to be Plegian?" Frederick replied. His voice never leaving a cool, even tone, "For all we know, he is in league with them. And he is using this act as a way to get us to lower our guard."

"I'm not acting."

"But there is a chance he is telling the truth." Chrom replied, "And I'm going to take that chance." He noticed Frederick's frown. Before the armored man could reply, Chrom sighed, "How about this. We'll take him to the nearest town. From there, we will think of something."

Frederick's frown remained, "I still advise caution, milord."

"Advice noted." Chrom smiled back, "What do you think?" He asked the blonde girl.

"I agree with you." She smiled back.

"Then it's settle." Chrom declared, "Come along stranger. Southtown is not far away from here."

"Wait a moment!" He cried, "Don't I get a say in any of this?"

"Nope." The blonde woman chirped before she started walking down the road towards Southtown.

"Don't worry, friend." Chrom said, "Once we establish that you aren't a bandit or Plegian we will let you go. You have nothing to fear." He waved his hand at the girl, "Come on, Frederick. We better start walking. Before Lissa gets too far ahead of us."

* * *

Obi Wan's brow furrowed as he entered the small town. It was quiet. His eyes peered up at the sky from beneath his hood. The sun was directly overhead.

 _If this world is similar to many others, then the position of the sun would suggest that it is noon on this planet._ Obi Wan frowned, _If it is noon, why is there no activity in this town?_

His steps became much more cautious as he walked through the empty streets. His eyes scanned his surroundings as he walked. There was evidence of life here. There were houses that looked lived in. As he got closer to the town center, he could see little shops and stalls that appeared to be open. The stalls had food left out on them. The shops had their doors creaking open then closed. He could hear an animal of some sort barking in the distance.

His eye flicked up to the largest building in town. A towering stone construct made even taller by the large steeple. A beautiful stained glass window topped the steeple. And from the steeple, the sound of bells rang through the air.

But not a single thing moved in the town. Not one door creaked open. There was no footsteps or voices to be heard.

It was as if the people of this town just up and disappeared. Obi Wan frowned. Something was very wrong here? He could feel unease building in him.

Just as he was about to stretch out with the Force, there was a loud crash then a scream. Obi Wan paused. He glanced over across the town square to the building with the steeple. Two human men wearing barbaric armor burst out of a house. Both gripped a human woman as they dragged her towards center of the square. The woman's face was tear stained. Her dress had a small crimson stain near it's hem.

Obi Wan studied the men. They were larger. Much more muscular than he was. Brutes to be sure. His eyes narrowed. They were armed. Crude weapons. Made of metal. Axes of some form.

 _Could they be some form of vibroblade?_

He watched as they shoved the woman down on her knees.

So these were not residents of this town. They were invaders. The woman's distress made that clear enough. Obi Wan reached out with the force. He could sense the malice the men held for the woman. As well as the fear and desperation that coursed through the woman.

For some reason, his mind drifted back to that day at the Jedi Temple. When he and Master Yoda had stormed the building in the aftermath of Order 66. The frown deepened.

"I've had enough of death for one day."

* * *

The man frowned as he walked alongside Chrom and Lissa. He was sure that under normal circumstances, he would have been marveling at the beautiful countryside around him. Wherever he was, it was marvellous. Rolling fields sprawled out around the small group as they trekked down the road towards Southtown. He could see several small woods dotting the countryside here and there. In the distance, great mountain peaks jutted high into the sky. Their snow capped peaks barely visible to the naked eye.

For some reason, he got the feeling that he would normally be taking in the beauty of it all. But this was not a normal situation at all. He could not remember anything. Not even his own name. The concern he felt was constantly being replaced by further frustration as he tried to recall even the smallest details about himself. But it was proving to be impossible.

He sighed and shook his head.

"Am I your prisoner now?" He asked Chrom.

Chrom shook his head, "No. As soon as we determine that you are not a threat to Ylisse, we will let you go."

He nodded, "Ylisse? So that's where we are?"

Frederick scoffed, "You haven't heard of the Halidom? Someone pay this actor. He plays quite the fool. The furrow in his brow is quite convincing."

Chrom rolled his eyes, "Stop being so distrustful, Frederick. If you keep it up, you won't be able to talk to anyone except for the other shepherds." He turned back to his new companion, "And yes, we are in Halidom of Ylisse. Our leader is the Exalt. Her name is Emmeryn." Chrom extended a hand as they walked, "As for more proper introductions, my name is Chrom. But you already knew that." He jabbed a thumb at the girl, "And the delicate done here is my sister, Lissa."

Lissa stomped her foot, "I am not delicate!"

Chrom laughed as Lissa stuck her tongue out at him.

"But yeah, I'm his sister." Lissa shrugged, "You should be glad us Shepherds found you. It would have been a rude awakening if bandits found you instead."

 _Oh yes. And having complete strangers wake me up and drag me to gods know where is so much better._ He mentally smacked himself. _That or bandits? I guess she's right._

He studied his new companions a little more closely. They have referred to themselves as shepherds multiple times now. But for shepherds, they sure did not look like it. Frederick for one was wearing armor so thick and polished that he may as well have been a knight. And the weapons the troop carried were some serious stuff. Frederick held a long lance in his grip as he guided his horse forward. Lissa carried a strange staff. And Chrom had a sword unlike any he had ever seen before. Needless to say, he doubted this group were simple farmers.

"So you all are shepherds?"

Chrom glanced back at the amnesiac.

"Yeah." Chrom nodded.

His new companion arched an eyebrow.

"You tend sheep?"

"You could say that." Lissa replied with a grin.

The amnesiac glanced over at Frederick. The knight remained silent as he guided his horse alongside Lissa.

"In full armor?"

Chrom chuckled, "It can be a dangerous job. Just ask Frederick the Wary there."

"And it is a title that I proudly take." Frederick replied stiffly, "One of us has to show at least a modicum on caution."

Chrom shook his head then tapped his chest."And I'm not in full armor. This is just some travel gear. A couple leather plates here and there. I move faster that way."

"And i'm not wearing armor." Lissa twirled in her dress. The wire cage that covered her half not allowing the frills to twirl, "Unless you count a corset as armor?"

He nodded, "Well, it's nice to meet you all. I'm Robin." Robin blinked. "Wait a moment."

Lissa and Chrom both gave him a curious look.

"Huh?" Robin shrugged, "I guess it finally came to me. That's odd."

"Oh sure it did." Frederick deadpanned.

Chrom chuckled.

"Don't worry so much, Frederick. We're almost into town. We can talk more there."

Robin silently followed Chrom and Lissa. The siblings were chatting up a storm as they made their way down the road. Robin meanwhile, was lost in his own mind.

 _So my name is Robin, huh?_ He scratched the back of his head, _I guess that's some progress. Maybe everything will come back to me in time._ He let out a heavy sigh, _I guess I'm not really the patient type if I'm still this frustrated._

The group scaled one last hill. Once at the top, Chrom stopped in his tracks. A terrified cry left Lissa's lips.

"Chrom, the town!" She cried.

Robin rushed to Chrom's side. At the bottom of the hill was a little town nestled near a large forest. It looked like it could have been a serene little place. There were several large buildings surrounding the town square. A cathedral some sort. Perhaps an inn and a shop or two. The rest of the town was houses.

But now, Robin could see smoke rising from several of the buildings. The place was anything but peaceful. Robin squinted and a frown formed on his lips.

"Bandits." He muttered.

"Damn it all!" Chrom roared, "I bet those were the ones we were tracking! C'mon Frederick, Lissa."

"Milord, what about him?" Frederick asked as he gestured to Robin.

"Is he on fire?" Chrom asked.

"Er-"

"Then he can wait. Let's move."

Frederick nodded, "Right milord." As the trio rushed to town, Robin noticed the large man cast a wary glance back at him.

Robin took a deep breath and watched the town. The bandits were running rampant. Torching anything that was not valuable. Looting whatever the poor people owned. He squinted as he caught sight of some activity in the town square. A woman was being dragged out of the cathedral by a pair of bandits wielding large axes.

 _Oh no._

There was only one reason bandits would be dragging an innocent person to the center of town. They were going to make an example of her to the rest of the town.

Robin's hand subconsciously brushed a pocket inside of his coat. To his surprise, he felt his fingers brush against the rigid spine of a book. Curious, he pulled the book from the small pouch. His eyes widened.

 _A spell book._ Robin blinked, _I can use magic! Since when?_ He smacked his forehead, _Like I would know the answer to that one. I barely remembered my own name!_

He looked up again. To his shock, a hooded figure had appeared in the town square. Robin's eyes widened as the bandits turned all of their attention to the lone stranger.

 _He's going to get himself killed!_ Robin gripped the book tightly in his hand. He took off running down the road, _I guess it's time to see how good at magic I really am._

* * *

"Let me go!" The woman cried.

"Sorry." The man growled, "That's not going to happen."

The woman's eyes widened as he brandished a shining, steel axe. He lowered it so that it was pressed against her cheek. She winced as the axe opened a gash on her cheek. More tears rushed down her cheeks.

"I just love doing this to you Ylissean dogs." He growled, a look of glee on his face as the woman closed her eyes and began to cry.

"Excuse me!"

The two brutes froze. The woman's eyes widened as she watched a robed figure calmly walking towards the two bandits. The figure had a long brown cloak over his shoulders. A hood drawn up over his head, hiding almost all of his facial features in shadow.

"I don't think that's what people mean when they say, take the lady out on the town for the day." The stranger said.

The first bandit scowled, "Well, looks like we missed one."

"Yeah. And I'll have you know stranger, I'll do what I damn well please with this Ylissean wench!"

Obi Wan paused in his approach. His head lowered at the bandit that held the axe to the woman's face.

"You see, there's a problem with that line of thinking." Obi Wan began, "The problem being, that I don't like it. And to be honest with both of you, I have had a very long, very stressful day. My patience is running rather thin. So, for all of our sakes, I suggest that you let the woman go and leave. Spare us all the trouble."

The first bandit glared at the robed stranger. His frown broke into a grin. Then he laughed. His fellow bandit laughed as well. They both let go of the woman, the axe left the side of her cheek and they turned to face the stranger.

"Isn't this rich?" The first bandit guffawed, "This guy thinks he can take on all of us?"

"All of you?" The stranger asked.

"Yes." The first bandit nudged his comrade, "All of us."

The second bandit put his fingers to his mouth and whistled. The stranger remained motionless as the rest of the bandits appeared from the shadows.

Obi Wan glanced around. In total he counted perhaps nine, maybe ten of them? All of them wielded some form of primitive weapon. He could see crude axes, a bow and arrow or two, then there was one bandit who simply wore robes and carried a weathered old book. Obi Wan frowned as he sensed the force around that one. There was a strange power circulating around that bandit. And it appeared to be concentrated on that book he was carrying.

The group began to surround Obi Wan. The woman remained frozen where she was in the town square as the bandits focused on him. Obi Wan glanced around again. The archers were taking up positions further away. It would make it easier for them to get a shot off against him. Time to load their bow and fire. The brutes were kneading the handles of their axes. Anxious to get up close. If the archers missed him, then the brutes would try next. Obi Wan then looked at the book wielding bandit. He was slowly circling him. A cautious approach that told Obi Wan all he needed to know.

This one was aware that the Stranger was not who he appeared to be.

Obi Wan nodded at the bandit leader, "I see. So we aren't going to be doing this the easy way then?"

The bandit leader grinned, "Easy way? Well for us, this is the easy way. I guess this would be the hard way for you."

"Or the dead way." His partner chuckled.

Obi Wan grimaced, "I'm pretty sure I've already died once before. I don't plan on doing it again. But if you insist on trying."

He reached to his hip. And felt only his leather belt and robes. Obi Wan frowned and patted his side before reaching to his other hip and feeling nothing once again.

 _Where is it?_ Obi Wan thought. A shot of panic went through him.

"Oh." He muttered, "That complicates things."

"GET HIM!"

Obi Wan sensed danger from his right. He dove to the side just as an arrow whizzed by where his head was. Another arrow shot towards him. The force warned him once again and he rolled away, the arrow glancing off of the stony ground. In a flash, Obi Wan was on his feet. He lunged at the first bandit. Burying a fist into the man's jaw before flipping over him and sweeping his legs out from underneath him.

Just as Obi Wan was going to finish him off, the force screamed in warning. Obi Wan felt static in the air. The hair on his arms stood on end. Before he could move, a bolt of lighting shrieked across the square and slammed into his side. The blow sent Obi Wan flying into a food stall.

Obi Wan groaned, shook his head, then looked up. Across the square stood the man with the book, a triumph filled smile on his face.

"That hurt." Obi Wan muttered to himself.

He could smell burnt fabric. The lightning bolt and charred away parts of his cloak. A stab of burning pain lanced through Obi Wan's side as he got to his feet.

"That really hurt."

The bandits all laughed around him.

"So much that bravado, stranger." The leader chuckled. He leveled his axe in Obi Wan's direction. "Bring me his head!"

Obi Wan scrambled to his feet and readied himself. The two brutes were barreling towards him now. He could see the archers drawing their bowstrings. If the brutes didn't get him, then they would. His eyes flicked back over to the robed man near the rear. He was flipping through pages in the back, muttering something to himself. That strange power built up around him again.

Obi Wan's eyes widened as he saw a circle of some sort form around him.

They were all going to attack him simultaneously. Obi Wan grit his teeth. If they were going to kill him, then he was damn sure going to make them work for it. He balled up his fist and readied himself to deliver devastating punches to the two brutes.

Just as they reared back with their axes, a voice rose up through the air.

"Pick a god and pray!"

A man riding a mount of some sort barreled into the square. A lance leveled at the two brutes. Behind him, another young man with blue hair and woman with blonde hair ran into the town square. The woman carried a small staff with a blue gem on top of it. The man twirled a strange sword in his hand before joining the mounted man in a charge.

Obi Wan's eyes widened as one of the archer's swiveled and took aim at the man with the sword. Before Obi Wan could call out a warning, the archer fired.

A fourth body slammed into the blue haired man. The fourth person was also a human male. Messy brown hair sat on top of his head. His thin frame was covered by an oversized coat. Honestly, Obi Wan was surprised that he had managed to knock the other man over.

 _Time to use the distraction._

Obi Wan rushed one of the brutes. Before the bandit could react, he brought his knee crashing up into the man's nose. Obi Wan heard a brief pop. The man howled and fell backwards. Obi Wan then kicked his foot out, burying the blow into the man's forearm. The bone snapped on impact. The bandit howled and curled himself around his wounded arm. Obi Wan turned to face the other bandit but saw the mounted man burying his lance into him.

Obi Wan gave the armored man a nod.

"I'm grateful for the help."

"Don't be grateful yet stranger." The armored man replied, "There are more coming."

Obi Wan frowned as four more axe wielding bandits rushed into the town square.

He readied himself to charge again when the armored man stopped.

"Mage." The man explained.

Obi Wan's eyes followed the armored man's gaze to the robed bandit.

 _A mage?_

"Magic?" Obi Wan asked.

The armored man nodded grimly, "Aye. He's going to be trouble."

"Robin! What are you doing!?" The blue haired man shouted.

"Saving your ass!" The coat covered man replied.

"Chrom! Are you hurt?" The woman cried. A strange green glow began forming around the blue gem on her staff.

"I'm fine." Chrom jumped to his feet, "Seriously Robin, what are you doing?"

Robin shrugged, "Dunno. It seemed like a good idea at the time." He glanced over at the bandits. They were a lot more hesitant now.

Frederick and the cloaked stranger had made them think twice about blindly charging them.

But they still outnumbered their little troop.

Robin studied his opponents. Two archers. Positioned to the rear beside a mage. Four brutes. They would charge.

 _It would be a good idea to counter that with Frederick's superior speed thanks to his horse._

The bandit leader was still holding the civilian hostage. But he had backed up to the steps of the cathedral.

"The big ones are going to charge." Robin explained to Chrom, "They still think they can overpower us that way."

"How do you know that?" Chrom asked.

Robin shrugged, "It just makes sense. I don't know. It's what I would do."

Chrom eyed the bandit leader. The man gave him a hideous grin as he kept his axe pressed against the woman's cheek.

"And him?" Chrom asked.

"Leave him to me." The hooded stranger said.

Robin nodded, "Frederick. Think you can handle two of them?"

"Easily!" The knight nodded. His horse snorted as well. As if offended that Robin would dare to doubt the skill of its rider.

Robin grinned, "Good. Chrom, I'm going to handle that mage. You help Frederick."

Chrom's eyes widened as Robin withdrew the spellbook from within his coat.

"You're a mage?"

"Apparently." Robin replied with a uncertain grin, "I don't know how good I am at it though."

Chrom gulped, "Perhaps I'll keep my distance for now."

Robin snorted, "Honestly, I don't blame you."

Chorm rolled his shoulders, "And the archers?"

Robin began sprinting towards the mage, "I'm working on that still."

To Chrom's surprise, Robin was right. As the amnesiac sprinted forward, the four axe wielding bandits charged.

"Stay here, Lissa." Chrom ordered before he joined Frederick in a mad dash across the square.

Steel clashed against steel as Chrom parried a savage slash from one of the bandits. Frederick barreled into two of them. His lance dug into the firts bandit's chest before he quickly yanked it free and turned his horse to charge at the other two.

"Come to the slaughter, sheepy!" The bandit taunted.

Chrom scowled and deflected another blow. Then, with practiced ease, he slipped past the bandit's guard and slashed through his gut. The bandit let out a choked cry before falling to the ground.

 _That's one._

"Lookout, milord!"

Chrom heard Frederick's warning and rolled to the side. An arrow glanced off of the stone. Chrom raised his sword as he saw a third bandit swinging at him. But Frederick got to him first. The knight's spear making easy work of the brute. He then twirled in his sandled and thrusted his spear into the final brute.

"That takes care of them." Frederick said.

"Is that a smile I see, Frederick?" Chrom teased.

"Hardly, milord."

They both turned to face the cathedral. And their jaws dropped. Robin had taken down the two archers. Their bodies laid in static filled heaps on the ground. He was now dueling the bandit mage. The pair hurled lighting spells at each other. Each spell that missed left scorched the stones on the ground.

"I'll go help him. You get the civilian." He ordered Frederick.

"I don't think that'll be necessary."

Chrom turned to the Cathedral. The hooded stranger had closed the distance impossibly fast. With speed the Chrom could barely register, he leaped over the bandit leader and buried a foot into the back of his knee. A loud pop rang out through the air. The leader howled but was silenced by a knee to the side of his head. As he fell to the ground, his axe clattered loudly out of his hands.

"Lissa, the villager!"

"Right!" His sister called before rushing towards the shocked woman. The gem on her staff glowed green as she knelt down beside the woman and held the staff in front of her.

Chrom and Frederick raced towards Robin. Right as they were about to reach him, Robin ducked beneath a lightning spell. The amnesiac rushed the mage, an action that surprised the bandit. Once the distance was closed, Robin unleashed a spell he had charged up. The lighting rippled out of his hand and covered the bandit. The enemy mage uttered a choked cry before falling limp to the ground.

Robin struggled to catch his breath as Chrom and Frederick approached.

"Are you alright?" Chrom asked.

"Never better." Robin replied with small grin, "Turns out, I'm not half bad at that sort of thing."

Chrom chuckled, "First tactics then magic. What can't you do?"

Robin shrugged, "I haven't tested my sword skills yet?"

Chrom laughed then clapped a hand on Robin's shoulder, "I look forward to seeing that."

"But before we can, I think we need to discuss what happened here." Frederick said.

He nodded over to the hooded stranger. The man had grabbed the bandit leader and dragged him over toward Chrom.

"He's still alive." He told Chrom.

"Why?" Chrom asked.

"Other than the fact that I lack a weapon." The hooded man replied, "I assumed you would want to know if he was working alone or if he has friends in the area."

Chrom frowned.

"It's possible, milord." Frederick nodded, "These bandits, they spoke with Plegian accents. I would not put it past those desert dwellers to have sent more than one raiding party this way."

Chrom nodded, "Certainly possible. I definitely wouldn't put it past King Gangrel to do something like that. And I want to know if that's really what's going on." Chrom looked down at the unconscious bandit, "But it's not like he's going to do any talking anytime soon. Frederick bind him."

"With pleasure, milord."

* * *

Obi Wan considered giving the group of young adults the bandit leader then leaving. But for some reason, he felt compelled to stay and listen. For one, they mentioned a place called Plegia. A kingdom from the sounds of it. One that was completely unknown to Obi Wan.

 _The force really wants to make my whereabouts a mystery, doesn't it?_

Once the bandit was bound, Obi Wan decided it was time to leave. He was no longer needed here. Luke was missing. And finding the baby boy was his top priority.

"Hey, stranger." The young man named Chrom said as Obi Wan turned to leave.

Obi Wan turned back to face him.

Chrom held out his hand, "Thank you for what you did. Taking out that bandit while he was holding a hostage… that's not easy to do. Certainly not something you had to do."

Obi Wan hesitated, then took Chrom's hand.

"I was only doing what I felt was right." Obi Wan replied.

Chrom smiled, "If only there were more people with that kind of attitude in the world."

Chrom sighed as some of the civilians began to cautiously appear from their shelters. All of the villagers looked wide eyed as they stared at the shepherds and the stranger.

"Can I ask your name stranger?" Chrom asked Obi Wan.

Obi Wan opened his mouth, then snapped it closed. He was still unsure of what planet he was on. While he doubted this world had any Imperial presence (He certainly had not sense any as of yet), he was still a Jedi. And that made any world dangerous for him. His name alone was known throughout the galaxy. No, he could not reveal his name or what he was capable of to this man. It was too dangerous. If the Empire did find him here, it would impede his search for Luke.

Obi Wan thought quickly then nodded to Chrom.

"Ben. My name is Ben."

"Ben huh." Chrom grinned, "Well, thank you again Ben. My name is Chrom. The little girl is my sister, Lissa." The blonde turned away from whatever she was doing with the village woman and stuck her tongue out at Chrom, "The big man in armor is Frederick. And the one in the coat two sizes too big for him is Robin."

Robin glanced down at his coat. It did not feel that big on him.

"Milords!" An elderly villager called as he hobbled towards them, "Please, we would be honored to host you tonight. You saved our village. And while we may not have much, it is the least we can do for you all."

Frederick smiled as he strapped threw the bandit leader over his horse like a sack of potatoes.

"Thank you sir." The knight replied. He glanced at Chrom, "But we need to make haste back to Ylisstol."

"Dark meat only for me please. Medium-rare. No salt in the soup and-" Lissa blinked, "Hey! Why can't we stay? I'm hungry and tired and it's almost dark, Frederick." Lissa stomped her foot.

"Come now, milady. Travel builds character." Frederick replied, "We will make our bed out of pine needles and feast on the fruits of the land. After all, you did say you wanted to start getting used to this sort of thing."

"I did- I did not-" Lissa huffed and folded her arms. The green glow that surrounded her staff faded away, "I really don't like it when you do that."

Ben could not help but chuckle to himself. Children and their antics.

"Hey Ben!" Chrom asked, "Are you staying in this town?"

"No. I was just passing through."

"And where exactly is your destination?" Frederick asked, the cheer that was in his voice disappearing in a flash.

Ben grimaced, "I'm… not exactly sure myself."

Lissa's eyes widened, "Oh! Oh! Don't tell me!" She sprinted up to Ben, "Are you an amnesiac too?"

"Amnesiac?"

"That would be quite the coincidence if we ran into two amnesiacs in one day." Frederick noted.

"So you admit I'm not lying!" Robin declared.

"I said no such thing." Frederick replied.

"Calm down Frederick. Travelers get lost all the time. I'm sure that's probably what happened to Ben." Chrom explained, "We can take you to Ylisstol, Ben. From there it should be easy for you to figure out your way again."

"All roads lead to home." Lissa smiled.

Ben furrowed his brow. It was a tantalizing offer. This Ylistoll, from the sounds of it, was a major city on this world. And these people were from there. As of yet, they had given him little reason to doubt their sincerity in wanting to help him. They did go out of their way to help villagers that they had absolutely no connection to.

But he had to find Luke. This could end up being just one large distraction. That was the last thing he needed and-

" _You were brought to them for a reason, Obi Wan."_ The ethereal voice of Qui Gon Jinn echoed in his mind.

Obi Wan sighed. _Be mindful of the moment. Be mindful of the living force._ He gulped, _This is a lot more difficult than I thought it would be._

"Why not?" Obi Wan shrugged.

Chrom grinned and clapped his hands, "Alright, off to Ylisstol."

"But a hot meal-" Lissa complained.

"Don't worry, I'll hunt something down for us to eat, sis."

Lissa cringed.

"Please tell me you won't be the one cooking."

 **And chapter! That is hands down one of the longest chapters I have ever written! Holy crap! I apologize if it's started off very similar to the original game, I'm working on the outline right now and I'm doing my best to come up with an original storyline that can run alongside the main one. Especially for Obi Wan.**

 **My main thought while writing this story is to try and write it so that people who have not played Fire Emblem yet will get to know the story and characters. After all, almost everyone knows who Obi Wan Kenobi is. Star Wars is just that massive. So I will definitely be focusing a lot on the Fire Emblem characters. They aren't just going to be pushed to the side in favor of Obi Wan taking over the story. Where's the fun in that?**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	3. Marth

Chapter 3

Marth

Chrom sighed as the shepherds stopped walking down the road. It had been several hours since the little skirmish back in Southtown. They were now in the thick of the forest that spanned the land between Southtown and Ylisstol. And while he felt like he could travel for a few more hours, daylight was fleeting. He glanced over at Lissa. His poor sister looked exhausted. So much so that Chrom was tempted to have Frederick put her on his horse and just leave the captured bandit on the side of the road.

He still did not know why he agreed to take the fiend. The bandit was Plegian. His accent made that entirely clear. Perhaps he just was not thinking very clearly after the skirmish. Though Ben did seem very insistent on keeping the criminal alive. And he did not feel like fighting an ally at the time. Especially one as skilled as Ben appeared to be.

He did not miss the display the robed man put on. It had been some time since Chrom had seen anyone move that quick. One moment, he was several yards away from the bandit leader. The next, he was flipping over the enemy and knocking him out with a blow to the side of the head. Clearly the man had combat training of some sort. No amatuer would be able to pull off something like that.

Lissa gave a loud yawn. Chrom glanced over at his sister then nodded.

"Alright. We'll camp here."

Frederick nodded and went to tie the horse to a nearby tree. Meanwhile, Robin and Lissa both flopped down onto the ground.

"My feet." Robin groaned.

"You're telling me." Lissa said as she lay back in the grass, "How do you and Frederick do it, Chrom?"

Chrom chuckled, "You just get used to it after a while."

"Shall I bind the bandit to a tree as well, milord?" He heard Frederick ask.

"Go for it." Chrom replied before he too decided to take a seat. A quick break would not hurt.

Once Frederick finished tying the unconscious bandit to a tree trunk, the armored man joined them. Chrom blinked as the knight dropped several fallen branches in between the all.

"I gathered some firewood as well."

Chrom chuckled, "Always the multitasker aren't you?"

Chrom sat quietly as Frederick got to work on a fire. Lissa and Robin were both attempting to jog the amnesiac's memory. He had to laugh a little as Lissa considered hitting the man hard over the head.

"I'm pretty sure that's a good way to lose your memory, not spark it." Chrom noted.

"Like you've got any better ideas." Lissa replied.

"I agree with Chrom." Robin said. His face twisted as a loud growl filled the air. The smaller man's lips parted into an embarrassed grin, "I guess it's dinner time."

"Right!" Chrom clapped his hands and got to his feet. He winced a little. The muscles in his legs were already starting to go stiff.

 _Perhaps sitting down was not the best idea._

"I'll go hunt something. There's plenty of game in these woods." Chrom said, "Frederick, you wanna tag along?"

Frederick raised I hand, "It think it would be best if we guarded our prisoner."

Chrom frowned, "Do you mean the bandit, or Robin and Ben?"

Frederick grimaced, "One cannot be too careful." He finally replied.

Chrom shook his head then looked over at Robin.

"A no from me." Robin sighed, "I can't take another step today."

"And you already know what I'm going to say." Lissa said.

"Alright then," Chrom looked over at Ben, "What about you Ben, care to join me?"

The robed man glanced over at Chrom. He had been silent for almost the entire journey. And to Chrom's surprise, he was the only one still standing after the long trek. In fact, he did not look the least bit tired. Ben pursed his lips then nodded.

"Why not."

Chrom grinned, "At least one of you can keep up." Chrom twirled his sword, Falchion, in his hand, "C'mon Ben, lets go find some meat."

"Please don't bring back anything weird!" Lissa called as the two men disappeared into the trees.

"Anything wierd?" Robin asked.

"It's Chrom." Lissa leaned back onto her elbows, "He always finds something weird to eat."

* * *

Chrom grunted as he hopped over a fallen tree.

"So Ben," Chrom began as he marched through the forest, "Where are you from?"

The robed man was silent.

"Ok then." Chrom nodded, "Silent type huh? That's a first." He finished with a mutter.

"There's something nearby." Ben suddenly said.

Chrom furrowed his brow. He froze as he heard some twigs and leafs crunch beneath heavy footfalls. The shepherd sniffed the air and grinned.

"An animal." He licked his lips and hefted Falchion, "Dinner time."

He waved back to Ben. Instead of stomping forward like before, Chrom began to tiptoe through the forest. Careful to make as little noise as possible. Stealth was not his strongest suit. And he much preferred taking on any enemy head on than sneaking around. But when it came to food, he could be as stealthy as necessary.

He and Ben followed the sounds of the animal. Chrom could make out some snorts and snarls as they approached a small clearing in the forest. The blue haired man crouched down behind a large bush. Ben followed suit.

"Alright," Chrom grinned, "Let's see what our dinner's gonna be tonight."

Just as he was about to peer through the leaves to see what was in the clearing, a shadow fell over both him and Ben. Chrom blinked and looked up. Standing over both him and Ben, was a massive black bear. The creature uttered a deep roar as it reared up on its hind legs.

"Apparently we are dinner tonight." Ben quipped.

"Oh ha ha!" Chrom snapped back before jumped away from the Bear.

Right as he backed away, the bear's massive paws came thundering down. If those his him, Chrom was sure he would have been a goner. A bear was not something to mess around with. Those claws were long enough to sheer through his leather plates easily. And unless Ben had some armor hidden under those robes, then he would not fare much better.

"Plan?" Ben asked Chrom.

Chrom frowned. They had been moving through the woods for a while now. And they had yet to encounter any other game. Chrom felt his stomach rumble.

"Bear meat sounds good right about now." Chrom replied before brandishing Falchion and charging at the hulking creature.

Ben followed him. Chrom jumped up as the bear fell back onto all fours. The hairy creature roared again before swiping a massive paw at Chrom. Before the paw could slam into him, Ben's leg lashed out and caught the bear's leg. The bear howled and withdrew it's strike. Ben scampered back as the creature now took aim at him. But it was much more cautious in it's approach now. Ben had made the creature think twice about attacking him.

"I don't think blindly charging is the best approach." Ben commented.

"Yeah, I think you're right." Chrom reached to the sheath at his hip and produced a slim rapier. He tossed it over to Ben. The other man snatched the blade out of the air.

"Now you're armed."

Ben gave the weapon a curious look. He ran a finger over the steel then frowned.

"It's a good weapon." Chrom said, noticing Ben's scowl.

Ben shrugged and gripped the blade, "You distract the… what was it called again?"

Chrom raised an eyebrow, "You sure you're not an amnesiac too?"

Ben rolled his eyes, "Positive. Now distract it."

"Right!"

Chrom roared and charged at the bear. The hulking beast reared up onto hits hind legs again and roared back at Chrom. The blue haired man raised Falchion and blocked a savage swing from the bear. Just as he did this, he noticed Ben sprint around the bear. Somehow the man's movements were almost silent. The bear did not notice him.

Chrom beat his chest.

"C'mon big bear!" He hollered, "Come and get me." He hopped back as the Bear snarled and swung again.

A smirk crossed Chrom's lips. Ben was behind the bear now. With cat like quickness, Ben jumped onto the bear's back. The bear howled and spun around, trying to toss Ben off of it. But Ben held out tight. He straddled the bear's wide back and jammed the rapier into the back of the bear's skull. The creature uttered one more pained cry before slumping down onto the forest floor.

Chrom whooped, "That's how it's done."

He paused as Ben sighed and slid off of the bear. The man almost looked sad. Chrom's smile faded a little as he strode up to Ben.

"Don't tell me you're a vegetarian." Chrom joked.

He actually managed to coax a small laugh out of Ben, "No. Just… tired."

"Aren't we all." Chrom replied with a grin, "But no rest for us yet. Now comes the fun part." He sheathed Falchion onto his back grabbed one of the bear's legs, "Carrying it back to camp."

Ben sighed, "How about we drag it?"

"We look less cool that way." Chrom chuckled.

"I'd rather feel rested than look cool." Ben remarked before holding Chrom's rapier back out to him. Chrom pushed it away.

"Keep it. I can always get another."

Ben frowned, "It's not mine. And I… well... I don't really like using this weapon."

Chrom shrugged, "That's fine. But if you're going to be around me, Frederick, and Lissa, you better be armed. We tend to get ourselves into messy situations."

Ben shook his head, but in the end, he slipped the rapier in between his belt and robes. Ben grunted as he slung one of the bear's limbs over his shoulder. His eyes widened. By the Force this thing was heavy!

"Like that fun little skirmish in Southtown?" Ben asked as he and Chrom started dragging the bear back to camp.

"Exactly." Chrom replied with a laugh.

* * *

"I told you not to bring back anything weird!" Lissa cried.

Chrom and Ben had just emerged from the trees. Both Robin and Frederick were excited to see them. Neither would admit it to the other outright, but they both felt famished. But neither wanted to other to know just how tired and hungry they were. However, they did not expect to see Chrom and Ben dragging a black bear back to their camp.

"Relax, Lissa." Chrom smiled, "Meat is meat."

"Meat." Robin breathed, his mouth beginning to water.

"Oh don't tell me you eat weird stuff too!" Lissa cried.

It only took several minutes for Frederick and Chrom to butcher the beast. And a few more minutes for the meat to cook over the roaring fire. By the time the group had started to eat, the stars were twinkling over their heads and the sun had long since set beneath the horizon.

Chrom took a large bite of the bear meat and grinned.

"Ah yes!" He said between mouthfuls, "It has been too long since I had good bear meat!"

"You couldn't find something normal people eat?" Lissa asked as she picked at the slab of meat on her little wooden plate, "Like deer, or a hare? I'll take a pheasant or duck at this point."

"What's wrong with bear meat? It tastes just fine. Right Robin?"

Both Chrom and Lissa glanced over at the amnesiac. Robin was busy shoveling an entire mouthful of bear into his mouth. He paused, looked at both Chrom and Lissa, and nodded while a piece of bear dangled from his lips.

Chrom laughed, "You shouldn't be eating so fast."

Robin quickly swallowed, "Sorry." he gasped, "I just feel like I haven't eaten in days." he let out a silent burp, "Man that's good. Get past the texture and you can really taste the goodness."

"How do you get past the texture?" Lissa asked before holding her piece of bear up in the air, "It feels like I'm gnawing on a boot every time I take a bite. No, scratch that, a boot is more tender."

"You should just enjoy your dinner, milady." Frederick said, "Not many get to enjoy such a lovely meal as this."

"Enjoy my dinner?" Lissa eyed Frederick. She looked at his clean, empty plate, "Are you enjoying your dinner, Frederick? I haven't seen you touch the bear yet."

"I-I- I had a large lunch." Frederick stammered, "Quite a large lunch."

"Yeah, sure." Lissa deadpanned. She glanced across the campsite to where Ben was sitting. The mysterious stranger had elected to sit away from her, Chrom, and Robin. He resting beside the bound bandit. Quietly eating his bear meat while enjoying the company of Frederick's horse. In fact, he kept giving the horse curious glances before taking another bite of the bear meat.

"Speaking of weird." Lissa continued, her voice much more hushed now, "What do you guys think of Ben?"

"He's quiet." Robin noted.

"And he keeps giving my horse strange looks." Frederick frowned.

"Ooooh, afraid your horse is going to leave you for another man?" Lissa teased.

"I-I would certainly hope not!"

Chrom, Lissa, and Robin all fell into a fit of laughter. Chrom ran a hand through his hair.

"You're correct though Robin, he is very quiet." Chrom said.

"Maybe he's just the strong silent type." Robin shrugged before reaching for another piece of bear.

"I don't think so." Lissa replied, "He's nowhere near as big as Frederick."

"I am not a silent person." Frederick frowned.

"No, you're the frowny kind of person." Lissa giggled.

"He would not say where he was from when I asked." Chrom leaned back against the tree behind him, "Only time he spoke was when the bear jumped us."

Robin arched an eyebrow, "The bear jumped you?"

"Well it's not like I thought we were hunting a bear." Chrom snapped back, "I don't know though. He's a mystery. All we know about him is his name."

"Do I hear caution coming you, milord?" Frederick feigned shock.

"You wish." Chrom snorted. He let out a small yawn, "Well, should we try to wake up our prisoner before we all fall asleep?"

"You won't wake him." Ben called over to them.

Chrom, Robin, and Lissa froze.

"I hit him a little too hard." Ben said as he placed his empty plate back by the rest of Frederick's traveling supplies, "He probably won't wake until morning." he glanced back at Frederick's horse again. The beast snorted then stomped a foot, "I think I'll sleep a little ways away from… that."

Lissa and Chrom laughed.

"Frederick's horse takes after him." Chrom chuckled, "Don't worry. He won't hurt you."

Ben just gave him a nod, "If you'll excuse me. I think it's time I got some rest."

Lissa stretched her arms then yawned, "Yeah, me too. That bear," She shivered, "Is not sitting very well. I don't want to be awake when my stomach decides to throw a fit."

"It wasn't that bad." Chrom muttered then yawned, "But yeah, it's time to sleep." He flopped back down into the grass and placed his hands behind his head. Beside him, Robin was already curling up near the fire. The amnesiac's breathing already evening out.

 _The battle must have drained him more than he let on._ Chrom thought.

"Wake you all in the morning."

"If you wake up before Frederick I will be impressed." Lissa replied sleepily.

* * *

Chrom tossed and turned in his sleep. He squeezed his eyes tight. The nightmare in his mind was so real. He saw armies marching through the plains of Ylisse. Soldiers storming the cracked desert landscapes of Plegia. Mountain peaks with fortresses that he did not recognize at all. But most of all, he saw black hordes of what he could only describe as monsters, laying waste to the land. Masked beasts that killed indiscriminately. Destroying all that they came across with fire and steel. He heard laughter then saw six red eyes glowing down at him.

Sweat caked his forehead as he jerked awake. His chest heaved up and down and his wide eyes scanned the area around him. He subconsciously reached for Falchion but stopped when he realized where he was.

"Just a dream." He muttered to himself.

He looked around the campsite. Frederick was sleeping on his back. The blue and white armor still on his body. Lissa was sprawled out in her bed roll. Her head rested on Chrom's rolled up bed roll. Robin was sleeping on his side. His large coat covered him like a blanket. Everything seemed perfectly normal.

But Chrom could not shake this feeling of imminent danger. The adrenaline in his body was still pumping. He narrowed his eyes. The birds had gone quiet. The wind, normally a comforting presence, had grown cold and almost still. Now just a breath instead of a breeze. The pale moon above him cast a haunting glow on the trees around the camp. Chrom found himself double taking at certain shadows around him.

"Something is-"

"Wrong. Yes."

Chrom drew Falchion and leveled it at the voice. He then lowered the blade and exhaled.

"Dammit Ben." He breathed, "Don't scare me like that."

The robed man was wide awake. His blue eyes were scanning the trees, just like Chrom was doing earlier. His impassive face was hardened. Chrom could see his hand brushing against his right hip. As if he was looking for a weapon that should have been there but was not there anymore.

"Big brother?" Lissa asked, her voice sleepy and low, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, Lissa." He looked over at Ben, the man was already inching his way towards the treeline, "Me and Ben are just going to go check something out."

Lissa rubbed her eyes, "Well, you aren't going alone."

She crawled out of her bedroll. Chrom did not protest. If there was one thing he knew about his sister, it was that she could be just as stubborn as he was. Once she set her mind to something, no one save for their older sister, was able to convince her out of the task in her mind.

The pair followed Ben in silence. Chrom was more than happy to let the robed man take the lead as they entered the thicket. He was the most alert of the trio. Chrom was still trying to shake the last remnants of sleep from his fog filled mind as they walked through the woods. He could hear Lissa yawning every few moments to his right.

Eventually, the all reached a large clearing in the forest. Ben stopped walking.

"Quiet night." Lissa said.

Chrom narrowed his eyes, "Yeah. Too quiet."

The birds had gone silent. The wind had stopped blowing. And the trees ceased rustling in the air. Despite the lack of wind, the air seemed to grow colder around them. Chrom could feel more unease building in him.

"Ben?"

He and Lissa stumbled as the ground began to shake. It started as a small tremor. But soon it grew into an earthquake unlike any Chrom had ever felt before. Even Ben struggled to remain on his feet.

"Is this land known for earthquakes?" Ben asked.

Chrom grit his teeth, "Not this far south."

An ear splitting crack echoed through the night sky. Chrom's eyes widened as a massive piece of earth began to rise into the air.

"Lissa run." He told his stunned sister. The girl hesitated, "I mean it!" He barked.

"You're brother has the right idea." Ben said.

The robed man took Lissa's hand and yanked her back towards the campsite. Chrom followed them. He cast a glance back and saw lava spring forth like a geyser from the crack in the earth. Flaming rocks and ash began to rain down on the woods around them.

Within mintues, the forest was in flames. Fiery branches began to snap and crash to the ground around them. Chrom ducked away from a fallen branch and hissed. The fire had cut off the quickest way to camp.

"This way!" He called to both Ben and Lissa.

Chrom looked at Ben. The robed man looked nervous. His eyes were flicking back and forth between the fire and the lava. He saw Ben's hand brushing against his hip even more.

The ground shook again. This quake was even more violent than the first one. Chrom and Ben both fell to a knee while Lissa collapsed to the ground.

Chrom saw another wall of fire forming in front of them.

 _What the hell is going on?_

* * *

Robin groaned. His head was pounding. Just like when he first woke up, he was reeling from a dream of some sort. It was different than the one he was having when Chrom and Lissa had found him. This time, he had seen himself at the head of armies. They were marching across many lands. One land was covered in snow. Another was a desert wasteland. The bones of a massive beast rested near the battlefield in that one. There was a battle near a volcano that seemed to be the most desperate of the ones he saw.

Then there was the strangest one of all. A battle near a sparkling city surrounded by green forests. The city walls were blasted with scorch marks that Robin had initially assumed was made by fire magic. But then he saw the soldiers in white armor. Covered head to toe. Their faces all the same grimace as they methodically combed through the city and eliminated the helpless soldiers with strange red blasts of energy.

The person leading them in that dream though, was the strangest thing. He looked like a man. Except his skin was a dark blue color. His eyes were crimson, pupil-less. A crisp white uniform covered his body. Robin could not but feel the man exuded intelligence unlike any he had ever seen. He saw a few more images of the destruction, then woke up.

As he blinked the sleep from his eyes, he glanced over to where Chrom was supposed to be. Except he was gone. As was Ben and Lissa. Robin shot upright and looked over to where the bandit was tied up. He sighed in relief. Their prisoner was still there.

But where had Chrom, Lissa, and Ben gone?

Robin got to his feet and nudged Frederick's shoulder.

"Hey, Frederick."

The knight squeezed his eyes tighter.

"Wake up." Robin gave him a light kick to his side, "Chrom and Lissa are gone."

The knight bolted to his feet.

"Where have milord and milady gone!?" he asked as he looked around the campsite, "And Ben is missing too." He scowled, "I knew we could not trust that stranger."

Robin frowned, "You do have a trust problem."

Both Robin and Frederick cried out as the earth trembled beneath them. Robin sniffed the air as he struggled to stay on his feet. Smoke billowed high into the air above them.

"Fire." Robin gasped.

"We must find Chrom and Lissa." Frederick said.

The knight rushed over to his horse and hopped into his saddle. He gripped his lance and trotted up to Robin.

"Hop on!" He ordered.

"Wait seriously!"

Robin yelped as Frederick grabbed the hood of his coat and yanked him up into his saddle. With a sharp snap of the reigns, the horse took off towards the orange glow of a forest fire in the distance.

* * *

Lissa's breaths left her lungs in hoarse, rapid huffs. The smoke was starting to get to her a little bit. Her eyes were wide as she spun around, searching for a way through the approaching flames. Ben and Chrom stood beside her, their backs turned as they looked for a way out as well.

 _This is really bad._ Lissa thought, _I don't want to die by being barbecued._

Her eyes widened as a rush of cold air swept her. She looked up into the sky. Her face paled. There in the sky was a strange crystalline shape. A giant blue eye blinked open in the night sky. Bright light streamed out of the eye as it gazed down over the fiery land.

"Chrom?" Lissa tugged on her brother's white cape.

Chrom whirled around. His mouth fell open.

"What in Naga's name is that?"

Ben's reaction was a little more subdued than his companions. He was still more focused on the fire around him. Lissa could see him looking anxiously between Chrom, herself, and the flames. Was he afraid of fire?

"There's something coming out of it." Ben said, his voice somehow calm despite the chaos around them.

Chrom and Lissa stared speechless a several forms humanoid forms formed in the eye before falling to a heap onto the fiery ground. Chrom grabbed Falchion off of his back. Whatever had fallen from teh eye had now gotten to it's feet.

Seven human like figures groaned and hissed as they rose from the ground. Black masks covered their faces. Red eyes, like glowing rubies, peered through the dark at Chrom and Lissa. Then behind those seven, and even larger figure with long black hair and a hideous mask stood. The biggest one hefted an axe then pointed at Chrom and Lissa.

"Kill… prince… princess..."

Chrom shoved Lissa behind him.

"Ben, get her out of here."

"I'm not going anywh-HEY!"

Ben had grabbed Lissa's wrist and started to lead her away when three more ash covered forms emerged from the darkness. All three wearing twisted masks and sporting glowing red eyes. Lissa felt herself starting to shake.

Ben pushed Lissa behind him as the creatures uttered snarls then charged. Behind him, the seven other nightmarish monster had also started charging at Chrom. Chrom twirled Falchion and held charged as well.

Ben reluctantly drew the rapier from his belt.

"Lissa, you need to get away from here." He said.

Lissa could feel her knees knocking together. What was going on? What were these monsters? Why did they want to kill her and Chrom?

"Lissa!" Ben barked, "You need to move!"

Lissa jumped, startled.

"R-right."

She ran away just as the three monsters reached Ben. She glanced back at the robed man. He was expertly weaving between the monsters. His rapier lashed out like a viper at the three monsters. With skill that stunned Lissa, Ben made quick work of the enemy. Or at least, she thought he did. She saw his blade slash through all three of them. But to her horror, the monster merely groaned then counter attacked.

Two of them pressed their advantage against Ben. The third meanwhile, turned away and stormed towards Lissa. Lissa scramlbed backwards and shrank against a large boulder as the red eyed monster stooped over her. It uttered what sounded like a triumphit hiss before raising it's sword over it's head.

Lissa raised her healing staff. Praying that the little wooden staff would block the devastating blow. As the sword plummeted down to her, she could hear Chrom cry out. He was spring towards her. Five of the original seven monsters chasing him.

Lissa squeezed her eyes shut. She heard the sinister black blade hiss through the air. Then she heard the loud clang of steel hitting steel. Lissa gulped and opened her eyes. A gasp rushed from her lungs.

Standing in front of her, sword muscling against the monster's blade, was a stranger wearing a blue tunic, red cape, leather armor, and a blue mask over his face. His teeth were clenched tight as he struggled against the monster's blade. He snarled then, with all his strength, shoved the monster's blade to the side.

With stunning grace, he spun and slashed through the monster. His blade cutting through it's hip. Right as he did this, Chrom's sword cut through the air and beheaded the monster. The monster's body shuddered then evaporated into a cloud of black dust.

"Lissa!" Chrom cried as the girl crumpled to her knees and took hard, shuddering breaths.

"I'm… fine."

"Be on your guard." The newcomer ordered, "We managed to anger the big one."

Chrom twirled Falchion and stood beside the masked man. He cast a glance over to Ben. The man had finally put down the other two monsters that had tried to attack Lissa. He was rushing over towards them. Two piles of black, ash like dust, behind him.

"Who's your friend?" He asked as he skidded to a stop beside the masked stranger.

"Not sure. But I think we should do introductions later." Chrom replied.

The biggest monster growled, hefted it's axe, and stomped towards the three warriors. Behind him, four more of the masked monster emerged from the glowing blue eye. The eye then blinked and disappeared.

"More of them." Chrom sighed, "Great."

"Don't engage them alone." The masked man said, "They're much stronger than they appear."

"You're telling me." Ben muttered, "I thought I would have to slash them to ribbons in order to finally defeat them."

 _This is why I don't like these weapons._ Ben thought as he glanced down at his rapier, _What I'd give to have my lightsaber right now._

"Nine against three." Chrom growled, "I'd say that is almost fair."

"For us?" Ben asked.

"No, for them." Chrom snarled and charged.

Ben and the masked stranger followed him. Just as they were about to engaged the first few monsters, Ben heard the sound of hoofbeats approaching.

Frederick burst from the treeline. The knight lowered his lance and urged his horse into full gallop. Riding with him was Robin. The amnesiac was frantically flipping through pages in an old book. His eyes lit up as he stopped on one page.

"THUNDER!" Robin bellowed.

Ben's eyes widened as a bolt of yellow lightning leaped from Robin's hand and crashed into one of the monsters. The masked enemy howled and turned to face the charging knight. Before it could raised it's blade in defense, Robin jumped from Frederick's horse and tackled the monster to the ground.

"Robin!" Chrom shouted before parrying a slash from one of the monsters.

Ben parried a blow from one of the enemy before lunging forward and burying the tip of his rapier into the creature's eye. The monster howled, reared back, and punched Ben in the ribs.

Ben felt the air rush from his lungs. That blow had an insane amount of strenght behind it. He grit his teeth and scowled.

 _First magic, now monsters._ He thought as he engaged the monster, _This world is just full of surprises._

He felt his back bump into the masked stranger. The pair fought back to back. Steel flashing through the air. Catching chops and attacks that would have hit the other.

"Switch!" Ben shouted.

They both twirled. Ben ducked as the masked man's sword cut a deadly arc through the air. Ben blinked. Did he see blue fire coming from the man's sword.

The blow hit true. One monster's head fell to the ground before fading to dust. Ben rolled, parried an axe from their other assailant, then slashed through its neck. The monster uttered a choked cry before falling to a pile of dust.

Across the fiery clearing. Robin was wrestling with one of the monsters. He drove a knee up into the monster's chest before shoving it away. Moving quickly, Robin flipped a page in his spellbook and extended a hand.

"FIRE!" He shouted.

A fireball erupted from his hand and slammed into the Monster. The creature screeched as it was engulfed in flames. Within seconds, it fell to its knees and dissipated into black dust.

Frederick had cut down two more and was turning his horse so that he could ride down a third. Chrom was dueling two of the monsters on his own. Falchion cut hideous arcs through the air. Moving so fast that the air hissed as the blade cut through it. Ben eyes widened. The big monster was bearing down on Chrom.

"Robin!" He shouted.

The amnesiac nodded, "Flank it! I'll cast a spell on it. See if I can stop it's charge."

Ben nodded and sprinted around Chrom. The masked stranger joined Chrom in his melee with two of the monsters. They both moved so similarly. Ben was amazed at how in synch the pair fought.

Ben circled around and dashed at the biggest monster. The monster howled as Robin cast another thunder bolt as it. It's charge came to a stop. The monster roared and pounded it's chest.

"I pissed it off!" Robin cried.

"It's about to get angrier." Ben said as he crashed into the monster's side.

It felt like he hit a solid stone wall. He bounced off of the monsters side and fell on his rump. Ben shook his head and gasped as he saw an axe slash down at him. He rolled to the side. The axe buried itself into the dirt.

The beast snarled and stomped towards Ben. The robed man scrambled to his feet but was then backhanded by the massive monster. The rapier flew from Ben's grasp as he stumbled away. The red eyes narrowed and the creature uttered what sounded like a chuckle.

 _No use._ Ben thought, _Time to out myself as a Jedi._

Ben readied the force around him. A sense of calm took over. He could feel the force pooling into his body. Ready for him to use. Just as he was about to send a push at the monster, a arrow howled through the air and slammed into the monster's shoulder.

"MORE ASH FACED FREAKS FOR ME TO DESTROY!" A woman roared as she charged on horseback towards the monster. A lance was in the crook of her arm, leveled dangerously as the monster.

Behind her, a man wearing a frilly shirt knocked an arrow into his bow.

"Lady Sully." The man called, "It would not do you good to sully yourself by facing these foul creatures. Allow I, Virion, the archest of archers, to dispatch them for you."

"Piss off already, Virion!" Sully shouted back as she lashed out with her lance.

The monster Ben had been fighting jumped to the side. Sully cursed as her lance missed. But that was all Ben needed. He jumped onto the monster's back and began trying to wrestled the beast to the ground. The monster flailed beneath him. It's axe coming dangerously close to chopping one of his limbs off more than once.

Ben's eyes widened as one of the monster's hands grabbed his ankle.

"Oh not good."

Another arrow zipped through the air. It buried itself into the monster's throat. The monster uttered a sickening gurgle before dropping to its knees. It's grip loosened on Ben's ankle. Ben heard hoof beats closing in behind him. He let go of the monster and fell onto his back. Right as he hit the earth, Sully's spear slammed into the creatures back.

The creature uttered one more snarl before falling onto it's face, limp. Then it too turned into black dust.

Ben lay still on his back for a moment. He could already feel the bruises forming on his body. He winced as he sat up.

"You were found by them for a reason." He muttered under his breath, "Follow them, Obi Wan. Do as your dead master says. What could possibly go wrong?"

"Hey, guy in the pajamas!" The mounted warrior named Sully called to Ben, "You ok?"

Ben winced as Virion walked up to him and helped him to his feet.

"I would be much worse if you two had not come along." Ben admitted.

"It's what we do." Sully smirked.

"And we are most skilled at it." Virion grinned.

Ben exhaled, "The others?"

Sully nodded over to where Chrom, Frederick, and Robin were finishing off the last monster.

"Looks like they got it taken care of."

"Shall we go and join our good comrades?" Virion asked as he brushed a lock of long, silver hair from his face.

"Can't you ever talk normally, ruffles?" Sully asked as the two men trudged towards Chrom and the others.

"I speak just as plainly as you do, my dear lady."

Ben rolled his shoulder. He definitely pulled something. Getting on top of the big one was a bad idea.

"Sully! Virion!" Chrom smiled as he saw them walking towards him, "Talk about good timing."

"Uh huh." Sully remarked, "Good thing I listened to my gut and decided to meet you on the road. So much for you three going on a quiet mission."

Chrom chuckled and sank to the ground, exhausted.

"It was quiet. But for some reason, as soon as I ran into these two," He pointed at both Ben and Robin, "Everything became a lot more lively."

Ben sighed and fell down beside Chrom, "I'm not sure the same can be said for me."

"Here." Lissa said, "You're hurt."

Ben flinched as Lissa held her staff over him. His eyes then widened in surprise as he felt a warm sensation wash over him. The staff glowed green. Ben felt the aches and bruises begin to fade away. He could still feel some dull throbbing from wear the creature had punched him, but it was no longer extremely painful. He looked wide eyed at Lissa as the glow in her staff faded away.

"Th-thank you." He said, nearly lost for words.

"Everyone else ok?" Frederick asked.

A course of ayes answered him.

"Now, milord, care to explain what just happened?" Frederick asked.

"I'm curious about that myself." Sully said.

Chrom eyed the knight and the woman. He glanced over at Robin. The weary amnesiac gave him a hopeless shrug.

"Don't look at me. I don't have a clue." Robin said as Lissa tended to a gash on his forearm.

"Maybe that masked man knows what's going on." Lissa suggested.

"Masked man?" Sully wondered.

Ben's head snapped up. That's right. The masked stranger that had saved Lissa's life and helped fend off whatever these monsters were. Where was he? Had he fallen in the battle? His eyes scanned the area then fell on the slim man walking away from scene.

"Hey!" Ben called, "You there."

The masked man froze. Chrom, Ben, Robin, and Lissa all jumped to their feet and rushed over to him. The man's lips fell into a frown, but he waited for them.

Chrom reached the man and held out his hand.

"I suppose I should thank you for saving my sister's life."

"Yes! Thank you so much!" Lissa echoed.

"It was nothing." The man replied.

"Not to me." Chrom said, "You saved my sister. I do not take that lightly. What is your name?"

"My name matters not. But if you need one, you can call me Marth." The man replied.

"Marth?" Lissa muttered.

"As in the hero-king of old?" Chrom continued.

Both Robin and Ben cast each other a confused glance.

"Please," Marth continued, "You must listen to me. Today is but a taste of the calamity that is to come. The world teeters on the edge of darkness." He turned on his heel and began to walk away, "You have been warned."

Chrom, Robin, Ben, and Lissa stood speechless as Marth disappeared into the forest.

"Great danger?" Chrom frowned.

"Calamity?" Lissa gulped.

Ben frowned, "Not much for conversation, is he?"

Robin, Chrom, and Lissa gaped at him.

"Says the strong silent type!" Lissa exclaimed.

"Captain Chrom!"

Sully and Frederick trotted up to Chrom. Virion trailed just behind them.

"We should make haste to Ylisstol, milord." Frederick suggested.

Chrom nodded, "Yes, we should. Hopefully whatever happened here did not spread to the capital."

"What about our camp?" Lissa asked.

"Leave it." Chrom ordered, "We have more important things to worry about."

"And the bandit?" Ben asked.

Chrom hesitated, "Frederick."

"I will be back in a moment." The knight said before charging into the forest.

Robin raised an eyebrow as Chrom began marching back in the direction of the road. Around them, the forest fire was beginning to die out. The fiery orange glow being replaced once again by pale moonlight.

"What is Frederick going to do with the prisoner?" Robin asked.

"We can't afford to take him with us. An unconscious man will just slow us down" Chrom reasoned. Chrom grit his teeth, "We're going to have to cut him loose for now. One bandit or getting back to Ylisstol to warn sis about what happened here. I don't like it. But it's what must be done."

"You aren't just going to kill him?" Ben asked abruptly.

Chrom gave Ben a surprised look, "Well… no. That's- I would like to. Especially after what he did in Southtown. But my sister would not approve of that. The last thing I need is for her to be mad at me." He sighed, "Enough talking, we have to get moving. Frederick will catch up."

"Follow me." Sully said as she guided her horse to the front.

Ben glanced back at the destruction around him. One thought kept bouncing around in his mind.

 _What has the force gotten me into this time?_

 **And chapter! Whew! It has been SOOOO LOOONG since I hammered out two chapters two days in a row. Especially ones as big as these. This story is proving to be a very fun challenge. Having to juggle all of these different characters and give them compelling stories and moments is a great exercise. That being said, Robin, Chrom, Obi Wan, and someone else are going to be the major focus, just like it is the game. But I will do my absolute best to give time to the other characters. After all, Fire Emblem would not be nearly as fun or memorable without them.**

 **I debated heavily about giving Obi Wan a sword or not. And I decided to give him one for now. Don't worry, he doesn't like it (A weapon like that is just so uncivilized). But he is without his lightsaber… for now. The retrieval of his own weapon will be a major part of his story arc. So don't worry, he will be getting it back. I promise!**

 **As for how the fight with the Risen went, I am basing a lot of Obi Wan's abilities off of canon. Why? Because Jedi powers from legends would one shot almost everyone in the Fire Emblem universe. (For pete's sake Jedi and Sith can destroy planets in legends. And while awesome, it would not make this story very compelling in my opinion. There would not be as much tension.) And I do not find it strange that Obi Wan would struggle with the Risen. He has been bested by people without the force or other special powers before (Jango Fett? Cad Bane? General Grevious? Even Hondo Ohnaka). I think it's entirely possible that undead monsters would give him some trouble. And you will know another reason why in the next chapter! I'm giddy just thinking about.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	4. Ylisstol

Chapter 4

Ylisstol

Robin felt his jaw hanging open as Chrom and the other shepherds reached the top of a small, tree lined hill. Beyond the hill, sitting among the large forest at the foot of some mountains, was Ylisstol. The capital city of Ylisse. Robin had never seen any place so massive in his life. Then again, he didn't really have any memories to compare the city to. But he did have a gut feeling that Ylisstol truly was a bigger place than any he had been to.

"Home sweet home." Chrom said before rushing towards the city.

To all of their surprise, Ylisstol was completely normal. There was no signs of any earthquake. Not a single stone in the city looked out of place. The streets were crowded with people going about their daily lives. Shops bustled with customers. Patrols of guards meandered around the allies. Robin noticed Chrom paused and look back at Frederick.

"Thank Naga." He heard the knight breathe.

"It appears the city was spared the destruction in the forest." Robin noted.

Chrom nodded, "And good thing too. Can you imagine what we would be walking into if what happened back on the road occured here?" He shook his head, "It'd be a nightmare."

"Yeah." Lissa agreed.

Robin walked beside Chrom as they made their way through the city and the massive crowds. Eventually, the crowds began to thin out as they began to scale a small hill. Atop the hill sat another ring of walls, then the Exalt's palace. A massive, sparkling structure that stood vigil over the city below. Robin found his eyes roaming it's many towers. A low whistle left his lips.

"That's big." He mumbled.

"You've got no idea." Chrom chuckled.

Robin arched an eyebrow, "A palace like that must mean the Exalt is pretty important."

"Well obviously. Exalt Emmeryn is Ylisse's ruler." Chrom replied.

"And we're about to go see her?" Robin asked, "I assume that's what we're doing since we're walking in that direction."

"Yes, we are. She'll want to know what happened on the road last night." Chrom replied.

Robin gulped, "Are there any sort of um… court manners or anything I should be aware of?"

"Manners?" Chrom uttered a laugh, "No, no. Emmeryn is not like that at all. She's a kindhearted ruler. She'd just as soon sit down and have a conversation over food with you than demand any sort of fancy protocol. In fact, she'd be more likely to explain any court expectations to you than to get upset that you did not know or follow any." Chrom rubbed the back of his head, "Though to be honest, her explaining those rules may be just as much a punishment as her getting upset."

"She sounds rather benevolent."

Robin glanced back to see Ben had finally spoken up again. The robed man was once again silent for the rest of their journey to Ylisstol. Though he strangely kept his distance from Frederick's horse along the road.

The amnesiac had a hard time getting a read on the guy. He was mostly straight faced, quiet. He often faded into the background when they were just traveling. But damn if Robin did not think he could fight. Robin recalled the battle on the road to Ylisstol. Ben was a sight to see. He could have matched Chrom blow for blow with that rapier of his. And for someone that did not look particularly muscular, he was surprisingly strong. That was evidenced by how he was able to hold on to a rampaging monster last night.

Though now that Robin got a better look at him in the daylight, he looked rough. His robes were scorched in several places. Black patches ran over his robes and cloak like polka dots. And his cloak was torn and frayed in several places. Robin would have chalked all that up to the battle in the woods last night. But now that he thought about it, Ben always look like that?

 _Just what happened to him before we crossed paths?_

"Yeah," Chrom shrugged, "Emm is probably the kindest ruler we've ever had. Father included."

"Yup!" Lissa chirped, "And she's the best big sister I could ever ask for."

"Big sister huh?" Robin wasn't paying attention as the group passed through the gates of the palace and into a large courtyard. The architecture was marvelous. Robin could not help but stare in awe, "I'm sure she's the best big…" His eyes widened, "Sister?"

He stared at both Chrom and Lissa.

"Eh?" He shook his head, "Wait, sister? Father? But then that means that you- you are-"

Ben bowed to both siblings, "I apologize for not realizing sooner, your grace." He said formally.

Chrom and Lissa both burst into laughter.

"Don't start doing that now." Chrom laughed, "I'm not a big fan of all the courtly manners. I'm just Chrom to both of you."

Robin let out a nervous laugh.

 _Well that was more than a little embarrassing._ He thought.

Out of the corner of his eyes, he noticed Frederick glaring at him. An accusatory stare that told Robin that he was not out of the knight's suspicions just yet. Remembering Chrom's name but not the fact that he was the Prince of Ylisse probably didn't help matters.

The palace doors opened and the Shepherds entered a massive great hall. Statues of the past exalts lined the great hall, while great stone pillars held the ceiling high over their heads. At the far end sat a small throne. Standing in front of that throne were two people. The first was a white haired woman in golden armor. Small wing like ornaments sat above her ears. She was speaking fervently with another woman. This woman had a much more regal bearing to her. A calming presence that made Robin feel relaxed. She wore loose, heavy robes. Robin then noticed a pale blue brand on her forehead.

As the group entered, both Sully and Virion excused themselves while the rest of the Shepherds marched towards the throne. Both woman stopped talking and looked over at Chrom.

The robed women gave the group a gentle, welcoming smile.

"Welcome home, Chrom." She said.

Chrom grinned, "It's good to be home, sis."

"Hey Emm!" Lissa waved.

"Hello, Lissa." Her smile widened, "I trust traveling with Chrom and Frederick was eventful."

Lissa crossed her arms, "If you count eating a bear as eventful then yeah, it was."

Emmeryn softly chuckled before turning to Chrom, "I trust you took care of those bandits in the south."

Chrom sighed, "Tried to. We managed route the majority of them. Even captured their leader. But we had to cut him loose." The woman in golden armor frowned a little, "There were much more important things we had to worry about. I assume you heard about what happened on the road here?"

Emmeryn nodded, "We have."

"Those creatures have been spotted popping up throughout Ylisse." The woman in golden armor reported, "I've already dispatched some of our soldiers to investigate."

"Good thinking, Phila." Chrom nodded.

"Are you going to introduce me to these two?" Emmeryn asked as she motioned to both Robin and Ben.

Robin fidgeted. His hands folding and unfolding in front of him. He then attempted an awkward bow.

"My name is uh- er-"

"Did you forget again?" Lissa teased.

"His name is Robin." Chrom laughed, "And the other one who looks like he just rolled around in a fireplace is-"

"Ben." Ben bowed low. A practiced bow that spoke a lot about the people he interacted with. Chrom was actually surprised by how formal he suddenly was.

Emmeryn smiled, "Well, it is very nice to meet both of you."

"Your grace," Frederick finally spoke up, "These two assisted us on our journey back to Ylisstol. But Robin claims to be an amnesiac with no memory besides Chrom's name and his own. Ben also claims to be a lost traveler. We encountered both while on the trail of Plegian bandits." He cleared his throat, "Pardon my caution, but we cannot discount that they may be Plegian spies."

"Frederick!" Chrom snapped.

"Chrom, have these men earned your trust?" Emmeryn asked.

"They helped people in need when they had no reason to." Chrom replied, "Both distinguished themselves greatly on the road here. They fought alongside us. Ben showed great martial skill, and Robin displayed tactical abilities that I feel could be of value to us." He glanced back at Robin, "So I'm going to name him the Shepherd's new tactician.I'd say they have more than earned my trust."

Robin sucked in a breath, "Uh… what?"

Emmeryn gave him a gentle smile, "Then that is good enough for me." She nodded back at Phila, "Are we ready for the council?"

"With Lord Chrom here, we are." Phila replied, "The Knight Commander and council members are waiting."

Emmeryn nodded, "Chrom, Frederick."

"And that is our cue to leave." Lissa said before spinning both Ben and Robin around, "C'mon you two, I've got a place to show both of you."

* * *

The place Lissa wanted to show them was the Shepherd's barracks. A humble little building near the Exalt's palace. Big enough to fit perhaps three dozen people inside of it. But not so big that it would be considered a luxurious space. Attached to the building was a small stable. Ben cast a wary glance at Frederick's horse before following Lissa to the door.

The inside was very welcoming in design. Lissa guided both Ben and Robin into a common area with a large yet cozy sitting area and fireplace. A small bar as well. Bookshelves lined the walls in the common room. Inside the common room was Sully, Virion and several others that Ben did not recognize.

"Here we are!" Lissa grinned, "Welcome to the Shepherd's Barracks."

"It's cozy." Robin smiled.

Ben remained silent as he took in his surroundings. For a military force, this building was rather comfortable. Then again, years of war, living on a starship for months at a time, tended to distort one's perception of what was considered comfortable. This all looked like luxury to Ben. But to the Shepherd's this was probably normal. Ben had to shrug. The shepherd's he had met so far were young. Of course they would want to make their lives as comfortable as possible. Even if they were supposed to be a military force.

And they were enjoying that luxury. Virion was lounging beside the fireplace, a book in one hand and a cup of tea in the other. Sitting beside him, enjoying a cup of tea as well, was a woman wearing bright, steel armor. There were little wing like ornaments in her long brown hair. Sully was sitting at the bar, drink in hand, with another man. A shirtless bulk of muscle and scars that screamed brute to Ben. There was a third woman pacing to and fro near Sully. She wore a frilly pink clothes and clutched a folded white parasol in her hand.

Ben paused as he sensed the presence of one more in the room. He glanced over in the corner and saw a small mountain of gray armor resting near the window. A round head with short brown hair poked out from the top of the armor

"Hey everyone!" Lissa said.

"Hey squirt!" The shirtless man beside Sully grinned, "Welcome back! Where's your brother at? Teach needs to give him a few more lessons."

Lissa laughed, "So it's Teach now is it, Vaike?"

"Ah shut it you big lug and drink." Sully said, "Chrom could probably teach you a thing or two about combat."

"No way!" Vaike replied, "You all need to stop leaving Teach out of all the fun. Without ol' Teach, the prince would not have been able to get out of as many scrapes as he has."

"Or get into as many." Sully snorted before sipping her drink.

"Ah! Lissa." Virion smiled as he tore his eyes from the book he was reading, "Welcome back to our abode. We made sure to warm the place for you and Chrom so that upon your arrival you would find comfort and-"

"Lissa darling!" The blonde woman cried before rushing up to the princess of Ylisse, "I'm so glad you have returned safe and sound. Virion and Sully told me all about the horrors you experienced on the road. You must have been so terrified!"

"I'm fine, Mirabelle. Really I am." Lissa replied.

The blonde woman sighed in relief before glancing over Lissa's shoulder at Robin and Ben. A frown formed on her face as she stared at them. Before she could say anything else, the armored woman beside Virion rose to her feet.

"Um… pardon me. When will Chrom be arriving?" She asked.

"Oh yes. Sumia must know." Virion hummed, "She's been beside herself with concern for the good captain this entire time. My ears have heard much of it all."

"Aw, that's so sweet." Lissa said.

"Yeah, like Teach asked before, where is Chrom at?" Vaike echoed.

"Be patient everyone." Lissa reassured, "He's attending a council with Emm, Frederick, and Phila. I'm sure he'll be over here soon." She then noticed the others looking at both Robin and Ben. "Oh! Guys!" Lissa rushed back to Ben and Robin. To both of their surprise, she wrapped her arms over their shoulders, "Meet the newest members of the shepherds! Ben and Robin."

"I'm a member?" Robin questioned.

"I don't particularly remember agreeing to anything." Ben muttered.

"Robin and Ben, hmm?" Maribelle strode up to both. Her stern gaze roved over them for a moment.

"It's very nice to meet you, Maribelle." Ben said with a slight bow.

"Uh… yeah." Robin held out his hand, "Please to meet you."

"Is that how you address a noblewoman, Sir Robin?" Maribelle replied snootily, "I had hoped you were cut from a finer cloth. But judging by both your filthiness and choice of dress, I suppose I expected far too much of you." She glanced over at Ben, "At least he had the courtesy to acknowledge my status in society."

"Be nice, Maribelle." Lissa said, "Chrom has named Robin our new tactician." Lissa beamed at all of them, "You should see the tricks both he and Ben have up their sleeves."

"Trick huh?" Vaike smirked, "Well can they do this."

Ben arched an eyebrow as the bronzed man uttered a massive belch. Maribelle looked at the man, revolted. Virion appeared disgusted as well, but was not as obvious about it. The other shepherds simply chuckled. Sully even raised her drink in approval.

Robin joined in the laughter, "I think I have much to learn in the art of belching, Teach."

Vaike grinned and wrapped a meaty arm around Robin's neck, "I like him already, squirt."

"Birds of a feather…." Mirabelle grumbled before storming off. Both Ben and Robin eyed her as she left the barracks.

 _Very disgruntled girl._ Ben thought to himself.

"Don't take her behavior to heart." Lissa told both Robin and Ben, "She warms to people slowly." She giggled a little, "Or burns too quickly."

"And what about Ben huh? What's he good at?" Vaike asked.

"Fighting. What else?" Sully answered, "You should have seen him out on the road. He's bat shit crazy!"

"I'm what?"

"Indeed. Jumping atop that monster in order to protect your new comrades. A gallant thing to do indeed. Although, incredibly reckless." Virion commented before raising his cup of tea to Ben.

"He looks about as crazy as the rest of us." Vaike grinned before rubbing the top of Ben's head with his hand, "Ha ha! If all of that is true, both of you are gonna fit in just fine around here!"

Ben noticed, out of the corner of his eyes, the man in the hulking suit of armor come shuffling over from his corner.

"Hi, I'm Kellam."

Lissa and Robin nearly jumped out of their skin, causing the others to laugh.

"How did I not notice him?" Robin muttered to himself, "He's only wearing a six foot suit armor."

"A pleasure." Ben took Kellam's outstretched hand, "I was wondering when you were going to introduce yourself."

Kellam's jaw slowly fell open. As did the other shepherds around Ben.

"You noticed me?" Kellam asked.

Ben uttered a small chuckle, "It was rather difficult not to."

Sully sipped on her drink, "And Ben has already proven that he is better at seeing things than the rest of us. Congratulations Kellam, you are no longer invisible." She uttered a satisfied sigh before leaning back in her seat, "So since they're shepherd's now, I'm assuming they're gonna be staying here. House rules, don't touch my food. Don't touch Virion's tea unless you want your tongue to shrivel up. And for the love of god, don't piss off Mirabelle anymore than she normally is."

"And be nice." Lissa added in, "Right Sully?"

"Yeah, yeah. So what bunks do the newbies want?"

"They can sleep near Teach if they want to!" Vaike grinned.

"If they don't want to sleep at all because of your snoring, then that is a splendid idea." Virion said.

"I think I'll find a bunk in a moment or two." Ben breathed, "For now, I just… want to rest and clear my head a moment."

Lissa gave him a concerned look, "You ok, Ben?"

"Of course he ain't." Sully said, "He looks like he got set on fire and inhaled smoke for a solid twenty four hours on top of not sleeping for a week."

"Come my friend." Virion motioned to the chair beside him, "Relax, you are among friends after all."

For the first time in a long while, Ben happily obliged. He sunk into the seat beside the fireplace. His tired, aching muscles going slack as the chair embraced his tired body. He could already feel in eyes starting to close a little as the warmth of the chair and the fire calmed is mind.

Across the room, Ben saw Robin talking with Sully, Virion, and Lissa. Kellam had returned to his corner. Somehow not making a sound when he did. Sumia was sitting with Virion and Ben, the trio calmly relaxing as firewood crackled in the fireplace.

"Pardon my curiosity Ben," Virion suddenly said. He set his book down on his lap, "But I am wondering, how did you and Lord Chrom stumble upon each other?"

"I'm wondering that too?" Sumia asked, "It's not often that we get two new shepherds in one day."

Ben shifted in his seat so that he was looking at Virion, "I was traveling into Southtown when Bandits attacked it. Chrom, Lissa, Robin, and Frederick happened to be nearby. I picked a fight with those bandits. They joined in."

Virion grinned, "And so, wonderful friendships are born. Not only did you so nobly attack a force far stronger than you are, but you stepped in to stop dastardly bandits while villagers were in dire need of assistance. You continue to impress."

Ben shrugged, "I was only doing what was right."

"I'm sure that's what you told Lord Chrom too." Virion replied, "Don't be so modest, my friend. Not many would have done what you did." Virion set his book down on a small table beside his chair, "And now, I have more personal questions because my curiosity continues to get the better of me. But why were you traveling to Southtown?"

Ben furrowed his brow. Indeed, why was he traveling to Southtown?

 _I woke up in a field nearby after being killed in an escape pod that was blown to pieces by an imperial star destroyer. And it was only by sheer coincidence that I ended up near Southtown and I was hoping that I may be able to find Luke there. The baby boy that just so happens to be the galaxy's last hope for peace and balance in the force._

But he could not say that. Ben had slowly been coming to the conclusion that this planet had no ties to any galactic government. Not the Empire, the Separatists, the now dead Republic, or even the Hutt cartel or other crime syndicates. This world was, for lack of a better term, untouched. Such a thing gave Ben a reason to breathe somewhat easier. But that was also one of the biggest reasons why he could not simply tell these people the truth.

For one, he hardly believed it himself. One does not die then come back to life. And one does not somehow teleport from the middle of the galaxy to an undiscovered world in force knows where. He could only imagine the scorn he would possibly receive from these people.

For two, given the technology he had seen on this world so far, it was entirely possible, even very likely, that this world was not a space faring civilization. Not even a civilization that had ventured into its own atmosphere yet. Their weapons were primitive. Even more so than the tusken raiders on Tatooine. They relied on animals instead of vehicles for transport. And fire seemed to be the major source of both light and energy. This world was not just undiscovered, it was undeveloped. Most likely, they all still believed they were alone in the universe.

In Ben's mind, there was no need to alarm these people by revealing that he was an alien to them. And there was even less need to tell them that he was a wanted alien with a price on his head so large that if they were to somehow hand him over to the Empire, Ylisse would go from backward civilization to space faring in a matter of days.

And finally, before leaving Master Yoda, he swore that his mission to protect Luke would remain secret. It had to remain secret. If word got out that a Jedi Master was protecting a young infant named Skywalker, then the Emperor would no doubt come and destroy him. Then he woudl take Luke. If that happened, all hope for peace in the galaxy would be lost.

Ben took a deep breath. He hated lying. But it would not be the first time he had done so during the past few years.

"I was actually…" Ben strained his mind, searching for a credible reason, "looking for my son. He went missing a few days ago."

Sumia gasped. Virion closed his eyes and shook his head.

"Pray, may I ask, in what manner did he go missing?" Virion asked, the mirth in his voice gone.

Ben swallowed, "I believe he may have been kidnapped. I do not know who the kidnappers are or where they may have taken him."

"That's awful!" Sumia said.

"Indeed." Virion grimaced, "Your son must only be an infant."

Ben looked at Virion in surprise, "Yes. Just a week old." Sumia covered her mouth with her hands, "How did you know that?"

Virion shrugged, "With how young you are, it seemed only logical."

"Young?" Ben said with a small laugh, "I'm not- I'm not young."

Virion chuckled, "We have all said that at some point. Twenty years of age has a strange way of making one rather cocky about our levels of experience, doesn't it?"

Ben brought a hand to his chin, "But I'm not twenty I'm-"

He froze. His chin was bare. He rubbed it slowly. There was no beard. Not even a whisker. His hand shot up to his head. His hair was short. Like when he was a padawan learner. His eyes widened.

 _What in the Sith hells!?_

"Are you ok, Ben?" Sumia asked, "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"I don't think I've ever seen someone lose color over being told that they look young." Virion shrugged, "But there is a first time for everything."

Ben swallowed hard, "I need to use the restroom."

"Down the hall, third door on the right. Makes sure you use the men's room." Virion said, "Unless you want to end up like Vaike. Knocked out on the floor because you _happened_ to walk in on Sully taking a bath."

"Here." Sumia rose and grabbed Ben by the hand, "Let me show you. You look a little out of sorts."

"I'm feeling very out of sorts." Ben admitted as Sumia showed him to the men's room.

When they arrived, Sumia shifted nervously.

"I'll um- be back in the main room. Waiting for um-waiting for Chrom." She turned, "If you need anything just call. I'm sure one of the boys would be happy to help."

Ben did not reply. He waited for Sumia to get far enough down the hall before he shoved his way into the restroom. He rushed up to the mirror that hung from the wall. His eyes widened. He was staring at a face he had not seen in almost twenty years. A fresh faced Padawan, still learning how to be a Jedi Knight. His face paled. He gulped and looked over at a small basin filled with crystal clear water.

 _This is not happening._ He thought as he splashed his face with water.

He wiped the droplets from his eyes and stared back in the mirror again. That same, clean shaven, youthful padawan stared back at him.

Ben stumbled back and slumped against the back wall.

"Wha-what?"

His chest was heaving. What in the force was going on? He ran his hands over his face and sunk down to a seat on the floor.

" _Obi Wan."_

Ben's head snapped upright.

"It's about time I heard from you." He said, "I have a lot of questions right now."

" _I'm sure you do."_ Qui Gon said. His voice never wavering from that calm, gentle tone that Obi Wan knew so well, " _And I shall do my best to answer them."_

Ben closed his eyes and took a deep, calming breath. He had to keep his head clear. Think rationally. There had to be some sort of explanation for all of this. Maybe he really was dead and this was just some strange afterlife? He had heard of stranger during his travels around the galaxy. Or perhaps this was a trick of the force. He had studied tales of Jedi and dark side users that were capable of changing their physical appearance thanks to their mastery of the force.

He clung to the force for comfort. It's warmth filled him and he felt a sense of calm flood through his veins. But that calm faded and turned into puzzlement. The last time Ben had enveloped himself in the force, it had been in utter turmoil. The dark side of the force had been clouding everything. Throwing the force into absolute chaos to the point where it no longer felt like a refuge for the Jedi Master. But here, it felt calming. Not bright or pure light. But serene. Not as disturbed as before.

"How?" Ben asked Qui Gon.

The ethereal master was silent for a moment.

" _I do not know, Obi Wan."_

Ben closed his eyes, frustrated.

" _I may be one with the force."_ His master continued, as if sensing his former student's frustration and anticipating his next question, " _But even I cannot know what the force wills at all times. I am merely a messenger of the force now. I can only deliver to you what I know."_

"Where am I?" Ben asked.

" _I don't know."_

Ben groaned, "Do you know anything?"

" _I know that somehow, you were not killed. You were instead transported to an unknown planet, in an unknown portion of the galaxy. You have deaged by twenty years. And Luke is missing."_

Ben uttered a indignant snort, "So you know about as much as I do? That's comforting." He rested his head back against the wall, "So what do I do now? I know I must find Luke. But apparently these people want me to join their little group. Which could stall my search. And if my search stalls then all hope-"

" _And I believe you should join them."_ Qui Gon answered, " _There are no such thing as accidental meetings or coincidences, Obi Wan. You were brought to these people for a reason. That reason will be revealed in time. As for what could happen to the galaxy, you are doing what I warned you not to do my young padawan."_

Ben frowned, "You were just waiting to say that, weren't you?"

Qui Gon chuckled, " _Concentrate on the moment, Obi Wan. Let the living force guide you. And you will not be led astray."_

Ben felt Qui Gon's presence go quiet. He would not be getting any more answers from his long dead master today. He rubbed his forehead and let out a long breath.

 _No wonder I was able to take such a beating against those monsters back on the road._ Ben thought to himself, _My body is in its prime. That and I don't have the results of an entire war wearing me down._ He froze and let out a heavy sigh, _That also means my skills in the force may be diminished. If I am how I was twenty years ago, then I have a lot of training to catch up on._

A small knock on the bathroom door drew Ben's attention.

"Hey Ben." Robin called from beyond the door, "Are you alright in there. Chrom has arrived. And he insisted on waiting till you came back." he paused, "The others are kinda worried about you. You looked a little sick after talking to Virion."

Ben stared in stunned silence at the door. The shepherds were concerned? About him? Why would they be? He was no one to them? Just another traveler who just so happened to assist Chrom against some bandits and strange monsters.

"Do you need a few more moments?"

Ben took a deep breath.

 _Live in the moment, Obi Wan._ He reminded himself, _Live in the moment._

Ben stood and opened the door.

"Sorry I just- I- I really had to use the bathroom." He stammered.

Robin let out a laugh, "You don't have to apologize. Go to the main room. Sumia ran back here to the restroom as well while you were gone. Said something about needing to wipe away tears because of a sad story. I'm gonna grab her then meet you with the others."

Ben nodded and exited the restroom. He strode down the hall and into the barrack's living room. Frederick and Chrom were both there now. The pair sitting with the other shepherds, making small talk. No doubt discussing the events both in Southtown and on the road. Lissa and Vaike were both munching on some pastries that Frederick brought with him from the palace kitchens.

The knight watched Ben as he entered the room.

"There he is!" Vaike cheered, "That must of been one hell of a bathroom break. Only the tough ones cause a man to talk to himself as he-"

"Vaike, please for the love of Naga." Mirabelle frowned.

"What?" Vaike asked.

"I hope I did not upset you with my prying, Ben." Virion apologized.

Ben waved him off, "You did not. I just… really had to use the bathroom."

"I knew it!" Vaike declared.

Ben narrowed his eyes at the tanned man, "And were you eavesdropping on me?"

Vaike folded his arms, "The Vaike just likes to know what the newbies are like."

"What happened to calling yourself Teach?" Sully teased.

"He calls himself Teach now does he?" Chrom chuckled after finishing off a small cake, "If he's teach, then I'm a professor."

"Ha! You wish!" Vaike exclaimed.

Footsteps rushed down the hall towards the living room. Ben glanced over to see Sumia barreling into the room.

"Captain Chrom!"

*THUD*

The girl fell flat on he face as she tripped over thin air. Chrom was on his feet and by her side in a matter of moments.

"Sumia! Are you ok? Was it those boots again?" He asked as he helped her to her feet, "I thought we got those adjusted."

"I-I-I'm fine." Sumia stammered, her cheeks red, "It was- I- er- the boots."

Ben saw Robin sigh and shake his head as the newly appointed tactician stepped around the flustered Sumia and over to a seat beside Sully and Vaike. The young man's eyes lit up as Sully passed him the plate of cakes.

"Yum!" He smiled before grabbing two cakes off of the platter.

"Save some for the rest of us you greedy bastard." Sully barked causing Robin to shrink and put one cake back, "Strawberry cake Ben?"

Ben looked at the small pastry.

"Sure."

He took one and took a small bite, hesitant bite. He froze as he chewed.

"This is delicious." He mumbled.

"Alright!" Chrom clapped his hands together, "Is everyone here?"

"Stahl isn't." Sully said, "He's probably out on a patrol again."

"Teach will tell him what we talk about." Vaike said.

Chrom nodded at the muscular man, "Very well. I assume you all have met the newest additions to our group." He nodded at Robin and Ben, "Robin, Ben, welcome aboard."

"I still don't recall agreeing to anything." Ben said before taking another bite of cake, "But this cake is convincing me to stay."

The others laughed before Chrom continued.

"Robin is going to be our new tactician. If his performance out in the field is any indication, he has experience doing that, even if his memory is a bit fuzzy. And Ben will be joining our swordsmen. Sully, you and Stahl play nice."

"I make no promises when it comes to training." Sully replied.

"So what's going on, Captain?" Sumia asked.

"Yeah, Teach is itching to know what the deal is."

"Did the council discuss those creatures that ambushed us in the forest?" Virion asked.

"We did." Chrom nodded, "They are being referred to as Risen. Apparently small groups of them having been popping up all over Ylisse. So far, Phila and the Knight-Commander have been able to contain it. Right now, that is not our most pressing matter." Chrom took a breath, "We have reason to believe that King Gangrel of Plegia is using bandits to raid our lands and spark a war between our two kingdoms. Exalt Emmeryn wants to exhaust all options for peace before taking any military action. Nevertheless, me and Commander Phila convinced her to send a delegation to Regna Ferox so that an alliance can be made against Plegia."

"And I'm guessing we're that delegation?" Lissa asked.

Chrom nodded, "Correct. Now, this is a voluntary mission so for those of you-"

"Count me in!" Lissa chirped.

"Where you go and the princess go, I follow." Frederick nodded.

"A chance to knock some more heads? You bet I'm in." Sully smiled.

"Teach wants in on the action already!" Vaike hollered.

"One cannot just leave such a valuable asset such as I behind. The archest of archers must accompany this brave fellowship." Virion said.

"I-um-" Sumia folded her hands and bowed her head.

"Yes, Sumia?" Chrom asked.

"I want to come too. But I um- I'm not sure I'm ready for a mission yet and-"

Chrom gave her a reassuring smile, "Don't worry. You can come along. If you have to stick to the back of the group, that is ok."

Sumia's cheeks turned pink before she smiled, "Then I volunteer!"

"I'm with you too!" Kellam called before hesitating, "Hey, did any of you hear me?"

Chrom turned to look at Robin. The coat covered man shrugged and took another bite of his cake.

"You can't just leave behind your new tactician on something this important, now can you?"

Chrom grinned, "Absolutely not. You'll get to play politics with me."

Robin paused as he was about to take another bite, "Do I get a chance to opt out?"

"Nope!" Lissa laughed.

Ben nodded and raised his hand, "I'll go as well."

Virion cheered, "I knew the desire for adventure was not taken from you by a simple stomach ache!"

Chrom nodded, "Alright. I'm sure Miriel and Stahl will be joining us too. So that makes all of us." He shook his head and laughed, "This is going to be one heck of a journey."

"Damn straight!" Sully and Vaike cheered.

"Get some rest tonight then." Chrom ordered, "We leave at first light tomorrow."

The other shepherds cheered. Chrom smiled as the group returned to eating and drinking. Ben slowly found himself warming to the people around him. He was still quiet. Except with Virion, who somehow had a way to make him talk. He joined the archer in a strategy game that Robin also joined in on. It wasn't until late in the evening that the shepherds all began to retire for the night.

As Ben lay in the little bunk given to him he pondered the past few days events. It had all been such a whirlwind that he barely had time to think. But as his mind struggled to process everything, he found his eyes growing heavier.

For the first time in days, Ben felt himself drift off to sleep.

 **And chapter! A slower chapter! I had a lot of characters to introduce here! I really hope I did them justice. This story is a really unique challenge for me. I don't think I've ever really written a story with this many characters in it (Well I have, but not this way before. My GOT story has just as many characters but writing that in GRRM style makes it a little easier). I look forward to the challenge of juggling all of them. I love these characters so it's going to be fun writing their little interactions.**

 **As for Obi Wan being younger, that was a why not decision for me. Why not make him younger so he can relate to the shepherd's more? It's Fanfiction! Let's have a little fun with it. That's not to say I just did that at complete random though. It does tie into the story. I'm still finishing up the outline. But I'm super excited about it!**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think. As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day.**


	5. The Long Road North

Chapter 5

The Long Road North

Ben's eyes flew open. He was expecting to see the ceiling of the Shepherd's barracks above his head. The unfamiliar, yet comforting wooden beams criss crossing over his head. Instead, he found himself staring up at an incredibly familiar ceiling. A smooth surface with hardly a blemish on it. His brow furrowed and he rose from his bed.

Ben narrowed his eyes. He was in _his_ bed. He knew this room. It was his old room in the Jedi Temple.

Fear pierced his heart. He was in the Jedi Temple. Ben jumped from the sheets and readied himself for anything. This place was not safe. If the Empire knew he was here-

But how did he get here? Ben swallowed hard. He ran a hand over his chest and felt familiar robes covering him. They were not burnt, charred, or smoke ridden. They looked like they had just been cleaned. His lightsaber sat on the small nightstand beside his bed. He gave the hilt a cautious glance before running a hand over it.

A small gasp of relief left his lungs. In all the chaos of the past week, he had forgotten what it felt like to hold his weapon. He plucked it up from the table and spun it in his hands.

His thumb passed over the activation button. Right as it did, the room seemed to shift. The bright light of day rushed away and was replaced by the cold fury of night. He could smell smoke billowing into the room. Panic filled him for a moment. He covered his face with the sleeve of his robe and rushed out of his room.

His eyes widened in horror as he stumbled out of his pristine room.

The Jedi Temple was in ruins. The pillars that once held the massive ceilings were blasted to stone pebbles on the ground. Bodies littered the halls that he had walked through many times in his life. Jedi bodies riddled with blaster bolts. His breathing quickened as he stumbled through the hall.

His body felt like lead. Every step was excruciating. Like his feet were made of stone. Ben made his way to the main hall of the Jedi Temple.

Clones and Jedi lay all across the floor. Soldiers in white painted armor slashed to ribbons by a lightsaber or shot by their own blaster bolts that were deflected back at them. Jedi, younglings, knights and masters, all of them, lay in heaps on the floor. Ben could feel tears starting to sting his eyes.

He remembered this. The hope he had felt upon waking had been dashed. It was not all a dream. He was seeing the results of Order 66. Reliving those horrifying moments when he and Master Yoda entered the temple for the first time after surviving the initial massacre.

Ben gulped back a small cry before wiping a hand over his eyes. He tore his gaze away from the bodies and turned around.

A startled cry left his lips. Behind him stood Mace Windu. The great Jedi Master of the order was staring at him with dead eyes. Scars patterned like hideous bolts of lightning marred his face. A stump was all that was left of his sword arm. His robes were in tatters. Torn and scorched. Even worse than Ben's were after Mustafar.

"I told you." Master Windu said, his voice a hoarse whisper, "He could not handle it."

Ben shook his head, "I could not have known this would happen."

"You were his Master. You should have been aware of all of this. You should have known that the dark side had corrupted Skywalker."

"But I could not know it!" Ben shouted.

"Because you let your attachment to him cloud your judgement." Windu scolded harshly, "You were a brother to him when he needed a teacher, a master." Ben bowed his head and grit his teeth, "You failed not only him, Obi Wan Kenobi," Ben looked up and gasped. He fell onto his back as he looked back at Master Windu.

They were all staring at him. The lifeless forms of each lifelong friend. Master Windu and his dead eyes. Kit Fisto, carved up by a lightsaber. Aayla Secura, a corpse riddled with blaster bolts. A choked breath left Ben when he saw Master Yoda beside Mace, the little green master not harmed in any physical way. But Ben knew that if the Grandmaster was standing there then that only meant he too was dead. The Empire had killed him on the Tantive IV.

"Obi Wan."

A choked sob left Ben's chest. He knew that voice all too well. With a shuddering head, he looked up to see Qui Gon standing over him. A gaping hole in his chest where Maul's lightsaber pierced him all those years ago.

"I told you to train him."

"And I did!" Ben cried.

"But not how I would have." Qui Gon replied, his voice that same, calm tone that only made Ben feel worse.

"I-I-" Ben choked, "I-"

"You failed all of us." Mace snarled, "You helped create that monster."

Ben's eyes widened. There was a new sound in the temple. A heavy, rhythmic inhale. Followed by a sharp, shallow exhale. It sounded artificial, inhuman. Like a monster had been brought to life. The forms of Master Windu and the other fallen Jedi faded away. Ben stared into a black void as the Jedi Temple crumbled to ashes around him.

And that breathing thrummed in his ears. Pulsed through his mind. Pounded incessantly against his brain so much so that it sent the Jedi Master to his knees. His fingers raked through his hair as the breathing grew louder.

Then a voice pierced the darkness. A deep, rumbling sound that made his ribcage rattle in his chest.

"Master."

* * *

Ben jerked awake. His body shooting upright in his small bunk. Sweat caked his chest and forehead. His chest heaved up and down as he struggled to catch his breath. His eyes, wide open as he searched the shadows around him. Panic raced through his veins as he tore the covers from his body and fell out of his bed. Landing hard against the wooden floor. But he did not notice it. He scrambled back up to his feet and rushed out of the room.

His bare feet pounded against the barrack's floors as he sprinted to the front door. He shoved his way out of the building and out into the early morning air. The sun was just starting to crack over the horizon. Painting the sky with shades of pink, orange, and red. The last remnants of the stars twinkled above him. He placed his hands on his hips and took a deep breath.

The adrenaline was not dying. His body was still in a fight or flight mode. He took another deep breath and closed his eyes. He need to focus. Withdraw into the force. He swallowed and exhaled. The force coursed through him once again. When he felt that serene, untainted presence he knew where he was once again.

He was in Ylisstol. The barracks. The Jedi Temple was likely lightyears away. But that thought did not provide much comfort. That dream had been so vivid. Ben opened his eyes again. His legs shook and he slumped to the the ground, taking a seat in the grass just outside of the stable.

A shuddering breath left his lungs as he finally started to calm down. He could feel his hands trembling in his lap. He ran one hand through his short hair and squeezed his eyes shut.

 _Rest in the force._ He reminded himself. His mind began to wander to an old mantra that had been drilled into him since he was an infant.

 _There is no emotion, there is peace. There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. There is no passion, there is serenity. There is no chaos, there is harmony. There is no death, there is the Force._

His jaw clenched. If there truly was no death, only the force, then what exactly did he see in that nightmare? He recited the code in his mind once again. A code that had guided him almost his entire life. That helped in rise in the Jedi Order. That he had tried to teach Anakin.

Ben cracked his eyes open. His hands were not shaking anymore. They were clenched tight in his lap.

 _The code has worked wonders for us lately hasn't it?_ He wondered.

"Ben?"

Ben jerked his head back to the barrack's door. Robin was standing there. The tactician was clearly struggling to stay awake. He uttered a long, loud yawn before rubbing the back of his head.

Ben shook his head, "You should probably still be asleep."

Robin shrugged, his small shoulders barely lifting his heavy coat, "Kinda hard to sleep when a comrade wakes up and falls out of bed."

Ben sighed, "I didn't think I was that loud."

Robin fell down beside Ben, "Don't worry. You only managed to wake me up. Vaike's snoring muffled it for the others." He uttered another long yawn before smacking his lips together, "Beautiful morning."

Ben took another deep breath. It was indeed a very beautiful morning. And while he did not know this planet's name still, he could appreciate the beauty he saw. He could hear birds chirping as the sun began to slowly climb into the crystal clear sky. The white stones of the Exalt's palace seemed to shimmer as the sun's rays began to peak over it's walls.

"It is isn't it?" Ben muttered.

Robin nodded before frowning, "So… what woke you up so early? Vaike?"

Ben snorted, "No. Not him. I can deal with snoring."

Robin chuckled, "Then you are a lot more patient than me. I was about another hour away from launching my pillow at the big lug."

Ben uttered a small laugh, "If my impression of him from yesterday is correct, then that would not have worked at all."

Robin shrugged, "Eh, you're probably right. Maybe I'll start keeping a brick by my bunk. That should do the trick." He looked over at Ben, "So, what woke you up then? Another stomach ache?"

Ben shook his head, "No, no."

"Nightmare?"

Ben pressed his lips into a thin line.

"Of a sort." He replied.

Robin arched an eyebrow, "Of a sort? Look I may be an amnesiac, but I know what a nightmare is. And you were tossing and turning all night."

Ben glanced at Robin, "Were you watching me-"

"Sleep. No. I woke up to use the bathroom and saw you turning faster than a wagon wheel." Robin replied, "So what was it about?"

Ben frowned, "I cannot really say."

Robin nodded. He did not ask another question. Which Ben appreciated. Robin appeared to be impeccably good at reading the emotions of other people. He probably could see his distress and know that it was probably not a good idea to ask any further questions.

"I had a nightmare too you know." Robin suddenly said, "Or a dream? Or whatever the heck the in between of the two is called?"

Ben gave Robin a curious glance.

"I was, standing at the front of an army. Big one too." Robin explained, "Three different occasions. Each one the army was a little different. A little more haggard. More battle hardened but war weary. The first two times I led that army, I led it to victory." he shrugged, "I'm not sure if I'm just reliving some lost memories or if my mind is just that crazy, but that's what I saw." He paused, "But the third time, the outcome was not shown to me. I just led the army into battle and it faded away." Robin's face hardened, "Those three images were more of a dream than a nightmare I suppose. It was the fourth image that made it nightmarish."

"And what was it?" Ben asked.

Robin took a breath, "I was not leading the army. I was… walking through Ylisstol. And it was being burnt to the ground. Attacked by soldiers unlike any I had ever seen before. Not even like the Risen we fought back on the road." He stared hard at Ben, "And they were being led by some general or something. No big deal except that he had blue skin." Ben's face paled for a moment, "Can you believe that, blue skin?"

"Strange." Ben mumbled.

"You're telling me." Robin replied, "And when I looked at that General. The guy with blue skin. I could not help but feel… completely outclassed. I felt like a child playing a board game in comparison to him." Robin pursed his lips, "I don't have much. Hardly a memory. And just a spellbook and this coat as tokens of my old life. The one thing I remember about my life before waking up in that field outside of Southtown was that I studied tactics. And I am damn good at it. So to feel so… helpless in the face of an enemy felt-," Robin shook his head and pulled at some blades of grass. He then growled and tossed the grass into the air, "Just a dumb dream. What kind of person has blue skin?"

"An alien?" Ben shrugged.

Robin laughed out loud, "Like from the stars?" He nodded, "I guess that makes sense. Hm… if dreams tell our future, then we might end up fighting an alien at some point." He clapped Ben on the shoulder, "But for now, we can't think about dreams. It's first light. Time to eat, pack, and get going to Regna Ferox. Wherever that is."

Ben laughed a little, "You were named the Shepherd's tactician yet you still haven't looked at a map of where we are going?"

"I like to think on my feet." Robin retorted with a grin before helping Ben to his feet and walking with him back into the Shepherd's barracks.

* * *

Ben winced as he held his old robes up in the full length mirror. That wince turned into a frown as he ran a finger over a charged hole near the right shoulder. His finger slipped right through the fabric and out the other end.

"Kriff." He muttered.

Around him, the other male shepherds wear packing up their traveling gear, getting dressed, or, in Robin's case, eating another cake from last night. Vaike was shoving his head through an armored collar of some sort. He still wore no shirt. Ben shook his head. That man liked to show off didn't he?

Virion was slipping his slender form into another ruffled shirt. His traveling gear and bow already packed from the night before.

"I packed early because I will be damned if I forget my tea." He said when Vaike teased him over worrying so much about packing.

Kellam was… somewhere. It stunned Ben how such a large, heavy man could move so silently and unseen. If he delved into the force he would probably be able to sense were the armored man was. Although if Ben had to guess he was outside at the stables with Frederick. Helping the knight prepare several of those strange animals for the journey.

 _Does he move that quickly? Or does he move so slowly that no one notices him actually moving?_ Ben thought to himself. His mind then wandered to the animals in the stable, _A horse?_ He recalled the beast Frederick rode, _Strange animal. Very strange animal._

"Are you having trouble, Ben?" Virion asked as the archer strapped a quiver of arrows to his pack.

Ben cringed then held up his robes for Virion to see. The archer clicked his tongue.

"No, no. That will not do at all." He snatched the robes from Ben's hand faster than he could blink, "They look even worse in the daylight. By Naga, what did you do to defile such fine material?"

"I don't know." Ben snapped back, "Maybe I jumped into a volcano."

Virion wrinkled his nose, "The scent of brimstone certainly corroborates that story." He flicked the robes back over to Ben then marched over to his pack, "I may not have clothes that are as loose and roomy as those." He yanked a plain, white collared shirt form his pack along with some blue pants, "But, you will fare better on the journey with attire that is not tearing apart at the seams."

He thrust the clothes into Ben's hands.

Ben stared at Virion is shock, "Don't you need these for the journey?"

"Pah! The archest of archers needs only his bow and quiver." He then shrugged, "A fresh set of clothes is a nice thing to have. But if I know Lord Chrom, I know that he will drive a vicious pace to Regna Ferox. There won't be any time to do laundry." Virion closed up his travel gear as Ben struggled to pull the shirt over his body.

"I apologize for being as slender as I am."

"I think I need to lose a couple pounds." Ben grunted as he finally slipped the shirt over his body.

Virion laughed, "Like I said, with the pace Lord Chrom pushes us, that may very well happen." He jabbed a thumb over at Robin, "Unless you are like our friendly tactician and constantly gorge yourself on sweats."

"Hey!" Robin swallowed the last bite of cake, "Forgive the amnesiac for delighting in a taste that he does not remember."

Virion laughed, "Very well."

He then looked over at Vaike. The big man let out a happy whoop before slinging his pack over his bare shoulder.

"Teach is ready to go!"

"Does teach have his axe?" Virion asked.

"The Vaike never forgets his axe." Vaike replied defensively, "And that one time during training does not count."

Before Virion could reply, the big man marched out of the guy's bunk room. Virion sighed and shook his head.

"I bet five gold pieces that he forgot his axe." He mumbled.

"I'll take that bet." Robin chuckled.

"You're broke." Ben commented.

"Hopefully not for long. I'm technically employed by royalty." Robin replied.

"Trust me." Ben said as he threw his dirty, old, brown cloak over his shoulders. It did not feel right to just get rid of it. The robes he could let go of. They were no longer wearable. But the cloak was the last remnant he had of the Jedi Order. Asking him to get rid of it would be like asking Robin to get rid of his coat. It was not going to happen, "Royalty can be surprisingly stingy."

Virion arched an eyebrow as he slung his pack over his shoulders, "Are you speaking from experience, Ben?"

Ben hesitated. Now what was he supposed to say? That he had once worked as a bodyguard for the duchess of another planet? His mind scrambled for an explanation.

"Just-just a small noblewoman out in the middle of nowhere."

Ben cringed at that explanation. A pang of sorrow ran through his heart as he pictured a beautiful, slender woman from Mandalore. Long, wavy locks of blonde hair. A woman with a gentle heart, a stubborn mind, and an iron will. Satine was anything but a small noblewoman.

"Noblewoman huh?" Robin chuckled as the trio marched to the bunkroom exit. Ben snatched the last strawberry cake from the silver platter in the room.

"Hm… I caught that too, my tactician friend." Virion smirked, "So, good, chivalrous Ben. Our fellow madman of a swordsman according to the lovely vixen Sully. Did you happen to seduce said noblewoman?"

Ben choked on a bite of cake. He coughed hard for a moment, causing both Virion and Robin to laugh loudly.

"Oh you scandalous wanderer!" Virion roared.

"Damn Ben. I never took you for a ladies man." Robin laughed.

"It was that _ONE_ time!" Ben coughed.

"It always starts as one time." Virion grinned, "But then the lovely flowers of this world continue to seduce a man. Eventually, one cannot help but to continue to pursue such beautiful treasures without abandon."

Ben arched an eyebrow, "Speaking from experience, Virion?"

"Absolutely."

The other shepherd's were gathered in the living room of the barracks. Sumia was struggling to buckle the last strap on her armor. Lissa was sitting on one of the bar stools. Her short legs swinging in the air as she cradled her healing staff. Sully munched on a biscuit in one hand while she leaned against a spear that was clenched in her other hand. Vaike was pacing to and fro. Undoubtedly, anxious to get going. Ben saw Kellam near the door. He gave the big man a small nod which was returned with a wide smile. Ben also saw Frederick leading several horses by the reins out from the stables. Each beast's saddle laden with supplies. The knight still wore the same, blue and white armor that he wore when Ben first met him. The only person missing was-

"Ugh! Where's Chrom?" Vaike groaned.

"Be patient, teach." Lissa winked, "He's talking to Emm one last time before we head out."

"It can't be that important to stall us!"

"We are about to embark on a diplomatic mission at the Exalt's behest." Ben pointed out, "I'd say it's very important that he speaks to her one last time about the mission." He glanced around the room. There was one other person missing, "Where is your cheerful friend, Lissa?"

Lissa sighed, "She went back home to Themis earlier this morning. Something about having to help her father, the Duke. It's a long ride east and she had to have some guards accompany her. Themis is close to Plegia and given the current tensions…"

Ben nodded, "A necessary precaution."

"Holy crap, Ben." Sully suddenly barked, "You ain't wearing those robes!" She then laughed a little, "You've got the same fashion sense as Ruffles huh?

"That is because I lent him some clothes, Sully." Virion replied as he poured him a small cup of tea, "I could not let a fellow comrade wander about the country looking as he did. It would be most unbecoming of the Shepherds. Although the outfit is ruined by that cloak."

"Uh… thanks?" Ben remarked, "And this cloak stays on my shoulders."

"Now you sound like Robin." Lissa laughed, "Do you ever take that thing off?"

"Nope." Robin laughed.

The door to the barrack's opened. All of the shepherds save for Ben and Robin stopped what they were doing as Chrom stepped in. The prince of Ylisse wore his normal traveling gear complete with leather armor plates beneath his travel gear. Falchion was strapped to his back and a small dagger was on his hip. Ben noticed the distinct absence of any traveling pack.

"Did you get me and Lissa's stuff on the horses, Frederick?" Chrom asked.

"Of course milord. I also watered and fed the horses. Made some biscuits for our fellow shepherds. Plotted a course for travel on the map and sent a message ahead alerting the nearest outpost on Longfort of our eventual arrival."

Chrom nodded, "Excellent."

Ben leaned over to Robin, "Dedicated, isn't he?"

"Absurdly dedicated." Robin deadpanned.

"Is everyone here?" Chrom asked as he gathered the Shepherd's attention.

"Miriel said she'd be late." Lissa spoke, "Something about needing to gather some critical materials that would be imperative to this mission's success?"

"Those are some big words." Vaike whistled.

"And Stahl?" Chrom asked.

Sully shrugged, "He should know what's going on. If he ain't here then he'll catch up."

Chrom sighed the nodded, "Very well then. We cannot afford to delay any longer."

He and the Shepherd's stepped out into the warm morning air. Ben noticed that none of the shepherd's went up to the horses. They all chose to walk. Even Chrom and Lissa, despite their status as royalty. Sully and Frederick were clutching the reins of the two horses they were bringing on their journey.

"Alright everyone. Regna Ferox is several days north. So get ready for a lot of walking. We have to move fast."

"Yes, captain!" All the shepherd's other than Robin and Ben replied. The two newcomer's simply nodded to Chrom. The blue haired man grinned and waved the two up to him.

"And you two are walking with me and Lissa. Now then, let's get moving!"

* * *

Robin winced as he took another step down the North Road. The shepherd's had been walking for miles already. And already, his feet were killing him. He let out a long groan which elicited a laugh from Chrom.

"Tired already?"

"I was not built for walking long distances." Robin groaned.

"It comes with time." Ben muttered as he kept pace with Chrom.

"But that means work." Robin sighed.

"Ha! Your my tactician now." Chrom smiled, "You better get used to work."

Robin hung his head and uttered a defeated sigh. Chrom chuckled before finally stopping. He glanced back at the other shepherds. Frederick and Vaike were doing fine. Sully looked a little red in the face. She was used to riding her horse for long distances. And unfortunately, her horse was being used to carry some of their supplies. Sumia was breathing a little hard as well. Lissa looked about as uncomfortable as Robin. Meanwhile, Virion dabbed his forehead with a small handkerchief as he brought up the rear of their group.

"Alright." Chrom nodded, "We'll take a small break."

Robin let out a happy cheer before flopping onto his back. Ben knelt down in the grass along the roadside. The others broke open their travel packs and took advantage of their break in order to have a small snack.

Virion tapped Robin's shoulder and handed him a small biscuit.

"Snagged it before we departed." The archer said.

"Thanks." Robin breathed before devouring the biscuit in one bite. As he chewed he glanced over at Ben. The man was kneeling quietly in the grass. Eyes closed, breathing even. Robin arched an eyebrow.

"What's he doing now?"

"I've seen something like that before." Virion muttered as he chewed on a biscuit, "Our friend Ben, is meditating."

"Meditating?"

Virion nodded, "For some it is a rather therapeutic exercise. It helps relieve stress and clear the mind. I've thought about taking it up myself but alas, I am much too restless."

Robin nodded then watched as Chrom checked up on the rest of the shepherd's. Sully insisted she was fine despite looking a little tired. Vaike was anxious to continue marching. Lissa gave her brother some sass about walking for so long before flopping onto her back much in the same way as Robin. Sumia simply blushed when Chrom checked on her. Finally, Chrom made it over to Virion and Robin.

"How are we feeling?" He asked Robin.

Robin shrugged, "A little better."

"Well, Lord Chrom." Virion nodded, "This respite was needed."

"Yeah. Sometimes I forget that some of you aren't used to travel like this." Chrom glanced over at Ben, "Is he meditating?"

Both Virion and Robin nodded.

"I thought only mages and monks really did that." Chrom said.

"Maybe he was a monk once. Who knows?" Robin suggested.

Chrom nodded, "You two have spent the most time with Ben so far. What do you make of him?"

"I happen to find him an amicable companion." Virion said with a smile, "And certainly a fine chess player. He handled both me and Robin quite well last night. Once we explained the rules to him of course."

"Yeah, don't remind me." Robin cringed, much to Chrom's and Virion's amusement, "Maybe you and Ben should be the tactician."

"A board game and an actual battle are two very different things, Robin." Virion noted.

"Very true." Chrom nodded.

The sound of armor and a horse trotting towards the trio drew their attention. Chrom looked up to see Frederick riding his horse over to them.

"Shall I scout the road ahead milord?" Frederick suggested before mounting his horse and trotting up the road.

Chrom thought about it for a moment. He wanted to get the shepherd's moving once again. But one look over at Lissa told him that she needed a couple more moments. Besides, they were now far from Ylisstol. The city guard did not patrol this far out into the countryside. A little caution would not hurt.

"Go for it." Chrom nodded.

As Frederick trotted away, Robin starred stunned at the knight.

"Does that guy ever get tired?" Robin asked.

"Not that I know." Chrom replied, "Once he gets back, we will get going again. We are on a tight time table."

Robin and Virion nodded. Chrom started to rise when Ben opened his eyes.

"There is someone coming." He said.

Robin and Virion arched an eyebrow. Chrom followed Ben's gaze back down the North Road. To Chrom's amazement, there really was someone coming up the road. And fast. Chrom narrowed his eyes. As the figure drew closer, a small smile formed on Chrom's lips.

"I was wondering when they were going to catch up."

Robin peered down the road and saw a horseman charging down the road towards them. He was a little smaller than Frederick and wore similar armor to Sully. Instead of a lance, he carried a sword as his weapon. Sitting behind him on the horse was a woman with straight brown hair, eye glasses, and a large, black pointy hat. She appeared to be struggling to keep herself up on the mount as the horse raced up to the Shepherd's.

"Thank Naga you all finally stopped!" The man shouted, "I had to miss breakfast in order to catch up to you all."

"And I had to travel upon this equine creature far longer than I am used to!" The woman huffed as the horse came to a stop in front of Chrom.

"Stahl, Miriel, what took you two so long?" He asked.

"Ingredients I required for my concoctions were rather difficult to come by." Miriel pushed her spectacles up the bridge of her nose before jumping off of Stahl's horse, "I was delayed while I searched for them." She then reached into a bag at the horse's side and withdrew an iron axe. She grunted as she struggled to lift it, "That, and I found a certain ignoramus' axe still sitting beside his cot."

"Vaike!" Virion called.

"What?" THe big man called.

"You forgot your axe."

"The Vaike did no such thing!" The blonde man defended, "My axe is right here in my… in my…huh?" The big man strolled up to Miriel and plucked the axe from her arms, "Thanks Miriel."

"You are lucky I anticipated your forgetful tendencies." The woman replied.

"As for why I was late." Stahl began, "No one told me that we were going anywhere!"

This time, it was Lissa's turn to shout at Vaike. The big man felt a nervous bead of sweat run down the side of his face.

"I can't believe you forgot, Vaike!" Lissa stomped.

"The Vaike doesn't forget. He just doesn't always remember, is all."

"That makes no sense." Lissa sighed.

Robin and Chrom just laughed.

"You two made it here. That is good enough for me." Chrom nodded before motioning to both Robin and Ben, "Stahl, Miriel. Meet our new tactician Robin. And another addition to the shepherds, Ben."

"Hello." Robin waved.

Ben simply nodded at the pair.

"A pleasure." Miriel replied, her tone stiff.

"Nice to meet you." Stahl grinned. He grimaced as his stomach groaned loudly, "You all don't happen to have any extra food. I still haven't eaten anything today."

"Of course!" Virion chirped, "Just let me go over to my bag and-"

"MILORD!"

Chrom spun around to see Frederick charging back towards them. His horse running at full gallop, causing a cloud of dust to form behind him.

"What is it, Frederick?"

Frederick spun his horse around when he reached Chrom, "Risen ahead!"

"This far out already!?" Robin gasped. His hand immediately reached for the spellbook in his coat.

"How many?" Chrom asked.

"A dozen. Give or take one or two." Frederick replied, "I came back here as soon as I saw them. They are blocking the bridge up ahead."

"Sully, Stahl. Mount up." Chrom ordered as he drew Falchion from his back.

"Yes sir." Sully and Stahl said in unison.

"Miriel, I hope you brought your spell book."

"I never forget it." The slim woman replied as she withdrew a pristine book from her dark robes.

Chrom looked over at Robin, "So, tactician. How are we going to play this?"

Robin rubbed his chin, "Foot soldiers only?" He asked Frederick.

"Yes. Swords and axes. There was not a chief among them."

"Chief?" Ben wondered aloud.

"The really big one you tried to tackle a few days ago." Chrom explained, "That's what we are calling them."

Robin nodded to himself. His mind was already working out a strategy. If there were only foot soldiers then they could use the superior speed and power of the knights to-

"How many positioned on the bridge?" Robin asked.

"Half." Frederick reported.

Robin grimaced, "Well a cavalry charge wouldn't be the smartest idea." He hummed to himself before nodding, "I'll have to adjust on the fly. But I think if we hit them from range first then have our cavalry puncture their softened defenses, we may be able to push through." He looked over at Miriel and Virion, "You all ready to fight some Risen."

"Of course." Miriel nodded.

"I am always ready." Virion replied as he strung his bow and shouldered his quiver.

"Alright then," Robin gathered the shepherd's around him, "Here's the plan."

* * *

Robin could only grin in delight as he launched another Thunder spell at the group of Risen positioned on the bridge. He, Miriel, and Virion were wreaking havoc on their ranks. The monstrous creatures were being put into a confused Frenzy as the two mages and the archer launched their attacks from the river bank. The plan was being performed to perfection.

Behind him, Robin could hear steel clashing with steel as other shepherd's handled the Risen vanguard. A paltry little group that were no match for Chrom and Ben's skill along with Vaike's raw strength. Although the shirtless man still managed to take a glancing blow along his right side. Robin had to admire Vaike's tenacity, the guy was tough. He shrugged off the blow and charged towards the bridge.

Robin studied the Risen. Their forces in the rear were rushing to reinforce the bridge. Attempt to bottleneck the shepherds and take away their superior mobility. Robin scowled and tapped Virion's shoulder.

"Aim at their rear. Make them think twice about moving up."

Virion nodded and adjusted fire. Robin turned to Miriel.

"Keep up the fire on the bridge. Only stop when Frederick, Sully, and Stahl break through."

"May I ask where you are going?" Miriel asked.

"To join the fun." Robin grinned before rushing to Chrom and Ben's side.

Frederick, Sully, and Stahl charged ahead of the others. Their horses snorted and whined as they were spurred into full gallop by their riders. Frederick and Sully leveled their lances while Stahl readied his blade between them.

The riders slammed into the Risen wall like it was made of wet paper. The Risen that got in the way of their horses broke on impact. Frederick and Sully were devastating with their lances. The dangerous steel points burying themselves in the monsters and dragging them away from their position on the bridge.

Right behind them, rushed Chrom, Ben, Vaike, and Robin. The four men took down the stragglers on the bridge. Robin launched several fire spells, causing two of the Risen to fall back to what remained of their rear. Vaike and Chrom attacked with brute force. The pair muscled their way through several risen before crossing the bridge.

Ben moved through the Risen ranks like a scalpel. Not a single movement of his was wasted. Robin watched as he dropped into a defensive form of swordplay before lashing out with quick counters that cut the Risen to ribbons.

Robin glanced behind him and saw Virion and Miriel moving up to the bridge. Their attacks now making quick work of the Risen that remained in front of the others. Frederick, Sully, and Stahl had turned their horses and were bearing down on the last few Risen. Robin let out a breath and launched one last spell before the horsemen slammed into the last of them. In moments, the last Risen uttered cries of pain before disintegrating into clouds of black dust.

As the dust settled, Robin took notes in his head. These Risen seemed much weaker than the ones near southtown. He rubbed his chin.

 _Maybe the Chief's somehow strengthen the others when they are on the field?_ He thought.

A strong hand clapped him on the back, nearly knocking the small man over.

"Well done, Robin!" Chrom cheered, "That strategy was perfect!"

Robin smiled a little, "It did the trick didn't it?"

"The Vaike just got scratched." They both heard the muscular man howl.

Miriel forced the man to sit down on a nearby boulder. She dug through a pouch in her robes and withdrew a small vial filled with a blue liquid.

"This is why you should wear armor." She grumbled before pouring the contents of the vial on his wound.

Vaike winced in pain, "That stuff hurts."

"And taking a sword to the ribs doesn't?"

"The Vaike is used to swords."

Chrom just shook his head as he watched.

"One of these days, he's going to get a wound that he won't be able to shrug off." Chrom said.

"No he won't." Robin reassured, "It's my job to make sure he doesn't. Even if that means keeping him to the rear."

Chrom snorted, "He won't appreciate that." The prince looked over at Ben. The man was cleaning some of the black ash from his rapier. The frown on his face was plain to see.

"I don't get it." Chrom said.

"Hm?"

"You're a brilliant swordsman but you don't like swords?"

Ben sighed and held the rapier aloft. The sun glinted off the clean metal.

"I don't like swords, because they are a rather uncivilized weapon." He looked hard at Chrom, "Have you ever been in a battle?"

Chrom gave Ben a unsure look, "Of course I have."

"Not a skirmish. Not like here or Southtown." Ben said sharply, "I mean an actual battle. A skirmish you can see the results of your weapons work, but it is on a small scale. The true trauma such a weapon can cause does not hit you right away." Ben sighed then sheathed his rapier, "In an actual battle, when the blood is flowing and your blade is constantly cutting through something, spilling blood, you start to realize just how barbaric it all is." Ben shook his head, "I don't like it."

Chrom was silent for a moment. He gave a small nod.

"I think I understand."

"Do you?"

"Yeah. You just told me you don't enjoy killing and you don't enjoy violence." Chrom smiled, "That makes me respect you even more." He patted Ben's shoulder, "I'm glad you decided to join us."

Ben looked at the Prince, surprised. The boy was young. He had never seen true war before. Yet he was able to get people to follow him unconditionally. The shepherd's were perfect examples of that. Ben looked around the small field and saw them all chatting with each other. Lissa and Miriel were still tending to Vaike's wound. Sully and Stahl were arguing over who took down more Risen. Frederick was standing watch over it all. His eyes scanning the plains around them. An ever watchful guardian. Robin was discussing the implications of the battle with Virion. No doubt the amnesiac tactician would talk with Chrom about what he saw in the battle. Yes, Chrom was a leader. Ben could see that much now. And he was a good one.

A kind man. Strong willed and stubborn. Incredibly gifted with a blade and he had a talent for getting people to follow him into battle without question. Ben's heart sank.

 _He reminds me a lot of him._

"Don't look so down, Ben." Chrom chuckled, "We won today." The prince whistled, "Alright shepherd's! If we've all caught our breath, we got some ground to make up. The sun will be setting soon. I want to get as far up the road as possible before nightfall."

"Yes sir!"

Ben stood still as the shepherd's gathered their belongings and began marching up the road once again. He took a deep breath of the air around him. He wanted to follow these people. To help them.

But he had a mission to do. A far more important mission that required his attention at all times. If there was an opportunity to find Luke, he must not hesitate to leave the Shepherd's and go find the boy. The hope Luke represented to the galaxy was far too precious for him to not do that.

"Hey Ben!"

Robin looked up to see Sumia and Robin waving for him to follow.

"You coming or not?" Sumia called.

"Last one to make it to our eventual campsite has to cook!" Robin warned before taking off after the other shepherd's, Sumia hot on his heels.

Ben could not help but chuckle to himself. Him, cook for others. That would be the day.

 _It has been a while since I made a proper meal though, hasn't it?_

 **And chapter! I'm having so much fun writing this story! It has been a very long time since I've been able to say that. Just putting words down on the page and rolling with it. It's just so much fun!**

 **Anyways, we got some EPIC FORESHADOWING in this chapter with Robin and Ben's dreams. Remember, this takes place almost immediately after Revenge of the Sith. Ben does not know Vader survived their duel on Mustafar. And most likely, he is pretty scarred by what happened. The only person i think might not be crushed by Order 66 would be Yoda but he's a super Jedi. And Obi Wan is human, even if he is a Jedi Master. I think having him struggle with the aftermath of the clone war and Order 66 adds more depth to his story and character. War does things to even the most mentally strong of people. That's just my opinion though. As for Yoda, did her survive, did he not? We will find out but I have that planned for waaaaaaaaaaaaay down the line in this story. Right now, we are building the relationships between Ben and the Shepherds.**

 **Oh…. and I'm thinking about having a certain nemesis of Obi Wan's appear eventually. Just gotta put it together in the outline. That's going to be a fun one to write.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	6. The Longfort

Chapter 6

The Longfort

The Shepherd's had made their way several miles up the North Road. The skirmish was now long behind them all. Vaike was successfully patched up by both Miriel and Lissa. Ben had actually watched them heal the man. And he was thoroughly impressed.

There really was such a thing as magic on this planet. From what Ben had observed so far, it seemed to be concentrated around objects. The Mages of this world were not like the witches of Dathomir. The Ylissean mages utilized spellbooks to perform their magic. And the power that they tapped into seemed to concentrate through these books. How they tapped into that power though remained a mystery for Ben.

Lissa's healing staff was an even bigger puzzle for the Jedi. The books he could understand possessing this magic power. He could sense the stuff radiating around them. But Lissa's staff was another matter entirely. It was normally completely dormant. A stick of wood with a pretty gem on top of it. Only when LIssa willed it to heal someone did it actually show any power.

 _Maybe there is more than one type of magic in this world?_ Ben thought to himself.

He was very curious about it. Even the Nightsisters of Dathomir admitted that their magic only existed because of the force. Any Jedi could sense the force powering their sinister spells and incantations. But here, Ben had been unable to sense anything familiar from Robin or Miriel's magic. Then again, he had not been concentrating all that hard. He was rather busy battling Risen on the bridge.

 _Maybe I'll ask Robin to demonstrate some spells for me._ Ben thought.

"Is that what I think it is?"

The small column of shepherd's came to a halt. Chrom had stopped along the road and was pointing at a white, four legged creature standing to the side of the road.

Ben's eyes widened. He whipped his gaze from Sully, Stahl, and Frederick's horses over to the white creature.

"It's a wild Pegasus!" Sumia gasped.

Ben studied the creature as Chrom and Sumia cautiously approached the beast. It looked exactly like Frederick's horse. The only differences were the white fur and the massive, angelic wings perched on it's back. The wings unfolded and spread out wide. As if warning Chrom and Sumia from coming any closer.

Ben gulped.

"You look a little pale, Ben." Robin chuckled as he and Ben followed Chrom and Sumia.

"They fly now." Ben muttered before looking back at Frederick's horse. The beast stomped a foot and snorted at Ben, "These temperamental creatures can fly now."

Chrom laughed, "Don't worry, Ben. We Ylissean's have a tradition of training Pegasi. We even have a whole section of our military dedicated to them." He edged his way towards the Pegasus. Hand extended out to the beast, "I never thought I'd ever see one in the wild though. They are very rare outside of captivity."

The pegasus reared up on its hind legs. A loud whine erupted from the animal as it stomped forward. Chrom jerked back, narrowly avoiding the pegasus's hooves.

"Ok." Chrom breathed, "Maybe you're right to be cautious, Ben. The beast may be crazed."

"Oh don't be such a worrier." Sumia said, "She's just scared." The woman approached the Pegasus.

"Sumia, please be careful." Chrom warned.

Ben, Robin, and Chrom watched in awe as the Pegasus snorted and stood still. Sumia took a few more gentle steps forward, a small smile on her lips. She reached out and placed a delicate hand onto the beast's head. Ben's jaw slowly dropped. Sumia was taming the animal without any effort at all.

"That's-that's amazing." Robin stammered.

Sumia chuckled, "I guess I just have a way with animals." She ran her hand along the animal until she reached its midsection. She glanced down at it's legs and frowned, "Oh dear." She looked over at Chrom, "She's hurt."

Ben followed Chrom's eyes to the animal's leg. The white fur was slick with red blood near its hoof.

"How did that happen?" Robin wondered out loud.

"You don't think it encountered those Risen from earlier?" Ben asked.

"It's entirely possible." Chrom shrugged as he watched Sumia kneel down and inspect the wound more closely.

The brunette shook her head, "I can't just leave her alone." Sumia said, "I'll dress the wound and make sure she's good for flight. You all go on ahead."

"Are you sure?" Chrom asked, "We can wait."

"No, you can't." Sumia replied, "The mission comes first. And you need to get to Regna Ferox as quickly as possible. Besides, we are already behind schedule thanks to those Risen."

Sumia saw Chrom's concerned expression. She could not help but laugh a little.

"Don't worry, Captain. I can take care of myself. I'll catch up once she's ready to go." She patted the pegasus's side, "Right girl?"

The pegasus snorted and shook its head.

Chrom sighed, "Alright." He turned to Robin, "How far do we have until we reach the Longfort?"

"Uh…"

"You still haven't look at a map?" Ben groaned.

"Give me a break will you?" Robin snapped, "I'm a tactician, not a navigator."

"One day if we travel fast, milord." Frederick answered before giving Robin a sidelong glance.

"Thank you, Frederick." Chrom nodded, "Don't take too long, Sumia."

"I'll do my best." She replied, a slight tinge of pink on her cheeks.

Chrom smiled then looked back at the waiting shepherd's. He nodded over to Frederick.

"Take Stahl up ahead and find a suitable campsite. Flag us down when we get close." The knight nodded, mounted his horse, and trotted away with Stahl riding behind him, "Everyone else, let's move out."

* * *

The stars were already high overhead when Chrom and the Shepherd's were flagged down by Stahl. Chrom gave both horsemen a nod of approval. Stahl looked weary, but even he understood that Chrom wanted to travel as far as possible before making camp for the evening. When they all reached the campsite, Chrom was relieved to see that Frederick had already started a fire and had begun making a small pot of stew. The prince patted the knight on his shoulder before taking a seat beside the armored man.

The other shepherds followed suit. Ben slumped down beside the fire. It had been a very long day of travel. Virion was not joking when he said that Chrom drove a vicious pace. Even with his own training, he felt exhausted. Virion and Sully focused on unloading the tents from the horses. Lissa huddled close to her brother. Her legs sore and eyes heavy. Robin was busy studying a map by the firelight. His lips mouthing the words of important locations and landmarks. His brow furrowed.

"Regna Ferox does not have a capital city?" He asked Chrom.

"They do." Chrom replied, "It's just not what you would traditionally call a city." Chrom leaned over to Robin and tapped a large arena drawn near the center of the massive country, "That is Arena Ferox. If I remember my studies correctly, it is where the ruling Khan lives."

"So that is our destination?" Robin nodded, "Good to know."

"I'm assuming that this Arena is not one meant for theatrical performances." Ben said as he took a bowl of stew from Frederick.

"The Feroxi are a warrior people." Frederick answered, "They respect strength above all else."

"So a gladiator arena." Ben assumed, "Interesting."

 _That is bringing up some unpleasant memories._ He thought as his mind wandered to the one time he got stuck in a gladiator esque arena. Geonosis was still a memory that caused him to wince in pain.

Ben took a bit of stew and nodded, "You are a very good cook, Frederick."

"The results of much travel and practice." The knight replied as he handed out more bowls to the other shepherds.

"If it wasn't for him, me and Lissa would probably starve when on the road." Chrom laughed.

"Probably?" Lissa replied, "Do I need to bring up the bear incident?"

"It tasted fine." Chrom replied.

Virion looked at Chrom, disgusted, "You ate a bear?"

"Nice!" Sully chuckled, "Good protein."

"Exactly." Chrom said.

Ben couldn't help but laugh under his breath before eating another spoonful of stew. He glanced around at the Shepherds. Lissa had joined Robin in studying their map. The little princess answering some of the amnesiac's questions about the lands surrounding them. Miriel was busy reading a large tome of some sort. Vaike was occasionally reading over her shoulder, a very confused expression on his face. Sully, Stahl, and Frederick were sitting shoulder to shoulder. The knight explaining to the other two horsemen what the duties of a Ylissean knight were. Apparently Sully and Stahl were not full fledged knights like Frederick.

Ben heard some board game pieces clinking in a small bag. He glanced over at Virion.

"Care for a game, Ben?"

Ben rubbed his mouth with his hand before nodding.

"Sure."

The archer grinned before setting up the board. If Ben remembered correctly, this game was called Chess. A tactical game with thousands of different outcomes and possible movements. He had played it with both Robin and Virion the other night in the barracks. And while the pair thrashed him the first time he played, he had managed to hold his own with each following game.

"Robin!" Virion hollered over to the tactician, "Care to join?"

The tactician looked very tempted. But then he shook his head, "I've got to catch up my geography." He eyed Ben, "Someone is not very satisfied with my skills in that area."

Virion laughed, "A tactician should know where he is going."

"That's what I have you all for." Robin replied before burying his nose in the map once again.

Virion chuckled, "Do you believe him, Ben?" He asked as he set up the pieces on the board.

"I believe that he does not want to lose to me again." Ben said, his voice loud enough so that Robin could hear him.

"Oh that does it!" Robin roared. He tossed the map into Lissa's arms before marching over and taking a seat beside Virion, "I call next game."

Both Virion and Ben laughed.

"Your move then, Ben." Virion motioned.

Ben nodded and moved the first pawn on his board. He did enjoy this game immensely. It reminded him a bit Dejarik. Only with more pieces and a square field of play instead of a circle. And he was very good at Dejarik. When they had first played, Virion had marveled at how quickly Ben had picked up the game.

It certainly helped that Ben had the force. When playing, he would use it to sense the possible intentions of his opponent. That gave him a massive edge against Robin. While the tactician was just as skilled at chess as he was, Robin wore his emotions on his sleeve. It was easy to sense what he might end up doing next. That allowed Ben to formulate a strategy to counter him very quickly.

Virion on the other hand, was much more difficult to read. The man wore a blank, poker face when making his move on the chess board. And that was the case during this game. Ben found it difficult to sense his intentions as the pieces began to creep along the board.

"Ben, my friend. I have a question for you." Virion said as he moved his knight up the board.

"Ask away." Ben replied as he rubbed his chin and studied Virion's move.

"You are searching for you son, yes?"

Ben nodded.

"Then why join us in traveling to Regna Ferox?"

Ben pressed his lips together. He moved his bishop up the board and snatched a pawn from Virion.

"Because I do not know where the kidnapper's took him." Ben replied, "I am hoping that I can catch a lead by traveling with you."

Robin frowned, "That sounds rather inefficient."

"To a tactician yes. But to a parent…" Virion shrugged, "I believe a parent would exhaust every possible option in searching for their lost child. I'm sure Ben has already done that."

"You have no idea." Ben breathed before uttering a small cures as Virion took his first bishop.

"Does Chrom know about this yet?" Robin asked.

Ben shook his head, "I won't burden him with my problems. Not when he is conducting such an important mission for his country. I should be the least of his concerns."

Virion shook his head, "You still do not know Chrom very well, do you?" Virion took one of Ben's knights.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"He cares about us." Virion remarked, "More than most of us even know. We are more than soldiers to him." The archer sighed, "I am not actually Ylissean myself. I am actually a noble from a nation across the sea called Rosanne."

"A foreign nobleman?" Robin said.

"Indeed." Virion leaned back and furrowed his brow as Ben moved his queen forward, "Damn, that was a well planned move." He mumbled before continuing his story, "You see, there is another nation near my own called, Valm. They invaded Rosanne and..." Virion paused and sighed, "And I had to leave my nation in order to find help. I came here to Ylisse. But by the time I arrived to speak to the Exalt, Rosanne had fallen. Both Exalt Emmeryn and Chrom took pity on me then. Neither of them had to. They gave me a roof over my head and a purpose in life once again."

Ben rubbed his chin as he watched Virion's latest move.

"Chrom did not have to do that." Virion breathed, "He could have just told me that I had to make my own way in Ylisse. Find my own path. Instead, he helped me to my feet and gave me a path to follow." He cursed as Ben moved his rook all the way across the board, taking a bishop in the process, "Chrom does not think of our problems as a burden. I suggest that you discuss your search for you son with him. You may get more help than you think."

Ben nodded, "I'll think about it."

"Good." Virion smirked, "And while you are thinking about it…" His queen moved and blocked Ben's King, "Checkmate."

Ben's eyes darted down to the board, "Well… I'll be damned."

Virion chuckled, "Good game my friend. Now then, does the tactian Robin wish to challenge me? Or does he wish to take up Ben's challenge?"

Robin shoved Virion to the side, "You already know the answer to that one. Bring it on, Ben!"

* * *

Robin huffed then fell backwards into his small bed roll. An action he regretted as he felt his back slam into a small rock. He froze against the ground then let out a long, loud, painful groan.

"I always seem to fall asleep on a rock." He winced.

"Yes you do."

Robin lifted his head to see Chrom setting up his bedroll near him. The other shepherd's were already long asleep save for Chrom, Robin, Virion, and Ben. The latter three had finally finished their last chess match. A game that Ben handily won over Robin. The tactician was still trying to piece together how he won that game. He had even tried a new strategy and it had still failed. It was like Ben knew exactly what he was thinking of doing.

Virion and Ben had both retired for the evening after that match. Ben retreated to his little bed roll far away from the rest of the camp. For some reason, the chill in the night air did not bother him as much as it did the others. Of course he had that cloak to keep him warm at night. So a fire was not necessary to him. The others, Virion included, had all set up their beds near the camp's roaring fire.

"How was the game?"

"Virion and Ben beat me like a drum." Robin sighed.

Chrom laughed, "Maybe I should make them my tacticians then."

Robin jumped up onto his elbows, "Please don't! I don't want to be out of a job."

Chrom laughed loudly, "Don't worry. Even they think you're better than them."

Robin arched an eyebrow, "Really?"

Chrom nodded, "Like Virion said, a board game is very different than an actual battle. I'm sure Ben would tell you the same exact thing."

Robin rubbed his chin, "I've been thinking that I should talk to Ben more about tactics. Me and Virion chat about it constantly. I like to bounce ideas off of him. But Ben and I don't discuss it as much. And he is just as skilled."

"Might not be a bad idea." Chrom agreed before taking a swig from a water skin.

Robin frowned, "Sh-shouldn't you be sleeping?"

"I got first watch."

"But," Robin sighed, "You are the leader of this mission. If anyone should rest through the entire night, it's you."

Chrom shook his head, "I'm not above anyone else here." He took a breath, "A leader should rest after all of his followers. Besides, I don't mind taking first watch. Gives me some extra time to think about our next steps forward."

"And those would be?"

Chrom shifted in his seat, "Talking to the Khan of Regna Ferox. I've never met the man. But according to Frederick, he rules a warrior people. So I don't expect so much politicking as much as-"

"Blunt arguing? Fist fights?" Robin finished for him.

"Exactly." Chrom agreed, "And to be honest with you, I'll be relieved if that is the case." He took another drink of water, "I can't stand politics. Thank Naga my sister is the Exalt and not me."

Robin chuckled, "I think you would make a fine Exalt. You care about all of us. And you care about your people. That already makes you a great leader in my book." Robin titled his head to the side, "Then again, I don't have much to compare to."

"Shut up." Chrom chuckled, "Speaking of caring about everyone, I noticed you and Ben talk often."

Robin shrugged, "He likes to talk once you break that outer shell of silence."

"He never mentioned why he was following us to Regna Ferox. Or why he joined the Shepherds."

"To be fair, you kinda did to him what you did to me."

"That being?"

"Not give us a choice in the matter." Chrom narrowed his eyes at Robin, "N-not that I'm complaining!" Robin stammered, "I'm enjoying myself so far."

"I'm glad to hear that. But I was wondering if he told you anything. I mean, I've tried talking to him in the past but he was just so damn-"

"Silent."

"Yes!" Chrom said, "I tried asking about his past when we killed that bear a few days ago. But nothing."

Robin shrugged, "He's just a private person." His eyes darted over to Ben, who was sound asleep on his mat.

Chrom narrowed his eyes, "You do know something."

"I know nothing!"

"Don't lie!" Chrom declared, "You're my tactician. I need to trust you in all things."

Robin stared back at Chrom. The Ylissean Prince was glaring at him hard. The tactician gulped. Damn his guilt.

"Alright fine." Robin sighed as he propped himself up on one elbow, "Ben is… well he's a father."

Chrom blinked, "A what?"

"That's what I thought when I found out too."

"But he's so young and… stoic." Chrom muttered before glancing over at Ben, "You wouldn't think-"

"I know right!" Robin cried, "Apparently, he has a little infant boy. He's never mentioned his name now that I think about it."

"Well, if he's a father then why is he following us?" Chrom asked, "Why isn't he with his son?"

"That's the thing. His son was kidnapped." Chrom's face hardened, "Ben doesn't know who took him or where he may be. I think he's hoping to find a clue while traveling across the world with us. That's also why he was traveling through Southtown."

"Kidnappers." Chrom grit his teeth and shook his head, "Damn."

Robin snapped his fingers in front of Chrom's face, "Hey! You didn't hear any of that from me."

Chrom blinked, "Wh-what?"

"We all heard it from you, Robin." Sully muttered sleepily. The woman turned over onto her side, her back now facing the fire, "You two are worse than a couple of palace maids. Go to sleep already!"

"The Vaike can't sleep with all this noise."

Robing clenched his jaw, "Vaike can't sleep through the noise." He laughed to himself, " _He_ can't sleep." He gave Chrom a manic look, "I'm going to gag his mouth so I can't hear him snore anymore."

"Don't."

"I mean it!"

"Go to sleep already!" Sully roared before chucking a stick at both of them.

* * *

Ben and Chrom both rose early the next morning. Frederick was somehow still awake before them. The sun had not yet risen over the horizon, but the trio were already stirring the other Shepherds. With groggy eyes and loud yawns, the others rose, packed their gear, and started up the North Road once again.

As they went further north, Ben noticed the air growing cold. He blinked when he felt the first snowflake kiss his forehead. Surprised, he stared up at the cloudy, gray sky and saw snow drifting lazily down onto all of them.

"Is it that season already?" he wondered out loud.

"No." Chrom replied, "It just gets that cold."

All of the shepherd's paused to break out some winter gear, with the exception of Vaike who insisted on remaining the manliest of the bunch. That being said, Miriel still convinced him to wear a thick scarf around his neck. Lissa huddled close to Frederick as the lazy snowfall became more intense with the howling wind.

Ben drew his hood over his head and wrapped his arms tight around his torso. Force did he miss his Jedi robes. He was grateful to Virion for letting him borrow some clothes. But they were not the warmest garments. Thankfully he kept his old cloak. That helped block the wind, even if it was only a little bit.

Robin seemed the most comfortable of the bunch. He too, had drawn the hood of his huge coat over his head. The shiny buttons were all done up as he wrapped himself tight inside of it. Although he was struggling to stride through the growing snowdrifts.

If anyone was warm, it was those creatures called Horses. In this case, Ben wasn't necessarily wary of them as much as he was envious of them. Their fur was covered with ice and snow, but they still soldiered on. Unaffected by the growing cold.

The group reached a series of snow covered hills. Massive pines towered over them. The branches catching most of the snow but letting the rest fall in large piles around their trunks and on the road. Ben took a deep breath, the frozen air rushing through his lungs like an electric shock.

"Cold Ben?" Chrom asked as he marched beside him.

"I have been colder." Ben admitted, "But this is up there." He tugged at the shirt beneath his cloak, "This shirt is not helping matters."

Chrom chuckled, "Leave it to Virion to have clothing that is not practical."

Ben laughed with him, "I do not doubt his skills as an Archer. But maybe he could work on other practical things first." He shivered again, "How much further until we reach this 'Longfort?'"

"Acouple more hours if we keep up this pace." Robin chirped as he strode up beside them.

"Well if it isn't the luckiest guy in the world right now." Chrom said.

"Hey, don't blame me. I woke up with this coat." Robin defended.

"I'd keep an eye on it." Ben said, "If I overheard them correctly, Lissa and Sully are planning on stealing it from you."

Robin cluctched his coat and wrapped it tighter around his body, "Over my dead body."

"Sully could probably arrange that." Chrom laughed.

"Captain!" Stahl shouted from the top of the hill.

Frederick stood beside the young horseman. Chrom, Ben, and Robin all rushed up the hill. When they reached the top, Robin and Ben's eyes widened.

At the bottom of the hill, still several dozen miles away, was a massive wall. Ben looked east and west and felt his jaw begin to hang open. It stretched out as far as his eyes could see. And it wasn't just a wall. The massive structure that snaked through the frozen land was reinforced by towers and several smaller forts built into the walls.

"Shepherds." Chrom breathed, "The Longfort."

"That's… big." Robin breathed.

Chrom chuckled, "Are you going to say that about every major landmark we run into?"

Robin shrugged, "Dunno." He started marching down the hill, "But I'm hungry, and my feet hurt. So let's get there already!"

"We won't be camping again, milord?" Frederick asked.

Chrom shook his head, "It's too cold for that. We travel until we reach the Longfort. Then we can rest."

The knight nodded then shouted for the other shepherd's to move out.

"Brrrr…" Lissa shivered as she shuffled past Chrom. A thick fur coat draped over her shoulders and pulled tight over her small body, "I-I'm so-so c-cold."

"Don't worry, we're almost there." Chrom nodded as she stumbled away.

Ben rubbed his hands and huffed a warm breath into his fingers.

 _That should help get some feeling back into them._

"Hopefully this mission will be a quick one." Chrom commented.

Ben glanced over at the Prince, "I hope so as well."

The pair started down the hill after the other Shepherds. As they weaved their way through trees and down the small, gravel path that was the road, Chrom glanced back at Ben.

"So Ben."

"Hm?"

"When were you going to tell me?"

Ben's breath got stuck in his throat. His heart began to pound. He could hear it beating in his ears. Did Chrom know he was a Jedi? How did he find out? Ben's eyes darted to the trees around him. Was this planet not as isolated or primitive as he thought? He steadied his breathing and felt his hand drifting towards the rapier on his hip. He started trying to sense Chrom's intentions. To his surprise, there was no malice in him. Then again, the clones held no malice when Order 66 was issued.

He also sensed something else. A strange aura of sorts around the Prince. Something that he could not explain. The Force almost felt more concentrated around Chrom. In a world where he had yet to encounter any force wielders, Ben was puzzled. But that was the least of his concerns.

How was he supposed to answer Chrom? Ben's mind raced for an explanation. If he already knew he was a Jedi, on the run from the Empire, then there probably was no harm in admitting the truth. Was there? Maybe Chrom was just waiting for confirmation. If Ben outright admitted who he was, there was still a chance that the Empire would be contacted. The other option was that Ben denied what Chrom said entirely. But he doubted that would work. The Prince clearly knew something. He would not rest until he got Ben to talk to him. Ben sighed, there was option number three.

"Tell you what?"

Ignorance.

"That you're a father."

Ben's racing heart stopped pounding.

"I'm a-a uh-"

Chrom hit his shoulder, "You should have said something to me Ben. I'm your friend, aren't I?"

 _Go with it, Obi Wan._

"Y-yes." Ben replied, his voice still hesitant and his mind still racing.

Chrom sighed, "I get where you are coming from, you know. All of the others were like you at some point." Chrom shrugged, "They all thought that because I was a Prince or whatever, I was too busy or important to help, let alone care, about their own personal problems." He stopped and turned to face Ben, "I want you to know that could not be further from the truth. Now… the mission to Regna Ferox does come first. But once all of that is finished, I will give you whatever help I can in the search for you son and the bastards that took him. Do you understand me?"

Ben stared dumbfounded at Chrom. He was partially stunned because he was still afraid that Chrom had found out who he was. The other part of him though, was stunned at the generosity. Jedi were not held in high regard during the Clone War. Especially on hostile planets. The only guaranteed assistance he, and the other Jedi, had ever received were from their clone soldiers. Men that they had trusted without exception until that trust had been violently betrayed.

Ben slowly nodded.

Chrom grinned, "Good! Now then, the Longfort is not too far away now. Which means hot food, a warm bed… hopefully. And a chance for all of us to catch our breath."

Ben took a long breath, "Yes. A chance to breathe for a moment. That would be wonderful." The pair soon began to catch up to the other Shepherds, "How warm of a reception do you think we will receive?"

Chrom shrugged, "Frederick sent a message ahead telling them of our arrival. Relations between our two nations have been decent in recent years."

"Warm but not too warm then?" Ben assumed.

"I don't know." Chrom replied, "I'm just looking forward to a warm bed."

 **And chapter! Sorry for the wait on an update everyone! I'm an actually in the process of moving from Wisconsin all the way to Missouri and I don't have an internet connection. I wrote pretty much all of this while sitting in a laundromat. I do have my notebook with me and I've been scribbling stuff down in there when not busy looking for a job or doing other moving stuff. Anyways, short author's note today cause I gotta get going! I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	7. The Feroxi Way

Chapter 7

The Feroxi Way

The Longfort loomed in front of the Shepherd's. A massive, grey, stone wall that stretched east and west as far as Robin could see. Even the snowdrifts, which looked like hills compared to the him and the other Shepherd's, looked small in comparison to the massive fortress. An enormous gate, crisscrossed by iron bars, blocked the rest of the road from the Shepherd's. But what was strange to the tactician was how quiet it was.

"For a fortress, it seems-"

"Abandoned?" Chrom finished for him.

Robin frowned, "Yeah." He shifted in the snow, "I don't like it."

He glanced over at Ben. The man's face was like stone. He could not read anything from it. But he knew Ben was thinking the same thing. His eyes were focused on the top of the wall. Robin's eyes widened. Ben's hand was slowly reaching for his rapier.

"There's going to be trouble." Robin muttered.

"Why do you think that?"

"I don't know." Robin replied, "I just do."

Chrom grimaced, "Well. There hasn't been trouble yet. I am curious as to why no one has… I don't know, shouted at us yet?"

"Maybe we should knock?" Stahl suggested.

Chrom furrowed his brow, "Can't hurt." Before he moved up to the gate he glanced over at Frederick. The Knight stood uneasily beside his horse. His hand kneading the grip of his lance. Eyes scanning the top of the wall much the same way as Ben. "Are you sure they got your message?"

Frederick nodded. His eyes never left the top of the wall. Lissa crept back behind the large knight. Her own anxiety over the sudden silence starting to surface. Chrom sighed.

"Guess I'll have to."

He took one step toward the gate. Then he jumped in the air as Ben's voice rang out through the air.

"Is anybody home!?"

The other Shepherd's whipped their gazes over to the swordsman. Eyes wide and jaws hanging open.

"That's the loudest I've ever heard him talk." Lissa muttered.

"He can talk?" Stahl replied.

Chrom stared back at Ben. He was about to ask if the man was crazy when he heard the sound of armor clanking loudly in the air. Chrom spun back around to face the Longfort. His eyes widened. Appearing at the top of the wall were at least two dozen soldiers. All of them armed to the teeth with lances, axes, and bows. Each one of them heavily armored and grim faced. Then a woman wearing heavy armor and carrying a massive, steel shield and lance, marched to the edge of the wall.

"Who goes there!?" She shouted, her voice powerful and clear despite the howling, cold wind.

Chrom took a breath. The woman's eyes pierced through the dark sky and buried into him. An intense stare that told him that he better answer her quickly and clearly.

"Prince Chrom, of Ylisse." He answered, "I am here to request an audience with your ruling Khan on behalf of Exalt Emmeryn."

"LIES!" The blonde haired woman barked.

"Huh?"

"You dare question milord?" Frederick growled.

"I dare to question the word of a brigand!" The woman at the top of the wall snarled.

"Brigand?" Lissa gasped.

"But I am Prince Chrom of Ylisse."

"Yeah, and I'm the queen of Valm." The woman dismissed, "I have had brigands approach my wall, all of them claiming to be Prince Chrom of Ylisse. All of them are dead. What can you say that can make me possibly believe that you are truly Prince Chrom?"

"I-"

"The answer, brigand, is nothing." The woman sharply interrupted, "You will meet the same fate as the others."

"I'm telling you I am Prince-"

"If you are indeed Prince Chrom then prove it." The woman growled. She gripped the spear at her side and pointed it down at the Shepherd's, "The Feroxi way. Lancers!"

Chrom's eyes widened. As he saw hidden soldiers appear on the battlements. The Feroxi were aware that they were here the entire time. They had just been waiting.

The lancers all threw their spears down at the Ylissean Prince. Chrom stared stunned. There was no time to move. Nowhere to move. All he could hope for now was that they would all somehow miss. But judging from how close the spears were getting, that hope was slim. He braced himself for excruciating pain and squeezed his eyes shut. Behind him, he heard the Shepherds cry out in alarm. He could hear Frederick barking orders as he spurred his war horse forward. Sully and Stahl were screaming as they charged the wall.

He felt both heat and static in the air as Miriel and Robin charged up spells. Above them all, he heard Lissa utter a shrill, terrified scream. None of them would be fast enough.

Wings beat loudly in his ears. A slender hand grabbed his wrist and yanked him hard off of his feet and onto the back of a horse. The wind rushed by him, howling in his ears. The air nearly froze him as he raced through it. But Chrom ignored the cold. His eyes cracked open just enough to see long brown hair with small wing shaped ornaments in front of him.

"You alright, Captain?" Sumia asked as she yanked on the reins of her pegasus.

Chrom blinked some snow from his eyes, "Su-Sumia?"

She smirked back at him, "First time on a pegasus? It probably could have come under better circumstances huh?"

Chrom stared at her, spellbound. He had never seen her like this before. She was normally so timid and quiet. But now, she was a picture of pure confidence. The reins of her pegasus rested in her grip while she deftly flew high in the sky. Her long brown hair flowed gracefully behind her. Her one free hand gripped a lance. Chrom could not help but feel his stomach flip a little bit at the sight. Was Sumia always this gifted of a flier?

He felt her knees shift in front of him. The Pegasus banked right and swooped over the Longfort. Feroxi soldiers raced atop the walls. Chrom could see more lancers aiming their spears. But they were hesitant to throw them. Sumia was moving too fast.

"Better hold on tight Captain. This is going to be a sharp turn." Sumia said, her voice just loud enough to be heard over the wind in Chrom's ears.

"What do you mean hold on _TIGHT_!"

The Pegasus barreled into a sharp dive. A small yelp left Chrom's lips before he wrapped his arms around Sumia. The girl in front of him blushed for the briefest of moments before guiding the pegasus towards the other shepherds on the ground. Just as they reached the ground, Chrom heard spears whistle over their heads.

"That was…" Chrom gasped as he struggled to catch his breath. His eyes were still fixed on Sumia.

"Close. I know." Sumia bowed her head, "It shouldn't have been but I could not go any faster and-"

Chrom brushed some loose hair from her forehead, "You were amazing."

Sumia's breath got stuck in her throat. As she struggled to form a reply, Frederick charged over and spun his horse to guard the pair. Robin and Ben were racing beside him. The tactician proving to be surprisingly fast when the need arose. Lissa sprinted just behind them with the other shepherds.

"Chrom!" Robin shouted.

"Are you injured, milord?" Frederick asked.

"Thanks to Sumia, no." Chrom breathed.

Sumia looked over at Frederick and saw the night give her a small nod. An enormous measure of approval from the stoic man. The other shepherd's gathered near Chrom. Stahl and Sully used their mounts to shield the Prince and Princess. Vaike was laughing to himself as he brandished his axe. Miriel and Virion watched the walls, eyeing the Feroxi soldiers and making sure that no more spears were going to come flying at them all.

Chrom cleared his throat, "So diplomacy didn't work."

"And I assume the Feroxi way is battle?" Ben asked.

Chrom drew Falchion and pointed it at the gate, "Robin how-"

"There are two mechanisms up on the walls that control the gate." Robin answered, "Sumia could probably ferry one of us up there. But they will make sure she won't do it again. Whoever goes up there has to be fast enough to trigger both mechanisms and skilled enough to hold off the enemy until help arrives."

Both Robin and Chrom's eyes drifted towards Ben. They looked at each other, grinned, then nodded.

"I guess we get so see how strong the silent type really is." Chrom said with a grin.

Their grins disappeared as Ben gave Sumia's pegasus an apprehensive glance.

"I don't like flying." Robin heard the man mutter under his breath.

To both Chrom and Robin's surprise, Sumia grabbed Ben by the hood of his cloak and yanked him up onto the pegasus. The man sat backwards on the beast as Sumia snapped the reins.

"Time to get over that fear." She said.

"Wait a moment!" Ben shouted as they both soared into the air towards the Longfort.

Ben grit his teeth. His heart pounded in his chest. He had always hated flying. It was not meant for people. Flying was for droids! Especially when it came to flying in combat. And while he could stomach his own anxiety about it all when sitting in a cockpit, flying in the open air on an animal he was not familiar with was enough to stoke some fear in him.

In a panic he reached out to grab the closest secure handhold.

The pegasus uttered a loud whine as his hand squeezed it's tail.

"Watch what you're grabbing!" Sumia hollered over the wind, "She doesn't like that."

"She needs to be less temperamental!" Ben shouted back.

To his surprise, Sumia let out a laugh before forcing her mount into a sharp dive towards the wall. Ben shift in his seat so that he was now facing the same way as Sumia. He sucked in a sharp breath as the stone walls of the Longfort hurtled towards them.

 _Why does she now remind me of Anakin!?_

"Brace yourself. I'm going to slow down so you can dismount. Get ready for a sharp jerk." Sumia shouted.

Ben gulped, closed his eyes, took a deep breath, then opened his eyes. He grit his teeth and drew his rapier.

"Don't slow down." He said.

"Huh?"

"If you slow down, they will shoot you out of the sky." Ben said, "Just get me close enough, I'll do the rest."

"Are you insane!" Sumia shouted.

"Apparently." Ben muttered before rising to his feet on the Pegasus's back.

"What are you doing!?"

"Getting ready to jump." Ben replied as he balanced himself of the beast's back. His swayed to and fro for a moment as a hard gust of wind caught him. But he was able to quickly right himself.

 _Blast it Anakin! How did you make this look so easy?_

An arrow zipped by his head. Then one whizzed past his right side. The Feroxi had gotten over their own shock and were now taking aim at Sumia. Ben stared down at the wall and saw the first mechanism. Three Feroxi warriors with slender blades guarded it. A few dozen yards away, the blonde woman who was their commander, was shouting orders. Beckoning her archers and lancers to take down the pegasus rider and her passenger.

"Like I said, don't slow down."

Sumia shook her head in front of him, "You are-"

"Have fun with the others."

Ben jumped from the Pegasus's back. Sumia uttered a small cry. She was about to spin her pegasus around to try and catch Ben, but a flurry of arrows forced her to maneuver back up into the air.

"Ben!" She screamed as she shot up into the sky, out of range of the arrows.

She spun her pegasus around. She watched as Ben hit the walls feet first. The man's legs bent then her fell into a roll. Within seconds, he was inside the guards of the Feroxi soldiers tasked with protecting the first gate mechanism. Her mouth fell open as his rapier flashed among them. With speed that she did not think was possible, he felled the Feroxi soldiers. She saw him look in her direction and give her a small salute then pull on the first mechanism.

"You are insane." She muttered to herself.

* * *

"DID BEN JUST JUMP!?" Robin cried.

"Damn I knew he was crazy, but not that crazy." Sully muttered.

Chrom cursed under his breath, "Frederick, is there any way we can scale the walls?"

"Not unless you want to become the latest quiver for arrows, milord." Frederick replied.

"Damn it!" Chrom looked up at the Longfort. Ben was probably laying on top of it's walls right now. Legs broken. Unable to defend himself. And the blonde commander did not seem like the type to take prisoners. They had to get up there, fast.

"Robin, we're going to have to risk flying with Sumia a second time." He said.

He saw the tactician's jaw harden. The man did not like that plan one bit. Chrom could see why. The Feroxi were more than capable warriors. That was one of the biggest reasons why Emmeryn sent Chrom to form an alliance with them. If war did break out between Ylisse and Plegia, then Ylisse would have the greatest warriors on the continent at their backs. And those great warriors were not going to let Sumia get that close that easily a second time. He could see that the archers were not focusing on the shepherds anymore but were now focusing on Sumia.

She was skilled enough to return and pick up one of them. That much was certain. But Chrom was beginning to doubt if she would be able to fly through a cloud of arrows. No pegasus knight could get that lucky with those kinds of odds. Chrom grit his teeth. Robin was right. Sumia flying one of them up onto the wall was no longer an option.

"Virion!" Robin barked, "You, me, and Miriel need to make those archers back down. Force them into cover."

The tactician charged a thunder spell then lobbed the yellow lightning up onto the wall. Miriel followed with a small burst of fire. Virion shot arrow after arrow.

"Chrom!" Robin shouted, "Get to cover with the others, we need to regroup and-"

The gate shuddered and groaned. Chrom and Robin both heard Feroxi men cry out in pain. The gate shuddered again. The iron bars started to rise. The many gears and chains groaning out as they moved for the first time in many days. Chrom and Robin stared at the Longfort dumbstruck.

"He's alive." Chrom whispered.

"That crazy fool is the luckiest man I know." Robin muttered.

"What are you two waiting for!?" Sully cheered, "There's a fight to be had!"

With a loud cry, she spurred her horse towards the opening gate. Chrom grinned over at Robin before he twirled Falchion and raced after Sully.

The Feroxi were in a frenzy on top of the Longfort. As Robin passed beneath the gateway, he could hear steel clanging and clashing followed by muffled cries and dull thuds on the stone above him. Whatever Ben was doing up there, it was working. Even he could not have predicted how masterful of a swordsman the man apparently was.

The shepherd's surged up some stairs and up onto the top of the wall. Robin and Chrom reached the top first. The tactician casting one thunder spell after another as Chrom raced towards the second mechanism.

Ben was surrounded near it. But if one were to watch the fight, one would think that it did not seem to bother him at all. His swordsmanship was beyond masterful. It was like watching a master painter create a work of art. Robin had managed to catch a glimpse of his skill during the night south of Ylisstol and during the skirmish on the Northroad. But that appeared to be just a taste of what Ben was actually capable of.

He was a blur of motion. The steel rapier flashing in and out of the Feroxi guard like a viper's tongue. Circling around his body to form an impenetrable wall of metal that prevented any enemy blades from piercing it. Above all, Robin saw just how calm Ben was. He may have been surrounded. But he was not worried.

Robin's face paled a moment. The blonde commander was charging right at Ben. A lance leveled right at his back.

His mind raced. Ben was starting to weave between the Feroxi soldiers. If he launched a spell, there was a chance that it would hit him instead of the enemy. That was a chance Robin was not wanting to take.

A Feroxi warrior collapsed beside Robin. One of Virion's arrows jutted from his right shoulder. Robin took one look down at the soldier's weapon. A simple iron sword.

 _Time to see if I'm any good with a blade._

He snatched the blade from the Feroxi's grip and sprinted towards Ben. With a loud cry, Robin slammed into the blonde commander, knocking her off of her feet. He stumbled and tripped. Falling hard to the stony floor.

"Not smart." Robin groaned, "That was really not smart."

"More like idiotic."

Robin gasped and quickly rolled to his left. The commander's lance slammed into the ground where he had fallen. Sparks shot up from the tip of the lance as it skidded against the frozen stone.

He rolled and jumped to his feet just in time to sidestep a deadly thrust.

"Look." Robin gulped as the woman narrowed her eyes at him, "Is there any chance we can just talk this out."

"Shut up and fight!" She roared.

Robin jumped to the side, using his sword to parry her lance. The force of the blow made the bones in his arms shake. That heavy armor she was wearing wasn't just for show at all. She was that strong. Robin grit his teeth and gripped his sword in both hands. He parried another massive swing from the woman. The force behind the blow caused Robin to stumble backwards.

"What do you eat!?" Robin thought out loud.

The woman growled, shifted her grip, and swung her lance in a wide arc. Robin ducked beneath the attack.

"You Ylissean dogs never stand and fight!" The woman snarled, "Always just running."

"It's for a good reason!" Robin remarked, "I'm smaller than you!"

She swung her lance again. Robin's eyes widened as the spear tip grazed the top of his head. A loud yelp left his lungs as his foot caught a patch of ice. He fell hard onto the ground.

 _Not good!_ Robin thought as he saw the commander lunge at him. Ready to impale him on her lance.

It never got the chance.

Two blades caught the lance just inches away from Robin's body. One blade was Falchion, it's unique design easy to see. The other was a thin rapier that slide up the spears length before slashing into the Feroxi commanders hand.

The woman let out a pain filled howl. To Robin's amazement though, she did not lose her grip on her weapon. Instead, she used one hand to punch Ben away before swinging her spear hard at Chrom.

The Ylissean prince scampered back then engaged the commander again as Robin scrambled to his feet.

"So," Chrom snarled, "I never caught your name?"

"Does it matter to a dead man?" She snarled back.

Chrom shrugged, "I don't know. I was just trying to be polite."

Robin ducked as the woman swung her lance again. He then scrambled back and let out a heavy breath.

"Way to close." He breathed.

He felt a slight tingle up his spine. There was a strange sensation filling him. The sensation of being watched. He looked around. He could see Frederick and Sully dismantling several Feroxi warriors. Vaike was having the time of his life. Although Robin could see that he had already taken a blow to his shoulder. It was smeared dark red. Though the large man didn't seem to notice. Miriel and Virion were wreaking havoc on the Feroxi warriors. They had already sent the enemy archers into disarray and were now providing Stahl, Frederick, Sully, and the others with much needed support. Then there was Sumia, swooping down from the sky and lashing out with her own lance. Causing any Feroxi that had grouped together to scramble.

"Who's watching-"

"Watch out Robin!"

"GAH!"

An arrow zipped past Robin's head. The tactician fell to the ground. Chest heaving as he searched for both where the arrow came from and where that voice came from.

"Who?"

A wall of armor towered over him. Robin arched an eyebrow.

"Kellam?"

"Who else would it be?" The armored man asked as he extended a hand and helped Robin to his feet.

"I-um-" Robin scratched the back of his head, "I-"

"You didn't even notice I was in the battle?" Kellam sighed.

"No. I knew I just well… you just move so quietly."

"Don't worry." Kellam sighed, "You know I'm here now. So let me help you finish this."

"Right!" Robin nodded.

* * *

Ben shook his head as he lay on top of the Longfort. That Feroxi woman could really pack a punch. He could already feel a knot forming on the side of his head. He winced, then blinked the fog from his vision just in time to see another Feroxi soldier charging at him.

Ben scrambled to his feet, parried the soldier's spear, then drove his rapier into the man's thigh. Just as the soldier was about to scream out, Ben bashed him between the eyes, knocking him out.

So far, he had managed not to personally kill any of the Feroxi soldiers. Seriously maim and possibly cripple for life, yes. But killed, no. After all, Chrom and the Exalt's goal was to forge an alliance with these people. And in Ben's mind, alliances weren't made by shedding the opposing side's blood.

He looked back over at Chrom. The prince was fighting admirably, but even Ben could see that he could not beat the Feroxi commander. While Chrom was faster and much more nimble, the confined space of the Longfort made it so that he could not use that to his advantage. If he did, he risked falling off of the wall. The commander knew this, so she used her superior strength to her advantage.

She bashed at Chrom's defenses with shield and spear. Backing the prince down until he was pinned against a Wall. Then, with brutal efficiency, she smacked Falchion downwards with her shield before rearing back with her spear. Ready to thrust it's sharp point through the Prince's heart.

Ben's eyes widened. He was not going to reach him in time. No one was. Without another thought, he reached for the Force and felt it's familiar presence. He took great care to disguise what he was doing as much as possible. He did not want to be found out yet. But he also did not want to see a man like Chrom get killed. For some reason, he had a feeling that horrible things would happen if that were to occur. It was as if the Force was telling him to make sure Chrom lived. While not as comforting as it once was to him, he still chose to trust the Force. With a flick of his wrist, he reached out and grasped the spear with the force. The spear jerked to the right, grazing the Prince's side instead of ending of his life.

The commander uttered a frustrated snarl. But that was all she could muster before being barreled over by a wall of steel. She crashed into a heap onto the stones beneath her. Ben smirked as he watched both Kellam and Robin level their weapon's at the Feroxi commander's throat.

"I think we win." Robin grinned.

The commander's eyes blazed with fury for the briefest of moments. But the touch of steel at her throat reminded her of the position she was in. She closed her eyes and sighed. Then all of the tension in her body released, and her arms went slack to her sides.

"Men, stand down!" She barked.

Ben stood amazed as every single Feroxi soldier ceased fighting at her words. Then he watched as Chrom walked away from the wall up to the beaten commander. With Falchion in one hand, he extended his free hand out to her. And to Ben's surprise, she gripped it.

Chrom hauled her to her feet.

"What you said was true then." Raimi breathed before rubbing a bruise the back of her head. She chuckled to herself, "Only Prince Chrom and his Shepherds could possibly put up a fight that good." She cleared her throat, "I apologize for my actions, my lord. Brigands from Plegia have been harassing the Longfort and the villages nearby for days now. I could not take any chances."

"You've been having that problem too huh?" Robin muttered as Ben walked up beside him.

With the skirmish now over, Ben was starting to feel the wear and tear it had taken on his body. The Feroxi were certainly warriors. They put up a fight that he had not had from a group of soldiers in quite some time. Not even some of the clones he had commanded were capable of such ferocity.

"You were within your right to protect your borders." Chrom nodded, "I just wish we could have negotiated in a much more civil manner."

"Pah!" The commander waved him off, "Civil is for fools with a hidden agenda. Real warriors negotiate with their fists and their steel."

Robin gulped beside Ben, "I hope that isn't the Khan's way of negotiating."

"You and me both." Ben winced as he rolled his right shoulder, "I'm going to be sore from this battle."

"Will you let us through now?" Chrom asked the commander.

The blonde woman nodded, "Yes. The way to Arena Ferox is open to you. In fact, I will guide you there myself." She extended an armored hand to Chrom, "My name is Raimi."

Chrom gripped her hand, "It is a pleasure."

Raimi gave him a stiff nod, "Now, we have no time to lose. I assume the Plegian's are causing trouble for your people as well. There must be a reason they seek to sow discord between our nations. I'm sure you and the Khan wish to discuss those reasons as soon as possible." She nodded at one of the few soldiers that were still standing, "Ready my horse. We leave immediately."

Chrom nodded, "Right."

As the pair marched away. Robin's shoulders sagged and he hung his head.

"What's wrong?" Ben asked.

Robin gave Ben a look of despair, "More marching."

 **And chapter! Holy crap! I am so sorry this one took so long you guys. I got stuck on it for a while there. That and my brain had the equivalent of a computer crash. I blue screened on writing for a few months there. Like I would open up my documents, sit down and just go blank every time I tried to write something. It is the most frustrating feeling on the planet! And while I finally got this chapter finished, I feel like I've still got a little writer's block stopping me. I'm going to take my time with the next chapter. Hopefully it won't be several months again, but I hope that by taking my time, I can deliver a high quality chapter for you guys. Anyways, let me know what you guys think. As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	8. Arena Ferox

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 8

Arena Ferox

Chrom took a breath. The air was crisp and cold. Just cold enough to give him goosebumps. It was almost a refreshing feeling. In fact, he would have felt rather happy if it wasn't for how odd everything suddenly felt.

His eyes were closed. Yet he was standing. He knew he was standing too. Or was he?

He opened his eyes just a little. Enough to catch a glimpse of pale sunlight rising above a flat horizon. He could see an ocean, smooth as glass, sprawled out before him. Small waves lapped at the rocky shore he stood on. It was a pleasant sight.

But it was wrong. He was not supposed to be here.

Where was he? He opened his eyes more and looked around him. There were some sandy bluffs overlooking the beach he was on. But beyond them there was nothing. No trees, no grass, not a single sign of life.

But wasn't he supposed to be on the road to Arena Ferox? There should be snow on the ground. Forests nearby. Not an ocean and what may be the beginnings of a desert. Chrom swallowed hard.

"Hello?" He called out. His voice hesitant.

There was silence. He furrowed his brow. He felt uneasy as his feet sank further into the sand. He reached back to grab Falchion.

But nothing was there. His trusted weapon was missing. Panic seized him as he spun around, hoping to see Falchion strapped to his back. But his fears were confirmed when he did not see even a hint of metal on his back.

He was alone, in an unknown land, without his weapon.

"Where is Frederick when you need him?"

The wind huffed. And with it, a sound that reminded him of a low chuckle whispered in his ears. It wasn't a warm sound either. It was cold, void of happiness. A sense of evil permeating it that made Chrom's muscles tense.

This beach had gone from serene to dangerous in his eyes. But he did not know why.

The wind laughed again. Chrom spun around, searching for the origin of the noise.

 _Am going crazy?_ He thought as he once again saw nothing.

"No."

Chrom froze. The voice did not laugh. It spoke. And it sounded incredibly close.

There was an edge to the voice. Whoever possessed it spoke quietly, but had a tone that cut deeper than any blade. It demanded his attention. Compelled him to listen. Drove a sense of discomfort so far into Chrom that it made his hands tremble.

"You are not going crazy." The voice chuckled, mocking him in a way.

Chrom's eyes widened. He felt hot breath against his neck.

"You are completely sane."

He felt sweat beading on his brow. Never in his life had he felt so unsettled. So anxious. He wanted to turn around and see who was speaking to him. Confront the person that shot fear through his very core. His breathing began to grow ragged. And for the first time, Chrom noticed that it was freezing.

He was sweating. And it was freezing.

"Turn around boy." The voice snarled, "Cast a glimpse at the monster that you wish to know."

Chrom gulped and turned around. Behind him, standing in the shallow water was a man in black robes. A dark hood hid his facial features. But Chrom could see that this man, whoever or whatever he was, was a warrior. His upper body was lean. But Chrom could see the powerful muscles beneath the black robes. The man carried an aura of power. And next to him, Chrom felt insignificant.

"Who are you?"

The man chuckled again. This time it sounded manic. The stranger was so amused by Chrom's question that he had to take a second and catch his breath. The man inclined his chin. And beneath the hood, Chrom saw red skin and yellow eyes.

"Just a nightmare."

….

Chrom awoke with a start. His chest heaved as he sucked in an enormous breath of air before rapidly exhaling. He could feel a thin veneer of sweat lining his body as he lay in the small cot. He blinked several times before taking a deep breath. Doing his best to steady his breathing and calm his racing heart.

Once he managed to calm down, he tossed the thin blanket from over his body and rose from the cot he had claimed the previous night. He glanced out of the barracks window. It was nearing dawn. A few rays of sunshine were starting to peak over the horizon. The sky changing from the inky blackness of night to the warm colors of morning. He ran his hands over his eyes and face before standing up and stretching his arms over his head.

That nightmare. Just what was that? He shook his head, puzzled. It was not the worst nightmare he had ever suffered. He had far worse when he was younger. Before his father died, he dreamed of him falling on the battlefield in Plegia. He still regarded that as the worst nightmare he ever had. Especially since it seemed to come true just a few short months later. But he knew that was just a nightmare. It had to be.

But this dream. Him standing on the shore of some desert with another menacing man, it felt far too real. But it was surreal at the same time. As if the land he was standing on did not exist except in his own mind. He furrowed his brow as he strode out of the barracks room, careful not to wake the other shepherd's that were still sleeping.

He stepped outside and into the crisp, wintry air of Regna Ferox. He let out a shivering breath before rubbing his hands together. Thankfully the wind was not too brutal. The massive coliseum that dominated the small village surrounding it, shielded it from the harsh, western winds.

Chrom had yet to see the enormous arena in the daylight. And as the sun rose in the east, it's brilliant rays hit Arean Ferox with a flash. In that moment, Chrom felt the breath leave his lungs.

There were few structures in the world that could take his breath away. Living in the Ylisstol Palace his entire life tended to take away the majesty of other buildings that dotted the Halidom. But never had he seen such a building as Arena Ferox.

It towered over him. Easily as tall as the Royal Palace, if not taller. Great stone columns and arches supported the massive structure. Middling around the base, he could see some market tents being set up for the day. Several horse drawn carriages were being carted inside of the arena. Each one laden with crates, barrels, even several massive wooden chests. He could make out some carvings on the stone. Depicting heroes of old and great triumphs of the warriors of Regna Ferox. It was both intimidating and awe inspiring. A marvel of engineering that proved the Feroxi were not just a warrior people.

"Impressive, isn't it?"

Chrom glanced to his left. Ben was leaning up against the wall of the barracks that the shepherd's had been given. He was already dressed, the ratty old brown cloak thrown over his shoulders. It clashed violently with Virion's frilly blue shirt, but Chrom figured Ben did not mind that much. And if he did, no doubt the man would acquire his own clothing soon. Once Chrom paid him from the Halidom coffers that was.

 _Add that to the to do list once we get back._ Chrom noted mentally before opening his mouth to speak.

"I thought there was nothing in this world as majestic as the Royal Palace. Clearly I was wrong."

Ben nodded, "There is a case to be made. But I'd say that the arena is more imposing than majestic."

"But neither of us can deny, it is quite the spectacle." Chrom rolled his shoulders, "What are you doing up so early?"

Ben shrugged, "Restless. You?"

Chrom grimaced, "Same."

"And you have every right to be, given the circumstances."

Yes, the circumstances. The Feroxi Commander Raimi had guided them into Arena Ferox late in the evening. The Khan was apparently already retired for the night and he had no other government officials ready to meet with the Ylissean prince. So, Raimi instructed that a barracks be set aside for the small group of Shepherd's, bid her goodbyes (which included challenging Chrom to another friendly duel upon his return through the Longfort), and left them there. Twiddling their thumbs.

"Don't worry." Ben advised, "The Khan will surely be informed of our arrival. I'm sure that someone will come to fetch you in an hour or two."

"Don't you mean fetch us?"

Both Ben and Chrom glanced back at the barracks door. Robin was awake. Or, as awake as he could possibly be. One eye was still closed, the other was cracked open. He shuffled out to stand in the morning air, yawned, then scratched the top of his head.

"Sleep well?" Ben asked before gestured at the mop of bed head on Robin's head.

"Hm?" Robing smacked his lips together, "For once… yeah." He yawned and stretched his arms high over his head, "No nightmares this time."

"Nightmares?" Chrom leaned against a wooden post, "You've been having those too?"

Ben arched an eyebrow as he glanced over at Robin.

"Apparently all three of us have not been sleeping well then." Robin noted.

"You too Ben?" Chrom asked, surprised.

Ben waved off his concern, "It's nothing to worry about. Dreams… dreams pass with time."

A nagging wave of melancholy swept over him for a brief moment. He could remember when he gave the same advice to a certain young padawan. He swallowed hard and moved away from the wall.

"Frederick is here."

"Hm?" Robin turned around and saw the Knight marching towards them.

If it was anyone else, Robin would have been shocked. But it was Frederick, so this was par for the course. The devoted Ylissean knight was already fully armored and awake. He carried himself without a shred of weariness despite the long march they made to Arena Ferox from the Longfort. He snapped to attention in front of Chrom.

"Good morning, milord." He said, "I'd like to inform you that I have fed and watered the horses. Seen to several security issues I deemed paramount to fix, asked the Feroxi kitchens to prepare us a light breakfast. And managed to-"

"Do you ever just… stop?" Robin asked, his voice thick with exhaustion.

"My duty to look after the Prince and Princess never stops." Frederick scowled.

"Relax Frederick." Chrom said, "Robin meant nothing by it. But you should consider taking some time to rest yourself. You can't possibly keep this pace up forever."

"On the contrary, this is what I was trained to do." Frederick responded, "Also, I meant to inform you, the Khan wishes to speak with you."

Chrom's eyes bugged out of his skull. He looked down at his shirtless form, "N-now?"

Frederick nodded, "And not to worry milord. Before you awoke, I laid out your finest linens and uniform beside your cot."

Ben raised an eyebrow, "Absurdly dedicated." He whispered to Robin.

"It's not natural." Robin nodded.

"Thank you Frederick." Chrom looked at both Ben and Robin, "Don't wake the others, us four will go meet the Khan."

"Are you sure we should not wake Lissa as well? She is the Princess?" Frederick asked.

Chrom shook his head, "Let her rest. The march took it's toll on her. I'm sure the Khan will understand." He scratched an itch on his scalp before nodding, "I'll meet you out there out here in five minutes. Then we will go meet the Khan."

Ben nodded and Robin gave Chrom a weak thumbs up.

As Chrom stepped back inside, Robin sensed Fredericks disapproving gaze on him.

"What now?" Robin groaned.

"As the tactician of the Shepherd's you should be just as dedicated as I am." Frederick scolded.

Robin rolled his eyes, "I am. Why do you think I'm so tired, I was up late studying."

"Both of you please." Ben interrupted, "This is the last thing we need right now." He gestured at Robin, "Go get dressed."

Robin sighed and gave a slight nod before shuffling back into the barrack. Leaving Frederick alone with Ben.

"You encourage him by not allowing my opinion to be voiced." Frederick said.

"Some of them do not have the same stamina as you and I, Frederick." Ben reminded him, "Would you ask Princess Lissa to go about doing as much as you." Frederick opened his mouth to reply but Ben stopped him, "After all, she is the Princess. Surely her responsibilities merit such… dedication."

Frederick closed his mouth. He folded his hands in front of his body, "You raise a valid point." The Knight then snorted, "But I don't think you have the same sense of fortitude as I do."

Ben raised his brow, "Really?"

"If you believe I am wrong then we should test it." Frederick noted.

"How so?"

"How else do two swordsmen take measure of each other?"

Ben closed his eyes and sighed. Combat, of course. He glanced at the rapier strapped to his hip. The blade still felt extremely uncomfortable. Awkward even. And it was not because it was poorly made or a poor fit. He just missed the feeling of his lightsaber in his grip.

"Later." Ben sensed Chrom and Robin about to emerge from the barracks, "We have a Khan to meet."

….

The Khan's throne room was a curious thing in Ben's opinion. It was furnished lightly. A wooden chair sat at the end of the room. Before it was a massive fire pit that already blazed bright and hot in the cold morning. Skins of various different animals lined the walls and floor of the room. Each beast growing more savage in appearance as they grew closer to the wooden throne. To Ben, it looked like the opposite of the Exalt's throne room.

The throne room in the Ylisstol Royal Palace exuded an aura of peace and calm. Friendship and a warm welcome. This throne room exuded nothing short of power and authority. Once inside, you were no longer the most powerful. It meant to make any visitor feel like an ant in the presence of a giant.

Two Feroxi soldiers guarded the main entry. Both armed with long lances and slender swords. Each as fierce looking as the other. Ben had no doubt that those two were some of the most tested warriors in the Khan's army. After all, who else could effectively guard the ruler of a warrior people.

"So what do you think the Khan is like?" Chrom wondered aloud.

Ben shrugged, "A warrior in both appearance and personality."

Part of his mind said that the Khan would be a brutish figure. Someone who was stronger, faster, and more ferocious than any other Feroxi in the land. But another part of his mind, a part that sounded like Master Yoda, reminded him of an all too true mantra.

Size matters not.

"I can see it now." Robin said as he began to imitated a proud warrior. He placed his hands on his hips, his coat swaying out behind him, "A great warrior of unparalleled equal. Muscles rippling out of only the finest armor. A forest of chest hair and a truly magnificent beard that only the greatest of men could have. And-"

The doors to the room burst open. Robin froze.

Marching into the throneroom, two Feroxi warriors on other side, was a small, slender woman. Her skin was dark in color and her long blonde hair was tied up into a high ponytail. Red armor plates covered her body. And her eyes held an intensity to them that signaled one thing and one thing only. She was the dominant one here. Everyone else bowed to her.

Ben nudged Robin, "Go on." he teased, "Regale us more with your ideal Khan."

"Shut up!" Robin hissed.

"Alright!" The woman barked as she swept passed Chrom and warmed her hands over the fire pit, "I got pulled out of training for this. So it better be good."

Chrom blinked, "Y-you're the Khan?"

"I'm a Khan, yes." The woman replied. She spun on her head, "Khan Flavia. And you are Prince Chrom of Ylisse." She sat down beside the fire and rolled her shoulders, "Care to explain to me why the Exalt herself could not come to speak with me?"

Chrom gulped, "Um… she was…"

"Busy?" Flavia finished for him, "I'm sure she was if she sent a group of children." She cleared her throat and spat to the side, "Alright, speak already."

Chrom cleared his throat, "Your grace I-"

"Ah, mistake one!" Flavia raised her hand, "None of that your grace crap. We here in Regna Ferox prefer plain speech. So speak to me as you would anyone else."

Chrom gulped, "Very well. The Exalt asks for an alliance with your people. The Plegians continue to cause strife along out borders. She wished to exhaust all diplomatic options before resorting to violence. But should war break out-"

"You want the finest warriors on the continent at your back." Flavia gave them all a slight smirk, "Can I say I'm flattered that you came to me then. Those Plegian dogs have yet to do that. Haughty bastards think they can be our equal. Pah! I doubt it." She rested her arms on her knees as she rested easily beside the fire, "And those damn Plegians have also been giving us problems, if reports from Commander Raimi are to be believed."

Chrom nodded, "We had a… discussion about that at the Longfort."

Flavia uttered a loud laughed, "She challenged you the old way did she? Girl's got stones on her. She'll make a fine Khan one day." Flavia's lips parted into a grin, "And you beat her. So clearly you know your way around a fight. And I respect that." She got to her feet, "I would love to ally myself with you against the Plegians."

"Excellent, I will-"

"But I cannot."

Chrom's mouth snapped closed. He cleared his throat, "Um.. why?"

Flavia shrugged, "I'm not the commander of Regna Ferox's armies."

Robin raised a brow, "But you are the Khan, aren't you?"

"I am _a_ Khan." Flavia clarified, "Not _the_ Khan. There are two ruling Khans in Regna Ferox. I rule the Eastern half. And the great oaf Basilio rules the western half. We both meet up in Arena Ferox once every several years for a tournament that will decide who commands the Feroxi armies, and by extension, who has the greater authority in the country."

Ben's eyes widened in fascination. Out of all the cultures and planets he had been to, this was the first he'd ever heard of such a system of governance.

"Great." Chrom huffed, "So we're just out of luck."

"I did not say that, did I?" Flavia smiled, "It just so happens, that said tournament is today. Lucky you."

"Indeed." Ben muttered. How coincidental indeed.

"Ok, what does that mean?" Chrom asked.

"It means that me and the Western Khan will battle for that chair." She pointed at the throne, "And over who gets to live in this beautiful arena."

"You and the Khan are actually going to battle over who rules the country?"

Flavia snorted, "Not us personally. If that was the case, our nation would have been enveloped in quests for vengeance and blood feuds years ago. We have champions fight for us. As long as that champion is not related in any way, they are fair game." She smiled at Chrom, "Although, we've never had foreign royalty be a champion before."

Robin gulped, "I don't like where this is going." He whispered to Ben.

"This is utterly fascinating." Ben replied, "Don't interrupt."

"I'm not- ugh!" Robin frowned.

"What do you think, Chrom says yes or no?"

"Are you really trying to get me to bet on whether or not Chrom is going to risk his life in a duel?"

Ben gave Robin an amused look. Which surprised Robin. It was the first time he had ever seen Ben so… cheerful almost. Entertained might be the better term. Not depressed may be more accurate. Robin sighed in defeat.

"I vote he's going to say yes."

Chrom gripped Flavia's outstretched hand, "I win you the throne, you agree to our alliance."

A mad grin formed over Flavia's face, "Deal." She laughed loudly after shaking Chrom's hand, "Oh that oaf Basilio is not going to know what hit him!"

And without another word she left them. Strutting confidently out of the throne room towards he quarters located in the eastern half of the arena.

As the doors slammed shut behind her, Robin's shoulders sagged.

"That wasn't much of a negotiation."

Chrom chuckled, "Rather one sided indeed."

"On the contrary." Ben remarked, "That was utterly fascinating. And that was not the negotiations."

Chrom raised an eyebrow, "And just what are the negotiations going to be exactly."

"The aggressive kind of course." Ben replied, "You have a duel to win now."

Chrom gave Ben a confident smile, "I'm glad there wasn't any diplomatic haggling." His hand reached back and gripped Falchion, "I prefer to let this do the talking for me. C'mon, Frederick is waiting outside. I'm sure he'll want to know what's going on."

As the trio strode out, Robin could not help but feel anxious. Without knowing, he let out a nervous breath.

"I've got a bad feeling about this."

….

The deserts that covered the Plegain wilderness were quiet tonight. General Mustafa sighed as looked out over the endless dune seas. It was a hot night. A pale moon sight high above him and the small contingent of men he had with him. He could hear several of his soldiers grumbling behind him.

They were sent out by the Grimleal on a secret mission. One that no one was to see or hear about. According to that warlock, Validar, there had been a strange magical occurrence out in the deserts near the western coast. One that warranted investigation.

 _But not his personal attention._ Mustafa thought to himself as he brushed some loose grains of sand from his thick, black beard.

His powerful legs carried him easily through the loose sand that made his country. That warlock always seemed to earn his ire. Validar and the Grimleal exerted far too much control over King Gangrel. But he had always been suspicious of the Grima worshipers. While he too had been raised in the Grimleal religion, he was not a devout fanatic like many in Plegia.

He liked to listen to reason instead of a religious mantra.

Which was why he distrusted Validar. It would have been one thing if he was simply a wizard of some renown. Mustafa had many a wizard under his direct command. It was that he could control the masses with just a word that sent a shiver up Mustafa's spine. Just a whisper in the King's ear, whether from him or his pet witch, Aversa, and the King would get spun up in knots over conspiracies and plots of murder.

It unsettled the stoic general. But he kept his opinions to himself. He was still a general. He still swore service to Plegia and her King. And he would be damned if he betrayed that oath.

"General?" A young swordsman strode up beside him. The plegian must have been no more than twenty years.

 _A fresh recruit._ Mustafa assumed. He was not surprised. King Gangrel had been ramping up the conscription rates as of late. Preparing for a war that Mustafa hoped would not come.

The first war with Ylisse had been devastating for both sides. Neither had left that conflict free of deep wounds and scars. He could recall the battlefields of that war. The sands of Plegia soaked with the blood of many soldiers. Too many young souls wiped out in just a few years. It had sickened a younger Mustafa then, and saddened an older Mustafa now.

"Yes?" Mustafa replied.

"How much further is this, magical thing the Grimleal told us about?"

Mustafa frowned. Yes, how much further indeed? They had been traveling the deserts for several days now. Another day and they would arrive at the sea. He could not return with nothing. Validar had the King's ear. And the King would share Validar's fury if Mustafa returned empty handed.

"Just keep marching soldier." Mustafa ordered.

He hated keeping his men in the dark like this. They did not know how long they had to be deployed. Only he did. ANd he did that for a reason. The last thing he wanted was disgruntled soldiers under his command. He had worked too hard to ensure his army's loyalty. He would not let it unravel because of a Grimleal assignment.

"General! Up ahead!" One of his archers called.

Mustafa's gaze snapped up. His face grew grim. Standing at the top of the next dune were two lone figures. Both clothed in black robes and hoods. One was clearly a young man. Just from the way he carried himself. He strode powerfully through the sand. But he was not a large young man. He seemed rather thin to Mustafa.

The other was even more interesting. It appeared to be an older man. A cripple at that. He hobbled along with the help of a strange, metallic, gnarled cane. His gait looked unnatural. As if his joints had ceased to properly function long ago.

And yet, despite their appearances, it was not the younger man in black that drew Mustafa's attention. The older one, the one with the cane, there was a malevolence about him. One that set Mustafa on edge. His men seemed to feel it too. He could see some of his soldiers hands kneading the grips of their weapons.

"At last." The old man in black hissed, "Friends."

Mustafa's hair stood on end. The voice was powerful. Hoarse and malevolent, but powerful nonetheless. A voice that cause his stomach to flip. But he refused to show any weakness. Mustafa pulled his shoulders back and inclined his head at the two strangers.

"Hello… friends." He said, "Who are you?"

The man with the can uttered a manic chuckle, "Travelers. Yes… travelers. We have come a great distance in order to speak with your king, General Mustafa."

As he drew closer, Mustafa could see that the man was not a man at all. He looked like a monster. He could just barely see his chin beneath the shadows of his hood. But his chin was black and red. And the hood seemed to be propped up by some bony protrusions atop his skull. The general could only describe it them as horns. The younger man in black remained silent. He at least looked somewhat normal. Normal flesh and hair beneath the hood. Nothing strange or out of the ordinary.

"How do you know my name, sir?" General Mustafa asked forcefully.

The hunched man laughed, "I know you're name General. And I know much, much more. But that is unimportant. I have need to speak with your king, and his Grimleal."

Mustafa's eyes widened in understanding. He gave the two figures a stiff nod.

"Follow us. We will lead you to the Capitol."

The older man smiled, revealing sharp, yellow teeth, "Many thanks, General." He hobbled after the General and his men, "Come apprentice." He told the younger man in black, "Our work has now begun."

 **And chapter! Interesting huh? I wonder who has shown up now? And with whom? That was a fun part of this chapter to write. I find it both interesting and fun to write from a character's perspective that is normally viewed as an enemy in the games. It gives a whole new dimension to the story in my opinion. And now, Chrom will have to win the alliance of Regna Ferox. That will be a hell of a fight! Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter. As always, I hope you all enjoyed. Have a nice day!**


	9. Twin Blades

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 9

Twin Blades

Ben took an enormous bite from the bird leg he had gripped in his left hand. The flavor burst through his mouth. Hints of various herbs and smoke that set his taste buds on fire and caused warmth to flood through his body. He had barely finished chewing the first bite when he began to devour a second.

To his left, Lissa giggled.

"It's like you've never eaten a chicken before."

All of the other Shepherds had already made their way to the champion's box in the Coliseum. A balcony that overlooked the arena floor and allowed only a Khan and those they considered friends to be in. Flavia had insisted that the Shepherd's sit with her. Especially since their leader was risking his life in order to win her the right to lead Regna Ferox.

Upon arrival though, Lissa complained about being hungry. Frederick offered to take her to one of the market stalls near the Coliseum's base. And upon hearing the mention of food, Ben had felt his own stomach growl. He had yet to eat today. So he joined Frederick and Lissa on their quest to find food.

There were so many strange delicacies that Ben had never seen or heard of before. Stews, smoked meat, a root called potatoes appeared to be a staple in Regna Ferox. He had asked a merchant about them. After a strange look, the merchant explained that they were easy to grow in the wintry conditions, so they became the local favorite. Which made sense to the Jedi Master. Traditional agriculture in these harsh conditions had to be nearly impossible. Especially without the technology of the wider galaxy to assist.

It did not surprise him that he did not know the cuisine of this planet. Each planet seemed to have their own diverse diet. No matter where he went, there was always something interesting to eat. But the people of Regna Ferox and Ylisse seemed to take great pride in their ability to prepare food. The strawberry cake he had back at the Shepherd's barracks was still on his mind, even as he ate the delicious bird leg in his hand.

He took another ravenous bite and Lissa laughed out loud.

"Slow down, Ben." She said, "You don't want to accidentally bite into the bone."

Ben gulped, "Sorry. It's just so delicious."

"It is indeed." Frederick said behind him, "If there is one thing the Feroxi know how to do other than fight, it is cook meat."

Ben nodded, "It is much better than that bear."

Lissa shivered, "Don't even get me started on that incident. I prefer not to relive it."

Frederick chuckled behind her, "Still not used to the rough and tumble of the wild, Princess?"

"I'm getting better at it!" Lissa stamped her foot, "I managed to walk the entire distance here without having to be carried by anyone."

Ben nodded, "A tremendous accomplishment for someone who is, what did Chrom say... delicate?"

To Ben's surprise, Frederick uttered a small laugh at his remark while Lissa cast him a hard, sidelong glance.

"I am not delicate!" She frowned before folding her arms over her chest.

"Whatever you say." Ben chuckled as the group reached the stairs they had to climb. Once Lissa looked up at the massive flights, she paled.

"Um Frederick."

"Yes milady?" Frederick replied as he took the first few steps.

Lissa raised her arms. Frederick sighed and hoisted her up onto his back. Ben's jaw fell open as the Knight raced up the stairs with the Princess on his back. The Jedi eventually shook himself from his stupor and finished the last bite of his chicken.

"Indeed." He chuckled to himself, "Not delicate at all."

Frederick easily beat him to the Champion's box despite having to carry Lissa the entire way. When Ben arrived, Sully turned and punched him in the arm.

"About time you showed up!" Sully grinned as Ben rubbed his arm.

"Ben! Ben!" Stahl called from the balcony railing, "Who do you think is going to win the match. I'm taking bets."

"Are you seriously gambling as to whether Captain Chrom will be victorious or not?" Miriel asked, "I think the solution to your questions would be rather obvious given our allegiances."

Stahl shrugged, "Vaike bet against him."

Miriel sighed and hung her head, "Of course he did."

Ben chuckled to himself. Vaike had the biggest, most innocent grin on his face as he became the victim of Miriel's chagrin. He doubted Vaike meant anything by it. Most likely it was a joke on the part of their ax wielding companion.

That or he really did not understand the concept of betting. Ben shrugged those thoughts to the side as he made his way over to Robin, who was leaning against the railing beside Khan Flavia.

"Anything happen while I was gone?"

Robin shrugged, "Some exhibition duels. A battle reenactment. Nothing too important."

"But it was awesome!" Flavia said with a massive grin.

Robin nodded, "The battle reenactment was very interesting. The tactics the Feroxi used during that battle were pretty ingenious."

"Tactics schmatics." Flavia dismissed, "Point is, we kicked ass!"

Ben laughed. Leave it to a leader of warriors to not worry about the details.

"Enjoyed the Arena markets?" Robin asked.

Ben nodded, "It was quite interesting. I think I saw a stand with some caged animals I did not recognize."

"Probably a trader from Valm." Flavia noted, "They have some very strange creatures in that land."

Ben nodded in understanding, "I also became acquainted with Feroxi cuisine. Needless to say, I was impressed."

Flavia let out a loud laugh, "You may talk like that flower boy but at least you eat like a man!"

Ben raised an eyebrow, "Flower boy?"

"She has been teasing Virion non stop for his speech patterns." Robin explained, "Eventually settled on calling him Flower boy."

"There were other names?"

"I'd rather not repeat them."

"Ah."

The crowd hushed. Suddenly, Flavia's relaxed demeanor changed. In an instant she looked tense. As if readying herself for a battle. Ben glanced at her in confusion before looking down at the center of the arena.

Striding out to the center was a hulk of a man. He had the traditional dark complexion of the Feroxi people. But he was also much larger than almost any other Feroxi warrior Ben had seen. His arms were easily the size of Ben's head. And he stood a full head taller than the two guards that were at his sides. The top of his head was bald. Several scars ran along his face, showing the results of battles that he had managed to survive. He did not bother with armor, like Flavia. Instead he strode out with the same confidence as Vaike. And strapped to his hip was a massive ax. It was so large, that Ben doubted he could even lift it.

Ben cast a glance at Robin and saw the tactician's eyes wide in surprise. He had come to the same conclusion as Ben. This man in the center of the arena was the Western Khan, Basilio.

A sly smile crossed Ben's lips before he nudged Robin's shoulder.

"Hey Robin."

"Wh-what?"

"He's just missing the chest hair."

Robin's cheeks flushed in embarrassment.

"What does he mean by that?" Flavia asked.

"N-nothing!" Robin exclaimed as Ben chuckled.

Flavia just shrugged, "Very well." She stared down at the Western Khan as the man cleared his throat to speak.

"Feroxi!" Bailio thundered before pounding a fist against his bare chest.

His voice was powerful. Full of force and authority. A confidence that bordered on arrogance. The man grinned as the crowd that had filled the coliseum roared. He raised his hands and the crowd went silent.

"The time has come once again, for the ruling Khan to be decided!" Basilio boomed, "As is tradition, both myself and my companion, the East Khan, have chosen our champions. And while Flavia merely selected her champion, mine was chosen by the only true test of a warrior. Combat!"

Flavia grit her teeth at the obvious taunt.

"Oh that oaf is going to hear it from me later." Flavia huffed, "When I'm the one ruling Regna Ferox and he is just the West Khan."

"Have you been the ruling Khan before?" Ben asked.

Flavia scowled, "No. He's always had the better champion. But that changes today."

"With that being said, will the champion's step forward!"

The crowd roared and the Shepherd's cheered as Chrom emerged from a tunnel in the arena. He wore his usual travel clothes. Opting for speed and agility instead of the extra protection armor would have provided him. It was a decision that irked Frederick, but Ben and Robin both understood the rationale. The knight had offered Chrom his own armor to use, but Chrom had just laughed and seemingly reminded Frederick of a saying he was often told.

" _Never trust a set of armor that is not your own."_

"Do you know who the champion for the West Khan is?" Robin asked Flavia.

Flavia shook her head, "Not a damn clue."

"Robin look!" Lissa cried as she pointed to the tunnel opposite of Chrom.

Ben and Robin's eyes widened in surprise. Striding out towards the center of the arena, was the slim but confident masked warrior, Marth.

"How did he get here?" Robin wondered out loud.

"He does have a tendency to follow us doesn't he?" Ben noted.

"That is most concerning to me." Frederick scowled.

"Hey! Isn't that the guy who helped us back in the southern forest?" Sully asked before grinning, "Alright! This is going to be one hell of a fight. Stahl, I'm thinking about changing my bet."

Ben had to agree with Sully. Chrom had already proven himself to be a very capable warrior. Marth on the other hand, had shown swordsmanship skills that had thoroughly impressed Ben, despite the small sample size. Ben rubbed his chin. And to his delight, he felt some whiskers starting to appear.

"Ben, as our expert swordsman, how do you think this battle will go?" Virion asked.

Ben's lips pressed together. If he were to be honest, he did not know.

….

Chrom stared across the arena, surprised by his opponent. He had expected another Feroxi warrior. One who was just as skilled as Raimi perhaps. That battle at the Longfort had been one of the most difficult in his young life. But he did not expect Marth to come striding out from the West Khan's tunnel. He had not seen much of the man outside of their brief encounter in the forests south of Ylisse. And during that encounter, he did not have any time to size him up. He had been too busy defending Lissa from the first of the Risen monsters.

He wished he had Robin or Ben with him right now. Those two never missed a single important detail. Robin would be able to provide him with tactical knowledge. How best to approach a battle against a fairly unknown opponent. Ben would be able to give him advice of sword combat. The newest member of the shepherd's had quickly risen in Chrom's mind as possibly the best swordsman in the group. Easily matching himself and Frederick in terms of pure skill.

Bailio beamed at both Champions.

"May the best warrior win!" He bellowed.

And the crowd roared. Chrom cast a glance up at the Shepherd's box.

Khan Flavia's eyes were narrowed. Focused. Obviously nervous about the possible outcomes of this battle. She desperately wished to win. Ben and Robin were both whispering to each other. And Chrom had to laugh a little. Those two were growing close. And there was no doubt in his mind that they were discussing the very tactics and techniques that Chrom wished they could share with him right now.

Frederick had a large frown on his face. He had been like that most of the day. When Chrom had told him about the agreement he had reached with Khan Flavia, the Knight had protested fiercely. So much so that Chrom had to silence him with an order. Something the young prince did not like to do. Lissa looked concerned but hopeful as she stood beside Frederick. She was confident in Chrom, but also aware that he faced what could be a deadly opponent.

The other shepherds had large smiles on their faces, with the exception of Sumia, who was just as worried as Frederick. But she was far less vocal about it.

Basilio stepped out of the way of the two champions. He pointed at both and smiled.

"Ready?" He asked.

Chrom returned his attention to Marth. His opponent had a grim expression on his face. A seriousness that concerned Chrom. If Marth was going to be that serious about this duel, then he would be too.

Chrom nodded at Basilio. Marth gave a small nod as well.

"Then what are you two waiting for! Fight!"

In a flash Chrom drew Flachion and charged across the open space. He had to press his advantage. For Marth to backpedal and be thrown off balance. He did not know how Marth fought. And unknowns concerned him. Better to end this quickly before Marth could unviel any surprises on him.

Chrom's reared back and swung Falchion hard at Marth, who had yet to draw his own blade. Was he just going to let Chrom strike him? Why was he not defending himself?

Chrom's eyes widened. At the last moment, Marth flipped over Chrom and Falchion. Easily landing on the behind him. Chrom spun and caught a lightning fast slash from Marth's blade. A blade that made Chrom's heart stop.

Falchion rested in Marth's hands. But it could not be the same Falchion. There was only one in existence. And it had always resided in the Exalt of Ylisse's line. But the blade was unmistakable in its design. Unless someone had managed an impressive copy, then Marth's weapon was indeed another Falchion.

Chrom grit his teeth, "There's no way." He growled before shoving Marth's strike back.

He raised Falchion over his head and chopped down at Marth. The nimble fighter rolled out of the way then spun, swinging Falchion in a savage arc at Chrom's neck. Chrom shuddered as the twin Falchions collided in a shower of sparks. The metal shrieking as the two yanked their blades away from each other before engaging in a vicious back and forth battle.

For such a lithe figure, Marth fought with a surprising about of power. Each strike he delivered made the bones and joints in Chrom's arms shake. But Chrom did manage to return the favor. He could see Marth struggling against his own strikes. He did not seem surprised by Chrom's martial ability. Rather, he seemed shocked by the tenacity that Chrom was fighting with.

 _He obviously does not know what I am fighting for._ Chrom thought to himself as his thoughts drifted back to the Shepherds watching him from above.

Their blades clashed once again. They struggled against each other. Each trying to out muscle and gain more leverage over the other. Marth grit his teeth. Chrom sucked in a breath as Marth freed one hand and sent a punch at Chrom's face.

The Ylissean prince scrambled out of the way of the blow. Allowing Marth some space to breath for a moment.

He was fighting like an acrobat. Dashing, spinning, and flipping around Chrom in an erratic way that gave the Prince pause. He had never seen a fighting style like this before. But as powerful and unpredictable as it was, Chrom could see that it was starting to wear on Marth.

His breathing was heavy. Labored even. The physical exertion of his fighting must be enormous. But how could Marth fight in such away. He wasn't a physical specimen at all. Just skinny. Such a fighting style would need strengthened muscles and enormous amounts of stamina. Chrom lowered Falchion.

"Tell me. Where did you learn to fight like that?" he asked Marth as they both caught their breath.

Marth took a deep breath, "At first my father." She answered, "But when he died, I had a great sword master teach me."

Chrom nodded, "Do you mind telling me who this sword master is?" He might want to learn a little himself.

Marth shook his head, "You wouldn't know of him."

Chrom quickly raised Falchion as Marth executed an impossible leap over his head. At the same time, the masked warrior slashed down at him. Chrom's elbows buckled as their blades collided. He stumbled, eyes wide in realization.

Marth had caught him off balance.

The masked warrior landed and spun. His own Falchion singing through the air as it made its way towards Chrom's hip.

Instead of panic, a sense of calm took over Chrom. He would not be defeated here. Not when he was so close to accomplishing his mission. And fancy acrobatic and a style of swordplay he did not know would not stop him.

In a move so unpredictable that Marth ended up tripping over himself, Chrom dropped to the ground. Marth's blade passed over his head, missing him by a hair's breadth. As Marth tripped forward, Chrom buried Flachion's pommel into the other man's gut. He heard the air rush from his opponents lungs. Marth collapsed to the ground. Before he could regather his wits, Chrom placed Falchion's tip at his neck.

"Yield." he growled through heavy breaths.

Marth sighed, "Impressive. If not unexpected." His Falchion rolled out of his hand and into the dirt.

….

Ben watched the duel wide eyed. That fighting style. He knew that fighting style almost anywhere. His hands gripped the balcony railing so tight that his knuckles were starting to go white.

Where did Marth learn to fight like that? How was he able to perform the acrobatics such a fighting style required. Only a Jedi was capable of the physical exertion and spatial awareness that Ataru required.

And it was not an amateurish application for the form either. Marth was an expert. Pulling off some of the more complex techniques that form four of lightsaber combat had to offer. Executing attacks while flipping and spinning through the air. He had Chrom completely off balance. The Ylissean Prince appeared to be on the defensive for the entire duel.

But that no longer concerned Ben. He did not wish to see his friend injured, but there was an anxiety that crept into him. Was he wrong about this planet? Was there a nation that did have access to the wider galaxy? How else could Marth know how to fight like that?

Chrom fought well, but in Ben's mind, it was already decided. He was not going to win this battle. Chrom was a straight ahead warrior. A philosophy of combat similar to Anakin's. Attack the enemy with brutal efficiency and effectiveness. Beat them into submission. But his unfamiliarity with Marth's fighting style was proving to be a major weakness. One Marth was exploiting to the fullest.

 _But how!?_ Ben thought to himself as his eyes remained glued to the frantic duel below, _Only a Jedi can make those flips without a running start? Only the force can-_

His eyes widened even further. Of course! How could he be so blind! Ben took a breath and closed his eyes. He delved into the realm of the force. In an instant, he could feel every being in the champion's box with him. Sense their emotions. Their anxieties, their worries, their confidence, and their hopes. It was a feeling unlike any other. It felt so clear that it surprised Ben.

Maybe the clarity was because the dark side of the force was not dominant on this world as it was in the galaxy. The rise of the Sith and destruction of the Jedi had sent the light retreating away. Rendering Ben and his fellow Jedi nearly blind during the closing days of the Clone Wars.

He moved on from those near him. Careful not to tip any off to what he was doing. He expanded his sight and feelings. The spirits of everyone in the coliseum were high. They were cheering. Roaring in delight as the a truly great duel was taking place before them. He could sense the sheer joy and fascination radiating from both Flavia and Basilio. The two warriors grinning in delight at the display of swordsmanship. Both confident that they would take the mantle of ruling Khan.

Then he reached the focus of his search. Chrom and Marth. Chrom was surprised, nervous even. And rightfully so. This was something new to him.

And to Ben's shock, Chrom's mind responded. He seemed to notice Ben, even if it was subconsciously. So much so, that Chrom's nervousness was replaced by a wave of calm. As that wave of calm hit Ben, the crowd roared. And Basilio's voice boomed once again. But not as proud as before.

"The champion for the East Khan is victorious!"

Ben did not open his eyes. He could sense the excitement and joy around him. Sumia and Frederick's relief were also very noticeable. But he was more focused on Marth. He attempted to sense the masked man's intentions.

Ben's brow furrowed. Man's intentions? Something was not right. He grimaced. Marth was not open like Chrom. He brushed against his mind and felt pushed back. Not a violent push back. But enough to get Ben's attention. Marth was not a malevolent person. He did not have evil intentions, as far as Ben could tell. But Ben was also very wary of him now. Marth was not unaware of his probing like Chrom was. He was very aware of what Ben was doing. And he was pushing back.

Ben's eyes snapped open and he sucked in a breath.

"Holding your breath the entire time too huh?" Robin nudged his elbow.

Ben blinked, "Um… yes. It was very intense."

"I've never seen anyone fight like Marth before." Flavia smiled, "Good thing your Prince is the better warrior."

Ben blinked in surprise. He had heard Basilio's declaration. But he did not believe it at first. Chrom was on the verge of being soundly beaten by Marth. How did he claim victory? Ben looked out onto the arena. The Shepherd's and Flavia had started to make their way out of the Champion's box so they could meet Chrom down below. But Ben remained where he was.

"Hey Ben!" Robin called from the box entry, "Are you ok?"

"Hm?" Ben was so lost in thought he did not notice he had remained completely still, "Yes. I'm fine. I'll meet you all down there in a moment."

Robin gave him a worried look.

"Don't take too long."

"I won't." Ben replied before watching Robin disappear down the stairs.

Ben rubbed his chin. There was far more to Marth than met the eye. And he was not going to be caught unawares by the warrior again. His cloak swept out behind him as he marched towards the stairs. But instead of following the Shepherds,he turned a different direction. Towards the area of the Coliseum that represented the West Khan.

….

Marth did not speak to anyone as he exited the Coliseum. There was no need to. What was done was done. He had managed to successfully enter into the Khan's duel. Beaten the Khan's former champion and battled Prince Chrom. A slight smile graced his pale lips.

That was a great battle. And he expected it would be. He knew of Prince Chrom's reputation as a swordsman. It preceded itself. He was glad that the rumors he had heard of the Prince's skills were not false. In his prime, Prince Chrom truly was a force to be reckoned with. It took almost all of his skill to force the Prince to nearly be defeated.

He just managed to be defeated at the last second. Marth gave all the credit to Chrom. The maneuver he used was brilliant. It had taken advantage of Marth's aggressive fighting style and caused it to backfire. It had been a good many years since someone had bested him one on one.

Marth sighed and looked up at the night sky. He had not realized the day had gone by so quick. He could already see the waning moon above him. In a few days, it would just be a crescent. Then the new moon would appear, and a new month would begin. Events were starting to move fast. Too fast.

Marth shook his head. He was confident in Chrom's abilities. The shepherd's prowess in battle was also well known to him. They would be ready for the tribulations to come.

He turned to make his way into the night. To dissapear without anyone noticing. As he passed one of the coliseum's stone columns, he got the sense of someone watching him.

"Leaving so soon?"

Marth froze. He turned to the column's shadows. Leaning up against the building was the Shepherd's newest member. A swordsman whose reputation was already building to legendary status thanks to his accomplishments at the Longfort. She recalled hearing some of Raimi's guards mentioning the mad Ylissean swordsman. A man who willingly jumped from flying Pegasi and battled whole groups of veteran soldiers by himself.

A man simply known as Ben.

Marth's lips pressed into a thin line. He could not be delayed. There was still so much to accomplish. So much to prevent. The war was coming. He had to make sure events swung in the light's favor.

"Yes." Marth answered as his hand gripped his blade.

Ben raised a hand, "There is no need for that. I am not going to stop you."

"Good." Marth replied before turning on his heel and starting to march away.

"But just so you know, _Marth_." The masked warrior paused as Ben spoke, "If you're going to be faking your voice like that, try to make it more convincing. Most men don't speak with such exaggerated tones."

Marth's heart stopped and the breath got stuck in her throat. She turned to look back at Ben. She swallowed hard. She should have known he'd figure it out. But she did not think he would have figured it out so quickly.

"No one else has figured it out." She said, keeping her voice low.

"That is because they weren't looking hard enough." Ben replied as he folded his arms into the sleeves of his cloak, "Also, sharpen your mental defenses. If I truly wanted to, I could have broken in."

Marth grit her teeth.

"Do you perceive me as a threat?"

"No. Not now at least." Ben replied, "I did not sense any treachery from you. But don't mistake that for me trusting you."

"I…" She swallowed again, worried that her cover was now blown, "I will keep that in mind." Her voice returning to it's normal sound. Not the exaggerated deep tone she had been attempting before.

Ben nodded, "You fought well. Who was your master?"

Ben saw the woman's face drop a little. She was sad. If he were to take a guess, behind the mask, her eyes were probably welling with tears. He could see her chin quivering ever so slightly.

"Nobody important." She choked before taking a deep breath. Doing her best to compose herself. "I must be going now."

Ben closed his eyes, "If you insist. Until we meet again, Marth."

Marth turned away from Ben. Neither opening their mouths to exchange any more words. She could feel the sensation of Ben watching her still as she strode away. She turned into an alley and disappeared from Ben's sight. Once she was sure she was far enough away from him, her shoulders sagged and she collapsed against the wall of a small hut.

She choked back some sobs. Resorting to quiet whimpering in the dark. She sniffed hard then looked at Falchion. The blade that had served as her strength for most of her life. She gripped the blade and took a deep breath. Forcing all the emotion, all of the sorrow and loss, back down into the depths of her being. Weakness could not be allowed right now. She would change the future. She would not fail.

She swallowed hard and took a shuddering breath.

"Yes, until we meet again."

 **And chapter! I thought about combining this chapter and the last one when I first wrote thought about them and outlined it. But it just did not feel the best for some reason. I guess I wanted to add a little more buildup to Chrom and Marth's duel rather than blow everything in one shot. I've made the mistake of making some arcs go to quick in previous stories I have written. So I guess I'm trying to prevent to story from going at breakneck pace. But that's just a personal opinion of mine. And I totally understand any criticism of that approach. Any criticism is good in my mind. It makes me a better writer. And I really appreciate all the reviews. It gives me a lot of motivation to keep going with the story.**

 **Anyways, this chapter is a big chapter in mind. It revealed a lot about one of our characters that will play an enormous role later down the line. Not just in the main Fire Emblem story line either. She's got much bigger role to play than that. And I'm excited to get this story going again.**

 **My writer's block has broken for almost every project I'm working on. I've now cranked out two chapters of this story. My original novel is over twenty pages and twenty thousand words deep. And this story is over one hundred pages on my computer. I might have to open a new document in order to keep it from freezing all the time. Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	10. Setting the Game

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 10

Setting the Game

Robin's smile broadened as he sat on a large sofa in Khan Flavia's personal quarters. The other shepherds were with him and Chrom in the room. Each one celebrating with the Khan. He took a breath and took a deep drink from the mug of ale that Flavia had personally given him when they had arrived to celebrate.

Robin recalled the events leading up to this wild party. They had all, with the exception of Ben, rushed down to congratulate Chrom on his victory in the duel with Marth. He remembered Basilio retreating away after congratulation Chrom as well. He mentioned something about getting some affairs in order for the transition of power and that he would stop by to congratulate Flavia later.

The Shepherd's had swarmed Chrom on the arena floor. Lissa had wrapped her arms tight around Chrom, thankful that he had won and was uninjured. Frederick has stood stoically to the side, but gave the Prince an approving nod. The Knight had been very impressed by Chrom's victory. Robin had recalled cheering for Chrom before gripping the Prince's hand. He should not have been surprised that Chrom won. But with the way the battle had been going, he was not sure Chrom could have beaten Marth. Thankfully, Robin was proven wrong.

His mind drifted back to the battle. Marth fought with a tenacity and energy that was remarkable. Now, Robin knew he did not have the best memory. Most of it was still missing, causing his past to remain a total enigma. But he had a suspicion that despite all that he may have previously studied regarding tactics and warfare, it was the first time he had ever seen someone fight like Marth.

The acrobatics alone were impressive. A bit much for Robin's tactical approach, but still impressive. But what had caught Robin's attention the most was how Marth used those acrobatics to his advantage. Not only had he initially overwhelmed Chrom, but he kept Chrom off balance and used the inertia of his movements to augment his strikes. For Robin, it was a brilliant short term fighting style. Great for quickly finishing an opponent. But if the fight extended for too long, as it did against Chrom, then cracks would form in the technique.

Robin took another gulp of ale. The sour taste ran down his throat as he nodded to himself.

 _Maybe one day I'll catalog the various forms of swordsmanship in the world._ He thought to himself.

Robin glanced over at Virion as the archer slumped down beside him on the fur covered couch.

"This is wonderful!" Virion grinned, "I just wish some of the lovely Feroxi maidens were allowed to attend as well."

Robin snorted, "That would just distract from the real reason we are here right now." He nodded at Chrom, who despite the celebrations, was actively negotiating with Khan Flavia over military numbers and other basics of the alliance, "This is his night."

"Very true." Virion took a sip from his mug, "At least everyone is enjoying themselves. I dare say, this is one of the most hopeful evenings we've had since that horrible experience in the forests."

Robin nodded. The threat of the Risen had put a damper on the Shepherd's spirits for some time. The stress and pressure of their mission had caused some tempers to flare on the journey. Some tensions to build as well. But now that they had accomplished their mission, Robin could see everyone was much more relaxed. Even Frederick was partaking in the celebrations. Although he still stood watch over the proceedings. Refusing to let celebrations interfere with his sworn duties.

Virion cleared his throat, regaining Robin's attention.

Robin looked at the table in front of the couch. There was a small chessboard on it. Virion's chessboard.

"When?"

"Grabbed it before Flavia invited us in." Virion explained, "Care for a game while the others sing their songs and make merry."

Robin smiled, "Of course. The intellectuals must celebrate in their own way after all."

Virion grinned and began setting up the pieces.

"Did you catch the strange fighting style Marth used?" Virion asked.

Robin took a drink then nodded.

"Is it something you recognize?" He asked Virion.

Virion shook his head, "I have never seen anything like it before."

Robin frowned a little. That meant it most likely was not a fighting form from Valm then. He rubbed his chin and hummed to himself. The mystery of Marth's capabilities was a puzzle he was looking forward to solving.

Virion moved his first pawn forward. Robin drew his attention back to the board and quickly moved one of his own.

"With the Feroxi at our backs, Plegia should back down. At least for now." Robin muttered.

Virion raised an eyebrow, "One can hope. But they don't call the Plegian King mad for nothing." He sipped his ale and moved another pawn.

"Interesting." Robin asked.

He was curious about Plegia. They were the enemy of the nation he now served. But he felt like he did not know anything about them. Save for some derogatory comments. Namely desert rats and sand scum. Robin frowned a little at that. Dehumanizing the enemy like that only served one purpose. To make it easier to convince your own forces to destroy them.

 _I must have read that somewhere._ Robin thought to himself before moving a bishop out in front of his pawns.

Virion nodded, "Aggressive move."

"I'm feeling a little aggressive tonight." Robin replied, "The duel got my blood flowing a bit. And I wasn't even the one doing the fighting."

Virion let out a laugh, "Everyone's adrenaline was pulsing. I dare say that was the hairiest fight Chrom has been in that I've seen. I thought he was going to lose."

Robin sipped his mug of ale and nodded, "He should have. By all rights, Chrom was caught with two left feet in that fight." Robin narrowed his eyes as Virion moved a knight near his bishop, "With how off balance he was, there should have been no way he would have been able to find an opening."

 _So how did an opening appear then?_

Virion hummed to himself as Robin moved another pawn, "I dare say. With that line of thinking, one would wonder if you were suggesting that Marth threw the match?"

Robin opened then closed his mouth. But to his surprise, Virion nodded.

"I came to the same conclusion. Marth has far too much martial skill for Chrom. That much was apparent. So it was either dumb luck that the Captain won, which is possible. Or Marth never intended on winning in the first place."

"Otherwise, why use such an inefficient form of fighting." Robin mused, "If he intended to end the battle quickly I could see why. But there were several moments where he could have defeated Chrom if he had just pressed the advantage more. Or struck in a different manner." He drew in a breath as Virion made his move.

"What is running through your mind my friend?" Virion asked.

"There is something off about Marth."

Virion choked as he sipped on his ale, "I think we all came to that conclusion. Everytime we encounter the man, he keeps his face hidden."

"Not like that." Robin waved his hand. He rested his head on his hand and frowned as he studied the chessboard. Virion was starting to box his king in. He'd have to break out sooner rather than later. But that would mean he'd have to sacrifice some key pieces. He narrowed his eyes and weighed his options.

"You might have gotten me already." Robin admitted, "Continuing would just involve me stalling till your inevitable victory."

Virion laughed, "There is always a chance that I have a mental lapse." He raised his mug, "This is my fourth helping."

Robin chuckled, "And I'm on my third. And given how much of a lightweight I apparently am, since I'm already feeling the effects, I'd say I'm still at a significant disadvantage." Robin let out a long breath then moved another pawn. He expected it to be taken on the next turn. But it seemed like the best move for now.

"Another pawn?" Virion noted, "Starting aggressive then reverting back to conservative." The archer clicked his tongue then surprise Robin. He moved his queen, snatching the pawn up and throwing Robin's entire strategy out of the window, "Pick a philosophy Robin. Or you will not best me."

Robin cursed under his breath, "I don't want to lose any of the important pieces."

Virion chuckled, "And here I am, putting my queen in direct danger. Yet I am winning. In chess, you sometimes have to take grave risks in order to achieve victory."

"But is a sloppy victory worth it?" Robin asked as he moved his bishop to block Virion's queen.

"It's much better than defeat." Virion replied. The archer pressed his lips into a thin line as he studied the board. He cast a glance around the room, "We're still missing him."

Robin looked up. He took a mental headcount. Sumia was with Lissa and Miriel off to the side. Each one had wide smiles on their faces as they spoke to each other. Sumia's cheeks were dark red. Which meant they were most likely talking about Chrom. Robin snorted. It was so obvious that she was head over heels for the Prince. He was shocked that Chrom didn't see it.

Vaike was having a drinking competition with Sully and Stahl. Stahl was already lying down on the floor, incapacitated. Meanwhile Sully and Vaike went toe to toe. Dueling to see who was the master of alcohol among the Shepherds. Kellam was beside Frederick, the two warriors choosing to be the two most sober members. Ready to respond if any danger presented itself. But Kellam did have a small plate of meats and cheese in his hand.

Chrom was still speaking with Flavia. But Flavia was now very drunk. Robin could hear her slurring from across the room.

That left one person missing.

"Ben's still not back yet."

Virion shook his head, "Was it just me, or did he seem rather shaken during the duel?"

Robin raised his brow, "I hadn't noticed."

Virion gulped down the last of his drink and let out a satisfied sigh, "Well, I saw a man who went from relaxed to very tense as soon as Marth began fighting."

Robin picked up on the insinuation, "You think he knows something about Marth?"

"Not Marth specifically. But perhaps, the fighting form he uses." Virion leaned back into his seat, "As often as Ben has been around us, he is still the biggest enigma among us."

"I thought that distinction belong to me, the amnesiac." Robin laughed.

"You are a close second." Virion chuckled, "But at least we know what your personality is. What your apparent likes and dislikes are." He pointed at the chessboard, "I've even gotten your tactical thinking down to a science. But Ben…" Virion folded his legs, "Ben is a total mystery. A puzzle that does not wish to be solved."

"How so?"

"We know nothing about his past for one. At least with you, you have the excuse of not having a shred of a memory to draw upon. But that is not the case with Ben. He is purposefully keeping that part of his life closed off." Virion snatched a drink as a Feroxi servant came by. He took a long gulp, "It is obvious to me that he is not some commoner. There is no way a commoner would have his mannerisms, intellect, or martial prowess."

Robin raised an eyebrow. Virion had a point. Who was Ben exactly? The thought had never occurred to him. Mostly because he was still focused on trying to figure out just who the hell his own self was. So far, tactician seemed to fit the bill. As for Ben, he was an impressive swordsman. But he also appeared to be a trained tactician. Even a practiced statesman if his interactions with Maribelle, the Exalt, and Flavia were anything to go by.

What was more, Virion was right about Ben's personality. The man seemed to hide himself in a shell of melancholy and isolation. Robin had seen that shell crack a little bit during their stay in Arena Ferox. Ben's light teasing at Robin's thoughts on the ideal Khan made that apparent. Perhaps he was just a very strong introvert? Robin hummed to himself. Yet another puzzle for him to solve.

"I don't think it would do us any good to pry." Robin told Virion.

"Why not?" Virion asked.

"It could stir up unnecessary tensions." Robin replied, "We are already under enough pressure. A war with Plegia appears to be on the horizon. The last thing we need is to be suspicious of one another."

"Which could cause infighting and weaken us from within. A very strong point." Virion moved a chess piece and smiled at Robin, "Check."

Robin's eyes darted down at the chess board. Virion had exploited a wide open hole in his strategy. And it had put not only his king, but every major piece in jeopardy. Robin swore and wracked his brain for a solution.

"But as good a point as it is Robin." Virion noted, "It is still wise to keep a very close eye on potential problems within your own forces. A lack of trust and foresight could lend itself to disaster."

Robin's eyes darted up at Virion. In that moment, he realized what Virion had been doing the entire time.

"Well played Virion. Truly a master at being a social tactician." Robin smirked.

"I do my best." Virion replied.

Robin furrowed his brow when his eyes returned to the chess board. Perhaps Virion did have a point. The lack of trust Ben had in them regarding himself would eventually cause some deterioration in their trust in him. It might be something he had to bring up with Chrom. Or perhaps he should approach Ben directly. Robin sighed. Virion was much better at this than him.

Robin made another move. A simple one that would only delay the inevitable checkmate. He'd have to get his revenge in the next game.

"Shepherds!" Chrom shouted over the noise.

The Shepherds attention turned to him.

"Enjoy the celebrations for now. But we leave immediately tomorrow morning. Exalt Emmeryn will want to know of our success as soon as possible."

"But for now get drunk with me!" Flavia cried with a grin.

Just as she said that, the door to the room burst open. Two figures strode in. One was Khan Basilio. No doubt here to congratulate Flavia on winning the Feroxi throne. The other was an athletic young man with dark hair and an intense expression. Two blades were strapped to his hips and he wore attire not common for Regna Ferox.

"Flavia!" Basilio thundered.

"Oaf! Have you come to grovel?" Flavia teased playfully.

"Ha ha." Basilio grunted, "No. I just came to congratulate you one winning the throne for the first time in your short Khanship. All I ask is that you go easy on the coffers."

Flavia waved off his concerns, "I'm not going to do anything stupid Basilio, you know that." She gulped her drink, "Have a little faith."

Basilio chuckled, "I will." His gaze turned to Chrom, "And you, Prince Chrom. You fought very well today."

Chrom gave a small bow, "Thank you Khan Basilio."

Basilio uttered a hearty laugh, "Just Basilio boy. I'm not longer in charge. She is." He gestured at Flavia, "Maybe I'll get to relax a little for once. She has no idea what's she's in for."

Flavia frowned a little but ignored the comment.

"Anyways," Basilio continued, "I wish to give you a little gift. As recongition of your skill. We Feroxi take great pride in our champions. So when one is bested, we can't help but take notice." Basilio nodded at the man to his right, "This is my former champion, Lon'qu. He was supposed to be the one to duel you today."

"But Marth bested him?" Chrom assumed.

"That masked man came out of nowhere and beat him like a drum. Sure as shit surprised me." Basilio admitted, "By the way, do you have any idea where he is?"

"Gone." A third voice interrupted.

All eyes turned to the door. Both Virion and Robin let out a sigh of relief as Ben strode into the room.

"He left. Did not want any hysterics over his loss." Ben explained.

"You spoke to him?" Basilio uttered. His voice surprised, "He hardly said a word to me despite being my champion."

Ben shrugged, "I had some questions I wanted answered. And he was not going to escape with answering them."

Robin raised a brow as Ben took a seat near him. Questions huh? What questions though.

"Hmph." Basilio grunted, "Anyways, Lon'qu was impressed with how you fought Prince Chrom. He expressed his desire to join your service."

"Really?" Lissa asked as she walked towards Lon'qu.

Robin nearly spat out some of his drink when Lon'qu took a sharp step away from her.

"Hey!" Lissa frowned, "I just want to say hi."

"Stay back, woman!" Lon'qu said harshly.

Before Chrom or Lissa could take offense, Basilio uttered a long, hearty laugh.

"Lon'qu is a fearless warrior. But certainly not fearless when it comes to the opposite gender. Pay it no mind. I assure you, he will be more than worth the silent companionship."

Chrom nodded in understanding, "Very well. Welcome aboard, Lon'qu."

The swordsman gave Chrom a silent nod before taking a place beside Frederick the Wary. The Knight was already carefully examining the shepherd's newest addition. Judging his threat level. And Frederick seemed to find him… lacking? Robin frowned. Frederick might be a little too confident in his abilities. Lon'qu was a Feroxi champion. He would be no slouch in a fight. And he was glad that he joined them.

"And with that, I'm going to get going." Basilio said, "I've got half the country to look out for after all. And a nice little cottage to move into. It'll be very cozy compared the luxurious rooms of the Arena."

"Thank you very much!" Flavia smiled.

Basilio nodded to her and left. Chrom smiled and shook his head. Still trying to take in what just happened. He walked over to Robin, Virion, and Ben.

"Mind if I join you three."

"Not at all." Virion said.

Chrom slouched into the couch, "What a day?" He looked over at Robin, "So… how badly did I screw up in that duel."

Robin cringed, "To my tactical eye, you are one lucky son of a bitch."

Chrom laughed hard with Virion. And to Robin's surprise, Ben uttered a quiet laugh as well.

"Story of my life." Chrom patted his thighs, "Alright, don't stay up too late. We have a long day's march tomorrow."

"Yes sir."

….

Ben took a deep breath as he sat outside of the Shepherd's Barracks. They had returned home several days ago. The march back to Ylisstol had been rather uneventful. And he was grateful for that. It allowed him a chance to think. To ponder and meditate upon the events of the past few days, weeks even.

Despite his best attempts to execute a serene dive into the living force, Ben could not help but feel disturbed. His mind felt erratic. Out of focus. But that should not have surprised him. When he was a young padawan, he was reckless and erratic. Becoming a padawan's master had tempered him. Calmed his mind and taught him have patience.

Oh so much patience.

And now that he was no longer an aged master but a young man again, his body began to react the same way it had when he was younger. Meditation was no longer relaxing. It was a chore. He found himself to be far more restless than before. Not just because of the nightmares he was experiencing, but because he simply could not sit still. There was still so many unanswered questions.

The biggest one plaguing his mind was still where was he? He did not know the name of the planet, although he did read in a book that the land itself was called Archanea. Beyond that, he still did not know the planet's name, it's location in the galaxy, or where it was in relation to some of the more inhabited worlds he knew about. Was he in the mid-rim? The outer-rim? The core possibly? Or was he somewhere not yet discovered.

He rubbed the faint outline of his beard that was finally beginning to regrow. Perhaps this was another situation similar to Kamino? He shook his head. Doubtful. That had been a very unique case.

But wondering where he was pressed other questions to the forefront of his mind. He still had no idea where Luke was? He could feel that the boy was safe. But his location and condition were still a mystery. And Ben could not help but worry.

 _If this is what it feels like to be a parent, I am not enjoying it so far._ He thought to himself.

" _It is exactly what it feels like."_ The voice of Qui Gon said as he struggled to meditate.

Ben frowned as he kept his eyes closed.

 _It's been a while, Qui Gon._

" _Yes it has. I meant to contact you sooner, but you seemed very busy."_

Ben's brow furrowed.

 _My duties to the Shepherd's could have waited._

" _No. They cannot."_ Qui Gon berated, " _You are still not living in the moment, my young padawan."_

Ben bristled at being called that. Force, sometimes he wished Qui Gon did not pay so much attention to his physical age. He was technically a Jedi Master. A Master that sat on the High Council for that matter!

 _I technically out rank you._ Ben shot back.

" _And yet Yoda said you had to learn from me."_

Ben's shoulders sagged. He could never win in an argument with his old master. He should have learned that lesson by now.

" _You seem distressed, Obi Wan."_

Ben opened his eyes and ran a hand over his face. He still felt weary from the events in Regna Ferox. While his body had time to rest, he had not allowed his mind to rest at all.

" _Talk to me, Obi Wan."_ Qui Gon said softly, his voice carrying a calm that soothed Ben's worries. Even if it was only for a moment.

 _Marth, she's… unique._

He could practically hear Qui Gon humming in agreement.

 _I believe her to be a Force adept._

" _And what makes you think that?"_

Ben snorted, _She clearly has training in the Jedi arts. She fought Chrom using Ataru. Only a Jedi can use such a difficult and demanding form of combat._ He squirmed as he sat in the grass, _I thought I was the only force sensitive on this planet?_

" _That's a rather arrogant line of thinking, don't you think?"_

Ben scowled but then thought about it.

Qui Gon was correct. His assumptions were clouding his thinking. He was assuming realities while ignoring facts. It was physically impossible for him to be the only force user on any given planet. The Force impacted all beings. Statistically it was bound to have chosen several beings on this world to be more attuned to the currents of the Force. Marth may be one of those chosen few. Perhaps she had learned from someone else on this world.

But that still did not explain her use of Ataru.

" _Obi Wan, is she your enemy?"_

Ben frowned, _As far as I could tell… no. But… she did not appear to be an ally either._

" _Then you should not treat her as an enemy. Doing so will only guarantee that she will never become your ally. And you will never learn the answers to your questions."_

Ben sighed, _Yes, Master._

Qui Gon was silent for a moment. And Ben still could not sit still.

" _There is more?"_

Ben shivered, _I… I sense something, Master. I sensed it a little on the way back to Ylisstol. But I chalked it up to my own paranoia. I thought it would just go away but…_

" _You sense evil nearing."_

Ben swallowed. _Yes, Master._

" _Trust your instincts."_ His former Master advised, " _The Force speaks through them. And they will rarely lead you astray."_

Ben felt his connection to Qui Gon fade away. Just as Qui Gon's presence disappeared, Ben heard soft footsteps approaching.

"Meditating, Ben?" The soft, serene voice of Exalt Emmeryn asked him.

Ben's eyes shot open. In an instant he was standing up and giving the Exalt a formal bow.

The Exalt laughed a little and waved her hand.

"There is no need for that Ben. We are safe inside the Palace, the royal image will not be shattered if one of the Shepherds does not bow to me in my home." She smiled and looked around, "A beautiful day isn't it?"

Ben took a deep breath. It was a lovely day indeed. The perfect temperature in Ben's mind. Not too hot, but not cold either. Just comfortable. It was why he chose to meditate outside for the day. There was a slight breeze in the air. Just enough to rustle the leaves that were starting to change colors throughout the city. Ben nodded.

"Very." He replied stiffly.

The Exalt gave him a little smile, "Walk with me."

Ben raised an eyebrow as the Exalt marched away towards the Palace gates. Ben hesitated a moment.

Should I follow? What would the people think? What would Chrom and the Shepherd's think if they saw me walking alone with Exalt Emmeryn? He shook his head.

 _Live in the moment, Obi Wan. Live in the moment._

He took one hesitant step forward. Then another. Eventually, he was walking alongside Exalt Emmeryn as she entered the city center.

The markets were bustling with activity. Merchants from all over the land were shouting out to the crowds, doing their best to sell their wares. Ben's eyes wandered over to several of the food stalls. While the meats did not smell nearly as good as the Feroxi's, the vegetables and fruits certainly looked appetizing. But what struck Ben the most was the amount of colors he saw.

He had never taken the time to take in the city. Choosing instead to focus internally on his own problems. But now that he had a chance to take a step back, Ylisttol was magnificent.

If he had to compare it to any city he had been to in his life, the closest comparison would be Theed on the world of Naboo. Both cities were regal. Designed for the government. Designed to portray strength and prosperity. But while Theed was made of the same, striking stones throughout. Ylisttol was a mass of colors overlapping brilliant white stone buildings and white walls. Emmeryn seemed to notice his fascination.

"I love it here." Exalt Emmeryn said as she casually made her way through the crowds of people.

It was then that Ben noticed she was not wearing the traditional attire of the Exalt. There was no crown, no robes, just the clothing of a common merchant. The brand of the exalt was even covered up.

"You don't want to attract attention." Ben noted.

Emmeryn nodded, "The best way for a leader to learn of her people's struggles is to walk among them." She folded her hands in front of her as Ben walked beside her, "And before you ask, no. I am not worried about my safety. I'm sure one Shepherd is more than enough to protect me from any ruffians."

Ben pursed his lips, "You think too much of me."

"Nonsense." Emmeryn replied, "You should hear Chrom and Robin when you are not around. Those two boys cannot stop talking about your skills in combat. Robin is simply giddy about how he can use you in tactical situations."

Ben chuckled, "He certainly has his priorities in order."

"And if you think Chrom will worry about me being with you." Emmeryn continued, "Don't. He personally recommended you to guard me if I chose to walk out among the people."

"I'm sure he meant that I would just supplement your usual retinue."

"I don't think so." Emmeryn smiled, "Chrom would not trust his older sister's protection with just anyone, Ben."

The duo turned down a new road. A street filled with trade shops. Ben could see a blacksmith hammering away at an anvil. A cobbler down the road was fitting a small child with some shoes. There was a carpenter's shop next to the cobbler. The sawdust near the doorway suggested that the carpenter was working on a large project.

"But enough about me." Emmeryn said, "Tell me about yourself, Ben."

Ben hesitated, "Um… what about me?"

He tensed a little as Emmeryn took his arm. But then he quickly relaxed. She was attempted to pass herself off as just another commoner. If he looked stressed or tense, someone would suspect who she was.

"I don't know." Emmeryn replied, "Chrom seems to trust you. And he likes you very much. But beyond your recent accomplishments, he has not mentioned much about you personally." She smiled, "I like to get to know those who are willing to risk their lives for my people."

Ben cleared his throat, "There is um… not much to know."

"Nonsense." Emmeryn replied, "Everyone has a story Ben."

"My story is… complicated." Ben replied.

"Isn't everyone's?" Emmeryn countered, "But that is what makes us all unique. Every single one of us has a different tale to tell. And it is no fun if we just keep it all to ourselves."

Ben nodded. But he could not bring himself to say anything. He still was not sure if it was safe to do so. He had started warming up to the idea of telling Chrom who he really was back in Regna Ferox. But Marth's appearance and the revelation that she was a force user had forced him to reconsider. While the Empire clearly had no influence on this world, someone with the force did. And he did not know if they would be friendly or hostile.

Besides, his tale would be so unbelievable for these people that it was entirely likely they would not believe. They would cast him out. Then what? He'd have no help or resources in order to try and track down Luke. And that was a risk he could not take.

Apparently, Emmeryn could see the torn expression on his face. She gave his hand a reassuring squeeze.

"There's no need." She said, "I apologize."

"You do not need to apologize." Ben replied, "You did nothing wrong."

"I dredged up some painful memories." Emmeryn replied, "And for that, I am sorry. But if you ever wish to talk about them Ben, you may. Chrom made you one of the Shepherd's. In essence he made you a part of his family. A part of my family. And we look out for each other."

Ben drew back a little. A part of a family? He had never thought about it that way before. That was a unique take on his arrangement with the Shepherd's. But it was not false either. He could see there was a camaraderie among them that transcended simple friendship.

"If we go any further," Emmeryn spoke again, "We will enter the outer ring of the city. That's where most of the common folk live. But beyond that, there is not much there. And if my advisers learned I walked through there without any sizable escort-"

"It would not be a fun conversation." Ben finished for her.

"For either of us." Emmeryn agreed, "Shall we go back."

Ben nodded. Emmeryn looped her arm with his and the pair strode back towards the palace.

Ben could not help but feel more at ease now. There was a simplicity to the life here in Ylisstol. A simple joy that only great leadership and stability could bring about. He glanced over at the blonde Exalt. Just from the happiness he could see on her people's faces, he knew that she was a great leader. Few were able to give such hope and pride to their countrymen. Even fewer could do so in the mundane aspects of life.

As they approached the palace gates, they swung inward. And Frederick came sprinting up towards them.

"Your Highness!" He called as he rushed towards them.

Emmeryn unhooked her arm from Ben's, "Yes, Frederick?"

"There have been reports," Frederick breathed, "that Themis has been attacked."

Ben saw Emmeryn's face darken for a brief moment. But she remained calm.

"The perpetrators?"

"At first we thought they were just bandits but," The knight swallowed hard, "Lady Maribelle sent a letter stating it was Plegian soldiers. She took a contingent of soldiers to track them down and bring them to justice."

Emmeryn's face paled ever so slightly.

"Call my advisers. We must discuss a plan of action," she ordered.

Frederick nodded, cast a wary look at Ben, before sprinting back to the Palace. Emmeryn sighed and brushed some of her blonde hair from her face.

"I'm afraid I'll have to cut our day short, Ben."

Ben nodded, "I enjoyed our time. It was...nice to explore the city."

Emmeryn smiled, "I'm glad." She stood tall and held her chin high, "I'm sure Chrom will have need of you and the Shepherd's soon. If Themis has been attacked by Plegia then we may have a conflict on our hands."

Without another word, she strode away. Leaving Ben in the shadow of the palace gate. As he watched her walk away, he could not help but feel somewhat inspired. She was facing a dire situation. And she had maintained her poise and temper.

Ben smiled to himself. He hated to admit it, but he did enjoy the little walk through the city. It cleared his mind. Allowed him to breathe easy again. Maybe he needed to do that more often.

He heard a whistle come from the Shepherd's barracks along the walls. Ben glanced over and saw both Robin and Virion staring at him. Massive grins on both of their faces. He could already tell what they were thinking.

Ben rolled his eyes.

"Lovely." He muttered. He huffed and shook his head, "Just lovely."

 **And chapter! Wow… it's been a long time since I hammered out three chapters this fast. It feels really good. I had these planned out for a while but just could not figure out to write them. Then voila, inspiration!**

 **Anyways, we got a bit of a break before we get back into the action of the story. A lot more of getting to know our characters and setting up relationships. Setting up the next part of our story. I'm getting really excited about this project again! I can't wait to keep going!**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	11. Themis

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 11

Themis

"This is outrageous!" Chrom roared as he paced to and fro in the council chambers.

"Chrom, please." Emmeryn sighed as she rested at the head of the table that dominated the council room.

"We cannot stand for this, Emm!" Chrom growled as he pounded a fist into the table, "The Plegians have not only attacked Themis. But now, we get an urgent message from Duke Rodrick that Maribelle has been captured and is now a hostage! We should march on them sword and shield in hand!"

"And risk Maribelle's life in the process?" Emmeryn countered. Her voice sharp and powerful.

Chrom recoiled. He had forgotten that, despite how meek his sister could be, she was still the Exalt for a reason. She could tap into the authority that their father had possessed when she needed to. Her attention turned to her two military leaders. Phila, the Wing Commander of the Pegasus Knights, and Edward, the Knight Commander.

Both were peerless warriors. Hardened and molded by the atrocities of the last war with Plegia. The one Chrom's father had fought and died in. Phila was a petite woman. Her hair was already starting to fade into shades of grey. But her eyes held a keen sparkle to them that showed that she thought and fought like a woman far younger than she was.

Knight Commander Edward was a strong looking man. Broad shouldered, with legs and arms as thick as any man's. He was a relentless warrior, an honorable man, and a harsh teacher. Even now, during peacetime, his drilling of the knights were recalled with admiration from those who completed the training, and terror from those still undergoing it. Chrom could recall several moments where Frederick had both smiled and shuddered as he recalled his days training as a squire.

"What do you advise?" Emmeryn asked them.

Phila cleared her throat, "If Maribelle was not involved, I would agree with the Prince." Chorm puffed his chest out a little, "It's time to respond to Plegian threat with force."

"It seems to be the only language they understand." Edward mused as he stroked his chin. A meaty thumb running along a long, thin scar he had gained during the last war, "But the hostage presents an issue. The Duke will insist on her safe return."

"And Duke Rodrick's house is one of the most powerful noble houses." Emmeryn nodded, "We cannot afford to lose his support. Besides, Maribelle is one of our Shepherds." She gave Chrom a sharp look.

A look that pained the Prince's heart. She was right. He was not thinking when he said they should just charge at them blindly. Maribelle was one of his comrades. And he wanted to risk her life just to gain vengeance? He shook his head. But how else were they going to stop Plegian aggression.

"Her safety is paramount in this." Emmeryn furrowed her brow.

"Then what do you wish to do, milady?" Phila asked.

Emmeryn rose from her seat and walked over to the window. She stared out to the city. Just a few moments ago, she had been walking among her people. Enjoying the opportunity to not worry about such monumental decisions. And this one decision before her had the potential to turn all of the gains she had made; all of the peace and prosperity they had all worked so hard to earn and maintain, to ash. Consumed in the fires of yet another war.

Chrom was not yet old enough to remember, but Emmeryn remembered. The horrors of the last war. The fury and sorrow of her people as they lost their husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, sons, and daughters. The plagues and famine that swept through both Plegia and Ylisse as a result of the carnage, destruction, and unrest.

She could not put her people through such turmoil again.

"Ready my horse. We ride for Themis."

Phila was on her feet in an instant, "Your grace, you cannot mean to-"

"I will parlay with Gangrel. Or whoever led this attack and holds Maribelle hostage." She said, her voice calm yet firm, "War is the last thing I want."

"But we may very well get it." Chrom muttered.

"Nevertheless, we must avoid it at all cost." Emmeryn held her head high, "Chrom-"

"The Shepherd's will be ready to march." He said, avoiding his sister's gaze.

She was not happy with him. That much was clear. Emmeryn was far to kind and forgiving to say anything outright. It was rare for her to get so upset with him. But when she did, Chrom could not help but feel waves of guilt slam through him. But he refused to show his own regret in the situation. He folded his hands behind his back and took a breath.

"Just say the word." Chrom nodded.

Emmeryn nodded back, "We ride immediately."

Phila and Edward rose and saluted.

"I will come with. Some of my pegasus knights will serve as your honor guard." Phila said.

"Thank you, Phila." Emmeryn replied, "Commander Edward, I trust you to run this city while I'm gone."

"And I will run it with honor." Edward replied with a bow.

Emmeryn gave her two military commanders small, gentle smiles. She followed Phila out of the council room. As she stepped out, Chrom began to exit as well. But both went in seperate directions. Emmeryn walked to her chambers. Chrom marched for the Shepherd's barracks. His hand itching to hold Falchion.

….

Robin narrowed his eyes. He stood in the Shepherd's training yard. A mottled patch of grass and dirt. Turf scarred by misfired spells, arrow holes, and gouges from blades digging into the dirt. Across the yard from him were three straw dummies on wooden stakes. Each had a target etched into their burlap skin.

He spread his feet wide and took a deep breath. One hand tensed, the other gripped the spell book that had been in his coat pocket for as long as he could remember. He was looking down at some of the writings within.

The tome was a fascinating, difficult read. Some of the spells written within were still incomprehensible to the tactician. But the basics he knew well enough. A simple fire, lightning, or wind spell was easy to conjure. He gave his magic a small test by firing an arc of razor sharp wind at the first dummy.

The dummy shuddered and the burlap sagged. Some straw burst free from a large gash near the center of the target. A clean hit.

Robin grinned. His fingers flicked through pages until he came upon the next level of spells. The El class of spells. Reinforced lightning, fire, and wind magics that require the mage to draw on much more power in order to cast. His eyes skimmed over the theory and application written within. His sharp mind taking quick note of the instructions and advice within the pages.

He closed his eyes and slowed his breathing. He had to draw on not just his own magic for this spell. But the physical magic around him as well. The mana of the world. He could feel energy rushing through his body. It started off as a tingling in his toes and fingertips. Then a buzzing in his legs and arms.

A switch went of in his mind as the power pooled into the spell book then transferred into his open palm. He raised his hand to the sky and released the energy.

Several brilliant bursts of fire rushed from his hand and slammed into the second target. The dry straw and burlap ignited on impact. Robin lips parted into a wide grin.

 _Success!_ He cheered as he pumped his fist in the sky.

He reached down to his left. A bucket of water was sitting by his feet. Just in case the spell backfired and he needed to douse himself before burning alive. There was always that possibility when learning a new fire spell.

Robin strode across the yard and splashed the dummy with the water. The flames hissed as they were extinguished. But Robin could see the burlap, straw, and stake were still glowing orange. He felt some pride well up in him.

His flames had been so hot that they still burned even after water had doused them. A vast improvement.

He heard some clapping behind him. Robin turned and saw Ben watching from the barrack's back door.

"Impressive." Ben said.

Robin shrugged, "It's a start."

Ben strode out into the yard with another bucket of water in hand. He passed the bucket to Robin who splashed the dummy one more time. The orange glow disappeared and the heat faded away.

Robin wiped a bead of sweat from his brow.

"That took up a lot of energy." He said with a breath.

"First time attempting a spell that powerful?" Ben asked.

Robin nodded, "As far as I can remember, yes. Then again, it came so naturally, that I'm sure I was more than capable of casting before losing my memory." He shrugged, "It's good to get the practice in. The stronger I become, the more help I can be on the battlefield."

Ben nodded, "So you believe war is on the horizon."

Robin grimaced, "I don't want to believe it. But every precursor is there. First the Plegain raiders attacking villages. Tensions rising between the two nations. Alliances forming. Now an outright attack on a major city." Robin put his hands on his hips and shook his head, "Madness. That's what I say."

Ben had to agree. War was indeed madness. Both during and leading up to it. He could not help but think that the force had a strange sense of humor. It had ended and pulled him away from one conflict only to place him in another. HE sighed. Hadn't he seen enough suffering for one lifetime.

He shook the thought from his mind. It did him no good to dwell on it right now. Robin had the right mindset. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.

And besides, now was a good time for Ben to finally examine this world's magic more closely.

"How do you do it?"

Robin raised an eyebrow, "Well, being hopeful requires some discipline. Maybe some alcohol in the most dire of circumstances but-"

Ben chuckled, "I meant magic. How do you do it?"

Robin laughed, "Oh! Well… hm." Robin's fingers tapped along his wrist, "That is an interesting question. Is that why you were watching earlier? You were trying to figure out the properties of magic?"

Ben nodded as he followed Robin back to his spot across from the practice targets, "More or less. I've been curious about it since I first witnessed you and Miriel use it."

Robin nodded, "Well, if you're looking to discuss the practical aspects of it, I may be able to help." He tapped his spellbook, "As for the theory, I'd suggest getting Miriel's opinion."

"I'll keep that in mind, but please." Ben motioned at the targets, "Care to demonstrate again?"

Robin smirked, 'Sure. Why not." Robin flipped through the books pages until he found a basic thunder spell, "This is a good chance for me to refresh on the basics."

Ben nodded but did not reply. Instead, he reached out with the force. Attuning his senses so that he could focus even more closely on the power Robin was tapping into.

He sensed nothing at first as Robin took several deep breaths. Just the steady rhythm of Robin's heart and breathing. The training yard was silent.

It started off as a small build up of power. Like a trickling stream along a stony creek bed. Ben's eyes narrowed in concentration as he sensed power surge forth from Robin's core. He then sense something that made his eyes widen. Robin was calling on power from the environment. Ben's jaw fell open. He was tapping into the force.

Robin grit his teeth and positioned an open palm at the third target. A bolt of yellow lightning jumped from his hand and slammed into the target. Scorching the dead center and sent shocks of static through the straw and burlap.

Ben's mind raced. From he had witnessed, the technique Robin used almost looked like a scaled back version of… Ben shuddered a little as he recalled his many battles with Count Dooku during the clone war. The Sith lord had a propensity for channeling lightning using the force. It was not a single bolt like Robin had just done. It was far more broad. A constant stream. But the theory and process were the same. Both had channeled the force, or magic, through their being and discharged it as lightning at their target.

Such power was difficult to control. Let alone master.

"Well?" Robin asked with a smile, "What do you think?"

Ben rubbed his chin. Fingers brushing against the growing whiskers, "I think you have a tremendous amount of power." He murmured. His mind still running through how it was even possible for Robin to be capable of such a thing.

Rudimentary usage of the force was a normal thing for an undiscovered force sensitive. In children, it often manifested itself as a baby subconsciously slowing a rolling ball. Or a child cushioning their fall from a large tree or hill. It manifested in heightened instincts. An ability to predict danger and act swiftly. Rarely did the force do more without proper training.

A good case of a rare example was… Ben felt pain lance through his heart. Anakin was exceptional with the force. Even before he was found by Qui Gon and committed to the Jedi Order, he used it to supplement his physical and cognitive abilities in a way that would make many a padawan envious. Using the force to enhance his reflexes so he could Pod Race. Heightening his senses to detect obstacles and danger. The boy was considered a once in a generation, perhaps even once in a millennium, talent.

And now Ben was on a planet filled with beings who used the Force without traditional training. And they called it magic. Ben rubbed his forehead.

"You ok, Ben?" Robin asked.

"Hm?" Ben had forgotten he was still with Robin, "Yes. Just thinking."

"Still confused?" Robin chuckled.

"A little. But more explanations can wait. It is clear to me that you are a master in magic."

Robin flushed a little, "Well… I… I can't be. There have to be mages elsewhere that are more powerful than me. To use a fisherman's idiom, There's always a bigger fish. So in order to keep up, I practice."

Ben nodded, "But there is another area of combat you need work in."

Robin cringed, "Yeah… I did myself no favors on the Longfort when I grabbed a sword."

Ben chuckled before clapping Robin's shoulder with his hand, "Everyone must start somewhere." Ben strode across towards the barracks wall, where a rack of blunted swords rested. He grabbed two and tossed one to Robin.

The tactician fumbled the blade and it clattered to the ground.

"Sorry." Robin winced.

"You'll get it eventually." Ben replied as he strode out to the grass. He shed his brown cloak and tossed it to the side, revealing plain brown shirt and black pants.

"Not wearing Virion's outfits anymore?" Robin joked.

"I can't." Ben replied, "Too frilly for my tastes."

"We can both agree on that." Robin remarked as he held his sword in one hand, and brush his coat with the other.

Robin swallowed and gripped his blade in front of him with both hands.

"So, what is the lesson today, oh great and mighty Master Ben." Robin teased.

Ben barked out a laugh, "No lesson. Just an evaluation." Ben stood sideways. He pointed two fingers at Robin and held his blade aloft with one hand, "Shall we dance?"

Robin grinned and swung. The metal sang through the fall air before hitting Ben's blade with a loud crack. The dance had begun.

Robin hacked and chopped at Ben. Backing the man up towards the Barracks wall. Keeping the better swordsman on his heels. Robin smiled, very satisfied with his performance. He knew he was not as good as Ben. So if he was to win this little fight, he would have to take the advantage early. Force Ben into submission quickly. Overwhelm him and force him to yield within minutes. If the fight lasted longer than that, then Robin doubted he would win.

But Ben was not overwhelmed despite a flurry of strikes from Robin. Instead, he looked focused. But what struck Robin the most was that Ben was not focused on his blade. He did not watch his blade as it parried blow after blow from Robin. Instead, Ben's eyes were focused on Robin himself. Watching his eyes, his torso, the subtle twitches of muscle in the core and shoulders. The shifting on his legs as his feet jumped in the dirt.

Robin struck at Ben's guard again. He did not get it! How was Ben's defense so perfect while he did not pay attention to it. It was as if the blade was an extension of his being rather than a tool in his hands. Robin's face turned grim. The tactician in him had finally come an unsettling realization. He was outclassed. Ben was just letting him get his cuts before striking back. It wasn't a duel. Ben was right. It was an evaluation. And Robin had a feeling he dissapointed the swordsman.

True to what he thought, Robin raised his blade high overhead and chopped down at Ben. The swordsman nimbly dodged to the side. Then like a viper's tongue, his blunted sword zipped out and smacked Robin on the behind.

"OUCH!" Robin howled as he hopped up and down.

Ben laughed, "You are over eager." He noted, "You look for the quick victory and attack recklessly."

"Only because if I didn't, you would have taken the advantage and beaten me sooner." Robin replied.

Ben shrugged, "Perhaps, but now we will never know. Don't listen to the hypotheticals in your mind. If you want to improve, take note of the mistakes you actually made, and work to fix those."

Ben could already hear the synonym of his wisdom in his mind.

Live in the moment. Not in what was possible. But what was happening right now.

Ben snorted to himself. How was it that he could execute such a philosophy perfectly in battle but not outside of it?

He saw Robin nod in understanding, "Point taken." He rolled his shoulders, "Tango or Salsa?" Robin asked.

Ben arched an eyebrow, "Which dance is more sophisticated?"

"Tango it is." Robin grinned before lunging at Ben.

The move surprised Ben, forcing him to quickly backpedal in order to avoid the tip of Robin's blade. He was so focused on teaching Robin that he had failed to sense the tactician's intentions.

Ben took note of the new style of fighting Robin was using. The tactician had figured out that sweeping chops and hacks did not work against Ben. So he was not using quick thrusts and more advanced footwork. He gave a approving nod. Robin was learning. And Ben was not surprised. He took Robin for a swift learner. Perhaps he was a better swordsman before losing his memory. And now that he had started to dance, his muscles were beginning to recall the movements.

"So," Robin said as Ben casually batted another thrust to the side, "You and the Exalt huh?"

Ben's cheek flushed. He mentally smacked himself. Force, he was a grown man! A member of the Jedi council. Not some hormonal teenager. Even if his body was technically a few years removed from those tumultuous years.

"It is not what you think." Ben replied as they circled each other in the yard.

"Sure it isn't." Robin smirked, "I don't think I've ever seen you with that big of a smile."

Ben felt his cheeks grow hotter. And again, he mentally berated himself. He was a Jedi Master. Attachment and romance should be the last things on his mind.

Pain lanced through his thigh as Robin swept low and jabbed his left leg. Ben jumped and limped a few steps away. Robin beamed at him.

Ben laughed to himself, "Ever the tactician. Using conversation and my own embarrassment to lull me into complacency." He pointed his sword at Robin, "Very clever."

Robin gave him a lighthearted bow, "I graciously accept the Master's praise."

"As you should." Ben laughed before tossing his blade over to Robin. This time, the tactician caught it. He followed Robin over to the sword rack. As Robin set the blades back in their place, Ben found his gaze turning towards the palace.

"The council has been deliberating for a while now, haven't they?"

Robin nodded, "Yes. I would be worried if they didn't though. It's not exactly a simple situation Chrom and Exalt Emmeryn find themselves in."

"Too true."

"What do you think will be their course of action?" Ben asked as he took a seat on the ground. He folded his legs and began to steady his breathing. He still felt flustered from Robin had said. A long meditation would do him some good.

Robin furrowed his brow and pursed his lips, "Your guess is as good as mine. Exalt Emmeryn is a pacifist. I doubt she will want to respond with military force."

"But you think that in this case it is necessary."

Robin nodded, "Definitely. You cannot just roll over and say, we forgive you Plegia, in this case." Robin sat down across from Ben. Legs stretched out. His hands picked at some blades of grass, "That just portrays weakness. And a predator like the Plegian military will only take advantage of that."

"So you view Ylisse's military and their leaders as Prey?"

Robin shook his head, "I never said that. I think Chrom and his abilities in combat speak for themselves in that regard." He sighed, "I just think a conservative approach is the wrong approach in this situation."

Ben nodded. Before he could reply, he caught some movement out of the corner of his eye. A young boy with an oversized, pointed, blue hat was peeking at them from around the corner of the barracks.

"We have an audience." Ben nodded.

Robin glanced behind him and saw the boy as well, "Huh? We do. Looks like it's an aspiring mage."

"I'm not just aspiring!" The boy retorted as he emerged from his hiding place, "I am a mage. The best of my age group!"

"Really?" Ben replied, "And how old are you?"

"Thirteen. I'll soon be a man grown!"

"Is that so?"

Ben and Robin turned their heads to the barracks door. Chrom was stepping out into the yard. A grim expression on his face. But he forced the worry away when he saw the young mage.

"So Rickon," Chrom said, "Trying to gain some much needed advice from these two?"

"In my own way, yes." Rickon replied before pulling a spell book from his billowy sleeves, "I was watching Sir Robin and taking notes on how he used magic."

"Sir Robin!" Ben barked out a laugh.

"Eh…" Robin scratched the back of his head in embarrassment, "I'm not really nobility kid."

"Not with that attitude." Chrom replied with a smirk. The prince exhaled, "So… we have our orders you two."

Ben raised an eyebrow.

"Exalt Emmeryn wishes to parlay with King Gangrel. We ride for Themis immediately."

"Can I come!?" Rickon asked. His youthful eyes pleading for a chance to prove himself.

"The battlefield is no place for a child, Rickon." Chrom responded.

Ben's eyes lowered. An all too true statement. One the Jedi Order had not followed towards the end of the Clone War. He failed to remember when their situation had become so desperate that the council was willing to place padawans no older than younglings in the line of fire.

"I thought you said parlay?" Robin noted.

Chrom frowned, "I doubt it'll be a simple negotiation. King Gangrel is mad. I expect violence."

"But Exalt Emmeryn does not." Ben said.

A frustrated breath left Chrom's lips, "She far too often refuses to see the evil in people rather than the good. She believes peace can still be maintained."

"And you don't?" Robin asked.

Chrom shook his head, "If I had my way, I would have already begun marching on Plegia as soon as they started sending raiders to burn our villages."

Ben's mind drifted as Robin and Chrom continued to talk. Emmeryn's philosophy, to see the good in people and avoid a conflict as much as possible. It was so much like… Ben could already feel some pain in his heart. It was so much like Satine. Too much like the late Duchess of Mandalore.

"With how dangerous it is, you're going to need all the help you can get!" Rickon said, trying to persuade Chrom to let him join the march.

"Yes, I do need all the help I can get. And the help I need from you is here. In the city." Chrom replied, "I need you to keep an eye on everything for me."

"How is that helping!?" Rickon asked.

"It does more than you know." Chrom replied, "Ben, Robin. Are you ready to go?"

Robin nodded, "I just need to grab a couple things before we go."

Ben sighed, "It will be a long walk to the border."

Chrom raised an eyebrow as the trio strode into the barracks, "Who said we were walking?"

Ben froze mid-step. His eyes darted out the window to the stables. Frederick was already preparing multiple horses for the Shepherds. The saddles were polished and oiled. The saddlebags packed with provisions and ready for the long ride ahead.

"You mean-"

"We are riding." Chrom said, "Time is of the essence."

Ben gulped. He really did not like using transportation he could not easily control. And if the flying version of these creatures were anything to go by, then the normal horse was going to be just as temperamental with him. Ben sucked in a large breath.

This was going to be a very long journey to Themis.

….

Emmeryn's eyes filled with sorrow as she rode through the charred ruins of Themis' Eastern district. The many huts and houses that most of the common folk had lived in, had been reduced to ashes. Husks of the homes they once were. Some were still burning. Many citizens till working around the clock to put out the fires before they could spread.

Smoke hung in the air like a heavy fog. She could hear her two guards, a pair of pegasus knights that rode with her, cough every so often from the billow black clouds around them. It choked the senses. Burned her nostrils and dried her throat. Then there was the stench. The rot of decaying corpses yet to be discovered and buried. The Plegians who had attacked the city had done irreparable damage. She could see that from some of the haunted expressions on her people's faces.

The reality of war seemed to finally hit her brother Chrom as well. His looked pale as they rode through the carnage. But he kept his composure. He had to stay strong for Lissa. The innocent cleric in training who rode beside him. Her little sister was on the verge of tears. Horrified by what she saw.

"Damn desert rats." Duke Roderick growled as he rode side by side with Exalt Emmeryn.

The Duke was a hard man. A warrior to the core. Bred for battle, trained for combat. When the attack hit his city, he had quickly organized his guards and sent the raiders running for the hills. But not before they had started a massive fire that scorched his city. And not before his daughter, Maribelle, and charged after the attackers with some men. Seeking justice.

It was a foolhardy decision. But one Emmeryn should have expected from fiery Maribelle. But it had only served to make the situation far more complicated and dangerous.

She did not delude herself. King Gangrel was mad. That much was apparent. Only a madman would so brazenly attack an enemy, hoping to provoke a vicious response. Only a madman would wish for war. It was as if he had not learned from the mistakes of the past. Nevertheless, he was the leader of his nation. As such, Emmeryn needed to negotiate with him. Hopefully reason would win out today. And a war could be avoided.

They reached the outskirts of the city. The Exalt inclined her head towards the grassy hills that marked the border between Plegia and Ylisse. Beyond those hills was the vast desert lands of Plegia. A harsh land that created harsh people.

Sitting at the peak of one hill, was a contingent of Plegian soldiers. And lounging on a chair in the center of them, was King Gangrel himself. The jagged crown atop of his head impossible to miss. Emmeryn sat up straighter in her saddle. She took a deep breath.

"Are you sure about this, your grace?" Phila asked once again.

Emmeryn exhaled and nodded.

Phila returned a stiff nod, "Knights. Protect the Exalt at all costs. If you sense any hint of treachery, take to the skies and evacuate her immediately."

Emmeryn's small escort of Pegasus Knights saluted Phila.

"That goes for you as well, Shepherds." Chrom said, "We defend the Exalt. No matter what."

Emmeryn closed her eyes. Took one more calming breath. Then spurred her horse forward. So many people were willing to risk their lives for her. To give up their lives in defense of her own. Hopefully it did not come to that.

….

King Gangrel's teeth sank into the skin of a ripe, ruby red apple. He munched on it loudly. Savoring the juices that over his tongue, out of his lips, and down his pointed chin. A grin was on his face as he lounged on a chair overlooking the burning city of Ylissean City of Themis.

His eyes blazed with delight as shadows danced from the flames. Beside him, he heard one of his advisers, a member of the Grimleal named Aversa, hum in approval. The witch was an intimidating figure. One of the few Grimleal who aimed to intimidate with just a look, rather than hide behind robes and spells. Her hair was stark white. Almost like the snows of Regna Ferox. But her attire was black and thin. Designed to withstand the heat of the Plegian desert. Her narrow eyes held a cunning to them that unsettled many lesser men.

Gangrel did not think of himself as one of those lesser men. The witch could try to intimidate him if she wished. She would not get very far. But that had never happened. Instead, the Grimleal had proven to be a valuable counselor. Her and Validar's magic had allowed Gangrel's influence to grow. His grip on power in Plegia to become ironclad. And now, with his armies finally at full strength and his people behind him, he wished to claim the ultimate prize.

He wanted to destroy Ylisse. Crush her people beneath his bootheel. Watch as those dogs bled on their city streets and in their pathetic villages. And he was getting some of that blood lust sated now. But only some. Unfortunately, Themis could not be outright attacked and sacked.

For one, his advisers had told him it would be best to provoke Ylisse. It would make the people want to fight harder if they appeared to be the aggressors. An army was always stronger when they were fighting for their home rather than fighting to take another's land. Gangrel felt that line of thinking to be paltry. His army was ready. And the Ylissean's, under their weakling of a leader, were soft. Ready to be annihilated. Just as Exalt Emmeryn's father had done to his people, Gangrel wanted to do tenfold to hers.

The other reason Themis could not be attacked in an all out assault was the sheer scale of the city. The walls were old and thick. And the Duke was a strong man. A powerful warrior with a will of iron. In a way, Gangrel thought of him as one of the true strong Ylisseans on the continent. But certainly not a man after his own heart. The Duke did not even pursue him after he sent small war parties to burn the city outskirts. Instead he sent his little daughter.

Gangrel glanced behind him. Kneeling on the cracked earth, hands tied up with cords behind her back, was Maribelle of Themis. The Duke's daughter. A foolish little girl. Gangrel snorted. She sought justice. Now she would learn there was no such thing for the weak.

He tossed his half eaten apple to the side.

"Aversa, how much longer must we wait for them?" He drawled, a finger twirling a strand of his rust colored hair.

The witch opened her mouth to speak. But another advisers voice drifted through the smoke scented air.

"They approach, your Highness."

Gangrel raised an eyebrow and turned to look at his newest adviser. A man who he still did not know the name of. But Validar assured the King that this man was intelligent and just as ruthless as he was. His opinion would be most valuable. Gangrel doubted that. While he did not doubt this, man's (If he could call him that) intellect, he did doubt how he could contribute to military strategy.

He was a damn cripple after all. He hobbled along on legs that looked like they could barely function. Rested almost all of his weight on a strange metallic cane. Then there was that boy he dragged around with him. Gangrel assumed at first the taller man was just a silent guardian. Charged with protecting the red skinned creature that was now his adviser. He was proven wrong. Apparently the boy was an apprentice of some sort. Perhaps a Grimleal initiate? Gangrel shrugged to himself. Regardless of who they were, they had stones to interrupt Aversa.

"How can you be so sure?" Gangrel asked as he set his feet up onto the arm of the velvet chair he sat in. Boredom clear on his face, "I'm getting bored. Watching a city burn is exhilarating at first. But I'd prefer to have my blade cut through Ylissean flesh."

Aversa directed a scowl at the hunched man in black robes, "Loathe as I am to admit it, our friend is correct." She pointed at the city outskirts.

Gangrel's eyes widened with glee. Riding out from the city, with several shining pegasus knights in tow, was the Exalt of Ylisse. That naive and foolish little girl, Emmeryn. Gangrel chuckled to himself. He may not see it now, but he knew that her young eyes were red with tears. Her smooth cheeks wet with tears. How she wept for the common folk.

It was a shame that she did not understand reality. She could weep for dead peasants all day, but that would not change the fact that they would not shed a single tear for her.

"Apprentice." He heard his new adviser growl, "Take a group of soldiers to the rear with Orton."

"Yes Master." The boy replied, his voice quiet.

Gangrel eyed the boy as he walked away, snapping his fingers at Orton to follow. Gangrel saw his General grit his teeth. Irked by being ordered around by some mage. If the boy was a mage that was? He still did not know what the creature and his little apprentice were.

"The Exalt does not ride alone." Aversa noted.

Gangrel's attention returned to the riders charging from the burning city. The Exalt rode in the front, two pegasus knights on either side of her. Behind her riding on normal horses, was… Gangrel began to cackle. He could not believe his luck. Not just her little brother the Prince, but her little sister too!

Today, fortune smiled on him. Maybe he'd be able to wipe out the entire royal line in one fell swoop.

"Bide your time, my lord." His hunched adviser said, "Killing all three will not be as easy as you believe."

Gangrel cast the hooded creature a wary glance. How did he know of his thoughts just now? He snarled and stomped to his feet. Red cape sweeping out behind him as he grew enraged.

"A weak girl and her two idiotic siblings are no trouble at all for me."

"Maybe." The creature then laughed. At him! The nerve! "But what about his men?"

Gangrel narrowed his eyes at the approaching riders. Not only did the Duke of Themis come riding as well. But a small squad of Pegasus riders rode behind him. Then behind them, trotting easily across the grassy plain, was Ylisse's damn Shepherds.

Gangrel snarled.

"Remember our ultimate goal, your grace." Aversa cautioned, "While I want to slay these Ylissean dogs as much as you do, we must claim the Fire Emblem."

Behind Maribelle's eyes widened.

"You bastards!" She struggled against her guard, "Unhand me troglodyte! Or so help me when I do get free I will shove my staff straight up your-"

"Gag her or cut out her tongue, I don't care." Gangrel groaned, "But shut her up!"

"Gag her." Aversa quickly ordered. They needed their hostage unharmed. At least for now.

"You will do no such thing! Get that filthy rag away from…. Mmmm… hmph.. Hmph hmph!"

Gangrel massaged his temple, "Why can't we just execute her."

"A hostage is a valuable piece to hold." Aversa said, "We can gain much from her."

"But we are just going to kill them all anyways. Why wait?"

"Because then the Ylisseans will not wait to kill you." His monstrous adviser said. Gangrel was taken aback by his blunt demeanor, "The Exalt may be a foolish pacifist. But her brother is not. And as far as I can see, it is just Aversa." Gangrel felt the breath catch in his throat as the hood looked up ever so slightly. Burning yellow eyes, like hot coals, blazed hatefully at him, "And me standing in their way. And as you so eloquently put when I we were introduced, I am a helpless cripple."

Gangrel could not miss the hint of mockery in the monster's voice. But he was unable to raise his voice in protest. Those eyes. They burned straight through his very being. It was as if this man was inside of his very mind. Seeing every thought and laughing in amusement. He felt like he was being toyed with as a lion toys with a caught mouse.

"How should we approach these," Aversa chuckled darkly, "Negotiations?"

Gangrel smirked, "These dogs won't let one of their pack be harmed. The Fire Emblem will be ours. I'm certain."

He looked back at his terrifying adviser. He now stood near Aversa, leaning heavily on his cane. His eyes were not focused on Gangrel. They did not appear focused on the Exalt either, even as she drew with shouting distance of them. His eyes were focused solely on one rider in the Exalt's group. A young man with short hair, a brown hooded cloak, and an uncomfortable expression on his face.

The monster's grip on his cane tightened.

"Come to me." He growled, "Feel fear again."

 **And chapter! We are going to jump right into the next part of our story! This was a very fun chapter for me to write. Especially Robin and Ben's interaction. Those two are quickly becoming friends. I love it! Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	12. The Exalt and the King

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 12

The Exalt and The King

Robin's jaw clenched as the Exalt's party rode through the edges of Themis. He could not but feel some anger at what he was seeing. This was not a military target. These were civilians. Needlessly attacked and butchered just to send a message. His hands tightened on the reins of his horse as the party passed a house that had been burned to ash. Outside, two adults stood side by side. A blank expression on both of their faces. Too shocked by the sudden loss of everything they knew.

The tactician glanced ahead of him at Chrom. He could tell the Prince was barely keeping his own emotions in check. There were certain appearances to be kept. The royalty had to appear strong. Confident, even in the face of such atrocities. Otherwise the populace could lose faith and panic. Robin had a feeling that beneath the stern expression on Chrom's face, was a simmering volcano of rage ready to explode.

"Naga above." Robin heard Virion mutter.

Robin turned to see what Virion was looking at. His stomach flipped. Charred corpses lined a part of the road they were riding down. Robin felt the color drain from his face before he swallowed hard. Doing his best to force down the sudden wave of nausea that hit him.

Ahead of the Shepherd's, Exalt Emmeryn rode tall and proud with her Pegasus Knights. Robin had to admire her. The strength she was showing, the calm, in was almost beyond human. There was sorrow in her eyes, that much he had seen when they had first arrived in Themis and met the Duke. A deep caring for her people. A desire to drop off of her horse and help those who were suffering. But she could not take the time to do that. Not with the Plegians waiting for them.

Robin closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He and Chrom had already gone through the strategy should violence break out. They were expecting a sizable Plegian force. Only a large amount of the enemy could do this much damage to a city the size of Themis. If they attacked, Emmeryn would be taken by Phila out of immediate danger. At that point, Chrom and the Shepherd's would engage in a bold counter attack. Hopefully catching the Plegian raiders off guard. While that was going on, Duke Rodrik would ride back to Themis and rally his soldiers so they could give chase. Drive the Plegian's from the border. Then secure the border so that they could not cross again.

He liked the plan. The counterattack especially. The Plegians would most likely think that a force as small as the Shepherd's would retreat with the Exalt. They would not expect an assault. He was sure it would surprise them. But Robin also hoped that the plan ended up being just that. A plan. Not an actual occurrence. Seeing the bodies and charred ruins of Themis made him uneasy about combat at the moment.

Robin spurred his horse forward so that he rode alongside Ben. The swordsman had become a good friend. In a way, they shared similar circumstances. Ben tried to hide it, but Robin could tell he was very out of touch with what Ylisse was like. He seemed fascinated by the simplest things. Perhaps he was an amnesiac of some sort. His only memory being his missing son. Robin felt just as out of depth as Ben. He was relearning everything about the world. Burying himself in books, maps, atlases, and encyclopedias. His favorite so far had been a thick book called a Treatise on Tactics. But that was not surprising to him.

And it did not surprise him given their respective situations that he became good friends with Ben. They had joined the Shepherd's at the same time. Learned about the world together. And were just as troubled by the events of the past few weeks.

But Robin could not help notice a stark difference between them right now. While he was horrified by the state of Themis, Ben was… indifferent. Not in an evil way. Naga no. Robin did not think ill of Ben like that. But it seemed like Ben was used to this horror. Used to hearing the screams and seeing the death. Insulated to it.

He had seen war. Where and when was a question Robin would have to ask later. The party was now exiting the outskirts of Themis and turning towards the grassy hills that marked the border with Plegia.

Robin glanced to the top of one of the hills. He scowled.

Lounging on a chair, as if enjoying the sight of a city on its knees, was King Gangrel. The crown on his head was a giveaway. On either side of him were two figures. One a woman with ghost white hair, black clothing, and a wicked smirk on her face. Robin could see a small tome in her hand. His own hand brushed against his magic tome inside of his coat.

His eyes then moved to the other figure. He felt a chill run up his spine. The figure was hunched and decrepit. Leaning heavily against a metal cane. Black robes and a black hood shadowed out his face. But as the Shepherd's approached, Robin could see the man look up.

A piercing set of yellow eyes hit Robin like a wall. There was something worming his way through his mind. The air grew cold for a brief moment. Then the sensation retreated. Robin shook his head.

"What is it?" Ben asked him.

"I've just…" Robin swallowed, "I don't like the look of that one." He nodded at the man to Gangrel's left.

"You and me both." Ben replied, "Be cautious."

"Right."

Gangrel dangled his feet over the edge of his seat as the Exalt approached. A sickening smile split his thin lips. A man glint shimmered in his dark eyes. And Robin felt his hand drifting to his coat pocket.

Exalt Emmeryn stopped to her horse. She took a deep breath and jumped down.

"Dismounting!" Gangrel feigned shock, "For little old me? You shouldn't have."

Robin saw the Exalt suppress a scowl. Beneath him, his horse stomped the earth. The beast just as uneasy about this whole thing as he was. He glanced at Ben. The swordsman was surprisingly calm. As if he was used to this kind of tension. The stresses of a negotiation that could easily go south.

"King Gangrel." Emmeryn began.

Gangrel barked out a laugh, "She even follows the formalities. Who knew a pampered life as a princess could actually make one humble?"

The woman to his right smirked, "Surprising indeed."

"We are not here to discuss me." Emmeryn said, her voice soft yet firm, "We are here to parlay."

She nodded to a set of Plegian soldiers standing behind King Gangrel. Both soldiers had a firm grip on Maribelle's arms. Robin saw Chrom's frown deepend. Maribelle had been gagged. And she was not happy about it.

"Right!" Gangrel jumped to his feet, "We are here to discuss Ylissean aggression."

Emmeryn furrowed her brow, "How so?"

Gangrel pointed an accusatory finger at Maribelle, "This little wench led soldiers across the border. With the intention of invading and causing harm to my people. If that is not Ylissean aggression, I don't know what is?"

"You're own soldiers put Themis to the sword." Chrom growled at King Gangrel, "How dare you accuse us of attacking first!"

Gangrel snarled, "Put a muzzle on your dog, Exalt. Before I silence him myself."

"Why you piece of-"

"Chrom!" Emmeryn snapped.

Chrom clenched his teeth, then went silent.

"In light of what has happened," The woman on Gangrel's right began, "I believe reparations are in order. As well as justice. Maribelle of Themis led soldiers on a crusade of violence. Thankfully our own brave men held her off and apprehended her. We wish to deal justice to this rogue."

"You will not lay a finger on my daughter you witch!" Duke Rodrick growled.

"I have a name, you know." The woman narrowed his eyes at Rodrick.

"Like he cares." The hunched man spoke.

Robin felt a wave of panic suddenly radiate from Ben. The tactician looked at his friend. The horse Ben was on whined and backed up a few steps. Ben's face was pale. Eyes wide. His breaths were rapid and shallow.

"Ben?"

"It can't be." He heard Ben whisper.

The hunched man hobbled forward on his cane. The shadows on his hid faded as he stepped into a stark ray on sunlight. Robin felt the breath get caught in his throat. Beneath the hood was not a man. It was a monster. A demon of some sort. A man with blood red skin and black markings running over his flesh. Horns propping up the hood on his head instead of hair. Blazing yellow eyes that looked at the Exalt in amusement. The eyes drifted past her and to… to Ben? And Robin saw hatred pour out in waves from the hunched man.

"And who are, sir?" Emmeryn asked, doing her best to keep her voice level. But even she was disturbed by the man's appearance.

The man grinned. Revealing razor sharp teeth, "My name is Maul. I am an adviser to King Gangrel." He nodded at the woman, "As is Aversa."

Emmeryn swallowed. She was under duress. Maul's piercing gaze was unsettling her. Robin saw her flinch a little before taking a deep breath.

"Then as his advisers, surely you can see the benefit of us coming to an agreement. To avoid any unnecessary conflict."

Maul chuckled, "I am not a fool. Of course I see the benefits." His eyes drifted back over to Ben then over to Robin, "I'm just weighing if they benefit Plegia or benefit you more."

He was not speaking to Emmeryn. Robin realized he was talking directly to Ben. There was a history between Ben and Maul. The amount of hatred Maul had combined with Ben's sudden anxiety made that obvious. It was an unknown factor in this. And Robin worried that it would have a very bad influence on the negotiations.

Robin leaned over to Ben and tapped his forearm.

"Ben?"

"H-how?" Ben muttered to himself. Eyes wide. Gaze not leaving Maul's frail form.

"Ben, snap out of it." Robin hissed.

Chrom glanced back at them both. His brow furrowed and jaw tight. A look that told them both to knock it off.

"Avoiding war would benefit both our nations." Emmeryn argued.

"Really?" Gangrel put his finger to his chin, "I seem to recall the previous King of Plegia making a similar argument to your warmongering Father. But we all know how that turned out."

Emmeryn closed her eyes in shame, "We recognize our wrongs in the past, Gangrel. And I have been working to right those wrongs."

"Obviously not hard enough." Maul snidely remarked, "Otherwise, we would not be here. Your failures as a leader have brought this about." His eyes looked at Ben again, "Don't forget that." Maul hobbled up to Emmeryn. The Exalt grew more uncomfortable as he got closer. So close, that Emmeryn felt his breath in her face. He chuckled. As if savoring the fear she now had for him. But she did not know where the fear was coming from. Or why. He was a decrepit old man. How could he intimidate them all like this.

Emmeryn gulped and Maul sighed.

"A naive child pretending to be a strong leader." He shook his head, "Such a shame."

"Don't you insult the Exalt like that!" Chrom growled.

"It is not an insult, Prince." Maul snarled back, "But a fact. If she was as benevolent as you believe, she would have made peace with Plegia much sooner than now."

"Correct!" Gangrel agreed, "And now that we are here to discuss… peace. I demand a reparation for the crimes Ylisse has committed against my people. And I might release the Themis war criminal to you."

Behind him, Maribelle protested furiously. Her words muffled by the gag over her mouth.

Emmeryn closed her eyes, "What do you want, Gangrel?"

The king uttered a mad cackle, "What I want? What I want is to see Ylisse burn." Emmeryn's eyes widened in shock, "To watch those worms you call people scream and bleed. To scorch that land you so love just as your father scorched my own." Chrom grit his teeth in fury, "But… unfortunately, I cannot do that. So I will settle." He extended a hand, "I desire to possess the Fire Emblem."

"WHAT!?" Chrom bellowed.

Frederick's eyes narrowed, "You dare ask for Ylisse's national treasure?"

Robin looked at both of them, confused. What exactly was the Fire Emblem? A national treasure for Ylisse. Why did the Plegian King want it?

"I dare!" Gangrel snapped, "Hand it over."

Emmeryn took a calming breath. She was still rattled from Maul, "What you ask for is not just some object, Gangrel. It is a hope. Humanity's last if an apocalyptic event were to occur. Are you willing to accept such a responsibility?"

Maribelle's eyes widened and she shook her head. Pleading with Emmeryn to not give in.

"Emm, you can't!" Chrom barked.

Phila stepped forward, "Your Grace, giving Gangrel the Fire Emblem would-"

"I'm well aware of the consequences, Phila." Emmeryn interrupted, "But I want to know if he is."

Gangrel cackled, "Consequences? Of holding such power? Oh yes, I'm aware of them. So hand it over! Or there will be no deal."

Robin's watched as Emmeryn's glanced at a small, brass colored shield strapped to her horse. There was a single white jewel implanted into the metal. Branching away from the jewel were intricate carvings that led to empty craters in the shield. She closed her hand and looked back at Gangrel.

"What will you do with such power?" She asked.

Aversa opened her mouth to speak, "He would-"

"Do what I believe was best for Plegia." Gangrel growled. His foot tapped against the ground. His patience was beginning to run thin.

"And that will be attempting to wipe Ylisse off the face of the Earth." Chrom growled.

"What did I say about muzzling your dog, Exalt?" Gangrel then uttered a frustrated snarl. He was getting nowhere, and he knew it. A sensation of danger rippled through Robin. His hand griped the binding of his book as Gangrel snapped his fingers, "I've had enough! If you will not hand it over, then I will have to take it!"

The guards holding Maribelle rushed at Emmeryn. Emmeryn took a frantic step back. Just as one of them reached for her, Falchion flashed in the daylight. Slicing through both Plegian soldier's bodies. The two brutes uttered gurgling sounds before falling limp. Chrom shot Gangrel a furious look.

"You will not touch her!" He growled, brandishing Falchion.

"And so the war begins!" Gangrel clapped his hands.

A horn sounded over the hills. Piercing the air with a wailing scream. Robin saw Plegian soldiers emerge from the crest of the next hill. Each one brandishing sharpened axes and swords. Behind them, a squad of Grimleal mages wielding black tomes. He drew his spell book and flipped to the first page.

"Pegasus Knights!" Phila bellowed, "Protect the Exalt!"

"Shepherd's with me!" Chrom roared over the insane laughter of Gangrel as Maul whisked him away. The monster displaying surprising speed and agility for a decrepit old man.

Robin did not charge with the rest of the Shepherds. Robin's already pounding heart stopped in his chest. He heard wings hammering against the wind. A warning ripped through his mind. Something was coming from above.

"ROBIN!" Ben shouted before tackling him from his horse.

A pair of clawed talons ripped into his mount and yanked the horse into the sky. Robin stared wide eyed as a platoon of Plegian Wyvern riders dove down at them from above. Leading them were two men. One wearing armor consistent with a Plegian general, the other wearing black robes and a hood similar to Maul.

The horse screamed as it was lifted in the air then dropped to the ground. The poor animal landed with a dull thud against the ground. It died almost instantly.

The sounds of battle overwhelmed Robin. He frantically looked around. The wyverns had already engaged the few pegasus knights in their company. Phila was desperately barking orders, doing her best to shield a terrified Exalt Emmeryn. The tactician shook his head and took a deep breath.

The plan. It had to go right out the window. He had anticipated a failed negotiation, not a fake one designed to set up an ambush. He smacked his forehead. How could he be such an idiot.

"Ben!" Robin shouted, "Get to the Exalt. You're our best swordsman, protect her!"

Ben nodded and sprinted across the grassy hill towards Phila and Emmeryn. Robin took another breath and turned to where the main battle was occuring.

Chrom had engaged the first wave of Plegain footsoldiers. Frederick had already rode down a couple along with Sully and Stahl. The three horsemen using their superior speed to great advantage. Causing chaos in the Plegian ranks. The Tactician saw the Grimleal growing closer. Frederick, Sully, and Stahl's superior mobility would not matter once they got involved.

"Virion! Miriel! Help me lay down fire on those mages!" He shouted over the sounds of battle.

He saw the archer nod, nock an arrow, and loose it. Miriel cast her first spell as well. Setting a Plegian mage ablaze. Robin grit his teeth and channeled an Elthunder spell. The lightning strike boomed out of his hand and through a Plegian mage across the battlefield. Before Robin could yell at Chrom about their next move, the Wyverns dove again.

The beast roared with delight as they ripped into the Pegasus Knights. The Grimleal had started casting their spells. And their first targets were Ylisse's airborne warriors. They did not stand a chance when the Wyvern's attacked them from behind. Robin's eyes widened in horror as the knights and their mounts fell from the sky. His eyes then locked with the leader of the Wyvern group. The man in the black robes.

"Robin look out!"

Robin scrambled away as a spear grazed his right arm. Kellan then stood by his side, shielding him from a Plegian lancer before thrusting his own lance through the man's gut.

"Kellam! Where is-"

"Captain Chrom is in the thick of it. Go! I'll keep them from getting behind you."

Robin nodded his thanks then rushed towards the main battle. He fired several fire spells before bumping up against Chrom's back. Falchion cut a hideous arc through the air, lopping a Plegian's head from his shoulders.

"Chrom!"

"Robin! What is going on!?"

"You tell me!"

Robin grit his teeth and cast a wind spell, knocking two Plegians over.

"Ben is helping Phila guard Emmeryn. I think I saw Lissa and Sumia running towards them as well!" Robin's eyes widened, "Where is Maribelle?"

Chrom's heart stopped in his chest, "Oh no."

Robin nodded, "I'll find her. For now, keep driving them back. Get close to those mages. Don't give them room to cast spells on you."

Chrom nodded and rallied the Shepherds forward. Robin weaved his way through the battle. Doing his best to avoid flying swords and axes that threatened to take his head off. All the while, he frantically searched for the blonde haired Maribelle. A bound and gagged girl would not last long in battle. Robin could only hope that she had not been killed at the outset of the conflict.

….

Maribelle had fallen to the ground as soon as the battle broke out. She had curled up into a ball. Trying to make herself as small and inconspicuous as possible. And it worked. The Plegian foot soldiers had sprinted right past her. Far more eager to battle the Shepherds of Ylisse than deal with an incapacitated prisoner.

As the battle drew out, she had begun to crawl on her belly out of the way. Trying to both escape the carnage and her captors. Her mind lamented the state of her dress, now caked in mud and filth. But survival was much more important than appearances at the moment. Although she wished her hands were not bound behind her back. That would have made crawling away infinitely easier.

"Where do you think you're going?" A sultry voice asked.

Maribelle froze on the ground. She turned onto her back and saw Aversa striding towards her, a black tome in one hand. Her other hand was open, palm pointing directly at Maribelle. Ready to obliterate her with a spell.

"Did you think you could escape so easily?" Aversa laughed, "Foolish child. You were dead the moment you decided to seek justice."

A ball of black energy formed in Aversa's hand. Maribelle's eyes widened and sweat beaded on her head. A sudden realization took hold of her.

She was going to die here. None of the Shepherd's had come to rescue her. None of them noticed her missing from the battlefield. Maybe they thought she was already dead. Killed at the start of the battle. It was a logical thing to think. A prisoner was not likely to survive the initial charge. But to have gotten so close to escaping, only to be killed. It drove a dagger of despair through the fiery girl's heart.

Avera uttered a dark laugh.

"Broken?" She said, "Good. That makes this even more enjoyable."

Just before the spell could be cast. An enormous blast of wind slammed into Aversa. It drove the Plegian with back. Her heels dug trenches in the earth as she slid back before falling to her knees.

"Who's wind magic?" She growled.

Maribelle was wondering the same thing. Was it Miriel? The inquisitive Shepherd had a sharp mind. Perhaps she noticed that Maribelle was missing from the battle and moved to act accordingly? Or maybe it was Robin? The other known mage of the Shepherds. He was their tactician. His mission today was to rescue her and then negotiate an escape strategy. Perhaps he noticed that she was missing the Shepherd's numbers?

What Maribelle did not expect, was young Ricken jumping in front of her and staring down Aversa.

"Get back!" The young mage cried before firing another wind spell.

Aversa grit her teeth and weathered the second spell. Before Ricken could ready a third, Aversa cast a spell of her own. A black nosferatu that made Maribelle's eyes widen in terror. Ricken gasped then screamed in agony as the spell hit him.

Maribelle could see life being leached from the boy. His shoulders slumped and he dropped to a knee. His breaths were ragged and short. Rasping from his lungs in pained huffs. Maribelle gave Aversa a vicious glare.

"Oh don't look at me that way." Aversa chided, "That boy ceased to be a child when he decided his place was on the battlefield. It is a shame I have to kill him. That was an impressive spell. Especially for his age."

She readied another spell. This time, a swirling, nebulous ball of purple magic that swirled in her hand like a sickening whirlpool. She grinned evilly as she cast it at Ricken.

Maribelle tried to scream through her gag. She wanted to throw herself at Ricken. Shove the wounded boy out of the way before he could be killed. But she found herself unable to move. Paralyzed with fear.

A wind spell collided with Aversa's. Shattering the magic and preventing the killing stroke from hitting Ricken. Then an Elthunder arced through the air and smashed against Aversa, sending the witch flying through the air. Away from both Maribelle and Ricken.

Maribelle could feel tears welling in her eyes as she saw Robin rushing towards them. His free hand smoking from the amount of energy he put into the thunder spell.

At the same time, Aversa scowled and glared at Robin. She debated for a brief moment if it was worth confronting him now. But then she heard another horn blast in the air. A war cry erupted from behind the Shepherd's forces. Themis had rallied their soldiers and were bearing down on the remaining Plegians.

Aversa let out a frustrated roar before sprinting away. She was keen on living another day. Not dying like another common grunt on the battlefield.

As Robin reached Maribelle, Themis's horsemen fanned out around them. They rode past in a thunderstorm of hooves and metal. Their lines slammed into the remaining Plegians, relieving the tiring Shepherds and sending the Grimleal mages running back for the hills. Maribelle smiled behind her gag.

They were on the run. All that was left was-

A roar erupted above them. Maribelle looked up and saw three Wyverns diving down at the Exalt. Panic surged through the girl. All that stood in the way of those beasts and their riders, was Ben, a wounded Commander Phila, Lissa, and Sumia.

….

Ben slid to a stop beside Emmeryn. The young exalt had taken shelter beside a dying Pegasus. Phila's pegasus. The Wing Commander had attempted to take off and clear the way for Emmeryn's escape, only for the lead Wyvern commander to take her down from the sky with a well aimed spear. Now Phila leaned up against her fallen stead. Sword in hand, ready to combat anyone who dared threaten her Exalt. And Emmeryn gently rubbed the dying Pegasus's neck. Even in battle, she was attempting to sew some semblance of peace. Even if it was for a single creature.

"Your Highness. I think we need to get out of here." Ben said to Emmeryn.

Emmeryn gave Ben a concerned look before turning to Phila.

"Ben is correct, your grace." Phila grunted. Ben could see some blood running from a deep gash on her forehead. And she limped as she stood. All her weight resting on her right leg. The fall from her Pegasus had left her other ankle a twisted mass of flesh, "You need to leave, now!"

Emmeryn shook her head, "I cannot just leave you alone, Phila."

"She won't be alone."

Both Ben and Emmeryn looked to see Sumia trotting up beside them. Lissa rode with her. The Princess had her arms wrapped tight around Sumia's face. Her face was petrified with fear.

Sumia gripped her spear and stared up at the circling Wyvern riders. Phila gave the girl a firm nod.

"Ben!" Phila barked, "Get Princess Lissa and the Exalt back to Themis. That's an order!"

Ben felt himself chuckle a little. It had been a long time since someone had given him orders like that. Not since he was a padawan learner during the Mandalorian Civil War. One day, if he ever did open up about who he was to the Shepherd's, he'd tell them about this moment. And Chrom would tease Phila relentlessly for it.

He grabbed Emmeryn's hand and pulled her to her feet. The Exalt resisted at first but then the Wyverns began to dive. The beast screamed as they plummeted towards her and Ben. Their talons open, ready to rip both of them apart. One rider, a Plegian general, was laughing as he guided his beast. Enjoying the thrill of spilling Ylissean blood. The other, black robed rider, remained silent as he guided his beast down.

Ben grit his teeth, let go of Emmeryn's hand. He snatched a dagger from Phila's belt and threw it at the Plegian General.

The General's laughter died as the dagger buried itself in his Wyvern's head. The beast's body went limp in the air. The general screamed as he plummeted to the earth. Then fell silent when he collided nearby.

The color drained from Emmeryn's face as she stared at the smashed body of the general. Most of his form reduced to a bloody pulp from the impact. She had the urge to vomit. And she could feel her body starting to shake. But before she could react at all, Ben grabbed her hand and sprinted away with Lissa in tow.

Behind them, Sumia took to the skies. Ready to do battle with the other Wyverns. But to Ben's surprise, the black robed Wyvern Rider did not go for the easy prey in Sumia. He banked hard out of his dive. Managing a stunning change of direction. And rocketed towards Ben, Emmeryn, and Lissa.

Ben narrowed his eyes and drew his rapier. As the rider drew closer he could sense the Dark Side of the force billowing up out of the man like a black cloud. Yellow eyes stared hatefully at him as Ben skidded to a stop and turned to face the charging Wyvern.

"BEN!" Emmeryn screamed as the swordsman charged.

Lissa screamed and shut her eyes. The girl dropped to her knees and shook while Emmeryn held her. The Exalt held her breath as the rider and Ben drew closer.

 _What is that crazy man doing!?_ Emmeryn thought.

Her eyes went wide as Ben made an impossible leap into the air. The Wyvern seemed surprised too. Especially whe Ben landed on it's back then tackled the rider off of his mount.

The two men landed in a cloud of dirt and dust while the Wyvern broke off and drifted higher into the air. Ben grit his teeth and winced. He could feel warm blood dripping from a gash above his right eye. His left leg hurt, a lot. Ben sent a pulse of Force to the wound and felt the bone shift a little.

He rolled his eyes and winced.

 _Damn my own recklessness._

He pushed himself to his feet and staggered. His head swam a little bit. Just before he could get his bearings he felt someone tackle him back to the ground.

The air rushed from Ben's lungs as he was slammed into the ground. Above him was the Black Rider. His mouth and nose covered by a black mask. Blazing yellow eyes staring down at Ben. A black hood shadowing out everything else about him.

The man drew a dagger and plunged it towards Ben's throat. Ben raised his hands and caught the strike. He struggled against the masked man for a moment. The Black Rider threw all his weight behind his attack, and Ben's arms gave. But not before Ben forced the dagger left. It sank into his shoulder instead of his throat.

Ben howled in pain. Meanwhile, his attacker's eyes gleamed in triumph.

Ben narrowed his own. He had enough of this. Damn what other found out.

He opened his palm. Calmed his racing heart, and called on the Force. Ben grunted and channeled the force into a massive push.

The Black Rider uttered a surprised cry as he flew off of Ben and landed a few yards away. Ben scrambled to his feet and drew his rapier with his good arm. His left arm stayed slack by his side. Blood dripping down from the wound in his shoulder.

He watched as the Rider got to his feet and glared at Ben. His fist curled at his sides. Ben readied himself. The dark side of the force was so thick, Ben could practically see it coming from the man. It reminded him all too much of Mustafar.

The lava world raced through his mind. The feeling of darkness. Of hatred and suffering. The look Anakin gave him when the boy he once knew tapped into the Dark Side of the force and sank as far into its depths as he could. Ben could not help but feel the similarities. This man was powerful. Far more powerful than he was.

Ben gulped and looked over to see Emmeryn and Lissa had regathered their wits and were sprinting towards Themis. The Rider saw this too. Ben expected him to chase after them. But to his surprise he did not. Instead he took a step towards Ben.

Ben raised his rapier. This man was more powerful than he was. That much he could feel. But if he was destined to die here, then he would make his masked opponent work for it.

Mid-step, the Rider stopped. A rush of cold swept over Ben. An all too familiar presence brushed his mind then rushed to the rider. Then his mental defences were bombarded. Wave after wave of the dark side hammered against his mind. Trying to break into his thoughts. Ben grit his teeth. It took a tremendous amount of effort, but he finally repulsed the mental assault.

The Rider gave him a surprise look. The cold swept away from Ben and to his opponent. On the wind, Ben heard a voice that made his spine crawl and his hair stand on end.

 _Not yet, Kenobi. You do not have my permission to die._

The Rider inclined his head at Ben. Almost a sign of respect. Then he turned and sprinted away. In the distance, Ben could see Chrom and Frederick riding at full speed towards him.

Ben thought about pursuing the rider. But those thoughts faded when the pain of his wound, coupled with his own fatigue finally hit him. He fell hard to the ground and sucked in a long breath. He heard Chrom shouting for a healer as his world faded to black.

 **And chapter! Action packed! I don't think I've ever really written a battle sequence like this before. It was definitely a unique challenge. I hope I did a good job. And hopefully I'll get better at this the more I write them.**

 **And yes, I just teased you all there. Maul and Ben did not battle. I'm very sorry to disappoint. But they will battle in this arc. Just not yet. Maul is not the same animal that Ben last fought. And now the Zabrak has an apprentice to try and cudgel Ben with. It's going to be interesting seeing Ben battle a far more calculating Maul.**

 **Also, I did misspell Ricken's name in the last chapter. My bad! The Game of Thrones brain interfered with the Fire Emblem brain on that one. I'll make sure to keep an eye on that.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	13. The Calm Before the War

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 13

The Calm before the War

Maul flicked his wrist. And that wretched brat he called an apprentice screamed. He flipped over on the floor. Writhing in pain as Maul's grip on his body tightened. His face twisted in anger as he flexed his fingers. The Dark Side of the Force gripped his apprentice's legs and twisted. He could hear the muscles popping. The bones groaning. Ready to snap if he chose to put more pressure on the boy's body.

Such a foolish child. In one stroke, he had nearly ruined everything Maul had planned. Maul had been pacing in a furious rage before the brat returned back to the Plegian palace. When he did return, Maul's wrath was swift and furious.

The only thing he wished was that he had his former Master's power. Oh how he could use Darth Sidious's lightning in this situation. It would have been much more effective at getting his rage, and point, across to his defiant apprentice.

"Master…" The boy groaned as Maul lifted his body in the air, "What have I-"

"You stupid boy." Maul growled before slamming him down hard onto the black stone floor.

He heard the air rush from the brat's lungs. The boy uttered utter several wheezing coughs before Maul relinquished his control over him. His apprentice hacked again before flopping over onto his belly. He quickly prostrated himself on the floor before his Master.

"What have I done, Master?"

Maul grit his teeth. Resisting the urge to lash out more. So far, his apprentice had been a loyal servant. But put too much pressure, and that useful tool could snap and harm him instead of his enemies. Maul would not allow that. He had seen the repercussions of such a move himself. After all, he himself was an apprentice who was cast off and nearly destroyed by his own master. Had it not been for his master's raw power and skill, Maul thought he could have easily overthrown him.

But that was a line of thinking that died years ago. Maul was not a fool anymore. Not some angry brute hell bent on vengeance and domination. He had learned from his failings. Learned that sometimes, the best way to gain power was not through force. He learned that a little bit with Mandalore. But after all of his gains were crushed beneath the heel of Sidious, he learned even more. Refusing to allow his defeat at the hands of his old Master to crush him.

And now, here he sat. Decades older, much wiser, and far more powerful. He had to admire Sidious now that he looked back on his old Master. The dark lord was the ultimate manipulator. A force that Maul could only hope to ever match. A talent that his apprentice had yet to understand.

"I thought you wished to destroy Kenobi?" His apprentice asked. His yellow eyes were wide with fear.

Maul folded his hands over the top of his cane, "Destroy does not necessarily mean kill, brat!" He snarled before nodding his head.

The brat hesitated, then rose to his feet. He swayed a little once he stood up. Still shaky from the torture he had just received for his failure.

"I don't-"

"You don't understand." Maul finished for his apprentice, "How unfortunate that you are a dull idiot. I thought you would be ready for a confrontation with the Jedi. Clearly I was wrong."

His apprentice grit his teeth, "I am more than powerful enough to defeat Kenobi."

Maul gripped a chair with the force and flung it across the room. The chair splintered into a million pieces before Maul twirled and narrowed his eyes at the boy.

"That is beside the point!"

Maul took a breath. An attempt to calm his growing rage. He needed the boy. He could not afford to cast him aside. Not now. He scowled and hobbled over to a plush couch on the other end of the room. As he took a seat, his apprentice followed. Taking a seat in a chair opposite to his master.

"The negotiations between the idiot Gangrel and that naive Exalt were meant to illuminate information to us about our enemy." Maul explained.

His apprentice raised an eyebrow, "So you wanted the Ylissean's to succeed in thwarting the war?"

Maul waved off the question, "I care not about that. Gangrel wants a war. He is free to have it. But he will lose. We both know this." His apprentice nodded in agreement, "All we can do now, is use the chaos and uncertainty to our advantage."

"In order to destroy Kenobi."

Maul nodded, "Yes."

"But not kill?"

Maul furrowed his brow, "Not yet, at least." He leaned back in his seat, kicking his prosthetic legs up onto the table between them, "Kenobi never killed me. But he did manage to destroy me." He saw his apprentice's eyes widen in sudden understanding, "I intend to do the same to him. I will break the unbreakable Jedi. Force him to his knees and beg for death. I thought I managed to do that on Mandalore when I killed his precious Duchess. But he still had the Jedi Order to fall back on. His own duties to distract him from his failings. He does not have that anymore."

"He is alone." His apprentice realized.

Maul's eyes gleamed, "And an alone Jedi is a Jedi at their most vulnerable."

"But he is a member of the Shepherds?"

"Yet he is a recluse in the future." Maul countered, "Remember? He never opens himself to them. If anything, after the war, he starts to push them away. Only when the world is coming to an end, does he finally begin to unleash his full abilities in their favor." Maul chuckle darkly, "He became rather paranoid didn't he?"

"He did not close himself off to everyone." His apprentice reminded him.

Maul frowned, "Yes. There are those two he remained very open to."

"She will probably try to contact him eventually."

Maul narrowed his eyes at his apprentice. The boy seemed, nervous. Not about what Maul was thinking. No, there was something else troubling him. Maul brushed against the boy's mind. An image of a woman with blue hair passed between them before the door to his apprentice's mind was immediately slammed shut.

"Your thoughts betray you." Maul growled, "You worry for her."

His apprentice glared at him from beneath his hood.

"Foolish boy. The feelings you hold for that girl will only serve to destroy you. As long as they dominate your thoughts, forever shall you remain weaker than I. Weaker than our enemy." Maul let out a sigh, "However, you are not wrong. The little princess will want to contact Kenobi sooner rather than later. Especially now that I have made my presence known. She will sense Kenobi's distress. It is a factor we will have to consider carefully before acting on it."

Maul rose to his feet and hobbled over to the one window in the room. Outside it was dark out. Nearly midnight on this world. The moon was new. The shadows deep over the capital city of Plegia. In the shadows, Maul could see the bones of the great fell dragon that once ruled these lands. His grip tightened on his cane. That was another factor that greatly impacted his plans.

"In order to destroy Kenobi, we need to know more about him. We need to get close to him again. He is not the same man that I fought during the Clone War." Maul turned to look at his apprentice, "How has your training in concealing your presence been coming?"

The boy's presence in the force shifted. Maul could not help but feel a small surge of pride as the brat's eyes faded from a burning yellow to a soft blue. The dark side of the force retreated away. Barely detectable by even Maul. The Zabrak uttered a dark chuckle.

"Good, my apprentice. Very good." Maul allowed a smile to grace his lips, "Go speak to Validar. Offer him your services in his next scheme. That should get you close to Kenobi."

"I am to befriend him?"

Maul showed an evil grin, "Him and those he holds dear. Go now. Do not return until I call for you."

His apprentice gave his master a low bow before turning and leaving the room. Maul returned his gaze outside to the bones of the Fell Dragon Grima. Such an interesting monster to look upon. Even if it was just bones in this day and age. Maul frowned. He would have to discover the magic that brought that beast back to life and soon. Otherwise, everything he was working towards would be in jeopardy.

….

Obi Wan strode through the Jedi Temple. He breathed in the air. Crisp and clean. A familiar scent that comforted him. It always managed to put his heart at ease after a long mission. His master had summoned him to the training halls today. No doubt to help him sharpen his skills. There had been several close calls during their mission to Mandalore. Master Qui Gon had made it a point to intensify his training so that if he were ever caught in such situations again, he would be more than ready for them.

The doors to one of the lightsaber training rooms hissed open, and Obi Wan strode in. Qui Gon was waiting for him. The older Jedi Master kneeling in the center of the room. Lost deep in the currents of the Force.

But not so lost that he failed to notice Obi Wan. He could see his Master's head tilt ever so slightly as he entered.

"Sleep well, Obi Wan?" Qui Gon asked.

"Very." He replied before removing his lightsaber from his belt.

Suddenly, everything felt off to Obi Wan. He could feel a slight pain in his left shoulder. It felt like it was going numb. There was aches all over his body. He brought a hand up to his chin. Expecting to feel the bald skin he had as a teengare. Instead, the faint beginnings of a beard brushed against his fingertips.

"You have been neglecting your training, Obi Wan." Qui Gon said, his voice calm and serene, "You would not have been so easily overpowered if you had stopped wallowing and starting acting."

Obi Wan bristled at that, "How was I supposed to know that a force adept was going to attack?"

"You were trained to be prepared for such a thing. Trained to detect a threat like that. You were so focused on the horror in front of you that you failed to notice the more present danger. And it nearly cost you your life." Qui Gon rose to his feet and turned to look at Obi Wan.

Obi Wan blinked. Was his master transparent? Why was there a faint blue outline to his form?

"Master? What are we discussing exactly? I thought you called me here to train."

"There is no time to train in a vision, my young padawan."

Obi Wan's eyes widened. The memories then hit him. Wave after wave of brutalizing images. Of warfare between two nations on a hill. Wyverns diving down from the sky. A masked rider, using the dark side to try and destroy him and Emmeryn.

"Obi Wan," Qui Gon's fatherly voice echoed through his mind, "Luke will not be saved if you are not alive. If you are not focused and prepared."

Obi Wan's mind raced. Saved? What did Qui Gon mean by saved? Wasn't Luke supposed to be found, not save?

"You must trust those closest to you." Qui Gon advised, "Do not shy away from their help. And do not be afraid to share with them. The Shepherd's are good and honest. Better than some of the Jedi of old. They will not turn their backs on you."

Before Obi Wan could ask a question, the edges of his vision began to blur. Qui Gon's form faded and the temple around him went dark.

….

Chrom's leg bounced as he sat in on a red chair in Ben's room. He had rushed to Ben, Emmeryn, and Lissa when the Plegians were finally forced to retreat. When he had reached them, he found Lissa shaken, but working furiously to heal a wounded Ben. Meanwhile, his older sister, Emmeryn, had Ben's head cradled in her lap as she attempted to stop the bleeding from a gash in his head. But she looked shaken as well. Both girls terrified by the battle that had occured around them.

While Emmeryn had struggled to form words, Chrom took action. He swiftly ordered riders to go back to Themis and ready healers for the wounded. In total, along with Commander Phila and Ben, two Pegasus Knights were wounded, and seven of Duke Rodrick's personal guard were injured.

Chrom watched the healers as they tended to his unconscious friend. The wounds he had suffered had mostly healed. The gash on above his eyes had closed and turned into a pink scar. The bruises along his torso had mostly cleared up. There were still some splotches of black and blue though. Chrom was informed that his leg would take longer to heal. It had suffered a fracture after he apparently jumped at a charging Wyvern rider and tackled the enemy off of his mount and onto the ground.

Chrom snorted. _He is insane._

But he was grateful that Ben was a crazy fighter. If he had not done what he did, Emmeryn and Lissa could have been killed. Or worse. Chrom shuddered at the thought of the Plegians taking them captive. There would have been no mercy for them then.

The door to the small room in Themis' castle opened then closed with a quiet click. Chrom looked up and saw Emmeryn enter.

It was her first time visiting Ben. When they had arrived back in Themis, she had been whisked away by the Duke in order to assess the damage to the city and to their forces. Then she had to assist in planning a possible counter attack against the Plegians. A preemptive strike before Gangrel's armies could march over the border.

Now that she was finally away from all of the hectic planning, Chrom could see just how exhausted his sister was. There were large bags under her eyes. A slump to her posture and a shuffle in her gait as she moved across the room before kneeling at Ben's bedside. The healer bowed to her then exited the room. Leaving her alone with Chrom.

The two sibling remained silent for a moment. Chrom noticed the worry in his sister's eyes. Ben had nearly died keeping her and Lissa safe. She was not used to that. Chrom was used to men throwing themselves into battle for him. He and the Shepherd's would all gladly take a sword in the back to save one another. But Emm was always in Ylisstol. Away from the bandit raids and Plegian attacks. Away from the danger. To have someone so willfully put themselves in danger to save her was a revelation to her.

Chrom shifted in his seat. He could not help but feel guilty right now. Especially with his sister in the room. He had acted rashly. Cutting down two Plegians and walking right into the trap Gangrel had laid for them. Chrom swallowed hard.

The war was now on his shoulders. It was his fault. Two Pegasus Knights and four of Duke Rodrick's men were dead on that hilltop because he was goaded into violence by King Gangrel. Not only that, but Ben was seriously injured. Commander Phila was out of action for what could be several weeks after falling from the sky. How she managed to remain in the battle was a testament to her sheer strength and iron will.

And his Shepherd's were all visibly shaken. Vaike was wounded, a nasty gash over his chest that Lissa had healed as soon as she could. Miriel was silent. The scientific woman burying her nose in literature as she tried to forget about the battle. Maribelle was rattled more than the others. The girl had not left Ricken's bedside as the young mage recovered from the aftereffects of an evil spell.

And those were just the Shepherd's Chrom had managed to see before going to keep an eye on Ben. Robin had assured him the others were okay. But Chrom could see that even his faithful tactician was troubled.

Chrom bowed his head. If he had only kept a level head, maybe the Plegians would not have attacked. Maybe the battle could have been avoided.

"It is not your fault."

Chrom looked up at Emmeryn. His sister's exhausted gaze was looking at him from Ben's bedside.

"How is not?" Chrom replied, "I drew first blood."

"But you did so defending me." Emmeryn replied. Her voice soft and reassuring, "You did not attack them. The only person to blame for all of this is Gangrel."

Chrom swallowed hard but said nothing. Was Gangrel really to blame?

"Chrom." Emmeryn moved away from Ben and to her brother. She wrapped the young man in a tight hug, "You did everything you could."

Chrom let out a shuddering breath, "Thanks, Emm."

Emm rubbed his back then stepped away, "How long has Ben been unconscious?"

Chrom rubbed his forehead, "Since I got to him on the battlefield. He hasn't woken up yet."

Worry rushed over Emmeryn's face. Chrom pursed his lips.

"He'll be fine Emm. Ben's tough. That much is apparent."

Emmeryn nodded and swallowed.

"What is it?" Chrom asked.

His sister let out a long breath, "What he did on the battlefield, when he fought that Wyvern rider… it should not be possible."

Chrom raised his brow, "What do you mean?"

Emmeryn glanced over at Ben, "The Wyvern was not flying low to the ground. Not low enough that Ben could have jumped onto it. And yet he did. I don't know how but he managed to pull of the biggest jump I've ever seen in my life."

Chrom gave her a wry smirk, "Maybe he has bigger muscles than you imagined?"

He saw his sister's face go red for a moment. Chrom could not help but chuckle a little.

"Emm, the battlefield can make people see things sometimes. Especially if it is your first time experiencing something like that. For all you know, your mind was so overwhelmed by adrenaline that you thought the Wyvern was higher up than it actually was."

Emmeryn's face filled with uncertainty. Not because she was doubting her own thoughts. No, she was doubting Chrom's. Chrom sighed got to his feet, wrapping his sister in a hug of his own.

"You don't have to dwell on it right now. I'll ask Ben about it when he's up and moving. Right now, you need rest."

"I'll be fine." Emmeryn protested.

"Exalts need to sleep to. You can't lead a nation at war if you are falling asleep standing up." Chrom chuckled, "I was about to go get some rest as well."

Emmeryn sighed. She could see Chrom's point. Her people needed her at her best. Strong of body and with a clear mind. And the only way to get that now was to rest. No doubt she would be swamped with more war planning come morning.

"Very well." Emmeryn relented as another healer walked into the room. Emmeryn looked at the young healer, "Fetch me and Chrom when he awakes."

"Of course, your grace." The healer bowed.

Emmeryn cast one last worried glance at Ben before exiting the room with Chrom. She bid he brother goodnight before the two parted ways. Emmeryn strode towards her own chambers in the castle. A regal room provided to her by Duke Rodrick. Chrom went down the hall towards the Castle door. He would sleep with his Shepherds in the barracks.

The night air was cool as he stepped outside. The sky was as black as ink. Very few stars shone through a thick blanket of clouds that stretched out overhead. Chrom shivered a little as a blast of cold wind hit him. Winter was coming soon. Just in time to mess with any war plans.

Thankfully Plegia was a desert. The army would not have to worry about ice and mud when they went after Gangrel.

Chrom rubbed his eyes as he made his way to the tower that was being used as the Shepherd's barracks. He had not realized how tired he was. The battle had sapped so much energy out of him. The chaos of it all had sent his mind on overdrive and forced his body to be pushed to its limit. Now that the day was coming to an end, he could feel his body screaming for rest. He joints ached. His muscles were stiff. And his head was started to pound.

Chrom pushed the door to the Shepherd's temporary barracks open.

"The Vaike has already been healed!" He heard Vaike bellow across the common room that occupied the first floor of the tower.

"The Vaike needs to consume his medication." Chorm heard Miriel remark.

"But it tastes gross!"

Chrom chuckled as he saw Miriel force a spoon with a green, gelatinous substance on it down Vaike's throat. It was one of Miriel's healing concoctions. And Chrom did not envy Vaike. The big brute was right. It tasted disgusting.

"Captain!"

Chrom looked over at the small fireplace and saw Sumia sitting near the burning fire. Her armor had been removed. In its place was a blue night gown that billowed out over her slim form. Sitting across from her, in a red plush chair, was Sully. And unlike Sumia, Sully still wore her armor.

"Sully, Sumia." Chrom nodded.

"Take seat Cap." Sully patted her hand against a small bench in front of the fire. As Chrom sat, Sully pulled a small bottle of whiskey from a pouch by her side. She tossed it to Chrom.

"Figured you could use some after today."

Chrom snorted out a little laugh before uncorking the bottle. He took a quick sip, wrinkled his nose as the burning liquid ran down his throat, then gave the bottle back to Sully. As he did this, Sumia took a seat beside him.

"Where is everyone else?" Chrom asked.

Sully shrugged, "Sleeping. Robin and Virion are still up I think. Last time I saw them, they were playing that stupid game they like."

Chrom laughed to himself. Of course they were. It was how those two relaxed. It allowed them to think and contemplate the events going on around them. Bounce ideas off one another. Not surprising really. Robin would be thinking constantly about tactics and how to deploy the Shepherd's now that war was a reality.

"And Lissa?" Chrom asked, worried about his little sister.

"Fast asleep." Sumia said, "I made sure she went to get some rest. The battle really rattled her."

"And the aftermath." Sully added, "She helped out the healers with the wounded." The woman shuddered, "Can't say I'm keen on the idea of keeping somebody's blood and guts inside of em. Lissa's got a strength to her, just not the kind we know well."

Chrom nodded in agreement.

"And you two?" He asked, "Why aren't you resting?"

Sully shrugged, "Can't sleep just yet. Still amped up." She sipped on her whiskey, "Frederick's the same way. He's been out in the stables grooming the horses all evening. Even helped Sumia clean up her Pegasus."

Chrom blinked, "That um… reminds me Sumia. I need to thank you. You went into aerial combat alone against those Wyverns. If you hadn't done that, Emm and Lissa-"

Sumia's cheeks flushed, "I-I was only doing my duty, Captain."

"You went beyond your duty doing that." Chrom said, "So thank you."

Sumia's blush was now deep red. And Chrom could not help but feel a slight blush on his cheeks as well. He found his eyes wandering over Sumia's face. In the battle, she had been fierce. Taking to the skies without any hesitation. The nervousness over her combat inexperience long gone thanks to her actions at the Longfort. But now that the battle was over, Chrom could not help but notice the softness in her eyes. The flush on her cheeks. Her slight body in the night gown.

"Bleh!" Sully exclaimed, "Get a room you two. I don't wanna see that."

Both Sumia and Chrom backed away from each other.

"So um…" Sumia uttered a nervous laugh, "I'll see you tomorrow, Captain?"

"Y-yeah. I think?" Chrom replied dumbly.

Sumia smiled a little before rushing away to the stairs. Chrom's eyes followed her as she disappeared to the second floor. He let out a small sigh. When did she get so beautiful?

"Ugh…" Sully groaned and shook her head, "You're whipped man."

Chrom blinked, "What?"

Sully got up and tossed him the bottle of whiskey, "If I find you in the girl's room, I'm sticking my foot up your ass."

She followed Sumia up the stairs, leaving Chrom completely confused.

….

Robin ran a hand through his brown hair. It had been a long day. Way to long. His body felt exhausted. And yet, he could not bring himself to go to sleep. He originally sat awake in bed while Kellam, Stahl, and Lon'qu slumbered in the barracks. Then he resorted to trying to read himself to sleep. He buried his nose in a Treatise on Tactics. He hoped the book would calm his mind and allow him to rest.

Instead, it forced him into thinking of new ways he could have prevented the disaster that was the first battle of this new war. The plan had fallen to pieces almost instantly. He had failed to account for Plegian Wyvern riders. His own confidence had clouded his creativity and it had cost the Shepherd's. Two dead Pegasus Knights, many dead Themis soldiers, even more wounded. Ben lying almost comatose in the palace. Healers tending to him around the clock.

Then there was Ricken. The young mage who risked his life to save Maribelle. Robin kicked himself for forgetting to plan her rescue. He had been so focused on defeating the enemy that he had failed to see the bigger problems in his own strategy. A lesson Virion had tried to instill in him back at Arena Ferox. And because of his oversight, Maribelle barely escaped with her life. And Ricken was injured by dark magic.

Speaking of Virion, the archer was just as restless as he was. Eventually, the two set up the chessboard and began a silent game. Both of theirs minds far more preoccupied with the battle that had occurred rather than the game in front of them.

Robin blinked as Virion's voice hit his ears.

"Your move."

Robin grimaced, "Sorry. Just-"

"Lost in thought." Virion nodded, "I am too. A battle tends to linger in the mind far longer than we want it to."

Robin gave him a grim nod, "I can't help but think I could have done more. Done better."

Virion shrugged, "Maybe you could have. Maybe you couldn't have. The Plegians were not there to negotiate. They were there to ambush. You could not have anticipated that."

Robin sighed, "But I should have thought of the possibility."

Virion shook his head, "You are being too hard on yourself my friend."

"It's the only way I seem to learn." Robin replied.

He recalled how he learned to wield a sword. First by nearly getting himself killed at the Longfort, then getting a lesson from Ben. Learning swordsmanship was supposed to go the other way around. And now he was learning tactics the hard way. While the Ylisseans had claimed victory in the first battle of the war, Robin did not consider it a victory.

They had almost lost the war before it even began. Exalt Emmeryn nearly escaped death by Wyvern. Commander Phila, the Halidom's most seasoned commanding officer, was seriously injured. Some of the healers worried she would struggle to fly a pegasus again. Ben was out of commission. Rendering the Shepherd's without their best swordsman. And the morale of the soldiers was down. None of them saw the battle as a victory. The saw it as an escape. A moment where the Plegians chose the rules of the engagement and only just barely lost.

Robin rubbed his chin. Whoever was providing the Plegian's with tactics was skilled. Brutal and efficient too. They did not care for losses. They only cared for victory or crushing the Ylissean spirit.

He sighed. This was no longer playing tactics against unorganized bandits or Feroxi lancers. This was now a battle of the mind. One where he had an equal on the other side. But he did not know who.

"Have you heard about Ben's heroics?" Virion asked.

Robin nodded as he moved a piece on the board, "Half of Themis' army has heard."

"Do you believe them?"

Robin raised an eyebrow, "That he jumped thirty feet in the air onto a flying Wyvern and used some sort of magic to launch an enemy through the air?" Robin leaned back in his seat, "I don't know. Soliders tend to embellish things in order to make them sound more… more… how do you put it?"

"Unbelievable. Incredible. Downright ludicrous." Virion finished for him.

"Yeah." Robin nodded, "But at the same time. I have a feeling that they may not be lying."

Virion arched an eyebrow, "You think Ben really did those things?"

"He did jump from a flying pegasus before." Robin pointed out.

Virion snorted, "That only proves his own insanity."

"But it does suggest there is more to him than meets the eye." Robin pursed his lips, "But there is more too."

"Hm?"

"During the negotiations, if you could call them that, Ben was anxious. Unnerved even."

Virion leaned forward, "Unnerved? That's unlike him."

"It happened when that Maul creature stepped forward to speak."

Virion nodded, "I think we were all a little taken aback by that… whatever he was."

"But Ben was particularly affected." Robin shook his head, "I can't explain it. But I get the feeling they know each other. Or Ben knows of Maul."

Virion took a sip from a cup of water he brought with him, "Maybe they do. Maybe they don't. Who are we to know that. All we can do is ask when he wakes up."

Robin pressed his lips into a thin line. Yes, they could ask. But he doubted Ben would give them an answer. As good a friend as Ben was becoming, Robin just could not see the man divulging much about his past to anyone. And the tactician was hesitant to open any doors that wanted to remain closed.

Footsteps echoed from the stairs. Both Robin and Virion turned to see Chrom entering the room. The Prince yawned and started to shed his travel gear and replace it with nightclothes.

"You two should be sleeping." Chrom said.

Robin smirked, "So should you, fearless leader."

"Ha!" Chrom laughed, "Sure."

"Robin has a point, Captain." Virion said, "You must rest. The day has taken a toll on all of us. But almost certainly more of a toll on you and your family."

"I'll be fine Virion." Chrom replied, "Don't worry." He flopped into his own cot, "I'm just more worried about what tomorrow is going to bring."

"A lot of planning and strategy for a campaign into Plegia, most likely." Robin assumed.

Chrom nodded, "And I want you to be a part of that."

Robin blinked in surprise, "But um… did you not see what happened out there today?"

Chrom waved off his concern, "Yes I did. And if not for you thinking of a strategy many more of us could have died. You thought on the fly and adjusted enough for us to take the day."

Robin shook his head, "I don't really see it that way. I see today more as me getting damn lucky."

"Sometimes that's the best a tactician can hope for." Virion raised his arms over his head and yawned, "I think this game has finally allowed my weary eyes to start closing."

Robin nodded, "We'll continue tomorrow evening."

Virion nodded, went over to his cot, and fell back onto it.

"Goodnight, ruffles." Robin called.

Virion flipped him off. Causing both Chrom and Robin to laugh.

Robin sighed as he started cleaning up the chessboard.

"Hey Robin?"

"Yeah, Chrom?" Robin looked over at the Prince. The man was lying on his back, but he could see a tinge of red on his cheeks.

"What do you think of Sumia?"

Robin blinked, "Uh…"

"I mean… like um… do you think-"

"You're asking an amnesiac for romantic advice?" Robin chuckled.

Chrom glanced up from his cot, "Fair point. The only thing you know anything about is tactics."

"Hey!" Robin cried, "I resemble that point."

Chrom looked at him puzzled. Then he laughed as he caught onto the joke.

"Robin."

"Yeah." The tactician yawned.

"I'm glad you're on our side." Chrom said before he rolled over and started to snore.

Robin felt a smile pass over his face.

"Yeah. Me too."

 **And chapter! A slow chapter before we start to ramp things back up again. The war between Plegia and Ylisse has begun. And Maul is making plans to make Ben's life a living hell. Chrom is starting to realize that Sumia is in fact a girl. Oh the conflicts that await us. Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	14. March of the Plegians

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 14

March of the Plegians

Emmeryn rose early the next morning. But she felt like she had hardly slept. Her head felt heavy. Her eyelids even heavier. The entire affair revolving around the planning of a new war had already sapped most of her energy. And the war was only two days old now. She yawned as several handmaids rushed around her. One was pouring a glass of water. Another was laying out a lovely white gown with robes for her. And a third was combing Emmeryn's hair as she sat uncomfortably in a chair.

Once her hair was satisfactory (Meaning it was not sticking in every direction), she slipped into her gown and exalt robes. Just as she was about to place the halo esque crown of the Exalt over her head, the door to her chambers burst open.

"Your grace!" A healer cried, voice filled with panic, "He's not in his room!"

Emmeryn froze. She completely forgot to finish putting her crown on. Her handmaids watched in silence as the Exalt rushed out of her room and made her way towards the room where Ben was supposed to be resting.

The young swordsman had been severely injured in the first battle of the war. He had put himself between Emmeryn, her sister Lissa, and a Plegian Wyvern rider. The end result was a fractured leg, an ugly stab wound to the shoulder, a major concussion, and physical exhaustion that nearly made the man comatose. She had been worrying about him for most the day yesterday. Only Chrom's insistence that she go rest caused her to leave Ben's side.

She felt responsible. But she did not want Chrom or anyone else to know that. It was days like this that she envied Chrom and his skill with a blade. She never wanted to harm a living creature. Never wanted to lift a weapon against anyone. But out on the battlefield, surrounded by chaos and death, she could not help but feel useless. A sitting duck that men had to trip over in order to defend properly. It was one of the most sickening feelings in the world. And it was only made worse by Ben's injuries being a result of her being unable to defend herself.

Now she could understand why Exalts before her, all the way back to the days of the Hero-King Marth, knew combat. Knew strategy and how to conduct warfare. It was not just for conquest or defense of others. It was also for self defense.

If she did not have a war to lead, she would have considered asking Chrom or even Frederick for lessons. But now, with Plegia no doubt preparing to march, there was no time for that. She had to continue to be a symbol for peace. A light in the fog of war. It was the only way she would be able to help her people weather the coming storm.

She pushed her way into Ben's room. The healer was not lying. It was empty. The sheets on Ben's bed were through haphazardly off to the side. None of the candles were lit. The water on his beside table had not been touched. The only thing off about the room was the window. It had been thrown open. Emmeryn did not stop to search the room. She picked up her gown and raced down the stairs of the castle to the courtyard outside.

Her eyes scanned the courtyard. The morning sun was starting to illuminate the world for her. The courtyard was mostly dirt with some grass. The area designed not for comfort or luxury, but for training. Duke Rodrick took his duties to Themis seriously. And with Plegia so close by, he made sure that he always had a standing army ready to act against any threats. There was a large stable just outside of the courtyard walls. Several towers lined the stone walls as well. One of those towers housed the Shepherds. Several of them would start waking soon. Maybe they would help her search for Ben.

She was just about to shout his name when she finally noticed him.

He was sitting off to the side of the courtyard. Legs crossed, hands folded in his lap. Head held high, but eyes closed. The cool morning air did not seem to bother him, even though he was shirtless. Emmeryn shook her head and strode towards Ben.

The man did not move a muscle as she approached. He seemed lost in his thoughts. So deep into his meditations that the world around him could not possibly affect him. Emmeryn did not know how he was able to do it. Meditation was something she had tried herself. And while she could eventually achieve the peace and quiet that it required, it took time. And she could never detach herself from her surroundings completely. But Ben, he was like a stone when he was meditating. Unaffected by the world and it's troubles around him. Lost in his mind.

She felt a twinge of guilt at the thought of suddenly interrupting him. Perhaps this was his way of recovering from his injuries. Even though it would be better for him to stay in his bed and rest. Maybe it was a way he coped with the aftermath of a battle. An attempt to find some semblance of peace after such a terrifying moment of chaos. So, instead of tapping his shoulder or calling his name. Emmeryn took a seat in the patchwork of grass beside him. She folded her legs and took a deep breath.

 _Meditating might do me some good._ She thought to herself as she closed her eyes.

But she could not quiet her own mind. It was filled with anxiety. How was she going to rally Ylisse's armies in time? Had her letter to Commander Edward reached Ylisstol? Was Duke Rodrick's army of two thousand going to be enough to withstand a possible Plegian invasion? Would it be enough to launch an invasion of their own if necessary? How was Phila? The Wing Commander had sustained serious injury after the Wyvern attack brought her down from the sky. Was she resting? Were her injuries extremely severe to the point where Emmeryn may have to relieve her of command? And how were they going to engage in desert warfare? So many supplies needed to be accrued? So much water? And then there was-

"Relax." Ben's calm voice interrupted her thoughts, "Take a deep breath."

Emmeryn inhaled. Paused. Then slowly exhaled.

"Approach each problem one at a time. And as they come to you. You do not have to handle it all at once." Ben advised.

Emmeryn cracked an eye open. He was still sitting still. Eyes closed and hands folded. He had not moved a single inch. Emmeryn raised an eyebrow. How did he know what she was thinking?

She found her eyes wandering. Ben had been wrapped in sheets when she saw him last. She did not realize just how well… toned he actually was. Thick bandages were wrapped around his wounded shoulder. But beyond that, his torso was bare. And while he was slim, it was not an unhealthy slim. It was lean, corded muscle.

"You're still distracted." Ben noted.

Emmeryn squirmed in her seat, "Well… it is kind of hard not to be."

Ben let out a small, quiet laugh. He then opened his eyes and glanced over at the Exalt.

"You may be much more peaceful, but you and Chrom share the same restlessness."

Emmeryn nodded, "Well, we are family." She pulled at several blades of grass, "I just find it so hard to sit still right now. There is just so much to do. So much I have to consider."

"You don't have to consider it all alone." Ben reminded her, "You have good people to help you. Chrom and Phila will help with the military side of things. As will Duke Rodrick. You just need to worry about looking out for your people."

Emmeryn gave Ben a small smile, "You seem to always know what to say."

Ben shrugged before closing his eyes once again, "It comes with experience."

Emmeryn raised an eyebrow, puzzled. Experience? What did he mean by that? Was he insinuating that he had experience in warfare? But he was so young. About Chrom's age. Chrom was just a toddler when the last war with Plegia ended. There had not been another conflict on the continent since then. So how could Ben have experienced war?

There was a possibility he was from Valm, but Emmeryn doubted that. Very few people escaped what was occurring across the sea. Virion was one of the few lucky ones. And even fewer soldiers from that land wished to leave it. Besides, he did not look like he was from Valm. Ben had a Ylissean appearance to him. A manner of speech and elegance that spoke of a noble Ylissean upbringing.

She saw his chest rise and fall before. And for a moment, she saw his hands clench tight then relax. His thoughts were roaming too. Just not as wildly as Emmeryn's.

Emmeryn pursed her lips, "I um… I mean to thank you."

Ben cracked an eye open, "For what?"

Emmeryn brushed some hair around her ear, "You saved my life. You saved Lissa's life. And you nearly gave yours to do so."

Ben shrugged, "I was just doing what anyone else in our company would have done."

"Anyone else?" Emmeryn leaned back onto her elbows, "I doubt anyone else could have jumped up onto a flying Wyvern like you did."

She saw Ben tense up. Emmeryn's eyes widened in realization. That impossible leap he made was not something she was supposed to have seen. She watched as his weight shifted from side to side.

"I um-"

"Are you a mage Ben?" Emmeryn asked.

It seemed like the only logical explanation. There were many unknown or lost magics in the world. The Grimleal were a prime example of that. Those Plegian sorcerers practiced many dark magics. Magics few knew let alone understood. Emmeryn recalled from her brief studies on the subject, that there were many hexes, curses, blessings, rituals, and spells that could be created or used. Perhaps Ben had simply developed some of his own.

She could see uncertainty on his face. He was struggling with a response. Something she said had hit a nerve with him.

"You can tell me, Ben." She reassured him before placing a hand on his shoulder. An action that only made him grow more tense.

Ben stared off across the yard then sighed, "You would not believe me if I told you." He muttered just loud enough that she could hear.

Emmeryn furrowed her brow, "Mages are not that uncommon, Ben. And those that experiment with magic… well that is rather normal. We have an entire school dedicated to the study in Ylisstol. Even Plegia engages in deep study of unknown magics. It would not surprise me in the least if you told me you were a mage utilizing spells no one knew."

Ben took in a deep breath, "I guess… I am a mage of sorts."

Emmeryn smiled, "You see? No harm done. I'm still very glad to see you with the Shepherds."

Ben gave her a small smile. A relieved one. But his eyes still looked… guilty? There was more he was not telling her.

His eyes flicked up to hers. In that moment, she felt like he was thinking the same thoughts as she was. Wondering about the same questions. Searching for the same answers. His lips drew into a thin line.

"Maul." He breathed.

A shudder ran up Emmeryn's spine.

That man, creature, whatever he was still haunted her thoughts. He was a nightmarish looking thing. An intimidating presence that made Emmeryn want to crawl under a rock and hide. The way he had stared at her. How it felt like he could see her very thoughts. Feel her own feelings. And how he laughed at them. Mocked her. It made her feel both uncharacteristic rage and enormous fear. There was much more to Maul than being a simple adviser to King Gangrel. A power to him that could only be guessed at.

"Wh-what about him?" Emmeryn asked.

She could see a wave of sorrow sweep over Ben.

"He and I… we have crossed paths before."

Emmeryn's eyes widened, "When? How?"

Ben held up a hand to slow down any further questions, "Swear that you will not tell a soul."

Emmeryn frowned, "Ben, I don't think-"

"Please." Ben pleaded.

She could see the pain in his gaze. An anxiety and melancholy that betrayed memories of tragedy.

 _What has he seen?_

Emmeryn gave him a nod. Ben took a deep breath and swallowed hard.

"Maul… Maul is an old enemy of mine." He said.

Emmeryn could not help but notice that he was being very careful with his words. Taking his time to formulate sentences. Thinking about each phrase, each word before he spoke them.

 _He's still hiding._

"I first encountered him with my own Master, Qui Gon."

 _Qui Gon? That sounds like a Chon'sin name?_

That made sense in Emmeryn's mind. The Chon'sin were renowned throughout the world for their skills in swordsmanship. Even one of the Shepherd's newest members, a silent young man named Lon'qu, was from Chon'sin. And his skill with a blade was so good, that he was Khan Basilio's champion at one point in time. To be in such a position at such a youthful age spoke to his ability. And his people's abilities.

"We were… escorting a noblewoman." Ben said, "We had lost our way and were ambushed by him. At the time, my Master was barely able to fend him off before we managed to lose him an escape."

Emmeryn's eyes widened, "But-but he looked so decrepit."

She saw Ben drift off into though. His fingers almost instinctively going to the faint outline of a beard on his chin, "Yes, that is rather new. And most likely a ploy. A way to get enemies to lower their guard. He had become much craftier over the years. When I first encountered him, he was more of a skilled brute." Ben shook his head, "Anyways, after we had escorted the noblewoman to safety, she wished to retake her lands from an enemy. We agreed to help her. Little did we know, Maul would be waiting for us on that day of battle.

"Me and Master Qui Gon engaged him alone. Separating him from the rest of the battle." She saw Ben swallow hard, "We got separated and… and he struck Qui Gon down."

Emmeryn could feel her own heart breaking at the pain on Ben's face. Maul was responsible for the death of Ben's teacher. A man he clearly looked up to and respected beyond all others.

"I thought I defeated him. But… but he somehow managed to survive." Ben continued, "After that battle, he made it his life's goal to torment me. He laid low for several years afterwards. Then he came out of hiding when I was tasked with protecting an old friend."

Emmeryn saw mist starting to form in Ben's eyes. He was fighting off the emotions with everything he had.

"Her name was Satine. And-" Ben let out a shuddering breath, "And he killed her too." Ben wiped at his eyes, "I don't know what became of Maul after that. It appeared that he was done with me. Finished torturing me. Convinced he had broken me. And I went my own way." Ben bowed his head, "I hoped to leave all of that behind me."

Emmeryn could see it now. This Satine, Ben had loved her. Just from the crack in his voice when he said her name. The tears brimming along his eyes when he told her of the woman's fate. There was regret in those eyes. Emmeryn felt her hand slip into his.

"Ben…" She said softly.

"Has he not taken enough from me?" Ben growled. His eyes looked up at the pink sky, "Have I not been tortured enough!?"

She squeezed his hand. Ben froze. Suddenly aware how close she now was.

"Just as I am not alone in this war," Emmeryn said to him, "You are not alone in this life. We will face Maul together. Just as we will face this war together."

She could feel her heart fluttering in her chest. Just what was she saying? She was the Exalt of Ylisse. Her duties were to her people first. Anything else, friendships, personal ambitions… romance, they all had to take a back seat to her duty as Exalt.

So why did it feel right? Why was she so comfortable with Ben when so many other suitors had come and been rejected? He did some seem very comfortable with her. If anything, he was very awkward about this. Then again, Emmeryn suspected that she was the first person he had ever opened up to about this. About his past. Maybe he was comfortable with her. Just in his own way.

"Um…" Ben swallowed hard and sniffed, "I um… I think we are being watched."

Emmeryn looked at him confused. Then she saw Frederick by the stables. The Knight's jaw hung wide open. His eyes were wide as he stared at Ben and Emmeryn. Holding hands… alone in the courtyard.

Emmeryn's face went as red as a tomato.

 _How did Ben see him? Does he have eyes in the back of his head!?_

"Uh… we are."

Ben gulped, "It's Frederick isn't it?"

Emmeryn nodded stiffly, "The one and only."

"We should probably seperate then." Ben suggested.

Oh she did not want to. But she had too. The last thing she needed was any scandals. Emmeryn let her hand slip from Ben's. She gave him a sheepish smile before rising to her feet.

"Well… I um… there is going to be a war council in a few minutes, I'm sure."

Ben snorted, "Have fun with that."

"Oh it will be loads of fun." Emmeryn replied sarcastically, "Perhaps I will talk to you later. If you want to?"

Ben nodded. As Emmeryn began to walk away, he called her name.

"Emmeryn."

The blonde woman spun around.

"Thank you." Ben said, "I um… did not realize how much I needed that."

Emmeryn gave him a gentle smile, "Sometimes talking is better than meditation. And it was my pleasure."

Ben watched as she strode back into the castle. He noticed her cast one last peek back at him before dissapearing inside. Once she was gone, Ben's gaze snapped over to the stupefied Frederick. Ben shook his head and got his feet.

"You should close your mouth, or you may catch flies." Ben advised as he moved past Frederick.

"The-The Exalt and y-you." Frederick shook his head fast then spun on his heel to face Ben, "Wait a moment!"

Ben paused and sighed, "Frederick-"

The sound of steel sliding against a sheath rang in Ben's ears. The swordsman tensed before looking back at the knight. Ben's eyes narrowed at Frederick. The knight had drawn his sword. And he looked furious.

"I will not have a devilish rogue such as you ensnare the Exalt that I am sworn to protect." Frederick said firmly.

Ben cocked an eyebrow, "I've been called many things in life. But devilish rogue is most definitely not one of them."

 _That was more Anakin's thing._

"I doubt that." Frederick snarled.

Ben sighed, "Frederick you are being ridiculous."

"Then perhaps you wish to defend your honor!?" Frederick declared, "And I shall defend the Exalt's. Besides, we both agreed that there was a need to test your skills."

Ben frowned. His eyes glanced at his bandaged shoulder.

"Can't this wait a few more days?"

"In a few more days we will be marching on Plegia." Frederick replied, "So no. This cannot wait."

Ben shook his head. Force this man was a stubborn one. He could put some droids to shame. Ben ran a hand over his face.

"Then how about I rephrase and say, _you_ really don't want to do this."

Frederick seemed taken aback, "Is-is that a threat?"

Ben shook his head, "No. But it is a warning."

Ben was not in the mood for this. And his body was in no condition for a fight so soon. He'd need at least another session with a healer before he even considered himself combat ready. But Frederick's own stubborn sense of honor and pride stood in the way of that.

Frederick scowled, "I'll have you know, that now I will not be taking this lightly."

Ben let out a small laugh, "I'd be surprised if you did." Ben held out an open hand, "Do I get a weapon? Or are we going to play unfairly?"

Frederick's scowl grew. Ben could see that the Knight was actually debating the topic. But his appeal to Frederick's high sense of honor prevailed. The Knight stomped over to a sword rack lined up against the wall, grabbed the bluntest blade available, and tossed it to Ben.

Ben easily caught the weapon with his right hand. He rolled his shoulders. Wincing as his left shoulder groaned in protest. He could feel it starting to ache again. Just when the force healing he had been doing before Emmeryn showed up was finally starting to take effect, he had to aggravate it again.

Frederick strode out to the center of the courtyard. Ben followed. Once in the middle, they stood several yards apart.

The silence was deafening. The rest of the castle had not awoken yet. There was only the sing song chirping of the morning birds in the air. A slight breeze drifted over the walls and through both warriors.

Frederick readied himself. He gripped the blade with both hands and held it high over his head. Ready to slash down at Ben. Meanwhile, Ben assumed a traditional Soresu stance. His finger pointing at his target while his own weapon was held aloft.

The knight across from him narrowed his eyes. Ben's stance puzzled him.

 _Good._ Thought Ben, _Perhaps I'll be able to end this quickly._

But in order to end it quickly, he'd have to switch things up. Ben nodded to himself then changed his posture. He gripped the blunt blade with both hands and held the weapon near his hip. The stance of an Ataru specialist.

Frederick took a deep breath.

"Are you ready, scoundrel." Frederick asked.

"What do you think?" Ben asked. His voice chirped across at Frederick. An attempt to goad the knight. Ben had always found that his sense of humor was a good way at either ending a fight before it began, or unbalancing his opponent enough to allow a swift victory.

Frederick grit his teeth and charged. Ben bent his knees and swung to meet Frederick's first attack. A hard, overhand chop.

Their blades crashed together in a cacophony of metal scrapes. Before Frederick even had time to react, Ben yanked his blade free of their lock. The metal shrieked. Sparks spat out onto the ground. Ben countered, aiming a precise slash at Frederick shoulder.

To Frederick's credit, he moved fast for a man covered in such heavy looking armor. The knight just barely caught the counter. With brute strength that told Ben all he needed to know about Frederick's training regimen, the man threw Ben's sword to the side and attempted a devastating slash to Ben's midsection.

Ben parried again. With equal quickness, Frederick attempted to bring the pommel of his blade up to Ben's chin. An attempt to land a devastating blunt force strike. Such a blow would send him reeling backwards. And that would open him up to any number of deadly attacks from Frederick.

Ben felt the Force rip through his body. Using it's added speed, he stepped back and slashed down through Frederick's attempt at a guard. The blunt metal bit into Frederick's armor. Lodging itself into the Knight's chest piece.

Ben felt his heart get stuck in his throat. He did not mean to strike that hard. He only meant to give Frederick a light tap. A signal that he would have lost had Ben been taking this little duel seriously. He did not mean to cleave into Frederick's armor. Ben watched as Frederick swayed a moment then looked at Ben's blade in surprise.

The Knight's eyes whipped from the blade to Ben. Eyes wide with momentary terror before he closed them and refocused. His gaze was no longer angry. Instead his gaze was stunned. Amazed by the brute force and speed Ben had just displayed. Frederick gulped.

"I consider myself lucky that I wore an extra layer of chain mail underneath today." Frederick admitted before letting his sword fall in the dirt, "I yield."

Ben felt a relieved breath rush from his lungs. He had not harmed Frederick.

His mind drifted back to the vision he had while he was still asleep. Qui Gon said he had been neglecting his training. His mind may still be that of a seasoned Jedi Master, but his body was not. He had less control over the force. The gash he had created in Frederick's armor was evidence of that. The force push he used during the battle also came to mind. He had poured so much power into it that it had left him feeling exhausted. Then there was the mind battle that had taken place for only a few seconds. The event that actually caused him to lose conscious and fall on the field of battle due to exhaustion. If he had anywhere near the command over the Force he had before, then holding off a mental assault like that would not have drained him so much.

Ben sighed. He had a lot of work to do.

Frederick yanked Ben's blade free and tossed it to the side. The knight frowned down at his armor.

"I looks like I'll be paying a visit to the smith today." Frederick sighed, "A shame. This was a faithful set." He looked at Ben as the swordsman took several deep breaths, "I… I apologize."

Ben gave Frederick a puzzled look.

"What for?" Ben replied with a playful smirk, "We were only sizing each other up."

Frederick gave Ben a surprised look. The man seriously meant to let Frederick's insults slide? Clearly there was much more honor to Ben than met the eye. As well as skill. Frederick did not intend on conducting a rematch until he could match the man. He was looking forward to the training in order to do so.

Ben winced and rolled his left shoulder.

"That maneuver tweaked something."

"Shall I go get a healer?" Frederick asked as he started to remove his ruined breastplate.

Ben shook his head, "I can wait. Let them tend to the more seriously injured."

Ben then noticed, that once again, he had an audience. This time, the mysterious swordsman from Regna Ferox, Lon'qu. The dark haired man was leaning up against the barracks wall. Eyes furrowed at Ben. Not in a malicious way. But more of a contemplative way.

"Studying me?" Ben called over to the swordsman.

"Maybe." The normally silent Shepherd replied, "That was an impressive move. Despite your injury, you moved with the speed of a serpent and the ferocity of a tiger." Lon'qu inclined his head at Ben, "You have earned my respect."

Ben smiled, "At the rate I'm going, you might lose it just as quickly."

Lon'qu uttered his version of a laugh. A quiet snort.

"Are the others awake?" Frederick asked the newest Shepherd.

"Some." Lon'qu replied, "The Prince and the tactician are already up and moving. They said something about a war council."

The door to the barracks burst open. Vaike came strutting out. Ben closed his eyes. The man was not wearing pants. Or a shirt.

"Then there is him." Lon'qu grumbled.

Vaike stretched his arms high over his head. He looked over at the trio and gave them a big, buffoonish grin, "Lovely morning eh?"

Frederick cringed. Lon'qu grumbled under his breath. And Ben laughed to himself. How was it that he always wound up with the crazy group?

"Vaike." Ben said, "You just keep enjoying yourself." Ben nodded at the door, "I'm just going to go make some tea. And hopefully not have to stare at another moon today." He finished under his breath. Doing his best to erase the image of Vaike's bare ass from his mind.

"I'll join you." Lon'qu said.

"I've got horses to tend to." Frederick said quickly.

"Hey guys!" Vaike said, "Did Teach say something wrong?"

….

Robin furrowed his brow as he stared at a massive map that covered the table. It was a map of the continent. Each major city and landmark was marked with a wooden piece. Cities with green pieces. Landmarks with red. Robin noticed the mountain range between the hills on the border, and the desert wastes that dominated most of Plegia's landscape.

The plan was for them to cross those mountains? Robin shook his head. The goal was a swift counter strike, not to get bogged down and allow the Plegians to strike first. So why were they passing through the mountains? They would take the Shepherds weeks to traverse them by themselves. An entire army? There was a possibility that moving men through the narrow passes could take a month, month and a half, at best. The tactician shook his head. He did not like it one bit.

Then there was the lack of support. Ylisse's regular army was still marshaling in Ylisstol. They had received Knight Commander Edward's reply only an hour ago. And he reported that his own men would not be ready for war for at least another month. He still had to arm and train several companies of men. Then there was the matter of moving what ready forces he had to the border.

In Robin's mind, this strategy was ill conceived. Poorly planned, and poorly supplied. The supply routes into Plegia would be thin and long. Having to cross mountains in order to bring food and water to the army. It was a recipe for disaster. Rodrick may be a skilled warrior. But a strategist he was not.

"It's settled then." He barely heard Duke Rodrick say, "I'll begin marshaling the men."

 _Of course you are._ Robin thought to himself.

He had made his concerns known about the strategy. But Duke Rodrik and his military advisers had dismissed them. Concerns of an inexperienced child. That's what they said. His men had already fought and won one war with Plegia. And they could do so again. They would scale those mountains and cut deep into the heart of the desert nation. King Gangrel would never see it coming.

 _Except for the fact that this the exact strategy the previous Exalt used in the last war._ Robin huffed to himself.

Gangrel may be mad. But he was not an idiot. An idiot would not have been able to set up an ambush as effective as the one they had all stumbled into. And even though his advisers were disturbing to look upon, they were cunning. Robin had a feeling that the woman, Aversa, was behind the Plegian strategy at the Parlay. If that was the case, then they were dealing with a very skilled tactician on the other side of the war.

And any tactician worth their salt would study both previous military victories and defeats. They would learn how their enemy moved. What their strategies were. How did they supply their men. Main routes through both nations. Possible points to sever potential supply lines. If Aversa was the Plegian tactician, then they were in trouble.

Robin tapped his fingers on the table and shook his head. Duke Rodrick was not going to listen to him. He had assumed command of the war for now. Until Commander Phila was healthy and until Commander Edward could arrive, he was the most senior military official. And in this case, his word trumped all others save the Exalt's. And Emmeryn was no military woman.

The commanders and officers began to filter out of the room. Emmeryn remained behind. Talking in whispers with Phila, who was confined to a chair due to her injuries. Robin glanced at Chrom as the prince slid up beside him.

"Don't let Rodrick get to you." Chrom said, "He's a hard man, that's all. He meant nothing personal by it."

Robin shook his head, "What he said to me does not worry me." He leaned up against the table and jabbed a finger onto the narrow point where Ylissean soliders could easily cross into Plegia, "It's obvious from recent events that Plegia has been gearing up for war for some time. This is not just a random occurrence. They planned for war. They will have fortified that region. Especially since they know that is where we will be going."

Chrom raised an eyebrow, "How could they know that?"

"If I was their tactician that is what I would assume." He rubbed his chin and hummed to himself, "The only other option is to sweep north from the Longfort. But we don't have enough time what with our goal being a swift attack to knock Plegia off balance immediately. That and the desert is desolate in northern Plegia. Moving troops through there would be nearly impossible. They know this, it's their land after all." He shook his head, "I really don't like this strategy Chrom."

Chrom furrowed his brow, "What would you do?"

"Honestly?" Robin pressed his lips into a thin line, "Gain control of the choke point." He tapped the border between Ylisse and Plegia. A few dozen miles from Themis, "Block the mountain passes and go no further. Dare them to cross. Let them exhaust their men in the mountains and hills while our own men marshal near Ylisstol. Let them stretch their supply lines through the desert while we easily feed our own men from Themis."

"A defensive strategy?"

"Just until we are prepared for a full scale assault." Robin frowned, "Two thousand men will not make it through those mountain passes. It's just no feasible."

Chrom nodded, "I have to agree with you. Now that you've explained it like that, this does seem very dangerous."

"Extremely. We are hoping that Plegia is just sitting on their hands and not acting already." Robin took a breath, "But everything about Gangrel tells me that is the last thing he would do. He wanted this war. He's going to initiate it. And every battle will be on his terms."

"Only if we let it."

"Or walk right into it." Robin finished before pulling himself away from the map.

Chrom clapped a hand on his shoulder, "Of course, we could both be wrong. Right? C'mon, let's go get something to eat. I'm sure that'll help both of our moods."

Robin nodded and followed Chrom out of the council room. The duo walked in silence until they stepped out into the courtyard.

Robin sucked in a breath. There was chaos. Everywhere! Soliders were rushing between the armory and the stables. Horsemen were jumping up onto their mounts in frantic waves before spurring their steeds towards the main gate. Men were barking orders at other men. There was panic surging through the castle and seeping out into the city. Robin looked at Chrom.

"What is-"

"Captain Chrom!"

Both Chrom and Robin turned to see Sully riding hard up to them.

"Sully?" Chrom said.

"The Plegians. They are here." Sully said breathlessly.

Robin's eyes bulged from his skull. How!? They could not possibly have moved that fast! Not unless-

He closed his eyes and uttered a curse. Their armies were waiting across the bordering.

"Duke Rodrick plans to meet them in open combat." Sully said.

"What!?" Robin cried.

"Two thousand men against the entire Plegian army?" Chrom said, "Is the man a fool?"

"He's convinced his calvary will ride down, and I quote, 'those damn desert rats like the scum they are'."

Chrom's face darkened, "Gather the Shepherd's, Sully." He turned to Robin, "We need to find the Duke."

Sully nodded and spurred her horse towards the Shepherd's barracks. Robin sprinted after Chrom as the Prince weaved his way through the chaos.

Robin was nearly knocked over several times by horsemen rushing towards the city gates. Chrom had been barreled over once by one. The horseman had stopped to apologize, but had to hurry on his way. The Duke was swiftly ordering his men to marshal out in front of the city. Robin could not help but think the man was insane. Two thousand horseman charging in the open against the entire Plegian force? They would be crushed.

The two finally found Duke Rodrick. He was standing on top of a fruit cart, yelling orders at his officers and men. The Duke was strapped haphazardly into his armor. But he did not allow his disheveled appearance get in the way of his ability to command. If anything, it made him appear even stronger. He appeared unafraid of the battle to come. His face filled with grim resolve. Posture tall and straight.

"Duke Rodrick!" Chrom called out.

The Duke waved at the Prince. Beckoning both him and Robin to him. As he did this, he hopped back onto his horse and met them halfway to the fruit crate he had been standing on.

"Prince Chrom." He started.

"Duke Rodrick, the Shepherds are ready to stand by your side."

The Duke shook his head, "I cannot allow that your grace. I need you and your Shepherds to escort as many of my people out of the city as you can."

Robin heard the desperation in the Duke's voice. And the tactician in Robin could predict exactly what the Duke was going to do.

"You intend to buy us time by engaging them in the open." Robin concluded.

Duke Rodrick gave Robin a weary nod.

"But that's insane!" Chrom exclaimed, "If their archers don't kill you all from the hilltops then their wyvern riders will rip your men to shreds."

"Maybe." The Duke breathed, "But this is the only way I will be able to buy any time for my people to evacuate. I don't have enough men to man the walls if there was a siege. The Plegians would break through in hours. I will not subject my people to the horrors of a siege. Not to those desert rats." The horse grunted beneath. Anticipating the battle to come, "Make sure my daughter goes with you, Prince Chrom. I trust you to take care of her."

Before Chorm could reply, the Duke spurred his horse out of the city gate so he could rally his men.

As the Duke exited the city, Chrom noticed hoof beats come to stop near him. Sully, Stahl, and Frederick had all come to him and Robin.

"Captain Chrom!" Sully said.

"Are we to ride to battle as well?" Stahl asked as he balanced a lance in the crook of his arm.

Frederick just gripped his own lance tighter. He was filled with anticipation. Ready to go to battle in defense of those he cared about.

Chrom took a breath and looked at Robin. The tactician swallowed and nodded. He agreed with Duke Rodrick. The battle was already lost. All they could hope for was time to escape.

"No." Chrom breathed, "Stahl, I need you to relay a message to Exalt Emmeryn's personal guard. Tell them to start evacuating as many people from Themis as they can. They are to lead the column east towards Ylisstol."

"Sir!" Stahl barked before riding hard back towards the castle.

"Frederick, get Commander Phila, Lissa, and Emm out of the city. Guard them with your life."

"I always have and will." Frederick saluted before rushing back to the castle.

"Sully, let the Shepherd's know that were are to trail behind the refugees. We will fend off any Plegians that attempt to harass the column from behind. Understood?"

"Yes, Captain!"

"Go!" Chrom barked.

As Sully galloped away, Chrom turned to Robin.

"I don't like this anymore than you do." Robin said as he saw the look of fury on Chrom's face.

The Prince kicked a broke crate of oats that had fallen onto the road in the chaos. The wood splintered and oats scattered along the cobblestone road that led out of the main gate. He took a deep breath and clenched his jaw.

"Robin. I'm going to be relying on you to come up with a strategy to keep the Plegian's off of our back as much as possible." He marched towards the castle with Robin in tow, "I will not lose my Shepherds today!"

….

Duke Rodrick stood out in front of his army of two thousand horseman. His armor glittering in the morning sunlight. A grim expression on his face as he faced the hills near the Plegian border. He sat uneasily on his horse. The poor animal could feel the anxiety coming from it's kind around him. His own men looked just as nervous. But they were all defiant in the face of their invading enemy.

Stretching out in a long line of black was the Plegian army. Tens of thousands soldiers armed to the teeth with every manner of weapon made for war. They dominated the hilltops near Themis. Looking down on Rodrick and his small force of men. Rodrick looked back at the city. He could see groups of citizens starting to flee. All of them following the Exalt and her personal guard.

 _Good._ He shifted in his saddle and drew his sword, _All that is left is for us to create what little time we can._

He clenched his teeth and took a deep breath through his nose. Savoring the calm air before the coming battle. Then he turned his horse so he could face his men.

"Soldiers of Themis!" He shouted. His voice was hoarse as he tried to shout so every single soul under his command could hear him, "Soldiers of Ylisse! Hear me now!"

He rode along the line of horsemen. His horse trotting at a slow canter so that he could pass by every young man and woman under his commander. So he could look into the eyes of the brave soldiers who were about to lay down their lives so that his people, their people, would be saved. So they could look him in the eye and know that he did not give these order lightly. His heart sat heavy in his chest as he passed by one youthful face after another.

"We are what stands in the way of darkness! Of war coming to our homes and families! To pillage and burn and kill all that we hold dear! We are the last line to stem the coming tide! The will show you no quarter! They will give you no mercy! And neither will you!" He turned his horse around when he reached the end of his line. He reached up and lowered the shield of his helmet, "RIDE FOR ME NOW! RIDE FOR THEMIS! RIDE FOR THE EXALT AND THE HALIDOM!"

He dug his spurs into his horse. The animal reared up and uttered a loud cry before charging towards the Plegians. And to the Duke's immense pride, a great war cry erupted from his men behind him.

The horses snorted. The men and women roared. Their steel shook and rattled as the hoof beats thundered up the grassy hill at the Plegian army.

Duke Rodrick grit his teeth and braced himself as they got closer. The Plegians were forming a pike wall. A nasty maw of metal teeth ready to shred his men once they slammed into their shields.

But they would slam into them. And they would break them. For they were men of Ylisse. And they would not fall without a fight.

He raised his blade over his head and roared as loud as he could.

Plegian sorcerers emerged from behind the shield wall. Black tomes clutched in their arms. With a haunting chant that chilled Rodrick's bones, they pointed their open palms at the charging Ylisseans.

Black spells rocketed towards his men.

The thunder went silent.

 **And chapter! This was a beast of a chapter to write. I struggled a bit with how to go about writing it. I've written plenty of fight scenes, but I've written very few full scale battle scenes. It is something I am still learning how to do. My main goal in this was not to show the all out tactics of the battle as much as the chaos and desperation about it. I hope I did that well. I am open to suggestions on how to this better though. It's the only way I'm going to learn. We will be getting back to Fire Emblem's main story in the next chapter. After all, Validar and Maul's apprentice have something nefarious planned. Hopefully our Shepherds will be ready for it. Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	15. Enemies Within

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 15

Enemies Within

He licked his lips. The target was in sight. Oh how he could feel the anticipation building inside of him. Such a delicious goal. The man's eyes gleamed with delight as his fingers reached towards the pocket of the soldier. Just a little closer and-

He grinned and slipped away, a lollipop cradled in his arms. A small laugh escaped the thief's lips before he slumped against the wall and unwrapped the candy.

"Like taking it from a baby." He said with a wry smirk.

He bit into the candy, "Hm… cherry?" He smacked his pale lips together and frowned, "I think?"

"Not used to the array of flavors available to you, Gaius?"

The thief nearly jumped out of his shoes. But once he saw the blonde haired, blue eyed man approaching him, he relaxed.

"Geez Kage, you didn't have to scare me like that."

His companion laughed, "It's always fun sneaking up on the professional thief."

"Fun until you sneak up at the wrong time and I accidentally stab you." Gaius patted the short sword on his hip, "I'm not just good at sneaking around you know."

"I know. Otherwise why would you be here." Kage replied as he leaned up against the wall with his companion.

Gaius licked the lollipop, "You know something."

"Hm?"

"I don't mind this place too much."

"Really?"

"Really." Gaius nodded before motioning at the bustling market in front of him, "Ylisstol. The crown jewel of our nation's mortal enemy. Supposedly the epicenter of fell deeds and wickedness. A true hellhole in the words of our illustrious Grimleal and King. And yet, it is better in every way than our dust hill of a capital." Gaius licked his lollipop.

Kage pushed away from the wall and began to walk down the busy road towards the Ylisstol Palace district, "In what ways?" He asked as Gaius followed him.

Gaius raised his brow, "You're kidding me right?"

"Enlighten me." Kage smirked.

"Just open your damn eyes, kid." Gaius said.

Kage frowned at being called kid. But Gaius didn't care. He had been calling the guy 'kid' since he first met him back in Plegia. I mean, he just looked like a kid. Baby faced. Not a whisker of facial hair to speak of. Soft blue eyes that screamed sweet and innocent. A boyish smile that made the elders that they passed by smile back. If Kage had not told Gaius his actual age, then Gaius would have assumed he was a teenager.

Gaius rolled his eyes and wrapped his arm around Kage's shoulders, "Just look. There… over there see!"

"I see a bakery." Kage deadpanned.

"You see a bakery. I see cake." Gaius grinned, "A million different kinds too! What do we have back in Plegia? Rice cake? Bleh! It's only good once in a while. But chocolate cake?" Gaius uttered a wistful sigh as his eyes lingered on the bakery, "It warms the soul just thinking about it."

"Ok, so the sweets are better."

"The food too." Gaius noted.

Kage bobbed his head in agreement, "It is nice not having to scavenge like before."

"Yes! I don't think I've ever had a stew as good as that one in that village we passed through. Mmmm! It makes my mouth water just thinking about it."

"Maybe we will pass back through that town after we've completed our part in the mission."

Gaius's smile dropped a little bit.

The mission, that's right. He was here to assist a group of Plegian soldiers attempting to infiltrate the Exalt's palace. He didn't know why they were aiming to do that. The city itself already had so many guards and soldiers in it, he could only imagine how many soldiers were actually guarding the palace itself. It sounded like a suicide mission. But none of them acted like it was.

The confidence, or rather fear of failure, was instilled by the soldiers commander. A sorcerer from the Grimleal named Validar. Gaius felt himself shudder. The guy was bad news. Plain and simple. He did not trust mages or sorcerers. They could see things that most people could not. And he thrived on being an unseen thief. To be in the company of someone who could so easily spot him in the shadows rattled the red head. Then there was just how he carried himself.

 _Validar is a cocky bastard_. Gaius sucked on his lollipop, _And dangerous._

He had already witnessed the power of the Grimleal sorcerer. The small strike force of Plegians had nearly been discovered when they were entering Ylisstol three nights ago.

It had been near midnight. They were all riding in the back of a horse drawn cart. Hiding inside of some crates. Each man pretending he was some cargo meant to be sold to traders in the market the next morning. Gaius had the misfortune of being stuffed into a crate full of broccoli. Kage was the driver. The kid not really part of the mission, but still a valuable resource.

They had been stopped at the main gate. Contraband check due to the outbreak of war with Plegia. They'd have to crack open the crates in order to see what was inside of them. Gaius had been in the crate beside Validar when the soldiers began to encircle the cart.

Now, Gaius was no mage. He did not know what magic was supposed to feel like. But he could feel a cold power radiating from Validar's crate that made him tremble. Even now, as he walked with Kage to their hideout, he could feel cold fingers creeping up his spine at the memory. He had no doubt that Validar would have annihilated the Ylissean guards if he had to.

But thank Grima he did not have to. Somehow, Kage had managed to convince the guards that they did not need to check his cargo. He could pass through the city unimpeded. Gaius still did not know how the kid managed it. At first, Gaius suspected a well placed bribe. But then again, Kage did not have any money. He was just the peasant boy recruited to drive the carriage from Plegia to Ylisstol. A way to make it look like he was a commoner out to make his fortune in the capital. So in the end, Gaius came to the logical conclusion that Kage was just that much of a charmer. That persuasive of a talker. And someone like that was damn useful to a professional thief.

So he stayed close to the kid. And he actually grew to like him. Kage was damn smart. And hyper aware of his surroundings. There had been another instance that they had almost been found out. A Ylissean patrol had come knocking on their safe house. Kage was able to alert Validar and get the men into hiding before the soldiers could even knock on the door.

Then there was how he had such light footfalls. The nimble fingers and obvious agility that could not be taught. Gaius smirked to himself as the city transitioned from bustling market to affluent causeways and massive, white stone houses.

 _He'd make a damn good thief._

"What do you think this whole mission is about?" Gaius asked Kage.

"Why are you asking me?" Kage replied, both keeping their voices very hushed as to avoid any open ears around them.

Gaius shrugged, "Your the outside perspective."

Kage pressed his lips into a thin line, "Well… I'm not sure. There are a lot of skilled thiefs among us."

"Think we're just robbing the palace?" Gaius asked, "Cause that's what I signed up for."

Kage furrowed his brow, "If that were the case, why the swords?"

Gaius frowned, "Well, some theives are smart enough to realize they may get caught."

"That only requires a dagger or dirk." Kage argued, "Or even a short sword like you have. But these guys are carrying some really heavy equipment. I thought I saw a couple bows here and there."

Gaius frowned, "You think we are doing something other than petty thievery then?"

Kage snorted, "I don't think breaking into the Exalt's Palace and snatching whatever valuables we can get our hands on would be considered mere petty thievery."

"Semantics." Gaius replied with a wave of his hand as the duo turned down a quiet street just a few roads away from the palace. The red head looked up.

The Exalt's palace really was a marvel. A wonder of the world. It jutted so high up into the sky that Gaius was convinced he would never actually see the very top of it. And it glittered in the waning sunlight like a brilliant gem. Indeed, it was the crown jewel of the Ylisse Halidom. A testament to their ingenuity and creativity.

 _But hey, we've got a big ol' skeleton in our city._ Gaius though as he jabbed the lollipop into his mouth and let it sit there. The cherry flavor slipping across his tongue as he walked, _Yeah… that's not as impressive._

The reached the last house on the road. A three story structure of white stone and cedar wood. Some poor elderly nobleman had owned it before Validar and his company had showed up. He was now lying in a pool of dried blood in the cellar. Killed by the Grimleal warlock himself. Though Gaius did not see it actually happen. And he preferred to keep it that way.

Kage gave the front door a knock. Then waited and knocked two more times. The door creaked open and a dark eye glared out at Gaius and Kage.

"The commander is pissed." The Plegian soldier said as he opened the door for them.

"Oh come on!" Gaius rolled his eyes, "He seriously can't expect any thief worth their salt to just sit indoors. Not when there is so much potential around us."

"You can and you will." A sharp voice hissed.

Gaius froze. And Kage tensed beside him.

Staring at them from the hallway was Validar. The man was as thin as a reed. His face long and dark. Eyes hooded by a heavy brown that only made them appear even more sinister than Gaius would have liked. He wore ornate robes lined with gold trim. And clutched in his long fingers was a black tome. A Grimleal grimoire that contained powers unimaginable.

"Lord Validar." Kage bowed at the waist.

"Uh… hi." Gaius waved before quickly spitting out what was left of his lollipop.

Validars eyes shone as he looked at the lollipop lying on the floor. His lips curled into a wicked snarl.

"Is that why you jeopardized the mission, thief?" Validar growled, "For sweets?"

"Uh…"

"Lord Validar. He did not jeopardize anything." Kage said, "Gaius was simply assisting me with scouting the area. Making sure that our road was clear for tonight. We had to look inconspicuous, so we managed to purchase some sweets." Kage pulled out a small bar of chocolate, "We even got one for you."

Gaius's eyes bugged out of his skull. Since when did Kage- he gave the kid a smirk.

 _Sticky fingers too eh? Not bad kid. Not bad at all._

Validar glowered at Kage. Gaius gulped. He was expecting swift punishment. Perhaps a spell that would wrack both of their bodies with pain. No one defied Validar. Least of all a peasant boy like Kage. Gaius braced himself as Validar glowered down at them.

 _Why does he have to be so tall?_ Gaius thought, _It only makes me feel worse in these situations._

To Gaius's shock, Validar's shadow moved away. The sorcerer turned on his heel and stormed back down the hall. He did not so much as raise a hand against him and Kage.

Relief rushed through the red headed thief. He uttered a small chuckle before looking over at Kage, who was also chuckling.

"How-" Gaius took a breath, "How the hell do you do that?"

"Do what?" Kage asked as they moved up the a flight of stairs to the bedrooms. Both needed to catch a few winks before the start of tonight's mission.

"Charm your way out of tight scrapes." Gaius replied.

Kage smirked, "A thief doesn't reveal his secrets."

Gaius raised an eyebrow, "I think the expression is meant for a magician."

"Would you ever tell me your tricks of the trade?"

Gaius nodded his head, "Fair point." Then with cat like quickness, he snatched the chocolate bar from Kage's hand, unwrapped it, and popped it into his mouth.

His eyes widened. Pupils dilated. The flavor was so... so... damn bitter! Gaius gagged and spat out the chocolate.

"What the hell!?" He looked at the wrapper, "Dark chocolate?"

He glared at Kage as the man moved down the hall.

"You uncultured swine!"

"It's called knowing your opponent." Kage chuckled before entering his room and closing the door.

Gaius scowled then tossed the nasty chocolate on the floor. Before he entered his room, he chuckled.

"Played me like a fiddle." He laughed, "Kid's got a brain on him. He knew I'd take his chocolate bar. Heh… nice. Very nice."

….

The retreat from Themis was one of the longest of Ben's life. He had lost battles before. The Clone War had given him his fair share of defeats. His fair share of tragedies and near misses. Force, even some of the victories he managed to earn left his feeling exhausted and defeated. The sheer loss of life in those battles almost unimaginable. Especially so someone who was sensitive to the Force. Sensitive to every life that existed and was violently ended on those days.

But there was something about the retreat from Themis that felt like even more of a dagger in the gut to Ben. Something about the long arduous march to Ylisstol. The constant fear of danger. The anxiety that the Plegian army could be right on their heels. Ready to swallow the fleeing refugees whole. And all that stood in the common people's way was Chrom's Shepherds.

Maybe it was the weather. It had been miserable the whole march. The rain and mud had only served to dampen their already dreadful spirits. Or perhaps it was just the cloud of desperation that hung over them all. No matter what the reason was, Ben felt like the rest of the Shepherds. Exhausted and somewhat defeated.

The barracks was quiet today. Sully and Stahl sat at the small bar, drinking away their discomfort. Frederick stayed out by the horses for the day. Burying himself in work in order to forget the failure at Themis. Chrom and Robin had begun the day discussing tactics with Commander Phila and Commander Edward. But now they were both back at the barracks. Robin was sitting beside the fireplace, nearly dozing off as he held his magical tome in his lap. Chrom sat across from. A hot cup of tea, courtesy of Virion, in his grip. Sumia sat close to the prince. Doing her best to comfort the upset captain of the Shepherds.

Ben knew the emotions Chrom was going through. He had not experienced them often during the Clone War. But he had seen Anakin weather the tumultuous roller coaster of guilt and regret many times. He remembered how crestfallen his old padawan was after returning to his legion on Umbara. To find that his men had been betrayed by their temporary commander and forced to kill their own brothers. He had been inconsolable for days afterwards. Burying his anger and guilt by chasing down the separatist on the planet. He refused to give up command of the 501st afterwards. No matter the circumstance.

Ben frowned. He wanted to talk to Chrom about it. To give the young man advice. But how could he? If he did, the conversation would turn to Anakin and to the Clone War. A concept so unbelievable to this world that he would likely get thrown out for being insane. Ben pursed his lips and shook his head. He was too filled with worry to think about that right now.

Besides, what was he supposed to say? Hello everyone, my real name is Obi Wan Kenobi. I am a wanted fugitive from an evil Sith Empire that spans the entire known galaxy. I come from a planet light years away and somehow cheated death by being transported to this planet by the Force. Oh yeah, and everyone I have ever known or cared about is dead. Nice to meet you all.

Yes that would go over well… and Banthas can fly.

He rose from his small chair near the window and marched towards the door, snatching his rapier as he walked out. He had grown lax in his training. His skills had taken a steep dive. They needed refinement once again. He stepped out into the cool autumn air and made his way into the training yard. As he set himself in front of a practice dummy, he failed to notice Robin had followed him outside.

Ben set himself into a traditional Shii-Cho stance. A relaxed pose, blade held out in front of the body. It was a simple form of combat. The first ever developed by the Jedi. Back in a time when lightsabers were still considered a novelty. He took a breath and chopped at the dummy, his blade stopping just centimeters from the neck. Ben grimaced.

His rapier was quivering a little. The form felt awkward. He shook his head and muttered a curse.

"Sloppy." He said.

"Training?"

Ben turned and finally saw Robin watching from the barracks. He nodded.

"Mind if I join you?" Robin asked as he grabbed a sword and moved to the dummy beside Ben.

"Not at all." Ben replied.

Ben reset himself and began to perform the most simple of the Form I katas. It required little footwork. The set of movements mainly emphasized blade placement and control. Having a steady hand and requiring intentional strikes. A good way to practice the basic fundamentals of blade to blade combat.

Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Robin hacking away at the dummy. Ben frowned.

"No. No." Ben sighed, the Jedi Master inside of him shaking his head in disapproval at Robin's form. Or rather, the lack thereof.

"What?"

Ben pointed at Robin with his rapier, "You lack any form."

Robin raised an eyebrow, "And?"

Ben sighed, "As a tactician, I would think that you would appreciate the need for form and technique."

Robin's cheeks flushed in embarrassment, "Fair point." He scratched the back of his head, "Alright, teach me."

Ben drew back in surprise, "Pardon?"

"Teach me, Ben." Robin repeated, "You're the best swordsman in the Shepherds. I want to know how you do it."

Ben snorted, "Just because I may be the best does not mean I'd be a good teacher."

"You'd be better than Frederick." Robin pointed out.

Ben let out a laugh, "I think the man would surprise you. He's always giving tips and advice to Stahl and Sully. And why not ask Chrom?I'm sure he'd be happy to instruct you."

Robin cringed a little, "I've seen Chrom train. He's… too intense for me."

"Not good for a beginner?"

Robin shook his head.

"And you think I am good at teaching a beginner?"

"Well you already assessed me before we left for Ylisstol." Robin pointed out, "So you have a better perspective than most."

Ben sighed. It had been a while since he gave basic instruction to anyone. The last time might of been Anakin when he was just a Padawan.

A wave of emotion washed over Ben. He could remember the boy's first lesson with a lightsaber. Anakin wanted to dive right into the most complex of lightsaber techniques. Ben wanted him to start slow. Learn Shii-Cho and work his way up from there, as the other young padawans had done. It had resulted in a small argument between the two. An inexperienced knight arguing over proper blade instruction with a nine year old padawan learner. Ben nearly laughed to himself. That must have been quite the scene. In the end, he got his way and Anakin began to learn Shii-Cho. By the end of the week, he was practicing the more advanced katas. Proving to everyone in the temple that he was a prodigy with a lightsaber.

Ben had considered teaching some of the younglings once Anakin was knighted. Just as Master Yoda liked to do. But those plans changed with the outbreak of the Clone War. He became a front line general in the conflict. There was no time for padawans or basic instruction in a wartime environment.

Ben glanced at Robin. Maybe instructing someone would be what he needed. After all, his own blade work improved as he taught Anakin. It had allowed him to study techniques and forms of combat that ended up benefiting him greatly in the war that had erupted later on in their Master, Padawan relationship.

"Very well." Ben nodded to Robin's delight, "But before we begin, I need to ask you. Are you sure about this?"

"Certain." Robin replied.

Ben smiled, "Alright." he pointed at Robin, "Stand at the ready."

Robin raised an eyebrow. He gripped his sword with both hands and attempted to imitate Ben's stance. Ben clicked his tongue.

"Feet wider." Ben instructed, "You want a strong, wide base for this form."

Robin nodded and followed.

"Good." Ben replied. His voice filled with a bit of surprise. He was not used to a student not back talking him, "Now, this form is called Shii-cho. It is a beginners form. A foundation that is meant to built and expanded upon later." Ben made several motions with his blade, "It emphasizes…" He paused to think about. Technically it emphasized basic blaster deflection. But he could not really say that on a world without blasters could he?, "Defense. Using your opponent's attacks against them. It utilizes very basic parries, simple slashes, and chops."

Robin nodded in understanding, "A basic form. Good to know."

Ben nodded, "Now the only way you will effectively learn is to do it yourself. Not just to watch me." Ben readied himself in the same pose as Robin, "Follow my lead. And don't worry, I won't cut you."

Robin smirked and raised his own blade.

Ben lunged forward before attacking Robin with a light, overhand slash. Robin brought his blade up to block the attack. It felt awkward for the tactician. A little rushed and off balance. There was no force behind his parry. He felt flimsy. Unable to match the strength of Ben's slash.

"You're aiming to catch the attack with blade." Ben observed, "A strong enough opponent will shatter that guard. Swing to meet it. Match their strength with yours, then maneuver to gain leverage."

Ben demonstrated by sliding his blade below Robin's guard and flicking the end of his own blade up near Robin's throat.

"Like so."

Robin swallowed hard, "I have a feeling I'm going to be getting cut regardless of how much you actually try."

Ben chuckled, "If that is how you learn, then that is how you learn." He pulled his blade back, "Reset yourself."

Robin nodded and took a breath. Ben approached him the same way again. This time, Robin swung his blade to meet and push back Ben's attack. He grinned in triumph as Ben's blade bounced off of his own instead of locking.

"Good." Ben praised, "Very good."

Robin smiled. But he could not help but pause in his glee. How effective would a fighting form like this be in open combat? On the battlefield, could he afford to be so rigid? Robin furrowed his brow.

"What are you thinking?" Ben asked.

"I'm thinking about the battlefield applications of such a style."

"A good thing to ponder." Ben replied, "There is a reason I'm teaching you this style beyond it being very basic." Ben lowered his blade, "It is well suited for combat against multiple enemies. The simplistic movements allow you to focus on your enemy rather than where your own weapon is at. A must if you are fighting more than one enemy."

Robin's eyes widened in understanding. Ben was not just training him how to wield a blade. He was training him how to survive in an open battle should things get too close for his magic to be used properly.

"So if this is the most basic form, what is your preferred fighting style?" Robin asked.

Ben smiled, "Soresu."

"And what is that like?"

Ben raised his brow in thought, "It's very defensive. Designed to exert as little energy as possible while providing an impenetrable wall of defense. Parrys are meant to only move the opponent's blade just inches off of their mark. Very good for long, prolonged affairs."

He could personally attest to that. The fighting form had served him well on Mustafar. He shuddered at the memory of that battle.

"And the offensive applications?"

"Quick counter strikes then reverting to defensive posture." Ben answered.

Robin nodded, "Can you demonstrate that to me?"

Ben shook his head, "No. Not until you are better with the blade."

Ben glanced over at the stables. He was expecting to see just Frederick over there. Instead, he saw Lon'qu leaning up against a post. The man's dark eyes furrowed as he watched his fellow Shepherds work.

 _I've measure Frederick's skill. Time to measure his._

Ben waved at Lon'qu, "Want to join?"

The man said nothing. He simply drew his katana and strode across the yard.

"You wish to take measure of me?" Lon'qu asked.

Ben nodded.

"I wish to do the same." Lon'qu bent at the knees and held his blade to his side. The tip pointing directly at Ben.

Ben smirked. He had been craving a good challenge for some time. A friendly challenge for that matter. He set himself in teh traditional Soresu pose and waited for Lon'qu to make the first move.

The champion from Regna Ferox narrowed his eyes and lunged. Ben was stunned by the quickness of the strike. A deadly thrust directed right at his abdomen. He just barely managed to bring his own blade down and parry the strike.

Lon'qu's blade twirled. The edge was now above Ben's head. Slicing down in a deadly arc. Ben grit his teeth and swung up to meet the katana.

His arms shuddered when the blades met. Lon'qu had hopped when he made the strike. Using the momentum of his body and gravity to add more power to his already devastating attack. It took all of Ben's strength not to fall to one knee from the force of the blow. He could see Lon'qu's eyes widen every so slightly. The swordsman was surprised by Ben's defense.

Ben shoved the katana to the side and lashed out at Lon'qu. His fellow Shepherd deflected the attack and started to backpedal as Ben took the advantage. The Jedi opting for Ataru's offense instead of Soresu's defense.

In the back of Ben's mind, he could not help but notice how energized he now was. The thrill of being the aggressor rushed through his body. He chuckled to himself. That was exactly how he felt when he was a young padawan. When he first started training in Ataru under Qui Gon. It was only after his first harrowing duel with Maul that he began to seriously study Soresu and apply it to his combative style.

Lon'qu twirled around one of Ben's slashes. Ben's eyes widened as Lon'qu hacked at his exposed right side. In the blink of an eye, Ben was back on the defensive. Backpedaling back towards Robin and the practice dummies. Both fighters unaware that the other Shepherds had emerged from the barracks and were watching in silent awe as two master of the craft fought.

Ben grimaced as he felt his body get pushed up against one of the walls nearby. Lon'qu was aggressive. Very aggressive. But not aggressive to the point where he neglected defense. That part of his technique was just as solid as his offense. A very Djem So style of combat. An aggresive defense. In other words, the best defense is a relentless offense.

Ben smirked as he found one hole in Lon'qu's movements. He caught the other man's next attack and locked his blade. Then he slide the rapier down so that the gaurds ground together. Then Ben brought his elbow up into Lon'qu's chin. The man reel and Ben began his assault.

He flipped over Lon'qu. Landing nimbly behind him before spinning. His rapier slicing through the air at the other swordsman's neck. He stopped himself a hairsbreadth from the skin. Lon'qu froze as he felt the steel kiss his neck.

"Yield." Ben breathed.

Lon'qu closed his eyes and lowered his blade, "Well fought."

"Naga that was incredible!" Ben heard Sully exclaim.

"I feel bad for any Plegians we meet on the battlefield." Stahl said near the barracks door, a large grin on his face.

"Excellent display of pure skill. Truly marvelous." Virion toasted his cup of tea.

"Now let Teach have a go!" Vaike patted his side. A sheepish smile crossed his face, "As soon as I find my ax."

Ben chuckled, "We put on a good show."

Lon'qu nodded, "Indeed." He stared at Ben, "You fought a lot like him."

Ben raised an eyebrow, "Like who?"

Lon'qu frowned, "Marth."

"He did?" Robin said, "I think their polar opposites. Sure Ben has a good offense, but it was nothing like Marth's."

Lon'qu shook his head then looked over at Chrom. The prince had been watching in silence beside Lissa and Sumia. And while the two girls had wide grins on their face, Chrom had his arms folded and brow furrowed. The same look Lon'qu had whenever he was watching Ben practice.

 _Swordsmen studying swordsmen._ Ben thought to himself, _All in the pursuit of becoming better than the other._

"The way Marth fought Prince Chrom was different than how he fought me."

Chrom raised his eyebrows in surprise, "How so?"

Lon'qu looked at Ben, "Did you and Marth have the same master?"

Ben swallowed, "No. That's not possible. I-" Both Chrom and Robin saw Ben struggle with his words for a moment. The man sighed, "My master died in my arms. I was his last pupil." He took a heavy breath, "Maul was the one who killed him."

A heavy silence hung over the training yard.

"You mean to say you've encountered Maul before?" Robin said, "And that he is not some decrepit monster."

"He is the furthest thing from that." Ben warned, "And we would be fools to fall for such a charade."

Robin rubbed his chin. Deep in thought, "That could throw a wrench in things. An adviser to King Gangrel who is both skilled in combat and cunning." He looked at Chrom, "That's a dangerous opponent."

"Which only means we will all have to be on our guard and train harder than ever." Chrom said firmly.

Ben looked at them both in surprise, "You are not offended that I did not tell you earlier?"

"Why would we be offended?" Robin asked.

"You're one of us Ben." Chrom said, "And Maul has obviously done something to you that is difficult to talk about. I don't fault you for hesitating. It's a painful memory, no doubt." He gripped Ben's shoulder, "All I ask is that if there is anything important to our mission that you tell me and Robin about it as soon as possible. Trust us. We are your friends."

"More than friends at this point." Lissa giggled, "I've seen how my sis looks at you."

Ben's cheeks flushed, "Um… I um…"

The little blonde girl laughed out loud, "Such a humble guy. You are so Emm's type." She hopped up and down, "Oh my gosh, you could be family at some point!"

Ben felt his stomach flip a little. Family? But he was a Jedi Master. There was no room in the Jedi code for such a thing. No attachments. That was the rule. And while the Jedi Order may be nearly extinct, it was not dead. Not while he drew breath.

But was such a prospect all that bad? There were plenty of young Jedi that left the order during its millennia of existence. Started families and settled down. Some did not even leave the order before starting a family. The most famous example being Grandmaster Bastilla Shan and her child. But that happened thousands of years ago.

Ben shook his head. No, attachments led to the dark side. That is why the Jedi forbade them. He would not allow himself to be tempted by such a path. Not when his destiny was to guard and train the only hope the galaxy had left. Once he found Luke of course.

"Geez, Lissa." Sully chuckled, "Teach me your ways. You've got him redder than a tomato."

"Ha!" Virion laughed, "Our good friend is much to modest." He sipped his tea, "That will go away as he stays with us longer."

"There is no such thing as dignity among us Shepherds." Stahl chuckled.

"Some of us possess a modicum of dignity." Miriel pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose.

"Says the woman who once swooned at the sight a rare plant." Stahl pointed out.

Miriel flushed, "Well um… that was a rare exception."

Chrom laughed, "Alright all of you, enough entertainment at Ben's expense. It's past midday already. Robin, you and I should go meet with Phila and Edward again. They need to know about Ben's intelligence regarding Maul."

"I'll have a small report delivered to you within the hour." Ben said.

 _But it will have some important omissions._

Chrom acknowledged Ben with a nod.

"Alright, off with you all." Chrom ordered, "And Ben, after you compile your report, if you want to instruct some of the others, you are free to do so."

Ben smirked, "I will do my best to teach them. Hopefully they won't pick up on my own bad habits."

Chrom laughed, "I doubt there are any to being with."

The Shepherds parted. Chrom and Robin walked with Lissa and Frederick into the palace. All four ready to call an emergency war council with Emmeryn, Phila, and Edward. Vaike found his axe and began to challenge Ben to multiple duels. All in an attempt to both learn from Ben, and teach him the ways of the ax. Much to the entertainment of Sully and Stahl. Miriel retreated back into the barracks with Kellam. The large man agreeing to help her move large pots of plants she had gathered to the nearby greenhouse. A recovered Ricken began practicing his spell work on a dummy target. And Maribelle went back indoors. Her heart still heavy from the events in Themis. Ben watched as the young woman left in silence.

He sighed. Someone was going to have to make her talk about what had happened. She had been so quiet about it all. But one could not stay silent like this after the destruction of your home and death of a loved one.

Ben recoiled at that thought.

If he had said that out loud, he knew he would have sounded like a damn hypocrite.

….

Chrom sighed as he walked with Robin out of the council room. Emmeryn had left several minutes before them. Weary and worn down by the long sessions of military strategy and planning. His poor older sister needed a break. But she refused to take one until both he and Phila had forced her out of the room. Chrom could empathize with his sister's exhaustion. The day had been a long one. They had all gone into the council chambers when the sun was high overhead. Now the sun was almost set beneath the horizon. The stars were beginning to twinkle in the twilight sky. A waxing moon dominated the indigo sky above them.

What was supposed to be just a short war council had turned into an hours long meeting. Especially after multiple reports hit them mid conversation.

First was Ben's report on Maul. Chrom shuddered. Their opponent was a psychotic monster.

Cunning was a poor description of the monstrous Plegian adviser. Ruthless was the more accurate term. The man had managed to take control of an entire county in Valm with nothing more than his raw skill, power, influence. He had slaughtered their ruler. Claimed their throne for himself before suddenly disappearing for years. And that was just his political exploits.

Chrom had seen Robin's face pale at the report on Maul's abilities in combat. Apparently the soldier's stories about Ben's abilities were not over exaggerated. He had heard the tales about how Ben had managed to use magic to jump dozens of feet into the air. How he used an unknown lost magic to forcibly push an enemy away from him without so much as touching the man. He had assumed such tales as just that, tales. Exaggerations by the soldiers of the army so that they could have a mythical figure to rally around.

It had been Emmeryn's confirmation of it all that had convinced both Robin and Chrom that Ben was indeed some sort of mage. A very atypical one. And he still preferred his blade in combat. But to hear that there was another with Ben's skill set out there unnerved Chrom. Add in that Ben's equal was among the Plegians, and it made Chrom shudder.

On top of the magic, Maul also possessed nearly unparalleled skill with a blade. Although, Ben did mention in his report that he was not sure how much that had eroded with his obvious physical ailments. But the last time they had encountered each other, Ben had been soundly defeated and barely escaped with his life.

Chrom recalled the duel he had watched in the yard between Chrom and Lon'qu. Someone who could easily defeat Ben scared him. Chrom had no doubt that Ben could defeat him. He had displayed too much pure skill. And the speed at which he fought was nearly impossible for Chrom to follow. Lon'qu's observation was correct. In hindsight, Ben did fight similar to Marth. Just not as hyper aggressive as the masked warrior. That duel in Arena Ferox had been the most difficult fight of Chrom's life. To think that someone else existed that could treat both Ben and Marth like playthings-

Chrom shook his head. Maul would be defeated. He and Robin would make certain of that.

The other reports that followed Ben's eventually took precedence in the meeting. The Plegian army was moving fast. They had cut a bloody swath through western Ylisse. Razing towns and farms as they marched. The one spy they had managed to implant in the Plegian ranks had reported that even mighty Themis had been put to the sword and burnt to the ground. The grand jewel of western Ylisstol was a pile of ash.

Chrom clenched his jaw. Those people, they were innocent! How could the Plegians commit such an atrocity.

"Chrom." Robin said, drawing the Prince away from his enraged thoughts.

"When I meet the Plegians on the battlefield, I will show them no mercy." Chrom growled.

Robin sighed but said nothing.

The tactician was just as disturbed as Chrom. But he was more worried about the tactical side of this war than the personal one right now. Ylisse was in disarray. The army had yet to be fully marshaled. A huge reason why was that Knight Commander Edward had to send out small companies of soldiers in order to somehow slow the Plegian advance so that they could have more time to ready Ylisstol and her army.

Robin frowned. They were in a near impossible situation. The Plegian army was so well prepared. So ready for war. They had all the supplies they needed to feed their army. Their men moved with a ferocity and vigor that would make any commander jealous. Every single Plegian soldier believed in their cause for conquest. A motivated enemy like that was a difficult one to defeat.

He had started to study the last war between Ylisse and Plegia in great detail last night. To say Plegia had a legitimate grievance against Ylisse would have been an understatement. The opening days of the war had been a slaughter in favor of Ylisse. The previous Exalt, Chrom's father, had cut such a massive path of destruction that Robin was impressed with Plegia's resilience. To be able to regather their forces and retaliate spoke to the people's ability in warfare. Perhaps they did match Regna Ferox in that regard.

Robin sighed. In order to defeat an enemy, one had to know their enemy. And the more he learned about Plegia, the more he empathized with their people. That did not mean he empathized with their leaders. Far from it, he thought they were monsters for seeking another war after the destruction the last one had wrought. But he could understand why the common Plegian was so loyal to King Gangrel. The madman had effectively sown a great fear into his people. Convinced them that Ylisse was a great and terrible enemy. That eventually the Ylisseans would invade once again. And the only way to prevent that was to attack Ylisse first.

Fear made a group of people behave irrationally.

"Chrom," Robin began, "I hope that you just mean Gangrel and not everyone."

Chrom stopped in his tracks, "What?"

Robin gulped, "It's just… not all Plegians are evil like Gangrel, Maul, and Aversa. We cannot allow our own fears blind us. Otherwise, we are no better than they are. And all we will do is create more unnecessary death and destruction."

Chrom scowled, "Point noted."

Robin cringed. Chrom did not like that piece of advice. But Robin did not regret giving it. Before being the Shepherd's tactician, he was Chrom's friend. And he would not lie to his friend.

Robin uttered a long sigh before looking up at the stars, "It's a beautiful night."

Chrom was grateful for the change in conversation. He did not like to stay angry at his friend, "It is. But…. unusually quiet."

Robin nodded as they stepped away from the palace and began to cross a grassy courtyard that led towards the Shepherd's barracks.

Just as they turned to head back to the barracks, they both froze.

Standing in the middle of the courtyard, facing an old oak tree, was Marth.

"How did he-"

Chrom ripped Falchion free from it's sheath and pointed it at Marth.

"He could not have." Chrom answered Robin, "You!" he barked at Marth, "How the hell did you get in here!? The palace is closed off right now."

Marth turned to face them. A grim expression was on the visible portion on his face.

"I'm not here to harm you." Marth gripped her own Falchion, "But there are others who do not share my intentions."

Chrom narrowed his eyes at Marth.

"Please," Marth pleaded, "You must listen to me. If you don't, the Exalt's life could end tonight."

Chrom face twisted into a snarl, "Explain how you got in here. Then I'll listen."

Marth put a hand to his hip, "The hole in the wall, along the eastern section."

Chrom's jaw fell open, "But… but I'm the only one who knows about that! I made that whole when I was training."

Robin gave Chrom a stupefied look, "You busted a hole in a stone wall while training?"

"It was an accident." Chrom defended.

Robin gulped, "I'm glad I decided to train with Ben and not you."

"Now that you know, will you listen? Please, there is not much time." Marth interrupted.

Before Chrom could answer, Robin stepped forward.

"What is going on Marth?" Robin asked, "You said something about the Exalt's life being in danger?"

Marth nodded, "I… it may be crazy to believe but… but what if I told you I knew things about the future?"

Chrom blinked, "I'd call you mad."

"But I'm telling you the truth!" Marth cried, "Tonight, there is a plot to assassinate Exalt Emmeryn. And before you say anything else, I'm going to prove it to you."

He drew Falchion and held it out in front of him. Chrom gripped his own Falchion tighter. Still unnerved by the sight of his blade, or an amazing copy of it, in the hands of another warrior.

"I'm about to save your life. From him."

The bushes near the wall rustled. Chrom's eyes widened as a man in black, leather armor charged across the yard at him and Robin. A wicked dagger in hand. Murder written in his eyes.

Marth grit his teeth and flipped over the assassin. As she landed behind the assassin, she brought Falchion down. Cutting through the man's back. The assassin uttered a gurgling cry before falling to the ground. His blood stained the green grass an ugly scarlet.

"Believe me now?" Marth asked.

Chrom could feel his heart stop beating in his chest. The weapon in the assassin's hands was of Plegian design. He could feel his hands starting to shake with both fear and fury.

"Emm." He breathed, "Robin we need to get to her room, now!"

Robin nodded. Just as they were about to sprint away with Marth, the bushed rustled again behind them. A second assassin emerged and uttered a vengeful cry. Marth twirled. Steel flashed in front of his eyes. A gasp escaped his lips as he tripped backwards. The blade missed his head by millimeters. The very tip sliced through his mask like a knife through butter. As the mask fell to the ground, it revealed the youthful face of a surprised woman.

Chrom growled and charged at the would be assassin. Falchion sliced a hideous arc and cut into the assassin's ribs with a sickening crunch. The assassin cried out before falling dead beside his comrade.

Chrom yanked Falchion free and turned to look at 'Marth.'

Robin stared stunned at Marth. As did Chrom.

"You're a woman?" Chrom said.

Marth uttered a small laugh, "Took you all long enough. Honestly, I wondered how long I could keep that charade up."

Robin could feel his eyes twitching. How? How did he not notice? It seemed so obvious now. The unnatural sounding voice. The slight build and somehow dainty walk. It wasn't because he was an extremely skinny man. Marth was a woman. A stunning woman with pale skin, long blue hair, and striking blue eyes. He smacked his forehead.

"Good grief, I need to pay attention more." He groaned.

"But what the act?" Chrom asked.

Marth raised a gloved hand, "No time. The plot has begun."

In the distance, Chrom could hear the steel clashing. It was coming from the Palace's front gate. His eyes widened. The plegians were bold attacking head on like that.

"Robin! Alert the Shepherds."

"Right!" Robin said before sprinting towards the barracks.

Chrom looked at Marth, "You're coming with me."

Marth nodded and ran after Chrom. The duo burst into the palace and sprinted towards Emmeryn's room. The sounds of combat grew louder as they got closer. Chrom swallowed hard. The assassins were already this deep into the palace?

He could feel his heart sinking in his chest. A lump was forming in his throat.

 _Naga, please let me get there in time._

 **And Chapter! This is now officially the longest chapter of this story. That's why it took a little longer to put together. It would have been even longer, but I'm opting to cut this part of the story into at least two parts so it is not as rushed. We are going to be having a lot of things happen in a very short span of time. I want to make sure all the angles are covered and done well. That being said, this was very fun to write. I got stuck for a moment, but then the idea of Ben training Robin hit and I ran with it. Now we get back to the main action. I wonder how this will go now that Ben is in the mix? Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	16. Foreseer

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 16

Foreseer

Ben took a deep breath as he sat in the outside in the cool evening air. Writing that report for Chrom and the War Council had been distressing. It dredged up painful memories and reopened long closed scars. Mental and emotional wounds that were suddenly raw again. At first he suppressed it all by training with Vaike, Lon'qu, and Sully. But after a couple hours, he had to leave them. He needed to meditate alone. Try to repair the damage that had been done.

He could see it all again in his mind. His first encounter with Maul. While his Master had fought him once before on Tatooine, the first time Ben battled him was on Naboo. He could see the hangar in Theed so clearly. The sheen of the yellow star fighters around him. The hum of the power generators as he battled with Maul on the catwalks.

Ben swallowed hard. The utter agony of losing Qui-Gon. The sight of his master being run through by a vicious monster. And he was unable to do anything to stop it.

His fists curled up at his sides as he replayed that duel over and over in his mind. He scrutinized every mistake. Studied every move Maul had made. Contemplated what he could have done better.

Maybe if he had not been caught off guard by Maul's physical abilities, he would not have been separated from Qui-Gon. Maybe if he was faster, he could have caught up to them before the security gates closed and cut him off from the duel.

" _Obi Wan…"_

Ben took a deep breath. He exhaled, letting his lungs slowly deflate as he tried to calm his racing heart and active mind.

 _It has been a while, Qui-Gon._ Ben thought.

" _Not really. Have you already forgotten the dream you had?"_

Ben furrowed his brow. _I have not._

" _You are acting like you have."_

Ben cringed.

 _Let me guess. The advice you are going to give me is to stop closing myself off to the Shepherds and to live in the moment._ Ben frowned, _Do I need to remind you what is at stake, Qui-Gon? What could happen if I tell them the truth and they do not believe me?_

 __" _Do I need to remind you of the consequences for not following the will of the force?"_

"Consequences!?" Ben growled out loud, "Consequences! Oh please, do share. But I think I am much more aware of the consequences than you think I am."

Qui-Gon did not reply immediately. He let Ben stew for a moment.

" _This is not healthy, Obi Wan."_

Ben sighed, _I am well aware of that._

" _You cannot keep internalizing all of this."_

Ben pursed his lips, "There is no emotion, there is peace."

He heard Qui-Gon huff.

"What about that is wrong?" Ben asked, not noticing he was speaking out loud again, "The Jedi lived by the code for over a thousand years. And for one thousand years, there was peace."

" _But as soon as war came, the code collapsed in on itself."_

 __Ben opened his mouth to argue. But no words came out. Was Qui-Gon right? Did the code fail the Jedi order? There is no emotion, there is peace. But when war came, having no emotion did the Jedi no favors. Ben could distinctly remember the faces of civilians on some worlds the republic had 'liberated'. They did not look happy that the Jedi were there. They looked furious. Unable to relate to a people that were less human than droids in some cases.

And the Jedi had shown the epitome of ignorance at the end of the war. That ignorance had manifested itself in arrogance. The council believed that they were in control. That they would win the war in the end because they were in the light. Ben took a deep breath. As he exhaled, his body shuddered. Sidious had played them all. Only at the end, did the Jedi realize they were ignorant children fighting an already lost battle.

And then the one that stood out like a glaring flaw to Ben, there is no chaos, there is harmony. He would have loved to hear a Jedi Master say that to him while in the middle of war zone. No matter where he turned in the past few years, there had been nothing but chaos and no harmony.

" _Do you remember the version you learned as a youngling?"_

 __Ben's brow furrowed, confused.

"Vaguely." He muttered.

 _Tell me._

Ben sighed, "Do I have to?

Qui-Gon's reply was silence. He was waiting for him.

Ben uttered another heavy sigh, "Emotion, yet peace. Ignorance, yet knowledge. Passion, yet serenity. Chaos, yet harmony. Death, yet the Force."

" _Do you see the difference?"_

 __Ben frowned, "It's simpler. Easier for younglings to comprehend."

He could practically hear Qui-Gon's exasperated sigh. It had been a very long time since Qui-Gon had gotten irritated with him. But he was twenty years old again. It should not have surprised his former master that his stubbornness had returned as well as his youth.

" _You have much to learn, Obi Wan. But we will discuss this again later. For now, I urge you to stop shutting the Shepherds out."_

Ben huffed, "Yes. Because telling them I am a wanted galactic fugitive is a wonderful idea."

Qui-Gon chuckled, " _That dry wit has not changed at all."_

"So will you stop pestering me about it?"

" _No. This is no longer just a lesson Obi Wan. This is me being concerned for your health."_ Ben could feel Qui-Gon's presence now. Not just in his mind, but physically beside him. It was warm. Comforting. Like his old master had been when he was young. " _Keeping all of these emotions bottled up inside of you is not a good thing Obi Wan. In the end, it will only weaken you."_

Ben frowned, "Weaken me? I am exercising the Jedi Code. I-I… the code does not allow for emotions. We as Jedi cannot allow them to overtake us."

" _Anakin thought the same thing."_

Ben recoiled, "That-" He swallowed hard, "That is a low blow, Qui-Gon."

But deep down, Ben knew he was right. Anakin had been so eager to please him. So eager to be the model Jedi. But he became torn between emotions he did not understand, and a code that did not allow a Jedi to understand them. Ben ran a hand over his forehead.

Force he had been a poor master.

"He would not have fallen if you were his Master." Ben said.

" _We don't know what would have happened if I trained him, Obi Wan. But it was not your fault. You need to stop blaming yourself. And you need to stop bottling everything inside of you. If you continue to do so, it will only build in pressure. And that pressure must be released at some point."_

Ben sighed, "My point remains. I cannot simply tell the Shepherds the truth. I am relying on them to help search for Luke. If I tell them the truth and they think I am crazy then… then…" Ben hung his head.

" _You are letting fear rule you, Obi Wan."_

Ben replied with a weary nod.

" _That fear will only lead to anger."_ He felt a warm breeze brush by his shoulders. It was as if Qui-Gon was wrapping him in a warm embrace, " _If it helps, you do not have to tell every Shepherd all at once."_

"Can't I just vent to you?"

Qui-Gon chuckled, " _And what good does talking to a ghost do?"_

Ben sighed, "Fair point."

" _Talk to someone you trust Ben. Do not let fear rule you. And do not let the past control what you do, or who you are, today."_

Qui-Gon's warm presence faded into the air. And the cold evening autumn air returned. Ben opened his eyes. Above him, the sky was turning purple. The yellow sun that dominated this world's sky was almost below the horizon. An innumerable number of stars began to twinkle high above him. Ben looked up at the sparkling specks over his head.

His master was right. There was a weight Ben was carrying. And he could not carry it alone any longer.

There was a possibility that he was the last Jedi alive in the galaxy. That the order was extinct and he was all that was left. He did not know Yoda's fate. And the force had become so filled with shadows that he could not sense any light in it. Not until he arrived in Ylisse that is.

He had not focused on it before, but after his discussion with Qui-Gon, he could not help but notice how pure the Force felt here. It felt neither light nor dark. It felt balanced. At peace and in harmony with the world around him. In a strange way, the neutrality here felt right. It felt safe. Very much like the Jedi Temple before Order 66.

Maybe it was time for Ben to finally reveal who he was. The Shepherd's trusted him. It was only right that he trusted them in turn. Ben got to his feet and glanced over at the palace. More specifically to a room near the top floor.

"Talk to someone I trust." Ben muttered to himself.

He stepped into the palace. Made his way through the warmly lit halls. Strolled past the guards. One gave him a smile as he walked by. One guard he passed saluted him. And Ben had to laugh. That was a gesture he had not been expecting to ever receive again.

He climbed the stairs that led to the top floor then strode down the hall to a set of large, white double doors. Ben raised his knuckles and took a deep breath.

His heart was thumping in his chest. He could feel his stomach rising then falling. In a moment of surging anxiety, he let his hand fall to the side.

Ben shook his head, cursed, and shook his arms at his side.

"Just knock on the door, Ben. It's that easy." He exhaled and began to pace back and forth, "Emmeryn… no, your highness… no, no too formal. Um…" He pinched the bridge of his nose and groaned, "Jedi training. Fully prepared me to for political negotiations and battle, but did me no favors in the realm of casual social interaction with the opposite sex." He drew another deep breath, "I hate being twenty years old again." He turned to face the door and brought his hand up to knock.

Just as his knuckles were about to tap the door, it cracked open.

"Ben?" Emmeryn said from the other side before opening the door wider, "Is everything alright?"

"Um…" Ben's eyes looked up and down at the Exalt.

It was the first time he realized just how beautiful Emmeryn was. She had a grace to her that stunned the Jedi. Her poise was serene yet confident. Ben suppressed the urge to gulp.

She was so much like Satine. And yet, not like her at the same time. They both carried themselves with grace and confidence. But there were distinct differences. Satine shied away from conflict. Abhorred it due to the horrors she experienced during Mandalorian Civil War. Emmeryn shared the late duchess's desire for peace, but she did not push conflict away. She understood the necessity of conflict. The need to stand strong in the face of a belligerent enemy. Emmeryn understood conflict. While she did not like it, and by all accounts she despised it as much as Satine did, she knew it was often times unavoidable. And her steady hand leading her people during the dark opening of the war with Plegia proved this to Ben.

It caused a sense of admiration to build up in the Jedi.

"Can-um- do you have a minute to talk?" Ben asked.

Emmeryn smiled, "I always have a minute for one of Chrom's shepherds." She let Ben in and shut the door behind him, "What is on your mind?"

Ben followed her over to a set of chairs in front of a small fireplace. He sank down into one of the chairs. Emmeryn flopped into her own seat. Not a shred of grace in her movement. And Ben had to suppress a laugh as she relaxed into her seat.

Yes, she and Lissa were certainly sisters.

"Tired?" Ben asked.

"Very." Emmeryn replied as she rested her head on her hand, "It seems like this war leaves no time for rest. I don't think I've slept more than five hours in the past few nights."

Ben nodded, "I understand the feeling."

Emmeryn raised an eyebrow, "How so?"

Ben looked over at Emmeryn. He felt captivated by her. In a way he had not felt since he had been Satine's protector during the Mandalorian Civil War. Her blue eyes held a warmth to them that comforted the tired Jedi.

Yes, now was the time to stop hiding. He was stranded on this world. Maybe it was time to call it home. The Empire was not here. He did not have to hide from the Emperor. He could find Luke and settle down. Maybe teach a new generation of Jedi.

Maybe start a new life.

"Emmeryn I-" Ben froze.

A warning surged through the force. A danger was approaching that was so profound that it caused Ben to lose his own words. The serenity of the Force in Ylisstol was disturbed by the dark side of the force. Like a rock being thrown into a pond, the aftereffects of the intrusion rippled through Ben's mind.

He stretched out with the Force. Trying to learn where this danger was coming from. Ben furrowed his brow in concentration.

"Ben, what's wrong?"

His eyes flicked over to the window. Just in time to see a flash of steel.

"DOWN!"

Ben tackled Emmeryn to the floor. Just as they hit the wooden floor, an arrow crashed through the window and slammed into the back of Emmeryn's chair. The rest of the window shattered just after the arrow's impact. A enemy clad in black clothes and armor, his face covered by a mask, brandished a sword and charged at Emmeryn.

Ben shoved himself off of the floor. He did not draw his rapier. Instead he grabbed the man with the force and pushed him back out of the window. With a terrified cry, the attacker plummeted to his death.

Emmeryn stared at Ben. Face pale and eyes wide.

"Ben…"

"Assassins. They're in the palace." Ben said as he helped Emmeryn to her feet.

He gripped her hand and drew his rapier with the other.

"Is there somewhere safe we can go?" Ben asked her, urgency filling his voice.

Emmeryn's mind raced. Then she gasped, "The council room. There is only one way in."

Ben nodded, "Then that is where we are going." He pulled her from her room just as another assassin burst in through the window.

Ben slammed the door shut behind him and began to sprint with Emmeryn down the hall. The Exalt uttered a terrified cry when they passed a group of Ylissean guards whose throats had been cut.

"Don't look at them. Just keep running." Ben barked.

Emmeryn swallowed hard and continued running. They duo descended a flight of stairs then turned a corner.

"There she is!"

Ben skidded to a halt as they crossed paths with a trio of assassins. He let go of Emmeryn's hand and charged at the assassins. The enemy was taken off guard by his aggressive approach. They were even more surprised by the speed at which Ben moved.

He called on the Force. Using it to bolster his speed and strength. He could not afford to get bogged down in a battle with Emmeryn's life in danger. His rapier flashed and in a quick flurry of strikes two of the assassins fell dead. The third's eyes widened and he stumbled backwards. The man tripped over his own cloak and landed hard on the ground.

Ben pointed his rapier at the assassin's neck.

"WAIT! WAIT!" The assassin cried as he raised his hands, "I'm not the enemy!"

"You're with the assassins." Ben growled.

"A-assassins?" The man yanked his mask from his face, revealing short red hair and a terrified, pale face. He looked past Ben and saw Exalt Emmeryn. His eyes widened in understanding, "Oh shit! That's what the mission is!? I-I… cross my heart, hope to die, I swear I thought we were just swiping some valuables. I'm not here to kill anyone."

"You're a thief?" Emmeryn gasped.

The man cringed, "Procurer of rare goods." He corrected, "But I did not sign up to kill anyone!" he gulped as Ben's rapier pressed against his throat, "Hey! Hey! Easy! I can help! I can take you to the guy commanding this whole operation."

Ben narrowed his eyes, "Yes, you are going to help. But not by doing that." He yanked the thief to his feet and held him by the collar of his shirt, "You are going to help by leading us along a path that isn't crawling with assassins."

The man cringed, "That's a tall order, sir."

Ben frowned.

"But not impossible!" The man declared, "I can lead you and the Exalt to safety."

"And how do I know you won't double cross us?" Ben asked.

"Um…." The man chuckled, "I'm a thief. I value one thing and one thing only."

"Gold?" Emmeryn asked.

"Well… two things then." The man replied, "I'll do it and I won't double cross you." He pointed behind at the floor, "Free reign of the sweets pantry and I'm yours."

Ben felt one of his eyes beginning to twitch.

"You are selling out your comrades for candy?"

"I never said they were my comrades." The thief replied defensively, "Well, there is one that is kind of a friend. If we run into him, I would appreciate it if you didn't kill him. He's a good kid. Caught up with the wrong people."

"Like you?"

"Exactly!" The thief smiled, "So… do we have a deal?"

Ben let out an exasperated sigh. When did this become a negotiation?

"You better make up your mind quick." The thief warned, "Because there are more coming up the stairs."

Ben scowled. He had no choice. He gave the thief a small nod.

"Lead on."

The thief grinned, "Follow me. Step where I step, both of you. And don't make a sound." He paused as he crouched low to the ground, "Um… where are we going?"

"The council chambers." Emmeryn answered.

"Ah." The thief bobbed his head, "Smart. That rich person education isn't a joke after all." He began to tiptoe through the shadows with Ben and Emmeryn in tow, "So I know her Highness's name, but not yours." He glanced back at Ben.

"I thought you said we could not make a sound?" Ben reminded with a frown.

The thief snorted, "Fine. Be like that. I'll trust you with my name." He turned and held out his hand, "Gaius."

Ben glowered at Gaius. The thief lowered his hand.

"You've got trust issues man."

"Excuse me for believing the saying; there is no honor among thieves."

"Ouch! That hurt my feelings."

….

Robin sprinted down the many stone walkways that led from the back of the palace to the Shepherd's barracks. His legs pumping hard and fast as he rushed areas where guards should have been posted. He drew his blade as he ran.

Where were the palace guards? Why were they all missing? Robin grit his teeth and slid around a corner. Right into a group of armored assassins.

"Oh shit!" He cried before ducking below a brutal ax swing.

He remembered his training with Ben. There were multiple opponents. Focus on your their movements instead of your own. Keep the blade work simple but effective. Gain leverage.

Robin flicked his blade up into the ax-man's chest. The assassin cried out then fell to the ground. Robin tripped as his blade got stuck in the enemy. As he fell to the ground, he let go of his sword, drew his spell book, and flicked the pages open.

A ball of charged electricity crackled in his hand. A bolt of brilliant yellow lightning boomed from his palm through the second assassin. The attack collided with the stone walls of the palace, sending shards of stone flying through the air. He fell into a roll and hopped back up to his feet.

The final assassin swung a sword at Robin's head. He ducked beneath the blade and swung a hook at the man's abdomen.

His fist bounced off of leather and muscle.

"Ouch!" Robin yelped before jumping away from a deadly slash.

He shook his hand. The knuckles and fingers throbbed as he clenched his fist. He turned to another page in his spell book. A single flame burst to life in his hand. Just as he was about to fire it at his opponent, the assassin barreled into him.

The air rushed out from Robin's lungs as he hit the ground with a dull thud. His head swam and his heart raced as he struggled to catch his breath. He felt the spell book get punched from his grasp. Above him, his assassin straddled him. Pinning his legs down before raising his sword up to deliver a death blow. Robin's eyes went wide as the sword plunged down at his chest.

 _This is it then?_ Robin thought as squeezed his eyes shut. Waiting for the sharp pain that would precede his demise.

But it never came. Instead, he heard a muffled cry. The sound of flesh being torn. Panicked screams. A chomp. Then what sounded like padded footfalls softly stepping towards him.

Robin cracked an eye open.

"WHAT THE ACTUAL HELL!" He cried.

Standing over him, scowl on her face, was a humanoid woman. She had the same facial and body features of a woman. Except there was a lot more hair. Small tufts of soft, dark hair ran along her forearms. A little puff of fur was attached to the small of her back. Her body was covered by a peculiar armor that Robin could not place. There were linear markings on her face. A few hidden beneath a mane of long, brown hair. Then there were the most striking feature of the woman's appearance. The long, rabbit like ears that protruded from the sides of her head.

"Is that how you are going to thank me, man-spawn?" The woman, rabbit thing, snarled. Displaying teeth that were stained a sickly pink color.

Robin's face paled. He looked behind the rabbit woman and saw the assassin he was fighting. The man's body was twisted into a pretzel with a large chunk of flesh ripped from his throat. The tactician swallowed hard and looked back at the rabbit woman.

"Uh… th-thanks?" He stammered.

The woman huffed. Her long ears twitched upright for a moment, "You are nervous man-spawn."

"Oh, really? How'd you guess?" Robin sassed as he scrambled to his feet.

"Your heart is racing. Before it was beating particularly fast, but now, at my presence, you have a primal fear coursing through you."

Robin shrugged, doing his best to not appear afraid, "It's uh- not everyday that you run into a rabbit lady."

The woman frowned at Robin. She looked like she wanted to fiercely argue with Robin's statement. But her ears twitched again.

"The fighting has begun inside of the palace." She said, "You have friends in there?"

Robin raised his eyebrows. Were the Shepherds already aware of what was going on? If so, how? Who told them that assassins had entered the palace grounds and were attempting to kill Chrom, Lissa, and the Exalt?

An explosion ripped through the air. A side of the palace was engulfed in a fiery blaze. Chunks of the white stone walls crashed to the earth with loud booms.

"Come man-spawn, there is no time." The rabbit woman barked.

The woman brushed her hand over a small, stone orb that she carried in a pouch. Before Robin's very eyes, she began to transform. The humanoid woman became encased in a strange stone orb for a few moments. Then the orb seemingly shattered. In place of the woman was a giant rabbit. The rabbit sniffed at Robin.

Robin blinked, "What in Naga's name-"

Before he could finish speaking, the rabbit grabbed him with its teeth and flung him onto it's massive back. Robin yelped then grabbed the rabbit's fur as it sprinted towards the main palace doors.

The doors were shattered. Bashed inwards, splintered, and charred by fire magic. The guards that had been assigned to stand watch lay in bloody heaps near their posts. Robin grimaced, the assassins were making quick progress in eliminating any opposition. A disturbing prospect to say the least.

The rabbit surged around a corner and down a hallway before skidding to a stop.

Four assassins were in the hallways, and engaging them was Stahl and Sully. The two warriors struggling to fend of the much more nimble enemy.

"Hold on, Man-spawn." The rabbit spoke to Robin.

Robin grit his teeth and gripped the fur tighter. The rabbit jumped over Sully and Stahl, clawed feet snapping out at two of the assassins. The claws ripped through leather armor and tore into the flesh. The other two assassins backpedaled away from the massive rabbit and her tactician rider. Before they could regain their wits, Robin shot two fire spells at them. Setting them ablaze and sending them screaming away.

The rabbit skidded to a halt. It then stood up on its hind legs, causing Robin to fall unceremoniously to the floor. In a flash of light, the rabbit reverted back to her more human form.

"Robin!" Sully called as she and Stahl rushed up to the tactician.

Robin dusted off his coat as he got to his feet.

"Sully, Stahl, how did you-"

"Know someone was trying to kill us all?" Stahl replied, "We didn't. Not until one of the assassins broke into the barracks and warned us all, that is."

Robin drew back in surprise, "There is a double agent among them?"

Sully nodded, "Yeah. Some scrawny, blonde kid. Said his name was Kage. He then told us that assassins were trying to kill the Exalt and they were already in the palace. Needless to say, Lissa and Sumia were out the door faster than I could blink. Both of those girls were hellbent on following the kid. Said he knew where the Exalt would be and that they had a limited amount of time before the assassins found her."

"The rest of us charged into the palace as soon as we grabbed our weapons." Stahl continued, "Vaike went with Miriel towards the western wing of the palace. Something to do with mages in that area. Virion went towards the walls. He wanted a vantage point. Managed to pick of some enemy bowmen in the process. Ricken, Maribelle, and Kellam are holding the main gate into the palace."

"And Frederick?" Robin asked.

"Charged towards the east wing. Where we were heading before we got cut off by those guys." Sully explained while gesturing to the fallen assassins with her sword.

Robin frowned, "Just how many assassins managed to get in?"

"More than two dozen, by my count so far, Man-spawn. Though there could be more. I only caught a glimpse of their operation when I slipped in." The rabbit woman stated.

Stahl gave the woman a puzzled look. Sully meanwhile grinned before punching Stahl in the shoulder.

"Quit your staring. We got assassins to kill."

"R-right."

"Sully, Stahl, try to catch up with Frederick. I'm going with," Robin glanced at the rabbit woman, "What is your name?"

"You may call me Panne, man-spawn."

"Right. I'm going with Panne towards the Exalt's tower. Maybe we can find her before any assassins reach her. Naga help us if that happens. No one is there to defend her."

"Actually, I saw Ben going towards the palace as the sun set." Sully uttered a light hearted chuckled, "Maybe paying a visit to his little crush, eh? If he's with her, then she ain't defenseless."

Robin let out a sigh of relief. Ben was the one person missing in all of this so far. If he was with Exalt Emmeryn, then Sully was right. She would not be an easy target after all. Ben had abilities that Robin could scarcely fathom. And his skills with a sword were beyond anyone's save for Lon'qu and maybe Chrom.

"Still, we need to make our way to her." Robin noted.

"I already intended to do so." Panne explained, "My warren owes a debt. And I am here to repay it."

Robin gave her a grim nod, "No time to lose then. Let's get moving!"

Sully and Stahl nodded then sprinted towards the east wing of the palace. Both hoping to run into a still alive and kicking Frederick. Robin suspected they would eventually run into Chrom and Marth at some point. He and Chrom were near that end of the palace grounds when the assassination attempt began. Robin sprinted towards the stairs along with Panne. Both hoping they could reach the Exalt's chambers before any assassins could.

As they charged up the stairs, Robin could not help but feel his mind wandering to the double agent among the assassins? Was he a Ylissean spy implanted within the Plegians? Or was he a lone actor? Someone with a hidden agenda in all of this?

There was no time to think of the answers to those questions. Robin and Panne reached the top of the first flight of stairs. Waiting for them were two leather clad assassins. In between those assassins was tall, thin man with flowing black and purple robes lined with gold. His sharp, narrow eyes sparkled with malice as he saw the tactician and rabbit woman reach the end of the stairs.

Robin grimaced. The way that man in the robes was looking at him was strange. It was as if he recognized who Robin was. Like he had seen a ghost. His eyes had widened momentarily before his thin lips parted into a triumphant grin.

"Fortune does smile on me this day." The man grinned before opening a black spell book in his right hand.

Robin's hands flew to his own spell book. A ball of sinister, black magic rocketed towards Robin from his opponent's open palm. Robin just managed to fire off a wind spell, sending the dark magic careening into a nearby wall. The palace shuddered as the two spells impacted.

His opponent's eyes gleamed with delight, "Still strong, aren't you?"

Robin narrowed his eyes. This guy knew something about him. And he was among the Plegian assassins. Now Robin had two goals. Stop this mad sorcerer, and get answers from him.

"Panne keep moving. I'll handle him." Robin said, his voice low as he gathered mana into his body.

Panne nodded, transformed, and dashed towards the sorcerer and his two comrades. The two assassins fell to Panne's claws quickly. The sorcerer attempted to cast a nasty Flux spell on Panne, but Robin regained his attention with a well placed fire spell. The Sorcerer gave Robin a furious glare.

"Insolent brat." He snarled.

Robin pointed at him, "You're fight is with me. No one else."

The sorcerer chuckled darkly, "Is it now? Unfortunately, you are not the first to cross paths with me tonight."

He pointed to a shattered doorway on the right. Robin swallowed and looked inside. His heart stopped in his chest.

Lying in the shattered remains of the door, was Sumia. Her eyes closed. One arm twisted in the wrong direction. Her armor blackened by a spell blast. Beside her was Lissa. The young princess knelt beside the fallen Pegasus Knight. Her eyes wide with fear. A bloody gash beneath her right eye. Despite her fear, her healing staff was glowing a bright green color. The princess calling on her cleric training to try and heal Sumia as much as she could.

Robin grit his teeth and put himself between the sorcerer and the room.

"You seek to protect them!?" The sorcerer laughed, "Foolish boy. You cannot protect anyone. Least of all your precious friends. Once I've dealt with you, they will die. And you will know that you have failed."

Robin narrowed his eyes.

"You will try." He growled.

The pages in Robin's spell book blurred in his right hand. Mana coursed through Robin's body. Pooling inside of the book then channeling through his veins and into his open palm. The pages froze on a new spell. An arc class spell. Robin uttered a furious roar, opened his palm.

A torrent of lightning flashed from his hand. And the battle began.

 **And chapter! Cutting it off here. I feel like this little arc will flow a little better if I try not to jam everything into as few chapters as possible. It'll allow me to add a little more detail to everything. Also, I've gone back a reread my past few chapters. Yeah… I really suck at proofreading and editing my own stuff. Always have, even in elementary school. I'm definitely going to make a much bigger effort at addressing those in future chapters. I also plan on going back and correcting any spelling errors and stuff like that in future. But for now, I just want to get everything written down for the story ahead. Before I lose my train of thought and get caught in a massive writer's block rut again. Anyways, we have Gaius selling his allegiance for access to the palace sweets. A double agent among the Plegian assassins. The arrival of our favorite Taguel, Panne. And a showdown between Robin and Validar. The next chapter is going to be actions packed!**

 **But I am going to warn you all ahead of time, the next chapter will be delayed a little bit. Not for lack of ideas or anything like that, but for lack of time. Life wanted to throw another curveball and me and family are packing and moving again (Endless I know. It's exhausting.) But this move is going get the family to a much better, more secure place financially. So it's well worth it. With that being said, I've purchase an apple keyboard so that I can try to type on my phone or tablet (my computer is a five year old Chromebook and even with WiFi it gets fussy). But I can't make any promises as to when the next chapter will appear. Hopefully it won't be too long of a delay. I'm having way to much fun with this one to sit on it.**

 **Anways, let me know what you guys think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	17. A Shadow among Shepherds

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 17

A Shadow among Shepherds

Chrom roared as he charged down the hallway in the eastern wing of the Exalt's Palace. He raised Falchion over his head and cut down another assassin. Behind him, Marth easily dispatched a pair of assassins. Her overwhelming acrobatic fighting form overwhelming almost every enemy they encountered. Honestly, Chrom thought she was just going easy. Allowing him a chance at the enemy.

She moves so much faster than before. During their duel in Regna Ferox, she had been blindingly quick. But the pace and ferocity she was using against these assassins was damn close to superhuman. Which stunned Chrom. She seemed as strong as he, a full grown man, was.. And she was much faster than he was. Part of him committed it all to memory. A way to motivate himself in training. To push his body's limits past even what he thought was his breaking point.

Another part of him still found it hard to believe Marth was a woman. The deception, in hindsight, was not the most convincing. In fact, now that he looked back on it all, Marth's deep voice sounded very exaggerated. Chrom frowned to himself. He liked to think he was a decent evaluator of people. After all, he was the one who first met Robin and brought him into the fold. The tactician had proven himself invaluable ever since. Then there was Ben. Chrom brought him into the Shepherd's as well. And now he was arguably their greatest foot soldier.

 _The title for best horseman still belongs to Frederick though._ He thought with amusement. Ben had not taken well to horses. Chrom was sure that could be fixed with proper lessons.

Chrom grit his teeth and parried a surprise slash from an assassin that had been hiding in a closed doorway. He was forced to backpedal. The assassin pressing his advantage. Then Chrom saws a second Falchion cut through the air and sever the assassin's arm at the shoulder. The man fell to the ground. His howling only ended when Marth thrust her blade down into his body. Putting the bastard out of his misery.

Chrom grimaced a little. For how gracefully Marth could be as she flipped and twirled through the air, she was still brutal. No precision strikes or thrusts. Just brutal slashes and chops that aimed to make sure the enemy could not get back up again. It spoke volumes of her combat experience. It was a fighting form that told Chrom that this was not her first foray in a pitched, desperate battle. This was not her first time fighting while someone's life was on the line.

Both paused to catch their breath for a moment. Chrom looked at the hall behind both of them. It was littered with the corpses of Plegian assassins. The first of which lay dead at the doorway that led into from Emmeryn's chambers.

They had managed to get there in record time. Only to find an assassin inside instead of his older sister. Chrom had felt both relief and worry at that discovery. Emmeryn was not dead in her room. But she was still unaccounted for. All he could do was pray to Naga that she was safe and secure.

Chrom cursed to himself. How did the Plegians manage to infiltrate the palace so easily? How did they do so with such massive numbers? It felt like there was an entire company of men storming the building.

They needed to find Emmeryn, fast. If there were more enemies in the palace, then it would not be long before she was found by one of them. Chrom turned to Marth.

"I don't suppose your foresight could tell us where Emm will end up?" He asked.

Marth shook her head, "No, it cannot. The future is always in motion. But the one I know of has been changed drastically with just our actions today."

Chrom sighed. That did not help at all.

"But if I needed a secure location to make a stand at in here," Marth continued, "I'd make for the council chambers."

Chrom's eyes widened. Of course! How did he forget about that? Phila had drilled it into all three of them in their youth that one of the most secure locations in the palace wasn't their own bedrooms but the Council chambers. A room with only one way in, and one way out. One small window for light. Much too small for any man to sneak in through.

Chrom furrowed his brow. Emmeryn was not a fighter. How would she be able to reach the chambers through all of these assassins?

 _Someone must be with her._ He thought before taking off down the hall and towards the stairs that led to the Council chambers.

Marth barreled after him. Both hopped down multiple steps as they moved swiftly down the stairs. They were moving so fast, that Chrom could not stop himself before body slamming Frederick. The Knight had been moving just as quickly up the stairs towards Emmeryn's chambers. The pair crumpled into a heap onto the next landing down.

Chrom groaned and rubbed his head.

"My lord!" Frederick cried, "The palace is-"

"Under attack? I've noticed." Chrom remarked as Marth helped him to his feet.

Frederick glared at Marth as he jumped to his feet.

"She's on our side." Chrome explained.

"Very well." Frederick said, "But I will remain vigilant."

"Direct that vigilance to finding Emm!" Chrom snapped, "Not on our allies."

Frederick recoiled at the Prince's rebuke, "Of course, my lord. I was on my way to her highness's chambers to make sure she was safe."

"She wasn't there." Chrom explained, "But assassins were."

Frederick's eyes widened, "That cannot be good. There must be someone on the inside who let them get that far without us detecting it."

"It doesn't matter now." Chrom replied, "Me and Marth are going to the council chambers. Phila always told me, Lissa, and Emm that it was a safe place to go to if needed."

"I shall follow." Frederick replied.

The trio sprinted down the hall, away from the staircase, then took a sharp right turn into the hallway that led to the council chambers.

Chrom's heart jumped to his throat. The hall was littered with Plegian bodies. A couple of Ylissean royal guards lay dead among the many assassins. The doors to the council doors were wide open. The white paint stained red with splotches of blood and gore.

Chrom legs moved without him thinking. He sprinted past gutted bodies. Ignoring the crimson walls around him.

 _Please no._ He pleaded to Naga above, _Not Emm. Not my sister._

Chrom slid into the room. He took one step in then felt steel press against his throat.

"Hold it right there bud." A red haired man wearing black leather armor and a black cloak said. The stick for a lollipop was wedged between his lips.

Chrom could feel his vision about to go red. But then a voice he had not been expecting snapped him out of his fury.

"Chrom!" Ben called from across the room.

Chrom looked and saw Ben standing in front of Emmeryn. His own rapier was stained with blood. Small drops plopping onto the floor with a sickening, wet, pitter patter. His shirt was also bloody. But it was not his own. And he looked tired. Wary and alert, but tired all the same.

Relief surged through Chrom as Emmeryn pushed her way past Ben and flung her arms around her brother.

"Thank Naga you are ok!" She cried as she tightened her hold over him.

Chrom felt the steel lower from his neck. At that same moment, Marth and Frederick rushed into the room. Frederick was about to slash at the red haired man when Marth stopped him.

"He's on our side." Marth said.

"Yes, he is." Emmeryn sniffed as she pulled away from Chrom, "Chrom, Frederick, this is Gaius. A former thief who saved both my life as well as Ben's."

Gaius smiled at them, "It was a pleasure doing so."

"Only because it satisfied your sweet tooth." Ben commented.

Gaius shrugged, "We all have our vices. Mine is pretty harmless."

"Your other vice is rather illegal." Ben replied, noting Gaius's profession.

"Regardless of that, you helped save my sister's life." Chrom clasped a hand on Gaius's shoulder, "And at great peril to you own. You have my unending thanks."

"Mine as well." Frederick admitted reluctantly.

Chrom then saw the knight give an appreciative nod in Ben's direction.

 _Those two must have resolved their differences._ He thought as he recalled Frederick's originally hostility towards Ben.

"Is Lissa safe Chrom?"

Chrom blinked. He had been so focused on finding Emmeryn that he had forgotten about Lissa. His heart began to beat hard in his chest again.

"She's not with you?"

Emmeryn's face paled.

"Frederick! Stay here with Emmeryn." Chrom ordered, "Ben, Gaius, Marth, we are going to the Shepherd's barracks. That was the last place she was at."

"If she's there then she should be rather safe." Frederick assumed, "She'd have at least Vaike and Lon'qu with her."

"I'm not going off of assumptions right now." Chrom said, "If they could almost get to Emmeryn, then the Plegians can break into the barracks." Chrom's grip tightened around Flachion, "Come on. The front doors are the fastest way there."

Ben nodded and sprinted by Chrom's side towards the palace's main hall. Marth and Gaius were right behind him. Through the walls, all four could hear the sounds of battle. Assassins were still on the prowl. But they were meeting fierce resistance.

Ben hesitated. Marth faltered behind him. He could sense her sudden anxiety. He turned around and saw her stumbled before dropping to a knee. Her breaths were short and ragged. Her hand was pressed against her heart. Ben scrambled up to her. Was she wounded? Did she suffer an injury that none of them knew about?

"Marth?"

The blue haired woman looked up at him. There was fear in her eyes. A primal terror. As if her very existence was being threatened.

"Ben, Marth! We can't stop now!" Chrom called back to them.

Marth swallowed hard. She gripped Ben's hand and let the swordsman help her back to her feet.

"We need to find Lissa and Sumia, now." Marth gasped, struggling to take a breath.

Ben nodded. He took a position behind Marth and helped the girl start running again. Using the force, he attempted to sense the cause of Marth's sudden distress. But he could not place it. It did not help that she was stonewalling him from brushing against her mind.

"You took my advice." He chuckled.

"Of course I did." Marth breathed, "I can't just let anyone go walking through my thoughts."

Ben nodded in approval. A cursory sweep over her had revealed no physical injuries. Perhaps it was a panic attack of some sort? Whatever was causing Marth to falter, she was not letting it affect her resolve. Within a few moments, both warriors had caught up to Chrom and Gaius.

As they passed one hall they caught a glimpse of Vaike and Lon'qu cutting through a group of assassins while Miriel provided support with spell fire. Ben reached out with the force. Time was of the essence. Searching the old fashion way would not help them right now.

He felt Sully and Stahl near the east wing of the palace. Both moving fast towards the Exalt's chambers. They would regroup with Frederick soon once they realized that area of the palace had been cleared. Virion was on the palace walls overlooking the courtyard. Kellam, Maribelle, and Ricken were holding the main gate. All three were ready to fend off any more attackers.

That left three Shepherds unaccounted for. Robin, Sumia, and Lissa had to be somewhere in here.

Ben concentered his focus near the main hall. He recoiled as his mind was hammered by a wave of dark side energy. He lost his breath and his steps faltered for a moment.

"Ben?" Marth asked as she ran up beside him.

"I'm fine." He reassured, "Just… a little tired. But we must hurry."

Marth nodded gravely. Then she heard him whisper to him.

"I felt it too."

Ben swallowed hard. The dark side of the force was clouding his vision of the main hall. Something was happening near there. Whatever it was, Ben knew it was not going to be friendly.

….

Robin grit his teeth and ducked beneath another evil spell from his opponents. Before he could begin to cast a counter attack, a second Flux spell slammed into his chest. He flew through the air before colliding with a wall behind him.

The sounds around him were muffled. His ears rang and his head pounded. Robin's mouth felt dry. Like he had sand on his tongue instead of spit. He could feel his hands starting to shake.

The sorcerer, a man named Validar, he was absurdly powerful. Robin had used every trick he knew. Cast every spell he was capable of casting. And Validar had shrugged them off. USed powerful spells to protect himself then launched devastating attacks that Robin had barely been able to fend off.

Through the ringing in his ears, Robin heard Lissa utter a terrified scream. Robin's eyes widened. A black ball of magic was lumbering towards her and Sumia. Validar had managed to maneuver him away from the doorway. He was no longer between Sumia, Lissa, and the Plegian sorcerer.

Lissa jumped in front of Sumia's fallen form. The terrified Princess held her healing staff out in front of her. The small, wooden staff offering little protection against the deadly spell cast at her.

Robin felt desperation fill him. This was Lissa, the sister of the one man who gave him a chance. The sister of Ylisse's Exalt. And he was unable to protect her. Even though he swore, as Chrom's tactician, that he would do everything in his power to make sure no Shepherds fell on th battlefield.

 _It cannot be like this._ He thought. He fell down from the wall and hit the floor. His fists tightened up. Rubble crumbled in his grip. _I won't let it be like this!_

Robin felt power surge through him. It felt cold. Ancient and dark. A power unlike any Robin had ever used or studied before. Unfamiliar and alien to him. He extended a hand and felt a massive wave of energy rush from him in the direction of Validar's spell.

The wave hit the ball of magic and sent it careening past Lissa and out of a broken window.

Validar's eyes widened. He glared over at Robin as the tactician struggled back to his feet.

"You won't stay down will you?" Validar scowled.

The sorcerer then sucked in a breath. The brat's eyes. They were not brown anymore. They were yellow. Pulsing with magic. Glowing like bright embers in the night.

"Make me." Robin snarled before casting the most powerful thunder spell he had ever conjured.

Validar dove out of the way. This power, where was it coming from? It was unlike any Validar had ever heard of before. The only beings capable of magic this potent, this raw, was-

Validar sucked in a breath. Robin was tapping into _his_ power. And it was not corrupting him. Not yet at least. But the seal had been broken. Robin was utilizing the blackest magic known in all of Archanea. And he was controlling it.

Validar's heart raced in his chest. No! It was too soon for this to be happening. The world was not ready for the return of the Fell Dragon. Ylisse's Exalt still lived. The Fire Emblem could still be used against them. Validar scowled and thought quickly.

The brat was in control for now. But if he tapped into anymore of that power, it would consume him. He looked like he was barely controlling it even now. The pulsing glow in his eyes was evidence enough of that. The boy's body was straining against the power. Trying to contain it's true nature.

All to save the little Princess and Pegasus Knight?

 _I refuse to die without taking them with me!_

Validar flipped to a spell that would devastate the entire palace. One that could consume him and the Ylisseans. An ancient curse that would level it all. His life was insignificant. As long as the Exalt died, Grima's plans would come to fruition. No one could stand in his way.

He started the incantation. Robin's eyes widened across from him.

"Oh no you don't." Robin growled.

He charged a spell. Then he heard a voice in his mind.

 _You think this is your power?_ It laughed at him, _Do you think you can control it. That you can control me? Foolish boy. I will not allow it._

Robin's muscles went slack. All of that power he had dissapeared. He dropped to the floor. His eyes faded to their normal brown color. Everything was paralyzed. He could barely raise his head to look at Validar. And his eyes widened in fear. A great ball of black magic was building up above Validar's head as he spoke an incantation.

The tactician's gaze turned to Lissa. She looked back at him. Fearful, pleading with him to do something.

"I'm sorry." He whispered.

His body was incapable of moving no matter how hard he tried. Whatever power he had tapped into, it had been taken away by an entity unknown to him.

Validar had won. They were all going to die. He had failed.

Robin looked at Validar one more time. The sorcerer had a triumphant smile on his face.

"So much for that power, boy!"

Robin exhaled. So much for that power, indeed. Validar raised his hands.

"Time for all of you to die!"

Robin grit his teeth and braced himself. He was going to close his eyes. But then he saw something. A slight movement in the shadows bending Validar. A flash of yellow eyes before they faded to blue.

Validar uttered a loud laugh of triumph. He opened his mouth to finish the incantation.

Blood sputtered from behind his lips. He uttered a gurgled, choking, noise. Robin's eyes widened as a sword jutted out from Validar's chest. Behind the stunned sorcerer, stood a young man with blonde hair and soft blue eyes. He was wearing the same armor as the other assassins.

"No more death today." He snarled before leaning into Validar's ear.

Validar's eyes widened as the boy whispered in his ears.

"It can't be." Validar breathed.

The spell winked from existence. The sword was ripped out of Validar's chest by the boy. The sorcerer heaved out a pained breath, dropped to his knees, and fell dead to the floor of the palace's main hall.

Robin struggled to life his head from the floor. His mind raced as the blonde boy stepped over to him. Who was this guy? How on earth had he managed to sneak up on Validar like that? Was it over now?

The boy knelt down beside him and reached into a small pouch on his belt. He withdrew a vial of red liquid. A potion.

Robin shook his head, "Not me." He pointed over at Sumia.

The boy gave Robin a puzzled look.

"Get going already!" Robin barked with what little strength he could muster, "I'll be fine. Just… over did it a little bit."

The blonde nodded and strode over to Lissa and Sumia. Lissa's staff was hovering over Sumia's still form once again. The poor princess was exhausted. Her magic stretched to its absolute limit as she tried to keep the Pegasus Knight alive.

"Let me help." The blonde said.

He uncorked the vial, parted Sumia's lips, and poured the liquid down her throat. As he did so, Robin saw him close his eyes and furrow his brow. As if he was concentrating on something. Lissa gasped and dropped her staff.

"I can't-" She sucked in a breath, "No more mana."

"There's no need." The boy replied as he opened his eyes and gave her a reassuring smile, "She'll live."

"How can you know that?" Lissa asked.

The guy smirked, "I just know."

He got to his feet and rolled his shoulders. He made his way back over to Robin and pulled the tactician up to his feet. Robin slumped against him.

"Easy Ylissean." The boy said, "Just put an arm around me. I'd rather you not fall on top of me."

Robin nodded, "Thank you."

The boy shrugged, "Just did what any decent person would do. Besides, that spell Validar was about to cast would have killed me too. And I'm not interested in dying right now."

"Neither am I." Robin laughed as he put his weight on the boy, "What's your name?"

The boy smiled, "Kage. You?"

"Robin."

"Well Robin, I have to say, I was impressed. You held your own against Validar. Not many can say that."

"It wasn't enough though." Robin replied, "If you hadn't come along-"

Kage shook his head, "But I did. That's all that matters. Now, lets find you and the Pegasus knight a healer then-"

A set of doors nearby burst open. Robin looked over and saw Chrom charging into the main hall with Ben, Marth, and some red haired guy he did not know. But judging by the choice of armor, Kage knew him.

"Lissa!" Chrom sprinted across the main hall over to Lissa, who was still kneeling beside Sumia.

The two siblings embraced each other tightly.

"Are you hurt? What happened?" Chrom's asked.

Lissa wiped a small tear from her eye, "We um… charged in after Kage. But we lost sight of him. Then that sorcerer appeared and attacked me. Sumia got in the way and- and-" She threw herself into Chrom's arm and sobbed.

"It's ok." Chrom breathed, "It's ok."

He looked over at Sumia. Ben was by her side. His hand over her face and his eyes closed. He exhaled and nodded.

"She's alive. But injured." Ben reported.

Chrom breathed a sigh of relief, "Good. We'll find a healer as soon as we can. Naga knows, we all took a couple hits tonight." The Prince looked up at both Robin and Kage, "You two stopped the sorcerer?"

"Validar?" Kage replied, "I killed him. Robin stopped him."

"Briefly." Robin breathed. His eyes were half open. Magical exhaustion was starting to grip him, "He beat me in the end."

"But you got in his way." Chrom let Lissa go. He rose and clasped a hand on Robin's shoulder, "Thank you, Robin. Nothing I can do will ever repay what you did for me today."

Robin rolled his eyes, "You know what? You can repay me with a three hour nap time."

Ben laughed, "I think we could all use some rest. Especially you two." He gestured at Chrom and Robin, "I'll help Frederick search for stragglers."

"Are you sure Ben? You kind of fended off an entire group of assassins on your own. Aren't you tired?" Chrom asked.

Ben shrugged, "I'm no more tired than the rest of you. But I'm not injured and I won't be a sit for a bit. So let me work."

Chrom nodded, "Alright." He scooped Lissa up in his arms. The little Princess quickly succumbing to magical exhaustion. "Debriefing tomorrow morning. For now, make sure the palace is clear. Then rest."

Ben nodded and watched as Chrom carried his sister out of the palace and towards the Shepherd's barracks. He stretched out with the force. The other Shepherd's had stopped fighting. Any assassins that had entered the palace had either retreated or were killed. The battle was over.

He nodded to himself. This was an intricate plot. One that would have required tremendous help from the inside. The Exalt's palace was supposed to be the safest place for her. If Emmeryn was not safe in her own home, then where could she be safe. He rubbed his beard with his hand. There was a lot of holes in the story. They would need to be filled in order to discover how such a large force was able to infiltrate the palace without anyone knowing.

"Well, if you'll excuse me." Kage said, "I'm going to find a nice patch of grass to sleep on. Care to join me Gaius?"

"Grass? I'm finding a bed." Gaius snorted before marching back into the bowels of the palace.

Kage smirked and looked at Ben, "If the palace is missing any valuables…". He jabbed a thumb in Gaius's direction.

Ben snorted, "That is the least of my concerns right now. But thank you for the warning."

Kage bowed to him, "See you tomorrow?"

Ben nodded, "Tomorrow."

Ben sighed. He could see a group of healers and knights led by Phila and Edward sprinting towards the palace. Word had finally gotten out about the assassination attempt. He paid them no mind as they rushed by him towards the council chambers. The healers ignored him as they got to work on Sumia. They placed her on a stretcher and rushed her out of the palace. It took Ben several moments before he realized he was alone. He took a deep breath and knelt down on the floor. Memories of the Clone War rushed through his mind.

…..

Kage sighed before sitting down on a soft patch of grass in the eastern courtyard. There was a pair of dead assassins nearby. But he paid the bodies no mind. They were dead. What would they care if he decided to sleep nearby.

But first, he needed to clear his mind. Empty the dark thoughts bumping around his brain and restore himself to looking like the innocent that he certainly was not. His eyes flashed yellow for a moment before he sucked in a sharp breath. The force whirled around him for a moment then was crushed beneath his will.

 _Much better._ He thought.

"Nice parlor trick."

Kage jumped to his feet. His hand flew to his belt and he grabbed a silver hilt from it. His thumb hovered over the activation button. Then he sighed as he realized who it was with him.

"You shouldn't startle me like that." He said as a blue haired woman glared at him from across the courtyard.

Before he could think twice, she marched across the courtyard, reached back, and slammed her fist into his jaw. Kage saw stars as he hit the ground.

"Ohhhh…" He winced and rubbed his jaw, "You still got one hell of a right hook, _Marth._ "

"How the hell did you get here?" Marth growled.

Kage slowly sat up. He kept his mind guarded. There was no doubt that Marth was already trying to brush against his mind and discern his intentions. She could not do it before. And she would not be able to do so now.

He smirked as her face twisted in frustration.

"You should know that my defenses are better than your offense." Kage said.

"Damn you!" Marth snapped before stomping away.

Kage sighed. He hated it when she got this upset, "Lu-"

She spun on her heel, "Don't call me that!" Marth exhaled, "Not here. And not now."

Kage inclined his head in understanding, "Right. Sorry. The rules slipped my mind."

"Rules?" Marth narrowed her eyes, "You were not with the others when I explained the rules of our mission to them. How could you know them?"

Kage shrugged as he sat in the grass, "Common sense. Last thing we all need is our parents learning about our identities. If they do then there is the chance that we go poof."

Marth scowled at his attempted humor. Kage cleared his throat.

"You're mad at me."

"Three years Kage." Marth snapped at him, "Three years you were missing. You and that damn master of yours. We all… I…" She swallowed hard, "And now here you are. In the past."

Kage nodded, "Weird how this all works. Isn't it?"

Marth furrowed her brow, "Where is he?"

"My master?" Kage pressed his lips into a thin line, "I don't know. Disappeared after we arrived in this time period. I've been making my way through the country in the meantime. Doing what little good I can."

"Oh really? That'd be a first." Marth said as she folded her arms.

"It is not a first and you know that." Kage huffed, "Seriously, has your opinion of me fallen so far in our time apart?"

"After what your master did to mine, yes." Marth growled.

Kage froze, "What are you talking about?"

He saw Marth's lips tremble a little bit. She swallowed hard and wiped away a tear that had been brimming in her eye. Without another word, she turned on her heel and marched towards the small cleft in the wall that no one but Chrom and herself knew about.

Kage watched as she disappeared from his sight. He no longer felt weary. His mind was now very occupied. She knew he was here now. And she had managed to contact Kenobi in some form already. He brought his hand to his chin and frowned.

Something happened between her and his master. Something he was not aware of. Something his Master had hidden from him. There was no way he could just ask his Master what happened. If he was hiding a secret from him, then there was no way he would reveal it without a fight. He'd have to play this one safe. Slowly pry the secret from his Master. Learn about what he had done to Marth's master before they both wound up in the past.

A small buzz hit him on his hip. Inside of his pouch, a small metal disk vibrated the chimed.

Kage frowned.

"Speak of the devil." He muttered before grabbing the disk and pressing a button on the side.

A blue hologram appeared. Maul glowered at Kage from beneath his hood.

"Have you succeeded, Apprentice?"

Kage gulped. Yes, he would have to tread very carefully with his elderly master. A Sith did not grow old unless he was truly a force to be reckoned with.

 **And chapter! Action packed and filled with some reveals! The next few chapters are going to be fun ones to write. I apologize for any missed edits in this one. I'll defintely go back in and clean it up once I have proper interet and access to my actual computer again. I'm typing on my phone and things can get a little jumbled. Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	18. Darkness Rising

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 18

Darkness Rising

Validar awoke with a gasp. He was lying on the floor. No wait, there was no floor. Was there? There was clearly something beneath him. A solid object he was laying on top of. But he saw nothing. Just a swirling portrait of black and purple shadows beneath his still form. A pit that seemed endless and without any form.

The air around him was cold. Freezing even. Goosebumps formed along his flesh as his body attempted to fend off the chilled air. The shadow around him were pitch black. Even the shades of purple he did see appeared to be completely opaque. Not a single light could penetrate them. He swallowed hard and ran a hand over his chest.

There was no wound. No gouge in his flesh. No sword piercing through his heart. His eyes searched around him as he quickly jumped to his feet.

 _Where am I?_ He thought.

Was this the afterlife? No, it could not be. This seemed like something different. An in between of some sorts. The plane of existence that laid between life and death. A sort of limbo that his mind could hardly comprehend.

He looked around and saw the same inky portrait. The world was endless and formless save for the shadows. Shadows cast by no objects.

"Curious." He muttered to himself.

He froze. In front of him, a group of shadows appeared to coelesce. They formed into the shape of a man. Validar's glowing eyes grew wide.

"It can't be!" He gasped, nearly falling backwards in shock, "You-you-"

"My faithful servant." The shadowy being grinned.

Validar felt his mouth fall open. Then, without any command of any sort, he dropped to the floor and bowed low to the shadowy figure.

"My lord, Grima." He breathed. His voice filled with both fear and reverence.

"Grima?" The shadowy figure mused, "Is that the name I am known by on this world? Yes… it is. Isn't it? It has been so long since I have followed the Force's currents to this planet. I seem to have grown somewhat unfamiliar with the world of Archanea. But I digress."

Validar arched an eyebrow in confusion. Currents of the Force? What did his Lord Grima mean by that? Did he mean magic?

"You may rise, Validar. And fear not. For I am the one who brought you to this place."

 _If you could call it a place._ Validar thought to himself.

"Do you judge my home? My plane of existence?"

Validar swallowed hard. He should have known better than to think that. Grima was the all powerful fell dragon. Destined to bring an end to the known world and to reshape it in his perfect image. To destroy the blight that was Naga and all of her followers.

"I thank you for thinking so kindly of me."

Damn it! His mind was an open book for his Lord.

"Validar, do not be disturbed. As a loyal follower of my religion," the shadow of Grima gave a small, dark chuckle, "you should be honored by my actions. Have full trust in me. Yes?"

Validar gulped. Grima, his actual form, it was nothing like what Validar had studied. The great fell dragon was always portrayed as exactly that. An evil, black dragon of mammoth proportions. Towering over any building constructed by man. A massive head and maw with six blood red eyes that hungrily looked down on its prey. A monster of nightmares.

But in this realm, he was just a man. Though his smaller stature did nothing to hide the sheer power that radiated from him. Validar took a moment to touch the magic, the mana, in the air. He nearly crumpled to his knees. Overwhelmed by the darkness and power around him.

Grima's avatar chuckled again. Amused by Validar's obvious weakness.

"Yes, for a non immortal such as yourself, it would be overwhelming. The powers granted to me eons ago by my Father and the Force are still hardly comprehensible to lowly humans." He noticed Validar's confusion, "Magic, if you wish for that term to be used instead."

Validar gave a small nod.

Grima's avatar flashed a wicked smirk, "So primitive in your understanding of the universe. Of course your ancestors would tell stories of me being a wicked, bloodthirsty monster. And while some of that may be a little true, not all of it is. The most compelling stories are lies with hints of truth in them after all. Am I the Fell Dragon Grima. Yes, but I am also so much more. I am darkness. The dark side of _magic_ is my domain. I exist to dominate. To destroy. To enslave the weak and elevate the mighty." Validar felt entranced as he listened. The yellow eyes of Grima's avatar continued to look at him in amusement, "And the elevation of dark magic is almost complete. Save for this little, lowly world we now exist in."

Validar looked at his lord puzzled, "World?"

"You seriously cannot believe that you are the only intelligent life forms in the universe?" Grima's avatar asked, "Oh no, there are much more. And another of my faithful servants has already cast my shadow upon the rest of the galaxy. Though he is sadly unaware of of his success in doing my bidding. This world however, stands beyond his reach. For now at least. But I cannot simply wait for him to get here. No no, that will take to long. So I call upon you now, Validar, high priest of my Grimleal."

"What is thy bidding, my master?" Validar asked as he fell to his knees.

This being before him, it was awe inspiring. Power incarnate. Untamed and furious. The perfect being to destroy Naga and her followers. The perfect lord to reshape the world.

"Your time has not come. You will return to the world of the living. When you awaken, gather my followers. Then bide your time until that fool Gangrel falls. He will only impede our progress. From there, take over Plegia. Return me to physical form, Validar. And I will bestow power on you unlike any you have ever possessed before." Grima's avatar extended a hand, "Another vessel of mine will be meeting you in the wilderness, he possesses some of my power. The more primal nature of it at least. The Grima you know of from your histories and stories is within him. A Hierophant for your new order. Seek him out. Then await my word."

Validar saw the shadows of Grima disperse. The purple and black void around him began to lighten. A blinding light filled his vision. And the breath returned to his body.

…..

Ben frowned then rubbed his chin. He could not help but narrow his eyes in confusion as he looked at the woman in front of him.

He had seen many strange beings during his travels throughout the galaxy. He counted some beasts such as the ackley among them. As for beings, the strangest still had to be whatever creature the Hutts were. They also still were the most revolting to him.

But this woman gnawing on a bowl of vegetables in front of him, was something else entirely. She had small tufts of fur near her joints and on her rear. A strange, fur and leather armor covered her torso. Her feet were bare and her hands were dainty but possessed nails sharpened into claws. There were markings on her face that seemed to be ingrained in her skin. A sharp, animal instinct to her eyes that made Ben think that there was something both intelligent yet primitive behind them. Then there were the ears. Bunny ears, that's how Robin described them. Much to the chagrin of the woman.

Ben's other hand tapped against the table. The bowl of stew in front of him was untouched. He was not very hungry anyways. His mind both occupied with figuring out what creature this woman was as well as the impending meeting regarding the assassination attempt. Chrom wanted Ben and Robin with him at the war council. Which was in… Ben glanced at a small clock that hung above the bar on the barracks wall. Fifteen minutes.

"Are you going to continue staring, man-spawn?" The woman snarled between bites of lettuce and tomato.

Ben drew back, "No, no I just… I am unfamiliar with you kind, ma'am."

The woman raised an eyebrow, "That is something I have never been called before. Your ignorance does not surprise me Man-spawn. The Taguel… we are," Sadness entered her eyes for a moment. Then they hardened with anger, "I am the only one left."

"I am sorry to hear that."

"Why should you be?" The taguel woman replied, "Your kind are the reason mine no longer exist. My warren was hunted to extinction by humans."

Ben could not help but notice the venom behind her words. The hatred in her tone. It did not surprise him. A lone survivor of a species among the very species that drove her own to extinction must be rather traumatizing. And curious.

"You are still staring, Man-spawn." She snarled.

"What is your name?" Ben asked.

The taguel woman drew back a little bit. As if she was surprise by the sudden question.

"Why do you wish to know?"

Ben folded his hands onto the table, "Because I am not one of the humans that drove your kind to extinction. I abhor the fact that such a thing happened to your people. And I refuse to view you as a different being. I choose to view you as an equal to me. In order to do that, I need to know your name."

She blinked in shock, "You humans… are a strange brood. Many are violent sacks of meat wanting nothing but blood and destruction. Yet, being among these Shepherds, even if for only a few bours, has shown me that there are some who are not that way. Your Exalt is among them. I spoke with her upon the end of the battle last night. And she gave me just the same amount of encouragement and reassurance as you did. As well as an apology, for what that is worth."

"Hardly anything at this point. Words cannot bring back your people, unfortunately." Ben replied.

She swallowed hard, "Truly said, Man-spawn." She sniffed the air, "You are different from the other squabbling humans as well. Like the Exalt. You seek to understand my kind. Not destroy me." She leaned forward in her seat, "And your prowess in battle did not escape my eyes. You defended the Exalt with honor and ferocity. If a human can defend someone as just as her, than they must be just as honorable as she is. Very well, I shall tell you my name. You may call me Panne."

Ben nearly spat out the name Obi Wan Kenobi on instinct. He had been so engrossed in his conversation with Panne that he forgot he was operating under a different name now. He smiled and held out a hand to Panne.

"Ben." He said.

Panne eyed his hand with suspsicion. Then she gripped it with her own.

"And it is a pleasure to meet you, Panne."

Panne snorted, "We will see." Her dark eyes darted up to the clock, "That device you humans use to tell the position of the sun-"

"A clock?" Ben chuckled.

"It says it is time for you to go to your pack meeting."

Ben looked up at the clock, "It is." He stepped out of his chair and threw his cloak over his shoulders. He turned on his heel and was about to leave the barracks when a thought occurred to him, "Panne, if possible, and I do not mean to intrude in any way, but could you tell me more about the Taguel sometime?"

Panne sat straigter in her seat, "You, a human, wish to know about my people? You are a strange Man-spawn, Ben. Perhaps we can talk of my kind. But not now."

"Thank you." Ben said with a slight bow.

If Panne was the last of her kind, then she was technically their leader. Their matriarch in a way. And such a position deserved respect. The Jedi taught him that, and he wanted to keep some semblance of normalcy in his actions.

As he stepped out of the barracks, he caught sight of Gaius stepping out from the pantry. An armful of cakes in his hands.

"How's it going, Ears?"

"Do not call me that." Ben heard Panne snap as he shut the barracks door behind him.

He stepped into the yard. Virion was already awake. The archer was firing arrow after arrow into a target. Sharpening his skills so that he would not miss a single shot in the war. He loosed another arrow and buried it in the target's center mass.

"Good shot." Ben complimented.

"And I'll need to make a hundred more before the day is over." Virion replied, "My performance last night made that apparent. A missed arrow of mine allowed one assassin to escape. I cannot allow such a mistake to occur again."

Ben shook his head, "Do not be too hard on yourself. Mistakes happen. All we can do is learn from them."

"And that is what I am doing now." Virion replied with a smile.

"Then I shall leave you to it."

"Have fun at the council!" Virion called after him as he walked to the palace.

Ben snorted. Yes, council meetings. Droll things. When he had been appointed to the Jedi High Council he graciciously accepted the offer. Then after several meetings, he came to understand why Qui Gon did not wish to sit on the council. Sessions were tedious, long, drawn out affairs. The Clone War did not help in that regard. Surprisingly, he ended up preferring strategy sessions with Commander Cody and Captain Rex.

Ben chuckled to himself. If Anakin ever found out about that, he would never hear the end of it.

He swallowed hard as the image of his old padawan burning alive on a lave bank rushed through his thoughts. The screams. He could still hear those blood curdling screams.

"Ben!" Robin called as he entered the main hall. The tactician strode up to him. A broad smile on his face, "How's it going?"

"Hm?" Ben snapped himself out of his memories, "Fine. Just thinking."

"You too?" Robin scratched the back of his head as he fell in step with Ben, "I've been wracking my brain about last night. Hardly slept a wink."

Ben raised his brow, "Then how are you so energetic right now?"

"Coffee." Robin replied, "I drank like… maybe seven, no.. eight cups of it."

 _Coffee?_ A stimulant of some sort, perhaps. Ben enjoyed this world's cuisine tremendously. But there were still some mysteries for him. _Maybe it's like Caf?_

"Did you get any rest?" Robin asked as they left the main hall and entered the hall that led to the council chambers.

"Some." Ben replied.

That was a lie. He felt exhausted. The battle last night had sapped a lot of his energy. He, Emmeryn, and Gaius had made it to the council chambers without any conflict. But when they were discovered, he and Gaius had to fend off a wave of assassins that had seemed endless at the time. His sword arm was still a little sore from the battle.

All of that bloodshed had only managed to reopen old scars. Memories of the Clone War plagued Ben's sleep last night. Battles such as the first and second Geonosis, Christophsis, Coruscant, it was more than enough to keep him awake at night. In the end, he had resorted to meditating near the fireplace. And that was where Panne had found him. Her arrival provided a wonderful distraction for his worried mind.

"Don't lie to the Exalt when she asks." Robin advised, "She's been worried about you. Chrom and Lissa too. But your name kept coming up."

Ben felt his cheeks heat up. He wanted to smack himself. Curse these hormones running through his body. He felt like he had far less control of his feelings as a twenty year old than he did as an older Jedi Master. And that bothered him. He did not want to make any mistakes right now. The last thing he needed was a romantic attachment. Especially to the ruler of Ylisse during a crisis. That would only end in disaster.

Still, the thought of Emmeryn made his heart leap in his chest. They had become strangely close during his time with the Shepherds. So close in fact, that he had nearly told her everything about him last night. Before the assassins attacked.

He was much more hesitant about telling her the truth now. His past should be the Emmeryn's last concern. Not only was her nation at war, but her own life was directly threatened by an assassination attempt. An attempt that had nearly succeeded. It had ended with her escaping death, Sumia being seriously injured, and Emmeryn's entire contingent of palace guards dead.

He nodded to himself. He would wait in telling her the truth for now. It could wait. One day, she will know everything. Then… well, Ben would see where the Force took him at that point.

As he and Robin entered the council chambers, Chrom greeted them.

"You two look like hell." Chrom laughed.

"You don't look any better Prince Charming." Robin retorted before flopping back in his seat beside Chrom, "Did you get any sleep? Or were you too busy holding Sumia's hand to get any rest?"

Chrom's face pink then bright red at Robin's teasing.

"Come on, Chrom." Robin chuckled, "There is no way we did not notice."

Ben gave Robin a puzzled look, "I didn't notice anything."

Robin smacked Ben's chest as the swordsman took his seat, "Let me have my fun."

"Alright you two. That's enough." Chrom chuckled, "And for the record, I did sit with Sumia for a little bit." His smile faded a bit, "Whatever Kage did to her, the healers describe it as a miracle. She should have died from her wounds. Whatever spell that fiend hit her with was devastating." He exhaled, "According to Lissa, that spell was supposed to hit her. But Sumia jumped in the way. She's taking it pretty hard."

"I don't doubt it." Ben said, "I'm sure once Sumia wakes up, Lissa will feel better."

"We can only hope." Chrom replied.

Frederick entered with Commander Phila and Commander Edward. Then Emmeryn entered the room.

Ben had to blink. Even though a battle had taken place in her palace and she had nearly been killed, Emmeryn still looked absolutely radiant. Her robes were flawless. Hair kept neat and tidy. There was weariness in her eyes. But she did her best to hide that. She took her seat at the head of the council table.

"I declare this council to be in session." She said while her two commanders sat to her right and left. Frederick took a spot near the door. The knight acting as the Exalt's bodyguard until a new royal guard could be trained and outfitted.

"First, I think we need to discuss our newest allies in this war."

"You mean the two thieves and the rabbit?" Edward replied.

"Taguel, not rabbit." Ben corrected.

Edward shrugged, "They're the same thing."

A hard stare from Emmeryn sent the Knight Commander shrinking for a moment.

"Apologies your highness. Old prejudices die hard." He said.

Robin raised his hand. Chrom hung his head.

"Robin, you don't have to raise your hand to speak."

"Right, sorry, just… felt it was necessary. Didn't want to interrupt anything." He said rapidly. Ben snorted a little. That coffee was giving the tactician the jitters, "Panne was instrumental in our defense. She saved my life and helped me reach the palace fast enough to save Sumia and Lissa's lives as well. Without her, we'd have more bodies to bury."

Emmeryn nodded, "She did so in order to pay off some debt her Warren owed us. Now that it is paid, I wonder about her fate."

"Hunters will pay a high price for her head. She won't be safe in the wild." Edward noted.

Phila frowned but Edward shrugged.

"I'm not wrong."

"Unfortunately, you are not." Phila begrudgingly agreed, "Besides, no debt can be so great that it required her saving your life to repay, your highness. I feel a reward is due."

"She will just reject it." Robin replied, "What use are human trinkets to a Taguel?"

Edward nodded in agreement.

"We could offer her sanctuary." Ben suggested, "She can stay with the Shepherds."

Chrom smiled, "Not a bad idea, Ben. I'd be happy to extend that offer."

"Then do so." Emmeryn gave her brother a gentle smile, "Panne has more than earned such an honor."

"Now…" Phila cleared her throat, "On to the two thieves."

"Gaius and Kage." Chrom nodded his head, "Ben, Robin, you two interacted with them the most. What are your impressions?"

Ben pursed his lips, "I don't know much about Kage. By all accounts, he seems to be a boy caught in the wrong crowd. That is what Gaius said. They consider each other friends. Although they only met recently."

"Kage seems like a good guy." Robin leaned back in his seat, "He saved my life. He saved Lissa's. And whatever he did to Sumia worked. If he has healing knowledge then he'd be a tremendous asset to our forces." Robin rubbed his jaw, "That, and he's stealthy as hell. I did not see him until he drove his blade through Validar's body."

"What do you suggest for him if he were to join us?" Chrom asked.

"Scout?" Robin suggested, "Gaius too. No offense to the rest of us Shepherds, but none of us are the stealthy type. Naga help us if we need to send someone like Vaike on a stealth mission."

Chrom and Ben both uttered light chuckles.

"Gaius," Ben paused, "He's a rogue type. His loyalty appears to be easily bought. That concerns me."

"But you cannot deny, without him, we would not have survived last night." Emmeryn noted.

Ben nodded, "That's true. It is a red flag to keep an eye on."

Robin leaned over, "How did you get his loyalty?" He whispered.

"Candy."

Robin's jaw fell open, "Seriously?"

"I do not hear a no from you, Ben." Chrom continued.

Ben sighed, "Beyond that one concern, I don't have any. He proved his abilities in battle. And Robin is correct, we need good scouts and spies among our numbers. Gaius and Kage could prove to be invaluable."

If there was one thing he learned during the Clone War, intelligence was everything. And an army could not gather intelligence without skilled scouts and spies.

Still, he felt some unease about the pair. The fact that they changed their loyalties so readily unsettled him. If they did join the Shepherds, then he would keep an eye on them. He locked eyes with Frederick and saw the knight nod at him. The man was thinking the exact same thing.

"I'll offer them a place among the Shepherds." Chrom said firmly, "They saved your life Emm. Lissa and Sumia's too. If they return to Plegia they could be executed as traitors. I say we give them sanctuary as well."

Emmeryn nodded in agreement, "Then that matter is settled."

"Now onto a more pressing concern." Phila began, "Your Highness's safety."

Emmeryn frowned a little.

"Your highness, assassins infiltrated the palace. And they did so with ease. If not for the actions of the Shepherds and the unaccounted for mercenary named Marth, you would be dead." Phila noted.

Ben nodded in agreement. His mind lingered a little on Marth. The girl had vanished as soon as the battle ended. He could not sense her presence nearby at all. Wherever she went, she was making sure that no one could find her. Not even him.

"Ylisstol is no longer safe." Edward concurred, "I have received reports that the Plegian army has cut a bloody swath through our countryside. They could be at the city gates in few weeks." The knight commander grit his teeth, "I don't understand their progress. It's as if their forces are moved by some unholy force. Our armies put up effective resistance. They cut down Plegians by the thousands. And yet they gain victory at every battle. Whoever is presiding over the Plegian tactics is a cunning genius."

"Good thing we have one of our own." Chrom clasped a hand on Robin's shoulder, "I propose we name Robin as our army's general tactician."

Phila and Edward stared incredulously at Chrom.

"I think thats a no." Robin muttered.

"Why not?" Chrom asked, "Everytime he has faced the Plegians, we have claimed victory."

"By the skin of our teeth." Phila countered, "Need I remind you of the skirmish outside of Themis."

"But we won!" Chrom exclaimed, "We beat back the Plegians."

"Then were promptly stomped by their main army." Edward replied, "I admire Robin's skills, but he has no experience leading a full army. His true skill is guiding small strike forces, in my opinion. As evidenced by the effectiveness of the Shepherds. With time, he'll grow to be a great battlefield commander. But talent matters not in the face of experience. And whoever is the architect behind the Plegian strategy possesses both."

"Experience outranks everything." Ben said, echoing an old proverb that Captain Rex said often. Usually to little Ahsoka Tano.

A sad pang raced through Ben's heart. That girl had been wrong in so many ways. He wondered if she was out there in the galaxy still. She would have avoided the initial Jedi purge since she left the Jedi just before that disaster. Hopefully she was alive. Maybe one day, they would meet again.

"My point exactly." Edward agreed.

Chrom sighed, "What is our current strategy?"

Phila grimaced, "Right now, delay. Our armies are not fully marshaled. And Regna Ferox is still arming themselves. It will be a few more weeks before we will recive their direct aid."

"It would be good if we sent an envoy to oversee them." Edward said, "Perhaps provide advice."

"If they are the best warriors on the continent, I doubt they need our advice." Robin said.

"Best does not mean most disciplined." Edward retorted, "They fight like barbarians."

"Maybe that's what we need. The Plegians meet us with savagery. Maybe we fight them with savagery." Phila mused, "Fight fire with fire so to speak."

"It'd be a change in direction from what we are doing now." Chrom nodded.

"Shouldn't we be discussing how they managed to get into the palace?" Ben interjected, "Tactics are all well and good, but if the entire head of an army is cut off then there is no army at all."

Robin grimaced. Chrom sighed.

"You're right, Ben. We may not be able to learn how the Plegians infiltrated the palace, but we know that you are not safe here Sis." Chrom reached for Emm's hand, "We need to get you out of the city."

"I cannot leave my people. They need me to lead them. To stand with them."

"You cannot stand with them if you are dead!" Ben suddenly a said. His tone much sharper than he intended.

Frederick arched an eyebrow at his outburst. Chrom gave him a silent stare of surprise. Robin sank in his seat. And Emmeryn looked at him, dumbfounded.

Ben swallowed, "Sorry. It was a long night. I'm still rather tired."

"We all are." Phila said, "And this course of action isn't up for negotiation. Your highness, I swore to your father when he passed that I would protect you. And right now that means getting you to safety. Away from the approaching enemy army."

"And to where?" Emmeryn asked, her own frustration growing, "Regna Ferox? My people need me here. They need to know that I stand beside them in this trying time."

"Perhaps you could take shelter in the Eastern Palace for now?" Edward suggested, "The mountains will make it difficult for any army to pursue. And that palace is much more fortified than this one."

Chrom nodded in agreement, "And once we drop you off there, the Shepherds will make our way to Regna Ferox and await Khan Falvia's forces. With any luck, we will be driving the Plegians back in the coming weeks."

Ben sighed. There was no such thing as luck. But in this case, he did not fault Chrom for his choice of words. It did look like they would need all of the luck in the world in order to defeat Plegia at this point.

Emmeryn closed her eyes and sighed. Ben could tell that she really did not want to leave. It was the same expression he had seen on Satine's face all those years ago. Back when he and Qui Gon were her Jedi protectors. She had been adamant about not leaving Sundari during the civil war. But the violence and near death experiences forced his and Qui Gon's hand. Even Padme Amidala was frustrated by the need to leave her homeworld. But that was the nature of warfare. Capture the queen, and the army would crumble.

 _Just like chess._ Ben thought.

"I need to think for a bit." Emmeryn breathed, "Leave me for now. I'll inform all of you of my decision in a bit."

Phila and Edward seemed taken aback by Emmeryn's orders. Nevertheless, they rose, bowed, and exited the room with Frederick. Chrom gave his sister a pleading look before rising and exiting with Robin. Ben was the last to rise. But as he got to his feet, Emmeryn raised her hand.

"Please stay." She said as she got out of her seat and walked over to the one window that was in the council chambers.

Ben froze for a moment. Unsure of what to do. Eventually he east back down into his seat.

He heard Emmeryn utter a loud sigh as she hung her head.

"I cannot just leave them."

Ben's lips pressed into a thin line, "You cannot die for them either." He replied.

Emmeryn looked back at him, "Isn't that what a leader is supposed to do? Put their life before their peoples's."

Ben's fingers tapped on the table, "Maybe. But I think the best option is to live for you people instead of dying for them." He got up from his seat and walked over to her, "Emmeryn, you are a strong leader. A kind and good woman. If you were to fall to the Plegians, it would not do the people any good. It would crush them. Then what?"

Emmeryn swallowed hard. Ben could see some tears forming in her eyes. Ben hardly noticed when he gently wiped them away.

"Don't throw your life away out of some sense of duty." He advised, "Your duty is to lead your people. Not die for them. If that means going to the Eastern Palace, then that is what that means."

Emmeryn sniffled, "You can be just as blunt as Chrom, you know that?"

"You just listen to me because I'm not your little brother." Ben chuckled.

Emmeryn let out a small laugh, "Maybe." Wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, "I can't help but feel like a failure for all of this. If… if I had suspected Gangrel's true intentions, if I had just known what he wanted to do to my people, I would have been ready. I would have kept our armies at the ready. I would have-"

Ben lightly touched her chin and lifted it so her eyes stared into his own.

"Do not dwell on that. Focus on the here and now. That is all you can do. Do what is best for your people right now."

He could feel his heart thumping in his chest. Force, what was he doing!? He should have excused himself with Chrom and Robin. Now he was getting himself into a situation he really should not be in.

Yet, it felt…. right. It felt right to be here for Emmeryn. To stand by here when she needed him. To comfort her and give her advice. It was a strange feeling. And as he stared down into her eyes, he could not help but feel his heart jump to his throat.

Emmeryn reached up and placed a hand over Ben's, "Thank you." She said softly.

Ben did not know what happened next. But he suddenly found himself leaning forward. His eyes closed and he felt Emmeryn's lips lightly touch his own. They both drew back, surprised that they had both done such a thing. Ben uttered an awkward chuckle.

"I'm not sure if my advice is any good. I mean… conflicts of interests and-"

She silenced him with another kiss. And Ben's eyes widened for the briefest of moments. Then he melted into her embrace. And she huddled closer into his arms. They finally pulled away from each other. Both lost for breath.

"I um…" Emmeryn exhaled loudly, "Um… I think I've made up my mind. But on one condition."

"That-um-" Ben swallowed hard. Force, was he always this awkward when he was young? Now he knew why Satine despised him at first. "That would be?"

Emmeryn's lips parted into a soft smile, "You stay with me at the Palace."

Ben's heart jumped in his chest. He shifted his weight from side to side and exhaled.

"If you want to of course." Emmeryn followed up quickly, "I did not meant to make things seem to-"

"You didn't just-" Ben exhaled. The words of his old Master rang in his mind. Live in the moment. The Force would guide him. "I'd be happy to."

Emmeryn's lips parted into an even wider grin. She threw her arms over him and wrapped him in a warm hug. A hug Ben returned. She did not move to kiss him again. Both were still reeling from that action before.

"I trust you, Ben." Emmeryn said, "I hope you know that."

Ben was silent as he held Emmeryn in the council chambers. In that moment, she was no longer the Exalt of Ylisse. She was just a scared, worried woman. Terrified of the horrors her people were experiencing. Worried for her brother and her sister. Scared for all those she held dear. The aura of the Exalt disappeared as Ben held her.

A part of him was screaming in frustration. Another part was jumping with joy. And a third was feeling apprehensive about the whole affair. He could not shake the sense that there was something bad bound to happen. But he forced the feeling down. Qui Gon wanted him to live in the moment. To let the Force guide his actions. The more he was around Emmeryn, the more convinced he was that he was supposed to be there.

But still, he could not shake the guilt of not trusting her in turn. The pair ended their embrace and made their way towards the council doors.

"I will let Phila and Edward know of your decision. You should go check on Lissa, Chrom, and Sumia."

Emmeryn nodded then raised an eyebrow, "I already checked on Sumia. Is there something else wrong with her?"

Ben uttered a light, mischievous chuckle, "Just ask Robin."

As they walked out, a single set of eyes watched them from the window sill. A man dropped his defenses and re-emerged from his hiding place in the Force. As the door shut behind Ben and Emmeryn, a wicked grin parted over his lips.

His Master will be most please

 **And Chapter! A small break before we get back to the action. Just a chance to catch out breaths. One thing I would like to note (not sure I have before but I am just going to say it just in case), when I write fanfictions one of my goals is to craft an original story or exprience. That means I aim to not follow the original works to closely. I doubt anyone wants to read a copy paste o the original works (I know i don't when I look for stories to read) but that is just my opinon and thats how I operate.**

 **But enough about that, this was a fun chapter to write. we learn a little bit about a major villan in this story. is he Grima? Is he a form of Grima? Or somethign more? An enigma for sure. I'Ve got someting very fun in mind for that part of the story. I can't wait to write it. But I am not gonna spoil it! We get to see Ben and Panne meet (as well as Gaius). We get to see a bit of a war council and the panic that some of the leaders in Ylisse seem to be in. And is that ROMANCE i see blossoming! Lucky Ben! *evil grin and devliish laughter***

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chatper! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	19. Ambush

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 19

Ambush

Ben awoke. And all around him was ice. Not snow like Regna Ferox. But ice. Thick sheets of it. Some of it coarse and some slick. The air was freezing. Easily the coldest he had ever felt in his life. Which was saying a lot. He had been to many frozen climates during his time as a Jedi. But this world he was now on was beyond any cold he had ever experienced before.

It was a mostly flat plain of ice. A few dunes of snow littered the landscape. A pale sun sat high in the grey skies above his head. It's rays cast bright reflections around him. Ben had to squint in order to shield himself from the bright light. In the distance, he could see an ice storm brewing. Dark clouds lumbered near the horizon.

He shivered and gave his arms a vigorous rub. Ben was somewhat surprised by his mostly calm reaction. Then again, he was not surprised he was on another world.

Visions had been coming to him with growing frequency. As a Jedi Knight, even a Jedi Master, he was not very prone to visions. He was attuned to the currents of the living force. A quality that his old Master Qui Gon had often lauded him for. But visions were something foreign to him.

That was until he arrived in Ylisse and the world of Archanea. Now the Force was opening up to him in ways he had never imagined before. It bestowed both horrifying futures and enigmatic possibilities upon his mind. Showed him puzzles that he struggled to understand.

Many times it was nightmares. Memories of raiding the Jedi Temple with Master Yoda. Seeing the bodies of his friends, those he considered family, lying still on the blackened temple floors. Memories of the Clone War. The battles and the carnage he had experienced. Reliving some of the hardest choices he had to make as a military commander and wishing he could change them. How many lives could have been spared if he had made one choice instead of another?

But most of the nightmares were about Mustafar. The duel that had nearly killed him. The duel that had broken the Jedi Master. Not in a physical sense. He was still alive and breathing. But psychologically, it changed him. He could not fully understand how or why yet. But he could feel the sorrow deep in his heart whenever he awoke from those nightmares. That and fear. Fear of what Anakin had become. Fear of the Emperor and how easily the Dark Lord of the Sith had twisted his brother. Fear of his own actions. The realization that he had killed Anakin still haunted him. The face of a lively padawan melted with the hatred of Darth Vader. And that image would send shivers down Ben's spine.

The most consistent factor of all of his recent visions, nightmares really, was that they took place in the past. Reliving minor successes. Watching his many failures repeat over and over again.

But this vision was starkly different. He had never been to a world like this. It was an ice cube hanging in the cosmos. Ben doubted it could support any life. What little it did support must survive by monstrous means.

Ben shivered and squeezed his eyes shut. When he opened his eyes, the ice storm was all around him. He grit his teeth and wrapped his ratty old cloak tighter around his thinning frame. A slight frown graced his lips. He had not noticed it till now, but he had lost some weight since arriving in Ylisse.

The sound of feet crunching on ice caused Ben to spin on his heel. He peered through the screaming ice and snow. There, a few yards away, stood the silhouette of a man. He was tall and lanky. A blaster hung at his hip. He body was covered in thick, winter clothing that offered meager protection from the elements.

Through the howling wind and screaming shards of ice and snow, Ben heard a voice.

"Just hang in there, Princess."

The stench of burning flesh hit Ben's nose. Then there was the glow of a lightsaber. A red lightsaber.

Ben's heart jumped to his throat. On instinct, he reached for his own blade. But felt nothing there. Just his leather belt.

Through the ice, he saw another form. That of a fallen, bipedal mount of some sort. Frozen to death from the cold. The man was cutting it open. Once the animal was sliced open, the man groaned and extinguised the lightsaber.

"Alright listen up, Princess. I know this smells. But it'll keep you warm."

The man pulled another body from the ice. A slender young woman. She wore a uniform of some sort. White in color. Perfect camouflage for this world. Her face was scarred. Bloody gashes crossed her cheeks. The blood frozen to her skin. And she sounded delirious.

"Some guy…" She gasped, "Someone watching…"

 _Dagobah._ Ben heard someone say in his mind. A voice that sounded like Qui Gon.

"Dagobah?" He said aloud.

"Dagobah." The woman moaned.

"Get in the guts, Princess." Ben winced as the man shoved the woman into the beast's still warm body, "You'll thank me later."

The man then fell onto the animal once his task was completed. Ben heard the man utter a disgusted grunt.

"I thought they smelled bad, on the outside. Ugh!"

Ben blinked in confusion. What in the world was he seeing? What was the Force showing him?

The man began to set up a small shelter. Just as he set up a heater in his tent, he looked over at the dead creature that shielded the woman from the cold.

"You better live, Leia."

Ben's heart stopped beating. He could scarcely breath. It was not possible. This had to be some sick coincidence. Dumb luck.

"There's no such thing as luck." Ben muttered to himself as realization sank in him.

"Our luck sucks, your worshipfulness." The man huffed, "Time to set up a beacon."

Ben began to stumble towards the campsite. But as he walked, the vision began to fade.

"No! Not yet! Leia!"

….

Ben jolted awake. His chest heaved up and down. His eyes were as wide as saucers. He jumped upright and stared at the inside of his tent. Outside, he could hear the sounds of the Shepherds as well as a small company of Ylissean soldiers and Pegasus Knights begging to stir.

He felt his body trembling. His gaze turned down to his hands. They were shaking. Of course they were shaking. He had just seen- he had just seen… Ben buried his face in his hands and uttered a loud exhale.

It was now official. He and visions had a complicated relationship. Now he could see why Anakin was so easily distressed by them. What he had just seen was impossible. Leia was a baby. She could not be a fully grown woman. And on an ice planet of all things? Ben swallowed hard and shook his head.

"This makes no sense."

Meditation. Ben rubbed his face and nodded to himself. He'd have to meditate on this at length. There were two possibilites that originated from that vision. One was he saw the present. In which case, time was an even more abstract concept than he believed.

It was far more likely he saw the future. In which case, meditation was a must. One could not rashly act on a vision on the future. There were too many unknowns at work. So many variables that could change. One minuscule change, and the entire future he had just seen could be thrown off.

He rose from his little floor mat and stretched his arms over his head. While the events of the vision replayed in his mind, one word kept springing forth.

"Dagobah." He muttered to himself.

His brow furrowed. It was not just a word. It was a place. But what place? He sighed, walked over to his clothing that was hanging on a small peg, and began to dress.

"Force visions." He grumbled as he tightened his belt, "Damn confusing things."

The flap to his tent opened and a young face peaked inside.

"Master Ben, sir?"

Ben had to force down a small chuckle.

 _Master Ben? I've been called many things by young people. That's a new one._

"Yes, Ricken?" Ben answered as he buttoned the collar to his plain, brown shirt.

"Captain Chrom wanted to tell you that there was a meeting for all Shepherds. He wanted me to come fetch you."

Ben arched an eyebrow, "He did?"

Ricken shrank a little bit. Ben sighed. He was not an intimidating person. Why was Ricken afraid of him?

"I came to wake you earlier." Ricken started. As if he knew what Ben was wondering, "But you shouted in your sleep. Scared the crap out of me, sir. Almost got kicked by you."

Ben drew back. That was a good reason to be hesitant.

"Well, I apologize. I had… a strange dream." He blinked some more sleep from his eyes while throwing his cloak over his shoulders.

"More like a nightmare?" Ricken continued.

The young mage appeared a little more comfortable after Ben's apology. He inched his way further into the tent. Arms folded over his chest. His magic tome pressed tight into his robes.

Ben pressed his lips into a thin line, "I'm not sure actually."

"How can you not be sure if you had a dream or a nightmare?" Ricken asked.

Ben smoothed out a wrinkle on his cloak then hooked his rapier to his belt, "It's complicated."

"That doesn't sound very complicated to me."

"Well it is." Ben sighed. He turned and knelt down to Ricken's eye level.

The young mage was still so young. And here he was, among a party of soldiers tasked with escorting Exalt Emmeryn to safety at the Eastern Palace. His robes still were loose on his boyish frame. And he had not had his growth spurt yet. Ricken's hat almost looked as big as he was.

 _Children being sent to war._ Ben thought, _Why do a feel like I have seen this before?_

He could recall the first time Ahsoka Tano had fought beside him and Anakin. Ricken was not much older than the little Togruta was. Times truly are desperate when the youth must lay down there lives.

"Sometimes," Ben began, "A dream is neither good nor bad. It can be something that does both. It can reveal a good and an evil."

Ricken raised an eyebrow, "You seem to think dreams and visions are one and the same?"

Ben pursed his lips, "Well… for us.. mages," he said carefully, "They can be."

"But visions are extremely rare. Only mages that are the most in tune with magic and the mana of the world can have them." Ricken's eyes widened, "Are you that powerful?"

Ben chuckled, "That's for you to find out on your own. But yes, I often view visions and dreams as one and the same. They often reveal hidden truths. Maybe that truth is about yourself. Or about the past, present, even future. But it is a truth nonetheless. It would be unwise to dismiss them as just a dream or a nightmare."

Ricken furrowed his brow, "That sounds pretty complicated."

Ben nodded, "Exactly."

"So what was your vision then, Master Ben."

"Just Ben, Ricken." Ben laughed. His smile faded a little, "The vision was… strange. I think it has something to do with the future."

"So you know what's going to happen in the future?"

Ben just laughed, got to his feet, and led Ricken out of his tent. There was a meeting they both had to get to.

"No. I do not." Ben replied as they walked through the Ylissean camp set up in a mountain pass. Above them, the sun was starting to peak over the mountain tops. Providing much needed warmth to the soldiers, "It is not so easy to see the future. Mostly because the future is never certain. You may see one thing. But that thing is only a possibility. Not a definite reality."

Ricken bobbed his head, "I sorta get it." His eyes widened and he smacked his forehead, "I forgot!"

"Forgot what?"

"Sir Robin is still asleep. I'll meet you at Captain Chrom's tent."

As the young mage rushed off, Ben heard him say something about wishing he could see the future so he wouldn't forget again. A little observation that made Ben chuckle himself.

Ricken was dedicated to his craft. Ben had witnessed the boy practicing diligently in the training yard once he recovered from his own injuries. He often asked Robin and Miriel for advice. Since those two were the only actual mages currently with the Shepherds. Though with Chrom's propensity for attracting followers, Ben did not doubt that more would join them during this war.

Ben let out a wistful sigh as he made his way towards Chrom and Lissa's tent. It had been a very long time since he felt like a teacher. But just now, talking with Ricken, he was taken back to his days as a newly knighted Jedi. Anakin was always hounding him with questions. At the time, he had almost considered it a nuisance. A sad smile crossed his face. He had taken his time with the boy for granted. Force, he wished he had not.

 _If only Anakin were as studious as Ricken just was._ Ben thought to himself with amusement. Oh, the headaches he would have been spared from.

He pushed his way into Chrom's tent. The other shepherds had already gathered inside. Including Sumia, who was resting on a small, plush chair.

Ben gave her a small, reassuring nod. The young Pegasus Knight was still recovering from her injuries. But she had insisted on accompanying the Shepherds. There would be nothing that could stop her from defending both Exalt Emmeryn and Prince Chrom. And while Chrom had offered some protest, he had relented in the end. Ben smirked as he saw Chrom give Sumia a gentle smile. Yes, he could see what Robin had already noticed now.

"I assume you were too busy holding someone's hand in order to get me yourself?" Ben teased as he patted Chrom on the shoulder.

Chrom turned red in the face. Much to Sully and Vaike's amusement.

"Hey! Ben is starting to get our sense of humor." Sully grinned, "I knew our lack of dignity would rub off on him."

"Welcome to the family." Vaike grinned.

Ben chuckled, "Contrary to what you all believed, I do enjoy a funny joke." He leaned up against the table they were all gathered around. A large map of Archanea was spread out on it.

Ben took stock of everyone in the room. Spirits seemed high. But that was almost always the case with this bunch. It really should not have surprised him.

Sully and Vaike were comparing arm muscles. Both insisting that they were stronger than the other. Stahl was off to the side, munching on several biscuits he had managed to snag before arriving. Frederick stood near the tent entry with Lon'qu. Both warriors were hyper vilgilant. Ben did see Lon'qu take a large step away from Lissa once she approached though. Virion was sipping tea from a steaming mug as he studied the map on the table. Miriel was with Maribelle across the table. Both discussing Miriel's latest batch of elixirs that she had been working on for weeks. The young girl from Themis was doing a good job keeping her grief in check. But Ben could sense she was still mourning the loss of her father and her city. He hoped someone had gone to talk to her about it already. Panne sat near a small fire that was burning in the tent. The Taguel was doing her best to warm herself. Her long ears were perked up. Listening for any strange sounds that might be coming near.

Out of the corner of his eye, Ben saw a tall suit of armor shifting back and forth.

"How are you this morning, Kellam?"

Kellam's jaw fell open, "How are you able to see me?"

Ben shrugged, "Is your aim to remain hidden?"

Kellam shook his head.

"Then maybe speak up some more." Ben gestured at the other Shepherds, "Chat with your friends. I'm sure they'd love to hear from you."

"He's right, big guy." Gaius said as he emerged from a shadowy corner of the room. His pockets jingled for some reason.

Ben frowned, "Gaius."

"Hm?"

Ben held out his hand.

Gaius rolled his eyes, "Should have known I couldn't pull a fast one on you." He pulled out a gold bracelet and several stacks of coins.

"You're a member of the Shepherds now." Ben scolded, "That means no stealing."

"Except candy." Gaius pointed out, "I got permission for that."

Ben sighed. The Thief seemed to know just which buttons he needed to push in order to irritate Ben. Whether he did so intentionally was another matter. There was a naive innocence to Gaius that made Ben think that the guy just did not know better.

Kage stepped beside Gaius. The young blonde gave Ben a respectful nod.

"You're Ben, I assume?"

Ben looked over at Kage, "Yes." He held out a hand and the boy shook it.

"I heard about what you did in the palace. It's damn impressive. Taking on all of those assassins by yourself is quite the feat."

"Hey, I was there too ya know." Gaius said.

"Yes," Ben nodded, "And I don't aim for glory in battle. I just did my duty."

Kage nodded, "I'm liking you Ylisseans more and more everyday."

Ben gave the boy a small smile. Strange how some of the staunchest allies could come from the enemy's lines.

The tent flap burst open. Both Robin and Ricken scrambled inside.

Ben laughed at Robin's appreance, "Did you sleep on your head last night?"

Robin reached up and tugged on some tufts of hair that were sticking up all over the place. But his efforts were in vain. They only popped right back to their messy state.

"Might as well have." Robin yawned, "Fell asleep at my desk."

"Again?" Ben chuckled.

"Hey, a tactician has to study."

Chrom tapped the table with his hand. All the chatter around him died.

"Alright." Chrom started, "Now that everyone is here, we can discuss our mission."

Ben raised an eyebrow, "Mission?"

"We are to escort Exalt Emmeryn to the Eastern Palace. From there, we have been ordered to make haste to Regna Ferox and gather more forces for the war. Hopefully when we arrive in Arena Ferox, Khan Flavia will have her armies ready to go."

"Who will stay and protect the Exalt?" Frederick asked.

"The Pegasus Knights will." Chrom said. Though Ben could detect some distaste in his words. He had to remind himself that Chrom was Emmeryn's brother. Of course he would want to protect her personally, "And Ben."

All eyes flocked to the swordsman standing between Robin and Gaius. Vaike's jaw fell open. Sully began to laugh like a madwoman. Stahl looked unsure of what exactly was going on. That was remedied by Miriel muttering something about mating. Which led to Maribelle clasping her hands over Ricken's ears. Frederick looked slightly uncomfortable. Lon'qu was as stone like as ever. And Virion could only give Ben a devilish smirk.

"Ben, you sly dog." Virion teased.

"Uh-um-I-"

"Alright!" Sully cheered, "Ben is human after all. And he's damn ambitious too."

Chrom cleared his throat, "Can we please stop talking about my sister's personal life."

"But it's so much fun Chrom!" Lissa exclaimed.

"Enough!" Chrom barked, "What Ben and Emmeryn do is not the point. The point is, our best swordsman, no offense to anyone here, will not be with us during the second leg of our mission. Robin, I assume you have strategies in mind in case we have any unfortunate encounters."

"Bandits, Raiders, Plegians, or Risen you mean?" Robin replied. The mention of the Risen made Ben shiver a little bit. And he could tell it had a negative effect on the other Shepherd's as well, "Yes, I have some ideas in mind. Hopefully we won't need them. But I'm prepared."

"Good." Chrom nodded, "Now then we to-"

A loud commotion outside caused Chrom to stop speaking. He heard the sound of Pegasus wings hammering against the air. The sound of steel clanking together cast an ominous cacophony of noise to fall onto the Shepherd's ears.

Chrom turned and marched out of the tent. Robin and Ben followed him.

Outside, every Pegasus Knight was taking to they sky. Their steeds snorting and whining as they shot into the cold, mountain air. Chrom managed to catch sight of Commander Phila as she mounted her own Pegasus.

"Phila!" Chrom rushed over to her, "What is going on?"

"Plegians. They're behind us." Phila said, her face lined with both determination and worry.

Chrom's face blanched.

"What?"

"How?" Robin asked.

"I don't know." Phila replied, "they must have slipped past Commander Edward's rear guard in Ylisstol. Our sentries report a small force. But after what happened near Themis, I'm not taking any chances." She nodded in Ben's direction, "You should get to the Exalt. Chrom, lead the rest of the company onward. I will return soon."

Without another word, she dug her spurs into the haunches of her Pegasus. The animal snorted, beat it's powerful, angelic wings, then soared into the air. Chrom gulped as he watched the company of Pegasus Knights fade into the distance.

"Chrom." Robin shook his arm, "Let's get moving."

"Right." Chrom gripped Falchion's pommel and moved back to his Shepherds, who had gathered outside of the ten, "Robin, strategy."

"Ben, Frederick, you both protect the Exalt." Robin said, "Lon'qu, I need you to stay close to Sumia and Lissa. Make sure no harm comes to them. They are not able to fight right now. Ricken, Miriel, and I will hold the center of the column. That'll give me a vantage point on our enemy and allow us to shoot volleys of magic if needed. Virion will be with us as well. Chrom, Kellam, Vaike, Sully, Stahl, hold the rear. If those Plegian's break through the Pegasus Knight's, we will need you to either clear a route for escape or hold them back while we all make a break for the Eastern Palace."

"What about us?" Gaius asked as he pointed at Kage and Panne.

"You three scout ahead." Robin ordered, "Make sure our path is clear."

"On it." Kage nodded before donning his dark hood and sprinting towards the head of the column.

"Wait up, kid! Ah dammit he's quick." Gaius said before taking off after Kage.

"Humans and their impatience." Panne grumbled as she followed them.

Before Ben and Chrom could leave for their positions, Robin stopped them.

"Hey, worst comes to worst, I'll need one of you two to take over strategy." Robin gulped.

Ben frowned, "We won't let it come to that. Phila did say it was a small force. Likely a scouting party. I'm sure the Pegasus knights will be back soon."

"We can only hope." Chrom nodded, "Get to Emm."

….

Commander Phila considered herself an adept in many things. She was an unparalleled warrior with a lance. Especially when it came to warfare in the air. When she was a young trainee, she was top of her class. The best rider, the best fighter, the most intelligent when it came to aerial tactics. It was how she was able to rise so quickly in the ranks of the Pegasus Knights. And she knew how to scout. It was one of her first duties when she first volunteered to join the legendary Ylissean Pegasus Knights.

So why was she not seeing any Plegians? Her scouts reported that there was a small force closing in from the rear. Yet here she was, high in the sky with her company of knights. And there was not a single thing out of place on the mountain road.

A bad feeling hit her gut. Something was very wrong here.

"Commander?"

Phila glanced to her right. Floating over to her was the youngest of her Pegasus Knights. Someone who reminded Phila much of herself in her youth. Minus the red hair of course.

"Yes, Cordelia."

"Where are they?" The young Pegasus Knight asked.

Phila saw her hand was grasping her lance tight. So tight that the leather beneath her gauntlet groaned in protest. Phila's face turned grim. Indeed, where was the enemy?

"Maybe we scared them off?" One of her other knights suggested.

"Plegians aren't scared off that easily." Cordelia mentioned.

Phila had to agree with the red head. The Plegian military had their equals when it came to her force. Those equals were-

"Wyverns." She swallowed hard. She looked over at her two scouts, "Were there any Wyvern's among the enemy?"

"No ma'am. Just foot soldiers."

Phila furrowed her brow. Foot soldiers would be sitting ducks out here. Especially when it came to an aerial attack. What were the Plegians playing at?

"Commander, look!" Cordelia pointed down at the road.

Phila narrowed her eyes. Emerging on the road was a single, figure. A man in black robes and hood. A strange metal cane helped him hobble along the dusty pathway through the mountains. Phila grimaced.

"Anastasia." She nodded at her second in command. Another veteran of the last war.

"Yes, commander."

Her second flew down with Phila. They both landed gracefully in front of the feeble man.

"Hold sir!" Phila barked, "What is your business on this road?"

The old man chuckled, "Just going to go visit an old friend of mine, miss."

Phila frowned. Visiting an old friend? No one lived in these mountains. There was nowhere to live. The only flat space was the road. Everything else was sheer, rocky, cliffs.

"Oh…" The man sighed and shook his head, "I was so hoping you would fall for the ruse. I'd rather not have to unveil myself so soon."

Phila suddenly felt cold. Extremely cold. She saw her breath mist in front of her face. Her Pegasus uttered an alarmed cry before it beat it's wings. She knew her steed. That was a warning. A distress signal to her.

Phila's gaze returned to the old man. Her eyes widened as his hunched posture corrected itself. He rolled his shoulders back and placed his weight on what Phila assumed were crippled legs. But now they were miraculously healed. He raised his cane and broke off the handle. His thumb drifted to a small red knob.

A bar of red light erupted from both ends of the cane. The red light revealed the man's face. Phila's heart lodged itself in her throat.

"I'm afraid you missed the rest of my friends." The man twirled his glowing blades in his hands and shrugged his hood from his head, revealing black and red skin and a head crowned with horns, "But don't worry, I will keep you company."

Phila gripped her lance. Before she could blink, the monster moved. His strange weapon cut a hideous, red arc through the air. In the span of a single breath, Anastasia fell from her Pegasus. Her head separated from her shoulders.

Fury filled Phila. Fury and horror. With a rage filled cry she thrust her lance down at the monster.

The glowing red bar of light sliced through her lance as if it was hot butter. Phila's eyes widened in shock. She grit her teeth. Her hands flew to her hip where a short sword rested.

"Cordelia!" She shouted at the top of her lungs, "Get to the Exalt! Everyone else, kill this fiend!"

The monster saw one Pegasus Knight break off from the others and fly full speed back up the road. But when he focused on her, she stopped and turned.

"I must have one witness to this." The monster laughed, "Before I kill you all. I will tell you my name." He twirled his weapon in his hands, "I am Maul."

Phila's eyes widened. A blood curdling roar erupted from Maul's throat. She watched as the monster made an impossible leap into the air. Her mouth fell open in horror as another of her knights fell headless to the road below.

"CORDELIA!" Phila screamed, "Go now! Warn the Exalt!"

Cordelia watched horrified as the creature known as Maul cut her sisters to ribbons. He moved so fast. She could barely keep up at all. How could such a feeble looking man all of a sudden become the most terrifying warrior she had ever seen.

"CORDELIA!"

The red head was wrenched free from her terror as Phila roared at her again. Her commander gave the young knight a desperate look.

"I-I can't-"

"Go!" Phila barked, "You will not help the Exalt if you are dead! We will buy you time."

Cordelia felt her mount turn away from the battle in fear. Her pegasus's wings beat against the wind, flying her as fast as it could away from the battle.

"No!" Cordelia cried.

Tears streamed down her face as she heard her sisters's death cries. She grit her teeth and buried her face into her loyal mount's mane. They were all going to die. And she could do nothing about it.

...

Ben and Frederick reached the Exalt just as the war horns sounded. Ben's rapier was out of it's sheath in a flash. Emmeryn was puzzled at first. Then the war horn sounded again. Her face blanched. All around her, what little royal guards she had drew their weapons and prepared to defend their Exalt to the last man.

"Ben." She breathed.

"Stay near me." He said firmly before spinning around with Frederick.

Both warriors stared up and down the mountain road. There was only two ways the enemy could come at them. And with Gaius, Panne, and Kage already ahead of the main group, Ben doubted the enemy would come from the front.

The swordsman turned to see Frederick looking up at the sky.

"Keeps your eyes open for Wyverns." He advised Ben.

Ben cursed under his breath. How could he forget about those flying lizards? The Plegians used them like the Ylisseans used Pegasi. And right now, with the Pegasus Knights busy with a skirmish near the rear of the column, the Plegians had aerial superiority.

Ben's instincts kicked in. He drew on his vast battle experience from the Clone War as well as the knowledge that he had of their current enemy. They were dealing with a cunning tactician. One that used their own assumptions against them. Ben furrowed his brow.

"They're not coming from above." He said.

Frederick gave Ben a puzzled look.

A Wyvern roared. Then two, then three. Both Ben and Frederick stared wide eyed as an entire group of Wyverns rocketed up from the canyon below. Lances arced through the air. Emmeryn dropped to the ground.

One lance skipped on the rock just past her. Another impaled itself on one of her guards. Ben stepped in front of her. Then with speed and power that Frederick thought was impossible, he used his blade to deflect the third lance away from the Exalt. He hit the projectile just hard enough to cause it to spin off course and hit the gravel road instead.

Arrows flew through the air. Frederick raised his shield. Several hit against his defenses. Battering his forearm and causing Frederick to grit his teeth with strain.

"How did they get here!?" He shouted at Ben as another royal guard fell dead due to the arrows.

Frederick's jaw dropped. Ben's blade was a blur as he defended the Exalt from the arrows.

"He's deflecting arrows now." Frederick mumbled. The Knight rolled his shoulders, hefted his lance, "I clearly must do my part better."

With a loud cry, he threw his lane. A satisfied grin graced his lips as the tip pierced a Wyvern's thick hide. Both lizard and rider plummeted to the jagged canyon floor.

"We can't stay here!" Ben shouted at Frederick.

Frederick looked back at his fellow Shepherd. Ben's beadwork was magnificent. But the Plegian archers were learning. Now they were not aiming for the Exalt. They were taking aim at Ben. Hoping to cut him down so they could have a clear shot at her.

"We need to make our way back to Chrom and Robin!" Frederick shouted.

"Agreed!"

Frederick held out his hand to Emmeryn. Ben gave the Exalt a firm nod. Emmeryn squeezed Ben's arm before hopping onto Frederick's horse.

"Come!" Frederick shouted before snapping the reins to his horse.

His steed snorted and took off down the road. Ben deflected several more arrows before sprinting after them.

He drew upon the Force's power. Relying on it's energy to provide him more speed, strength, and stamina. Emmeryn's life was in danger. Now was not the time to hold back. He could not. He swallowed hard as he came to a hard realization that he wanted to deny so badly.

He cared about the Exalt. A lot actually. The last thing he wanted was for any harm to come to her. As he sprinted behind Frederick, memories of that bleak night in Sundari flashed in his mind.

Maul, grinning evil down from the Mandalorian throne. Satine at his mercy. Himself held down by members of Maul's Deathwatch. The horror as Satine was gutted by Maul hit Ben like a punch in the gut. The pain had been unbearable. The worst he had felt since he had lost his Master to the very same enemy.

The Jedi grit his teeth. He would not let that happen again. Never again.

Ben slid to a halt. The dark side of the Force pulsed around him. Like an oppressive wave of cold and fury. Untamed and unleashed. He could feel it coming from the rear. The very place he and Frederick were retreating to. But he could also feel it behind him. Back up the road where the Wyverns had attacked. Ben turned. His eyes narrowed.

Standing on the road was the Black Rider. Yellow eyes blazed beneath a black hood. His face still hidden behind a mask that veiled the rest of his face. Frederick skidded to a halt as well.

"Ben?" Frederick asked.

Ben could see the Knight was now nervous. The dark side was thick in the air. Ben reached out and his blood ran cold in his veins. He could feel death everywhere. Lives were being snuffed out rapidly. All of it concentrated at the rear of the column. Where the Pegasus Knights had gone to combat the enemy. And among the death and carnage, the dark side roared with triumph. Relishing in a savage blood lust that made Ben's breath get lodged in his throat.

"Keeping going." Ben said as he stared at the Black Rider, "Get to Chrom."

"We have to protect the Exalt." Frederick reminded him.

"If I do not face this man here he will kill her." Ben said, "I can handle him. You get back to Chrom, now!"

Frederick's face was grim, "I expect you to be behind me soon."

"I'd hope so." Ben said before the Knight spurred his horse down road.

Ben watched as they ran. Emmeryn looked back. A look of fear and worry on her face. Ben swallowed hard and sighed.

 _I'll protect you._ He thought. _I won't let you die like Qui Gon and Satine._

His face hardened. Ben turned on his heel. The Black Rider had not moved a muscle.

"Not tackling me this time?" Ben said, "I'm rather grateful actually. That would hurt much more on this gravel than on grass."

The Black Rider inclined his head. Not a word escaped his form.

"Silent type?" Ben set himself in Soresu's transitional pose. Fingers and blade pointed directly at his opponent, "Very well. I will take this seriously then."

"You have already lost." The Black Rider snarled.

Ben stared hard at the man. Those yellow eyes blazed at him with hatred rarely seen in the galaxy. The Jedi could not help but wonder what he had done to infuriate the man so much.

Then again, he was Maul's apprentice. It would make sense if the Apprentice shared the same hatred at the Master.

Ben shrugged his cloak from his shoulders, "I don't think so."

The Black Rider's face must have twisted into a snarl behind his mask. The yellow eyes blazed like bright embers.

"You have failed, Jedi." He taunted, "Your precious Exalt will be taken from you. That is a certainty."

"Nothing is certain." Ben countered, "Only a fool thinks that."

"Or someone who controls fate." The Black Rider shot back before reaching for his belt.

Before the Black Rider could draw whatever weapon he was reaching for, a mass of fur jumped down from a cleft above the road. Panne uttered a furious roar as she landed on the Black Rider. Her animal form's claws dug deep gouges in the road as she furiously swiped at the rider.

But the Black Rider was a nimble enemy. He managed to avoid her razor sharp claws and punishing teeth. A fist shot out and pounded against Panne's head. The Taguel reeled. The Black Rider drew a blade and charged. Ready to drive the weapon into Panne's body.

Ben parried the attack and shoved the Black Rider away.

"I'm your opponent." Ben growled, allowing his powers in the Force to bubble to the surface.

Perhaps he could intimidate his enemy. He needed to end this fight quickly. Frederick could not hold off the Wyvern riders on his own.

The Black Rider laughed. It was a manic sound. Filled with amusement.

"Do you aim to terrify me Jedi?" The man shook his head "Such a foolish gamble. You've only managed to anger me." He paced in front of Ben, "I wish I could kill you right now."

"What's stopping you?" Ben taunted.

"My Master wants you alive… for now." Ben furrowed his brow in confusion, "He forbade me from destroying you myself. He wants to destroy you. Like how you destroyed him."

Ben felt a lump form in his throat. Maul wanted to destroy him as he destroyed Maul? But he never destroyed Maul. Not it the sense that he killed the Zabrak Sith. Ben's eyes widened.

"Emm." He breathed, "Panne, get to Emmeryn!"

"But-"

"GO! NOW!" Ben roared.

The Taguel needed no more convincing. The massive rabbit turned and charged down the road. Ben could only pray that she reached Frederick in time.

"You're a quick, Jedi." The Black Rider said, "Just not quick enough."

"You lured me." Ben realized, "You wanted me to stay behind."

The Black Rider laughed, "Of course. I've already defeated those two thieves and the rabbit. I'm surprised she got up, actually. But you… oh I'm going to savor watching the hope leave your eyes."

The Black Rider took a step forward. Ben readied for a fight. He coudl feel the Dark Side billowing out of the man like an evil cloud. Whoever this Plegain was, he was steeped in the Dark. It powered him. Drove his every thought and action. An apprentice who had given himself fully over to his anger and hatred. Ben knew this was going to be a dangerous opponent.

Just as the pair were about to clash, a Pegasus zoomed past Ben and slammed into a stunned Black Rider. The enemy uttered a startled cry before plummting down the face of the cliff.

Ben was just as surprised. And he was thankful someone on his own side had managed to come and help. But he did not know the red haired Pegasus Rider that had come to his aid.

"Thank you." Ben said, "I'd go through the pleasantries, but we don't have much time."

"I agree." The woman gulped. Ben could see tear stains on her cheeks, "Where is the Exalt?"

"Frederick took her back towards Chrom."

The Woman's eyes widened, "They're walking into a trap!" She reached out and pulled Ben up onto her mount.

"We must stop them!" She snapped the reins and her Pegasus shot into the air once again.

Ben looked back at their small battlefield. All of Emmeryn's guards lay dead on the road. He could see Panne's footprints in the gravel. She was running as fast as she could after Frederick.

Ben scowled. Clinging to the face of the cliff was the Black Rider. The man somehow managed to cheat death. Ben grit his teeth and tightend his grip on his rapier.

"Hurry! Miss... miss... whatever, we must fly fast!"

"It's Cordelia." The Pegasus Knight said with a shaky breath, "And don't worry. No one is faster than me."

Ben nodded. He hoped she was not boasting. The enemy that had followed them into the mountains was much deadlier than he had believed. And even though the Black Rider had been delayed, he could not help but feel dread in his core.

The Dark Side of the Force roared.

It was declaring victory

 **And chapter! Oooh here we go! Our first use of a lightsaber in this story. And it involves Maul having a little fun. We are nearing the point of this arc where the the pace is going to ratchet up. It is going to be fun to write! Then there is a mysterious vision for Ben. Is it the future? And how does it factor into his story? Hm... so many questions. Anyways, let me know what you all think! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day**


	20. Maul's Assault

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 20

Maul's Assault

Robin peered down the road. A sense of unease had come over him. Consumed his every thought. The camp that had been set up along the mountain pass had been hastily taken down already. Every solider and everyone in the Shepherds were mobilized and ready for a battle. Ben and Frederick, two of the finest warriors the Shepherds had, were already on the way to Exalt Emmeryn. Perhaps they were already by her side. That should have put his mind at ease. After all, Phila had said the Plegian raiders were coming from the rear. The Exalt was near the front. If any enemy wanted to get to Emmeryn, they would have to go through Chrom and the Shepherds.

So why were they not doing exactly that? Commander Phila and her Pegasus Knights had departed over an hour ago to deal with the enemy. There had only been silence and the quiet moaning made by the cold wind passing between the mountain peaks around him. An eerie sound that made Robin shudder.

The tactician shook his head, he was just being paranoid. Commander Phila and the Pegasus Knights were the best warriors Ylisse had to offer. They would not be defeated by a mere raiding party.

He glanced over at Chrom as the Prince stood beside him. Chrom's hand rested on Falchion's grip. The captain of the Shepherds was just as uneasy about all of this as Robin was. The tactician then looked behind him.

Several dozen Ylissean foot soldiers milled about. The boredom that came with lulls in war overtook them half an hour ago. Virion had his eyes trained on the road behind them. His fingers plucked his bowstring like one would pluck a harp. Lissa was staying close to Lon'qu. Something that irked the foreign swordsman. But he did not protest it. He was just as wary as Robin and Chrom. His instincts as a Warrior told him something sinister was afoot.

Kellam and Vaike were chatting about axes. From the sounds of things, Vaike was considering getting a new one. It was an awkward, stilted conversation. One that involved two soliders doing their best to combat their growing unease. Maribelle and Ricken were near their rear. Both keeping watch for anyone that was with the Exalt. Or even Gaius, Kage, and Panne.

Robin looked back up the road. Those three should have reported back by now. He did not tell them to follow the road all the way to the Eastern Palace. He sighed and looked over at Sully and Stahl. The pair were killing time by brushing the horses. But their eyes never left their weapons, which were strapped to their mounts.

"I don't like this." Chrom muttered.

Robin thrusted his hands in his coat's pockets, "Neither do I."

"Where are they?" Chrom wondered out loud.

"The Plegians?"

Chrom shook his head, "No. Phila and the Pegasus Knights. A raider party should have been no problem for them."

Robin nodded in agreement. His hand brushed against the spine of his spellbook.

"Something is wrong." Chrom continued.

"Don't worry so much." Robin tried to reassure him. But it sounded like he was trying to convince himself more than Chrom, "I'm sure they're just mopping up. Can't have any Plegian's reporting our position right?"

Chrom let out a heavy breath, "Right." He bowed his head and looked over to where his tent was.

Sitting in a chair. Her body wrapped in bandages that were hidden by her hastily put together armor, was Sumia. Lissa and Lon'qu had drifted over to her. And Lissa had decided to pass the time by performing some healing on the Pegasus rider.

"Have you two chatted recently?" Robin asked, doing his best to distract both of them from their own paranoia.

Chrom looked at Robin.

"Right. There was an obvious answer to that question." Robin chuckled, "So?"

"What?" Chrom asked.

"Do royalty ask girls out on dates or is it just expected for them to… you know."

Chrom's cheeks turned redder than a tomato. He uttered an embarrassed laugh and shook his head.

"If you weren't such a good tactician you'd make an excellent comedian."

"It's an honest question." Robin defended, "Remember, I don't remember anything before a month or so ago. I mean, if I was to try and court a woman I'd have to invite her out to dinner first and then so on and so forth."

"And so would I." Chrom chuckled, "Just because I have the title of Prince doesn't mean I'm any different than you."

Robin pressed his lips together, "You're definitely less awkward than I am."

Before Chrom could reply, Virion called out to both of them.

"On the road!" The Archer called as he pointed ahead of them.

Chrom and Robin followed his finger. They didn't see anything at first. Robin began to wonder if the boredom and tension they were all feeling had addled his friend's brain. He started to turn towards the archer when he saw it. A single figure in black trudging up the mountain pass.

There was a limp to his walk. An unnatural gait that made Robin think that whoever was coming near them was not human. His arms were folded behind his back. Robin's eyes widened when he was able to see that the figure was wearing black robes and a black hood.

"That's Maul." Robin whispered to Chrom.

"Yes." Chrom drew Falchion's, "How did he get by Phila?"

Maul stopped a few dozen yards from the Shepherds. Beneath the hood, Robin could see a twisted smirk on the man's red and black face. Those yellow eyes burned like hot coals under the black hood. They shimmered as he gazed upon the tense Ylisseans. His gaze stopped on both Robin and Chrom.

"Good afternoon." He said. Maul's voice sounded like venom. It slipped through the air and slithered into Robin's ears. The tactician felt his spine crawl. How did this cripple make him so uneasy? "Beautiful day, isn't it?"

"What do you want, cretin?" Chrom growled.

Maul uttered an amused chuckle, "Oh little prince, you would never understand what I want. But I perfectly understand what you want."

As the monster spoke, Robin's eyes flicked up and down his figure. The first thing he noticed was that Maul's cane was missing. Secondly, he was not hunched over. He stood straight and tall. A warrior's confidence exuded from his dark form. And a black sense of dread filled Robin as he saw a different Maul than the one back at Themis. This was not Maul the political adviser. This was Maul the predator.

"Oh really?" Chrom snarled, "Tell me?"

"You want to protect your lovely older sister." Maul smirked, "Such an innocent little thing. It is such a shame that you are a failure when it comes to such a simple task."

Chrom grit his teeth. He took a threatening step at Maul.

"What did you say?"

"What I'm saying is..." Maul brought his hands out from behind his back.

Robin felt a wave of nausea so overpowering that he nearly retched right there and then. His blood had gone cold in his veins at that exact same moment. And all the color in his face ran away.

Maul held Commander Phila's head out in front of him. The woman's face was etched into a grotesque scream. The tactician swallowed hard and looked at Chrom. His friend's hands shook as he tightened his grip on Falchion. Behind him, Robin hear Lissa utter a horrific scream while Sumia gaped in shock. Virion had already nocked an arrow and aimed it at Maul's black heart.

"Just say the word." Robin heard Virion say.

But the words failed to register in Robin's mind. He was still too shocked, too horrified, to acknowledge his archer friend. The tactician had seen death before. The charred bodies he had seen in Themis were still fresh in his mind. But as horrifying as that was. It still felt distant. He had not felt connected to those deaths in any way.

But he knew Phila. He knew that the commander was a good, strong willed woman. Someone who loyally served the Halidom and treated the Exalt and her siblings with almost motherly care and firmness. And now she was gone. Her head a trophy for the monster in front of them.

"Bastard." Robin heard Chrom hiss through a clenched jaw.

Maul laughed at them, "You all should really work on your internal security. It is much to easy to infiltrate you." He flung Phila's head Chrom's feet, "You will find the rest of your little flying knights are in the same state back on the road."

Robin's mind started racing. How were they all dead? Was Maul insinuating that he had killed the entirety of the Pegasus Knights by himself? That was impossible! No one was that skilled of a warrior. No one could survive an all out assault by the Ylissean Pegasus Knights on their own.

But the black robed man stood alone in the road. There was no raiding party at his back. No Plegian army marching to the beat of drums and the sound of horns. He was alone, facing the Shepherds. His face twisted into an evil smirk as he looked at Robin.

"Are you afraid, boy." Maul snarled.

Robin swallowed hard, "No."

Maul chuckled, "Don't lie to me." The man closed his eyes and breathed deep, "I can feel your fear. All of you. The air stinks with it." His eyes opened again. As they did, a silver hilt appeared from his robes and settled into his right hand, "Such a satisfying smell." He returned his gaze to Chrom, "How does it feel, little prince? To know that your sister is in my clutches as we speak? After all, my little raiding party was… shall we say… airborne."

Robin's eyes widened, "Wyvern riders."

"BASTARD!"

Chrom charged at Maul before Robin could stop him. He raised Falchion over his head. He was going to cleave Maul in half. So help him, Maul would die where he stood.

Robin saw a thrilled gleam enter Maul's eyes. The monster's thumb moved to a button on the silver hilt. Robin felt danger fill his very being. And fear. Fear for his own life. Fear for Chrom. Fear for his friends behind him.

He acted fast. The pages in his spellbook flipped so quick they became a blur. Thunder gather in Robin's hand. Just as Maul's thumb pressed down on the button, Robin launched his spell.

The yellow bolt of lightning streaked past Chrom. Forcing the Prince to dive to the side. He was about to curse Robin for his lack of aim, until he realized that Robin had just saved him from being skewered by a humming bar of red light that erupted from Maul's peculiar hilt.

Chrom's eyes widened to saucers as Maul raised his glowing blade and caught Robin's lightning bolt. The red light crackled, hissed, and the lightning died. The blade absorbed it. Maul grinned at the stunned tactician and now terrified Prince.

"I love the smell of fear on a lovely day like today."

A roar erupted overhead. Chrom flicked his eyes up to the heavens. A group of twenty Wyvern Riders were diving fast down at his men.

Vaike uttered a furious war cry. Kellam raised his shield as several arrows raced down at the Shepherds. Sully and Stahl mounted their horses and readied their lances. Sumia moved to shield Lissa while Lon'qu stood in front of both women. Determined to protect them. Virion returned fire. His arrows connecting with their targets several times. Sending three Wyvern Riders to their deaths far below.

An evil chuckle drew Chrom's attention back to Maul.

"This will destroy Kenobi." He heard Maul snarl, "The death of his precious friends. There is nothing more suffocating for a man like him, than the feeling of failure and loneliness."

Chrom raised Falchion as Maul swung his glowing blade down at him.

For the first time in his young life, Chrom did not know if his blade would block the attack. A weapon that could absorb lightning could surely cut through any metal. Chrom shook his head. Banishing the doubts he had in Falchion. This blade was the divine weapon of the dragon, Naga. It had not failed any Exalt before him. And it would not fail him now.

He squeezed his eyes shut and braced himself. The blades met. Chrom could feel the heat radiating from Maul's weapon. It felt like a fire had been set near his hands. Like flames licked at his fingers. Hotter than any bonfire could possibly be. He nearly dropped his sword. But Chrom tightened his grip and opened his eyes.

He saw Maul staring down at him with contempt. And confusion? Falchion held Maul's weapon at bay. But barely. Chrom's arms shook with strain. He grit his teeth then roared. With all of his strength he threw Maul's blade to the side.

He expected a chance to regain his feet and battle Maul. What Chrom did not expect, was the crippled man to twirl and swing his weapon for his head. The movement was so fast, Chrom could barely register it.

There was no way he could raise Falchion fast enough. Time seemed to slow as red light filled his vision.

A rush of wind surged by Chrom. The light faded and Chrom saw Maul thrown into the air and into the cliffs nearby. The impact his body had caused the rocks to tremble and dirt to run down the rocky face of the mountains.

Chrom looked around confused. Was that Miriel? Or Robin? Ricken? Who cast the strange wind spell that just saved his life?

A flash of blue hair. And Chrom had his answer. The slim form of Marth raced past him and charged at Maul. The monster had regathered his wits and snarled as Marth attacked.

The battle was a blur. Marth spun and swung a savage stroke at Maul's waist. A blow that Maul parried then countered with a quick slash to Marth's shoulder.

Chrom blinked. This was… surreal. The battle around him raged as if it was in slow motion. He vaguely saw Sully and Stahl throwing their lances at a Wyvern rider. Out of the corner of his eye, Ricken was protecting Maribelle by launched spell after spell at their attackers. He heard the gravel near him crunching. Then arms hooked under his.

Robin hauled Chrom to his feet.

"Chrom! C'mon, get up!" Robin shouted over the roar of battle.

Everything sped up again. Adrenaline rushed through Chrom's veins. He gripped Falchion, cast another look at Phila's head. His face twisted into a mask of rage.

"Maul."

He spun on his heel and rushed to join Marth.

"CHROM!" Robin screamed before a Wyvern Rider landed near him.

The lizard snapped at the tactician. Robin jumped out the way. He felt some razor sharp teeth graze his coat's sleeve. He could hear fabric tearing as the fangs cut through the cloth.

"Not my coat!" Robin cried before drawing his sword and lashing out at the Wyvern and it's rider.

The beast cried out in pain as Robin's blade bit into its thick, armor like hide. The tactician ducked as an axe swung for his head. Robin then acted on instinct. He jumped up onto the Wyvern.

"Hey! How's it going jerk?" Robin said before bashing the pommel of his blade into the rider's nose.

The man howled in pain as his nose popped. Before the rider could retaliate, Robin grabbed him by the back of his shirt and flung him off with all of his strength. The rider screamed as he plummeted down the canyon. Robin grimaced then looked at the reins of the suddenly passive Wyvern.

"Nice lizard." Robin said nervously as he grabbed the reins. He looked up at the enemy riders circling overhead. They were regrouping for a second attack. One that would devastate the Shepherds.

Virion was nearly out of arrows. But he had felled at least five of the beasts and their riders. Sully and Stahl brandished their swords but both looked nervous as they stared up above them. Vaike was already wounded, but the nasty gash over his right shoulder did not faze the man. He gripped his ax and grit his teeth. Miriel readied another spell. But she was looking tired. The intensity of the first wave had caused her to fire a flurry of spells. And while she was a good wizard and wonderful alchemist, she did not have the magical reserves that Robin possessed. Sumia was trying to mount her Pegasus. But her injuries were hampering her. Lon'qu and Kellam guarded Lissa as she tended to some wounded men.

 _They're about to dive again._ Robin thought to himself. And the Shepherds could not stand a second wave.

They needed to meet the Wyverns in the air. And with Sumia still out of action, that left one option. Robin gulped and exhaled.

"Alright um… lizard…" He tightens his grip on the reins and nodded, "Let's do this."

One snap. The leathery wings reached for the sky then hammered the air. Robin felt the air rush by his body. His ears popped as he rapidly ascended. As his body was jerked up, he lost his grip on his sword. The weapon clattered uselessly onto the gravel road.

"Alright." Robin shakily removed one hand as he shot through the air. He grabbed his spellbook and opened it, "One flying mage versus all of the Wyvern riders." He nodded to himself, "What could go wrong?"

….

Panne sprinted down the road. When she left Ben to engage the black rider, she had transformed into her beast form. There were several gashes and wounds on her body that bothered her. But the Taguel forced the pain to the back of her mind. The Exalt was in danger.

As she rushed down the road, she could hear the sounds of battle growing in her large ears. The Shepherds were engaged with the enemy. A ferociuos battle was taking place. One Panne hoped they were winning.

She was not a fan of the Man-spawn in her company. There was a deep seeded hatred for the humans that would be difficult to change. A wariness to them that she would never let go of. Humans had killed off her kind. Had slaughtered her warren and made her the last Taguel in the world. Their violent tendecies was all that they knew. And that violence extened even to their own kind.

It disgusted the Taguel. She had been tempted to leave several times. But something compelled her stay. Something about the Exalt. The genuine goodness the woman possessed betrayed every preconception Panne had of humans. She could say the same for the man known as Ben. A curious human that wanted to learn about her kind, not hunt them as the other males of his people did.

Maybe it was some sense of loyalty. Perhaps she was now fighting for unlikely friends. Regardless, honor demanded she defend the Exalt that extended a hand of friendship. She would not allow these other humans, these Plegians, to take a life as just and good as her.

Her pace increased. She rounded a bend in the road and slid to a stop. Climbing up from the cliff edge was Kage. The young man-spawn gasped for breath as he pulled himself up onto the road. Once he was on safe, stable ground, he locked eyes with Panne.

"Oh thank Naga." Kage breathed, "I could use some help."

"There is no time, Man-spawn."

Panne grabbed the boy with her teeth and threw him up onto her back. An action she was loathe to do. But man-spawn were slow runners. There was no other way he would be able to keep up with her.

Kage uttered some weak protests, but quickly went silent as Panne resumed her mad dash back to the main column. The duo rounded another corner. Panne felt her heart jump.

Lying in the road was the man-spawn named Frederick. His horse was dead by his side. And the Exalt he had sworn to protect was nowhere to be seen.

Kage jumped down from Panne's back and rushed over to the fallen Knight. The large man uttered several, sputtering coughs as Kage helped him sit up against the dead horse. Panne could see a large lance jutting out of his leg and an arrow in his side.

 _He must have fought admirably if it took such devastating wounds to fell him._ Panne thought.

She watched as Kage spoke quietly to Frederick. The Knight gave the boy a weak nod. With her sharp hearing, Panne heard the large man say that the Exalt was gone. A group of Wyverns ambushed him as he retreated back to the Shepherds. There had been too many. One snatched the Exalt from his horse as he fought. Then the arrows and lances were launched at him.

Panne scowled. The Plegians were cowards in her mind. Ambushes and deception were good for hunting prey. But for battling equals, such methods were dishonorable. It made her hate humans even more.

But strangely, that hatred did not extend to the humans she now called companions. A sense of admiration was starting to build in her for the Ylisseans. It was a small thing. But it was there.

Kage ran back to Panne and hopped onto her back. The action elicited a low growl.

"Oh, deal with it!" Kage snapped, "We need to get help, now!"

Panne frowned to herself. Unfortunately the young man-spawn was correct. And even more unfortuante, he would have to ride her for a little while longer.

...

Marth grit her teeth and slammed her Falchion against Maul's saber. Her eyes bore anger filled holes into the enemy before her.

"I knew I would find you here." She snarled at Maul, "You always loved destroying those we cared about."

Maul chuckled darkly, "It is good to see you too, Princess. Come to save someone important?"

Her eyes flashed. She spun away from Maul. Falchion shrieked as it slid against Maul's lightsaber. Marth already knew she was in the fight of her life. It was one thing to battle against Plegian raiders, bandits, or even Risen. It was another to do battle against this monster. Already she felt her abilities being pushed to their limits as Maul unleashed a furious assault.

A red bar of light filled her vision. As she battled, Falchion began to glow. Blue flames licked the sharp edges of the legendary sword. Marth silently said a prayer of thanks to the divine dragon, Naga. Without her power that had been infused within the blade centuries ago, Maul would have already cut her to ribbons. The divine blade allowed her to hold her own. At least for the moment. But it was becoming clear to Marth that Maul was another animal entirely. A swordsman of almost unparalleled equal. Both in skill and ferocity.

She moved to block a slash at her right hip. But her blade hit air. Her eyes widened. Maul had gotten her to bite on a feint.

He would have struck her down there. But another Falchion caught his saber before he could deal a death blow. Chrom snarled and shoved Maul back with brute strength. He and Marth stood side by side. The Prince of Ylisse glanced over at Marth.

"Holding back anything else?" He asked.

Marth sucked in huge breaths. The few minutes she had engaged Maul alone had been taxing. Her muscles were aching. And her lungs could not seem to gather enough air for her to catch her breath.

"One trick." She breathed, "Let him get close."

"Got it."

Maul chuckled at the pair, "How adorable. You both think you can best me? If Kenobi could not best me, what makes you think you can?"

Chrom raised an eyebrow. Kenobi? Who in Naga's name was that?

 _Wait? Who is the one person who could stand toe to toe with Maul?_ Chrom's eyes widened. It was Ben. His surname was Kenobi. Maul was still after him. Still trying to torment him. Chrom scowled.

"You will not harm any of my Shepherds." Chrom said as he felt rage simmering inside of him.

Maul let out a manic laugh, "Oh little Prince, it is far too late for that declaration. But if you want to defeat me, then you may try. But it will take much more than skill to do so. You will have to tap into your hatred to kill me."

"Like hell I will!" Marth answered for Chrom before charging at him.

Chrom followed. Both engaged Maul. Their swords clashed in bright flashes of light as they battled. Maul grinned in delight. He was feeding on the conflict. Relishing in the pain and suffering he was inflicting. Marth could feel darkness swirling around them as their battle grew in intensity.

She locked her blade with Maul's. Her arms began to shake. Maul was so strong. Each strike was like trying to block a rampaging bull with just her arms. At this rate, neither her or Chrom were going to survive.

 _Time for my little trick._

Marth released one hand and opened her palm. Power swirled through her body and a push rushed from her hand. Maul's eyes widened in sudden surprise. Chrom's jaw fell open as the monster flew through the air towards the chasm along the road. The creature uttered a furious roar as he plummeted down to the rocks below. Chrom rushed to the edge and looked down.

A curse rushed from his lips. Maul had not hit the rocks. He had landed on a waiting Wyvern. Maul sneered at Marth and Chrom. Before he could charge once again, his eyes flicked to the skies. He grit his teeth in frustration and glared hatefully at Marth.

"You will pay for foiling me today." He growled before snapping the reins and flying away from the battle.

Chrom raised his brow. He looked up, along with Marth. Above them, Chrom saw Robin somehow flying on a Wyvern. The tactician was furiously tiring spell after spell. And alongside him was a single Pegasus Knight. But it was not Sumia. Instead, Chrom saw a woman with red hair and a man with a rapier on the Pegasus. Their furious attack scattered the remaining Wyvern riders. The enemy noticed Maul's retreat. And they followed. Their mounts snarling in rage as they were forced away from battle.

Chrom looked around. There were no foot soldiers. The road was littered with arrows, lances that had missed their targets, and the bodies of some of the Ylissean soldiers that had accompanies the Shepherds and Exalt Emmeryn. Laying among all of that, were ten Wyvern riders.

"All of that…" Chrom gasped as a wave of weariness hit him, "For ten?" His knees buckled and he slumped to a knee. Marth caught him before the rest of his form fell to the ground.

"Easy, Chrom." She said, "A battle like that takes a lot of energy."

"No kidding." Chrom gasped, "Where-"

"I-er- know the future remember." Marth answered, "It made sense for me to follow all of you to the Eastern Palace." She looked in the direction Maul had retreated him, "But I did not expect him to show up."

Chrom nodded. He watched as Ben and the Pegasus Knight, a woman Chrom knew well, landed.

"Captain Chrom!" Cordelia called from her Pegasus as Ben jumped down.

"Cordelia." Chrom breathed as he surged to his feet, "What- what happened?" His attention turned to Ben, "Emmeryn? Where's my sister? Is she safe?"

Ben's face paled, "Frederick didn't get here with her?"

Chrom's blood ran cold. Before anyone could say another word, he took off running up the road. Ben rushed after him. Marth also sprinted with them. Meanwhile, Robin struggled to land his Wyvern. Once he was able to land and dismount he scrambled after the other Shepherds. All of them save for Lissa and Lon'qu, who were busy tended to their few wounded, rushed to find Frederick and Emmeryn.

They did not get further than few yards when Panne and Kage came barreling into them.

The Taguel was in her beast form. But she looked winded. On her back, Kage was slouching in his seat. His black cloak was fraying and torn in several places. A terrified expression was on his face. And his blue eyes looked a little watery.

Both looked injured and exhausted. But they were alive. And that gave Chrom some hope.

Hope that was swiftly dashed.

"Help!" Kage gasped, "Frederick, he's… he's not ok."

….

Gaius hissed as he gripped the wound on his side. He pulled his hand away and saw fresh, bright red blood on his palm.

"Not good." He muttered, "Not good."

It had happened so fast. First the arrows flying from above. Then Kage getting hit by a Wyvern and carried off to Naga knows where. Panne roaring in fury. One wrong step to the left. A talon to his side. Getting thrown into the cliff walls and knocked unconscious. Waking up to find Panne and Kage both gone. Gaius shook his head and winced as more pain rushed through his side.

"The candy is worth it." He hissed to himself, "It's worth it." He paused and slumped against the cliff face, "Dammit, it's not worth it. Shoulda just cut my losses when I could. All I had to do was take the shiny stuff from the Palace and go retire somewhere. Never too young to retire."

He pushed himself away front the cliffs and trudged onward.

"What I would give for a bandage and a chocolate bar right now." He groaned.

"I agree when it comes to the bandage."

Gaius ripped his sword free from its scabbard. He ignored the pain and the blood that seeped from his wound. But once he saw who it was, he lowered his weapon and cursed.

"Not you too." He moaned.

Leaning up against a dead horse was the uptight Knight who always gave him the wary side eye, Frederick. Gaius did not see what was wrong with him at first. Then he caught sight of a lance buried in his left leg and an arrow sticking from a gap in his armor. Near his right armpit.

A dry laugh escaped Frederick's lips, "Yes… me too." He winced and shifted in his seat.

Gaius sighed and fell beside Frederick. He used the fallen horse as a back rest. Now he realized how weak he actually felt. He had lost more blood than he thought. Gaius glanced back up the road and saw some red splotches near his own footprints. As he looked, his fingers began to tremble.

 _Blood sugar must be getting low._ He thought to himself.

"I…" Frederick swallowed, "I failed."

Gaius glanced at the knight, "Whatcha talking about?"

Frederick closed his eyes and shook his head. Gaius saw some tears beginning to brim in the Knight's eyes.

"I failed to protect the Exalt."

A pit formed in the thief's stomach. Gaius swallowed hard. More pain rushed through his side and abdomen. He could feel his clothing sticking to his skin now. The blood was starting to soak through.

"Yeah?" Gaius grit his teeth and hissed in pain, "We're in the same boat then."

Frederick gave Gaius a questioning, and exhausted, look.

"Got jumped with Panne and Kage." Gaius snorted to himself, "I don't know what happened. I got this," He gestured at his blood soaked side, "then got knocked out. I don't know what happened to Panne and Kage."

"They were here." Frederick answered, "Panne and Kage, they were… they were…."

Gaius felt panic rush through him. Frederick was going pale. His skin looked as white as a sheet. And he was having a hard time forming words now. A condition that signaled one, morbid thing.

"Oh no. No you don't!" Gaius barked before tearing a strip of cloth from his cloak.

He winced as he rolled over and wrapped the strip of cloth tight around Frederick's leg. A crude tourniquet. But it would have to do until help arrived.

Frederick's eyes began to roll. Gaius grimmaced. He quickly snapped his fingers in Frederick's face. Forcing the Knight's eyes to remain open.

"Keep those eyes open for me." Gaius said, "Look at my handsome face and admire if it helps."

"Damn you." Frederick breathed.

"Fine, think of your happy place and keep your eyes open!" Gaius ordered, "Did Panne and Kage go for help?"

"The Exalt-" Frederick swallowed, "The Exalt… taken..."

 _Crap. He's getting delirious._

Gaius looked at the wounds Frederick had received. If help did not arrive soon, he would be a goner.

Gaius swallowed hard. Death was not a strange thing to him. He grew up a street urchin in Plegia. Getting by with wits and petty theivery. He knew people who had died by the time he was just seven years old. But to feel death grasping him was terrifying. His mouth felt dry. And his throat was parched. Now he wanted a bandage, a chocolate bar, and some water. Naga, some water would feel amazing.

He wiped some cold sweat from his brow and uttered a loud sigh.

"Just a couple of unlucky bastards, right?"

Frederick uttered some indecipherable mutters. Gaius snorted.

"I agree." He looked over at the Knight, "If we make it out of this alive, I'll buy you a drink. Well, maybe not buy. But I will get you a drink."

Gaius heard the sound of feet scraping against gravel. He looked back down the road and saw Panne racing towards them. She was in her beast form. And on her back was Kage. The kid had an enormous welt on his forehead. His nose was bleeding and there was a bloody gash along his chin. But other than that, he seemed to be ok.

 _At least one of us isn't on death's door._

"Gaius! Frederick!"

"Man-spawns!"

Gaius gave the pair a weak wave, "Hey Kid. Hey Whiskers. I hope you all brought some bandages. Or maybe… a chocolate bar?"

"How about help?" Kage replied with a weak smile.

Gaius looked back down the road. Sprinting towards them was the rest of the Shepherds. Chrom and Ben led the charge. Just behind those two were Robin and- Gaius raised his brow. When did Marth get here? The other Shepherd's brought up the rear. And near a huffing Vaike, Gaius could see Miriel rummaging through her pack. No doubt sifting through the many elixirs she had stored and ready to use in case of an emergency.

And this qualified as an emergency. As she slid to a stop in front of him and Frederick, a question started to bounce through Gaius's fading thoughts.

"Hey kid?"

"Yeah, Gaius?" Kage answered as he knelt beside his friend.

"How the hell did you get away from that damn lizard?" Gaius asked before slipping into unconsciousness.

 **And chapter! I apologize for the wait everyone! I've been on vacation at my Great-Grandmother's house. And she lives out in the country where I have almost no phone signal and there is no wifi out there. So I could not upload this very fast. I'm excited to get back to it now!**

 **A darker chapter this time. Maul has some sort of agenda in mind. But what? A puzzle that will cetainly vex our heroes, especially Ben. Emmeryn has been taken. Frederick and Gaius are wounded. And the Shepherd's have suffered their first major defeat.**

 **I originally intended for this chapter to be much longer. But the flow did not feel right. So I cut it short and inserted the next scene at the start of the next chapter. I'll have that ready to go in the next few days.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you guys think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	21. Secret Plans and Bad Ideas

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 21

Secret Plans and Bad Ideas

Ben slouched as he sat in silence in Chrom's room. The orange glow from a small fire washed over the stone room. Rendering the once frigid room inside of the Eastern Palace, warm. So warm that Ben had actually taken off his cloak as he sat. His hands hung off the armrests. Across from him, slouching in another chair, was Robin. The tactician's head rested in his hands. His fingers rubbed his temple. The young man clearly was nursing a splitting headache. Every few minutes or so he would wince and squeeze his eyes shut. Trying to muscle his way through the throbbing pain in his skull.

The Shepherds who had not sustained serious injuries had helped to carry the wounded through the remainder of the mountain pass. A desperate dash that exhausted everyone. But on the other side was the Eastern Palace. They wanted to reach the safety of its stone walls before another Plegian attack could hit them.

The garrison had opened the gates quickly. The commander of the guard, a man named Phillip, had ushered them all inside and given each Shepherd a hot meal almost immediately. And while they ate, scouts were sent out along the mountain pass. Each one tasked with locating any remaining Plegian force as well as identifying the bodies of the fallen.

The Shepherds gratefully ate. Albeit in silence. Sully was eerily quiet. The battle had rattled her and Stahl. The Wyverns had rendered their riding useless on the narrow mountain pass.

Virion sipped from a cup of tea. Ricken joined him. Both enjoying the warmth that the hot liquid brought to their bodies. Virion was the calmest in the room during dinner. Likely because he had seen war before during his time as a noble in Rosanne.

Vaike ate as Miriel tended to him. Once he was patched up, the mage went with Lissa and Maribelle. All three were determined to distract themselves by assisting the other clerics in healing the wounded.

Kellam was quiet as he normally was. But he only picked at his food. The large man's appetite was nonexistent.

Cordelia did not touch her food. Her mind was still far away. Replaying the last orders of Commander Phila over and over again. Sumia sat beside her, the young pegasus rider was doing her best to comfort her.

Lon'qu was one of the few that ate his whole meal. Albeit, reluctantly.

Marth was nowhere to be seen. The blue haired swordsman had decided to stay out in the palace courtyard. Ben eventually found out that she was meditating in the cold evening air.

And Kage did not dine with the group. He went to sit beside Gaius as the thief recovered. Panne also remained near Gaius. But she gratefully munched on a bowl of fruit and vegetables.

Chrom, Robin, and Ben hardly touched their food. Intead, all three retreated to Chrom's designated quarters as soon as they had arrived. Meanwhile, the wounded, including Frederick and Gaius, were being treated by the healers that resided in the isolated palace.

Ben flicked his eyes up at Chrom as he heard a bottle being opened. The captain of the Shepherds was, to put it mildly, enraged. Enraged, vengeful, and filled with worry. All feelings that he felt could be helped by a bottle filled with something strong.

He took a long gulp and uttered a loud gasp.

Ben jumped in his seat as Chrom uttered a furious cry and threw the bottle across the room. The glass shattered as it hit the stone wall. Robin also jumped in his seat, startled.

"DAMN IT!" Chrom bellowed as he slammed his hands down on the table in front of him. His fingers spread over a map of Archanea. A map he had been staring at for the better part of the last hour, "Damn it all!"

Robin swallowed hard and cast a worried glance at Ben, "Chrom I-"  
The Prince's hand shot up from the desk and Robin's mouth snapped closed. The tactician leaned over to Ben.

"Maybe you should give it a try?" He muttered out of the corner of his mouth.

Ben shook his head, "He needs time." The swordsman rose from his seat and moved towards the door. Robin hesitated then followed. Ben exited quickly, Robin lingered for a moment.

"Hey Chrom," Robin began as he watched his friend seethe, "If… If you need anything, don't hesitate to say something."

Chrom did not reply. Robin waited a moment then saw him give a small nod. Robin sighed and shook his head.

Ben was right. Of course he was. As much as Robin did not want to leave Chrom alone right now, he needed time to process everything. A chance to clear his mind without any distractions. Chrom would find him once he was ready. Robin was sure of that.

The door closed behind the tactician with a quiet click. Waiting for him on the other side was Ben.

He looked exhausted. Heavy bags sat under the swordsman's eyes. Dark rings circled those bags. And there was a small slouch to Ben's posture. As if there was a heavy weight on his shoulders. The swordsman pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath before letting his hands fall to his side.

"I have a horrible headache." Ben muttered.

Robin ran a hand through his hair and uttered a long sigh, "You and me both." He placed his hands on his hips, "This is an unmitigated disaster."

Ben nodded, "You don't have to say that twice."

Ben turned to walk to where the other Shepherd's were housed. A small barracks had been cordoned off for them and any survivors of Exalt Emmeryn's personal guard. Robin and Ben walked in stride as they left the main keep and walked along the walls towards the little barracks.

Dinner had ended already. The Shepherds had eaten quickly and were all anxious to fall in their cots and attempt to forget about the nightmare that was the past few hours.

As Ben and Robin approached the door they saw Virion sitting on a wooden crate outside of the barracks . The archer was slumped up against the stone wall. A book cracked open in one hand. But the pages rested in his lap. He was asleep.

Robin heard Ben utter a small snort.

"War gives soldiers the ability to sleep anywhere." Ben said.

Robin let out a small laugh, "Apparently." He rubbed his chin, "I think while Chrom is… processing, you and I need to think of our next move."

He saw Ben hesitate as he pulled on the Barrack's door.

"I'm not sure that's such a good idea." Ben replied before slipping inside.

"Not a good- hey wait a minute!" Robin exclaimed as he surged through the door after Ben. He grabbed Ben by the shoulder and spun him around, "Ben, with Frederick out of commission, you and I are the closest warriors to Chrom. We are the most tactically savvy. Our chess games speak for themselves when it comes to that. I need your help."

Ben sighed and shook his head, "And I'm telling I will not be any help."

Robin shook his head in disbelief, "How could you even say that? You are our best swordsman and-"

"And Emmeryn was still captured!" Ben barked.

Robin recoiled. Ben did not shout. He was always in control of his emotions. So much so that at times, Robin wondered if he took lessons with Lon'qu on how to remain as emotionally inconspicuous as possible. It was rare for him to raise his voice outside of battle. Even rarer for him to lose his temper.

Robin could see the guilt in Ben's eyes. And the reason for Ben's anger became clear.

"Ben," Robin gripped his shoulder, "This isn't your fault."

Ben gave Robin an intense glare, "It was my decision to send her with Frederick. My decision to not stay and protect her. All because-" Ben took a deep breath. Trying to calm himself down, "All because of that Black Rider."

Robin's eyes widened. He remembered the reports from Themis. Stories had circulated among the army of a Plegian Wyvern Rider clothed in all black robes and a black mask. A wyvern rider so skilled at flying that he could pull off maneuvers that would have made any pegasus knight dizzy. And a warrior that was almost unequaled among the Plegian army. An enigma too. No name, no age or gender, no background. Just a rider in black.

He heard Ben had confronted him during the parley skirmish. Robin had not gone into much detail over the situation at the time. But now, he could see that recent developments were eating away at Ben. And a lot of it stemmed from this mysterious enemy.

"What did he do?" Robin asked.

Ben slumped into a soft, plush chair near the fireplace. A small fire was already crackling in it. But no other Shepherds were around to enjoy it. Everyone, with the exception of Lissa and Miriel (who were busy assisting the healers), had dragged themselves to bed. They had the common room to themselves.

Ben rubbed his forehead.

"He distracted me." Ben answered bluntly.

Robin raised an eyebrow, "That's it?" He remained standing. Eventually he chose to lean against the fireplace mantle. The warmth of the fire raced through him and lightened his mood just enough to clear some of the fog from his mind, "Well… that happens. War is distracting."  
Ben shook his head, "Not like that. He didn't even try to fight me he just-" Ben stared off for a moment and sighed, "I don't know."

Robin stared hard at Ben. There it was again. A trait that Robin had noticed in Ben ever since he met the guy. He had ignored it at first. Reasoned that Ben just wanted to maintain his privacy. He could not fault his friend for that. Some people did not want their pasts to be known. And the little bits Robin had learned about revealed a hard and troubled life before the Shepherds. One filled with loss and danger. Any sane person would want to move on from it.

But this was no longer about Ben's past. His question dodging now concerned their enemy. Robin thought back to Ben's report on Maul. It had been insightful, sure. But after seeing what Maul had done to Phila and the Pegasus Knights, Robin could not help but think it was horribly incomplete. He was still waiting for the scouts to come back and inform him of the state of the Pegasus Knight's bodies. As well as the Healer's report on how they died.

The weapon Maul used was beyond anything Robin had ever seen before. It looked like a bar of red light. Or maybe some strange form of fire. Whatever it was, it devoured his thunder spell. No weapon could do that. Not any that Robin was aware of at least. And there was never a mention of such a weapon in Ben's original report.

His friend was hiding things. Important details that could help prevent defeat. Details that could save lives.

"Ben please-"

"Not now." Ben bowed his head, "Later Robin."

Robin pursed his lips. He wanted to argue back but he could not. Ben was tired. He was tired. Heavy discussions like the one they were bound to have never ended well if both parties were not thinking clearly. Robin gave Ben a nod and pushed away from the fireplace.

"I'll be in my cot reading."

Ben watched as the tactician retreated up a small flight of stone stairs. Once he disappeared, Ben leaned back and ran his hands over his eyes.

Force he could use some sleep. But there was no way he could bring himself to fall asleep.

This was his fault. He had not told the Shepherd's about how powerful Maul really was. He had not informed them of how powerful the Black Rider really was. He had not told them the truth about anything.

He did not follow the advice of Master Qui Gon.

 _Now that has bitten me in the ass._ Ben thought as he grabbed an iron poker and jabbed the logs that were in the fireplace. He hoped the mindless activity would distract his racing mind. Instead, it only caused his thoughts to grow worse.

The image of Frederick, bloodied and near death, surged through his mind. If the Plegians had done that to him, what had they done to Emmeryn? What would they do to Emmeryn? His fist clenched tight around the iron poker.

The Black Rider, he knew he was a Jedi. Even called him one as Frederick raced away with Emmeryn. Ben furrowed his brow. The only way that would be possible is if- Ben swallowed hard. The Black Rider was Maul's apprentice. That demon had taken on a student. And that student was strong. The small moments where he caught a glimpses of the rider's power had revealed an absolute tempest of power. Black, raw, and untamed. If that was the student, then how powerful had Maul become? And how could Maul have become strong enough to control a student like that? Ben frowned. For that matter, when did Maul become so… debilitated? He did not have a limp last time Ben confronted him. He was healthy. Well, as healthy as a bisected Zabrak could be. What had happened during the time between that encounter in Sundari and the fall of the Republic? Ben uttered a frustrated sigh. He let the fire poker fall from his grasp onto the stone floor.

The clattering of the iron against stone rang in his ears. A constant clank, clank, clank. Ben clenched his teeth, closed his eyes.

 _To hell with it._

In a single, pulse of frustration, he let loose. The force whirled around him and shot out of his still form in one massive pulse. Paintings on the barracks walls shook. Cups and dishes in cupboards rattled. And the front door swung open then slammed shut. Ben sighed, let the sensation of release linger for a moment, then carefully drew his power back in.

As he calmed down, he detected a second presence in the room. He opened his eyes and saw Marth leaning against the door.

Ben gulped, "Um… how much did you-"

"All of it." Marth answered.

Ben groaned and buried his face in his hands, "As if this couldn't get any worse."

"It can." Marth replied as she moved across the room and sat down in the seat across from Ben, "It always does."

Ben gave her a curious look. Marth shifted in her seat and leaned forward.

"My… my master once told me, that life, the universe, they have a tendency to try and destroy you. To give you more than you can handle and wait for you to break under the strain of it all. That the chaos of it all will eventually cause your mind to shatter. Especially when you are too focused on what has happened or what could happen." Ben stared hard at her as she spoke, "But, he also said that when that happens, the measure of a person, the measure of their strength, is how they respond to that pressure. How do they react to the trials of life?" Marth let out a long breath, "Do they stand tall? Or do they crumble? And if they crumble, how long do they stay that way? Do they linger in the past? Do they worry about the future? Or do they act in the present?" She folded her hands in her lap, "The ones that stayed strong tended to act in the present."

"Your master was a wise man." Ben replied as he listened closely to Marth.

Marth let out a wistful chuckle, "Yes… he was."

"What happened to him?"

Marth's smile drifted away from her face, "He-" She swallowed hard, "He died. Protecting me."

"I'm sorry." Ben said quickly, "I did not mean to-"

Marth raised a hand, "You didn't. I… I haven't said anything about it in a long time." Marth's fingers fidgeted in her laps. Tapping against each other. Her fingers twisted together in a way that reminded Ben of a child nervous about speaking with a parent, "Actually saying something helped. Even if it was only a little." She shook her head and leaned forward, "The point of me sitting here, Master Ben; the point of me talking to you like this, is to ask you a question. Are you going to linger, worry, or act?"

Ben pressed his lips together as Marth got to her feet. His eyes narrowed. What was Marth getting at?

"I'm going to act." Marth's hand wrapped around Falchion's grip, "And I'll do it alone if I must." She moved towards the door and opened it. Carefully so she would not wake Virion, "If you want to act too, meet me near the main gate at midnight."

Ben stared after her as the door closed behind her with a soft click. After a couple moments, he glanced up at the ceiling.

"This is your doing." He muttered.

He hoped Qui Gon heard him. Because everything Marth had just said was what his own Master would have told him in this situation. In fact, that is what his master had been trying to get across to him the entire time he had been among the Shepherds.

Live in the moment. Do not regret the past. Do not fear for the future. Trust the Force. And trust those close to you. Ben ran a hand over his slowly regrowing beard. The soft whiskers against his fingers comforted him. It allowed a sense of normalcy to return for a brief moment. In that moment, he forgot he was once again a twenty year old with the abilities of a twenty year old padawan. He forgot that his control over the force was damaged due to his body's sudden change. He even forgot that he was on a mysterious planet he had never heard of before.

Ben was a Jedi Master. And he would not let some primitive, ax wielding barbarians led by an old enemy intimidate him. Ben took a deep breath and rose from his seat.

There were preparations that had to be made. He'd have to discreetly get supplies and pack them. None of the other Shepherds could know. What he had in mind was a small operation. A covert one. He would have to slip into Plegia and locate the Emmeryn. Fast.

He started up the stairs to the bunk rooms when he bumped into someone. Someone in a set of very hard armor.

He winced as his chest throbbed and head pounded from the impact. Then he felt his foot slip. The world spun and he somersaulted back down the stairs. Falling with him was a mess of armored limbs and red hair.

They both landed in a heap on the stone floor. After a few curses and a few seconds of groaning, Cordelia jumped off of Ben.

"Oh my gosh! Are you ok, Ben?" Cordelia asked as she rushed down the stairs.

"Oh just _perfect._ " Ben replied before taking Cordelia's outstretched hand.

Ben blinked as she effortlessly yanked him to his feet. For a woman as slight as she was, she was shockingly strong. Then again, she would have to be strong. Ben had flown on a Pegasus twice already (something he never wanted to do again). In those experiences, he had found it took tremendous strength and to stay on top of one of those animals as it zoomed through the air. He really should not have been so surprised.

"I'm so sorry." Cordelia apologized, "I did not mean to run into you."

Ben waved her apology off, "No need to apologize." He rubbed his jaw and winced. That was one heck of a collision, "Why were you rushing down the stairs?"

Cordelia drew back, "I-well- why were you rushing up the stairs?"

Ben raised an eyebrow. Cordelia's eyes shifted back and forth.

"Cordelia?"

"I asked you a question!" Cordelia shot back defensively.

Ben smirked then folded his arms, "I asked you first."

"I well-" Cordelia folded her own arms in defiance, "Just so you know I was about to go to the stables to get some… things… sorted… yes."

"Things sorted?" Ben nodded, "Funny, I was going to do the same thing."

"At the stables?"

"What? No!" Ben exclaimed, "I plan on staying far away from the stables."

"What things were you going to get sorted?" Cordelia asked, taking one step forward and staring up at Ben.

It was Ben's turn to be defensive, "Well um- I- my sword and-"

Cordelia uttered a loud laugh, "You're Ben. You don't have things to be sorted. So," She jabbed Ben's chest with her finger, "What scheme are you up to?"

"I'm not scheming!"

Cordelia narrowed her eyes at him. Ben returned her stare.

"You're not coming with." Ben said firmly.

"You. Can't. Stop. Me."

Ben rolled his eyes and groaned. Cordelia just smirked and brushed past him.

"Marth wants us at the gate by midnight." Ben blinked as Cordelia's words hit his ears, "Don't forget."

Ben's jaw fell open as Cordelia sauntered out the door. The door slammed shut behind her. Outside, Ben heard Virion cry out. The sudden slam of the barracks door had been a rude awakening for the archer. Ben blinked a few times then groaned.

"So much for going alone."

….

A pale moon sat high in the cloudless, black sky. Several stars twinkled in the night. But most were hidden behind a thick blanket of dark clouds. Marth stared up at the moon. It was almost time.

She gripped Falchion and looked over at the barracks. No one had exited. No one had entered. All was quiet in the Eastern Palace. The only sounds came from the occasional jingle of chainmail as palace guards wandered the walls. She made sure to stay in the shadows when they came by. The mission she had proposed to Ben and Cordelia had to remain secret.

There was a spy among the Exalt's company. That much had been made clear on the mountain pass. No one else knew about her journey to the Eastern Palace. She did not know who the spy could be.

She originally thought it was a nobleman. After all that is what she knew about regarding the future. A nobleman was the rat among the Shepherd's party. Of course, what she knew about the future had changed dramatically thanks to her small interventions.

The Exalt was not supposed to survive the assassination attempt. Chrom was not supposed to escape that same attempt unscathed. The retreat to the Eastern Palace was for Chrom's safety. Not Emmeryn's. All of the sudden changes told Marth one thing.

Any preconceptions about the future needed to be tossed away. They were no longer reliable.

That meant she could no longer remain in the shadows. If the disasters she had seen were to be prevented, she would have to take an active hand for now. It was a tremendous risk. But one that had to be taken.

Her mind drifted back to her first problem. Who had betrayed the Exalt? No noblemen accompanied the caravan to the Eastern Palace. It was something that Commander Phila had insisted upon. If there was a sudden loss of noblemen in the capitol, the Plegians would figure out their ruse. That eliminated one group of suspects.

The pegasus knight's could not have done it. None of them survived Maul. Marth shuddered at the memory of the grisly scene on the mountain pass. She knew Maul was an animal. But that was… horrifying. It would be an image that would never leave her mind. And the duel with him was one of the most harrowing she had ever fought.

 _No wonder Master did not let me fight him before._ She thought to herself.

Maul's slaughter of the Pegasus Knights eliminated them as potential suspects. It was possible that Maul killed the traitor once their usefulness ran their course. But that was not the Maul she knew. The Maul she knew was much more cunning than that. He would ensure that he always had eyes and ears near his enemies. Killing them would be unnecessary to his plans. Whatever those plans were. Marth still could not figure them out.

That left the palace guard and… Marth frowned. Was it possible? Could there be a traitor among the Shepherds? She shook her head. No, they were all loyal to Chrom. The only one she was not sure about was-

"Kage!" She hissed and grit her teeth, "That lying sack of-"

"What do I hear about lying sack of shit?"

Marth ripped Falchion free from its scabbard. She pointed it at the shadows to her right.

"Whoa! Easy there." Stepping out of the shadows was, to Marth's surprise, Gaius. The thief was somehow already on his feet. "No need to get all… stabby."

"How did I you- how did I not-"

"Listen Blue," Gaius laughed before sweeping around to Marth's side and wrapping an arm over her shoulder, "You can't be stealthier than the stealthiest."

Marth frowned and shook Gaius's arm from her shoulders.

"No need to be unfriendly."

"You are not a part of this." Marth snapped back.

"A part of what?" Gaius stuck his hands in his pockets, "Sneaking out of the Eastern Palace. Against Chrom's orders for that matter. Probably on some sort of suicide, rescue mission involving the Exalt." He clicked his tongue, "If I could find you this easily then you don't stand a chance."

"You are… a special case." Marth said as she bit back a more scathing response.

"Maybe." Gaius shrugged, "But it wasn't me that found you first."

Marth's eyes widened as Panne emerged from the same shadows Gaius had been hiding in. The Taguel's sharp eyes narrowed at the blue haired girl.

"You are much too loud." Panne scolded.

Marth sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Face it, Blue." Gaius said, "You need the best."

"What I need, is as small of a party as possible." Marth snarled, "The more of us there are, the more likely we are to get caught."

"Not if it's me and Whiskers here." Gaius said. Panne uttered a low growl but Gaius ignored her. "Get used to the nickname." Gaius smiled back.

"Yes, because having a Plegian traitor and a Taguel will really help us be inconspicuous." Marth deadpanned.

"You let me deal with that bit." Gaius said reassuringly. Before Marth could reply, Gaius's grin widened, "Looks like they've arrived."

Marth glanced over at the barracks. Sprinting across the courtyard, was a red haired woman and a man in a brown cloak. They both skidded to a halt next to Marth and Gaius.

Ben glanced at the Thief and Taguel.

"What?" Ben groaned, "Them too?"

"Not originally." Marth muttered.

"You didn't think you'd get to go on a stealth mission without the stealthiest stealther there is?" Gaius grinned.

"You are supposed to be in bed! Recovering." Ben snapped.

"Pah!" Gaius replied, "A couple elixirs and a session with one of those clerics and I was good to go." He reached into his pack and withdrew several small, blue vials, "Even snatched a couple for the road."

"You stole medical supplies!" Ben hissed.

"Does it matter right now?" Cordelia interrupted, "We need to get moving before anyone realizes we're gone."

"Red is right." Gaius said as he pulled his right hand from his pocket. He twirled a lollipop between his fingers then popped it in his mouth. Once he did that, he shouldered his pack and smirked, "C'mon. It's a long journey to the Plegian capital."

"The capitol?" Panne asked.

"Where else do you think they'll keep the Exalt, Whiskers?" Gaius replied. He waved at the group, "Follow me. I know the way."

Panne sighed low, "I hate that nickname." Then she followed Gaius.

Cordelia also adjusted her pack then followed. As the trio moved down the road, Ben turned to Marth.

"I have a very bad feeling about this."

Marth hung her head and groaned, "Of course you do."

….

Lissa uttered an exhausted sigh. Her shoulders hung low as she trudged down the palace hallway. Miriel strode through the hall with her. The inquisitive mage did her best to maintain her straight posture. But even her shoulders were starting to slump. The one person mission was Maribelle. She had fallen asleep in Frederick's room. The young girl did her best to help the healers. But eventually she succumbed to exhaustion.

It had been a whirlwind of a day. First the attack on the road, then the mad dash to the palace, and finally the frantic work as she and Miriel assisted the palace healers with Frederick and any other wounded soldiers.

She breathed a small sigh of relief. Thankfully, Frederick and Gaius were the only serious cases. And even then, Gaius was able to be up and moving within a few hours. Miriel's elixirs were miracle workers. They saved Frederick's life and made sure Gaius's injuries were not extremely serious. Now, Frederick was resting in his own room. A room that Lissa and Miriel had both just left.

The healers had ushered them both out of there. Lissa had refused at first. She wanted to work. Wanted the distraction. The carnage and the horror of the battle was still fresh on her mind. Healing others provided an escape from that. But the healers had insisted. The last thing they all needed, was a fellow cleric succumbing to magical exhaustion. Miriel had agreed to go with her. If only to keep the young princess company.

Lissa stopped walking and turned to face the windows that lined the hallway. Moonlight drifted into the palace, casing everything in dark blue shadows. Miriel stopped beside her.

"I didn't think it was that late." Lissa mumbled.

Then she broke. Lissa felt the floodgates opened and tears streamed down her face. Miriel caught her as the Princess's legs buckled beneath her. The mage hesitated as she held the sobbing princess.

"Um… it will be ok, Lissa." Miriel said as she struggled to find a way to comfort her.

"No! No it's not!" Lissa cried, "They have Emmeryn! They killed Phila! And-and- there's Maul- and-"

"Shhhh." Miriel breathed as she wrapped her arms tight around Lissa, "Take all of those thoughts from your mind and release them."

"I-I can't!" Lissa sniffled.

Miriel closed her eyes and nodded. She could understand. The battle was horrific. The sight of Commander Phila's face contorted in such a horrific, ghastly way churned her stomach. Miriel had felt tears brim in her eyes on several occasions as she worked with the healers. She had been in many skirmishes during her time with the Shepherds. But there was something savage about the battle on the road. Something vile that made her blood grow cold. That told her that this war was going to be unlike any conflict she had ever participated in.

Civilians were going to die. Friends were going to be hurt. Innocents were going to be corrupted. And Miriel realized there, as she held Lissa, that there would be nothing she could do about it.

Miriel rubbed the Princess's back as the girl buried her face in her robes. Miriel gaze turned outside to the palace courtyard. Despite the horrors of the past day, it was a beautiful night. The moon was cold. But the pale light offered it's own, unique form of comfort. The stars twinkled bright whenever the grey clouds moved out of the way. They were all safe in the palace. All the of the Shepherds were-

Miriel's eyes widened. She blinked and adjusted her glasses. Four figures were sprinting away from the Palace. One had rather large ears.

"Well…" She cleared her throat, "Captain Chrom will not have anything pleasant to say about this."

 **And chapter! Thus begins the next part of the story. I've decided to throw in a unique spin to this part. It's going to be fun writing this part of the story. Because during their little rescue mission we will get the introduction of another great character. An unlikely ally. Meanwhile, Chrom and Robin are going to have to decide. Continue to Regna Ferox or follow Ben. I'm so excited I can barely contain myself! Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	22. Matters of Importance

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 22

Matters of Great Importance

Chrom squeezed his eyes tight. There was a lightness to his body. A feeling that could only be described as euphoric. Like he was floating on air. The mattress he lay on had managed to lull him into a deep sleep. One that was working wonders for his exhausted mind. And there was warmth. So much of it that it felt like summer in Ylisstol once again.

He uttered a happy sigh. Summer. It was a distant memory now. An almost forgotten reality. Those days were simpler. Even if they were only a few months ago. Chrom was just a soldier driving off bandits with Frederick and the other Shepherds. Emmeryn was safe in Ylisstol. His older sister working hard to keep the Halidom prosperous. Spirits had been high.

Now winter was coming to Ylisse. The cold winds had already started to sweep down from the frozen lands of Regna Ferox. Already, the Eastern Palace was experiencing frigid conditions.

Chrom's face fell. Why was he feeling warm when it was freezing outside of the Palace Walls? Had someone come into his room and stoked a fire? Was there an intruder!?

He shot up from his bed. His eyes were wide open.

Nothing in his chambers appeared out of place. But there was a fire burning in the fireplace. When he had finally laid down to get some sleep, the logs inside had been reduced to dying embers. Did a palace servant come in?

Chrom furrowed his brow. No, that could not be it. He had given strict instructions that only the Commander of the Eastern Palace, Robin, and Lissa could disturb him. And so far, those instructions had been followed to the letter. The only time anyone had disobeyed those orders was when Miriel had burst into his chambers in a panic. Telling him about how she saw Panne, Gaius, Marth, Cordelia, and Ben leaving the Eastern Palace and sprinting away along the road towards Ylisstol.

At the time he wanted to follow. He still wanted to follow them. Chrom already knew what those four were planning. He wanted to execute a similar plan. A rescue mission. One where the Shepherds would infiltrate Plegia and snatch Emmeryn from Gangrel's vile hands. He was sure that a majority of the Shepherds would follow him in such an endeavor. But before he could bring it up, Robin spoke to him.

It was one of the few conversations where he became irate with the tactician. His friend did not agree with his plan. In fact, he thought it was a terrible idea. One that was bound to fail. Chrom had almost knocked him out for saying that. But when he gave his reasons, Chrom found himself unable to thrust the Shepherds into such a risky situation. He could now count Robin skilled at three things. Tactics, magic, and debate. Chrom snorted to himself. Now he would never win an argument.

Despite his reluctant agreement, he did not like Robin's plan. How could they all just continue onto to Regna Ferox like originally planned? Everything about the situation had changed. Emmeryn was captured. Ylisstol was under direct threat. Commander Phila was dead along with all of the Pegasus Knights. The army would turn to him for leadership. How could he just leave them?

A frustrated snarl left his lips as he threw the covers from his body and placed his bare feet on the cold stone floor. Now he understood why Emm did not want to leave Ylisstol.

"You did not sleep very long."

Chrom twisted around. Sumia was sitting in a chair near the window.

If there was one piece of optimism during the disastrous past few days, it was Sumia's health. She was starting to get back to top form after taking a devastating injury defending the Palace back in Ylisstol. She had gone from needing help walking, to moving around on her own, to now trying to sneak out to the stables and ride her Pegasus when no one was watching. It was a lone bright spot that made Chrom smile just a little bit. He hated seeing his comrades put in harm's way, let alone wounded. It ate him alive when one of his soldiers was harmed on his orders.

The guilt was much greater with Sumia. It was one thing if someone like Frederick or Kellam were wounded in battle. They were soldiers. Those two had been training to fight, and possibly die in battle, since they were barely teenagers. Sumia was still… she was still so innocent. So new to the horrors of combat. She had not trained for battles like the one on the mountain road. She was not ready for the terrors of war. And yet, she gladly fought alongside Chrom and the Shepherds. And in a bid to protect Emmeryn, she was nearly killed.

"Don't give me that look." Sumia scolded as she got up from her seat. Her brown hair fell in lazy curls over her shoulders. And Chrom was suddenly mesmerized. He had forgotten how beautiful the pegasus rider actually was. She was so shy and quiet that many times she would fade into the background. But when she asserted herself like this, Chrom could not help but take notice.

Sumia frowned, "You don't have to feel guilty for what happened, Chrom. None of it was your fault."

Chrom blinked. Snapping himself free from his stupor. He shook his head, "Sorry. Just-" He sighed, "I'm the one who gives the orders, Sumia. Me. That means the consequences of those orders fall squarely at my feet."

Sumia walked up to him and gently gripped his hand, "But that does not mean you need to feel guilty about all of those consequences. Some things are beyond your control. How could you know that I would get injured back in Ylisstol? Or Frederick would be wounded on the road? Or even Ben and Marth leaving with Gaius, Cordelia, and Panne to do Naga knows what?"

Chrom frowned.

"Hey," Sumia squeezed his hand, "We need you, Chrom. We don't need you to feel guilty for us. Every Shepherd knew exactly what they were getting into when they decided to follow you. We need you to lead us. To be there for us."

Chrom raised an eyebrow, "I get the feeling that you don't just mean the Shepherds?"

Sumia's cheeks turned red, "I- well- um- hey! I haven't tripped yet!"

Chrom chuckled, "I guess those boots finally fit your feet then."

Sumia uttered a nervous laugh, "Y-yeah. Um… so… in order to help your mood, and I hope you don't mind, but I-um- stoked a fire for you and I-um," Sumia rushed back over to her chair. She reached over to a table beside it and lifted up a- Chrom heard his stomach rumble, "I made you a pie."

"Pie?" Chrom said.

His stomach growled again. A nervous laugh left his lips. He had barely eaten over the past few days. His duties to the Shepherds and to Ylisse had kept him so busy that he did not even think to sit down and rest a moment and eat. Robin had the same problem. But he did not have as good of an excuse.

"Yeah it's-"

"A meat pie?" Chrom asked. He could feel his mouth starting to water.

"Er-" Sumia gave him a sheepish grin, "Rhubarb and fiddlehead pie?"

Chrom blinked.

"My mom used to make it for me whenever I was feeling down or unusually tired." Sumia said quickly, "It always perked me up."

"Oh! Well uh-" Chrom gingerly took the pie from Sumia's hands and looked down at it. Now that she mentioned it, Chrom did detect a faint scent of rhubarb coming from the pie. Instead of growling, his stomach churned, "Th-thanks Sumia."

"No problem." She smiled, "I um- I think I need to go brush down the horses. Frederick's still out of commission and Kellam can't really do it alone so…"

Sumia turned on her heel. Just as she started marching towards the door, her foot got caught on a crack in the floor. With a loud cry she fell and landed hard onto the stone tiles.

"Sumia!"

The pegasus rider scrambled to her feet. Her face was bright red.

"I'm fine! Really, totally fine!" She laughed then quickly retreated from Chrom's room. The door slammed loudly behind her.

Chrom stared after her in confusion, "I thought she said those boots were fixed?" He shrugged then grimaced as the scent of rhubarb and fiddlehead hit his nose again. His stomach rumbled. "Well," He set the pie down and grabbed a fork from a drawer, "Nothing else to eat. But gods, I hate rhubarb."

He took one hesitant bite. Flavor unlike any he had ever tasted before washed over his tongue and down his throat. He froze for a moment then stared stunned at the pie.

"It's actually good?" He took another bite, "It's really good!"

And Sumia was right. As he shoveled bite after bite into his mouth, he could feel his spirits slowly grow. Who knew food would be the thing that could make someone feel better about the day? Once he finished the last bite he gave his stomach a satisfied pat before setting the dish to the side.

His mind wandered once again to the Shepherds' next move. They would have to leave the Eastern Palace. Regardless of which direction they chose to go in. In the end though, now that Chrom's mind felt clearer, he found himself reluctantly agreeing with Robin.

A rescue mission right now, without any support, was suicidal. What Ben and Marth were doing was a risk that was too great to demand of the other Shepherds.

Chrom sighed and shook his head. Outside, the sun was beginning to rise over the mountains. The others would be awake soon. Chrom knew he'd find Robin either still asleep in his bunk, or asleep at a desk in the palace library.

 _He works way to hard._ Chrom thought to himself with a light chuckle.

He would have to find Robin early. The road to Regna Ferox from the Eastern Palace was a difficult one. And with winter setting in to the north, it would be fraught with ice and cold. There was no time to linger in the Eastern Palace. The Khans had to be informed of the situation.

And they would have to march on Plegia. If Ben's company were to fail, then Chrom's next move would be the only thing that could save Emmeryn's life.

He took a deep breath and nodded.

"Right." Chrom said to himself, "Let's do this."

….

Ben tugged at the hood of his cloak. Trying his best to shelter his frozen form from the icy rain.

It had been raining non stop for the past three days. And for three straight days, and almost three straight nights, he, Gaius, Marth, Panne, and Cordelia had traveled across Ylisse towards the border with Plegia. Slogging through muck and mud in order to get to Plegia as quickly as possible.

Ben had suggested that they travel through the wilderness so they could avoid detection. The last thing their party needed was Plegian soldiers realizing who they were and attempting to arrest them. They could not afford to draw attention to themselves. A suggestion that Gaius had thrown out the window immediately.

"Do you think I slipped into Ylisstol with the assassins by walking through the country? No, no, no. We followed everyone else."

And by everyone else, Gaius meant the thousands of refugees that had been flocking to the roads of Ylisse, hoping to escape the front lines of the war. Originally, the refugees had fled towards Ylisstol. Now they ran away from it and back into Plegian controlled territory as the capital of the Halidom came under siege. And so, Ben and the others mingled in with the other refugees.

Loathe as he was to admit it, Gaius had been right. In fact, he had proven himself instrumental to the mission so far. He had managed to "find" a big enough hat to hide Panne's ears (much to her displeasure). He had procured them food by sweet talking a couple of bakers along the road. He had managed to keep Cordelia from attacking several groups of Plegian soldiers on sight. Although Ben and Marth helped in restraining the vengeful Pegasus Knight. And he managed to find a bunch inconspicuous peasant clothes that allowed all four to easily blend in with the refugees on the road.

The one major argument any of them had while traveling, other than how they would reach Plegia, involved something so trivial it boggled Ben's mind. And, he was ashamed to admit, was his own fault. Gaius insisted on shaving his beard. A prospect that Ben had adamantly opposed. In the end, it took Marth's words to convince him to let go of his precious beard once again. The Plegian's knew him as a bearded sword master. Shave the beard, and he looked like a completely different person.

Now they were within miles of the Plegian border. There were fewer refugees here. Those that shared the road with them now were actually Plegian traders trying to profit from the chaos that the war had created. And that was when Gaius came up with his most hare brained plan to date.

"Ok," Gaius sat them all down in the mud.

Ben rolled his eyes. But at this point, he was already soaked to the bone. What was a little mud on his pants going to affect? Cordelia was also hesitant to take a seat. The only ones comfortable with squatting down in the muck were Panne and Marth. Both women stared hard at Gaius. Waiting for his next plan.

"So, we are almost to the border," Gaius began, "And now, there are no more refugees."

"We've noticed." Ben deadpanned.

Gaius smirked at Ben, "I just love proving you wrong, bud."

"Is 'bud' my nickname?"

"No. Too generic." Gaius replied, "I'll think of something better later. But anyways, back to the topic at hand. We can no longer pose as refugees. We need to pose as something, valuable."

"We cannot become candy, Gaius." Panne frowned.

"I wasn't suggesting that, Whiskers." Gaius replied, "But a guy can dream can't he? And candy is not the only thing that is valuable in Plegia." He snapped his fingers, "Entertainment is too."

Marth raised an eyebrow, "How?"

Gaius rolled his eyes, "Have you ever lived in a desert wasteland before? There's not exactly a whole lot to do beyond sweltering in the damn heat all day long. Whenever an entertainer or," Gaius turned his gaze to Ben, "magician came into town. Well, they were second only to the king when it came to the commoner's opinion."

"Oh no!" Ben shook his head, "That is not happening!"

Gaius frowned, "I hate to break it to you, Benny. But if you want to save your girl, this is our best option for getting into Plegia without attracting the eye of the authorities. Besides, you're a mage. And a freaky one at that. I hear you've got some crazy magic that no one really knows about. And that is perfect for our plan. Unless you've got a better idea of course."

Ben frowned. Why was Gaius so good at sneaking into places?

"No."

"That's what I thought."

"What are our roles in this scheme of yours?" Cordelia asked.

"Well," Gaius grinned, "I am his er- boss." Ben's frown deepened, "I tell him where we are going to perform and set up transportation."

"You've done a wonderful job at that." Ben sassed. Beside him, Marth began to take a sip from her water skin.

"Thank you." Gaius beamed, "Now, Cordelia, you and Marth are going to be his beautiful assistants."

Marth choked on some water. A few loud coughs wracked her lungs before she finally caught her breath.

"I like the enthusiasm, Blue." Gaius said while Cordelia glared at him.

"And what is my role, man-spawn?" Panne asked as she sat beside him, arms folded over her chest.

Gaius gave her a mischievous grin, "Every magician needs a rabbit to pull out of a hat."

*WHACK*

"Panne!" Cordelia cried as Gaius spun around and fell unconscious in the mud. One blow from Panne's fist, and the thief was out cold.

"You can't kill him." Marth said. But there was not much conviction in her voice.

"Oh please, by all means do." Ben groaned, "Spare me from any future headaches."

"Ben!" Cordelia snapped, "Not helping!"

….

The rain finally stopped as night fell over the hills beyond Themis. The group was still a few miles from the border. And after Panne's wonderful left hook knocked out Gaius, Ben had been forced to haul the unconscious thief the rest of the day. When the night deepened, Marth had called a stop to their march. They needed to rest for a little bit. Once inside of Plegia, they would be surrounded by the enemy. It would do them no good if they were not fully focused on the mission.

Gaius was still sound asleep as Marth started a small fire at the center of their small campsite. Ben had wrapped his cloak tight over his body as he turned a spit over the crackling flames. Marth had managed to hunt down a pair of rabbits in the hills. A meager dinner. One that Panne was hesitant to partake in.

As the rabbits cooked over the flames, Ben glanced up. Cordelia was sitting alone. Her back to the fire. Knees tucked close to her chest. Ben frowned.

The pegasus knight had been a wreck for the entire journey. She had so far done an admirable job of trying to hide the turmoil she was feeling. But she could not hide the whirlwind of emotions from Ben. He could sense the sorrow and anger radiating in waves from the red head. They had been so busy traveling that she did not even have time to mourn her fallen comrades. And now, as the group rested near the Plegian boarder, Ben could see her shoulders shuddering as she sat alone.

"Marth."

"Hm?" The blue haired girl replied as she sat by the fire. She was busy polishing Falchion with an oiled rag.

"Can you watch the food?"

Marth glanced up at Ben. Her eyes then followed his own gaze over to Cordelia.

"Sure." She nodded.

Ben gave her a small nod as thanks. As he got up, he heard Panne grumbling to Marth.

"I still don't understand why we have to eat rabbits."

"There wasn't exactly any bears around."

Ben shook his head. As much as Panne hated others calling her a rabbit, she certainly cared about the small creatures that roamed the countryside.

He pushed the small amount of amusement he had to the side as he moved beside Cordelia. Ben took a breath then sat down beside her.

"Cordelia are-"

"I'm fine." Cordelia sniffled before turning her back to him, "Leave me alone."

Ben gulped. Maybe he should leave her alone? He shook his head. She had been alone in her thoughts for three days now. And all that had accomplished was her mood only growing worse.

"Cordelia if you need to talk about what happened-"

"I don't need to talk about what happened!" She snapped as she turned to glare at him.

Ben finally saw her face in the firelight. Her cheeks were stained by rivers of tears. Her brown eyes were bloodshot. She had been silently crying for a while now. And he had only noticed a few moments ago.

 _I've been so preoccupied with my own problems that I failed to notice everyone else's._ Ben thought ruefully to himself.

"Besides," Cordelia sniffled, "How-how can I possibly talk about it? To anyone!?" She choked on her own words, "H-how can I- how can I talk about being a lone survivor? How can I talk about watching not just my comrades, but people I considered sisters, family, get cut to ribbons like that. Butchered by that-that monster!" She glared angrily at Ben, "And how could I talk about that to you!? How could you possibly understand any of that?"

Ben's jaw hardened. Yes, how could he understand any of that? He folded his hands into his cloak and cleared his throat.

"I understand." Ben muttered as he sat beside Cordelia. The redhead had turned away from him once again. But despite that, Ben still spoke, "More than you realize. I understand the pain that comes with that kind of loss."

"I don't believe you." Cordelia snapped. Her voice was harsh and shaky.

Ben sighed. He got up and moved so that he would face Cordelia. The red head tried to spin away from him again. But this time, Ben used the Force to spin her back around so that she faced him.

Cordelia's anger filled glare only grew, "That's not fair." She grumbled.

"But it's for your own good." Ben replied.

Cordelia took a deep breath. Her hand reached up and wiped at the tears that were still falling down her face. She sniffed hard then stared hard at Ben.

"Fine." She leaned forward, "Tell me how you could possibly understand how I feel right now?"

Ben pressed his lips into a thin line.

"You can't. Can you?" Cordelia accused, "You claim to be able to understand. To be able to offer comfort to me even though you have no idea the-the horror that replays over and over in my mind and-"

"My home was a Temple." Ben interrupted, "I was a monk once. There were… thousands of us at one point. We were charged with," Ben hesitated, "We were charged with keeping the peace in the republic I called home. Impartial mediators." Ben swallowed hard, "We failed in that mission. And as a result, civil war broke out. The Republic split in two. And we fought to restore it. Little did anyone in my order realize, all of us, Republic loyalist and Separatist alike, were pawns in a grander plan. An evil stroke of genius that had been simmering on the fringes of our knowledge for generations."

Cordelia stared spellbound as Ben spoke. She wanted to ask him to get to the point. She was not in the mood to talk about any of this. To anyone. But as Ben spoke, she could see the pain in his eyes. She heard the slight hesitation in his words. As if he was struggling to even describe the horrors that he had witnessed.

"Our own allies turned against us." Ben finally said, "Our own soldiers, men that we trusted and who trusted us, cut us down." Ben bowed his head, "Butchered everyone I considered family."

Cordelia's eyes widened.

"In the end, as far as I am aware, only myself and the Grandmaster of my order survived. Even then, we were found and-" Ben swallowed hard and shook his head, "I don't know if I'm the only one alive or not."

Ben raised his eyes to meet Cordelia's.

"I have not told anyone this. But I am telling you. Why?" Ben trailed off for a moment, "Why? I'm not sure why. Maybe because I want you to understand that I know exactly how you feel. Or maybe there is another reason that even I don't know yet." Ben leaned forward in his seat, "The point is, we are not alone in this anymore." Ben rose and adjusted his cloak, "I'm going to keep cooking dinner. I'll make sure to save some for you."

Ben turned to walk back to the fire.

"Ben!" Cordelia called.

Ben turned back to her.

"I'm… I'm sorry."

Ben gave her a sad smile, "You have nothing to be sorry about. Now come, enjoy some dinner with us." In the background, Gaius groaned. Ben laughed, "Our lovely boss is starting to wake up."

Cordelia uttered a quiet laugh as Gaius struggled to sit upright. As he got up, Ben pulled the rabbits off of the spit and began to butcher them with a small knife.

The red haired pegasus knight took a deep breath. Somehow, Ben's story comforted her. There was still a lot of pain in her heart. The loss of her sisters would never be healed. It would always be a raw wound that would never close as long as she lived.

At least she had someone to share the pain with.

….

The fire had died down to just embers. Every few moments, a small crackle of sparks spat out from the dying coals and ash. Marth sat vigilante near the dying flames. She had volunteered for first watch. Ben had protested. He felt strongly about letting everyone else resting before him. But she had insisted. Eventually, Ben relented and fell into a rough sleep in the mud. His body wrapped tight in his brown, dirty cloak.

Panne was curled up close to the fire too. She was sleeping the best out of the group. Her chest rose and fell in a steady, comfortable rhythm. Marth was a tad envious. She would not be that fortunate tonight. In fact, she had been unable to get a full night's rest for weeks. Her nights had been plagued by visions of her past, her future, and the possibilities of the new, terrifying future she may have unwittingly created.

But it was not just the visions that would keep her up at night. There was also the worrying prospect that Kage was a traitor among the Shepherds. Her fist balled up in her lap.

The nerve of that guy. To claim that he had no idea where Maul was. That he had no contact with him whatsoever. How else could the Plegians have found the Exalt? How else could they have known she was going to seek shelter in the Eastern Palace?

It worried her that Kage was alone with the Shepherds now. She was not there to watch him. The decision on whether or not to stay and keep tabs on her old friend or to go rescue Exalt Emmeryn was a difficult one. In the end, she decided on the latter. The survival of the Exalt was crucial to preventing the nightmare that was the future. She would have to risk Kage being unsupervised. Trust that Robin, Chrom, and the others would be able to handle him should his true colors show.

And when they did show, when he finally revealed his evil intentions, Marth hoped she would be there. She wanted to deal with him personally. After everything that had happened between him, her, Maul, and her old master, she wanted to be the one to finally confront the dark side user.

A small pang hit her heart. There it was. The small part of her that feared confronting Kage. Not because he was powerful. She already knew that. They had dueled before. Not seriously of course. Their arguments never went that far.

No, she feared confronting him because of the friendship they once shared. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She needed to meditate. Clear her mind and refocus. The mission was the most important thing right now. Any other distractions had to wait.

She heard a body flop down beside her. One of her eyes cracked open.

"So Blue," Gaius said as he leaned back on his side, "What's rustling your feathers?"

Marth took and deep breath and kept her eyes closed, "Nothing."

"Bullshit." Gaius scoffed, "I know what you're doing right now. I've seen Benny do it whenever he gets super stressed out. So obviously something's bothering you."

Marth sighed. She opened one eye and stared at Gaius. The thief remained where he was, a lollipop dangling from the corner of his mouth.

"You are not going to leave me alone until I answer, are you?"

Gaius popped the lollipop from his mouth and smirked, "Not a chance."

Marth sighed. Just her luck. Not only did Gaius invite himself onto this mission, now he was trying to butt into her personal life.

"C'mon," Gaius waved a candy bar in front of her nose, "I'll give you some of my candy."

"There's no need for that."

"Really?" Gaius blinked, "Well… good, I didn't want to give it up anyways."

"It's Kage."

Gaius shoved the candy bar back in his pocket and nodded, "What about the kid?" He leaned closer to Marth, "You got a crush on him or something?"

Marth's cheeks turned red.

"Ah! You do!"

"I most certainly do not!" Marth cried angrily.

"Liar liar-"

"I hate his guts!"

Gaius's smirk fell from his face, "Isn't it kind of hard to hate someone you just met?"

Marth sighed, "We haven't just met."

Gaius nodded, "I see. So you two know each other from before? Damn. You must be really well traveled, Blue."

Marth uttered a small laugh, "Yeah, you could say that."

Gaius adjusted in his spot, "So?"

"So?"

"Come on," Gaius encouraged, "Open up to Gaius."

Marth frowned, "And if I say no."

Gaius shrugged, "That's no skin off of my back. I'm just trying to be helpful." He got to his feet and brushed some dirt from the back of his pants, "Before you go off and make up your mind about hating the Kid, I'd encourage you not to." Marth raised her eyebrow as he spoke, "Kage's a good kid. Whatever he was mixed up in when you met him, he's not tangled up in anymore. He's with us. And I'm sure whatever delinquencies he may have will get sorted out by Chrom or Frederick."

"And if they don't?" Marth asked.

Gaius shrugged, "At worst, he'll end up like me."

He glanced over at Marth and saw her serious glare.

"What? I'm not that bad."

Marth shook her head and closed her eyes again, "Just go to sleep and let me meditate."

She heard Gaius utter a long sigh, "Alright Blue. I'll wake you when your watch is done."

Marth nodded her thanks. She heard the Thief slide away, quiet as a mouse. The only way she knew he had left her completely alone, was because she sensed his presence drift away from her.

What Gaius said lingered in her mind.

 _Kage a good kid?_ Marth's frown deepened, _Sure… and Banthas can fly._

 **And chapter! A slower, smaller chapter this time. More of a character and relationship development one than action packed and plot pushing. I don't want to move things along to fast. Short author's note today! Let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	23. A Hidden History

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 23

A Hidden History

The winter winds swept over Robin as he and the Shepherds trekked through the great snow drifts that covered Regna Ferox's landscape. While winter was still only teasing the lands south of the Longfort, it had arrived full force in the north. Robin clutched the hood of his coat and tried to pull it further down his face.

The Shepherds were marching through a fierce blizzard. The snow had started falling in soft, lazy puffs once they passed the Longfort several days ago. But now it was an all out assault of ice, snow, and wind. Even his trusted coat could not protect him from the frozen elements that the harsh country decided to throw at the Shepherds.

Robin grit his teeth and glanced back behind him. Sully and Stahl were faring the best of the group. Their mounts courageously stomped through the great snow drifts. Their powerful legs created a small trail for the others to follow behind them. However, the two horsemen were clearly freezing. Ice clung to the ends of Stahl's hair. And Sully was visibly shivering as she wrapped her meager cloak tighter around her body.

Behind them rode Frederick. The knight was not fully recovered from his wounds at all. But he refused to remain behind in the Eastern Palace. It took a great deal of arguing, yelling, more arguing, and in the end, reluctant acceptance in order for Frederick to join them in the march north to Arena Ferox. Frederick had agreed to avoid any combat. Chrom agreed to let him come north against the advice of the Palace healers and clerics.

Somehow, the Knight still wore his heavy armor. But Robin could see it was a much tighter fit than before. No doubt due to the heavy bandages that were wrapped over his wounded shoulder and leg. He had to stop several times on the march in order to rest. Something Chrom gladly accommodated. He did not want any of his Shepherds to fall on the road North.

Just behind Frederick was Lon'qu and Lissa. The former champion of Regna Ferox was staving off the cold well. But even he admitted to complaining under his breath about the weather. Lissa struggled alongside him. The princess occasionally stumbled in the deep snow. Much to her chagrin, Lon'qu often refused to help her up. Whether it was because the swordsman wanted to harden the Princess, or Lon'qu was still terrified of her, Robin did not know. But after every stumble, Lissa grew tougher.

Sumia walked her Pegasus behind them. Heavy blankets lay over the beast's wings as Sumia tried to keep them from freezing. Next to her was Vaike and Virion. For the first time since he had met the man, Robin saw Vaike put on a shirt. Well, it was more of a coat. And it was forced on him by Miriel. The mage, who walked alongside Kellam, Ricken, and Maribelle near the rear of the group, told Vaike that she "would not waste healing potions and elixirs on stubborn oafs who refused to take care of themselves in a hostile environment."

To which Vaike asked what hostile meant.

Robin snorted to himself. Even after the disaster that happened just a week ago, everyone still had high spirits. Everyone that was, except for Maribelle. The poor girl was still very quiet. Withdrawn from everyone else. The massacre on the road to the Eastern Palace had only served to bring up painful memories of Themis for her. Before the events of last week, she had started to recover. She was gaining the sass that Lissa said she was known for back. But now, she was eerily quiet again.

Robin sighed. He wanted to help her. But he would not ask her to talk about something that she did not wish to talk about. It did no good to force someone to live painful memories all over again unless they were ready to relive them. Ready to face them. But at this rate, the Tactician felt he was running out of options.

He would not inform Chrom of course. The Prince already had far to much on his plate. The last thing Robin wanted him to worry about was Maribelle. As the tactician, Robin felt it was his job to make sure that all of his soldiers were at one hundred percent.

Besides, Chrom was now the de facto leader of Ylisse and her military. And he was also leading the Shepherds on an incredibly important mission to Arena Ferox in order to ask for the Khans' aid. Then there was the capture of Emmeryn. It still weighed heavily on Chrom's shoulders. Anytime battle with Plegia was discussed, Robin saw a furious gleam enter his friend's eyes. He swore that the Plegian's would pay for their transgressions. And he swore that they would rescue Emmeryn, or die trying. All of them were enormous tasks to complete. And because of those tasks, Robin knew that his responsibilities were only going to grow. Starting with making sure the others were taken care of.

Robin shivered as another wind bit through his coat. Winter's fangs sank into his skin. Goosebumps formed all over his body. His teeth chattered for a moment. Up ahead, Robin saw Chrom shiver a little as well. But he did his best to hide it. And the Tactician knew that everyone else was just as cold. He heard Sully mutter a small curse as the wind swept through their ranks.

The only one that did not seem affected by the cold was Kage. The blond kid was an enormous mystery for Robin. He claimed to be just a Plegian peasant boy. A street urchin brought on by Emmeryn's would be assassins as a carriage driver. But that same street urchin was stealthy. And he was charming. Both qualities that caught Robin off guard, but also made him excited. He did not know Kage's capabilities as a warrior. He had yet to see the kid engage in a battle. But he knew that he would make an effective scout. Someone Robin could easily send into an enemy encampment in order to gather information.

Robin thought back to the _Treatise on Tactics_ that he loved to read at night. One of the major rules of warfare it stressed was that information was key. Without good intelligence, there could be no assurance of victory. Or even survival for that matter. In order to effectively formulate a strategy, one had to know his enemy's strengths, weaknesses, armor and armaments, supply lines, chain of command (if possible). All of which were variables in any strategy.

He laughed to himself. The more about tactics he studied and remembered, the more he began to think that dumb luck was an enormous factor in winning a war. Unfortunately for the Shepherds, their luck was rotten so far.

Robin's head snapped ahead as he heard Kage utter a loud whoop. The blonde turned and gave the tactician and Shepherds a massive grin. Instantly, the others behind Robin began to smile. The tactician peered into the wall of snow before them.

In the could of white, he could see a dark shadow forming. It was massive, tall, and undoubtedly a building. Robin felt his own spirits soar once he recognized the familiar round shape of Arena Ferox. They had made it.

Sully and Stahl spurred their horses into a gallop. Behind them, the other Shepherds surged forward. All of them rushed past Chrom, Robin, and Kage. Robin glanced over at Chrom and grinned. Chrom threw an arm over Robin's shoulders and uttered a happy sigh.

"It's about damn time." The Prince said, "Hot food and a warm fire."

"I can feel it already." Kage said wistfully, "Both on my skin and in my gut."

Robin chuckled, "I'll admit, I am really looking forward to whatever Khan Flavia has got cooked up for us. Hopefully it's food and not another surprise duel."

Kage arched an eyebrow as the trio marched after the other Shepherds.

"Surprise duel?" He asked.

"How do you think Khan Flavia got in charge?" Robin asked, "Chrom beat the other Khan's champion." Robin laughed to himself, "Care to guess who that was?"

Kage shrugged.

"Marth."

Kage's eyes widened, "Really? You beat her?"

Chrom nodded, "I did. But barely. She is still the toughest opponent I have ever faced."

"I don't doubt that. From what I've heard from the others, only Ben could probably best her." Kage put a finger to his chin, "Maybe Lon'qu too? From what I hear, he gave Ben a run for his money."

"That he did." Robin chuckled as he recalled the brief duel in the Shepherds' training yard.

His smile faded as his thoughts lingered. The Shepherds, they were missing some members. Ben, Gaius, Panne, and the Pegasus Knight, Cordelia, had all followed Marth out of the Eastern Palace on a daring rescue mission. One that they hoped would result in the safe return of Emmeryn to the arms of Chrom and the Shepherds.

The tactics of such a mission raced through Robin's mind. Such a mission was damn near impossible. Suicidal even. The five warriors would have to trek through miles upon miles of hostile Plegian territory before they even reached the Plegian border. At that point they would have to cross the border without getting caught by any checkpoints, race through the desert sands of that cursed country, infiltrate the capital, discover where Emmeryn was being held, rescue her, then somehow make it out of Plegia alive. Robin shook his head. There were so many ways such a mission could go wrong. It was hard to wrap his head around.

"Hey, Robin." Chrom gave the tactician a reassuring smile. As if he knew exactly what was running through Robin's mind, "If anyone can pull it off it's Ben and Marth. Those two are the best warriors I know. And I have a feeling they're more than just good swordsmen."

"Plus they've got Gaius with them." Kage pointed out, "He's the sneakiest bastard I know. And I've met a lot of sneaks on the streets. He's the best. You won't find anyone better at getting into places unseen."

Robin gave the pair a grateful smile, "Thanks for the reassurance. I hope you are both right."

Chrom sighed as the small village that sat at the base of Arena Ferox came into view.

"Me too, Robin. Me too."

….

Robin basked in the warmth of the raging bonfire that lit the great hall of Arena Ferox. He could feel all of the cold being chased out of his bones and replaced with heat that made his body sweat beneath his heavy coat. But he did not care. It was warm. There was food. Really, really good food too. Just those two factors alone were enough to put a smile on not only his face, but the other Shepherds as well.

Kellam, Lon'qu, and Frederick ate in silence. All three warriors were content with observing the other Shepherds have fun around them. Although Robin was happy to see Kellam actively engaging in quiet conversation with the other two silent men. The large knight was finally starting to assert himself.

Maribelle picked at her food in silence. Her eyes were cast down at her feet as she took small bites of food. Eventually, she asked to be excused due to weariness. Ricken watched her with some concern, but he remained with the others. The young mage was much too hungry from the road to just leave his food half eaten.

Sully and Stahl were having an eating contest. One of the few types of contest that Sully could not say she had an edge in. For as skinny as Stahl was, he could pack away an enormous amount of food. Robin was convinced that the horseman may actually have a second stomach. Even the Feroxi guards watched in shock as he devoured plate after plate worth of food.

Beside Stahl, Kage cheered on Sully. The blonde was enjoying his time with the Shepherds. Something Robin was glad to see. He had barely escaped with his life back on the Eastern Road. So the tactician was glad to see him in high spirits despite the terror of nearly being killed by a Wyvern.

Virion ate as any proper noble would. Napkin tucked into his shirt. A steaming cup of tea to his right. His plate neatly organized and portions small. But Robin did see the bowman put a splash or two of Feroxi Firewine in his tea. An action that made Robin chuckle a bit.

Sumia sat beside Sully. The pegasus rider was just as hungry as the two horsemen near her, but she did not engage in their eating contest. Instead, she ate at a slow pace. Occasionally, she would cast a glance up at Chrom before having her cheeks flush. Causing her to stare back down at her food.

Robin rolled his eyes. He was an amnesiac, and even he was not as dense as Chrom apparently was. If he did not pick up Sumia's signals soon, Robin worried he would have to spell things out for the Prince in simple, easy to understand sentences.

 _Maybe even a few charts._

"Hey Robin!" Vaike called from down the table, "Watch this!"

"Please don't make me do it again." Miriel cringed beside him.

"You already did it once. Now you gotta prove you can do it twice." Vaike argued back.

"I fail to understand the logic in your argument.."

"Just do it!" Vaike said with a large grin.

Miriel rolled her eyes. Her small hands grabbed the massive mug of ale in front of her. Robin's eyes widened as the mage tilted her head back and down the entire mug without so much as taking a breath. All the while, Vaike sat there with a look of pure glee on his face.

Miriel took one last gulp before slamming the mug down on the table and uttering a belch so loud, Robin thought the table shook.

"Alright!" Vaike cheered while the other Shepherds roared with laughter.

Robin wiped back tears as he laughed, "Almost as good as yours, right Teach?"

"Hell yeah!" Vaike wrapped a meaty arm around Miriel's thin shoulders. The mage froze for a moment before relaxing, "Who would of thought that smarty pants here would be able to drink like that?"

"Not me." Miriel said under her breath. Her cheeks were already starting to turn pink as the alcohol rushed through her body.

Robin heard Khan Flavia roar with laughter beside him. As the Shepherds' tacitican, Chrom wanted Robin to sit with him, Lissa, Khan Flavia, and Khan Basilio.

"She would do well here in Regna Ferox." Flavia beamed as she kicked her feet up on the table, "Although we would have to put a little meat on her bones."

"I think Miriel would prefer to be in her books." Chrom said with a smile.

"Agreed." Miriel shouted over to them before starting on her third mug of ale.

Flavia chuckled some more. She set her mug down and roughly smacked Khan Basilio's shoulder.

"Hey Oaf."

"What?" The large man asked.

"Think we should let the kids keep eating while the adults go talk?" She said with a playful grin.

Basilio snorted, "Wonderful phrasing there, Khan Flavia. But yeah, I think we should get down to business right away. Chrom?"

The Ylissean Prince nodded and rose from his chair. Before he followed the Khans out of the Great Hall, he motioned for Robin to follow. Robin gave his food a longing look. He had been so busy observing all of the Shepherds that he had barely touched his own food. An action that he was regretting.

He sighed.

 _I'll just get some from the kitchens later._

The Khans led Chrom and Robin to a small chamber just off of the main hall in Arena Ferox. Inside, a guard stoked a small fire in the stone fireplace. There was a small, rectangular table at the center of the room. On it were unlit candlesticks. A second guard lit the candles.

"Go get a map." Flavia ordered him.

The guard nodded then rushed out of the room. Meanwhile, the second guard remained behind to stand guard at the door.

The first guard returned quickly. He handed Flavia the map. The guard then produced a sack filled with various colored rectangles, squares, and circles. Almost like pieces to a board game. Flavia nodded her thanks then spread the map out on the table. Using the candlesticks to keep it in place on the rough surface.

Robin looked down at the map. It was a map of the continent. He could see the various landmarks etched into the parchment with stunning precision. The artistry that was displayed on the map would have made any map maker or artisan green with envy.

"I didn't know the Feroxi were such artists." Robin said.

"We're not." Basilio snorted.

"We bought it." Flavia smirked before taking out several black rectangles from the bag, "On to the matter at hand." She placed several of the rectangles in Ylisse.

Two of them surrounded Themis. One was pushing down south towards Southtown. And three were around Ylisstol. Robin grimaced as he caught on to what Flavia was showing them.

"These are the most recent locations of Plegia's armies according to the various spies we have throughout the continent." Flavia said.

Chrom narrowed his eyes, "I was not aware they struck so far inland so quickly."

"How could you know?" Basilio asked, "You were in full retreat. There was no time to gather that kind of intelligence." The big man ran a finger over his beard, "I'll give Plegia this, their King is insane, but they've got some damn good generals."

Chrom grimaced, "So did we."

Flavia nudged his shoulder, "Hey, from what we know right now, Old Commander Edward is giving the Plegians one hell of a fight in Ylisstol. Don't get all hopeless on me right now."

Chrom shook his head, "Now that I have a chance to see the war like this… it's hard to even comprehend."

Robin nodded, "The Plegians have effectively cut Ylisse in half."

He grabbed a small, blue circle piece and placed in on Ylisstol.

"Our most organized forces are under siege in Ylisstol under Knight Commander Edward. That leaves both north and south almost completely unorganized and undefended. At this rate, all the Plegians have to do is starve out Ylisstol then divide and conquer the rest of the territory." He took another circle and placed in on the Eastern Palace, "Right now, the only heavy resistance they will face will come from Commander Phillip and his mountain army. But that is not due to numbers as much as it is due to terrain. The Plegians won't be able to march all of their forces through the mountains as fast as they did through the plains around Themis."

Robin grabbed several black bars and placed them at the border passed between Themis and Plegia.

"And we can assume the Plegian's have the border well defended. They had soldiers waiting to invade when the war broke out. So there is no doubt in my mind that they have established multiple forts in the hills and mountains along the Ylissean border. Which would make any counter assault there nearly impossible."

"Could we go with your original plan?" Chrom asked, "We retake our lost territory then take a defensive position on the border."

Robin shook his head, "With what defenses? The Plegians control the mountain passes. That is a defense in and of itself. If we build forts in the grasslands and plains, all they would have to do is circumvent them in order to continue their campaign. Besides, that will only delay the end of the war. And, while we may have the manpower to pull it off thanks to Regna Ferox," He nodded at both Flavia and Basilio, "We do not have the resources. It's winter time. The harvest, what little there probably was in Ylisse, is over. Executing a counter attack like that will fail because our army will starve or freeze. The Plegians are well supplied, we are not."

"We could cut the Plegian supply lines." Basilio suggested.

"Only for them to get reestablished in a different location." Robin noted, "There are no major choke points in western Ylisse save for the forests directly to the south of Ylisstol. And we would need men to hold the captured territory in order to keep those supply lines cut."

"Men we are unable to feed right now." Flavia frowned.

"And all of that still does not address the elephant in the room," Robin continued. He reached into the bag and withdrew a yellow triangle. He placed it on the Plegian capital, "The Exalt has been captured. And if I was Gangrel, I would want to parade that accomplishment for all of my people to see."

Robin could see Chrom's fists ball up at what Robin was saying. It was a brutal truth, but one Chrom had to hear.

"Then, after receiving his people's praises, he will execute her."

"That is not going to happen." Chrom growled.

"I agree." Flavia nodded, "The people of Ylisse fight harder and have hope as long as they know the Exalt is alive. Emmeryn's rescue should be a top priority."

Basilio hummed to himself, "I couldn't help but notice several Shepherds missing from our dinner?"

Chrom nodded, "Do you remember Marth?"

Basilio nodded.

"She took a group of Shepherds to mount a rescue mission."

Basilio's eyes widened, "She!?"

"HA!" Flavia bellowed, "Your champion got bested by a girl! HAHAHAHA!"

"That is besides the point." Robin tapped the map, "Right now, Marth, Ben, and three other Shepherds are moving with all haste towards the Plegian capital. Without any form of support. The Plegians will be on their guard, even in their own homeland. And Gangrel will have his best soldiers guarding the Exalt."

Flavia grinned, "So what you're saying is, we need to draw those soldiers out in order to give Ben and Marth a chance?"

Robin nodded. Chrom narrowed his eyes at Robin.

"What plan do you have concocted in that insane mind of yours?"

Robin gave Chrom a devious grin, "One that is just as suicidal as Marth's. And the Plegians will not see it coming." Robin grabbed four red squares, which he used to represent Regna Ferox's armies. He placed them at the northern border between Regna Ferox and Plegia. Then he pushed them inland.

"Through the desert!?" Basilio gawked.

Flavia whistled low, "Ballsy."

"And out of nowhere." Robin continued, "The Plegians think that they have Ylisse beaten. And since Regna Ferox has not moved her armies south to aid us yet, they think that you have abandoned the alliance. They think you're fearful of Plegian power."

"Pah!" Flavia spat, "Plegian power? What a load of horse crap."

"Agreed." Basilio grunted.

"So Feroxi soldiers charging into the Plegian capital from the north will catch them flat footed." Chrom said with a gleam in his eyes.

"Exactly." Robin grinned, "It is effectively one massive, flanking maneuver. The majority of their forces are committed in Ylisse and holding their eastern border. If we can strike fast through the north, we will face minimal resistance. And the Plegian Capital will be wide open."

"Forcing Gangrel to commit all of his soldiers to defending his capital instead of guarding Emm." Chrom said as he slowly realized the genius behind Robin's plan. He clapped a hand on Robin's shoulder, "You are a mad genius."

"It's what you pay me to do." Robin chuckled.

Basilio furrowed his brow and rubbed his chin, "It's a very risky plan. But in the last war, it was risky for you Ylisseans to cross the mountain passes. Yet that somehow worked too. We will have to have very strong supply lines. And we cannot concern ourselves with taking territory. This will have to be a lightning fast strike."

Robin nodded, "Do you think your men are up for it?"

"You challenge my men, boy?" Basilio guffawed, "My soldiers are as tough as tough gets. I don't know about Flavia's-"

"Don't push it, Oaf." The smaller Khan warned.

"But I know they are just as stubborn and itching for a fight as mine are." Basilio nodded, "If this works, it will be the stuff of songs and legend."

"It will work." Robin said confidently.

Flavia grinned at Chrom, "I like him more and more, Prince. Very well, we have our plan." She pushed herself away from the table, "I'll call for the army to marshal at the Longfort. We ride there at first light tomorrow. Exalt Emmeryn does not have much time."

"The Shepherds will serve as a vanguard." Chrom stated.

"I'd expect nothing less." Flavia beamed, "You may have some Feroxi blood in your veins, Prince Chrom. You seem to crave a fight more than any warrior I've ever met."

"This fight is personal." Chrom said.

"Don't let it get too personal." Basilio advised, "We will need rational thinking on the battlefield. That is how you survive and win, kid."

Chrom nodded over at Robin, "That's what I have him for." He took a deep breath and nodded, "I'll let the others know."

"I'll work on fine tuning the strategy." Robin said.

"Ok. But promise me you will rest tonight." Chrom said as he made his way to the door.

"No promises!" Robin called as the door closed behind the prince.

Flavia uttered a loud yawn. She stretched her arms high over her head, smacked her lips together, then scratched the back of her neck.

"Early morning eh? Alright then. Time to hit the sack."

"Goodnight, Khan Flavia." Basilio called as Flavia strode out of the room.

"Goodnight, Oaf."

The door shut behind her with an audible clunk. Robin was now alone with Khan Basilio. But the tactician didn't mind. He was going to be staying in this room for a few more hours anyways. He needed to fine tune the strategy. Figure out supply lines as well as the fastest route through the sand dunes that dominated northern Plegia. He would hardly notice when the older Khan left.

As his mind raced through strategies, problems, and various solutions, something began to nag at his mind.

Why did Plegia want war? The last one went terribly for both sides. There was no true victor. From what Robin had studied, the Plegians had managed to keep their old borders but at a cost so terrible that the nation was likely still not fully recovered. Ylisse was the same way. The nation he now served had lost their Exalt in battle, tens of thousands of soldiers, untold numbers of civilians. It took almost a decade before Ylisse was stable once again. And that was thanks to the steady hand Exalt Emmeryn ruled with.

Robin refused to believe that the war was simply for revenge. That was far too simple of a reason. It might make sense to Plegia's masses. But it made no sense from a strategic point of view. Revenge would only motivate soldiers so much. There had to be a goal. An endgame.

His thoughts drifted back to the first skirmish near Themis. King Gangrel had asked for the Fire Emblem in exchange for Maribelle's life. At first Robin thought that maybe it was just a ploy. A way for Gangrel to ensure he would get the war he wanted. A gamble he made, knowing that Emmeryn would likely not hand over Ylisse's national treasure.

But what if it was more than that? What if Gangrel's goal really was the Fire Emblem? Robin frowned. There was still the question of why? Why would he want the Fire Emblem?

"What's on your mind, Robin?"

Robin's head snapped up. Basilio was still there. The large man had taken a seat in a wooden chair near the fire.

"What do you mean?"

Basilio snorted, "I can practically see the smoke coming from your ears, kid." He gestured at another chair near the fire, "Give yourself a break for a moment."

Robin frowned. He did not want to. But he found himself unable to focus on the strategy he had come up with. So reluctantly, he left the map on the table and sat down next to Basilio.

The big man stared into the fire for a few moments. Robin did so as well. Both men enjoying the small silence given to them by the cold evening and crackling flames.

"I wasn't Khan when the first war broke out." Basilio began as he stared in the flickering flames.

He wasn't looking at Robin. The tactician wondered if Basilio even remembered if he was there at all. His thoughts appeared to be in a far away place. Another time, years ago.

"I was the previous West Khan's champion though." Basilo continued, "So that allowed me certain privileges. So much so, that my predecessor decided to groom me for Khanship." Basilio leaned back in his seat, "Part of that process was learning about foreign relations. At that time, the first Ylissean-Plegian War had just broke out." He was quiet for a moment, "Several months into the war, Chrom's old man came to us. Just like you all did. He wanted an alliance. But unlike you and Chrom, he did not have a very good reason."

Robin raised his brow, "I don't remember reading about that."

Basilio snorted, "Of course you wouldn't have read about it. Do you think the Ylissean historians would have written bad things about the previous Exalt?"

Robin had to agree with Basilio, "It's unlikely."

Basilio nodded, "Anyways, the previous Exalt, the one before Emmeryn, came to us seeking an alliance. At the time, the war was going badly. Not for Ylisse. But for Plegia. The Exalt was many things. I found him to be a bit up his own ass, snarky, but damn cunning. And a military genius as well. When he came to us, I was all for joining the fight." Basilio shook his head in amusement, "I was a bullheaded youth. That's for damn sure. Battle was everything to me. Just as it's everything for any young Feroxi soldier. I heard the Exalt's reason for an alliance, and I was ready to march into Plegia right away."

"But my predecessor said no." Basilio took a breath, "At the time, I thought the man had finally grown too old. That he was no longer hungry for glory. It made me think he was a weak Khan." The Western Khan laughed to himself, "That old man put me in my place. That's for damn sure."

"How so?" Robin asked as he listened closely.

"Well, he broke down why the Exalt's reason for war was bullshit. And then he beat the piss out of me with a hammer and shield."

Robin cringed, causing Basilio to chuckle.

"That happens to us Feroxi boys all the time. We can be so hard headed, that our minds may as well be stone. Flavia still as a bit of that. But she's also still young. She'll learn soon. War is not something that should be sought out, no matter the reason. It should be an last resort."

Robin sighed, "Mind telling King Gangrel that when we see him?"

Basilio uttered a loud laugh, "Gladly."

Robin shifted in his seat, "So?"

"Hm?"

"What happened next?"

Basilio took a deep breath, "We didn't join the war. And, looking back on it now, I thank the gods we did not. My predecessor was wise."

Robin nodded in agreement, "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"What was the Exalt's reason for war?"

Basilio frowned, "I'm not sure I should be telling you."

"Why not?"

"Cause your Prince will not like it either." Basilio folded his hands, "I doubt he even knows the real reason behind that horrible war."

Robin frowned, "Right now, the reason Gangrel is at war with us is because he wants revenge. That is the known motivation for his armies. I need to figure out a way to counter that. In order to do that, I need to understand what happened in the last war. I need to know the truth behind it all."

Basilio looked a little uncomfortable. But the mountain of a man kept his face calm and his breathing even.

"If you insist." He cleared his throat, "The Exalt's reason for war was… because the world was in grave danger."

Robin raised his brow, "The world was in danger? Like… we are talking the end of the world?"

Basilio nodded, "The previous Exalt was many things. One of which was a persuasive speaker."

"How did he manage to justify that?" Robin asked.

Basilio sighed, "Have you heard of the Grimleal?"

Robin felt a small shiver run up his spine. The Grimleal. The magical arm of the Plegian military. They were also the leaders of Plegia's major religion. And they worshiped the Fell Dragon, Grima exclusively. There were few unbiased sources about the religion in Ylisse's records. The two kingdoms had almost always been at odds over their religions. Especially given the fact that Grima's mortal enemy was Ylisse's chief deity, the Divine Dragon, Naga.

"I'm gonna say, by that look on your face, you have." Basilio noted, "Then you are aware of what they are right? Mages. Vile ones too. They specialize in black magic and dark spells. Many of which are deadly both to the caster and the target. At least, that's how they are now."

Robin raised an eyebrow, "They weren't always that way?"

"No." Basilio shook his head, "Don't get me wrong, they still gave anyone the creeps back then. But they weren't so… so pure evil back then. That changed just before the war. Their High Priest died. Some strange accident. Or so the Grimleal says. A new priest was elevated in his place. A hardline, Grima fanatic named Validar."

Robin's eyes widened. Validar, he knew that name. It was the name of the sorcerer that lead the assassins that tried to kill Emmeryn in Ylisstol. The name of the sorcerer Kage slew that same night. The one that had nearly killed Robin. The tactician shuddered. He was glad that monster was now dead. The power he commanded was enormous. It took everything he had just to stay alive in that fight.

"Purges began in the Grimleal." Basilio continued, "Our spies reported mass killings of Grimleal mages and priests who were not loyal to Validar. Meanwhile, that same bastard of a human being began to experiment on something. Some new black magic. We knew about it. But we figured it was just more Grimleal nonsense. Probably a beefed up Flux or Nosferatu of some sort."

"But the Exalt didn't see it that way." Robin said.

Basilio nodded, "Not in the slightest. He claimed that Validar was attempting to resurrect the Fell Dragon, Grima."

Robin's eyes widened. Around the room, the shadows deepened at the mention of the Fell Dragon's possible return. He could feel some anxiety build up in him. Even as an amnesiac, he knew about the terrors inflicted by the Fell Dragon during ages long passed.

"How?" Robin asked as he swallowed hard.

"That's the same question we asked the Exalt." Basilio said, "He didn't have an answer. And no evidence. So, we did not join him in his war." Basilio's gaze drifted back to the flames in the fireplace, "And what started off as a campaign to stop the Grimleal became a campaign to slaughter Plegians."

Robin's mouth fell open.

"What do you mean?"

"Both sides were guilty of it." Basilio emphasized, "But it went from armies battling in traditional warfare, to starving of cities in sieges, to mass killings of civilians in order to prove a point." Basilio saw Robin's face pale, "The Exalt then committed one of the greatest atrocities of the war."

Robin swallowed hard. Now he was regretting asking Basilio why the last Exalt went to war with Plegia.

"He stormed one of the Plegian towns near the border wastes to the north." Basilio gulped, "And slaughtered every woman and child inside."

Robin felt his mouth go dry. The Ylissean's massacred women and children? He felt a pit form in his stomach. Did Chrom know about this? Did Exalt Emmeryn?

"When did this happen?"

Basilio sighed, "Almost fifteen years ago now. Towards the tail end of the war. A few battles later, the Exalt would be killed in battle. Gangrel became a boy king after his Uncle died from illness. Emmeryn became the Exalt. And the war would end a year or two later."

Robin let out a long exhale, "That is… a lot to take in."

Perhaps revenge really was Gangrel's true motivation?

Basilio nodded, "All these years later and it still is difficult to handle. But this war is different."

"How so?" Robin asked.

"For one, you were attacked." Basilio answered, "For two, Gangrel used bandits to attack Regna Ferox. And for three, the Grimleal this time _are_ up to something. Our spies report they are taking a very active hand in this war. And that concerns me. And it concerns Flavia. But she won't let you catch her saying that."

Robin nodded. The Grimleal taking an active role in the war? That was a major cause for concern. It would be like if the Ylissean magic college decided to actively train warriors instead of scholars and send them to battle. The results would probably be horrific and devastating.

Easily as horrific as the last war. Robin could still not get the picture out of his mind. An entire town, butchered because someone thought the Fell Dragon was going to be resurrected. It boggled his mind how such an insane reason could lead to such devastation. How could human beings so readily follow something like that? For that matter, how could human beings so readily kill another for the sins of their fathers? That was essentially the crux of the current war. Plegia attempting to punish Ylisse for the atrocities of the last war.

And how, after knowing about all of this, could Khan Basilio ally with Ylisse?

"One more question." Robin said before Khan Basilio could leave his chair, "Why join us?"

Basilio gave the tactician a hard stare.

"Why fight for a nation that did such terrible things?" Robin asked.

"Because-" Basilio paused to take a breath and think, "Because Exalt Emmeryn is different. If there is anyone that will be able to achieve true peace in our time, it will be her. I met her once before. And I don't think I've ever been as hopeful around any other leader as I was when she was around. Gangrel's madness will only bring more destruction, even if he gets what he wants. Emmeryn's survival and Gangrel's downfall will ensure peace between our nations. I'm sure of it."

Robin stayed quiet as Basilio rose from his seat.

"I'll leave you to your planning. And like Chrom said, get some rest. We'll need you fresh for the road ahead."

Robin nodded in reply. But he continued to stare in the orange flames in the fireplace. Even as the door clicked shut to the chamber he was in.

 _Peace between our nations?_ Robin let out a long sigh as he sat in his chair. _I hope you are right, Basilio._

 **And Chapter! This was a fun one to write. A very interesting one to write too. One of the few criticisms I actually have of Fire Emblem Awakening is the lack of backstory for Ylisse and Plegia and the animosity between them. Is it because of religion? Simple state rivalry? Both? Or something else? So I decided to try and explore that a little bit. And it was fascinating thinking of reasons for the hatred between Plegia and Ylisse. I'm hoping to continue to expand on it as the story progresses. We also took a break from Ben's side of things in order to see the details of Chrom and Robin's part of the story. The next chapter will mostly focus on Ben and Marth. That is going to be a very fun chapter! I'm excited to write it. I do work a lot the next few days. So it probably will be a few days before I can get it uploaded.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	24. The Magician

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 24

The Magician

Ben let out a long sigh. He fanned his face for a brief moment before wiping a layer of sweat from his brow. His feet trudged through sand that at one time had been packed firmly enough to have once been considered a road. But now, after years of use and years of environmental abuse, the sand was loose, coarse, irritating, and it got everywhere. Ben grimaced as his foot slipped and sank down deep into the earth beneath his feet.

 _Deserts._ He thought to himself, _Why do my travels always end up going through a desert at some point?_

Needless to say, he was irritated. And not just with the sand. The heat was almost unbearable at points during the march to Plegia's capitol. And while Gaius and Marth seemed to have no trouble traversing the savage landscape. Ben, Cordelia, and Panne required frequent breaks to stave off the heat.

And now was the time for one of those breaks. Ben huffed and came to a stop. His hands rested on his knees as he sucked in some deep breaths.

"Damn this heat." He muttered to himself.

"Oh come on, Ben." Gaius chirped, "It's just the dry heat."

"It doesn't matter whether it is wet or dry." Ben grumbled, "Both result in me feeling very hot and grumpy."

"Candy bar?" Gaius offered.

"Is it melted?"

Gaius frowned, reached into his pocket, and withdrew a small packet that squished between his fingers.

"Unfortunately." He sighed before shaking his head.

Ben nodded as he struggled to catch his breath. The air here was so dry. It felt like he was inhaling dust as he tried to breath. A very uncomfortable sensation that reminded him way to much of the ash soaked air on Mustafar. He grabbed the small skin of water strapped around his hip and put it to his lips. But only a few drops of water hit his tongue. Certainly not enough to quench his thirst.

"Is there an oasis nearby?" Ben asked Gaius.

Gaius gawked at Ben, "You're out of water already!?"

"We told you to conserve as much as you could." Marth said as she stared up the road, keeping watch for any possible patrols. Although, Ben doubted any soldiers would be crazy enough to come this far out into the desert wastes.

"And I did." Ben grumbled, "But I am not a-" He furrowed his brow, "Cordelia," He called behind him to the red haired pegasus knight, "what is that animal with the hump called again?"

"A camel." Cordelia deadpanned.

"Yes! I am not a camel." Ben pointed out, "Unlike you two."

"Hey!" Gaius shot back, "Unlike Blue, I don't have humps."

Marth grit her teeth and bit back a scathing remark. Ben pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Sometimes I wonder what is wrong with your brain." He said under his breath.

"Many things." Gaius smirked, "But it's a good enough brain to get us all the way to the capitol undetected."

Gaius turned on his heel and began to whistle a cheerful tune as he marched through the sand. The former Plegian thief made it look so easy. His feet practically glided through the terrain. Ben sighed. Then again, he grew up in this land. It would make sense for the thief to be used to both the terrain and the heat.

"We aren't at the Capitol yet." Ben grumbled as threw his hood over his head. His best attempt to shield himself from the blazing sun that sat high above their heads, "And at this rate," He struggled to follow Gaius and Marth up a large dune that seemed to never end, "We will die of thirst before reaching it."

"I really hope you are wrong." Cordelia said as her feet slipped in the sand.

Ben reached out and snagged her wrist, preventing the red haired woman from tumbling down the sand dune. Another hand hit Cordelia's back and helped push her back upright.

"Thank you Panne." Cordelia said, "And you too, Ben."

The Taguel just sniffed as she trudged past them in order to catch up to Gaius and Marth. Ben heard her grumbling about sand stuck between her ears as she stormed up the dune. Ben paused for a moment and blinked more sweat from his eyes.

"Ben?"

He glanced over at Cordelia. The pegasus knight was struggling the most of their group. The girl was physically fit. Ben would not deny that. But she was much better suited riding a Pegasus than marching through sand dunes and badlands. And the pace they had set once they all crossed the border was furious. Twice they marched late into the night, almost to dawn. Doing their best to take advantage of the cooler temperatures. Several times they all decided to not eat food in order to cover several more miles. Not that there was much food to find in these parts. Though Panne did manage to catch a pair of thin lizards for the group to snack on one night.

"Do you think we will make it in time?" Cordelia asked as she stopped beside him and wiped some of her red hair from her forehead.

Ben pressed his lips together then nodded. Which seemed enough for the Pegasus Knight. The pair walked side by side up the dune. Both watching as the others reached the crest then began to descend down the other side.

Force, Ben hoped they would make it in time. He hoped that Gangrel was so mad and prideful that he paraded Emmeryn far longer than any reasonable enemy should. And while the thought of Emmeryn being displayed as a trophy made Ben's blood boil, it was her best shot at still being alive once they arrived in the capitol.

It was a scary thought for him. To feel such anger at the possibility of another person being harmed. Being humiliated and scarred by a remorseless monster. He had thought that he had conquered those emotions during his many years as a Jedi Knight and Jedi Master. But now they had resurfaced. Perhaps it was his newly restored youth wreaking havoc on his mind. Or maybe it was the lack of meditation and re-training in the Jedi arts that caused this weakness. Regardless of what was causing it, the desperation he felt worried Ben.

A Jedi was not supposed to become attached. To anyone. Let alone romantically attached. He had fallen for that trap once before. And in the end, she died. A victim of knowing him.

Ben swallowed hard. Anakin's fall was also a result of attachment. A deep attachment that had such a firm grip on him that it led him to seek horrible solutions to situations that were beyond his control. And it had resulted in both his fall to the dark side, and his death at Ben's hands.

He shuddered a little. Just enough so that Cordelia would not notice. Was he on the same path as Anakin now? If Emmeryn were to die, would he lose himself just as his old padawan had? Satine's death had been devastating, but he had only just rekindled their friendship when she had died. There had been decades of no contact before then. While her death stung, and still caused his heart to ache, it had not destroyed him. Which, he was certain, was Maul's intent.

But now, with the attachment to Emmeryn so fresh in his mind and heart, if she were to die, would he still stand by his beliefs? Would he remain a Jedi? Or would he fall as well?

Ben recalled a conversation he had with his Master, Qui Gon. It was a lesson he had learned long ago. Back when his master had suspected that his padawan had a flirtatious relationship with the young duchess of Mandalore.

It still boggled his mind that at one time, Qui Gon had been in love. She was a fellow Jedi. A beautiful woman, if what Ben had heard about her was true. And she died on a mission while Qui Gon was in the Temple. His master had almost lost himself to the Dark Side in his grief.

That lesson served as both a shocking story, and a firm warning on what could happen if he let himself grow too attached. But Ben also recalled something else. An important detail that he had overlooked before.

Qui Gon had never said attachment was a bad thing. At least, not at its core. Ben furrowed his brow. That little lesson confused him more than his Master's usual 'live in the moment' one. How could attachment be both bad and good? How could anything be both bad and good?

He shook his head and shoved the thoughts from his mind. He could not afford to become lost in his thoughts. Right now, Exalt Emmeryn needed to be rescued. And Plegia must be defeated. Those were the objectives. Anything else, any debates with himself, could wait.

Ben exhaled loudly when he and Cordelia reached the top of the dune. And what he saw made him want to groan so loud that any passing patrol would almost certainly hear them.

"I told you we'd get there!" Gaius shouted from halfway down the dune before pointing a finger off into the distance.

Ben followed Gaius's finger. Sitting in the middle of the dry, cracked earth, was a large city. Not large by Ben's standards. No city could ever be as large as Coruscant. Nor as beautiful in his mind as Sundari or Theed. But it was large by this planet's standards.

And there was one landmark in it that made Ben reel.

It dominated the city's meager skyline. His eyes followed dry, yellow bones high above the stone huts and sandy streets. All the way up till he gazed into the massive, porous skull of a creature far bigger than anything Ben had ever seen before.

He swallowed hard as he gazed upon the skull and bones that wrapped around the city. Each rib was easily as big as a single Krayt dragon. The spine ran like a never ending serpent around the city before sinking into the sand. Buried for all eternity. And the skull was something straight out a nightmare.

It had a massive jaw. And wicked teeth that looked as large as some of the houses in the city. And were no doubt as sharp as any blade. The snout of the creature covered an entire massive dune. Then there was the most outlandish of its features. The six holes that dotted the sides of the skull. Three on each side.

"What is that?" Ben wondered out loud.

"The remains of the Fell Dragon, Grima." Marth answered grimly.

Cordelia swallowed hard as she looked at the skeleton. Panne's fur bristled ever so slightly. Gaius just shrugged.

"Why are you all acting so scared all of a sudden? It's dead."

"Forgive us for actually listening to the history of our world." Marth snapped back.

Gaius recoiled as she stormed down the sand dune.

"Did I say something wrong?"

Ben shrugged, "I don't know. I've… I've heard of the Fell Dragon but I never thought it could actually be real." He looked over at Cordelia, "Does that mean that Ylisse's Divine Dragon is real too?"

Cordelia gave him a firm nod, "Who do you think imbued the first Exalt with the power to slay that fell beast?"

Ben returned his gaze to the skeleton of Grima. The first Exalt killed that monster? With the help of another supposed deity on this planet? He had heard of many strange things during his time with the Jedi order. But this was now far up that list. And it was definitely a subject he would be investigating further.

"Alright, listen up." Gaius barked to all of them, "When we get into the city, remember who we are. We may be Ylisseans, but we are first and foremost entertainers. Ben!"

Ben sighed, "I'm the magician."

"Red? Blue?"

"Assistant." Cordelia nodded.

Marth did not say a word. Her eyes were fixed on Grima's bones. Ben could see her hands balling up into tight fists at her sides. He got the feeling that her anger was not directed at Gaius in any way. Rather, it was focused purely on the yellow bones that towered over the Plegian capitol.

"Panne?"

"I refuse to be a rabbit that comes out of a hat!" Panne roared.

"But we need to explain your ears somehow." Gaius commented.

Ben sighed, "Leave that to me." Gaius gave him a puzzled look, "I'm the magician. Maybe I used magic to transform her into a half woman, half rabbit."

"I am not a rabbit." Panne snarled.

"You'll have to be in order for this ruse to work." Ben said, "Otherwise, our mission could fail."

Panne scowled. But she relented in the end.

"I still will not come out of a large hat."

"I won't ask you to." Ben replied.

"Alright!" Gaius clapped his hands together, "Let's get into town. I know a place we can stay. Trust me, the innkeeper loves me."

The red haired thief took off down the sand dune, leaving Marth, Ben, and the others behind. Ben arched an eyebrow before turning to Cordelia.

"Why do I get the feeling that this is going to go horribly wrong?"

"It's Gaius." Cordelia replied, "No matter how hare brained his schemes are, they seem to work."

"We don't have a choice." Marth said firmly, "He knows this city. We do not."

She turned on her heel and marched after Gaius. Panne wordlessly followed. Cordelia shrugged.

"An inn will be nice." She said as she followed the others, "It will give me a chance to polish my armor. Maybe get some of the sand out of my socks."

She paused on her way down and turned back to see Ben still standing in the same spot. More sweat beaded on his forehead. And she saw him swallow hard.

"Ben? Are you alright?"

Ben's eyes were glazed over for a moment. But Cordelia's voice shook him free of whatever spell he was under. He cleared his throat.

"Yes. Just tired, and very thirsty." He swiped some sand from his pants and followed Cordelia towards the city, "Let's keep moving."

He saw Cordelia give him a hesitant nod. She was not convinced he was fine. No one was convinced whenever he said that. Why should they be? His relationship with Emmeryn was rather public among the other Shepherds. And it was probably a huge focus of gossip among the Pegasus Knights. But it was not just Emmeryn's life being at stake that caused Ben to hesitate.

Ben felt him. The dark presence that had become all too familiar in his life. A cold, furious, evil. Filled with wrath and cunning. Ben clenched his jaw.

Maul was here.

….

The weather shifted when the small group of Shepherds reached the Plegian Capitol. Above them, the skies darkened. And to Ben's pleasure and surprise, rain drops began to fall from the bloated clouds above their heads. The sun was hidden and the air cooled dramatically. So much so that he was forced to keep his hood over his head. Not to shield himself from the sun anymore, but to shield himself from the cold rain that swept over the city.

The streets were clogged with people despite the weather. Several residents in the houses they passed quickly put out large buckets and barrels in order to collect as much of the rain water as they could. Small, Plegian children were dancing in the rain drops. Splashing in the puddles. And causing all sorts of noise with their playful cries.

Ben felt a small smile cross his lips as several of the little children rushed past him on the road. They did not care that they nearly ran into him. They only cared that it was cool outside. That there was a rare rain hitting the city. And they were going to enjoy it while they could.

He watched as several of the children brandished sticks at each other. Each mimicking a famous knight. His smile fell a little as he realized the game they were playing.

It was War, between the righteous Plegians and the dastardly Ylisseans. One kid claimed the title of King Gangrel while another claimed to be the evil Prince Chrom. Ben paused as he watched the children clash in a flurry of sticks, cries, and laughter.

In all his years of warfare, this was something Ben had not seen before. The other side. Their viewpoint. How the common folk of his enemy saw him and his allies. It was not until the end of the Clone War that he learned how the majority of the galaxy viewed the Jedi Order. That had been one of the rare instances where he became aware of animosity towards his side in a conflict. But he had never seen it this up close and personal before. He hadn't walked through the enemy's streets as a Jedi General. His job was to command soldiers on the battlefield. Not interact with the Separatists.

He shook his head and returned to following the others. His boots quickly became clogged with clumps of wet sand and water. Mud stained his legs. And the rain was beginning to soak through his ratty old cloak when the group finally reached the inn Gaius knew about.

Ben glanced up at the sign. It was a simple, wooden thing. Carved into the wood in uneven letters was the name of the Inn.

Grima's Rest.

Ben grimaced. That was going to sit very well with Cordelia and Marth. He took the lead and pushed the door to the inn open.

The inside was warm. There was a small fire that had just started to burn in a large common room to the right. To the left were about a dozen or so tables and chairs. A large communal dining room for patrons looking to escape the elements or the city riff raff. Right in front of the main door was a bar. Almost every single chair was occupied. The tables were laden with trays of food that Ben had never seen before, and cups filled with a dark brown ale. Two women weaved their way through the common area and dining room, handing out food and drinks as they worked. Behind that bar was a man with tanned skin, like leather, and a hard face. His meaty hands were busy drying mugs. Even though he had a portly shape to his body, Ben could see there was power in his movements. If he were to take a guess, Ben would have said that this man was a former soldier. A man who retired from battle in order to run a little inn near the skeleton of a deity.

Gaius swept around Ben and approached the bar counter. He gave the innkeeper a large, toothy grin. The innkeeper's eyes widened while the other Shepherds stood behind Gaius.

"Is that really you, Gaius?" The man asked, his gruff voice filled with surprise.

"The one and only, Reg." Gaius beamed.

The man gave Gaius a wary look, "I heard about that expedition you went on. The one with those Grimleal into Ylissean territory."

Gaius hid it very well, but Ben could feel a surge of anxiety burst inside of the thief.

"We were told everyone save one mage was killed in that mission." The innkeeper finished.

Gaius chuckled, "Well, I wasn't. Made it out alive. But seeing as how I didn't have any easy transportation back home, I decided to break into a new line of work."

The innkeeper, Reg, raised an eyebrow.

"Entertainment, Reggie." Gaius let out a small chuckled, "Turns out, robbing people of their time is much more profitable than robbing them of their valuables."

"Is that so?" Reg remarked. His dark eyes fell on Ben, Marth, Cordelia, and Panne, "And your friends are?"

"My associates in my soon to be burgeoning entertainment empire!" Gaius declared, "For you see," He leaned close to Reg and nodded over at Ben, "That one there is a magician. A truly magnificent one. And those lovely vixens are his assistants."

Reg eyed over the group once more before grunting, "Alright, I don't want to know what idiotic scheme you are up to now, boy. You've got gold to be here?"

Gaius smiled, "Of course I do." He reached into his pack and withdrew a small pouch filled with Plegian gold that he had 'found', "Is that enough for food and lodging for a few days?"

Reg pulled the pouch open and withdrew one coin. He eyed it carefully before flicking it up in the air and catching it.

"Yeah, sure. I'll have one of my girls get a room ready for you all. For now, wait in the common room."

"Sure thing. Oh and Reg, five ales please." Gaius said.

"I'll bring them to you."

Gaius nodded then beckoned for Ben and the others to follow him. The group eventually took over a small corner booth near the back of the common room. One of Reg's barmaid brought over five large ales then let them be. But not before taking a terrified look at Marth and Cordelia.

Gaius rubbed his hands together, gripped his mug, and took a large gulp.

A satisfied gasp left his lips, "That's good."

"It's swill." Panne grumbled as she took a small sip.

"You can't expect luxury around here, Whiskers." Gaius said, "And you definitely aren't going to get water. That stuff is way to pricey for an establishment like this."

"Nor enthusiastic service." Ben noted, "That barmaid gave us quite the fearful look."

"She knows we're Ylissean." Marth concluded, "And if she knows, then your friend Reg definitely knows."

Cordelia sucked in a sharp breath, "Should we be ready for a fight?"

Gaius waved off their concerns, "Relax you two. Of course they know you're Ylissean. Everyone in this city can tell."

"And that is not something to be concerned about!?" Cordelia exclaimed.

Gaius shrugged, "As long as you don't make a big deal about it. It's not like we could hide it after all. You and Marth are about as pale as fresh milk."

"And you're not?" Cordelia shot back.

Gaius chuckled, "I tend to work at night, sweetheart. Unlike other Plegians, I don't get a whole lot of sun."

He drank deep from his mug before setting it down and crossing his legs. His relaxed appearance helped to soothe Ben's own anxiety about this place. But still, the swordsman was on alert. There was no telling what could happen when you were in the enemy's backyard.

He could not be too careful. Ben closed his eyes and slowed his breathing. He felt his heartbeat begin to slow down. And the force stretched out around him.

He could feel everyone in the building. Most were happy. The rain had brought a cheer to the city and much needed water to everyone that lived in it. There was a group of soldiers across the room. Celebrating their opportunity to go to war with Ylisse. They would be leaving tomorrow. There were a few traders that had set up small stalls in the city markets. Once their wares ran out, they would leave and move on to the next city. Hopefully a place where their gold could net them even more valuable goods to try and resell. There was one particular merchant talking loudly with a large group of other merchants. A red haired woman with a mottled orange and brown outfit. An aura of complete confidence radiated from her.

Ben could not help but feel himself laugh a little. One of the other merchants felt furious. He had been swindled out of something. But the red haired merchant would not let him win it back.

He reached out further into the room. There were several residents of nearby houses who used the inn as their local watering hole. A place to drink after a long day of work in the boiling heat. And then there was-

Ben frowned. Standing near the stairwell that led to the bedrooms was a dark presence. He opened his eyes and cast a small glance over his shoulder in that direction. Leaning up against the doorway was a woman wearing a rather skimpy outfit. A black cape was draped over her shoulders. Her black hair hung in straight bangs over her forehead. Shadowing out much of her face. Clutched to her breasts was a large, black tome that she was occasionally opening, reading intensely, then closing in order to observe the patrons inside of the common room.

"You see something?" Gaius asked Ben.

"Near the stairwell." Ben whispered.

Gaius's eyes darted over there. He coughed on his ale then quickly averted his eyes. Cordelia also looked over there.

"Don't tell me you are suddenly shy when it comes to beautiful women, Gaius." Cordelia said playfully.

Gaius did not play back. He wiped his mouth and gulped.

"I'm not shy about that." He leaned towards Cordelia and Ben, "But I am not interested in catching the attention of a Grimleal mage."

Ben's eyes widened.

"A Grimleal mage?" Cordelia gasped.

"Not so loud!" Gaius hissed, "Do you want to draw her attention?"

Cordelia sank in her seat, "I just… I've never seen one before."

"And be grateful you haven't." Gaius replied, "I'm Plegian, and even I will admit that she is bad news. That black tome she has contains all sorts of nasty spells."

"Avoid contact with her." Ben nodded, "Duly noted."

Footsteps boomed on the floorboards near them. Ben furrowed his brow and twisted in his seat. The soldiers he had sensed earlier were stumbling towards their table. The four of them were clearly drunk. And drunk soldiers, especially ones that lacked proper discipline, tended to cause problems.

"Be on your guard." He warned Marth.

"Relax." Gaius countered, "We'll just have a friendly conversation with them."

The thief rotated in his seat so that he could face the drunk soldiers that had stopped in front of them.

"Good evening, friends." Gaius smiled, "Lovely ale today, no?"

"Absolutely!" Their leader. A lanky, boyish looking man with short brown hair replied, "Reg did good this time. Didn't *hic* serve us swill."

"The rain definitely *hic* helped in that." One of his companions slurred, "Been getting a lot of that recently."

"Really!?" Gaius exclaimed, "This is great news. The gods bless us."

"Ha! Sure they do." The leader laughed. He took a moment to stop laughing, "So, I heard from one of the barmaids that *hic* you are *hic* entertainers?"

Ben froze in his seat. Gaius gave the soldier a relaxed smile.

"Yes, we are."

The soldier looked impatiently at the five Shepherds. Then his face twisted into a snarl. In one, blinding fast movement, he buried a knife into their table. To his surprise, Ben and the others did not flinch. But that did not stop him from glaring at all five of them.

"Well! Entertain us! We fight so you can do you paltry show! So do it!"

Gaius let out an easy going laugh. He patted the man's hand and slid it off of the knife, "No need to be like that, friend. Of course we will entertain." He motioned at Ben, "My magician friend here would love to show you a trick or two."

Ben grit his teeth, "Gaius-"

"A magician? Like a street performer?" The soldier slurred, "Your kind are pretty popular around here. Maybe I've heard of you?" He narrowed his eyes at Ben, "But I don't recognize you."

"Well- um-" Gaius uttered a nervous cough. He had forgotten that they needed some sort of backstory. Ben sighed as Gaius fumbled with his words. The thief needed help. Which meant, Ben would have to pull out all of the stops. "We are rather new and-"

"I dare say!" Ben jumped to his feet, "I am rather offended that you have never heard of me. For I am a magician of great renown and power!"

Gaius gaped at Ben. He then blinked and bobbed his head, "Yes! He is!"

"Really?" The soldier narrowed his eyes. He leaned close to Ben's face. So close in fact, that Ben could smell the alcohol on his breath, "What is your name?"

Ben looked aghast. Meanwhile, Marth stared wide eyed, mouth open, as Ben hammed it up.

"How dare you ask such a frivolous question." Ben declared, "But I shall tell you. For I am…" His mind raced for a brief moment. And in that moment, he could only think of one, ridiculous name, "Obi the Skywalker!"

Cordelia blinked. Panne frowned. Gaius began to laugh uncontrollably. And Marth let her head fall to the table.

"Obi the Skywalker?" The soldier appeared confused.

"Oh yeah!" The third soldier declared, "I've heard of someone like that! But not sure what he does exactly."

"You have?" Ben said before jumping, "I mean- of course you have! I am world famous."

"Wonderful!" The soldier cheered, "Do some tricks for us! Entertain us!"

"I shall!" Ben declared, "If only to prove to you that my magic is truly magnificent! But in order to do so, I need one of my… lovely… assistants."

Cordelia averted her eyes. Her own anxiety over the situation meant she would not do well in this situation. Ben did not blame her. There was too much tumult in her mind in order for her to effectively help him deceive these soldiers.

His gaze fell on Marth. And a small smile spread over his lips.

He knew one fact about Marth. She was a force sensitive. But beyond that, he did not know much about her. This gave him the perfect opportunity to test her abilities. To see the true extent of her powers. She was already able to effectively shield her mind from his light probing. Now it was time to see if she was capable of more.

"My dear." He extended a hand to her.

Marth glared at him. Then she glanced at the soldiers. She huffed and got to her feet.

"Oh great Obi, you did not let me prepare." She said monotonously.

"You do not need to prepare. For the trick I shall perform only requires my power." He leaned into her ear, "Lift me up."

Marth raised an eyebrow. Then it dawned on her. Her face paled for moment and she subtly shook her head. Panic filled her eyes.

Ben gave her a reassuring nod, "Watch as I transfer my power into my assistant so that I can walk the skies!"

He made a big show of it all. His hands extended over Marth's shoulders, fingers splayed out wide. He closed his eyes, hummed a moment, then opened his eyes. He gave her a small nod.

Marth gulped. Ben could see her fingers trembling. She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths.

The Force burst to life inside of her. A well of untapped power that blew Ben away. It was unfocused, raw, and bright. Steeped deep in the light side of the Force. He sucked in a breath as he felt Marth reach out with the force and grip him.

At first it was a rough, tight grab. The mark of an inexperienced force user, still trying to learn how to properly control their powers. Marth cringed. But Ben remained calm.

"Lift me dearest." He ordered, his voice gentle and reassuring.

Marth closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She extended a trembling hand.

Ben did not feel anything at first. Just the slight pressure of someone gripping him with the force. Then he felt the ground give way beneath his feet. Slowly, his body began to ascend. And all around him, patrons in the inn gawked.

Ben's lips parted into a wide smile. He spread his arms out wide and stared down at the dumbfounded soldiers from the rafters.

"Behold! I am the Skywalker!"

Cheers erupted inside of the inn. A round of applause filled his ears. Ben looked out and saw dozens staring up at him in stunned awe and admiration. He glanced over at his friends. Gaius had a smug grin on his face. His hands were clasped behind his head as he leaned back in his seat and reveled in the praises of the crowd. Panne stared up wide eyed.

Cordelia's jaw hung open in utter shock. Her gaze snapped from Marth, to Ben, then back to Marth. Ben smiled down at her then called Marth's name.

Once she heard his voice, Marth began to ease him down. The entire time, her arm was shaking. She could feel sweat beading on her forehead as she struggled to control the Force. It was one thing to execute a force push. It was another to delicately suspend a friend in the air without crushing them or sending them flying. With one last deep breath, she placed Ben back on the floor.

Ben spun on his heel to face the soldiers.

"Satisfied?" He asked.

The soldiers whooped and cheered, "More than!"

One of them dug into his pocket and withdrew several copper coins. He flicked them at Gaius and strutted away. The leader lingered a moment. A dumb grin was plastered over his face.

"Greatest magician I've ever seen." He grinned before leaving with the others.

Ben smiled at them as they left. Once the crowd stopped cheering and returned to their drinks, he let the smile fade and he sat down once again.

He looked across at Marth. The girl was shaken. And she looked weary. Ben pursed his lips. She was force sensitive. And she had some training. But not very thorough training it seems. She could use the force to shield her mind and execute minor tricks. She could even use it to augment some of her physical abilities. But she lacked precise control. He felt that when she initially gripped him with the force.

That was a result of her being unsure of herself. Ben could see that now. Marth knew she was powerful. And she was terrified of using that power. Before he could say anything to her, Gaius smacked his hand on the table.

"That was incredible!"

"Indeed, man-spawn." Panne said, "You have much more power than I initially thought."

Cordelia was gobsmacked. She stared wide eyed at Ben and Marth. Unable to form any words. Let alone sentences.

Marth just sucked in as much air as she could before grabbing her ale and drinking her cup dry. Once it was empty, she slammed the mug down on the table and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

"I'm tired." She gasped.

Ben nodded, "I understand."

Marth got to her feet, "I'll um… see what room we're in and go to sleep."

"I'll join you." Cordelia said as she got up as well.

Panne yawned and scratched at her left ear, "The march has left me weary as well. Perhaps it would be wise for us to get some rest."

"Aw, party poopers!" Gaius complained. He set his ale down then shrugged, "Eh, you're probably right."

He got up in order to follow Marth. As Marth turned to leave, Ben called to her.

"Marth." He said quietly so that no one else other than their group could hear him.

She turned to face him. Ben drew back in surprise. She looked paler than normal. And she was still struggling to catch her breath. Her fingers trembled at her sides. Did that simple exercise really exhaust her that much?

"You did well." He smiled at her.

There was no smile. No thank you. Marth just bowed her head and nodded a little. Before Ben could ask what was wrong, she was gone. The girl disappeared up the stairs with Cordelia and Panne close behind her.

As Gaius reached the stairs he turned back to Ben.

"You coming?" He asked.

Ben shook his head, "No. I've… I've got some things on my mind I still need to sort out."

Gaius grinned, "And ale can help with that. I get it. Don't stay up too late, Obi the Skywalker."

He laughed heartily then disappeared upstairs. Ben chuckled to himself a little bit.

"How on earth did I come up with that?" He mumbled to himself as his fingers tapped against the table.

The past ten minutes replayed over and over in his mind. Those soldiers confronting them had almost blown their cover. And it caused them to lose their ability to stay under the radar. The entire city would probably know by morning about the magician that could walk the skies. Which meant all eyes would be on him and his friends.

Ben rubbed his bare chin.

 _It's a good thing I shaved._ He thought to himself.

Then there was Marth. The girl looked shaken to the core. Not just from levitating Ben, but from what he said to her. How did him saying well done cause her that much distress? Ben frowned and leaned back in his seat. One finger rubbed the end of his chin as he lost himself in thought.

He was so lost in his own mind, that he failed to notice the form of a black haired woman brush past him and take a seat across from him. Ben hummed to himself.

"I wonder." A sultry voice said, causing Ben to snap free from his thoughts, "If I were to cast a particular hex on you, would you divulge your secret magic to me, or not?"

Ben blinked and looked across the table. Sitting there was the one person Gaius said to avoid. The Grimleal mage he had noticed earlier. She was now sitting directly across from him. Her dark eyes bored holes into him. But they did not seem malicious. Her gaze actually looked curious.

"Secret magic?" Ben replied.

The Grimleal mage let out a small, dark chuckle, "Don't play dumb. You and I both know a simple magician could not do what you and your… assistant did. You both possess some sort of magic that I don't know about." A dark smile crossed her pale lips, "I'm simply trying to determine the best way to go about getting the information I want. Do I cast a truth hex? Or perhaps I drag you away into the night and torture you for what I want? There are so many possibilities."

Ben narrowed his eyes at her, "Truth hex?"

"Have you not heard of hexes, Obi the great and powerful?"

Ben leaned back in his seat, "Can't say I have."

He threw up his mental defenses. There was something about this woman that set him on edge. Made him nervous. There was obvious power within her. And he could feel the dark side of the force beginning to swell in her. Whatever her goal was, she was preparing to act on it.

The woman uttered another dark snicker before extending a hand across the table, "Tharja."

Ben eyed her hand cautiously. His eyes flicked back up to her face. There were no hints of treachery there. But when it came to the Grimleal, could he really trust physical appearances?

But he could not give away his suspicions. He had a part to play in their mission. And that part was the entertaining, bombastic, magician. One who was unafraid to speak with those who admired him. And one who never divulged his secrets.

He grabbed her hand, "Obi the-"

Black markings appeared on Tharja's pale skin. A small, victorious smile spread over her lips. And her eyes lit up with triumph.

"A truth hex." She told him before squeezing his hand tight and refusing to let go.

Ben felt some panic flicker inside of him. But he quickly quashed it.

"Let's start with something simple." Tharja drawled, "Favorite color?"

Ben smirked at her, "Are we playing a game?"

Then he felt it. A pressure on his mind that made him recoil. He could hear a sweet, seductive voice in his mind. Whispering in his ear. Telling him to speak. Begging him to spill all of his secrets out to her. Trying to break into his thoughts and read every single scrap of information it could. His shoulders tensed and his jaw stiffened. He beat back the whispers until only one words dominated his thoughts.

"Blue." He said.

Tharja smiled, "Very good. Now then, where are you from?"

The pressure built in his mind. Ben clenched his teeth together. There was pain now. A slight throbbing. It felt like the onset of a massive headache. Whatever spell this woman had cast was trying it's best to wreak havoc on his mind. But he could not relent. He would not give in.

"Rosanne." He lied, "Across the sea."

Tharja eyed him carefully. She did not appear very satisfied with that answer. Which meant she would only press harder.

Ben thought quickly. He could not break this spell. Not without using his full force powers in order to overwhelm Tharja. While tempting, it was not something a Jedi would do. It would require shattering their mental connection. An action that would be somewhat painful for him, a trained force adept, and agonizing for her. And while he did not consider her to be friendly. He did not wish to cause her pain.

Besides, the last thing he needed was to harm a Grimleal mage. That would cause the entire order of dark wizards to come crashing down on him, Gaius, Marth, Panne, and Cordelia. Their mission would be doomed.

That left two options. Resist but eventually feel his mental walls crumble. Or do something even riskier.

What he felt right now was similar to a mental force connection. A weak force bond in a way. He had strong bonds with Master Qui Gon and Anakin before. They would often share thoughts and feelings with each other when communication was absolutely needed.

Ben steeled his mind. Turning this connection into a two way street would open his mind up for the briefest of moments. Long enough for her to catch a glimpse of anything. But it would allow him to turn the tables on Tharja. Perhaps even reverse the truth hex onto her.

"Third question." Tharja said, "What is your real name, magician?"

Ben grit his teeth. The pressure was sharp now. There was no other option. He had to risk it.

He relaxed and opened his mind for a split second. Across the table, he saw Tharja gasp. Her eyes widened. And then Ben took control of the connection. In an instant he saw a flurry of thoughts. A multitude of emotions hit his mind.

Pain. Anger. Desperation. Shock.

Ben drew back in surprise. The dark side of the force was strong in this girl. But she was not evil. There was good in her. True good. He could not place exactly where, but it was there.

An image flooded his mind. A memory. A house in the desert. A mother screaming. A father being cut down by a blast of magic. A small, black haired girl wailing as a pair of men in black and gold cloaks ripped her from her dying mother's arms.

Ben grit his teeth and slammed the connection closed. Tharja ripped her hand from Ben's. Her chest heaved up and down. She looked at him with both terror and fascination.

"What are you?" She whispered.

Ben leaned forward, "A magician."

She narrowed her eyes and him. He could tell that she wanted to attack him right there. Disable him and drag him away in order to conduct a full interrogation. But something held her back. Instead of unleashing a magical assault, Tharja rose to her feet and clasped her black tome in her arms.

"I will be seeing you soon." She said.

As she passed by him, Ben heard her whisper something that made his blood go cold.

"Very soon, Obi Wan Kenobi."

 **And chapter! I've been wanting to get this chapter done for a while now! And I finally got to the part of the story where it was perfect. We get some fun moments with Ben and the crew. Their shenanigans have kept them alive and hidden for now. But our newest character may have found them out already. Tharja is a smart girl after all. Her and Ben will have a… unique relationship to say the least. It will be fun to write their interactions. Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	25. The Northern Wastes

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 25

The Northern Wastes

Robin ran his hands through his hair. His fingers laced between his growing locks of brown hair before getting stuck in a snarl of knots near the back of his head. With a frustrated snarl, he scratched at the knot and undid it. A long yawn rushed from his lips before he stretched his arms high over his head. He blinked his eyes a couple times in order to push the fog of sleep from his vision. Once everything stopped looking blurry, he noticed that he was not in his little cot inside of his tent. Instead he was sitting at his small, makeshift desk inside of his tent. A puddle of drool had pooled up on an important missive he had been reading before falling asleep.

A groan left the tactician's lips.

"Why do I only fall asleep when I'm trying to work?" He wondered out loud as he slouched back in his seat.

He ran a hand over his face then forced himself to his feet. A gust of wind drifted into his tent from the outside. And he felt a small blast of heat accompany it. Robin took a deep breath. The air was warm and arid. A far cry from the frozen hills and plains that sat near Arena Ferox. In a strange way, it felt far more comfortable for the tactician. He liked the heat. He found it liberating and relaxing. Certainly much more calming than the frozen fields to the north.

 _That's probably why I've been falling asleep far easier lately._

He scratched a small itch on top of his head and frowned as he felt his fingers entangle with his hair.

"Might be time for a haircut." He mumbled as he pushed the tent flap open and stepped out into the warm morning air.

It was dawn. The sky was still a dark violet color. He could still make out some stars twinkling in the wide open sky above him. The moon was fading. But it was still there. Shrinking away as the sun rose for the new day.

The military encampment was silent, save for the occasional whisper of wind and the flapping of flags and tent fabric. And while it was warm outside, it was not unbearably hot. Which was what Robin had expected from the desert wastes in Northern Plegia. And he was certain that heat was coming. Fast too.

He adjusted his coat over his shoulders and began a slow walk towards the little oasis the army had set up camp around. There was a benefit to waking up this early in the morning. No one else would be taking a bath in the oasis. A little privacy never hurt anyone.

And he needed a bath. Robin took a whiff of his clothing and recoiled. It had been an exhausting march from Arena Ferox into the desert that covered Plegia's northern boundaries. Fast paced and brutally efficient. Chrom and the Khans were hellbent on rescuing Emmeryn before any harm could come to her. Robin was too. But he was concerned about the condition of the soldiers in the army.

Their plan did rely on speed. But if they got too far ahead of themselves, if the army stretched itself too thin in its mad dash to the Plegian capitol, then it would be very easy to sever their lines for supplies and communication. And when they arrived at the Capitol, Robin worried that the men would be too tired to put up an effective fight.

The plan called for Emmeryn's rescue. That was paramount. But he hoped that it would also result in a devastating defeat for King Gangrel. One that could decisively end the war. Cause the Mad King to surrender, even if it was at the point of a sword. A swift victory like that would demoralize the Plegian army, cripple their ability to wage war beyond their own country, and force them to retreat back into their own borders. Effectively ending the war. Or at the very least, allowing Commander Edward to regroup around Ylisstol and mount an effective counter campaign.

The sand around Robin turned into light brush. Then it became dense foliage as he got closer to the oasis. A small, palm forest sprung up around the lone source of water in this portion of the desert. Those very trees then filtered the water. Keeping the oasis crystal clear and cool. A welcome sight and sensation for anyone traversing the wastelands of Plegia.

 _I wonder how this country became like this._ Robin thought to himself.

For that matter, he wondered how it was even a country to begin with. The Plegians lacked any conventional natural resources. All accounts and maps portrayed the land as a mixture of badlands, salt fields, seas of desert sands, and dried up river and lake beds. Then there was the occasional settlement situated around one of the few oasis or springs that the land possessed. Surprisingly enough, there were no coastal settlements, save for a few military harbors. Which made no sense to Robin. A country with access to the coast, especially with Plegia being as close to the other continent as it was, would want to have ports all over the coastline. There should be hubs filled with markets and people. Not empty beaches, dunes, and bluffs.

 _There is something foul keeping this land from being prosperous._ He concluded as he pushed his way through some brush towards the oasis.

"Psst, Robin!"

Robin froze. He spun around. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a mess of spiky, blond hair sticking out from a cluster of shrubs overlooking the oasis. He arched an eyebrow then sighed.

"Vaike, what are you doing?"

Vaike's head popped out from the bushes, "Keep your voice down." He hissed, "Do you want them to see us?"

Robin narrowed his eyes, "Who to see us?" He gulped, "Is the enemy near here?"

"What? Enemy? No, something way better than that." Vaike nodded behind him.

 _Don't._ Robin thought, _Don't do it. Whatever it is, it's not… worth… oh…_

Robin peeked through the brush. His eyes widened. Pupils dilated. His cheeks turned red. Suddenly, the warm air bothered him a little bit. He felt very hot.

"Eh?" Vaike nudged Robin's shoulder with his elbow, "Tell me Teach is not a genius?"

Robin's mouth felt dry as he stared out at the oasis. What he was seeing was something else. One part of his brain was completely entranced. The other was screaming at him for violating their privacy in such a way.

A group of women from the Shepherds were bathing in the oasis. He could see Sumia, Sully, and Miriel.

Robin screwed his eyes shut and shook his head.

"Gods what am I doing!?" He gasped.

"Discovering manhood." Vaike chuckled as he returned to peeking on the girls.

"No! No this is not right." Robin said.

"What's not right about it?" Vaike shrugged, "We're guys, and they are extremely hot girls. What's wrong with peeking?"

"Everything!" Robin cried.

Vaike cringed and motioned for Robin to keep it down. Robin recoiled and sank lower into the brush. He noticed his gaze occasionally flicking back over to the bathing Shepherds. He smacked himself and actively forced himself to not look.

"Vaike, let them have some privacy." Robin said.

"Aw c'mon man." Vaike groaned, "You don't have to be such a-" Vaike's face paled as he looked past Robin.

"Uh… Vaike?"

"Is that a horse?" Vaike gulped.

Robin glanced over his shoulder. Staring directly at them was a large, brown horse. It's eyes were unblinking as it observed the two shepherds in their hiding spot.

"Yeah?" Robin replied cautiously.

His eyes studied the animal. There was a saddle on it. So it was not wild. Then there was the neatly brushed mane. The glistening fur that bespoke of its rider. Telling Robin that this animal was loved and cared for by someone. The horse then stamped it's hoof into the soft sand.

"It looks mad." Vaike whispered.

"A horse can't be mad." Robin replied, "It's an animal."

"It's getting ready to charge." Vaike warned as it stamped the ground again.

"Gods that horse has got a horrible temperament." Robin said, "Reminds me of-"

He froze. And his face paled as much as Vaike's did.

"It's Sully's horse." Robin gulped.

"RUN!" Vaike cried as he sprung from his hiding place and took off back towards the camp.

Robin heard some splashing from the oasis. He turned his head and blanched as he watched the girls rushing from the water. All of them hurrying to cover themselves. They heard Vaike scream. But they had not seen the lumbering oaf. Instead they all turned and saw Robin. Robin uttered a terrified yelp as Sully's eyes narrowed at him.

He heard the horse utter a loud cry. Robin turned his attention back to the animal. It began to charge.

"Oh crap!" Robin cried before he too turned towards camp and sprinted away.

….

Robin avoided the girls the rest of the day. And good thing too. Vaike had made the mistake of going to talk to Miriel after the… incident. He returned to his tent with black and blue bruises given to him by Sully and a small scorch mark on his buttocks from a magical blast. Robin swallowed hard as he glanced over at Vaike. The last thing he wanted was to cross paths with the furious warrior, Sully. He was not big like Vaike. If the large ax man could be taken to task like that, then how much damage could Sully do to him?

Robin shuddered at the thought. He shook his head, doing his best to clear his mind both of his worries and of what he saw in the morning. Right now, he could not have his thoughts plagued with images of his face getting punched in by a naked Sully.

His face reddened and he pulled at his hair.

 _STOP IT!_ He yelled at his brain.

"Robin?"

The tactician froze. He cast a cautious glance to his right and saw Miriel standing in the doorway to her tent. Arms crossed, fingers tapping against her bicep. Her spectacles lowered so that her eyes could glower right at his motionless form.

"Uh… hi." Robin squeaked.

"I require your assistance." The mage said before disappearing back into her tent.

Robin paled. Require his assistance? For what exactly? What dastardly experiment did Miriel have planned for him as revenge for peeking on her in the oasis?

With profound trepidation, he inched his way into Miriel's tent.

There was not a cot like in this tent. Instead there was a small desk covered with notes, inkwells, books, and parchment. A small, blue mat lay next to the desk. Beyond that, there was no other furniture in the tent.

Instead, there were dozens of plants growing in little pots. Jars sat on the sandy floor. Each one filled with some strange liquid, root, plant, or fruit. There were even a few jars that had insects lying inside of them.

Sitting above a small fire at the center of the tent was a little pot. Inside of the pot, Robin could see a brown liquid bubbling. Miriel was hovering over it. Stirring the liquid counterclockwise every few seconds.

"Good, you acquiesced to my request." Miriel nodded, "I must properly stir this concoction at precise intervals. But in order to accomplish this task, and complete the recipe properly, I need to add several more ingredients. Do you mind helping me with that?"

Robin gave Miriel a wary look.

"Sure?"

"Wonderful. First, I need some eucalyptus leaves."

Robin arched an eyebrow, "Uh… what?"

Miriel hung her head and sighed, "The plant with the small, round leaves."

Robin scanned the tent and found what she needed. He strode over to a small potted plant and plucked a few leaves from the little plant.

"Ok, now drop them in one at a time when I say so." Miriel instructed.

Robin nodded and waited.

"Now."

He let one leaf fall. Then two, then three. Soon over a dozen leaves were swirling in the brown liquid.

"Excellent." Miriel paused in her stirring and wafted some of the steam to her nose, "It needs fat. Grab the jar of pork meat."

Robin raised an eyebrow, "Pork meat?"

"For flavor." Miriel replied.

Robin gulped. Just what exactly was Miriel making. Some new potion? Or perhaps a poison? Robin frowned and grabbed the jar filled with bits of pork. Miriel plucked it from his hands and dumped its contents into the pot. She nodded then snapped her fingers.

"One more ingredient." She pointed at her desk, "In the drawer there are some spices. I need chili powder."

Robin gave her a curious look, "Chili powder?"

"Are you going to assist or not?" Miriel snapped.

Robin recoiled, "I will. I will." He reached into the desk and grabbed a small package of chili powder. Miriel used one hand to take it from his fingers and dump its contents into the concoctions.

The scent hit Robin's nose. And it was divine. His mouth began to water.

"Miriel?" He asked as she continued stirring, "What exactly are you making? A new elixir?"

Miriel arched an eyebrow, "I'm making dinner."

Robin's eyes widened, "O-oh!"

"It's my turn to cook for the Shepherds. I had some pork from Arena Ferox with me. So I decided to make everyone a pork stew." Miriel frowned, "What did you think I was making?"

"Well uh- I- nothing." Robin's shoulders sagged. Then a thought occurred to him, "Why would you make a stew using eucalyptus leaves?"

"They are a common ingredient in my healing elixirs." Miriel explained, "I hypothesized that the best way to help our comrades regain their strength and vitality during this march is to not only feed them well but to infuse some healing ingredients in with the meals. It shouldn't effect the flavor at all." She pulled her spoon out of the pot and took a taste, "It is ready. Care for a taste?"

Robin nodded emphatically. He took the spoon and gulped down some stew.

His eyes widened. His taste buds felt like they were on fire. Despite the heat, it tasted fantastic. But it was incredibly spicy. He tugged on the collar of his shirt and coughed as the stew ran down his throat.

"Wow." Robin croaked.

"Delicious, yes?" Miriel asked.

Robin nodded as some sweat beaded on his brow, "Sure. But," He sucked in a deep breath as his mouth continued to burn, "Spicy."

"I did add an entire bundle of chili peppers in there."

"You what?" Robin gasped as the fire grew hotter on his tongue.

But strangely enough, he found himself enjoying the spicy food.

"Yes. As well as an assortment of other spices and peppers." Miriel explained, "They are actually quite common in Plegia. Or so I hear. So I decided to help all of us grow accustomed to the cuisine."

Robin chuckled, "We are not tourists here." Robin wiped his brow, "Did you make enough for seconds?"

Miriel nodded, "Of course. Mostly because I know Stahl will consume more than one helping."

Robin grinned, "Great! I'm really looking forward to dinner now. But first, I need to go speak with Chrom. He wanted to have another strategy meeting and well I've been busy-"

"Hiding from the female shepherds." Miriel remarked.

Robin's cheeks turned red, "Maybe."

"You are smarter than Vaike. I will grant you that." Miriel commented, "How did you come to be so intelligent?"

Robin shrugged, "I don't know. I like to read. Maybe in my past life, before I lost my memories, I was a scholar or something."

Miriel furrowed her brow. She swept past Robin and began sifting through the pile of notes and books she had on her desk.

"What are you doing?" Robin asked.

"I have some information here." She mumbled before snapping her fingers and grabbing a leather bound journal, "When you first joined the Shepherds, Princess Lissa informed me of your affliction. So I took it upon myself to conduct extensive research on the subject of amnesia."

She handed Robin the small journal. The tactician gave Miriel a surprised look. He then tore the cover open and began to pour over the first lines of the journal.

"You're right." Robin muttered before turning the page, "This is very thorough." He blanched, "You included an analysis of my behavior in here?"

"Known behaviors." Miriel replied as she began to organize some of her notes, "I had to observe you in order to properly diagnose what may be causing your strange memory loss."

"You were spying on me?" Robin asked.

"Observing." Miriel countered, "It is part of the scientific method, Sir Robin. I hypothesized that perhaps your amnesia was caused by some physical ailment. When no evidence came about to prove that theory, I supposed that maybe it was due to some psychological trauma. But seeing as you have a rather set routine and no signs of traumatic experiences-"

"Set routine?"

Miriel rolled her eyes, "You wake up at precisely five o'clock each morning. Usually after falling asleep reading. When you wake, you proceed to the men's bath house and re-emerge refreshed for the new day. After that, you begin to do some daily exercises. Particularly the ones Ben went over with you. Then-"

"Alright. Alright." Robin stopped her, "I get the idea." He flicked through several more pages, "What did you find out when it comes to my brain?"

Miriel frowned, "My results were rather inconclusive. I'd have to use much more invasive means in order to properly experiment on the hypothesis. But those means are unethical and dangerous. Common practice among the Grimleal actually. And I would much rather not delve into those dark magics."

Robin nodded in understanding, "That makes sense. Still, this is more than enough to start on. Who knows, maybe I can get my memory back somehow? And the knowledge I had before may help us with this war." He closed the journal, "Thank you."

"My pleasure." Miriel replied, "You said you had to speak with Lord Chrom?"

"Yes I do." Robin tucked the journal under his arm and bade goodbye to Miriel.

He left the tent, but paused outside. His eyes returned to the small journal that rested in the crook of his arm.

 _Miriel did all of that for me?_ He thought to himself.

It shocked him. He considered all of the Shepherds to be his friends. But for one of them to go so far in order to help him, it still blew him away. He glanced back at Miriel's tent with a small smile on his face. He had a new book to read tonight.

….

Chrom's tent was buzzing with activity when Robin managed to push his way inside. There were several Feroxi captains all positioned around a large table at the center of the tent. Khan Flavia and Khan Basilio were leaning against the table. Their eyes fixed on the map resting on top of it. Chrom was pacing to and fro across from them. His arms were folded and his face hardened in concentration.

The murmurs around Robin were hard to ignore. What he thought was a simple strategy session with Chrom was actually a war council of some sort. He caught a glimpse of Frederick standing off to the side. Both a part of the meeting, and guarding Chrom. The wary knight ever vigilant, even among allies.

He seemed to be recovering well. Something Robin was thankful for. Frederick may be a hard person and stubborn knight, but he was an incredibly capable warrior. And easily the strongest mounted warrior among the Shepherds. Sully and Stahl almost always referred to him for advice when it came to mounted combat. Something Frederick gladly gave to the younger horsemen.

Frederick's eyes locked with Robin's. He gave the tactician a stern nod before Robin pushed his way through the last ring of soldiers so that he could be near the table.

"There you are!" Flavia exclaimed, "We've had messengers looking for you all day."

"Where have you been, boy?" Basilio asked while Chrom continued pacing.

Robin flushed, "Uh… helping Miriel make dinner."

"Dinner can wait." Chrom said sharply. He stopped pacing and leaned up against the table, "Robin… we just received word from Raimi at the Longfort." The Prince took a deep breath, "Ylisstol has fallen."

Robin's eyes widened, "What?"

"Commander Edward surrendered." Flavia continued, "They were out of food. The populace that were unable to evacuate were beginning to starve. And the Plegians were starting to break through the walls. So he surrendered. In exchange, the Plegians agreed to not sack the city."

That surprised Robin. A Plegian general that was not bloodthirsty. So there was such a thing.

Still, he could not help but feel a pit form in his gut. Ylisstol had fallen. That left the Eastern Palace as the only bastion left for Ylisse. And Commander Phillip's army was small. There was no way he could take on the might of the entire Plegian military. The back of Ylisse's military broke with Commander Edward's surrender.

"The Plegian army is withdrawing now." Basilio explained, "King Gangrel wants his soldiers in attendance for the trial and eventual execution of Exalt Emmeryn."

"Once that is done, Ylisse will be no more." Flavia said grimly.

Chrom pounded his fist into the table, "Over my dead body! As long as I breath, Ylisse still fights." He pressed his hands down on the table, "Robin, we need to move fast. It won't be long before Plegia's military returns. We will lose our numbers advantage when that does happen."

Robin nodded, "And we will lose the strategic edge with it. Our whole plan is predicated on the fact that Plegia's capitol is completely undefended." He rubbed his chin, "We need to streamline. Move fast and light." He looked at Flavia and Basilio, "I need a small strike force to help us."

"On it." Flavia nodded, "I'll get my best soldiers to help. Say, two hundred?"

"That should be enough." Robin returned his attention to Chrom, "The Shepherds will move in and strike hard and fast." He moved the map of the continent out of the way, revealing a map of Plegia's capitol, "We hit the northern gate hard. A relentless assault that will cause the soldiers to give way. From there, the Shepherds move towards the palace to rescue Exalt Emmeryn. Meanwhile, the Feroxi will hold back the enemy and keep a corridor open for a retreat." His finger followed the streets back out through the gate, "From there, we will have Sumia take Emmeryn and fly as fast as she can north, towards this encampment. Where the rest of the army will stand by."

"If that plan goes south?" Basilio asked.

Robin pressed his lips together, "I'll figure it out. But that's what I've got for now."

"What about Ben's strike force already inside of the city?" Flavia asked.

Robin tapped his fingers on the table, "Kage." He breathed, "I'll have Kage make contact with them. He can move fast and unseen through the city. Either they will already have the Exalt, or we will link up with them for a final push to save her. Either way, we meet up with them in the city. I'm sure that all the chaos we will cause will be enough to grab Ben's attention."

"If they haven't been caught already." Basilio said.

Flavia groaned, "Do you have to be such a pessimist?"

"I'm not a pessimist." The western Khan countered, "I am a realist. Plans in warfare rarely ever work out. And the odds of Ben and his company entering the Plegian capitol undetected are slim to none."

"We will just have to have faith in them." Chrom interrupted, "And faith in ourselves. This is our only shot to save Emm. We must take it."

The Prince stared hard at Flavia, Basilio, and Robin. Robin gave him a nod of agreement. Flavia grinned with excitement. Basilio was still frowning, but he seemed far less unsure than before.

"Your certainty gives me confidence kid." Basilio grunted, "Flavia, do you want to lead the strike team?"

"Hell yes!" Flavia grinned.

"I'll stay behind and command the main army. I'm sure Gangrel will give chase once you all get out of the city. And he won't be alone when he does."

"Let him follow." Chrom growled, "I'll drive Falchion into his heart when he does."

Robin grimaced but said nothing.

"Alright." Chrom nodded, "Frederick! Ready the Shepherds to march. We eat, then move out. We are out of time."

"Understood milord." Frederick bowed before making his way out of the tent.

"The rest of you are dismissed." Flavia barked to her Feroxi captains.

The tent slowly emptied. Flavia gave Chrom a reassuring pat on the back before exiting too. She had soldiers to recruit for the mission. Basilio ran a finger over his beard once more as he studied the map of Plegia's capitol. Then, without another word, he left.

Robin looked at Chrom. He could see the fury in his friend. His knuckles were white as he clenched his fists tight on the table top.

"Chrom-"

"My home is gone now." Chrom growled through clenched teeth, "Everyone I knew growing up; Phila, Edward, the nobles who taught me, they're likely all dead now."

Robin's gaze saddened. Chrom was not wrong. While the Plegian general that laid siege to Ylisstol was surprisingly merciful to the common folk, he likely would not be to her leaders. Such was the nature of warfare. To the victor the spoils. And to the losers, the graves.

"It's not over yet." Robin replied.

Chrom nodded, "You're damn right it's not over yet." He stared hard at Robin. Conviction filling his eyes, "We will win. I won't have it any other way."

Robin clasped a hand on Chrom's shoulder, "Neither will I."

Chrom gave Robin a thankful smile, "So what did Miriel make to eat?"

"Stew." Robin answered. He then grimaced, "Very, very spicy stew. I liked it but-"

"Is there meat?" Chrom asked.

"Yeah?"

"Thank Naga!" Chrom exclaimed, "I've been eating with Sumia recently, and her cooking is delicious, but it's the same thing every time. Rhubarb and fiddlehead pie. First few times it's great. But the fifth, sixth time?" Chrom shook his head, "I mean I'm really grateful but-"

Robin burst into laughter.

"What?"

"You are so dense." Robin chuckled.

"What do you mean?"

Robin shook his head as he continued laughing, "Can't you see? Sumia wants to be involved with you in more than a comrade way."

Chrom arched an eyebrow. Then it sank in. His cheeks burned red.

"You-you think so?" Chrom asked as he nervously scratched the back of his head.

"I know so." Robin replied.

Chrom uttered a nervous laugh, "Maybe the pie isn't too bad then."

"Probably not." Robin laughed again as he made his way to the tent's exit, "If you go eat with her, I'll save you some stew."

"Thanks." Chrom called back.

Robin nodded in return, left the tent, then took a deep breath of the evening air. It was still warm, but the air was rapidly cooling. He had to find Kage. The kid had a very important role to play in the mission. And he would need to know every detail of the plan in order to carry out his part.

As he went to find the newest member of the Shepherds, Robin found himself still laughing about Chrom and Sumia.

"What do you know?" He muttered to himself, "I did have to spell it out for him."

….

Chrom strode through the army encampment. Falchion hung loose at his hip as he made his way towards one specific tent. As he walked, he nodded at soldiers that he passed by. The Feroxi all gave him warm grins and welcoming nods. They understood what had happened today. And every single one of them was trying to cheer him up. They knew he was the leader of the army. They knew their Khans were his friends. And every single one of them was ready to march into war for him.

It was a humbling thing to know. Chrom could not help but feel completely undeserving of such respect and loyalty. He was just a Ylissean Prince. Not even the Exalt. If everything went according to plan, he would never sit on the Exalt's throne. So why were they all so willing to follow him into battle?

He shook his head and pushed those heavy thoughts away. There was a time and place for that kind of thinking. And right now was not that time. His stomach growled as the scent of stew hit his nose. He glanced down at the two bowls he was carrying and licked his lips.

 _This looks delicious._

He turned and stopped in front of one specific tent. It was in the same cluster as the other Shepherds. But there was a bit more space to the side for a large Pegasus to rest in. He looked at the majestic steed and gave it a small nod. The animal snorted then went back to eating a bale of hay.

Chrom returned his attention to the tent's doorway. He glanced down at the stew.

"I- um-" He cleared his throat as he rehearsed, "I brought you dinner and figured you and I could um-" He struggled to form words then hung his head, "I can face a bandit without fear. But Sumia, not so much." He sighed then took a deep breath, "To hell with it. Here goes nothing."

He surged towards the tent. As he pushed the flap open, Sumia came bursting out. The two collided. Chrom jumped back. But not fast enough. Stew went flying, covering Sumia's armor as well as Chrom's traveling outfit.

"Su-sumia!" Chrom cried, "I- uh- I-" He looked down at the empty bowls. Meanwhile, Sumia wiped some of the stew from her breastplate, "I brought food."

To his surprise, Sumia did not look angry. There was an intense blush on her face.

"Th-thank you but it um-" She looked down at her stew covered armor, "It's all over me."

Chrom blinked, "I am so sorry about that."

Sumia giggled, "It's not your fault. I should have looked where I was going."

"No. No." Chrom rebutted, "I should have knocked."

Sumia laughed, "On what? The canvass?"

Chrom gave her a sheepish smile, "Maybe?"

Sumia gave him a smile and shook her head, "It is a good thing I have more pie made. I was just about to ask if you wanted some." She opened the entry to her tent and waved for Chrom to come in.

Chrom hesitated. Before following Sumia he glanced over at her pegasus.

The animal was no longer munching on hay. Instead, it was staring directly at him. It's dark eyes burrowed holes in him. Watching his every move.

"Nice pegasus." He muttered before rushing into Sumia's tent.

The inside of Sumia's tent was impeccably clean. Much cleaner than his own tent. In fact, it embarrassed Chrom a little bit. Before he decided to go to Sumia's tent, he thought about inviting her over to his own for dinner. But seeing her standards of cleanliness made him grateful he decided to change his mind. She probably thought he lived in a dump.

"You can put the bowls down on the desk." Sumia said as she turned away and began to undo the clasps on her armor.

Chrom felt his cheeks heat up as he set the bowls down. Then his eyes settled on a steaming rhubarb pie sitting on the desk. His stomach growled and he licked his lips.

"Pie." He whispered.

"There." Sumia said as she set her armor to the side, "I will clean it before we move out."

Chrom's jaw dropped. Sumia wore simple leather gear beneath her steel armor. But it was enough to show off her stunning figure. His mouth suddenly felt dry. And his cheeks grew hot.

He then noticed that he was staring. And Sumia noticed he was staring. Which only made her blush even more.

"There's uh…" Chrom gulped, "No need, I can clean the armor for you. I mean I'm the one who messed it up and uh I-"

"Oh n-nonsense." Sumia babbled as she twirled on her heel and went for her armor, "I have a rag to clean it somewhere. I can actually do that while we eat and-"

Her boots caught on a rock in the sand. Sumia cried out as she went tumbling forward into Chrom. The pair fell hard onto the warm ground.

Chrom's eyes were as wide as saucers as he stared up at Sumia's face. It was mere inches away from his own. They were so close that he could feel her breath. He could feel her lungs rush with air then quickly exhale as she froze on top of him. His heart began to thump inside of his chest.

"I-I am so sorry captain I- we need to still eat that pie and-"

He moved on instinct. Forgoing any thinking and just deciding to act. Their lips met. Sumia's cheek burned hotter than the desert sands outside. Then she melted into him. They stayed like that for a moment. Pressed together on the ground. Chrom pulled away and sucked in a huge breath.

Sumia struggled to catch her breath. Her heart was fluttering in her chest as she looked down at Chrom.

"I hope I wasn't too forward." Chrom breathed.

Joy filled Sumia. A wide smile crossed her lips. She leaned in for another kiss.

"Not at all."

….

Kage slumped in the saddle of his horse as he crossed the Plegian desert. The sun had set below the horizon hours ago. And he had been riding hard ever since. The hood of his black cloak was pulled over his head. Hiding his identity from anyone that could possibly be traveling in these remote lands.

Robin had come to him with a mission. A very important one at that. One that was vital to the rescue of Exalt Emmeryn. When presented with it, he was told to move out with all haste. The Shepherds would follow, but he was to ride out ahead and attempt to make contact with Ben, Marth, and the others inside of the Capitol before the arrival of the Shepherds.

Truly an important mission to the plan. And it was a daring plan at that. Bold in so many ways. Risky, surprising, downright insane.

So crazy it could actually work.

That is, it could have actually worked, if Robin was not so naive.

He glanced back behind him. The Shepherds were far behind him now. He rode hard and fast at first, trying to put as much distance between himself and the others as possible. Now, with the night shielding him from any prying eyes, he reached into his cloak and withdrew a small, silver disk.

His thumb pressed a button on the side. The disk hummed to life. At the center, a blue, hooded figure appeared.

" _Yes, my apprentice?"_ His Master said.

Kage's eyes flickered yellow as he bowed his head to his Master.

"I have managed to befriend the Shepherds. They trust me fully."

" _Excellent."_ Maul hissed, " _You have done well."_

"They have given me an important task in their mission to recapture the Exalt." Kage continued.

His Master was silent for a moment. His arms folded over his thin chest.

" _That being?"_

Kage hesitated. Should he tell his Master about the plan? The future was terrifying. It was a future that had very nearly killed him and-

He recalled a battle against the monstrous Risen. It was a battle in the east. Near that old palace that the Shepherds had fled to after Emmeryn's assassination attempt. There had been so many of them. It proved to be a decisive battle in the war. One that would see him and his Master flee while one of the only friends he ever had fought a desperate battle for survival.

He remembered a conversation he had with Her. How the blood of the Exalt was forever linked with the Divine Dragon's power. That all they had to do was perform some archaic ritual in order to summon a power great enough to defeat the resurrected Fell Dragon. If that was true, then should he assist in ending Exalt Emmeryn's life? Was it not better to have more of the Exalt's line alive to combat the hidden enemy?

" _I sense your hesitation, apprentice."_ Maul glowered at him through the hologram, " _You wish to hide information from me? All in order to… protect something."_

Kage felt his Master grip his mind. The boy grit his teeth. His eyes blazed like hot coals as he threw his mental defenses up. Trying his best to not allow his Master to see every thought that was passing through his mind.

" _No…"_ Maul whispered, " _You are protecting someone."_

A massive assault hit his mind. A wave of the dark side so powerful it almost caused Kage to fall from his horse. He gasped. His mental defenses crumbled. And Maul entered.

His Master chuckled.

" _Still, your thoughts betray you."_ His master's laughter ceased and he glared at Kage, " _You must not allow that girl to stand in our way."_

Kage grit his teeth, "That girl-"

" _Is the enemy."_ Maul interrupted, " _Or do you forget she had begun training as a Jedi when we began to enact our plan?"_

Kage clenched his jaw tight.

" _She cannot be yours."_

"She will be mine!" Kage hissed, "I am Sith. Like you. I take what is mine."

Maul uttered an amused laugh, " _You know nothing of the Sith, boy. You are but a minnow in the sea that is the dark side of the force. And it will devour you if you do not dedicate yourself to bending it to your will. That girl stands in your way."_ Maul rose to his full height, " _If you will not remove her, then I will."_

Kage's blood went cold. He stared stunned at his Master.

He had never done that before. He had threatened him. He had threatened every other friend he ever had. Even tried to kill him and his friends before. But he had never threatened to kill her. Kage had come to believe that she was safe from his wrath. That her potential in the Force was far too great to waste by killing her.

 _Am I really that foolish?_ He thought.

" _Understood?"_

Kage swallowed hard, "Yes, Master."

" _Good."_ Maul slumped so that his weight rested on his cane once again, " _Now tell me, what is our old friend, Kenobi, up to in the Capitol?"_

 **And Chapter! The showdown begins next chapter! The Shepherds are on the move. Chorm and Sumia are doing their thing. Robin had got a master plan to rescue the Exalt. And Kage and Maul are ready to counter it. We will return to Ben's perspective next chapter.**

 **This story is proving to be a true challenge for me. I like it a lot. There are so many different character arcs and perspectives I have to juggle that it makes for a real challenge in order to get them all into the story. It's forced me not just to outline the entire story, but outline individual chapters too in order to keep my thoughts in order. I guess that's a good habit to get into.**

 **Now, I do want to address something. Pairings. They are proving to be a whole other challenge for me entirely. Mostly due to the enoromous amount of possibilities there are. I have got several in mind for key characters (mainly Ben and Robin). What I'm seeing now is how well do they develop once I start writing them down. We will see how all of that goes.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	26. The Palace Dungeons

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 26

The Palace Dungeons

Marth sat awake in the night. Her eyes fixated on the dying flames of the fireplace in the room the Shepherds stayed in at Grima's Rest. She could not fall asleep. The events of the previous evening were keeping her awake. That and the unrest she could feel in her companions caused her to feel restless.

She could sense that Gaius was the least anxious of the group. He slept rather soundly for a thief. But she reasoned that he could easily slip into the night if their mission went south. The man was sneaky and quiet when he needed to be. Marth had yet to encounter anyone else, besides Kage, who could move as unseen as Gaius. And Kage had a significant advantage compared to the former Plegian thief. The Force allowed those who delved into it's mysterious many abilities some would consider to be unnatural.

She sighed as Gaius murmured in his sleep and rolled over, burying his face into Panne's shoulder. The Taguel was snoring soundly too. But Marth caught a glimpse of her large ears twitching every now and then in the night. A reaction to hearing sounds that the humans in the room were not aware of.

Cordelia was a mess in her little cot. She had tossed and turned for hours before finally settling into a restless sleep. One permeated with nightmares of the battle on the Eastern Road. Every half hour or so, Marth would hear her start mumbling in her sleep. The red head's face would twist into an expression of pure terror before relaxing once again.

Marth took a deep breath. Those nightmares were familiar ones to her. She had experienced something similar when she had first encountered the creature known as Maul. That happened years ago. Before her mission was even a thought in her mind. Before she could even wield Falchion properly. He had not been violent with her. Had not tried to kill everyone she cared about. Not with her Master nearby. But the monster was still a terrifying creature to behold. Even when he was acting docile.

The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end when she heard Ben cry out in the night. It was a strangled sound. As if he was choking on something. Her head whipped over to the cot closest to the window. The swordsman's sheets were thrown from his body. A thick sheen of sweat was on his brow. His chest rose and fell rapidly. His breathing shallow and sharp. Marth remained paralyzed as Ben uttered another terrified cry before his eyes shot open and he burst upright.

His movements were blindingly fast. In the blink of an eye, he was out of his cot. Bare feet pounding against the wooden floor boards and out of the door. The only other Shepherd to stir was Panne. Her ears flicked in Ben's direction before settling back down onto her head.

Marth finally exhaled. She had not realized she had been holding her breath. She inhaled, held her breath for a moment, then exhaled again. Steadying her own racing heart. Seeing Ben so on edge, even if he was not fully aware of it, made her anxious. She knew the stories of Ylisse's mad swordsman well enough. He was supposed to be one of the most courageous Shepherds. Certainly one of the strongest and most powerful. A man that her- she swallowed hard- that Prince Chrom and Sir Robin relied on heavily in times of strife. Normally his very presence exuded calm and certainty.

To see him mired in desperation and fear rattled the blue haired girl to her core.

Marth closed her eyes and decided to calm her mind another way. She had done this exercise many times with her master. He was always a stickler when it came to meditation. When she was first learning the practice, she hated it. Gods she hated sitting still for so long. Her Master always berated her for being restless, reckless, and impatient. A small smile crossed her pale lips at those memories. She wondered what he would be thinking now? If he saw her willingly meditating in order to organize her thoughts, would he be proud? Or would he give her the sass and sarcasm that she had long ago become accustomed to?

As she fell into the Force's embrace, she began to feel the auras of everyone in the room. Just as she thought, Gaius was calm. Alert, surprisingly so given how loud he was snoring, but calm. Panne was in a light sleep. The Taguel had taken it upon herself to be the group's watchman. And so, she rested her eyes but not her mind. Cordelia was a whirlwind of emotion. Fear, anger, sorrow. They all hung over her like a dark cloud. Plaguing her mind and filling the young pegasus knight with strife. Marth wished she could do something more than sending a small wave of calm across the room. But she and Cordelia were not that well connected. They were comrades, nothing more.

Ben's presence slammed into her mind. Marth reeled. She nearly fell backwards out of her chair. He felt distressed. More so than she had originally thought. Was Emmeryn's imminent execution really disturbing him that much? Or was the thought of Maul in such close proximity wreaking havoc on his mind? She knew the two had a history. But even she was not privy to the details.

The young warrior sighed and shook her head. If Ben's mind was clouded during this mission, they would fail. They all needed to perform at their best. Be completely focused and unwavering in their convictions. She believed Ben wanted to save Emmeryn. But she also started to get the sinking feeling that in his desire to save her, he had given into fear and desperation. And as her Master had pointed out to her so long ago, those two feelings were the greatest killers for a warrior. It was that wisdom that helped her stay strong. And it was wisdom she felt she needed to share.

She rose from her seat and crossed the room to the door. Careful to not open or shut it too loudly. The others needed their rest. She and Ben would be fine. Her feet tiptoed down the steps until she reached the common room in the inn.

Ben sat alone in the dark, near a window. A small amount of moonlight drifted lazily through the glass panes. But that was the only light inside. There were no candles, no roaring fire. The barmaids had all gone to sleep along with the innkeeper hours ago. She and Ben were alone.

Ben hardly noticed when she slid into the seat across from him. Her hands folded onto the tabletop and she sat quiet across from him. Waiting until he noticed or decided to say something. All the while, she kept her connection to the Force open. Allowing the calming sensation of it's power to swell within her. Because both her and Ben needed as much tranquility as possible now.

They remained silent for a few more minutes. Then Ben's eyes turned from gazing out the window, to her. There was a small amount of anxiety in him. Marth could sense that much. But he did not let any more fear rush out of his thoughts. He kept them buried. Well hidden. Only someone with substantial training or a strong connection to the man would have been able to tell that something was amiss.

"It was just a nightmare." Ben explained. His voice a hushed whisper in the night.

Marth nodded, "Those happen. But they don't usually cause a hardened warrior such as yourself to run out of your room in a panic."

Ben grimaced.

"Care to talk about it?"

He glared at her. A look that told her all she needed to know. Marth sighed and nodded. Ben would not speak to her about what plagued his dreams. It was something she was not allowed to know. Something he would not tell to anyone.

Resigned to that fact, Marth rose from her seat.

"It will be dawn in about an hour."

"Do you have a plan of action?" Ben asked as his gaze returned to staring out of the window.

"I always do." Marth replied, "I'll have the others awake soon. Then we make our move."

Ben did not reply as she strode back to the stairs. As Marth moved to ascend the steps, she nearly bumped into Cordelia. The red haired pegasus knight had also awoken from an apparent nightmare. Her face was pale and she appeared distressed.

"Couldn't sleep too?" She asked Marth.

Marth shook her head, "I've never slept well."

Cordelia nodded, "Is… is Ben down here too?"

"Yes." Marth sighed.

If Cordelia was awake, then she may as well wake Gaius and Panne. It would give them more time to go over the plan she had in mind for rescuing the Exalt. Without another word, Marth slipped by Cordelia and up the stairs.

Cordelia rubbed her arms as she stepped out into the common room. Despite the fact that Plegia was a desert, it still grew cold at night. The lack of any vegetation or humidity really allowed the air to rapidly cool in this strange land. She did not doubt she would be praying for this cold once the sun rose and midday came. But until then, she would shiver. But not alone.

She sat down across from Ben. And as she sat in silence, she reflected on the nightmare that had awoken her.

She was back on the Eastern road. Riding alongside Commander Phila. A woman she had regarded not just as a superior officer, but as a friend. She had been a hard, stern woman. But also incredibly caring when the need arose. Trusting to a fault. And above all else, brave. Someone the young Pegasus Knight aspired to become.

In the nightmare, she had seen Maul once again. Only this time, he wasn't the crippled creature that had appeared to them. Instead he appeared younger, stronger, and far more vicious. He ripped apart the Pegasus Knights. Severing limbs, crushing armor, and shattering shields with hardly a hint of effort. And this time, she was not able to escape. She was not ordered to run by Commander Phila. Instead she was cornered. And she fought. Hard. Everytime she would thrust her lance or swing her sword, Maul would bat it to the side and cut her down. And Maul would laugh at her everytime she got up. Mock her. Describe the various ways he had already slain her in the nightmare.

It had finally become too much when she woke up.

"Dreams pass with time." She heard Ben say.

Cordelia's swallowed. No moisture ran down her dry throat, "I don't think this one will."

Ben turned his gaze to her, "Maybe. But that will only happen if you allow it to stay."

Cordelia arched an eyebrow, "Allow it to stay."

Ben shifted in his seat, "It might be better to say, allow it to have power over you." He rested his head in his hand as he leaned against the windowsill, "Maul did not do those things to you."

Cordelia's eyes widened. How did he know? Was Ben really a magnificent magician? Was the act he put on not an act, but an actual display of his abilities? Could he really read minds?

"How did you-" Cordelia narrowed her eyes at him, "Can you read minds?"

That managed to elicit a small laugh from Ben, "Yes and no. It really depends."

Cordelia's face portrayed a guarded expression, "Depends on what?"

"The will of the person."

Ben saw both the confusion and curiosity on Cordelia's face.

"A strong willed person is nearly impossible to read. A weak willed person is very easy to read." Ben explained, "It isn't exactly… ethical to break into someone's mind and see their thoughts. Feel their feelings. But it can be done. Though I rarely do so. Most of the time I-" He trailed off. Unsure if he should continue.

"Most of the times you?"

Ben sighed, "Most of the times I simply nudge a suggestion through someone's thoughts." He admitted reluctantly.

Cordelia's eyes widened, "You can use mind control too!?"

"It's not really mind control as much as it is the power of suggestion."

"It's mind control." Cordelia argued back.

Ben uttered a small chuckle, "Fine. It's mind control."

The red head leaned back in her seat. Grateful for the direction this conversation was going. It was proving to be a great distraction from the terrors that had been plaguing her mind.

"I don't believe you."

"Pardon?"

"There's no way you can read minds or use mind control." Cordelia continued, "No one is capable of doing that. Not unless you use some sort of nasty Grimleal curse. Which I know you don't do."

Ben arched an eyebrow, "Are you asking me to prove it?"

Cordelia motioned to him. Urging him to do just that.

"I don't think that is such a good idea."

"It's only a bad idea if you really can't do it." Cordelia taunted.

Ben snorted and leaned back in his seat.

"Come on, something simple and-"

Ben waved his hand in front of her gaze, "You will stop asking me for proof."

"I will stop asking you for proof." Cordelia parroted.

Her eyes glazed over for a moment. Then she blinked and gasped.

"You just did it!" She exclaimed.

Ben nodded as he chuckled.

"That was a very simple one." He explained.

Cordelia's mirth faded a little, "Wait. Does that mean I'm weak willed?"

Ben shook his head, "Absolutely not. The fact that you were able to realize that your mind had been manipulated like that shows just how strong willed you really are." He leaned back in his seat, "And that is why I believe you will be able to beat the horrors you see at night."

"Because I'm strong?"

Ben nodded.

"But," Cordelia's shoulders sagged, "I'm not strong. I… I ran. I should have stayed and fought Maul. Maybe if I had-"

"You would have died as well." Ben finished for her, "Commander Phila sacrificed her life for yours. Don't wish she hadn't. It would be disrespectful to her sacrifice. The Commander was someone who knew exactly what she was doing. The actions she took were not taken lightly. And the last thing she would want is for you to be filled with guilt over events beyond your control."

Cordelia could feel her chin quivering as Ben's words sank in. She sniffled and wiped at her eye.

"That sounds pretty practiced."

Ben bowed his head, "I… I tell myself something along those lines almost everyday."

"Because of your order?" Cordelia asked, "Because you too are a lone survivor?"

Ben took a deep breath, "I suppose."

Cordelia pressed her lips into a thin line. She sniffled again and kept any tears at bay. Then she spoke. "So, you were able to help me a little bit by reading my mind. If I were to do the same thing, what would I see? And what would I say?"

Ben was silent for a few minutes. His eyes were no longer looking at Cordelia. Instead, the red head saw him staring far away. To another time and another place. A haunted look from a man who had seen far too much in far too short of a time.

"War." Ben finally said, "Brotherhood. Loss and betrayal." He uttered a long exhale, "A duel near a volcano."

Cordelia perked up, "A duel near a volcano?"

Ben swallowed hard, "The- The reason my order was wiped out so easily, wasn't just because it was planned out meticulously by someone far more powerful than I could ever hope to be. It was because we were betrayed. Betrayed by one of our greatest. And a man I called my brother."

Cordelia's eyes widened.

"In the end," Ben continued, the story spilling out of him even though the last thing he wanted to do was speak about it, "When it was just myself and Master Yoda left, we decided to try and end the bloodshed by confronting the the traitor and the architect. I was to weak to kill the mastermind. So I was sent-"

He choked on his words. In a flash, Cordelia was around the table, wrapping her arms over his shoulders.

"I had to kill him." Ben croaked before the tears started to fall.

Cordelia did not reply. She sat silent as Ben quietly cried. In the shadows near the stairs, Marth stood silently. Watching the entire conversation. Her head hung low.

"So that is what happened to you." Marth said under breath, "Master."

….

"Lollipop?" Gaius offered Ben as the pair strode through the sparse markets of Plegia's Capitol.

Ben sighed, "No Gaius. I don't want a lollipop."

Gaius popped his own, dark red lollipop from his lips. Savoring the rare cherry flavor on his lips.

"But do you need a lollipop?"

Ben stopped walking through the dusty street and gave Gaius a confounded look. The thief shrugged.

"Sugar can cure anything."

"Sugar makes my stomach upset." Ben replied.

He folded his arms into the sleeves of his cloak. His gaze turned to the large palace that sat at the base of Grima's skeleton. From afar, the skeleton was massive. But up close, the bones of the monstrous creature were nearly unfathomable. Ben found his head craning all the way back just so he could catch a glimpse of the top of the bones. At the very base of the monster's gaping jaw sat Mad King Gangrel's palace, with its many decorative monuments and pillars.

Both Ben and Gaius strode past the palace, down the road. Drawing almost no attention from the small amount of guards that walked the palace walls and courtyard.

"The Kings of Plegia are rather vain aren't they?" Ben commented as he peeked back at the pillars in the courtyard that depicted the great Kings of Plegia.

Gaius shrugged, "Human beings are vain. Some of us like to look in the mirror. Others construct sixty foot stone pillars dedicated to their greatness."

Ben snorted out a small laugh, "You are not wrong."

The duo stopped near a section of the wall just beyond the main palace gate.

"Do you remember the plan?" Gaius asked Ben.

Ben sighed. Oh, he remembered the plan alright. When Marth had told them all the plan, the reactions were… mixed. Panne was upset that she was mainly going to be a lookout. Cordelia was worried that the plan would fail. That it was far too bold and too risky to possibly work. Gaius was giddy. He loved the plan. In his own words, "Marth, you might actually be a guy. Cause your balls are enormous.". Ben thought the plan was creative. But his role was… rather problematic.

Marth was adamant that it would work. That the Plegians would never expect such an assault. She would serve as backup. Once Gaius and Ben infiltrated the Palace from the ground, she would enter through the roofs of one of the guardhouses on the wall along with Cordelia. The two girls would then cause a massive distraction while Gaius and Ben slipped through the palace, to the dungeons, and rescued Emmeryn. Panne would then move towards the main gate and clear the way for Ben and Gaius to escape into what will surely be a city in chaos.

"So, are you ready to break in?" Gaius asked as he bent low and stretched his legs.

"Yes." Ben nodded, "But how are we going to go about doing it? Are we going to scale these solid, stone walls that don't have a single crack in them? Are we going to magically tunnel in? Perhaps I can don my guise as Obi the Skywalker and levitate both of us right into the palace?

Gaius uttered a loud laugh as he stretched his arms high over his head, "No. No. We're going to play a game. One us thieves liked to use to get out of tight squeezes."

Ben arched an eyebrow, "A game?"

"Yeah."

Ben narrowed his eyes at Gaius, "And what game will we be playing?"

….

"GET HELP!" Gaius cried as he hauled a limp Ben through the open palace gates and into the courtyard that sat in Grima's shadow.

Every guard turned to face them. Their lances leveled at the stumbling thief as he struggled to drag Ben's body forward.

"Hold there!" One guard in black Plegian armor barked.

"Please!" Gaius cried as sweat beaded on his brow, "You must get help. My friend is in trouble!"

A trio of guards marched towards them. Swords drawn. Clearly not in the mood for a conversation. Let alone in the mood to provide any assistance.

"Halt! Or we will attack!" The captain of the guard, a man with an extremely bushy mustache and bald head, barked.

Gaius sighed, "Ok."

Then with all of his strength he heaved Ben forward. Ben's eyes flicked open. He called upon the Force. It's power coursed through his body and he used it to propel his body through the air. As he twirled forward, he drew his rapier. The steel lashed out and cut down the first trio of guards.

He landed in a cloud of dust. The Captain of the uard uttered a startled cry and fell back as Ben's rapier lashed out. Shaving one half of the man's mustache from his face. Before the Captain could gather his bearings, Gaius sprinted forward and buried his elbow into the man's meaty temple. Knocking him out.

"We're on the clock now." Gaius told Ben.

"Then we better hurry." Ben replied as he followed Gaius into the palace. As the thief slipped into the shadows with Ben, both could hear the sounds of swords clashing in a nearby guard tower.

Gaius quietly shut the palace doors behind him and Ben.

"See?" Gaius chirped, "Worked like a charm."

"We will never use that plan of attack ever again." Ben replied as he stormed into the Palace's main hall.

Gaius groaned, "But it was so much fun!" He began to laugh uncontrollably, "You should have seen the looks on their faces. I mean, when you went twirling out of my arms like that! Oh any ballerina would have been proud of that my friend."

Ben sighed, "Aren't we supposed to be sneaking into the dungeons?"

Gaius laughed, "Relax. The dungeons are easy to get into."

"Speaking from experience?" Ben asked as he followed Gaius through a small door and down and descending hallway.

"Absolutely."

"Dare I ask, what circumstances led you to break into the Plegian palace dungeons?" Ben asked.

Gaius looked over at Ben puzzled, "Who said anything about breaking in? I was breaking out."

Ben sighed, "Lovely. So you weren't just a petty thief in your old life then."

"Ah, ah!" Gaius chirped, "Procurer of rare luxury items."

Ben pinched the bridge of his nose. Suppressing the frustration and hoping the headache he was starting to feel did not progress much further.

"How far into the dungeons would Emmeryn be?"

"Lowest level, most likely." Gaius replied, "I doubt Gangrel would allow her to be in any way comfortable."

Ben took a deep breath to prevent any sort of anger from bubbling to the surface. He had been feeling that emotion far to often lately. And that concerned him. A Jedi was not supposed to feel anger. All that emotion led to was hate. Then eventually suffering. A swift and terrible fall to the dark side.

The sloped hall stopped at a reinforced door. Gaius cracked his knuckles and knelt in front of the lock.

"This should only take a minute." Gaius said as he dug into a pouch and grabbed a lockpick.

Ben sighed and flicked his wrist. The door clicked. It creaked loudly as it swung inward.

Gaius' jaw dropped as Ben brushed by him and marched down row after row of prison cells.

"Did you just-" Gaius shook his head, "Wait up!"

The thief caught up to Ben and grabbed his shoulder.

"Did you just unlock the door because you wanted to!?" Gaius cried.

Ben frowned, "I think we have more important things to worry about."

He flinched when Gaius wrapped him up into a tight hug.

"Gaius?"

"I'm so proud of you, Benny!"

Ben groaned and peeled the thief off of him, "We don't have time for that."

The swordsman began to take off in a run down the hall towards stairs that descended deeper into the dungeons. Gaius chased after him.

The duo flew down the stairs. Each not caring if they crossed any guards or soldiers that may occupy the dungeons. As they sprinted through, they could hear the groans and moans of some prisoners. The cries and howls of souls long forgotten in the dark dungeons beneath the bones of the Fell Dragon. At one point, Ben and Gaius faltered. One of the floors was not a dungeon. It was a torture room. The walls painted red not with paint, but with the blood of prisoners.

"She wasn't in here." Gaius reassured Ben before they pressed on.

The end of the stairs was in sight. As they got closer, Ben could feel his heart thumping in his chest. Emmeryn was within reach. She was going to be rescued. He was not going to fail her.

The two Shepherds shoved their way through one more reinforced door.

There was one large cell at the very bottom of the dungeon. There were no windows for light to come in. Hardly any ventilation. Which should have made the air stink with the scent of human waste and filth. Instead, it smelled ancient. Like a tomb that had long ago been sealed. Ben peered into the darkness.

"Emmeryn?" He called.

Gaius grunted and tore a piece of fabric from his cloak. Using that fabric and a few drops of alcohol, he lit a small torch.

Ben's eyes widened.

The cell was empty. But not for long. They could see fresh shackles nailed into the stone walls across from them. The sand on the floor had been disturbed. There were fresh footprints littering the surface.

Gaius' smile faded. His eyes darted from shadow to shadow. Corner to corner. Suddenly, Ben became very aware of a surge of anxiety bursting forth from Gaius.

He looked at Ben with fear filled eyes, "They knew."

Ben's heart jumped to his throat. How could they have known? How could the enemy have known that the Shepherds were mounting a rescue mission right under their very noses? As realization sank in, Ben began to understand just how foolish he was.

The plan had gone off without a hitch. No plan was that fortunate. No plan was that lucky. There was no such thing as luck. The only resistance he and Gaius encountered were the three guards and their captain in the courtyard.

Where were the palace guards? Why were there no guards at the palace doors? Why was there no jailer? Ben felt his throat go dry.

"We need to leave, now." Gaius breathed, his voice deadly serious.

"Oh no." An amused voice penetrated the air behind them, "We can't have that."

The hairs on the back of Ben's neck stood on end. Both he and Gaius slowly turned. Standing in the doorway was a single, black hooded figure, leaning heavily on a metallic cane.

Ben sucked in a sharp breath.

"Maul."

Gaius paled beside Ben.

Maul uttered a sadistic chuckle.

"My old friend." His yellow eyes glowed in the shadows of the dungeon, "It has been so long since we spoke like this. I was beginning to think you were trying to avoid me."

Ben grimaced as he clutched his rapier, "That was the idea, yes."

Maul's amused, manic laughter filled the stale air, "And you brought another friend for me to meet." Maul's yellow eyes turned to Gaius, "You are the one who betrayed loyal Validar, aren't you?"

"Uh…" Gaius swallowed, "Yeah?"

Maul flashed a large smile at Gaius, "Wonderful. You have both my respect and gratitude. That sorcerer was nuisance. And while you may not have been the hand that killed him, you certainly assisted."

Ben narrowed his eyes, "How do you know that Gaius was not the one that killed Emmeryn's assassin?"

Maul's eyes glowed with delight as he stared down Ben.

"Because, Kenobi, you have grown… rather weak in your youth." Maul laughed again, "Such irony. To think that your senses would become duller than they once were not due to age but due to youth. I'm still surprised that I was so easily able to plant my apprentice right under your nose. That boy is much more resourceful than I gave him credit for."

Ben felt his heart stop. Beside him, Gaius's eyes widened.

"The Kid!?"

"Kage." Ben breathed, "He's your apprentice."

"Of course." Maul replied, "A loyal one too. He was the one who informed me of your little rescue attempt." He saw Ben's fist ball up at his side, "Oh, don't be like. Because of this little threat you presented, I was able to convince Gangrel to place Emmeryn in much more comfortable quarters. You should be thanking me." He laughed again, "Besides, this cell was never meant for her. No… it was meant for you, Obi Wan Kenobi."

Gaius glanced over at Ben.

"Obi the Skywalker?" He whispered.

"A half truth." Ben whispered back, "Maul, before I defeat you once again, I must ask. Why?"

Maul's amusement disappeared. His face twisted into a wrath filled expression.

"Why!?" He snarled.

Power radiated from the Zabrak. An oppressive wave of cold slammed into Ben and Gaius, causing both men to shiver. Gaius drew his shortsword as Maul stalked forward. Ben's eyes widened in shock. The dark side was a maelstrom inside of Maul. A storm of fury and wrath that seemed to extend into his being without any end. His yellow eyes blazed hatefully at Ben.

"Why!?" He growled.

The sound of gears whining and joints groaning rang through the cell. Maul's posture corrected. His legs stopped shuffled. The Sith broke off the top of his cane, revealing that it was not a cane at all. Instead, it was a very familiar weapon. One that gave Ben pause as he held his simple rapier.

"I am surprised _you_ of all people would ask that." Maul gnashed his teeth, "After everything you have done to me. After how you managed to destroy me all those years ago on Naboo. You dare ask why I am doing this!? I would think the answer is fairly obvious."

"Revenge?" Gaius squeaked as he took a few steps back.

Maul glowered at the thief, "No. Not just revenge. I want Kenobi to feel as I feel. To understand the pain I have endured. To wallow in the hatred and anger that I have burned in all these years."

His double bladed lightsaber burst life.

"I want to destroy him!"

Maul charged.

 **And chapter! I was originally going to have one massive chapter here. But seeing as my hours at work are about to get very busy, and I don't want to go more than a week without updating, I'm separating this chapter into two different parts. One the part you just saw. The other, Marth's perspective before they both come together in the end. I will do my best to get the next part up soon. But it will most likely not be up until the end of the week. I do have the chapter outlined and ready to go though. So we're good to go there. Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	27. Rivals

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 27

Rivals

They clung to what little shadows there were in the hot desert sun. The stifling heat caused Cordelia to feel a little light headed as she followed Marth's every move. Each step, she copied. Each slide along the sandstone walls, she replicated the best that she could. But to move in such a quiet manner was a real challenge.

She was not a sneak. Or a thief. She did not thrive in being unseen and unheard. Cordelia was a Pegasus Knight. A member of the most elite group of soldiers in the Ylissean military. Her fast grew downcast.

 _I once was one of the members of the Pegasus Knights._

It still was hard for her to believe. All of her comrades. Every fellow rider, every person she had called sister, was dead. Killed by that monster named Maul. Her hand tightened on the sword that sat sheathed against her hip. If she saw that demon, she would make him pay.

Marth stopped in front of her. At first Cordelia wondered if they were at risk of being spotted. Instead, the blue haired girl glanced at her over her shoulder.

"Are you alright?"

Cordelia blinked. In truth, she was not alright. She knew that well enough. But for Marth to so pointedly ask that question after what had gone through her own mind startled the pegasus knight.

"If you need another role in this mission, we can make it work." Marth continued, "I don't want you to be put in harm's way."

Cordelia frowned, "I'll be fine."

Marth stared hard at her. Then she gave her a stiff nod. The pair slipped further along the walls. They tiptoed through the dusty alleys and streets near the palace walls. Marth's eyes continued to scan the area around them. Checking for any sign of guards or patrols. Much to her surprised, there was none.

She held up her hand. Cordelia came to a stop behind her.

"What now?" Cordelia whispered.

"Listen." Marth replied.

Cordelia strained her ears, "I don't hear anything."

Marth nodded, "Exactly. We don't hear anything. Where is the clanking of chain mail and weapons from city guards? Where is the chatter from people wandering the streets? Where is anyone?"

Cordelia gulped, "Maybe it's a national holiday?"

Marth shook her head, "Not a chance." She drew Flachion from it's sheath, "Something sinister is afoot."

"What do you need me to do?" Cordelia asked.

Marth thought for a moment. She did not doubt Cordelia's prowess in battle. In order to be a member of the Pegasus Knights, one had to be one of the best warriors in the entire Halidom. Both with a spear and sword. But Pegasus Knight hardly ever engaged in infantry combat. Almost always, they fought in the air. Would Cordelia be as effective on the ground? For that matter, Marth could sense the anger in Cordelia. It simmered. Like a slow boiling pot of water. Once combat occurred, would she lose sight of their mission in favor of seeking vengeance for her fallen comrades?

She glanced up at the walls beside them again.

"I'm going up top." Marth explained, "See if I can get a better view of what is going on. I need you to watch from the ground."

Cordelia nodded, "And how exactly are you-"

Marth took a sharp breath. Using the small amount of control she could muster, she willed the Force around her body. Then she jumped. Wind rushed past her ears as she surged up through the air then landed heavily on top of the wall. She stumbled a few paces before slowing down and regaining her balance.

 _I need to work on my control._ Marth thought to herself before turning to look back down at Cordelia.

The red head looked up at Marth with wide eyes.

"Keep a lookout." Marth hissed down to Cordelia.

The red head nodded then took up watch on the road. Her head swiveled from one side of the street to the other.

Marth's observations unsettled her even more as more time passed. No patrols still. Was King Gangrel that overconfident or that mad? Any sane ruler would have patrols constantly moving around the palace. Especially in a time of war. Was he so self assured of his own victory and power that he thought no one could possibly enter his own palace?

Cordelia shook her head. King Gangrel was insane, but he was not stupid. A stupid man would not have been able to bring Ylisse to her knees so quickly. A stupid king would not have been able to rally his nation against a foe that had already defeated them once before.

She could feel her stomach starting to twist in knots. This whole situation was not right. It was too quiet. Too calm. Too easy.

Hoof beats pounded against the sandy road. Cordelia's gaze whipped to her right. Racing down the dusty street was a single, black horse. There was a saddle, a small travel pack. But no rider. The horse galloped past the pegasus knight and disappeared down the road.

 _Strange._ Cordelia thought as her hand kneaded the grip on her sword.

She returned her gaze to the other side of the road. She froze.

Standing up the road, hood covering his head, was the Black Rider Ben spoke of. The Black Rider that had caused Exalt Emmeryn's capture and had helped distract the Shepherds from Maul.

She ripped her blade free from its scabbard and glared at the Black Rider. Her blood began to pump through her veins. She could feel her heart hammering in chest. Blood rushed through her ears. Creating a horrible, mournful sound that caused the hair on the back of her neck to stand on end.

Her eyes widened as the Black Rider put a finger to his masked face. Right where the lips should be. Was he telling her to be quiet?

Like hell she would be!

"MARTH!" Cordelia cried.

The Black Rider shot forward. An elbow slammed into Cordelia's chest. The air rushed out of her lungs as her metal breastplate bent inwards from the impact. She felt herself flying back through the air before landing hard on the road.

Coughs wracked her lungs as she struggled to catch her breath. Her vision had fogged over. As she struggled to get to her feet, Cordelia saw the man stalking towards her now. Yellow eyes blazing with fury and frustration. The red head shook her head and struggled to her feet. She brandished her blade and readied herself for a fight.

The Black Rider stopped a few feet short of Cordelia. He had yet to draw his weapon. Instead of moving to attack again, he cast his eyes up at the walls.

Cordelia followed his gaze. Standing on top of the wall, looking down at both warriors, was Marth. Falchion glinted in the sunlight as she glared at the Black Rider. A look of pure, dangerous menace.

A light chuckle filled the air. He was laughing at Marth. Marth scowled. Just as she was about to jump back down and confront the Plegian warrior, he held out an open palm at Cordelia.

Something grabbed her. Like a massive invisible hand. Only rougher and stronger. It jerked her high into the air then tossed her like a rag doll up onto the walls. Only Marth's quick reflexes kept the red head from falling off the other side and down to the stony courtyard below.

The bluenette hauled Cordelia to her feet. As she gathered her wits, the Black Rider surged up from the ground. Using the same strange magic Marth had used to jump to the top of the wall.

Cordelia gulped. There was a darkness coming from their enemy. And it clouded the air all around them. For some reason, she felt like it was hard to breath. Those yellow eyes burned holes into her. As if the rider could see right into her very thoughts.

She gasped. Was it possible? Did this man have the same abilities as Ben? She glanced over at Marth as the younger girl stepped between Cordelia and their enemy. Did Marth have the same abilities? Suddenly, she felt very out of her depth.

There was a tower behind the two women. The door to the tower burst open. Four Plegian palace guards rushed out. Each one brandishing a hideous ax. Cordelia twirled around and swallowed hard.

"We're cornered." Cordelia shivered.

"It's a trap." Marth cursed to herself, "How could I have not seen this coming!?" She glanced back at the Plegian guards, "Can you handle them?"

"Can you handle him?" Cordelia replied, nodding in the Black Rider's direction.

Marth's face became grim, "We're about to find out."

Before Cordelia could say another word, the Plegian guards charged. Cordelia grit her teeth and charged as well. The last thing Marth needed was to get caught in the middle of her fight when the blue haired girl was dueling the Black Rider. An enemy that was able to challenge Ben on the battlefield.

The first guard to reach her swung back with his large ax. Aiming to take her head from her shoulders. Cordelia did not give him the chance to follow through. She buried a fist in the man's gut. Surprising the Plegian with her strength. The guard stumbled back. Then her blade bit into his flesh.

The first guard uttered a strangled cry. Cordelia kicked him out of the way, sending the poor sod falling off of the wall. She twirled and blocked a savage ax swing from the next guard. Her foot kicked out and hit the third guard behind the knee as he moved to strike her. There was a wet snap. Then a loud pop as Cordelia kicked him the same spot again. The third guard howled and collapsed to the ground. His hands wrapped around his leg that was now bent the wrong way around.

She tore her blade free from the second guard's ax. As she did that, the fourth guard moved in. Cordelia ducked out of his way and slipped around his bulky form. She did not turn to face the two guards. Instead, she rushed towards the guard tower and entered it.

The inside was lightly furnished. A couple of rickety old tables and chairs. A single, wicker rug sat at the sent of the room. There were two sword racks lining the wall closest to the door. Cordelia grinned and snatched a small dagger from the rack. She spun back to the door and buried the dagger into the first guard's chest as he came bursting into the tower.

The man's breath rushed out of his lungs. Cordelia smacked the pommel of her blade into the back of his head, knocking the wounded man out. The fourth guard surged into the tower. He actually managed to get a few swings in with his ax. Cordelia backpedaled as the large man hammered against her blade with hard, heavy blows. He bashed her blade to the side then raised his ax over his head. Ready to cleave her two. Cordelia smirked. She rolled to the side, right back to the weapon's rack. With speed few warriors could muster, she ripped another dagger from the wall and threw it with all her strength at the last guard.

The dagger buried itself in his stomach. The guard grunted, looked down in shock, before dropping his ax and falling to the floor, dead.

The redhead sucked in sharp breath. She exhaled and stood straight up. Her eyes glanced at her crimson blade.

"If I had a lance, it would not have taken that long." She muttered to herself.

Her eyes hardened as the sound of armor clanking up the tower stairs drew her attention. Her grip tightened on her sword. More were coming.

She took a deep breath and moved towards the stairs. If the enemy was going to try and overwhelm her with numbers, then she would make sure that it was as difficult for them to do that as possible. The stairs were narrow and steep. A perfect spot to make a stand. She took one more breath before spotting the next guard as he sprinted up the stairs.

"For Commander Phila." She whispered to herself.

Three more guards rushed towards her. All of them huffing and puffing, red in the face, as they shot up the stairs. Cordelia grimaced, readied her blade, then attacked.

….

"HOLY SHIT!" Gaius cried as Maul became a blur of black robes and savage red light.

Ben gripped his wrist and tossed the thief out of the monster's way. Whatever weapon the evil man was using, it was something Gaius had never seen before. His eyes grew even wider as the blade dug into the floor. Turning the sand that covered the dungeon cell into clear glass. Gaius swallowed hard. He had no time to process what he had seen. Let alone recover from nearly getting cut in two by a sword made of red fire.

Maul was upon him again. How the old geezer moved so fast was a mystery for Gaius. The guy was a cripple. He relied on that cane. Or so Gaius thought.

 _Is this what people mean when they say the elderly have old man strength?_ Gaius thought to himself as Maul's lips curled into a savage snarl.

Gaius grit his teeth and raised his short sword to block Maul's weapon. But their blades never connected.

Something grabbed Maul. Gripping the horned devil and throwing him hard against the dungeon wall. Dust drifted down from the ceiling as Maul hit the wall and left a cracked imprint in the stone.

"Gaius, run!" Ben cried.

The thief watched in disbelief as Ben pointed an open hand at Maul. His fingers flexed. Maul uttered a rage filled roar as he was grabbed by some invisible force again and tossed across the room like a rag doll.

"GO!" Ben shouted, snapping Gaius out of his stupefied state.

His instincts kicked in. Instincts that had never failed Gaius in his entire life. That had helped him survive on the dangerous streets of Plegia's Capitol city. Instincts he had fine tuned in order to perfect the art of thievery. Survival was paramount for a street urchin. Avoiding death and imprisonment was even more important for a thief. His feet carried him swiftly out of the lowest level and up the many dungeon levels beneath the palace.

As he sprinted away from danger, he heard Maul uttered a furious roar that made his hair stand on end. It sounded inhuman. Like the cry of a creature that had come straight from the deepest pits of hell. A demon's roar. Gaius felt his teeth start to chatter.

Maul was not human. No human could move like he did. No normal man could look like that. With all of the black and red skin and the horns protruding from his skull like a sinister crown.

Gaius faltered as he reached the top floor in the dungeons. Maul's rage filled cries had stopped. Did Ben somehow beat that monster? Or was his friend dead? Gaius gulped and decided to take a small peak back down the stairs.

There was a red glow. And it was growing. Fear coursed through Gaius's body. Normally he was not terrified of the enemy or any form of security.

As a thief, it was normal to be nervous, even afraid when attempting a heist. So many things could go wrong. A healthy amount of fear made a thief cautious, calculating, and above all else, successful. It allowed a good thief to find the perfect hiding spots. Recognize the best routes for escaping a sticky situation. Judge if a target was worth the risk or not.

Terror did none of those things. There was no benefit to it. Terror froze thieves. Rendered them dumb and useless. Prone to mistakes and easy to catch. Normally, Gaius would use humor to try and suppress that fear. Or candy. But the terror instilled in him by Maul was not natural. It was incredible. Downright horrifying. If he had to look that monster in the eye again, he would probably turn into a blubbering mess.

So he was not going to allow that monster such an opportunity. He sprinted for the door and burst out of the dungeons and into the palace's main hall. Right into the company of ten palace guards and the Mad King himself.

"Hello there, thief." King Gangrel gave Gaius a manic smile, "Going somewhere?"

Gaius's eyes drifted back to the dungeons.

"Not down there, if that qualifies as an answer."

Gangrel uttered a shrill laugh that made Gaius shudder. The man's mind was worse now than when the war first started. The insanity was now present in his very appearance. There was a craze gleam in Gangrel's eyes. A malicious, glee filled expression on his face. A sallow, unhealthy appearance to his skin. He looked like he was made of just skin and bones.

The King pointed a finger at Gaius.

"Kill him." he ordered his guards.

Gaius readied his sword. He glanced behind him. The red glow from Maul's weapon was growing. He returned his gaze to the ten guards charging at him. He was good in a fight. Not half bad by most soldier's estimates. But certainly not a true fighter. Someone like Ben or Marth could probably take on these guys all at once. But Gaius, he was better suited sneaking through the shadows. Not attracting an ounce of attention. An open, pitched battle was a worst case scenario for him.

 _Well,_ Gaius thought to himself as he dug into his pocket and popped a fresh lollipop into his mouth, _It was a good run._

The palace doors burst open. A large, furry animal sprinted in on all fours. Two, clawed paws ripped into three of the guards before a strong jaw grabbed another and tossed the guard to the side.

Gangrel fell backwards as he avoided the animal's attack. The guards froze, unsure of what to do in the presence of a giant rabbit.

Gaius beamed at the creature.

"Whiskers, I could kiss you right now!"

"Get on already." Panne growled.

Gaius smirked. He rushed past the surprised enemy and hopped onto Panne's back.

"The inn is no longer safe." Gaius grunted as Panne spun around and kicked two more guards to the ground.

"Where can we go then?"

Gaius swallowed hard. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the red glow growing brighter behind the dungeon's door.

"Anywhere but here!" He yelped.

Panne's powerful muscles flexed. Gaius cried out as she sprinted out of the palace, leaving a cloud of dust in their wake. As they sprinted out of the courtyard, Gaius could see Marth and Cordelia fighting for their lives on the palace wall.

 _Bad idea._ His mind said. _No. Stop it. Don't do it, idiot._

"Whiskers." Gaius said, his voice much higher than he intended it to be.

"What man-spawn?"

 _You damn idiot._

"We gotta go get Red and Blue."

Panne did not reply. Instead, she pivoted hard in the sandy earth. The Taguel surged towards a flight of stairs that led up to the walls. At that point, Gaius jumped from her back and sprinted up the stairs and onto the walls. His blade danced in his hands as one guard came at him. Then two. Then three.

Panne appeared behind him. Her beast form ripped the guards to shreds. Her sharp claws tore through their shields while her strong jaw crushed their armor. As big of an animal as she was in this form, she was shockingly nimble. She easily evaded several devastating hacks and slashes from the enemy.

The duo, Gaius and Panne, fought back to back. Or, if Gaius were to be more honest, back to hindquarters. They began to make slow progress along the wall towards Cordelia and Marth. But the tide of soldiers was growing by the second.

"We won't make it man-spawn." Panne growled.

Gaius cut down another Plegian before looking across the courtyard to the two girls. Cordelia was tiring out. She was fighting wave after wave of Plegian soldiers. And as more fell around her, her attacks grew slower. Her defense became weaker. And her movements became less swift and agile. She would not last much longer fighting on her own.

But there would be no help coming from Marth. The blue haired girl was in one of the most heated duels Gaius had ever seen.

"We must escape!" Panne shouted over the din of battle, "The King and his demon servant are approaching!"

Gaius felt his mouth go dry. Maul was nearing them? He cast a guilt filled look over at Cordelia and Marth.

"Damn it all." He muttered before hopping back onto Panne's back, "Go." He said, his voice quiet. Any humor lost, "I know a place we can hide."

The Taguel nodded. With shocking grace and power, she jumped from the walls down onto the sandy street below. It took only seconds to lose the enemy soldiers in the tightly packed alleys around the Palace. And once they did, once Gaius could breathe again, he could not help but feel guilt burst up in him.

They had failed to rescue the Exalt. Maul had most likely killed Ben. And now Marth and Cordelia were likely were about to be killed. Or worse, captured. He doubted Gangrel would be merciful to two Ylisseans attacking his home. He shook his head and buried his face in Panne's fur as they disappeared deep into the heart of the city.

….

Marth glared across the rampart at the Black Rider. Her dark eyes met his blazing yellow irises. There was no doubt in her mind now about what this enemy was. The dark side of the force billowed out of him like a thick fog. It was oppressive. So much so, that she found it difficult to connect to the Force in any way.

He was a Sith. Not a master. That distinction belonged to Maul. No, this was the apprentice. An apprentice she knew all too well.

"So." Marth said scornfully, "You've decided to show your true colors."

The Black Rider reached up and pulled the mask down from his face. Revealing a youthful, boyish face. His hands reached up to his hood and tossed it back. Allowing his blonde hair to feel the warm air.

To her surprise, he did not seem… pleased to be across from her? There was a hesitance to him. His intentions were murky. Unfocused. There was something horribly off about the boy. Marth frowned. Did he not want to fight her?

"I'd rather not do this, Luce." He said, his arms hanging loose at his sides.

Marth scowled, "Then why did you come here, Kage?"

Kage sighed, "To try and talk you out of this."

"Talk me out of what?" Marth snapped back, "Doing what is right!?"

"No! To talk you out of doing something stupid!" Kage snarled, "You know how powerful my Master is. You know that right now, your master does not possess the power to defeat him outright. If my Master finds you, he will not hesitate to kill you."

"I'm well aware." Marth snarled, "What I'm not sure about, is whether you will try to kill me or not."

A hurt expression crossed Kage's face.

"Luc-"

"Don't. Say. My. Name." Marth hissed. Her teeth clenched tight. Her grip on Falchion was so tight that her arms were beginning to shake.

She saw this coming. She knew Kage was a possible traitor. But for it all to be true in the end; it gutted Marth. She had not realized how bad she wanted to believe that Kage had indeed rid himself of Maul. That he had finally gotten away from his evil influence and was genuinely interested in helping the Shepherds.

"I was a fool to think better of you." Marth said, "You are just like your Master."

Kage's eyes flashed, "I am nothing like him."

"Really!?" Marth exclaimed, "Then why are you helping him?"

Kage did not reply. Instead, he lowered his gaze. Unsure of how exactly to answer her.

"Are you that much of a coward!?" Marth cried, "That you, of all people, would be so afraid of one man that you would so easily betray everyone who cares about you!"

"No one cares that much about me."

"Liar!" Marth screamed, her voice cracking, "I- I cared." She swallowed hard. Struggling to prevent tear from cascading down her cheeks. She took a deep breath, "Kage, please stop this. Help me fight back against Maul!"

She could faintly make out the loud sounds of steel hitting steel. The pain filled cries of men falling to their deaths. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Panne and Gaius burst out of the palace. Behind her, she could hear Cordelia valiantly defending herself against waves of Plegian soldiers.

But she was not focused on any of that. All she could see now, was the young man in front of her. The old rival that she had once called friend. That stood by her side in battle after battle against all odds of survival. Her heart felt like it was being ripped out of her chest as she realized he was weighing his options.

She held out an open hand, letting Falchion fall to her side.

"Come with me."

She held her breath. Kage took one step forward.

Her blood ran cold as he stopped moving. He closed his eyes and sighed with regret.

It hit her like a tidal wave. A brutal assault from the dark side that nearly brought Marth to her knees. She knew where it was coming from. Just from the power bursting out of the palace, she knew Maul was near. And that he was… celebrating?

Her breath got stuck in her throat. Panne and Gaius escaped the palace. But Ben did not.

"He's coming now." Kage said. His voice quiet and filled with remorse, "If he fights you, you will die. And it won't be a swift death."

Her eyes widened and pupils shrank as Kage reached to his belt. Not for his sword but for the silver hilt hidden by his black cloak. He gripped the hilt in his right hand then activated it. Unveiling a crimson blade made of brilliant light.

Her hand fell to her side.

"Kage... please."

His face turned grim. He closed his eyes took a deep breath.

Those yellow eyes shot open. The dark side of the force roared around him. In the blink of an eye, he was on top of Marth. Red blade cutting a deadly arc through the air.

Marth raised Falchion and parried the attack. The blow caused her to stagger backwards, both from surprise and from the sheer power behind it. In that moment, Marth realized that Kage would not hold back in this duel. He was going to hit her, hard. Possibly kill her. She could feel her heart being torn in two as all the memories she had with him burst through her mind. At one time filled with hope and joy, now sullied by grief.

He cut another brutal slash through the air. Marth backpedaled. She took a deep breath. The Kage she knew was gone. In his place was a cold blooded killer. Created and molded by Maul.

If he was not going to hold back, then neither could she.

She readied herself in Soresu's traditional posture. Praying that she could hold out against Kage's oncoming assault long enough in to find some sort of route for escape.

Marth did not delude herself. She was a great swordsman by normal standards. But by Force Adept standards, she still had a lot of work to do. Her training was not complete. A true Jedi had control of both the force and their lightsaber. Utilizing the pair to form a deadly combination that could overpower any opponent. She barely had proper control over the force. And, when it came to weaponry, she was at a disadvantage. Falchion was a powerful sword. But how long could it hold up against a true lightsaber?

Then there was Kage's abilities. He had always outclassed her in almost every way. Kage had a raw power to him that made her own force sensitivity look small in comparison. His skill with a blade had only ever been matched by her Master and Maul. She had sparred with him on many occasions. Every time they did, he won.

Even so, she thought she was prepared for an actual duel with her rival. She thought she knew how he fought. His tendencies and patterns. What form he preferred to use. Everything.

Naga, she was so wrong.

He was a whirlwind in front of her. A maelstrom of red light danced before her eyes as she struggled to keep up. All the while, the dark side of the Force roared in her ears. Whispered in her mind. Sweet, malicious words.

 _"Give into your anger. Only then will you have the power to save the ones you love."_

Marth grit her teeth. She did her best to keep the dark side at bay in her mind. But the call was proving strong. And she was proving to be woefully unprepared for a duel of this magnitude.

Her back pressed up against the wall. Falchion intertwined with Kage's lightsaber. Blue flames licked the edges of the divine sword while bright flashes of light sparked from Kage's lightsaber.

Her arms were began to tremble. It was like she was fighting Maul all over again. Only this time, she was on her own. Her master was not there to save her. Chrom was not there to assist her. In the heat of the duel, with his red blade pressing ever closer to her throat, Marth felt how powerful Kage was. And it was terrible to behold.

There was no way she could hold out against him. She had underestimated her old friend. Three years of separation had turned him into an unstoppable juggernaut. Maul's vile guidance no doubt the source of his leap in power.

Her eyes widened as Kage yanked free of their blade lock. She was puzzled at first. He had her pinned? Why didn't he end it there and then?

His yellow eyes flashed. Malice filled his gaze. Marth recoiled and he narrowed his eyes at her.

One hand ran parallel to the ground. Marth felt the breath get caught in her throat. Sparks danced along his fingertips.

She uttered a startled cry before it hit her. Bolts of blue lightning, arced through the air and slammed into her body. She shot backwards and slammed into the stone wall. Her body convulsed for a moment as electricity crackled over her body.

"I gave you the chance," Kage growled, "To leave. To save yourself. To actually do something smart for a change."

Marth grit her teeth and winced as more electricity arced around her. Then another wave of lightning slammed into her. Falchion fell from her grip and clattered to the stones at her feet. She dropped to her hands and knees. Every muscle in her body was on fire. It hurt to breathe. Each ragged breath felt like she was inhaling fire and exhaling ash.

"And yet, you still chose to hold to your foolish ideals. To stand in the way of my master, even though you knew he would kill you." Kage let his hand falter for a moment, "I don't understand it. Why would you allow yourself to die like this? What good does it do anyone?"

Marth fought off the pain long enough to give him a betrayed look.

"More than you are possibly capable of." She said, her voice dry and hoarse.

Kage's eyes blazed. Lighting shot into Marth again. She could not contain the pain anymore. She uttered a horrible scream as her body flopped to the ground.

"Do not presume to know what I'm capable of!" Kage roared as he shot torrents of pale lightning into Marth, "Do not dare assume that I do not have a very good reason for what I am doing!"

Marth could only reply with screams. She writhed on the ground as Kage took a moment to catch his breath. Marth stopped screaming once the lightning stopped. Small wisps of smoke rose from her battered form.

"He's waiting for me to finish you." Kage told her as she moaned on the ground, barely conscious, "I have no choice."

Marth stared at him through her foggy vision. She couldn't speak. But Kage could see the hurt in her eyes. The betrayal she felt. It cut far deeper than any words ever could.

"Maybe, once you are one with the Force, you will understand." Kage said solemnly.

He activated his lightsaber once again and raised it to strike the killing blow.

A dark shadow crossed over Marth. A ball of black magic plowed into Kage, sending the Sith Apprentice plummeting from the walls.

"Marth!" Cordelia cried as she rushed towards her. Only to get tackled off of the walls by a Plegian guard. The red head uttered a startled cry as she hurtled to the ground.

On the wall, Marth turned over onto her back and spasmed again as electricity arced over her body.

 _Who?_ Marth did not see who had rescued her.

It was not Cordelia. She did not know magic. Was Cordelia still fighting? Were they both about to die? She felt a slender hand grab her wrist. A dark voice muttered something unintelligible. Once it stopped speaking, she heard a dark snicker. Her body floated in the air. Marth wanted to struggle. But she could not move. She was too tired.

 _I can't… rest._ She thought as her vision faded, _Master and the Exalt… they need… help…_

….

Emmeryn did not know what was going on. When they captured her, Gangrel had placed her in the dungeons at first. A high security cell. Guards watched her at all hours of the day and night. Occasionally, Gangrel himself would pay her a visit. His way of gloating. Boasting about his victory over Ylisse and how he would soon end the Exalt's tyranny in the world.

She never responded to him. Deep down, she wanted to spite the man. She did not want to give him the satisfaction of knowing that he was getting to her. That his words, his actions, the news he brought of the many defeats Ylisse had suffered were finally starting to break her peaceful appearance.

She ate the meager food that was given to her. There was enough nutrients in it to keep her alive. It was not delicious. It certainly wasn't filling. But it was enough. There was no doubt in her mind that Gangrel wanted to publicly execute her. His savage way of declaring total victory over her people.

But she held out hope that Gangrel was not entirely successful in his campaign against Ylisse. She believed that Chrom was still fighting. That Commander Edward was rallying the armies and that the Khans of Regna Ferox were honoring their alliance. All three marching against Plegia even as she languished in the dark cell she called home. She abhorred the thought of more bloodshed. But at this point, it was inevitable.

Until the day she was either rescued, set free by a treaty, or killed, she would remain in her cell. And she would wait. And while she waited, she would pray to Naga for guidance. At this point, she needed the Divine Dragon's wisdom. She needed strength that only Naga could provide if she intended to come out of this alive.

Then, all of a sudden, a few hours ago, guards came to her cell. They took her away from the dark walls she had become familiar with and dragged her all the way up to a suite near the top of the Plegian palace. Now she no longer had a bench to sleep on or a view of the bars of her cell. Instead, she had a mattress. Not a comfortable one, but it was an improvement. And instead of dark walls, she had a striking view of one of the many eyes of Grima. A startling thing to wake up and see in the morning.

During the afternoon, she was forced to remain away from the window by a pair of guards. She could hear faint sounds of fighting in the courtyard below. Then she heard an ear piercing scream that made her stomach flip. Someone was dying down below. She prayed it was not someone she knew.

Slowly, the sounds of battle died away. Her guards became less tense. She subtly moved towards the window. As she was about to take a peak at the scene far below her, there was a knock on her door.

The guards jumped to their feet and moved to door.

A wave of cold hit Emmeryn as the door opened. Goosebumps formed on her skin. Only one creature was capable of inducing such a reaction.

She cautiously turned to see Maul stepping through the double doors to her room.

"Comfortable, your majesty?" Maul asked.

Emmeryn moved her weight from foot to foot. His gaze always made her uneasy. This creature had a way of unsettling her in a way that Gangrel could never do. It was like Maul could see through her very being. Pierce her mind and see every waking thought.

"Yes." She replied carefully.

Maul chuckled. Emmeryn could not help but notice that his sounded out of breath. Like he had been put under some strain recently.

"Good." Maul replied, "These are your last days. May as well have some comfort during them."

Emmeryn swallowed hard, "What do you want?"

Maul's eyes narrowed, "Much more direct than normal. Gangrel will be most envious of me. Apparently you don't say a word to him." he sighed, "Then again, I don't blame you. Speaking to that fool of a king is a waste of breath."

His eyes gleamed at her. Fear coursed through Emmeryn as he smirked at her.

"I came to inform you, that some of your friends just attempted a rescue."

Emmeryn's heart stopped in her chest.

"They failed, obviously." Maul hobbled closer on his cane, "Can you guess which friends?"

All color rushed away from her face.

"Ben Kenobi led them." Maul chuckled, "Along with Marth, a traitorous thief, some strange rabbit creature, and a pegasus knight that escaped the reach of my saber." He grinned in delight as Emmeryn's legs began to shake, "My apprentice dealt with Marth and the pegasus knight. As for your precious Ben…"

The doors opened again. Two guards dragged an unconscious Ben into the room and tossed him unceremoniously onto the floor.

A panicked cry left Emmeryn's lungs. She scrambled over to Ben and cradled his head in her lap.

Maul uttered a loud laugh.

"Oh isn't that precious." He leaned on his cane, "The Jedi has someone who loves him. Now you two can enjoy each other's company before your deaths."

Emmeryn uttered a shuddering breath as she struggled to keep herself from breaking down into tears. Ben looked horribly beaten. There were several large bruises on his arms. One of his eyes was swollen shut. A nasty gash lay above that same eye and his lip was split open. She felt her chin trembling as she looked back at Maul.

"Wh-what did you do to him?" She managed to ask.

Maul's eyes gleamed with delight, "He tried to break you out of the dungeons. I met him down there. His thief friend escaped my wrath. At a cost of course. Let's just say, once his friend was out of harm's way, he stopped struggling." Maul's glee abruptly left him, "And so," Maul's voice grew harsh, "I punished him for being weak."

Emmeryn stared stunned at Maul.

"Wh-why?"

Maul's amusement ran away. His eyes became cold. Vile and evil.

"Because," Maul growled, "I hate him. And because you are close to him, I hate you. I want nothing more than to destroy Kenobi. And this will break him. And when he is broken, when he is begging me for death, I will grant it to him. But only after he is broken."

Emmeryn stared at Maul in horror.

"What could he have possibly done to you to deserve such a fate?"

Maul snarled, "Ask the Jedi when he wakes up."

He stormed out of the room in a cloud of black fury. The doors slammed shut behind Maul. Emmeryn heard his cane tapping against the palace's stone floors. Once that sound faded, she ran a hand over Ben's cheek.

Then she let the tears fall.

 **And chapter! The rescue has failed. Ben is captured. Marth is injured and in the hands of someone else. Cordelia is missing. The only shepherds still free in the city are Gaius and Panne. As for Kage, well, his master will be none to please about the duel's results. We will return to Robin and Chrom in the next chapter, where two new characters will arrive! I can't wait! Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	28. The Grimleal

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 28

The Grimleal

A gentle ray of sunlight streamed in through a small slit in the ceiling of the tent. The light passed over Chrom's closed eyes. The warmth and brightness of the beam bidding him to awaken. He let out a small groan. Naga he did not want to get up. It had been days since he had gotten a good night's rest. Last night being the first time in a long time. The war had taken its toll on him. He had not realized how much stress he was actually under. How restless he had become.

Reluctantly, he opened his eyes. His body felt refreshed. His mind reinvigorated. The warm air of the desert hit his bare skin like a gentle hug. He uttered a content sigh before attempting to move.

That's when he felt a slender arm slip down his bare chest.

Chrom froze. His eyes darted to his side. There was a mess of long brown air on the pillow beside him. His eyes widened to the size of saucers.

 _I'm not in my tent!_

He scanned the tent. It was nowhere near as large as his own. There was a small, rudimentary desk with a few books stacked on it. One of which was a manual on Pegasus riding. Beyond that and the bed he was currently lying in, there was nothing. Then his eyes caught sight of his travel gear strewn haphazardly across the sandy floor. Mixed with it were women's riding leathers.

Chrom sucked in a breath.

 _So last night actually happened._

He felt a blush rush over his face. He chuckled to himself and rose from the bed, stretching his arms high over his head and then rolling his head so that the muscles in his neck loosened up. He heard a satisfying pop then uttered a happy sigh.

He cast another glance over his shoulder at Sumia. The Pegasus Rider was still resting. A small smile on her lips.

Chrom felt his own lips part into a grin. He bent down and placed a small kiss on the woman's cheek before rising to his feet.

He threw is travel gear back on. He strapped his belt on. Then he made sure Falchion was in it's proper spot. Once he was certain he looked presentable, he stepped out of Sumia's tent.

He froze. Leaning against the post of another tent, a massive, mischievous grin on his face, was Robin.

"You're awake before me for once." Chrom noted.

Robin chuckled and clapped his hand on Chrom's shoulder, "You can thank me later."

Chrom raised his brow as Robin strutted along the row of tents.

"Thank you for what?"

Robin threw his head back and laughed, "Oh you know what!"

Chrom's cheeks heated up. He hung his head and sighed. The cat was already out of the bag. If Robin knew what he and Sumia had done, then it was likely half of the camp already knew. He cringed a little. Hopefully no one would make too big a deal of it at breakfast.

He followed Robin. The tactician had an unusual amount of pep in his step. Especially for being awake this early in the morning.

Was he really that excited to say, I told you so? Chrom thought to himself.

The breakfast tent for the Shepherds was already buzzing with activity. Chrom uttered a relieved sigh as he realized it was Frederick's turn to cook meals for the day. The Knight seemed to be excellent at almost everything he did. But cooking was one of his specialties. If not for Frederick, Chrom was sure he would have starved while out on some missions in the wild.

Robin flopped down in a chair beside the head of the table, where Chrom usually sat. The Prince paid no mind to anyone as he took his own seat and eagerly awaited what Frederick had prepared.

As he sat, he noticed something odd. It was quiet. Far too quiet for the Shepherds. He furrowed his brow then glanced up at the others.

Stahl's face was a dark red color. Miriel's eyes darted back and forth, never making eye contacting with Chrom's. Ricken looked confused while Maribelle appeared a mixture of curious and mortified. Kellam was even more silent than normal. Lon'qu looked anxious as his fingers tapped against the flimsy wood table. Sully and Vaike were doing everything in their power to contain a massive outburst of laughter. Both of their cheeks were red as they snickered. All the while, their eyes flicked over at Chrom. Which made it even harder for them to keep quiet. Frederick had a knowing smirk on his face as he flipped the eggs he had cooking in a large skillet. Virion had a wide grin on his face as he stared at Chrom. And Lissa looked thoroughly entertained.

Chrom arched an eyebrow and glanced at Robin. The tactician was leaning back in his seat, hands behind his head, eyes closed.

"Uh?" Chrom said.

"So… erm-captain-" Sully covered her hand with her mouth as she tried her best to stifle her own laughter, "The screams we heard last night," Vaike began to thump his foot against the ground beside her, "Was it because you successfully used your sword to _penetrate_ an opponent?"

Chrom's face turned as red as the tomatoes in the omelets Frederick was cooking. Robin's eyes shot open as he realized where this line of questioning was going. Maribelle clasped her hands over Ricken's ears. And Lissa started to snicker uncontrollably.

"Did you- hehe- did you-" Sully pounded her hand against the table, "Did you properly _thrust_ your blade!?" She erupted.

The others Shepherds roared with laughter as Chrom sank in his seat a little bit. The Prince uttered a sheepish laugh as he looked at his comrades.

Sully and Vaike had almost fallen out of their seats as they roared with laughter. Maribelle's expression was one that resembled a mortified mother. Lissa was laughing hard as her hand covered her mouth. She was doing her best to not embarrass her brother too much. But she still could hardly contain her own amusement. Virion raised his cup of tea to Chrom in approval. Miriel pulled on her collar and gulped before chuckling along with everyone else. Stahl tried to sip from a cup of water. But every time he did, he snorted and laughed. Even Kellam and Lon'qu laughed quietly.

Out of the corner of his eye, Chrom saw Robin wink at him.

"You!" Chrom declared as he pointed at Robin, "You talked!"

Robin snorted, "Didn't have to. You and Sumia did all the talking last night."

Chrom's face turned ashen.

"I just offered them all confirmation." Robin laughed.

"I'd be surprised if Khan Flavia didn't hear you all the way across the camp last night!" Sully roared.

Chrom gulped then sighed as his shoulders slumped forward.

"Here you go milord." Frederick slid a plate covered with a large omelette in front of him, "And don't worry, it is totally natural to-"

"Please no more!" Chrom cried as he threw his head up in despair.

"You will never live this down." Lissa snickered before digging into her own breakfast.

A long groan left Chrom's lips.

"Look at it this way Captain," Virion began, "You got some action last night. And none of us sorry lot did. So I congratulate you."

"You don't have to rub it in." Vaike said as he wiped a tear from his eyes, the laughter finally starting to subside in the tent.

Chrom let out a sheepish laugh before shaking his head.

"You all are ridiculous." Before anyone could reply, he turned to Robin. "When do we set out with Khan Flavia's strike force?"

Robin swallowed the mouthful of omelette that he had in his mouth. He coughed for a moment, took a quick sip of water, then nodded.

"As soon as we are all fed and geared up, we march." Robin informed them all, "So eat quickly, because I know for a fact that Khan Flavia is itching for some action."

"Pfft-" Sully leaned over to Stahl, "Action. Maybe the Captain can help her with that?"

Stahl snorted so hard water shot out of his nose. Vaike fell backwards out of his chair. Frederick sighed and shook his head. Chrom meanwhile eyed Sully.

"How brave of you to volunteer for the front lines, Sully." He warned.

"Damn straight!" Sully chirped before taking her drink and downing it in one go, "I've got a horse to prepare."

Chrom's jaw hung open as the rider sauntered out of the tent. As she moved out, Sumia emerged.

Panic surged through Chrom. If they were so willing to tease him, their leader, so relentlessly, then what would they do to her? He swallowed hard and waited with bated breath as Sully stopped beside the Pegasus Rider.

Sully smacked Sumia hard on the shoulder.

"Way to go girl!" Sully cheered before quickly exiting the tent, leaving Sumia both confused and flustered.

"Here here!" Miriel declared, agreeing with Sully.

"Welcome to the family, Sumia!" Lissa snickered.

It dawned on Sumia what they were talking about. Her face flushed a deep scarlet color. Chrom sighed as he got up and strode around the table to her.

"C-captain I uh-" Sumia stammered.

He cut her off as he pressed her lips to his. Sumia froze for a moment, melted, then froze again as she saw the Shepheds staring at them both with wide eyes. All of their jaws hanging open in shock.

Chrom smirked at the entire table, "We march in thirty minutes." He said before making his way out of the tent.

Lissa stared across the table at Robin, "Who was that? What did you do with my brother?"

"Why are you blaming me!?" Robin folded his arms over his chest, "I'm not the one who decided to-"

"And that is enough of that!" Maribelle declared, "Naga do any of you possess even a basic sense of table manners!?"

Vaike burped, picked at his ear, then uttered a satisfied sigh.

"Nope."

….

Robin let his head fall back as he trudged through sand. His feet sank several inches into the loose earth with every step. He felt hot. So very hot. His coat was no longer over his shoulders. Instead, it was tied up around his waist. Which allowed his body to breathe a little bit. But it also allowed the blazing sun that dominated the Plegian wasteland to bake the exposed skin on his arms, head, and neck.

He blinked some sweat from his eyes as he continued to march alongside Chrom and Khan Flavia. Chrom hid his discomfort well. But he did let out a few huffs and puffs, along with a few muttered curses directed at the blazing heat around them. Flavia on the other hand, belted out loud strings of Feroxi curses. She even kicked hard at the sand at one point. Harshly declaring, "I will never, ever, live where there is sand!"

Behind them were the Shepherds. Each one as miserable as their Captain, the Khan, and their tactician. They would all frequently drift towards the back of the column, where horses laden with skins of water marched.

In total, the strike force consisted of two hundred of Khan Flavia's best warriors along with Chrom and his Ylissean Shepherds. Khan Basilio remained back at their main camp. Keeping order among the Feroxi military and planning a defense in case their plan failed.

An outcome Robin hoped would not occur. He held out hope that his strategy would prove successful. And he was even more hopeful that Ben and his small band of rescuers had already managed to save Exalt Emmeryn and were waiting for some backup in order to make an escape.

He had sent Kage out ahead of their strike force early the previous night. The boy rode fast and hard. Robin had no doubt that the kid had already managed to traverse the vast northern wasteland and enter the Plegian Capitol. Now he was just waiting on any sort of signal or message from his scout. But he doubted any would come. Kage was resourceful, but probably not that resourceful. It would take a good deal of persuasion and gold to get other Plegians to relay a message to their sworn enemies.

The lack of intelligence made Robin a little uneasy. The latest report they had received informed him that the Plegian armies were withdrawing en masse from Ylisse. It would not have surprised Robin if a great deal of enemy soldiers returned to Plegia after conquering Ylisstol. But it shocked him that all of Plegia's soldiers were returning.

He frowned, both due to the enigma that was the enemy's strategy and the heat. He had no idea who the Plegian tactician was. But whoever he was, he was unpredictable. And that was nerve wracking for the Shepherds tactician.

Chrom held out a skin of water to him.

"The others are taking a small rest." Chrom informed him, "Drink up."

Robin gratefully took the water skin and gulped down the lukewarm liquid.

"Thanks." He gasped.

Chrom nodded. The Prince uttered a long sigh as he stared out at the vast expanse of sand dunes around them.

"Does it ever end?" Chrom wondered out loud.

Robin placed his hands on his hips as he took several heavy breaths.

"Yeah. But not for at least another day of marching. That's why we took this route. The enemy would never see it coming."

Chrom shook his head, "We underestimated the amount of water we would need." He pointed at Robin's coat, "Does the map show an oasis nearby?"

Robin hummed to himself as he reached into one of his pockets and pulled out a smaller version of their campaign map. The borders of the map were littered with small notes in black ink.

"I think we may be coming up on a village." Robin explained before peering up at the sun, "We will reach it by nightfall. Then we can rest and finish the march to the Capitol."

Chrom nodded, "I'll be looking forward to a nice rest. But will they allow us in?"

Robin shrugged, "There's only one way to find out."

Chrom frowned, "Entering that village will be interesting. Perhaps they are so isolated that they do not know there is a war going on?"

"That's possible." Robin concurred, "Should I send Frederick, Sully, and Stahl to find out?"

"Scout ahead?" Chrom thought about it for a moment, "Yeah. Do that."

Robin hollered for the three horsemen. The trio led their horses up to them.

"Frederick. You, Sully, and Stahl are to ride ahead and make contact with the village a few miles ahead." Chrom explained, "See if they are friendly. If they are, try to negotiate for some supplies. We will need them for our return journey."

Frederick gave Chrom a stiff nod. He jumped up onto his horse. Sully and Stahl followed his example. The trio set their horses into a trot as they moved out from the rest of the strike force. Soon they had scaled a distant sand dune then disappeared over it's crest.

"We'll wait." Chrom said.

Robin agreed. The three horsemen would know where to return to if they remained put. Plus it would give the men and the horses a chance to catch their breath and rest their aching muscles.

The tactician sat down in the hot sand. The heat was stifling. But stopping their march allowed him the chance to cool off. He poured some water over his head, relishing in the rush of cool that swept over his scalp, face, and neck. As he sat there, he stared out at the desert around them.

"Who in their right mind would choose to make this place their home?" He wondered out loud.

"Crazy people." Khan Flavia answered as she took a seat beside him, "And people who don't want to be found."

Robin pursed his lips, "That does not offer a good prognosis when it comes to the residents of that village."

Flavia snorted, "Maybe they're crazy enough to help their nation's enemy?"

Robin uttered a quiet chuckle, "That's a possibility."

He bowed his head and took a deep breath. He still could not shake this bad feeling that had started to form in his gut. Even with their extremely limited resources, he felt Kage should have been able to at least relay some sort of message to them. Or Ben. The man had been able to pull of some of the most incredible miracles on the battlefield Robin had ever seen. Was it really beyond him to send a simple message saying, "Hey! We are alive! And so is the Exalt!"

Robin shook his head and cursed under his breath. Something was not right about this mission.

"You're worrying too much." Khan Flavia said before she dug into her pack and withdrew a little glass bottle filled with Feroxi Firewine. She uncorked the bottle and took sip before offering it to Robin.

Robin sighed and took a sip as well. The liquid burned down his throat, making him gasp and cough. Flavia snickered.

"Good stuff, huh?"

"Sure." Robin replied, his voice a little hoarse.

Flavia shrugged, "You'll get used to the burn. It's call Firewine for a reason. And not because it goes down easy."

"I can tell." Robin wheezed before pounding his fist into his chest. His stomach felt like it was on fire now.

Flavia took another sip before stashing the bottle.

"Save the rest for later." She muttered before glancing at the Ylissean Tactician, "Hey, you're still worrying."

Robin hung his head and sighed, "I've got a bad feeling."

"About?"

Robin looked at Flavia, "Ben or Kage should have sent some sort of message by now, right?" He shook his head, "Or Marth even. She has an uncanny ability to appear out nowhere and help in just the right way. Where is that right now when we need it?"

Flavia grunted, "You act like she has superpowers."

Robin chuckled, "She kind of does. She claims to know the future. And so far, she hasn't been wrong."

"Then why are you worried so much?" Flavia asked, "If she really knows the future, then Ben and her are likely to succeed. Why take on such a risky mission otherwise?"

Robin bobbed his head. What the Khan said made sense.

So why was he not convinced?

Maybe I should take up meditation like Ben. Robin thought to himself, All this fighting and marching is giving me anxiety.

He was about to reply to Flavia when he saw Sully charging back over the large sand dune in the distance. Then Frederick. Then Stahl. Their horses were in full gallop as they rushed towards the column of Feroxi soldiers and Ylissean Shepherds. Each rider breathless as they reached the strike force.

"Captain Chrom!" Sully hollered.

Chrom pushed his way through the column. He had been back in the rear, helping the other soldiers deliver water to the rest of the group. Sully screeched to a halt in front of him.

"We've got a situation." Sully gasped as Frederick and Stahl skidded to a stop beside her.

"That being?"

"Well-"

"EEEEEEEK!"

A piercing scream echoed out over the desert sands around them. In an instant, every soldier was on their feet. Robin heard swords shrieking out of scabbards as the Feroxi readied themselves for battle.

Another scream sounded out through the air. Robin peered at the sand dune in front of them. At the top of the sand dune, a blonde girl appeared. She was scantily clad. Wearing what appeared to be a light tunic that covered only her small chest and parts of her legs. A purple cape flapped in the air behind her as she sprinted down the hill. She was making good progress, only for her to stumble and start rolling through the sand instead.

"Stop!" A powerful voice boomed in the distance.

Behind her, a large, older man appeared. He wore rust colored armor and was gasping for breath as he reached the top of the dune. The man wheezed, bent over and put his hands on his knees before groaning and continuing to give chase after the girl.

"Is that fiend trying to harm that girl!?" Chrom cried.

"That's not all." Frederick warned.

Robin's eyes widened. Surging over the dune, right as the armored man was halfway down the the sandy face in front of them, was a large company of dark mages. Each one bearing the emblem of the Fell Dragon Grima on their cloaks.

"Grimleal." Robin breathed.

"Shepherds!" Chrom called out as he drew Falchion. The divine blade glistened in the bright sun, "Form up! Front and Center!"

"Alright you lot!" Flavia barked at her men, "We are finally going to get a taste of some action! Have fun! And don't die!"

Robin watched as more Grimleal surged over the sand dune. There were dozens of the dark mages. Perhaps even a hundred? The tactician gulped. His gaze returned to the fleeing girl and the armored man chasing after her. They appeared to both be running away from the Grimleal. But the girl also looked terrified of the armored warrior behind her.

 _What on earth is going on!?_

"Robin?" Chrom said.

The tactician blinked and refocused himself.

"Grimleal mages are a dangerous enemy. They do have a weakness. Many of their spells require time to cast. So do not give them that time. Get in close." He advised.

Flavia grinned, "So charge and bash their faces in? Up close and personal. I like it."

"And don't die." Chrom finished for her before raising Falchion.

He uttered a loud war cry. Then the entire column rushed at the approaching Grimleal mages.

Robin gulped, pulled out his spell book, and rushed after Chrom. The last time he fought a Grimleal mage, he had nearly been killed. Granted, it had been the now late leader of the evil cult, Validar. Who was a very powerful mage. Far more powerful than Robin could ever dream of becoming. More powerful than any other Grimleal mage. But Robin was still nervous about facing off with the dark mages once again. If for no other reason than he was not entirely sure of their capabilities. Dark magic was foreign to him. He didn't even have notes on the subject in the thick tome he always kept with him. Unknowns worried him. Dangerous unknowns, scared him.

There were a few brief seconds of silence. The girl continued sprinting towards the Shepherds. The armored man huffed and puffed as he followed. The Grimleal came to a halt as they realized that a large force of Feroxi warriors was charging headlong at them.

One of the dark mages, a man with an animal skull for a helm began barking orders at the other robed mages. They tried to form a line. But before they could even get organized; the Feroxi archers, Virion, Miriel, and Robin opened fire.

Two fire spells intermingled with a hailstorm of arrows that sailed through the hot air and slammed into the disorganized Grimleal. The cries of men and women filled the air.

Their response was quick. Several groups of the Grimleal mages fired scattered blasts of dark magic at the approaching Feroxi soldiers. But none of it was organized. There was no order to their ranks. Each Grimleal mage had abandoned the idea of strategy as the Feroxi and Shepherds beared down on them.

Robin tucked his tome into his pocket and drew his sword.

Time to put those lessons to the test. He thought as he ran through the basic exercises he and Ben had practiced.

A wall of bodies clashed in the desert. The girl and her armored pursuer disappeared in a sea of swords, arrows, and magic. Robin ducked beneath a Grimleal spell then evaded a fist. He lashed out with his blade. The metal ripped through his opponent's flesh and muscle. He heard the man cry out in agony. Then he jumped away as a spell slammed into the dying mage's body.

He grit his teeth and closed the gap between him and the next mage. This one drew a rusty looking dagger. The mage took a few inexperienced swings at Robin before he too was cut down. Robin gave his sword a grim look.

"What do you know." He muttered, "Ben was right."

The fighting style Ben had taught him was perfect for fighting in a group of people. Short, easy to remember sequences of movement that allowed Robin to weave his way through enemy soldiers. All the while, his constant movement made him a difficult target for any enemy mage.

His eyes scanned the battlefield. A group of Grimleal were attempting to surprise the left flank.

"Frederick!" Robin shouted over the roar of battle, "The left flank!"

The Knight drove his lance into another enemy, then whipped his head over to where Robin was pointing. He understood exactly what the tactician meant. The Knight barked at several Feroxi foot soldiers, who followed him to meet the approaching enemy.

Robin felt a small smile form on his lips as the enemy's flanking maneuver collapsed under Frederick's brutal counter assault. The Knight was ridiculously efficient in combat. Robin avoided another blast of magic before charging at his assailant and slaying him as well.

He scanned the battlefield once again. There was mass chaos around him now. The Feroxi were ferocious in battle. Their war cries rang in his ears. Far louder than even the loud bams of magic hitting the earth and rattle of swords and shields.

In the chaos of it all, he managed to catch sight of the little girl curled up in a ball on the ground. Shaking with fear.

Robin took a breath and rushed over to her.

"Hey you!"

The girl's head snapped up. A look of fear washed over her face as she caught sight of Robin.

"Don't worry." Robin called to her, "I'm not going to hurt you."

"Get away!" The girl shrieked.

She got up to run away. But she did not get far. Her little body plowed into the armored man that chased her down the dune. She fell back on her rump, shook her head, then began to sniffle.

"Oh no!" The man said, "Gregor is sorry he ran into you."

Robin grit his teeth, "Get away from her fiend!" He roared as he raised his sword.

The armored man raised his hands defensively, "Fiend? No, not fiend! Friend! Gregor is friend. See! Gregor has innocent baby face."

Robin was unconvinced. But before he could charge, the girl sniffled then gave the man a puzzled, innocent expression.

"Gregor trying to help little girl. Not hurt her." He gestured to the mages around them, "Grimleal try to take her without her permission. Gregor originally contracted to help. But seeing how they treated girl upset Gregor. So Gregor did something about it."

The girl's eyes widened in surprise, "You're the one who broke the lock on my cage?"

"Yes!" Gregor uttered with an mixture of exasperation and relief, "Now please stop running. Gregor is already very tired and now has to deal with former employers."

Robin watched the scene with a raised brow. He lowered his sword, hung his head, and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I have no idea what is going on anymore."

"Watch out, skinny boy!" Gregor barked before tackling Robin to the ground.

A blast of black magic rushed over their heads and hit the sand in front of the little girl. At first Robin was terrified about the fact that he had almost been hit by such a massive spell. Then he was horrified. The girl had been hit by that spell! Was she hurt? Dead? Why did Gregor tackle him instead of her?

"The girl-"

"Oh she's fine." Gregor said with a lopsided grin, "Watch."

Smoke continued to billow from the spot where the spell hit the sand. Robin peered into the smoke. A bright light flashed. Sparkling, green wings sprouted from the smoke. A loud roar rang out over the sand dune, causing almost all fighting to grind to a halt.

Stepping out of the smoke, was… Robin's eyes bugged out of his skull.

"Dr-dragon!" Robin stammered, "That little girl's a dragon!" He stared at Gregor, "What the hell have I gotten into?"

Gregor laughed, "A shit storm friend. But come, let us face it together."

The older man hauled Robin to his feat. The Grimleal were now in a state of mass panic. The green dragon had turned on them and began to launch massive balls of green fire from it's jaws. The explosions were so hot that the sand it hit turned to glass. Several Grimleal mages turned tail to flee, only to run into Frederick and his group of soldiers. They had circled around the rear of the enemy linesback and cut off any chance of escape for the Grimleal.

It was only a matter of time before the Grimleal mages could no longer fight. Robin fought alongside Gregor as they cut their way through what remained of the dark mages. Soon their assault met up with Chrom near the center of the fray.

There was a lull in the battle as the enemy drew back to try and regroup. Robin panted as he reached Chrom.

Falchion glistened red. Around the Prince and the other shepherds were dozens of fallen Grimleal mages. Flavia also stood near the Prince. A look of pure enjoyment on her face as she twirled her sword in her hand.

"Think they will surrender?" Chrom breathed as his grip on Flachion tightened and he readied himself to charge once again.

"We can only hope."

"Grimleal no surrender." Gregor said as the green dragon flapped it's mighty wings and took to the air.

"Why not?"

"No time for explanations." Chrom growled.

A loud, desperate cry erupted from the Grimleal mages. The few that remained surged at the Feroxi and Shepherds. A suicide charge. Robin watched with wide, horrified eyes as Chrom raised Falchion and ordered their own charge.

It was over in minutes. The last Grimleal mages fought to the last man. Not one of them even contemplating surrender. When the dust settled, the sand was stained crimson around Robin. Blood soaked into the hot granules beneath his feat. And over a hundred Plegian mages lay dead around them.

He felt his legs start to shake as he stared out at the battlefield. Robin swallowed hard then recoiled as pain rushed through his dry throat. He uttered several dry coughs.

"Is it over already?" Flavia wondered, "If that is the best Plegia has to offer then Gangrel better watch out!"

The Feroxi soldiers roared in approval around. Meanwhile, Robin sheathed his sword and wiped some dirty sweat from his brow. His eyes fixated on the face of a young mage, no older than Ricken. Face pale. Chest ripped open by a sword. His sword.

 _Gods…_

He nearly collapsed to his knees right there. Only the sight of the green dragon transforming back into that same, scared, blonde girl kept him from retching. The girl bounced up and down in the sand. An innocent smile on her face.

"That'll teach them!" She crowed before turning to Robin and Gregor.

She rushed up to Gregor and wrapped her small arms around the old man's waist.

"Thank you for rescuing me." She blinked, "Oh! And sorry for running away from you."

"No apologies, little one." Gregor replied, "Gregor happy to help."

The girl beamed at him, smiled at Robin, then skipped away towards the others Shepherds that had started to group together near Chrom. Robin quickly took count of them. A relieved sigh rushed from his lungs. Everyone was there. Alive and unharmed.

Lissa and Maribelle broke off to start healing any injuries to the Feroxi soldiers. Miriel began to divvy out potions to the other Shepherds. A way for all of them to regain their strength after the sudden, intense battle. Vaike and Sully were arguing over who killed more Plegians. Stahl sat with Lon'qu and Frederick as they worked on cleaning their blades. Kellam kept his eyes trained on the crest of the sand dune. Just in case any more enemies made their presence known. Ricken was sitting in the sand, tome clutched close to his chest as he took a few deep breaths. Virion patted the boy on the back before slinging his bow over his shoulder and striding over to Robin.

"That went well." The archer said. He glanced at Gregor, "A new friend?"

Gregor tapped Robin's chest, "See? Frilly man gets it."

Robin let out a quiet laugh, "Frilly man. Now you've got two nicknames, Virion. Ruffles and Frills."

Virion shrugged, "Whatever people must say to identify the archest of archerers is what they must do. At least those nicknames make me unforgettable."

"Sure they do!" Sully called over to them as she walked among the other Feroxi soldiers.

Robin chuckled. Even after such a horrible battle filled with sudden carnage, his friends had their own quirky way of cheering him up. He felt Gregor's meaty hand clap him in the back. The force of the blow almost knocked the tactician down into the sand.

"Gregor impressed by you, skinny boy." The older man smiled, "You fought well."

"The name's Robin." Robin replied, "And… thanks, I guess?"

"So did your Prince." Gregor gestured over to Chrom.

The Prince was standing beside Sumia. Both had fretted over each other at first before they decided to quietly hold hands and take a minute to breathe.

Chrom noticed the group staring over at him. He gave Sumia a small smile before making his way over to Robin, Gregor, and Virion.

"Jealous?" Chrom asked.

"Hardly." Virion smirked.

"Of course." Gregor replied, "Young Prince reminds Gregor of his youthful days. Women and fighting. Good times."

Robin suppressed a small laugh as Chrom blushed a little before regaining the regal appearance of a Ylissean Prince.

"Gregor huh?" Chrom extended a hand to the man, "Chrom."

"Gregor knows." Gregor replied before taking Chrom's hand, "And Gregor glad he ran into you and not more Plegians." The man cringed, "One group of employers angry would be bad. But two? Gregor probably would not have come out good in the end."

Chrom raised an eyebrow, "Employers? Are you a mercenary?"

Gregor beamed, "The best."

Chrom glanced over at Robin. The tactician could see the wheels turning in the Prince's mind.

"You saved that girl, didn't you?" Chrom asked.

"Gregor did."

"And that girl happens to be a dragon?"

Gregor bobbed his head back and forth, "Dragon is relative term. But yes."

"So she trusts you? Will she follow you?"

Gregor hummed to himself, "Gregor hopes so. Want only best for her."

"And we could use warriors like you and her." Chrom continued, "Our strike force is marching to Plegia's capitol in order to rescue my sister. After she we rescue her, we plan on removing Gangrel from his throne and expelling Plegia from Ylissean lands. Seeing as you are currently unemployed, I am wondering if you would like to join us?"

"How much you pay Gregor?" The older man asked.

Chrom hesitated. Before he could reply, Gregor uttered a hearty laugh and clapped a strong hand against Chrom's back.

"Gregor kids." The man explained, "You save Gregor's life. Only fair if Gregor fights for you as repayment. Besides, only other employer right now just so happens to be employer Gregor betrayed. Better for health if Gregor stays away from them."

Chrom grinned, "I'm glad to hear that. We will get you a tent once we regroup. For now, go get your friend and say hi to the others. They're already eager to meet you."

Gregor nodded and walked past Chrom towards the little girl. Once he was gone, Robin let his shoulders sag.

"First giant rabbits," He said, "Now little girls that turn into dragons."

Virion and Chrom both laughed out loud.

"It never ends does it?" Virion said.

"And it never will." Chrom grinned. He uttered a sigh, "We don't have time to celebrate. Gather what supplies you can. We need to get to the Capitol with all haste."

"Of course, Captain." Virion nodded.

Robin nodded as well, but stayed quiet. They won the day. None of his friends were injured or killed. This had been the best battle of the war for the Ylisseans.

His thoughts drifted back to the face of the young Grimleal mage, cold and lifeless in the sand near his feet. He shook his head and uttered a heavy sigh.

Why didn't the Grimleal surrender? They knew they were outmatched and outnumbered. They knew that if they did not surrender they would be put to the sword. Was there so sense of self preservation among them. Did every single Plegian intend on fighting to the last man?

This war had to end, fast. If it did not, then the horrors of war would only rear its ugly head even more. The dead would mount. And the living would have to live with their ghosts. Robin grimaced and closed his eyes. He still saw the boy's face.

 _They already haunt me._

 **And Chapter! An action packed chapter! One of the very few large scale battles I have written. I would love to hear your feedback on it. These big battles are proving to be a unique, difficult challenge. I worry that I might be making them a tad bland and i would love to hear suggestions on how to improve this kind of scene.**

 **Anyways... two chapters in two days! It's been a minute since I've managed to do that. And it won't happen again for a little bit. I usually only have time to write on my days off. And my days off are about to get cut down to one a week. So expect another chapter sometime at the end of next week. On the bright side, this gives me plenty of time to plan it out!**

 **Let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! have a nice day!**


	29. Behind Enemy Lines

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 29

Behind Enemy Lines

All around Marth, was sand. Coarse, dusty sand that felt like small rocks beneath her boots. It was a familiar sight. One that had become normal for her. Ever since she had first taken on her mission to defeat Grima, her world had been nothing but sand. Dead landscapes. Deserts, void of any life. And barely any water. When her eyes first settled on this landscape, she felt a deep sense of desperation.

Had she failed in her mission? Was she dead? The memories of the duel on top of the Palace Walls in Plegia's capitol rushed to her mind. She gulped. Had Kage actually killed her?

She heard a noise in the distance. A loud, roaring blast that made her hair stand on end. It sounded like the roar of a dragon. And if it was, then there was only one beast that could make such a noise. Marth spun on her heel and reached for Falchion. But the divine sword was not at her hip.

In the end, she did not need it. What she saw was almost beyond her comprehension. High in the blue sky above her, suspended in the air like a jagged shard of metal, was a massive… what she could only describe as a strange triangular ship. The shadow of which blotted out an enormous expanse of landscape around her.

A second massive ship thundered into existence. Then a third. Finally, to both her horror and shock, a fourth ship boomed out of thin air.

And it made the other three look minuscule. This massive triangular ship was black in color. Easily three or four times larger than it three grey companions. While the first three ships caused her some alarm. Mostly due to their unknown nature. This ship made her hair stand on end.

She could feel something on board the big one. Something cold, menacing, hateful. Filled with controlled malice that cut through the air around her like a frozen knife. The hot air of the desert cooled significantly as the presence on board that one ship blanketed the land around her.

Her legs buckled. Marth collapsed to her knees. Her hands held her body up in the earth as she fought for breath. The presence, the only comparable ones were Maul and Grima himself. And while not as overpowering as Grima's, it certainly dwarfed Maul's. Not only that, it felt so much more focused than Maul's evil signature. Far more powerful. She could feel her hands trembling in the sand as her mind was bombarded by the dark side of the force. She bowed her head and shook. Whatever fell evil had arrived on her world, it was one that would doom them all.

" _Lucina."_

Her eyes widened. She raised her gaze. Her heart jumped to her throat.

Standing in the sand in front of her wearing flowing dress of white was a Manakete. She had locks of hair so bright that it nearly blinded her. Power radiated from the women. Blinding power. But warm. It drove the cold back. And through the light, Marth could see a gentle smile on the women's face as she looked at her.

Immediately, Marth felt like she knew who this women was.

"Naga…" She breathed.

The women's smile saddened a little bit, " _A shell of her."_

Marth's mouth felt dry as she stared in awe. Meanwhile, the shadows deepened from the massive ships lumbering high above her.

" _Lucina,"_ The woman Marth swore was Naga continued, " _There are now other things to fear beyond my Brother."_

In the distance, Marth could hear the dull roar of dragon. It sounded quiet, subdued. As if the creature was imprisoned.

" _He is not awakened in this time… yet. But there are those whose goal is to bring about his resurrection."_ Naga continued.

Marth gulped, "I-I know. That is why I performed the ritual in order to go back and stop it."

" _The Grimleal are no longer the only ones."_ A second voice said.

Shimmering beside Naga, radiating a dull blue color, was a man. He wore simple, cream colored robes. There was a gentle calm to his features. A sense of peace and knowledge that made Marth feel much more at ease with the situation around her. His face was older. She could make out small streaks of grey hair patched into the dark brown color that dominated his long locks and neatly trimmed beard.

" _The Sith will soon become aware of this world."_ The man warned, " _As a consequence, they will become aware of Grima."_

" _That must not be allowed to happen."_ Naga warned, " _Qui Gon is right. The Sith, and their power, are growing. The Light must rise to meet it."_

Marth's eyes widened, "H-how? Are-are you saying that I have to-" She shook her head, "I can't. I'm… I can't even defeat Kage. How can I possibly stop Grima and Maul and-and whoever is on that ship!?"

" _You will not be alone. The Force has given you friends to assist you. And one to guide you when the Sith do come._ " Qui Gon continued.

Marth trembled as she knelt in the sand. It was one thing to try and prevent a terrible future. But to apparently be chosen by the Force to stop a parasitic evil that seeked to help the Fell Dragon. No, she was not strong enough.

Naga's soft hand gently caressed her cheek, " _Do not despair, Lucina."_

Another roar. Lucina looked up to see hundreds of smaller, stranger ships launching from the large triangles in the sky.

" _You are far stronger than even you know."_

….

Marth gasped as she jolted upright. Sweat coated her entire body. The sheets on the bed she was lying in clung to her wet skin. Despite that, she felt cold. She shivered and rubbed at her arms. And that was when she realized that her normal attire was gone. In its place was a very loose fitting robe with no sleeves.

Panic rushed through her. Where was she? Where was Naga and whoever that Qui Gon guy was? Her head swiveled as she looked around the room she was in.

It was a dark room. A few small candles burned in the shadows around her. There was a small fireplace with no fire in it. A couple of wicker chairs. A sand stone table and desk sat to her right. To her left was a small window with thick, heavy, purple curtains blocking out the sun.

She moved to get out of the small bed she was in. Pain rushed through her entire body. A hot, burning sensation that forced her to spasm right back into the mattress. Marth sucked in huge gulps of air as she tried to keep herself from screaming.

"Your tolerance for pain is impressive." A woman said before uttering a dark snicker, "If anyone else had been subjected to the torturous spell you were hit with, they would have welcomed death with open arms."

Marth strained her eyes into the dark. Then she saw her. A dark haired Grimleal mage sitting at the desk. Barely visible in the dim candlelight. Marth's face paled. It was the same Grimleal mage from the inn.

"The fact that you are even capable of movement at all is even more impressive."

Marth tensed up. Who was this women? How did she end up in her room?

"Before you ask," The Grimleal continued, "My name is Tharja. You are lying in my bed, in my room. I reside in the Temple of Grima. Yes, I rescued you. No, not because I am a nice person." Tharja got up from her seat and moved closer to Marth, "But because my own curiosity got the better of me."

Marth stared at Tharja wide eyed. Before she could speak, Tharja held up a pale hand.

"Be careful with what you say." She warned, "For one, we are in the Temple of Grima. My colleagues will not appreciate a child of Naga sleeping among them. Two, you are currently under a truth hex. So whatever you say to me, will be the truth."

Tharja moved back to her desk and began to run her finger along the spine of several books she had sitting on it.

"I won't force you to say anything." Tharja continued, "I already tried to comb through your mind using a scrying hex. But… needless to say, you've got a sharp mind. Doing that actually hurt a little bit. Obi Wan Kenobi would be proud of you."

Marth shot up in the bed, ignoring the burning pain in her body.

"How do you know that name?" Marth asked.

Tharja smiled darkly, "He told me." She saw the shocked look on Marth's face and chuckled, "Not exactly willingly."

Marth grit her teeth, "What have you done to my master?"

Tharja snickered, "Master? So he isn't just a magician, is he? He is your teacher." Tharja plucked a book from her shelf and began to flip through its pages. She then grabbed a small piece of charcoal, "I have not harmed him in any way. In fact, he is still inside of the King's Palace. As far as I am aware, he is at least alive. I learned his name when him and I had a little… chat back at the inn."

Marth did not know whether to breathe easier or to be much more alert. Either way, she was worried. Her master was still in the Plegian palace. Which meant he had been captured. And the only person capable of capturing him was Maul. She swallowed hard and felt a pit form in her stomach.

"You have been asleep for almost a day." Tharja informed her.

"That is a day too long." Marth replied before trying to move again.

But once again, Tharja raised her hand to stop her.

"You're not leaving here." Tharja said, a hint of warning in her voice, "Not until I get what I want."

Marth's eyes narrowed at Tharja.

"Truth hex." Tharja smirked, "I have some questions for you." The mage moved across the room to the end of Marth's bed, "I want you to tell me about yours and Obi Wan's powers."

Marth clenched her jaw.

"Don't try to keep yourself from saying anything." Tharja warned, "Truth hexes are mild compared to what I have been trained to do. I could easily torture the information out of you. But that is rather… messy. And I'd prefer to keep my room free of human blood." The mage flicked the book she was holding open, "So… what exactly is your magic?"

Marth felt it. The pressure against her mind. A worm that was trying to burrow into her thoughts. Coax her into speaking everything that was in her mind pertaining to the Force. She struggled against it for a moment. Then the pressure built up. It felt like her brain was being squeezed tighter and tighter. Like she was a boa's prey. Trapped in a predator's deadly embrace.

Her mental walls crumbled. Marth gasped and quickly placed them back. But not before she spoke to Tharja.

"The Force." She gasped, sweat beginning to form on her brow, "It's called the Force."

Tharja quirked an eyebrow, "The Force, hm?" She scribbled notes down in her book. A book that Marth realized was an empty tome, "And what are you capable of when using this Force?"

Marth squeezed her eyes shut. She was fighting with everything she had. But she felt so weak. Her fight with Kage had sapped so much of her energy. And Tharja was not a novice dark mage. Marth did not doubt her power or skill.

But if she broke under the pressure of the Truth Hex, then for a short period of time, her mind would belong to Tharja. Her thoughts would be like the pages of a book. Open for the dark mage to peruse at any time. There was too much at stake for that to happen. To many lives hung in the balance. Too many futures were in jeopardy. All because Tharja wanted to know about a mysterious magic.

She did not have the strength of her master. And it quickly became apparent to Marth that Ben had been able to fend of Tharja's mental assault. If he hadn't, then Tharja would already know the answers to these questions. Even then, it would have been just barely. She was able to pry his true name from his mind. That alone was evidence that, while Ben may have been able withstand Tharja's interrogations, he had not been able to block her out entirely.

So what hope did she have of mounting a powerful defense?

The answer was none. So continuing to fight was not an option. She could give in. Let Tharja see everything and pray that the dark mage would not turn on her in an instant. As of now, Marth was only alive because of the dark mage's curiosity.

Or…

"How about a bargain?" Marth gasped as she fought to keep her mental defenses up.

Tharja snickered, "And why would I do that? I have you at my mercy. As I said before, a truth hex is tame compared to what I am capable of. Would you like to test me?"

"I could scream." Marth replied.

The smirk on Tharja's face ran away.

Marth nodded. She almost bit her tongue as she continued to fight, "I could scream. Then the entire temple knows I'm here. And I'm sure your superiors would want to know why you have a Ylissean insurgent locked up in your room." Marth let out a weary laugh, "Try explaining that away. If they had their way, I would have already been killed or tortured, no?"

Tharja narrowed her eyes dangerously.

"So," Marth continued, "You are technically betraying your own Order." She uttered a dry laugh, "All because you want knowledge. Well, I'm more-" She grit her teeth and shook her head, "More than willing to give it to you. As long as we are able to make a deal."

Tharja frowned, "Are you trying to negotiate with me?"

Marth gave her a weak smile, "Maybe?"

Tharja tapped the piece of charcoal against a page in her book. She pursed her lips.

"In exchange for your knowledge?" She asked.

Marth sucked in a sharp breath. Her mental defenses were almost gone. She was running out of time.

"You help me rescue my Master and friends."

Tharja uttered a small laugh, "So either way, I end up a traitor. That does not sound like a bargain to me."

"Correction," Marth continued, "You end up a traitor to the Grimleal, and a friend to Ylisse." Marth's breathing was starting to become labored. The pain in her mind was intense now. In mere moments, she'd be forced to give in. Her mind and body were too weak for this kind of fight, "So instead of both sides wanting to kill you. Only one will want to. Your odds of survival just jumped fifty percent."

Tharja's eyes widened for the briefest of moments. Long enough for Marth to notice. But still, the mage kept a good poker face.

"Because I can guarantee you this," Marth gasped, "If you kill me. Or harm me. It won't just be Ylisse coming for you. The one I was fighting, Maul's apprentice, he won't take too kindly to that. And I'm sure Maul won't either. After all, they did not kill me outright. So they obviously have designs for me."

A bold faced lie, but a bluff Marth needed to play. She needed to make Tharja feel trapped in a corner with no other options but her deal.

Tharja hummed to herself. Her silence was painful. Marth forced her mind to ignore the pressure. What she wanted to do was utter a silent prayer to Naga for strength. But if she did that, she'd give away just how close she was to breaking. And the deal would be lost.

Tharja's slammed the book in her hands closed. The pressure in Marth's mind faded away. Marth let out a loud gasp before she slumped back in the bed.

"Deal." Tharja said.

She moved beside Marth. She placed a pale hand on her wrist. Black markings appeared on Marth's hand. Then they faded as well. The truth hex evaporated completely. Tharja then closed her eyes and muttered something under her breath.

Strength surged through Marth. Her injuries felt less serious. She felt lighter, more energetic. The burning sensation that had been crawling over her skin the entire conversation had faded. Tharja let her hand fall from Marth's wrist.

"That hex will last for a few days." Tharja breathed. A little drained from the spell, "But once it wears off, you will be in utter agony. But that hex will give you the strength to help in our rescue."

Tharja swept back across the room over to a wardrobe in the corner. She reached into the wardrobe and withdrew robes that would normally be on a Grimleal initiate. She tossed the robes across the room.

"Put these on." Tharja instructed.

Marth gaped at her for a moment. Her bluff actually worked? She felt a twinge of pride hit her. If only her Master could have seen that little negotiation.

She rose from the bed and peeled off the loose robes she had been wearing. Her breath got caught in her throat.

Scars ran over her skin like red spiderwebs. Fresh and throbbing. Shaped like small bolts of lightning that arced over a stormy sky. Her face paled.

"Like I said," Tharja commented, "Your tolerance to pain is impressive. Now hurry up. We need to get moving."

Marth nodded and threw the robes on. She winced a little at the sight of Grima's seal over her breast, but it was a small sacrifice to make. The mission was not over. Not while she still drew breath.

Once the robes were on her body, Tharja withdrew a familiar weapon from her wardrobe.

Marth uttered a loud gasp before she grabbed Falchion from Tharja. She stared at Tharja for a moment. But before she could say thank you, Tharja cut her off.

"Hide it in your robes. We don't want you to be recognized."

Without another word, Tharja moved to her door. She pushed her door open and Marth followed her out of her room.

The hall outside was dimly lit by flickering red torches. Shadows clung to the walls and floor. Dark and deep. The entire place seemed to be void of any light whatsoever. Marth swallowed hard then turned to follow Tharja as the mage strode down the hall.

They passed several other rooms. Marth could hear voices coming from the other side of some of the doors. Most of them were hushed. Some were mad. Others loud and brash. Each tinged with a dark malice. A cold evil that Marth noticed was strangely absent from Tharja's presence.

The dark mage in front of her pushed another door open. Bright light hit Marth's eyes as they entered a large, rocky courtyard. Arcing over the courtyard, like giant beams of bone, were the ribs of the Fell Dragon. Marth's breath hitched at the sight.

"Impressive, isn't it?" Tharja said, "To think such a being existed on our physical plane at one point in time."

"A monster you mean." Marth said.

"Watch what you say." Tharja warned, "There are ears everywhere here. And to us, Grima is not a monster. Naga is."

Marth's eyes widened as they crossed the courtyard. They passed several small groups of mages that huddled together like school children on a playground. Marth noticed out of the corner of her eye one mage that sat alone from the others. And unlike all of the others, he had a bright smile on his youthful face. A Grimleal mage that seemed to enjoy the daylight and the warmth of the sun. And just like Tharja, his presence did not feel evil.

"Eyes to yourself." Tharja hissed, "Look at someone the wrong way and they will take it as a challenge."

"Where are we going exactly?" Marth asked.

"The markets." Tharja replied as they moved towards the Temple exit.

They two passed through the Temple gates. Tharja gave the gaurds that stood vigil a stern glare that told them to mind their own business. Then they both moved into the city streets. As they walked, people would quickly step out of their way. Careful not to offend the mage and her friend in any way.

"They fear us." Marth noticed.

"And rightfully so." Tharja replied, "The power we wield is otherworldly to the common folk. The Grimleal are the voice of Grima. We speak his divine words to the masses. And they listen."

"Grima is not divine." Marth growled under her breath.

"To us, Naga is not divine." Tharja replied, "There are two sides to every coin, Marth. Grima and Naga are part of the same coin. The side you look at the most is the one you will always favor. The one you will know the most about. To look beyond one side of the coin is to gain knowledge not just of one perspective in life, but to see the entire scope of life and death. Change and stability. Chaos and Order. Then when you see both sides, you can see the center. And realize just how much of existence is not black and white."

"I think Grima and Naga are pretty easy to distinguish." Marth replied as they entered the city markets.

All around Marth was a large, open space in the city. But there were few stalls. The Plegian Capitol did not receive as much trade as any Ylissean or Feroxi city for that matter. The nation's reputation for harboring bandits kept most merchants from risking the journey to this dusty corner of the world.

"In some ways." Tharja replied, "I'll admit, I do not know much about Naga. The study of her is rather… restricted. But I know much about Grima."

"Then how can you think that Grima is not a monster?" Marth asked.

Tharja folded her arms, "To you, Grima is death. No?"

Marth nodded.

"To us, Grima is change."

Marth gave Tharja a puzzled expression.

"What is death but the greatest of changes?" Tharja asked.

Marth opened her mouth, but could not think of a response. The blue haired girl frowned and shook her head. No, she would allow herself to think Grima could somehow be good. The Fell Dragon was evil incarnate. She knew that to be true. The monster was responsible for the apocalyptic future she knew. How could that not be evil?

"Why are we in the markets?" Marth asked, tired of the previous conversation.

"Changing the subject, are we?" Tharja snickered, "Very well. We are in the markets to gather information. While not bustling, there are still plenty of people here. And people like to talk. And rumors love it when people talk. If we are to find your friends we must hear the rumors."

"Wouldn't they all be in the palace dungeons?" Marth asked.

"Kenobi is." Tharja replied, "But your red haired friend, she is missing. I watched her fall off of the palace walls when I grabbed you. Then there is the Taguel and the Thief. They slipped away from the guards. Only Grima knows where they are hiding."

Marth felt a small rush of relief. Panne and Gaius were alive and they had managed to escape. Cordelia was missing, which worried Marth. But there was a chance she was still alive and on the run as well.

Tharja frowned then cocked her head a little bit.

"Do you hear something?" Marth asked.

She hoped the dark mage could hear something through the masses of people. While not as massive as Ylisstol's markets, the Plegian markets still had a lot of people milling about. There was so much noise that it made it difficult for Marth to even hear Tharja at times.

"A slight enhancement hex." Tharja explained, "And yes, I heard something." She turned to Marth, "I know where to find your Thief and Taguel friends."

….

Gaius sighed before taking a long swig from the little bottle in his right hand. He took in a sharp breath as the alcohol hit his tongue. It burned hard and sharp as it ran down his parched throat and into his empty stomach. Once it hit his stomach he unwrapped his last chocolate bar and devoured the sweet treat.

"I don't think alcohol and candy are appropriate right now, man-spawn." Panne scolded as she sat on a small, stone chair.

Gaius shook his head, "It's perfectly appropriate for right now." He raised the bottle in his hand, "For mourning," He then raised the candy wrapper, "For thinking."

"You require candy to think?"

"I require sugar to think." Gaius corrected, "And this just so happens to be the only sugar I have on me."

Panne snorted. But she could not be too annoyed with the thief that sat on the chair across from her. Without his knowledge and guidance, she would have been captured by the Plegians. And once that happened, the Mad King could have ordered her execution. Then the Taguel would truly be extinct.

Gaius had been able to keep his wits about him as they ran from the Plegian city guard. He guided her down dark, twisting alleys as they tried to lose the enemy that dogged at their heels. It reminded Panne far too much of running from human hunters back when her warren was still alive. She still shivered at that feeling. To feel like prey was not in the Taguel's nature. But humans had managed to make each and every one of her kind feel that fear. It was unnatural and terrifying.

Eventually, they managed to lose the guards. Once that happened, Gaius hopped off of her back and followed hidden symbols carved into some of the stone buildings around the city. At the end of those symbols, was a hidden doorway cut into the rocky face of a cliff. Inside of the cliff was a den for thieves. A little tavern and inn that catered to the criminal underbelly of Plegia's capitol.

It was very cramped. Carved into a natural cave in the cliff side then hidden by stone. Only thieves could find the entrance. And only thieves knew about this place. A place of refuge after a long day's work. Gaius had used this place as a safe house many times when he was just a petty thief on the Plegian streets. The tavern wenches were familiar with him. The owner tolerated him. This place was a safe as safe could get for a fugitive. The dark shadows on the inside of the tavern allowed Gaius to feel like he was coming home.

Once inside, Gaius visibly relaxed. He and Panne took the table furthest away from anyone else. Promptly ordered the hardest liquor the tavern had. Then the man-spawn proceeded to silently stew before finally uncorking the bottle.

Gaius took another sip from the bottle.

"Damn it all." He muttered before setting the bottle down, "You want some, Whiskers?"

"No."

Gaius snorted, "Figures." He plucked the bottle again, "More for me."

Panne rolled her eyes. Using her fast reflexes, she snatched the bottle from Gaius's hands just as he brought it to his lips a third time.

"Hey!"

"No more until we have a plan." Panne scolded.

Gaius slumped in his seat. He motioned at the bottle, "The plan, Whiskers, is to get drunk enough so that I forget about this whole day."

"That is not a plan. That is wallowing."

"Well it works for me!" Gaius snapped.

Panne narrowed her eyes at the thief. Gaius groaned and hung his head.

"Please let me get drunk."

"You don't think our friends are alive, do you?" Panne asked.

"How can they be?" Gaius asked, "You were there too. Cordelia was fighting off the entire army on her own. King Gangrel laid a trap for us. Ben was caught by Maul and probably killed. And Marth got her teeth kicked in by-" Gaius took a sharp breath, "If I ever see that blond haired son of bitch again I'll gut him. I swear it."

Panne inclined her head, "So there is some fight still in you."

"Enough for vengeance." Gaius snarled, "I. Don't. Fail. Jobs." He leaned back in his seat, "And that bastard Kage…" He snorted indignantly, "I can't believe it. That kid played me like a fiddle."

"He fooled all of us, Gaius." Panne pointed out.

"That's comforting." Gaius sassed, "You truly are excellent at consoling people, aren't you?"

Panne frowned, "Our friends are not dead. I refuse to believe that."

"Whiskers…"

"Until I see their bodies with my own eyes they are not dead." Panne leaned forward in her seat, "Right now, the Shepherds are the closest thing to a warren I have. And the one who allowed that to come about was Ben. Him, Chrom, and Robin allowed me to join the Shepherds. Without them, I would be all alone again. Do you know what that is like?"

"It's a hell of a lot more peaceful." Gaius muttered.

"It is terrifying." Panne continued, "Having no one to call friend. No one to call upon when you need help. No one to just… talk to." Panne gulped, "It is a feeling worse than sorrow."

Gaius closed his eyes. Of course Panne would feel that way. She had already lost one family. And just as she was starting to build another one, they were being ripped away again.

 _I'm going to need more booze._

"We must rescue them." Panne said, her voice firm and resolute.

"How?" Gaius asked, "What are we going to do? Knock on the front door? Ask nicely?" Gaius shook his head, "Whiskers, I hate to say this, but… it's over. They beat us. Exalt Emmeryn is going to die tomorrow. And if our friends aren't dead yet, then they will be executed with her. And there is not a damn thing we can do about it."

"We can still fight." Panne suggested, "As long as we are alive they stand a chance." Panne leaned forward in her seat, "After all, the greatest thief in the world is still free. Ready to spring them all loose."

Gaius's eyes darted back to meet Panne's dark brown ovals. She was not joking with him. There was no mockery in her voice. She genuinely believed he was the greatest thief in the world. And she believed in him. Believed he would be able to help her save the members of her new warren.

 _MORE BOOZE!_

Gaius groaned, "Flattery… my one weakness."

Panne gave him a confused expression, "I thought sugar-"

"Was my biggest vice. Not weakness."

Panne quirked an eyebrow, "Aren't those two the same-"

"Well," Gaius clapped his hands together, "Screw it. If we leave this tavern, we're dead anyways. Might as well go out in a blaze of glory. Congratulations Whiskers, you managed to guilt me into doing something incredibly stupid."

"I wasn't trying to guilt you into any-"

"So here's the start of the plan," Gaius leaned over the table, "We need to wait until the moment of the executions. Then…" He started to snap his fingers as he tried to organize his thoughts, "Booze me, Whiskers."

"I already told you-"

Gaius grabbed the bottle and tore it from the Taguel's grasp. He uncorked it with his teeth and took several large gulps from it. He let out a loud gasp before sucking in a deep breath and uttering a loud hoot.

"Damn good stuff!" He hollered, "So, we wait until the execution. As they are about to be executed we sneak past the Plegian officials and take Gangrel hostage. While you hold the King hostage, I'm going to take care of the executioner. I'll cut Benny, the Exalt, Blue, and Red's binds. Then we will use our hostage to ensure our escape." He chugged the last drops of alcohol, "Brilliantly stupid! Exactly what they would not see coming!"

Panne started incredulously at Gaius.

"I'm not letting you drink anymore after today."

Gaius kicked his feet up on the table and gave her a smug grin.

"Admit it."

"Admit what?"

"The booze worked."

Panne pinched the bridge of her nose. She shook her head. How in the name of Naga did she wind up friends with this man-spawn? He had a way of both amusing her and making her feel like throwing her head into a brick wall. No other human had managed to make her feel both happy and annoyed like that before. It was an odd mixture.

Unfortunately, she was feeling more annoyed than happy at the moment.

"Good plan yeah?" Gaius asked as his cheeks began to turn pink from the alcohol.

Panne sighed, "It is the only one we have." She rose from the table, "We must hope it works."

"Where are you going?" Gaius asked her as she moved away from the table.

Panne sighed, "To find out when our friends are supposed to die."

Gaius recoiled as Panne stormed away from him towards the tavern's exit. Gaius let out a long breath. After a few moments, he signaled a tavern wench.

"Another bottle please." He said, "Oh… and the sweetest sweet you have."

"We have dried melon." The tavern wench replied.

Gaius scowled, "On second thought, make it two bottles along with those." Gaius sighed as she walked away, "After all this is done, if we aren't all dead, I'm raiding the Ylisstol pantry."

….

Cordelia pressed her back into a small shack in the slums of Plegia's Capitol. She blinked exhaustion from her eyes and let out a long, groan.

Naga, she was tired. Every single muscle in her body was stiff and in pain. Then there was the scrapes and bruises. The ankle injury that she was certain was at least a sprain. At the worst, a fracture. She could feel a couple of ribs creaking in her chest with every breath.

That fall from the walls really did a number on her. But she could not stop running now. The city guard were combing the city for her. She had taken down too many of them for them to just let her slip quietly into the crowds of people. It was no longer a matter of capture the Ylissean for King Gangrel. Now it was a matter of vengeance and pride for the Plegian military.

Cordelia gasped for breath and winced as pain lanced through her sides.

 _Yup… broken ribs._ She thought as her grip on her bloodied sword tightened.

The temptation to just fall to the ground and go to sleep was tremendous. She had been running for a whole day. Ducking and dodging into back alleys and dark corners. Fighting off groups of guards as they cornered her in a dead end or cut her off from a path of escape. But the will to fight did not leave her. She had to fight on. Not just because she wanted to live.

She had to fight in order to make sure the others could escape.

Cordelia did not know the fate of her companions. She did not know what happened to Ben, Gaius, or Panne. But she prayed to Naga that they made it out of the palace alive. Hopefully with the Exalt as well.

She did know the fate of Marth though. And it was a grim one. The last she saw of Marth, the girl was dying as Kage blasted her with bolts of lightning. A spell so intense in its power that it would have made any Ylissean mage quiver in terror. It terrified Cordelia when she saw it. Marth was one of the strongest warriors she had ever seen. To see her on the ground, screaming and spasming as Kage tortured her to death-

Cordelia heard the gauntlet on her hand creaking as her fingers curled into a tight fist. Kage, he was the traitor. He was the one who alerted the Plegians to their plan. He was the one who told the Plegians about Exalt Emmeryn's escape to the Eastern Palace.

It was his fault she was wounded in Plegia's capitol. His fault her friends were in danger. His fault that the Exalt was captured.

She grit her teeth and felt rage build up in her.

It was his fault that Commander Phila and all of her sisters in the Pegasus Knights were now dead.

Her hands were shaking with fury. If she saw the little bastard again, she would kill him. Not just for herself. But for Commander Phila, and every single Pegasus Knight he helped murder.

But first she had to survive. And those odds were grim at best. Nonexistent at worst. She was running out of places to hide. She would not be able to run forever. And there was no one she could turn to for help. Eventually, unless a miracle occurred, she would succumb either to exhaustion or to an enemy's blade. Then it would end. And she would not be at peace.

Cordelia sucked in a large breath. She winced when her ribs shifted again. Then she limped along the wall. Her sword dragged in the dust near her feet as her arm rested limply at her side. Her other hand guided her along the wall. Her vision was starting to grow spotty. She needed rest. Gods she needed rest.

A voice whispered to her. Cordelia was instantly alert. Her arms snapped up and raised her sword to eye level. She pivoted, ignoring every ache and pain, and leveled the deadly blade in the direction of the voice.

Standing in the doorway of a small hut was an elderly woman. Her back was hunched. Her once black hair had turned white long ago. Deep wrinkles ran over her face like long trenches in the earth. And her eyes were cloudy like milk.

"You sound injured, child." The old crone croaked as she hobbled towards Cordelia with the help of a gnarled cane.

Cordelia swallowed hard but kept her blade trained at the old woman. She was Plegian. And the Plegians wanted to defeat all Ylisseans. And they certainly wanted to kill all of the Pegasus Knights. Considering the fact that she was the last one, all it would take was a dagger in the back for that goal to come to fruition.

The old woman stopped just short of the blade's tip. She gave Cordelia a gentle smile.

"I'm not going to hurt you, little one." She said as her clouded eyes stared up at Cordelia.

Cordelia was about to reply when she heard harsh voices in the alleyway nearby. The clink clank of armor caused the hairs on the back of her neck to stand on end.

The old woman turned away.

"Come quickly." She said, "Before you are found."

Cordelia's gaze turned to the end of the alley. She could take her chances with the guards once again. Pray that their numbers did not overwhelm her. Or she could take her chances with an old, blind woman.

The choice became obvious when she thought about it that way.

Cordelia pushed away form the wall and staggered after the old woman. She collapsed into the woman's house just as she shut the door behind both of them.

The floor was dusty. The wooden planks that had once provided a solid foundation had long ago rotted away. Splinters raked through Cordelia's palms as she tried to push herself up.

Knobbly hands grabbed Cordelia beneath her arms. The old woman looked frail, but she was surprisingly strong. She hauled Cordelia to her feet and helped her over to an ancient wicker sofa.

Even though the sofa was gnarled and knotted, it was the most comfortable seat in the world for the exhausted Pegasus Knight. She let her head fall back against the rough, reedy back. She could feel her eyes beginning to finally close.

"Rest now." The old crone said, her voice grainy yet sweet, "I will make you a remedy."

 _I wish I could._ Cordelia thought as she fought off sleep once again.

She needed to be alert. At any moment, she could run into an enemy in this city and be killed. She needed to keep at the ready. She needed-

"Rest." The old woman said sternly this time.

Cordelia felt a cold, damp cloth press against her forehead. Then she felt the woman's knobbly fingers work on the buckles of her armor. The heavy steel fell away. Cordelia did not move to protest. She felt a wooden bowl press against her cracked lips. Warm water hit her parched mouth then rushed down her dry throat. She greedily drank as much as she could.

The red head gasped for breath when the bowl left her lips.

With just a few kind gestures, she already felt a million times better. But a question kept bouncing through her mind.

The Plegians hated the Ylisseans. So why would this old woman help her?

"Wh-" Cordelia tried to speak. But her throat was so dry. All that came out was a hoarse whisper. The old woman waved her hand. Silencing the red head.

"Because it is the right thing to do." The old woman answered, "Not all Plegians wish doom upon Ylisse."

Cordelia gave the woman a puzzled look.

The old crone, despite being blind, seemed to be able to notice Cordelia's confusion.

"I lost my husband during the last war. He died during one of the first battles."

She shuffled over to a small, rickety cabinet. Inside were jars of dried spices and herbs. Her hands ran along the labels until she arrived at a pair near the end of the row. She plucked them out of the cabinet and shuffled back towards a small stove. She placed the herbs into a copper pot and began to stir it in now boiling water.

"When he died," She continued, "I was alone. I had to raise my son all alone. He was… ten when my husband died." A sad smile fell on her face, "He was such a good boy. And when he joined the Plegian military, I was so proud of him. Even prouder still, when he was chosen to march with the King Gangrel's honor guard during the final battle of the war." She continued to stir the boiling water, "He came home, and the King named him to be one of his Kingsguard due to his valor in battle. My son came home a hero. And I was forever thankful to Grima for allowing that to happen."

She stopped stirring. Her trembling hand lifted the wooden spoon to her mouth and she sipped on the concoction she was working on. The old woman bobbed her head, satisfied. She grabbed a wooden ladle and scooped a spoonful. She brought the liquid over to Cordelia.

"Drink up. This will help numb the pain."

Cordelia hesitated. But then relented. She gratefully drank the bitter concoction.

A wave of warmth rushed over her body. She could feel some aches and pains fade as she sat still on the sofa.

"What-" Cordelia cleared her throat, "What happened to him?"

"Hm?"

"To your son?"

The old woman smiled sweetly, "Well, he served good King Gangrel nobly. You must understand, at first King Gangrel was a great king. Ambitious and prideful, sure. But also understanding, generous, and patriotic. He wanted nothing more than to see Plegia thrive in the wake of the war. He wanted to rebuild the kingdom and make it into the envy of every other nation in the world. There were grand plans in order. Cities were to built along the western coast for trade. Roads constructed through the desert. Aquifers built and wells dug. Farms planted where they could be planted. The boy king was destined to be the greatest ruler in our country's history."

The old women let out a sad sigh.

"Then, my colleagues in the Grimleal sank their claws into him."

Cordelia felt her muscles tense up. No wonder the concoction the old woman made her was so effective. She had likely been practicing how to make it for decades! As a Grimleal mage, she must have knowledge on so many different spells and potions. But that also made her extremely dangerous.

"More specifically," The woman continued, "A young mage named Validar took hold of him. Him and his little apprentice, Aversa." The woman snorted, "Snotty little brat. Anyways, they got into the King's good graces. Eventually he elevated them to the level of political adviser. A way to appease the radical factions within the Grimleal." She let out along sigh, "And that was when everything began to fall apart."

"The Grimleal took control of the education plans the King had laid in place. Instead of learning to build, the Grimleal taught children to destroy. Then they took hold of the King's city building plans. Claimed they were a waste of resources and gold. Then they took hold of the flow of information. No one could speak out against them for fear of being imprisoned, killed, or worse. Around that same time, the good King began to change. His countenance began to grow sickly. His eyes no longer bright, but manic and fearful. Validar and Aversa had succeeded in poisoning his mind. Turning the brilliant ruler into a madman."

Cordelia listened in utter silence as the woman took another breath. She held another ladle of medicine to Cordelia's lips. The pegasus knight silent sipped it.

"My son saw the changes. The King trusted him. Or so he thought. He confronted Gangrel. Warned him of the poison in Validar and Aversa's words." A small tear ran down the old woman's cheek, "I watched as Validar had him burned alive. Powerless to stop him. And the King laughed the entire time as his loyal soldier screamed." She bowed her head, swallowed, and shook her head.

"I'm… I'm sorry." Cordelia said.

"It is not your fault, little one." The old woman said, "I told you all of this, because I could feel the anger and hatred in you. It is what drew me to you in the alley. That hatred is what drove Validar's actions. It is what drove King Gangrel mad. And I don't want to see a beautiful flower such as you wither away like that."

Cordelia's mouth hung open.

"But… but why help me?" Cordelia asked, "Your reason can't just be because you like me."

The woman gave her a gentle smile, "No. It is because I still have hope. The King is long gone now. There is no saving him. But perhaps, when he is gone, and the Grimleal are defeated, a new king will come. And he will lead my people to prosperity. My son dreamed of that day. I hope it comes true, for his sake."

The woman took the rag from Cordelia's head, dabbed it in more precious water, before dabbing it against her boiling forehead.

"Now rest, little one. I will wake you if any trouble comes."

Cordelia swallowed then nodded. Her heavy eyelids slowly fell. Sleep embraced her. And she welcomed it.

 **And chapter! A little filler before we get to the showdown chapters! Marth is with Tharja. That was a little twist on canon I enjoyed doing. While I do enjoy Tharja's almost nihilistic approach to turning on Plegia in the original game, I do feel it is kind of out of nowhere and very uncharacteristic of a Grimleal mage. They are pretty much indoctrinated into a cult. So I decided to put a bit of a spin on it in order to make her turn make more sense in a way. I hope I accomplished that.**

 **Meanwhile, Gaius and Panne are about to try another crazy rescue. And Cordelia is injured and in the care of an ex-Grimleal mage in the slums of the Capitol. And just a day or two away are our favorite Prince and Tactician. The battle is almost here! I'm excited to write it! I've got it all planned out. And yeah… it's gonna be one hell of an event.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think. As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	30. Out of Time

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 30

Out of Time

Robin soldiered onward. His forehead caked in layers of sweat. Mouth dry and throat parched. In front of him, Chrom and Khan Flavia both surged through the hot desert sands. The need to appear strong and battle ready outweighing their own weariness. Robin was grateful he did not have to keep up any appearances. He could look tired and no one would bat an eye.

The heat was somehow still unbearable, even during the dawn hours, before the sun rose. During the previous few nights it had always cooled off considerably. The army would awaken early, sometimes well before dawn, and begin marching in order to take advantage of the favorable temperatures.

But this night was different. The heat remained. And it was stifling. Robin could overhear many of the Feroxi soldiers uttering breathless curses as they struggled through the heat and terrain. The horses they had were not any better. They had long ago stopped trotting and were now slogging through the sand.

Robin wiped some sweat from his brow using his now soaked sleeve. He reached to his hip, grabbed his small water skin, and drank deep from it. The water was warm, but it was still satisfying. He let out a loud sigh before strapping the skin of water back to his hip.

"Maybe if you took coat off, heat would not bother you as much."

Robin glanced to his right. The mercenary they had picked up a few nights ago, Gregor, was marching alongside him. The older man looked like he had barely broken a sweat. But that was likely due to years of hard travel. The man was used to the heat. And used to the cold. His muscles were not large, but strong and firm. Powerful enough to easily propel him through the drifting sands.

"This coat stays on my shoulders at all times." Robin replied firmly.

"Why?" A smaller voice asked him.

Robin raised an eyebrow and looked to his left. Skipping in the sand beside him was the the army's second tag along, Nowi.

"Why?" Robin parroted before pursing his lips.

It was an excellent question. It would benefit him to remove his coat in order to combat the heat. But whenever he felt the temptation to do so, he found himself unable to shrug the heavy garment from his shoulders. He gave his opposite sleeve a small tug with his right hand.

"I guess…" Robin hummed to himself, "This and my spellbook are the only two things I have from my old life. And I don't remember my old life. So I guess you could chalk it up to a strange case of unknown nostalgia."

"Sentimental to you. Gregor gets it." The mercenary replied before patting the old sword that dangled from his hip, "This blade been with Gregor long time. Heh, longer than you been alive maybe. Gregor wouldn't know what to do if lose it."

"I don't get it." Nowi chirped.

Her bright smile was full of innocence. It was hard to believe that the small child could turn into a massive, glowing, green dragon almost at will. Robin still had to remind himself that he in fact was not hallucinating when she first went through that transformation.

"Well, you haven't exactly had a whole lot of years to get attached to stuff." Robin replied.

"HA!" Gregor bellowed, "Not lot of years eh? Hear that little girl?"

Nowi giggled beside Robin, "You're funny. But I'm older than you think."

Robin arched an eyebrow in confusion, "How so? Wait… do you age slower because of your dragon thingy?"

Nowi cocked her head to the side then shrugged, "I don't know how it works exactly."

"So, if you aren't a little girl then, hmm." Robin rubbed his chin, "Shot in the dark. And I'm being generous with this guess too. Fifty?"

"HAHAHAHA!" Gregor chortled, "He think you same age as Gregor. Hahaha!"

Robin frowned, "I'm wrong? Younger?"

"No. No." Gregor patted Robin's shoulder, "Nowi is older."

"Older!?"

"Yup! I'm…" Nowi began to count on her fingers, "Um… Hm… I've lost track actually."

"A hundred then." Robin guessed.

"Wrong again." Gregor replied.

"Grandpa's right!" Nowi smiled, "You're wrong."

"Grandpa!" Gregor balked, "Little girl bold to be calling Gregor grandpa. Little girl old enough to be Gregor's great-great-great-great," Robin's eyes slowly began to widen, "great-great- er- how many greats?"

"Last time I counted, I'm about a thousand years old." Nowi grinned, "Give or take a few years."

"A th-th-th-" Robin stammered.

Gregor roared with laughter, "Gregor react same way when he first learn too. Nowi young for Manakete though."

Robin violently shook his head, "Mana-what?"

"That's what I am. A Manakete." Nowi smiled before jumping up and down, "Oh oh! I thought of a game we can play!"

"Go find other little boy." Gregor suggested, "Robin looks tired."

"I'm not tired." Robin replied doing his best to suppress a yawn.

Nowi looked disappointed for a moment. But in the end, she shrugged and gave the two a cheerful smile before dashing off to find Ricken. Gregor uttered a small sigh as she rushed away.

"Having playmate, good for little girl." Gregor said, "Especially one like her."

"Er, Ricken is a human." Robin replied in a matter of fact tone.

"Heh! Gregor knows. But Ricken's mind developed same as Nowi." Gregor replied as he tapped the side of his head, "They think same because both technically young for species."

"I think you'll be surprised by how mature Ricken actually is." Robin countered.

"CATCH ME IF YOU CAN!" Nowi shouted behind them.

"Get back here with my hat!" Ricken shouted, his voice filled with laughter.

Gregor gave Robin an amused smirk. The tactician sighed and hung his head.

"I'm better at reading tactics than people." Robin muttered.

"Heh! Much to learn, Robin has." Gregor replied reassuringly, "No worries, you still young. Much time to learn. To do good." A long sigh left Gregor's lips, "Gregor getting old. Not much time till can no longer fight. Gregor has done many things. Not proud of all of them. What time Gregor has left, will use to do some good."

"Is that why you freed Nowi?" Robin asked.

Above the company, the sky slowly began to turn a lighter shade of purple.

Gregor nodded, "Yes. Grimleal try to capture her. Sacrifice her to Grima." Robin scowled, "Yes, Gregor thought same. So Gregor acted."

Robin nodded to himself, "I'm still surprised you were associated with them in the first place. I mean, you are a genuinely nice guy."

Gregor shrugged, "Eh, Gregor has many former employers. Some good, some not so good. Grimleal employed many times. But…" Gregor shook his head, "Agh, Gregor not good with words sometimes. Gregor do many stupid things as young boy. Bad things. But now, he try to be good. Do right. Lesson for you, young Robin. Never too late for a bad guy to do some good. Gregor is proof."

Robin gave the old man next to him a small smile.

"A bad guy wouldn't know to do that."

Gregor chuckled but said nothing in return. The pair continued marching for a few more minutes in silence. Then Gregor spoke again.

"So, we save Exalt?"

Robin nodded, "That's the plan."

"Grimleal have her?"

Robin frowned, "Technically yes. But it's more likely she is being held in the palace dungeons."

Gregor frowned, "Worse then."

Robin raised his brow, "How so?"

A worried expression came over Gregor's face.

"When Gregor last contracted by Grimleal, taken by Grimleal to palace. Expected to meet King and adviser. Instead just adviser and adviser's helper." The mercenary shuddered, "Adviser name Maul." Robin's eyes widened, "Looked right at Gregor. Never felt so afraid in all of life. Like a wolf staring at sheep. Maul is evil. No good in that one."

Robin did not doubt a word he said. He had witnessed Maul's destructive capabilities first hand. His thoughts drifted back to the battle on the East Road. Maul fought with a power and ferocity that had overwhelmed both Chrom and Marth at the same time. Two of the best swordsmen Robin had ever seen were no match for the Plegian monster.

"I thought you said it was never too late for someone to do good." Robin said with a small hint of jest in his voice. Jest Gregor did not pick up on.

"Too late was yesterday for Maul." Gregor replied, "His helper though, hope for him, maybe."

"Helper?" Robin asked, "Do you mean the Black Rider?"

"Hm?"

Robin shook his head. Right, Gregor was not at the battles where the Black Rider made his appearance.

"You know um, black robes and hood." Robin explained, "Overpowering aura. Kinda… no, very aggressive."

"Gregor doesn't know black rider." The Mercenary replied, "But Maul's helper did have black robe and hood. But hood down."

Robin's eyes bugged out of his skull. The Black Rider was not disguised around Gregor. That meant the mercenary knew what the man looked like beneath the hood and mask. Any information about that enemy was good information at the moment. Robin disliked enigmas when it came to battlefield strategy. And while he had a small understanding of what Maul was capable of, he had no idea what the Black Rider was capable of.

"What did he look like?" Robin asked.

"Young." Gregor said quickly, "Then again, everyone look young to Gregor. But this guy was barely man. Not tall, not short. Thin. Blonde," Robin felt his heart stop thumping in his chest, "Blazing yellow eyes. But Gregor swears he saw them change to blue once." A cold sweat began to build on Robin's brow, "Strangely charming."

Robin gripped Gregor's collar. Surprising the mercenary.

"Name!?"

Gregor quirked an eyebrow, "Don't know. Maul refer to him as apprentice."

A bad feeling hit Robin's gut. And his gut did not lead him astray often. The Black Rider was a blonde haired kid with both yellow and blue eyes. Strangely charming and average build. Completely unassuming in every way.

Just like Kage.

He recalled when he first met the kid. How there was a strange set of yellow eyes in the shadows behind Validar before Kage moved in for the kill. How the boy had moved so fluidly through the darkness. No peasant boy meant to be a carriage driver could do those things.

"Oh no." Robin breathed.

Before Gregor could ask was was wrong, Robin was flying up the column towards Chrom and Flavia. His coat flapped behind him as he sprinted through the sand.

When motivated, Robin could move fast. It took him no time at all to pass up the first few groups of Feroxi soldiers and Ylissean Shepherds. Several of them waved at him as he sprinted by, but he did not wave back. If his hunch was correct, then all of them, every soldier, every Shepherd, was in grave danger.

He caught sight of Flavia and Chrom at the front of the column.

"Chrom!" Robin cried.

The Prince came to a halt and turned to see his tactician sprinting full speed to him. Flavia also stopped. Her brow arched in confusion.

Robin slid to a stop in front of both of them. He gasped for air before giving Chrom a frantic look.

"Robin?" Chrom said, "What is wrong?"

"We cannot attack now." Robin breathed.

"What do you mean, we cannot attack now?" Flavia asked, "We are a few hours march from the Capitol."

"Flavia is right Robin, there is no stopping now." Chrom replied, his voice exuding both command and self assurance, "If you're worried about our strategy then you're going to have to adjust on the fly."

Robin took a deep breath, "I'm not worried about that. I've just- I've just learned something. From Gregor."

"Is it intelligence regarding the enemy?" Chrom asked.

"I think so."

"Well spill it already." Flavia barked.

Heavy bags sat under the Khan's eyes. Sleep was not a luxury commanders had during a war.

"I think Kage's a spy!" Robin blurted out.

Flavia narrowed her eyes at him. Chrom's face turned to stone.

"A spy?" Chrom repeated.

Robin nodded.

"How?"

"Gregor, when he was still working for the Grimleal, met Maul _and_ his apprentice. We know the apprentice is the Black Rider. Well, the Black Rider was not disguised when he met Gregor. And Gregor just described him as a young, blonde haired guy with yellow and blue eyes. Same height and build as Kage too."

"You just described a lot of people, Robin." Flavia noted, "Besides, who has both yellow and blue eyes?"

Robin frowned, "I-I don't know. But damn it I just know on this one. When Kage first appeared in the palace back in Ylisstol there was a strange… thing, with yellow eyes behind Validar. Then Kage appeared and stabbed the assassin in the back. That can't be a coincidence."

"Or maybe the stress of battle made you see things?" Flavia suggested, "It happens to the best of us. Especially when we aren't very combat experienced."  
"Or perhaps it's a ruse." Chrom commented, "We know Maul is a mage like Ben. Maybe he knows a spell of some sort that can disguise his apprentice in an attempt to make us lose sleep over nothing."

"But it would explain a lot!" Robin countered, "How did Kage survive the battle in the palace. No peasant boy, sans Gaius, could sneak around a battlefield without being seen. Even Gaius got caught during that battle, and he's Gaius! Then there is his miraculous survival on the Eastern road. Panne and Gaius both said a Wyvern rider got him. Threw him over a cliff. And somehow he comes back from that? It makes no sense."

Chrom frowned, "You're right. That doesn't make any sense." Chrom folded his arms, "Do you think he turned mid battle then reverted back to our side before we could notice."

"That's what I was thinking." Robin agreed.

Flavia looked at both Ylisseans with apprehension.

"If you're right about this Robin, then we are walking into a trap." Chorm continued.

"It's just a hunch right now." Robin cautioned, "But… I have a gut feeling on this one Chrom. And it's not a good one."

Chrom cursed under his breath, "We have to assume the mission is compromised. Regardless if the hunch is right or not."

"What do we do then?" Flavia asked as she rested a hand on her hip, "We've come too far to turn around now. Besides, Exalt Emmeryn could be set for execution at any moment. The more time we stand here debating, the less time she has."

"I'm well aware of that." Chrom replied, his voice much harsher than normal. Harsh enough to make Flavia take a small step back.

The Prince rubbed his jaw and let out a long sigh. He took a few steps away in order to gather his thoughts.

"Chrom," Robin said, "We may have to figure out another way."

The tactician felt the pit in stomach grow when he saw his friend's head slowly shake.

"We don't have time." Chrom muttered before turning on his heel, "Emmeryn is about to die. We cannot stop or turn back now."

Robin stared incredulously at Chrom, "Chrom, I get wanting to save her. I do. I want to save her too. But it's not just her life at risk anymore." He gestured at the approaching group of soldiers and shepherds, "Is one life worth two hundred?"

"Emm's is." Chrom snarled.

Robin took a step back. He cursed to himself before sighing and shaking his head.

"If there's any consolation to all of this," Flavia butted in, "Last I heard from the old Oaf, the main Plegian army is still several days away from the Capitol. We are only a few hours. We still hold the advantage."

"Numbers don't mean anything if the enemy can outsmart you." Robin mumbled.

"Then it's a good thing I've got the smartest tactician on my side." Chrom replied.

Robin stared stunned at Chrom. The Prince marched up to him and placed hand on Robin's shoulder.

"I know it sounds impossible, but you will make it possible. I know it." Chrom let his hand fall to his side, "We will save Emmeryn. And we will survive this fight."

He shifted Falchion on his hip and turned to face the last few sand dunes before the Plegian Capitol. The Prince let out a small sigh. One Robin could tell was filled with uncertainty. Nevertheless, his friend pushed on. Flavia gave Robin a reassuring smirk.

"Maybe you're wrong?" She said before marching after Chrom.

Robin gulped as the rest of the company began to drift by him. His hand drifted to the tome in his coat pocket. His fingers gently brushed against the cracked leather spine. He shook his head.

"I really hope so."

….

It was the same nightmare all over again. Ben stood on the banks of a river of lava. His boots sank into the ash and rock beneath him. The heat nearly making the exposed skin on his hands, neck, and face blister. Only the Force kept him from collapsing due to exhaustion.

Below him, standing on a familiar platform floating in the river of lava was a young, fallen Jedi Knight. A look of pure hatred on the young man's face.

He jumped. Ben reacted. There was a howl of absolute pain. A body hit the ash. Ben looked down at his old friend, now burning alive on the lava bank. Fire engulfed the boy's entire body. Screams of agony rang through his ears. Ben turned away.

He jumped back, startled. Behind Ben was not the rocky surface of Mustafar. Instead, there was a long hallway. Bright lights pierced Ben's vision. The floor was a smooth duristeel surface. The walls a dull gray color. Militaristic in it's design.

Puzzled he took a few steps forward. He could still feel the heat of Mustafar as he delved deeper into the strange installation. He could not feel any other lives near him. The entire area felt empty. Void.

He paused. No, there was something here. A subtle chill to the air that made Ben proceed with much more caution. He darted over to a small cleft in the wall and pressed himself into the shadows.

" _Obi Wan."_

A myriad of voices hit his mind. Each one saying his name. Each one sounding like a figment of his imagination. Voices he had not heard in decades. Voices long dead. Mace Windu, Yoda, Qui Gon, Satine, they were all speaking at the same time. Their final words hammering in his mind. Bludgeoning him with sorrow and guilt.

" _I HATE YOU!"_

" _Obi Wan…"_

" _I always loved you."_

" _Fear is the path to the dark side."_

" _Obi Wan…"_

" _I don't trust him."_

He crumpled to the floor. It was too much. He felt hopelessly overwhelmed. A trembling hand ran through his hair as he shivered on the floor.

" _KENOBI!"_

Maul's savage roar hit his mind.

" _From my point of view, the Jedi are evil!"_

Anakin's words of pure hatred slammed into him.

" _Train him."_

Qui Gon's last request.

" _Obi Wan…"_

Ben squeezed his eyes shut and pressed his hands over his ears. There was too much going on. Too many voices. Too many memories. If this was a vision from the Force, then it was the cruelest one it could ever deliver him.

" _Just as I am not alone in this war. You are not alone in this life."_

Ben's eyes shot open. Warmth rushed over his shivering form for the briefest of moments. Then that small chill he felt before burst forth. It felt like his body froze as cold blasted him. Not cold like Regna Ferox. But cold like a void. Black and empty. Filled with hatred and pain.

" _I HATE YOU!"_

The floor started to crumble beneath his feet. Ben looked around in a panic. Then he saw something. A shadowy form stepping towards him from the other end of the crumbling hall. A figure out of a nightmare. Clad in black armor and robes.

A deep voice thrummed in his head. It's rumbling cadence rattled his rib cage. His breath left his lungs. It was joined by another voice. One that Ben vaguely recognized. A young woman's voice. Stern and strong, but lacking in confidence.

" _Master."_

….

Ben jolted awake. The sudden movement caused pain to rush over his body. Harsh coughs wracked his lungs as he struggled to catch his breath.

"Ben!"

He blinked the fog from his eyes. Emmeryn was beside him. His head was cradled in her lap. All fears and frustrations ran away as relief flooded him. She was alive. That was a step in the right direction.

Ben took a deep breath. His heart finally started to settle down. He let out a long groan before forcing himself to sit upright. He rolled his shoulders. Felt the muscles stretch and pop. Then he glanced over at Emmeryn.

"Even in captivity, you look lovely." Ben said with a small smirk on his face.

Emmeryn let out a small laugh, "And you look awful." Her laugher died away, "You were… are so injured, Ben. I was scared that you-"

"I'm awake now." Ben replied before taking in his surroundings.

The good news was, they were not in a prison cell. They were in a small guest room of sorts. There was a small, double bed pressed up against a plain, sandstone wall. A little window allowed some sunlight from the harsh Plegian desert to come inside. There was a desk with nothing in or on it. An empty wardrobe. In terms of prison cells, it was the most comfortable he had ever had the pleasure of staying in.

"Well… this doesn't look so bad." Ben said.

"Don't look in the mirror then." Emmeryn replied before striding over to a small end table beside the bed.

There was a little bucket with water in it. The Exalt plucked a wet rag from the bucket and walked back over to Ben. Before he could protest, she knelt down beside him and began to dab the rag against the gash on his forehead.

"It will take a skilled healer in order for that not to scar over." Emmeryn muttered as she cleaned the wound.

"It is a good thing there are plenty of them back home." Ben replied.

Emmeryn let out a long sigh, "If we get home."

Ben gave her a questioning look.

"Ben, I-" Emmeryn let the rag fall to her side as she took a deep breath, "If Maul was not the one in charge around here, then I would have hope of escape. But seeing what he did to you-" Her voice choked up a little bit, "What hope do we have?"

"Enough." Ben answered, "He caught me off guard. It won't happen again. I can beat him."

Emmeryn gave him a hard stare, "You've bested that monster before, right?"

"Yes." Ben replied, "And he was not so crippled before. If he did not have the element of surprise, I could have beaten him. But…" Ben frowned, "I also had to make sure the others escaped."

Emmeryn's eyes widened, "Others?"

"Marth, Gaius, Panne, and Cordelia came with. Gaius was with me when Maul cornered us. As far as I know, he got away. I don't know about the others."

Emmeryn swallowed hard. But under her breath, she said a silent thank you to Naga. Chrom did not do something foolhardy. She had fully expected her little brother to charge after her captors, Falchion in hand, without any regard for the dangers such a move posed. Instead, he sent a small rescue force then obeyed her orders to continue on to Regna Ferox.

She probably had Robin to thank for that. If she saw the tactician again, he would have earned her utmost gratitude.

"Ben," She began, "When Maul dragged you in here, I- I asked him why he was doing this? I thought it was because he was doing what King Gangrel commanded. That or because he was some twisted creature that served the Grimleal. But it was neither of those." She gulped, "He told me, he was doing all of this because he hates you. He wants to destroy you. And then, before I could ask another question, he told me to ask you for an explanation."

Ben's silence spoke a million words. The young swordsman ran a hand over his mouth. Emmeryn could see the wheels in his mind turning. Spinning so fast that she would not have been able to keep up with his thought process. He was trying to figure out how to answer her. Taking his time in order to give her an answer that did not reveal to much.

She sighed and placed a hand on his bruised cheek. Ben grew still for a moment before letting out a sigh.

"Tell me the truth." Emmeryn said, "What happened between you and Maul?"

Ben closed his eyes and pressed his lips together.

"In order to understand that, you have to understand who I am."

Emmeryn raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Emmeryn I-" Ben leaned back in his seat, "This planet is not the only one with life on it. There are billions of other worlds in the galaxy, with trillions of other lifeforms on them."

Emmeryn's eyes slowly widened, "Are-are you saying that you came from the stars?"

Ben gave her a small nod, "I don't exactly know how I ended up on this world. And I have no idea how Maul got here. But yes, I am not from this planet." Ben let out a strained sigh before continuing, "I come from a planet called Coruscant. It's not my home world, but it is the place I called home. I was a member of a group of Force Sensitive individuals called the Jedi."

 _Jedi._ Emmeryn recalled Maul referring to Ben as that. She was unfamiliar with the term. But if what Ben was saying is true, then Jedi referred to the group of people he belonged to.

"Force sensitive?" Emmeryn asked.

"Beings who can use the Force." Ben saw the confusion on her face, "You see-um- how do I explain this as simply as I can? Hm…" He rubbed his chin, "It… it is, in essence, an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us, penetrates us, it binds the galaxy together. This world's magic is very similar to it. They may even be one and the same."

He took a breath as he continued.

"And my real name is not Ben. My name is Obi Wan Kenobi. And I was considered a Master in the Jedi Order."

Emmeryn's eyes widened, "So… why Ben?"

She saw a deep pain cross his face. Something had happened. Something so horrific that it was enough to keep him awake at night. Realization dawned on the Exalt. Were his nightmares caused by this horrific ordeal that he struggled to talk about.

"There was a war in the Galactic Republic. The Jedi were tasked to be generals in the Grand Army of the Republic." Ben took a shaky breath, "The army was made of clones. Soldiers replicated from a single genetic code. Those clones were trained to obey any order from the leader of the republic without question. During the war, the chancellor was a man named Palpatine. Our opponent was a group of people known as the Sith."

"And the Sith are?"

Ben pressed his lips together, "The ancient enemy of the Jedi Order. Maul is a Sith. I first fought him when I was just a padawan learner, along with my Master. During that fight, he killed my master, and I cut him down." He made a chopping motion with his hand, "Cut him in half at the waist and watched as he plummeted down a reactor shaft. I thought he was dead but…" He shook his head, "I was wrong. His hatred for me began there. And it has only grown in strength."

"The leader of the Separatist, the ones who started the war, Count Dooku, was also a Sith." Ben continued, "But neither of them were the Sith Master. We thought the Sith Master was using the Separatist to destroy the republic and therefore the Jedi Order. In a way, we were partially right but… also very wrong."

Emmeryn waited patiently as Ben gathered his thoughts.

"The Sith Lord didn't just use the Separatist. He used the Republic as well. He orchestrated the entire war. Set every event in motion that he needed in order to destroy the Jedi Order. Then, when we were most vulnerable, he initiated a Clone command known as Order 66."

Emmeryn looked puzzled, "I thought only the… chancellor… could…" She swallowed hard, "Oh."

Ben gave her a weary nod, "The enemy was hiding in plain sight. The Clones followed their programming. In an instant, over a thousand Jedi were killed." Ben let out a long breath, "I was on the planet Utapau, battling against the last Separatist General, when the order was sent. I was fortunate enough that the Clones I commanded thought they got the job done. In reality, I narrowly escaped. When I got off the planet, I called for help. I got one answer. A loyal Republic senator named Bail Organa answered my distress signal. Grandmaster Yoda was with him."

"The Grandmaster and I regrouped and together we returned to the Jedi Temple." Ben's voice shook a little, "It was in ruins. The place I called home, burned and blasted away. Not-" He choked a little, "Not even the younglings survived."

Emmeryn could see some tears beginning to mist in Ben's eyes.

"We found out who led the massacre and-" Ben choked again, "It was my former apprentice. A man I considered a brother. Anakin."

Emmeryn's eyes grew wide.

"The Sith Lord twisted his mind against the very people who loved and cared for him. I tracked him down to the planet Mustafar. There, we dueled. And-" Ben sucked in a sharp breath as he tried to keep his composure, "I killed him."

"From there, I returned to Master Yoda and Senator Organa. As we were going to the Senator's home world, we were ambushed by the enemy. I managed to ge into an escape pod. And as I was jettisoned from the ship, I was shot down." Ben stared far away from Emmeryn, "I should have died then. But instead… instead I woke up outside of Southtown. And a few hours later, I ran into Chrom, Robin, Frederick, and Lissa. The rest you know. I chose the name Ben as a way to hide from the Sith. If no one knew my real name then they would never find me. And so, anyone who came into contact with me would not be in danger." He gulped, "But here we are, imprisoned by Maul and Gangrel. Shows how smart I am."

He ran a hand over his forehead and let out a long, shuddering sigh. Emmeryn felt a pang in her heart as the swordsman swallowed back tears. She wrapped her arms around him. Embracing the grieving Jedi.

"I'm so sorry." She whispered.

Ben blinked in surprise, "You-you believe me?"

Emmeryn pulled away, "I don't have any reason not to." Emmeryn smiled, "Besides, you _are_ strange enough to be from another planet."

A stunned noise left Ben's lips. Then, before either of them could think twice, their lips met.

The kiss lasted just a few seconds before Ben pulled away.

"We are going to share more of those," Ben smiled, "I promise."

Emmeryn gave him a small smile, "I believe you." She got to her feet, "So, Obi Wan Kenobi, Jedi Master, what is our escape plan?"

Ben gave her a crooked smile, "I'm working on that."

He stretched out in the force. Searching for a lone signature among the thousands of residents in the Plegian Capitol. Immediately, he felt Maul. His raging presence churned like choppy waves in a room beneath the palace. But it also felt tired? Was his brief skirmish in the dungeons enough to exhaust the Zabrak? That did not sound like the Maul he knew. The Maul Ben knew was a physical specimen, even without his natural legs. How could he be winded by a few force pushes?

 _There is something more to this._ Ben thought. But he could not investigate it now. He needed to find Marth.

After several more moments, he found her presence. A small speck of bright light in the endless black surrounding the bones of Grima. She felt wounded. But energetic? Ben shook his head in confusion. The important thing was she was alive and still free. Which meant she would be able to try and rescue him and Emmeryn. He got the feeling that Marth was not someone who gave up on a mission. Even if her first attempt resulted in defeat.

There was a third presence that caught Ben off guard. It felt powerful. Dwarfing Maul's in depth and scope. And it felt enraged. Furious and… sad? It took a moment for Ben to place who it belonged to. But when he did, his heart stopped in his chest.

"That's bad." He breathed.

"What is it?" Emmeryn asked, worry on her face.

"I know how the Plegians knew where to try and ambush us on the Eastern road." Ben explained, 'It's because there was a traitor in the Shepherds."

Emmeryn's eyes widened.

"Kage is here. And he has the same presence as the Black Wyvern Rider I fought near Themis."

Emmeryn's face paled.

"Robin was planning on using him to gather intelligence."

"Which is likely why he is here." Ben continued, "Robin, knowing about Marth's plan to rescue you, likely sent Kage to make contact before Chrom and the Feroxi army attacked the city."

"Which means not only does Robin not know Kage is a traitor, but he doesn't know that Kage has told King Gangrel about the coming attack." Emmeryn looked terrified, "Chrom and Lissa are walking into a trap."

Ben nodded.

"What do we do?"

Ben took a deep breath. The answer he was about to give always infuriated Anakin. And it infuriated him whenever Qui Gon told him this solution.

"We will be patient." Ben saw a frown cross Emmeryn's features, "There is no way of escaping now. Not with Kage and Maul both waiting for us to try. I have a feeling an opportunity will present itself during our execution."

Emmeryn stared hard at Ben.

"So our plan is to just wing it?"

Ben snorted, "The no plan plan has never failed me before."

Emmeryn shook her head. A mixture of both disbelief and complete confidence in Ben. The swordsman had a penchant for the miraculous. She had heard as much in reports from the Longfort and Southtown. Seen as much during the battles near Themis, in the palace in Ylisstol, and on the road to the Eastern Palace. If there was anyone that could make sure they both survived this horrible affair, it would be Ben.

"So what is step one of the no plan plan?" Emmeryn asked.

Before Ben could answer, the door to their room opened. Both froze as the heard the quiet tapping of Maul's cane against the stone floor. Behind the tapping of his cane, was the clip clop of King Gangrel's shoes and clank of his guard's armor.

Both turned to the door. Ben's face hardened. Emmeryn swallowed hard. Then fear filled her as she saw a third person standing beside Maul and the King. Someone she recognized from the Shepherds.

It was Kage. The boy was not wearing the ratty looking tunic or black cloak like before. Now he was clad in thick, black robes. A hood was pulled over his head. Shadowing out most of his face. But beneath the hood, Emmeryn could see… tear stains on his cheeks?

"Time's up, your highness." King Gangrel said, his voice filled with amused malice.

Maul regarded them both in silence. His hate filled eyes bore holes into Ben. There was a strange amount of satisfaction on his face as the guards moved to Ben and bound his hands. Emmeryn did not resist as they bound her hands in front of her.

As they were marched out of the room, Ben paused just long enough to stare at Kage. The boy gave Ben a hesitant look in return. But he did not meet Ben's eyes. Something had happened. Something that made Kage fearful of Ben. But what that was, neither Emmeryn nor Ben knew.

The guards pushed Emmeryn roughly so that she caught up to Ben. They marched side by side, up a series of rocky passages. If Emmeryn were to guess, they were being taken to the top of the palace. Near the peak of Grima's bones. She had to laugh to herself a little bit. Gangrel planned to execute her on top of the skeleton of the greatest evil the world had ever seen. He certainly had a flair for the dramatic.

She felt Ben's hand wrap around her own as they saw daylight at the end of a tunnel. The sound of a large crowd cheering outside filled the air around them. Ben's hand gave hers a small squeeze. Emmeryn took a deep breath and marched forward. Ready to stare death in the face.

 **And chapter! One last tension builder before we explode! I wanted to throw some development in there for Gregor and Nowi. Even if it was only a little bit. And Ben FINALLY opens up to Emmeryn. No more teasing you all on that one. Now they just have to survive what comes next. This chapter was a bit of surprise. Wrote it during my downtime from work. I have a full day off coming up in the next few days. So get ready for action. It is coming soon! Anyways, let me know what you all think! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	31. Emmeryn

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 31

Emmeryn

Panne stood vigilant outside of the Thieves Den. The secluded little tavern was located at the base of a steep cliff. Shockingly close to the royal palace actually. The bones of Grima towered over her in the dim light of the dawn. They looked like great stone arches and mountains rather than the skeleton of the greatest threat the world had ever seen. The most insidious monster any living being had ever laid eyes upon.

Even Panne shivered at the sheer enormity of the monster. She was grateful the thing was dead. If she ever had to face down a predator of that size, she would not know what to do. At least with human hunters she knew how to evade, even attack them. But with a dragon that was nearly as big as a small mountain, there was likely nothing she could do.

The Taguel shook her head and huffed. This human city had a dreary effect on her. It made her think strange thoughts. Terrible thoughts really. The very aura of the city made fears long buried in her mind bubble to the surface. She was mature enough to push them back down again. Made sure Gaius did not notice the occasional chatter of her teeth or twitch in her ears. But she could sense something truly wrong with this place.

Ylisstol felt like a human city. Or what a human city should be. Bustling markets, lots of humans roaming mostly clean streets. A few petty crimes here and there, but that was in the humans very nature.

Panne snorted to herself. It always boggled her mind how humans could so easily prey on each other just like they preyed on other animals. She loathed that quality in them. To her, at one point in time, humans were the ultimate parasite. An infestation that was only capable of destroying other beings while at the same time efficiently destroying themselves.

Then she met Exalt Emmeryn. And along with her, she met the Shepherds. Ben, Gaius, Marth, and Cordelia too. It was hard for her to believe that she may have found a new warren. A strange one, for sure. Never before had a Taguel really made a Warren with humans before. But that appeared to be happening right before her eyes. Thanks to her own actions. And the actions of a few kind souls that managed to show her that not all humans were parasitic monsters.

Some were still annoying though. She huffed again and folded her arms. Gaius still had not followed her outside. The thief was too busy wallowing. Sure, he came up with a plan of sorts that theoretically could rescue their friends. But… she frowned, Gaius did not seem to be fully invested anymore. He wanted revenge. Especially against Kage. That much was clear to her. But the desire to rescue their friends was not there. That fire had been snuffed out. A fire she actually really enjoyed seeing during the journey to Plegia's Capitol.

It was Gaius' harebrained schemes that had gotten her little warren through Ylisse and into Plegia. His nutty ideas that fooled the Plegian soldiers at the inn. Without him, they would not have gotten this far.

It hurt to see him suddenly grow disinterested. Panne sighed and rested her head back against the stone wall of the hidden tavern.

Could she really blame him? Gaius was a Plegian. He, more than anyone else, knew what the enemy was capable of. What they do with prisoners. She assumed that would only drive him to rescue them sooner. Put a sense of urgency into the thief. Instead, it led him down a path of wallowing and stewing. Sitting in a hidden tavern, a bottle in one hand and a candy bar in the other.

It had been hours since he had come up with the new "rescue plan". Hours since she left the table and went outside. She had told him she was going to go find out when their friends were scheduled for execution. But it was obvious at this point. The guards had been doubled near the palace. And with their recently failed rescue mission, King Gangrel would want to have the Exalt's head as soon as possible. That meant a public execution would be taking place in the morning.

Just a couple hours from now actually.

Panne grimaced and pushed herself away from the wall. They only had a few hours before the moment of truth. Gaius had to roused from whatever was ailing him. She could not conduct their plan alone. She would need his help.

The Taguel turned to reenter the tavern. As she reached for the doorknob she heard feet hitting the sandy roads nearby. Two pairs. Both of them had light footfalls. She sniffed the air. One smelled like- Panne whirled around and bared her teeth at two shadows that appeared along the cliffside.

"Grimleal." She snarled.

There was a dark snicker, "A Taguel? How interesting. I had heard that their senses are much more acute than our own. I'm pleased to see that is true."

"Panne, calm down."

Panne's ears twitched, "M-Marth?"

The two women emerged from the shadows. One was the Grimleal mage from the inn. Her dark bangs hung over her eyes like heavy curtains over a window. There was a sick, almost pleased smirk on her face as she observed the Taguel. Her black magic tome was clutched to her breasts, as if she was hiding behind it. Trying to use the cover of the book so she could observe the Taguel without being seen.

Marth was beside her. The poor girl looked terrible. There were heavy bags under her eyes. A slight limp in her gait. Falchion was strapped loosely to her hip. Hidden beneath heavy Grimleal robes that were a little to big for her. Panne could also see that the girl was struggling to breathe properly. There was no pain registering on her face, but the shuddering rise and fall of her chest betrayed Marth's actual condition.

Panne's eyes flicked up and down the road, "Inside. Before we are spotted."

Marth gave her a firm nod. Tharja just snickered and slinked in after the two Ylisseans.

The inside of the tavern was nearly empty. Most of the illegal rabble had left to conduct their "business" under the cover of nightfall. Gaius was still sitting at his table far away from any crowds. But instead of staring at a bottle, looking depressed, his head was down on the table top. Panne rolled her eyes. He had drank himself to sleep.

"Typical man-spawn." Panne marched towards Gaius, "I will wake him."

Marth stopped her, "Allow me and Tharja."

Panne raised an eyebrow, "Why?"

"The sight of us will sober up your friend rather quickly." Tharja said with a dark snicker before she sauntered towards the sleeping thief.

Marth sighed before following.

Gaius uttered a loud snort as both Tharja and Marth stopped beside his table. Marth glanced over at Tharja. The Grimleal mage waved her hand. Beckoning the swordsman to go ahead and wake him up. Marth nodded, balled up her hand, and pounded her fist onto the table.

"WAKE UP THIEF!"

Gaius bolted upright. A look that was a cross between fearful, irritated, and ill on his face.

"Hey!" He slurred, "Who the hell do you think you-"

He caught sight of Tharja first. Any words the thief had became lodged in his throat. His lips puckered up. Like he had decided to try and eat a whole lemon.

"I'm in deep shit." He muttered.

"More than that buddy." Marth growled, drawing the thief's attention.

"THERE ARE TWO OF THEM HERE!" Gaius cried as he jumped from his seat, eyes darting back and forth between Tharja and Marth, "Whiskers! You were supposed to keep a lookout!"

Gaius gave Panne a pleading look. The Taguel just sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Man-spawn, it is Marth and a new… friend."

"Oh I'm a friend now?" Tharja chuckled.

"Barely." Marth replied.

Gaius' eyes bugged from his skull, "Blue? You're alive?" He stared hard at her for a moment, "You better not be playing games with me, Whiskers. I am very drunk right now. So you better tell me right now… am I seeing things?"

"You have eyes don't you?" Panne sassed, "Of course you're seeing things."

"I KNEW IT!" Gaius cried, "Damn drinking is giving me hallucinations."

Marth sighed, "Not helping Panne."

"I spoke the truth."

Tharja chuckled beside Marth, "Allow me to remedy the situation."

Gaius froze as Tharja zipped up to him and pressed a thumb to his forehead. The Grimleal mage uttered a few, quiet words beneath her breath. Gaius's pupils dilated a moment then shrank. Tharja let out a breath and drew away from the thief.

"He's sober for now."

Marth arched an eyebrow.

"I used a hex to alter the alcohol levels in his blood." Tharja explained, "But he'll be feeling it in a few hours."

"You hexed me!?" Gaius exclaimed, "Oh this day just goes from bad to worse."

"Our friends are going to be executed in just a few hours." Panne deadpanned.

"My point exactly!" Gaius flopped back in his seat, "Let me mourn them in peace."

Marth grit her teeth. Before Gaius could even reach for the bottle on the table, she drew Falchion and cut the table in half. Gaius remained frozen in his seat.

"That was… very unnecessary." Gaius muttered fearfully.

"Ben and the Exalt are not dead." Marth snarled as she grabbed Gaius by the collar, "Cordelia is still alive too. Until I see their bodies for myself, they are alive. Which means it is our duty to rescue them. They would do the same for us!" She tossed Gaius back, "So get up off of your ass, and help already."

"If he won't help, I can always hex him back into a drunken stupor." Tharja suggested.

"No, no." Gaius sighed, waving off that idea, "No more hexing. Please. I'm already uncomfortable with the fact that one is on me." He sat back down and exhaled, "Blue, Whiskers, I really want you two to be right. But I know how Plegian justice works. I've… narrowly avoided it several times. The chances we actually have of rescuing Ben and the Exalt are next to zero. It is-"

"Is there a chance?" Marth asked.

Gaius swallowed hard as she burned holes into him with her gaze, "Well there's always a chance-"

"Then it is not impossible." Marth continued, "Grab your sword, Gaius. We have friends to save."

She turned on her heal and marched back towards the door. She tossed the first layer of heavy, Grimleal robes as she went. Panne smiled a little before following the fiery bluenette. She was growing to like her more and more by the day.

"So I _am_ a friend." Tharja pointed out before following too.

Gaius opened his mouth to protest. But he could not find the words too. The thief let out a long groan. He ran a hand over his face.

"So this is how I'm going to go out." He muttered to himself, "Not as a retired rich man after a lifetime of thieving. Not even as a thief caught red handed. Nope, I'm going out as the good guy trying to rescue friends I barely know, alongside a rabbit, and two terrifying women." He shook his head, stood, and moved to the door, "When did I get so damn sentimental?"

….

Cordelia first felt herself stir when the door to the old woman's hut quietly opened then shut. She paid it no mind. Right now, she was in bliss. The night had embraced her weary form and she was going to enjoy every second she had. Her eyes stayed closed. The thick blanket over her broken body did not budge.

She stirred again when she heard a pair of hushed voices. The first she recognized as her rescuer. The former Grimleal mage who had found her in a nearby alley and offered her sanctuary. Gave her some strange medicine and allowed her to finally rest. The second voice she did not recognize.

It sounded feminine. But it was too deep to be a woman's voice. And too stern to be any normal person. Certainly too eloquent to be a resident of the Capitol slums. His accent was Ylissean. She could tell that much about this newcomer.

But the strangeness of this stranger was not enough to wake her. She was still too tired. Her body still in too much pain to move at all. Even after she drank the concoction the old woman made, Cordelia still felt like she was in constant pain. It hurt to breath. She could still feel the broken ribs in her body shifting with each inhale and exhale. Every limb was so stiff. They all felt like stone. Her head was heavy. Her skull was pounding. Sleep was the only thing that did not hurt. So that is what she did.

A warm feeling rushed over her body. Like a perfectly hot bath soaking into her bruised skin. It felt heavenly. And of all things, that feeling of serenity woke the red head.

Her eyes fluttered open. Sitting beside her, a large, glowing staff in hand was a… man? Woman? A blonde person. His eyes were closed as he focused magic into his staff and poured healing energy into Cordelia's body.

The wounded Pegasus Knight tried to push herself upright, but a wrinkled old hand kept her from moving.

"Let the young woman work." She said as she blindly held her shoulder.

The blonde healer cleared his throat, "I'm a man."

The blind, old woman cackled, "Sure you are dearest. Let me know when my friend is ready to eat."

The old woman shuffled away towards her little stove. Cordelia could see a copper pot sitting over a small fire. A stew of some sort was bubbling inside of it. The sweet aroma hit Cordelia's nose and caused her mouth to water.

"You are hungry." The healer noted, "That is good progress."

Cordelia eyed the blonde carefully, "Who are you?"

The blonde healer gave her a confused look.

"You aren't Plegian." Cordelia continued, "I can already tell. You're wearing the priest robes. The Grimleal don't wear those."

The blonde nodded, "You are correct. I am not Plegian." The glow on his staff faded a little. The healer rummaged through a small pack on his hip and withdrew a vial with blue liquid in it. A type of healing potion Cordelia recognized. Miriel used them often on Vaike, "My name is Libra. I am a priest of Naga."

Cordelia reached out and took the potion from his hand, "Priestess you mean?"

Libra gave her an amused smile, "I really am a man."

Cordelia felt an embarrassed expression rush over her face.

"Don't worry. I am used to it." Libra said before focusing on his healing staff again.

Cordelia gave him a slight nod. She remained silent. Doing her best not to embarrass herself any further. Instead of speaking, she decided to silently observe the Priest as he worked.

His robes were dusty. Which showed he had been traveling through the Plegian wastelands for some time. He looked somewhat weary. Which meant that he had just finished traveling when he showed up in the old woman's hut. His healing staff was well worn. The wood was smoother where his hands gripped it. Telling Cordelia that it had seen heavy use. Then there was the ax strapped to his left hip.

"I thought you said you were a priest of Naga."

"I am." Libra replied.

"Last I checked, priests don't carry axes."

Libra sighed, "I didn't. Not until recently. My travels through the Plegian wasteland proved that a weapon was a necessity during these dark times."

Cordelia arched an eyebrow, "Proved?" She unknowingly propped herself up onto her elbows, "What do you mean proved?"

Libra sighed, "I was not alone when I set out for this city. I was with a group of other monks that had heard of the Exalt's peril. We thought traveling to Plegia and delivering the divine word of Naga could somehow help spare the Exalt's life." Libra's lips pressed into a thin line, "None of us bore weapons. When we entered Plegia, bandits proved how foolish we all were."

Cordelia's eyes widened, "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"You have nothing to apologize for. Curiosity is not a sin or an offense, Miss Cordelia." Libra replied with a smile, "You are quite fortunate in the end, that I was able to complete my journey. Otherwise, you would not have recovered as swiftly."

"Recovered?" Cordelia replied, "I'm not recovered."

"True." Libra nodded, "Your ribs will take longer to fully heal. But most of the scrapes and bruises I have already handled. Your concussion has been somewhat healed. And your muscles are refreshed thanks to our friend's lovely remedies."

"Thank you dearest." The old woman crowed from her stove, "Is she ready to eat."

"Yes, she is." Libra answered.

Cordelia stared stunned at Libra, "You managed to heal me that easily?"

Libra shrugged, "I only did my duty. And like I said, you are not fully healed. But your condition will have to do for now. ONce you finish eating, we must make all haste towards the Palace."

Cordelia raised an eyebrow. Why would they have to hurry to the Plegian Palace?

It hit her like a runaway carriage. The Palace was where King Gangrel held public executions. If Libra was saying they had to hurry, then that meant the Exalt was about to be executed.

Which meant Ben and the others had failed.

Her fists clenched the edges of the blanket. She fought back some tears. How many more of her friends would have to die while she managed to escape? She sniffled.

"There's no time to eat then." Cordelia said as she tried to get up, "We need to get moving."

"There is time to eat. You need your strength." Libra ordered as the old woman handed Cordelia a steaming bowl of stew, "You'll move faster and fight stronger with a full stomach. Now eat."

Cordelia sighed. She reluctantly began to eat her stew. It was delicious. Even if it was mostly broth and peppers and barely had any meat in it. The more bites she took. The stronger she felt. Soon, she had finished her meal and set her bowl to the side. She looked up at the woman. Her strength renewed and her body ready for a fight.

"Where's my armor?"

….

Robin struggled to catch his breath. Not because he was tired, though he was. No, he felt breathless because the time had finally arrived. He stood shoulder to shoulder with Chrom and Flavia. Behind them, a strike force of nearly two hundred Feroxi soldiers and the other Shepherds. In front of them, their destination, the Plegian Capitol.

Robin felt his mouth go dry as he saw the bones of a massive dragon dominating the city skyline. They rose higher than a set of steep cliffs near the royal palace. Great, cracked, yellow bones that cast long shadows over the desert as the sun began to peek over the horizon.

His hand drifted to the spellbook inside of his coat. His fingers brushed against the worn leather spine. A comforting feeling that he desperately needed right now. Robin was not a stranger when it came to combat. Not anymore. But this would be the largest battle he had ever taken part in. And the stakes were the highest he had ever seen.

Robin glanced over at Chrom. The Prince's eyes were fixated on the Plegian royal palace. An unwavering, unblinking gaze. Determined to see the mission through. Determined to rescue his sister, the Exalt. He would succeed, or die trying. Chrom had made up his mind on this. And it was up to Robin to make sure that both he and Exalt Emmeryn escaped with their lives.

"You ready?" Flavia asked both Chrom and Robin.

Her own eyes stared an unblinking stare at the Palace. But her gaze was not filled with worry or resolute determination like Chrom's. Her gaze almost looked hungry. Excited for the thrill of battle. Her hand danced along the pommel of the sword at her hip. Eager to draw the weapon from it's sheath.

Chrom gave her a stiff nod. Robin took a deep breath.

"Yeah." He replied.

"Run the plan by me one more time." Chrom said.

Robin pursed his lips, "Simple. We need to infiltrate the city as quickly as possible. In order to do so, we cannot engage in any pitched battles right away. We need to breach the walls and sweep into the palace with all haste. That is our sole, current objective. In order to do so, we are going to rush the gate nearest to the palace," Robin's finger pointed to a lightly guarded wooden gate that sat near the Palace district of the city, "From there, the Shepherds will move into the palace. Half of us will storm upwards. Clearing each room as we go. That group will be led by me. Chrom, you will take the other half and clear the lower floors and dungeons. Once we have successfully extracted Exalt Emmeryn and the others, we retreated back out the way we came and move into the desert where they hopefully cannot follow us. Not right away at least."

"I like it." Flavia grinned, "Simple and to the point. No need for fancy theatrics. This will be easy."

"Even the simplest plans are never easy." Robin cautioned. He looked at the gate they were planning to attack, "I do not like how lightly guarded the gate is."

"Don't get jumpy over good fortune." Flavia replied before turning to her Feroxi Captains, "No war cries. No horns. Swift and silent until we engage the enemy."

Her captain's nodded then dispersed to their men. Chrom drew Falchion.

"Let's move."

As they rushed over the sandy plain towards the city, Robin was stunned that they were not spotted. But he had come to suspect it. His hunch about Kage being a traitor sat in the back of his mind. But if he really was a traitor, then Gangrel would know about their attack. The King would have bolstered his defenses.

Any sane king would have bolstered their defenses.

Robin exhaled and shook his head. He needed to remain focused. He could not get caught up in any analysis right now. The Shepherds needed him to conduct the battle. Chrom needed him for tactical advice. Emmeryn and the others that had gone to rescue her needed his strategy to succeed.

The soldiers hit the sandstone walls. Flavia raised her hand to silence her soldiers. Chrom and Robin led the group as they tiptoed through the sand towards the palace gate. Soon, they were within a few feet of the barred gate. Robin glanced up at the walls. If they had been spotted, then the sentries had not sounded any alarm. So either they were extremely lucky, blessed, or screwed. He hoped for the former two.

But in his gut, Robin expected the latter.

Just before Robin could give the signal to begin the assault, Flavia tugged on his coat. She pointed up, past both Robin and Chrom's heads. The two Ylisseans followed her finger.

Robin felt his heart jump to his throat. Chrom grit his teeth and clenched Falchion tight in his hands.

High above the city, on the highest cliff that rested in the shadow of Grima's skull, stood Emmeryn. The Exalt was still in her robes. They looked freshly cleaned. In fact, she looked surprisingly well from this distance. Behind her stood a Plegian soldier with an ax. His presence forced Emmeryn to edge closer and closer to the cliff's edge.

Just behind her, standing tall like Emmeryn, was Ben. Robin felt a pit form in his stomach. Unlike Exalt Emmeryn, Ben did not look very good. He looked bloodied and bruised. One eye had a ring of black bruising around it. His clothes looked tattered. His apperance alone told Robin that Ben's plan had failed.

So what happened to Marth and the others?

"Our goal became a lot easier to find." Flavia said.

Chrom could not contain himself anymore. He raised Falchion over his head.

"CHARGE!" He bellowed.

Robin took a deep breath. All around him, Feroxi soldiers uttered loud war cries. Some high pitched screams, others vengeful roars that caused the tactician's hair to stand on end.

His mind thought quickly as the infantry rushed towards the closed gate. They did not have a battering ram. If the gate did not open or come down quickly then they would not be able to save the Exalt. Robin spun on his heel as soldiers surged by him.

"Miriel, Ricken! Help me out!"

The two other mages in the Shepherd's ranks caught on to what he was thinking. Ricken opened his small spellbook and charged his most powerful wind spell. Miriel conjured a powerful fire spell. And Robin willed his most potent lightning into his hand. The three spells cracked past the charging army and slammed into the wooden gate.

Splinters and nails flew through the air like deadly shrapnel. Above the gate, the Plegian sentries uttered alarmed cries as the gate was blasted away.

Robin exhaled loudly as he felt some of his energy get sapped away. He did not want to expend so much power so early in the battle. But he had no choice. Gangrel was hellbent on executing Exalt Emmeryn sooner rather than later.

The Feroxi archers made quick work of the Plegian sentries. The street was clear for the company to move through. Robin felt his heart pounding in his chest as he raced after Chrom and Flavia. The tactician glanced up at Emmeryn once again.

She was closer to the edge.

A powerful, shrill voice boomed out over the city.

"Welcome! Welcome indeed, tyrant Prince Chrom and his little Puppet, Khan Flavia!" King Gangrel sneered from his perch near Exalt Emmeryn.

The Mad King was lounging on a plush throne near the cliff's edge. The best seat for an insane leader to witness a battle taking place inside of his own city. To his right was Aversa. The sinister looking Grimleal Sorceress that served as one of the King's advisers. To Gangrel's left was the other adviser that sent a chill down Robin's spine.

Maul stood vigilante beside the King. Yellow eyes blazing as he watched the Feroxi and Shepherds rush towards the palace.

"You remind me so much of your vile father, Prince Chrom!" Gangrel continued as he rested his head in one hand, "He also felt like he could go wherever he wanted without permission." His dark eyes glanced over at Emmeryn, "Butting in where you are not wanted seems to be a familial trait."

Robin skidded in the sandy road as the army banked hard down another road. In front of them, wide open with no resistance in sight, was the royal palace. The gates to the building were thrown open. In the courtyard was just empty sand. No soldiers waiting to defend their city. No citizens fleeing the invading army. Just emptiness.

A bad feeling hit Robin's gut. Like a sudden wave of nausea. Even with the Plegian army still returning from Ylisse, there should have been some soldiers ready to fight an invading force. Hell, even a force of city guards should have greeted him, Chrom, and Flavia. Instead there was nothing but empty streets, quiet houses, and silent markets.

"I wish I could chat with you more." Gangrel spoke, "But, I have a feeling you won't be in the mood for talking to me." He flicked his hand, "Send that vile spawn of Naga to her maker."

Robin's eyes widened as the Plegian Guard began to push Emmeryn towards the cliff edge. And to Robin's surprise, the Exalt was resisting him. He did not take the Exalt for a fighter. But she scratched and clawed as the Plegian grabbed her by the wrist and dragged her towards the edge.

Robin swallowed hard as he saw Ben struggling against his own captors. He had three guards holding him back. And Robin could see Maul's gaze on his friend. The monster was wary of Ben. If Ben did anything to try and save Emmeryn then Maul would intervene. And there would be no hope of saving either of them.

Robin then saw a third robed figure step up beside Maul. And every horrifying scenario that had been playing through Robin's mind during the march here came true.

Kage stood beside Maul, clothed in black robes and a black hood. The tactician could just barely make out whips of blonde hair beneath the hood's shadow.

"That damn traitor!" Virion cried as he knocked an arrow.

Robin's mind raced, "Virion! Emmeryn! Not Kage!"

Virion pivoted and let his arrow fly. The arrow soared for an ungodly amount of time. Seconds felt like minutes as it cut through the air. When it finally pierced the Plegian's chest, Robin felt a small surge of relief flood him. The Plegian guard uttered an alarmed cry before tripping and falling to his death in the Palace courtyard.

Robin scanned the area. He did not spot any soldiers. Or archers for that matter. The only threats he could see were Aversa, Kage, and Maul. Perhaps, if someone flew up to Emmeryn fast enough, they would be able to save her. At that point, Ben could move freely. Use whatever strange magic he was capable of and attempt his own escape without having to worry about Emmeryn.

"Sumia!" Robin barked, "Get to the Exalt, now! We are out of time!"

Chrom whipped his head around to Robin. There was mixed expression his face. One filled with worry and sudden fear. Robin cringed a little. Not only was Emmeryn now in direct danger, but another person Chrom cared deeply about was going to staring death in the face.

Before the Prince could object, Sumia spurred her Pegasus into the air. The angelic wings beat against the air, stirring up sand as she rocketed higher and higher into the sky.

As they entered the palace courtyard, Robin expected to hear Gangrel's uttering furious, rage filled cries. Or perhaps even fearful wails. What he was not expecting was glee filled laughter. It rang out over the empty city with an unsettling echo.

Robin looked back up at Gangrel. He was undisturbed in his seat. Maul and Kage both moved towards Ben and Emmeryn. Ready to combat Sumia as she rushed towards a waiting Emmeryn. And Aversa was-

There was a black box in her hand. Laced with gold that did not shine. An evil gleam was in her eyes as her fingers pried the box open.

A long mournful wail erupted from the black box. The Feroxi froze in place. Frederick, Sully, and Stahl sat uneasily on their horses. Chrom kept moving towards the palace. Not noticing the mournful cry that rang through the air.

Robin felt a chill go through the air. The hot desert air was replaced by frozen wind that made him shiver. The shadows cast by Grima's bones deepened. The sand began to shift beneath his feet.

Fear erupted in Robin as a black hand erupted from the ground and grabbed him by his ankle. Robin uttered a loud cry, drew his sword, and hacked the hand away at the wrist.

A low moan came from the ground. Frederick's voice rose over the uneasy silence.

"RISEN!"

….

Marth felt the cold hit her. Not on her skin, or even in her bones. No, the cold hit her mind. Like an oppressive wave of darkness. Unyielding in its sudden and explosive fury. She gasped and leaned against the wall of a small hut.

Tharja also ground to a halt. She did appear as alarmed by the sudden darkness and cold in the air. But the Grimleal mage noticed it. Her eyes narrowed and she gripped her spell book tight in her slender hands.

"Hey Blue, Sunshine," Gaius called back to them as he stopped beside Panne, "What are you two doing? We've got friends to rescue."

Fear filled Marth. A fear she had grown used to in her short life. But a fear she had not felt in a few months now. She had almost forgotten that they were still here. That they had followed her somehow. She gave Tharja a terrified stare.

"Risen." Marth whispered.

Tharja looked puzzled. Before the mage could ask what a Risen was, Marth's eyes widened. Rising from the sand behind Tharja, was a black figure with a mask as dark as midnight. Marth surged past Tharja, pushing the mage out of the way as she moved.

Falchion sang as it cut through the air. Before the Risen could even raise it's weapon in defense, it's head was cut from it's shoulders. There was a low groan on the wind. The monster dissipated into a cloud of black ash.

Tharja stared wide eyed at the small pit in the sand. Her gaze turned to Marth. The blue haired swordsman had pushed all her fear to the side. She looked determined. Like she was about to do battle against an old foe.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT!?" Gaius cried, "Am I still drunk, Whiskers?"

Panne was at a loss for words. Marth clenched her jaw and marched past Gaius.

"Blue, care to explain-"

"Undead Grima monsters." Marth said sharply, "Now are you going to keep babbling, or are you going to fight?"

Gaius peaked past Marth and saw more of those unnatural monsters rising from the sand in the city streets.

"I don't have much of a choice now do I?" Gaius replied as he drew his shortsword.

Tharja pooled magic into her hand, "I wonder how black magic will interact with the spawn of Lord Grima?" She snickered, "There is only one way to find out."

Gaius glanced at her, "Did anyone ever tell you how creepy you are?"

A group of Risen spotted them. Their glowing red eyes burned with an unnatural hatred. All of it was directed at the four living creatures in front of the. Gaius gulped.

"Undead Grima monsters huh?" Gaius exhaled, "When can I go back to stealing from the rich?"

"When you survive this fight, be my guest." Marth snapped.

She charged. No Risen was going to stand in the way of her rescuing her friends. They had done so once already. She would never allow it to happen again. Not when she was so close to the palace.

….

Cordelia and Libra stopped in their tracks. The redhead had noticed the strange lack of both guards and people in the streets today. When she had been running from the Plegian palace guards, there had been large crowds of people in the streets. So many people in fact that it was just as difficult running through the streets as it was fighting the enemy head on.

But today, the streets were empty. The markets were closed. There was a hollowness to the Capitol. She had ignored it at first. Maybe today was a holiday of some sort.

Then she saw the Exalt being marched to the edge of a cliff. The distant din of battle near the palace hit her ears. Then what she could only describe as an unholy darkness surged over the city.

As the chill and shadow grew, Cordelia swore Grima's bones began to shift ever so slightly in the sky above her.

"What unholy spell is this?" Libra muttered as he drew his ax.

Cordelia swallowed hard. She did not know what spell it was. She did not even know mages were powerful enough to cause such a drastic change in the environment around them. Before she could reply to Libra, three corpses rose from the sand in front of them.

They groaned and moaned. As if every movement brought them eternal pain. Red eyes glowed like bright rubies inside of hollow skulls. Black masks marred their faces. And they exuded an unsettling hatred and rage that made Cordelia take a few steps back.

"What in Naga's name-"

Libra rushed forward. His ax flashed in the air three times. And in three, devastating strikes, the three monsters flopped to the ground.

That should have been the end of it. But it wasn't. Terror gripped Cordelia's heart as the monsters groaned and picked themselves up off the ground. All of them unaffected by the devastating blows delivered by Libra.

The priest took a few steps back.

"I should have known it wouldn't be that easy." Libra muttered, "Naga give us strength. Help us slay these fell beasts."

Cordelia swallowed hard and drew her sword as more Risen emerged from the ground nearby.

"We need to move. We're sitting ducks." Cordelia said.

What she would give to be back on her Pegasus right now.

"I couldn't agree more." Libra replied before grabbing Cordelia by the wrist and ducking into a winding alley, "There are too many for us to take on alone. We must unite with Lord Chrom and the rest of his army. We stand a chance of survival with them."

Cordelia blinked. Chrom was here? With an army? That would explain the distant din of battle coming from the palace. A well of hope erupted in her. If Chrom and the other Shepherds were here, then that meant there was a chance to rescue the Exalt and their friends. She knew Chrom. Ever since they were children, he never let anyone stand in the way of him accomplishing his goals. Especially when they were noble goals. It was what Cordelia admired the most about him.

With that thought in mind, Cordelia felt a small smile form on her lips. They were going to win. She just knew it.

….

Kage nearly dropped to his knees as the Force roared around him. It drowned out every other sound. Hit his ears like a sledgehammer of sound. A constant drumbeat in his mind mixed with the roar of a fell beast. One that made his hair stand on end.

His yellow eyes glanced over at the bones of Grima. Then they fell on Aversa.

The Grimleal sorceress had always made him a uneasy. She had a strange presence to her. The dark side of the force was strong in her. But she did not rule it as a Sith would. Instead, it felt like she tried to make the dark side of the force a part of her very being. Something that sustained her very existence.

Her skin even showed evidence of this. It was pale, almost gray in color. Certainly not a shade common among the Plegian people. Her eyes were always hidden in heavy shadows. Yet they gleamed with pure delight as her slender fingers cracked open the black box in her hands.

Whatever magical artifact she was using, it was one of significant power. One that required incredible power to use. Kage knew Aversa was strong. She had to be in order to be Validar's direct pupil. But this was beyond any preconception he had.

Was all this dark side energy coming from her? No… that was not it. He stretched out in the force. Rode the dark side's waves. Bobbed up and down in the maelstrom until he could sense Aversa clearly through the raging force. She felt the same. Her magic had caused her force signature to flare up a little bit. But she was not straining herself. And she certainly was not channeling, or producing, all of this power.

It was coming from the box.

"Apprentice." Maul hissed.

Kage glanced over at his Master. He followed his gaze. Down below, in the palace courtyard, the ground had begun to open up. Rising from the sand was-

"What madness is this?" Kage whispered.

Maul chuckled beside him, "Our victory, my apprentice."

Kage's eyes widened as he saw an endless flood of Risen rising from the ground to greet the approaching Feroxi and Ylissean enemy.

"This is not victory." Kage muttered, "It is a death knell for all of us."

The gleam in Maul's eyes became furious, "What do you mean, apprentice?"

"You know as well as I do what those monsters are capable of."

"And they are under control." Maul replied.

"How?" Kage asked.

Maul grit his teeth. A wave of the dark side, potent and focused, hit Kage. Pain erupted in his mind.

"Mind your place, apprentice."

Kage grit his teeth, but kept his mouth shut. His attention turned to Kenobi and Exalt Emmeryn. The Jedi was struggling even more against his captors. The three Plegian guards were having difficulties restraining him as he tried to get to Exalt Emmeryn. A lucky arrow had already saved her life. Now the Jedi was trying to guard her and prevent anyone from pushing her off the cliff's edge.

Maul uttered an annoyed grunt. Kage watched as he hobbled over to Ben. Before the Jedi or his guards could do anything, Maul grabbed Kenobi by the back of his head.

"Enough of that, Kenobi." Maul hissed.

Kage heard the hum of a lightsaber. The Jedi uttered a pain filled cry. Exalt Emmeryn's hands flew to her face, covering her mouth in horror. Kage smelled burnt flesh.

He glanced over and saw Maul's lightsaber had pierced Ben's right leg. Severing the tendons in his knees and hamstring. Rendering the leg completely useless. The Jedi slumped to the ground, unable to properly support himself.

Through the furious roar of the dark side, Kage heard King Gangrel's cackling laughter. He could hear the sounds of battle below. He pulled himself away from his master and took a peak down to the courtyard below.

The Feroxi and Shepherds were in a desperate battle down below. More Risen were rising from the crack in that had formed in the earth. And even more were rushing towards the courtyard from various parts of the city.

Unease filled Kage. This whole event was dragging out longer than it should have.

He heard wings beating against the air. Kage looked up and saw Sumia zooming towards Exalt Emmeryn. The young Sith grimaced and reached for his lightsaber.

The King noticed her at that moment too. Gangrel uttered a rage filled cry.

"NO! NO!" Gangrel roared as he jumped from his seat, "I will not allow this!"

"And her rescue will not happen." Maul replied as he moved away from Kenobi towards Emmeryn.

Kage's eyes widened as his Master brushed past him and continued to stalk towards the Exalt.

"No!" Kenobi cried as he tried to get to his feet, "Maul! Don't!"

Kage froze as Maul grabbed Emmeryn by the back of her neck. He turned Emmeryn around so that she was facing the Jedi.

"A familiar scene, isn't it Kenobi?" Maul sneered from behind Emmeryn, "You are once again at my mercy. As is someone you care about. No… someone you genuinely love." He chuckled, "Haven't you learned yet, Kenobi. You shouldn't grow close to anyone. Misfortune comes to all you care for."

"Maul!" Kage turned to see Kenobi had forced himself to his knees, "Maul please! Enough of this! Enough! It is me you want! You want to kill me!? Then kill me! But don't harm her! She has done nothing to you!"

"Exactly." Maul's eyes gleamed with delight as he heard Kenobi beg, "She has done nothing to me. And she has committed the most grievous of wounds to you. She has sparked love in you Kenobi." Maul leaned in to Emmeryn, "Talk to him, dearest. Reassure your love."

Emmeryn was on the verge of Tears. Kage could see her struggling to keep her breathing even and her face calm. She took a deep breath, turned her head to face Maul.

"You will never win." She snarled. In one of the rarest instances of anger Kage had ever seen from the Exalt.

Maul's face twisted in fury.

Kage felt a warning in the Force. For some reason, the Force was screaming at him. Telling him to stop this. To stop Maul. But he found himself frozen in place. Unable to take action against his Master.

"Maul!" Kenobi willed himself to his feet, "Maul please do-"

Maul's lightsaber thundered to life. Kenobi's voice faded in the wind. Kage felt his heart lodge in his throat as the force uttered a pain filled wail. Emmeryn's eyes widened for a split second.

A bar of red light burned through the Exalt's back and out her chest. Maul's lips parted into a wide grin as Kenobi's eyes widened in horror.

The Zabrak chuckled. He grabbed Emmeryn as her life left her body.

Time stood still as she flew through the air. Her robes fluttered with an unnatural grace as she plummeted down the cliff to the ground below.

Kenobi scrambled past Maul and Kage. Ignoring all of the pain in his body. Holding onto hope that he could somehow stop this. Somehow save her.

But when he reached the edge, all hope left the Jedi. He dropped to his knees and hung his head. Beside him, Maul's eyes gleamed with triumph.

Obi Wan Kenobi was destroyed.

 **End of Part 1 of the battle….**


	32. Someone to Live For

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 32

Someone to Live For

Risen, everywhere. In one fell swoop. In a single minute or pure, bad luck, every plan and strategy Robin had put in place for their rescue mission was crushed. He had plotted for nearly every possibility. The Plegian army actually being there? Sneak in with an even smaller strike force and extract Emmeryn under their noses. The Grimleal acting as the city defense? Counter by engaging in a short, up close and personal battle that did not give the mages any room to breathe. But Risen? They had not come to mind for Robin.

He wished he had not been so forgetful. He had been so caught up in helping Chrom rescue Emmeryn and helping Ylisse defeat Plegia that he had forgotten about the strange, monstrous enemy from the Southern Forest. In any normal circumstance, the others probably would have told him that it was not his fault. How could he have predicted the Risen being summoned by a Plegian sorceress onto a battlefield? The Risen had been quiet for months now. Hardly any reports of them being spotted. Then all of a sudden, wham! They show up just as the Ylisseans needed to rescue Exalt Emmeryn.

Robin shook his head before casting another thunder spell at a Risen footsoldier. He uttered a frustrated curse as the damn thing picked itself back up from the ground and charged again. Thankfully, Ricken managed to cast a devastating wind spell that slashed the monster to ribbons. As the beast faded to dust, Robin gave the young mage a thankful nod.

The battle was growing more desperate all around him. Chrom was in the thick of it. Falchion cut devastating arcs through the air. Not a single Risen seemed capable of standing up to the Prince of Ylisse. He was hellbent on rescuing his sister. Damn anyone who stood in his way.

Flavia was also fighting in the worst section of the battle. And she was reveling in it. In between barking orders and cutting down Risen, Robin could see a wide smile on her face. The confidence she exuded bolstered everyone around her.

Frederick, Sully, and Stahl were having a more difficult time than the others. The palace courtyard limited their mobility, making their horses nothing more than an extra shield for them to use. Something none of them wanted to have happen. Frederick's lance drove through any Risen that got near him. Sully and Stahl rode side by side. The pair circled the edges of the battle. Cutting down any Risen that tried to enter the fray from the outside.

Vaike fought alongside Miriel. The large brawler bashed any Risen that dared to get close to the mousy mage while Miriel blasted away any that Vaike missed.

Virion found a perch on the palace walls. He and a group of several Feroxi archers started to pick off Risen one by one. The group was doing their best to keep a path of escape open for the strike force. More Risen were arriving from further in the city. As their numbers swelled, Robin knew the likelihood of all of them surviving and escaping this dustbin of a city dropped.

Kellam and Lon'qu fought viciously as they protected both Maribelle and Lissa. The two girls were doing everything in their power to get close to any wounded comrades. Their healing staves were always glowing a bright green. And as a consequence, the Risen were drawn towards them. Thankfully, Kellam and Lon'qu were more than capable of fending off the oncoming tide of monsters. Lon'qu was a lightning fast swordsman. While Kellam was like a charging bull. The two combined their power and speed to form a ring of destruction around Lissa and Maribelle. Giving both girls room to work.

Robin glanced up once again. Sumia was racing as fast as she could towards the Exalt. But archers had appeared among the Risen ranks. Slowing her flight and forcing the pegasus rider to dive and duck through arrows. Chrom noticed this as well. And when he did, the Prince attacked the archers without any mercy.

Robin heard a groan to his right. He ducked out of the way of an ax. He blasted the Risen with a fire spell before drawing his sword and hacking at it's exposed neck. The monster collapsed to the dirt and faded to dust.

"These things are damn difficult to take down." Robin grumbled.

"You're telling me!" Flavia shouted as she backed up into Robin.

The Khan's sword was covered in a fine layer of black ash. Her shield was dented in several places. Robin could see some cuts forming on her finger tips from the force with which she was swinging her blade.

"My men can't hold off against monsters, Robin." Flavia growled before spinning and taking a Risen's head off.

"I'm aware. But we need to wait for Sumia to make it to Emmeryn." Robin replied.

Flavia grunted a curse, "She'd better hurry. Because we don't have any reinforcements to help us."

Before Robin could reply, a dark blast of magic slammed into a Risen near him. Robin felt both alarm and confusion. He recognized the spell as dark magic. A flux spell of some sort. And a potent one at that. Whoever cast that spell was very skilled in dark magic. Did Miriel have some tricks he was not aware of? Was Ricken doing something he was not supposed to do out of desperation?

"The cavalry has arrived!"

A red haired man whooped as he zipped past Robin and impaled his shortsword on an ax wielding Risen. Sprinting alongside him was a dark haired, Plegian women with a black spell book. Robin nearly raised his hand to launch a spell at her when he saw motion out of the corner of his eye.

"Your reckless behavior will get you killed, Gaius!" A gigantic mass of fur barked before it's claws raked through a group of Risen.

"My inhibitions are inebriated! Don't blame me! Blame the sugar and alcohol." Gaius defended.

"Who was the one who decided to get drunk?" Panne replied as she kicked another Risen out of the way.

"Not me." Gaius chirped.

"You drive me insane."

"And it is my pleasure to do so." Gaius said before finally noticing the stunned tactician and grinning Khan, "Hey! Bubbles! How are you doing?"

Robin felt an eyebrow start to twitch, "Bu-bubbles?"

"Ha! I get it!" Flavia laughed before raising her shield to block an enemy ax.

"I don't!"

"Watch out, man-spawn!" Panne called before tackling Robin to the ground. Just in time to avoid a slash from a black sword, "Perhaps you are called Bubbles because you lack the ability to pay attention to your surroundings?"

Robin's jaw fell open, "G-gaius is calling me an airhead!?"

"He is drunk. Don't take it personal." Panne remarked as she helped Robin back to his feet.

"That's no excuse!"

"Hey! Less chatting. More slashing!" Flavia shouted.

"The large female is right." Panne nodded, "We must focus on defeating these monsters and rescuing the Exalt."

"That's what I'm-" Robin sighed, "Oh why do I even bother explaining myself at this point? You and Gaius won't listen to me anyways. Where is Cordelia and Marth?"

"We don't know where Red is." Gaius replied as he parried an enemy slash before taking down another Risen, "But Blue is making her way up to the Exalt."

Robin raised his brow. Marth was moving towards Emmeryn? But how? They had not found a way up to the cliff yet. The only way up there was by flying on the back of a pegasus.

"How?" Robin asked before firing another thunder spell.

"The old fashioned way." Gaius replied before pointing at the cliffs.

Robin followed his gaze. And his jaw fell open. Marth was halfway up the sheer cliff face. Scrambling up the rocks as fast as she could go. Several times she nearly plummeted to her death. But by sheer force of will and more than a little luck, Marth kept herself from falling.

"Pretty amazing huh?" Gaius grinned, "You can thank Sunshine for helping her recover that fast."

"Sunshine? Recover?" Robin glanced over his shoulder and saw that same dark haired Plegian casting vicious dark magic spells at the Risen. It then dawned on him that this Plegian was not an enemy. This woman was somehow a friend?

"What have I missed?"

"A lot, Bubbles." Gaius tapped his shoulder, "And now you see why I call you that."

"I am not an airhead!" Robin roared before spinning and launching a wind spell across the battlefield. Nearly blasting Frederick off his horse in the process.

"I rest my case." Gaius shrugged before grinning, "Now, I'd love to stay and chat some more, but Whiskers is starting to wander. And well… I feel like it is my responsibility to take care of her."

"I'd say it's more like the opposite." The Plegian mage snickered as Gaius spirited away.

"I got that impression." Robin chuckled as he fought back to back with the mage, "So, new friend huh? What's your name?"

"Tharja." The woman replied, "And you are named Bubbles?"

"I'm- no! Ugh! Damn you Gaius." Robin grumbled, "Robin. The name is Robin. And please don't call me Bubbles."

"Why not? I kind of like that name." Tharja smirked back at him.

"For one, you barely know me." Robin said with a slight growl as he launched another spell into the fray of Risen around them, "And two, how would you feel if I called you Sunshine?"

"I'd hex you up to your eyeballs." Tharja threatened in a matter of fact tone that unsettled the tactician.

Robin swallowed, "Duly noted."

Robin gritted his teeth as more Risen rose from the Earth and closed in on his position. The tide of monsters was seemingly endless. Whatever Aversa had done to summon these creatures must have taken an enormous amount of mana. That or she had used an artifact that should never be used under any circumstances to bolster her own power. There was no way any normal human being had enough magical ability to summon this many Risen on their own.

He glanced up to Sumia again. The Pegasus Rider was nearly there. He had to marvel at how well Sumia flew through the air. She had to be one of the best riders in Ylisse. She would never admit to such a thing. And she would have been the first to say that there were others far better at riding a pegasus that her. But in that moment, through volleys of arrows and lances, Sumia was the greatest pegasus rider to ever exist. Her shifted her knees and her trusted steed soared higher. Directly at Exalt Emmeryn.

Robin smiled. She was going to make it. The guards were too busy trying to hold back Ben. They were not guarding the Exalt.

Robin's smile ran away from his face. He saw the monster in black robes grab Emmeryn and spin her around to face Ben. Maul had her in his grasp.

"No." Robin breathed before pushing his way through the Risen, "No. No. No."

"Robin!" Tharja bellowed as she cast spell after spell. Doing everything in her power to protect the suddenly entranced tactician.

Robin heard a piercing scream in his mind. He winced in pain and dropped to a knee. Tharja caught up and stood over him. Her own magic flared around him. He could somehow sense it. Sense the dark power in her. But it was overwhelmed by a pain filled cry that shook him to his core. Robin's mouth felt dry. He felt fear in his gut. Anxiety in his heart.

He looked up at the cliffs. His heart lodged itself in his throat.

Emmeryn was falling.

The next few moments were a blur. Robin felt himself sprinting towards where the Exalt was falling. Casting spell after spell as he did everything in his power to clear the way from Chrom.

The Prince had also seen his sister fall. He was sprinting like a mad man to catch her. One hand outstretched towards her. As if he was trying to slow her fall by sheer force of will.

Robin heard Lissa utter an ear piercing wail.

There was a dull thud.

He skidded to a halt at the same time as Chrom.

The Prince took a few shaky steps forward. Around him, Feroxi soldiers and Shepherds battled back the Risen. Chrom's knees buckled. He fell onto his hands and knees and crawled to Emmeryn's fallen form.

Robin took a few hesitant steps towards him. Chrom had her head cradled in his hands. He could see tears streaming down his friend's face. Could see his mouth screaming in agony.

But he could not hear anything. It was surreal. Robin could sense the din of battle around him. The lives being snuffed out. The dark fury of a power unknown to him reveling in every life lost. The pain filled wail in his mind. As if the universe itself mourned the loss of Emmeryn.

It took a hard smack in the face from Khan Flavia to snap him out of his stupor.

"ROBIN! WAKE UP!" Flavia roared, "We can't hold this position."

Robin blinked himself back to reality. He rubbed his temple and shook his head. A splitting headache had formed in his skull. It felt like hammers were hitting him over and over again. A dull throbbing sensation washed over his face. He felt very tired all of a sudden. And very weak. He swayed to the side. Tharja caught him.

"Stay awake, Robin." Flavia cursed under her breath, "Damn it all! Frederick! Where the hell are you!?"

The knight galloped over to them. His face was very pale. And he only looked even sicker when he caught sight of Chrom cradling the Exalt's body.

"Get the Prince and get moving!" Flavia ordered the knight, "We need to escape while we have the chance to do so."

"We aren't leaving." Chrom whimpered, "I'm not leaving Emm. I can't leave her. I-I-"

Flavia grabbed Chrom by the back of his shirt and flung him up onto Frederick's horse.

"RIDE HARD!" Flavia ordered.

"Frederick don't you dare-"

"I'm sorry, milord." Frederick said quietly, "But this time, I must disobey you."

The knight snapped the reigns. Chrom uttered a loud cry as the knight sped away from the battle.

"You there. Plegian girl." Flavia pointed at Tharja, "You and me are going to go get Ben." She turned to Virion at his perch, "Flower boy! Gather the soldiers and start retreating! Sully grab Lissa and get moving! Stahl, take Robin. He's magically exhausted himself."

"What about the Exalt's body?" Virion asked grimly.

"We can't take her with us. There is no time." Flavia replied, "Now move it! I don't want to have anymore funerals today!"

Virion nodded and ran off to relay the Khan's orders to her men. Flavia in the meantime turned to face the cliffs. She snarled as she saw Maul staring down at them all with utter contempt. Her scowl only deepened when she saw the look of complete despair on Ben's face.

"If Ben doesn't kill that cretin, I will." Flavia growled.

"We have to get up there first." Tharja noted.

"So find some stairs and-"

"I can help."

Tharja glanced behind Flavia. She raised her brow as she saw a little girl standing behind the Khan. The girl had unnaturally bright eyes. But they held a sorrow to them. A sorrow and understanding beyond the years of her body. She knew what had just happened.

"How can _you_ help?" Tharja asked.

"Yes! Help us out Nowi!" Flavia agreed.

Nowi gave them both a firm nod. She turned to whisper to a large, older man in rust colored armor. The man gave her a hesitant nod before leaving her and rejoining the battle.

"I can carry two of you. But it'll be a little heavy. And you will _really_ have to hold on."

Before Tharja could ask how again, the girl was enveloped in a bright light. A small, pink, cocoon like structure surrounded her body. Then the cocoon burst. In a flash of brilliant light, a large, green dragon emerged. Tharja's eyes widened in stunned shock.

"A Manakete." Tharja breathed.

"Hop on!" Nowi said.

Tharja did not question the ancient being. She clambered up the dragon's flank. She perched herself on her scaly back. Flavia sat behind the Plegian mage. The Manakete beat her massive wings against the air. Small clouds of sand burst up from the ground as Nowi launched herself in the air.

Arrows flew around them. Tharja had to duck more than once as an arrow narrowly miss her. Flavia used her shield to guard against any attacks that would have otherwise hit their mark. Nowi uttered one long, loud roar before soaring up to the top of the cliff. Sumia circled nearby. The Pegasus rider landed and charged her steed at full gallop towards Maul, Ben, and Gangrel.

Nowi landed just behind her. Flavia uttered a curse as she hopped off.

"Stupid girl is going to get herself killed." Flavia muttered, "Maul will annihilate her."

Tharja swallowed hard but did not say anything. She just followed the Khan. As they charged towards Maul and Ben. A second, black robed figure stepped in front of the three warrior.

A blade made out of red light burst to life in his hand. His robe fell from his head. Revealing his blonde hair and boyish face.

Flavia felt rage unlike any she had ever felt before in her life.

"BASTARD!" Flavia roared as she raised her blade.

Tharja shoved Flavia out of the way just before Kage could impale her on his weapon. The Plegian mage had seen a weapon like that one time before. Flavia did nto stand a chance against it. Sumia had also ground to a halt. The Pegasus Rider choosing to wait and see instead of blindly charging at Kage.

The young Sith rolled his shoulders. But he did not attack again.

"Do not interfere." He warned.

Tharja narrowed her eyes at the boy. She recognized his attire from battlefield records. So this was the Black Wyvern Rider she had heard about. If she had not read up on those battlefield accounts, she would not have believed this scrawny boy to be a fierce warrior. But he was. His association with Maul was proof enough of that.

Flavia picked herself up from the dirt. Her grip on her blade tightened. She jumped to her feet to charge again but Tharja's outstretched hand stopped her.

"You won't help anyone if you are killed." The Plegian mage warned.

"If you think this little whelp can kill me-"

"He can and he will if you give him the opportunity." Tharja cut her off, "He is Maul's apprentice. A title that should not be taken lightly."

She certainly didn't. Every mage in the Grimleal knew about Maul. Lord Validar had introduced him before his untimely demise. The late leader of the Grimleal had described Maul as a being of great power to be feared and not trifled with. Those who valued their lives in the Grimleal would follow his orders and would not anger the demonic looking man. To prove the point, Maul killed four master mages who decided to test him right there and then. Using the exact same type of weapon Kage had in his hands.

They could not defeat Kage in a typical battle. But perhaps, in a different battlefield, he could be bested. Or he could at least be distracted long enough for Flavia, Sumia, and Nowi to grab Ben. Tharja flipped open her spell book. She mutterd an incantation. A particularly complex hex erupted from her hand.

Kage jumped back in surprise. But he could not avoid the surprise hex.

It hit him. Black runes ran up his neck to his forehead. Another set of runes mirrored the pattern on Tharja's skin. Her eyes closed.

They had left this battlefield. And entered a far more dangerous one.

….

Kage opened his eyes. He was… he was not sure where he was. It was a dark place. Quiet, unfeeling.

" _Let's see what we have in your mind, shall we?"_ A dark voice snickered at him.

Kage frowned. Who was that speaking? Was it a god of some sort? The Force? Where was he? Why was it dark?

No… it wasn't dark anymore. There was a small light. He couldn't really understand it. But he heard a new voice.

"Luke." A women said weakly, "Leia."

There was a tug on his heart. A sense of knowing that made him feel lost for breath.

" _Oh…"_ The voice cooed, " _Mommy died before you ever knew her. Such a shame. You are like many who exist in this universe then. Never knowing a mother's love."_

The light faded. Kage winced as there was a sudden blast of heat. Then he saw a memory that he rarely remembered.

He was a street urchin in a Plegian town. He was… five years old? Maybe? The war between Ylisse and Plegia had ended several years prior. He had his eyes set on the fat pocketbook of a red haired man. The red haired man stood alongside a man with brown hair and a large coat, a women with dark hair and a black spell book, a rabbit, and-

Kage blinked. He looked way different in the memory. Older. A lot more facial hair. But the poise was unmistakable. It was Obi Wan Kenobi.

He watched his younger self snatch the pocket book only to get grabbed by the red haired thief.

"Ah, what do we got here?" The man asked, amused. He plucked the pocket book from Kage's hands, "You can't steal from the best stealer in the world, kid."

"Is stealer even a word Gaius?" Panne asked.

"In his own little world, it is." Robin snickered.

"Shut it you two." Gaius retorted as the others laugh, "What's your name kid?"

" _That's… interesting."_ The voice said. A voice Kage was beginning to recognize, " _What happens if I go further?"_

Another treasured memory burst forth. He was older. Maybe twelve? He was in the yard practicing his swordsmanship with a blue haired girl who was about a year younger than he was. He was always beating her. And that always frustrated her. But whenever he beat her at swordplay, she would best him at magic. Her affinity for that strange power she possessed always surpassed his own. But that was thanks to her teacher. And teacher that did not want to teach him.

That gate to the Ylisstol palace opened. A new figure entered the memory. One that sent a chill up Kage's spine. It was the first time he had ever met Maul.

" _So that is how you two crossed paths? How interesting. Let me guess. You wanted power. And he offered you a way to power. Understandable really. One potential teacher rejected you, so you chose another. Who would have thought that other teacher would be the other's lifelong rival?"_ The voice chuckled, " _So delicious."_

Kage blinked. The next memory was one he did not want to see. He was sixteen. She was fifteen. They were close. And Maul did not approve of it. He had ordered Kage to end it. Or he would end it himself. Fear filled his gut to this day over what Maul would have done to her if Kage had not shattered her heart.

That was the day he walked away. The next day, Maul enacted his plans to return to the past. That was the last day he saw her. Before she too arrived in the past.

The voice uttered a mocking laugh.

" _Ah… young love."_

Kage had had enough.

"Get. Out. Of. My. Head." The dark side of the Force roared. The voice's breath hitched, "Witch!"

He lashed out with every mental attack he could conjure. The woman's voice wailed painfully. The darkness faded away.

….

Ben stared down to the ground. His gaze never wavered from the pale body that lay in a heap on the cracked ground far below. Somehow, she had fallen so gracefully. Landed so serenely. If Emmeryn did not have the hole in her chest, Ben could have easily assumed that she had simply fallen asleep in the Plegian courtyard.

But she had not just fallen asleep. Maul had killed her. Flung her from the cliff in order to make sure she actually died. And there was not a thing he could do about it.

Ben's shoulders slumped. He was powerless. Maul had bested him. And once again, Maul had taken everything from him.

The first time Maul took his Master. At that time, Ben had summoned forth the courage and will to take down the monster. He had thought he had slain the Sith then. But then the second tragedy occurred. The death of Satine Kryze, Duchess of Mandalore. Ben had felt just as powerless then as he did now. But back then, he had the Jedi order to fall back to. His comrades to catch him when he felt like he was falling.

He had Ahsoka, Cody, Rex… Anakin.

But now… now he had no one. Emmeryn was the only one who knew. She was the only one who accepted who he was without any questions.

And Maul killed her.

Ben closed his eyes. He wanted to cry. But he found there were no more tears for him to cry. All he could do was kneel silently at the cliff's edge.

He heard the faint whine of gears in his ears. Maul hobbled up beside him. At first the Zabrak was chuckling. Enjoying every second of Ben's despair. But as he got closer, Maul's glee began to fade.

"Look at you." Maul grumbled causing Ben to open his eyes, "Look at what you have become."

There was disdain in Maul's voice. Ben glanced over at the monster. Was he somehow disappointed? Was he expecting a different reaction when he took everything away from Ben once again?

"You were my greatest foe, Kenobi." Maul continued, "The one force that drove all of my actions. Destroying you has been my life's goal ever since that fateful day on Naboo all those years ago." The Zabrak leaned heavily on his cane, "And now… now that I have finally succeeded in destroying you, now that you finally know pain, I feel… I feel… unsatisfied?"

Maul pursed his lips.

"I feel empty almost. Now that I have finally won, what is there to do anymore? I have taken everything from you. I have made it so you have nothing and no one to live for anymore. The ultimate defeat for a Jedi. And yet I expected more. Some sort of reaction at the least." Maul exhaled, "But no. Nothing. You just stay silent. Head bowed. Like a shamed animal." His lightsaber thrummed to life in his hand once again, "You Jedi were always such a stoic, unfeeling, bunch. That was one of the few things I could never understand about you. But you were a rare one Kenobi. You felt. You tried to hide it. Bury it. But you could not. And in the end, those feelings proved to be your downfall."

Ben nodded his head, "You're right." He whispered, "I have no one now."

He had failed everyone. He had failed Qui Gon. He had failed Anakin. He had failed Yoda. And he had even failed Luke when he lost the boy upon arriving on this world. A failure like him did not deserve another chance.

Maul let out a long sigh, "You are a broken man now." Ben felt the heat of Maul's lightsaber hover over his bent neck, "I think… in the end, I shall grant you a merciful death."

Maul raised his lightsaber. And Ben waited. He wanted the blade to cut through him and end it quickly. He had enough of suffering for one lifetime. Everything and everyone he knew was gone now. There was no one he could fight for anymore. No one he felt he could care about anymore. The Jedi were gone. Satine and Emmeryn were gone. Qui Gon and Anakin were gone. It was past time he joined them.

How poetic that it would be Maul to send him to them.

"Farewell, Obi Wan Kenobi." Maul snarled, "You were once a worthy opponent."

Obi Wan closed his eyes. He heard the lightsaber hum down towards him.

"MASTER!"

The lightsaber never connected. Instead, it hissed. Sparks hit Ben's neck instead of the blade. His eyes shot open. He carefully turned his head and saw Marth standing over him. Struggling with all of her might to hold off Maul.

That word reverberated through his mind. An echo that sounded over and over again.

Master.

He recalled his first conversation with Marth. He had asked her who her master was. At the time, he had suspected she was a Force Sensitive. That she had someone who trained her. But he had never considered… but it was not possible… how could he be the one who trained her?

Marth shoved Maul back and began a furious assault. Ben watched as his mind reeled. She had Maul backpedaling through the sand. It was an assault that would have made even Anakin proud. Her attacks were filled with power. Falchion cut through the air with devastating precision and speed. Maul's face had twisted into a frustrated snarl as he struggled to hold her off.

Marth raised Falchion over her head in order to cut down at Maul. An attempt to cleave the seemingly feeble creature in two.

A move that Ben had seen before.

 _NO!_

Maul grinned. He drove the hilt of his blade into Marth's exposed face. Marth reeled. Maul's blade cut through the air.

Ben's eyes widened as he watched Marth's right arm fall to the ground. Severed at the elbow. Falchion lay in the dirt. The divine blade now cleaved in two. Marth started to stumble backwards but stopped moving when Maul drove his lightsaber into her stomach.

She swayed for a moment. Then Marth crumbled. Her knees touched the earth first. Then she fell face first to the dirt.

Ben moved. He willed his injured body over to her. As Maul stalked around him, Ben turned her over.

Her eyes were turning glossy. She gave Ben a sad smile.

"Until…" She swallowed hard. Her chest ceased to rise and fall, "Until we meet again… Master."

….

Kage roared in fury. Daylight filled his sight as he burst free from the mental assault Tharja had executed. The Plegian mage fell backwards. She stared at the Sith Apprentice with fear and shock.

"You have the same power as Kenobi." She breathed.

"Who is Kenobi?" Flavia asked, confused as to what just happened in the past minute.

Kage's face twisted into a rage filled snarl, "You know, I was going to leave you well enough alone. But now, I'm going to enjoy killing all of you."

He took one step forward. Then he froze. There was a tether in his mind. Long ago forgotten. A bond long abandoned out of necessity. And it had just been violently cut.

His stomach flipped. His heart nearly stopped beating. Kage dreaded what he would see if he turned around to look at Ben and his Master. But he still turned.

His hands started to shake. His heart began to pound so hard he could feel it in his head.

She laid on the ground. Her head was cradled in Ben's arms. Kage could not sense any life coming from her.

Only one person could have done that. Only one person could have killed her. Only one weapon could have bested Falchion, which lay in two pieces on the ground.

Kage did not know what happened next. But when he took one step forward, he felt the bond sever entirely.

His vision went red.

….

Maul paced around Ben and Marth like a caged animal. The Sith was struggling to contain his growing frustration and fury. He spat at the ground as he watched Kenobi cradle the dead girl.

"Foolish girl." He spat, "She should have been wiser and listened to my warnings. Maybe if she had done that, she would be still be alive."

Kenobi raised his gaze to meet Maul's. And for first time that day, Maul saw something in Kenobi that gave the Sith pause. There was a cold fury in Kenobi's gaze. A look that told the predator that as soon as Kenobi could fight again, as soon as he had a lightsaber again, the predator would become the prey.

Maul uttered furious snarl. He would not let that happen. He had won! He would not let this victory slip from his fingers because of a dumb girl's foolishness. He would kill Kenobi. And when that was done, he would execute his plans to take over this sand covered land. Gangrel was a weak king. The mad fool had already fled the battle with his pet witch. It would be too easy to dispose of both of them.

But first things first.

"It is time for you to die, Kenobi!" Maul declared.

He raised his lightsaber to deliver the final, killing stroke. But he froze. The dark side of the force felt… weak in him. Like it had abandoned him in favor of someone else. Maul scowled and turned to see Kage calmly walking towards him.

Maul let out a loud exhale.

"Apprentice," He snarled, "Get back to your place and-"

"My place is here." Kage replied, his voice unnervingly calm.

"You insolent whelp." Maul growled, struggling to contain his rage, "When I am finished here I will-"

"I will give you one opportunity to fling yourself from the cliff and die on your own terms." Kage said monotonously, "As a thank you for teaching me everything you knew."

Maul narrowed his eyes at the boy. There was something different about him now. A coldness to him that he had never felt before. He glance back at Marth's body. The connection hit his mind.

"Oh…" Maul snarled, "You are angry over her death?" Maul chuckled, "Foolish boy. I did you a favor. Now you will not have any more distractions."

Maul's mirth faded when he saw Kage point his own red lightsaber at him.

"Last. Chance." Kage said. His voice was no longer even. It was trembling.

Maul face twisted in fury, "You dare raise your blade against me!?"

Kage lowered his gaze at his former master. Maul uttered a manic chuckle.

"Very well. It appears I have to give you another lesson. And when it is over, you will be thanking me for gutting the little girl like a fish."

Kage surged forward. He leaped through the air. And an unholy, monstrous howl erupted from his throat. A hoarse, shrill sound that rang through the air and made Maul step back.

Their blades collided in a shower of light and sparks. They did not stay bound for long. Kage ripped his lightsaber free from Maul's. The screech of their blades pierced the air. Ben stayed frozen in place as he watched the duel in awe.

Kage was a blur of motion. Unyielding fury guided his weapon. Pure hatred motivated his attacks. Maul was on the defensive. The Sith backpedaled closer and closer to the edge of the cliff.

Maul uttered a furious roar. He caught Kage's blade and slid his own down the length untill his lightsaber touch the hilt.

Kage jumped back as his red blade exploded in a shower of sparks. Burning his hand and lacerating his arm. Maul uttered a chuckle.

"Learned your lesson yet, brat?" Maul growled as he stalked towards Kage.

Kage's eyes burned with hatred. A chill fell over the air. Ben could see his breath starting to mist in front of his face.

Maul raised his lightsaber. Ready to strike at Kage again.

Kage leveled a hand at his Master. Ben's eyes widened as blue lightning erupted from the boy's fingertips.

The sudden onslaught surprised Maul too. The Zabrak's eyes widened with fear as he raised his blade and caught the lighting. Light flashed over and over. Nearly blinding Ben. Kage roared as he poured more power into the attack.

Maul started to slide backwards in the sand. Ben could see fear starting to take over Maul. There was no rage or frustration anymore on the Zabrak's face. He was not facing a terrified boy anymore. He was facing his successor.

He was facing a Dark Lord of the Sith.

The lightsaber's hilt began to smoke. Then it powered down. The intensity of the lightning had proven too much for Maul's ancient blade.

But before Kage's attack could hit Maul, the boy reeled the lightning back in. Maul trembled where he stood. Kage's unblinking stare never wavered as the boy stepped towards him.

Maul gave him one last snarl.

"You should have killed me." Maul snarled as he activated the other half of his lightsaber.

Kage's hands flew to his robes. Ben watched as he grabbed a second hilt hidden among the black cloth. A slender, utilitarian hilt that made Ben's blood go cold in his veins.

A blue blade burst to life in Kage's hands. He slashed through Maul's hilt. The tip of the blue blade cut up through Maul's chest.

Maul stumbled back in shock. His own blade, now useless, fell from his hands. He uttered a short, pained gasp. His yellow eyes stared stunned at Kage. He gazed one more time at Kenobi. Realizing that he had come so close, yet never truly won. With that last thought on his mind, Maul fell into the growing army of Risen below.

Kage watched his former master's body disappear into a sea of black masked monsters. There was no emotion on the boy's face. He was indifferent to it.

But when he stepped away and looked at Kenobi, Ben saw a multitude of emotions cross the boy's face.

There was relief at first. Then sorrow as he saw Marth's body. Just as it looked like he was going to break down in tears, fury rushed over his face.

He pointed that familiar blue blade at Ben.

"You!" He growled, "You are a Jedi Master. You had the power to prevent all of this. You had the power to stop Maul. But in your fear and selfishness, you did nothing. Now your failure has cost both of us everything." Kage took a shaky breath, "Out of respect for her, I will not kill you this time. But the next time we meet… and we will meet again, I will not hesitate to kill you."

Without another word, Kage moved by Ben and started walking towards the desert. As he walked away, Tharja, Flavia, Sumia, and Nowi rushed to Ben.

Ben was not sure what happened next. He felt exhausted. The pain from his injuries hit him all at once. That and the grief. In his arms was a student he never knew. And below the cliff was a love he would never experience again.

He looked down at Marth. Not only had he failed Emmeryn today, now he had failed-

He froze. He felt it ever so slightly. The subtle rise and fall of Marth's chest. But how? Maul killed her. How was she breathing once again?

His mind felt completely overwhelmed. He did not even hear Flavia or Sumia as they grabbed him and hauled him towards Sumia's pegasus. Tharja grabbed Marth and dragged her towards Nowi, who was once again in her dragon form. As they moved him, his vision began to go dark.

 _I feel so tired._

 **And chapter! Thus concludes the second and last part of that battle. There will be a bit more in the next chapter. We do need to see what happened to Cordelia and her new friend Libra after all. These past two chapters were difficult to write to say the least. There were so many different directions I could have gone. But I chose this way. To me, it made the most sense narratively speaking. Especially with what is going to happen later on in the story. I won't spoil anything, but I'm excited to keep this thing going! I'll have the next chapter up as soon as I can get it up. We'll see how much time I have with work and everything else going on in life.**

 **Secondly, never in my wildest dreams did I think a story I wrote would be received like this. I've written other stories on this sight, none of them have received the love and support of this one. You guys are all amazing. Without all of you reading and reviewing, this would not be possible. So I just want to say thank you. You guys make this all worth while.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	33. Aftermath

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 33

Aftermath

She felt weightless. As if she was without form. Like a mirage in the air. She saw nothing. Felt nothing. Not the wind against her skin or the heat of the Plegian sun. Not the burning pain in her stomach after Maul pierced her.

Just quiet. Still. A sense of peace. Serenity. A sensation that was so indescribable and foreign to her. For so long, she had been fighting. It was all she could remember now. Fighting, hardship, loss, difficult decisions, sorrow, all of which had hardened and molded her into what she had been. To feel peace. To not feel weight on her shoulders anymore. It felt so liberating. But at the same time, it almost felt wrong.

If she had eyes, then what she was seeing was indescribable. A amalgamation of color, shades, and shapes that made her mind spin. It all seemed to zip by her faster than anything in existence. Then, in the blink of an eye, it all came to a sudden stop. The colors faded. The shapes dissipated. And all that was left was a blinding light.

" _Lucina."_

It felt like she had a body. She felt like she could move her arms, her legs, her eyes. She spun around. Trying to see who spoke her name. Attempting to discern the identity of whatever being was calling her.

Her eyes widened. Behind her the light began to dim. And in its place was a new world. One that was covered in darkness. And in that darkness was a series of catwalks made of shadow. Faintly illuminated by pale streaks of light that cut through the darkness like slim ribbons.

 _Where am I?_

There was brighter light to her right. Lucina glanced over and saw what she could only describe as some form of gateway. And beyond that circular portal, was another image. Like a portrait that moved as it hung in a circular frame.

" _The Force will change you. It will transform you."_ The words echoed from the portal as she saw a man in a strange mask staring back at her.

The portal rippled and disappeared. Lucina took a few hesitant steps back. Unsure of what was going on.

What was her last memory? How did she end up here? Her heart hammered in her chest. She remembered now. She was facing Maul. And he-

She swallowed hard. He killed her. Cut her down. Without any effort, hesitation, or remorse.

She was dead.

So why was she seeing? Why was she feeling? Was this what the afterlife was like?

A voice came from behind her. One that made her spine crawl and fear rocket through her heart.

" _At last we will reveal ourselves to the Jedi."_

Lucina spun around to see a new portal. One with two figures standing on a bridge. They were both hooded and cloaked. One's face was hidden in shadow. The other, Lucina recognized easily. The red and black skin forced panicked breaths from her lungs.

" _At last we will have our revenge."_

A wave of darkness radiated from that portrait. But it did not come from Maul. No, his signature was minuscule in comparison to the shadowy form beside him.

The portal shimmered. As it faded, a series of voices hit her ears in rapid succession.

" _Always two, there are. No more… no less."_ And elderly, warm voice croaked.

" _You have fought admirably!"_ A rich, aristocratic voice boomed, " _Worthy of recognition in the archives of the Jedi Order. But now… it is finished."_

" _Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate. Hate… leads to suffering. I sense much fear in you."_

" _I HATE YOU!"_

Lucina's legs buckled beneath her. She collapsed on the transparent catwalk. Her eyes wide as she stared down into the endless void beneath her.

" _You were my brother, Anakin."_ Her head snapped up as she heard her Master's voice, " _I loved you."_

A wave of cold swept over her form. A third portal began to shimmer into existence.

" _The dark side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be unnatural."_

There was peculiar office on the other side of the portal. The furniture was made of a strange metal that seemed far to glossy to be real. Outside of the office, beyond a panoramic window, was a city that stretched as far as the eye could see. Dark towers jutted high into a stormy sky. And vehicles that flew through the air clogged the atmosphere and space between all of the towers she saw. It was so strange. So unusual. And for some reason, Lucina felt compelled to walk into it. As she got closer though, a growing sense of dread filled her heart. This was wrong.

There was something beyond the portrait that was evil. Not evil like Maul. No, Maul's evil could at the very least be understood. Comprehended. His evil stemmed from his hatred for an enemy. A desire to destroy said enemy and all those around him.

This evil felt like… Lucina swallowed hard. It felt like Grima. Without end. Black as a starless, midnight sky. As cold as any blizzard in Regna Ferox. Her hand shook at her sides as she stood rooted in front of the portrait.

The chair behind the desk spun around, revealing a decrepit looking man. His face hidden beneath a deep hood. Gnarled, knobbly hands folded on his lap. Yellow eyes blazed out from the shadows of the hood.

He gazed upon her. Thoughtfully. For as evil as this man felt, he did not act evil. If anything, he regarded Lucina with a strange sense of curiosity. Cracked, wrinkled lips parted into a hideous yellow smile.

His voice was quiet. It croaked and grated against Lucina's ears. And yet, it held a power and command that made her heart jump to her throat. The voice forced adrenaline to rush through her body. Not for fighting. She did not want to fight this elderly man that sat before her. She wanted to run. To hide. To crawl under a rock so that he could never find her.

"So there is another way."

She took a few terrified steps back as the stooped man rose from his seat and moved towards her.

How could he see her? Was he the one responsible for bringing her to this strange realm? This world between worlds.

He stopped at the edge of the portrait. The dark side of the Force radiated from him like a dark cloud. It felt so controlled. So focused. The amount of mastery this man held over the Force boggled Lucina's mind. It was as if he commanded the Force itself. Demanded that it bend to his will. Dominated and commanded it as one would command a pet dog.

A low, hissing breath emanated from the emaciated being in front of her.

"Lucina." He growled, "You are… a most precious thing, aren't you?"

She swallowed hard. Who was this man? Why did he terrify her as much as Grima did?

He uttered an amused laugh. A cackle that would long haunt her memory.

"I look forward to meeting you."

As the image shimmered out of existence, Lucina felt soft, feathered feet land on her shoulder. She glanced over and saw a white owl sitting there. The dread she felt faded away as she locked eyes with the bird. Warmth rushed over her. Her breathing steadied and her pulse began to slow.

Electricity shot through her body. Rushing from her fingertips to her chest. Down from the crown of her head to the bottom of her feet. Another gasp of breath surged through her lungs. And the world between worlds vanished from existence.

….

Images flew past Ben. Images that he did not want to see. Did not want to hear. Did not want to experience ever again.

They were burned in his memory. Ingrained forever in his mind and heart. And every time he relieved them, a new scar opened in his heart.

He could not stop Maul. He had failed. And because of his failure, Emmeryn died. She died just as Satine died. Just as Qui Gon died.

Ben had failed once again. And for some cruel reason, the Force had not decided to be merciful and let him pass on. Just like when he was blasted out of space while escaping the Tantive IV, he had somehow escaped Death's grasp once again. Except this time, it wasn't just the Force intervening.

Marth had stepped between him and the killing blow. And as a result, she had died. He felt her life leave her. Felt the pain in his heart as her last breath left her lips. The sorrow was only compounded by the word she screamed when she saved his life.

Master.

If what she said was true, if he really was her Master, then he had not only failed another loved one, he had failed another apprentice.

It still made no sense to him. How could he be Marth's master? He had never met the girl before in his life. But somehow, deep down, it did make sense. The evidence was there. Her cautious nature towards her own abilities. Her use of both Soresu and Ataru as forms of combat with a blade. The fact that she never wished to talk about her master around him. There were too many coincidences.

She was his apprentice. And she died his apprentice. Another failure by Obi Wan Kenobi, Jedi Master.

" _Obi Wan."_

Ben frowned. It was Qui Gon.

" _Obi Wan."_

Ben's heart leaped. There were two voices joining as one with the second saying of his name. Two voices that sounded so similar together. That spoke with the same peaceful authority.

Satine and Emmeryn.

" _You did not fail us."_ Satine said in his mind as the memory of her death replayed. Reopening an old wound that had never fully healed.

" _You have not failed us yet."_ Qui Gon said as Ben remembered his death at the hands of Maul.

" _You will only fail us if you give up."_ Emmeryn's calm, gentle voice told him.

Even as he saw her death in his mind once again, he felt serenity at the sound of her voice. The scars began to close as he felt the presence of all three wash over him.

A rush of warmth hit him as the light side of the force opened up. He could see them. All three. Qui Gon, Satine, and Emmeryn were all looking at him. They were not angry or sad. They did appear worried. But they hid that worry behind reassuring smiles.

" _Your friends need you, Obi Wan."_ Qui Gon said, " _You cannot be afraid anymore."_

" _Let go of the past. It will only shackle you down."_ Satine said, " _The Obi Wan I knew would never allow that to happen. He would never allow fear and sorrow to stop him from helping those in need."_

Emmeryn's pure face smiled at him.

" _We believe in you."_

….

Cordelia sat on a makeshift bench. One leg bounced up and down. The other stayed rooted in the sand. Her armored hands rested in front of her face. Fingers interlaced. Her eyes were open as she stared into the shifting sands near her feet.

The sky above her had gone dark hours ago. And during those hours, her mind could not think of anything else except what had happened in the Plegian Capitol.

It had happened in such a short span of time. But it had felt like years. The sudden appearance of those monsters sat in her mind. Risen, as the men around her in the camp had called them. The term certainly fit. They looked like the very embodiment of death. Ashen faced. Expressions twisted into savage snarls and pained grimaces. A near unstoppable tide that she had to cut through in order to escape that hell hole of a city.

She considered herself lucky to even survive that nightmare. Even luckier that she had Libra by her side to assist her in escaping the city.

Vivid memories bounced around her head. A nightmare she continued to relive, even though she was awake.

Libra's ax had cut massive swaths through the Risen horde. She had managed to fell just as many as they zigzagged through the Plegian maze and out into the desert. Cordelia was convinced that the only reason they managed to survive was because they were not the focus of the Risen's attacks. The horde's goal was to destroy the small force of Shepherds and Feroxi that had stormed the capitol in a desperate attempt to rescue Exalt Emmeryn.

Cordelia swallowed hard. Her dry throat stung as she took a breath.

The rescue attempt failed. Exalt Emmeryn was dead. Ben was on injured. And Marth… Cordelia squeezed her eyes shut and fought back tears.

As Libra and her raced out of the city, they had accidentally ran into the last few friendly stragglers. Flavia was fighting off any Risen that decided to give chase. A little girl with blonde hair and what had to be a Plegian traitor were dragging Ben as fast as they could away from the city. Sumia was about to spur her pegasus into the air. Before she took flight, Cordelia caught a glimpse of Marth.

She was so pale. So lifeless. In that moment, Cordelia also realized just how young Marth was. How innocent she looked. Just before Sumia took off, Libra had surged forward and asked to look at Marth.

The priest looked so grim as he examined her. Nevertheless he nodded, said a silent prayer, then bade Sumia to fly with all haste into the desert. That they would meet her where it was safe. And there, Libra would work on saving Marth's life.

That's where he was now. And Cordelia sat alone outside of a hastily set up medical tent. An weary, anxious wreck of a pegasus knight.

Someone flopped down in the sand beside her.

"Mind if I join you, Red?"

Cordelia blinked and glanced down to see Gaius sitting up against one of the tent poles. His eyes were half closed. The thief looked exhausted and sick.

"Not at all." Cordelia said with the faintest hint of a smile.

The sight of the weary thief brought a surge of relief to Cordelia. She had not seen any of the other Shepherds since catching up to the main force that retreated into the desert. Other than some names said here and there, she did not know who was alive and who was dead. Did they lose more than Exalt Emmeryn today? How many friends was she going to help bury?

She feared Gaius and Panne to be among the dead. After all, they were at the first doomed rescue attempt. They were with Ben when he was captured. They were there when she and Marth were both bested by the Plegian guards and Kage.

Relieved sobs left Cordelia's lips before she threw her arms around Gaius.

"Hey! Hey!" Gaius grunted, "Easy with the hugs. I'm hungover and really sore right now."

Cordelia uttered a shaky breath, "I'm sorry. I'm just… so happy you are alive." She sniffled and wiped at her eyes, "How is Panne?"

"Whiskers?" Gaius replied, "She's alive. In one piece. Physically fine. Mentally?" Gaius sighed, "I'm not sure if any of us are ok mentally right now." He shifted in his seat as Cordelia pulled away, "I'm happy to see you too." He finally said.

Cordelia let out a small laugh, "Always with the wonderful timing."

"You know it." Gaius replied. His eyes darted back to the tent entry behind him. They both could hear healers and priests frantically working. "How's Benny? Did he make it out in one piece?"

Cordelia gulped, "He did. But he's badly injured."

Gaius nodded, "I thought he would be. I'm shocked Maul didn't kill him." Gaius rested his head back against the tent pole, "What about Blue? Have you seen her anywhere?"

Cordelia's face paled. Gaius let his eyes close.

"How bad?" He asked.

Cordelia shook her head, "I don't know."

Gaius gave her a faint nod, "That bad huh?" He rolled his shoulders. The muscles popped loudly, "Damn, I want to sleep but I can't."

"Why not?" Cordelia asked.

"Probably the same reason as you." Gaius replied.

Cordelia pursed her lips, "The Risen scared you that much too?"

"Is that what they're called?" Gaius replied, "And yes… they did." He shook his head, "I'm not a warrior like you, Red. I'm a thief. I don't do open battles. My purpose in life is to break into places I'm not supposed to be in and snatch anything I think is valuable."

"Yet here you are, in a military camp." Cordelia noted.

Gaius huffed, "Don't need to remind me." He shifted in his seat again, "Red."

"Yes?"

"I can't help but think I could have done more." He pressed his lips into a thin line, "Not just in saving the Exalt. I mean, I know she was a fine lady and all. She spared my life when she very easily could have ordered me imprisoned or executed. I guess… what I mean to say is, I feel like I could of done more to help you guys. To help Benny and Blue. To help you." He shook his head, "But in the palace courtyard I ran. Me and Whiskers ran."

"And if you hadn't you would have died." Cordelia reminded him, "Me and Marth were lucky to escape that situation at all. So don't start blaming yourself for events beyond your control."

"You all should blame me."

Both Gaius and Cordelia jumped. Then both of their faces parted into relieved smiles as they saw Robin trudging towards them.

The tactician looked exhausted. His shoulders were stooped a little. It was as if his coat was a physical weight on him. Dragging him down into the sand. There were massive bags under his eyes. His brown hair was disheveled and covered in a fine layer of dust.

Gaius let out a long sigh, "Hey Bubbles."

"Sir Robin." Cordelia nodded.

Robin let out a snort, "I'm not a sir. And my name is not Bubbles." He protested weakly, "I'm just a tactician and Shepherd. It was my job to make sure we all got out of there alive." He sighed, "Damn good tactician, aren't I?"

Gaius blinked. He nudged Cordelia's leg.

"Red."

"Yeah?"

"What did you just tell me?"

"Don't start blaming yourself for events beyond your control."

Gaius inclined his head at Robin, "I think Bubbles needs that advice too."

Robin uttered an exasperated sigh, "Maybe. But regardless, I was the one that came up with the strategy. I was the one who is responsible for the failure. I failed to account for the Risen."

"How could you?" Cordelia countered, "Those monsters are clearly not of this world. Not a single tactician in existence could have predicted someone summoning them."

"You're too hard on yourself, Bubbles." Gaius said, "Don't blame yourself. Just… stop your mind for a moment and rest."

"Yes. You should be resting." Cordelia agreed.

Robin uttered a small laugh, "I wish I could." He shook his head, "But I can't. There is just… too much going on right now." He let out a long sigh and pointed at the tent behind Cordelia and Gaius, "Ben is in there. Do you know how he is doing?"

Gaius shrugged, "I just got here."

"He's still unconscious." Cordelia answered, "I'm waiting out here. Giving the healers room to work."

Robin gave her a weary nod in thanks.

"I'm making the rounds right now." He explained, "Checking in and seeing how everyone is holding up." The tactician sighed, "I just tried talking to Chrom."

Cordelia's closed her eyes. In her own fear and anxiety, she had forgotten who had been impacted the most by the disaster that occured on the battlefield today. Exalt Emmeryn was gone. Chrom and Lissa's sister, the person who practically raised both of them, was dead. She could not even begin to imagine what they were feeling right now.

"How's the Captain?" Cordelia asked.

Robin shook his head, "He won't talk to anyone. Won't see anyone. I couldn't even get into his tent to speak to him. A pair of guards stopped me."

Cordelia's heart sank. That was not the Chrom she knew. The Chrom she knew was a bold, fearless leader. A strong warrior and a great man. Someone who did not falter in the face of insurmountable odds. Who did not despair when his comrades needed him the most.

Was she wrong about him?

"And the Princess?" Gaius asked.

"Holding herself together as best as she can." Robin explained, "Lissa's thrown herself into work. Trying to distract herself from her own pain by healing others." He bit his lip, "It amazes me how strong she actually is. I'm barely keeping myself together right now. But she's in one of the medical tents with the other healers. Working non-stop."

Cordelia nodded. All of the Shepherds were likely mourning right now. The fact that Lissa was able to keep herself composed in order to heal wounded men and women showed a strength that far surpassed her own.

"Do you both need anything?" Robin asked.

"A nap." Cordelia yawned.

"A candy bar?" Gaius said with a wry smirk, "Hell, I'll settle for sugar cubes at this point."

All three shared in a quiet laugh.

"I can't help you there Gaius. But maybe when we get back to the Longfort, you'll be able to get something sweet."

"One can only hope."

Robin smiled a little bit, "If you all need anything, don't hesitate to say something. I'm going to go check in on the others."

"Sounds good, Bubbles." Gaius muttered as his eyes began to droop.

"Don't mind us, Robin." Cordelia replied, "We will be fine."

The tactician nodded then began to walk away. As he walked away, posture slouched, shoulders hanging low, Cordelia could not help but feel sympathy for the man.

….

Robin uttered an exhausted sigh as he continued his walk through the haphazardly set up encampment. Flavia at first had been very reluctant to stop their retreat. The Khan wanted to get back to the Longfort and regroup as soon as possible. But upon seeing the weariness in her own soldiers and the dire situation of their wounded, Flavia had agreed to stop for the night.

No fires were allowed. Any noise had to be kept to a minimum. The Plegians could be in hot pursuit. Any and all tents had to be constructed so that they could be taken down quickly. Each group of soldiers had to have at least two members on watch at all times. The Khan of Regna Ferox would not allow the Plegian's to sneak up on them in the night.

Robin had to marvel at the efficiency with which the Feroxi obeyed Flavia's orders. They were followed without question. Executed to near perfection. It had to have taken hours upon hours of drilling and training in order to achieve the level of discipline the Feroxi soldiers displayed. Maybe one day, he would study their training habits first hand.

But today was not that day. Today was a day for deep reflection. His failure was obvious to him. Robin expected to be blamed for the disaster. To his great shock, no one blamed him. They instead reassured him that it wasn't his fault. That he could not have accounted for the Risen being summoned by Aversa.

Robin shook his head. He was the tactician. It was his job to formulate the military strategy and account for all possibilities. Supernatural included. At the very least, he should have accounted for a possible traitor in the Shepherd's ranks. Yet he had been so confident in his own abilities, that he failed to think the enemy had outsmarted him and planted a mole right under his nose.

His failure to do so had cost them dearly. They had lost the battle. Dozens of Feroxi soldiers were dead. Even more were wounded. Exalt Emmeryn was dead. Ben was out of commission. Unconscious due to his own wounds, exhaustion, and possibly grief. He had grown very close to Emmeryn during his short time with the Shepherds. Chrom was inconsolable. He had isolated himself into his tent. Which meant that command of the Shepherds somehow fell to… someone. Robin wasn't sure who. But if he had to pick someone to take the reigns, he'd choose Frederick. The Knight was the most combat experienced warrior in their group. He had a sense of command and leadership about him. Even if it was a little heavy handed and stern.

Robin finally reached his destination. A small tent with one occupant. The last Shepherd he needed to pay a visit too.

He saved this visit for last. Partially to give time for healers and Cordelia's newest friend, Libra, to try and save her life. And also to delay him having to look upon the gruesome evidence of his failures as a tactician.

He took a deep breath and pushed his way into the tent. Libra was standing beside Marth's cot, deep in thought. The healer's brow was furrowed and his hand rubbed his chin.

"Libra." Robin greeted.

"Sir Robin." The healer nodded.

Robin looked down at Marth. She was covered in layers of blankets. Her face was as pale as a ghost. But he could see her chest rising and falling in a slow, steady fashion.

"You're a miracle worker, Libra." Robin breathed.

"Naga performed this miracle, not me." Libra replied, "And I'm not finished yet."

"Oh!" Robin said, "Do you need me to go or-"

"No, no." Libra replied, "It is good you are here. I need someone to keep an eye on her while I go looking for someone."

Robin arched an eyebrow, "Someone? What's going on?"

Libra sighed, "I've managed to stabilize her. She won't die, hopefully. But," The healer frowned, "There is some kind of hex on her. A nasty one at that. Or, what is normally a nasty one."

Robin furrowed his brow as Libra continued.

"It appears to dull the sensation of pain. Significantly at that."

"Did Maul cast it?" Robin asked, "Or Kage?"

Libra shook his head, "No. I don't think so. This hex has been in place for a day or so."

Robin raised his brow, "Why?"

Libra gulped. His fingers went to Marth's blankets. He gingerly pulled them away.

What Robin saw made his stomach flip. Scars littered Marth's body. Fresh ribbons of red flesh snaked over her pale skin like bolts of lightning. Some areas of her body looked burnt. Then there was the bandages over stomach. In the center, Robin could see a small depression where Maul's lightsaber had run through her body. Beside her broken form sat the stub of her left arm. Bandaged where the blade had severed it at the elbow.

"The scarring is older than the wounds Maul gave her. But not by much." Libra placed the blankets back over her.

Robin swallowed hard, "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying whoever cast the hex did so in an effort to ease her pain, not curse her." Libra answered, "And among our allies, I believe there is only one who could possibly know such an incantation."

Robin's eyes widened, "Do you think she knows how to reverse it?"

"I hope so." Libra replied, "I won't be able to do much more to help Marth recover. Not until that hex is removed. Please, keep an eye on her. If her condition changes at all, fetch me immediately."

Before Robin could ask any more questions, Libra stepped past him and out of the tent. Robin tried to call after him, but to no avail.

His shoulders slumped once again and he hung his head.

"People have a habit of not listening to me outside of the battlefield." Robin grumbled, "And that is really beginning to irk me."

He turned to face Marth once again. He could feel his throat tighten as he looked at her broken form.

Naga, what had she done to deserve this fate? Robin took a deep breath as he grabbed a rickety wooden stool and took a seat beside her cot.

He folded his hands and sat quietly. His thumbs fidgeting in front of his body for a few moments. Eyes every so often looking up at Marth. Checking to make sure she was still breathing.

"I'm so sorry." He whispered, "I should have thought of a better strategy. I should have accounted for Maul and Kage." He let out a long breath, "If I had done my job better then none of us would be in this situation." He uttered a small laugh, "Maybe we'd be resting in the Plegian palace, victorious, if I had actually done that. Not out here in the desert fearing the Plegian counterattack."

He closed his eyes, hung his head and exhaled again.

"I have no idea what to do now." He breathed.

There was a small groan in front of him. Robin's eyes shot open. His head snapped up. He watched as Marth's eyes cracked open.

"Uh…" He sat frozen as her barely open eyes glanced over at him.

"Where am I?" She asked.

Robin gulped. His dry throat stung as he struggled to catch his breath. He didn't answer Marth. Instead he surged to the tent exit.

"LIBRA! LIBRA!" He shouted, but no one answered.

"What are you shouting about?" Marth asked him as he brought his head back into the tent, "And would you please stop. I have a splitting headache."

Robin gulped and gave her a small, sheepish smile.

"S-sorry just-" He uttered a nervous laugh, "Panicked."

"I can see that." Marth said. Her voice was quiet. Hushed. As if she was struggling to have the strength to speak. She licked her lips, "I'm really thirsty."

Robin blinked, "Yes! You would be. Um-"

He scrambled over to a small chest and uttered a triumphant whoop when he found a little skin of water sitting on top of a mountain of bandages and medical supplies. With as much care as he could muster, Robin brought the water skin to Marth's lips. Water dribbled gently onto her lips. She blinked and uttered a small cough when she had enough.

A long sigh left Marth's lips, "That was good." She whispered. Her face twisted in pain as she tried to sit upright.

"Stay lying down." Robin said firmly, "You are in no condition to be moving at all."

Marth gave him a defiant glare. Instead of listening to him. She tried to move again.

Robin uttered a long groan, "Does my voice simply float in the wind?"

"I can't prop my left arm up." Marth said. Some panic seeped into her voice, "Wh-why can't I see the covers moving around my arm? I feel it moving. It's there isn't it? So why-"

She stopped speaking when she saw the worried expression on Robin's face. Before the tactician could stop her, Marth's right arm wrenched the blankets from her body. Her face twisted in agony. She suppressed the urge to scream. Her eyes opened and widened as she stared down at the stump that was left of her left arm.

Pain rushed through her body. Lancing up from her destroyed arm, through her shoulders and neck, down into her chest and stomach. A burning pain that nearly blinded her as she lay in the cot. She hissed and let her head fall back into her pillow. Her eyes screwed tight for a moment before shooting open as she opened her mouth in a silent scream.

"Easy Marth." Robin breathed as he grabbed the covers and replaced them over her now frozen form, "Just take it easy."

She didn't say anything as the tactician rummaged through the chest again. He cursed as he stared at bottles of potions filled with liquids he did not know. His eyes shot up to the small healing staff leaning against the tent wall. He snatched it and took his seat beside Marth again.

"Um… I've never used one of these before." Robin said as Marth's eyes followed his movement, "It's gotta be the same principle as a spell book right?" He looked at Marth and gulped, "If anything hurts just say so and I'll stop. But right now, you need help."

Robin closed his eyes and attempted to channel what little magic he still had available. His power had been sapped during the battle in the Capitol. He had almost passed out due to magical exhaustion. Thankfully, he had forced himself to stay awake. The last thing the other shepherds needed at the time was their tactician to fall unconscious. They'd already lost Chrom to grief and Ben to injuries. They could not afford to lose him too.

The staff began to glow a faint green as his magic pumped into it and poured out as healing energy into Marth. The panic and pain in Marth's eyes began to fade away as a soothing sensation washed over her.

Robin grit his teeth. He felt sweat pooling in the creases of his palms and on his forehead. Why was this so difficult for him? Libra and Lissa made it look so easy.

He uttered a loud gasp before sagging in his seat. The green glow faded as his magic became sapped entirely. He sucked in a deep breath before looking back at Marth.

She did not appear to be in as much pain anymore. Instead, she looked at him stunned. Then she began to chuckle a little bit.

"Don't laugh." Robin said, "It's a lot harder than it looks."

"You acted like that was the most taxing thing you've ever done." Marth chuckled.

"It was, to be honest." Robin breathed, "How do the healers do it?"

"You'll have to ask them sometime." Marth replied, her voice still as quiet as a mouse.

Now instead of in pain, she looked tired. Her eyes were half open as she spoke. Her breathing was beginning to even out again.

"I'm alive, right Robin?" She asked.

Robin arched his eyebrow, puzzled.

Marth gulped, "Robin… I-I know what happened to me." Her lips began to trembled, "Robin… I was dead."

Robin's face paled.

"I know I was dead. I was- I was gone. I-" Marth closed her eyes and took a deep breath, "I don't know how I came back."

Robin thought back to what Libra told him.

"A miracle from Naga?" He suggested.

Marth snorted, "Perhaps." She pressed her lips together, "The Exalt?" She asked, "Mast-" She caught herself, "Ben?"

Robin eyed her for a moment then sighed, "Exalt Emmeryn is gone." He told her, "And Ben is wounded."

"But alive." Marth breathed, "At least I was able to save one life today."

"And you helped defeat another." Robin noted, "Maul was killed."

Marth's eyes widened in shock.

"From what I heard from Flavia, between the multitude of curses and ranting, was that Kage killed him."

Marth stared at him in absolute shock.

Kage killed Maul!? But why? He was loyal to him. The apprentice was always loyal to the master. That's how those relationships were supposed to work, right? Unless a Sith's apprenticeship was just that twisted. That malevolent in nature.

She shook her head. It would have taken an explosion of raw power in order for Kage to kill Maul. The only way that would have happened was if Kage flew into a rage. Like he did when she fought him atop the Palace walls. And the only way he would have become that enraged was if he sensed her die.

Which meant he was not as far gone as she had thought.

She did not know whether that was a good or bad thing.

"And where are we now?" She asked.

Robin shifted in his seat. One hand rubbed his eyes as he struggled to stay awake, "In the desert wastes to the north. Retreating towards the Longfort. Khan Basilio is waiting there with reinforcements. Right now, we are just trying to outrun any Plegian force that may be giving chase."

Marth nodded, "And Prince Chrom?"

Robin grimaced, "Not good."

Marth gave him a grim nod of understanding. The Prince's sister had just died. It did not surprise her one bit that he fell into despair and stopped speaking to people. When someone that close to you dies, it is difficult to do anything. Much less lead an army in full retreat.

 _I should know._ She thought to herself.

"Does anything hurt still?" Robin asked.

Marth arched an eyebrow.

Robin's cheeks flushed, "R-right. Dumb question. You just said that you were dead so of course stuff hurts. Um… what I mean to say is-um- do you need me to go grab a healer right now?"

Marth let out a small laugh, "No. I'll be ok." She looked at the staff on the ground beside Robin, "You didn't do too bad of a job."

Robin puffed up a little bit, "You think so?"

"I've had worse healing done to me."

His shoulders sagged a little bit, "I've got a lot of practicing to do, don't I?"

"Just add it to your swordsmanship lessons." Marth replied, "I hear you are still having a difficult time with those too."

"I just started those when the war broke out." Robin replied defensively, "I didn't exactly have a lot of time to train before having to fight a battle."

Before Marth could reply, the tent opened. Both Libra and Tharja strode in.

Libra regarded Marth with surprise.

"You're awake!" He glared at Robin, "I told you to come find me if her condition changed."

Tharja's gaze darkened at the priest as he spoke to Robin.

"Hey!" Robin snapped back, "I shouted for you. Evidently, you need to get your hearing checked."

"Boys, knock it off." Tharja grumbled, "I won't hesitate to cast a silencing hex on both of you."

Robin paled then nodded. Libra frowned, but also relented.

"Sorry for snapping." Robin muttered.

"We're both weary. I apologize for being grumpy." Libra replied. The priest cleared his throat, "Lady Tharja."

Tharja's eyes darted over to the priest. Sending him a glare that would send shivers down most men's spines. But Libra did not flinch. Tharja frowned then returned her attention to Marth.

"I don't think it is a good idea to remove the hex." She advised.

"I cannot continue healing her if you do not." Libra countered.

"If I do, two things could happen." Tharja continued, "One, no repercussions except for intense pain surfacing from her injuries. Pain that could send her health spiraling down. That is your best case scenario. Or two, I'm unable to properly dispel such a complex hex. It backfires, and not only will she die, but everyone within a certain radius could die too."

"What is this I hear about dying?" Robin squeaked.

"It is best to let the hex run its course. Once it wears off you can conduct more extensive treatment. For now, stick to using your little sticks to treat her." Tharja advised dismissively.

Libra looked appalled as Tharja left the tent. Robin groaned.

"Another fire to put out." He muttered.

"Good luck." Marth said as Robin moved to follow Tharja.

"I'm going to need it." Robin replied as he exited the tent and raced after Tharja.

He did not get far. As Tharja disappeared into the dark campsite, a Feroxi messenger cut off Robin.

"Sir Robin!"

Robin uttered a weary sigh, "Yes?"

"Our sentries report enemy scouts nearby. Khan Flavia requests a war council with you, immediately."

Robin stiffened. Plegian scouts had found them already!?

"Lead the way." He ordered.

The messenger nodded and raced into the camp with Robin close behind him. As the duo rushed through the campsite, Robin saw the soldiers readying for battle once again. He passed the Shepherd's tents and saw Sully, and Stahl mounting their horses. Their loyal mounts uttered digruntled snorts, but were ready to ride anyways.

Kellam was hastily throwing his armor back onto his body. Sumia hopped onto her pegasus while Cordelia put her saddle onto her own. Ricken and Miriel were directing traffic while Virion strung his bow. Nowi was rubbing her eyes. Clearly struggling to fend off sleep. Beside her, Gregor was sharpening his sword. A grim expression on his face. Gaius was giving Panne a reassuring pat on the shoulder as chaos erupted around them once again.

Robin took a deep breath and focused himself. He burst into the Khan's tent. Flavia was waiting for him. Along with Frederick and her captains.

"Situation?" Robin asked.

Flavia gave him a grim look, "It's not just scouts."

She tossed a piece of rolled up parchment onto the table. Robin snatched it up and unrolled it.

"To whom it may concern," Robin began, "You and your forces are currently cut off from your path of retreat. The nearest oasis lies behind me and my men. If you attempt to circumvent you will die from thirst and starvation long before you can reach the Longfort. If you value your lives and the lives of those that loyally follow you, surrender now. On my honor, I will do everything in my power to grant fair trials and clemency to those under your command. If you do not surrender, I will be forced to act as per my orders." Robin grimaced, "Signed, General Mustafa. Commander of the Plegian second army."

He tossed the parchment back onto the table. One hand reached up and rubbed his chin.

"Certainly direct." Frederick muttered.

"What do we do?" Flavia asked.

Robin stared long at the ultimatum that had been delivered to them. Surrender or die. Those were the terms. And knowing Flavia and Chrom, surrender was not even in their vocabulary. Robin leaned against the table.

"We need to buy some time." Robin replied, "Send a messenger back, as for a few hours so we can figure out how to..." He trailed off as he thought hard, "No that won't work."

"We either surrender or die." Frederick frowned, "And we cannot afford either option."

Robin grimaced and nodded. His mind was racing. But every solution he had was not a good one. Indeed, the only way out for those under their command may very well be surrender.

But he was not stupid. This General Mustafa may be honorable. But King Gangrel was not. And neither was Aversa. If the army was not going to kill them all, then the Grimleal would. Surrender was not an option.

"I need to know their numbers and armaments." Robin said, "As well as their position in the field."

"If I send any soldiers to scout then they will be captured." Flavia said, "There is nowhere to hide in the desert."

"Then don't send a scout," A new voice said.

Robin, Frederick, and Flavia all turned to the tent entry. Ben stood in the entryway. Most of his weight rested on a spear that he had turned into a walking stick.

None of them had expected him to wake up. And none of them thought he would be in any condition or mood to speak or lend a hand to their war council. But there he was. Standing before them.

And there was something different too. Robin could see that much. He did not appear to be as reclusive as before. Despite the need for a walking stick, he still stood tall. And there was confidence and assurance emanating from him. He carried himself with authority. Not like before where he deferred all the power in the room to Chrom or Flavia, or even Robin. No, this time, he drew all of the attention. Demanded that they listen to him. It was like the mild mannered, meek Ben had been replaced by a strong, warrior in the wake of Emmeryn's death.

He hobbled up to the table, leaned against his stick and stared at them all in the eye.

"Send a negotiator."

 **And chapter! Something snapped him back to reality! Whether it was his vision of Qui Gon, Satine, and Emmeryn or Marth's "death", who knows. You guys will find out more next chapter. But it is about damn time he got out of the depressive episode he was in. Chrom is out of commission. Robin is overwhelmed. Marth is severely wounded. And Flavia can only do so much. The Shepherds need a leader. And a leader is what they are about to get. And while Ben isn't cured per say (there's no way he's going to do a complete 180 just like that), I think he recognized the urgency of the situation now. And after what Kage said to him, I think he knows that Ben needs to go away, and Obi Wan Kenobi needs to come back. At least for the time being. Otherwise more people are going to die.**

 **Now… as for Cordelia and Libra, I struggled for a long time on how to go about their role in this chapter. I thought about showing them in their little section of the battle in the Capitol. But I also felt like that would be redundant at this point. The climax of that battle occurred already. It needed to die down. I felt like having them react to the aftermath and trying to cope with what just happened was better for the flow of the story than showing them hack away at Risen for a few thousand words.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	34. The Negotiator

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 34

The Negotiator

The desert sands of Plegia's southern coast shifted beneath the gentle, warm wind. Stars twinkled high in the night sky. Despite the darkness, it was still very warm. Few creatures could live in the harsh conditions of this land. And even fewer people could survive the terrible heat and unbearable sun that rose with each new day.

But one did suffer these conditions. Validar looked up to the crest of the sand dune he was busy scaling. His light attire allowed his body to breathe easily in the stifling heat. But he could still feel the desert's blazing breath on his reborn skin. In his old body, he would have succumbed to the heat and exhaustion days ago. But with Grima's power now coursing through his veins, he lasted longer. He could go longer without water. Weeks without food. Days without sleep. He was no longer human. In his own mind, he had ascended into a higher being. All thanks to the great Fell Dragon's power.

He reached the crest and stood beside the one other figure that resided in the hot sands. This other figure was not dressed like Validar. While Validar wore thin, loose robes that allowed air to flow freely around him, his companion wore a heavy coat over his body. A deep hood shadowed out his face. But Validar could see faint wisps of long white hair peeking out from beneath the gold encrusted hood.

"Have you received word?" His companion asked him.

Validar's thin lips drew back into a sinister smile, "I have."

The hooded figure turned to him. Yellow eyes blazed beneath the hood. Like hot coals in the shadows.

"And?"

Validar chuckled, "Exalt Emmeryn is no more. Everything is once again back on course, my lord."

The hooded man's pale lips curved into a small smirk. He nodded.

"Good. Very good." He took a deep breath, "What is written cannot be unwritten, my loyal servant. Exalt Emmeryn's fate was certain long before she was born. Her death serves a far greater purpose. One she was painfully unaware of."

"I'm sure the spawn of Naga knows now, in the afterlife." Validar sneered.

The hooded man clicked his tongue, "Careful with your disrespect, Validar. Naga and her followers may be our enemies, but the moment we lose respect for them is the moment we will be defeated."

Validar bristled at the man's chastisement. But he did not reply. How could he? One wrong word, and he would be no more. The Hierophant was the mouth of Grima. He bore the Fell Dragon's words. Spoke what the Fell Dragon wished to be spoken. Communed directly with the spirit that had spoken to Validar just one time, when he became trapped between life and death. Any person that had the Fell Dragon's ear was someone to be feared.

He was not stupid. If he was, Validar would have never risen that far in the ranks of the Grimleal. Let alone become the high priest. The first high priest to wield more power in the land of Plegia than the King himself. He had to laugh a little at that thought.

King Gangrel, what a young fool. He failed to realize it, but he was just as stupid and naive as Exalt Emmeryn. Both were the same. One was a fool who believed that people were good by nature. The other, a fool that believed people were vile by nature. Two sides of the same coin. Both believed they knew exactly what people were truly like. They let those beliefs cloud the truth about how the world really worked. People did not matter. Not when it came to the will of gods. Not when it came to the will of Grima.

Yes, such a foolish boy King. It was no wonder he succumbed to Validar's poisonous words so fast. When the day came for Lord Grima's return, King Gangrel would fall by the wayside. Validar was certain of that. He was a tool, nothing more.

When Validar had been returned to life by the Fell Dragon's will, his first task had been to find the Hierophant. In reality, he did not have to look hard. The Hierophant found him instead. Once that was done, Validar went about the meticulous work of reestablishing his connections. The first of which being with lovely little Aversa.

She had been alarmed, naturally so. She had assumed him dead. A sword through the heart tended to keep anyone from living. And she had received the full report on the failed assassination before killing the one lone survivor in rage. Again, Validar chuckled.

Aversa was a powerful mage. But she was so swift to give in to her primal emotions. It was a weakness. One that he had exploited in order to craft her into the being she was today. A person of enormous magical power and some political cunning. But someone who would never overpower him. She knew her place. Which was why when he called, she answered. She knelt to him. And in turn, she wisely knelt to the Hierophant.

"Validar, tell me how the Exalt died." The Hierophant asked as he stood still atop the sand dune.

Validar arched an eyebrow. A strangely specific questions. What did it matter how the spawn of Naga died?

"Slain by Maul." Validar replied.

The Heirophant lowered his gaze on the horizon, "Maul? That fell creature you welcomed with open arms?"

Validar sensed the bite in the Heirophant's tone. He paled a little.

"The same." Validar answered.

"And what of his fate?"

Validar raised an eyebrow. Wanting to know how the Exalt died was one thing. An exercise in sadism most likely. Relishing in a long awaited death. But wanting to know about Maul's fate was another. Maul was also just a tool. When a tool became useless, the craftsman did not wonder what became of it. It was cast aside and replaced with a more useful tool.

"Slain by his own apprentice." Validar answered.

The Heirophant glanced back at Validar, "And this apprentice?"

Validar frowned, "An insignificant. He is not-"

A well of power rose from the Hierophant. A fury that made Validar's knees shake. The high priest of the Grimleal felt all the color rush from his face as yellow eyes blazed brighter in the darkness.

"Insignificant, is he?" The Hierophant mused, "This insignificant, as you call him, managed to kill one of the most powerful beings on this world. I doubt that makes him insignificant. I'd say that makes him a glaring loose end. One that needs to be tied into our knot, or cut." He lowered his gaze at Validar, "Find him."

Validar swallowed hard, "It will be difficult. The brat disappeared after the battle and-" He stopped as the Hierophant's eyes narrowed, "It will be done, my lord."

"Good. See to this task at once. I do not want the Naga-spawn to get to him before us."

Validar frowned, "He couldn't possibly join the Naga-spawn."

"He can and will given the opportunity." The Hierophant snapped, "It was only Maul's will that kept him from doing so before."

"But he hates Kenobi." Validar countered, "Just as much as Maul did. That alone will keep him from joining our enemy."

"Hatred is never enough to keep that boy away from the Shepherds." The Hierophant replied, "He loves one of them. And that love will be the very thing we exploit."

Validar arched an eyebrow, "The Princess? But… Aversa told me she fell as well."

"And the body?"

Validar frowned, "Taken by the Ylisseans."

"Then she is not dead. Their retreat was hasty. They did not even bother to recover the Exalt's body. Yet they take hers? To me that signals life, not death. Until her death is confirmed, she is alive." The Hierophant's gaze returned to the horizon. As he looked out over the desert sands, the sun began to rise. Casting shadows over dark storm clouds gathering far to the north, "She is the most dangerous piece on the board right now. The Queen of this chess match. Her knowledge of what is to come gives her all of the power. It is only her reluctance and timing that keeps her from giving the enemy a proper warning. If she does that, Lord Grima's plans will be in jeopardy. That can not be allowed."

"So we find the Princess and kill her. An assassin's blade can do such an easy job." Validar suggested.

The Hierophant shook his head, "If it was that easy she would have died long ago. You seem to forget how strong she actually is. Who her mentor was and could still be. This is why I am instructing to find Maul's brat. Find him, and we then have a pawn that can destroy the queen."

Validar's eyes widened in understanding.

"I will begin the search at once."

The Hierophant nodded. His eyes never left the sunrise as Validar made his way back down the sand dune towards the small hut they were hiding out in. As the priest walked away, the Hierophant sighed.

"Soon we will awaken." The Hierophant whispered as a black tome began to glow inside of his coat, "But first, the way must be cleared."

He turned on his heel and followed Validar down the sand dune. Maul's Apprentice must be found. A loose end like him could unravel everything he had planned. And Grima would not suffer such a failure.

….

Frederick shifted in his saddle. The ride so far had been rather uncomfortable. Not because he was positioned wrong in his seat. He sat as he always sat in the well worn saddle. No, the ride was uncomfortable because another man sat behind him. Arms locked tight around his waist as Frederick led his horse at a canter towards where the Plegian army's position.

"If you just relax, the ride will be easier." Frederick frowned.

Ben tensed behind him, "Every bump feels like I'm going to fall face first into the dirt. So excuse me if I decide to take necessary precautions."

Frederick rolled his eyes but said nothing in reply. For such a fearless warrior, Ben really disliked swift transportation. It was rather amusing actually. Under any other circumstance, Frederick would be laughing at Ben's expense. If for no other reason than to get back at the swordsman for beating him in their little duel.

But Frederick was just as tense as Ben. But his stress was due to the far more pressing concern. One that was, in his opinion, a far more mortal danger than falling from the saddle.

During the war council with Khan Flavia, the Shepherds had received a note from a General Mustafa. A commander of an entire Plegian army. In the letter, the General stated that the Shepherds and their Feroxi allies were cut off and there was no way around them. They had two choices. Surrender or die. And surrender was never an option.

Both Flavia and Frederick initially wanted to send a scout in order to gather information on the enemy for Robin. Information that was critical for formulating an effective strategy to counter the enemy. Troop numbers, movements, formations, armaments, locations, etc. Gaius's was a name that popped into Frederick's mind. But before he could suggest the stealthy thief, Ben barged in an made another insane suggestion.

Don't send a scout, send a negotiator.

And then the argument ensued. Robin was adamant that Ben risking his life like that was not necessary. Flavia called it an insane idiot's plan. The Plegian's had every advantage. Possessed every card. Why should they negotiate? Frederick was silent throughout the affair. Mostly due to his training as a knight. He was not a commander, yet. It was not his place to question the orders of those above him.

But when Ben stood firm on his stance, Frederick did feel some admiration. The Exalt had just died. And there was no denying that the two had been very close. If she had lived and the Shepherd's mission had initially been successful, then Frederick firmly believed the relationship between Exalt Emmeryn and Ben would have become romantic. So it shocked the knight that Ben did not appear the least bit grief stricken. Exhausted yes. Wounded, absolutely. But in mourning, no. He was placing the needs of the many ahead of his own. Whether out of good will or madness sparked by grief, Frederick was not sure.

He somehow still managed to get his way. In the end, Flavia and Robin reluctantly agreed to allow Ben to enter the Plegian encampment in order to negotiate in good faith with General Mustafa. Immediately, they set off. Frederick volunteered to be Ben's bodyguard. Given the fact that Ben was in no condition to do battle with anyone, let alone walk all the way to the Plegian position.

He slowed his horse as the ground dipped into a series of canyons. Frederick frowned. Inside of the canyon, holding the high ground at the very end, was a small contingent of soldiers bearing the Plegian flag. And at the head of that company of enemy infantry was one of the biggest men Frederick had ever seen. The man noticed the pair of Ylisseans and began to stride out to meet them with two guards in tow.

He was a mountain of bronzed muscle. His head was bald save for the long, dark beard that covered his chin. One eye was milky in color. A long, pale scar ran down over that same eye. He wore no body armor except for two shoulder pauldrons made of what looked like Wyvern bone. Truly an intimidating sight. Frederick did his best to put on a firm, unwavering face. But he could not help but cast Ben an uncertain glance.

"You can drop me off here." Ben said as he started to dismount.

Frederick nodded and stopped his horse. Ben's feet hit the ground so softly that hardly any dust came up from his footfalls. He adjusted his brown cloak on his shoulders and hobbled towards the General. Leaning most of his weight on his makeshift walking stick.

General Mustafa and Ben stopped a few paces from each other. Ben observed his opponent. If he were healthy, the swordsman would not have worried about a potential fight. After all, he had fought much bigger before. But Maul had rendered one of his legs useless. And quite honestly, his body was too exhausted for a fight. No, a battle was not an option in this situation. He had to hold out hope that what he inferred from the General's letter was correct. That the burly behemoth in front him was not just a warrior but an honorable commander of men as well.

"You have balls, Ylissean." General Mustafa commented.

Ben internally cringed. Not off to the best start.

"I got your letter not twenty minutes ago." The large man grunted, "Needless to say, I was very surprised. So surprised in fact, that I decided to entertain this little negotiation. If, for no other reason, than to see the face of the man who dared ask for a third option in this affair."

"Third option?" Ben replied, "I dare say there are much more than three options available at the moment. Isn't that the point of negotiations? To discover how many options there really are before settling on the best one for both parties involved?"

The General narrowed his dark eyes.

"I suppose." He rumbled.

Ben smiled. Alright, there was more to this General than met the eye. The muscle and intimidating appearance hid true intelligence. He could see that much in the General's eyes. The man had, before Ben had even opened his mouth, observed and sized up his opponent. Determined how much of a threat Ben and Frederick were, then proceeded to try and intimidate both of them. When that did not work, he had noticeably softened. Ben made it clear he could not be cowed by appearance alone. And he was certain the General could see that now.

"Come, we are civilized folk, yes?" Ben raised his hand. Frederick and the Plegian guards jaws fell open as three boulders floated over and fell in between Ben and Mustafa. Creating a makeshift negotiating table and chair, "Have a seat, good general."

To his credit, the General did not show any surprise. He silently took his seat across the table from Ben. Ben let out a long sigh as he rest his aching body on the rocky stool he had created.

"So… where to begin." Ben tapped his fingers against the table.

"We begin with your unconditional surrender." Mustafa started.

Ben chuckled good naturedly, "I suppose that is one place to start."

"And it will be where this ends." Mustafa replied.

"I would not be so sure of that. There must be some give and take during these proceedings." Ben replied.

"The give is you and your men live." Mustafa grunted, "The take is your surrender. Seems simple to me."

"Live? For now, yes." Ben crossed his unharmed leg over the other wounded one, "But you and I both know that none of us would return home if we simply surrendered. King Gangrel is mad. We both know this to be true. To him, a simple Feroxi soldier is nothing. They will die, same as Khan Flavia and Prince Chrom. So really, there is no give yet."

Mustafa narrowed his eyes at Ben, "Once you surrender your fate is out of my hands. But you at the least will not die immediately. I can try to fight for the release of your men."

"Ah!" Ben raised a finger, "The key word in all of this, 'try'. Where I come from General, there is a saying. Do or do not, there is no try. What I ask you is this, can you guarantee the survival of our men?"

General Mustafa was silent.

"Right. You cannot. Perhaps you can convince the Mad King to let my soldiers go. But could you convince the true rulers of Plegia. I doubt it."

"True rulers of Plegia?"

Ben's eyes sparkled. Now he was getting somewhere. He saw the subtle change in posture. The slight shift in weight. The narrowing of the eyes. He hit a nerve. The General was loyal to King and Country. Good, he could work with that.

"Yes, the true rulers of Plegia." Ben continued, "Aversa and the Grimleal."

Mustafa snorted, "You think that Witch rules this land?"

"Who has the King's ear?"

Mustafa frowned.

"And who does not?"

His frown deepened.

"Precisely," Ben pointed out, "That is why you cannot guarantee the survival of the regular Feroxi soldier. Because even if Gangrel says they can live, the Grimleal will not allow that. Or perhaps they do. But then their definition of live is actually torture. Enough so that the soldier does not die but lives to fulfill their experiments. A much more cruel fate than death, wouldn't you agree?"

Mustafa pursed his lips, "I wouldn't wish that on anyone. I've seen what the Grimleal do to their enemies."

"For you were once one of their enemies, weren't you?" Ben saw the General's eyes flash, "Yes, you were. You resisted their ascent to power after the last war. And they made you fall in line somehow." Ben clapped his hands together, "I'm going to take a guess and say, they threatened someone close to you."

"How do you know they didn't just threaten me?"

Ben smirked, "Because if they just threatened you, you would've fought harder. You are a warrior. Warriors don't take personal threats lying down. But any warrior can be brought to heel if someone they care about is threatened." Ben pursed his lips, "I know that all to well." He cleared his throat, "So who was it? A wife? A Son?" He saw the General flinch ever so slightly, "Both then."

"You are getting very close to crossing a line, Ylissean." The man warned.

"There is no need for hostility, General." Ben replied, his voice warm and reassuring, "I'm simply trying to understand your position. This will help in our negotiations."

"How so?"

Ben repressed the urge to grin. He felt like he was giving a lesson of sorts.

"Well, I've now established two things. One, you do not like the Grimleal. Two, you do not resist them because they hold your family hostage."

"And all I have to do to keep them safe is apprehend or kill you and your men." The General replied, folding his beefy arms, "So you are back at square one."

Ben chuckled, "No, I'd say I'm already at square two or three. There is another way to ensure their safety. A long term solution to this conundrum."

"That being?"

"Help us."

General Mustafa blinked. Then his voice rumbled out a deep, booming laugh that echoed off of the canyon walls. The two Plegian guards cast nervous glances over at each other. Behind Ben, Frederick gulped.

Mustafa took a couple deep breaths as he tried to stop laughing.

"You would make a wonderful entertainer." Mustafa said as he wiped his eye.

"So I've been told." Ben smirked, "Perhaps after this nasty war finally ends. I do already have a stage name."

"That reminds me," Mustafa remarked with a small grin as he relaxed in his seat, "You have yet to tell me your name."

"Oh yes." Ben extended a hand, "Ben Kenobi."

Mustafa looked at Ben's hand with a slight sense of trepidation, "Ben Kenobi? The mad Ylissean swordsman?"

Ben cringed a little, "So that is what the enemy calls me."

"It fits for a man who jumps from flying Pegasi and takes on a beast like Maul with reckless abandon."

"Well I wouldn't say I take on anyone with reckless abandon." _That was more Anakin's thing,_ "I will admit, I haven't been the most cautious person as of late."

"We all make mistakes." The General shrugged, "I've heard of you, that much I've made clear. And I will say, one warrior to another, you have earned my respect. You fight valiantly on the battlefield. And your skill is almost unmatched from what I hear."

"I thank you for the kind words." Ben replied, "And I've heard much of the Plegian general who led the sacking of Ylisstol."

Mustafa frowned, "I did not sack the city. But I did force it's surrender."

"You are most impressive then. Not only did you defeat a very competent enemy in Commander Edward; you also managed to get your army to turn around and cut off an enemy force before they could retreat to the Longfort."

"Not my whole army." Mustafa let slip before realizing it.

Ben smirked as Mustafa scowled.

"Not the whole army? Have you been fudging numbers on me, General?"

Mustafa closed his eyes and let out a long sigh, "It would have been impossible to conduct a swift retreat with my full army. I had to use a much smaller force in order to traverse the distant as quickly as was needed."

"So then, you don't hold an overwhelming numbers advantage." Ben leaned forward in his seat, "Now I know three things, General. All of them are to my advantage. Shall I keep stealing cards from you hand, or shall we get down to business?"

He could see the General's jaw tighten in frustration. But he did not get up from the negotiating table. Which told Ben a fourth thing. His numbers advantage may actually be non existent. If he had a large numbers advantage, the General could have just gotten up. Confident in a numbers victory. But he did not get up. He remained seated. Which meant that his advantage in numbers was perhaps negligible. Thinking about it further, in order to cover as much ground as the General had in the amount of time he did, his force would have to be roughly the same size as the Feroxi's. At the most, a hundred soldiers more. Certainly not a guaranteed victory.

"What do you want?" Mustafa asked.

"Straight to the point now." Ben chuckled, "Very well. Perhaps we can have a more friendly conversation once the war is over, yes? Anyways, what I want is safe passage for all of my soldiers."

"Not going to happen."

"You have a deep respect for the life of your men, don't you General?"

Mustafa's eyes darkened.

Five things.

"Tell me," Ben shifted in his seat, "You do not hold a numbers advantage. You may hold a territory advantage, but then again, I don't think you have Wyvern riders among your company. And well… I have a tactician that managed to get a force of two hundred all the way to the Palace before the Grimleal decided to intervene. I also have at least two hundred Feroxi soldiers. Soldiers who are, by the words of Ylissean generals by the way, the best warriors on the entire continent. How well will your men fare against mine?"

"Yours are exhausted."

"So are yours." Ben noted, "You did just travel swiftly across the continent." Six Things, "And lets not forget another factor in all of this, you stand between us and the Longfort. And at the Longfort is the other Khan of Regna Ferox as well as the entire Feroxi army. And he had his own orders too. If we are gone to long, scorch the desert." Ben saw the General's eyes widen, "That happens then you are at war with Regna Ferox too. You will be fighting a war on two fronts General. What does history tell you about that?"

The General's fists tightened.

"You would be sacrificing the lives of your men for no reason General. All because a Witch you hate told you to do so." Ben said, "It does not have to be that way."

"If I let you pass, I'm a dead man. And so is my family." General Mustafa growled.

"If they _know_ you let us pass, then you and your family are dead. Judging by your hatred of the Grimleal I assume you have one of them spying on you. But you probably make sure to keep things very close to the chest. Away from that one's prying eyes and ears. However, if you just so happen to receive new intelligence of an encroaching Feroxi Army and re-position your men thereby unfortunately allowing us by in order to set up a proper defense of the capitol and therefore Aversa's life…." Ben shrugged, "I dare say, she'd be thanking you."

"You clearly don't know Aversa."

"And you clearly underestimate a person's selfish desire for life." Ben countered, "There is my give, you now know of the incoming Feroxi army. Valuable intelligence that you will not receive otherwise. Location of our march. How many men. Weaponry. All of it. You, your King, and the Grimleal can now prepare for the attack. My take, is we walk by you. Unharmed. No pursuit. No more deaths today. No more soldiers to bury."

Mustafa frowned, "And what if I say no. I still know that army is coming. I could say no and prepare anyways."

Ben smirked. He called on the Force. It was time for a slightly more aggressive approach. Though he was loathe to do so, he needed to be successful in this instance. Two more boulders rose above him and began to circle over the General and his guards.

"That only happens if you leave the negotiating table intact." Ben replied.

The General narrowed his eyes at Ben. He then glanced up at the floating rocks. His fists clenched tight for a moment. Then relaxed. A slow chuckle left his lips.

"You are one hell of a negotiator, Kenobi." Mustafa admitted, "Perhaps that is what you should be known as."

"I try my best." Ben replied.

Mustafa sighed, "Then I believe we have ourselves an agreement. I'll… re-position… my men to face the incoming attack. You walk by and accidentally drop your plans on the canyon floor. I recover them, report them back to King Gangrel."

"And we both wash our hands of this impasse." Ben said.

Mustafa nodded, "Indeed. No more bloodshed today."

Both men stood from their seats. Mustafa rolled his shoulders as Ben leaned on his walking stick. The two warriors gave each other respect filled nods before turning. As they walked away, Ben paused.

"General."

Mustafa turned.

"The Grimleal hold the power in Plegia. And it has become quite clear to me that the people of Plegia are not happy with that arrangement."

"Your point?"

"Why are you allowing it?" Ben asked before turning and walking away.

Mustafa furrowed his brow. Kenobi was correct. The Grimleal, not King Gangrel, held all of the power in Plegia. And since their rise to power, the promising rebuild of their nation had fallen apart. And once again, they were at war with Ylisse. And on the cusp of war with an even greater opponent in Regna Ferox.

Ylisse was not totally defeated yet. The Eastern portion of the Halidom still stood. A mountainous region that would be difficult to conquer. Add in a war to the north with Regna Ferox and their peerless foot soldiers, and Plegia had a recipe for disaster. A far greater tragedy than the last war with Ylisse was at hand. Orchestrated solely by the Grimleal's blood lust.

At least the Ylisseans under Exalt Emmeryn were merciful. Mustafa knew of the West Khan's reputation as a warrior. Would such a warrior be more merciful than someone who was practically a priestess of Naga? He doubted that very much.

"An excellent question, Kenobi." Mustafa muttered.

"General?" One of his guards asked as they walked back to their camp of roughly three hundred soldiers.

"What is it boy?"

"Is it true? Do the Grimleal really rule us?" He asked, "I joined the army to be like King Gangrel was. During the end of the last war at least. When he led our armies to victory and retook our lost land. Does he really not rule us? Is he just a puppet for the Grimleal?"

Mustafa sighed and looked at the ground for a moment. Then he looked up, face hardened.

"Not for long, boy." He answered as they entered camp, "Get that worm of a mage to my tent. I need to have a… discussion with him."

"Shall I bring your ax as well?" His guard asked with a slight smile.

Mustafa nodded, "The sharp one."

The guard nodded and ran off to execute his General's orders. Mustafa sighed and looked out at his men. Each one either saluted or smiled at him as he walked by. They were his men. Good, loyal soldiers of Plegia. Each one now a hardened warrior after the campaign in Ylisse. And he was proud of each and every one of them.

What he was about to do would be considered treason if Aversa discovered it. But it needed to be done. For the good of King Gangrel, and all of Plegia. And if King Gangrel would not hear reason, then Mustafa's men would not follow. The bloodshed had to end, one way or another. If the Feroxi entered the war en masse, Plegia would lose. And thousands would die as a result. He would not lead his men to pointless deaths.

He heard startled shouting as a man in black and purple Grimleal robes was dragged through the camp. As two soldiers hauled him through the sand, Mustafa heard his men shouting curses and jeering at the poor sod.

He smiled. His men made him damn proud.

….

Robin stared into the flickering flames of the campfire. He welcomed the light and warmth with open arms. Flavia allowed campfires to burn once Ben had returned a few hours ago and delivered them all the news. Needless to say, Robin and Flavia were speechless. Ben had successfully talked a way out of the trap. They had free passage to the Longfort through the canyon up ahead. In exchange, Robin had to leave his notes for the invasion of Plegia on the ground as they passed by. Notes that he had already committed to memory anyways.

He was hesitant to give up intelligence to the enemy. But he was much more hesitant about getting into a battle with an enemy that outnumbered them. Even though Ben reported they did not completely outnumber their own forces, Robin still did not like the odds. The Feroxi were tired. Days of marching through the desert and one disastrous battle had taken their toll. Then there was the amount of wounded they had. There was no way the Feroxi could fight a battle while at the same time trying to protect wounded men at their backs.

That was what made this deal all the more miraculous to Robin. The Plegian General had to know all of this. So why did he accept Ben's deal? Robin hummed to himself as he lost himself in thought. As he stared into the flames, someone else fell down beside him.

Robin glanced over. To his surprise, he saw Maribelle sitting there. Her pink outfit was covered in dirt and dried blood. Her hands were grimy. And her face had smudged dirt and grime all over it. If she saw herself in the mirror, Robin had no doubt the noblewoman would have been quite upset.

But he got the feeling that at this moment she did not care. She looked exhausted. Heavy bags sat beneath drooping eyes. She let out a loud yawn.

"Pardon me." She muttered.

Robin rolled his eyes. Despite the dirt, grime, and exhaustion, the manners remained.

"You're pardoned." Robin remarked.

Maribelle glanced over at him. But there was no snarky response. Which Robin was thankful for. He too was very tired. And if were honest, he felt very on edge. He did not entirely trust the Plegian General's word. Even now, his mind was coming up with strategies to deal with a possible ambush in the canyon. Any snark or sass, and he felt he might explode. A reaction he did not want to have.

"Can you believe Ben was able to pull it off?" Maribelle asked suddenly.

Robin blinked, "Yeah uh… it surprised me too."

Maribelle nodded, "It makes me think what may have been."

Robin raised his brow, "What do you mean?"

"What if he parlayed with Gangrel instead of Exalt Emmeryn?" Maribelle said, "Maybe if he did, Exalt Emmeryn would still be alive. We would not be in this mess. Themis would not be ashes. And-" She choked a little bit, "And my father would still be alive."

Robin closed his eyes.

"The battle it-" Maribelle swallowed hard, "I thought I moved past what happened in Themis. But seeing the death all around me, so close to my face like that, it terrified me. It only reopened those horrible memories of Themis. Seeing the smoke rising behind us as we ran for Ylisstol." She trembled, "I can only imagine what my people went through. And my thoughts sicken me."

Robin pressed his lips into a thin line.

"You can't blame yourself for what happened, Maribelle."

"But I can." Maribelle countered, "I was the fool who charged after those bandits who just so happened to Plegian. I was the idiot that fell for the bait placed by Gangrel. My actions helped spark this war."

"War was coming either way." Robin countered, "You cannot know what would have happened had you not done what you did."

Maribelle sniffled, "If it is not my fault, then why do I feel so guilty? Why do I feel like such a failure? My actions led to the fall of Themis and my own father's death. How is that not my fault?"

"It is one person's fault." Robin replied, "And that person is Gangrel. He is the one who attacked. He is the one who burned Themis. Not you. You were doing the just thing by pursuing brigands who dared to harm your people." Robin sighed, "I did not get the chance to really get to know Duke Rodrick. But I feel like he was the kind of man who would see how strong you have been and beam with pride."

Maribelle gave Robin a surprised look.

"I don't think he'd blame you for what happened in Themis. Or what happened afterwards, would he?" She shook her head before sniffling, "I think he'd say something along the lines of, 'Go and avenge us, daughter! Kick their arses for me!'"

Maribelle uttered a choked laugh, "He never was as elegant with his words as me and mother." She sighed, "And… you are right, he wouldn't blame me for what happened. If he were here now, he would blame Gangrel and only Gangrel." Maribelle fidgeted with her staff, "Still, what happened out there haunts me."

Robin nodded, "Me too." He muttered, "I don't think any of us are going to forget what has happened anytime soon. But what we can do is remember it, and use it as fuel to drive us to do what is right."

Maribelle gave him a weak smile.

"Victory for Themis?"

Robin nodded.

"Victory for Themis." He let out loud yawn then scratched at his ear, causing Maribelle to cringe.

"Do you have to be so disgusting?" She frowned.

"I don't know." Robin remarked looking her up and down with a slight smirk, "Do you?"

Maribelle opened her mouth for a snappish reply. As she did so, Vaike strode by the pair. He paused and sniffed the air. Once he did that, his nose wrinkled in disgust.

"Geez!" He looked at both Maribelle and Robin, "Maribelle you need to go soak in a river for a day or so. You reek!"

Maribelle's face turned ashen. Robin began to snicker uncontrollably as the shameless warrior strutted towards his tent.

"Can we move out soon?" Maribelle asked, "I desperately need a bath."

Robin laughed some more.

"Yeah, sure."

Maribelle nodded then rushed back to her tent. All the while, she was muttering about how filthy she was under her breath. Robin just chuckled some more as he sat in front of the fire.

 _I guess it is about time to get moving. Better to move now than give the enemy a chance to change their mind._

The Tactician got to his feet and made his way towards Khan Flavia's tent. He passed Chrom's tent along the way.

He paused a minute. The Shepherd's Captain still had not emerged from his self imposed solitude. Robin sighed and shook his head. He was the one who needed to hear what he told Maribelle. The question was, would Chrom listen to his advice? Robin was not sure on that one. His friend was mired in grief and refused to talk to anyone. Not even Lissa could get him to open up right now. Robin frowned but decided to keep walking. Chrom would have to come out once they got moving. And when he did, Robin would talk to him then, when he had no place to go back and hide. The Shepherds needed their leader now more than ever. There was a time to mourn. And now was not that time.

Robin sighed once again. Hopefully they would have time to mourn. He was still worried this all was one elaborate trap. He shook his head.

 _I really need to have more trust in Ben._

He felt something stir in his mind. A small, dark voice whispered to him. One he did not recognize. But it still sounded so distinct and familiar. He brushed it aside. It was probably just a figment of his imagination. A creation from an exhausted mind. But the question it asked him lingered for a moment.

 _But does he trust us?_

 **And chapter! Nothing like writing while I'm sick. Somehow this chapter came together rather nicely. I enjoyed writing Ben as he became the Negotiator for a little bit. There will be a couple mellow chapters before we get to the epic battle between Gangrel and Chrom. I'm excited to get there! Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter. As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	35. Stand Back Up

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 35

Stand Back Up

Robin sat awake in his cot. He was exhausted. But he could not rest. It was cold at the Longfort. The rudimentary supplies the Feroxi had, including the thin blankets, did not help that problem. Soldiers were milling about the walls and barracks at all times. The clanking of their arms and armor made it nearly impossible for Robin to actually shut his eyes and rest.

The march back to Feroxi territory had been a long, painful journey. But it was quiet. No Plegians ambushed the strike force as they retreated. No bandits waylaid their sentries or scouts. It was smooth travel through the desert sands. Well, as smooth as it could get. It was still rough going. The stops for the wounded were frequent. And the sense of defeat hung over everyone's head like a black storm cloud. Morale was low. Which was another factor that compounded the ever growing problem, and headache, for the Shepherd's Tactician.

What surprised Robin the most during the march back though, was not the endurance of Flavia's weary soldiers, nor the stunning work of the healers and Libra (who had proved to be an invaluable caregiver on more than one occasion). The thing that surprised Robin the most was Ben.

First he managed to pull of what was possibly the most insane miracle he had accomplished yet. He managed to convince the Plegian general, Mustafa, to let their Strike Force pass unharmed in exchange for information on the coming Feroxi invasion. He still needed to debrief Ben on the full negotiations that took place. But he wanted to save that for when Chrom was back to his normal self and in command of the Shepherds.

And that led Robin to the second most surprising thing he witnessed from Ben. He expected the swordsman to be crushed after Emmeryn's death. The romance the two held for each other, while not overt in any way, was not unnoticed by most of the Shepherds. In fact, it had been a point of major gossip among Sumia, Lissa, and Miriel; and a point of much laughter and teasing by Sully, Vaike, Virion, and Robin as well. Robin expected Ben to be as devastated as Chrom was. But somehow, the man showed a sense of strength and resolve that far surpassed anything Robin had seen yet. He took command of the Shepherds during the retreat. Once he returned from the negotiations, he worked closely with Robin to reorganize, determine their supplies, rations, as well as plotting the swiftest course back to the Longfort. And, while he did not debate much, he sat in with Robin and Flavia as they dissected bits and pieces of the disaster that had occurred.

In short, he acted like a commander. And a damn effective one at that. It sparked both admiration and questions in Robin. Was he always that adept at commanding men and just chose to let Robin, Chrom, and Flavia take the lead? Was his sudden change in behavior a result of Emmeryn's death? His own way of coping with the sudden loss? And if he was always capable of this kind of authority, why did he not exercise it? Why did he not display his skill as a leader of men earlier? Naga knows, it would have saved Robin a lot of time and energy to be able to rely on someone with that kind of efficiency and ability.

Then there was the last question, where did he learn all of that from? Hell, where did he learn to be such a skill swordsman from? He had a master of some sort. Any master that could teach a student to become that skilled, that young, had to be someone of enormous renown.

Then there was Ben's puzzling relationship in regards to Maul. It almost looked like a disturbingly intimate relationship. Maul knew Ben. He knew him very well. That much was apparent due to their intense rivalry, if Robin could call it that. Ben gave them some details about the now deceased monster. He detailed his abilities, both physical and magical. And along with that, Ben divulged a few details in regards to his many encounters with Maul.

But none of it explained the pure cunning Maul displayed. And they definitely did not fully explain the obsession he had with Ben. Robin frowned before rubbing at his tired eyes. There were too many unexplained events. Stories without any context or details. And as a tactician, he wanted to know all of the details. He needed to know the details. From what he had seen so far in this war, even the tiniest of details could determine victory or defeat.

He yawned then blinked as small rays of sunlight began to creep into his room from the window. Through his bleary vision, Robin looked outside. Pale sunlight began to stream ever so slightly through a thick blanket of grey clouds. He frowned. It was going to snow again.

Still, snow was better than sand. Robin sighed and got to his feet. He would not enjoy the comfort of sleep. Not now. He had duties to attend to. Responsibilities that had to be taken care of. The longer Chrom was out of commission, the more the Shepherds and Khan Flavia relied on him to be the mouthpiece for Ylisse. A role he did not relish.

Early in the morning was one of the few times he had to himself anymore. And so, he decided that since he could not sleep, and no one else was awake to bother him, he would train. It had been awhile since he went through the exercises Ben taught him. The fighting form he had been learning proved to be very effective on the battlefield. And he wanted to master it.

Robin threw his coat over his shoulders, tied his boots up, and trudged down the stairs to the snow covered training yard below. He was not completely alone. There were several Feroxi sentries up on the wall. They were going to be relieved for a new watch in an hour or so. By that time, Flavia would probably come calling for him.

 _That gives me an hour to practice._ Robin thought as he went over to a rack of blunted, practice swords.

He tested the weight and balance of a couple before settling on one. Satisfied, he made his way over to one of the wooden practice targets.

Robin closed his eyes. His hands felt frozen as he held the sword's leather grip. The cold was already beginning to creep into his fingers, through his hands, and up his wrists and arms. He shivered a little then began to move.

As he swung, lunged, and parried, his mind drifted away from the Longfort.

It was hot again. The sun was blazing over the sky, not lazily rising into a blanket of thick clouds. There was sand instead of snow. And all around him were Risen. Their mindless, malevolent forms writhing in a dark mass around him. The Shepherds were not with him. Neither were the Plegians. He was alone facing them.

His sword lashed out at the invisible opponents. And with each killing blow, his heart hammered harder. His strikes grew wilder. His eyes were wide as a Risen's blade raced towards his own.

Robin swung to meet it. Metal clashed in the air. The sound of steel meeting steel rang in his ears like a bell. His arm began to buzz. His hand stung. He stumbled backwards through the snow as he lost his balance due to the sudden, abrupt stop. The cold sensation of snow hitting his bare neck snapped Robin out of whatever trance he had been in.

The sun was hidden behind clouds again. Snowflakes were falling to the ground in short, lazy spurts. There were no Risen. Just a few Feroxi sentries at their posts, watching him, and-

Robin's jaw fell open, "What do you think you're doing?" He asked as he lay frozen on the cold ground.

Marth stared down at him as she leaned on a sword of her own, "At first I was content watching you flail around. But then the swordsman in me could not bear to watch it anymore. So I decided to intervene."

"Intervene?" Robin got to his feet, "You shouldn't be intervening in anything. You should be in bed. You know, recovering from death." He blinked, "How the hell are you even standing right now? Let alone knocking me on my ass with one strike?"

Marth shrugged, "I've always healed fast. Side effect of the magic Ben and I have. If you know how to use it properly, you can will some injuries to heal a little faster. Not all of them, obviously. But it can be done." She winced, "That being said, you swung really hard. And to be honest, parrying your strike was not the smartest idea on my part."

Robin's frown deepened, "Magical healing powers are still no excuse you know."

Marth glared at Robin, "Oh? Are _you_ going to force me back to the infirmary? The guy who just got pancaked by a one armed, wounded girl?"

Robin felt his cheeks heat up a little, "I-you-" He stamped his foot, "Damn it all! For once, would someone please listen to the tactician!" He bellowed at the sky before sighing and letting his shoulders sag, "I need a nap."

"What you need, is instruction." Marth nodded at Robin's sword that was still lying in the snow, "Pick it up."

Robin shook his head, "I don't think sparring is a good idea."

Marth chuckled a little, "You have a long way to go before you can spar with me."

Robin arched an eyebrow, "Do I hear a challenge?"

"Hm?" Marth hummed, "Maybe. But if you and I were to seriously spar, well… the results would be the same. And if I'm going to spar someone, I want my opponent to be at least equal to me. Hence why I'm out here now." She nodded, "Get in your stance."

Robin frowned, "I still don't think it is a good idea for you to be out and about." He gulped, "Oh Libra is going to throw a fit. If you call deep scowling and somehow managing to make me feel guilty for absolutely nothing as a fit."

"You let me deal with that." Marth said, "Now get in your stance already."

Robin sighed. He got into the stance Ben taught him. Marth's eyes flicked up and down his body.

"Shii-Cho." She observed, "I see you have been getting instruction from Ben."

"The beginnings of instruction." Robin remarked, "A war interrupted our daily lessons."

"They have a tendency to do that." Marth replied, "First things first, your feet are too narrow. Spread them out a little more. That is why it was so easy for me to knock you off balance."

Robin did as she said.

"The sword is a little big for you." Marth said, "But you won't find much better for your size."

"I am not that small." Robin replied.

"You are not small. You just are not very built." Marth replied, "And that matters in swordplay. You need to choose a weapon that fits you. Unfortunately," She glanced over at the weapons rack, "We don't have many options at the moment. So the one you have will do. Adjust your grip so it does not feel so awkward. Get comfortable."

Robin kneaded the leather between his fingers then choked up on the grip until his hands were near the guard of the blade. He smirked over at Marth.

"This is like trying out a saddle."

"If that helps you get in the right mindset." Marth muttered under her breath before nodding, "Ready?"

"Yeah."

"Start your routine."

Robin nodded and began to go through his exercises again. As he did, Marth silently watched. She did not offer any critiques or praises. She was just quiet. Content with observing him work. And that caused some concern to grow in Robin. There was no way he was that good that there was nothing to criticize. Surely, there was something he could improve upon. He stopped abruptly.

Marth raised her brow.

"Are you going to say anything?"

"Hm?"

Robin sighed, "You know. Um… instruct the novice?"

"I was gauging you, Robin." Marth replied, "I have never focused on how you fight before. I was simply observing and evaluating before offering my criticism."

"Oh." Robin chirped, "So, what did you think?"

Marth pressed her lips together. She was quiet for a moment.

"Perhaps you should stick to magic."

Robin's jaw hung open and his heart sank. Was he really that bad at swordplay? If he was, then how on earth did he survive every battle so far? He mentally smacked himself.

 _I have relied on my magic and not my blade in battle so far._ Robin thought, _That is why I'm aren't dead yet._

He uttered a frustrated growl, "Well, unfortunately that is not an option for me."

Marth gave him a surprised look.

"I'm the tactician. And I'm not a tactician that will sit to the rear of the battle and just watch as men die on my orders. I will be in the thick of the battle with them." Robin said firmly, "And if I am going to be in the front lines, I need to know how to defend myself should my magic fail me. If you aren't going to help with that, then I'll go to Ben or Frederick."

He turned on his heel and started to go towards the sword rack. Maybe there was a better sword for him to use there. He grumpily replaced the blade and began to study the others. But none of them were to his liking. All of them were either too bulky or too heavy for him to use. Frustration began to bubble up in him.

Marth hobbled up alongside him. Instead of going towards the swords, Marth turned to a rack of daggers. She plucked one of the longer daggers from the rack and held it out to Robin.

Robin eyed the blade carefully.

"Take it." Marth said, "You want my instruction right? I'm going to give you some."

A small smile crossed Robin's lips. They both strode back into the center of the yard.

"Alright, so, how does uh, Shii-Choo work with a dagger?" Robin asked.

Marth let out a light, raspy chuckled, "Shii- _Cho_ , Robin. And while it can be applied to a dagger, that might not be the wisest decision."

Robin arched an eyebrow.

"I'm going to teach you the basics of a style that is typically used by dual wielding fighters."

Robin gave Marth a puzzled look.

"But I only have one weapon."

"Do you?" Marth nodded at his coat, "Last I checked, a spellbook could be considered a weapon."

Robin's eyes widened, "Magic and swordplay at the same time?"

"It will require precision, focus, and a lot of practice. But it is very versatile. And it will make use of your greatest strength." Marth noted.

Robin's heart thumped in his chest. Excitement built up in him. But another thought entered his mind. One that tempered his eagerness for the moment.

"But… I need both hands for my magic. One to hold the spellbook, the other to cast the spell."

Marth kicked at some snow, "Then I guess you are going to have to learn to use magic without a spellbook."

Robin stared at her for a moment. Then he began to laugh. He let out a small sigh and shook his head.

"I wish that were possible, Marth. But a spellbook is essential for magic. It is the conduit that magic is funneled through in order to be controlled and concentrated. Without it, magic is… not… possible."

He trailed off as several swords began to float off of the rack and rotated in lazy, shaky circles around Marth. Her eyes were closed as she concentrated hard on maintaining the flight of the blades. Robin could see some sweat beginning to form on her brow. With a tired sigh, she relented. The swords all drifted down into the snow at her feet.

"You-," She gasped for a breath, "You were saying."

Robin looked at her in awe. She definitely had to have the same teacher as Ben. No only did she fight like him, she used the same magic as he did. The same magic as Maul too.

"Not fair." He said.

"Hm?"

"You and Ben are cheating!" Robin pointed at Marth.

"Cheating?"

"Your magic literally breaks all of the laws of magic." Robin declared.

Marth began to laugh a little at Robin's outburst, "I guess they aren't really laws then."

Robin's mouth opened then snapped closed.

"But we can figure all of that out later," She continued, "For now, you need the framework of the form. The good thing about this style of combat is that it incorporates the base elements of four forms."

"Wait, four forms?" Robin interrupted, "How many are there?"

"Seven in total. Not counting any hybrids or variants." Marth answered, "I will be helping you learn a bit of the sixth form, Niman."

"And which form do you prefer?" Robin asked.

"Me? Well… my master would want me to answer form three, Soresu. And yes, that is what Ben uses in battle. But I like using form four, Ataru, the most."

"The flippy one?" Robin asked as he recalled her duel with Chrom in Arena Ferox.

Marth let out a small laugh, "Yes, the flippy one."

Robin furrowed his brow. So the style she was going to teach him incorporated basic elements of the four of the first five forms? In essence, a jack of all trades style.

"Which forms are part of Niman?" Robin asked, the intellectual in him now thoroughly engrossed in learning from Marth.

Marth smiled a little, "Form one is part of it. A form you already know the basics of. So you have a solid foundation. It also uses parts of form three, four, and five."

Robin paled, "The fourth one too?"

Marth nodded, "What's wrong with that?"

Robin gulped, "I can't exactly do a flip."

That caused Marth to laugh out loud, "Well, I don't expect you to be doing any flips right away. The form mostly incorporates the aggression of Form four. Forms one and three are mostly passive forms of combat. Whereas forms four and five are more aggressive. It's more of a blend of philosophies and foundations."

"Ok." Robin nodded, feeling some fear go away, "But wouldn't it be better if I learned the basics of the other forms before jumping into this one?"

"Normally yes." Marth replied, "But we are on a time crunch. The next battle for Plegia is looming on the horizon. You need to be ready for it."

Robin's face turned grim. That's right, Plegia. He had been so captivated by Marth's teaching that he had forgotten for a moment the threat that was just to their south. Plegia was gearing up for war with Regna Ferox. They were also preparing for the final push in their campaign to conquer the rest of Ylisse. Time was very short indeed.

"I won't be able to get ready in time." Robin mumbled.

"But what you learn now may help save your life if the need arises." Marth countered, "So, get in your stance. We need to begin."

Robin smiled then nodded. As he executed the different moves and techniques Marth told him to do, he found himself enjoying her teaching more and more. She was a little blunt with how she explained and critiqued him. But he appreciated that. It allowed him to know exactly what was wrong and how to correct that mistake.

He lost track of the hours. And he did not care. For the first time in days the war was far away.

….

Ben had not slept a wink. Every time he closed his eyes, he was bombarded with nightmares. The horror of Emmeryn's death was a memory that would forever be burned in his mind. The pain of that memory, of that failure, would take years to fully heal. He had not even begun healing from it now. Necessity had forced him to call upon his years of Jedi training and push any sorrow away for the time being.

The Shepherds were in disarray. Chrom was a recluse. Especially now that they had taken refuge at the Longfort. The loss of his sister had hit him like a sledgehammer. He had hardly eaten anything, according to Lissa. And he still refused to speak to anyone. Preferring instead to isolate himself in his own quarters. None of the Shepherds could find the nerve to go and talk to him, except for Lissa and Sumia. The two had tried to gain entry to his room. But they were unable to do so. The door was always locked. Robin had tried to speak to him during the march north. But he was silent then as well. And the tactician decided it was better to let him grieve a little longer.

It was the chaos and uncertainty that resulted from Chrom's sudden fall that caused Obi Wan Kenobi to burst forth from the depths of grief and trauma. These men and women, they were not just Ben's comrades anymore. He could safely say they were his friends. They had stood by him through everything this world had thrown at him so far. Gaius, Panne, Marth, and Cordelia had even gone as far as to put their lives on the line helping him. They had refused to leave him behind to die by Maul's hand.

Ben let out a shivering breath. Marth had actually died doing that. How she came back to life was a mystery to him. He had felt her die in his arms. Felt her last breath leave her body. Felt the her spirit drift towards the Force. Then she came bursting back. She started breathing again. Libra worked his magic. And she was alive. And not only alive, but gaining strength with each passing day.

He could not help but smile as he watched her instruct Robin down in the yard. When he first noticed her hobbling about, Ben thought about forcing her back to the infirmary. She was in no condition to be moving right now. But then he had to remind himself that she was far stronger than even he knew. The Force no doubt augmented her physical abilities. Whether that was in her control or not was up for debate. If she was doing that without realizing it, then her potential in the Force was greater than he ever realized.

There was no denying it anymore. She was a force sensitive. The first pure force sensitive he had encountered on this planet. She did not manifest her power through this world's peculiar magic. No, she had Jedi training. The evidence was irrefutable.

He rubbed his jaw with one of his cold hands. The stubble of his beard had begun to come back again.

She had called him Master. That was the one piece to this puzzle that confused Ben the most. So much of that revelation made sense. Her proclivity for forms three and four of lightsaber combat. Her cautious nature towards the Force. It practically screamed to the world that she had been taught by him. It was almost exactly how he tried to instruct Anakin all those years ago. But unlike Anakin, Marth apparently listened to most of his lessons.

Ben heard footsteps coming up beside him. He glanced over and saw Cordelia standing beside him.

She was not in her normal Pegasus Knight armor. Instead opting for a much more comfortable outfit of simple pants, shirt, boots, and a heavy coat to combat the cold. She did keep the wing ornaments that all pegasus knights wore in her hair.

Ben could see some concern on her face as they both watched Marth teach Robin. The blue haired girl was now sitting down on a small wooden stool. Her body still too weary and wounded to remain standing for long. But Cordelia did not move to intervene.

"She's got a knack for it." The red head noted.

"For what?" Ben asked.

"For teaching." Cordelia answered, "It sounds like she's a little blunt. That side needs to be smoothed out a little bit. But given a little more experience, she'd make an excellent master at arms."

Ben found himself nodding in agreement.

"The person who taught you two must have been an incredible teacher."

Ben blinked, "I'm sorry?"

Cordelia nodded at Marth then at Ben, "Your teacher? You and Marth fight the same way. Unless there is a style of fighting the weapons masters in Ylisse did not know about, which I doubt, you both must have had the same teacher."

Ben rubbed his chin as he tried to figure out a response.

"In a way we did." He began.

"In a way?" Cordelia asked.

"I can't be certain of who she was taught by." Ben continued, "But I learned under a great man named Qui Gon Jinn. He-" Ben paused a moment, "He was killed by Maul."

Cordelia lowered her gaze, "I read that."

"Hm?"

"In your initial report you gave to Robin." Cordelia brushed some hair from her face as a cold wind blasted the Longfort, "Commander Phila wanted me to read up on it before the journey to the Eastern Palace. For what it's worth, I'm sorry that happened."

Ben shrugged, "There is nothing for you to be sorry about. That happened a long time ago. And now… now Maul is gone." Ben snorted, "That is still difficult for me to believe."

"He has been a constant threat to you for so long." Cordelia said, "Of course it would be strange to finally have that burden removed."

Ben cleared his throat, "Well… strange is one word for it. Relief is another. Of the cathartic sort. He did manage to give both of us some rather deep scars."

Cordelia nodded in agreement. She still thought about her fallen comrades and sisters in the now annihilated Pegasus Knights. Maul had slain all of them, except for her. She still did not understand how or why she was the only one to survive that horrific day. It was a question that always managed its way into her thoughts. She should have died that day alongside Commander Phila. But instead, she lived. Maul let her go. Perhaps he was just that twisted. He wanted to have a survivor to tell the tale of how he slaughtered all of the Pegasus Knights as a way to spread fear among his enemies.

But why her? Was it because she had already been retreating on the Commander's orders? Or was it for some other reason she did not understand yet.

Before she could resume her conversation with Ben, a messenger came running up to both of them.

"Lady Cordelia." The Feroxi soldier saluted, "Captain Ben."

"Captain?" Ben echoed.

Cordelia snickered, "Captain Ben Kenobi. It has a nice ring to it."

 _Not the type of ring I'm used to. But it does work._ Ben thought to himself.

"Yes?"

"Khan Flavia and Khan Basilio want to conduct a full debrief of the battle. They want you, Sir Robin, Sir Frederick, Lady Marth, Lady Cordelia, and Prince Chrom in attendance."

Ben pushed his hands against the Longfort's wall as he leaned forward. His eyes were still focused on Robin and Marth down in the yard. Marth was barking at the tactician over some mistake that he failed to understand. Niman was a difficult form to master. Learning it this way would be a frustrating path for Robin.

 _I'll lend a hand when I can._

"Chrom too?" He thought out loud.

"Yes sir."

Cordelia grew grim, "He refuses to speak to anyone. See anyone. Not even Lissa or Sumia." She folded her arms, "This is not the Chrom I know."

Ben let out a breath, "This is not the Chrom any of us know. But we can not afford for Chrom to continue to be like this. Regardless of the situation, he is the leader of this company. He is now the ruler of his nation. A nation in crisis." Ben nodded and pushed himself away from the wall, "Inform Flavia I will be there in thirty minutes. I need to stop by Prince Chrom's quarters first."

The Feroxi soldier saluted then sprinted off to relay Ben's message. As he rushed away, Ben adjusted his cloak and rubbed his freezing hands together.

"What are you going to do?" Cordelia asked, "If Lissa and Sumia can't get through to him what makes you think you can?"

Ben gave her a wry, mischievous smirk, "Lissa and Sumia haven't been able to get through to him because they haven't been able to talk to him face to face."

"Well of course they haven't been able to do that. He's locked in his quarters. And the key is missing." Cordelia pursed her lips, "So how are we going to get in."

Ben chuckled and patted Cordelia's shoulder, "Watch and learn."

Cordelia arched an eyebrow as Ben strode by her towards the main barracks where Khan Flavia, Khan Basilio, and Chrom were staying.

"Since when did you start sounding like Gaius?" She asked him as he walked away.

Ben shrugged, "Maybe he's starting to rub off on me."

Cordelia watched him with both concern and confusion as Ben disappeared into the barracks. Her eyes then shot open.

"He's going to bust into Chrom's room." She squeaked, "With Lissa and Sumia in tow." She swallowed hard. Her feet began to move fast as she chased after him, "Naga have mercy on Prince Chrom."

….

She was gone. Emmeryn was gone. Chrom kept his head bowed as he sat on the cold, stone floor of his quarters in the Longfort barracks. His hair was knotted and messy. And he knew he smelled. He had not washed himself in… he could not remember how long it had been. His stomach was growling, but he did not feel hungry. He just could not stomach the thought of food right now. How could he? Emmeryn was dead. He had failed.

He did not remember much of the march back to the Longfort. And honestly, he did not care. All he could think about was those short moments that felt like they lasted forever. Those moments of complete horror and devastation.

Emmeryn's death replayed over and over in his mind. And the desperation and despair he felt multiplied every time he remembered it. The shock as Maul pierced Emmeryn's heart. The terror and denial as she plummeted down from the top of the cliff. The sudden stab of pain in his own heart as she lay dead on the ground in front of him.

At first, that memory would cause him to break down into a fit of sobs. Emmeryn had been the one who raised him. He did not remember his mother. And his father had been too busy with the first Ylisse-Plegian war in order to parent him and Lissa. Emmeryn was the one who helped him learn to read. She was the one who helped Lissa learn how to walk. Cheered him on when he first started training with a blade. Comforted both him and Lissa when the death of their Father happened. She was the rock of the family. Someone that was always going to be there for him.

He let out a small, choking sound. Chrom grabbed the bottled by his side and dumped it's fiery contents down his throat. He gasped and took a deep breath when he finally tore the bottle away from his lips. He could feel the alcohol burning down his throat and in his empty stomach. But it did not affect him anymore.

He looked at the now empty bottle in his hand and tossed it over with the others. That was the last one. Now what was he going to drink? If he left his room, he would have to face his failures all over again. He did not doubt that the Shepherds would be looking to him for guidance. For what to do next.

But how could he lead them? His own actions sparked this war. He was the one who drew first blood when Emmeryn went to parlay with Gangrel. He was the one who did not stay by her side when they retreated down the Eastern Road. He was the one who failed to reach her in time. And he was the one who led dozens of Feroxi to their deaths and nearly caused the deaths of all of his Shepherds in his mad dash to save his sister. What kind of leader did that? Not the kind that deserved to lead.

There was a small knock on his door.

"Chrom." He heard Lissa's voice, "Chrom, please open up."

How many times had she knocked now? He had lost count. He knew deep down he should open the door and be with her. He could not imagine the pain Lissa was going through right now. Chrom at least had some memory of their father. But for Lissa, Emmeryn was the only parent she ever knew. She had been just a toddler when their father passed. She must be shattered right now.

But he could not bring himself to move to the door. He stayed in his seat beside the bottles of liquor on the floor. He could not face Lissa. Not right now. He promised her that he would save Emmeryn. That their family would stay together. How could he speak to her when he had broken that promise?

There was another knock on the door.

"Chrom."

It was Ben. That was a voice he had not expected. And it was another person he did not want to face. Ben had done everything in his power to try and save Emmeryn. He had even gone as far as getting captured by Maul and Gangrel in his desperate attempt to save her life. He had done far more than Chrom to try and save her. He nearly lost his life. Meanwhile, Frederick evacuated Chrom before the Risen could even come near overwhelming him. How could he face the man his sister loved? That was almost as impossible as facing Lissa.

He was a failure. Through and through. He failed as a warrior. He failed as a leader. He failed as a friend. And he failed as a brother. He gulped back fresh tears before letting his head rest against the wall behind him.

He did not deserve to lead the Shepherds, much less all of Ylisse. That is, if Ylisse still existed. The Khans probably thought he was a weakling and a coward. His own men probably thought of him as a failure. Perhaps it would be better if he relinquished the responsibility of ruling Ylisse to Lissa. She at least stayed near the Shepherds. She tried to help where she could instead of wallowing in defeat. His little sister was far stronger than he would ever be.

Someone banged on the door now.

"Last chance, Chrom!" Ben barked.

Chrom did not move. They could not enter even if they wanted to. The door was locked and-

*Click*

Chrom froze. The door practically flew from it's hinges as Sumia surged into the room.

Before he could react, let alone blink, Sumia grabbed him by the shirt and yanked him to his feet.

"Captain, I apologize for this." She said.

He saw a fist flying at his jaw. Then he felt pain explode through his face as Sumia's fist smashed into him. He reeled out of her grip and collapsed against his bed.

"Sumia!?" Cordelia cried.

Behind her, Ben pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a long sigh.

"What?" Sumia asked. Her sudden, brazen attitude disappeared as she turned to face Cordelia.

"You're supposed to do that with an open hand." Cordelia said.

"I think she did just fine." Lissa harrumphed as she strode into the room and planted herself right in front of Chrom, "Are you awake now?"

Chrom rubbed his chin, "Lissa I-"

"Ah!" Lissa raised her hand, "Save it. You, mister," She jabbed her finger in to his chest, "Have some explaining to do."

Chrom sighed, "I know. I failed Emmeryn and-"

*Smack*

Lissa slapped him hard across the face.

"See Sumia. That is how you're supposed to do it." Cordelia said quietly.

Chrom blinked in shock. He looked at Lissa completely stunned. As he opened his mouth to speak again, Lissa's face twisted into a furious snarl. She slapped him hard across the other cheek.

"Lissa I-"

"Do not make me slap you again. Because if I do, I'll have to heal the bruise. And honestly, I've been so busy healing people that I'd much prefer to have a nap then do more of that." Lissa snapped, "You! Where in Naga's name have you been!?"

"I-"

"I know exactly where you have been!" Lissa cut him off, "Wallowing here in a fit of self pity! Well just… damn it all, Chrom! I've never been this mad, upset, and sad in my entire life! When we needed you the most you dissapeared. When I need you the most, you shut me out! How could you do that!?"

Chrom stared at her in shock. And as her words sank in, he began to feel ashamed.

"Am I crushed Emmeryn is gone? Yes, I am." Lissa's lips began to trembled, "I have been having nightmares about what happened every single night. And instead of being able to turn to you, my brother, for help, I've been shut out instead. If it wasn't for everyone else, I probably would be a complete wreck right now. It's only because of my responsibilities as a cleric and the strength of the other Shepherds that I am not in the same state as you right now. And while we all grieve and try to figure out what to do next, you do what?" She pointed at the bottles, "Drink it all away." She let out a disgusted growl, "I want to slap you again so badly right now."

"I would suggest not doing that." Ben said as he calmly inserted himself between her and Chrom, "I think the first two got the point across."

"Chrom," Sumia breathed, "We all understand the need to mourn and grieve. But… we need you. Lissa and I need you."

"You are our Captain, Chrom." Robin said, "I'm not a leader of men. You are. And your men, your people, need you now more than ever."

Chrom swallowed hard. Before he could argue back. Ben spoke up.

"If you let this consume you Chrom, you will become someone you will not recognize." Ben's calm voice hit his ears like a thunderclap, "And you will hate that person." Ben let out a shuddering breath, as if he was also trying to convince himself on what he was saying, "We… we need to mourn, yes. But we also need to let go. Otherwise the grief will consume us. We will lose this war then. And everything Emmeryn stood for will be lost."

Chrom swallowed hard. Lissa let out a small sob then threw her arms around his chest.

"Please come back to us." She shuddered.

Chrom stayed frozen for a moment.

They needed him? They did not think he was a failure? They wanted him to lead them? He could scarcely believe it.

"Chrom," Ben continued, "It is when we are at our lowest, that we learn who we really are. Are you going to stand back up and face evil? Or will you let evil devour you?"

He closed his eyes. He could see Emmeryn again. But instead of her death. He remembered something else.

The first time she took him to see Captain Edward so that he could learn how to use a sword. She was so proud of him that day. He remembered her first address to the people of Ylisse at the very end of the war. How the crowd had booed and jeered at her the entire time. But she remained calm and serene. A beacon of light and peace. Pride swelled inside of him as he recalled that memory.

He remembered when he first broached the idea of the Shepherds to her. She was so excited about the idea. Maybe more than he was. She was so kind, giving, forgiving. A firm believer in peace and second chances.

This was his second chance.

He opened his eyes and wrapped Lissa in a tight hug.

"I am so sorry." He breathed as she cried in his arms.

He held his sister for a few moments before letting her go. She sniffled as she pulled away and stood beside Sumia. Chrom looked up at Sumia. The pegasus rider smiled at him and nodded. Telling him they can talk later. Chrom took a deep breath and glanced over at Ben.

"Together?" He asked.

Ben smirked, "Is there any other way?"

For the first time in a long time, Chrom felt a small grin on his lips.

"I guess not." He cleared his throat and turned to look at Robin, "Well… how-"

"We are a complete and total mess." Robin answered, "Stahl has eaten himself nearly into a coma. Frederick won't stop brushing the horses and cleaning the stables, despite all attempts to relieve him of that duty. Vaike is wearing clothes. Miriel is not reading a book. Maribelle is actually being nice to people. Kellam is… well Kellam. Virion is-"

Chrom chuckled, "I get it. I get it. I've got a bit of a mess to clean up."

"Oh that's not even the worst part," Robin continued, "Sully has taken on cooking duties.

Chrom's face turned ashen, "Oh gods."

"It's bad." Cordelia nodded.

"I've resorted to being a vegetarian." Ben joked.

"I've been looking forward to having bear again." Lissa laughed as she wiped away some tears.

"Thank Naga I know how to cook." Sumia said beneath her breath.

They all laughed together. And for the first time in days, Chrom felt something other than despair. He let out a long breath and got to his feet. He nodded to himself.

"What's the first step then?" He asked Robin.

"Meeting with the Khans." Robin answered, "They want to dissect the battle. Figure out what went wrong and correct it for any future engagements. Then-"

"Nope!" Lissa said.

She leaned towards Chrom, sniffed the air and recoiled. She pinched her nose shut and waved at the air.

"First thing's first." She said, "You need a bath."

Chrom let out a small laugh. Yes, a bath. He sniffed the air. His nose shriveled up.

Naga, he really did stink.

 **ANd chapter! A bit of a filler chapter before moving on to the next part of the story. That being, of course, the final battle between Gangrel and the Shepherds. And now, Gangrel does not have Maul or Kage to rely on. Maul is dead. And Kage has deserted the Plegians.**

 **This was a fun chapter to write. Marth and Robin's interaction sort of just popped into my head and I decided to run with it. I like the idea of Robin learning Niman as well. In game he is kind of a jack of all trades combat type. He can learn pretty much anything. Seeing as Niman combines most of the fighting techniques into one, I think it makes sense given his style and personality.**

 **I should have the next chapter up by next Thursday. Thursdays are my days off from work. So that's when I can actually sit down and put pen to paper so to speak. Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	36. Tensions

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 36

Tensions

Ben stood patiently outside of the small room that had been designated as the war council room by Khan Flavia and Khan Basilio. The two Khan's stood with him. Both were very quiet. Basilio's heavy brow was furrowed. Deep lines crossed his face as he stood deep in thought. The older warrior likely thinking hard about Flavia's description of the events that had taken place. Occasionally, Ben saw his lips moving as he muttered under his breath. Inaudible words that Ben could not hear.

Flavia was not as calm as Basilio. She paced to and fro while in her armor. The red plates were still stained by black ash and scoured by sand. She probably had yet to take that armor off. The ruling Khan had been so busy attending to her wounded men and surviving soldiers that she had not taken time to look after herself. She looked exhausted. Heavy bags sat underneath her sharp eyes. Her dark skin held a sickly pallor. And Ben swore he heard her sniffle a few times.

 _Perhaps she is feeling ill?_ Ben thought to himself.

He arrived at the council room first after helping snap Chrom out of his depressed state. While the Prince freshened up, Lissa got back to work with the other clerics and healers. She frowned at the mention of Marth being summoned to the war council. But in the end, the young princess relented. Marth had shown that she had recovered enough of her strength to walk around for a short period of time. But a healer would be present with her at all times during the council.

Robin volunteered to go fetch her. The tactician had taken a liking to the blue haired warrior. He mentioned he wanted to talk about the theory regarding Niman more while helping her over to council. Ben smiled a little at the thought. Robin had a voracious appetite for knowledge. Anything new was something he had to know.

Ben was surprised that Robin had not asked more questions given his thirst for knowledge. The Shepherd's tactician was not someone who allowed loose ends to dangle in the wind. He wanted to have all angles covered in his strategies. And that included knowing how the soldiers executing his plans were doing. While Ben had provided some information to him and Chrom about his personal life (especially when it came to Maul), he had purposefully left many details out.

He was not afraid to tell them about who he really was anymore. Every single Shepherd had more than demonstrated that they were his friends. They risked life and limb to save him and Emmeryn. That was more than even some Jedi did during the Clone Wars.

It was also apparent to Ben that the Empire and the Sith had no presence on this world. It truly was an undiscovered planet. Untouched by the rest of the galaxy. With the exception of his own presence and Maul's dark taint, not a single alien life had touched the ground on Archanea.

Yet still, there was hesitance on his part to divulge the entire truth to his friends. There was still the ever present possibility that the Empire would find this world. And in turn, find him. Anyone connected to a Jedi would be imprisoned or killed. Sidious and whatever new apprentice he eventually will find would make sure of that. The Sith Lord's reach may not extend to Archanea now. However, Sidious had more than demonstrated his power to the Jedi Master. It was not a matter of if Sidious would find this world, but when. Every moment Ben resided on this world was another moment Sidious had to find him. The Force could only hide him for so long.

Then there was Luke. The baby boy was still missing. If he remained away from Ben for too long, he would grow up without any training. His potential in the force was massive. So large that Sidious would no doubt sense it if the boy was not taught to control his presence. If that happened, all hope could be lost for the galaxy.

Ben sighed. He was stuck. After the disaster Maul orchestrated, the others would want to know everything. But he could not tell them everything. If for no other reason, than for their own safety. For now, the less they knew, the better.

He perked up a little when Flavia sniffed loudly. Ben glanced over and saw her taking a whiff of her own armpit. Basilio arched an eyebrow.

"Ben, honest opinion." Flavia said as she stopped pacing, "How do I smell?"

"Through your nose, Flavia."

Basilio choked for a moment then laughed loudly. His deep chortles echoed through the Longfort's long hallway.

Flavia rolled her eyes, "I mean, do I stink?"

Ben smirked, "That depends on your definition of stink, Khan."

Flavia frowned and folded her arms. Clearly irritated and tired.

"Since when did you get sassy?"

"I've always had plenty of sass." Ben shrugged, "I just think you haven't noticed."

"No you haven't." Flavia countered while Basilio continued to roar with laughter, "Would you stop laughing, Oaf!"

"Not a chance, Flavia." Basilio chuckled.

Flavia sighed and let her shoulders fall, "I'm too tired for this today."

"We all are." Ben replied, "But we need to evaluate what exactly happened."

"I'd love to. But it seems the Prince is taking his sweet time to get ready." Flavia folded her arms, "He's lucky you all got to him first. I was just about to run out of patience."

"She would have dragged him out of that room by his pretty blue hair." Basilio smiled.

"Absolutely." Flavia nodded.

"Well that was not necessary in the end, thankfully." Ben finished under his breath. His turned his gaze back down the hall and saw a small group approaching them, "There they are."

"About time." Flavia grunted as she tapped her foot impatiently.

Frederick led the small group of Shepherds towards the council room. He still looked as alert and stoic as ever despite the weariness they all shared. Cordelia strode right behind him. Unlike Frederick, she did not wear her armor, preferring the casual clothes she put on earlier in the morning.

Chrom and Robin walked behind them. Leaning against the tactician, one arm over his shoulder, was Marth. Ben swallowed hard. She still looked terrible. Her face was very pale. And he could see pain etched on her face as she struggled to move her legs at a good pace. Robin leaned over and asked if she needed to rest. To which she adamantly shook her head.

Ben snorted.

 _Stubborn. Maybe she really was trained by me. Both her and Anakin share that trait._

Basilio opened the door to the council room. Slowly, everyone filtered in.

It was a small room. Normally meant for debriefings between the Longfort captains and their soldiers. There was a small table that had been hastily set up earlier that morning at the center of the room. A large map of Archanea was draped over the table. The corners falling off the edges of the wood finish. Dozens of chairs were stacked along the stone walls. In the far wall was a large fireplace that blazed hot and bright. Heating the room up in order to combat the growing cold outside.

Chrom yanked a chair from the wall and set it down for Marth to sit in. The young warrior nodded gratefully before sinking into the wooden seat. A long sigh left her lips once she sat down. Ben could sense she was still in a lot of pain. He noticed Robin giving her a concerned look before taking a seat of his own. Frederick and Cordelia stood near the door. Both acting as guards despite the fact that they were invited for their own input.

Basilio, Ben, Flavia, and Chrom remained standing. Chrom looked much better now than before. His hair had been washed and combed. He did not reek of blood, sweat, or alcohol anymore. His eyes still held a weariness to them. But he held a look of absolute determination on his face. He glanced down at the map of Archanea.

"Invasion plans?" He asked the Khans.

Basilio nodded, "The start of them. But we need to debrief first." The large man's massive hands spread out onto the table, "From the beginning, what happened?"

"You already asked me, oaf." Flavia sighed, "I gave you every detail."

"You gave me every detail from your perspective. But that is not the whole picture. You cannot learn from the mistakes of warfare unless you can see and understand every angle."

Robin nodded in agreement across from him.

Flavia let out a long sigh, "I suppose you're right." She looked over at Ben, "Let's start with the ones who tried a suicide mission."

"Flavia." Basilio growled. His voice low with warning.

Near the door, Cordelia scowled. Marth shifted in her seat, but was otherwise indifferent to Khan Flavia's combative tone.

"No," Ben raised his hand, "Flavia has every right to be angry about that. Our escapade hampered our army's strength and killed the element of surprise that we otherwise would have had. If we had not gone into Plegia on our own, Robin would not have had to send Kage to contact us. Which means-"

"He wouldn't have told Maul our plans." Robin bit back a scathing curse, "I trusted that kid."

"We all did. He was one of us." Chrom said, "But no one is to blame for this disaster. No one here at least. We all played a part in the failure, but the cause for it all lies squarely at the feet of Gangrel and Maul."

"One of which is now dead." Cordelia said from her spot, "Kage sent that demon to hell."

"And good thing too." Chrom nodded, "That is one less threat to deal with."

"He's still out there." Marth breathed glancing up from her seat. She was quiet for a breath. She noticed the concerned looks on everyone's faces, "Kage," She continued, "He's still out there."

"I get the feeling we won't see him for a little while." Ben said as he rubbed his chin, "He left the battle before we could be finished off. And he did not help Gangrel in trying to cut off our escape. It appears his loyalty to Plegia hinged purely on his apprenticeship to Maul. Now that his Master is dead, he has gone rogue."

"Which is more dangerous then?" Basilio asked, "A kid that powerful on a leash? Or on the loose?"

"In the immediate moment, on the loose." Robin said, "He left the battle. I think he has left this war entirely. Still, I will have contingencies in place in case he shows his face again." He glanced over at Ben, "Most involve you kicking his ass."

Ben smirked, "Sounds like a wonderful plan."

"But even with him and Maul out of the picture," Flavia continued, "That still leaves Gangrel, the Grimleal, and the Plegian army."

"One of which managed to summon an army of Risen onto the battlefield." Robin scratched the back of his head, "Did anyone manage to see how Aversa managed to pull that off?"

"A reeking box." Marth answered for him.

There was a heavy silence in the air.

"How do you know that?" Basilio asked, his eyes narrowed at Marth.

"I've-," Marth took a breath, "I've seen them before. They are rather rare magical artifacts. Supposedly infused with the power of Grima himself. They are meant to summon his servants."

"Are you saying the Risen are servants of the Fell Dragon?" Chrom asked, alarmed.

Marth nodded her head, "Who else could create such vile creatures than the most vile of all creatures."

Robin gulped, "But… Grima is supposed to be dead, right? The First Exalt killed him."

"Defeated him." Marth corrected, "Not killed."

"Well that's just great!" Flavia threw her hands up in the air, "Now, on top of the regular Plegian army, we have to deal with an army of Grima zombies."

Ben raised his hand, "We may not have to deal with the Plegian army."

Chrom arched his brow, puzzled. Robin focused hard on Ben. Marth remained silent in her seat. Both Khan's stared long and hard at Ben.

"This has something to do with your negotiations, doesn't it?" Flavia guessed.

Ben nodded, "While negotiating with General Mustafa, I got the sense that there is some serious tension between the army and the Grimleal. Specifically regarding the amount of power the Grimleal hold over King Gangrel."

Chrom looked confused, "What do you mean?"

"What I mean, is that Gangrel and Plegia may be just as much victims of the Grimleal as we are." Ben noted.

Chrom's gaze hardened considerably. Robin gave Ben an inquisitive look. The tactician was deep in thought. Basilio cleared his throat.

"That's an interesting thing to bring up."

"Why?" Flavia asked.

"Because it makes sense." Basilio leaned on the table, "Think about it. The last war ends. No one in either nation wants another war. Gangrel and Emmeryn both take power. Gangrel wants to rebuild his nation. Make it the envy of the world. Emmeryn wants to foster peace whenever she can. Those two should have been allies, not enemies." Chrom narrowed his eyes at Basilio as he spoke. Ben could see the Prince's jaw tightening in anger, "By all early accounts, Gangrel was on the right path at first. Then after a few years, the Grimleal get close to him. To make a long story short, we arrive where we are now. Facing a very dangerous and insane King."

"Are you suggesting that evil bastard may be a victim?" Chrom growled.

"I'm suggesting all of Plegia may be a victim." Basilio corrected, "And that may include Gangrel."

"No!" Chrom slammed his hand on the table before pointing a finger at Basilio, "That bastard killed Emmeryn. I will hear no talk about having mercy on him. His words had her executed by Maul. His actions caused this war that has put my people on the brink."

"Chrom…" Robin breathed, "Basilio and Ben may have a valid point."

"They do." Cordelia nodded, "Before you all arrived, I had to take shelter inside of the Capitol. Without the kindness of an old, blind woman, I would have been killed. She was a former Grimleal mage." Chrom and the others stared at Cordelia, stunned, "The Grimleal experienced a schism so to speak. And it all started a few years after the war ended, when Validar and Aversa tightened their grip on the Grimleal leadership."

Chrom pressed his lips into a thin line, "It still does not justify or excuse what Gangrel has done."

"But it may help us win." Robin countered, "In order to defeat our enemy, we have to know our enemy. We have been hopelessly in the dark about Gangrel, Maul, and the Grimleal this entire time. And now, in the wake of our worst defeat, we gain invaluable knowledge." Robin looked at Ben, "This General Mustafa, what do you make of him?"

Ben folded his arms, "A soldier's general. Puts his men ahead of himself. The honorable type."

"Honor from a Plegian?" Frederick snorted, "Cats and dogs must be sleeping together."

"And the type of General who does not like non-soldiers telling him what he can and cannot do." Ben continued, "He has a hatred for the Grimleal. The only reason he does not act on it is due to a threat against his family."

"The same could probably be said for most of Plegia's senior military leadership." Basilio noted, "The ones that survived the last war at least. I recognize that name, Mustafa. He visited Ferox at some point to witness the selection of a new East Khan some years back. Before your time, Flavia."

"If we were to contact him again, how likely is it we can get him to turn on the Grimleal?" Robin asked.

"By turn I assume you mean start a nationwide rebellion against King and Country?" Ben replied. He hummed to himself, "His family would need security both during and immediately after the rebellion. And there is a question as to how much support such a thing would receive. For all we know, the regular Plegian soldier sees no problem with the Grimleal."

"So that leads us back to an old fashioned invasion." Chrom nodded, "Good. The less Plegians I work with, the better. How do we plan on attacking?"

"If we attack, we lose a chance to gain allies within the country." Robin countered, "Allies we will need in order to sustain an invasion of a desert land."

"If what you say is true, then we will be liberating these people from Grimleal tyranny!" Chrom exclaimed, "They should drop to their knees and thank us then."

"Your father said the same exact thing." Basilio growled.

Chrom fell silent. Ben could see his jaw shifting and clenching as he fought the urge to lash out at Basilio. Basilo seemed to notice too. The older warrior lowered his gaze at Chrom.

"Alright, Ylissean," Basilio pointed a finger at Chrom, "It has now become painfully apparent to me that you never learned the cost of war from your old man's actions. You invade any nation, you are not liberators. You will be an invader. An enemy coming to steal and kill from the people. Any king can spin it so that their nation will fight hard. Gangrel may be mad. But he is not stupid. If we conduct a prolonged invasion, we play right into his hands. As well as the Grimleal's. It's perfect propaganda for them."

"Watch what you say about my father." Chrom snarled.

"Your father was an invader. Not a liberator like your history books like to say." Basilio said with a harsh grit in his voice, "If you want to be a good ruler, better than he was, you'd do well to learn from his mistakes. Your sister did."

Marth was deadly quiet as the group argued. She glanced up and saw Robin thinking hard. His brow was furrowed and he was humming to himself. Before anyone else could say something, Marth spoke up.

"What are you thinking, Robin?"

All eyes turned to the tactician. Robin looked up at everyone.

"An all out invasion is out of the question." Robin said, "The Plegians are more experienced in warfare. Even if we win the initial battles, they will dig in. At that point, the Grimleal have all the information they need to make sure the populace never surrenders. They will claim that it is another Ylissean purge but using Feroxi soldiers. As much as you don't like that Chrom, that is what will happen." Robin sighed, "Hell, that is what I would do in order to conduct a proper defense. Make it as untenable as possible for the invading army to remain and eventually the soldiers will tire out. And the enemy will be forced to leave. It's what happened in the last war."

"So what plan do you have in mind?" Flavia asked, "Just retake Ylisse and let the Grimleal fall on their own?"

"That will also be a long drawn out conflict." Robin noted, "Plegia won't give up Ylisse easily. And if they can summon Risen at will, then the last thing we need is more battles. No… we need one battle. One strike in which we cut the Grimleal, and Gangrel, from power."

"That's risky." Basilio whistled, "We lose, we're through."

"But if we win, we win." Robin reiterated, "No invasion. No need for an occupation. At that point, someone like Mustafa will take power since the Plegian Military will be the most powerful force left."

"How do you know the Grimleal do not have some other dark mage that can rise up to claim Aversa's role?" Flavia asked.

"Do you really think people as power hungry as Validar and Aversa would tolerate rivals?" Robin asked, "I'd say no."

"You've got a point there." Ben nodded.

"They tolerated Maul." Chrom pointed out.

"Because Maul was beyond both of them." Marth said.

All eyes turned to Marth. The young warrior saw Ben's face visibly pale for a brief moment. Marth held her tongue for just a split second. Should she start speaking about this? If she did, what would the ramifications be? Anything she did or said now was going to drastically alter her mission. Naga, her mission had already changed dramatically since the start.

"What do you mean?" Robin asked.

"Maul was more powerful than both of them?" Chrom asked, stunned.

"Individually, absolutely." Marth breathed, "Together, they could have stood a chance. But Validar died before that possibility could occur."

"How?" Flavia asked, "How was Maul stronger? Was he some Grimleal mage we know nothing about? Like an evil sage or something."

"You could say that." Ben breathed.

Marth gave the man a look of surprise as he spoke up.

"Maul is-was- a Sith Lord." Ben continued.

"And what exactly is a Sith Lord?" Robin asked.

"A Sith Lord is the opposite of a Jedi." Ben said, "And I am a Jedi. The two groups are very old enemies."

Both Cordelia and Frederick's eyes widened as they grasped what Ben was saying.

"That would explain some of his hatred for you." Robin thought out loud.

"It would explain almost all of it." Chrom said, "What else have you not told us, Ben?"

Ben sighed but shook his head. He could not tell them. It was not safe for them. Ignorance was safety right now. The less they knew, the better.

"Fine." Chrom pushed away from the table, "Keep your secrets. But I will not forgive you if they cost us another life."

"Chrom…" Robin sighed.

"I mean it." Chrom said. His voice stern, "You complained that you had no information on Maul in order to effectively combat him. Yet you, Ben, knew everything about Maul. That beast killed Emm. He is dead now. But he could have been killed sooner if you had just told us what we needed to know. And maybe Emm would be alive if that had happened."

"You don't have to remind me of that!" Ben snapped suddenly.

Marth jerked upright in her seat as several chairs jostled around the room. Chrom fell silent as an invisible pressure filled the room. Ben glared hard across the table at Chrom before taking a deep breath. He blinked, surprised by his own outburst.

"I apologize. I… I let my emotions get the better of me."

Basilio cleared his throat "I think it might be best to call it a day. We're all exhausted and angry. Everyone rest for now. We will reconvene in a few days." He looked at Robin, "If you want to-"

"I will fine tune plans to engage Plegia." Robin said, "You don't have to worry about that."

"Good." Basilio nodded before looking at both Ben and Chrom, "In the meantime you two, make peace. You both lost someone close to you. The last thing either of you need is to fight each other."

"I'll make peace once Gangrel is dead." Chrom growled, "Until then, there will be no peace."

He turned on his heel and stormed out of the room. Frederick hesitated, then followed the Prince out the door. Robin sighed and ran a hand through his unruly hair.

"No rest for the tactician." He muttered before opening his spellbook and burying his nose in it as he walked out of the door.

Basilio and Flavia both nodded at Cordelia, Marth, and Ben before exiting. Flavia uttered a loud yawn that reverberated through the walls as she strode out.

Cordelia glanced at Ben. It was a sympathetic look. But also one that pleaded with him to reconsider his secrecy. Without a word, she slipped out.

Marth stared across the room at Ben. She let out a small grunt as she shifted her weight in her seat.

"I suppose you agree with the others?" Ben asked her as he tapped his fingers against the table.

Marth sighed, "I shouldn't talk. I'm just as guilty of keeping secrets as you are."

"Like the one where I might be your master?" Ben asked her.

She stiffened. Damn it, she had forgotten about that. During those desperate moments where Ben was about to die, she had called him Master. During those fleeting moments where death embraced her body, she admitted that he was the one who trained her. Which probably sounded ludicrous to him.

She opened her mouth to reply, but Ben held up a hand. Silencing her.

"You do not have to explain yourself." Ben pushed away from the table, "I'm not sure I'm ready to hear the truth of all of this yet." He glanced at the chairs that had jostled throughout the room, "I'm clearly not myself right now. The last thing any of us need is for me to grow more… unhinged."

"You need to meditate?"

"More than you could imagine." Ben sighed as he ran a hand over his face, "And all our energy needs to be focused on defeating Plegia." He gave the girl a small smile, "We will discuss what happened, what was said, once that is done. Fair?"

Marth let out a sigh of relief, "More than."

"Would like help back to your room?"

Marth shook her head, "I'll sit here for a few moments. The fire feels nice."

Ben nodded, patted her shoulder, then left. Once he was gone, Marth sat in silence. Her mind pondering the events of the past few days and the council.

More importantly, her mind was still trying to process what she saw when she had died. She could remember it all. Every single detail in vivid detail was burned in her mind.

The world between worlds. Just what was that place? Was it a realm between life and death? A realm of the Force? She had seen so many things there. Events that had taken place far in the distant past. Figures that she did not recognize. Maul in his youth. Ben as he cried over the fallen form of an opponent he once called brother. All of that on its own was difficult to wrap her mind around.

But then there was the last two things she saw. First, the decrepit dark figure that reeked of the dark side. The only time she had ever felt that afraid was when she laid eyes on Grima himself. And not only did she see him, he saw her. None of the other visions or images noticed her. She could not explain it. Was he an entity of the dark side? Some manifestation of its power?

Then there was the last bit before she awoke for the first time. The white bird perched on her shoulder. The comforting presence it held as it rested with her. Was that how she returned to life? What was that bird?

"That was an eventful council."

Marth jerked upright. Pain lanced through her body. She hissed and sank back down in her seat as Tharja slipped into the war council room.

The Plegian mage glanced down at the map on the table. She clicked her tongue.

"Someone needs to tell these Feroxi to be more careful with their plans. The wrong set of eyes seeing this could destroy any hope of success."

Marth glared at Tharja, "You were spying on us?"

Tharja gave her a wicked smirk, "At first I was following. But then it became spying because you all were taking so long."

"Following?"

"Yes. Following you, Obi Wan Kenobi, and Robin."

Marth narrowed her eyes.

"Why were you following us?"

Tharja shrugged as she slid around the table towards a stack of chairs.

"I was following Obi Wan and Robin in hopes of observing some things about them. Those two are extraordinary after all. And well-" She blushed a little, "Robin is rather easy on the eyes, isn't he?" She waved her hand dismissively, "But that is besides the point right now. I was following you because of our deal."

Marth raised her brow.

"Don't tell me you have forgotten." Tharja said as she placed a chair in front of Marth and took a seat, "I agreed to help you. In exchange, you tell me about the Force." She leaned closer to Marth, "Everything about the Force."

Marth frowned. Dammit she did make that deal, didn't she? At the time she had been desperate for help. And she had hoped that Tharja would conveniently forget about it. Apparently that was too much to hope for.

"It's a difficult thing to explain." Marth replied, trying her best to dance out of the situation.

"Oh, no, no." Tharja snickered, "You're not getting out of your end that easily. Don't forget, if I really wanted to, I can break into your mind. Given how weak you currently are, it would be easy."

"Given how many warriors are in this building, I'd say you would have hardly a one percent chance of surviving the attempt." Marth snapped back.

Tharja smirked, "Maybe. But it might be worth a try."

Marth stared down Tharja. The mage stared back. Amused by Marth's defiance.

She was correct. Marth was in a weakened state. Tharja could very easily break into her mind and glean whatever information she wanted from it. Marth simply did not have the stamina or strength to mount an effective defense right now. She barely had enough the last time Tharja tried to do that.

The blue haired warrior let out a long sigh.

"The Force is," She began reluctantly, "The Force is unlike any magic in existence. Mostly because it is not necessarily magic."

Tharja arched an eyebrow, "Not necessarily magic?"

"Right." Marth nodded, "The Force is magic. And it is more. It is… it is life itself. It is the energy of the universe. The very thing the binds us all together." She gave a wistful smile as she recalled a saying her master you to tell her, "It is the invisible ties that bind all living beings together."

"You act like the Force is a living thing." Tharja noted as she opened her tome and grabbed a piece of charcoal hidden in the empty pages.

"That is because it is. It isn't a tool to be used and abused like conventional magic. It is a companion. A helper."

"Is that what your Master taught you?" Tharja asked, "According to my own observations, Maul liked to use the Force as a tool."

"Maul used a perversion of the Force. A side of it that is known as the Dark Side of the Force." Marth explained.

"And what is the difference between the two sides?"

Marth pursed her lips, "You have to understand the nature of the two sides to understand the differences. As far as I know, the Force is very attuned to the emotions of the user. Maul accessed the dark side by tapping into his anger and hatred. It is a quick and easy path to power."

Tharja hummed to herself as she scribbled notes down in her tome.

"And the other side?"

Marth took a breath, "The Light? Well… the light is the opposite of the dark." She let out a frustrated sigh, "It's very difficult for me to explain. I am not very well versed in all of it. My-my master died before I could complete my training."

"And your master is?"

Marth narrowed her eyes at Tharja. That was information she was not giving up.

"I'm tired."

Tharja's eyes sparkled dangerously. But then an amused expression crossed her face. A dark chuckle left her pale lips before she shut her tome.

"Yes, you are." Tharja snickered, "We will continue another time. In the meantime, rest. We can have a longer session when you are fully recovered." She opened the door and smiled, "Oh, Libra is on his way here. He is probably worried sick that his number one patient is out and about. Have fun with that."

Marth's eyes widened as Tharja quietly left the room. Before she could make any attempt to leave the room under her own power, Libra burst in.

"What is this I hear about sparring lessons and war councils!?"

Marth felt a nervous bead of sweat drip down her forehead. It was going to be a very long night.

….

Robin groaned.

"Damn it all, Virion."

Across from him, the frilly archer chuckled then leaned back in his seat.

"It's been a while since we played a game," He smirked triumphantly, "You have gotten rusty."

"I've gotten stupid." Robin replied, his tone glum. He let out a sputtering breath and stared down at the chess board, "I'm hopelessly screwed."

"Probably." Virion smiled before taking a sip from a glass of Feroxi firewine.

Robin furrowed his brow at the game board. Any move he made would result in the loss of his queen. Once that happened, Virion would make short work of the rest of his remaining pieces. His King would have nowhere to go. Then it would be checkmate.

Robin shook his head and decided to just move a pawn forward.

"Surrendering already?" Virion chuckled.

"I'm slowly learning when to tuck tail and run." Robin replied before leaning back in his own seat and taking a long gulp of firewine. He cough hard once he removed the glass from his lips, "Ouch."

"They made it extra fiery today, my friend." Virion grinned.

"No kidding." Robin coughed again and pounded a fist into his chest, "That burns."

Virion made his move. The queen was gone.

"So," Virion began, "What do you think?"

"About what?" Robin asked as he studied the board. He knew it was a hopeless endeavor. But damn it he did not want to admit total defeat just yet, "My hopelessness as a tactician? How I got completely outclassed by Maul and Aversa? Maybe how Chrom and Ben are almost at each other's throats over secrets and heartbreak? The monumental task of orchestrating a decisive final battle that must occur on our terms?" Robin ran a hand through his hair, grabbed his glass, and drank it dry, "Where do I begin?"

Virion nodded as took Robin's glass and poured him another drink.

"What about Marth?" Virion asked.

Robin pursed his lips before bringing his glass to his lips.

"What about her?"

"I saw you two getting frisky in the yard."

Robin's eyes bugged out of his skull as firewine ran down his throat. He began to choke. He coughed hard as he struggled to catch his breath.

"Come again?" He gasped before falling into another coughing fit.

"Oh come now, Robin. You must see it. Two young people. Both very attractive, working together. One teaching the other how to fight properly. And being thoroughly amused in the process."

"I think you are reading way too much into it." Robin replied with a slight laugh.

"Nonsense!" Virion cried, "If there is one thing the archest of archerers knows it is-"

"Archery?"

"No! Women! The fairer sex. The beautiful flowers of our world that us barbaric men must pursue."

"Ever the poet." Robin deadpanned.

"Thank you."

"But my relationship with Marth is strictly professional."

"Sure it is."

"Virion." Robin eyed his friend.

"Robin." Virion grinned ear to ear.

Robin narrowed his eyes, "You enjoy making me uncomfortable way to much."

Virion laughed some more and took another drink. He let out a satisfied sigh before resting his head on his hand.

"Very well, if you do not want to discuss the thorny flower that is Marth, which one of our lovely ladies do you fancy."

Robin snorted, "I've been a little too busy to fancy anyone."

"I don't believe that for a second." Virion replied, "Come on now, there must be someone that has caught your eye. Enticed that incredible personality and mind of yours."

"Yes," Robin replied sarcastically, "My _incredible_ personality and mind. Both of which are plagued by a very bad case of long term amnesia. I totally know what I like and don't like in a women." Robin sipped his drink, "For all I know, the old me in my previous life would fall for a Plegian sorceress from the Grimleal."

Virion's eyes sparkled, "We do have one in our company now you know."

Robin froze, "Don't get any ideas, Virion."

"I don't have any ideas." Virion smiled, "Only observations and experiments. And from my observations, you and Marth would be a very-"

"No more!" Robin cried.

"But think of the love you both could kindle! It would be a flame that would never stop burning!"

"Virion!" Robin exclaimed, "She is literally recovering from death! Not an injury. Death! As in the supposed to be permanent kind." He shook his head, "No more firewine for you after tonight."

Virion laughed hard, "Like you can stop me."

Robin's shoulders sagged, "I can't even beat you at a game of chess."

"My point exactly."

Robin chucked a pawn at Virion, causing the archer to laugh even more. Virion continued to roar with laughter for a few more minutes before finally taking a deep breath. Once he did, he noticed the distressed expression on Robin's face. The seriousness his friend had. Virion's smile slowly ebbed away.

"Robin?"

"Virion," Robin sighed before leaning back into his seat and running both hands over his face, "What the hell am I to do?"

Virion set his glass down.

"About?"

"About Chrom and Ben." Robin sat upright again, "Those two are still grief stricken. They can deny it all they want. But I know. I can see it. Ben hides it very well. But he snapped today at Chrom. And well-" Robin let out a frustrated sigh before taking another sip of firewine.

"That bad?"

"His magic literally encompassed the room." Robin answered as he set his glass down on the table, "It hung in the air like a damn fog. It felt like there was a pressure in the room. Like something was pressing down on me at all sides. I have never felt or seen anything like that before. And I've certainly never seen Ben lose his temper like that before."

"He is normally very mild mannered." Virion nodded in agreement.

"And Chrom is not." Robin continued, "Chrom is a good guy, obviously. But he lashes out easily. Especially when someone who, in his opinion, deserves it." Robin sipped his drink and folded his legs. Their game of chess long forgotten from his mind, "And in a way, Ben does deserve Chrom's ire."

Virion nodded, "His knowledge could have stopped Maul from slaying the Exalt."

"My thoughts exactly." Robin agreed, "But… there has to be a damn good reason he never shared that knowledge. Ben does not strike me as the type of person to keep a secret just for the sake of keeping a secret. I think he's hiding his knowledge because he is afraid."

"For himself?"

Robin shook his head, "No. Ben was ready to lay down his life for Exalt Emmeryn. I think he'd do the same for any of us. He regards us all as friends now."

"Then he is afraid for us." Virion concluded.

"But why?" Robin wondered out loud as he jumped from his seat and paced over to his desk.

The desk had paper strewn all over it. A quill and empty inkwell sat in the top corner. Notes were scribbled on some of the paper. But most of the ink had gone into the two tomes on the desk. One was his spellbook. The notes within detailed little tips and tricks he had learned (or relearned) for casting the spells. But the other tome was something else. Something new he decided to try. A journal. A way to organize his always running mind.

He snatched the leather bound book from the shelf and flipped it open. Once he got to right page, he tossed the book over to Virion.

Virion glanced at it.

"You have a profile on Ben?"

"I have a profile on everyone." Robin replied, "It helps me figure out strategies."

"What does mine say?"

Robin gave Virion a weary stare.

"I'm curious."

"Just read." Robin replied before taking a long sip from his drink.

Virion cleared his throat. His eyes ran along the long lines of ink below Ben's name and a rough sketch of his appearance.

"You are a wonderful illustrator." Virion remarked.

Robin shrugged but said nothing.

Virion's playful smirk slowly dropped into a small frown. He flipped the page to see Robin's profile on Lon'qu.

"How do you have more information on the silent swordsman of our little company than on Ben?" Virion wondered out loud.

"And now you see the dilemma." Robin said, "Ben's profile is bigger. But it is only comprised of little bits and pieces. There are massive gaps in everything."

"Like how his magic works." Virion noted.

"Or where he learned to fight with a sword? And who taught him?" Robin continued.

"Where he is even from." Virion remarked, his brow raised both with intrigue and surprise.

"How he knows Maul." Robin said.

Virion glanced up at Robin, looked down at the profile, then back up at Robin. He jabbed a finger at the page.

"You have it here that they are old enemies. Perhaps rivals."

"Yes, but how?" Robin countered, "And why? Scratch that, I got piece of the 'why' puzzle today."

"Really? Do tell." Virion said as he passed the book back to Robin.

Robin took another drink then leaned forward in his seat, "Maul, was something called a Sith Lord. A Sith Lord is the enemy of a group of people called the Jedi." Robin tapped his rough sketch of Ben, "Ben is a Jedi. By his own admission."

"That is first I'm hearing about any of this." Virion said, "Why would he not tell us? Something like that would make it obvious that Maul was out to get him not Emmeryn. If we knew that, we would have kept Ben far away from the Exalt."

Robin nodded in agreement, "I want to press for more information. But I have a feeling I'm just going to be met with a wall of silence."

Virion nodded in agreement. He fell into silent thought for a moment. Then he snapped his fingers.

"What?"

"Ask Marth." Virion suggested.

Robin narrowed his eyes at Virion, "I'm not about to court her Virion."

"No! No! I'd love it if you did, but that is not the point I'm trying to make right now." Virion replied, "Marth fights like Ben does, right?" Robin nodded, "So they both must have received the same type of instruction. Therefore, is Marth a Jedi as well?"

Robin thought for a moment. As Virion's point began to sink in, his eyes slowly widened in realization.

"Virion, you are a genius."

"You are most welcome." Virion smiled, "For the revelation, and for the opportunity to spend more time with your beloved Marth."

Robin slammed his glass down and pointed at Virion.

"I will throw this entire board at you! And I won't miss!"

Virion began to laugh uncontrollably again.

"No need for that, my love struck friend." Virion swept the board clean and began to reset the pieces, "New game?"

"Yes! And I will win!"

 **And chapter! More of a filler chapter again. Reestablishing some relationships and setting the stage for the next part. We were going at a breakneck pace before. I wanted to slow it down a little and give the characters some room to breathe for a moment.**

 **It appears Ben's secrecy is starting to wear on the Shepherds. Especially on Chrom and Robin. And Ben is still not totally himself. But we did see a bit of that old sass come back for a moment. Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	37. To Capture a Plegian

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 37

To Capture a Plegian

The last thing Marth remembered was sitting in her room. The fur blanket given to her by the Feroxi had been wrapped tight around her as she tried to stay warm. There was a blizzard beginning to brew outside. The snowflakes had already begun to fall from the sky in great puffs of white fluff. The frozen wind howled outside. An ominous moan that was both chilling and a little relaxing. A long, mournful sound that caused her eyes to fall closed for the briefest of moments.

And when she reopened her eyes, Marth was not in her room. She was sitting in a room. But not her room. This room did not have stone walls. The walls instead appeared to be some strange material. A mixture of metal and some other glossy element that she had never seen before. The bed was not a straw stuffed mattress that was common in Feroxi barracks. It resembled a soft pallet. Sat a few inches off of a carpet covered floor that was dull by design. Soft grays, tans, and blues colored the furniture and walls.

She arched an eyebrow. Confusion did not even begin to describe what she was feeling. Was she moved to a different room? Did she fall asleep and enter some strange dream?

She froze for a second. The low moan of the wind had been replaced by a frantic buzz and hum. She twisted around on the pallet and saw a single, small window to the outside world.

She took a peak. A gasp rushed from her lungs. Outside of this room was a place unlike any Marth had ever seen before.

It was a city. Endless in size and scope. Buildings taller than any she had ever seen towered all around her. Strange horseless carriages zoomed through the air. Zipping in and out of lanes in the air. An endless mass that flowed like a river.

She pulled herself away from the window. Her right hand rubbed her forehead as she reeled back in confusion. Where was she? What strange reality had she suddenly entered? Marth could feel panic beginning to creep into her.

Her master's voice hit her mind. Calm down. Breath. In and out. Close your eyes. Stretch out with your feelings. Sense where you are. Do not let your own senses overwhelm you. You control them. Never let them control you.

She opened her eyes again. The panic was gone. In its place was a sense of danger. She had delved into the Force for a brief moment. An attempt to gather her bearings. What she felt was panic from hundreds of beings all around her. Terror. Shock. And most terrifying of all, brief shock waves of pain. Then nothing at all.

People were dying around her. Hundreds of them. Their lives violently cut off. Souls sent in pain filled waves to the Force. Marth scrambled out of her pallet and leaped across the small room. She forced her way through the strange, metallic door.

Smoke filled the air. Her eyes watered. Lungs burned. Hard, heavy coughs interrupted every breath she took. She dropped low to the ground.

Just in time to avoid a torrent of blue lights that screamed over her head and down the hall way. Marth's eyes widened as she heard the blue lights smack into something. Then another life left the living world.

She fell backwards and started to scramble back. More people were dying around her. But she could not see any of them. There was so much smoke. Her vision was in a perpetual haze. Blue lights continued to scream over her head. A hideous sound that rang in her ears over and over again.

There was a hum. One that made her freeze in place. She knew that sound. Had heard it before. It came from a weapon she was somewhat familiar with. Maul possessed such a weapon. And it was one she had grown to fear.

She raised her eyes. Standing over her was a man in black and brown robes. A scar ran over his right eye. His head was covered by a hooded cloak. In his right hand was a blue lightsaber.

He glared down at her. Hate filled his gaze. Marth suddenly felt the power the man commanded. It was otherworldly. Overwhelming and suffocating. She found herself shaking on the floor at his feet.

The lightsaber hummed near her neck. As it sat there, she heard a new noise. The lightsaber's hum began to die away. In its place there was a strange rhythmic sound. Hoarse and strained. As if someone was struggling to breath through a tube. But louder and much more menacing. She raised her gaze once again.

The man was gone. In its place was a black, armor clad monster. The blue lightsaber was red. The building around her was not foreign. It was familiar now. It was the palace in Ylisstol. Smoke rose up from dozens of fires around her.

" _Marth?"_

A knocking sound rang out around her.

" _You in there?"_

Marth snapped her head up. Nearly giving herself whiplash doing so. The back of her head smacked against the wall behind her with a dull crack. She hissed and winced. Her right hand reached up and rubbed the bump that was starting to grow back there. As she did that, her gaze swiveled around her.

She was back in her room at the Longfort. The stone walls, once cold and foreboding, now gave her a sense of comfort she had never expected. The small fire was beginning to die into cinders in the fireplace across the room. The blizzard was now roaring outside. The wind screeched past the massive fortress. It whistled and shrieked as it rattled against the stables and armory outside.

A knock came from her door.

"Marth?" Robin's voice rang out, "Are you ok?"

Marth blinked. What just happened? She had just gone from sitting in her room, contemplating what had occurred in Plegia, then she had been in a strange vision, only to return to her room in what felt like seconds. She had trouble wrapping her mind around any of it.

"Is it alright if I come in?" Robin asked from the hallways outside.

Marth cleared her throat, "Come in."

The door creaked open. Robin shuffled in. Marth felt a small smile cross her lips.

He was covered in snow. The hood to his coat had a powdery layer over it. Snow sat on his shoulders. He noticed her amused expression.

"It still hasn't melted?" He asked.

Marth shook her head.

Robin sighed, "Damn snow. If it's not sand its snow." He huffed and dusted off his coat, "When all of this is done, I'm going somewhere tropical."

Marth chuckled, "That does not sound too bad." She sat up in her bed, wincing as more pain raced through her body. Kage's lightning had done a tremendous amount of damage to her body. More than she even thought possible. Then there was the charred wound in her stomach from where Maul stabbed her.

"You look-"

"In pain?" Marth finished for Robin.

The tactician nodded, "Should I come back later?"

"If you leave now, you'll probably get buried in snow." Marth glanced out the window, "Hard to believe that out of all of my injuries, my arm is the one that hurts the least."

Robin grimaced, "I can fetch Libra."

Marth suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. Libra was a great healer. But he was a touch overbearing at times. He did not want her to do anything except lie in bed. And well, she did not have the patience for that.

Robin chuckled, "I take that as a no."

"A hard no." Marth answered.

Robin laughed some more, "Perhaps Lissa would be better company?"

Marth shrugged, "It's not for me to decide. Prince Chrom wants the best healers attending to me, for some reason."

"For some reason?" Robin replied, "Marth, you saved Ben's life, helped kill Maul, and nearly died trying to save Exalt Emmeryn. Of course Chrom would want the best healers with you. We may not have succeeded, but you sacrificed more than almost any other Shepherd. I know for a fact that he does not take that lightly."

Marth sighed, "I should be the least of his concerns. I'll live. That's the important part. Those healers should be working on the other soldiers instead of me."

Robin shook his head, "Good luck convincing him to do that. I swear, Chrom is probably the single most stubborn person I have ever met." He blinked, "Come to think of it, he might be the only extremely stubborn person I've met. Considering I can't remember any others."

Marth gave him a slight smile, "How are you faring when it comes to regaining your memories?"

Robin gave her a surprised look. He was shocked she would ask that.

"Well um," Robin grabbed a chair and pulled it close to Marth's bed, "If you consider progress to mean getting absolutely nowhere then… terribly. I'm beginning to think Lissa might have the best idea for triggering my memories."

"That being?"

"Hitting my head against something really hard."

Marth arched her brow, "I think that would cause you to lose more memories."

"That's exactly what Ben said too." Robin pointed out, "But nothing else has worked. Maybe I'll give it a try as a last resort."

He took a breath and sat quiet for a moment. Marth remained silent as well. Doing her best to fight off the sudden awkwardness that hung in the air. She shifted in her bed and sat up some more.

"Is there something you need?" Marth asked.

"Hm? Well um…" Robin scratched the back of his head, "Yes actually. Um… I need to talk to you about Ben."

Marth narrowed her eyes, "What about him?"

"Well, not really Ben. Although if you have actually learned anything about him, that'd be great to know. More specifically, to clarify, I wanted to-"

Marth sighed, "What do you want to talk about?"

Robin sucked in a breath, "I've been dancing around it haven't I?"

"Like a ballerina."

Robin sighed, "Wonderful. Um, what I want to ask is… what is a Jedi?"

Marth blinked, "A jedi?"

"Yeah."

"You came all the way over here, through a blizzard, to ask me about the Jedi?"

"Well," Robin pursed his lips, "You put it that way and it does sound odd."

"Very." Marth replied. She thought for a moment, "Why are you asking this?"

"Well-"

"Don't dodge the question." Marth said sharply, "I will know if you are."

She slipped into the Force. Just a little bit. Enough to be able to sense Robin's intentions. Nobody just asked about the Jedi. Let alone someone who had just learned about them.

"I want to know because both you and Ben are Jedi." Robin replied. He saw Marth visibly tense, "I know you are a Jedi because both of you fight the same and use the same strange magic. That can't be a coincidence."

"And you are hoping to gain information in order to formulate better strategies and organize the Shepherds in a better manner." Marth assumed.

Robin's lack of reply was the only answer she needed. She nailed his motivation for the question. Now it was matter of how much was she willing to reveal?

Ben's personal life was… sensitive to say the least. He was her master. Just a younger version of him. The master she knew was reclusive. Hardly said a word about his past or what he was capable of to anyone. She did not even have the privilege of knowing about his past. He refused to talk about any of it whenever she asked. The first tidbit of his history she learned about was back at the inn in Plegia. The fate of a close friend that betrayed him. Scarred him for life.

"If you are looking for personal information on Ben, I have none." Marth answered.

Robin looked crestfallen.

"The Jedi though," Marth tapped her fingers in her lap, "Well, to start with, I am not a Jedi."

Robin raised his eyebrow, puzzled.

"But I thought-"

"I am a Jedi learner." Marth continued, "A Padawan learner. A learner does not become a Jedi until they are knighted by a Master. And I was never knighted, because I never completed my training. My master died before I could."

Robin remained silent. Allowing Marth to gather her thoughts.

"Now, as for what is a Jedi?" Marth pursed her lips, "It is difficult to define. Before they were purged-"

"Whoa whoa!" Robin raised a hand, "Purged?"

Marth sucked in a breath. She should have used a different term. Died off? Went extinct? That left their demise vague. Allowing Robin to draw his own conclusions. But purged? That required a purger.

She mentally berated herself. Something that important cannot slip out again.

"Yes." She sighed, "Purged. The original order was wiped out by the Sith years ago."

It was one of the few things her Master did tell her about the Jedi Order he was a part of. A fact that was intended to make her wary of Maul when he arrived in her and Kage's lives. It worked too.

"How?" Robin asked, "Did Maul help in that?"

Marth shook her head, "I don't know. What I do know is that my master and-" She thought carefully. No one knew Ben was her master. And while she let that secret slip to Ben during what she thought was her last moments of life, even he was not certain of the truth. He was the lone survivor of the Jedi order. But he could not be if she was to protect his identity, "Ben were the only survivors of the Purge."

Robin's eyes widened in shock.

"Ben is that powerful?" He breathed.

"Perhaps," Marth replied, "My belief is that the Force was not done with him yet. So he lived."

Robin looked at her confused, "The Force? Your magic was not done with him yet?"

Marth nodded, "The Force isn't just magic Robin. It is-" _How did Master explain it to me again?_ "It is an energy field created by all living beings. It surrounds us, penetrates us, it binds everything together."

"Sounds like another way of describing fate." Robin remarked, "Or an omnipotent god."

Marth nodded, "But the Force isn't fate. And it definitely is not a god. It is… life. The universe itself."

He still looked puzzled. Marth let out a small sigh.

"Ben could probably do a better job of explaining it than me."

"No, no." Robin waved a hand, "You're doing just fine explaining it. I'm sure of that. It's just such a difficult concept to wrap my head around. What you're saying is that you don't just tap into magic, you tap into the energy of life itself?"

"I guess." Marth shrugged.

Robin nodded, "That sounds extremely similar to normal magic. Magic is powered by mana. Mana is in essence life energy from both within and outside of a person. Although someone can only use a certain amount before succumbing to exhaustion or worse." Robin hummed to himself, "I'd love to hear Miriel's thoughts on this."

"Ask Tharja." Marth replied.

Robin gave her a surprised look.

"She's doing research into the subject already." Marth continued, "She saved my life in Plegia. In exchange, she wants to learn everything about the Force from me and Ben."

"And you agreed to that?"

"I didn't have much of a choice." Marth replied, "Her hex was the only thing that kept me from succumbing to my injuries."

Robin nodded in understanding.

"It probably wasn't the wisest of decisions." Marth thought out loud.

"I disagree." Robin replied, "If you had not agreed to do that, you, Ben, maybe even more of us would not be here." He leaned back in his seat, "Hard to believe that a Grimleal mage is the reason two of the Shepherds are alive now."

Marth chuckled, "Indeed."

"So is she learning all of this knowledge in order to use the Force or-"

"I don't know." Marth answered, "I think her interest is mostly academic in nature."

Robin nodded, "Do you think I could learn how to use the Force?"

Marth gave him a surprised look, "Why?"

"Well," Robin shifted in his seat, "You told me that Niman is best for someone wielding two weapons. I still haven't figured out how to use my magic without using my spellbook. But the Force, it appears, does not require a spellbook. So learning how to use the Force makes sense to me. Given the nature of the combat style."

Marth stared hard at the tactician, "Robin, learning the force is not like learning magic. It is a long, arduous path that will take years to learn to tap into, let alone master."

"Then there is no better time to start than now." Robin replied.

Marth frowned, "I cannot teach you."

"Sure you can. You're teaching me how to fight with a sword aren't you?"

"But I'm not a master. I'm not even a full fledged Jedi." Marth replied, "My own training is not complete."

"Well, I could go ask Ben." Robin said, "But I get the feeling he would give me a firm no."

 _Probably._ Marth thought to herself. Ben was in a fragile state right now. He was in no condition to take on a student. He was out of balance. That much was apparent after Marth witness his temper flare at Chrom.

If her Master was in a better state of mind, he would likely train Robin. The Shepherd's tactician was incredible with magic. And he could only remember bits and pieces of his skills and spells. If his memory was intact, his power would be enormous.

Not only was he powerful, but Marth could sense a small, undisturbed power inside of Robin. Something that was lurking beneath the surface. A well of power that had yet to be tapped into. It felt like the Force to her. But she could not be certain. Her probing could only go so far before she reached her limits and alerted him to her presence in his mind. She did not have her Master's skill when it came to reading minds. She was like a toddler learning to walk when it came to reading minds and sensing intentions. Her Master was like a surgeon. She was clumsy. He was precise.

"Marth," Robin snapped her out her thoughts, "Please. Just a lesson or two. I need to know anything I can in order to help us win this war."

Marth pressed her lips into a thin line. He would not be able to use the Force at all for the coming battle. Any latent ability he may have would manifest much later in time.

But there was no harm in teaching him a few exercises right?

She let out a long breath, "Alright."

Excitement rushed over Robin's face.

"What do we do first?" Robin asked.

His excitement was infectious. Marth could not help but smile a little. He was like a little kid whenever a chance to learn something new came up. Robin acted this way when she started teaching him Niman. That eagerness would serve him well.

"Clear your mind." Marth said, "Close your eyes and breathe."

Robin did as she said. He found himself slowly falling into a calm, meditative state.

"First lesson," Marth said, "There is the Force, and the only the Force."

….

"Who does he think he is?" Chrom raged as he paced back and forth in his room.

Sumia sighed as she sat on his bed. She ran her hands over the silk nightgown that covered her body. Trying to figure out a way to get Chrom to just sit down and take a breath.

Chrom had been like this the entire day after the war council yesterday and most of today. Her presence had soothed his anger a little bit. But there was no denying how furious he was at Ben.

 _At least he is talking again._ She thought to herself as Chrom let out a huff and flopped down in the bed beside her.

"I mean," Chrom ran his hands over his face, "Don't you agree that Ben being a Jedi and Maul being a Sith is important information to know?"

Sumia bit her lip. It was very important information to know. It explained why Maul was so hellbent on killing Ben. And by extension, killing Exalt Emmeryn and anyone else Ben grew close to. If Ben had opened up about Maul's motivations, then Robin could have formed a strategy that may have saved Exalt Emmeryn while eliminating Maul as a threat.

She knew that was possible. Robin was a brilliant tactician. His strategies were almost always sound. The enemy just always seemed to be a step ahead of all of them. No doubt thanks to Maul and the traitor, Kage. Sumia's blood still boiled at the thought of that kid. They had all trusted him. Called him a Shepherd. And in the end, he was an enemy agent. A successful one that had given Maul and Gangrel all they needed to know in order to win.

And for that reason, Sumia found herself unable to pin all of the blame on Ben. He had no control over Kage's actions. He could not have known about Kage's true allegiances. None of them could have known.

"I agree," Sumia began.

Chrom sighed, "But?"

"But it's not all Ben's fault. If anything, it's not his fault at all. Just as much as it is not your fault or mine."

Chrom huffed, "Maul was aiming to destroy Ben. And-"

"And even if Maul was not there, Gangrel would have executed Emmeryn anyways." Sumia reminded him as she sat up and wrapped her arms over his shoulders, "The only people at fault for all of this are Maul, Gangrel, and Kage."

Chrom's hands balled up into tight fists at the mention of Kage. He was still furious about what happened with the kid. Chrom allowed him into the Shepherds. Robin personally vouched for the boy. And Chrom trusted Robin's judgement. The consequences of Kage's actions were on him as the leader of the Shepherds. If he had just given the boy a normal reward for assisting the exalt instead of a position among the Shepherds then Maul would never have found, captured, or killed Emm.

Sumia was right. Damn it all, she was right. As much as he did not want to admit it, Ben was just as much a victim of Maul as he and his family were. Maybe even more so given the history Ben outlined in his initial report.

"Besides," Sumia rested her head on his shoulder as she wrapped her arms tight around Chrom's chest, "Maul wanted to destroy Ben. Destroy doesn't just mean to kill. It means to leave no trace of anything. He wanted Ben to be completely broken. That started with Emmeryn. And it can continue if you and him keep fighting."

Chrom frowned as she continued.

"The last thing we all need right now is division among friends." Sumia said softly, "We need to stand together now more than ever before. Ben is a Shepherd. And he is our friend. He will stand by us. We must stand by him."

"You're…" Chrom took a deep breath. One of his hands wrapped over Sumia's, "You're right."

"What was that?" Sumia teased, "Did you say something? I think I need to hear that again."

Chrom chuckled, "I said, you were right."

Sumia laughed, "Really? Now who would have thought?"

Chrom shook his head then brought his lips to Sumia's. It was moments like this that helped him keep going. Emmeryn's death still hurt. His heart ached every minute he knew she was gone. But Sumia had a way of making all of that pain and sorrow go away. Whether it was through a kiss, or a punch.

He winced a little as her hand brushed against the welt on his chin.

"Oh gosh!" Sumia said, "I forgot."

"To open your hand, yes you did." Chrom chuckled.

She smacked his chest, "You won't let that go, will you?"

Chrom shook his head, "Not a chance."

Their lips met again, both flopped back into the heavy fur blankets that covered Chrom's mattress. Chrom wrapped his arm beneath the crook of Sumia's neck. The two just rested there for a few minutes. Enjoying each other's company and the peace they brought to each other.

"Sumia?"

"Hm?"

"What do you think about what the others said?"

Sumia pressed her lips together. The others said a lot. There was a lot to unpack in that one question.

Cordelia's debrief was the first that came to mind for her. The Pegasus Knight had mentioned a possible schism in the Grimleal over a decade ago. Her evidence being an aged old woman who claimed to be a former Grimleal mage. The old woman had saved Cordelia's life when the first attempt to rescue Emmeryn failed.

"Do I think the Grimleal are actually that unstable?" Sumia wondered out loud. She shook her head, "No. This war has proven that they are very strong and sturdy. Maybe back then they were in shambles. But whatever Validar and Aversa did caused their order to rise to prominence. Fast too."

Chrom nodded in agreement.

"It makes me glad Validar is dead." Chrom mentioned, "Someone as politically cunning as him would be a dangerous enemy. Aversa is still an unknown, but by all accounts, she is similar to her teacher. But even more ruthless and unhinged. Which will surprisingly make it easier to handle her. She's won't be as calculating as Validar was."

"Maybe." Sumia said, "But we shouldn't underestimate her. Look what she did in the Capitol." She shuddered in his arms, "All of those Risen."

"Were because of an artifact, not her own power." Chrom reminded Sumia, "And when this war is over, I think one of the tasks the Shepherds will undertake is finding and destroying as many of those damn boxes as possible."

"Sounds like a job Vaike and Sully would enjoy." Sumia smirked.

"Getting paid to break stuff." Chrom nodded, "You're right. They would enjoy that immensely."

Sumia giggled, "The path of destruction would be enormous."

"And the stench would be most memorable." Chrom laughed with her.

When their laughter died away, Sumia could see Chorm was still lingering on the council meeting.

"What else?" She asked softly.

Chrom took a deep breath, "Khan Basilio mentioned my father."

Sumia raised an eyebrow, "What about him?"

Chrom rotated to face her, "He said I sounded just like him."

Sumia saw the concern on Chrom's face. Normally that kind of comment caused him to puff his chest out with pride. Chrom loved his father. He was his hero growing up. But the late Exalt was a controversial figure in Ylisse's history. His war with Plegia was not popular among the common folk. And it had become a point of national discord during the later stages of the conflict. To the point that when Emmeryn came to power, she did everything she could to distance herself from her father's legacy in the war.

Since then, the historians have been kinder to the late Exalt. His war was a dark point in their nation's history. But it was also portrayed as a campaign to bring Ylissean prosperity to Plegia. A campaign that ultimately failed and backfired in the most horrible of fashions.

"Is that so wrong?" She asked Chrom, "From what I remember of him, your father was a good man."

"Around us, yes." Chrom replied, "But Khan Basilio said I sounded just like him. Thinking that Plegia would drop to their knees and thank us when we liberate them from the Grimleal. He called it an invader's mindset. Said I was playing right into Gangrel and Aversa's hands by thinking that way." Chrom took a deep breath, "Then he basically called my father a bad ruler. He said, if I wanted to be a good ruler of Ylisse, I should follow Emm's example. Learn from my father's failures."

Sumia pursed her lips, "There is a lot about the war and the inner workings we don't know about. Khan Basilio obviously knows something different than us. Maybe his perspective will shed some light not just on your father, but on how we should handle Plegia going forward."

Chrom gave Sumia an intrigued look.

"Chrom," Sumia placed a hand on his cheek, "He may have offended you, but Khan Basilio has been a ruling Khan in Regna Ferox for a very long time. Longer than most Khans. His advice is invaluable. You know that."

"I know." Chrom sighed, "I just-"

"Hate it when you and your family are disrespected."

"Yes." Chrom nodded.

Sumia sighed, "Well, I hate to tell you this, but you are now the ruler of Ylisse. You, Lissa, everyone close to you are going to be scrutinized and in many cases, disrespected." Sumia sank further into his arms, "You remember what Emmeryn's first few months as Exalt were like right?"

Chrom swallowed hard, "I remember a lot of rocks and rotten fruit being thrown at us."

"There you go." Sumia breathed sleepily, "It can't get any worse than that."

Chrom snorted, "I'd say not having a nation to rule over is worse than that."

"We'll get it back." Sumia muttered as her eyes began to flutter closed.

Chrom smiled at her. She really was the right person to talk to about all of this. He knew he had a temper. That more often than not, he would get heated at the wrong moment. And whenever he did, Sumia was there to calm him down. To reason with his own anger and show him the smart way forward. She was the still water to his raging fire.

But after how hard she punched him, he was still not going to test her temper.

Chrom laughed to himself before placing a small kiss on her forehead. She smiled as she drifted off.

He should have fallen asleep too. Now that Chrom had a chance to finally rest at the Longfort, he realized how tired he actually was. The war had taken its toll on his body. His muscles were always sore and stiff. His mind was weary. Eyes heavy. Temper and patience much shorter than normal. He needed rest.

 _But I can't sleep._

He gently slid out of Sumia's arms. The Pegasus rider had fallen fast asleep. Good, she needed it just as much as he did.

Khan Basilio's words rang through his mind. HIs father was not a liberator. He was an invader. Was that the entire reason the war they were all fighting now came about? Did Emmeryn pay for the sins of his long dead father?

He had to know the truth. Chrom went to teh door and yanked it open right as Robin was about to knock on it.

"Oh! I-" Robin looked past Chrom and saw Sumia sleeping. He gave Chrom a knowing smirk, "Am I interrupting something?"

"Save the smug grin." Chrom replied with a slight laugh, "And no, you weren't."

Robin whistled, "You two were fast then."

Chrom punched the tactician's shoulder as he quietly shut the door behind him. Robin let out a small yelp before laughing some more.

"Very funny." Chrom said.

"It was."

"You have been hanging around Vaike, Virion, and Sully too much." Chrom scolded.

Robin shrugged as he walked with Chrom down the hallway, "Hey, I need to get to know everyone better anyways. A war has made any 'family' bonding time rather difficult." Robin took a breath, "Speaking of war, I was about to knock on your door in order to start a new war council."

Chrom stopped walking, "Are Khans Flavia and Basilio up for one?"

"They're waiting in the chambers already. I sent them both letters. I sent a messenger to Ben. He should be there to. I wanted to tell you in person. Especially given the events of the last one I-" Robin gulped, "I wanted to apologize. I should not have spoken about your father the way I did. I did not know the man and-"

"And you have nothing to apologize for." Chorm countered, "You spoke your mind. You were honest. And I appreciate that. Besides," Chorm sighed, "You and Basilio may not be entirely wrong. I need to learn more about what happened in the last war. Maybe that will tell us how to deal with Plegia now."

Robin pursed his lips. Chrom eyed his tactician.

"What do you know?" Chrom asked.

The tactician sighed, "Your father began to his war with Plegia in order to prevent the resurrection of Grima by the Grimleal."

Chrom's eyes widened, "Says who?"

"Khan Basilio." Robin replied, "He was there when your father went to his predecessor in an attempt to form an alliance. An alliance the previous West Khan turned down."

Chrom shook his head and his hands rested on his hips. He was in utter disbelief.

"Prevent the resurrection of Grima? That is madness."

"It-" Robin sighed, "It's worse than that."

Chrom closed his eyes. He dreaded whatever else Robin was going to say. The temptation to tell Robin to stop speaking was enormous. But after everything Khan Basilio said, and after his talk with Sumia, Chrom felt compelled to learn more.

"Tell me."

"Chrom-"

"Robin," Chrom interrupted, "As ruler of Ylisse, I order you to tell me what my father did to the people of Plegia."

Robin sighed, "During the tail end of the war, he began ordering the massacre of all women and children in remote villages." Chrom's face paled, "One massacre was successful. All women and children were put to the sword. He still claimed it was to stop the Grimleal. But…" Robin shook his head, "At that point, I believe it to be genocide."

Chrom let out a shaky breath. His father ordered the execution of women and children? That did not seem possible. His father was a hard man. But he was not cruel. He was not a monster.

He was not a monster at home at least. But out on the battlefield, a man can change drastically. Chrom knew that firsthand.

"I'm sorry, Chrom." Robin muttered as he saw a pained look cross his friend's face.

"You did the right thing telling me." Chrom breathed, "I'm still going to order a full investigation once this war is over in order to discover the truth. But if what you say really is true then-" He took a sharp breath, "I guess I don't know who my father really was."

Robin nodded sadly.

"I can see why Emm was so determined to avoid any wars at all costs." Chrom said as they continued walking towards the council room, "She was old enough to understand what was going on. She probably listened in on some of those very meetings where my father gave those orders." He shook his head. His mind was still reeling. How could his father have done such things? Those were the actions of a mad tyrant, not a benevolent Exalt, "It would explain Gangrel's motivations."

"And it would explain why, despite the public's mistrust of the Grimleal, they went to war on their orders." Robin pointed out, "Aversa and Validar must have spun it as a way to avenge the atrocities committed by Ylisse."

"Gangrel seems to believe that too." Chrom frowned, "We are fighting a very motivated enemy."

"And they are now facing off against an even more motivated opponent."

Robin pushed the door to the council room.

"About damn time, Prince!" Khan Flavia barked as she leaned back in her chair. Her blonde hair was tousled in all directions, "I was in the middle of a much needed nap."

"Me too." Basilio grumbled.

"I don't care about you, oaf." Flavia grunted.

Basilio rolled his eyes. Beside him, Ben sat in silence. Chrom glanced over at the swordsman and gave him a small nod. Ben looked a little surprised but returned the gesture.

"Make up afterwards." Robin whispered to Chrom before clapping his hands, "Thank you all so much for attending."

"This better be good, Robin." Flavia grumbled.

"Oh it is." Robin smiled, "Earlier today, I was with Marth training-"

"We don't need to know about your love life kid." Basilio said.

"I- you-" Robin stomped his foot, "It is a professional relationship!"

Ben and Chrom both chuckled off to the side.

"Damn Virion and his big mouth." Robin muttered before continuing, "Anyways, I was _training._ And during that training, Marth basically had me learning how to meditate in order to tap into the strange magic she and Ben both use."

Ben sat upright in his seat. His gaze burned holes into Robin. His eyes were intense. Robin could see that he had caught the man's attention. He would be asking Robin all about his training sessions with Marth later. Robin was certain of that.

"During those meditations, let's just say, I had a breakthrough." Robin pulled out a map of Plegia, "A plan to draw out Gangrel and Aversa."

Flavia, Basilio, and Chrom leaned a little closer. Ben kept his gaze focused on Robin.

"It is simple." Robin said, "We go ahead with the original plans that I dropped for Mustafa."

"That is suicide!" Flavia exclaimed.

Robin raised his hand, "Let me finish. We go ahead with the original plans, partially." He took a quill, dipped it in ink, and drew three rectangles into the Northern Wastes, "We are going to split the army into three. One group is going to follow the original plan, a straightforward invasion. They are going to make it look like we are trying to cut right to the heart of Plegia in force." Robin looked over at Chrom, "You are going to be at the head of that battle group."

Chrom grinned. Basilio eyed both Chrom and Robin in confusion.

"You are going to use Chrom as bait."

"Nice, big, juicy bait that Gangrel won't be able to resist." Robin smiled, "Gangrel is insane, but he is also prideful. He will want to personally witness the downfall of the Exalted line. And Aversa will be with him. Those two are joined at the hip." Robin continued drawing on the map, "Mustafa's army is the only one in Plegia right now. The other armies are still returning from Ylisse. So his army will be the one engaging battlegroup one. Now Chrom, and this is very important, once you are about to engage the enemy, you need to conduct a full scale retreat."

Chrom blinked, "Huh?"

"Feroxi soldiers don't retreat!" Flavia declared.

"Let him finish." Basilio said, curious.

Ben looked down at Robin's handiwork. His eyes widened.

"A feint." Ben gasped.

"Yes!" Robin replied, "Gangrel will take the opportunity to wipe out what he thinks his our entire army. In reality," Robin drew two arrows from the other two Feroxi armies. The arrows encircled the Plegian army, "We will be drawing them into a trap. A two pronged attack from both sides. The goal being to meet directly behind the enemy army and encircle them completely. Leaving Gangrel and Aversa nowhere to run. Once we have successfully surrounded them, Chrom, your group is going to stop retreating and hold firm, closing the trap." Robin looked up at Ben, "If your impression about Mustafa is true, he won't let his men die needlessly. He will order a surrender. At that point, it will be Gangrel, Aversa, and whatever Grimleal mages decided to tag along. We accept Mustafa's surrender and allow him to take over once we capture Gangrel and Aversa."

"Capture?" Chrom questioned.

Robin sighed, "Yes, capture. We want justice, not revenge. Capturing them will show the Plegian common folk that we are not like the last Exalt who went to war against them. We are not making war for war's sake. We are seeking justice for the wrongful death of a peaceful ruler. Once Gangrel is capture, all power in Plegia will be turned over to Mustafa. At that point, all Feroxi and Ylissean forces will leave. Then we can begin rebuilding Ylisse and put both Gangrel and Aversa on trial." Robin folded his arms, "And by capturing Aversa, we may be able to learn more about the Grimleal and whatever that box she used was."

"A reeking box." Chrom recalled, "She may know where more them are."

"Those foul artifacts need to be destroyed." Basilio snarled.

"I couldn't agree more." Flavia nodded.

Ben remained quiet. He rubbed his chin with his fingers.

"A good plan." Ben muttered, "But what is the plan if Aversa has another reeking box?"

Robin frowned, "If she does, then we were never meant to win this war. Those things can summon an undead army at will. There is no way of countering that. Not that I can think of right now."

Ben nodded, "Then we must pray she wasted her one reeking box. Beyond that, this is a good plan." He nodded again, "A very good plan."

"I'll lead the second battle group with Flavia." Basilio said, "You all have been getting all the action lately. I want to have a taste of battle already!"

"There's the old oaf I know." Flavia smirked, "Ready to bash some skulls in?"

"More than."

"Ben," Robin looked at the swordsman, "You and I will lead the third battle group."

Ben smiled at the tactician, "I thought you said you weren't a leader of men."

Robin shrugged, "Yeah well… circumstances forces one to rise to the occasion, I guess. I suggest we march within the next day or so. That way we keep to the original plan's timeline. And Chrom."

"Yes?"

"You need to make as much noise as possible when marching south."

"Get the Plegian's attention." Chrom smirked, "Sounds like fun."

Basilio began to chuckle, "Time to play a game of Capture the Plegian."

"Ah, I love that game!" Flavia laughed heartily.

Robin's lips parted into a wide grin. The plan was set. The war was now in motion. And for the first time since the war began, an all out battle would take place. A battle that would not be on Maul, Aversa, or Gangrel's terms.

This battle would be on his terms.

 **And chapter! The last filler chapter before we get to the big showdown! Chrom is starting to learn the truth about the last war with Plegia. And he and Ben seem to be getting over whatever anger spell they both were under. Robin is starting to learn under Marth. Yeah… this is getting good! Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	38. The Last Parlay

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 38

The Last Parlay

The desert was not hot tonight. It was cold. Ben could smell a hint of moisture in the air. Despite the arid land around him, he had a feeling it would rain later tonight. It would be a welcome thing. Even if it only lasted for a few minutes. The rain would cool everyone off. The soldiers of the Feroxi army would likely gather as much rainwater as they could. He would stand outside and bask in the cool feeling of the raindrops. The march so far had been unbearably warm.

Ben let his hood fall from his head. He had been using it to shield his face and neck from the blazing sun. It helped keep him cool a little bit. But at night, it was not needed. With a small, content sigh, he sat down in the loose sand. His eyes focused on the horizon before him.

The Shepherds that were with his and Robin's army group set up camp directly behind him. He could hear all of them chattering away as Stahl finished cooking food over their large fire.

The Shepherds had split off into three groups, just like the rest of their army. Chrom's army group was accompanied by Frederick, Sumia, Sully, Lon'qu, Gregor, and Libra. Some of the most experienced Shepherds would be fighting in the most ferocious part of the battle. Ben remembered Sumia saying she would fight by Chrom's side. The Prince had flat out refused at first. But Sumia proved to be more stubborn than Chrom. In the end, she got her way.

Ben chuckled to himself as he relaxed in the sand. Sumia appeared delicate, but appearances were deceiving. She was a fine warrior and a wonderful friend. Chrom was a fortunate man.

Besides, the others would make sure both she and Chrom survived the battle. Frederick would die before seeing any harm come to Chrom. Sully would fight hard just because she could. Going down in a blaze of glory would be an honor in her mind. Lon'qu and Gregor were deadly swordsmen. It would not be easy to defeat them. And Libra was there precisely because the fighting would be that intense. He was the best healer among their little band. And he could handle himself in a battle. Cordelia readily attested to that.

There was a small group of Shepherds that remained at the Longfort, both voluntary and involuntary. Marth could not accompany them. Her wounds were too grievous. And while she verbally protested them leaving her behind, she did not attempt to defy Chrom's orders. She remained at the Longfort to rest and recover. Lissa stayed by her side, the one healer Chrom trusted to care for her in Libra's absence. And where Lissa went, Maribelle followed. The noblewoman said her place was at the Longfort, preparing for the wounded soldiers that would definitely be coming to them after the battle.

Ricken and Nowi were the other two that remained behind. Chrom had to convince Ricken to remained behind. The young mage had been adamant about joining the battle. But it would be far too intense, especially for someone as young as he was. Ben had already witnessed child soldiers in the Clone Wars. Padawans, barely older than most younglings, fighting and dying in some of the most ferocious battles of that heinous conflict. He was glad Chrom had been so firm in denying Ricken a place on the battlefield. The boy was gifted, but he was not ready. Not yet.

Nowi volunteered to remain behind. Her reason was one that put a smile on Ben's face. She loved the snow. That and who else was going to play with Ricken? Ben chuckled some more. That little girl was the strangest member of their company. He had no idea what she exactly did? If she was just a random tag-along or a mage like Ricken. But Chrom would not have allowed her to join the Shepherds if she was just a random child.

Then there was the last group of Shepherds. The ones that marched with Ben and Robin. They were all gathered around their lone fire pit.

Stahl was stirring a large pot of soup he had been busy cooking for the past two or three hours. And of all of the Shepherds, his mouth was watering the most.

Miriel sat beside him, adding her own 'ingredients' to the recipe. Ones that would not affect the flavor but enhance the nutritional output of the meal. Whatever she put into the soup did not matter, to Ben it still smelled divine.

Vaike sat close to Miriel. He would have a blank expression on his face whenever Miriel began to speak quickly with terms that he had never heard of before. But he had also begun to pick up on some of the large words Miriel used. Ben swore he heard him call the soup's odor pungent. Miriel quickly corrected him. Pungent was not the correct term. It did not reek. It smelled lovely.

Kellam sat in silence beside Tharja. The large knight kept giving the ex-Grimleal nervous glances. And she noticed too. The dark mage would give him a creepy glance every now and then. And whenever she did, Kellam inched a little further way from her and closer to Virion.

Gaius sat next to Panne (much to the Taguel's mild irritation). He was munching on some candied bacon that he 'found' back at the Longfort. They were the closest things to candy he managed to find at the fort. A fact he lamented almost every hour. Meanwhile, Panne no longer referred to him as man-spawn. That was progress to Ben. Despite her callous nature to the other Shepherds, he could sense a deep feeling of loyalty in Panne. She had named all of them her new Warren. And she would fight to the death to protect it.

Virion sipped on his tea while talking with Robin about the upcoming battle. The pair shared different scenarios that could occur once the armies clashed. Each one played devil's advocate for the other. Doing their best to foil whatever counter strategies they formulated. Ben was tempted to join them. But he knew he would lose that game. His mind was too distracted right now.

The last few days had been an unbelievable whirlwind. He hardly had any time to himself. Whatever time he did have had been lost to deep meditation as he grappled with Emmeryn's sudden death.

He felt a sharp pang in his heart. She had died the same way as Satine. History cruelly repeated itself. He let out a long breath before casting his gaze up at the twinkling stars overhead. He could see some dark clouds beginning to drift in from the west. Within a few hours the stars and the moon would be hidden behind them.

Yes, it was going to rain.

Footsteps drew his attention. Ben glanced over his shoulder and saw Cordelia approaching with two bowls in her hands.

"Hungry?" She asked.

Ben gave her a small smile, "Very."

"Well good." Cordelia said as she handed him the bowl of soup, "Because Stahl made enough to feed the entire army." She sat down beside him and began to sip on the broth.

"Or just himself." Ben chuckled.

Cordelia choked as she started to laugh. She gasped for breath. Once she managed to catch her breath, she laughed hard.

"If he wasn't a knight, he would be a chef. I guarantee it." Cordelia answered, "His training keeps him skinny."

"You mean Frederick's training." Ben noted.

"Hm." Cordelia nodded in between mouthfuls of soup, "True. That man is a hard taskmaster. He will make an excellent Knight Commander one day."

Ben nodded in agreement. Cordelia took another bite of soup before nudging his shoulder.

"Hey." She began, "You shouldn't be sitting here all by yourself."

Ben sighed.

"Come on. Join us, Ben." She smiled, "You're a Shepherd after all."

Ben let his spoon sit idle for a moment.

"You know you want to." Cordelia teased.

Ben felt a small smile cross his lips. Why not? He nodded and got up with Cordelia. The pair walked over to the fire together.

"Uh oh!" Gaius chirped, "Ben's already rebounding."

Panne smacked the thief hard on the chest, knocking the wind out of him. Miriel gasped while Vaike struggled to contain a roar of laughter. Virion, despite the poor taste of the joke, found himself chuckling along with Robin and the others. Cordelia turned as red as her hair while Ben just shook his head and took a seat beside Kellam and Tharja.

"Too soon, Gaius." Robin said. But he could not suppress the wry smirk on his lips as he looked between both Ben and Cordelia.

"I'm telling you, Robin." Virion said as he sipped his tea, "Our good friend Ben, is a true gentleman. The women all swoon for him."

"Keep talking and I may just shove my lance all the way up your ass." Cordelia threatened.

"Bah! Hollow threats!" Virian gasped, feigning fear.

Tharja giggled beside him, "I can make them not hollow."

The archer paled quite a bit. Robin snorted and picked at his soup.

"This is very good soup, Stahl." The tactician said.

"Thank you," Stahl smirked, "A recipe from my mother. One of the first things I learned to cook."

"I'm shocked it was something as healthy as this." Virion noted.

"The healthy comes from Miriel's added ingredients." Robin reminded them, "How much salt did you use again, Stahl?"

"Hey!" Stahl said defensively. He pointed his spoon at the tactician, "I leave the tactics to you. Leave the cooking to me." He swirled his soup, "You could have Sully cooking, you know."

"Hard pass." Gaius cringed.

"I'll eat a carrot before consuming her food again." Panne muttered.

"The stomach cramps from that food would qualify as torture back at the Temple." Tharja said as she trembled.

They all fell into raucous laughter as they recalled Sully's cooking. Naga help anyone who had to eat a meal prepared by her. The woman was a fierce warrior, but a terror as a cook. Ben wiped a tear from his eye as he chuckled.

The laughter began to die away as everyone focused on their food. The warm fire fended off the slight chill in the night air. Ben could feel the humidity beginning to rise around them. They would all have to take shelter in their tents soon.

"Who has first watch with our Feroxi sentries tonight?" Ben asked Robin.

Robin wiped his mouth with a napkin, "Gaius."

"Naga help us." Miriel mumbled.

"Hey! If there is one thing a thief is good at besides stealing, it's being a lookout." Gaius pointed out, "That was my job during the first heist I was a part of."

"What did you steal?" Cordelia asked.

"Oh nothing." Gaius replied, "We got caught. Only time I've ever been caught. The lookout fell asleep."

Panne blinked, "But you just said you were the-"

"Anyways," Gaius continued, "You all can rest easy for the first few hours tonight. I have amazing senses. Nothing escapes my notice. Especially if it is shiny or sweet. Preferably both." He took a bite of soup, chewed, then swallowed, "After me, its Ruffles, right?"

"Myself and Kellam yes." Virion replied.

"Then third watch is Benny and Bubbles, since you two will be the first ones up anyways." Gaius noted.

"And the march will continue." Cordelia said.

"How much further do you think we will have to go before the Plegian's meet us?" Virion asked.

Robin shrugged, "Mustafa has the original plans. Right now, Chrom's battle group is a couple hours ahead of us, as planned. They will send a messenger to alert us and the Khan's battle group once the Plegian army arrives."

"Then all hell will break loose." Vaike said.

Robin nodded grimly, "Yes. It will."

There was a sober silence among the group. This battle was going to be the largest any of them had ever fought in. It would be nothing like the skirmishes that had taken place before. Thousands of soldiers would be colliding in the desert sands. Cavalry charges with hundreds of horses would be charging at each other. Dozens upon dozens of mages, both light and dark, would be casting their most deadly spells at one another.

It was that dreaded anticipation before battle. Ben was familiar with the feeling. Had grown used to it in fact. Even with the Force and the comfort it brought, he still felt some anxiety before every battle. He worried not only for himself, but for all of the men under his command. He was that way when he was a Jedi General, and he was that way now.

Stahl cleared his throat, "What do you think the likelihood is that one of us-"

"Don't start talking like that." Cordelia warned, "It won't happen."

"We have to face the reality that it may very well happen." Virion noted, "Death comes for us all. One way or another, we meet the ultimate fate."

"And we must pray that none of us meet it soon." Robin muttered.

Tharja pursed her lips, "In the Grimleal, we were taught to embrace death." Ben listened quietly as she spoke, "To not fear it. For when we died, we would be joined with Grima. Made one with him and fuel his power. It was the ultimate gift. The greatest change one could undergo. It was to be celebrated." She let her eyes fall to the bowl in her lap, "Is it bad that I'm a little afraid?"

"Not at all." Ben said, "Anyone who says they are not afraid before battle are either a fool or a liar."

"Are you afraid?" Gaius asked Ben.

There was no hint of jest in Gaius's tone. The thief looked deadly serious as he asked the question.

"You are always the most fearless of us out there in battle." Kellam's quiet voice spoke up, "You've jumped off of a soaring pegasus, and at a charging wyvern rider. How do you keep the fear from overcoming you?"

Ben pressed his lips into a thin line. Indeed, how did he keep the fear from overwhelming him? His Jedi training worked wonders to help him with that. But he was also still human.

"It is natural to be afraid." Ben began, "What matters is what you do when that fear comes. There is no such thing as courage without fear."

Robin smiled a little at Ben's advice. Virion raised his glass.

"Well said."

"Very poetic." Miriel agreed.

Cordelia nodded as well. But she remained much more quiet. Ben could tell she was still grappling with fear herself. The scar given to her by Maul burned in her mind. She had to live with the fact that she was the lone surviving Pegasus Knight. Just as Ben had to live with the fact that he may in fact be the last Jedi. Both were terrifying prospects. Enough to make someone curl up into a ball and hide. There was a loneliness that came with such distinctions. And lonely was the last thing someone wanted to feel when battle was joined.

"Stick by each other." Ben advised, "Watch each others backs. And do not hesitate. The enemy certainly will not." He looked over at Cordelia, "You are never alone on a battlefield. There is always an enemy. But there is always a friend as well. Rely on your friends. And you will survive."

He relied on Anakin so many times before. Him and Ahsoka both. And he had somehow come out of the Clone Wars mostly unscathed.

He still wondered what became of little Ahsoka Tano. She had been serving at the Siege of Mandalore when Order 66 occurred. Had she survived since she was technically not a Jedi? Or did her clones turn on her as well?

"Hey guys?" Gaius pointed into the distance, "Someone is running at us."

Robin arched an eyebrow. He followed Gaius's finger into the distance. Ben's gaze snapped over to the horizon. Someone was running full speed towards them.

It was a young woman. Her attire was that of a Feroxi dancer. Light clothing covered her athletic form. Her pink hair was tied into high, thick ponytail above her head.

She was approaching at an incredible pace. Both Ben and Robin jumped to their feet as she waved at the Shepherds.

"Ser Robin! Captain Ben!" The woman called as she came to a stop near their fire.

"Yes?" Both Robin and Ben said at the same time.

The woman took a couple seconds to catch her breath, "Prince Chrom sent me to you with all haste." She gasped again, "The Plegians have spotted them. Gangrel is at their head with Aversa. Battle has not been joined yet. The Prince has asked for one last parlay with Gangrel."

"He has?" Ben said, surprised.

"He's taking Basilio's words to heart and trying to be more like Emmeryn." Robin muttered, "But that is a massive risk." He cursed, "Do the Khan's know?"

The woman nodded, "Another messenger left at the same time as I did. I was also ordered to tell you to begin the strategy. Chrom is doing the Parlay as a gesture of good faith. But he doubts Gangrel and Aversa will speak with him. Battle is certain, as he put it."

"I don't doubt that." Ben said, "Gangrel has gone too far with this war to suddenly abandon it when he believes he is about to claim complete victory."

"Maybe he really is that crazy?" Gaius said with a slight hint of optimism in his voice.

"No one is that crazy." Tharja breathed, "And Lady Aversa will not allow him to end the war."

Robin hummed to himself then nodded, "Stahl, Vaike, rouse the soldiers. We're moving out."

"Yes sir." Both men said as they turned to sound the alarm.

"Miriel, Virion gather the mages in our company. I want them and our archers at the ready once we arrive at the battle. Everyone else, gather up our supplies. We need to move as fast as we can." Robin returned his attention to the woman, "Thank you for telling us this, Miss?"

"Olivia." The woman breathed.

"Olivia." Robin repeated, "There should be an infirmary tent near the center of our encampment. Go there and ask for some water and food. You've earned it."

"Thank you." Olivia bowed her head, "And if you don't mind. I would like to stay among your men as you march. I may not be a warrior, but I am a dancer. Perhaps I can help keep morale high as we move to engage the enemy."

Ben raised his brow. A beautiful woman among the ranks? That alone would help the men's morale. He gave Robin an approving nod.

The tactician smiled.

"Of course, Olivia. But take care of yourself first. And if the battle grows too intense, make sure you get yourself to safety."

"I will." She nodded before striding past the other Shepherds.

While the others gathered up their supplies, Gaius gawked at Olivia as she strode away from them.

"Naga above, I have been blessed with a truly beautiful sight."

Panne tugged on his ear, "You have chores to do."

A flurry of curses erupted from the thief's mouth as he was dragged towards his tent. Ben laughed under his breath. Gaius was naturally drawn to mischief. If he was not involved in it, then he was the one causing it. He just prayed that inclination for attracting trouble went away during the battle.

"You ready, Ben?" Robin asked as the tactician walked with Ben towards their two tents.

"As ready as I'll ever be."

"Oh no you are not." Cordelia scolded as she grabbed Ben by the wrist, "You are not going into battle without armor."

"Robin isn't wearing armor." Ben complained as Cordelia dragged him towards the quartermaster.

"He is a mage." Cordelia pointed out as the tactician disappeared into his tent.

"So am I!?" Ben cried.

"No, you are a freak of nature." Cordelia replied, "One who has a tendency to put himself in impossibly dangerous situations and come out very wounded. I don't think the healers want to work on you anymore than they will already have to."

She pushed him up in front of the quartermaster.

"Armor?" The enormous, gruff man asked.

"Yes." Cordelia nodded.

"Light armor." Ben commented. He let out a small sigh, "Preferably some reliable gauntlets and pauldrons."

"You need a proper cuirass and-"

"And I'm not going to weigh myself down anymore than I have to." Ben cut off Cordelia, "I fight better when I can move more freely." He saw the quartermaster place a set of leather gauntlets and pauldrons on the table, "You should be happy I've at least agreed to wear something."

"Agreed?" Cordelia frowned, "I had to drag you over here."

"But I still got armor." Ben smirked as he began to strap the leather gauntlets over his hands and forearms.

They were a bit snug. He would get them properly fitted once the battle was over. The quartermaster helped to strap the pauldrons over his shoulders. They were also a tight fit. He could feel them restricting his range of motion as he rolled his shoulders. But it would protect him. Cordelia did have a point. A pitched battle like this required some extra protection. Especially since he would be facing the enemy up close. Without a lightsaber.

The memory of the blade Kage used to kill Maul raced through his mind. Kage had _his_ lightsaber. He recognized the hilt anywhere. The sight of it had rendered him paralyzed. Unless the boy managed an impressive copy, that was Ben's weapon. How the boy came across it was a mystery.

 _But I will get it back._ Ben thought to himself as he stood before Cordelia, _Once this war is over. I'm getting back my weapon._

Cordelia furrowed her brow and hummed as she observed Ben's armor. She gave the pauldrons a rough punch then smacked his forearms.

"A touch snug."

"Really?" Ben said with some snark, "I hadn't noticed."

"But it will do." Cordelia continued, "Now you are ready." She went over to weapon's rack and snatched a large, steel lance from it, "See you out there, Ben." She said with a small smile before running off to find her Pegasus.

Ben nodded as he watched her disappear into the organized chaos that had enveloped the Feroxi camp. Tents were being pulled down at a rapid pace. Fires were being doused. Armor clanked. Swords rattled. Horses snorted and stomped in the sand. And thunder began to rumble above Ben's head.

He blinked as the first raindrops his his forehead. He looked up to the sky and saw massive, black storm clouds lumbering over their heads.

 _A thunderstorm in the desert?_ He gulped, _An omen for sure. But is it a good one or a bad one?_

He strapped his rapier to his waste then marched to the front of the growing column of Feroxi soldiers. Once at the front, he met up with Robin. The tactician was still wearing his coat, but Ben could see a small layer of chainmail beneath his thin shirt. The swordsman nodded in approval.

"Ready?" Robin asked.

Ben smiled, "Let's go win this war."

….

There were thousands of them. Dark shadows sat at the crest of the sand dune. Each one of them staring down at Chrom and his small battle group. The Prince of Ylisse grimaced. Every second that passed without any movement was another second that set him on edge. He bounced his weight from one leg to the other. His hand twitched every few seconds. The desire to unsheathe Falchion was enormous. He could not stand the fact that an army of thousands was just a few hundred meters from his own group of several hundred. It bred a sense of dread and doom that he could feel in the air.

Frederick's horse snorted next to him. He glanced over at the Knight.

"What shall we do milord?" The wary man asked him as his palm kneaded the grip on his lance.

Chrom took a deep breath. Indeed, what should he do? The soldiers behind him, all of their lives were in his hands now. They were all counting on him to not only lead them to victory, but make sure that as many of them lived as possible.

Their role in Robin's strategy was the most dangerous one. It involved allowing the enemy to purposefully overrun them. A tactic that could either work to perfection, or wipe out their numbers entirely. No battlemaster ever advised turning your back to an enemy, even when in full retreat. There was no way of defending yourself that way if the enemy caught up to you. And that fact made this even more risky.

Many of the men and women behind Chrom were going to die. They all knew that. He knew that. If battle was joined, and they executed Robin's strategy to perfection, there would still be bodies to bury.

That realization was difficult to stomach for the Ylissean Prince. He had led groups of men into battle before. But those were small skirmishes. At the most, a hundred men were engaged in battle at a time. The risks were always low. The stakes never high. If the situation was particularly dangerous, someone like Commander Phila or Commander Edward would have been there to help him command a larger force.

But they were not there now. Commander Phila was dead. Commander Edward was very likely dead. He was the leader of Ylisse and her military now. He was the commander of the brave Feroxi soldiers behind him.

He cast a glance behind him. His small group of Shepherds appeared ready for the battle. But he could see the apprehension on their faces. The slight twinges of fear that came with the lull before the chaos. Sumia's fingers tapped endlessly against the shaft of her lance. Her pegasus stomped in the sand. Anxious to finally take off. Lon'qu was as stone faced as ever. But he was already on the balls of his feet. Ready to nimbly weave between enemies, even though they had not even begun to fight yet. Sully had her jaw clenched tight. There was no cocky quips coming from her now. She was afraid. But determined. Libra was muttering silent prayers under his breath. The only person who appeared even remotely relaxed was Gregor. The older sellsword stood at ease beside Libra. Weathered gaze staring up at the enemy. The face of man ready to meet death. But also ready to make death work in order to take him.

In that moment, as he looked at his Shepherds with both pride and worry, he finally understood Emmeryn's reluctance for war. Her stubbornness when it came to avoiding conflict with Plegia despite the numerous infractions by Gangrel and his military. Despite her pacifist beliefs, she understood war. She understood the cost.

What a fool he was.

"Milord?" Frederick said again.

"Ride with me, Frederick. I wish to parlay with Gangrel."

Frederick's jaw fell open.

"Come again?"

Chrom snapped the reigns of his own mount. Before Frederick could utter any protest, Chrom began to trot towards the Plegian lines. The Knight cursed and raced to catch up to him.

"Milord are you sure this is-"

"The wisest thing I think I've ever done." Chrom answered Frederick.

"But they are the enemy."

Chrom sighed, "And we are theirs." Frederick's eyes widened, "I understand now, Frederick."

"Understand what, milord?"

"Emmeryn." Chrom breathed.

He swore he could hear his sister's voice again. Gentle tones that whispered on the chilled night wind. She was with him right now. With all of them. He could feel it.

As they got closer to the Plegian lines, the front edge of the army parted in two. Chrom took a deep breath as Gangrel trotted out on a great black war horse. He wore gaudy golden armor. No helm sat over his head. He still wore his crown. A red and black flowed behind him. His lips were curled up in an arrogant, smug grin.

To the King's left stood a mountain of a man. Muscle rippled beneath light, leather armor. A large scar ran over one of his eyes. His skin was weather beaten. It looked like leather. Strong and sturdy. Much like the man himself. Chrom recognized this warrior as none other than General Mustafa. The honorable Plegian General that Ben managed to negotiate with. The large warrior gave a small nod to the Prince as he approached. A nod of respect. One which Chrom readily returned.

The Grimleal Witch Aversa stood to Gangrel's right. Black spellbook in one hand. The other hand rested on her hip. She appeared bored. Tired of the quiet. Ready to end lives and claim victory for her King. Or for herself. At this point, Chrom was not sure who really ruled Plegia.

"Foolish minds think alike it seems." Gangrel sneered as Chrom came to a stop just a few meters away, "You are more like your sister than I thought."

"Good." Chrom replied. His own tone cold and unforgiving, "I'll wear that comment with pride."

Gangrel cackled, "Not for long."

"You have come to parlay with us?" Aversa noted, "How cute."

"I'd hope trying to spare as many lives as I can isn't considered just cute by you." Chrom replied, "This battle does not have to take place."

"You're right." Gangrel replied, "It does not. All you have to do to prevent the annihilation of your paltry army is kneel to me. Surrender. Then hand over the Fire Emblem."

Chrom took a deep breath. His left hand brushed over the shield that was strapped to his right forearm. The Fire Emblem, Ylisse's national treasure. An artifact of incredible power and responsibility. It was the Exalt's duty to safeguard it, should the need to use it ever arise again. And while he had not taken the title yet, Chrom considered it his duty to protect such a thing with his life. Emmeryn gave her life for her people and the Fire Emblem. Chrom was ready to give his.

"You know that is not going to happen." Chrom answered.

"Then what is the point of all of this?" Gangrel snarled with a wave of his hand, "I should have you killed where you stand, boy!"

"That would be in rather poor form. Don't you agree, General Mustafa?" Chrom asked.

The Plegian General cleared his throat, "It is not my place to say."

"You're right, it is not." Aversa said with small, vile smirk.

"So there you have it, Prince." Gangrel said, "I have laid out my terms. Have you rejected them?"

"You haven't given me a chance to give you my terms." Chrom replied.

"Your terms?" Gangrel scoffed, "Look at you. Trying to grow up and be a man right before my own eyes. I'd almost be proud if I didn't want to cut your head off where you stood."

Frederick moved to protect Chrom. But the Prince stopped him with a wave of his hand. He did not need protecting. Not from this wretch.

"My terms are simple, your majesty." Chrom began, "Leave Ylisse. Never attack us again. And this whole mess ends. No more deaths, no more wars. Peace."

"And why would I do that?" Gangrel asked.

"Because you have more pressing threats to your rule than a nation like Ylisse." Chrom answered, "I seem to recall that Plegia once had a King who wished to rebuild his nation. Make it the envy of the world. Then well," His gaze flicked over to Aversa, "He began listening to the wrong people."

"Watch your tongue brat." Aversa growled.

"I have rebuilt, Plegia." Gangrel smirked, "From what I can tell, I just doubled it's area in the span of a few weeks."

"Have you?" Chrom asked, "Or was that the work of the Grimleal?"

There was no reply. Gangrel narrowed his eyes at Chrom. The Prince could see the King's mind working now.

"I was just in your Capitol city." Chrom continued, "I saw the desperation in your people. I saw the squalor they live in. You once wanted to be a good King, Gangrel. I've learned that recently. A good king does not ignore his people like that."

"Don't listen to this child." Aversa hissed, "He is a naive little fool. If the people really cared that much, they would have brought themselves out of their own filth." She glared at Chrom, "You act as if people should care for each other. That philosophy is for the weak. People do not care for each other. People are animals. They exist to devour each other in a relentless pursuit for dominance. The weak fall away. And only the strong live."

Chrom shifted in his saddle as she finished speaking.

"Gangrel," Chrom finally said, ignoring the bile in his throat as he spoke his name, "You and I need not be enemies. The Grimleal are poisoning your land. Poisoning your people. Poisoning your mind. They are your enemy. Not Ylisse." He took a breath, "And not me." He held out a hand to the King, "Let us end this conflict."

Gangrel eyed Chrom's hand. There was a flicker of something in the man's eyes. Regret? Perhaps. Realization. Maybe? But with a small whisper in his ear from Aversa, the madness returned the King's eyes.

He began to laugh. Loud cackles echoed over the sand. And as he laughed, Aversa's lips parted into an insidious smile. On the other side, Mustafa closed his eyes in shame.

"You really are your sister's brother, Prince Chrom." Gangrel laughed, "At one time, I did respect you. At least you were a warrior. I thought you understood what that meant. But clearly you do not." Gangrel's eyes sparkled with madness, "We will end this conflict today. And when it ends, one of us will be dead."

Chrom closed his eyes and shook his head, "Very well then."

Without another word, Chrom and Frederick turned their horses and raced back towards his men. As he raced back, he heard Mustafa's booming voice sound out over the desert.

"Forward, men of Plegia!"

….

Thunder rumbled overhead. The hooded figure glanced up. Raindrops began to plummet down from the black sky and onto the cracked desert landscape. One drop hit his forehead. He faintly felt the cold impact with his pale skin. A memory flashed in his mind.

He remembered this night. Remembered the chaos of it all. The blood soaked the sand. Colored it red for days afterwards. Black scorch marks littered the land like a chess board. The results of spells being fired by hundreds of mages.

His pale lips parted into a small smile. A chess board. He remembered that fun little game. It was one of the things that this body had enjoyed so much before its destiny was achieved.

Footsteps approached him. The man kept his face to the sky, letting the rain fall onto his skin.

"Lord Hierophant?" Validar's voice hit his ears.

He ignored the sorcerer. The man would not interrupt him now. Not when pleasant thoughts were filling his mind. Memories of days long gone by. Of friends long since passed. Simpler times. Better times. When the world did not hinge on the decisions of a god's avatar.

" _You are growing sentimental again."_ A voice sneered in his mind, interrupting his dreams.

" _ **Eat them.**_ A rumbling, demonic voice snarled, " _ **Devour them all again. Revel in their pain and suffering."**_

 _"Not yet."_ The first voice replied, " _They all still have their uses."_

He scrunched his nose. These two were insufferable sometimes. But without them, he would not be alive. He would not have the power he now possessed.

He would not be a god.

"My Lord?" Validar asked again.

" _Maybe you can eat him?"_

" _ **Please?"**_ The demonic side chuckled, " _ **His bones would be a tasty morsel."**_

"Silence." The Hierophant whispered under his breath.

 _Let me stay here. Let me remember._

"Lord Grima?"

The Hierophant's eyes flashed and he spun on his heel.

"What!?" He snapped.

His yellow eyes blazed at Validar. They were filled with fury. Those precious few memories that remained untouched by the darkness were gone once again. The moments of remembrance were fleeting. He relished in them. Embraced long dead feelings that he longed to have once again. But were now denied by the two powers that controlled his body and mind.

"Who do you believe will win?" Validar asked as he looked out into the distance, "Surely we want Gangrel to emerge victorious."

The Hierophant uttered a small snarl of contempt, "Gangrel."

He looked off to the horizon. Far to the north, the battle was beginning. The first of many that would decide the fate of this world. On one side, the spawn of Naga. The future Exalt of this world. And one of the last Jedi fought beside him. As did a certain tactician whose destiny was all but sealed.

On the other side a mad King and an impulsive witch. Both were tools. One was a servant. One was a slave. And while one still had its uses, the other did not.

"Gangrel will lose." He finally answered.

Validar arched an eyebrow, "How so?" He stood beside his Lord as the rain began to fall harder, "If he is going to lose, shouldn't we provide assistance. He may be a mindless fool now. But he is our mindless fool. A useful one."

"His usefulness has run its course." The Hierophant replied, "Gangrel will only be a liability going forward."

Validar gave the monster beside him a puzzled look. Realization slowly dawned on the Grimleal.

"You want him to lose."

The Hierophant's lips curled into a slight smirk. Validar was slowly catching up. Good, his intelligence was beginning to grow.

"Why?"

"Because there are more potent enemies than just the Naga-spawn." The Hierophant answered, "Enemies that both the Naga-spawn and us share. Enemies that lie beyond the sea."

The Hierophant turned on his heel and gazed west, out at the open ocean. Massive waves crashed into the jagged cliffs that marked the end of Plegia's massive desert. More thunder clapped overhead. Lightning flashed.

In the storm, the Hierophant felt at home. Chaos felt natural. But chaos was a fickle thing. While it could be manipulated, it could not be controlled. Gangrel would only cause more chaos. The King's mind had been shattered. He was nothing more than an empty vessel of the Grimleal now.

In order for the fate that had been written to come about, a more orderly figure needed to win this war. One that could be predicted. And with that predictability, could be controlled. In more subtle ways of course.

"A certain Emperor is turning his eyes to us." The Hierophant said as he stared out at the raging ocean, "We want someone who can actually fight that Emperor taking the day right now."

Validar nodded, "Walhart has been rather… cantankerous, to say the least. I planted a reliable spy at his side. Progress is slow. But the Emperor of Valm with be with us soon. And if he is not, he will be cast to the wayside along with all the others."

The Hierophant's lips parted into a large grin. "Yes… Walhart."

Validar gave his Lord a puzzled look. He said Walhart's name with a sort of wistfulness. A sense of remembrance that betrayed his true feelings on the mighty conqueror. He admired Walhart. Thought of him as a peerless warrior. But he did not see him as a dire threat. Not yet at least.

Validar shivered as the rain came down in massive sheets of water.

"Shall we find shelter?"

The Hierophant took one deep breath.

"Yes. But only for now."

 **And chapter! The battle has begun! And the Hierophant and Validar watch with amusement and anticipation. Meanwhile, Ben and Robin are beginning the execution of their strategy. I just love writing these little moments that add even more depth to already incredibly well fleshed out characters. It is so much fun! Anyways, let me know what you all think! As always I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	39. Fall of the Mad King

**AN: I was able to punch out two chapters in one day folks! Chapter 38 just came out too!**

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 39

Fall of the Mad King

Lissa continued her work. It was all she could do. The anxiety she felt could not be tempered any other way. And since she was a cleric, she did the one thing that helped distract her from the fears she felt. She healed others.

The number of wounded at the Longfort was slowly dwindling down. A fact that put a smile on her face. She, Libra, Maribelle, and all of the Feroxi healers had done an amazing job. The amount of wounded soldiers they had after the disaster in Plegia was catastrophic. To save as many as they did with what little time they had was a blessing from Naga.

There was not much need for intensive care anymore. Most of the remaining soldiers that resided in the infirmary were in the later stages of their recovery. Some were learning how to walk again. Using either both legs, or just one. Others were getting used to life with one arm, one hand, one eye, or worse, none of those. It was now her and Maribelle's jobs to tend to these poor souls. To help them adjust back into normalcy.

Lissa sighed as she finished folding the linens that would eventually be used for bandages. In the back of her mind she knew there was no such thing as normal anymore. Especially not for her and Chrom. Emmeryn was gone. Really gone. It was a fact that hit her like a slap in the face every morning when she woke up.

She had cried a lot. The first few days after it happened she could hardly remember. What she did remember were tear filled nights. The tears being from both her own eyes, and the wounded soldiers in her care. And during those moments where she fought to save lives, she quashed her own grief. She bit back her own sobs and wiped away the tear stains. These men and women of Regna Ferox needed her to be calm. To be strong when they were at their weakest. That was her job. Not just to heal others. But to comfort as well.

Yes, normal as she knew it was over. With Emmeryn gone, Chrom would take over as the Exalt of Ylisse. That is, if Chrom came back.

Lissa shook her head and shut the cabinet door. She could not start thinking like that. Not again. Naga help her if Chrom also died. Honestly, Lissa was not sure what she would do if that happened. If Chrom fell in battle, the duty of ruling what was left of Ylisse fell to her.

But there would be no Ylisse if Chrom died. Gangrel and the Plegians would win. Her home would be gone. Forever absorbed in the growing evil from the desert. Perhaps with the end of Ylisse, she could find a new life. Remain a healer at the Longfort. She had enjoyed it well enough so far. The cold was a bit much. And the food could be improved. But it was not a terrible existence.

"He'll come back."

Lissa blinked and turned around to face the open door behind her. A surge of both worry and frustration rushed through her body.

"Marth!" Lissa snapped, "How many times have I told you!?" She wagged her finger at the wounded girl leaning against the door frame, "You need to be resting!"

Marth rolled her eyes, "I have been resting for most of the week. I will be fine."

As she said this, a sudden wave of weakness hit the young woman. Her right leg shivered and she nearly pitched forward. Lissa rushed up to her and caught the girl before she could fall.

"You were saying?" Lissa huffed as she slung Marth's arm over her shoulder and started hauling her back to her room, "I swear, you warriors are too stubborn! One of these days, you are are going to break something that is as stubborn as you are! You know that."

Marth gave the cleric a weak laugh, "When that day comes, you can say 'I told you so'."

Lissa rolled her eyes as she pushed the door to Marth's room open.

"You sound like my brother."

Marth snorted but said nothing in return. Lissa eased the girl back onto her cot. She watched as Marth sank into the soft sheets and fur blankets. As she laid down, Lissa's clerical eyes checked over how she moved.

She was still very stiff. Her muscles had not fully recovered from the amount of lightning that had coursed through her body. If she did not take her rehabilitation seriously, they likely never will. Marth barely moved the stump that was her left arm. Lissa frowned as she eyed the bandages that were wrapped over what used to be the elbow.

"Let me see." She muttered, "They need to be changed."

Marth swallowed, "I haven't seen them changed yet."

"That's because Libra took great pains to make sure you were asleep when he did that." Lissa answered as she pulled up a stool and grabbed a roll of bandages from a nearby cabinet, "He was worried about how the shock of seeing the wound would affect you. At the time, you were a lot more fragile. But since you insist on not taking the need to rest seriously, I will start treating you like an outpatient rather than a critical one."

The blonde shook her head and muttered inaudible words under her breath. Her slender fingers danced over the bandages. Easily unraveling Marth's arm and revealing- both Lissa and Marth sucked in a breath.

The skin was still charred. Pain rushed through the wound as the cold air hit it. Marth hissed and recoiled away from Lissa's hand.

"You are just determined, aren't you?" Lissa grumbled as she recovered her wits and snatched Marth's arm.

Marth winced in pain as Lissa gingerly inspected the wound.

It was unlike anything the Princess had ever seen before. The blade Maul used appeared to have severed every single muscle fiber, ligament, and tissue in Marth's arm. A completely clean cut. And it appeared to be instantly cauterized. There was no evidence of dried blood. Hardly any evidence of any bleeding at all actually.

"You may not need the bandages anymore." Lissa said as she gave the wound a thorough inspection, "It's probably going to have a nice scar though."

"I assume the same can be said for my stomach?" Marth asked as she bit back pain filled expressions.

Lissa noticed and frowned, "Do I look judgmental to you? If you gotta scream, let it out. You don't need to act so tough around me."

Marth let out a small, pain filled laugh, "I didn't realized I was acting."

"Mhmm." Lissa hummed, "Shirt off, let me see the rest."

Marth sighed. She slowly unbuttoned and shrugged off the loose shirt that hung over her skinny frame. Lissa's breath got caught in her throat as she finally witnessed the full extent of Marth's injuries.

Scars ran all over her skin like hideous, lumpy, pink spiderwebs. All of them were on the mend. None of them would ever completely fade away. And those were not the only scars either. Lissa could see several scars hidden behind years of healing.

 _Those probably came from old battles._ She thought to herself before undoing the bandage she feared the most.

Libra said the damage Marth's stomach took was extensive. The fact that she survived at all was a miracle from Naga. Such a blow should have killed her. And once the bandage was removed, Lissa saw why.

A blackened divot in her skin was all the remained of the charred hole that once sat at the center of her bowels. Remarkable results given how the injury was still considered recent. Libra truly was a master at his craft. Lissa could not even imagine what the wound looked like when it was first treated. It was probably a healer's worst nightmare. Not only would one have to cope with the amount of surface layer trauma and pain, but the healer would also have to worry about organ damage or failure, internal bleeding, a domino affect on other body systems given the amount of damage. Lissa shook her head in disbelief.

"You should be dead." She said out loud.

Marth paled a little, but quickly regained her composure.

"I was."

Lissa's gaze snapped up to the girl's face. There was a far away look in her eyes. Something that told Lissa she was not lying.

"I-" Marth swallowed hard, "I don't know how I came back. But I was dead. Maul really killed me."

 _She's still trying to figure it all out._ Lissa realized as Marth bit her tongue. Fighting off tears that were starting to form in her eyes.

"I probably should have died before that too." Marth said with a shaky breath, "But Tharja saved me then."

"From Kage?" Lissa said, a twinge of rage filled the normally cheerful girl.

Marth sniffled then nodded, "That's what hurts the most."

Lissa raised an eyebrow, "The lightning wounds?"

Marth shook her head, "No. Well… those do hurt a lot. But that's not what I meant. Kage-" She paused. Lissa could see she was struggling right now. Not with pain, at least not the physical kind. "Kage and I were close once." She finished with a whisper.

Lissa's eyes widened in shock, "What?"

"I-" Marth took another shuddering breath, "I knew him growing up." She shook her head in disbelief, "He was not always like this. I just- I just can't believe how far he has fallen."

"You knew he was evil?" Lissa breathed.

"Kage is not evil!" Marth suddenly snapped, startling Lissa. Marth closed her eyes and took a deep breath, "I'm sorry. I just-"

"No, I'm sorry." Lissa raised her hand, "I pressed into a part of your life that I had no business in. And I made an assumption that was likely very untrue." Lissa sighed then buried her head in her hands, "I'm scared Marth."

Marth gave the Princess a sympathetic look, "Chrom will come back." She said confidently, "And he will come back victorious."

"How do you know that?"

Marth gave her a small smile.

"I just know."

….

There was a haze that came with battle. When swords glinted in the air and fire danced in a man's eyes, everything became a blur in his mind. There was no longer a desire to make peace with Gangrel. No longer a desire to avenge Emmeryn either. All that mattered, when the Plegian lines hit Chrom's, was survival.

The Plegian's slammed into the Feroxi lines like a wave crashing down on the beach. With a roar like thunder and a great crash that shook Chrom's bones. Falchion sang in the air. Spinning and weaving between enemy guards with deadly efficiency and precision. No ordinary soldier could stand against the Prince of Ylisse.

Chrom spun around. Falchion cut a hideous arc through the dark air. He felt the blade bite into flesh and bone. His arms reverberated as it hit the bones of another man. There was a loud, strangle cry at the end of his strike. Blood flashed through his vision. The sand at his feet turned crimson.

He yanked Falchion free, just in time to meet an ax that was aiming to cleave his head from his shoulders. Chrom grit his teeth and shoved the massive weapon to the side. He let out a roar and rammed Falchion up into his attacker. It slipped through the other man's armor and body like a hot knife through butter.

A wet substance splashed against Chrom's face and chest. The Plegian soldier uttered a gurgling sound. Then he too joined the other dead that littered the sand around Chrom's feet.

 _Just a little longer._ The Prince thought.

That was all he had time to think. Another wave of soldiers surged towards him. Lances were leveled at his body. Chrom grimaced and raised the Fire Emblem in order to shield his body.

Hooves thundered through the sand. Sully gave a loud whoop as she drove her lance into the charging horde. Frederick was right beside her. The stoic knight's lance was coated in blood. It crashed against a Plegian shield. The shaft shattered into a million splinters. Chrom heard Frederick utter a loud curse before he drew his sword and hacked down at that same enemy.

"Captain Chrom!"

Chrom spun around and deflected another enemy's attack. And within seconds, another Plegian joined the ranks of the dead.

"Captain! Watch out!"

Chrom spun around. Virion had his bow aimed directly at him. With little other options, Chrom fell into the blood soaked sand. Virion's arrow hissed through the air and plowed into a Grimleal mage. The mage cried out, then fell to the ground. Black tome landing in the blood soaked sand. Absorbing the blood of both enemy and friend as the pages fluttered in the breeze. Raindrops pelted its leather binding. The ink from the pages ran like black rivers down into the earth.

"Captain!" Virion rushed up to Chrom and hauled the Prince back to his feet.

"Virion?" Chrom asked deliriously as he tried to blink blood, sweat, and rain out of his eyes.

"My lord," The archer gripped Chrom's upper arm tight, "I think now is as good a time as any."

Chrom looked around. The fog was slowly fading away. The red haze that had engulfed his vision when the first wave hit dissipated.

What he saw nearly made him retch.

Feroxi were dying all around him. Not because they were unskilled in battle. Each Feroxi soldier took three Plegians with him before they fell. No, the Feroxi were not dying because they were inferior. They were dying because they were overwhelmed. The sheer size of Gangrel's army was enormous. Chrom was coming to realize that they had all severely underestimated their enemy's number.

"Captain?" Virion shouted over the roar of battle.

Chrom nodded, "Pull back." He muttered as he reached up and wiped grime and sweat from his mouth.

"Fall back!" Virion called out over the battlefield. The frilly archer displaying that he had a surprising set of lungs, "Fall back!"

"Retreat!" Frederick bellowed as he began to clear a path for Chrom and the other Shepherds to follow.

A hand gripped Chrom's wrist. Sumia had descended down from her battle in the air with what few Wyvern riders were among the enemy's ranks. His own mount had fallen in the opening stages of the battle. Chrom would readily admit he was a good swordsman, but not a good rider. The young pegasus rider set him behind her in the saddle, then dug her spurs into her steed.

The Pegasus let out a great cry then took to the air once again. Sumia made sure not to fly too high. Otherwise the Plegian Wyverns that were circling overhead would pick her and Chrom apart. She stayed low. Low enough to be able to make out Frederick, Sully, Gregor, Virion, and Lon'qu as they sprinted through the desert. The wet sand making their progress difficult and slow.

"Keep your head low!" Sumia shouted over the clanging steel and wing beats of her pegasus.

Chrom buried his face into her back. Just in time to avoid a couple of arrows that zipped over their heads. Sumia bobbed and weaved through the air with expert grace and timing. Lances were thrown up at them. Arrows shot through the black sky. Each one trying to take down the Pegasus Rider and the Prince. Each one failing to hit its mark.

Through the driving rain and rushing wind, Chrom raised his gaze and shouted.

"I think we can officially name you a Pegasus Knight now!"

Sumia let out a loud laugh, "Is that all I am to you?"

Despite the carnage and mayhem around them, Chrom found himself smiling a little bit.

"You'll find that out once we win today."

Sumia raised an eyebrow, "Is that so? I guess that's extra motivation then?"

"For you?"

"Nope. I already know what you're going to say." Sumia beamed at him, "You're just waiting on the answer."

Chrom felt his heart thump in his chest. How Sumia managed to calm his nerves and give him courage in these dark moments, he would never know.

"How much further do you think?" She asked as the rain intensified.

Chrom blinked as thunder flashed overhead.

"Set her down now!" Chrom barked.

Sumia snapped her head back at him, "It might be too soon!"

"And if you don't put her down now, we will be struck by lightning!" Chrom retorted, "We will have to hold out until the others reach us!"

Sumia took a deep breath then forced her pegasus back down to the ground. The mighty steed folded its wings together as Chrom hopped off and joined the reforming Feroxi lines. Virion was already barking orders at the mages and archers. Commanding volley after volley to be fired at the pursuing Plegians. Lon'qu stood at the very center of the line, blood soaked blade ready for round two of this vicious fight.

"Frederick! Sully! Sumia! Rejoin our cavalry and prepare to circle around the enemy line!" Chrom ordered and he stepped up alongside Lon'qu, "Virion keep that barrage up! Libra get your ax ready!"

"I'm running out of arrows, Captain." Virion shouted back as Libra brushed past him and joined the front lines. His staff now strapped to his back as he hefted his large ax.

"Then run out of them. Once that happens, grab a sword. We will not go down without a fight!"

 _Robin, Ben, Flavia, Basilio where are you!?_

Chrom focused his eyes on the charging Plegians. There were thousands of them. They moved like a sea of ants over the waterlogged sand. His eyes widened as the outlines of multiple, black spells came shrieking at his men.

"Magic!" He bellowed as the first Nosferatu slammed into the Feroxi lines.

The screaming began. Men howled in pain as black magic strangled the life out of them. The arrows came next. Swarming over his diminishing force like angry hornets. Chrom raised his shield. Panic shot through his heart when he felt several arrows bounce off of it.

He heard a sharp cry beside him. His eyes widened. An arrow jutted out of Lon'qu's right thigh.

"Lon'qu!" Chrom shouted.

"Don't worry about me." Lon'qu grunted as he fought to stay on his feet, "It will take more than a little poke to kill me."

The Plegian lines roared again. Their foot soldiers were charging now. Behind them, Chrom saw Gangrel, Mustafa, and Aversa. The King and his Witch were watching with enormous satisfaction. They were certain of victory now. Chrom's army was no longer running. They were meeting their fate. Mustafa's expression was blank. The General showed no feelings on the surface. As far as Chrom could tell, this was another battle in a long line of engagements against the forces of Ylisse. All of which, Mustafa had come out victorious.

"Here we go." Lon'qu growled as he raised his blade.

Chrom took a deep breath. Robin and the others were still not here yet. Had he outpaced their armies that much? Did the Plegian's figure out their plan and foil it? Was Robin and the others currently facing the rest of Plegia's mighty military? Were they all going to die here, in the middle of the desert?

Chrom grit his teeth.

"Make them work for it." He said out loud.

Lon'qu glanced over at the Ylissean prince. A small smirk crossed the quiet swordsman's face.

"With pleasure."

Virion rushed up to Chrom's side. His bow was slung over his shoulder. The quiver at his hip was empty. Gripped in both hands was an iron shortsword that looked incredibly awkward in the archer's grasp.

"If I survive this, I'm getting lessons." Virion said with a small hint of laughter in his voice.

"Gregor will be happy to teach frilly boy." The old mercenary said with a dry laugh.

" _If._ " Sully smirked as she leveled her lance at the enemy, "Personally, I think this might be it for us. Robin's gonna be rushing to save corpses."

"Not if I can help it." Chrom growled, "Hold this line!" He bellowed, "Stand firm!"

There was a small pause before the enemy hit them. A brief silence. Nothing but the hammering of feet in the sand. The howl of the wind and rush of rain through the air.

The two armies collided into each other. Muscle and steel smashed together. Creating a cacophony of chaotic noise that rattled Chrom's ears. Adrenaline rushing through his veins. Falchion danced in his hands as he fought side by side with his Shepherds. But as they fought, Chrom found that his army was beginning to inch backwards.

The Plegian swarm kept pushing. Feroxi soldiers kept falling. With each death, Chrom's line grew thinner. And whenever Chrom cut down one enemy soldier, another replaced him. An endless tide that crashed relentlessly against what was left of his battle group.

In his mind, Chrom had accepted a terrible truth. One that he had feared since the onset of this battle. For whatever reason, whether it was strategic error, enemy engagement, or just plain bad luck, Robin would not reach them in time. The plan was going to fail.

He was going to die. As steel slashed through the air around him, a sense of peace overcame the Ylissean Prince. Yes, he was going to die. He was certain of that. And the Shepherds that were beside him were going to die as well. He could see they too had come to accept this fate. They fought harder. No longer caring about winning the day. Only caring that they took as many of the enemy with them as they could.

He swung hard and slashed through one enemy soldier. Another slammed into him. Knocking the Prince off of his feet and down into the rain soaked ground. As he lay stunned in the sand, he could make out a small stream of blood coming from his own body. The crimson intermingling with the rainwater before slowing soaking into the thirsty earth.

His ears rang. Everything sounded so far away. All he could make out was the sound of his heart beating in his chest. Pounding so hard that he could feel it in his head. He was alive. But for how long?

"Chrom!"

Sumia dove over him and deflected the killing stroke with her own weapon. Her Pegasus let out a loud cry and bucked away from an enemy lance. Sumia screamed as she fell from her mount.

That scream spurred Chrom into action. The Prince let out a rage filled roar. All he saw was red as he defended Sumia. There were no more Plegians around him. Just dead men. And they would all be dead men until death grasped him as well.

Lon'qu grit his teeth as he fought back to back with Virion. Both hobbled by wounds. Frederick and Sully cried out as they were yanked from their mounts down onto the ground.

They were overwhelmed.

A horn blasted through the night air. Piercing the rain and thunder like a spear. It rang loud and long. Then another horn sounded. An answer to the first one. The Plegians around Chrom stopped fighting and glanced to the east and to the west.

Chrom felt a lump form in his throat. Was it more Plegians? Did the rest of the enemy arrive from Ylisse?

He froze as a single, solitary figure rushed in front of him and plunged a slender rapier through a Plegian's heart. His normal, brown cloak had been cast aside. Before Chrom could even blink, the warrior moved again. His movements so quick and flawless that the Prince hardly had time to register them. In seconds, the dozen or so Plegians that had surrounded Chrom and Sumia collapsed to the ground.

Chrom let out an enormous sigh of relief before falling to his knees and letting Falchion clatter from his grasp.

"You're late." He breathed with smile.

Ben Kenobi smirked back at him, "I am? As far as I can tell, you all aren't dead yet."

He twirled his rapier in his hand. Another horn blasted. The Plegian's turned away from Chrom and what remained of his battle group. Right into the charging fury of Flavia, Basilio and Robin.

….

Robin grit his teeth as he spell after spell flew from his palm. Thunder spells powerful enough to turn the sand at his feet to glass shrieked through the air and slammed into any Grimleal mages that tried to oppose him. Beside him, Miriel and Tharja followed suit. Miriel launched multiple fire spells into the enemy ranks. Helping to sow even more chaos, confusion, and panic into the surprise Plegians.

While Miriel sowed panic, Tharja created terror. Black spells the likes of which Robin had never seen before spewed forth from the ex-Grimleal. Men screamed in horror or in pain as Tharja's magic sank its claws into the front lines of the Plegian army.

"Once we hit the enemy, focus on the Grimleal." Robin told both Miriel and Tharja.

"And you?" Tharja asked as she sent another spell screaming at the enemy's front line.

Robin drew his sword, "I'm going to get some much needed practice."

"I don't think this scenario would qualify as practice." Miriel gulped.

Tharja smirked, "I think it qualifies just fine. Subjugating an inferior enemy is never a chore, but always a fun exercise."

Robin gulped, "Whatever floats your boat." He cleared his throat, "Gaius! Panne! Stahl! Move towards Chrom and the others! Help Ben begin to push the enemy back into us and the Khans! Kellam, Vaike, Cordelia, you're with me!"

They split off. Each group taking a smaller contingent of Feroxi soldiers with them in order to carry out Robin's orders. Just before Robin's group plowed into the Plegian army, he took stock of the situation.

It had worked. The strategy had actually worked! The Plegians were complete disarray. And at the center of the panic filled chaos stood Mustafa, Gangrel, and Aversa. Each one shouting contradictory orders in all directions. It took a couple moments for it to sink in, but all three now knew what was happening. They were trapped. Encircled by an army that was much larger and more ferocious than they previously thought.

The armies collided. And the Plegian lines collapsed.

Robin set his sights on Aversa. She was the most dangerous of the three Plegian leaders. The strategy for victory hinged heavily on her demise and Mustafa's survival. If they could isolate Gangrel away from those two, the likelihood of his capture increased. And the best way to lure Aversa away from the King was to challenge her directly.

Robin hacked and slashed his way through the collapsing Plegians until he was near the center of their army. Just a few dozen meters ahead of him, he could see Aversa starting to slink back away from the thickest part of the fighting. Cradled in her arms was-

His heart jumped to his throat. A reeking box was in her grip. And as the battle turned against her, she was growing ever closer to opening it and unleashing its evil upon the battlefield.

 _Not if I can help it!_

Robin sprinted through the rain and sand, avoiding what few Plegians still remained fighting. He could see large groups of the enemy starting to break off and run. None of them wanted to die for a King that clearly did not care for them. He could hear Mustafa's booming voice thundering over the battle. Desperately trying to corral what little of his men remained. Gangrel himself had joined the battle. The King had drawn a strange, jagged sword, pointed it at a Feroxi soldier, and laughed.

A bolt of lighting jumped from his blade and pierced the Feroxi man. Robin's eyes widened. How many strange weapons did the enemy have!? He shook his head and returned his focus on the most dangerous one. The reeking box that Aversa had now placed on the ground and was about to open.

Her fingers flicked the latch open. Robin's blood ran cold in his veins. He was not going to make it in time.

 _No!_ He thought, _Not like this! Not again!_

Power surged through him. A strange darkness that felt intoxicating. He had no idea where it was coming from. All he knew was that it felt… good. It felt right. The battle around him began to slow down. Robin raised his free hand and pointed it at Aversa.

 _Never again!_

Blue lightning surged from his fingertips, over the soaked sand, and into the Grimleal witch. Aversa uttered a startled, pain filled cry as she was lifted up off of her feet and thrown away from the reeking box.

Robin skidded to a stop beside the box. He reached down to pick it up. Only to have a nasty Flux slam into him. He spun to the ground. Pain rushing through his chest.

"Damn brat!" Aversa snarled as she limped towards the box, "You will not stop me!"

Robin grit his teeth and shoved himself back up to his feet. Only to have another spell smack him back down to the ground.

Robin groaned as he writhed in the sand.

 _That one hurt._

Aversa reached down and picked the Reeking Box back up.

"Did you seriously think a little lightning, no matter how strange it was, can stop me?" She winced a little as some electricity arced over her grey skin, "What has been written cannot be unwritten. Your friends will all die here. And you well… there is someone who wants to meet you."

Robin grit his teeth as Aversa prepared to open the box. He was in a lot of pain right now. It filled all of his senses. Aversa must have put an enormous amount of her power into those two spells in order to defeat him that easily. Robin hissed as he rolled onto his back.

His head fell to his right. He saw Chrom rush towards Gangrel. Falchion was slick with rain and blood as it clashed with the King's blade. Just a few feet away, Ben had engaged General Mustafa. A clash of speed versus power as the General swung an enormous ax at Ben while the nimble swordsman danced around him.

Tharja was leading the mages against the Grimleal. Her spells wreaked havoc on an enemy that knew how to attack with that magic, but not necessarily how to defend against it. Although she was having trouble with a strange, white haired boy that had an excited, almost thrilled smile on his face.

Cordelia had joined up with Sumia and taken to the skies with her. They were outnumbered by the Plegian Wyvern riders, but not outgunned. The Wyverns never stood a chance as two of the greatest Pegasus Knights Ylisse had to offer cut them down from the sky.

The other Shepherds led by Frederick and Lon'qu continued the route of Plegia's army. Flavia and Basilio had finally linked up with the outer edges of Robin's forces. Finishing the encirclement. There was nowhere for Gangrel or Aversa to run to.

But there was still the Reeking Box. If opened, the Risen would rise from the sand beneath Robin. And all of his friends would fall. Each one overwhelmed by a horde that could not be stopped.

Aversa gripped the top of the box. With what little strength he had left, Robin jumped to his feet.

Power unlike any he ever felt before surged through his veins. He reached out with his hand at the box. The black artifact was ripped from Aversa's hands and flew through the air into Robin's chest. The tactician grunted as it hit him hard. Before Aversa could do anything to stop him, Robin planted the box into the sand and ran his blade through it's heart.

A million shrieks sounded through the air. Robin screamed as he fell backwards. His hand felt like it was on fire. The hilt of his weapon smoked as it swayed to and fro in the box. A crackling sound silenced out the din of battle. The box shivered in the sand. The shrieking suddenly went silent. And the box became a pile of black ash swept away by the storm.

Robin lay still on the ground. He could see the Plegians beginning to cast their weapons down on the ground. Aversa was screaming. Ordering all of them to keep fighting. But Robin did not care. He was just tired now. He was not going to black out (thank Naga). But his body just did not have the strength to push himself back to his feet again.

 _I think I'll just lie here for a minute._

….

Chrom grit his teeth. Gangrel may be insane, but the man was no slouch with a sword. His strange, magical blade was giving Chrom a very hard time. Each time Falchion hit Gangrel's weapon, sparks jumped out from the blades. Lightning would crackle over the bronze material and Chrom had to jump away quickly in order to avoid being electrocuted.

"What's wrong, Princey?" Gangrel laughed as Chrom danced away from his weapon, "Afraid of a little shock?"

Chrom snarled at Gangrel then resumed his assault. Their blades locked together. Their faces sat mere inches apart. Chrom's fury grew as Gangrel gave him a manic smirk.

"I'll admit, I did not see this coming." Gangrel chuckled, "I thought I had you beaten. I thought I had won. Then again, I thought that after I had your sister killed too. But look where we are now. Ha Ha! Clearly I need to check my own arrogance."

Chrom smirked, "I'll help you with that."

The Prince spun away from the King. Gangrel narrowed his eyes and charged at Chrom. His blade sending small shocks through the air as he tried to lay a killing blow on the Ylissean. But Chrom held him off. Each slash was parried. Each hack blocked. And every blow was countered then returned in kind. Soon, Gangrel was the one retreating backwards as Chrom rained down a furious assault.

Falchion cut down at Gangrel's head. The King raised his blade and blocked it. Chrom twisted his wrists. Falchion shrieked down the King's blade then was yanked away in a shower of sparks. The Prince lunged as Gangrel rushed to bring his guard back down to meet Chrom's attack.

But it was too late. Falchion bit into Gangrel's sword arm. The King uttered a loud cry of pain as his sword fell from his now limp hand. A cry that was silenced by a fist to his jaw. King Gangrel fell like a ragdoll to the blood soaked sand. His crown rolled away from his head.

The soldiers around Chrom stopped fighting. Mustafa stepped away from Ben and glanced over at his defeated King. The General then turned to see Aversa stumbling away from that vile box as it was destroyed by the Ylissean tactician. The General knew what had happened. The final weapon Aversa had in order to assure victory had been destroyed. His army was surrounded. His King defeated. His men on the verge of dropping their weapons and running as fast as they could.

He had lost.

With a heavy sigh, Mustafa lowered his ax. He relaxed his grip and it fell with a soft thud into the sand.

As one, the other Plegians did the same. Aversa shrieked, cursed, and spat as she attempted to rally any soldiers to continue fighting. But even the Grimleal that served her refused to raised their spellbooks in her defense. Slowly it sank in for the witch.

She had lost.

Chrom pointed Falchion directly at Aversa.

"Surrender." He growled.

Aversa eyed the divine blade. There was a flash of fear in her eyes. But that fear was replaced by fury in seconds.

"You think this is over, Prince?" Aversa snarled, "Oh no. This is only the beginning."

Her spellbook opened. Chrom moved to stop her. Black mist poured from the cursed pages. It engulfed the Witch and obscured her from anyone's sight. Chrom covered his mouth in case the mist was poisonous.

He uttered a silent thanks to Naga as the mist faded away without any nasty effects. Only the black spellbook remained in the sand where Aversa once stood. The Witch had fled.

Chrom let out a heavy sigh.

"Damn it." He spat before turning to look at Mustafa, "You aren't planning on fading away into black smoke too right?"

The large man shook his head.

"Good." Chrom gave the man a weary nod, "I've had enough crazy for one day. Frederick!"

"Milord?" The Knight replied as he walked up to Chrom.

"Ensure Mustafa is put under guard. No one, save for myself, the Khans, or Robin is to speak with him until I say so."

"Yes milord."

"What of my men, Prince?" Mustafa asked.

Chrom sheathed Falchion, "They will be taken care of. Fed, given water, and shelter. Kept under guard until you and I reach an agreement."

"You and I?"

Chrom nodded, "Yes, you and I." He nudged the unconscious Plegian King with his boot, "He's not going to want to have a reasonable discussion. And the other Plegian leader just turned tail and ran. So… you are the man I'll be negotiating with."

Mustafa raised his brow. He glanced over at Ben.

"If you are half as honorable as your soldier, then I think it will be a rather productive affair."

Chrom smiled in agreement. Two Feroxi lancers moved to Mustafa's sides and escorted him towards Khan Basilio. As he was led away, Flavia walked up to Chrom. A wide grin on her face.

"Set up camp." Chrom told the men around him, "And see to the dead. We will rest tonight and conclude this business tomorrow." He turned to face Flavia.

"Don't say it!" The Khan snapped as she strode towards him, "I know we were late. But in all fairness, the oaf wanted a dramatic entrance."

"She lies!" Basilio hollered, "She wanted the dramatic entrance."

"Same difference!" Flavia shouted back, "If I say you wanted to be dramatic then it is so. I'm ruling Khan. Not you!"

Chrom chuckled, "I don't think that's how it works."

Flavia shrugged, "Yeah, but don't let him know that." She let out a long sigh and nodded as she surveyed the damage around her.

"That was fun."

"Fun?" Chrom replied in disbelief.

Flavia raised a hand, "You can rant to me later. Right now, you look and smell like shit. Get yourself rested and cleaned up. Help your Shepherds set up camp." She turned on her heel in order to start assisting her own men, "Oh! And Chrom," She gave the Prince an approving smile, "Well done today."

Chrom nodded to the Khan as she stepped away. Her booming voice barked orders as he turned on his heel to face the people he was the most concerned about.

His Shepherds all stood behind him. Waiting for him to finish the formalities. As he walked up to them, they all beamed at him.

"Hell of a fight." Sully grinned as she leaned against Stahl's horse.

"You did it, Captain. You won." Virion smiled as he helped Robin back up to his feet.

Chrom shook his head, "No." He looked over at Ben, who still stood a few paces away from the others.

"We won."

 **And chapter! I'm… actually not too sure about this chapter. I'm really not confident in my ability to write large scale battles like this. So I really hope it turned out ok. My goal was not to accurately describe every single detail but rather to give each individual character's perspective during a very chaotic moment. I found that both easier to write and a little more interesting than describing troop movements over a sandy desert. (which I know I would not be able to do very well). I wanted to keep this battle big, yet intimate, if you know what I mean. I don't know. I tried, let's just put it that way. I do feel like I'm improving. And whatever lessons I learn from this one, I will put into the next massive battle. I promise you all that.**

 **Anyways, our heroes won! Chrom defeated Gangrel and let him live. Aversa fled. Mustafa surrendered. And we get a little more insight into the relationship Marth and Kage had before this all took place. I'm looking forward to getting the next chapter started! Let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	40. Peace

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 40

Peace

Chrom stood in front of the full length mirror with an uncomfortable frown on his lips. A warm fire flickered across the room. Which he was grateful for. Winter had come full force in Regna Ferox. Just in time for the army to return to Arena Ferox with General Mustafa and his peace delegation.

One week had passed since that fateful day in the desert. Despite the end of hostilities with the Plegian army, it had been one of the busiest weeks of Chrom's young life. He thought that with the end of combat he would finally have some time to rest. Time to recuperate. Time to properly mourn Emm.

But being the ruler of a nation enveloped in the fires of war did not allow any time for such luxuries. Upon his return to the Longfort, Flavia and Basilio had whisked him away with Robin in order to start drafting peace terms. A long tedious process that even a book worm like Robin grew weary of. When that was done, he began the process of checking up on his Shepherds in the wake of the war.

The ones who were faring the best were Frederick, Kellam, Sully, and Stahl. It helped that those four were originally regular soldiers. They were trained for warfare. Prepared for its trials and horrors. They went about their daily routines as normally as they could.

Frederick was always awake before everyone else. Doing menial tasks that he enjoyed. Such as tending to the horses in the stables or taking stock of the Shepherds supplies. Tedious things that the wary knight lost himself in.

Sully and Stahl both spent their new found free time training hard in the barracks yard. Stahl had heard about the viciousness that the last battle had. How, before Robin and his group arrived, Chrom and the shepherds with him had nearly been overwhelmed. It lit a fire inside of the lax horseman. A fire that he asked Sully to help temper through training. He wanted to be prepared so that if he was ever in a battle that intense, he would be ready. Kellam joined the duo from time to time. But the large man usually remained in the background. Content with his own individual training.

Cordelia and Sumia had rekindled their old friendship. Especially since Chrom had formally made Sumia a Pegasus Knight once the battle concluded. A title that provided Sumia with the validation she long deserved. And provided Cordelia with a companion that she could call upon to help rebuild the decimated corps of knights. Whenever those two were together, they were discussing their plans for new training practices. Which included intensive infantry training as well as aerial combat training. Only the best warriors would be allowed into the Pegasus Knights. For anyone who wanted to join, it would not be an easy road.

The other Shepherds who did not find themselves in leadership roles filled their time with hobbies they loved. Miriel went back to her potion crafting. Ricken threw himself into his magical studies. The young mage would be damned if he was left out of another military campaign.

Surprisingly, Tharja had actually taken a small interest in the boy's progress. Though Chrom was concerned when he heard her mutter how the boy would be an excellent guinea pig for a study of some form or another. Her strangeness was only compounded by her sudden fascination for Robin. Ever since he took on Aversa and destroyed the second Reeking Box, she had found him utterly enthralling. She had started a rather uncomfortable habit of following around Chrom's tactician. Which meant that she was, more often than not, following Chrom around as well. A situation that did not sit easy with the Ylissean Prince. It wasn't that he disliked Tharja, but he still held a mistrust for her. What with her previous allegiances and all.

Gregor had taken a liking to Virion's chess games. He found the pair sharing tea many times as they silently played their game. Robin lamented the fact that he could not join them. But he was now Chrom's right hand man, not just his tactician. And that afforded the capable man with even more responsibilities.

Maribelle, Lissa, and Libra were all extremely busy in the aftermath of the war. The number of wounded was tremendous. The trio had taken upon themselves to lead the enormous medical effort. Hundreds of wounded men and women needed care. Chrom puffed up with pride as he remembered how hard his sister was working. She had really come into her own during the war. She may not have been the diplomat Emm was, or the warrior Chrom was, but she was the healer they all needed. Even Libra offered her great praise. He often offered to instruct her so that her knowledge in the healing arts would grow.

Nowi was one of the most hyper members of the Shepherds after the war. No matter what, someone was by her side, either talking to or entertaining the thousand year old Manakete. Chrom chuckled a little as he recalled Ben's reaction when he learned that little Nowi was actually over a millennium old. He had never seen the man lost for words quite like that before.

"What are you chuckling about?" Sumia asked him as she slid her arms over his chest and pecked a kiss against his cheek.

"Ben's reaction to Nowi." Chorm smiled as he held Sumia's hands with his own.

Speaking of the swordsman, he continued to be enigmatic. But the aloofness that he once held had faded away. He had taken Emmeryn's death just as hard as Chrom did. And the man often grew sad when her name was brought up. But he had stopped being so reclusive. And Chrom often found him visiting Marth. Which did not surprise the Prince. She had saved his life from Maul's wrath. A bond like that did not just fade away.

Chrom sighed again and let his hands run down the fabric of his formal attire. Sumia giggled in his ear.

"You look handsome."

"I look ridiculous."

"You have to look your best." Sumia tsked, "Chrom, this is an important occasion. You are formally signing the peace deal you negotiated with Mustafa."

"That Robin and Basilio negotiated." Chrom corrected and he sucked in his stomach and adjusted the collar of his shirt, "Me and Flavia were both just kind of there. I don't have the intelligence for that kind of thing."

"Nonsense." Sumia smiled, "You don't give yourself enough credit. General Mustafa now thinks very highly of you. Especially after the peace negotiations."

"A Plegian thinking highly of a Ylissean." Chrom snorted, "I'm pretty sure the previous King and my father are spinning in their graves."

Sumia chuckled, "But that doesn't matter. This is the beginning of a new era for everyone involved. And I can't wait to see it."

Chrom turned around and held Sumia's hands with his own, "And I can't wait to have you by my side for all of it."

Sumia blushed before meeting his lips with her own.

"Alright," Sumia smiled, "We will have more time for that later. You will be late if you don't start walking."

"It's only a few floors away from us." Chrom replied as he moved towards the door, white cape fluttering behind him.

Sumia wrapped her arm over his. She could feel the nerves in him right now. Leading men into battle did not unnerve the Shepherds Captain. But standing in front of hundreds of people and signing a document did? She laughed a little to herself.

"You look beautiful." Chrom smiled as the pair walked down the hall.

Sumia just smiled. Which only made her look even more stunning to Chrom. She was not wearing her armor. Instead opting for a lovely formal gown that was a deep blue color. Matching Chrom's own formal wear.

As they neared the end of the hall, Chrom noticed Robin leaning up against the door frame.

"Took you two long enough." Robin smirked as he unfolded his arms.

Chrom laughed, "Some of us have more than one thing to wear. I thought I told you to put on something other than that coat."

Robin rolled his eyes, "And I did." He opened up his coat, "See. Nice collared shirt and slacks. Just for you." Chrom was about to open his mouth, "The coat stays." Robin finished quickly, "I had it cleaned just for this occasion."

The Prince raised an eyebrow before gesturing a small tear near the hem.

Robin gave a sheepish laugh, "I said cleaned… not necessarily repaired. Feroxi tailors are actually kind of expensive and well, I trust no one with it."

Chrom chuckled before clasping his hand on Robin's shoulder, "You worry too much."

"Worrying is part of my job." Robin replied as he walked with Chrom and Sumia to the Arena's great hall.

"Well there is no need to now." Chrom replied, "The war is over. We won. And soon all of us will be returning home."

"Home?" Robin raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, home." Chrom nodded over at Sumia, "She convinced me to set aside a room for you in the palace."

"It took hardly any convincing at all." Sumia said with a wave of her hand, "Merely a suggestion that helped remind this knucklehead of all you helped us with."

Robin shook his head, "And I'm going to tell you again, you both have already rewarded me enough. I only did my job."

"You won us the war, Robin." Chrom retorted, "That is a debt that I will probably never be able to repay. But at least let me try."

Robin pressed his lips into a thin line, "Fine." He breathed.

"Was that so hard?"

"Excruciatingly so." Robin admitted with a playful smile.

The trio laughed as they arrived in the Great Hall. Bright sunlight streamed into the massive room. Warm fires roared in the hearths to help keep everyone that occupied the space warm. And there was people everywhere. Chrom recognized several retinues of Lords and Ladies from Ylisse. The agreement Chrom and Mustafa had agreed to forced the Plegian army to leave Ylisse entirely. Which allowed any surviving Lords of Ylisse to return to their homes and begin the arduous process of rebuilding the nation. A task that was going to be massive for Chrom once he returned to Ylisstol.

There was one man that approached Chrom that caused a broad smile to cross the Prince's face.

Commander Edward leaned on crutches as Chrom, Sumia, and Robin approached him. The formal clothes he wore were loose on his now thin frame. The siege of Ylisstol had taken a massive toll on his body. When the exchange of prisoners occurred at the border (per the peace treaty agreement), the man was in bad health. Almost unrecognizable. But now, after a week of heavy rest and healing, the Knight Commander was starting to regain his strength.

"You look ever more like a great Exalt." Edward grinned as he clasped Chrom's hand with his own.

Chrom bristled a touch at the title but still smiled, "I don't know about that. I think I'm a better soldier than politician."

"Both require experience. Of which you will get plenty, I assure you." Edward turned to Sumia and smiled warmly at her, "You look absolutely stunning, milady."

"I'm not a Lady yet." Sumia reminded him with a smile as she embraced the commander.

"Once we return to Ylisstol that is going to change." He nodded over at Chrom, "You are a lucky man."

"You don't have to say that twice." Chrom replied.

Edward's attention then turned to Robin. The man grabbed Robin's hand and gave it a firm shake.

"I heard about the genius of the Shepherd's tactician. If only I had listened to you from the outset."

Robin shook his head, "Who knows what would have happened. I am just grateful that in the end, we are all standing here now." He took a deep breath, "Now that this war is over, I can get back to my original goal."

"That being?" Chrom asked.

Robin tapped his temple, "Finding my lost memories."

The doors to the Great Hall opened. Flavia and Basilio both strode in. Each Khan exuded absolute power and authority within this space. Their heads were high, strides filled with purpose. Armor polished to a mirror-like shine. An image meant to intimidate enemies, and comfort friends.

Flavia reached the group first. And once she did, she gave Robin a rough slap on the back. Almost knocking the small tactician to the ground.

"You clean up nicely." She said, "I never thought I'd actually see that mane on top of your head combed."

"Seeing as the barbers were all unavailable, I had to settle for combing it." Robin coughed as he tried to get air back in his lungs.

Flavia threw her head back and laughed, "You can thank the oaf for that."

Basilio cleared his throat, "Do you see any hair on this head?"

"If there was any it would be grey, old man." Flavia snorted.

"Yes. From having to deal with your antics for the past few years." Basilio said with a roll of his eyes.

"You love my antics and you know it." Flavia replied with a wave of her hand.

Basilio let out an amused grunt before he took Commander Edwards hand.

"It has been a few years Knight Commander." Basilio said, "I'm glad to see your health improving."

"It must have been a few years." Edward replied, "I seem to recall you being shorter than what you are now. Or maybe I shrank with my advancing age."

Basilio uttered a deep laugh, "I'm sure once you are healthy again, you can still provide a good fight."

Edward shook his head, "I have a feeling my fighting days are over." He looked at Chrom, "It is time for a new generation to take the lead. I will be there to offer my advice. But once this whole affair is over, I think I shall retire." He gave Khan Basilio a playful look, "You should consider the same. I hear the fishing in Regna Ferox is fantastic."

"Fishing? Fantastic? Bah!" Basilio remarked, "I'll just as soon strut out with a cane than let Flavia have her way with the nation."

"Hey!" The younger Khan snapped causing the others to laugh.

The door to the great hall opened once again. All eyes turned to see the delegation from Plegia striding into the massive space. At the head was General Mustafa. His the leather straps on his armor had been oiled to an impressive sheen. The iron plates that covered his shoulders and stomach were polished to perfection. And the bone decorations on his pauldrons had been bleached so that they shone as bright as the snow outside. A group of other Plegian Captains and Generals followed him. But from what Chrom and Robin could see, not a single member of the Grimleal accompanied the General.

"You think that is a good or bad thing?" Robin wondered.

"I'm not sure." Chrom muttered, "Regardless, we now have peace. And the Grimleal are not going to get in the way of it."

"I hope you're right." Edward said, "Those mages were terrors on the battlefield. I've never seen magic like that in my life. And I never wish to see it again."

"Mustafa is tightening the leash on them, per the peace treaty." Chrom reminded them all. The Prince looked over at the Plegian General as he engaged in formalities with other military leaders, "He'll make a good king."

"If the Plegian people make him their king." Robin said, "And if he even accepts the role."

"I hope he does." Basilio breathed, "He can't do any worse than Gangrel."

Chrom nodded, "Speaking of the insane tyrant, is he still silent?"

Flavia scowled, "Not a peep from him. You'd think someone with a brain as addled as his would be singing like a canary. And not just about Grimleal secrets, but anything that came to mind." She shook her head, "Dead silent during his trail. And even more silent in his cell."

Chrom huffed, "I still believe we should execute him."

"He has crimes to answer for in Plegia. Mustafa was insistent on that." Robin reminded Chrom. Much to the Prince's displeasure, "There had to be some give in the negotiations. Giving the Plegian's their tyrant to do with as they wish was part of that."

"I still don't like it. Especially since the Grimleal is still sem-intact." Chrom frowned.

"You all need to stop worrying so much." Sumia smiled, "This is a day to celebrate." She took Chrom's hand, "Come on. I'm sure the General wants to get this underway."

Chrom let out a long sigh, "And I just want to get this over with."

"Then we best get started."

….

Cordelia was grateful that the ceremony was short. Standing at attention with the other leaders of the Ylissean military was uncomfortable. And, while the armor she now sported was fancy, it was neither practical nor comfortable. Too much focus went into the decorative features rather than making it actually wearable. When the formal signing of the peace treaty had ended, she rushed off to the barracks, shed the heavy plates off, and donned regular clothing once again.

A long sigh left her lips as she set her aching feet into the soft leather riding boots she loved. Naga, they felt so good on her aching feet now. She bit back any complaints though. The other shepherds (with the exceptions of Maribelle, Lissa, and Virion) all looked painfully uncomfortable in formal attire. Poor Vaike had tried multiple times to shed his shirt and let his manly pecs breathe. It took some very personal, well placed threats from both Miriel and Tharja to cow the burly man. And while he shrugged off the threats from Miriel, he blanched considerably at Tharja's threats.

Although, Tharja was no better herself. Her idea of formal attire was donning a new, long, black cape trimmed with gold to her already revealing outfit. Cordelia wondered how she could wear such a thing without freezing.

 _Maybe she keeps herself warm with a hex?_ She thought as she withdrew a notebook and pen from the small desk in her room.

Other than Vaike, most of the Shepherds behaved themselves. And by most, that meant everyone with the exception of Gaius. The thief just could not help himself. Thank Naga Panne was there to keep him on a very short leash. The Taguel was able to intimidate the man enough to keep him from snatching every single piece of jewelry he laid his eyes on. However, he did manage to steal several diamond bracelets and, somehow, a gold plated toe ring. Of which Cordelia did not want to hear the story. And all of which, he was forced to return with a long apology. That part she did witness, and laughed at.

She chuckled under her breath as she cracked the notebook open. The pages were littered with notes. Each one regarding the restructuring and rebuilding of the Pegasus Knights. Then there were a few pages dedicated to more personal projects. Specifically a new type of javelin Cordelia wanted to have constructed. One that could soar farther and more accurately so that future Pegasus Knights did not have to engage in dangerous, close quarters combat as often.

She tapped her pen against the pages. Her mind had gone blank as she stared at the beginnings of her design. With a frustrated huff, she closed the notebook.

"I need some fresh air." She muttered.

She strode out of the barracks and into the snow covered training yard. Notebook in one hand, her sword in the other. Across the yard was a small smithing station. If she could not focus on her designs, then she would focus on improving the equipment she had right now. A little work did wonders to clear the mind.

As she strode through the snow, she glanced around the yard. It was completely empty.

 _Everyone else must be resting still._ She thought to herself.

But just as she was about to reach the forge, she caught a glimpse of a single figure, perched on a stone block near the Arena Wall. A person that had not been present at the formal signing of the peace treaty.

Cordelia smiled a little at the sight of him sitting peacefully, alone.

"Ben!" She called. His eyes cracked open, "You know the others are probably inside having a good time. You should join them."

Ben snorted, "I've been to my fare share of formal parties with foreign dignitaries. I'll pass this time."

"Oh come on." Cordelia remarked, "You were an important part of our victory. Chrom would want you there."

Ben shook his head, "I played my role and that was all. Besides, this is not my moment to have. It is Chrom's. Without his leadership and determination, we would never have won this war."

Cordelia shook her head as she flopped down in the snow beside him, "You don't give yourself enough credit. You were the one who saved all of use from getting captured by Mustafa."

"I give all the credit to Mustafa for that one." Ben replied with a small smile.

"I don't think I can." Cordelia replied, "Not after you showed me how can you read minds and such."

Ben snorted, "I cannot read minds at will. And enough about me. Shouldn't you be at the party, Wing-Commander Cordelia?"

Cordelia let out a long groan, "Don't remind me."

Ben chuckled, "Don't fear the role. You will make an excellent commander."

"If by excellent you mean the only one qualified for the job, then thank you." Cordelia remakred.

"Now who is not giving themselves enough credit?" Ben smirked.

Cordelia narrowed her eyes at him, "You are turning my own point back around on me. And I don't like that."

Ben shrugged, "Then I guess you have to get better at arguing."

Cordelia let out a small laugh, "Can't. No time." She cracked open her note book and flicked through it, "See all of that. That is the shit storm that is going to hit me once we get back to Ylisstol."

Ben placed his finger so that it stopped the pages from turning. Right on the page with her new javelin designs.

"And this?" He asked.

Cordelia grimaced, "A personal project that has stalled. It's not important."

"Sure it is." Ben replied, "Let me see."

"No."

"I insist."

"You can't be insisting anything, Ben Kenobi." Cordelia shot back.

"Do I have to use a mind suggestion."

"Ha!" Cordelia barked, "I'll just see through it eventually like I did the last time." She saw Ben raise his brow and give her a pleading look. With a long sigh, Cordelia relented and opened the page, "It's a new javelin design I'm working on." She said as she handed him the notebook.

Ben focused on the design. His inquisitive, studious eyes running over the various measurements and design features of it. He ran a hand over his mouth, fingers brushing through the beard that had been slowly growing over his face.

"This is very good." Ben said, "Genius even."

Cordelia bristled and snatched the notebook back.

Ben blinked, "What did I say?"

"Don't call me that." Cordelia snapped.

"What?" Ben asked, "Genius? Why not? It's true. The design is remarkable."

"I just-" Cordelia let out a heavy sigh, "I don't think of myself as a genius. And I don't like it when people refer to me as one."

"Why is that?"

Cordelia eyed Ben. She shifted in her seat to face him.

"Story for a story." She answered.

"Pardon?"

"I'll tell you why I hate being called a genius." Cordelia clarified, "In exchange, you tell me a little more about yourself."

Ben frowned, "I'd hardly call that a fair exchange."

"Are you so sure of that, Mr. Enigma?" Cordelia remarked.

"Enigma?"

"We hardly know anything about you, Ben!" Cordelia exclaimed, "And we have fought side by side through a whole war. Forgive me for wanting to learn a little more about a friend."

Ben blinked in surprise. Even Cordelia was calling him a friend? Honestly, it still shocked Ben that so many people on this world thought so highly of him. His goal when he arrived had been to keep as low a profile as possible.

 _I've failed in that regard._

"Fine." He relented.

Cordelia nodded, "Alright," She cleared her throat, "I was the youngest to ever join the Pegasus Knights. As a result of that, Commander Phila paid a little extra attention to me. Both to keep me from screwing up too badly, and to groom me so that I could keep up with the more seasoned Knights. She also kept me close by because she thought I was very intelligent. A genius, so to speak. And so, the other Pegasus Knights began to refer to me as Little Lady Genius." She let out a long, heavy breath, "The teasing and taunting at that point was relentless. I was mocked for everything from my appearance to my javelin technique." She shook her head and cursed under her breath.

"I'd say your comrades were quite spiteful." Ben remarked.

Cordelia nodded, "Yes, they were. But I eventually earned their respect. I used my talent and combined it with hard work so that I could become the best Knight in the ranks." She let out a small snort, "I guess being Little Lady Genius paid off in the end."

Ben nodded, "Well, I can assure you, when I called you a genius, I meant it as a compliment. It was not to mock you."

"I know. I know." Cordelia huffed and rubbed her arms, "I'm just a little sensitive. That's all." She cleared her throat. Anxious to move onto another subject, "Alright, your turn."

"My turn?" Ben pursed his lips, "I don't even know where to start."

"Well, since we are on the topic of geniuses," Cordelia began, "I'm sure you were considered one by your peers."

Ben uttered a sharp, sarcastic laugh, "Sure I was."

"I'm serious!" Cordelia cried, "I mean, you are the best swordsman I have ever seen. And two of our comrades are Chrom and Lon'qu. Both of which are peerless at their crafts. You have a crazy magic that no one understands, including Miriel and Robin. And, for Naga's sake, you can read minds! I think that defines genius."

"Then would you believe me if I said I was regarded as rather talent-less when I was younger." Ben replied.

Cordelia eyes widened, "Your lying."

Ben shook his head, "I was… honestly very unimpressive at using the Force in my youth. I did not have a significant natural affinity for like my fellow peers at the Temple. I was passed over by every master when it came to apprenticeship."

"All except one."

Ben nodded, "Master Qui Gon." Cordelia could see the sudden change in Ben's demeanor. He looked sad. Not sorrowful, but just sad. Regret filled, "He chose me to be his student. And I was forever grateful to him for that. But I was-" he bit his lip, "I was stubborn and much to rigid for his style of teaching. You could say he was my opposite. By the time he finally began to get through my thick skull and really leave his mark with his teachings, he was killed by Maul."

"And then your order was wiped out." Cordelia breathed.

Ben nodded grimly, "That they were. And somehow, I'm alive. The one without any of the talent lived. While the most talented Jedi all died. Ironic how that turned out."

"Not at all." Cordelia said, "That tells me one thing. You outworked everyone else. And that hard work helped you surpass everyone. And it led to your survival. You are a grinder, Ben Kenobi. And for that, you have my respect."

Ben smiled, "Thank you. And you have mine for being a humble genius."

Ben saw her recoil a little again.

"Don't reject your gifts, Cordelia." Ben advised, "Many are not born with such talents. Embrace them and use them. Combine them with your incredible work ethic. And I think you will become the greatest Wing Commander the Pegasus Knights have ever seen."

Cordelia was blown away by his comments. Her? The greatest commander ever? That thought never even crossed her mind. She hoped to just be good. Successful enough to rebuild and eventually hand the reins to a more capable successor. She felt her cheeks heat up a little.

Ben got to his feet, "It's a little cold out here now. Shall we go indoors."

"S-sure." She said with a whisper in her voice.

Ben smiled and began trudging through the snow

"So… with this whole peacetime thing now a reality, what happens now?"

Cordelia shrugged, "We all go back to Ylisstol. Chrom is-" Cordelia sighed, "Chrom is going to marry Sumia."

Ben arched an eyebrow, "You don't sound all too happy about that?"

"I am!" Cordelia countered as she kicked some snow with her feet, "I am extremely happy for Sumia. It is a dream come true for her. And Captain Chrom seems very happy."

"But…"

Cordelia sighed, "Is it that obvious?"

Ben smirked at her. Cordelia reddened and shoved him hard.

"You're reading my mind again!"

"Not at all. I'm sensing your feelings."

"That's just as invasive you know!" Cordelia snapped with a stomp of her foot.

"Pardon me for being a little concerned for a friend." Ben replied with a small smile.

Cordelia huffed and folded her arms, "I guess I always harbored a bit of a crush when it came to Chrom. But he never noticed."

Ben opened the door for both of them. The warm air that the massive Arena provided indoors was a welcome change. Ben had not realized how long he had been sitting outdoors meditating. The cold had sank far down into his skin and bones. So much so, that when the warmth from the Arena's halls hit his skin, he felt goosebumps form.

Cordelia sighed beside him, "Oh well, I guess. Love is not for everyone."

Ben shook his head, "I disagree with that. You will find someone eventually, Cordelia. And when you do, that man will be very lucky."

Cordelia let out a small, embarrassed laugh, "Well… we will see if that actually comes true first."

A loud crash rang out down the hall. The noise came directly from the common room the Shepherds all shared. There was a flurry of angry shouts, curses, then a thud. Followed by Vaike's booming laughter.

"It looks like everyone is back from the formal party." Ben noted.

"And the after party has begun." Cordelia pinched the bridge of her nose, "Sully and Vaike are already drunk. I guarantee it."

"Shall us, the adults, go supervise them?" Ben smirked.

Cordelia took a deep breath, "You know what." She pushed the door to the common room open, "Let someone else worry about that for a change."

"GAIUS YOU DAMN THIEF!" Panne roared as Cordelia opened the door.

"Heeeeeelp! The rabbit is trying to kill me!"

"I told you to return _all_ of the jewelry!"

"But it was so shiny!"

Ben sighed as Gaius sprinted out of the room, followed closely by a furious Panne. Once both dissapeared down the hall, Robin stepped out. Face red, chest heaving up and down

"Gaius! Just hold on a little longer!" Robin stormed past both Cordelia and Panne, "How many fires do I have to put out in one day!?"

Ben looked across the door at Cordelia, "Whiskey?"

"Maybe something a little stronger."

….

The other Shepherds were not going to be happy. Especially Libra. The monk would probably have a full blown panic attack once they found out she had decided to leave. But Marth could not stay. That was no longer an option for her. The war with Plegia was over. Hopefully, now that Chrom was ruler of Ylisse and Mustafa was in charge of Plegia, peace would last for a little while.

She let out a pain filled grunt as she shouldered the bag she had packed. Traveling through the countryside was going to be treacherous. Now more than ever. The end of the war would see a surge in bandit activity. The criminals would be looking to take advantage of the weakness in both nations. It was a prime opportunity to start thieving, raiding, smuggling.

Her mind drifted to a blonde haired boy as she closed the door behind her with a quiet click.

Kage… he was still out there. It was likely he was on the run right now. He was one of the most wanted men in Archanea now. Chrom had placed a price on his head so enormous that no bandit would pass up the opportunity to turn him in for the gold. He was considered a Ylissean traitor. A spy. Someone worthy of capital punishment.

If anyone tried to do it, they would die. She had witnessed Kage's skills first hand. He had progressed so fast in such a short amount of time. At one point in their relationship, she was at least able to keep up with him in a duel. In the end, he always won. But it was not a dominating victory like the one at Gangrel's Palace.

Marth had no doubt that was because he had fully fallen to the dark side. Maul had been pushing her old friend in that direction for so long. It was only a matter of time till Kage gave in. This version of Kage she was now faced with was terrifying. Both in demeanor and sheer power.

And now, she was going to hunt him down. If there was anyone that could take him on, maybe even talk him out of whatever insane path he was following, it was her. If Master Kenobi confronted the boy, it would only lead to a savage duel. One whose outcome she was not certain of. At least if she found him first, he would talk to her before trying to kill her.

And if it did come to blows, Marth knew she would not last long. Her weapon was destroyed. Shattered into pieces by Maul's lightsaber. That fact still caused an ache to rush through her heart. That weapon was more than a simple sword to her. It was irreplaceable. And in her frantic rush to save her Master, it was destroyed.

 _At least I lost it doing something right._ She thought, _Instead of something stupid._

"Going somewhere, Blue?"

Marth froze as she passed beneath Arena Ferox's main gate. She wheeled around and saw Gaius hiding in the shadows. She opened her mouth to hiss at him, but Gaius placed a finger on his lips.

"Keep it down. I'm hiding."

Marth arched an eyebrow.

"I really pissed Whiskers off."

"Ah." Marth replied with an understanding nod. She waited for a moment, "Are you going to-"

"Stop you? Pfft! Like I can. Even with one arm, you would probably kick my ass. You've got that crazy magic on your side after all." Gaius whispered, "But before you go, I do have to ask, why are you going?"

Marth let out a long sigh, "My part here is done, for now. I have more important matters to deal with."

"Like that blonde haired bastard?" Gaius guessed.

Marth grimaced, "Yes."

The thief nodded, "You know, this is the part where I should probably say, 'oh no! You can't go alone! You can't go at all! Let me be your sidekick on some wild, dangerous adventure that'll probably kill us both'."

Marth found herself chuckling a little.

"But, I'll be honest, that's not me." Gaius smirked, "So," He rummaged into his pocket and pulled out a bright green lollipop, "My favorite flavor, Green Apple. Perfect amount of sweet and sour."

He flicked it over to Marth. Marth caught the candy and eyed it, surprised.

"For the road, Blue." Gaisu smiled.

"I smell you, Man-spawn!" Panne's voice rang out through the night air.

Gaius pressed his back to the wall, "Not a word, please."

Marth nodded, "Lips are sealed."

He mouthed a thank you to her before slipping into the shadows of Arena Ferox. Once Marth was sure the thief was gone, she took a deep breath and began walking again. A few steps out she stopped and looked down at the lollipop in her hand.

 _Why not?_

She used her teeth to rip open the wrapper. The candy dangled from the corner of her mouth as she continued down the road into the wilderness. In the distance, a snowstorm was brewing. And she was heading right towards it.

She uttered a weary sigh as she caught sight of the storm on the horizon

"You're already making this difficult, Kage."

 **And chapter! I guess you could say this is the end of part one, so to speak. If you want to break Fire Emblem Awakening up into parts that is. Although I do have one more chapter planned that deals with the aftermath of the Plegian-Ylisse War. I have it outlined. Now I just gotta create time to work on it!**

 **Anyways, it was about time the Shepherds had a happy moment! So here we go! Shenanigans and smiles. Nothing better. There will be a few interlude chapters before we start the Valm arc. Gotta build up those supports after all! I'm excited to keep this story going. It has been so much fun to write. I hope you all are enjoying this as much as I am.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	41. Returning Home

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 41

Returning Home

" _They didn't execute Mad King Gangrel?"_ The first voice uttered with both surprise and slight disgust.

The Hierophant replied with an indignant snort as he breathed deep. He was enjoying the salt air. The ocean had a calming affect on his mind and body. It was one of the few things he did not completely destroy in the future.

" _I'm honestly surprised."_

" _ **The all knowing part of ourselves has been surprised. Perhaps he should not be listened to?"**_ The demonic voice growled, " _ **We waste our time playing games. Let me loose. Let me feed."**_

" _Feed with what exactly? The decision to travel to this time rendered our full powers dormant until certain parameters can be met."_

" _ **We can still kill them all."**_

"And you can both shut up." The Hierophant snapped as he held his hands behind his back.

He opened his blazing yellow eyes and fixed his gaze on the open ocean. The waves were now gentle. They lapped against the rocky cliffs with a tenderness that was unnatural to the sea. Unlike the night when Plegia lost the war. That night, the ocean had raged. Displaying it's terrible might with massive waves that crashed against the cliff with thunderous cracks.

The sun was setting on the horizon. The sky grew darker by the minute. It was a beautiful image to look at. Beauty like this had been lost in the future. If the damnable spawn of Naga had not resisted, then the world would not have fallen so far. He did not want to destroy people. He did not want to slaughter everyone or decimate the land. They forced his hand. Forced him to use extreme measures in order to bring all resistance to an end. The Archanea the Hierophant knew was a barren wasteland. So seeing it with all of the natural beauty it once held was refreshing.

" _I hear that Mustafa fellow is going to hold a trial for Good King Gangrel."_ The Manipulative One sneered, " _That is not good for us."_

The Hierophant nodded in agreement, "The sickness in his mind grows weaker the longer he is beyond our control. Validar will not be able to get close to him. And Aversa is currently hiding."

" _From both Mustafa and us, I assume?"_

" _ **We should eat her for her failures."**_

" _Do you only think about food?"_

" _ **I think about gaining power. And hers would be delicious."**_

"Only once all the pieces are in place can we actually begin harvesting the Grimleal." The Hierophant breathed as he turned on his heel and began to casually walk to the small hut he had built near the cliffs.

" _He is right you know."_

The Demon growled in irritation.

"Hush now." The Hierophant said, his voice attempting to sooth the hunger, "You will soon have more humans to feed upon than you can handle. But we must have patience. Move too early, and we risk exposing ourselves. Exposing this timeline's vessel. And if we do that, then the Naga-spawn will react. We do not want to give them that opportunity."

The Manipulative One chuckled, " _I'm glad you were chosen to be our avatar. That mind of yours is so logical. But at the same time, so deliciously cunning and aggressive."_

" _ **Now he's trying to flatter you. I sense weakness."**_

"You sense his true nature. Just as he can sense yours." The Hierophant noted, "And no amount of flattery will make me listen to one of you more than the other. I've heard your arguments. And I'm choosing the best course of action."

" _Too much patience and Mustafa could unravel everything. Now is the time for us to grab power."_

" _ **We finally agree on something."**_

"Indeed." The Hierophant nodded as he stepped inside of his hut. At the center of the hut was a black box trimmed with gold. Ornate gold decorations were etched into the wood finish of the box, "That is why Validar is not with us right now."

" _May I inquire further as to why?"_

" _ **Why isn't my tasty morsel with us?"**_

"Lord Validar," The Hierophant breathed as he crossed the hut and plucked a jar of black ash from the windowsill, "Is about to become King Validar."

" _I thought Plegia and Ylisse wanted Mustafa to be King?"_

"Perhaps Ylisse does. But does Plegia really trust a General that surrendered to the enemy so easily? I think not. And I believe Mustafa knows this. He will not take the throne. He has neither the stomach nor nerve to rule. Which leaves a power vacuum in place."

The Demon chuckled, " _ **Our servants are very good at filling such vacuums."**_

" _I see. With Validar's return, the Grimleal will reorganize and rally behind him."_

"While everyone else that has a claim to Plegia's throne bickers and squabbles. Eventually, the more cohesive group with take power. And that group will be ours. Validar will be our eyes, ears, and mouth. The hand with which we guide the people of Plegia to their ultimate fate. And with them, the world will follow."

" _That still leaves Gangrel dangling as a dangerous loose end. He knows Validar should be dead."_

" _ **We eat the Mad King then."**_

"As entertaining as that would be, we cannot expose ourselves just yet. The situation is much to fragile." The Hierophant poured the black ash over the box, "But I do agree with both of you, Gangrel must be dealt with. When the madness fades, he will talk. He will warn Mustafa of what is coming. We cannot allow that."

" _So… how do you plan on eliminating that little threat?"_

The Heirophant's yellow eyes blazed. The shadows in the hut darkened as the sun dipped below the horizon. The earth beneath his feet shifted and trembled. He opened an outstretched hand. The black box's lid flipped open. A hollow moan rushed forth from the black chasm within. The dark ash around it started to rise into the air and take form.

"Oh Brother," The Hierophant smiled, "I seem to recall a certain hunter dying in your realm. One that was rather effective at assassinating political leaders. One of our late Sith servants used him most effectively a few years ago." He waved his hand as the column of ash began to take a human shape, "Can you bring that particular soul here please."

The Brother chuckled evilly, " _Oh… you desire that one. Can you control him?"_

" _ **As easily as any other mortal can be controlled. His mind and soul are bound to us. Bound to the darkness. If he defies us, I shall consume him."**_

"Well said." The Hierophant nodded, "Shall we create our assassin?"

" _ **Raising a Deadlord already? I approve."**_

"Sometimes overkill is not a bad thing." The Hierophant chuckled as the ash filled human sculpture began to morph and twist. Mandalorian armor appeared in the ash. The once silver and blue hues now black and purple. The dark colors of the Grimleal and their master. The helmet that covered the head glowed a brief second. The Hierophant saw red eyes spark behind the tinted visor before fading.

" _He is ready."_

"Excellent." The Hierophant breathed. He drew close to the monster, "My Deadlord? Can you hear me?"

There was a pause. A hollow breath emitted from the Mandalorian helmet.

"Master…." It breathed, "Who am I?"

The Hierophant grinned and placed a gentle hand on the Deadlord's cheek, "You are my servant. My assassin. Deadlord Draco."

Draco stiffened at the name.

"I do not recall that name."

"It is what I have given you. In your previous life you had a different name. But now, you are reborn by my design and power. So I have bestowed upon you a new name. One that the world will tremble at." The Hierophant's yellow eyes gleamed with delight, "Go forth now. The Plegian King, Gangrel, must die. Use whatever means necessary. But you are not to be discovered."

Draco bowed his head.

"It will be done, my lord."

….

Ylisstol was a little worse for wear. The evidence of a brutal siege was still prominent, even after three weeks of rebuilding and clean up. Weapons that had been lost or cast aside by soldiers were still being found in corners of the city. Arrows were still strewn about the many parks and stuck inside posts on the streets and buildings. A few bodies were still being found. It was grisly work. But it was also almost finished. And Ben was grateful for that.

The city would soon return to some semblance of normal. He doubted that anyone that resided in the beautiful, white city would ever fully recover from the horrors they experienced. Force, he doubted he ever would. All he had known for the past decade was war. Whether it was fighting in small interplanetary conflicts with Anakin as his padawan, leading armies during the Clone Wars, or fighting with the Shepherds against Plegia, it was a life he had grown used to. Peace felt odd. It felt wrong.

He folded his arms into the sleeves of his brown cloak. The winter months were deepening. Thankfully Ylisstol was nowhere near as frigid as Regna Ferox to the north. But there was still a chill in the air. A bite that made anyone unprepared shiver. But it was warm enough to where he could go outside and visit her.

Her headstone was pretty, but not gaudy. Simple and elegant. White marble, like the rest of Ylisstol's immaculate royal district. Ben was grateful to Chrom for placing Emmeryn outdoors instead of inside the grim Mausoleum that past Exalts now rested in. It was his idea to have Emmeryn reside in the freedom of the outdoors. Forever able to look upon the city she loved. The city she rebuilt and helped save.

Her memorial ceremony took place a week ago. A few days after they all finally returned to Ylisstol. It was a large, extravagant affair. The people of Ylisse all gathered to mourn her passing. They celebrated her life, remembered the great things she accomplished as Ylisse's Exalt, and in the end, forever etched her name with some of the greatest rulers Ylisse ever had. A true leader of her people. One that gave her life for them.

The Shepherd's ceremony for her was a much quieter affair. They all said a few words about her. They drank to her memory. And then it was over.

But not for Ben, he still needed time. Wished he had more time with her. Wished he could have done something, anything to save her.

" _Obi Wan…"_ Qui Gon's voice whispered on the wind.

Ben closed his eyes, "I know. I am lingering on an attachment." He took a breath, "But you probably were not going to scold me for that, were you?" He nodded, "You were probably going to tell me everything will be okay in the end. That she is now one with the force. That I shouldn't mourn her loss. Rather, I should celebrate her life." He uttered a shaky breath, "I never realized how difficult it is to lose someone like this. When I lost you, I had to immediately begin training Anakin. It was… it was a good distraction. When I lost Satine, I had to focus on the war. I had to make sure my men did not die under my command and that we won whatever battle we were fighting." He looked down at Emmeryn's headstone, "I don't have any distractions now. And with that, I miss her more every day." He ran a hand over his mouth, "Very un-Jedi of me. Master Yoda would most definitely be scolding me right now."

"Scolding you about what?"

Ben turned to see Chrom striding into small garden where Emmeryn was buried. A bouquet of flowers clutched in one hand.

"I didn't hear you coming." Ben said.

"It's alright." Chrom replied with a small nod. He patted Ben on the back then knelt down and placed the flowers on Emmeryn's headstone. He gave the stone a small tap with his palm before rising, "You had to visit too, huh?"

Ben nodded, "Yes." He took a deep breath, "I wish I had more time with her."

"Me too." Chrom nodded, "I wish she could be here with both of us." He laughed a little, "She would be fretting over Sumia all day right now. You know she is getting fitted for her wedding dress as we speak right?"

"Is she?" Ben remarked, "It's no wonder you are here then."

"It's crazy." Chrom chuckled, "So much fabric. And the girls are all oohing and aahing. And they're asking me what I think. Which one is prettier? Does it make her look fat? If I were to have seen her for the very first time, would I be blow away?"

"All very dangerous questions." Ben chuckled.

Chrom nodded, "I'm just going to let the girls have their fun with it. I know Maribelle is having the time of her life helping Sumia with the dress. Lissa is enjoying herself too. But I think she also feels Emm's absence right now."

Ben gave Chrom a sad smile, "Emm isn't totally gone you know."

Chrom gave him a confused look.

The swordsman removed his hands from his sleeves. He glanced up at the blue sky above them, "I believe she is watching you and Lissa as we speak. And I'm sure she is smiling."

Chrom sniffled a little. He cleared his throat, fighting back a couple tears.

"Thank you for that."

"It's what friends are for."

"Yes." Chrom took a deep breath then began to walk with Ben away from the garden, "So, have you found your outfit for the wedding."

Ben drew back, "Outfit?"

"Yes, outfit." Chrom replied, "You are going to attend the wedding, right?"

"Well…"

Chrom frowned. He stopped walking, "Ben."

"Here comes the scolding." The swordsman muttered under his breath.

"You are going to be at my wedding."

"Isn't the bride supposed to be the terror?" Ben replied with a touch of snark.

Chrom rolled his eyes, "You will be there, as one of my groomsmen."

Ben's eyes bulged from his skull, "I um- I don't know if I should-"

Chrom raised a hand, silencing the flabbergasted Ben.

"Stop yourself right there." Chrom continued, "There is no negotiating. This is my decision. I want you there. Alongside all of the other Shepherds. You are my friend. You just said so yourself. Friends don't skip out on another friend's wedding." Chrom exhaled, "Besides, if Emmeryn were still here, you wouldn't just be a friend. I think you would have become family."

Ben pursed his lips, "You are laying the guilt on thick, aren't you?"

Chrom let out a frustrated cry, "You're coming. That's final. Alright?"

"Alright."

"Got it."

"I got it." Ben replied, "Trust me."

"Good. Now go get yourself a proper outfit for it. I already have to deal with the fallout that will come from Robin wearing his coat to the ceremony. The other Lords and Ladies will just _love_ that."

"Do I hear Chrom saying he cares about politicians' opinions?" Ben laughed.

Chrom shook his head, "I better get back to Sumia's fitting."

"Naga speed." Ben said with a wry grin.

"Ha ha!" Chrom barked back as he strode away towards Sumia's room.

Once Chrom disappeared back into the palace, Ben turned and made his way towards the Shepherds barracks.

There was a lot of activity in the training yard just outside of the cozy little building. Ricken was cast multiple spells at targets and dummies. His speed and precision had improved by leaps and bounds since the end of the war. Robin was right beside him. The tactician was offering him as much advice as he could give on the subject of magic. And behind Robin, sitting on a picnic table, eyes flicking up from her spellbook every few seconds, was Tharja.

Across the training yard from them, Vaike and Lon'qu sparred. Both were actually evenly matched. Vaike used his superior strength to keep Lon'qu off balance whenever their blades connected. Meanwhile, Lon'qu danced around the slower Vaike. Trying to take advantage of whatever opening he could find. Sully and Stahl cheered them on from the sidelines.

Gregor was talking with Frederick about proper weapons care. Apparently, the Knight had found Gregor's methods of caring for his armor and weapons utterly appalling. So much so that they needed to be addressed immediately. But the conversation had evolved from telling Gregor to take care of his stuff, to Frederick learning about a strange salve Gregor had made that helped condition his blade so that it did not need to be sharpened or polished as often.

Virion was the first to notice Ben entering the yard. The archer waved him over to the picnic table he was sitting at. As usual, a cup of tea sat within arms reach of the man. And cradled between his fingers was a novel of some sort that he appeared halfway finished with.

"There you are, my friend." Virion smiled as Ben took a seat across from him, "Where have you been?"

"Visiting." Ben replied quietly.

"Ah." Virion sipped his tea, "I see." He turned the page of his book. As he started reading it, he noticed Ben's foot bouncing as he sat, "You are restless."

Ben exhaled and leaned back, "Is it that obvious?"

Virion shrugged, "I suppose. But in our own ways, we all are a touch restless. All of us are just dealing with it in our own ways. Sully, Stahl, and the other warriors spend their new free time training. Ricken is taking magic lessons from Robin. Tharja is stalking Robin." Ben uttered a small chuckle, "Chrom and Sumia are making their wedding arrangements with help from Lissa, Maribelle, and Miriel. Libra is at the cathedral doing something religious. Nowi has taken to following him around. Last week it was Lon'qu, very entertaining by the way. This week is Libra. Cordelia and Frederick are both assuming their new roles in the Ylissean military."

"Yes." Ben nodded, "Wing-Commander Cordelia and Knight-Commander Frederick. They both earned it."

"Agreed. They will both be exceptional in their respective roles." Virion pointed at Ben, "You though, you have not found a hobby. And no, meditating does not count."

Ben let out a long sigh, "Peacetime is so strange. I have been fighting for so long. To not have to fight anymore is… strange to say the least."

Virion nodded in agreement, "Life goes on. Perhaps now you can continue pursuing your original goal when you first joined our merry band of ne'er do wells, nincompoops, and knights."

Ben let out a small laugh. But Virion was right. Now that the war was over, he could go back to his original mission. Luke was still out there. The baby boy was missing. Alive, but lost. And it was Ben's job to find the boy and protect him. So far, he had done a miserable job of doing that.

"There will be plenty of orphanages popping up in the aftermath of the war, unfortunately." Virion noted with a grim expression, "Maybe you could start there?"

Ben nodded. It was not a bad idea. Just as he was about to reply, Robin took a seat beside Virion.

"Is she still staring?" He asked.

"Who?" Ben asked.

"You know who?" Robin hissed back, "I swear, her eyes are glued to me twenty four hours a day. I would not be surprised if she watched me sleep at night."

Ben snorted, "Hey Virion."

"Yes?"

"I think our tactician does not know how to take a hint."

Virion let out a small laugh, "Indeed, he does not."

"A hint? What hint? What are you two talking about?" Robin frowned as both Ben and Virion began to chuckle uncontrollably, "If this has something to do with romance then I have no clue what you all are talking about. I only have a few months worth of memories to work with. None of which have anything to do with women."

"Then we must teach you." Virion said as he put an arm around Robin.

" _You_ must teach him." Ben corrected with a small laugh, "I want no part of this craziness."

"But I must rely on some of your expertise, Ben." Virion protested, "A dashing fellow such as yourself must have ensnared many a fair maiden."

"I have not."

"Only an Exalt and a noble woman from Valm." Robin reminded the other two, "And those are just the ones we know about."

"I'm telling you, that is it." Ben replied.

"I find that very hard to believe." Virion smirked, "During the after party your stunning good looks and charming tongue had even mighty Sully fanning herself more than a Feroxi in the middle of the Plegian desert."

Robin burst into laughter as Ben struggled to find words.

"For one, I was drunk." Ben pointed out, "For two, drunk me is not the real me."

"We all use that excuse at some point." Virion grinned, "Don't even get me started on Cordelia's expression when you said-

"No more!" Ben groaned and massaged his forehead, "I'm never drinking again."

"And we have all said that at some point as well." Virion chuckled, "You need to learn to relax, Ben. Your health will thank you for it." Virion cleared his throat, "But back to our original point, Robin," He clasped a hand on the tactician's shoulder, "Lady Tharja has fallen for you."

Robin's eyes bulged from his skull, "F-fall-fallen? I-" He shook his head, "I haven't even really spoken to her!"

"Love at first sight!" Virion declared as Ben laughed.

"Uh, no!" Robin cried, "I'm fairly certain love doesn't work that way."

"How would you know?" Ben smirked, "You only have a few months of memories to work with."

Robin narrowed his eyes at Ben, "That's not fair."

"I think he needs to learn to relax as well." Ben nodded to Virion.

"I'm sure Tharja would be more than happy to help with that." Virion said as he waggled his eyebrows at Robin.

"And we are done with this conversation!" Robin snapped as he smacked the table with his hands, "Have you two found your outfits for the wedding?"

"No." Ben snorted.

Viron brought his teacup to his lips, "I'm sure Tharja would love to help you into yours."

"DAMN IT, VIRION!"

….

Ben watched as Chrom paced back and forth in the Cathedral's massive main hall. Every single seat inside of the building was occupied. The air was filled with good natured chit chat and some gossip. Armed guards were posted near every major entry and exit. Though the guests managed to ignore them. Frederick himself had taken on the task of setting up the security for the wedding. He said it was because it was still his duty to see to the Prince and his family's safety.

Ben thought it was because Frederick wanted to wear his new set of armor instead of a suit.

He raised an eyebrow as Chrom stopped his pacing, muttered under his breath as his hands fidgted with the collar of his shirt, then continued his nervous antics. The swordsman sighed.

"Everything will be fine, Chrom." Ben reassured him.

"Ben's right." Robin nodded as he smoothed out some wrinkles in his coat, "This whole ceremony will be a piece of cake."

"Then we will have actual cake afterwards and party through the night!" Vaike smiled.

"Would it have killed you to have put on a proper shirt?" Stahl asked the big brute.

"I am wearing a tie!" Vaike replied defensively as he brushed the single article of clothing he had on his upper body.

"Both of you…" Ben eyed the pair and they quickly fell silent, "Chrom take a breath before you pass out."

"I'm getting married." Chrom muttered beneath a shallow breath. His pacing continued.

"Uh guys, the Captain's snapped." Vaike said.

"He has not snapped. He is having a completely normal reaction. I think?" Robin countered.

"You are correct, Robin. Now Vaike, follow Lon'qu's lead, and be quiet!" Ben hissed.

The deep notes of the cathedral organ began humming through the air. Chrom's pacing stopped instantly. The doors to the cathedral opened. The Prince stiffened in place. He swallowed hard. Ben could see some nervous sweat forming on his brow.

 _Keep it together, Chrom._

First the bridesmaids strode into the cathedral. Maribelle and Miriel led the way. The mage still wore the equivalent of mage's robes. But they were a rich red color instead of the typical grey or black. Maribelle sported a lovely red gown that flowed as much as her blonde hair did. Lissa came in next. The Princess was jumping up and down with excitement as she skipped down the main aisle up towards the pulpit. Nowi sprinted after her. The little Manakete wide eyed and cheerful as ever. Tharja strode in. And, to no one's surprise, she did not care about the dress code. She still wore her Grimleal attire. Her spellbook was still cradled in her arms. And anyone that dared cast her a disapproving glance stopped as soon as they heard her muttering under her breath. No one wanted to get hexed today.

Virion elbowed Robin as the dark mage took her place beside Nowi. The tactician glared at the archer but did not say a word.

Sully and Cordelia made their way down the aisle next. It had taken a great deal of persuasion and effort in order to get Sully into a gown. And it had taken the threat of hex in order to force her to not wear her riding boots to the wedding. Cordelia meanwhile, looked stunning in her maid of honor outfit. She smiled as she took her place closest to where Chrom and Sumia would be standing.

Finally, Sumia came tip toeing into the Cathedral. The sight of her in her wedding dress stole all of the breath from Chrom's body. Ben watched as his cheeks flushed, turned pale, then flushed again.

"He may have snapped, Robin." Ben whispered to Chrom's best man.

"Yeah… you may be right. But there is no turning back now." Robin whispered back, "If he passes out, we'll blame it on the tie being too tight."

"Restricted airflow to the lungs. A credible excuse." Ben nodded in agreement.

Sumia took her place across from Chrom. She blushed a deep scarlet color as Chrom stared slack jawed at her. Indeed, Sumia looked absolutely radiant in her wedding dress. The smiles that graced both the bride and groom's faces were enough to place a broad grin on Ben's face.

"You know what?"

"What?" Robin asked as Libra stepped forward to begin the ceremony.

"I don't think I have ever taken part in a wedding before."

Robin looked over at Ben, surprised.

"Well then, this is a good first one." Robin smirked.

"Just wait for the after party." Vaike snickered, "If you thought the one after the peace treaty was wild, then you are in for a real treat."

Ben tuned out Libra as the priest began to go through the traditional scriptures involved in a royal wedding. He found his gaze shifting between all of the Shepherds.

This was right. The smiles on the other Shepherds' faces was enough for Ben to know that for a certainty. This was not just a group of military comrades or companions. Not even a group of friends. This was a small, dysfunctional, unorthodox family sharing the pulpit. Every single one of them thrilled and overjoyed as Chrom and Sumia began to say their vows. And he was considered a member of that family.

It blew Ben away.

"You are both now bound together, in life and in death." Libra said with a large smile, "May Naga bless you both with joy and prosperity." He gestured at Chrom. "You may now-

Chrom and Sumia surged at each other. Their lips met. And the crowd erupted in applause and cheers. Ben found himself grinning ear to ear as he clapped along with Robin.

For the first time in a long time, there was happiness around all of them. Ben prayed that it would last.

….

Rain during the winter season in Regna Ferox was a miserable thing. Not only was it damp, but the chill that bit into the bones was unforgiving. Kage shivered as he wrapped his black cloak tight over his thin frame. He kept his hood low as he shuffled towards the city docks.

Port Ferox was one of the few large settlements in the frozen northern country. Its size and population was due to the massive harbor that dominated the entire western edge of the city. Ships from all over the world made port here. Goods for trade were in constant motion. Both being loaded and unloaded from massive trading ships and little fishing boats.

Dockworkers shouted over the sea spray and rain as they offloaded ships. Fisherman were busy weighing their latest catches so that they could get paid and go drink at the nearest tavern. Merchants still manned their stalls along the waterfront, despite the unforgiving weather. Each one hoping that, by being miserable now, they could gather more gold in the long run.

But Kage was not interested in fish or trade. This city was just a stepping stone to where he needed to go. He had already passed several of his wanted posters pasted onto the sides of walls and buildings throughout the city. Prince Chrom wanted him captured and brought to Ylisstol for trial.

The Sith did not blame him. He did betray the Prince's trust. But he also did not care. Let the weakling try and catch him. He would fail. Just as all the others that tried to stop him would. There was only one left in this world that could possibly stand up to him.

His fist curled into a ball then quickly relaxed by his side as he approached a large Feroxi ship captain that was barking orders to other sailors near his ship.

"Excuse me." Kage said in a hushed tone.

"Hm?" The massive man turned to look at Kage, who was hunched over ot shield both his identity and the rain, "What is it boy?"

"I am looking for passage out of Regna Ferox. I was wondering where you would be sailing to next."

"Passage?" The Captain's voice boomed, "Listen here kid, I don't do passengers on my ship. Not unless they can pull their own weight. And quite frankly, you don't look like you can even hold down a mooring line."

Kage scowled beneath his hood. He raised a hand and waved it in front of his face.

"You will give me passage to Valm."

The Captain's eyes narrowed for a second. Then they glazed over.

"I… will give you passage to Valm."

"We will leave immediately." Kage said with another wave of his hand.

"We will leave immediately."

"Carry on, Captain." Kage said as he strode towards the Ship's gangplank.

It was a modest sized boat. Big enough to handle the rough seas that existed between the continent of Archanea and the land of Valm. It would suit his purposes just fine. He would find a small corner of the boat to call his own. And then he would lie low until the ship docked.

 _And on to Chon'sin from there._ Kage thought to himself as he stepped below deck, happy to escape the freezing rain.

He did not let his hood fall from his head. If even one sailor discovered who he was… well he'd have to kill that sailor. And that was a mess he did not want to deal with right now.

He descended all the way down to the bottom deck and decided to make a spot near the food supplies his home for the next week or two. Or however long it took for the ship to make the crossing to Valm.

Once he was certain he was alone, and would not be discovered, Kage let his drenched hood fall from his head. He ran a cold hand through his blonde locks and uttered a long, heavy sigh.

"That damn bounty made this way more tedious than it needed to be." He muttered as he removed his boots and shook the water out of them.

It was good he was leaving. He could not handle living on the run like this for very long. Eventually someone would try to arrest him. Which meant someone would have to die. And honestly, he did not want to deal with the hassle.

That was partially why he was leaving Archanea. Life here was unbearable now. Everywhere he traveled to, everywhere he looked, he saw her. Saw her smile. Her gentle face. Kage swallowed hard. The look of absolute betrayal in her eyes when he finally chose a side haunted his mind. And then, before he even had a chance to apologize, to try to make amends, Maul took her away.

His fist balled up by his sides. The force leaked out of him. Wooden crates cracked nearby as he grit his teeth in anger. Kenobi, if he had only tried to stop Maul. If he had only unleashed his full power, then she would still be alive. Lucina would not be dead.

"DAMN HIM!" He roared.

Four crates shattered around him, littering the floor with splinters. Kage uttered a few shaky breaths. The dark side of the force raged around him. Rushed through his body. Spoke sweet, venomous thoughts in his mind. Urged him to track down Obi Wan Kenobi and kill him for failing her.

"No." He breathed.

He could not do that. Obi Wan was her master. As much as it infuriated him to wait, he did not want to slaughter someone so close to Lucina so soon after her death. He would be out of focus for the entire duel. Consumed by his rage to the point where he would have no control. And while that would work against any other opponent, it would not work against a fully prepared Jedi Master.

And he would be prepared. He had told Kenobi to be prepared. The next time he saw the man, Kage was going to kill him. There would be no stopping him.

Still, he was not certain of victory. He needed to train. Educate himself more. And in order to do that, he would have to find somewhere he could train without any prying eyes.

Then there was the second reason for his traveling to Valm. That being, he had to find someone. Someone very important to him. If he found the boy first, then he would not be found by the Shepherds. And most importantly, he would not be found by Maul when that monster finally arrived in this time.

Kage sighed and lay down on the ship's uncomfortable deck. His weary eyes began to close.

Hopefully, if Kage found himself first, he would not have to suffer the torturous existence he had already lived.

 **And chapter! A royal wedding! Some humorous bonding between our shepherds. The whereabouts of Kage have been revealed! And the Hierophant is beginning to make his move for power in Plegia. I wonder who that Deadlord is? Hm… hehe! This is so much fun!**

 **Now, I'm sure you all have noticed that the frequency with which I update has taken a drastic uptick. That is because I am actually nursing an injured knee. Which means I am currently unable to work in the restaurant I work at for at least a couple months because I will very likely need surgery (yay…). But on the bright side, that means more time for writing! Not only will I update more often, but maybe I'll get a breakthrough when it comes to an original work. Who knows?**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	42. A New Journey

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 42

A New Journey

The throne room was always dark. A stark contrast to the bright light that once dominated this room in his Imperial Palace long ago. The the shades over the expansive windows that cast deep shadows all around were there on purpose. He had told the original designer that it was for security purposes. He did not want prying eyes on him as he worked on official Imperial business. The simple minded man believed that story well enough. But the real purpose was to add insult to injury when it came to the Sith's ancient enemy.

Casting the once mighty Jedi High Council chambers in eternal shadow was the last bit of corruption that put a sinister grin on Darth Sidious's face. The great temple was now rotted from within. Fallen and corrupted by the dark side of the force. It became the best place for him to rest in the Force. To wrestle the Dark Side awake and divine what lay in the future from it.

It was during one of those divinations that something very strange occurred. He found his consciousness transported to a place unlike any he had ever heard of before. It was the most strange reality he had ever felt. The best way he could describe it, was as a reality between the one he knew, and the one that only the dead learned of. So when he arrived in that strange grey area between life and death, he was already extremely curious. Then he saw her. The human woman named Lucina.

That was all he knew about her. Just her name and appearance. No origin, no planetary location, not even why she was so significant. He just knew that the Force considered her to be very special. And that piqued his interest. So much so that he had tried multiple times to return to the world between worlds. But to no avail.

So when his attempts to regain entry failed, he threw himself into the forbidden knowledge he had collected over the many decades of his life. He unsealed long closed Sith Holocrons. Hoping that the wisdom and knowledge of the great masters before him would open his mind grant him understanding of what he saw. When that failed, he attempted to pry open what little Jedi Holocrons were left in existence. But even they failed to give him the knowledge he now craved.

Surprisingly, the first lead as to what he saw came not from an ancient Sith text, or a Jedi holocron. Instead, it came from a field report. Dated towards the tail end of the Clone War. An archivist with the Imperial Navy had brought it to his attention just a few days ago. The ignorant officer had called the account so outlandish that it had to be fantasy. A tale about two Jedi Knights and a Padawan Learner skipping through reality and entering an unknown planet named Mortis. And on that planet were three living beings, described as the Ones. Beings so powerful with the Force that they warped the very fabric of existence on this strange, enigmatic world.

It was as if they existed in another reality. Separated but connected with his own. And that led Sidious on a voracious quest to learn more about these Ones. The gods of Mortis. If what he hypothesized was true, then these Mortis gods could very well be the link between the realm of the living force and the cosmic force. And by extension, the bridge between life and death.

But his search for more knowledge had finally stalled. The information gathered on the mythical world of Mortis was scant. Even rarer was information on the gods of Mortis. What little he did learn came from a simple mural carved into the walls of a Jedi Temple on Lothal. But that was just a simple piece of artwork. Not much more could be gleaned from it.

So now, that led him back to the woman he witnessed in the world between worlds. When he saw her, she was afraid. Afraid and in pain. He theorized that this strange world may be a the bridge that crossed life and death. And if that was true, than the girl he witnessed was dying when he saw her. And despite the cosmic force beckoning her to become one with it, she was ripped back into the realm of the living. Away from his sight.

It clicked in his mind. She was the key. The secret to how to overcome death lay with a young woman from an unknown planet.

 _She must be found._

But this was not a mission that could be entrusted with anyone. As much as he wanted to personally investigate, he was now the Emperor of a galaxy wide empire. Without him, the entire system he had so carefully set in place would collapse. All the progress he had made would be lost. The Empire he built was still a newborn babe compared to the government that it was birthed from. It needed care and attention. No, he could not divert his will away from it.

That was what he had an apprentice for.

His gnarled, scarred hand tapped a small button on his desk. A blue hologram shimmered in front of him. An imperial officer saluted him.

"Yes, your excellency?"

"Send me Lord Vader." The Emperor croaked.

The Officer nodded, saluted, then the hologram shimmered out of existence.

How fortuitous that Vader was now back on Coruscant. The timing of his return was no coincidence. For the past few years, he had had been hunting down what remained of the Jedi Order. And in doing so, became one of the greatest Jedi Killers the Sith Order had ever created. No Jedi could stand against the furious might of Lord Vader. Which pleased Sidious. After the disaster that was Mustafar, he was not certain how effective of a tool his new apprentice would be. But Lord Vader had outperformed every expectation. Passed every test, so far.

But this would be a new test for the young Sith Lord. This was not a Jedi hunt. And it was not a mission to quash a resistance that sprang up on some backwater world. No, this was a delicate mission. One that would require patience, precision, and efficiency.

Sidious frowned as he felt Vader's presence nearing the throne room. He would need assistance.

The doors to the throne room hissed open. Vader's heavy, booted feat stomped across the rich, scarlet carpet. Once the towering apprentice was a few feet away from his Master, he knelt down and bowed his head.

"You summoned me, my master." Vader's deep baritone boomed through the circular room. Followed closely by the harsh rasp that resulted from his respirator.

"Rise, my friend." Sidious beckoned.

Vader returned to his towering height.

"I trust your last mission was successful?"

"The Jedi that was infesting the planet of Kashyyyk has been dealt with. Any rebellion among the Wookies died with him." Vader replied.

"Good. Very good." Sidious replied with a please grin, "I hope you have had time to rest. For the next task I have for you will not be as easy."

He could sense some hesitation from Lord Vader. He was curious, but cautious. A far cry from how he was when he was first appointed a Lord of the Sith. Failure and the fires of Mustafar had burned away any recklessness and replaced it with cold efficiency and ruthlessness. Sidious could not help but grin with pride. He may never reach his full potential, but Lord Vader was his greatest accomplishment.

"Tell me," Sidious rose from his seat and swept around his desk. He began to walk towards the door, and Vader followed him, "Have you had any visions of late?"

He heard Vader's breath hitch ever so slightly. The guard on his mind was thrown up as well. Oh yes, he had visions. Ones that he did not want his Master to know about. Ones that betrayed the fact that Anakin Skywalker still lived deep down in the recesses of Vader's mind.

But those visions were not his concern.

"Strange visions." Sidious clarified as they exited the throne room and began to stride through the darkened halls of the Imperial Palace, "Visions of unexplained phenomenons? Unknown worlds? Enigmatic figures?"

Vader glanced over at his Master, "I have not."

"Strange. Normally, you are much more prone to such things than I. A fact that I am loathe to admit to." Sidious let out a small exhaled, "I have had such a vision, Lord Vader. One of a human woman, unknown to me. She was caught in the grey area between life and death. And before death could grasp her, she was ripped back into the world of the living."

Vader was stunned. He could sense it. Good, he was saying the right things to his apprentice. Drawing him in so that this mission would become an obsession.

"I was able to learn of the woman's name. Lucina." Sidious continued, "I know not what world she resides on, nor how she managed to cheat death. But what I do know is that the Force deems her to be very special."

"You believe she is the key to learning how to cheat death?" Vader asked as he stopped walking. Outside, the constant buzz of Coruscant filtered through the thick walls. Creating a low hum in the air.

"I do." Sidious nodded, "She must be found."

"Where do you wish for me to begin?" Vader asked.

"I believe there may be a connection between the realm I witnessed her in and the world of Mortis." Vader tensed, "I seem to recall Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker had an encounter with that strange planet. Perhaps using what he learned from the gods of Mortis can help us discover the location of this Lucina."

"And therefore discovering the secrets of life and death?"

Sidious placed a gnarled hand on Vader's armored shoulder, "Precisely, my friend. I trust this task to you. Take your 501st and scour the stars. Do not rest until her and the world she lives on is found." Sidious paused, "Lord Vader, this is a very delicate mission. I want this woman brought to me alive and unharmed. Also, your normal commander will not have the intellect for such a puzzle."

"I believe Admiral Yularen to be more than capable of assisting me." Vader countered.

"The Admiral is being assigned to oversee Imperial intelligence." Sidious said, effectively shutting down Vader's argument, "I am assigning you a Naval Captain that has caught my attention. His creativity and unorthodox intelligence will be more helpful than an elderly admiral's experience in this matter. I assure you of that."

"The name of this Captain?" Vader asked.

Sidious smirked. He could sense Vader's displeasure. His apprentice had a long history with Admiral Yularen. The two fought side by side during the Clone Wars. They knew how each other thought. What tactics the other preferred to use.

But Yularen was a rigid thinker. He was not suited for this endeavor.

"His name is Thrawn." Sidious answered, "You will find him at the Shipyard, overseeing the outfitting of the ship I had commissioned for him." Sidious began to walk ahead of Vader. He had an address to make to the Imperial Senate. And he did not want to be late, "Lord Vader, I expect nothing but success in this mission. Any failure will be dealt with most severely."

"I will not fail you, Master."

Vader bowed, stepped past his master, and made his way onto the turbo lift. As he disappeared from view, Sidious paused and took a breath.

"Now, who to entrust with hunting down the last of the Jedi?"

….

Mustafa sat anxiously in his chair as the Plegian military council convened in the royal palace. Today was the day that every general, captain, and nobleman in attendance both anticipated and dreaded. The trial of Mad King Gangrel.

It was a grim atmosphere in the palace. The Grimleal had not sent any representatives to the trail. And still, even with their absence, their dark power hung in the air like a thick fog. It was as if they had more of an impact without showing up than they would have if they did.

The people had turned against the Grimleal, for now. And that was good. But they were all still very afraid of the dark mages, despite their sudden lack of power and leadership. It would not be long until those fiends found a new Aversa or Validar to take the mantle of High Priest. Mustafa prayed that maybe, the grunts of the order had their eyes opened to their folly with the end of the war. And that they would choose a High Priest who had Plegia's best interest at heart. One who would bring the Grimleal back to what he believed was their original purpose. Servants of the people. Just as the next King should be as well.

He stiffened in his seat as the doors to the Palace swung inward with a loud groan. Two of Mustafa's best soldiers dragged the Mad King into the main hall.

Somehow, the Mad King looked even more haggard and crazed than before. His brown hair was long and stringy. It hung over his eyes like shredded curtains. His eyes that at one time blazed with a feral madness, now looked hollow and sunken. The mark of a defeated man. But what was most unnerving about the Mad King's appearance, was his silence. The defeated tyrant had not spoken a single word since he awoke bound in chains in the custody of Regna Ferox's soldiers and their Ylissean allies.

Mustafa had personally tried to question the man. Aversa had disappeared from the battlefield. She had been the muscle behind the Mad King's power. He suspected that Gangrel knew where that witch had fled to. But he was disappointed when the King did not give him the answers he sought. Without her and the Grimleal's support, Gangrel would have lost his grip on power long ago. There had to be some sort of arrangement in place so that if one fell, the other would rise and take their place. But now was not the time to delve into conspiracies.

"Gangrel," Mustafa's voice boomed through the Great Hall, "You stand accused of multiple crimes against humanity. Both against the people of Ylisse and the people of Plegia. You stand accused of inciting a war. One that thankfully, was not as disastrous as the last. But the blood of the dead are on your hands. You stand accused of neglecting your duties as King of our nation. Of being a self serving tyrant. Hell bent on feeding your own ambition and madness, instead of serving the people who placed on the throne. How do you respond to these charges?"

Gangrel's hollow eyes looked up at him. And the venom behind his gaze shot Mustafa like an arrow through the chest.

"If you think I am the only one behind all of this, you are mistaken." Gangrel's whispered. Just loud enough so that Mustafa could hear him.

Mustafa leaned forward in his seat, "Care to explain, Mad King?"

Gangrel snorted, "Mad King? Is that what I became?" He shook his head, "Damn me to hell already, Mustafa."

The large general scowled, "We shall judge you according to the law. And only after you answer the military council's questions." He saw Gangrel beginning to laugh under his breath, "Do you think this is a farce?"

"Oh the grandest of them." Gangrel raised his gaze so that his haunted eyes stared directly into Mustafa's, "If you think I will be alive by the end of this little game, well… you are a victim of some rather wishful thinking."

Mustafa narrowed his gaze at the man. He rose from his seat and stepped down so that he stood over the Fallen King.

"If someone is trying to kill you, tell us. We will not allow it to happen."

Gangrel began to chuckled.

"Is it the Grimleal?"

His chuckling grew in volume.

"Is it Aversa?"

Gangrel shook his head.

"Worse." The Mad King laughed. His eyes drifted towards the rafters of the Great Hall.

"Then who, Gangrel? Who is trying to silence you? Who is trying to keep you from helping your people?"

An unnatural shriek shot through the air. A feeling like hot fire brushed past Mustafa's neck. He could feel the skin cooking as a red flash zipped beneath his vision and slammed into Gangrel's chest. A smoking hole erupted where the red flash hit the Mad King. The man's eyes widened in pain before he fell backwards out of his chair.

The military council erupted in fury and panic. Numerous captains and generals were barking orders at their men. Demanding that the one who cast a spell at King Gangrel and General Mustafa be found and brought before them. Mustafa knelt down beside Gangrel as the king struggled for breath. He did not bother to call for a healer. The charred hole in Gangrel's chest told Mustafa that there was no hope for the Mad King. He would die.

Gangrel's lips parted into a twisted smile. The light began to fade from his eyes.

"He... is ready."

….

Ben took a deep breath as he meditated in the guy's room of the Shepherd's barracks. It had been two weeks since the Royal Wedding. Two weeks since Sumia and Chrom officially became family. And over a month since the end of the war between Ylisse and Plegia. During that time, he had struggled to adjust to the feeling of peace. When he wasn't feeling completely restless, he was either meditating or searching.

So far, his investigation into the many orphanages that had sprung up Ylisstol had yielded nothing. There were plenty of baby boys. But they were all the wrong age or did not match his physical description of baby Luke. His search was fruitless. And it was causing a great deal of frustration to build up in him.

He took that frustration out one of two ways, by meditating or by training. He needed to do both. Meditation helped clear his mind. Cured the restlessness for at least a few hours. And he really needed to train. The difficulty of the war weighed heavy on his mind. He was still not used to his body's newfound youth. It was as if he had been returned completely to his capabilities as a Padawan. His connection to the Force felt weaker. His abilities as a swordsman were lacking compared to what he was once capable of.

Ben frowned and massaged a small gash that was still healing on his forearm. He got it during the last battle of the war. A Plegian soldier got lucky. That should never have happened. He shook his head and took a deep breath.

 _Rest in the Force._

" _Obi Wan…"_

His eye twitched as he heard Qui Gon's voice. He took another deep breath.

 _There is Peace._

" _You can't just ignore me, Obi Wan."_

Ben let out a frustrated growl.

"What now?" He asked out loud.

" _You're not getting anywhere just sitting here, Obi Wan."_

"I'm not just sitting here. I'm meditating."

" _You are one long, deep breath away from falling asleep."_ Qui Gon chided, " _If was there I would have yanked on your braid already."_

Ben snorted, "Joke is on you." He rose to his feet, "I don't have a braid anymore."

" _You may as well have with how childish you have been as of late."_

Ben frowned, "Childish?"

" _Yes, childish. I told you to trust the Shepherds. Have you listened to me yet?"_

Ben grimaced.

" _You have not."_

"They know I'm a Jedi."

" _But they do not know what that means."_

Ben grabbed his cloak and threw it over his shoulders, "They know enough."

" _Obi Wan, being silent about who you are will only harm them and yourself."_

Ben strapped his rapier to his hip. "No, being silent about who I am will keep them safe. If the Empire ever does arrive here, they can play ignorance."

Qui Gon was silent for a moment.

" _Do you really believe that will save them?"_

Ben pinched the bridge of his nose as he stepped outside, "Well, its not like they would believe me."

"Believe you about what?"

Ben almost jumped out of his own skin. He turned and narrowed his eyes at the eavesdropper. But relaxed when he saw Robin leaning up against the barrack's wall.

"Oh, it's just you." Ben breathed.

"Yup. Just me." Robin waited a moment, "So, what will I not believe?"

"Oh that, well," Ben scratched the back of his neck, "I was just talking to myself."

"Sounded like a pretty intense conversation." Robin replied, "You can trust me you know. If there is something you need to tell me. Just say it."

Ben sighed, "Well…I'm-," Should he say something. Qui Gon was no doubt listening. He was always listening. No, not yet. "I'm about to leave actually."

"Leave?" Robin drew back, "And go where?"

"The orphanages have revealed nothing." Ben replied, "And I cannot just sit here while-"

"While your son is Naga knows where." Robin finished for him, "I'm sorry. I've been so caught up in the war, and the aftermath of it, that I forgot about that."

"You have nothing to apologize for, Robin." Ben smiled as the pair walked towards the Palace gate. The two gate guards nodded to both of them as they exited the compound and entered the main city, "It is not your problem to worry about."

"Well I am worried about it." Robin responded, "You're my friend, Ben. Your problems are my problems."

Ben shook his head. If Robin knew the full extent of this particular problem, he would not be saying that. They both swiftly made their way towards the Market district. Once there, Ben purchased a leather bag and began buying supplies for a long, extended journey.

"So…" Robin smacked his lips, "You plan on going alone?" He asked as his eyes wandered over a display of knives that Ben was also perusing.

Ben nodded.

Robin frowned. He reached into his pocket and withdrew several silver coins. He pointed at a rudimentary knife. Not fancy by any means. But one that would undobutely serve him well.

"That knife please."

Ben gave Robin a curious look. Robin was a tactician and a mage. Most people in those professions did not buy knives. They bought books, quills, and ink. Maybe a few alchemical ingredients every now and then. But not a knife.

"What's the look for?" Robin asked, "I'm going to be needing it."

"Why?" Ben asked with some trepidation.

"Cause you aren't going traipsing through Archanea on your own." Robin answered.

Ben opened and closed his mouth, "Robin this not-"

"My problem? Yeah, well I already said that it is. The entire reason you joined the Shepherds in the first place was because you wanted to find your son. The war and my crazy strategies distracted you from that goal. Consider this me paying you back for all of the help you gave me." Robin took a breath, "And besides, I've got three other reasons for wanting to get out of Ylisstol."

"And those would be?" Ben asked as they crossed the market over to some of the food stalls.

Ben's eyes roved over the delicious looking fruits. But he avoided those in the end. They would not keep very well on the journey. And they were very expensive. The war had caused Ylisstol to have a limited harvest. The less expensive foods were all grains and a few dried meats and nuts. And those were the things that would last.

"One, I'm a tactician, not a military man."

Ben arched an eyebrow, puzzled.

"Chrom offered me a military commission." Robin explained, "I told him I'd think about it. But…" He shook his head, "I don't see myself as someone who is going to make a living out of fighting wars."

"But you just did that."

"That was different." Robin argued.

"How so?" Ben asked.

"Because it was the right thing to do." Robin answered, "I don't just want to go to war for war's sake. If I have to be a military tactician, it has to be for a damn good reason."

Ben nodded in agreement, "The military life is not for everyone. Trust me, I know."

Robin gave Ben an intrigued expression, but he did not pursue the matter any further. He still had a hard time justifying turning down Chrom's offer. It pained him to make that decision. He knew Chrom would make sure he was taken care of. That he was well compensated and given as much freedom as possible. But he also knew that a commitment to the Ylissean military was not one to be taken lightly. Frederick was the Knight-Commander now. If Robin joined the Ylissean military, Frederick would be his direct boss, not Chrom. While the tactician did consider the knight a friend, he did not really want to have that kind of relationship with him.

"Reason number two." Robin continued. He tapped his head, "I still have none of my old memories."

Ben finished paying for some dried ham, nuts, and corn. He thanked the vendor and returned his attention to Robin.

"You hope to trigger your memory by traveling?"

Robin shrugged, "Maybe I run into something that will restart the brain." Robin bought an apple from a fruit vendor and took a large bite. Savoring the sweet taste. He finished chewing then continued, "And lastly, I'm worried about Marth."

Ben glanced over at Robin. A mischievous smirk was on the swordsman's face.

"It is a professional relationship!" Robin cried.

Ben nodded but was not convinced.

"And well, she left without saying goodbye."

"Yes, your sorrow over her not saying goodbye really does display a professional relationship." Ben teased.

"Ben I swear I will thunderbolt you where you stand." Robin hissed.

Ben's only reply was a good natured chuckle, "I understand what you meant, Robin." Ben took a breath, "I worry about Marth as well. She left without any notice. Not even a letter telling us her intentions."

Robin shook his head, "I've got a feeling she's getting herself into a mess she won't be able to get out of."

"You feel like she is about to do something rash?"

"If by rash, you mean track down Kage." Ben's face hardened considerably as Robin spoke, "Then yes, I do think she is about to do something very, very rash. And I think it is our responsibility to make sure she doesn't get herself killed. Who knows what Kage is capable now at this point?"

Ben nodded in agreement, "So we will be searching for Luke, Marth, and your memories."

"Luke?" Robin echoed, "Is that-"

"Yes, that is his name." Ben answered reluctantly.

"Luke." Robin nodded, "Alright. The amnesiac will try to remember that."

Ben laughed a little. He purchased a flint and stone as well as a book of matches from the market before finally deciding to return to the barracks and gather his own personal effects. Which were very few in number, but there were a couple shirts that he did like. When the pair returned to the Palace, Robin went to work on packing his own gear. By the time they were both ready to travel, the sun was starting to set.

But the onset of evening was not going to deter Ben. He had already lost enough time staying in Ylisstol searching through orphanages. Luke had to been found as quickly as possible.

Robin was waiting for him down in the yard. He nodded at the tactician.

"Last chance to stay." Ben said.

"Not a chance." Robin shook his head.

Both turned to walk towards the exit. Only to find the way blocked by the other Shepherds.

Robin blanched as he received a hard stare from Chrom.

"Uh…"

"Not even going to say goodbye?" The Prince asked as he folded his arms.

Robin cringed. Ben raised his hand.

"To be fair, I was pressuring him to hurry up." Ben took a breath, "I'm worried about Luke."

"Your son." Chrom nodded, "Yeah, I would be to." He strode up to Robin and gave the tactician a large hug, "I'm a little disappointed your answer is no."

Robin chuckled, "I figured as much. But I don't think I'd be able to ride a desk. Not after all of the craziness we have been through."

Chrom smiled, "At least you have a damn good reason." He gripped Robin's hand, "There is always a place here," He glanced at Ben, "For both of you."

"Absolutely." Sumia nodded.

Robin smiled. Ben remained silent. Still shocked beyond words at the generosity Chrom displayed.

The pair were about to start walking again when Tharja stepped away from the other Shepherds and planted herself right next to Robin.

"Uh…"

"I'm coming too." The Dark Mage said.

"Tharja, that's really not-"

"Try to stop me." Tharja narrowed her eyes at both Robin and Ben.

Ben felt a nervous bead of sweat run down the side of his face. Robin paled considerably.

"I wasn't going to try and stop you." Robin gulped.

The dark mage gave him a small smirk, "I'm glad."

"I'm going too!"

Gaius burst out from the other Shepherds and put himself besides Ben. He elbowed the swordsman playfully.

"Gaius, that may not be the best idea." Ben sighed.

"Why not?"

"Because I may get arrested due to your antics." Ben answered.

"Ok. Let me rephrase." Gaius put his hands together, "Do you both trust me to behave myself here in the Exalt's palace?"

Ben and Robin both glanced at each other.

"He's coming with." Robin nodded.

"Oh absolutely. If he doesn't we will end up getting a letter from him while in prison saying that he stole Sumia's crown or something." Ben agreed, "Someone has to keep an eye on him."

"And that someone will be me." Panne drew up beside Gaius, "Because for some reason, he will only listen to me."

"Only because you're _so_ adorable, Whiskers." Gaius replied with heavy sarcasm.

Ben clapped his hands together, "Alright, no more. If this keeps up, we will be marching with the entire Ylissean army."

Chrom chuckled, "Probably." He gave Ben firm handshake, "I wish you the best of luck, Ben."

Ben smiled, "Thank you."

Chrom sighed, "Well, Shepherds," He nodded at everyone else blocking the path out of the palace, "I think it's time we got out of their way."

The others parted. Vaike pounded his chest as Robin and Ben made their way past him. Miriel smiled and asked them both to bring her back some rare plant specimens if they were able to. Lissa was on the verge of tears, but she held them back and bade them both safe travels. Lon'qu just nodded at Ben and Robin. His silent acknowledgment was enough for all of them. Frederick, Sully, Stahl, and Kellam gave the group warm smiles. Nowi was crying. Gregor and Ricken were by her side, trying his best to cheer the little Manakete up. Virion and Maribelle gave the group a bow and curtsy. Libra offered a silent prayer for the travelers. As well as a wish of luck.

Cordelia was the last one to send them off. Ben actually paused. Her hands were tucked behind her back as she stood in front of him.

"I had a feeling you would be leaving." She said.

Ben nodded, "Luke is out there somewhere. I have to find him."

Cordelia sighed, "I wish I could tag along. But… Wing-Commander duties call. I'm going to have the lovely joy of sitting at a desk evaluating soldiers for the next few months. Yippee."

Ben chuckled with her. Cordelia took a deep breath and brought her hands out from behind her back. Cradled in her grip was the new javelin she had designed.

"It's light and small, so it shouldn't weigh you down too much."

Ben gave her a stunned look. He gently took the weapon from her hands and twirled it in the air.

"It turned out perfect." Ben smiled, "But I can't take this."

"Take it." Cordelia argued back, "I'm going to have more made. They'll be standard issue by the time you get back. I guarantee it."

Ben gave her a soft smile.

"And make sure you do come back." Cordelia pointed at Robin, "The barracks won't be the same with you all gone."

Robin waved at her, "You worry too much! We'll be fine."

"Yeah Red. I'm sure we will make plenty of visits." Gaius said.

Ben nodded, "Well… thank you, Cordelia."

"Don't mention it." Cordelia replied, "Now, you better get going before the sun sets. Otherwise you won't get far."

Ben smiled, turned on his heel, and followed Robin and the others out of the palace gate, and onto the road that led to a new journey.

….

Kage had forgotten how beautiful the land of Chon'sin was. It was small country along the southeast coast of the land of Valm. Years ago it had been absorbed into the Valm Empire. Conquered by the great Emperor Walhart. But even after it's fall to the Valmese Empire, the land had not lost its natural beauty.

The cherry blossom trees were in bloom. Green rice fields stretched out for miles around as Kage made his way towards the largest settlement in the little nation. Each rice field was worked by dozens of natives. Toiling in the warm sun in order to provide food to their families.

Bamboo forests rose up far in the distance. Every inch of those thick woods filled with creatures that had never been seen beyond the borders of this land. Bears that had white and black fur. Cranes that were as tall as any man and sported lush, bright feathers that were coveted for their beauty. There was even the occasional tiger spotted roaming the thickets.

The settlements of this land were also incredible compared to the ones in Archanea. More often than not, they were adorned with flowers the colors of which were indescribable. Even now, after so many years being away, it took Kage's breath away. The beauty of the world around him was enough to make him forget about all of the pain and hardship he had experienced. Even if it was just for a small moment.

It had not taken him long to finally reach the land he had once called home. The sea captain he hired made it to the eastern coast of Valm in record time. Kage rewarded him handsomely for accomplishing such a feat. Once he was on shore, he purchased a map and swiftly cut his way south east. And now he stood at the open gateway of the city he had grown up in.

He weaved his way through the stone streets towards the palace that sat on a hill above the rest of the city. As he walked, he noticed several people pointing at him. Some were curious. It was not often a foreigner, much less one from Archanea, came to visit this land. Others were more wary. And some, were out right threatening.

The threatening ones carried swords and wore traditional Chon'sin armor. Members of the military, no doubt. Probably on leave from the Valm conquests. As long as they did not bother him, Kage would leave them alone.

"Hey!"

He stopped probably as one of the soldiers cut him off and pushed his shoulder.

"What are you doing here, Ylissean?" The man growled.

Kage smirked under his hood, "Bold of you to think I'm from Ylisse."

"You clearly are. The blonde hair is a dead giveaway." The man sneered, "We don't want your kind here. So why don't you turn around and go back the way you came."

"My kind?" Kage echoed, "I was not aware that I had a kind. And I will go where I please."

He attempted to step around the man. But this fool was determined to get himself killed.

The man drew his sword and held it out, pressing the flat of the blade against Kage's chest.

"Another step, and you and I will have a problem."

Kage grit his teeth. His hand drifted towards his own blade strapped to his hip. He dared not draw his lightsaber. That would attract the wrong kind of attention. Before he could rip his blade free and cut down the idiot, a woman's voice barked out over the crowd.

"What manner of disturbance is this?"

Kage glanced over and froze. Striding towards him and his assailant, was a Chon'sin noblewoman. Her jet black hair was held back by a thick piece of white cloth. Beyond that strange article of clothing, she wore an ornate kimono that was common for someone of her station. Kage quickly turned away from his attacker and executed an expert bow to the woman. At her side was a little boy, no more than a year old, wearing black robes. A sweet treat was gripped in one hand while the other held Say'ri's.

"P-princess Say'ri." The attacker stammered.

"Do you mean to put off guests in such a way?" She asked harshly, "I thought soldiers of my brother's army were cut from a finer cloth."

The man gulped.

"Make certain that I do not catch wind of any more trouble from you."

"Yes, your grace." The man gave Kage a harsh glare before quickly retreating away.

Kage took a deep breath then rose from his boy.

"Thank you for your timely intervention, your majesty."

"Majesty?" She eyed Kage carefully, "I am surprised someone from such a far away land knows of our customs. But such an occurrence is most welcome."

Kage nodded, "It is not the first time I have traveled to Chon'sin, your majesty."

Say'ri gave him a small smile, "It pleases me to hear you decided to return. Travelers do not come here often. Much less, travelers from Ylisse. Pray, tell me your name. I wish to erase the slight one of my brother's men gave you."

Kage raised a hand, "It was no trouble. If he tried anything then well… I would probably be leaving the city with a bloody sword."

"Fie!" Say'ri cried, "You would be commended for dealing with an out of control brute."

"Big sis." The little toddler tugged on Say'ri's sleeve, "Are we going home now?"

Say'ri sighed, "Yes, little brother. Just give me a moment."

Kage smiled at Say'ri, "Cute kid. But I can't help but notice he does not look like someone from Chon'sin. Was his father a foreigner?"

Say'ri shrugged, "Perhaps. I know not his parents origins. My brother found him in the aftermath of one of the Conqueror's battles. He took pity upon the child and adopted him into our family."

"Really?" Kage smiled, "I am pleased to hear the rulers of Chon'sin are so kind and generous."

"A flatterer are you?" Say'ri noted, "Be careful with that. Too much could put a person off. May I inquire your name, sir?"

Kage nodded, "Luke." He answered, "And I know your name, your majesty. But not the little Prince's."

"I'm Kage!" The blonde haired boy cried.

Say'ri gave the boy a broad smile, "He's still learning to talk proper. And still learning his manners."

"It's no trouble at all." Luke said with a warm grin, "I thank you for telling that soldier to piss off." Say'ri chuckled a little, "And well, I look forward to enjoying your city. I plan on staying for a while."

"I'm glad to hear that. Perhaps we will meet again soon. Until then, I bid you a good day."

"You as well, Princess Say'ri." Luke bowed low again as Say'ri nodded and walked towards the palace with little Kage in tow.

As they strode up the hill, Luke's gaze lingered on the little boy a little longer. He had timed his arrival perfectly. Yen'fay had already found him and brought him to live among the nobility of Chon'sin. In a few years time, the Ylisseans would arrive on the continent. When that war was over, he would meet Lucina for the first time.

His chest ached at that memory. So much so that he pushed it from his mind. With a small growl he turned on his heel and marched to the nearest in. He was tired. And honestly, a warm bed and a strong drink did not sound like a bad idea.

 **And chapter! BOOM! What everyone long suspected is in fact true! Kage is indeed this universes' version of Luke! It was about time I officially confirmed it in the story. But how about that little twist of where he is at as a little boy? And one more thing… isn't he supposed to be a baby according to Ben? Is the Force doing some time shenanigans with our favorite Jedi Master? You will all find out eventually, I assure you.**

 **But perhaps, more pressing of all, Sidious has ordered Vader to being searching for Lucina. And Vader always succeeds in his missions. How long do our heroes have before the Empire reaches their home, I wonder?**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	43. The First Step

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 43

The First Step

Captain Thrawn was unconventional by every definition of the word. Especially when that word was applied to the Galactic Imperial Navy. On the surface, he was not that striking. His grey officer's uniform was always pristine. No loose threads in the seams. Pressed and cleaned to a perfect finish. The lines crisp and straight. The colored badges that indicated rank all symmetrical on his left breast. The model look of an officer.

If only he was human, he would have been made an Admiral by now.

The Chiss officer was not a fool. He knew how the other officers in the Imperial Navy thought of him. He was an alien. From his closely cropped black hair, pupil-less red eyes, to royal blue skin. Not a single aspect of him was human. In his mind, that was a good thing. He admired the human race for their creativity. But he was always perplexed by their illogical and irrational thought patterns.

Most of the other Chiss in the Ascendancy thought of the humans almost like rabid parasites. But Thrawn was not foolish like the leaders of his old home. The human race were not parasites. Sure, by most traditional metrics, they were an invasive species. You would be hard pressed not to find a human on any world in the known galaxy. Their population had spread dramatically. But that was not due to a parasitic nature. Rather, in Thrawn's estimation, it was due to a raw determination and stunning amount of cunning that few galactic societies were capable of.

And he saw that determination and cunning in The Emperor. But the Emperor also exhibited inhuman characteristics that gave pause to Thrawn. There was a coldness to the Emperor's cunning. A startling efficiency and logic that made the Chiss's blood go cold in his veins. The Emperor was not a man to be crossed. Not someone to be trifled with or challenged.

To coin the old human saying; if you can't beat them, join them.

"Captain."

Thrawn glanced to his right. His young aide, a human officer named commander Eli Vanto, strode towards him.

"The engraving is almost complete." The commander said with a small smile, "She will undoubtedly be your ship."

Thrawn let a small smirk cross his lips as he looked up at the underbelly of his ship, the _Chimaera_. Engraved on the underbelly was a personal touch Thrawn wanted to have. A great Chimaera beast etched into the metal. When he arrived in battle, everyone, friend and foe would know. And they would know that they were defeated.

Commander Vanto drew a data pad, "The ship is magnificent sir. It has the most up to date turbo-lasers. A large enough hanger bay to accommodate multiple squadrons of Tie Fighters and Bombers with room to spare for three or four Lambda shuttles. The cargo bays have enough room to hold two years worth of provisions, making the need for port not an issue for a long time. Shielding technology is state of the art, for the Navy." Vanto let out a happy sigh, "It is a naval officer's dream come true."

Thrawn did not say a word. He simply kept walking beneath his new home. Red eyes darting up every so often to glance at the magnificent work. Most Imperial vessels were not that special. But there was a certain pride one took when a ship became their own. Thrawn folded his hands behind his back.

"Is she ready to disembark?" Thrawn asked.

"The engraving needs to settle for an hour or two." Vanto replied, "Then she is ready for takeoff. The crew are already all aboard and acclimating to their stations."

Thrawn nodded. He was very pleased. His crew were already doing their due diligence. Which meant the Emperor made sure to outfit his ship with the brightest minds and the most hardworking of soldiers. That would certainly rub the other Imperial officers in the navy the wrong way, but frankly he did not care. Let them think what they will of him. Thrawn would outshine them all.

"Do we have our first assignment?" He asked Vanto as he made his way towards the shuttle that would take him aboard his ship.

They both stepped onto the shuttle as Vanto scrolled through pages on the data pad. There was a perplexed expression on the man's face as they rose through the air up into the _Chimaera's_ main hangar bay.

His silence was actually beginning to concern Thrawn as they stepped off the shuttle and onto the Chimaera. All around Thrawn, stormtroopers were going about their tasks. Their white armor polished so clean he could see his own reflection in it as he walked by them. Officers in black uniforms were barking orders at enlisted men as they finished final preparations for takeoff. Everyone aboard his ship seemed frantic.

 _Why are we preparing for take off?_

"I'm sorry, Captain." Vanto breathed, "But every time I try to bring up our mission report, it kicks me out. I don't have the clearance."

Thrawn raised an eyebrow, "Strange." he muttered.

Someone ordered take off on his ship. But that did not explain the frantic nature of his crew. They all seemed nervous. Afraid even. Was there an admiral aboard his ship? Thrawn turned and made straight away for the bridge.

"I just tried your clearance sir." Vanto said as he attempted to keep pace with Captain, "No luck still."

 _The mystery grows._

And the mystery was solved as he entered the bridge. Both Vanto and Thrawn stopped in their tracks. He heard Vanto suck in a sharp breath at who they saw standing in front of the Chimaera's expansive stood a head taller than anyone else on the bridge. Exuding a power and authority that no one, except the Emperor himself, could produce. Thrawn actually found himself growing a touch hesitant as he looked upon the back of Darth Vader. Nevertheless, he swallowed his own apprehension and stepped into the bridge.

"You have finally arrived, Captain." Vader's voice boomed over the bridge.

"I was under the impression that take off would not occur until I received an assignment." Thrawn's calm, even voice replied.

"Your impression was wrong. And you have received an assignment." Vader kept his gaze focused out on the shipyard, "One not meant for imperial channels."

Thrawn remained expressionless. But in his mind, he was surprised. The Emperor must have taken an extreme interest in him if he was being given a secret mission. A mission so secretive that not even major admirals could know about it.

"Perhaps we should take this discussion somewhere more private then?" Thrawn asked.

"Yes. We shall go to my quarters."

 _Your quarters!?_

Now Thrawn was very surprised. Was Vader now his commanding officer? He recalled the stormtroopers he saw in the hangar bay. They moved like absolute professionals. Not like the usual conscripts the Imperial navy now had. That meant that these were not new soldiers. These were veterans. Hardened by the crucible of war.

They were Vader's Fist, the 501st.

 _Not only is Lord Vader on my ship, but his soldiers man it._ The door to Vader's personal quarters hissed closed behind them. Eli Vanto wisely remained outside. The young officer knew when to give Thrawn space. And this was definitely one of those moments, _What exactly is going on?_

"You are apprehensive, Captain?" Vader thundered, "Perhaps, fearful?"

Thrawn straightened, "Not fearful, Lord Vader. More curious."

"You were not aware that I and the 501st would be a part of your crew?"

Thrawn shook his head, "I was not."

"Good. It shall stay that way when it comes to the admirals in the fleet." Vader replied as he moved over to a data pad on a nearby table. He grabbed the data pad and handed it to Thrawn, "Our mission is on there."

Thrawn blinked, "Our?"

"Yes, our." Vader replied, "The Emperor wishes for us to work together in this endeavor."

Thrawn pressed his lips together. He entered his clearance and the data pad came to life in his hands. His brow furrowed in confusion.

"A search and discovery mission? What could we be looking for that requires such high levels of clearance?" He handed the data pad back to Vader.

"A planet." Vader replied.

"Specifics?" Thrawn pressed.

Vader towered over him, "An inhabited planet."

Thrawn grimaced, "Well, that narrows the possibilities down to several thousand. Do we have a general location?"

Vader did not answer.

"So we are looking for an unknown planet in a region spanning the entire galaxy?" Thrawn took a breath, "The Emperor certainly likes to make missions entertaining."

"You do not think this too much for you?"

Thrawn shook his head, "No puzzle is unsolvable, Lord Vader. Given enough time, the answer will be found. I assume the Emperor has a very expressed interest in this planet. One that is rather personal given the secrecy surrounding this mission."

Vader walked past Thrawn and into a room that branched off of the living space. Inside of the other room was a large, black spherical structure. It was open. Cracked in half like an egg. Inside was a simple seat and multiple screens from which a person could gather information. Thrawn's analytical mind raced as he took in the dimensions of the structure.

It was a pod of some sort. One that could have its air pressure regulated from the inside.

Vader took a seat inside of the pod.

"Look up the report regarding the planet known as Mortis." Vader ordered, "From there, go to Lothal. That is where our search will begin."

 _Lothal? Searching for an unknown planet in the mid-rim?_ Thrawn was now confused. Most planets in the mid-rim were already mapped and accounted for. Inhabited by multiple civilizations even.

"Do I have the clearance to look up the Mortis Report?" Thrawn asked.

This was a tantalizing puzzle. One he was anxious to start solving. But he needed the first piece in order to start placing everything else together.

No, he had the first piece already. The importance of this mission was an enormous part of this puzzle. The Emperor himself wished for this to remain secret. He had assigned Lord Vader and his personal legion to the mission. Had given command of the ship flying them to an alien Captain. One that was rising quickly in the naval ranks and was not held in high regard due to his alien nature and intellect. But was held in high esteem by the Emperor for those very same reasons.

This was something personal to the Emperor. Something he wanted done by the best minds in the Empire. And trusted only to his most loyal of servants. Thrawn was the mind. Vader the loyalty; as well as the fist that would crush Thrawn if he failed.

Vader did not reply as the pod sealed closed. Thrawn furrowed his brow but did not press the enigmatic figure with anymore questions. The Chiss officer turned on his heel and made his way back to the door, where Eli Vanto was waiting.

"Sir, what is the nature of our mission?" Vanto asked.

Thrawn eyed the young officer. He was very nervous. His complexion looked sickly. That was understandable. Lord Vader was an intimidating figure to behold. His reputation among the navy was well known. He did not tolerate incompetence or failure. Officers that displayed those traits were not just removed. They were eliminated by the Emperor's attack dog personally. Vanto understood the danger that he and Thrawn were now exposed to. He was very observant that way. It was why Thrawn appreciated him as an aide.

"I want everything regarding the planet known as Mortis brought to me at once." Thrawn ordered as he made his way back towards the bridge.

"M-Mortis?" Vanto asked, "I don't believe I've ever heard of such a place. Do I have the clearance for that?"

"You should." Thrawn answered.

Vanto appeared skeptical. He punched in his codes to the data pad and drew back in surprise.

"I-I have top clearance now!?"

Thrawn's lips curled into a small smirk. Lord Vader worked quickly.

"Well, Commander?"

Vanto gaped at the screen a moment longer before stammering back, "I-I will have all information on Mortis relayed to you immediately, sir."

Thrawn nodded, "Good." The door to the bridge opened, "In the meantime, inform the rest of the crew of our destination."

"That being?"

"Lothal."

Vanto raised his brow, "Lothal? That is a backwater world to say the least. Why there?"

Thrawn stood in front of the viewport. The Chimaera's engines thundered to life for the first time. He watched as the skyline of Coruscant started to shrink beneath him.

"The next piece to the puzzle is on Lothal, Commander." Thrawn answered as the ship lumbered out into orbit, "I intend to find it. When we jump to lightspeed, assemble a task force of our best men to descend down to the surface with Lord Vader. I have no doubt that he will want to lead this part of the mission, personally."

Vanto saluted and marched away to carry out the Captain's orders. Thrawn took a breath. His first mission as the commander of his own ship, and it was a secret one. How fitting.

"Enter hyperspace." He ordered.

The stars in front of him became large beams of light. The hyperdrive generator roared to life. And the _Chimeara_ shot off into the stars.

….

Ben frowned beneath his hood as he sat hunched over beneath the thick branches of an oak tree. His hood was soaking wet. As was his cloak. Pretty much every article of clothing on his body and in his small traveling pack were soaking wet. It had rained for three straight days. A violent thunderstorm that had severely hampered his progress and forced the group to take shelter far more often than they had time for.

When he, Robin, Gaius, Tharja, and Panne all set out from Ylisstol, they did not have a single destination in mind. Finding Luke was going to be a monumental task. It would be like searching for a needle in a haystack.

 _Except that needle also happens to have a cloaking device on it._

Ben's frown deepened. During the times where they were forced to set up camp and take shelter, he threw himself into the Force. He hoped that by delving deep into the waters of the living force, he would be able to pick up Luke's force signature. He was the son of Anakin Skywalker. That alone gave the boy enough of a predisposition to the Force to make him very prominent if one looked hard enough.

Despite all of his meditations and searching through the Force's currents, Luke remained hidden from his sight. And it was beginning to grate on Ben's nerves. The weather also did not help his sour mood. Robin had suggested traveling South first in order to avoid the winter months of Regna Ferox in the north. Besides, Ben first met the Shepherds in South Town. He said that his search started not far from there (which was not exactly a lie). Robin's logic was that Ben should retrace his steps and figure out exactly where he lost Luke at. Then proceed with the search from there. Track the baby and the potential kidnapper's movements from the spot where it all began.

 _Unfortunately, I cannot just return to outer space._ Ben thought.

Under normal circumstances, Robin's logic made sense. That was how many search and rescue missions were conducted. Figure out where the missing person disappeared at and expand the search from there. But this was not an ordinary missing person. This was Luke Skywalker, the last hope for the Jedi Order and the Galaxy at large. Ben had a feeling that finding the boy would not be easy. But he still had to try.

He recoiled as a massive drop of water plopped down on his head from the branches above him.

"Lovely weather." Gaius mumbled as he basked beneath the creaking branches of the Oak Tree.

"We should have stayed in Southtown another day." Panne grumbled as she attempted to shake the water from her fur, "I will smell like a wet dog for the next few days now."

"Could be a snowstorm." Robin reminded both of them as he wrapped his arms tight around his body.

"Or a sandstorm." Gaius pointed out, "You Ylisseans have no idea how lucky you all have it. Do you know what I would have given to have water just fall from the sky like this while I lived in Plegia?"

"Rain is normal weather, Gaius." Panne sighed.

"Not in that dustbin of a country I once called home." Gaius looked over at Tharja, who somehow remained fairly dry. Ben would not have been surprised if she cast some sort of hex that helped her with that. But she still looked just as miserable as everyone else, "Right Sunshine?"

"Call me Sunshine again and see what I do to you." Tharja threatened through gnashed teeth.

Gaius paled, "Geez, I say it out of love." He folded his hands behind his head and sighed, "No need to get all offended." He let out a long breath, "So… I just saw lightning above us."

"Uh huh." Robin nodded as Ben groaned beside him, "We won't be going any further today." He unslung his traveling pack and began to unroll the tent he had with him, "Time to set up camp."

Ben shook his head but said nothing. He reluctantly undid his own pack and began to set up his small tent as well.

 _It is as if the Force is doing everything in its power to keep me from fulfilling my mission._ He thought glumly as he struggled with the wooden tent poles.

With a frustrated snarl, he shoved the tent pole against the fabric of his tent. The heavy cloth tore in two. Ben's fist balled up tight around the heavy fabric.

"You okay, Benny?" Gaius asked as the thief set his tent up beside Panne's.

"Do I look okay?" Ben hissed.

Gaius frowned, "You look like you need some rest."

"I cannot rest! We are so far behind schedule right now." Ben cried.

Robin poked his head out from his completed tent, "I was not aware we were on a schedule."

"Of course we are!" Ben exclaimed, "Every day that passes is another day lost. Another day for the trail to Luke to grow colder." He held up his ruined tent and tossed it to the side, "Brilliant. I'm a damn genius."

"If you need a dry tent, me and Robin can share a tent." Tharja suggested. Her cheeks turned a slight pink at the thought, "You could use Robin's tent then."

Robin replied with an awkward laugh then withdrew back into his own tent. Tharja blinked then sighed.

"Or you could share with me, Ben." Tharja sighed despondently, "I don't mind."

"Oooh," Gaius cooed from his tent, "Benny and Sunshine sitting in a tent-"

Ben grit his teeth and flicked his wrist. Gaius let out a startled cry as his tent collapsed on top of him. Just barely in the realm of his own hearing, Ben heard Panne chuckling to herself as Gaius flailed beneath the remains of his tent.

"Ben!" Tharja snapped.

"Yes?" Ben replied, exhausted.

"Are you joining me or not?" She asked before disappearing into her tent.

Ben sighed and hung his head. A loud crack of thunder erupted across the sky. The rain began to pour down even harder than before. He glanced up at the black skies above him and shook his head.

 _Why? Why must this be so difficult?_ He glanced down at Tharja's tent, _I suppose I must. It would do not good if I caught cold._

He tightened his dripping cloak around his cold, soaked body and trudged through the sopping soil into Tharja's tent.

The tents they took with them were not like the tents at the army encampments during the war. These tents were traveling tents. Normally meant for just one person. Lightweight and easy to set up. And in Ben's case, easy to break. Thankfully, Tharja's was just big enough for two people to fit comfortably. It was a tight squeeze. Ben had to twist over her as he claimed the damper side. It would be rude to make a lady sleep in the wet and cold. Even if that lady was a crazy, ex-Grimleal dark mage who would not hesitate to hex Ben up to his eyeballs.

"Do not worry." Tharja muttered as she turned over on her side. Away from Ben, "As long as you don't touch me, I will not hex you." She glanced over her shoulder at him, "If you do, I have a very creative hex in mind. One that will involves your hands and a lot of blood."

Ben sighed, "Trust me, I have no desire to provoke your wrath."

With that last word, Ben fell on his side and shut his eyes. In truth, he was very tired. And within minutes, sleep claimed him.

….

It had been a few nights since he had a nightmare. In fact, they were growing less frequent the longer he stayed on this planet. But every now and then, a nightmare did plague his sleep. And they were always so vivid. He swore he was back on Mustafar. Breathing the ash filled air. His lungs choking from the toxins that floated around its glowing surface. But he could not focus on his burning lungs, or his heated skin. Not if he was to survive the most terrifying, savage duel he had ever fought.

Every movement played again in his mind. Every swing, lunge, dash, and jump. Every grunt of pain, heart leap of triumph, and pit of sorrow. He lived it all as two blue lightsabers clashed in an ever growing violent storm. Then the dream came to that fateful bank along the molten river of lava.

Anakin jumped. Obi Wan reacted. His limbs fell to the black sand again.

" _I HATE YOU!"_

Obi Wan's heart hammered in his chest as those words echoed.

" _I HATE YOU!"_

There was another sound. The trickling and cracking of the molten rock around him dulled. Breaking through the harsh winds of Mustafar's molten surface, was a deep, rumbling rasp. It thrummed in his ears. A sharp inhale. A lingering exhale. Robotic yet human. Over and over again. In. Out.

" _I HATE YOU!"_

Anakin's voice was twisted. Morphed into something unrecognizable. It skipped between the rasping beats. And hammered against Obi Wan's mind like a deep roar.

Inhale. Exhale.

" _Don't make me kill you."_

Inhale. Exhale.

" _If you're not with me, then you are my enemy."_

Inhale. Exhale.

A mixture of voices hit his mind. Two he recognized. One was Anakin's. The youthful, aggressive tone filled with worry and despair. The second was Marth's. Her quiet yet commanding voice filled with fear and panic. The last was one he did not recognize. It was deep. Overpowering and intimidating. And it burned through his mind. Leaving an impression he would never forget.

" _MASTER!"_

….

"ANAKIN!" Ben screamed as he jolted awake.

His forehead smacked against the tent pole above his head. He let out a loud howl before scrambling out of the tent. His bare feet pounded against the soft, damp soil of the forest floor as he sprinted off away from the camp.

In the distance Robin and Gaius called his name as they emerged from their tents, groggy and half asleep. Trying to figure out what was wrong. But he did not hear them. All he could hear were the voices. Voices and the volcanic wind of Mustafar.

He kept running until it felt like his legs were slowing down. They felt cold and wet. He looked down and finally noticed he was not on the molten world anymore. He was waist deep in water. It was the river his small group had been following as they moved south through the Halidom.

The panic slowly left his eyes. And it was replaced by sorrow. He let out a choked cry before sinking to his knees in the clay and water. The river trickled by him. Flowing over his shoulders. Unchanging and unending. Not caring that he now sat in its path.

"I knew it was a bad nightmare."

Ben raised his eyes and glanced back at the river bank behind him. Tharja lounged against a tree trunk. Her spell book was open. She had been reading.

"I just didn't think it was bad enough to send you screaming through the night."

Ben swallowed. His throat was as dry as sandpaper. He shook his head and did his best to catch his breath.

"Who is Anakin?" Tharja asked as Ben began to pull himself out of the water.

Ben eyed her suspiciously. He did not answer. Instead, he slumped down on the wet grass beside her.

"I did not mean to wake you." He muttered.

"You did not answer my question." Tharja countered, "And does it look like I care if you woke me or not. It is not like you did it on purpose. If you had done it on purpose, you never would have awoken from your nightmare."

Ben wiped sweat from his face with his dripping hands. Succeeding in drying off neither. He took another deep breath and rested his elbows on his knees.

"So?" Tharja asked.

Ben let out an irritated sound.

"It is not for you to know." He finally answered.

He got ready to get back to his feet. But a sharp pain erupted from his left forearm. He let out a hiss and looked down to see a cut had opened up. A small bead of blood began trickling over his skin before dropping down onto the grass. He glanced over at Tharja and saw her wielding a small, sharp knife. One with his blood on it.

"What do you think you're-"

"The first step to healing is confronting what is causing you pain." Tharja said, "The Ylissean healers like to bury the pain. Dull it until it goes away on its own. But they confront the pain in their own way. What we in the Grimleal did was embrace the pain until we grew used to it. That way, we would never notice it again. It became a part of us. And in the end, it fueled us. Whether that pain was mental or physical, it would become part of us. And then it would fade away. Because it no longer held power over us." She eyed Ben, "Do you want to confront your pain? Or bury it?"

A drop of Ben's blood fell from her knife onto an open page in her spell book. A purple glow swept over the many runes that littered the page. Ben eyed it with increasing apprehension.

"What you are doing now obviously isn't working." Tharja noted.

"And what do you think I am doing?"

"Ignoring the pain. Letting it fester like an untreated wound." Tharja answered, her voice sharp as a whip, "You refuse to confront the wound and instead pretend it is not there. Continue doing so, and the wound will infect the rest of your mind. And it will destroy you."

Ben snorted, "I didn't think the Grimleal, of all people, cared about healing."

"We care about strength and power." Tharja replied, "And one cannot be strong or powerful without being healthy. It may have been an overlooked aspect under Validar and Aversa's leadership, but it was one that wise dark mages payed attention to." She drew in a deep breath, "Why do you think I am so meticulous about what I eat?"

"I thought you were just picky."

Tharja narrowed her eyes at him. She knew he was desperately trying to change the subject.

"Choose Ben." She lowered her gaze at him, "Rot? Or heal?"

Ben eyed the glowing pages of Tharja's tome once again.

"I will warn you. Confronting the pain my way will hurt." Tharja said, "It will tear open old wounds and force you to feel every emotion of the pain all over again. But it will give you the chance to harden yourself. To eventually laugh in the face of that pain."

Ben gulped. He took a deep breath. And against his better judgement, he nodded.

A string of words left Tharja's lips. A spell of some sort. She spoke so low and fast that Ben could not keep up with what she was saying. The purple glow turned into a mist that surrounded both of them. The mist circled like a predator. Sweeping low over their heads then drawing close to both of their faces.

"What exactly are you doing?" Ben asked.

Before he could get an answer from Tharja, the mist shot into Ben's and Tharja's foreheads. Their heads snapped back and Ben's sight left him.

….

Ben opened his eyes. There was a bright, fluorescent light over his head. It was not cold or blinding. It held a warmness to it. Meant to make the space around him feel comfortable. A silvery metallic ceiling sat above his vision. Beneath his body was a slick, black, dura-steel floor. He groaned as he sat up. And what he saw snatched the breath from his body.

It was Amidala's royal yacht. More specifically, the engine room. The hyperdrive generator sat nearby. It's compartments torn open by a young padawan learner that was cursing under his breath. He recognized that young man fiddling with wires innumerable and drive cores that refused to function. He could recall why. The drive cores were overheated and burnt out. They had received external damage from a blast that rocked the J-type 327 Nubian.

Ben heard a small groan beside him. His eyes flicked to his side. Tharja was beginning to push herself up off of the black floor. She narrowed her eyes as she looked around what was an incredibly foreign space to her.

"Where-"

"The yacht belonging to Queen Padme Amidala of Naboo." Ben answered Tharja.

Tharja's eyes flicked around the engine room, "I thought yachts were boats."

Ben uttered a small snort, "This particular boat flies."

Tharja's eyes widened. She shoved herself off of the floor and wheeled around. That was when she saw the young padawan, Obi Wan Kenobi, fidgeting with the hyperdrive.

"Well… this isn't an old memory at least." She muttered.

"Memory?" Ben got to his feet, "Are you telling me you cast a spell that-"

"It's a very advanced type of scrying." Tharja cut him off, "One that I had never tried before."

"And you just used it on me!?"

"You were the perfect test subject." Tharja replied nonchalantly as she studied her surroundings.

"And not Robin!?"

Tharja rolled her eyes, "The subject has to actually remember the memories in order for it to work." She took a breath, "I meant to go directly to the memory that was causing you pain. Apparently I am not precise enough to accomplish that yet. I went to a recent memory instead that does not cause your nightmares."

"This is not a recent memory." Ben said as he strode around his old self.

The Padawan did not notice them. Apparently, while they could see him, he could not see them. Ben could understand that aspect of this strange spell. This was just a memory. He was just seeing it through a different perspective than his own now. A new lense with which to look at his past.

"What do you mean?" Tharja asked, "You look the same, minus the beard. And your hair is a bit shorter and is-" She forced back a small laugh, "Is that a rat tail?"

"It is a Padawan braid and…" Ben sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, "And a rat tail."

Tharja snickered under her breath, "Your sense of fashion is much better now with the Shepherds than wherever this is."

"If I am remembering correctly," Ben began, "We are on the planet Tatooine."

Tharja froze as she walked around the room, "Planet?"

Ben sighed, "Yes, planet. This event takes place about thirteen years ago, I think?"

Tharja folded her arms over her chest, "What are you saying, Obi Wan Kenobi?"

She said his name like a taunt. Ben could understand why. She was now in his mind, in a memory he claimed was over a decade old and taking place on an entirely different planet than her own. Her aggression was a defense mechanism for her own fear.

"I am from another planet." Ben finally admitted.

Tharja eyed him carefully, "Are you-"

"I am human."

"And you are-"

"Not just twenty years old no." Ben continued, "Don't ask me how I look this young. I don't even know the answer to that. I don't even know how I wound up on your planet."

Tharja swallowed, "If I was not sitting in an actual memory of yours, I would not believe you."

Ben snorted, "I hardly believe it." He squatted down beside his old self as he cursed. Sparks spat at his hands as the hyperdrive generator still refused cooperate, "I never thought I'd see that face again."

"You see it everyday in the mirror." Tharja deadpanned.

Ben glanced over at her but did not reply. The dark mage was not wrong.

Tharja spun on her heal and raised her fist when the wall beside her split in half. Ben jumped up beside her and grabbed her wrist.

"Relax, its' just a door."

"Doors don't slide like that." She hissed.

"These ones do."

" _Obi Wan."_

Ben froze as he watched Qui Gon Jinn stride into the engine room. The Jedi Master looked just as he remembered him. For this particular mission, Qui Gon had ditched the typical robes of a Jedi in favor of a less conspicuous poncho. He still wore his hair long and his lightsaber was hidden beneath the poncho.

" _The hyperdrive generator is gone, Master. We will need a new one."_

" _That'll complicate things."_ Qui Gon sighed.

"So that older man is your master?" Tharja asked.

Ben gulped, "Was." He corrected.

" _Be wary, I sense something off about this place."_ Qui Gon warned his young padawan learner.

" _I have felt too. What do you think it is?"_

Ben could remember the feeling. It was the very first time he ever experience the cold that accompanied the Dark Side of the Force. The first warning sign of a Sith's presence. Their first warning sign that Maul was on the prowl.

In that moment, Ben wished he could break free of this memory's restrictions so he could warn Qui Gon. Tell him that the Sith had returned. That their leader was the Senator from Naboo and that Maul was about to ambush him and young Anakin Skywalker in the desert. That if he even ran into a boy named Anakin, he should probably keep walking.

A sharp pain shot through his heart. Did he really just think that? Anakin was like a brother to him. Why would he never want to meet the boy?

 _Because that boy became the greatest Jedi Killer in galactic history and you want to prevent that with every fiber of your being._

" _I'm not sure, Obi Wan."_ Qui Gon answered his apprentice, " _But be wary. I have a feeling we will run into trouble today."_

"Not today." Ben breathed as Tharja watched beside him, "Not unless Jar Jar caused trouble I am unaware of. But you will face trouble soon."

"And what trouble would that be?" Tharja asked him.

Ben swallowed hard, "Maul." He saw Tharja's face pale, "When we run into him here, on Tatooine, it will be the first time a Jedi fights a Sith Lord in over a thousand years." Ben pressed his lips into a thin line, "Qui Gon barely survived our first encounter with him."

Tharja took a deep breath.

"I now understand why we are seeing this memory." Tharja said, "You are reliving the last days of your Master's life. Doing so causes you great pain."

Ben let out a shuddering breath. She was not wrong in saying that. He wished he could have been there to help Qui Gon fight Maul on Tatooine. Maybe their combined strength then would have been enough to slay the monster before he became a blight on the galaxy. Thereby preventing his Master's death and allowing him to train Anakin instead of an unprepared, newly knighted Jedi. Maybe then, with Qui Gon's brilliant guidance, Anakin would not have fallen. And the Jedi would still be alive.

He shook his head. No, he could not get drawn into the what ifs of life. If he did, then he would go insane.

"This isn't the memory." Ben breathed.

"No, it's not." Tharja agreed, "If it was, you would be reacting the same as if you were having a nightmare." She closed her eyes and tensed up. "We… we need to go. I can only maintain this connection for so long."

Ben nodded in understanding. He began to feel lightheaded. The dark purple mist clouded his vision once again. The memory disappeared.

….

The firelight flickered beyond Kage's closed eyes. It crackled in his ears. Soothing snaps and pops that were relaxing to listen to as it burned. The warmth it provided washed over his body like a comforting blanket.

He had stayed at the inn in Chon'Sin's capital for a few nights. But in end, he could not stand the curious glances and disdain filled glares. So he left the inn, left the confines of the city walls, and decided to set up camp in the bamboo woods just beyond the city. He kept a fire burning at all times. Warding off any unwelcome creatures that wanted to try and test him.

Right now, he was deep in meditation. The Dark Side of the Force swirled around him like a small hurricane. It's cold fingers gripped his thoughts and mind. Replaying thoughts he never wanted to witness again. But he had to see them again. Had to relive the worst memory of his young life. The anger it provided, the pain and the hatred it granted him gave him power.

The Dark Side of the Force was fueled by those emotions. Fueled by personal pain, both mental and physical. His old master made sure to force him endure both. And those trials made him strong. His body was not a physical behemoth like most strong men. But he was now lean. Each muscle corded and hard. His mind was as sharp as a steel trap. Impenetrable by anyone. And his command of the Force grew by the day. By all measures, he was a marvelous Sith apprentice. Incapable of being corrupted by the light.

And somehow, _she_ managed to do it.

Her death shot through his mind like a bolt of lighting. The sound of Maul's lightsaber piercing her stomach rang like a sick song in his thoughts. He could smell the flesh burning still. And as the memory of it all replayed over and over again, the Dark Side of the Force grew more frenzied.

His breathing grew shallow. All around him, stones began to rise in the air. The bamboo trees around him began to bend and groan. There was no wind. Just the sound of his own breathing, and the snap of bamboo as it shattered around him.

Her eyes were wide when Maul ran her through. The shock and pain was all too evident to see. He wanted to believe that in her last moments, she was at peace. But he knew better. She was fighting to live even as the breath left her body. She had always been a fighter.

Unlike her damn coward of a Master.

"RAAAAARGH!" Kage roared.

Wood splintered through the air around him. Rocks shattered into dust. Their remains drifted around his body before settling down and disappearing into the dirt. His chest heaved in and out as he struggled to regain control.

He closed his eyes and took one more deep breath.

A scream pierced the wind. His yellow eyes shot open. And he raced after the sound.

 **And chapter! We meet Thrawn for the first time in this story. Vader is ready to conduct his mission. Ben is struggling through his trauma, apparently with Tharja's help now. And Kage is about to get some major individual character development. Ooooh I'm so excited! Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	44. The Traveler

**AN: TWO CHAPTERS IN ONE DAY! Because sleep is for the weak! Enjoy everybody!**

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 44

The Traveler

Say'ri loved the forest. These bamboo woods were her old stomping grounds when she was a young child. She could remember her little bare feet sinking into the cool earth. Her toes curling between dirt, roots, and grass. There was no other feeling like it. Rolling around in the open clearings with her older brother, Yen'Fay. Playing pretend. Having great battles with small bamboo sticks. He was always the brave knight, and she liked to be the evil villain. It is what made her stand apart from any of the other noble children in the city. Especially the other girls. While she did enjoy dress up on occasion, she was not afraid to grab a rod of bamboo and engage in an epic battle.

The Chon'sin princess smiled at the memory. Those were simpler times. Back when her mother and father were still alive. Back when her brother was still at home. Not off fighting the Conqueror's battles.

She remembered the night the Conqueror first entered their lands. He had swept through the farmlands to the west. Burning everything in his path. Her father had been honor bound to ride out and meet the invader in the open battle. Such a provocation could not go without a response. Even though her mother pleaded with him not to go. The Conqueror's armies were too vast. The invincible invader's cavalry far superior to their own. Did he really want their children to grow up fatherless?

Well, Say'ri did not grow up fatherless. She grew up motherless too. When the Conqueror entered her city, he rode in with her father's head on a spike. He had tossed it at her mother's feet then ordered his men to take her. Yen'fay was the lone commander left to defend the city. And he just let them take her. Let that monster butcher their mother. Bent the knee to the man that slaughtered their father.

Her hands shook at her sides. There had to be a reason for doing such a thing. But if there was a reason, her brother never told her.

She mourned for several months before making up her mind. Her brother had betrayed their family. He had betrayed her father, her mother, his own sister in favor of living under the Conqueror's thumb. And as he rose quickly through the Empire's ranks, she began making plans to escape. To flee the land of Chon'sin in order to join whatever resistance group that would take her. And one day, she would be the one to take the Conqueror's head from his shoulders. Place it on a spike, and present it before his own people to stare at in horror.

On the eve of her plan, Yen'fay returned from a campaign in the south west. And with him was something that caused Say'ri to throw away any thoughts of running away. A small baby boy, swaddled in thick blankets was brought to her that night. A baby boy with the most innocent blue eyes and a gurgling smile that brought joy to her grief stricken heart.

Yen'fay brought home their baby brother, Kage. Named because only a shadow could survive the destruction wrought on the battlefield that day. The only living thing left in the killing fields was this little, pale boy. Lost and alone. Wailing to the blue sky above him. Her brother took pity on the baby boy. And that baby boy forced her to remain in Chon'sin. It was no longer her own life at risk if she decided to leave her home.

Yen'fay could not look out for the boy. He was now one of the Conqueror's generals. Always called upon to go to the capital city of Valm in order to engage in war councils. Rebellions were growing more frequent. And her brother was the one to put them down.

So it was up to her to raise their baby brother. And she was proud to admit that so far, she liked to think she was doing alright. He was taken care of. Happy, and blissfully unaware of the troubles of the world.

Kage toddled along at her feet. He was a remarkable little boy. Within a few months he was crawling. A few months after that, he began babbling his first words. By a the start of his second year, he was running through the palace so quickly that the servants had trouble keeping an eye on him. Say'ri was the only one who ever managed to find the boy when he decided to hide somewhere. She laughed as he eagerly hopped over a fallen bundle of bamboo reeds. He looked ever so proud as he landed, put his hands to his hips, and looked back at Say'ri with an enormous grin.

 _Now look at him,_ She thought, _He's growing up so fast._

Soon he would be old enough to start training with the other boys. Say'ri would try to prevent that for as long as she could. But eventually, Yen'fay would have him brought to the Master at Arms to be trained. Any innocence would be torn to shreds. He would train to be a warrior. Strong with both blade and bow. A protector of Chon'sin.

 _Like his great brother, General Yen'fay._ She thought bitterly.

Kage laughed loud as he leaped over another set of fallen trees. Then he ran off further down the trail.

"Kage!" Say'ri called before letting out a small sigh. She grabbed the excess fabric of her kimono so that she could give chase, "Damnable gods he is just a ball of energy."

"Shall we give chase for you, my lady?" One of her honor guards asked.

Say'ri sighed, "There is no need. The forest is plenty safe. He knows to not go to far."

 _I hope._

Kage had never displayed a real trouble making streak. He was a good boy. He liked to play hide and seek, which he was extremely good at. But he never did anything overtly dangerous or stupid. His young mind was quite calculating actually. She was actually thinking about having a scholar come and begin instructing the little boy soon. His mind was sharp enough.

 _But will he sit still?_

She continued down the trail, breathing the crisp evening air. Enjoying the quiet the forest offered to her. This was one of the few places free from the Conqueror's grip. Sure, he ruled this forest. He technically laid claim to it. But she did not have to gaze on his disgusting sigil here. She did not have to listen to his military officers grovel at her feet in an attempt to please her, the governor of this territory. A position Yen'fay bequeathed to her when he accepted a General's position in the Conqueror's army.

Out here, on the bamboo forest trails, she could think for herself. Settle into a conversation with her own thoughts and ponder the days events without interruption. Often she found this very trail, with its rocky boulders, wandering cranes, singing songbirds, and towering trees to be lovely company. Among this company, she began to grapple with the fact that she was indeed the governor of a conquered territory. And with that responsibility came a realization that there was much more to the world than resisting a tyrant.

She would love to take up arms against Emperor Walhart. He had earned the trouble. But she could not bring herself to do so. Yen'fay himself would probably lead the army sent to crush her. And there was no fighting spirit in her people anymore. The common folk continued on with life after the Conqueror raised his banner. Rice grew. Cows and pigs were harvested. Art was painted. New houses were built. Babies were born. And old men died. And all of that, every single soul in Chon'sin, was now her responsibility. Had been her responsibility for nearly two years now. While the task set before her had not quelled her own rebellious spirit, it had tempered it. Taught her to bide her time and wait until she was certain of victory over the conqueror.

 _Hopefully that day comes in my lifetime._

"My lady," One of her honor guard whispered in her ear, "The Prince is still gone. And it is nearly dark."

Say'ri glanced up at the sky. The once crystal clear, blue sky was now painted every shade of violet and indigo in existence. Streaks of orange crossed over the horizon as the sun lazily faded beneath it.

"You are correct." Say'ri muttered. It was time to start going home, "Kage! It is time to return home!"

Normally there would be lots of giggles as a response. Then her little brother would come bursting out of some thicket, a mess of laughter, grass, and mud. But this time, there was no reply. No sound of little feet pattering through the fallen leaves. Just an eerie silence.

At that moment, she noticed that the forest had fallen silent. The songbirds had stopped singing. Even the leaves hushed as the wind died away. She noticed the five members of her honor guard were on edge.

"Captain Kira?" She asked.

"My lady, something moves in the woods." The lead guard, an accomplished warrior in blue armor replied. The man turned to one of the other guards, "Ready yourself."

The other men drew their blades. Say'ri reached into the sleeve of her Kimono where a sharp knife rested against her forearm. As she did so, her heart thumped in her chest. Where was Kage? Was he hurt? Did some wild animal grab him? Was a tiger on the prowl? Or was something more sinister than that afoot?

A whistle zipped through the air. A guard directly to Say'ri's right cried out in pain as a dart buried itself in his neck. He fell to the ground, convulsed in pain, then went still. Foam leaked from the corner of his mouth.

"Assassins!" Captain Kira cried as the rest of her honor guard surrounded her, their eyes scanning the thickets around them.

A hiss shot through the air. Half a dozen shurikens tore into the ranks of her honor guard. Two more of her men collapsed to the ground as they buried themselves in vital areas. Captain Kira muscled through a blow to the shoulder as seven of their assailants revealed themselves.

They were assassins. Chon'sin assassins. Clad head to toe in black. Their faces hidden behind black masks. The only thing Say'ri could see were their eyes.

 _At least they are honorable enough to look at their opponent in the eye before killing them._ She thought as she drew her knife.

"My lady, you need to run." Captain Kira breathed as he began to cautiously back up. Meanwhile, the assassins drew closer. Each one drawing their own blades.

"Kage is out there." Say'ri breathed.

"And I will find him. But your life is more important right now. If you die then Chon'sin is without a governor. Go now!"

Say'ri did not budge. Not even when Captain Kira engaged the first two assassins. His katana made short work of the first two. But then he let out a howl of pain as a third assassin slammed a black egg into his eyes. Red powder and shards of glass shot through the air as Captain Kira dropped to a knee. The other assassin's plunged their blades into the gaps of his armor. The brave man fell to the dirt, dead.

Say'ri started running. She took off back down the trail towards home. But another assassin emerged from the trees. She uttered a terrified scream and lashed out with her knife. The blade bit into the man's hand as he reach out to grab her. Buying the princess enough time to scramble back and start sprinting down a small trail that shot off from the main one. One that ran deeper into the forest.

She could hear them giving chase after her. Their footsteps were as light as a feather, but she knew they were there. Gaining on her. But her life was not her concern anymore. She was desperate to find Kage. If the assassins were sent to kill her, then they were also sent to kill her baby brother. She would never forgive herself, even in the afterlife, if he died.

"Kage!" She screamed out, her eyes desperately searching for the little boy.

Her foot caught on a tree root and she tumbled into a clearing in the forest. She tried to scramble back up to her feet. Pain shot through her ankle. She cried out and collapsed again. With all of the willpower she could muster, Say'ri pushed herself to her feet. She limped a few steps forward then stopped. The assassins had cut her off.

A total of nine surrounded her. All of them had their weapons drawn. All of them had murder written in their eyes. Say'ri took a deep breath and brandished her knife.

"I have killed with this weapon before." She growled, "I swear to all of the gods I shall wet it with your blood before you take the lives of my brother and I!"

"We shall take your life." The one directly in front of her hissed, "Your brother, we shall just take."

Say'ri's eyes widened. Their mission was to kill her. And it was also to just capture little Kage. But why? What did they gain by slaying her and only taking Kage? She did not have much time to think about it. Their blades were pointed at her now. Each one just a lunge away from plunging the steel into her body.

 _I damn whatever coward ordered this to the most eternal punishment the gods have! I curse and spit upon his name from the afterlife!_

She was going to die. But part of her was at least a little at ease. The assassin's had said so themselves, Kage would not die. He was to be taken alive. Perhaps her death, and Kage's capture, would shake Yen'fay awake. She had a feeling this was not some Chon'sin nobleman's plot. This was something far bigger than that.

She grit her teeth. If she was to die here today, she would take at least one with her.

With a loud cry, she lunged at the nearest assassin. The assassin blocked her thrust and raised his blade to kill her.

A figure clad in all black robes flipped over the ring of assassins. As fluid and silent as a shadow, he landed in front of Say'ri and slashed a katana through the belly of the first assassin. The assassin let out a grunt before going limp and collapsing into the dirt.

Her rescuer did not stop there. His attention immediately turned to the next assassin. This assassin at least raised his blade to defend himself. But he lasted no longer than two parries before being cut down as well.

"To me!" Say'ri's rescuer hissed.

She dove to him. Just in time to avoid five swords aimed at her heart. Her rescuers strong right arm grabbed her around the waist and spun her around so that she was hidden behind his back.

Her eyes went wide as an third assassin aimed to take her savior's head from his shoulders. Say'ri uttered a feral cry and plunged her knife into the assassin's neck. Blood spurted from the wound and stained her kimono. But she did not care. She rolled up to her feet, grabbed the assassin's own blade and pressed her back against her rescuer. Who was handling five of the assassin's extremely well. He had to be. After all, they were not dead yet.

One assassin remained standing across from her. Say'ri grit her teeth and lash out. Steel hammered against steel. She gasped as the assassin reached for a black egg to smash against her eyes. He threw it. She ducked. The egg smacked against her rescuer's back and shattered all over his black robes. Her rescuer let out a small cry of pain before ducking beneath several hacks and slashes.

Say'ri did not give her attacker another opportunity. She was upon him in seconds. Hacking and slashing with the speed of a viper and the ferocity of a tiger. The man backpedaled further and further until he tripped on a small stone. Once he hit the ground, Say'ri plunged her blade into his heart. And she let it stay there.

The Princess let out a sharp breath as she turned to see how her rescuer was faring. Her eyes widened in stunned disbelief.

The man was a flawless swordsman. She could not see his identity, for his head was concealed beneath a black hood. But if they both survived this, she would learn his name, and he would be greatly rewarded. Both by her, and Yen'fay.

She could only watch in awe as the man spun and slashed at the assassins. Her heart jumped as one assassin landed a lucky hit on his right calf. But her rescuer was not swayed. He kicked out at that assassin with his wounded leg then drove his blade into the throat of another assassin. Before that dead one hit the ground, he parried a three strike attack then dismembered another one.

Were her eyes deceiving her, or was he getting faster? And his strikes were growing even more vicious as the battle lasted. Normally, a man would be exhausted at this point. This was a fearsome battle. The strain of taking on five opponents at once would be more than enough to cripple even the greatest of swordsmen. But this rescuer of hers only grew stronger as time dragged on.

She flinched as he took a leg from an assassin and left him to writhe in the dirt. Finally, there was only one left. They circled each other for a few moments.

The assassin let out a savage cry and jumped at her savior, blade raised overhead. Her rescuer raised his own blade and parried. Then he blocked a savage stroke against his right flank. Before she could even blink, her rescuer slashed down through the assassin's weak guard. The man uttered a choked cry then slumped to the ground. Their duel over in three moves.

The man took a deep breath and let his shoulders sag a little. Now he looked tired. He quietly sheathed his sword and turned to look at Say'ri as she cautiously approached him.

"You saved me, good sir." She breathed.

The man waved off her thanks and did not say a word in reply. He started to walk by her. But the wound in his leg was deep. He stopped for a moment, hissed in pain, then started hobbling away. Say'ri reached out and grabbed his sleeve.

"You are not leaving with that terrible of a wound." She snapped, "Let me help you."

The man hesitated. But finally, he acquiesced to her demand. He fell to his butt in the dirt. As he did, torchlight lit up the trail nearby. Say'ri heard her brother's voice over the treetops.

"Say'ri!" He roared.

Say'ri swallowed then shouted back in reply.

The torchlight drew closer. Yen'fay sprinted up to her. His sword, their family blade called Amatsu, was drawn and slick with blood. He dropped the treasured weapon into the dirt and enveloped her in a large hug.

"Did they harm you? I swear if they have, I will find whoever has done this to us and drag them through the streets by their entrails!"

"Forget me!" She hissed and pushed him off of her, "They took Kage."

Yen'fay drew back. He grit his teeth and pointed at two of his soldiers. A quick bark and they were taking two whole squadrons into the woods to search for the assassins and the two year old prince. He reached down and plucked Amatsu from the dirt. After doing that, he noticed Say'ri's her black robed rescuer.

"And this man?" He asked, nodding at the exhausted warrior.

"My rescuer." Say'ri replied.

Yen'fay eyed the man with suspicion, "Rescuers don't often wear black."

"Since when does the color of a man's clothes determine his loyalties." The man replied.

Yen'fay furrowed his brow, "Lower your hood please. I would like to look into the eyes of the man who saved my sister's life."

The man hesitated. But with a reluctant sigh, he removed his hood. Say'ri's jaw fell open. It was the Ylissean traveler, Luke.

"A Ylissean?" Yen'fay was just as surprised, "You are far from home."

"Trying to find a new home." Luke replied.

"There is an inn in town." Yen'fay said.

"Too rich for my blood." Luke breathed, "I like the forest better. There is something about the fresh air. It warms the soul."

Yen'fay nodded. He was still very cautious of the man. But now that he had seen his face, his stance had softened considerably. Say'ri fought the urge to roll her eyes. Her brother could be so stuck in his ways sometimes.

"Nothing is too rich for your blood anymore. You shall stay in the palace now." Yen'fay said, "Until you find yourself a suitable house. Please, tell me your name."

"His name is Luke." Say'ri answered for the young man, "I met him earlier this week near the city gate as he was being harassed by one of your men."

Yen'fay frowned, "Is that so?"

"Unfortunately." Luke sighed, "But I am not worried about it."

"I am. And as soon as these assassins are rooted out and put to the sword, I will deal with such unpleasantness among my ranks." Yen'fay offered Luke a hand, "I see you are wounded, may I offer my assistance."

Luke eyed Yen'fay's hand for a moment. He winced as he reached up and grasped it. The General hauled the Traveler to his feet. Luke gingerly placed some weight on his wounded leg, grimacing as more pain shot through his leg.

"We shall get that treated." Yen'fay nodded.

Say'ri's heart went to her throat as the two squads sent to search the forest returned.

"General!" Their leaders cried, "We could not find any sign of the Prince."

Yen'fay's face turned grim, "Very well." he pointed at his lieutenants ,"You two continue the search. Do not rest until my little brother is found. I will take my sister and the traveler back to the palace myself."

Say'ri wanted to protest. But now, as the adrenaline died down in her body, she realized how fruitless her protest would be. Yen'fay would not hear her fiery denial even if she gave one. To him, she was the number one priority. Luke limped along as Yen'fay scooped her up in his arms and began to carry her back towards the city. An entire squad of his soldiers followed them. Every single man vigilant. Their swords still drawn just in case there were more assassins out there.

She slumped into her brother's arms. The impact of what had just happened started to settle in. And it made her shiver.

For the first time in years, she felt safe in her brother's arms.

….

The next morning came with the peaceful chorus of songbirds and a gentle breeze that promised rain later in the day. Luke had been given his own chambers when they arrived at the palace. As soon as he settled into the room, a healer arrived and tended to the wound in his leg. Once the healer was satisfied, he fell into a restless sleep. One that was now over. A fact he was grateful for.

He winced as he sat up from his small pallet and placed a little bit of weight on his wounded leg. A curse escaped his lips. That damn assassin got lucky. None of them should have been able to land a blow on him.

Then again, his fighting had been frantic last night. Say'ri was in danger. He would be damned if any harm came to her. Of course, she could never know the truth as to why he felt that way. The truth being that he was Kage from the future, and she was actually his older sister.

He did not remember much of that night when he grew up after it. But he did remember the fear of it all. It was why he was meditating instead of sleeping around the time of the attack. He knew it was going to happen. But he did not know exactly where. Thankfully, Say'ri always had a surprising set of lungs on her. Her life would have hung in the balance if he had failed to show up in time.

He gingerly placed more weight on his leg. Confident that it would hold him up, he rose from his pallet and stretched his arms. His muscles popped as he rolled his shoulders. His blood stained robes had been taken from him last night while he slept. In their place were simple blue and white robes. Typical daily wear among the people of Chon'sin.

His fingers ran along the fabric with tender care. It had been years since he wore something like this. He felt as if he had been transported to another reality. A reality that could have existed if Maul never arrived in his life. He swallowed hard then proceeded to slip on the robes. They fit loose over his frame. Comfortable and relaxing. Just how he liked them.

His yellow eyes peeked out the window of his room. The sun had just started rising over the land. He nodded to himself, dropped back to the ground, belted out fifty push ups, then stood to his full height once again. If there was one positive thing Maul taught him, it was to keep his body in top physical shape.

Unfortunately, with the way his leg was right now, he could not go for a run. He could meditate. But not here. Not in his room. This space was much too peaceful to corrupt with the dark side of the force. As quiet as a mouse, he slid the door to his room open and closed it shut behind him.

The courtyard of the Chon'sin palace was exactly as he remembered it. There was a large pond at the center where koi fish of all different colors dwelled. He could remember feeding those fish with Say'ri. It was one of his favorite things to do as a child. Several small, squat trees dotted the carefully manicured space. His bare feet brushed along the stone paths across the courtyard until he drew near the palace doors. Before he could exit, Yen'fay's soft voice called to him.

"Luke."

Luke turned to see that his older brother was already fully dressed and wide awake. There were heavy bags under the man's eyes. He had not slept a wink. His silvery hair was not combed. Parts of it were sticking out from a ponytail that barely kept it all put together.

"How are you feeling?" Yen'fay asked him.

"Better than I probably look." Luke replied.

Yen'fay nodded, "I am glad to hear that." He motioned for Luke to start walking with him, "I apologize for my tone last night. I was worried for my siblings and I took that fear and worry out on you. I did not mean to sound as if I distrusted you."

Luke shrugged, "You had every reason to. I am a stranger after all."

"A stranger who risked his life to save my sister's." Yen'fay noted, "Not anyone would do such a noble deed."

Luke followed the General into his study. Yen'fay let out a long sigh as he reached into a cabinet and withdrew a bottle of wine along with two glasses. The General poured Kage a glass, then he poured his own. Luke muttered his thanks and took a sip of the drink.

Yen'fay did not sip his drink. He downed the entire glass in one gulp.

"Damnable assassins." He growled before setting his glass down and pouring another one, "I will find out who sent them, I swear it." He shook his head and this time sipped his wine, "If even a hair on Say'ri's head was harmed, I would have never been able to forgive myself."

He set his glass back down on his desk and strode over to a sword that sat on a shelf. He grabbed the sheathed blade, drew it halfway in order to marvel at the craftsmanship, then sheathed it. He nodded and presented the blade to Kage.

"This is more of a ceremonial weapon. But it is a great weapon nonetheless." Yen'fay explained.

Luke gave Yen'fay a surprised look. He wrapped his hands over the weapon and carefully took it from Yen'fay's grasp.

"Most Ylisseans turn down such gifts." Yen'fay said with a small smile, "But you do not."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Luke asked as he looked at the stunning artwork carved into the polished finish of the sheath.

"It means you have been through my lands before. Not only that, you have studied my people and our customs." Yen'fay sat down at his desk, "You are no normal traveler, Luke of Ylisse."

Luke smiled a little bit, "I try not to be that conspicuous."

"Are you noble born?" Yen'fay asked him as he leaned back in his seat and sipped on his wine glass. He gestured for Luke to sit as he did so.

Luke took a seat and shook his head, "No, my lord. I am not."

"Then you educated yourself?"

Luke again shook his head, "I had a teacher. He-" Luke bit his tongue, "He was not a good man. But he was very intelligent."

"I am glad to see his bad traits did not pass on to his student." Yen'fay replied. The General set his drink down and sighed. He balled up his fist on his desk, "Whoever did this to my family wanted to send a message. Wanted to send me a message. There were assassins here in the palace as well. That is how I knew to go and find Say'ri as quickly as possible." He took a breath, "My lieutenants have not found any trace of my baby brother. I cannot spare the manpower to track down the fiends who did this to my family. The Conqueror wants me to march by dusk towards Rosanne. Some petty rebellion is being stirred up by a foolish group of Wyvern riders there."

Luke set his drink down and stared hard at the General, "Are you asking me to track down the young Prince?"

"No." Yen'fay replied. He leaned over his desk, "I am asking you to track down my little brother as well as the bastard who dared to make a move against my family. And when you find that spineless coward, I want you to bring him before me." He saw some hesitance in Luke's eyes, "If you need gold to convince you-"

"I have no need of gold." Luke replied, "But I do worry about what I might find at the end of this rabbit hole."

Yen'fay raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Ylissean figure of speech." Luke waved his hand, "The point is, whoever did this is both very powerful and very wealthy. I worry that it may not just be a Chon'sin noble seeking to harm your family."

"And I am telling you that I do not care." Yen'fay growled, "No one harms my family. No one! Not while I draw breath. Find Kage. And bring me the fool who took him. And when you do, not only will you be rich, you will forever have a home here in Chon'sin. I can promise you that."

Luke eyed Yen'fay as he held out his hand. He already knew how this was going to go. Hell, he already knew where to start looking. Memories from when he was two years old were very fuzzy, but he had a general idea of where to start.

But if he messed with the timeline like this, what would happen? Would his fate change? Or was he about to make it worse? Would his younger self still be discovered by the Shepherds? Would he still meet Lucina? Would he still taught by Maul? There were so many variables at play. Fate was in his hands now. And he did not know what to do with that kind of power.

"I can give you some time to consider." Yen'fay offered.

Luke shook his head. He made up his mind. Fate will change. And he would be the force causing that change.

He gripped Yen'fay's outstretched hand.

"Consider it done."

 **And chapter! I little side story for our resident Fire Emblem Sith. And it takes place in such an interesting land too! I was always curious about Chon'sin and was so disappointed when the original game didn't delve deeper into it in the main game (I have never played any of the dlc. Please don't kill me for that). I did some research on the Fire Emblem wiki and did not dig up much other than it is heavily inspired by feudal Japan. So here ya go, feudal Japan in Fire Emblem! And we are going to have a Sith Lord running around it looking for his infant self all the while trying not to tip off to his adopted family that he is in fact their two year old brother. Nothing could possibly go wrong there!**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	45. From Sickle to Sword

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 45

From Sickle to Sword

Chrom's brow furrowed as he stared down at the missive in his hand. A messenger had brought it into his study. That messenger was in a fervor as he delivered the message. Huffing and puffing about how he had raced all the way from Plegia on behalf of General Mustafa in order to deliver this dire message. And now that Chrom read the message, he could understand why the man was so frantic.

King Gangrel was dead.

That did not surprise Chrom. In fact, a part of him was happy. The now late Plegian King was a mad dog that needed to be put down, regardless of how much of his mind was poisoned or not. After the pain and suffering that man caused, his opinion of his death was; 'Good. About damn time.'

However, the nature of his death both surprised and concerned Chrom. The Mad King was assassinated at his own trial. And the nature of the wound was unknown. Some sort of fire spell was shot at him. But no one at the trial saw any flames. The spell that killed the man burned through Gangrel's chest. Killing him within minutes.

Chrom set the missive down on his desk and leaned back in his chair. The sun's rays warmed his back as they streamed through his study's large window. He ran a hand over his mouth as he pondered the significance of this event.

King Gangrel was dead. In his mind, this was a good thing. But he had not been executed by Mustafa or the ruling military council. He had been assassinated by an unknown killer with an unknown spell. An assassin that somehow managed to infiltrate the royal palace and kill the late King. And he killed no one else.

 _That rules out the Grimleal._

If the Grimleal executed such a move, then Mustafa and the rest of the Generals would have been killed as well. It would have been the perfect opportunity for the sinister group to grip power by force. Take back their status and continue their reign of terror over the desert land. But that did not happen. The military council still lived.

His eyes scanned down to the last few paragraphs of the missive. A frustrated expression crossed his face.

"And the generals are fighting among each other." Chrom muttered before standing up from his desk and shaking his head.

He strode out of his study. With a snap of his fingers, a guard rushed up to him once he was outside of the door.

"I want an emergency war council. Inform the commanders and Lord Edward."

"War council?" The guard asked, uncertain.

"Yes, war council. Plegia is in upheaval. I need advice. Go gather the commanders, now." Chrom ordered.

The guard gave him a stiff salute then sprinted away. Chrom shook his head as he marched towards the council room. He was still not used to the power he now had. Being the ruler of Ylisse was tiresome business. But it was a responsibility he took with great pride. He had an enormous legacy to live up to. His sister had become a beloved Exalt. The wound of her passing was still raw among the common folk. And he, a soldier, was the one that had to bring about healing.

The Halidom had finally begun to recover in the weeks following the war. Food was still scarce. But the Khans of Regna Ferox helped tremendously. They generously offered stores upon stores of meat and fish from their abundant lands in order to feed the hungry and weary Ylissean people. It would be a debt Chrom would never be able to repay. He even told Flavia as much. The ruling Khan just laughed in his face and waved him off.

"Our coffers are already full thanks to Plegian reparations." Flavia had laughed, "Don't worry about paying us back. Just don't get any ideas on crusading on us heathens to the north."

Chrom snorted to himself. Flavia and her sense of humor. He never knew if she was joking or actually serious.

Slowly the people of the Halidom were rebuilding. Ylisstol's walls were under constant construction as they were undergoing massive repairs. The siege had blasted the outer ring to smithereens. Chrom could only imagine the horror of seeing the first line of defense blasted away.

Houses were constructed where the husks of burnt down buildings once sat. Farms were being planted in the cold weather so that an early harvest could occur in the springtime. They could not rely on Feroxi generosity forever. At some point, Ylisse would have to stand on her own two feet once again. Chrom aimed to make that day happen sooner rather than later.

Cordelia and Frederick were busy rebuilding the Ylissean military. Cordelia had begun to select candidates for the Pegasus Knights. Sumia assisted her. And Frederick had already installed a rigorous training regimen for new knights. They would be the finest soldiers the land had ever seen. Never again would Ylisse be caught so flat footed by a foreign power. If war ever came to their lands again, Naga forbid, they would be ready. And Chrom approved of that line of thinking.

He took his seat in the War Council room and waited. He did not have to sit for very long on his own. The door to the small room burst open. Frederick strode inside with Cordelia hot on his heels. Sumia then followed along with Lissa. Finally, Lord Edward hobbled in with the help of his cane.

The once great knight looked twenty years older than he actually was. Everyday, Chrom asked the man for forgiveness. Forgiveness for failing so miserably in protecting Emmeryn. For not being able to rally an army to relieve Ylisstol sooner. He had even granted the man a lordship and lands to the north as a way of apologizing even further. But with every apology, Edward would just shake his head and tell him: "An Exalt bows to no one except Naga herself. Do I look like a beautiful goddess to you?"

Everyone took their seats.

"What is the situation, mil-" Frederick caught himself, "Your grace."

"Frederick." Chrom breathed, "How many times must I tell you to just call me Chrom."

"You are technically my commanding officer, your grace." Frederick replied, "It is both proper etiquette and tradition to refer to you with such deference and respect."

"Tradition is just peer pressure from dead people." Lissa snorted to Frederick's horror, "So Chrom, what is going on? Why a war council?"

"I am wondering the same thing." Sumia said.

Concern filled her voice. Rightfully so. One war had already ended. Were they about to enter another one? That depended on what Chrom heard during this council.

"Just a few moments ago, a Plegian messenger came to me with a missive from General Mustafa." Chrom took a breath, "King Gangrel is dead. Not by execution, but by assassination. He was killed at his own trial."

"Gods above." Edward breathed, understanding the implications of such a move, "Do we know who wielded the knife?"

"We do not know who did it or why." Chrom answered, "And it was not a knife that ended Gangrel's life. It was a fire spell of some sort. One that Mustafa had never seen before."

"Well there's our answer as to who and why." Frederick noted, "The Grimleal are attempting to grab power again."

"If that were the case then why kill a doomed king and not the entire military council?" Cordelia pointed out, "Did anyone else die?"

Chrom shook his head, "No one else."

"Then this can't be the work of the Grimleal." Sumia said.

"It may very well be." Lord Edward countered, "What is the state of the Plegian military council in the aftermath of this unfortunate occurrence?"

Chrom's face became grim, "Not good. The finger pointing has already begun." He heard Frederick mutter a curse, "Each General is beginning to build up supplies and manpower."

"Civil war." Cordelia breathed, "Mustafa should have claimed the throne immediately. This whole mess could have been avoided that way."

"Perhaps, but we will never know." Lord Edward replied, "And what is more distressing is that the assassin is unknown and used an unknown spell."

"What was the nature of the wound?" Lissa asked, her eyes narrowed in concentration.

"A perfect circle." Chrom answered, "The fire burned through Gangrel's heart. His last words were: 'He is ready.'"

"Ravings of a mad man." Edward dismissed.

"A perfect circle?" Lissa echoed, "Are you certain?"

"That is what the missive said." Chrom replied. He noticed his little sister's brow furrow. She was thinking hard. That sharp mind of hers raced through answers as to what could have caused such a deadly blow, "What do you think-"

"It was not a fire spell. Fire spells don't burn perfect circles through flesh. They just burn. Melt away everything. Flesh and bone. They don't burrow." Lissa pointed out, "And lightning can have that kind of result. But it would have to be an extremely powerful lightning spell. And it would not feel or look like fire. It would have left static around the wound."

Lissa pressed her lips into a thin line. Meanwhile, Chrom resisted the urge to smile with pride. His sister was really coming into her own as a healer. She had taken her studies under Libra seriously and now she was starting to master her craft.

"So what do you think killed the Mad King?" Frederick asked Lissa.

Lissa's fingers drummed against the table top, "Do you recall the nature of Marth's wounds?" She asked the others.

Sumia paled a little then nodded. Cordelia swallowed hard, but also nodded. She remembered how Marth looked vividly. Chrom gave his sister a firm nod.

"The wound in her gut, the one that should have killed her instantly, that was a perfect circle." Lissa pointed out.

"Are you saying a weapon similar to Maul's did this?" Frederick asked, fear now etched on his face, "Or worse, are you saying that monster-"

"No!" Chrom's fist slammed into the table, "That fiend is dead! End of discussion."

"No, this is not Maul's work." Cordelia said, "Remember Ben's report? Maul may have been cunning, but he was still an animal. He enjoyed watching the life leave his enemy's eyes. All of his kills, according to Ben, were up close and personal." Cordelia shivered, "I pray to Naga that Maul is actually dead. Even if he wasn't and he somehow survived, which I doubt, he did not do this."

"But someone with a similar weapon did. The type of trauma matches!" Lissa exclaimed.

Lord Robert raised his hand. Everyone fell silent.

"We are talking about a dead man." His no nonsense voice rumbled, "What we should be talking about, are the people that are actually capable of this. Regardless of what the Grimleal's motives may be; they are the only ones capable of this kind of strange magic." He jabbed a scarred finger into the table top and stared hard at Chrom, "Look at the bigger picture, your grace. We are getting so caught up in the finer details that we are failing to notice the most unnerving revelation of this missive. Plegia is on the verge of tearing itself apart. The army is fracturing. Notice who is not involved in that instability?"

Sumia's eyes widened, "The Grimleal are silent."

"Precisely. They are silent. They are letting this happen. They may not have been the ones to kill Gangrel, but they are certainly reaping the benefits. They are being patient. And that is a terrifying thought. Because you know what that means?" He leaned over the table, "It means the Grimleal are following a new High Priest."

"Do you think the new leader is Aversa?" Sumia wondered.

"No." Chrom shook his head, "Mustafa has kept very close tabs on the Grimleal and their temple. There has been no sign or word of Aversa. And there has been no mention within the Temple of a new high priest. His sources-"

"Are flawed." Robert interrupted, "That or already have turned their coats. I guarantee a new High Priest now leads the Grimleal. One with a scary amount of cunning and intellect. He is going to let the military destroy itself. Then he will step into the to fill the power vacuum. And a war weary people will allow it. Anything to finally have some peace. That is what they will think."

"So what should we do about this?" Frederick wondered, "Are we to send our own forces to secure the area? Prevent violence?"

"That would be the single worst thing we could do." Cordelia countered, "It would be like throwing dry tinder on an already raging fire. It would only worsen the problem and then come back to burn us in the end."

"Cordelia is right." Chrom nodded, "My father tried to _secure_ Plegia once before. We know how well that went." Chrom blinked, "My father tried… Lord Robert, what was the situation in Plegia like when my father's war began?"

Robert furrowed his brow, "It was… a lot like this actually. The king of Plegia was a weak leader at the time. The Grimleal had just selected a new High Priest. Political assassinations were commonplace. And the military leaders were at each other's throats. Your father invaded with the goal of installing some stability into the region after multiple bandit attacks against our western border."

Chrom snapped his fingers, "Exactly the same as what we are seeing now, minus the bandits. We are seeing history repeat itself." He folded his hands together, "What information can you provide me on my father's war, Lord Robert?"

Robert sighed, "Not much. I was just a field commander at the start. I did not attain the rank of Knight Commander until your sister was crowned Exalt. Commander Phila would have known more. She was Wing-Commander during the later days of the war."

"I will gather up any materials she may have left on the war." Cordelia said, "Your grace- er- Chrom, what is our goal? What are you planning?"

Chrom took a deep breath, "I plan on learning from my father's mistakes. Just as Emmeryn learned." He looked at Sumia, "Let Miriel know that I want her researching everything about my father's war. I want every detail, every secret, every single strategy and tactic brought to light for me to see. I would have Robin do it, but he is traveling with Ben and we have no way of contacting them."

"Of course." Sumia nodded

"Frederick." Chrom continued

"Your grace?"

"Send a letter to Khan Basilio. Inform him of this investigation and the nature of it. I want his testimony regarding the war."

"The Feroxi did not even fight in that war. Why go to them?" Lord Robert asked perplexed.

"They did not fight, but my father approached them for an alliance. In that meeting, he revealed his intentions for the war. I want to confirm everything first. Once you are done with that Frederick, gather up any information about the war from the logs of my father's Knight-Commanders."

"I shall." Frederick nodded.

"Do so with haste everyone." Chrom said firmly, "There is something sinister at work. The Grimleal may be the cause. Or someone even worse could be orchestrating all of this. But we cannot sit idly by as an enemy attempts to goad us into another disaster. I will not have another war of that kind under my rule. Am I clear?"

"Yes, your grace!" Everyone except Sumia and Lissa replied.

"This war council is dismissed."

Frederick started speaking in earnest with Lord Robert about obtaining the records needed as the pair exited. Cordelia lingered a moment to speak with Sumia before running off to the Wing-Commanders' quarters. Phila's journals were somewhere in there. Perhaps something would be brought to light from them. Lissa excused herself. She seemed a little upset. But Chrom could not figure out why. Sumia remained with her husband. A look of worry on her face.

"Chrom." She placed a soft hand on his cheek, "You don't think another war is going to happen, do you?"

Chrom took a deep breath, "I really hope not. We cannot afford it. The Halidom is still weak. A war would be the end of us. Hopefully by discovering what led to my father's war, we can learn how to avoid one of our own."

"Do you worry about what you will find?" Sumia breathed, "Robin and Basilio were adamant that your father did some terrible things."

Chrom swallowed hard, "Maybe he did. Maybe he didn't. We won't know until the truth is found." He grabbed Sumia's hands and gently held them in his own, "Do not worry dearest. I will not allow war to come into our land. Not without exhausting every other option we have."

Sumia gave him a small, nervous smile, "That's… that's good. Because-" She bit her lip. Chrom noticed her hands were shaking.

"Is something the matter?" He asked her, worry on his face, "Are you struggling with anything? Do I need to get Libra?"

Sumia uttered a small laugh, "Maybe. But not for the reason you think."

Chrom raised an eyebrow in confusion. Sumia leaned into his ear.

"I'm pregnant silly."

 _PREGNANT!_

All focus left his vision. It suddenly felt very hard to breathe. He uttered a loud, sputtering cough. All strength left his legs as the muscles in them turned to mush beneath him. Chrom did not even feel his body impact with the floor as he fainted.

"Chrom? Chrom!?" Sumia let out a long sigh, "You don't have to be so melodramatic!"

….

"C'mon! Sing it with me Benny!" Gaius chirped, " _We're on the road again! Oh~"_

"My singing voice sounds like a mix between a screeching cat and fingernails on a chalkboard." Ben cut off the cheerful thief, "I will not subject any of you to that kind of torture."

Robin snorted out a laugh as they marched down the trail, "Oh come on, Ben. You can't be as bad as Gaius."

"Yeah you can't be as bad as-" Gaius blinked, "Bubbles, what the hell?"

Robin clutched his stomach as he erupted in laughter. Ben could not help but laugh as well. Today was a different day than the previous ones. The rain had finally passed. The days following the massive storm had seen crystal clear skies. Skies as blue as the most brilliant of sapphires. The sun warmed up considerably as they moved further south. To the point where Ben had decided to roll up his cloak and stuff it in his travel pack. And the trails they traveled down were finally dry. The mud was starting to peel free from Ben's boots as they walked onward into the wilderness.

The pleasant weather had a profound effect on Ben's state of mind. Or perhaps, the weather was not the cause for Ben's suddenly relaxed state. In reality, he knew that he felt better because his mind was not as cluttered. Whatever scrying Tharja had done to him a few nights ago had worked wonders. He had awoken from the spell in some emotional pain, but it had subsided as he meditated on the event. He had confronted something that hurt him.

That conversation in the engine room of Queen Amidala's ship had been one of the last pleasant conversations he had with his old Master. Every other conversation with him after that revolved around Anakin and Obi Wan's own distaste for the boy. At the time, he agreed with the Jedi Council. The boy was too old to train. And he was frustrated and puzzled by Qui Gon's decision to defy them yet again on such a sensitive matter.

He also had to admit, he was a little hurt that his master wanted to move on from him as a padawan when he clearly was not ready to be a Jedi Knight. Qui Gon may have had confidence in his abilities, which helped keep the blow from stinging too much. But Obi Wan was not ready for the trials then. If he actually underwent them, he would have failed.

No wonder that memory had caused him pain. It was the last time he had truly been Qui Gon's apprentice. The last time he called him Master and did not feel any underlying anger, betrayal, or worry. He had struggled with Qui Gon's death for some time afterwards. Anakin did not know that of course. But in the end, he grew to accept that his relationship with Qui Gon did not end badly. There were no ill feelings between Obi Wan and his Master when he died. They were Master and Apprentice. And Ben was forever grateful that crazy old Jedi Master took him as his student.

A rumble in his stomach tore Ben's mind away from that memory.

"I heard that." Panne said.

"Heard what?" Gaius asked as he stopped whistling.

"Ben is hungry." Panne nodded over at the swordsman.

Gaius chuckled then felt his own stomach growl, "Now that you mention it, so am I."

"I could go for some food." Robin said, "Anyone up for hunting some game?"

Tharja gave a visibly disgusted look behind Ben. Hunting was not something she was interested in at the moment. Her nose had been buried in her tome all day. She had been studying the scrying spell in greater detail so that she could perfect it. Ben knew she wanted to enter his mind again. Tharja was a curious person by nature. Creepy, but curious. She had a voracious appetite for forbidden knowledge. And she viewed the Force as the most forbidden form of knowledge. Entering Ben's memories was the perfect opportunity for her to learn more about the Force. Since Marth left, he was her only source of knowledge on the subject.

Gaius grunted as he set his pack down off to the side of the road.

"I'll get a fire going. I'm looking forward to a nice hot meal." Gaius smiled.

"That does not sound entirely awful." Tharja grumbled as she took a seat beside Gaius's pack.

"What do you say Panne?" Robin looked over at the Taguel, "Shall we hunt a bear?"

"Bleh! Bear!?" Gaius cried, "What are you a savage? Get some deer or a…" Panne narrowed his eyes at him, "Rab… bit." He gulped as Panne's fur bristled, "I'm sorry."

"You have him well trained." Ben chuckled as he remained standing. The Force was tingling for some reason. He could not pinpoint exactly why. But it was trying to tell him something.

Gaius stuck his tongue out at Ben then recoiled as Panne smacked his shoulder.

"So abusive today." He muttered as Panne made her way towards a nearby wood with Robin.

"You irritate her." Tharja breathed, "Be grateful that you do not irritate me."

"Aw! You are sweet to say that, Sunshine."

"One more word and I shall be irritated." She growled.

Ben narrowed his eyes down the road. He saw someone now. A boy, a teenager actually, was sprinting as fast as he could down the road. His appearance was disheveled and poor. A dented copper pot sat over his head. In his hand was a pitchfork with one prong almost completely rusted away. The boy raised his tired gaze up and saw Ben.

"HEY!" He waved at Ben, "HEY!"

Ben furrowed his brow. Gaius got to his feet.

"Who's the idiot?" Gaius asked as he pointed his lollipop stick at the kid, "He does know that bandits like to prowl this road, right?"

"Nature is about to take its course. Let it happen." Tharja sighed as she flipped a page in her book.

Ben took a closer look as the boy drew nearer. There was blood stained on his blue, rough-spun tunic. Fear was all over his face. Sweat caked his brow. But he did not slow down as he sprinted at them.

The boy's sandal covered feet skidded to a stop. At that point, Panne and Robin both turned around and noticed the newcomer. The pair slowly returned towards their campsite as the young boy tried to catch his breath.

"Thank Naga y'all are friendly!" The boy wheezed as he dropped his pitchfork and struggled to catch his breath.

"Who said we were friendly?" Gaius replied.

"Gaius…" Ben warned as he saw fear rush over the boy's face.

"Oh let me have some fun!" Gaius whined, "Besides, both Sunshine and Whiskers are not in friendly moods today. So I'm not really lying."

"You just have to be difficult all the time don't you?" Ben asked before raising a hand to silence the thief, "Rhetorical question."

"Shall I give you a rhetorical answer?"

Ben pressed his lips together and clenched his jaw. He was few more sentences away from finally losing his temper when it came to the thief.

"Catch your breath." Robin said as he grabbed his skin of water and offered it to the boy, "What is your name?"

The boy drank deep from Robin's water skin, "Thank you, milord. The name is Donny -er- Donnel, good sirs." He gasped for breath than took another long drink, "I came from the village over yonder."

"Over yonder?" Panne parroted, confused.

"That way." Gaius pointed at the hill in front of them.

"I knew that." Panne snipped.

"Please sirs, y'all have to help." Young Donnel picked up his pitchfork, "My village is under attack. Some bandits are trying to steal everything we own. Which ain't much, but it's all us hardworking folks got."

"Bandits?" Robin said.

"I told you." Gaius muttered to Ben.

"How many?" Robin asked.

Donnel shrugged, "Dunno, milord. But enough to put the whole place to the sword. My ma is still there too! I was out tending the cattle when they attacked. Barely managed to save my own skin." He uttered a trembling breath, "I cannot just let those murderers hurt her. But I cannot take them on alone."

"You won't." Robin nodded.

"Bubbles, that's not a good idea." Gaius groaned.

"Yes, this is a good idea." Robin looked into Donnel's eyes, "How far is your village?"

"Just over yonder hill." Donnel pointed ahead of them, "I'll take ya the back way so that they won't see ya coming."

"Oh no!" Gaius waved his hands, "Can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm going to be the voice of reason right now. We know this road is bandit heaven. How do we know this kid isn't a lure?"

"Lure?" Panne asked.

"For a trap, Whiskers. Keep up with me now."

"Really Gaius?" Ben pinched the bridge of his nose, "Donnel, a bandit?"

"I beg your pardon!" Donnel cried, offended.

"I've seen skinnier." Gaius countered.

"I could break him over my knee." Tharja uttered a dark giggle, "And it would be fun too. He's not a bandit."

"Um… I don't take kindly to those words." Donnel sweated nervously.

Robin sighed, "If it satisfies your own paranoia, we will take him with us. Besides, this is his village. He should be part of the effort to take it back."

"I'd be more than happy to, milord!" Donnel stood taller, "I-I ain't never fought before. But I know how to use my pitchfork and a sickle. And-and well," Donnel swallowed hard, "wheat may not be as tough, but the principle sounds the same."

Gaius eyed the kid. He shook his head and walked past Robin.

"He's going to get himself killed." The thief grumbled, "Or worse, all of us killed."

"No he won't." Ben said, "He will stay by me the entire time."

Gaius glanced over at Donnel. Then he looked over at Ben.

"Gotta give yourself a handicap in order to make it fun, eh Benny?" He smirked at Ben.

"One more word and I will knock you out, Gaius." Ben snapped.

"Please, say another word. I could use some entertainment today." Tharja snickered.

"No more!" Robin exclaimed, "Donnel lead the way!"

"Yes sir!" Donnel nodded, he turned towards the woods to their south, "Follow me. We will circle around the backside of the village."

Robin and Ben both nodded and took off after Donnel. Panne scurried after them as well. Tharja let out a long, irritated sigh before closing her book with a loud bam.

"I guess I have the time to test some new spells." She muttered before chasing after the others.

"Guys! Guys! This is a bad plan! I-" Gaius's shoulders sagged in defeat, "Is this how Bubbles and Benny feel when I come up with a plan?"

….

Robin focused the lens of the telescope as he stared through it at Donnel's village. By the time they managed to circle around the village, night had fallen. A full moon sat high in the sky. Showering the little village with cold, pale light. Without the moonlight, it would have been impossible for Robin to see anything other than the bandit's torches moving through the village.

It was a tiny little place indeed. Donnel's village was constructed mostly among the ruins of an old, abandoned fort. There were several stones houses with thatched roofs scattered among the shattered stone walls. And among those stone walls milled an entire gang of bandits. Worse of all, gathered at the center of the town were the residents. All of them held hostage. Helpless as the bandits ransacked their homes.

Ben crawled over to Robin as they laid low behind some thick brush.

"How many?" Ben whispered.

Robin frowned, "I count a dozen. Maybe more. The walls make it difficult to see them all." He scanned the town again, "At least three archers."

"Great…" Gaius groaned, "A dozen bloodthirsty bandits, armed to the teeth with bows and axes, versus five shepherds."

All of the Shepherds, including Donnel, glanced over at Gaius.

"What?" Gaius asked.

Robin nodded in Donnel's direction.

"Oh, my bad." Gaius corrected himself, "We have five and a half shepherds."

Panne smacked the thief upside the head. Gaius bit down on his sleeve in order to keep himself from crying out in pain. He screwed his eyes shut.

"That hurt, Whiskers!" Gaius hissed.

"Then maybe you should learn to hold your tongue." Panne snapped back.

"Both of you hush up." Robin whispered as he continued taking stock of the situation.

Gaius's pessimistic interpretation was not with reason. In fact, his caution had quickly spread to Robin as well. There were a lot of bandits in the village. And all of them were heavily armed. There was no way of entering the village without being noticed. The leader of the bandits wisely placed a sentry at all points of entry into the crowded space. Then there was the fact that the villagers were being held hostage. If anyone tried to rescue them, they would be slaughtered.

"Do you have a plan?" Ben asked as he eyed the situation.

Robin pursed his lips. He closed his telescope and stuffed it back into his coat pocket, next to his spell book.

"Gaius, you've traveled with these type of gangs before right?"

"Uh… I'm not sure I want to incriminate myself." Gaius swallowed hard, "I may or may not have had some companionship with unsavory folk such as these gentlemen."

"Gentlemen!?" Donnel hissed, "Those monsters are thieves and murderers. Not gentlemen. They deserve a headsman's ax."

"Let's not get too hasty with the death sentences." Gaius whispered, "Not _all_ thieves are that bad."

"Focus Gaius." Robin snapped his fingers in front of the thief's face, "What is the likelihood that these guys have run into a mage before?"

"Likely." Gaius replied, "There are rogue mages in the Halidom. The best bandit crews have at least one in their ranks. Nothing makes the common folk surrender faster than a good fire spell."

Robin cursed. That ruled out using magic to take them by surprise. These bandits appeared to be an experienced group. They were combing through each house with efficiency not typical of a random gang of bandits. Whoever led these brigands was very smart and very effective at getting his motley group of men to do as he commanded.

"What about a dark mage?" Ben wondered.

"I think a rogue mage counts as a dark mage, Benny." Gaius deadpanned.

"And a Grimleal?" Ben said with a knowing smirk.

Gaius puckered his lips. Then he began to chuckle quietly, "You know what, I'm glad I tagged along now."

"Why's that?" Donnel asked, "What is a Grimleal?"

All eyes turned to look at Tharja, who lay prone at the other end of the line.

"Oh!" Donnel gulped, "She's a Grimleal?"

Tharja waved her fingers at Donnel. All the while, a sinister smirk was on her face. Robin noticed how pale Donnel became as he caught a good look at her black spell book. A plan formed in his mind. One that was so crazy, it might just work.

"Tharja."

"Yes, Robin?" The dark mage asked as her cheeks turned red.

She scooted closer to Robin. Robin scooted closer to Ben. He uttered an uncomfortable grunt as he bumped into the swordsman's body.

"How scary can you get?" Robin whispered, hoping to make her back off a little bit while at the same time conveying his idea to her.

Tharja blinked. Realization ran over her face. She began to snicker uncontrollably.

"Has Miss Tharja lost her marbles?" Donnel asked.

"On the contrary." Ben whispered over to Donnel, "She is getting excited."

"Why?"

"We're are about to let a Grimleal off of the chain." Gaius shook his head, "I pity the fools that dared to attack this village."

"Pity is reserved for the living." Tharja said with a glee filled grin, "They will all be dead soon." She looked over at Gaius, Panne, and Ben, "Start some fires. I am going to need a lot of smoke in the air."

The trio nodded and ran off to gather some firewood.

"Ben!" Robin grabbed the swordsman's arm, "When you are done with that, circle around the other side of town and ready an ambush. These guys will be running in your direction if all of this goes as planned."

Ben nodded in understanding. He glanced over at Donnel and sighed.

"Stay close to Robin."

He took off after Gaius and Panne. Leaving Tharja alone with Robin and Donnel.

"Robin, I will need a well timed el-thunder spell." Tharja breathed.

"What will the signal be?"

Tharja continued to utter dark snickers, "Oh… you will know. Hehe. You will know."

"I don't wanna ask this," Donnel gulped, "But what do you need me doing, miss?"

"You?" Tharja narrowed her eyes at Donnel, "I will need some of your blood."

Donnel's face went as white as a ghost.

"What?"

Tharja's knife flashed in her hand. The blade bit into the back of Donnel's palm. A long, jagged, red gash formed over his hand. Donnel had to bite down on his tongue in order to keep himself from screaming in pain.

"Once I am done causing fear, you two must join Ben." She said as she pulled her blade away from Donnel.

The dark mage's eyes gleamed with delight as she looked at the crimson liquid that coated her blade. She dabbed her finger along the edge of the knife until it was covered in blood. She used the scarlet substance to paint long, terrifying lines over her pale face. Once she was satisfied, she hid her bloodstained knife in cloak. Her face turned to both Robin and Donnel.

"How do I look?"

Both Robin and Donnel paled.

"Perfect." They trembled in unison.

Tharja snickered again. She crawled away from the tactician and the farm boy. As she crawled away into the darkness, Robin heard her snickering starting to fade. Her voice came out of the shadows. It was a tone that sounded so pleased that it made Robin's stomach flip.

"I am going to have so… much… fun."

….

Roddick scowled as he stalked around the cowering townsfolk. He thought this village was a prime target for sacking. Too far away for any of the Halidom's soldiers to properly guard. Remote enough that none of these peasants could easily get away should they try and run for it. And large enough that there should have been plenty of valuables to take. It should have been a good night of thieving and sacking.

How quickly that excitement faded to disappointment. They entered the village without a fight. Each member of his crew dragged the townsfolk out to the center of their little village. His archers kept their arrows trained on them as his men tore apart their homes in search of anything worthwhile. And every house they ransacked came up empty. Nothing valuable. Not even a single copper coin. He was starting to realize that this village was so remote because it was just that poor. And he was getting very frustrated with that fact.

It had been a few months since his crew had a successful raid. The return of Prince Chrom to the Halidom signaled the end of the lawlessness that the Plegian invaders brought with them. Those few weeks not under Ylissean rule were glorious. His men ate like kings. Took riches beyond their wildest imaginations. And spent those riches on drink, food, and women.

But the good times did not last. Damnable Prince Chrom made sure of that. Now his men were scrounging for scraps. And just when he thought he found a proper, prime target; there was nothing.

 _No! There can't be nothing here!_

His frustration only mounted when he realized that a villager was missing. One of his men told him that a farm boy managed to escape their initial assault. That really made his blood boil. Who knows how long they had until that boy brought back help. He had to be found!

The brutish man growled and wheeled around on one of the quivering peasants. An older maiden. Wrinkles were starting to grow on her plain looking face. She was nothing more than a farming wench. Not even pretty to look at. Too old to have fun with. He pressed his ax blade close to her chin.

"Where's that little shit of a boy at?" He snarled.

Tears began to flow from the woman's eyes, "Please milords. We ain't got nothing left to take. Leave the children be!

"Quit yer bleating" Roddick bellowed. He backhanded the woman. The other peasants cowed in fear while his men grinned, "I know you know where he be at. Last I saw the boy, he wasn't much of a boy anymore. He be almost a man now, eh? I'd say that makes 'im more than killable."

"Hey Roddick!" One of his archers interrupted. He pointed at black smoke rising from the woods to the west. "A fire."

"Oh wonderful observation there ya shit." Roddick snarled, "Are ya lot just gonna stand there or are ya going to figure out what be causing it!?" He glared down at that cow of a woman, "Perhaps it be yer little boy coming to save the day." He laughed, "Too bad he'll die tryin'."

The archer swallowed then motioned for four other bandits to follow out of the town center. Wind blast of wind whipped up from the west. Blowing all of the black smoke towards the town. It hung low in the air and billowed out in front of the stone walls and buildings like a black fortress.

A moan echoed over the wind. Roddick's hair stood on end. The villagers fell silent as they quivered on the ground.

He gripped his ax tight in his calloused hands and stepped forwards with the rest of him men. His entire crew now stood at the western entry to the village. Smoke continued billowing out from the woods. But they could not see any flames.

"This ain't natural." One of his men whispered nervously.

"Shut yer damn trap. It just be a forest fire."

"Roddick, someone's coming."

He followed the finger of one of his boys and peered into the smoke. Sure as the shit he took this morning, someone was stepping out of the smoke. A hooded and cloaked woman in fact. Her head was bowed so that they could not see her face. But Roddick could see that voluptuous body of hers. If it wasn't for the black smoke billowing out around her and uneasy feeling he had in his gut, he would have liked what he saw.

"Just what in Naga's name be that?" One of his men whispered.

"FOOLS!" The woman's shrieked. Her voice snapped against Roddick's ears like a whip, "FOOLS AND TREACHEROUS BEASTS! They stomp on my soil. Wet it with the blood of innocents. Woe are they that do these fell deeds. For now my wrath is kindled!"

Roddick furrowed his brow. Just what was this woman screaming about. His men began to back up uneasily.

"What are ye lot a bunch of whelps? Go take her already!"

His men hesitated. Just as they started to make for her, the woman clapped her hands over her head.

A great branch of lighting shot through the smoke. Thunder clapped over their heads. And the moaning on the wind grew louder.

"WOE TO THOSE WHO DARE HARM THOSE UNDER MY WATCH!" The woman in black shrieked, "FOR I AM THE WITCH THAT CALLS THESE WOODS MY HOME! AND TH _ **OU**_ _**HA**_ ST _**DISTURBED**_ MY _**SLUMBER!**_ "

The woman's voice distorted near the end. And it made a chill crawl up Rodrick's spine.

"Roddick, what the hell is this?" One of his archers asked as he nocked an arrow.

"Does it matter? Shoot her!"

His three archers drew their bows and fired. The arrows hissed through the air. The woman did not move a muscle. A victorious smirk crossed Roddick's face. She was just another wench about to die by his command.

She raised a hand. Three shadowy blasts shot from her pale palm. The arrows exploded as the blasts slammed into them. Roddick's smirk ran away from his face. The woman raised her gaze to meet his own.

His blood ran cold. Long, crimson streaks of blood dripped down the witch's face. There was an evil gleam in her eyes. A look that only a predator gave when they were toying with prey. He knew that look well. Normally he was the one giving it.

She shrieked again. The scream reverberated through the air. The stones around his men trembled. Every face in the town center went pale.

One of his men screamed in terror. Then two. Then three. Roddick's voice joined the terrified chorus. All of them started running away as fast as their legs could carry them. Some of his men even cast their weapons to the side so they could run faster.

They reached the edge of town. Just as they were about to make their escape from the witch, a blast of fire slammed into one of Roddick's archers. A mass of fur shot past him and tackled two of his men to the ground. Terrified screams erupted from those men as claws sank into their flesh. Once they were dead, the monster spun around and attacked two more of his bandits.

Roddick brandished his ax and spun around as a two hooded figures emerged from the darkness, blades in hand. They started making quick work of his gang. Another man with red hair shot through the darkness and buried a shortsword into Roddick's last remaining archer.

Finally, Roddick caught sight of a young boy wearing a copper pot on his head charging directly at him. There was no fear in the boy's eyes. Only pure courage and determination as he leveled his pitchfork at Roddick.

Another shriek soared through the wind. Roddick wet himself. He dropped his ax blade and sank to his knees. He felt the pitchfork pierced his chest. He took a couple more breaths. Then he fell dead to the earth. Thankful that the nightmare was over.

….

Donnel heard a wet crunch as his pitchfork buried itself in the bandit's torso. It was a sound he was not fully prepared for. As his arms vibrated due to the impact he could feel his stomach churning. He watched as the bandit fell backwards, causing Donnel to lose his grip on his weapon. As soon as the body hit the earth, blood spurted up from the place where Donnel's pitchfork pierced the bandit.

And that was what made him vomit for the first time that night.

Donnel doubled over and struggled to catch his breath. He looked up at the body again then proceed to vomit some more.

"Naga above." He said between ragged breaths.

A rough hand clapped him on the back. Forcing sharp coughs out of his lungs.

"I did not think you had it in you kid." Gaius grinned as he patted the boy hard on the back, "But look there," He pointed at the body, "Look! Look!" The blood spurted again and Donnel's face turned white as a sheet, "HAHA! You did good!"

"I don't feel so good."

"Quit torturing him, Gaius." Panne sighed as she reverted back to her human form, "You saved your Warren, young Donny. And you were brave in doing so. You have earned my respect."

Gaius whistled, "I haven't even earned that yet."

"You've only managed to lose it." Panne pointed out.

"Donny!?" A woman's voice pierced the night.

Color returned to Donnel's face. His gaze snapped over ot the town center where his old ma was sitting.

"Ma! Ma!" All feeling of sickness vanished as he rushed up to the old, squat woman. He wrapped his arms around the lady and uttered a relieved breath.

"Oh thank goodness you're safe, Donny!" His Ma cried as she embraced him, "I thought I had lost you like I lost your father! I was worried to near death, boy!"

"It's okay, Ma." Donnel sniffled, "I'm alright. And I came back to save you." He broke away from her embrace and gestured over to Gaius, Panne, Ben, and Robin, "With the help of my friends." He shivered, "And- and-" He pointed a shivering finger over at Tharja as she sauntered into town. The other villagers gasped and shrank away from her, "She's a friend too."

Tharja glanced around at the increasingly terrified villagers. She placed her hands on her hips and smirked as Ben approached her.

"I could get used to this feeling." She said.

"The feeling of people being terrified of you." Ben breathed, "Most already are."

"But it's not always this obvious." Tharja smirked deviously, "Perhaps I should paint my face with blood more often?"

"That won't be necessary anymore." Robin gulped, "You did a great job, Tharja. But I think," He drew a handkerchief from his coat, "you can take off the costume now."

"I don't believe me own two eyes!" A man from the village declared, "That be Sir Robin, tactician of Prince Chrom's army!"

Donnel's eyes widened in petrified shock.

"Which makes our heroes, Shepherds!" Another villager exclaimed.

Donnel's mouth opened then snapped closed.

"Y'all are Shepherds?"

"I see we are folk heroes around here." Ben chuckled as he stood beside Tharja and Robin.

"More than folk heroes now good sirs." Donnel's Ma said with a large grin on her face, "You be just heroes now. And we are beyond grateful for it." She smacked Donnel's shoulder, "Show some manners son."

"Th-thank you milords and miladies." Donnel stammered.

Gaius began to laugh uncontrollably.

"I get what you're feeling now, Sunshine." He elbowed her arm, "I could get used to this."

"See what doing the right thing does?" Ben smirked over at the thief.

Tharja uttered a dark mutter. Gaius sniffled then sneezed hard.

"Oh… that was-" He sneezed again. Sniffled. Then sneezed hard again, "What the hell?"

"A hex for your original cowardice. And I amplified it because you elbowed me." Tharja glowered at Gaius, "Enjoy the runny nose, thief."

"WHY!?" Gaius cried before sneezing again.

"Milords, miladies, please allow us to repay you. We don't have much. But we do have soft beds and warm food to offer ya." Donnel's Ma said.

"We could not possibly impose. Besides, we have a quest to continue." Robin said.

"What quest be that?" Donnel's Ma asked.

Robin gestured at Ben, "We're looking for his son. He was kidnapped a few months ago."

Donnel's Ma gasped, "Oh dear. I am so sorry to hear that."

Ben nodded, "He is an infant boy. Blue eyes. A few wisps of blond hair."

"Ain't no infants around here, milord." Donnel said, "Not one in a few years actually. But…" The farm boy bit his lip, "I'd like to come with ya. Assist ya in finding your son. As repayment for saving my village."

"Donny!" Ma cried, "You need to know your place. A farm boy has no place alongside knights and lords!"

"Actually," Robin glanced over at Ben, "He is more than welcome to join us. We could use all of the help we can get. And when we finish our quest, he can come with us to Ylisstol. I'm sure Knight-Commander Frederick would love to have a man as brave and selfless as your son among his knights."

"Me!? A knight!?" Donnel cried in shock.

"But Donny is not a fighter he… he…" Ma sniffled, "Aw, I can't fight it anymore, can I? You're almost a man grown now, son. It is time you followed your own path. The life they are offering ya is far better than the one here."

"Ma?" Donnel stared at his mother in shock.

"Go, my boy." Ma placed hand on Donnel's cheek, "Go be a knight and make me proud."

Donnel's face burst into a massive grin.

"I will ma! And I promise I will become on the greatest knights to ever grace the Halidom! And I shall do it for you. And one day, I will come back and make sure this village is never harmed again!"

He wrapped his mother in a large hug. As the two embraced one more time, Ben drew up beside Robin.

"That's an incredibly generous thing you just did."

Robin shrugged, "The kid deserved it."

"So who will be teaching him to fight while we're on the road?" Ben asked, his eyebrow arched as he looked at Robin.

"Well um," Robin scratched the back of his head, "You see, since I'm technically a novice too, I was hoping-"

Ben began to laugh. He clapped Robin on the shoulder.

"I'd be happy to teach both of you, Robin."

 **And chapter! Introducing Fire Emblem's lovable farm boy, Donnel! I added a little bit of my own twist to this paralogue. ONe that gives Tharja a moment to shine and really show how scary she can actually be. I had a lot of fun writing it! And still no sign or word of Luke for Ben. Will he find him? I wonder?**

 **Meanwhile, Chrom has gotten word of the trouble in Plegia. And he is starting to investigate his father's war more closely. Lissa does not seem to pleased about that. They will be having a very interesting conversation soon. And Sumia is pregnant! We all know what that means. Yes it is technically a little early compared to the actual game's timeline, but in this story Lucina is not much younger than Kage. So I had to keep that together somehow.**

 **Next chapter we will be getting another Ben and Tharja memory scrying scene. Because I have been outlining those and they are very fun to brainstorm. Also, we may be seeing Marth again next chapter. I'm so excited! Anyways, let me know what you all think! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	46. Memories of the Hive Mind

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 46

Memories of the Hive Mind

Lothal. If this world was located anywhere else in the galaxy it would have been considered poor. However, it sat just within the edges of the outer-rim. Not far from the more prosperous mid-rim. Which meant that it still garnered enough trade traffic to allow the residents on the surface a comfortable existence. It was not just rock in space. The surface was fertile and green. Mostly plains and endless savannas covered the surface. Water dotted certain points around the world. There were a few large rivers. Overall, it was a surprisingly fertile planet for this portion of the galaxy.

It's fertility and location in the galaxy made the planet an important outpost for the fledgling Empire. Within a few years of the Emperor founding the new government, Lothal welcomed Imperial rule. The prospects of new jobs and better living conditions were too much to pass up. And so far, to Thrawn's detailed eye, the Empire had delivered. The people were not starving. The jobs at the planet-side industries were plentiful. There was a constant military presence on the world. But that was likely due to its location in the Outer-rim. The Hutt Cartel still controlled an enormous portion of this area in the galaxy. A strong military presence would deter most illegal activities such as smuggling and raiding.

"We are nearing our destination." Thrawn's aide, Eli Vanto, said as he guided their shuttle closer to a large, conical building near Lothal's capital city.

Darth Vader's rasping breaths rang through the Lambda shuttle's passenger compartment. The intimidating man, creature, insisted on accompanying the two naval officers on their first mission to the abandoned Jedi Temple. Thrawn was still trying to figure out what exactly Lord Vader was. He looked humanoid. Two arms, two legs, the helmet gave him the appearance of two eyes with a mouth and nose hidden behind the large respirator. But he seemed much too tall for a normal human being. And he did not speak any other languages except basic, a characteristic most humans were known for.

Thrawn considered the possibility that Vader was a cyborg of some sort. In the same mold as the late Separatist, General Grevious. But if that were the case, why the respirator. Why the portable iron lung? No, he was not a complete cyborg. Thrawn knew there was flesh and bone behind that mask and suit. How much was the question.

"So that's the Jedi Temple?" Eli Vanto whistled as he circled the enormous cone shaped structure that jutted up into the sky from the rocky ground, "Doesn't look anything like the one on Coruscant."

"Of course not." Thrawn said as he studied the architecture below them, "The temple on Coruscant underwent extensive renovations when the Emperor turned it into the Imperial Palace. Plus, this temple is much older than the one on Coruscant. There will be a much more natural design to it. At one time the Jedi did care more about the natural world than interfering in politics."

"I find that hard to believe." Vanto snorted as he guided the shuttle down to a safe landing beside the temple.

A squadron of stormtroopers from the local barracks was waiting for them. As well as the Imperial Governor of this territory. A tall, well muscled human named Ryder Azadi. The shuttle jostled as it touched down. Before the ramp could even begin to touch the ground, Vader marched off of the shuttle with Thrawn in tow.

The Stormtroopers all snapped to attention at the sight of the Naval Captain, his aide, and Lord Vader. Governor Azadi uttered a quick gasp once he saw Lord Vader exiting the shuttle. Apparently, he was not expecting the Emperor's fist to come to the surface personally.

"Lord Vader, this is quite the surprise. I was under the impression that Captain Thrawn and Commander Vanto were the ones who wished to tour the Temple." Governor Azadi said.

A hint of nervous tension filled his voice. But the older man did his best to hide it. Anyone else would not have noticed. But Thrawn picked up the change in tone right away. And he held no doubts Vader noticed as well. Probably before he did.

Vader towered over the already tall Governor. The black mask glowered down at the man.

"Have you located what I want to see in the Temple?" Vader rumbled.

Governor Azadi nodded, "Of course, Lord Vader. When we received word of the _Chimaera's_ imminent arrival, as well as the request from Captain Thrawn, we immediately unsealed the Temple and started excavating. It did not take us long to find it."

"Lead the way." Vader said.

Thrawn felt a small surge of excitement burst inside of him. Finally he was going to see some original Jedi artwork. He had always held the artwork of other cultures in very high esteem. He enjoyed studying it, interpreting the works of art in order to gather the hidden meaning behind it. Vanto seemed less enthused by the subject.

"I still don't understand, sir." The commander whispered to Thrawn as Vader strode ahead with the Governor, "WE came all this way on a secret mission in order to look at a painting?"

Thrawn sighed, "If it was just a mere painting then it would not be worth Lord Vader's time and energy. There is something significant about the mural in this temple. Something unique that is not found at other sacred Jedi sights."

Vanto rolled his eyes, "Great, an art history lecture from a kowtowing governor. That will absolutely not put me to sleep."

"You would be wise to listen to it." Thrawn replied sharply, "Art is important after all."

Vanto frowned, "With all due respect sir, I'd consider tactics and military intelligence more important than drawings."

"Are you so sure of that?" Thrawn replied with a raise eyebrow, "The Emperor seems to think differently. And I have the same opinion as he does regarding the matter. You see Commander, art is not just the study of a culture's creativity. It is a window into the mindset of that culture. The mindset of entire species even. Through art you can learn how they think. What they prioritize the most in their civilizations. If you ever wish to out think your enemies, it certainly helps to know their thought process. To know what they value most in all of existence. You cannot get that information through simple spy reports. Those can be laced with half-truths and misleading lies. But art does not lie. Art always tells a people's truth. You just have to look for it."

"You are a smart Naval Officer." Governor Azadi called from ahead as he overheard their conversation, "That's a rare thing in today's military ranks. Wouldn't you agree, Lord Vader."

Lord Vader did not reply as he strode ahead of the governor. The governor slowed his pace as they reached their destination inside of the dark temple. With a snap of Azadi's fingers, the stormtroopers flooded the shadowy space with light from enormous lanterns.

Thrawn's red eyes widened at what he saw.

Towering over all of them was an enormous stone wall. And carved into that stone wall was one of the most grand murals Thrawn had ever laid eyes on. The colors ingrained in the stone sparkled as the floodlights shone up at them. His red eyes followed the precise lines and sharp angles of the drawing all the way over to the three figures that dominated the center of the mural.

There was a tall, thin, elderly humanoid male at the very center of the mural. Long grey hair ran down from beneath a tall, blue hat on the man's head. A thick beard drifted over aged blue robes. His left hand was held up and open. A general sign of peace. The right hand was closed in a fist at his side. A sign of conflict.

To his right was a dark figure. Clad all in black. A sinister looking thing with a raised fist and a long snarl over pale lips. Yellow eyes stared down over Thrawn, Vader, and the others. They were filled with anger and hate. To the elder's left was a beautiful, ethereal, young woman. Long locks of white hair flowed over her shoulders. Her hands were down. A kind smile was on her rosy lips. A curious owl of some sort was perched on her right shoulder.

"I've never seen Jedi artwork like that before." Vanto admitted, "Then again, I haven't seen much Jedi artwork at all."

"And you likely never will due to the purges." Thrawn breathed as he got closer to the mural, "Most of all, you will not see anything like this at any other Jedi Temple. For this is not Jedi artwork."

Vader's head turned to look at Thrawn ever so slightly. The Chiss suppressed the urge to smirk. So the man was listening after all.

"Look at the way it is painted. The strong, bold lines. Sharp angles. It is rather two dimensional in its orientation. Typical Jedi artwork involves much more flowing lines, softer edges, less sharpness in the angles. It is more pleasant to look at. Calming by design. This mural though, grabs the observer's attention. It demands you look at it. Demands observation and intense study. It is not meant to calm a being's mind. It is meant to rattle it." Thrawn rubbed his chin, "I'm curious how something like this ended up in a Jedi Temple?"

"Governor Azadi, leave us." Lord Vader ordered.

The Governor opened his mouth to protest. Thrawn felt a slight pressure in the air as soon as he attempted to do so. The governor noticed it as well. His face went pale. He gave Lord Vader a stiff nod and ordered the stormtroopers to follow him out as well. Leaving the dark lord, Thrawn, and Vanto alone in the massive atrium.

"Tell me, Vanto, what do you think this artwork portrays?" Thrawn asked.

Vanto pursed his lips and shook his head, "I'm… not so sure, Captain. Maybe it depicts a family of some sort. A father and his two children?" He pointed at the figure in black, "One looks like a troublemaker. Heh! Before I joined the navy, I probably would have identified with him."

Thrawn nodded, "A simple observation. But not necessarily incorrect. But you must look into the deeper meaning of this work. Look at the dichotomy portrayed between the two flanking figures. One is clearly bright and good. The other dark and evil. One offers peace. The other promises conflict. And at the center, holding both at bay, keeping one from overpowering the other, is an omnipotent neutral." Thrawn took a breath, "It is a representation of the Force. A very old interpretation."

"What both of you are seeing is a physical representation of the Mortis gods." Lord Vader's voice rumbled.

Thrawn gave Lord Vader a surprised glance. He had read about the strange beings that lived on Mortis when he studied that curious report. The two Jedi that submitted the report were Anakin Skywalker and Obi Wan Kenobi. War heroes during the Clone War. And both reliable sources of information regarding the battles that occurred during those savage years. In fact, the only truly outlandish field report they both had was the Mortis report. Which seemed like pure fantasy when Thrawn initially read it.

But now, he was seeing physical evidence of Mortis and its strange beings right before his eyes. And so was Vanto, who also read the report and deemed it to be mere rubbish.

"So… Mortis is real?" Vanto gulped, "Or, if we're continuing with this whole symbolism business, is it just a representation of ancient Jedi beliefs?"

"It is real." Lord Vader rumbled.

"How do you know that?" Thrawn wondered out loud.

Vader was deathly silent, "One must know the ways of the force to unlock those secrets."

Thrawn felt a small shot of disappointment. Mystics and their riddles. Sometimes they were more irritating than interesting.

"So what exactly are we looking for in this mural?" Vanto asked.

"I'm not sure myself." Thrawn replied.

Vader ignored their puzzled debate and took a few steps forward. His breathing echoed around the cavernous room. All sound seemed to dull around him.

So far, Thrawn had impressed the Sith Lord. He did not cower in fear from him. The Chiss actually maintained his composure and had proven to be very competent while in command. They had made record time in getting to Lothal thanks to how he ran his bridge. And Vader could not dismiss the amount of intelligence the Captain possessed. No wonder the Emperor held him in such high esteem.

But the realm of the Force was beyond even Thrawn's intellect. Only a Jedi or Sith could understand its mysteries. Even then, the Jedi only could grasp a little. But a Sith saw the whole picture.

Vader reached out his gloved hand and placed it against the mural.

A shock coursed through his body. Electricity rocked his suit. A long groan left his lungs as he felt multiple systems in his suit malfunction. He collapsed to one knee and struggled to breathe. He heard Thrawn and Vanto's alarmed cries as the mural spat more electrical energy at the Sith Lord. But they dared not approach. The dark side of the force swarmed around Lord Vader.

This painting was pissing him off.

Vader balled up his fist and rose back to his feet. His rage gave him power. The pain he felt fueled the Force inside of him. He would not be defeated by a simple painting. Vader growled and rested his palm against the mural once again.

His mind blanked. Suddenly, he no longer saw the red images granted to him by his mask's optical lenses. Instead, he saw all colors once again. He was looking at strange world with his natural eyes. One that was cold and bleak. Covered by the ruins of a castle. Shattered stone littered the small area all around him.

A cold wind brushed against his skin. Vader uttered a sharp gasp. He was out of his suit. But how? Who removed him from the prison that kept him alive.

He ran a shaking hand over his eyes. He felt flesh beneath them. It was not scarred or burnt anymore. It felt smooth. Like how it was before he was defeated on Mustafar.

" _Anakin Skywalker?"_

Vader grit his teeth. Who dared call him by that name? He turned around and took a step back in surprise.

The elderly man from the mural stared down at him from a shattered throne. He looked weak. Exhausted. In pain and utterly defeated. Vader knew who glowered down at him with disappointment. It was one of the Mortis gods. The one simply known as the Father.

" _What have you become?"_ The Father gasped in horror.

"I am not Anakin Skywalker." Vader growled. He hesitated to speak anymore. He was not used to the sound of his natural voice anymore, "I destroyed him."

" _Have you, Lord Vader? If you have, why do you take his form. Why do I see his face before me?"_

Vader snarled, "You are the one who brought me here." His frustration was beginning to grow, "You tell me the answer."

The Father sighed, " _So impatient and foolish. Just as I feared you would become. Filled with rage and hatred. Consumed by a lust for power. Driven mad by greed and grief."_

Vader's lips curled into a hideous snarl. He raised his hand and pinched his fingers in the air. The Father uttered a startled cry as he was lifted in the air. Vader used the force to grip the old cretin by the throat.

"You are sheltering a woman. A woman who knows how to cheat death." Vader growled, his voice starting to distort once again, "Where is she?"

The Father uttered a pain filled gasp, " _Yes… cheat death, she has."_ Vader loosened his grip so the fool could speak, " _A cheat it more she shall. For death is soon to cower in fear as a greater punishment than it emerges from a deep slumber."_ He uttered a manic laugh, " _My daughter no longer lives. My son lives, yet does not. For he is a slave to his own insanity and lust for power. I alone bar the gates that contain it. If the Force is not brought to balance, the galaxy will be consumed!"_

A flood of images hit Vader's mind. He saw a planet. A bright, blue jewel sitting in space. A single, small moon drifted in orbit around the lush world. All around it were stars innumerable. He could see its surface now. Snow capped mountains. Flower filled plains and rolling hills. Scorched deserts and rocky, cracked badlands. Raging oceans and gentle streams. Soft winds and violent hurricanes. A world hidden from the galaxy. Guarded by a being hidden in shadow and a white, ethereal owl.

" _Madness!"_ The Father sobbed, " _My children claw at each other's throats. And I can do nothing to stop them. They forget what to do. They forget what must be contained! They have lost balance. For they seek to vanquish the other in order to achieve a false harmony. But the lie will undo them. And it will come!"_

Vader saw her. The woman his Master spoke of. She was shockingly young. One arm was cut off at the elbow. Her face was set in a determined expression as she entered a frozen port city. The force radiated from her like a bright tidal wave.

He saw a young man next. Blonde haired and yellow eyed. His presence in the Force black as coal. He sat deep in mediation inside of a strange palace.

Then lastly, he saw a shadowy figure in the shape of a young woman. She was not remarkable in the force, yet she felt entirely different than the other two. She felt balanced. In tune with the world around her. Exuding perfect control over both the light and the dark. Not powerful, not overwhelming, but balanced.

" _Instead of one chosen, now there are three. For the original has fallen. The new trinity must rise. One for the dark, one for the light, and one for balance. Each one meant to shoulder the burdens that the others cannot bear. If disaster is to be averted. If it is to remain imprisoned, balance must be achieved. Balance… yes… for my children failed. And so have I."_

The Father dropped to his knees and let out a long sigh.

" _No longer can I hold the prison in place. Time is short."_

Vader's spine tingled. There was a new presence circling the air around him. One that felt unlike any he had ever sensed before. The Force came surging around him like a violent hurricane. A mad scream filled the air. The Father began to utter insane, manic cackles.

His mind could not handle anymore. Vader succumbed to the darkness that clawed over his body and claimed his consciousness.

….

Ben thanked the stars above that Donnel was kind enough to offer him a new tent. When the group left his village, they got a heroes send off. The villagers refilled their water skins, resupplied them with food that would last through their travels, and gave Ben a new tent. Now he no longer had to share with Tharja. Who, after the events of that night, made him think twice about spending time in the same space alone with her. She was truly terrifying while executing Robin's strategy.

He was also grateful for the tent because now he actually had some privacy from the others. Gaius was Gaius. The thief was a nosy person. And he had a habit of rummaging through stuff he had no business rummaging through. More than once, Ben had caught him trying to take a peak at his rapier. Panne's company was not bad. But it was more silent than enjoyable. He did not mind Robin's company. The tactician was a very pleasant person to be around. And he was swiftly becoming a very good friend. During the day time, when they were not marching, Ben took to training him and Donnel. A task the three liked to do once they rose in the morning.

Speaking of morning, the sun was rising. Ben winced a little as he sat up from his mat and stretched his arms over his head. Having his own tent was more comfortable, but he still would much rather sleep on a proper mattress than on the ground. He rolled his shoulders and placed his boots on his feet. Once that was done, he grabbed his rapier and stepped outside to being warming up.

Robin and Donnel were both waiting for him beside the remains of their campfire. Tharja was awake as well. The dark mage sat near the smoldering embers. Enjoying what little warmth the charred logs still provided. Her eyes were glued to the pages of her book. But on occasion, she glanced up in order to cast a longing look at Robin and a curious stare at Ben.

"Ready Ben?" Donnel asked, his voice filled with excitement.

"Hold on." Ben yawned, "I just woke up."

"Aw shucks." Donnel muttered, "I keep forgetting y'all are castle folk. Ya ain't used to waking up before the crack of dawn."

"No worries, Donnel." Robin smirked, "We will get used to it eventually."

"You might." Ben replied, "But I still need my beauty rest."

"Beauty is subjective in this sense right?" Robin joked.

Ben lunged at Robin with his rapier. A playful jab that sent the tactician scampering back. Ben pointed his sword at the laughing man.

"Don't taunt unless you are ready for the consequences." Ben smirked.

"Yeah, yeah." Robin replied as he readied himself for their daily spar.

Donnel looked less ready. The boy was progressing slowly. He held his own sword with an uneasy grip. Still not comfortable with the fact that he was holding a deadly weapon now instead of farming equipment. Ben had been instructing the boy for a few days now. He had shown some progress. But he still had the same problem. That problem being hesitance. He would not progress any further unless he began fighting with confidence.

The only way that confidence could be built was through experience. And so, Robin, Ben, and Donnel started having three way duels. Short sparring sessions. Not very intense in nature. More of a warm up before more intense instruction. But it helped shake the nerves out of Donnel and Robin.

Ben twirled his blade and readied himself. Donnel swallowed hard and held his blade out in front of him.

"Ready?" Ben smirked at the two others.

"Bring it." Robin smirked.

"Er- let's fight." Donnel stammered.

Ben lunged at Robin. The tactician deftly parried his thrust then countered with a sharp slash at Ben's right shoulder. Ben ducked beneath the attack and shoved his elbow into Robin's stomach. The wind rushed from Robin's lungs as he was shoved backwards.

Donnel let out a high pitched yell as he charged at Ben. Ben smirked and twirled around. He caught Donnel's clumsy, overhand attack. With a flick of the wrist, Donnel lost his grip on his sword and watched, defeated, as it landed in the dirt a few feet away.

Ben clicked his tongue.

"What have I told you, Donnel?"

"Don't lose my weapon." Donnel muttered.

"Why?"

"Because that weapon is my life."

"Exactly." Ben nodded, "That weapon is your life. It can save it or take it. So never lose it. Especially to an enemy."

He glanced over at Robin as the tactician pushed himself back up to his feet with Tharja's help. Coughs wracked his lungs as he continued to reel from Ben's sharp elbow. Even though Tharja was helping him, Ben could see Robin was not very comfortable with her. He could understand why. Whenever Tharja was not studying her spellbook, she was stalking Robin. One time, Ben found out she had followed the tactician to the river in order to watch him bathe. She claimed it was for research purposes. But Ben doubted it had anything to do with magical research.

 _More like romantic research._ He thought to himself before returning his attention to Donnel.

"Pick up your weapon." He nodded.

Donnel swallowed hard. The boy was on the verge of tears, "I'm sorry, Sir Ben. I- I'm just no good at this."

Ben let out a sympathetic sigh, "No one ever is at first. That is why you must train and practice. Now, show me how you were holding the blade."

Donnel held his blade how he normally did. Ben shook his head and fixed his hands.

"You are reverting back to bad habits." Ben said as he smacked Donnel's hands with his own, "This is not a club or a hammer, this is a sword. You can not hold it tight or you will not be flexible. And if you hold it too lose, well… you saw what happened. You need to place the right amount of pressure in your grip. Enough so the blade will not fly away if I hit it. But also enough to where you have some flexibility in your movements. Understand?"

Donnel sniffled then nodded, "I think so."

"Good." Ben smiled, "Then let's try again." He turned to Robin, "Ready, Sir Breathless?"

"Ha *wheeze* Ha." Robin gasped as he twirled his sword, "That was a cheap shot."

"You should always expect one in a fight." Ben advised.

The duel continued. This fight was a little more even. Donnel had taken Ben's advice to heart. To Ben's approval, he adjusted his grip and displayed more fluid movements.

Robin was taking to Niman like a fish to water. His grasp of the basics to Form One helped accelerate his learning when it came to the more complex Form Six. He was struggling a little more with Forms Three and Four. He did not have the timing or reflexes yet for either of them. And his lack of natural athleticism raised issues with Ataru's demanding physical movements. So, when Ben instructed Robin in the basics of that form, he emphasized Master Qui Gon's version of it. His master had to alter the aggressive fighting form in order to compensate for his age. As he got older, he was less able to use the wild flips and twirls the form often required. His rendition of Ataru was perfect for Robin, who had tried to do a flip once before; only to smack his head on the ground mid flight.

As for Donnel, Ben was more concerned with him growing used to his weapon before actually teaching him complex techniques. He was getting the youngling treatment. Basic movements. Parries and slashes that were not difficult to execute. A lot of focus went to the fundamentals. His footwork needed to be built up. His reflexes needed sharpening. If there was one advantage Donnel did have over Robin, it was raw strength. The boy was not massive, but he was damn strong. A product of being a farm boy tasked with rearing cattle and baling hay in the hot sun all day. When he managed to land a solid blow, Ben felt it. Form five would be perfect for him once he had a solid foundation.

Ben ducked beneath a wild slash from Donnel. He jumped over a stab at his legs from Robin. A wry smirk crossed the swordsman's lips. They were ganging up on him.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" He asked with a playful grin.

"Strength in numbers." Robin shrugged while Donnel smiled.

They charged at him. Ben decided it was time to put the newbies in their place. He changed his stance from form one's predictable posture to his favored form, form number three. His blade twirled around him. Blocking every attack from the two lesser swordsmen. Tharja's eyes were no longer on her book as she watched with great interest. Ben could see her muttering something under breath. But he was not sure what.

He caught Donnel's blade and shoved the boy back. The boy lost his footing and fell hard on his rump. Ben turned his attention to Robin.

 _BY THE FORCE!_ Ben thought as an absurdly fast slash nearly took his head off.

"Ben! Help!" Robin cried.

"HELP!?" Ben exclaimed as he struggled to fend off Robin's furious assault, "You're the one attacking me!"

"I can't stop myself!" Robin exclaimed.

"Just drop your weapon!" Ben shouted back as he block a savage strike.

"I'm trying!"

Tharja had a pleased smirk on her face as she continued watching the duel. That pleased smirk disappeared though once she felt the energy in the air ripple around Ben.

The swordsman unleashed on Robin. His blade moved so fast it became a blur. A red gash formed on Robin's cheek. The pain that it caused was enough to shake Robin free of whatever spell he was under. His hand twitched and his blade fell into the earth.

Ben took a deep breath. Robin's own breathing was shallow and scared. The sound of Tharja slamming her spellbook closed drew both of their attention. The tactician wheeled around at Tharja.

"What did you do!?" He cried.

Tharja frowned, "I made it a fair fight."

"Fair fight!?" Robin yelled as Ben caught his breath behind him, "I almost killed him."

"If only you were _that_ skilled." Ben muttered under his breath. He rubbed his lower back and winced, "Force, I need to work out harder."

"You were struggling. I evened the odds." Tharja's even, cold voice responded, "I thought you would be grateful for my help."

"Grate-" Robin bit his tongue as he fought off a stream of curses, "Tharja, I'm trying to learn from Ben. Not beat him!"

"But-"

"Naga why can't you be a little just normal. First you follow me around everywhere. Now you're hexing me!" Robin huffed and turned towards his tent, "I need a break."

Tharja blinked as Robin stormed away. The dark mage narrowed her eyes, puzzled.

"Normal?" She muttered.

Ben uttered a long sigh, "Well, that could have gone better." He glanced over at Donnel, "Go ahead and do your individual exercises."

Donnel nodded. He started going through his simple routine of movements. Meanwhile, Ben walked over to Tharja and sat down beside her. He grabbed his waterskin and drank deep from it.

"Whatever hex that was, it was surprising." Ben breathed before taking another gulp of water.

"You sound pleased by it." Tharja muttered.

Ben shrugged, "I'd save it for a real battle next time." He looked across their campsite at Donnel. Who somehow managed to trip over his own two feet, "At the rate he's going, Donnel will need that kind of help."

"I wanted Robin to like it." Tharja breathed, "But he did not."

Ben glanced over at the mage. She looked, sad? Tharja never looked sad. Creepy and a touch off putting sure. Angry, sometimes. But sad? That was new.

"I'm sure he did not mean what he-"

"Come along, Kenobi." Tharja grabbed Ben by the wrist.

She dragged Ben to her tent.

"Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" He muttered under his breath.

She sat Ben down outside of her tent. Then Tharja sat down across from him.

"Robin said so himself, he wants me to be normal." SHe narrowed her eyes at Ben, "So… you shall teach me how to be normal."

Ben snorted hard, "You- you're serious?" He pointed at his chest, "You want me to teach you how to be normal?"

Tharja raised an eyebrow as Ben started to laugh uncontrollably.

"Do you even remember the memory you just so happened to take a stroll through?" Ben laughed a little more, "I am the furthest thing from normal around here."

"And Robin tolerates you for some reason." Tharja pointed out, "Why? What am I missing?" She gripped Ben's collar, "You must tell me the secret!"

Ben blinked, "Tharja," He gently reached for her hand and pried it away from his shirt, "I think you are overthinking this."

"Maybe he expects me to be like that one Pegasus rider. Like Prince Chrom's wife." Tharja muttered as she ignored Ben, "A doting, smiling wench." She shivered in revulsion but then sighed, "The things I must do for love."

Ben rolled his eyes, "Tharja…"

"I shall cook for Robin tonight. That seemed to work for Sumia. She gained her love's attention that way. Truly, the way to a man's heart is through his stomach."

Ben sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. She was not listening to him. Force, she probably was not going to listen to any of his advice right now. She had a deep infatuation with Robin. One that blinded her to reality. There was only one thing that could shake the dark mage from her scheming now at this point.

"Tharja."

"I wish that stumbling bimbo told me her pie recipe." Tharja muttered as she bit her thumb.

"Care to take a memory walk?" Ben asked reluctantly.

He did not want to go through another memory. The first time, while not overly painful, had brought forth some troubling emotions that gave him some pause. And he was still hesitant to unveil the entire truth to Tharja. The more she scryed his memories, the more of the truth she would discover. Truth was a dangerous thing with the Empire now in power throughout the galaxy.

But he could not bear to see Tharja tearing herself apart like this. Robin's words were harsh. True, Tharja's hex had some unintended consequences that were almost disastrous. But the intentions behind the hex were not dark in nature. In fact, her intentions were very kind. She knew Robin was struggling to keep up with Ben in a duel. So she decided to try and help. As a true team member and friend should.

His plan worked. Tharja blinked and tore herself away from her own thoughts.

"You wish to see another memory?" She asked, surprised.

Ben shrugged, "The nightmares are starting to come back."

Also true, but they were not as strong right now. Just ghosts of images here and there. Enough to make his sleeps fitful. But not enough to force him awake.

Tharja gave him a suspicious look, "Very well. I don't know what you are planning, Kenobi." She opened her spellbook and drew her knife. Ben held out his open palm. She cut a thin line over his hand and dropped some blood onto the page. The book began to glow purple once again, "However, I should not be overly suspicious. This is an opportunity for me to see how far along I have come with this particular spell." She then plucked a hair from Ben's head and added it to the page. There was a brief flash, "There." She nodded, "Are you ready?"

Ben gulped, "As ready as I will ever be."

The mist erupted from Tharja's book and swirled around their faces. It blasted against their foreheads. Ben's vision went black.

….

Tharja opened her eyes. All around her was pitch black darkness. The air smelled damp and warm. And there was a horrid stench coming from her right.

She was lying down on a hard, sandy surface. Tharja blinked a couple times as she struggled to adjust to the darkness. With a small groan, the dark mage sat upright.

"Ben?" She whispered.

She heard him groan beside her. The swordsman's eyes fluttered open. He took a deep breath and coughed as some sand rushed into his mouth. He quickly spat it out then pushed himself up onto his knees.

She watched as Ben blinked in the darkness.

"I don't suppose you have a hex for seeing the dark?" Ben chirped

"Magic will not work in memories, idiot." She hissed back.

Tharja's eyes darted around her. Her eyes were starting to adjust now. They were in a cave. No, not a cave. A tunnel. The biggest tunnel Tharja had ever seen. She could see the rocky walls around her. Her eyes darted up to the ceiling.

A terrified gasp rushed from her lips.

The ceiling was moving. Crawling with massive, insect looking creatures. They all clicked and moaned above her. They writhed like worms in the dirt. A sea of hardened, bony limbs and pupilless eyes all looking down at her and Ben. A green substance was dripping down from the ceiling on occasion. It hit the floor beside her hand with a wet, sticky plop.

"Oh no." Ben sighed as he adjusted to the darkness and saw what Tharja was seeing, "It's this one."

"What do you mean this one?"

" _Obi wan!"_ A young man's voice hissed behind them, " _This is not a good idea!"_

Tharja heard four sets of footsteps marching behind her. She gasped as a young man with long brown hair and a scar over his right eye brushed past her. Unaware that she even stood in his path. Beside him walked another man. This one looked very similar to Ben. But he looked older. Wiser. There were some bags under his eyes. He wore cream colored robes with white armored gauntlets over his wrist and white pauldrons over his shoulders. Despite the appearance of weariness, he seemed excited about something.

"Is that you?" Tharja asked as she pointed at the older man in the cream colored robes.

"Ten years older, yes." Ben answered.

Two more sets of footsteps brushed by the pair. Tharja raised her brow in confusion as two men wearing nearly identical white armor rushed by her. Their armor was dirty. Scuffed up by dirt and black scorch marks. The only other distinguishable features between the two men were the yellow visor over one man's face concealing helmet and the blue visor and shoulder pauldron on the other. Both men looked exactly the same. They were the same height and build. They moved the same. Even breathed the same.

A few more of those same, white armored men strode past her and Ben. They did not have any colors on their armor. And they followed the signals of the two men at the lead.

"Ok, Ben," Tharja gulped, "What is going on?"

"We are on the planet Geonosis."

Tharja stared at him wide eyed. She pointed a finger up above her, "Natives?"

"They were natives." Ben explained, "In this memory they are all dead."

Tharja's jaw fell open, "But they are moving?"

"Yes, because they are under the control of a hive mind."

Tharja gave Ben a confused look.

"They are like bees on your world." He explained in a matter of fact tone, "The Queen controls them. Except with the Geonosians, even if they die, their corpses are still under the command of the Queen."

Tharja quirked an eyebrow, "You sound excited by all of this?"

"Oh it was very fascinating to witness." Ben replied as he started following his past self.

Tharja carefully followed in his footsteps. She gulped a little in fear. The insect like beings above her were still moving and clicking. She knew they could not see her. This was just a memory. They no longer existed except for in Ben's mind. But it was still unsettling to see.

She followed Ben until they reached a large chamber. The Geonosians parted out of the way of his past self and his companions. Tharja drew up beside Ben as the swordsman came to a stop just behind the white armored soldiers. What she saw made her blood go cold in her veins.

The Geonosian Queen was a terrifying monster to look at. She towered over everything in the cavern. It was as massive as any tree trunk Tharja had ever seen. Six thin, twig like appendages extended from her carapace covered torso. The queen's 'mouth' opened and uttered an ear piercing roar that shook the cavern around all of them.

"That was a greeting." Ben smirked over at Tharja.

"What!?"

" _How did you know they wouldn't just attack us?"_ The younger man in dark brown robes asked Obi Wan.

" _Because I make observations, while you think with your lightsaber."_

Tharja stayed silent as the two robed men stopped in front of the Queen. It was at that moment Tharja noticed the pale blue light emanating beneath the Queen.

Suspended in a halo of blue light by chains made of blue lightning, was a green skinned woman covered head to toe in black robes. She had a worried expression on her face. But she was not terrified. In fact, she looked relieved once she saw Ben and his companions.

Tharja noticed some sadness cross Ben's face.

"Luminara Unduli." Ben explained, "She was… an old friend of mine. We grew up together."

Tharja pursed her lips, "How many lovers did you-"

"No! Never!" Ben snapped quickly, "Master Luminara was a model jedi. She held no attachments and followed the code to the letter. And the code forbade any and all romantic attachments."

Tharja stared stunned at Ben. Who exactly were these Jedi he was a part of?

She sensed movement in the darkness. The other soldiers in plain white armor were scurrying around large stones and stalagmites. Each one wielded a strange, black, metal weapon that was blunt on the end. She arched her brow in confusion. Those did not look like they could kill anything.

"They all look the same." She muttered out loud.

"Who does?" Ben followed her gaze over to the hiding soldiers, "Oh, the clones. Of course they look the same."

"Clones?" Tharja questioned, "What are Clones? Another strange creature from another planet?"

"No, not necessarily." Ben rubbed his chin, "How do I explain a clone? Well… inside of your body there is a thing called DNA. That DNA is in every single one of your cells. The things that make up your body. It determines your eye color, hair color, sex, how tall you will grow, diseases you may be susceptible to, and more." Ben took a breath, "In the galaxy there is a species of people called the Kaminoans. And they are masters of taking DNA and copying it exactly. Doing so allows them to create exact copies of any living being in the galaxy."

Tharja gave Ben a blank stare as she struggled to absorb this information.

"All of these soldiers are just the same person copied over and over again?" She asked.

Ben nodded.

Tharja exhaled loudly, "This is getting crazy."

"Oh, this memory hasn't even started yet. Just wait." Ben smirked at her.

At the same time though, he gave the Clones an uneasy glance. Tharja noticed Ben's nervousness around them. Was he not comfortable around Clones? Did he disagree with the idea of copying someone? Or was there something else causing his unease?

" _Well that quick thinking of mine is usually needed when your observations get us into trouble."_ The younger man said to Obi Wan.

" _Anakin, the Queen took Luminara hostage. She wanted a Jedi. Now she has two more. I want to know what she is after."_ Obi Wan explained.

Tharja saw pain cross Ben's face.

 _So this is Anakin?_ She thought as she carefully observed the other Jedi warrior. He had a confident, borderline arrogant posture. He was taller than the average person. But he did not boast anything special physically beyond that. _He_ _doesn't look like much._

" _Well, when this doesn't go as planned, which it won't, I'll be ready."_ Anakin whispered out of the corner of his mouth.

Tharja suppressed a wry smirk. Anakin knew Ben so well. Nothing the swordsman did ever went according the plan.

" _Oh, that is so reassuring."_ Obi Wan sassed back.

The pair stopped in front of the Geonosian Queen. The behemoth rumbled once more. Down below, Jedi Master Luminara let out a long sigh.

" _I thought I told you not to follow me, Master Kenobi."_ She sighed.

" _Yes, well, I took a lesson from Anakin and decided not to follow orders."_

Tharja snickered at Ben's side. He still followed that lesson. After all, he was the one who disobeyed Prince Chrom and went on his own mission to rescue Exalt Emmeryn.

" _Hey!"_ Anakin cried.

" _ **You!"**_ Tharja froze as the Queen began to speak. It was a weak, croaking noise. Barely understandable, " _ **You are the creatures that attacked Geonosia. Why have you come before… me?"**_

" _Your majesty, it is a pleasure to finally meet you. I am Obi Wan Kenobi and this is Anakin Skywalker. It is our sad duty to inform you that your rule is at an end."_

" _ **You do not dictate to me, Jedi. My empire is forever."**_

" _I'm afraid it does not appear that way your grace."_ Obi Wan countered, " _You shall release the Jedi, Luminara, and submit to Republic law."_

Tharja eyed Ben, "You were an officer of the law?"

Ben shook his head, "I was a Jedi Master. A keeper of the peace."

Tharja eyed the increasingly hostile, undead insects around her. She could see their Queen was growing more agitated as well.

"This does not look very peaceful." She muttered.

Before Ben could reply, the Queen uttered a rage filled roar. She pointed down at both Anakin and Obi Wan.

" _ **I no submit to you."**_

The undead creatures drew closer to the two Jedi. A bar of blue light appeared in Anakin's hands. Tharja recognized the weapon as one similar to Maul and Kage's weapons. To her surprise, Obi Wan stopped his friend from defending himself. Anakin reluctantly deactivated his weapon. The blue bar of light disappeared into a silver hilt with a quiet hiss.

 _"Your Majesty, destroying us shall only make the Republic's judgement of you harsher."_ Obi Wan warned the Queen.

" _ **No, Jedi, no. I no destroy you. I devour you. I control you. I have but one Jedi before young Poggle bring me. But now I have three. Now, watch as my child enters your Jedi friend. And once inside, her mind becomes my mind. Her thoughts, my thoughts."**_

Tharja's eyes lit up as she watched one of the Geonosians, one that appeared very alive, grab a small worm like being from near the Queen. She felt some excitement build up in her.

"A hive mind. She's going to try and control all of you?" She asked Ben.

"She certainly did try."

Tharja returned her gaze to the Queen, "I can appreciate that."

Ben gave Tharja a look that was a cross between worried, terrified, and amused.

" _I want to see how it works."_ Obi Wan told Anakin.

Tharja's jaw fell open.

" _I don't think Luminara wants to see how it works."_ Anakin argued back.

" _I really don't."_ The green skinned Master agreed.

" _Anakin, the more we know the better."_ Obi Wan replied.

" _I disagree!"_ Luminara drew back from the Geonosian named Poggle as he raised the worm near her face.

" _So do I."_ Anakin said.

"I agree with you actually." Tharja elbowed Ben, "You will learn the effects of such a hive mind and maybe figure out a way to counter it. Plus it is fun to watch something like this."

" _Come now, the nose or the ear?"_ Obi Wan continued, ignoring Anakin and Luminara's arguments, " _Which do you think it will enter?"_

"How about the eye?" Tharja wondered with a dark snicker.

Ben paled beside her, "I never even considered that."

"Well, you know what I think." Tharja smirked.

" _I think the nose."_ Anakin sighed.

" _I really hope this is part of the plan."_ Luminara said with a hint of nervousness in her voice.

" _Isn't it always? Cody, now!"_

The Clone soldier in the yellow painted armor barked out an order. Bright lights flooded the cave. Surprising the undead insects and startling the Queen. Obi Wan and Anakin moved in and grabbed both Luminara and Poggle. Just as they grabbed the two, the cave trembled. Several loud booms shot through the tunnel and slammed into Tharja's ears. A shock wave barreled into her and Ben. She dropped to the ground, startled and in pain.

The memory shimmered and faded as she lost her focus.

….

Tharja gasped as her mind rushed back to reality. She inhaled deep. Exhaled. Then inhaled again. Doing her best to calm her racing heart. Across from her, Ben coughed hard as he abruptly returned to the real world as well.

"That was," Tharja gasped, "Strange."

"But interesting?" Ben smirked over at her.

"Very." Tharja sucked in another breath, "The amount of creatures out there in the stars must be tremendous."

"Is is." Ben replied, "All of them unique both in mind and body."

"Even the clones?" She asked him.

She saw Ben stiffen, "I used to think so."

Tharja narrowed her eyes at him.

"Remember," She said, "This entire hex is about confronting the pain of your past."

Ben nodded. He took a deep breath and settled back down.

"The clones were great soldiers." He explained, "They followed orders perfectly. Never questioned the orders were gave them. And each one of them earned my trust during the war." Ben gulped, "But… in the end, they betrayed us." Tharja's eyes widened as he continued, "They were pawns in a much greater plan that involved wiping out the Jedi order."

Tharja felt a pit form in her stomach.

"Your own soldiers turned on you?" She breathed in shock.

Ben nodded, "Cody was the one in yellow. He was my clone commander. The one tasked with assisting me in missions. He and I were close friends once." Ben shook his head, "And then he tried to kill me."

Tharja furrowed her brow. Ben could sense some anger radiating from her. Was she feeling sympathy for him?

"You were betrayed by close friends. That is bound to leave scars." Tharja muttered as she closed her spell book. The mist from the hex evaporated into the wind, "But you cannot allow their actions to rule over your own."

Ben took a deep breath then nodded.

"That is the purpose of all of this." Tharja said, "Your past is controlling you, Ben Kenobi. If you let that happen, you will never be happy. You will never be your own person ever again. You will just be a shell."

Ben snorted, "You sound like Qui Gon when you say that."

"He was right then." Tharja snapped back, "You should listen to his advice. From what you have told me, he sounded like a very wise man."

Ben hung his head then nodded. She was right. Tharja and Qui Gon were both right. It was just so difficult to move on from it all. How could he simply move on from everything he ever knew? His entire life had been the Jedi Order? Was he supposed to simply abandon everything that made him into the man he was today?

"I need to meditate." Ben sighed.

Tharja closed her eyes and uttered a dissapointed sigh, "Of course you do. Right when I was going to start asking even more questions."

Ben uttered a light chuckled, "I assume those questions involve space zombies, clones, and the nature of other species in the galaxy?"

"How did you know?" Tharja smirked back.

"Lucky guess." Ben smirked and rubbed his thighs, "You know what, I think I have time to answer those questions."

Tharja's eyes lit up, "You do!?"

"Yes I-"

Ben frowned. They were being watched. He turned his head and saw Gaius sitting near the burnt out campfire. The thief had an enormous, mischievous grin on his face as he watched the pair.

"Oh please, continue." Gaius waved a hand. He reached into his pocket, unwrapped a new lollipop, and stuck it in his mouth, "Don't mind me. I'll just observe as Ben seduces the dark mage."

"Seduces?" Tharja's eyes widened.

Ben surged to his feet and lunged at Gaius. Before he could get his hands on him, the thief scampered away to his tent. His laughter echoing throughout the campsite. As he retreated away, Robin emerged from his tent once again.

"Alright, I've calmed down." Robin sighed, "You ready to continue Ben?"

Ben pressed his lips into a thin line. He nodded then drew his sword.

"Is there anyway to turn Gaius into a practice dummy?"

"No." Robin shook his head and laughed a little, "I don't think so."

Tharja slowly raised her hand. There was a devious smile on her pale lips. Robin stomped his foot and pointed at both her and Ben.

"No!"

….

Marth shivered as she trudged through the ice covered streets of Port Ferox. A blizzard had begun to pass through the city. It brought icy winds and ungodly amounts of snow to the port city. Snow that she had to struggle through in order to reach the docks.

It had taken her several days to finally reach Port Ferox. As much as she thought she was ready to travel, she really was not. Her body was still not fully recovered from the wounds she had received. But she powered through the pain. When she stopped marching, she would sit and meditate. Attempt to use the force healing technique her Master had tried to teach her so many times. She had some mild success. But not enough to prevent her from having to march slowly over land.

Kage had a massive head start on her. So her slow pace frustrated her even more. And the weather did not help matters. She thanked Naga that she made it to Port Ferox before the worst portion of the blizzard began. If she had been caught in the wilderness with this weather- Marth shivered. She did not want to even consider what might have happened.

A warm, yellow light filled her vision. She blinked snow from her eyes and pushed her way into an inn. A roaring fire burned in the common room. It heated the room to a nice, comfortable temperature. Warm enough that the snow that clung to her hair and clothes began to melt away.

She wiped her weary eyes with the back of her hand and trudged up to the innkeeper's counter.

"Good evening, miss." A large, Feroxi woman greeted her, "Care for a room?"

Marth shook her head, "I'm looking for a captain to take me to Valm."

The innkeep frowned, "Valm?" She shook her head, "I don't know why you would want to go there. Bad news continues to flow from that place. Unrest everywhere. Very few traders make the trip anymore."

"There has to be someone." Marth pleaded, "It is important. I'm trying to find someone."

The inkeep sighed, "If you're that determined, there is a captain in the common room drinking. He just got back from making the crossing. You'll find him next to the fire."

"Thank you." Marth nodded.

She took a deep breath and walked over to the common room. Sailors and dock workers filled the little, warm space. Each one of them held a mug of Feroxi ale in their hands as they sang bawdy songs, drank, and talked about their lives. Marth slipped through the crowd until she got close to the fireplace."

Sitting on a wooden stool, next to the roaring fire was the Feroxi sea captain. A tall, burly man who had far too much to drink.

"Lads! Lads! I tell you, this stowaway was loaded with gold!" He bellowed as he continued whatever tale he was telling, "I don't know how he ended up on my ship. But he just appeared. Like a damn shadow-"

Marth's eyes widened. A shadow?

She tapped the sea captain on the shoulder.

"Who are you talking about?" She asked him.

The man gave her a drunk grin, "Well ain't you a pretty looking thing." He slurred then patted his lap, "Come take a seat."

Marth narrowed her eyes. She reached over with her right hand and gripped the man by the side of his neck. Right where the tendon met the shoulder.

"I squeeze, and you will go down like a box of rocks." Marth threatened.

"Whoa! Whoa!" The sea captain cried as she put some pressure, "Do that, and my men gut you."

"Oh really?" She narrowed her eyes and gave the other sailors near the fire a deadly glare, "I would love to see them try."

Her stare had the intended effect. She could look damn intimidating when she wanted to. The other sailors hesitated and remained where they sat.

"Now, let's try again." Marth snarled at the sea captain, "Who are you talking about?"

"I don't know." The captain winced as she placed more pressure on the pressure point, "Some-some blonde haired kid. Wore all black. Why do you want to know?"

Marth released her grip on him. She reached for a small pouch on her hip and threw it in the man's lap. Gold slipped from the pouch and rested between his legs. The drunk Captain stared dumbstruck at the amount of gold in his lap.

"You're going to take me to him."

 **And chapter! Marth is hot on Kage's trail. Ben underwent another memory therapy session with Tharja. Using a one of my favorite moments from the Clone Wars cartoons. I giggled the entire time I wrote it. As for how Robin spoke to Tharja, I wrote that as spur of the moment anger. He does not hate Tharja. It was just a moment of anger due to a dangerous situation. Besides, I'm trying my best not to copy the game word for word. Especially the supports. I will try to take some of the very good ones and use them, but I also want to give you guys some truly original stuff when it comes to the character relationships. So yeah, that's my explanation for that.**

 **As for Vader and Thrawn, that was an interesting part to write. The Father from Mortis has apparently gone crazy. And Vader now knows about the planet our heroes are on and where it might be located. Now it is just a matter of getting there for him. And it will not be easy.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	47. Kage's Terrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 47

Kage's Terrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Kage sighed as he tightened the leather straps of the traveling pack. It was early morning in Chon'sin. The peaceful notes of songbirds drifted along a chilled western wind. Grey skies sat above the land. Promising rain within a few hours. Weather like that would slow him down.

Yesterday, General Yen'fay asked him to hunt down the ones who attacked his family as well as rescue his kidnapped baby brother. The young Sith Lord decided to rest one day before embarking. He did not want to, but he needed to let the wound in his calf heal a little bit before embarking on this journey. After all, he remembered what happened to him all those years ago. He knew who held him captive. It was a very cunning and clever man. And he had skilled warriors following him. Enough of an army to make Kage at least a little cautious about confronting them while injured. The major problem he currently had was actually much more frustrating than an injury. He was not entirely sure where the worm that took baby Kage was keeping him. That, and he could not remember the man's name.

But he never forgot a face. Fat and pudgy. Oily hair and lips like fat, pink sausages. A revolting looking cretin that used to make him feel fear at night. But now, because of his training under Maul, all he felt when he remembered that worm was disgust and fury. Even now, he could feel his grip tightening on the straps of his pack as he threw it onto the back of his horse.

He clenched his jaw as he secured the pack to the saddle. The dark side of the force thrashed around him as he recalled what hazy memories he could of the harrowing kidnapping. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. If he got any angrier, he might lose control and cause the entire stable to collapse on top of him.

His horse, a reliable black steed, stamped it's foot in the straw. Kage patted it's neck.

"It's ok, girl." He whispered, calming the beast down.

"You understand horses as well?"

Kage glanced around his horse. To his surprise, he saw Princess Say'ri striding into the stables. She was not wearing a kimono. And her hair was not set up in any ornate way. Instead, her hair was tied up in a simple knot. And she wore regular traveling clothes. Leather pants for riding. A comfortable shirt. She held some leather armor over her shoulder as she strode into the stables.

She walked into the stall beside Kage's and threw a saddle over the horse's back.

Kage sighed, "That is not a good idea."

"What is not a good idea?" Say'ri asked as she secured the saddle then threw her own traveling gear onto the horse.

"You coming with me." Kage replied, "Not a good idea."

The Chon'sin Princess glared at him, "And who are you to tell me whether my ideas are good or bad?"

"Someone who knows better." Kage snorted back as he gave his gear one last look. Everything appeared secure.

"Fie! Are you implying that I am incapable of taking care of myself?" Say'ri asked as she jumped up into her saddle, "There is a sword resting against my hip that says otherwise."

Kage arched an eyebrow, "Can you dress a wound?"

"Well-"

"Can you effectively scout an enemy territory? Identify weaknesses among their ranks? Hunt for your own food? Locate drinkable water?"

Say'ri grunted as she trotted past him, "You have made your point."

Kage frowned as she kept riding out of the stable. He shook his head and cast an irritated glance at the ceiling above him. Finally, he jumped up in his own saddle and rode out after her.

"So you are just riding around the palace for fun now, right?" He asked her.

Say'ri shook her head, "No. I'm still coming with you."

"But-"

"You will teach me all of those skills." She continued.

Kage slouched in his saddle, "And we have time for that when?"

"When we grab Kage of course. Once he is back with me, you will have time to instruct me on the return journey." Say'ri replied in a matter of fact tone.

Kage frowned, "And what does the General think of all of this?"

"My brother left before dawn." Say'ri replied. Disgust laced the tone of her voice. Disgust that was difficult not to notice, "The rebellion in Rosanne is getting out of hand. He is being sent to put it down."

Kage blinked, "So he doesn't know?"

Say'ri waved off his concern, "I intend to be back at the palace before he returns. In the meantime, I have a trusted steward in place to keep an eye on everything."

Kage shook his head, "Your place is here with your people."

"My place," Say'ri snapped. Her voice sounded harsh and angry, "Is with you, rescuing my baby brother. The baby brother that was kidnapped on my watch." She huffed, "It is my duty to make sure he is safe and sound. And it is my duty to kill the wretch that dared to kidnap him."

Kage pursed his lips.

 _Well… clearly there is no dissuading her._

"Now," Say'ri continued, "Are you going to continue in your attempts to dissuade me, or are you going to accept my help?"

Kage let out a long, frustrated breath. He snapped the reigns of his horse.

"Just try to keep up." He said as he took off down the dirt road and out of the city.

Say'ri uttered a surprised cry. She snapped the reins of her steed and took off after him. It was not long before she caught up to Kage. Kage had to admire her riding skills. She was not a slouch on a horse. She handled the beast with grace and ease. He nodded to himself and slowed the pace to an easy trott. They had a long journey ahead of them. The horses would need to conserve as much energy as possible.

"So, where are we going?" Say'ri asked.

Kage raised an eyebrow. He could not let on that he knew where the Chon'sin Prince was taken too. Such a revelation would lead to a lot of questions. Questions he could not answer right now. And honestly, he did not have the patience for an interrogation. Not even if his older sister was the one doing the interogating. For one, she would not believe him if he claimed to be an older version of her younger sibling. And two, she would immediately assume he had something to do with the plot against her family. Both scenarios were less than ideal.

"I was hoping you could give me some insight on that." Kage decided to answer, "Your family was the one attacked. Who has motivations to do that?"

Say'ri frowned, "The nobles would not dare enrage my brother. He commands the Conqueror's southern army. The most capable army save for the Conqueror's own force. To attempt an assassination of myself, him, and capturing Kage would bring about certain doom for any noble."

"So that rules out anyone from Chon'sin." Kage nodded, "It is not in their political interest to destroy your family or take anyone hostage."

"Precisely." Say'ri frowned, "I need to think a little more."

"Take your time." Kage grabbed his water skin and took a sip, "We have already ruled out anyone from Chon'sin. So the boy is likely no longer in this country." He noticed worry flash over Say'ri's face, "I say we turn northwest for now. That way, if we hear any word, we can break off either south west, further northwest, or due north more easily."

Say'ri nodded in agreement.

Kage was pleased. She was at least listening to him. He would have rather she stay behind. He worked better alone anyways. Even Maul knew that. Alone he had the freedom to do what was necessary in order to accomplish his mission. He could deceive, steal from, or kill anyone that got in his way without any repercussions. There was no way local authorities could apprehend him. He was far too powerful for such things.

But he was not alone for this quest. He had Say'ri with him. A woman with a high sense of honor and justice. That would complicate things right away. His preferred methods of interrogation and combat were no longer viable. Not unless he wanted to lose her trust. A situation he was hesitant to allow to occur. There were advantages to being friends with royalty. After all, because he made friends, he now had a nice, new sword and a horse to ride on. One did not want to lose friends like that.

They rode mostly in silence for the rest of the day, covering many miles in that time. The rain that sat in the saturated clouds above them came down hard around sunset. Drenching both riders and turning the road before them into a river of thick mud. Kage signaled back to Say'ri to pull off of the road and into the shelter of a large forest.

He swiftly began setting up camp. There would be no fire with how much rain there was. But the tents they had would help keep them dry. He had his own shelter set up within a few minutes. Once it was ready, he glanced over at Say'ri. She was struggling to get her tent to stay standing. Her legs were covered in mud from having slipped as she struggled to put the stakes into the ground.

Kage sighed and pushed her out of the way. Without a word, he set up her tent. Just as he finished planting the final stake in the ground and raising the roof of her small tent, the rain began to fade away. He muttered several curses as he tossed away their mallet and looked down at his mud covered clothes.

"Maybe, since it is just drizzling now, we can have a fire?" Say'ri thought as she threw her traveling gear into her tent.

Kage snorted, "Be my guest. Go ahead and try to find some dry tinder to start one with."

Say'ri frowned, "You do realize I'm a princess right?"

"No shit?" Kage gasped, feigning surprise, "I never would have guessed. What with the inability to set up a tent or recognize that a fire is not possible right now. Truly, the evidence for such a thing is not there."

He could see the girl seething at him. But he did not care. He was already irritated enough that she had to accompany him. Now he was wet, covered in mud, and tired from traveling and having to set up her tent.

 _I should have made her just figure it out._

With a loud huff, Say'ri retreated into her tent.

"Fine." Kage grumbled as he reached into his pack and grabbed a small piece of dried pork, "I'll take first watch. It's not like I'm tired or in any physical pain at all."

He did not think she heard him. Oh how wrong he was. Say'ri stormed out of her tent like a bat out of hell.

"Who do you think you are, Ylissean?" She growled.

"I have a name." Kage replied nonchalantly as he bit into his rudimentary dinner.

"To hell with your name!" Say'ri snapped, "You are acting so petulant right now. What with your coldness and general off putting attitude. It is as if you do not want my help!"

"How did you guess?" Kage replied, "I work better on my own, Princess. Besides, you won't like the methods I use when it comes to," He had to choose his next few ords carefully, "confronting enemies."

"And I don't care what methods you use." Say'ri snarled, "You could roast all of my family's enemies alive for all I care. I want to help you save my baby brother. And I will not be told no when it comes to that mission. Now I may not be the most capable at survival skills, but I know how to fight."

"Really?" Kage snorted.

"Indeed!" Say'ri folded her arms, "After all, I saved your life by killing an assassin that very nearly took your head from your shoulders."

"And I killed the others that were originally sent to kill you." Kage reminded her, "So spare me the whole equality speech. If I did not intervene, you would be lying in a wooden box six feet underground." He saw her jaw working furiously behind her lips as her own frustration mounted, "And I did not have to accept this quest from your brother. I accepted it out of the goodness of my own heart. Hard to believe, I know. But that is the truth." He reached into his pack, grabbed another portion of pork and held it out, "So how about you stop throwing a fit and eat some dinner."

Say'ri slapped the pork out of his hands and stormed back into her tent. Kage looked at the ruined piece of pork as it sank into the mud near his feet.

"What a waste." He muttered with a shake of his head. He gnawed off another bite of the tough meat and went quiet.

He did not remember his older sister being so infuriating. He had always looked up to her. Seen her as his own personal hero. She had moved heaven and earth to save him when he was originally kidnapped all of those years ago. During that mission, she had displayed more survival skills than this.

Then again, when she did finally rescue him, she had already gained notoriety as a resistance fighter against Emperor Walhart. He had disrupted that outcome in this timeline. Now she was just a princess who could fight a little bit.

 _Which means she is going to be a liability._ Kage thought as he gnawed off another bite of pork.

He glanced up at the sky. The stars were beginning to peak out from behind the fading rain clouds. There was a full moon in the air. It cast pale light down on the forest around them. Kage shook his head.

"Why do I always end up with the headache inducing situations." He said to himself as the night deepened around him.

He finished off his meal of cold pork. With a relieved sigh he sank into the leather of his travel pack and relaxed. After a couple minutes, he strained his hearing and heard soft snores coming from Say'ri's tent. She had already fallen asleep. Her own attitude towards him a result of her weariness from the day more so than frustration. Kage could at least understand that explanation.

With her asleep, he could start a fire without her knowing how he did it. For a few minutes, he wandered around their campsite and gathered up some fallen branches and twigs. He piled them between the two tents, cast a cautious glance over at Say'ri's tent, then shot a small burst of lightning at the wet tinder.

The super heated lightning instantly set the wood aflame. The warmth the fire provided did a lot to ease his own frustration with the day. He found the flickering firelight to be very relaxing. He lounged back against his travel gear. Behind him, the two horses had set down and started to doze off.

He felt weary. But Kage kept himself awake. These forests were notorious for bandits and raiders. The Conqueror's armies were more focused on putting down petty rebellions than dealing with violent gangs of criminals. As a result, bandit gangs often had free reign over the various roads and trails that criss-crossed the continent of Valm. Many would often set up their hideouts in forests like this.

There was a rustle in the leaves. Kage's head twitched towards the sound. He strained his eyes against the darkness. His burning, yellow irises searched for any movement in the shadows. When he saw nothing, he relaxed once again. At least, he appeared relaxed. In reality, he stopped relying on his physical senses and instead chose to rely on the Force.

He let the dark side of the force creep around the campsite. It's dark tendrils crawled over twigs and stones. Weaved through blades of grass and around large tree trunks. He could sense something moving in the forest around him. No… someone. Multiple someones.

He subtly kicked a rock into Say'ri's tent. A small smirk cross his lips when he heard her let out a small, pained grunt as it hit her leg. The Princess poked her head out of her tent. She blinked sleep from her eyes and yawned.

"Is it my watch already?" She asked sleepily.

Kage put a finger to his lips. Say'ri's mouth snapped closed. The Princess was on alert. She opened her mouth to speak again but Kage signaled for her to stay silent. He strained his ears. There were more rustlings around them. He could hear a couple of twigs snap as something heavy landed on them. The horses jolted awake and snorted anxiously behind the Sith Lord. Whether that was because of the Dark Side swirling around the campsite or the presence of an enemy, Kage was not sure yet.

Something shot out from the treeline. He saw it just out of the corner of his own vision. A stone smacked into Say'ri's stomach. The Princess uttered a pain filled cry and slumped to the ground, gasping for breath.

Kage jumped to his feet as battle cries sounded out around him. He grit his teeth.

 _Bandits._

"Get em boys!" A thin, older male wielding a shortsword bellowed.

Kage felt a shot of apprehension race through him. Their numbers were large. At least two dozen bandits were charging at him from deep in the forest. He glanced down at Say'ri. She was struggling to get back up to her feet. The stone that had been shot at her had knocked the wind from her lungs. There was not enough time to grab her and run. The enemy would be upon them in moments.

"Well damn it." Kage thought, "Princess Say'ri, remember those unsavory methods I told you about?"

"Just do it already!" Say'ri gasped before coughing hard.

Kage smiled. Oh, he would do it. And he would enjoy every second this. It had been a few weeks since he truly let loose on enemies.

The dark side of the force howled in his ears. It's power coursed through his veins. He would not use his lightsaber still. That would be too easy. There was no fun in annihilating enemies like that. He had to make some sport out of this encounter.

He drew the blade Yen'fay gave him. The steel shimmered in the firelight. He did not wait for the enemy to reach him. His lips curled into a vile grin as he shot across the camp at the nearest bandit.

The poor sod did not know what hit him. Kage thrusted his blade straight through the man's bowels. Before he could even cry out in pain, the Sith slit his throat. A second bandit rushed him. Kage smirked and clenched his free hand into a fist. The force grabbed the bandit, raised him into the air, and crushed his bones. His screams echoed through the night as Kage twirled to meet the ax of a third bandit.

Before he could strike down this bandit, a fourth took a wild swing at him. Kage ducked. He kicked the legs out of his first attacker and brought his blade down into the man's chest as he fell to the dirt. He wrenched the weapon free and caught two axes aimed at his neck.

Lightning danced along his fingertips and shot into the next two bandits. They howled in agony. Their weapons fell from their hands as Kage launched them through the air.

Say'ri uttered a startled cry behind him. She had finally recovered from the stone and had grabbed her own weapon. Two bandits lay dead at her feet. But a very large, hammer wielding behemoth was giving her trouble. Kage's eyes lit up as he reveled in the pain he felt around him. The Dark Side of the Force rippled through him. Raged around him. Drinking in the pain and fear he was sewing among the enemy. It was intoxicating. He wanted more.

He flipped over the campfire and impaled his blade into the neck of the hammer wielding foe. Say'ri gasped as the giant slumped to his knees and fell dead at her feet. Kage hopped back from the body, a large smile on his face.

Say'ri dug her heels in beside him. He could sense fear radiating from her. And it was directed at him. That was not surprising to the Sith Lord. In the span of a couple minutes he had slaughtered five bandits. Their deaths some of the most horrific ones the young Princess had ever seen.

Kage twirled his blade and stared down the other bandits. They were hesitant now. They all saw how quickly Kage had cut down their comrades. None of them wanted to meet a similar, cruel fate.

"What are you all waiting for!?" Their leader snapped, "Kill him! I, your Prince, the great and mighty Chrom, demand it!"

"What!? The Ylissean Prince has invaded my lands!?" Say'ri cried, both dismayed and puzzled.

She gave Kage a startled look as he began to howl with laughter. Kage felt the dark side of the force subside a little as he started laughing louder.

"You-you-" Kage pointed at the scrawny fool. He doubled over and continued laughing loud, "You think you are- oh by the force- I can't! I mean just-"

"HEY!" A voice shouted out above him.

A hoof smacked Kage between the shoulder blades. Kage uttered a surprised cry as he fell forward into the dirt. He winced as pain lanced through his back from where the hoof had slammed into him.

A pegasus rider landed beside the man claiming to be Prince Chrom. She brushed some blue hair from her face and tightened the grip on her lance. The young lady that rode the pegasus pointed an accusatory finger at Kage.

"Don't you dare make fun of my father."

"Father!?" Say'ri cried, thoroughly confused.

 _Father!?_ Kage sucked in a sharp breath. That did not make any sense. Prince Chrom had just married Sumia in this timeline. There was now way they had- _Wait a damn minute!_

Kage raised his gaze. His eyes widened.

"What in the Sith hells?" He hissed.

"That's a good daughter." The bandit impersonating Chrom smirked, "Go finish the job now."

"With pleasure." The woman nodded eagerly, "No one gets to make fun of my father and get away with it."

Kage pushed himself back to his feet. He took a second look at the charging Pegasus Knight. A pit formed in his stomach. A deep sense of dread filled him as he stared down the charging knight. He recognized everything about her. The pale skin. Striking blue hair. Armor that was a touch too big for her young body. Naive eyes begging for justice to be dealt.

 _Naga above. It is her._

He jumped out of the way of the charging rider. Her lance nearly impaled him. As he flipped out of the way, he let his foot drift out a little too wide. The heel of his boot caught Say'ri on the chin. The Princess twirled and flopped to the ground, unconscious.

 _Now I can talk to her without worrying about any unfortunate slips of the tongue._

"Cynthia, you damn idiot!" Kage snapped as the Pegasus wheeled around at him.

"Who is calling me an idi-" She sucked in her breath. Her innocent, naive eyes ballooned in her skull, "K-Kage!? What are- but- how- why- who-"

"Are you that much of a dumbass?" Kage asked as he pinched the bridge of his nose. He sensed the other bandits starting to encroach on him, "ANYONE MOVES A MUSCLE AND I SWEAR I WILL COOK YOU ALIVE!"

Lightning shot from his fingertips and slammed into the closest bandit. The bandit uttered a loud shriek then fell to the ground. Static and smoke rose from his dead body. Kage smiled to himself. They all backed off now.

"Kage, why did you do that?" Cynthia gasped, "That soldier was about to retire!"

"That bandit chose the wrong person to ambush." Kage snapped back.

"Bandit? These aren't bandits they're-"

Kage groaned and rubbed his temple, "Cynthia, take a long, hard look at these men. Do they look anything like Sir Frederick's soldiers?"

Cynthia's eyes scanned the still living men around her. They all looked like fighting men to her. But now that Kage mentioned it. Something was a little off. None of them wore traditional Ylissean armor. And Sir Frederick had installed a strict grooming policy as part of the training regimen and standards for the army. In the weeks she had been traveling with these men, none of them had bathed and all of them had at least one tooth missing. She shook her head in disbelief.

"But-but," She pointed an armored finger at the impostor Chrom, "He's my father!"

Kage blinked in disbelief. He could feel mouth hanging open. A wicked headache started to spread over his forehead and around the back of his skull.

In a flash, he threw his blade as hard as he could at the impostor. The metal sank deep into the man's chest. The point of the blade burrowed itself into the man's heart. The impostor did not even utter a sound as he fell limp to the ground. Dead in an instant.

"DADDY!" Cynthia screamed.

"No!" Kage bellowed, "No! No! No!" He let out a long, exasperated groan and massaged his forehead."At this rate, I'm going to have an aneurysm." He muttered before returning his attention to Cynthia, "Your father would not be that easy to kill, Cynthia."

"You-you killed-" Cynthia sniffled. Tears began to well up in her eyes.

 _Force, now she's crying!_

The other bandits gave Kage a lot of space as he stormed over to the impostor's body. He yanked his blade out the man's chest. A wet squelch followed the weapon and blood spurted from the wound. Cynthia sobbed loudly when she saw that. Kage rolled his eyes, grabbed the body by the back of its neck, and dragged it over to Cynthia.

"Cynthia," Kage sighed, "What did your father look like?"

"You killed him!" Cynthia wailed.

"Your father had blue hair right? Like you." Kage continued, ignoring her sobs.

He held the body up in the air for her too look at. The girl tried to avert her eyes. But every time she did, Kage moved so that she was staring directly at the dead man.

"He did not have facial hair. Hell, this guy is even older than he actually was! Naga, Cynthia, you are an airhead to the nth degree!"

The shaft of her lance smacked against the back of his skull.

"Stop bullying me!" She wailed.

"Would you stop crying!" Kage roared, "Am I right!? This guy looks nothing like your father?"

"He's dead!" Cynthia sniffled.

"RIGHT!?" Kage raged, startling the blue haired girl so badly she started hiccuping.

"He- *hic* he-" Cynthia stared at the dead body through teary eyes, "He said he dyed his hair."

"And you believed him!?" Kage cried.

"I-I-" Cynthia rubbed the tears from her eyes, "But he was so convincing. And how do I know you are not lying to me?"

"When have I ever lied to you?"

Cynthia narrowed her eyes at Kage. A accusatory stare that made Kage freeze.

"You know what, don't answer that." Kage said before she could reply, "Do you understand now though? This dead man is not your father. He is not Prince Chrom."

Cynthia sniffled and hiccuped again, "N-now that you *hic* mention it; he *hic* doesn't have the same jawline."

Kage felt his eye twitch, "The jawline? That is how you realize? I-" He let out a long breath. The urge to scream was enormous, "I'm just going to go to bed now."

He stormed over to his tent. Cynthia turned in her saddle.

"What about the other bandits?" She asked then hiccuped.

"Oh, I'd love for them to try something. I need to express some rage. And the only reason I haven't is because Say'ri is right there." He pointed at the unconscious Princess, "And I'm already going to get interrogated tomorrow. I'd rather not have to answer anymore questions than I have to." Kage pulled the flap to his tent open, "Tell them all to scram or they will die. How does that sound?"

"Not very nice."

"Cynthia!"

"Oh fine." Cynthia hiccuped, "Guys um… maybe you should go before you um… catch a bad case of the dead."

The other bandits gave each other nervous looks. Several nodded in agreement and drifted back into the forest. Others hesitated. One more look at their dead leader and comrades confirmed that the man in black and his companions would not be easy prey. They left as well. And they would not be back.

 _Part of me wishes they would try again._ Kage seethed as he lay down in his tent.

His tent opened and Cynthia slipped inside.

"What do you think you're-"

*CRACK*

Her armored elbow smacked into his forehead. Kage uttered a loud howl of pain. Cynthia muttered an apology then curled up next to him. Within a few minutes, she was asleep. Kage balled up his fists at his side and resisted the urge to strangle the girl. He squirmed in his spot and did his best to put as much space between himself and Cynthia as he could. A long huff rushed from his lungs.

"Oh great and terrible gods of the Sith; if you have any mercy, save me from this insanity."

….

The ship rocked to and fro as a violent storm surged all around it. Lightning flashed and arced in long branches across the dark sky. Thunder clapped with a force so powerful it threatened to shatter the wooden panels that kept the ship together. Towering waves crashed against the sides of the ship and poured over its bow. Water rushed over the deck and knocked men off of their feet as they struggled to keep the ship afloat. Above the roaring winds and crashing waves, the ship captain bellowed out commands and manned the wheel.

Marth grit her teeth and struggled to make it below deck. She was of no use up here. She was a cripple in the eyes of the sailors around her. They refused to allow her to help hold down any lines or set any sails. The captain had ordered her to get down below, out of the way, so that the rest of his men could work unhindered.

It stung her pride to be told she was of no use in a dangerous situation. Unfortunately, the Captain was correct. The pain in her wounds had started to flare up again. If she had struggled against the storm any longer, she would have succumbed to her own pain and likely been tossed overboard. And that was a fate she did not want to experience.

She stumbled and almost lost her balance as the ship pitched forward then reared back. Her body slammed into a wall. Her one hand reached out and gripped a mass of nets secured to the inside of the hull. She held on for dear life as the ship was tossed about. Water leaked in from the deck above her. Soaking the floor under her feet and making it nearly impossible to stand upright without slipping.

After this, she never wanted to go on another boat ever again. She let out a small cry as the boat creaked around her. Equipment slid along the slick deck all around her. If the storm got any more intense there would be no hope for the ship. The waves would devour the boat. And she would sink to the depths with the rest of the crew. Her mission incomplete.

She squeezed her eyes shut and started muttering a silent prayer to Naga. A prayer for strength and courage. One she made often. One taught to her by someone she once cared about.

Kage taught her that prayer on the very first day she had ever met him. She was maybe seven years old at the time. Her father and some of the other Shepherds were invited to visit the land of Chon'sin. Princess Say'ri wanted them to come and enjoy all of the luxuries and wonders her land had to offer. They were her friends and comrades. And she had been to Ylisse before. It was only fair that Prince Chrom and his family visit her own country. Especially since it had been freed from the Conqueror's grasp.

The wonders of Chon'sin sat in Marth's mind for a long time. She had never seen a place like it before. The bamboo forests were so massive and thick. One could get lost in there if they were not careful. The sea that the capital of Chon'sin sat beside sparkled like sapphires. The waters were warm and peaceful. The air was gentle and pleasant.

And the people were all kind and inviting. She remembered the warm smiles all of the common folk gave her as she rushed about the city with her sister and her friends. All of them just looking for an adventure to go on.

That was when she met Kage for the first time. The boy had moved like a shadow. Easily following her and her friends without them noticing. Marth smiled to herself. Her cousin had gathered the Justice Cabal when Kage finally came forth from the shadows.

He was a quiet kid. Shy but sweet. Marth instantly liked him and invited the nervous boy to join them in their game of castle. Her cousin wanted him to be the villain that he, the brave knight, had to vanquish. Marth argued against that and made Kage her side kick. Her partner in fighting crime and evil. At the time, she had no idea he was a year or two older than her. But she did not care about age. He enjoyed the game just as much as she did. That was all that mattered.

The role of the villain of that particular game went to one of the other children. A girl who used an enchanted talisman to make herself rather scary and fearless when needed. Sometimes, she took it a little too far. And it would scare Marth. But Kage stood by her side and told her the prayer for courage. And it worked to. They defeated the villain and saved the castle. Much to her cousin's shock and dismay.

A wistful smile crossed Marth's lips as she followed the memory. How she wished it could have stayed that way forever. That day was the beginning of a friendship she would never forget. A friendship that she thought would blossom into something more. But fate was a cruel thing. The world ended all around her a few years later. And Kage turned into something she did not recognize. A monster that only grew more terrifying under Maul's tutelage.

When she ran into him once again in this timeline, she had felt a multitude of emotions. Ones that her Master certainly would not have approved of. She felt anger, betrayal, relief, joy; they all mixed into a strange concoction in her mind that left her scared and confused. She had held out hope that maybe, in the years they were apart, Kage broke away from Maul. Realized the evil nature of that vile creature and decided to forge his own path.

Then the battle in Plegia happened. Kage showed his true colors. The friendship came to an end. In that pain filled moment, Kage betrayed her. Electrocuted her. Nearly killed her. The entire time, when she looked into those hate filled eyes, she saw her old friend. Screaming to be free once again. But lost to the madness that was the dark side of the force.

It broke her heart to see what her friend had become. Now it was time to face him again. No longer as a friend, but as an enemy. A rival.

She did not know what Kage's end game was. She did not know why he would retreat to Chon'sin of all places. It was a risky move on his part. And it would be a risk that would cause his undoing. She knew where he was. Had guessed it as soon as she heard about how he disappeared from the battle to save Exalt Emmeryn.

Marth had tried reasoning with him. Had tried reaching out a hand and offering him help. He had tossed that offer away. And now, there would be no helping him. Once she found him, she would confront him.

And if necessary, she would kill him.

 **And chapter! Surprise! Say hello to the our newest space cadet, Cynthia! Someone who is going to really grate on Kage's nerves and give all of us a good laugh in the process. Meanwhile, Marth is lingering on good memories. Will she be able to strike the final blow when the pair meet again? That is a wonderful question. We will find out eventually. This was more of a character focused chapter rather than a plot focused chapter. I really want to build up these relationships before we go full tilt into the Valm arc. We will be returning to Chrom and the other Shepherds next chapter.**

 **The next chapter will not be out for at least another week. I am leaving to go visit my great grandmother tomorrow. From there, I'm going to a cousin's wedding then spending time with my great grandma afterwards. There is no internet at her house. So I'll be scribbling in my notebook until I get a connection once again. Just a heads up for you all.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	48. The Hunt Begins

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 48

The Hunt Begins

It was over. Finally! If Marth had her way, she would never sail on another ship again unless absolutely necessary. Her legs wobbled as she reached the top of the stairs that led to the ship's deck. The sun was high over head. The heat was enormous. She could feel her skin baking in the sun's rays already. Marth took a deep breath and marched from the stairs towards the gangplank that had just now been put in place. The ship shuddered as the last of the ropes were tied off to the massive dock. She took another deep breath. The salt air rushed through her lungs and back out again. Much more refreshing than sea spray and raging waves.

After paying the captain of the ship (a small gesture that surprised the man given how she managed to coax him into the crossing), Marth descended from the ship and entered the chaotic port city of Charlet. Ships were departing and docking all along the massive harbor docks. Crates were lifted from the ships using massive cranes and pulleys before being unceremoniously dropped in front of a swarm of dockworkers. A few dozen yards away from the docks, Marth could see some trade shops and small residences. Even a tavern or two. Which was perfect. Those were places dock workers would gather once they were finished with work. And dockworkers would no doubt notice someone as distinct as Kage.

She made her way along the dock before being stopped by a man wearing noble clothing and a rather official looking gold pin on his left breast. Boredom was written on his face. Beside him, was a young boy, about thirteen years old if Marth was to take a guess. Perhaps an apprentice of some sort.

"Hold there." The older man said. He withdrew a ledger from beneath his arm and opened it, "Name?"

Marth quirked an eyebrow, "Pardon?"

"You are a foreigner arriving in Rosanne. And you are not on this ship's manifest." The man said in a bored tone, "You need to be accounted for. So, name?"

Marth flicked her eyes back and forth, "Er… Lucy."

The man gave her a suspicious look. He took a piece of charcoal and scrawled her name onto his already full, but neatly organized, notepad.

"Lucy of?"

Marth frowned, "Ylisse. Southtown to be more precise."

The man nodded, "And your reason for being in Rosanne today?"

Marth pursed her lips, "I-"

"If you say you are immigrating here then I know you are lying." The man sniffed, "You have no possessions other than that ratty old scabbard and sword at your hip."

Marth bristled at his description of Falchion. But she kept her mouth shut.

"I'm hunting someone down." She replied.

The man sighed, "Not a very good reason."

Marth reached into her small pouch and placed several gold coins on his notepad. The kid by the man's side raised his eyebrows. Surprised by the amount of coins Marth just placed in front of him.

"Is that a better reason?" Marth asked, her hand on her hip.

The man pocketed the charcoal and slipped the coins over to his apprentice, "Enjoy your stay, Miss Lucy."

She placed a couple more coins on his ledger.

"Information." Marth answered before he could ask why regarding the extra coins.

"Regarding your quarry I presume?" The man replied, "Well… I could give that to you or-" She placed two more coins on his ledger, "Ask away."

"A man. A couple years older than me. Blonde hair. Black robes and hood." Marth said.

"You just described many travelers to this area miss." The man replied with a small sigh.

"Blue-" Marth caught herself, "Yellow eyes."

The little apprentice's eyes widened. He tugged on the man's sleeve and whispered in his ear. The man nodded in understanding then flipped through several pages in his ledger.

"I recount such a person." The man hummed, "Yellow eyes are rather defining and odd features, after all. Yes, here he is. A Luke of Ylisse arrived into port over a month ago."

"Do you know where he was going?" Marth asked.

"I am a dockmaster." The man frowned as he closed his ledger, "I know who comes onto my dock and goes with the ships. I don't know anything about traveler destinations. If you are searching for that, check with the taverns. You might overhear something. Now if you will excuse me miss, I have to double check the ship's manifest."

Marth was disappointed but still gave the man her thanks. She waved goodbye to the young apprentice at his side then made her away across the shipyard over to one of the taverns. Some proper food would do her some good. She could feel her stomach growling. The entire journey to Valm consisted of hardtack, dried beef, and throwing it all up due to seasickness. That storm had done her body no favors.

She pushed her way into the tavern. The air was filled with smoke as people puffed on pipes. She swiped at the air briefly before making her way over to the bar. A slim man with a thin black mustache manned the bar. His long hands scrubbed several mugs as she took her seat.

"Drink of choice?" He asked her while several other bar patrons eyed her suspiciously.

"Just some water for now." Marth replied, "What is on the menu?"

The bartender snorted, "With the army in town, not much. Beef stew?"

Marth let out a relieved sigh, "That would be lovely."

As the bartender filled her a glass of water then retreated to get her a bowl of stew, Marth quieted her mind and stretched out with her senses. It was an old exercise her Master had taught her. One that she struggled to grasp even today. She let out a shuddering breath as she struggled to sense the intentions of the people around her. Strained to sense their feelings. Through the haze, she hoped to hear or sense something. Anything. A clue of some sort that could lead her to Kage's location.

Her eyes shot open as the door to the tavern slammed open. The muttering she heard throughout the tavern ended abruptly. Marth glanced behind her and saw a half dozen soldiers enter the tavern. Each one took a seat beside her. Three on her right and three on her left. As they sat, the bartender set her bowl of stew in front of her. Marth quietly said her thanks and placed a gold coin on the counter.

She carefully ate her stew. Her wary eyes occasionally flicked to the soldiers beside her. They were making menial conversation. Apparently they were on break from their posts for a few hours. A gift from their commanding officer for bravely facing brutal Rosanne rebels in the area.

The conversation drifted from troop movements, to general complaining about basic military tasks. Nothing interesting. And nothing that could help her. Just as Marth made up her mind to get up and leave, she heard something that caught her attention.

"You seen General Yen'fay lately?" One of the soldiers asked another.

"I did. He looks like shit."

"Can you blame him. Assassination attempts on him and his family. Not to mention his little brother was kidnapped."

Marth froze in her seat. General Yen'fay was a name she knew. She could remember Kage talking about him in the future. How he barely knew his older brother, but was brought up to regard him with both respect and honor. A brilliant general and a good man.

She also remembered Kage saying he did not know his brother well because he had been kidnapped as a toddler. Taken by someone and transported to Plegia as a hostage. He managed to find a way to escape after a couple years. But beyond that, he did not talk about the harrowing ordeal much.

Her eyes widened. This was that point in the past. Kage, his baby self that is, has been kidnapped.

 _I should have pressed for more details when I could!_ She cursed to herself. If Kage had opened up more about the kidnapping, then maybe she would have known where to look.

"I don't get it." One soldier continued, "Why would the rebels try such a thing? They should have known the General would seek vengeance."

His comrade nodded, "The General may be stoic, but you don't want to get on his bad side eh?"

They all shared a small chuckle as the door to the tavern opened and closed again. Marth saw a young, small, red haired women slip in and take a seat at the bar. Her face was hidden beneath a grey hood. But from first glance, Marth could see she was tense. Her hands flexed open then closed. Eyes shifted to and fro around the room. Occasionally they would stop on the soldiers. And much more to Marth's concern, they would stop on her.

Marth finished the last spoonful of stew. As she pushed the bowl away, the bartender returned and placed a glass of rum in front of her. Beneath the glass, hidden by the amber liquid, was a small note. Marth frowned and glanced over at the bartender. But he was no longer paying attention to her. The skinny man had slipped back into the tavern kitchen.

She could feel something stir. The Force rumbled around her. There was danger coming. Marth opened the note. One word was written on it.

Help!

Another squad of soldiers burst into the tavern. The woman at the end of the bar jumped to her feet and scrambled past Marth. Knocking over several of the other soldier's drinks in the process.

"The hell!?" One bellowed.

"After her! That damn rebel will not escape!" The soldier's captain barked.

Marth ducked her head and tried to hide the note, but not before one of the soldiers to her right noticed.

"Hey you!"

Marth was on her feet in seconds. She kicked the chair out from beneath the man and sprinted away as he hit the ground. She raced after the other woman. Rushing out of a side entrance and into a narrow alleyway. Behind her, the other soldiers burst out of the tavern and gave chase.

She skidded around the corner of the alley and entered a crowded, narrow street. Above her, people worked on their balconies. Some hung laundry. Others prepared meat for dinner. A few children played both on the streets and on the balconies. All around her, people were moving. The flow of traffic moved her like a the current in a river. Marth pushed her way past throngs of people and weaved around wagons and carts as she chased after the fugitive. Behind her, people uttered startled cries and got out of the way of the soldiers, who now brandished their weapons in fury.

Marth glanced back briefly at her pursuers. An action she regretted when she returned her attention to the road and ran into a cart loaded with cabbages. The cart toppled over and she fell into a heap alongside it. Quickly shaking the cobwebs from her mind, she got to her feet and tried to keep running. But the soldiers caught up to her.

"Hold there, rebel!" The captain snapped as he leveled his sword at her, "Come quietly."

Marth clenched her jaw. This trip was not going well. She reached for Falchion then paused.

Falchion would not help her. Not anymore. Maul made certain of that. The divine blade rested in pieces in the worn scabbard she managed to fit it into. If she drew the blade, she would only draw a shard of the once legendary weapon. A broken blade would do her no good in a fight.

That left her with one option. An option she would rather not use. But given the circumstances, she was left with no choice. Marth sucked in a sharp breath and blasted the nearest three soldiers with a force push.

The opening that created allowed her to rush past the others. The soldiers uttered alarmed cries then took off after her. But it was too late. Marth sprinted into the crowds of people then disappeared down a side alley.

Once she was certain she had lost the soldiers, Marth rested. She put her hand on her knee and took several deep breaths. Her body still was not ready for such strain. She felt like her lungs were on fire as she struggled to catch her breath. Marth took another deep breath and let the air out in a long, slow exhale.

The Force smacked her with a warning. Marth spun on her heal and drew the shard of Falchion from its sheath. She pointed it directly at the hooded woman that emerged from behind some bins in the alley.

"You are more resourceful than you look." The woman said with a small smile.

"And you are as meddling as you look." Marth frowned.

The woman gave her a good natured laugh, "Relax, Ylissean. I think you and I can be friends."

"Having soldiers chase after me is not the best way to kindle a friendship."

The woman nodded, "Perhaps not. But I needed someone to draw their attention away from me for a little bit. I owe you a debt in that regard." The woman drew back her hood, revealing a pale face and bright brown eyes. There was a small smile on her lips as she held a hand out to Marth, "Cherche."

Marth gave the woman a hesitant look. Still, she lowered her shattered sword and took her hand.

"Marth."

Cherche nodded, "So, Marth, what are you doing in town?"

"Other than running from soldiers?" Marth replied, "I'm looking for someone. A young man."

"Aren't we all?"

Marth felt her cheeks heat up for a split second. Cherche giggled a little.

"I jest, Marth." Cherche said, "Who are you looking for? Perhaps I can point you in the right direction. As payment for helping me escape those soldiers."

Marth regarded Cherche with mild suspicion. Nevertheless, she was in the dark as to Kage's whereabouts. Her initial plan was to travel to Chon'sin at some point. But that plan went up in flames when she heard about the Prince's kidnapping. An event like that would draw Kage like a moth to a flame. He would want to deal with his own kidnapping personally. So he would likely not be in Chon'sin anymore. His trail was now cold.

But she knew what his goal would be. Her mission was no longer to find the Kage she knew. Rather, it was to find the toddler that had been kidnapped.

"I think he is involved in the Chon'sin Prince's kidnapping." Marth said.

Cherche grew silent, "Are you a bounty hunter of some sort?"

Marth shook her head, "Just-" Marth hesitated, "Someone trying to help an old friend."

Cherche nodded carefully, "Well, I can tell you this, the Rosanne rebels do not have him. But you won't be able to convince the army otherwise. They just wiped out our last hideout. I don't know how many of us actually survived it. Perhaps I am the only one. Anyways, I heard rumors the General in charge of the army, Yen'fay, has been out of sorts. Likely due to his little brother's kidnapping. Maybe if you can get close to him, you can ask him who he thinks took the Prince."

Marth arched an eyebrow, "Those soldiers called me a rebel."

Cherche waved off her concern, "They won't remember your face. Just play stupid and claim Ylissean heritage. They might just leave you be then." She drew her hood once again, "Now, I've got to go find my friend, Minerva, and leave this place."

"Where will you go?" Marth asked.

Cherche shrugged, "I don't know yet. Maybe I'll pay your homeland a visit."

Without another word, Cherche slipped out of the alley and vanished into the crowds of people on the main road.

Marth sheathed the shard of Falchion and let out a long breath.

 _Get close to General Yen'fay?_ She pressed her lips into a thin line, _How on earth am I going to manage to do that?_

….

Kage let out a long groan as sunlight filtered into his tent. He blinked some of the rays from his bleary eyes. For some reason, he felt some pressure on his chest. And his legs were pinned down against the ground. What exactly was on top of him?

"Wake up, sleepy head." A sing song voice rang in his ears.

He blinked again and stared directly into Cynthia's large, brown eyes.

"GAH!"

A force push erupted from Kage's hands. Cynthia let out a startled cry as she flew out of his tent and landed in a heap beside the remains of last night's campfire.

He froze where he lay for a moment. Then he let his head fall back into the thin mat he used to sleep on. An even longer groan escaped his lungs. She was still here. The bane of his entire existence was still nearby.

 _I thought if I ignored her during the night she would just go away. Sadly, she is like the rest of my problems. Incessantly annoying._

Kage sat upright and stretched his arms over his head. He uttered a loud yawn as Cynthia poked her head into his tent.

"That wasn't very nice." She frowned.

Kage scowled at her as he brushed past her and marched over to the nearest tree.

"Where are you going?" Cynthia asked.

Kage glanced back at her as he faced the tree, "To use the restroom." He shook his head and let out a long, aggravated sigh.

What did he do to deserve such a pest by his side? Already, in the span of literal minutes, she had irritated him. And this was after only one night!

 _I will be driven insane at this rate._

"You know something." Cynthia said as she took a seat beside the smoldering campfire, "You are a lot grumpier than I remember."

Kage snorted as he stepped away from the tree and walked over to his horse. He reached into his travel pack and pulled out some food for himself and his other two companions. As he made his way back to the fire, he nudged Say'ri with his foot. The princess was still unconscious from kick she took to the jaw last night.

"Wake up already." Kage grunted as he sat down beside her.

Say'ri let out a pain filled grunt before pushing herself up from the mud. She spat some dirt from her mouth and winced. Her hand flew to her jaw. A loud hiss left her lips as her fingers brushed against the large welt that had formed during the night. Her weary eyes transformed into a furious look. She surged to her feet and drew her sword, placing the tip against Kage's throat.

Cynthia let out a panicked cry as she got to her feet and grabbed her lance. In the process, she tripped and fell backwards. Within a few seconds, she was back on her feet. Her cheeks tinted red with embarrassment.

Kage did not move a muscle. He stared forward at the campfire. His fingers twitched. Tempted to force the blade away from his neck. But he did not act. The last thing he wanted to do was infuriate the princess anymore than she already was. That would make traveling with her nigh impossible.

"You!" Say'ri seethed, "How dare you!"

"Hm?"

"You kicked me!" Say'ri raged.

Kage glanced over at her, "A happy accident."

The cold steel pressed harder against his throat. But the action still did elicit a reaction. Cynthia furrowed her brow as she leveled her lance at Say'ri.

"You are going to explain your actions to me, Ylissean." Say'ri hissed, "Starting with your damn impossible abilities."

"Ever heard of magic?" Kage snipped back.

"That was not magic." Say'ri snarled, "What you used, was some unholy power that I cannot explain or understand."

"Then perhaps you should not ask about it."

The still pressed a little harder. This time, Kage flinched as he felt a warm bead of blood dribble down his throat then pool up near his collarbone.

"Hey! Stop hurting Kage!" Cynthia bellowed as she prepared to charge at Say'ri.

Say'ri blinked, "What did she call you?"

Kage closed his eyes and let out a frustrated breath, "Damn that girl to hell." He muttered.

He was out of patience. With a flick of his wrist, Say'ri's sword was ripped from her grasp. The blade soared across the campsite and landed loudly beside her tent. Just as he thought he was safe from anymore sharp objects, Say'ri swept around him and held a knife to his throat.

Kage rolled his eyes. Of course she had a secondary weapon. She may be a princess, but she was not stupid. He kicked himself for not being prepared for that. The lack of sleep was likely the reason for his lack of mental sharpness this morning. He did have to sleep beside a Pegasus Knight that enjoyed kicking in her sleep. He could feel the bruises on his legs from where her boot covered feet slammed against him in the night.

He felt Say'ri's breath in his ear as she leaned in close.

"You have five seconds to tell me who you really are, _Luke._ If you do not, I will cut your throat."

Cynthia gave Kage a puzzled look, "Why is she calling you Luke?"

"And explain her!" Say'ri snapped in Kage's ear as she kept him between herself and Cynthia's lance, "Why is that bandit still here."

"That bandit is an old pain in my ass." Kage hissed, "And unfortunately an old friend as well."

"Aw, I'm a friend still!"

"You are a single breath away from losing that distinction." Kage snapped.

He recoiled as he felt the cold kiss of steel on his neck.

"So she doesn't know you as Luke." Say'ri snarled, "Why did you lie to me about your name?"

Kage sighed, "You know, I technically wasn't lying."

"Yes you were." Cynthia pointed out.

"Not helping!"

"Alright, _Kage,_ " Say'ri continued, "If that is even your real name. Who are you? And how did you come to have that name. And don't just say your parents gave it to you. Kage is a Chon'sin word. And it certainly is not a common name."

Cynthia gasped, "Wait a second!" She lowered her lance, "You haven't told her Kage."

"Shut up." Kage hissed.

"Have not told me what?" Say'ri hissed, "Are you a spy? Are you in league with the assassins? Perhaps you intend to kidnap me as well? Maybe you are a warlock taking me to your secret lair."

"Oooh, I read a story like that once!"

"ENOUGH!" Kage roared.

A massive pulse erupted from his body, sending both Say'ri and Cynthia flying. Say'ri flew to her feet and swung her knife at Kage's stomach. Kage easily sidestepped the swipe and gripped her wrist. He applied some pressure and the dagger fell from her grip. Say'ri launched a punch at his head. But he ducked under that and pulled her arm behind her back. The princess let out a small, pain filled cry as Kage yanked back on her arm.

"Are we going to settle down now?" Kage asked her, his voice trembling with rage.

"You bastard." Say'ri hissed.

She cried out again as he pulled even more. Her shoulder was on the verge of dislocating.

"Yes or no?" Kage growled.

The Princess scowled. Reluctantly, she nodded. Kage let her arm go and pushed her away from him. He reached down to the mud and plucked her knife up from the ground. He tossed the blade back over to her. Say'ri deftly caught it out of the air, hesitated, then placed it back in it's hiding spot inside her boot.

"To you, I'm Luke." Kage explained. Cynthia opened her mouth to say something but Kage snapped his fingers, silencing the girl, "You!" He snarled, "You and I need to have a little chat."

He surged across the campsite and grabbed Cynthia by the wrist. As Say'ri watched, Kage dragged the Pegasus Knight away to a cluster of trees just out of earshot.

"Kage, how does she not know?" Cynthia asked, her voice innocent and puzzled, "She's your sis-"

"Zip it!" Kage hissed. She opened her mouth, "Nah! No! Not a word! You will stay silent as I explain some things to you. Okay?"

Cynthia gave him a slow nod.

"Good. She does not know about me." Kage explained in a slow, deliberate voice, "We are in the process of finding myself. Who has been kidnapped."

Cynthia gasped, "I arrived that far back in time!?"

"What did I say?"

"That you are trying to find-"

"Before that!" Kage snapped.

"To stay silent."

"And are you?"

Cynthia snapped her mouth closed. Kage sighed and shook his head.

"Now, with your little slip of the tongue, you have made this entire ordeal even more complicated. Because instead of just answering simple questions about my abilities, I have to answer questions regarding who I am."

"You could just tell her the truth."

Kage snorted, "Yes, brilliant idea Cynthia. Why not risk the entire future while we're at it? Let's make sure your parents don't go to bed together and have you." Kage blinked, "Now that I say that-"

"Hey that's mean!"

"You deserve it at this point given your endless stupidity!" Kage hissed, "Now, you are going to listen very carefully to this next part or so help me I will break into your mind and bend it to my will. And before you ask, yes I can do that. Maul taught me how." He saw her face pale considerably at the mention of his former master, "Forgot about him, didn't you?"

She swallowed hard then nodded. Kage gave her an evil smirk.

"Then you recall how powerful he was right?"

She nodded again.

"I killed him." Kage lowered his gaze at her, "So piss me off, and you will see how powerful I really am."

She gulped and gave Kage a terrified nod of understanding.

"I am Luke. Everywhere we go, at any time, you will refer to me as such unless I say otherwise. You are to not bother me with idiotic questions. If you do choose to stick around, you will do as I say when I say it. This is not the wasteland you know. And this is not the Ylisse you grew up in. This is Valm. And this is enemy territory. Make a wrong move, and you will die. And then-" Kage swallowed hard. For the briefest of moments, Cynthia saw sorrow and pain in his eyes. He shook his head and continued, "And then my headache will be gone. But I'd rather not deal with burying your corpse. Got it?"

"Got it." Cynthia breathed.

"Good."

He drew back from her and let out a long sigh. His eyes flicked up at the sky overhead. It was nearly noon already. They had all overslept. Kage cursed under his breath.

"Yup, you're really grumpy." Cynthia breathed.

"Gee, I wonder why." Kage grumbled as they both moved back towards Say'ri.

Cynthia put her hand to her chin. Trying her best to figure out why her old friend was in such a foul mood.

"Did you break up with Luci-"

A wave of cold slammed into the Pegasus knight. A shiver ran down her spine as fear rushed through her entire body. Kage's yellow eyes blazed hot as he stared at her. But behind the raw fury, Cynthia could see some tears building up in his eyes.

"Don't you dare speak her name." Kage warned before turning his back and returning to Say'ri. He stomped past the Princess and made his way over to their tents.

"I assume you will not share your secrets with me?" Say'ri frowned, her arms folded over her chest.

Kage shook his head as he began to tear down the two tents, "It is nearly noon. We are wasting time."

He threw the tents back into their travel packs and slung the heavy leather packs over their horses. Say'ri and Kage mounted their horses while Cynthia jumped up onto her pegasus. She gave Kage a worried looked.

"So er- Luke- um," Cynthia cleared her throat, "We are trying to find the Prince of Chon'sin?"

Say'ri eyed Kage suspiciously.

"Yes." Kage breathed.

"Where shall we go from here?" Say'ri asked him, her voice terse and unforgiving.

She still wanted to gut him. If for no other reason than for lying to her. Though Kage had a feeling she was also rather angry over how brutally he killed their enemies. Several of their corpses still lay in grotesque heaps around the campsite. Personally, he did not care. Let her think of what she wanted of him. In the end, he would find his younger self. Once he managed to do that, he would make sure Maul never came near him. That monster had yet to arrive on this world in this time. And when he did, Kage would be there to greet him. Lightsaber and lightning in hand.

"Where is the closest military fort?" Kage asked.

Say'ri gave him a puzzled look, "Fort Stieger. That is due north. At least a week of hard riding. Why do you ask?"

Kage frowned, "Because the worm that took the prince is there."

Say'ri looked confused, "How could you possibly know that?"

Kage gave her a wry smirk, "Call it intuition. And if the cretin that took the Prince is not there, we will find a lead instead. But we are running out of time."

"Yes! We must ride! Justice must be dealt to the criminal that stole away the prince!" Cynthia cried.

Kage bowed his head and let out a long, weary sigh. Say'ri gave the girl a bewildered glance. Cynthia let out a loud cheer. Her pegasus flapped its wings and took to the skies. As she soared above their heads, Say'ri looked over at Kage.

"Does she know that she is-"

"Nope." Kage shook his head, "She has no idea she is actually flying south." He snapped the reins to his horse, spurring the beast into a lazy walk down the water logged road.

"Should we tell her?" Say'ri asked as she watched Cynthia soar higher and farther.

"She will figure it out eventually."

….

The candlelight at his desk flickered as he finished penning the letter. His pudgy hand set the quill down while his dark, beady eyes marveled at his handiwork. With this letter, Excellus would make certain that Emperor Walhart had no challengers in Valm. The fat man snickered to himself as he folded the letter then sealed it with his own personal seal.

With a snap of his fingers, one of his servants in Fort Stieger rushed over and took the letter.

"Make sure that reaches our oh so loyal Chon'sin general." Excellus said with a small giggle, "I'm sure he is beside himself with worry."

The servant bowed and retreated away. Excellus snickered some more in the candlelight as he pushed himself away from the desk and rose to his feet. Years upon years of planning had finally paid off. Chon'sin had always been a troublesome territory. After his master, the great Conqueror, defeated their armies in battle, Excellus had expected some rebellions from the region. Maybe even open rebellion from what remained of the royal family. That foolish king did have a rather smart son and a very willful daughter.

To his displeasure the son, Yen'fay, remained docile on the surface. He did not lead any open rebellion against the Conquerer, unlike the people of Rosanne. But in back allies and secret meetings, Yen'fay had been making plans. Devious plans. Secretive, treasonous plans that were just so delicious to learn about. Excellus actually felt some admiration for the General from Chon'sin. He did not think the young man had it in him. To plan conspiracies such as funding rebellions with hidden caches of gold was so clever. It showed Excellus a side of the stoic man he did not think actually existed.

Chon'sin was not loyal to the Conqueror. And they likely never would be. They were a prideful people who did not understand their place in the world. They were the conquered. Sheep that should obey their shepherd. Yen'fay did not understand that. But now… now he would.

Excellus's fat lips parted into an evil grin as he heard a toddler crying from a room nearby. His plan did not go perfectly. He intended to assassinate the Princess as well as take the little Prince. The assassination was meant to put fear in Yen'fay's heart while the kidnapping was used to keep him in line.

Sadly, someone had to intervene. A mysterious Ylissean of whom Excellus had never heard of. Perhaps he was some random sellsword. If that was the case, then Princess Say'ri was most fortunate. But that good fortune would run out. He had already sent another band of assassins to kill her. Once she was dead, Yen'fay's only remaining family would be in Excellus's hands. Then the General would have no choice but to obey him and him alone. He would be a slave to his will. A powerful slave at that. No more rebellions would be funded by him. No more conspiracies would occur. The conqueror will be most pleased.

Still, worry crept into his mind. What if his plans did not work out? Excellus snorted to himself. Even if this plan did not work out and the General was able to rescue Kage, he had a contingency in place. Courtesy of his allies in the Grimleal.

He chuckled evilly as he stepped over to a bookshelf in his quarters. The large shelf was laden with tomes of all kinds. Books about poisons and potions. Spells and curses. The most vile of hexes and the most sinister of incantations. And among them all was an artifact that gave him both great pleasure and fear to possess. A little gift that had been given to him. A black box trimmed with pure gold. Lady Aversa had called it a reeking box. An artifact so powerful that it had to have been created by the Fell Dragon himself.

His hands brushed over the fine wooden finish. The temptation to open it and see the power held inside was enormous. But he kept himself from giving in. Who knows what terrible power was stored inside. Such a fun weapon should only be used under the most dire of circumstances. And his situation was not dire. In fact, it was going quite well.

But if the people of Chon'sin fell out of line- Excellus snickered evilly.

That would be a wonderful time to open the box.

 **And chapter! I'm back folks! Sorry for the longer than expected wait. I stayed at my great grandmother's a bit longer than I thought. Enjoyed every second of it. But now I'm back home and ready to start writing again.**

 **This chapter was not the one I originally intended to write, but it was the one that came to mind when I sat down and got to work. I just really enjoy the dynamic between Kage, Say'ri, and Cynthia right now. It is too much fun to write. And now Marth is getting involved. And we got a cameo from Cherche too! Things are going to get very fun very quick.**

 **We also found out who exactly has Kage. That could pose a challenge for our heroes. We shall see how the rescue goes eventually.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	49. The Scholar

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 49

The Scholar

"How many damn deserts are we going to travel through!?" Gaius complained as his feet stomped against the cracked, dry earth.

Ben rolled his eyes as he led the group onward through the sparse wasteland, "We must cover all possible locations. Besides, this route is the fastest to Eastern Ylisse."

Ben adjusted his cloak. The hood worked wonders in shielding his head from the intense sun. But it also kept him very warm. The sweat that formed from the heat made the loose fabric cling to any exposed skin on his body. He took a deep breath and scanned the horizon in front of them.

This desert was different than the one that covered all of Plegia. Plegia's desert was covered in sand. Giant sloping mountains of the stuff. The dunes of that land rose and fell like a strong ocean tide. The Plegian sands could easily consume any traveler unlucky enough to lose their wits in that land. The sand would bury any evidence of their existence. Allowing the desert to return to it's unbroken state. Leaving the landscape harsh, yet surprisingly tranquil.

This desert was the opposite. A flat, barren waste of cracked earth that had not seen any rainfall in years. The cracked and yellowed bones of long dead animals baked in the intense heat around them. A few snarled weeds tumbled through the arid landscape. But they provided nothing except annoyance. There was nothing that could live here. Traveling through such a land was almost impossible.

But Ben and the others had to try. They were losing time. And by extension, the trail that could lead them to baby Luke grew colder by the day. They had spent many days combing through southeastern Ylisse. Searching for any sign or any word of an orphan boy matching Luke's description. But there was nothing. And Ben's desperation only mounted. Their next destination was the mountainous lands surrounding the Eastern Palace. Not many villages existed in the rocky foothills in that area. But there was a chance refugees and war orphans took shelter there during the war. He had failed to find Luke where he first arrived in Ylisse. Now he had to search the most likely area next.

Luke was everything. He was the last hope the galaxy had for peace. The last hope for the light in a galaxy consumed by the dark side of the force. Ben swore to Master Yoda that he would protect the boy. Be a silent guardian and eventually begin his Jedi training. And within the span of several hours, he failed in his mission.

Ben grit his teeth and pressed onward, ignoring the growing blisters on his feet. He refused to accept defeat when it came to this endeavor. This was his last mission as a Jedi Knight. The last task appointed to him by Master Yoda before they were ambushed on the Tantive IV. He would not fail Master Yoda. He would not fail Luke.

"Ben." Robin gasped, "We need to stop for a minute."

The tactician's pace began to slow. The young man was struggling in the intense heat. He had even decided to wrap his heavy coat around his waist instead of wearing it over his shoulders like he normally did. The pale skin on his arms and neck looked bright red. Ben frowned as he looked at the wary tactician. The sunburn was beginning to look nasty.

The swordsman just nodded in agreement. Rest would do them some good. Gaius let out a small sigh of relief as he began to set up the tents with Panne and Donnel. Tharja found a rock and took a seat. The heat did not bother the dark mage as much. She grew up in an environment like this. Lived every day in the intense heat and dry air that dominated Plegia. She knew how to handle the harsh climate better than anyone else. Ben sighed as he took a seat beside her.

"Water?" Tharja offered.

Ben gave her a weary nod and gratefully accepted the waterskin from her. He had run through his own supply of water nearly a day ago. Perhaps he had underestimated the scale of the desert in eastern Ylisse.

Ben let out a loud gasp as he pulled the water from his lips. The lukewarm liquid felt so refreshing. He nodded to Tharja and handed the waterskin back to her.

"Save the rest for yourself." He muttered.

Tharja dismissed his concern with a wave of her hand, "I will be fine."

Robin flopped down on the other side of Tharja, "So hot!" He glanced over at Gaius and Donnel, "Guys, how are the tents coming along?"

"Almost ready. But I don't know how much good they will do."

"Trust me." Ben muttered, "A little shade will work wonders right now. We will rest for a few hours then continue onward."

"I agree Sir Ben." Donnel said as he finished setting up a tent, "Back at the farm, ma would make sure I was always proper hydrated when working on a hot day. And she also made sure we all took a good break in the shade. Last thing she needed was one of us boys passing out from the sun 'n all." He nodded, satisfied with the tent, "Miss Tharja and Miss Panne, this one is for y'all."

"Such a gentleman." Tharja snickered before giving Gaius a dark look as he lounged in the shade of his own tent, "Unlike a certain someone."

Gaius did not reply. He simply waved his hand and lay back against his travel pack.

"I'll be more of a gentleman when you use a water hex to keep us from dying of thirst."

"And as I explained a hundred times before, hexes are not beneficial spells." Tharja grumbled, "Well," A dark smile crossed her lips, "Not beneficial to you at least."

"Even the best minds at the Ylissean magic college have not figured out how to create water using magic." Robin pointed out as he found a shady spot beside one of the tents, "And their main focus is on elemental magic."

Gaius frowned, "What good are you mages if you can't get me what I need when I need it?" He flicked his gaze over to Ben, "You got anything useful, Benny?"

Ben shook his head and lay back in the shade. Now that they had actually stopped, he realized that rest really was needed. His feet ached. Several blisters had opened up on his heels. They had been marching at a relentless pace these past few days. Hoping to be clear of the desert as quickly as possible. Instead, they only grew more lost in the sun scorched land.

He could hear Donnel, Gaius, and the others beginning to engage in some small talk. Something about what is the hottest you ever felt before today. Ben smirked a little. If only they knew about Tatooine. This little desert is paradise compared to that planet. He tuned out their conversation and closed his eyes. This break was perfect for meditation. A chance to let the force repair his exhausted body and clear his mind.

At first it was a peaceful exercise. He could feel the force around him. Even in a land devoid of most life, the Force was ever present. A constant comfort that Ben could turn to when needed. It was serene. Like calm, still waters.

His mind drifted through the many meditation exercises he had learned as a Jedi Knight. But as he delved deeper into the waters of the living force, something began to bother him.

The surface of the force was calm. If one was to dip their toe in the waters, one would not notice anything off about it. But once he dove deep into the Force's depths, Ben realized there was shift. A small ripple that hit him. It did not originate from this desert. It did not even originate from this planet. Ben honed in on the strange disturbance.

His heart started pounding. Fear lanced through him. The dark side of the force raged across the stars. It had found something. An ancient power that it did not understand but sought to control. A flash shot through his mind. And in his ears, Ben heard pain filled, rasping breaths. He could see a sinister figure, kneeling on the ground in front of an archaic mural. His black armor smoked and smoldered. Static sparked along the pauldrons and over the glossy, black helmet. The dark side of the force snarled and thrashed around the figure. The monstrous man appeared confused and very, very angry.

The sound of soldiers panicking hit his mind. The black clad figure slumped forward against the stone mural. Just as Ben pressed further, he felt a hand shake his shoulder.

"Hey, Benny." Gaius snapped his fingers in front of his face. Ben's eyes fluttered open, "You sleeping already? Damn, how do you managed to fall asleep so fast?"

"I was not sleeping. I was meditating." Ben replied, "And you managed to interrupt me."

"Sure looked like sleeping." Gaius replied with a smirk.

"I heard a snore or two." Robin chuckled.

"I was not sleeping!" Ben cried defensively as the others chuckled around him.

"Uncle Jon would say the same thing when he fell asleep driving the corn wagon." Donnel snickered, "Didn't mean we believed him."

"You man-spawn require more rest than most creatures. It is not something to be ashamed of." Panne noted.

Tharja said nothing as she flicked through her spellbook. Her eyes narrowed as she peered off into the distance.

"What exactly do you do when meditating anyways?" Robin asked Ben.

"Well, I rest in the Force." Ben explained.

Robin quirked an eyebrow in confusion, "Rest? Is it a way of recuperating magic then? Marth would meditate when she was very tired and it always seemed to help." Robin leaned back on his elbows, "She tried to teach me how to do that but," He shook his head, "I guess it requires more than one lesson in order to pick up the practice."

"It is more of a habit than a skill." Ben noted, "And meditation doesn't just help a force wielder recuperate energy. It also allows us to focus our minds, gather our thoughts, even temper our feelings."

"Temper feelings?" Gaius muttered, looking very confused.

Robin furrowed his brow, "Is this part of Jedi philosophy?"

Ben gave Robin a stunned look.

"Marth gave me a lesson before she disappeared again." Robin explained, "During that lesson she gave me a very brief introduction as to what a Jedi actually is."

"Uh," Gaius raised his hand, "What is a Jedi?"

"I get the feeling Ben is a Jedi." Donnel mumbled as he listened to Robin and Ben.

"Oh, so a stick in the mud. Gotcha!" Gaius chirped.

"Jedi are not sticks in the mud." Ben replied with a small snort, "We are… guardians. Well, we were supposed to be. The Jedi order strived to understand the force. Part of our attempt to understand the force was to control our emotions."

Tharja flicked her gaze back over at the others. Their conversation greatly interested her. But sadly, she could not pay them her full attention. She swore she had seen something through the shimmering heat on the horizon. If she did in fact see something, or someone, then she had to make certain it was not a threat.

"Control emotions?" Robin frowned, "As in suppress them?"

Ben pursed his lips, "To a certain extent."

Gaius whistled beside them, "That explains quite a bit."

Ben gave the thief a withering look. The red haired man chuckled.

"There's no suppressed emotion in that look."

Robin shook his head, "But… emotion is emotion. Sure, it is wise to want to control certain emotions during certain situations. But they are all necessary in some way or another. They are part of what makes us human. I-I just don't see how suppressing all of them leads to anything good."

"You have to understand that the nature of the force in a person is very much tied to their emotional state." Ben replied, "Negative emotion fuels the dark side of the force." He saw Robin's puzzled look, "The force has a dual nature, per say." Ben explained, "Light and dark."

"And the dark is a big no go." Gaius summarized.

"Precisely. It can lead down very dark paths that can easily destroy a person and all those around them. The Jedi Order found that many emotions led to the dark side of the force. Hence the need to control them."

Robin furrowed his brow. He pondered what Ben said for a moment then shook his head again, "No, it still doesn't seem right. You can't just bury emotion. It has to come out in some way or another. I mean, you're a Jedi Ben. You are supposed to be an emotionless rock, by your own admission. But from what I have seen, you care a great deal about everyone around you. That right there is an emotion. Would it be wrong to suppress that?"

Ben frowned. Robin posed a very difficult question. Force he wished he had the centuries of wisdom Master Yoda possessed. The aged master always knew how to respond to such pointed questions.

"That I am not sure about." Ben replied, "I am not that skilled compared to many of the great Jedi that have lived. Nor am I very in tune with the Force." He let out a small sigh, "I'm still learning myself."

"Ben, Robin." Tharja called over to them.

"Yeah?" Robin replied as he twisted to look over at the dark mage.

Tharja pointed out over the flat, dry plain. Robin peered into the distance and noticed something that made his mouth fall open. There was a young man just standing there. Face gazing upward at the sky. He wore the garb of a mage. But there was no color to his robes. They were a mottled assembly of greys and browns. The hat he wore was rather large for his head. But it served as an excellent shield from the sun.

"Uh?" Robin glanced at Ben, "Should we-"

"If he's got water, I say we rob him." Gaius suggested.

"Huh!?" Donnel exclaimed, appalled by the thief's suggestion.

"The thief's suggestion has merit." Tharja smirked, "We will need more water to complete the crossing."

"I ain't robbing someone!" Donnel declared.

"Gaius, Tharja, please tell your dark sides to simmer down." Ben groaned before staring hard at the lone figure in the distance, "He's just standing there, staring up?"

"Do you think he notices us?" Robin wondered.

"I don't think he would notice a bull if it came charging straight at him." Donnel muttered.

"I'm gonna rob him." Gaius nodded to himself as he moved to get up.

Ben lunged and pulled the thief back to his seat.

"You will stay put. Robin, come with me. We shall see if this stranger is a friend or foe."

Gaius hummed, "If he is a foe can I rob him?"

"If he is a foe we can kill him." Tharja said with a dark snicker, "Or better yet, we can make him our… servant."

Donnel paled as he looked at both of them. Ben and Robin were already moving towards the stranger. The former farm boy inched closer to Panne. Ben shook his head as he marched through the intense heat towards the stranger. Gaius and Tharja were in their moods today, that was certain. And poor Donnel was mortified by it.

The thief had an itch for petty thievery that needed to be scratched. That or quelled with a large lollipop. And Tharja well… she just enjoyed the stranger things in life. Ben was convinced that her intimidating demeanor was more of a facade than her actual personality. But that wall that he felt was there had yet to fall.

As they got closer to the stranger, Ben noticed he was actually a very young man. A mere teenager. He had a large tome clutched to his chest. Spectacles sat on the bridge of his nose. Whoever this stranger was, he was very much out of place for the desert.

"So do we just say hi?" Robin asked Ben.

Ben smirked, "We could scare him."

Robin gave Ben a nervous look, "I'm beginning to worry that your little mind adventures with Tharja are leaving their mark."

"I'm just joking." Ben chuckled, "Go on and say hello."

"Brilliant isn't it?" The stranger said, his voice high and quick. His gaze turned from the sun to his tome. He cracked the massive book open and used a piece of charcoal to scribble notes into it.

"Uh… hi?" Robin said.

"A proper greeting. Ah yes, I forgot to do that, didn't I? No wait, I don't forget. I just don't always remember is all." The stranger said with a little laugh. He closed his tome and turned to face both Ben and Robin, "Laurent." He bowed to both of them, "And you are?"

Robin gave Ben a concerned look. Ben shared his worry. This boy behaved rather strangely. Perhaps the heat had gotten to him?

"I am Ben Kenobi." The swordsman gestured over to Robin, "This is my friend Robin."

"Robin?" Laurent said quickly, "As in _the_ Robin?" His dark eyes flicked over to Ben, "And _the_ mad swordsman himself?"

Ben frowned, "I need to find whoever began that rumor and sit them down for a small discussion."

"So you have heard of us?" Robin asked.

"Of course I have. Any person capable of hearing has heard of the Shepherd's tactician and the mad swordsman. The intellectual that brought about Plegia's defeat and the crazed warrior willing to leap off of pegasi in order to achieve victory. Such tales are so tall that they cannot possibly be false."

Robin gave Laurent a confused look.

"Uh?"

"I don't know." Ben sighed.

"As I was saying before however," Laurent returned his attention to the sun, "Isn't it brilliant? A marvel? How such an object can be cold and distant at one location but yet so overpowering and hot in another. The very same sun sits over Regna Ferox and gives that frozen land little warmth. But here, it scorches the earth." He rubbed his chin, "Perhaps Mother's hypothesis regarding the suspension of our world around the sun and the centripetal forces involved do have merit? I must study it even further."

Robin leaned closed to Ben, "Did you get a word of that?"

"Nope." Ben shook his head, "Maybe he is delirious from lack of water. I do not see a waterskin on him. Do you?"

Robin shook his head.

"Studying the sun is not the reason for my presence in this desert." Laurent continued, "But it is an added bonus. I am currently wandering this desolate wasteland in search of a fabled mirage village. It is such a common tale in this area of the world that there has to be some truth to it. But it also cannot be true. How can a village be a mirage? In order to find out, I did the only thing that could possibly induce a mirage filled state." He glanced back at Ben and Robin, "I have not consumed any hydrating liquid for two and half days."

Robin's mouth hung open. Ben sighed and shook his head.

"And…" Ben let out an astonished snort, "How exactly has that worked out for you?"

"You are a man of science as well, Ben Kenobi!" Laurent cheered, "This is wonderful news. I'm sure you will be interested in the observations as well Sir Robin. So far I have not witnessed any mirages. There have been plenty of hallucinations. And I have a horrible cramp in my left gastrocnemius muscle." The young man eyed the pair, "And in mentioning hallucinations, you don't happen to be a couple, right?"

Ben glanced over at Robin. The tactician nodded in agreement. They both turned, looked back at their camp, and called for her at the same time.

"Tharja!"

….

Laurent sat silent for a minute as he felt the water run down his throat and into his empty stomach. As soon as that cool liquid touched his tongue he felt much better. The haze that invaded his mind faded away and the strange birds he had seen floating near his eyes disappeared. His mind felt more alert. Sharper, and stronger than before. And as he sat quietly in the shade of his new companion's tents, he pondered the results of his (in hindsight) very dangerous experiment.

"Feeling any better?" Robin asked the boy.

"Very much." Laurent replied with a stiff nod, "It appears my methods for finding the mirage village were deeply flawed."

Across the little campsite, the young scholar saw the thief, Gaius, pinch the bridge of his nose and utter a frustrated sigh. Laurent could understand why the thief was so bitter right now. Because of his dangerous scientific procedure, the scholar had to consume precious amounts of water. Water that Ben and his group of companions could not spare a lot of. In fact, it was such a precious commodity that their lone full waterskin was under the watchful guard of the dark mage, Tharja. An incredibly intimidating woman who both fascinated and terrified Laurent.

"Now that I have drank and feel semi hydrated," Laurent continued, "I can confirm that none of you are hallucinations."

"Thanks for the heads up." Gaius grumbled.

Ben gave the thief a long glare before turning his attention back to Laurent.

"You said you were wandering this desert looking for a mirage village?" Ben began, "Why in the world would you do that?"

"The village is a fable for one." Laurent explained, "I do so enjoy explaining the unexplainable. It is what makes me a scientist. Drew me to the subject in fact. That and my mother's influence. Her own scientific mind rubbed off on my own. Much to father's pride and confusion. But I also was in search of the mirage village due to the mythical artifact it supposedly contains."

"Let me-" Gaius let out a small laugh, "Let me get this straight. You went searching for an imaginary village in order to find an imaginary artifact. All of which happen to be in the most hostile environment in all of Ylisse-"

"There are much more hostile biomes in the Halidom." Laurent interrupted.

"Whatever!" Gaius snapped back, "The point is, you're an intelligent idiot."

Laurent blinked, "Hm… that is not the first time someone has referred to me as such." He brushed Gaius's insult to the side, "Regardless of my methods, I have deduced one thing from my search, thanks to your timely arrival."

"That being?" Ben asked.

"We all will not die of thirst." Laurent replied.

Gaius got close to Laurent's face, "Explain! Now!"

Ben pushed Gaius back from the poor kid, "What do you mean, Laurent?"

The boy pushed his spectacles back up the bridge of his nose, "What I mean, is that by seeing you, I have confirmed that some of what I may have seen is, in fact, not a hallucination. One of which was a possible oasis several hours northwest of here."

"Thank Grima, Naga, and every other god there is!" Gaius cried, "I am so thirsty!"

"Do ya have to thank the fell dragon?" Donnel gulped.

"How do you know there is an oasis nearby?" Robin asked Laurent.

"An interesting question. With an equally interesting answer. I just so happened to be midway through my second day of wandering when the first of my hallucinations began. I recorded all of those too. Some of them are utterly fascinating. Who knew the mind was capable of conjuring such strange, vivid images when deprived of essential nourishment?"

Tharja slowly raised her hand. Ben quickly pushed her hand back down before Laurent continued.

"One such hallucination, or what I thought was a hallucination, was palm trees in the distance. A sure sign of an oasis."

"So why didn't you go check it out?" Gaius asked.

"Because at the same time I hallucinated a pink elephant with blue and yellow polka dots doing a jig in front of me." Laurent replied with a bit of shame in his voice, "So, taking what information I had in front of me, I assumed that, like the polka dotted elephant, the oasis was an illusion. And I set off in the opposite direction. That is when I ran into you." Laurent frowned, "Now that I think about it further, the oasis was not so outlandish like the other hallucinations. Which means that it is even more likely to be real than before. We must make our way to the oasis with all haste. Otherwise, we will die of thirst in this wasteland."

"Don't need to tell me that twice." Gaius chirped, "Lead the way, kid."

….

Ben was not the only one that breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing the oasis Laurent mentioned. Gaius dove headfirst into the clear spring waters as soon as he laid sight on it. Panne dipped into the cold waters as well. A long, happy sigh leaving her lips as her body cooled down from the intense heat. Robin and Donnel set about filling all of their waterskins. Ben took a seat under some palms with Tharja and Laurent. But the young scholar did not sit still for long, Ben watched with a small smirk as he scampered towards the oasis, book in hand. Muttering something about studying how such a large lake of water could be created in such a dry area of the world.

"Thank Grima for this oasis." Tharja muttered.

Ben cocked an eyebrow, "I thought the heat did not bother you?"

"It wasn't. But even a Grimleal has their limits." Tharja pointed out, "My throat was getting a little dry."

A loud splash rang out. Followed by some panicked cries from Gaius. Ben chuckled as he watched a completely drenched Panne chase the thief out of the water.

"Get back here!"

"I only splashed you!"

"Guys!" Robin called as they sprinted past him and disappeared into the brush surrounding the oasis, "Don't go too… far." He sighed, "I really should stop trying at this point."

He finished filling up his waterskins and handed them over to Donnel. The farmboy quickly went about putting the skins into each person's travel pack. Meanwhile, Laurent had waded out to waist deep water as he cradled as small glass vial.

"What do you think of our new friend?" Robin asked Ben as he slumped down in the shade beside him.

"He's a curious fellow." Ben replied.

"Hmph, eager to learn." Tharja muttered, "Probably too eager for his own good. Given the fact that he nearly died of thirst just because he wanted to learn something."

"At least he's passionate." Robin pointed out, "In his own way at least." He glanced over at Ben, "Are you thinking about having him tag along?"

Ben nodded, "He won't survive on his own. That much I have gathered." Ben lay back onto the cooler ground, "We will at least take him with us to the Eastern Palace. From there, he can stay with us, or go his own way."

"I have never seen a mage with those color robes before." Tharja muttered as she eyed the young scholar, "Who is he associated with?"

"Maybe he's an independent wizard?" Robin thought.

"He has to have learned from somebody." Tharja argued back, "He's too nice to be a Grimleal. But also too undisciplined to have come from the Ylissean academy. One of your mages would not enter the desert so unprepared."

Robin shrugged, "Does it really matter? He's friendly enough."

"One cannot be too careful. It is easy to deceive the friendly." Tharja muttered.

Ben smirked, "I'm not worried. We did bring you on as an ally."

Tharja flicked her gaze over to him, "And I am still debating as to whether or not to execute a deception."

Ben chuckled, "Well, have fun figuring that one out. But if I were to take a guess, I'd say you like all of us more than you let on."

"Maybe a little too much." Robin muttered under his breath. He glanced over to the brush where Panne and Gaius ran off, "Where did those two run off to?"

The tactician got to his feet and marched over to the tree line. He carefully stepped through the thick bushes and trees until he reached the edge of the oasis. When he reached the edge, he heard some voices. Robin paused and lowered himself to a crouch.

"Even if we don't find the mirage village, we at least caught us a rare prize." A gruff, gritty voice said.

"I ain't never thought I'd catch a Taguel." Another voice said. Robin froze, "Think she'd sell well?"

"I guarantee it." The first voice replied.

Robin grit his teeth and was about to burst out the bushes when he felt a hand clamp over his mouth. A shot of panic rushed through him. But it subsided when he heard Gaius's voice in his ear.

"Keep quiet, Bubbles. There are a lot more than two of them."

Robin's eyes widened. He broke free from Gaius's grip and peered through the brush.

The thief was not wrong. A group of twenty ruffians sat camped on the edge of the oasis. Standing in the middle of them, was a large, muscled man with rough, brown hair. In his meaty hands was a frayed map. A map that, if Robin took a guess, led to the fabled mirage village.

But that map did not concern him. What did concern him was the Taguel being held down by three of the ruffians. Anger covered Panne's face as she struggled against their iron grip.

"Which way are we going, Nombry?" One of the ruffians asked the man with the map.

Nombry rubbed his stubble lined chin, "Due north. If what I see here is correct, then we will find the village there. And with it, treasure beyond our wildest imaginations." He rolled up the map, "Once that is done, we'll make for Plegia and auction off that one."

Robin felt his blood start to boil. At his side, Gaius gave the tactician a worried look.

"Hey, Bubbles." He gripped the other man's shoulder, "Don't do something stupid."

"You heard what they want to do to Panne."

"And I'm pissed too. But we will not help her if we're killed." Gaius pointed out, "Think tactically on this one."

Robin clenched his jaw but relented to Gaius's sound logic.

"We need to grab the others and follow them until a more advantageous opportunity presents itself." Robin admitted reluctantly.

Gaius nodded and carefully tip toed back to the oasis. Once they were free from the trees, and the eyes of the ruffians, they sprinted over to Ben, Tharja, Donnel, and Laurent.

Ben rose to his feet when he saw the duo rushing towards them.

"Where is Panne?"

"Ruffians. Treasure Hunters or Bandits maybe?" Robin breathed as he came to a stop in front of Ben, "They got her."

"Got her!?" Donnel paled.

Tharja's face darkened, "How many?"

"Too many." Gaius breathed, "And unlike Farm Boy's village, there is nowhere to set up an ambush out here."

"Your Taguel friend has been kidnapped? A pity. I was hoping to learn more about her species." Laurent asked as he waded out of the oasis.

"Her name is Panne!" Gaius snapped, "And it's because we listened to you that she is captured and about to be sold off you-"

"Gaius." Ben raised his hand, silencing the thief, "It is not his fault."

The thief exhaled, "Bubbles suggested following until we can make a move. Apparently those bastards are looking for the same mirage village as the kid."

"Really!?" Laurent gasped.

"The mirage village doesn't matter now." Ben told Laurent, "We will track down these kidnappers. Panne will not be taken from us."

"Well we better get moving." Gaius grunted as he began marching in the same direction as the ruffians.

….

The ruffians must have been well supplied and well rested, because they did not stop until the sun had set and moon rose high overhead. When their party finally did stop; Ben, Robin, and the others slowed down and stayed within sight of their enemy's encampment. But far enough away that they could not be spotted. Once they were certain that they were a safe distance away, Robin and Ben both dropped to their bellies and crawled towards the enemy camp so that they could get a closer look.

"What do you see?" Ben asked as he kept his body flat against the hot earth.

Robin frowned, "Panne must be inside one of those tents. Which is good. They think she is valuable enough to keep alive and somewhat healthy." Robin began to silently count, "Gaius is right. Twenty ruffians. All armed. Some more heavily than others."

"Long ranged or short ranged?"

Robin shook his head, "I don't see any mages or bowmen. Looks like we're dealing with a treasure hunter and his hired swords."

"A ruthless treasure hunter at that." Ben scowled, "He may as well be a raider." Ben pulled his hood up over his head and began to crawl forward.

"What are you doing?" Robin hissed.

"Going to find Panne." Ben replied, "I may be able to slip into their camp."

"How!?"

Ben pursed his lips, "A little force technique. One that I'm actually quite good at."

 _Just ask General Grevious how I infiltrated his entire base._ He thought to himself with a small smile.

"Ben you can't just-" Robin let out a long groan, "No one here listens to me. Look, be careful. If anything goes wrong, signal us. Tharja and I will rain hellfire down on them."

"I don't think it will come to that." Ben replied, "But I will keep it in mind."

Robin nodded and crawled back to where the others waited.

Ben slowly crawled towards the enemy camp. He briefly froze as he caught sight of a sentry keeping watch over the camp. The man was armed with a simple, iron sword. He made lazy circles around the camp. Eyes glancing up from his feet every few minutes or so. Apparently he was not worried at all about any dangerous encounters.

Ben smiled to himself as he slipped past the bored sentry and drew up alongside one of the tents. He called upon the Force to mask his movements and muffle the noise he made shuffling through along the earth. And it answered his call. Not a single ruffian noticed him as he drew up alongside their tents.

He paused and closed his eyes. He reached out with the Force, attempting to sense exactly which tent Panne was held in.

The tent beside him housed some ruffians. Two in fact. No Taguel. Ben frowned and crawled over to the next tent. No one was in that one. Most of the ruffians were gathered around a large fire. Ben could smell the sweet aroma of meat in the air. It had been a few days since he had a proper meal. He could feel his stomach growling at the thought of a nice, tender steak.

With a quick shake of his head, he returned his focus to finding Panne. He passed three more tents before finally sensing her.

She was afraid. And… he could sense great anger in her. Ben grimaced as he pressed himself flat against the earth then slipped underneath the wall of the tent.

Panne was tied up to the center post. Arms bound behind her with thick cords of rope. Legs bound together as well. Her eyes were closed. Ben could see some tear stains on her cheeks as he got closer. He knelt down beside her and drew a small knife.

The sound of his knife scraping against her bonds woke Panne up. A snarl rushed over his lips first. Then shock. And finally, her lips began to tremble. She sniffled as tears pooled up in her terrified eyes.

"I thought you all left me." She whimpered as Ben worked on her binds.

Ben glanced up at her, "Now when I have a I ever left a friend behind?"

A small sob left Panne's chest, "I just-"

Ben put a finger to his lips, "Stay quiet now. We don't want to be found out."

He managed to cut through the rope around her ankles first. Panne let out a long sigh of relief as she wiggled her toes. Ben swept around her and began to slice through the ropes around her wrists.

"Ben, I was scared."

"So were we." Ben replied, "The others are just a little ways away. Waiting for you."

Panne sniffled again, "When-when they grabbed me, and no one came to stop them, I thought you abandoned me. I thought that because I was a Taguel and not a human that you thought my loss was-"

"Now what kind of nonsense is that?" Ben remarked, "Taguel, Human, whatever; you are a shepherd like the rest of us. And that means you are our friend. And I would never let a friend be taken from me like that."

The rope around Panne's wrists went slack. The Taguel rubbed her wrists as she got to her feet. Before Ben could do anything, Panne enveloped him in a large hug.

"Thank you." She whispered.

Ben returned her embrace, "We need to get out of here."

"Well looky here." Someone sneered behind both of them, "The rabbit has a friend."

Ben twirled around and saw four ruffians entering the tent. In an instant, Ben drew his rapier. Beside him, Panne bared her teeth. A low growl rumbled from her lungs.

Ben recognized the man at the front of the four ruffians. He was the man with the map he and Robin observed early.

"Nombry, I assume?" Ben said as he pointed his rapier at the group of men.

"Aye. That be me." Nombry nodded his head at Ben, "And since we're introducing ourselves, you are?"

"Ben Kenobi." Ben replied with a small smirk. He saw the nervous glances exchanged between the three ruffians behind Nombry, "And you managed to kidnap a friend of mine. Not a very smart move."

"Is it now?"

"No. And, you are a treasure hunter, yes?" Nombry replied with a stiff nod, "Then that means you aren't as dumb as you look. So, seeing as you are an intelligent man, how about you let me and my friend go."

"Let you go?" Nombry scoffed, "Sorry Mr. Kenobi, but that isn't gonna happen." He jabbed a finger at Panne, "That rabbit is worth a lot to me. Enough to make it so I never have to go treasure hunting ever again. Combine her worth with the treasure I'm on the verge of finding… well, you get the idea. I'll be living like a king."

Ben narrowed his eyes, "Trust me, Nombry. You don't want to do this."

"I think I do."

His three mercenaries charged at Ben and Panne. Ben moved in a flash, cutting down the first mercenary with one easy swipe of his blade. Panne let out a loud snarl as she wrapped her arms around the second's neck took him to the ground. Ben then plunged his blade into the man's heart. The third mercenary backed off along with Nombry.

"Boys! We got an intruder!" Nombry called.

Ben grit his teeth and sent a force push at Nombry and his guard. The two men flew out of the tent. The swordsman grabbed Panne by the wrist and sprinted out. Just as he got out of the tent, Ben felt a club smack into his forehead.

"BEN!" Panne cried.

"Grab her!" Nombry ordered as four more mercenaries closed in, "Without that little stone that helps her transform, she can't hurt us."

Ben groaned. Stars flashed through his vision. He could feel a large lump forming on his forehead. He shook his head and tried to rise to his feet. His head swam and he slumped back down into the earth.

"So much for that bravado, Ben Kenobi." Nombry chuckled, "A good blow to the head beats any fancy moves, no matter how good the fighter is." He laughed some more, "I hear Plegia has a new King right about now too. He might be interested in you, considering all the havoc you caused in his country."

"You will not be taking us anywhere alive." Panne snarled as she stood in front of Ben.

Nombry shrugged, "I'll be taking you alive no matter what. But I never said anything about Mr. Kenobi being taken alive."

The ruffians tightened the circle around Panne and Ben. Their weapons gleamed in the firelight. Ben shook his head and winced as he got back to his feet. The stars that flashed through his eyes made it difficult to concentrate. But he was not about to allow a bunch of bandits be the death of him.

Just as he was about to charge into the teeth of the enemy, a dark blast of magic rocked the encampment. Tharja leaped over the large fire and sent a devastating spell directly at Nombry. Dark tendrils of magic gripped the man and sent him crashing to the ground. Pain filled screams echoed through the night air as he thrashed around.

Before the other mercenaries could even react, lightning shot across the camp and slammed into the largest man. Just as that mercenary hit the dirt, a third spell, this one a large blast of fire, rocketed in between Ben and the other enemies. Creating a small defensive barrier so that Ben could regather his wits. The dazed swordsman caught sight of Laurent readying another fire spell as he rushed into the enemy camp.

Donnel and Gaius barreled into the camp next. Both brandishing blades. Robin followed close behind them, his own blade in hand.

Tharja shifted her focus from Nombry over to another enemy. One that dared to try and attack her. The dark mage slipped underneath a wild slash and tapped the man's stomach. Purple runes flashed over him. The ruffian uttered a loud howl then collapsed to the earth clutching his stomach.

An ax flashed out of the corner of her eye. Tharja dropped to the ground then launched a flux at her next attacker. The man crumpled to the ground without a sound. Robin reached her side and picked the dark mage up from the earth as the mercenaries realized the other shepherds were more of a threat than Ben and Panne at the moment.

Gaius and Donnel fought side by side. The farm boy was using all of the knowledge Ben taught him in order to hold his own against their enemies. He hacked and slashed against the mercenaries. Taking down two before a large man with an enormous ax began to give him trouble.

Gaius pulled away from Donnel and made a mad dash for Panne. He leaped over the flames conjured by Laurent and grabbed the Taguel.

"Let's get outta here, Whiskers." The thief smirked. He glanced over at Ben as the swordsman rubbed his eyes, "Snap out of it Benny. I've seen you take worse."

"My ears are ringing." Ben complained loudly.

At that moment, Nombry regained his senses and pushed himself back to his feet. He turned and stared hatefully at Ben. He glanced to his right and saw one of his fallen mercenary's ax. Without a second thought, Nombry grabbed the ax and threw it at Ben with all of his might.

Ben turned and saw the ax coming. He shoved both Gaius and Panne out of the way. Just as he was about to raise his hands and attempt to catch the ax with the force, the weapon stopped mid air. Ben raised an eyebrow. He did not catch it. So who did?

The ax spun and sped back at Nombry. The man uttered a whimper before the ax buried itself in his chest. He gasped, dropped to his knees, then fell dead to the earth. Ben's eyes widened as he saw Robin appear behind the fallen treasure hunter. The tactician looked pale. His chest heaved up and down. And Ben saw his hand in front of him. Palm splayed open. Ben's jaw fell open. He was the one who stopped the ax.

The other mercenaries stopped fighting as they saw the man that was paying them fall dead. One of the mercenaries cried out as Tharja gathered more magic into her body. Ready to unleash a devastating hex.

They all panicked. Gaius laughed loudly as the mercenaries took off in all directions. Donnel let out a sigh of relief and slumped back onto his rump as the man with the ax decided fighting the farm boy was not worth his life.

"That's right! You better run!" Gaius shouted at the fleeing mercenaries. He nudged Panne, "I scared them, didn't I?"

"You are about as terrifying as a juvenile Taguel." Panne replied.

"Uh… thanks?" Gaius remarked.

Ben brushed past both of them and made his way over to Robin. The tactician looked at Ben with both fear and confusion.

"I-" Robin's mouth opened and closed, "I don't know how I just-"

"Did it?" Ben finished for him.

"Y-yeah." Robin stammered, "It felt-"

"Natural?"

Robin nodded.

Ben's heart hammered in his chest. Marth was not the only force sensitive on this planet. He thought he saw Robin utilize some powers on the battlefield during the war with Plegia. But he was never one hundred percent certain. But now he knew for a fact that Robin was capable of wielding the force. Not only was he capable, but he appeared to be a damn natural at it. To be able to catch a moving object without any formal training then redirect it was no small feat for a novice.

"Ben did I just-"

"Yes." Ben nodded, "And… we will discuss it at length later. But thank you. You saved my life."

"We." Tharja corrected as she sauntered over to both of them.

Ben laughed, "How did you all know to come and help? I never signaled you."

"One does not earn the nickname, Mad Swordsman, without getting into troublesome situations." Laurent said with a knowing smirk, "I pointed that out to Lady Tharja. And she promptly marched towards the enemy. I believe she also muttered something about always having to save your life."

"Always?" Ben saw Tharja snickered, "Now hold on a minute. I haven't needed rescuing that often."

"My experience with you says otherwise." Tharja snickered, "By the way, Laurent." Tharja reached down to Nombry's corpse and pulled a blood stained map from his pocket, "I think you will want this."

Laurent's snatched the map from Tharja. He unfolded it and carefully studied the markings. A loud gasp left his lips.

"We are close!"

"Close to what?" Gaius wondered out loud.

"The Mirage Village is real, isn't it?" Ben asked as Robin took a seat beside Donnel. Both men a little shaken up from the events of the small skirmish.

Laurent gave Ben an excited nod.

"Well," Tharja said, "What are we waiting for. We got into all this trouble over this damn desert with this village in it. Let's go pay it a visit."

Gaius let out a long groan, "Can't we just leave this desert already? I want to go somewhere that isn't boiling hot for a change."

Panne pushed the thief forward so that he would stare following Laurent out into the desert. Ben helped both Donnel and Robin to their feet. He gave Donnel a pat on the back and nodded over to Robin. The two men let out long sighs then smiled as Laurent began to excitedly talk about all the unique discoveries they could find in such an isolated village.

"We always seem to wind up with the weird ones." Robin smirked.

"It never fails to happen." Ben replied with a small laugh.

Tharja strode alongside both of them.

"I still haven't heard a thank you." She said to Ben.

Ben laughed. To Robin's immense surprise, he wrapped an arm around Tharja's shoulder.

"Thank you for saving my life, _again._ "

Tharja stiffened for a minute. Robin could see she was contemplating whether or not to hex Ben. But to his great shock, Tharja just sighed.

"Don't mention it."

….

Thrawn braced himself. A red light blinked on and off on his desk. A sign that a call was waiting. A call he dreaded to answer. The Emperor wished to speak with Lord Vader. It was an urgent call. One that the terrifying man would not be able to answer.

Several hours ago, both he and Lord Vader had touched down on the surface of Lothal and investigated the strange mural in the ruined Jedi Temple. When Vader touched the mural something happened. Something that sent the massive man to his knees. Thrawn witnessed strange winds whipping through the Jedi Temple atrium. He saw small bolts of lightning course in and out of Vader as he connected with the mural. Then, when the phenomenon ended. Vader slumped to the ground. And Thrawn's aid, Commander Vanto, promptly called for medical aid.

Thrawn had just gotten the medical exam back regarding his dark overseer. Lord Vader's suit was completely fried. It was a miracle the man was intact. And his suspicions about Lord Vader being a cyborg were partially correct. There were still bits of a human being there. But he was much more machine than man. He had been able to obtain the medical droids initial scans and marveled at the injuries Vader had sustained. Injuries that would have killed any normal being. The explanation for his survival no doubt lay with that mysterious power he wielded.

The force, an enigmatic entity that Thrawn barely understood. He had studied the force and those capable of wielding it. But he failed to fully grasp it. It was one of the few concepts that truly challenged his sharp mind. And there was so much conflicting information regarding the subject. It made gathering any concrete, factual information difficult. But whatever the force was, it had a hand in Vader's survival. Both during his previous injuries that rendered him bound to his black suit, and the injuries he sustained on Lothal.

The light on his desk flashed red again. The Emperor was waiting. His musings on who and what Vader was would have to wait.

He tapped a button on his desk. A hologram of Emperor Palpatine appeared.

"Your excellency." Thrawn bowed his head.

Palpatine appeared somewhat surprised, "Captain? I do not believe I messaged you?"

"Lord Vader is currently… incapacitated at the moment." Thrawn said carefully.

"Incapacitated?" The Emperor rose from his own seat.

"There was an incident at the Temple on Lothal. We managed to find the mural. Vader went to investigate it. Something… strange occurred. Something I cannot fully explain myself. But when it was over, Lord Vader's suit had been fried by electricity. We had to rush him back to the _Chimaera_ for emergency treatment."

"Will he live?" Palpatine asked, his voice sharp and cold.

Thrawn nodded, "He will. The medical droids assure me Lord Vader will be conscious soon. And we have already begun repairs to his suit."

"When he wakes have him contact me immediately." The Emperor ordered.

"As you wish, your excellency." Thrawn bowed.

The Emperor nodded and his image flickered away. Thrawn let out a small breath that he had not realized he was holding. Speaking to the Emperor was always a tense affair. Thrawn always had the sense that the Emperor knew much more about any given situation than he was willing to let on. Which always gave the frail man an edge in a conversation.

Thrawn also did not delude himself regarding the Emperor's power. He may put on the facade of an old man, but Thrawn knew that old man had to be extremely powerful in order to keep a monster like Vader on a leash. It was not so far a stretch to assume that the Emperor was capable of using the force as well.

The Chiss furrowed his brow. That call with the Emperor intrigued him. The ruler of the galaxy seemed distressed. Not about Lord Vader. When he had mentioned Vader's condition, the Emperor was cross. Disappointed even. No, whatever worried the Emperor had nothing to do with Lord Vader. Perhaps something happened with the Force that caused him to worry. Did it have something to do with the events on Lothal?

Thrawn folded his hands behind his back and stared out the view port of his personal office. The puzzle for his current mission grew more complex by the minutes. There was the secret nature of the mission. Vader and the 501st presence added to the curious nature of this mission. Then there was the Emperor's own distress and haste to see the objective of this mission completed. And Thrawn did not even know what the true objective was. Whatever it was, it certainly was not a simple exploration mission. The Emperor was not in search of a planet. Lord Vader himself would not be supervising such a frivolous pursuit.

He reached for his personal communicator on his belt.

"Vanto."

There was a small buzz of static.

" _Yes, Captain?"_

"I believe if we are to succeed in our mission, we need to know more about what this mission entails. Do you still have contacts in Imperial intelligence?"

" _I do sir. Some even owe me a few favors."_

"Then call those favors in." Thrawn glanced over as a buzzer sounded on his desk. The one he told the medical crew to ring once Vader woke up, "I wish to know what exactly we are searching for."

" _Yes sir."_

The communicator clicked off.

Thrawn smiled to himself. Vanto was a good staff aid. He would sometimes question Thrawn, but only if it meant furthering his own skills. Beyond that, Vanto made sure to follow Thrawn's orders to the letter. Even if that meant breaking a few military codes along the way. He was confident the Commander would find some relevant information. For now, Thrawn would be patient and not press the issue with Lord Vader. He doubted the man would give him any further information anyways.

But a debrief of what occurred on Lothal was necessary. Thrawn took a deep breath and turned for the door. Depending on Vader's mood, this was either going to be a pleasant, informative debrief; or a deadly one.

He hoped for the former.

 **And chapter! A little side adventure for Ben and friends. And we have a new character introduced. Laurent was very fun to write. I can't wait to have him included even more in this story. We also got to see Robin use the Force a little more. And he has Ben's attention now. We will definitely be seeing some more formal training between him and Robin now. And Thrawn is starting to poke his nose into some very dangerous places. How will that go for him, I wonder? We shall see.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	50. Breakneck Pass

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 50

Breakneck Pass

Ben hummed to himself as he held the map close to his face.

"Do we really have to go that way?" He mumbled as he studied the mountainous region that lay before him and his friends.

"We'd have to sweep around and come from the coast the other way." Robin noted as he peeked over Ben's shoulder. He trailed a finger along that possible route, "And that would bring us back into the desert we just got out of."

"Hell no!" Gaius barked behind both of them, "I've had enough of deserts. I'd like some nice, temperate temperatures please. A few pine trees. Maybe an apple tree or two. Oh! Oh! Pomegranates would be better. They're sweeter."

"We are not going to base our travel plans on your sweet tooth." Ben sighed as he rolled up the map.

Robin gave Ben a concerned look. The swordsman looked out of sorts. A strange melancholy had washed over him. Ever since they left the desert and began the ascent through the foothills in north eastern Ylisse, his mood had grown ever more dour. And he did everything in his power to try and find another route to the Eastern Palace that did not involve the East Road. The very same road they all traveled with Chrom when fleeing Ylisstol during the war.

Robin frowned. Now that he thought about it, that was probably why Ben wished to avoid that road. It was the road Emmeryn had been initially captured on. Traveling down that route would reopen wounds that were still very fresh for the swordsman. Robin sighed as he adjusted his pack on his shoulders.

"Ben, we don't have to go to the east." Robin suggested.

The swordsman shook his head, "Any Ylissean refugees during the war either fled to Regna Ferox, or made their way to the Eastern Palace. That is the next most likely place we will find Luke."

"We could try the Longfort first?" Robin again suggested, "That way we could reach the Eastern Palace from the North."

"Impossible." Laurent interrupted, "The northern passes are all iced and snowed over. And they will remain that way for at least another month or two." Robin let out a long sigh as the young scholar spoke, "That renders their trails impassable. Well, if one was determined enough to try, you probably could make it. But there is always the possibility of freezing, starvation, avalanches, sasqua-"

"We get it." Robin cut him off, "North is not an option right now." He placed a hand on Ben's shoulder, "We could wait it out at the Longfort?"

Ben shook his head again, "And possibly miss Luke? No, I cannot take that chance." He raised his gaze to the dirt path that led into the high peaks of Eastern Ylisse. The road led to a pass he was all to familiar with now. "We shall go through Breakneck Pass."

Resolute in his decision, Ben stepped forward. Robin nodded and waved for the others to follow. Soon the entire group was marching high into the snow capped peaks.

A blistering wind whipped around the mountains as they rose higher into the pale skies. Ben wrapped his cloak tight around his body as he led the group forward, into the pass. Snow crunched beneath his boots as ice started to mix in with the wind. He could feel frost beginning to form along his short beard.

"I traded unbearably hot weather for insanely cold weather." Gaius said. His teeth chattered as he marched forward, "I should have stayed in Ylisse."

"It would have saved us your constant complaining." Panne deadpanned, "It is not _that_ cold."

"Says you." Gaius tightened his thin coat over his shoulders, "You have fur."

"The thief has a point." Laurent said as he pushed his spectacles back up the bridge of his nose, "I am beginning to obtain a slight chill as well. Hm? I wonder what the effects on my body will be? I do not have proper warm garments in order to keep the cold at bay. This may merit some study."

"No studies that involve bodily harm to yourself or others." Robin called back, scarcely believing he had to say those words, "And yes, Tharja, that includes you too."

He heard some disgruntled grumbling come from the dark mage behind him. Robin ignored it and kept marching. He pulled his hood over his head as the biting wind picked up in intensity.

Within a few hours, it was snowing. Not a gentle snowfall. Not the kind that made one excited to see snow. No, this snow was a full force gale. A blizzard in the mountains. The wind howled through the white peaks. Screaming so loud that Robin could hardly hear himself think.

The dirt trail disappeared beneath deep layers of snow. Soon, the narrow path up the mountains began to plateau. And the peaks to their south opened up, revealing a massive snow covered canyon.

Ben paused at the top of the plateau. He glanced back at his companions. Robin's cheeks were rosy from the cold. But his coat helped keep him warm. Which allowed him to be able to continue marching at a steady pace. Gaius and Panne were fairing decently. The fur on Panne's body served as a natural barrier to the frozen wind. But every now and then, Ben saw her shiver a little.

Donnel's Ma made sure to pack her son a very thick, wool blanket for his journey away from the village. He had the blanket wrapped tight around his body. But he did not cover his head. Ben could see his teeth chattering. He occasionally swiped at his ears. Trying to bring some warmth back to them.

Ben could tell Laurent was cold. The young scholar wore many robes. But they were thin garments. Much better suited for hot climates than the frozen mountains they were trying to pass through. Nevertheless, the young man marched onward with purpose. Occasionally, he drifted a little away from the others in order to gather samples of the ice and snow.

Tharja fared the worst of the bunch. Her thin outfit did not shield her from the cold at all. Her meager attempts to wrap her cape around her body served only to slow her down while marching. To her credit, she did not complain like Gaius did. But Ben could see she was struggling. Behind her closed lips, her teeth chattered. Frost gathered at the tips of her dark bangs. Shivering was the new normal for her.

The swordsman let out a small sigh and removed his cloak from his body. He could call upon the force to help warm his body. It would be a slightly tiring exercise, but he did not mind. He drifted over to Tharja and placed the large cloak over her shoulders.

"I don't-"

"Take it." Ben interrupted, "You're freezing."

Gaius tapped Ben on the shoulder. Ben's shoulders sagged.

"What?"

"C-can-," Gaius shivered, "I vote for a camp and a fire. Until the snow passes."

Ben furrowed his brow. He glanced over at Panne. The Taguel said nothing. But that spoke volumes. She did not berate Gaius for his complaining in this instance. Which meant she agreed with him. But she was not about to let him know that.

"A fire would work wonders to warm all of us. Perhaps the weather will turn in our favor tomorrow?" Laurent suggested, "I can easily spark some tinder."

"You and the two other mages here." Ben said with a small smile. He glanced over at Robin. The tactician gave Ben a small nod.

"Better to stop now than to get caught in an even worse section of the storm. This land is flat enough to camp on."

Ben had to agree with the tactician. He let his travel pack slide from his shoulder down into the powdery snow at his feet.

"Donnel, do you have some firewood on you?"

Donnel set his pack down and rummaged into it. He managed to pull out a few small logs and some kindling.

"Enough for a few hours." The farm boy replied, "After that, we may have to burn something else."

"A few hours of warmth will work wonders." Ben replied with a nod, "Get that set up. Gaius-"

"Tent time?" Gaius asked hopefully.

"Tent time."

"Yes!" Gaius cheered. He scrambled to unpack the five small tents they had. As he placed the stakes in the frozen ground, he glanced up at Ben, "Who's gonna share with who? After all, there are five tents and seven of us."

Tharja cast a wanting glance at Robin. But she did not raise her voice. Instead, she focused her attention on sparking what little firewood they had. With a small whisper, a wisp of flame shot from her open palm and a fire crackled to life. She rubbed her frozen hands together and let them hover close to the orange flames.

"I can sleep with anyone." Laurent called out as he knelt near the edge of the cliff.

Gaius began to snicker uncontrollably. Meanwhile, Donnel gave him a puzzled look.

"Why're ya laughing?" Donnel asked.

Gaius blinked, "Didn't your Ma teach you anything?" The thief replied as he and Donnel set up the tents.

"She taught me plenty. She taught me to milk the cows, harvest corn and wheat, cook-"

Gaius uttered a small, frustrated grunt, "Not what I meant."

"I assume your snickering is due my phrase being rather suggestive in nature?" Laurent said as he returned from the cliff edge with a large rock in his hand, "I can assure you that was not my intent. Besides, sleeping with another person is perfect for this harsh weather. It helps retain body heat and-"

"And I call Whiskers." Gaius said.

Panne glared at the thief.

"Her fur is like a comfy blanket." Gaius reasoned.

Robin sighed as he finished setting up a tent with Ben.

"It is like babysitting, isn't it?" Robin muttered as he tightened the tent's fabric over the tent poles.

"I consider us lucky." Ben remarked.

"How so?" Robin replied with a small smirk.

"We could have Sully and Vaike with us too."

Robin paled, "I don't think we could handle the shenanigans."

"Mmm, perhaps you couldn't." Ben replied with a little laugh.

Robin's mouth fell open, "And what makes you think you have more patience for those two than me. You look like you are on the verge of strangling Gaius at any moment."

"Because I have had training when it comes to being patient with non-conventional life forms." Ben replied with a wry smirk, "That, and I have learned that violence is never the way to solve a problem."

"Hey Ben! Are you gonna share a tent with Tharja again?" Gaius called over from across the camp, "You know rumors are gonna start flying if you do."

Ben's paused and took a very deep breath, "The Force is testing me."

Robin started laughing, "I'm sure your immense training in patience will prevail in the end. That and all of our moods will improve once we reach the Eastern Palace." Robin clapped his hands once the tent was properly in place, "Perfect." He nodded at Ben and the pair joined the others around the small fire they had built.

Ben sat down in the snow beside Tharja and Donnel. The farm boy grateful that the swordsman put a little bit of separation between himself and the intimidating dark mage. Gaius leaned back on his elbows, letting the warmth from the fire go through his boots and into his frozen feet. Panne crouched down beside him. Laurent sat between Robin and Panne. His tome was cracked open and he was quickly scribbling in it despite the still falling snow and whipping wind.

Gaius smirked at all of them and reached into his pack.

"I saved this," He grunted as he rummaged through his pack, "for an occasion that we would need it." His cold hands withdrew a bottle of Feroxi firewine.

Ben ran hand over his face, "Gaius, how long ago did you steal that?"

"I didn't steal it." Gaius popped the cork, "I borrowed without asking for permission." He brought the bottle his lips, took a small sip, and let out a satisfied sigh once he was done, "Warms my soul."

Gaius held the bottle out to Donnel. The Farm boy looked rather unsure as to whether or not he should take it. Gaius rolled his eyes, grabbed Donnel's hand, and wrapped it around the bottle of fire wine.

"For Naga's sake," Gaius said, "Drink! It'll help warm you up."

Donnel arched an eyebrow, "I don't recall alcohol warming anyone up."

"You're not educated. That's why."

"And you are?" Tharja asked.

Gaius spread his arms, "It's called street smarts, Sunshine."

Donnel sniffed the liquid. His nose wrinkled at the strong, burning smell it gave off. He gave Gaius an uncertain look. The thief rolled his eyes and gestured for him to hurry up. The Farm Boy gulped and brought the bottle to his lips. One small sip ran down his throat.

His eyes bulged from his skull. Donnel tore the bottle from his lips. Hard coughs wracked his lungs as the firewine ran down his throat. The other shepherds laughed a little while Laurent studied the effects the firewine had on Donnel.

"That stuff's horrible." Donnel croaked before coughing again. He swiftly passed the bottle over Ben.

"Pah! You wouldn't know a good drink if it hit you in the face." Gaius said with a small chuckle, "Still, you fared better than I did when I first tried firewine."

Ben took a quick sip. The alcohol burned. But the burning warmed him up. He let out a small sigh and nodded.

"That is good. Very smooth."

"Ben is an alcohol enthusiast?" Gaius let out another laugh, "Who would have thought?"

"Not me." Robin chuckled.

Ben offered the bottle to Tharja. The dark mage took a silent sip and passed the bottle to Robin.

"You know." Robin sighed, "It's been a while since we could all just sit and rest like this."

"It could have happened under better circumstances." Gaius snorted before he dusted some snow from his shoulder, "Pass that back over, I'm still cold."

"Laurent hasn't had any." Robin pointed out.

"I'm quite fine actually." The scholar replied, "I prefer studying the effects rather than enduring them myself. For example, I am noticing a distinct pink tint along Donnel's cheeks at the moment. Perhaps he is already… what is the term? Tipsy?"

"Already!" Gaius cried as he took the bottle. He sipped it again, "Well shit, we better get him good and drunk then."

Laurent blinked, "I thought that was the opposite of what one was supposed to do when a friend has consumed a bit too much intoxicating liquids."

"Kid, we are having a good time." Gaius drawled, "And besides, Donnel's too innocent for his own good. He needs to get drunk."

"That innocence went out the window when he agreed to tag along with us." Robin chuckled, "Ben and I can vouch for that."

Ben arched an eyebrow but said nothing. While he did enjoy this moment of peace and friendship, he still found his gaze wandering to the cliffs above them.

This was near the spot where Emmeryn was taken. Just a little ways up the road was where Kage attacked. Where he fooled Gaius and Panne and nearly led them both to their deaths. This pass was where the Pegasus Knight, led by Commander Phila, met their end. Where Maul unleashed his power and devastated the Ylissean soldiers meant to protect Exalt Emmeryn.

Ben let his eyes fall to his lap, even as he was handed the bottle again. He took a long gulp this time.

This road was where he failed Emmeryn. He did not know it at the time, but this road was where Maul claimed victory over him once again. Just like that other-

"I um-" Ben rubbed his eyes, "I'm going to go to bed."

Gaius gave Ben a concerned look, "You alright Benny?"

Benny waved off his concern, "I'll be fine. I'm just… more weary from the march than I thought." He moved towards one of the tents and dissapeared inside.

Robin's eyes followed him. A worried expression filled his face. He exhaled and plucked the bottle of firewine from Tharja. The dark mage then excused herself and went towards the tent Ben disappeared into.

Gaius whistled once she entered the tent.

"I was right!" The thief smirked.

Robin shook his head, "No. You are not."

Gaius arched an eyebrow, "What do you mean?" He held the bottle over to Panne, "Want some, Whiskers?"

The Taguel shook her head and lay back on ground near the fire. Still basking in the warmth the crackling flames provided.

"Tharja is," Robin sighed, "helping Ben through some things. Shocking, I know. But somehow she's able to get through to him."

Gaius's mouth hung open, "You mean, he's actually talking to her?"

Robin nodded. Meanwhile, both Donnel and Laurent appeared puzzled.

"I don't get it." Donnel muttered as he took another sip, "Ben seems plenty talkative to me."

"He certainly isn't a recluse." Laurent nodded in agreement.

"He was when I first met him." Robin replied, "Refused to talk to anyone about anything save the mission at hand. It has taken a lot of poking and prodding in order to get him to warm up as much as he has. That and-" Robin pursed his lips, "A lot of heartache. For all of us."

"I'm guessing ya mean the war?" Donnel asked, "It never reached us back at the village. But I heard it was bad."

Robin nodded while Gaius's smile faded a little.

"It was." Robin leaned back in his seat, "One of the first battles I participated in happened on this pass." Robin's gaze lowered. He stared at the fire for a few, silent moments, "This was also where the Plegians captured Exalt Emmeryn."

Laurent hummed to himself, "I had heard about her capture. But I did not know it occurred here, at Breakneck Pass."

Gaius pressed his lips into a thin line, "That reminds me." He took a long sip of firewine, "Why do they call this place, Breakneck Pass?"

Robin shrugged, "You better not be asking me. I've got barely eight or nine months worth of memories at the moment."

"Specs? Got anything?" Gaius asked Laurent.

"Perhaps. It is merely a legend that I know of."

"Well go on, spill it already." Gaius rested back against his travel pack, "I could use a good story. It'll get that depressed aura from the war outta here."

"Well, it is not a very long story." Laurent remarked.

"Doesn't matter. Is it funny?"

"More ironic."

"Then it will work." Gaius nodded, "Go on now. Tell us already."

"I'm curious about why it's called Breakneck Pass too." Robin said as he leaned close to the fire.

Laurent cleared his throat, "Well, if my memory serves me correctly, this pass was once in the domain of a certain bandit by the name of Rowan Strongneck."

Gaius snorted, "Strongneck?"

"Indeed. You must hear how he obtained such a title. You see, Rowan did not wear armor around his neck into battle. No leather, no chainmail, nothing. He had taken many blows to that vulnerable section of the body as a result. But none of them ever managed to kill him. A hammer, an axe, a blade; all drew blood, but never slew him."

"Must've been one big neck." Donnel remarked.

"That was another title of his yes." Laurent said, "But he liked Strongneck. It is much more intimidating."

Gaius rolled his eyes, "If you say so."

"Anyways," Laurent continued, "One day, after a successful raid in which his neck was wounded, but not severely so, he became very hungry. Along the cliffs of this pass and in the canyon below, a strange tree grows from the rocks. It bears a very sweet fruit that provides the consumer with a lot of energy. He found one tree and tried to scale the sheer cliffs in order to reach it."

"I have a feeling I know where this is going." Robin said with a small laugh.

"Strongneck managed to reach the fruit. But the tree would not surrender its seed so easily. He tugged with all of his might and eventually managed to pull the fruit from the tree's grasp. But at the cost of his own stability on the cliff face. He plummeted back down the cliff and snapped his neck against a rock. The irony behind that is no man was able to break his neck, but a tree managed to do it in one try." Laurent closed his tome, "It is also a cautionary tale."

"The lesson being: don't climb up cliffs?" Gaius asked.

"No. Cliff climbing is rather entertaining actually." Laurent replied, "It is a cautionary tale against letting your desires consume you. He desired to satisfy his sweet tooth. And as a result, he put himself in a dangerous situation and died as a result."

Gaius narrowed his eyes at the Scholar.

"Why do I feel like this story is directed at me personally?"

"It is not." Laurent adjusted his spectacles, "But the similarities regarding Strongneck's appetite and your own are quite coincidental."

Gaius gave Laurent a hard stare. He took a quick swig from the firewine and tossed the bottle back over to Donnel. Who just barely managed to catch it without dropping it into the snow.

"So," Gaius began, "What exactly does this sweet fruit tree look like?"

"Gaius." Panne said. Her voice filled with warning.

"It's only a question. I'm asking purely for a culin-" He caught himself, "Scientific reason."

Laurent's eyes lit up, "You are interested in the sciences as well. Lovely! I have an entire lecture I can give you on botany, courtesy of my own mother's notes! It is most entertaining."

"No, no I just need the… fruit. Is it red or…" Gaius trailed off as Laurent began his long winded lecture. There was no stopping the scholar now. All he could do now was swipe the firewine away from a properly sauced Donnel and drink himself into a mindless stupor.

….

Tharja slipped into the tent just after Ben. When she did, she found the Jedi already cross legged on his mat. Doing his best to dive deep into meditation.

The dark mage frowned, wrapped his cloak tighter around her body, and sat down across from him. She waited for him to notice her presence. When he did, he cracked an eye open.

"I'm perfectly fine." Ben said as he closed his eyes again and took a deep, calming breath.

"You can't lie to me." Tharja frowned, "I've been in your head after all."

A long sigh left Ben's lips, "It is nothing. Just-"

"The memories associated with this place?" Tharja concluded for him.

Ben's shoulders sagged. Force, she was too perceptive. Of course she was though. He gave her access to his mind. She nearly broke into it when the pair first met back in Plegia. Tharja was the only person on this entire planet who had been able to crack him open and see the ugly details on the inside. She had seen a piece of the horrors of the Clone War. Witnessed one of his last conversations with Qui Gon. She could probably read him like a children's book.

"Do you wish to confront them?" Tharja asked him.

Ben flicked his gaze up at her. His own blue eyes stared into her dark ones. She could see fear etched into those eyes. During their last two memory walks, she had yet to witness a true failure or trauma he had experienced. His last conversation with his master, Qui Gon Jinn, had been a painful memory to relive. But it was more of a dull ache in his mind than a sudden blast of pain and horror. The memory of the Geonosian hive mind, while mildly terrifying given the creature's intentions, was more fascinating than traumatic. It gave her insight into Obi Wan Kenobi, the Jedi Master. A man whose curiosity was only outranked by his desire to save his friends.

Tharja had yet to fine tune her scrying enough to see the real scars in Obi Wan Kenobi's mind. And if he ever hoped to heal from his past, he would have to reopen those wounds and confront them in all of their horrifying glory. He knew this. Which was why he was even entertaining the option of memory walking through the horror that occurred on this mountain pass.

"Have you focused the spell enough to do that?" Ben asked.

Tharja hummed, "I believe I may have. I know I have fine tuned it enough to where we will not hit a random memory like the hive mind. Instead, we will go directly into a memory that has caused you great pain. Given the setting we are in, it is very likely we will see Emmeryn's capture when we delve into your memories."

Ben thought long and hard. She could practically see his mind working. Debating whether or not he really wished to relive it all over again. The capture of Emmeryn was one of his biggest failures since arriving on this planet and joining the Shepherds. Even after the war, Tharja could tell he still blamed himself. He still believed that if he stayed by Emmeryn's side instead of being drawn out by Kage, she would never have been captured. And perhaps he was powerful enough to save her at the time. Unfortunately, he would never know. All he could do, was learn from the mistakes he made. And confront his own trauma over the event.

She saw his head nod ever so slightly. Tharja took a deep breath and opened her spell book. The purple runes associated with the spell crawled over the books pages and leather binding. They ran over her hands, up her arms towards her head. A mist no longer poured form the pages of her spellbook. She had concentrated the spell. Focused it to attack the very trauma lying at the center of an individual. Which was a good thing. Not only could she now use this spell to help Ben, she could use it to torture enemies that way too. There was always a dark purpose to her spells. A dark mage could not call themselves a dark mage unless their spells could inflict damage.

She reached out to Ben just before her eyes closed. The swordsman reached back and grasped her hand. She felt the dark magic surge through the tent then smash into her body. In an instant, she felt weightless and breathless. Then she came crashing down hard onto a stone surface.

Which was her first clue that something had gone terribly awry. The mountain pass was a rough, dirt and gravel road. Not solid stone. Much less smooth, solid stone. She ran her hand over the floor beneath her. It felt glossy. Luxurious. Cold to the touch. The memory she accessed was not the capture of Exalt Emmeryn.

Her second clue to the error she made was Ben's sudden, panicked breathing. He sounded very afraid. She heard him scrambling on the floor beside her. And at that moment she opened her eyes.

The floor was some form of marble. Perfectly cut, perfectly placed. Not a blemish on it. The air around her felt extremely cold. Not cold like a snowstorm. It felt cold like darkness. A feeling she thought she was accustomed to. Many times, rituals back at the Grimleal temple would plunge her room into a cold darkness. Filled with all kinds of vile magic that would send chills up her spine. But this cold made her bones tremble and her breathing quicken. It felt animalistic. Unnatural. An unholy level of rage and wrath filled the room they were in.

"No." Ben breathed beside her, "No. No. Not this one."

Tharja glanced over at the Jedi. And it was the first time she had ever seen true fear on his face. His eyes were wide. Mouth gaping. Unable to express with words what he was feeling. She could see his hands trembling as he pushed himself up from the floor.

What memory had she just accessed? What event could possibly make one of the bravest Shepherds in all of Ylisse tremble where he stood.

" _Your noble flaw is a weakness shared by you and your Duchess."_

Tharja's blood ran cold. That was a voice she thought she would never hear again. Prayed that she would never hear again.

She turned her head to follow Kenobi's horror filled gaze. Her own eyes widened in terror. Sitting on a throne made of some sort of metallic alloy, was Maul. Not the crippled looking old monster she knew. No, this Maul was young. A physical specimen. And he radiated power.

Beside him was another monstrous being. One that looked just like Maul. But he was larger. His muscles much bulkier compared to the leaner Maul. His horns jutted out like jagged shards of rock atop his head. Unlike the simple studs that sprouted from Maul's crown. And his skin was a black and green color. Maul's was still black and crimson, like blood. If Maul had not been sitting on the throne, Tharja would have assumed the large monster to be the greater threat. But after experiencing Maul's terrifying power personally, she knew who was the real danger in this throne room.

Two strange, armored guards flanked the two monster near the throne. They wore metal armor that Tharja did not recognize. Though it looked very similar to the Clone armor she witnessed during the Hive Mind Memory. But their helmets were more archaic. Much more individualistic in design than the Clone soldiers. A jagged, rust colored symbol in the shape of a 'W' adorned their shoulders.

Standing before the throne, wearing the same armor as the soldiers flanking Maul, was Obi Wan Kenobi. He stood tall. Defiant. Appearing unafraid of Maul and his men. But deep inside, Tharja could sense fear. She could sense desperation. The memory reeked with it.

The last thing that drew Tharja's attention, and the one that her attention stayed rooted on, was the woman floating in mid air before Maul. She was a middle aged woman. In her thirties perhaps. Very similar in age to the Obi Wan Kenobi standing before the throne. Her icy blue eyes were wide with terror. Blonde hair frayed and out of place from what appeared to be a carefully manicured style at one point. Her small, pale hands were clawing at her throat as Maul hoisted her in the air using the force.

 _He's choking her!_

" _You should have chosen the Dark Side."_ Maul chided Obi Wan. His voice quieter than Tharja remembered. But somehow, that grain, the growl in that small, controlled voice; it was far more terrifying. " _Master Jedi. Your emotions betray you. Your fear and, yes, your anger,"_ Maul's voice crescendoed louder as he hoisted the woman in the air, " _Let your anger deepen your hatred."_

" _Don't-"_ The woman gasped, " _Don't listen to him… Obi."_

 _Obi?_ Tharja drew back a little. Meanwhile, Ben took a few, desperate steps forward. This woman knew Ben on a much deeper level than mere companionship. They appeared to be much more than simple friends.

" _You can kill me. But you will never destroy me."_ The defiant Jedi Master replied. " _It takes strength to resist the Dark side. Only the weak embrace it."_

" _It is more powerful than you know."_ Maul sneered back.

" _And those who oppose it are more powerful than you will ever be."_

"Stop goading him! You damn fool!" Ben shouted at himself. He held his head in his hands and tried to avert his eyes. Tharja watched though as he kept his gaze focused solely on Maul and the woman in his grasp.

" _I know where you're from. I've been to your village. I know the decision to join the dark side wasn't yours. The Night Sister's made it for-"_

" _Silence."_ Maul hissed as Ben took another dangerous step forward.

Tharja remained rooted in the spot. Unsure of what to do. Even as a memory, Maul was a terrifying beast to behold. His yellow eyes burned hot and bright with endless amounts of rage. All of it directed solely at the defiant Jedi Master before him.

" _You think you know me? It was I who languished for years, thinking of nothing but you."_ Maul rose from his throne and began to descend the steps towards Obi Wan, " _Nothing but this moment."_ His hostage remained suspended in the air beside the throne. Her pain filled gasps evidence of Maul's hold over her growing tighter. " _And now the perfect tool for my vengeance is in front of us. I never planned on killing you. But I will make you share my pain, Kenobi."_

Tharja's breath got stuck in her throat. The events that happened next went so fast.

First, Obi Wan was struck to his knees as he tried to surge forward and rescue the woman from Maul's grasp. Then Maul waved his hand. The woman flew towards him. Tharja uttered a shocked gasp as a blade made of black light erupted in Maul's grip. He impaled the woman upon it. Right as she reached for Obi Wan Kenobi. Right as she reached for escape.

"NO!" Ben cried as he dropped to his knees beside where is old self knelt.

Obi Wan Kenobi surged to his feet and raced toward the woman as she fell to the floor.

" _Satine!"_ Obi Wan gasped as he rushed towards her. Catching her just before she touched the ground.

Tharja took careful steps forward. The Jedi Master cradled the woman as she took her last, dying gasps. And through the pain she felt, Tharja heard the woman utter her last words.

" _I loved you… always. I… always… will."_

Tharja saw the woman raise her hand to Obi Wan's cheek. Then it fell. Her last breath left her body.

The dark mage seethed with rage. Maul, no wonder Obi Wan feared him so much during the war. That monster already tried to destroy him once before. Her dark eyes flicked up to the monster as he took his seat on the throne. To her shock, Maul did not appear to revel in his victory. He stared on stone faced. Emotionless as Obi Wan cradled the woman's body in his arms. The only thing she could see in those burning eyes, was hatred. Hatred and… disappointment.

" _Do we kill him now, brother?"_ The bigger, greener monster asked Maul.

" _No."_ Maul snarled, " _Imprison him below. Let him drown in his misery. Take him to his cell to rot."_

Ben stayed rooted in place as his old self was dragged away to whatever dungeon Maul sentenced him to. Only then did Tharja see a pleased smile on Maul's face. There was no resistance from Obi Wan Kenobi. No defiant declaration of hatred for Maul. No oath of revenge. Just defeat.

Exactly how it had been when Maul slew Emmeryn. Tharja felt like she was going to choke. History had repeated itself. Maul made sure of that.

Ben's shoulders shook as he knelt in front of Satine's body. Tharja could hear small sobs wracking his lungs. She finally reached him and placed a soft hand on his shoulder.

The memory faded away.

….

Ben gasped for air as Tharja broke the spell over both of them. The runes retreated back into her spellbook. His eyes shot around the tent. Where was he? Where was Maul? Satine? He had to save Satine!

"Ben." Tharja's quiet voice hit his ears like a sledgehammer. Dragging him back to reality.

He swallowed hard and stared back at the dark mage. She sat silent across from him. And for the first time, he saw worry on her face. Not worry over her spell not working properly. Even failing to conjured the right memory. She was worried for him.

Ben clenched his jaw, rose, and stepped past her out of the tent.

"Ben!" Tharja called after him.

He surged out of the tent and stormed off into the snow. The wind had picked up since they entered the memory. The snow storm had grown in intensity. So much so that every few minutes, Laurent and Robin had to cast a fire spell to keep their meager fire roaring at the center of camp.

Tharja's companions all turned to see what the commotion was all about. Gaius got to his feet as he watched Ben stomp off into the darkness along the mountain pass.

"Benny!" Gaius called. He set the bottle of fire wine down and took a step forward, "Where is he-"

Panne gripped his wrist and dragged him back down to the ground.

"You are too drunk to wander off."

"Tharja?"

Robin looked at the dark mage. His own anxiety surged when he saw the look on her face. Tharja was normally pretty impassive. A dark snicker her or there. Maybe a snide comment or two. A threat every so often. She never showed worry for another human being. But he saw worry drawn all over her pale, frozen face.

"Tharja what happened?"

The dark mage just shook her head and stared off at Ben. Just as she was about to stride after him, Robin got up and stopped her.

"Let me." Robin said, "You're freezing. Stay close to the fire."

"I-" Tharja swallowed hard, "I messed up. He's going to be-"

"I'll take care of it." Robin replied, his voice calm and reassuring, "Go sit with the others. Help Panne make sure Gaius and Donnel don't wander off." He gestured over at the worried, drunk thief and the completely hammered farm boy.

"Robin-"

"Go." Robin said softly.

Tharja's shoulders sagged and she relented. She nodded and Robin went racing after Ben.

* * *

"Ben!" Robin shouted through the howling wind and blinding snow, "Ben!"

He shielded his face from the snow. It came down in great sheets. Snowflakes clung to his eyelids. He tried to blink them out of his face. But every time he did, more snow slammed into him. Nearly blinding the tactician once again.

He trudged onward through the snow. Robin bit back a curse as he almost slipped. Just how far could he have gotten?

He glanced back up at the pass. There, just a few feet away, was a silhouette. Robin surged through the snow and reached it.

It was Ben. He stood at the edge of the cliff. Eyes staring out through the storm. A never blinking stare across the canyon in front of him. Robin slowed as he drew up alongside his friend.

He stood alongside him and stayed silent. At least he was safe. Right now, Robin had a feeling words would not help Ben. He would speak when he wanted to. Robin would be there to help him when he did.

A few more moments passed. Ben took a deep breath.

"It wasn't the right memory." He said, his voice a whisper on the howling wind.

Robin nodded, "I got that impression."

A trembling breath left Ben's lungs, "I-I saw something I was not ready to see again."

Robin took a deep breath, "That bad?"

Ben gave him a shaky nod. His gaze still did not move from the canyon in front of them. He was silent for another moment.

"I envy you, Robin." Ben breathed.

Robin arched an eyebrow, puzzled.

"You don't have to worry about your past." Ben began, "You are not weighed down by failures you may have committed. You are not plagued by ghosts that will never cease to haunt you." Ben swallowed hard, "You never have to experience the horror of bad memories."

Robin pursed his lips. He took a deep breath. A shiver ran over him as the frozen air rushed through his lungs.

"I don't see it that way." Robin replied.

Ben's eyes flicked over at Robin. The tactician folded his arms into the sleeve of his coat. Doing everything in his power to shield himself from the cold.

"Ben, I envy you." Robin continued, stunning the swordsman, "I envy you because you have memories. Both good, bad, and whatever the in between is. Do you want to know why?"

Ben did not say anything in return.

"Well, I'm going to tell you anyways." Robin breathed, "Because you can learn from all of them. Especially the bad memories." Ben glanced over at the tactician as the brown haired man shivered in the snow storm, "Those bad memories, they may contain unknowable horrors. Naga knows I cannot begin to imagine what you have seen or experienced. But even those memories, the ones you never want to relive, they all hold value. They all hold a lesson to them. And sure, they hurt. They're painful. But they are there, and there is nothing you can do to change that. You can't erase them. So embrace them." Robin shifted his feet, trying to get his legs to warm back up, "Learn everything you can from them. Don't let them sit there in your mind just to torture you. Make those painful memories your greatest strength. Because no one else can experience them. No one else can learn what you can." Robin snorted, "I'm supposed to be the Shepherd's tactician. But every time we went into battle, ninety-nine percent of the time, I was creating our strategy on the fly. I did not know what to expect from my enemy. I just did whatever felt right based on instinct. Or whatever I read from the night before. I wish that I had memories to draw upon. Wish I could gaze upon a vast wealth of experience and use the lessons from it to better myself and my strategies." Robin stared hard at Ben, "Don't envy me Ben. You give up your greatest advantage over me if you do."

Ben stared almost slack jawed at Robin. He did not know what to say to that. Embrace the bad memories? Learn from the horrors? Could he? Could he stand in the face of all the pain and misery once again? He was not certain.

The tactician stomped his feet in the knee deep snow. His toes were starting to go numb.

"Now," Robin huffed, "Can we go back to the camp already. Before my toes get frostbitten?"

Ben gave the tactician a weak smile. Despite his own uncertainty, Robin's pep talk managed to jostle him out of his own fear. At least for the moment. He nodded and Robin let out a loud sigh of relief.

"Thank Naga! I'm so cold!" He stomped through the snow back towards the camp with Ben in tow, "We should have gone to the Longfort! By now we would be sitting in a nice, warm barracks. Wool blankets. Hot food. A roaring fire and some Feroxi beef!" He smacked the side of his head, "I need to stop before I turn tail and start marching the wrong way."

A small laugh left Ben's lungs.

"You're starting to sound like Gaius." Ben muttered.

"He may have a sliver of a point!" Robin retorted with a laugh.

The duo reached camp within a few minutes. As soon as they appeared through the haze of snow and wind, Gaius jumped to his feet.

"Benny!" He smiled, "Bubbles! Are you ok?"

"Sit down, Gaius." Panne tugged him back down to the ground, "Before you hurt yourself."

"Welcome back *hic* guysh." Donnel droned as he lay back against his pack.

Gaius laughed as Ben and Robin retook their seats, "Farm boy is already sloshed!"

"It'sh *hic* you're fault." Donnel hiccuped.

"I'll make some greasy food in the morning." Laurent reassured the others, "That will help put some energy back into their bodies. And lessen the hangover."

"Whatsh a hangover?" Donnel asked.

"Only the best thing on the face of Archanea!" Gaius cheered.

"Really?" Donnel asked, excited.

"Hell no!" Gaius laughed uncontrollably, "Get ready for the pain, buddy." He tossed the firewine over to Robin. The tactician plucked the half empty bottle from the air, "So, Benny, how are you feeling?"

Ben sighed, "I will be better in the morning." He glanced over at Tharja. The Dark Mage took a deep breath but said nothing to him.

"I won't." Gaius smirked, "So, might as well stay awake a little longer. Keep the pain away for as long as possible eh? What do you say Ben? Tell us a story!"

"Oh a shtory!" Donnel cheered.

"Gaius has been talking non-stop about his first heist." Panne sighed, "Please change the subject before he restarts the story for you, Ben."

"Oh yeah! My first heist!" Gaius smiled, "You know, I still don't know where that ruby went. I buried it somewhere but I can't remember where."

"You didn't bother to draw a map?" Robin asked as he sipped the firewine then passed it over to Tharja, who took an enormous gulp from the bottle.

"Maps are how other people find it, Bubbles. Can't let the competitors find the stash." Gaius tapped the side of his head, "Had it all memorized after I buried it." A long sigh left his lips, "Then I got wicked drunk almost immediately afterwards and forgot everything leading up to when I buried it. So now, I have no idea where it's at. A shame too. It was one heck of a score."

Ben shook his head, "I have no stories to tell."

"I call bullshit! With a capital 'B'." Gaius replied, "C'mon! Regale us with tales of you as a monk back in Valm."

"Ben wash a monk?" Donnel asked deliriously.

"A monk? With what order?" Laurent asked, "Perhaps you possess some scientific knowledge I am unaware of?"

 _If only you knew._ Ben thought to himself before shaking his head, "A monk's life is not very exciting."

"Again, I say you're wrong!" Gaius chirped, "No one can be that amazing at stuff without having some wild adventures. Or alternatively, you could tell us a love story. Seeing as you are the dashing rogue type. Much like yours truly."

Panne rolled her eyes while Donnel snickered. Ben let out a long sigh. Before he could tell Gaius no, Tharja spoke up.

"Tell us about Satine."

Ben froze. His gaze became distant. A blank stare into the crackling fire. Robin glared across the fire at Tharja. But the dark mage paid him no mind. She turned her head to look at Ben.

"Who's Satine?" Gaius asked. His voice did not sound teasing. He could tell Ben was having a hard time with something. Though he was not sure what.

Ben swallowed hard. He hung his head for a moment and took a breath. Tharja closed her eyes beside him. She had a feeling he would not say anything. Perhaps it was time for all of them to just go to sleep.

"What can I tell you about Satine Kryze?" Ben began, shocking Tharja. The swordsman snorted, "She was perhaps the most stubborn, willful, woman I ever met." He glanced over at Tharja, "And also one of the bravest."

….

Ben lay still on his mat in the tent he shared with Tharja. The dark mage had given up on trying to get Robin to share her tent weeks ago. She was still cold and distant when it was time to go to sleep. But she did not give off a threatening aura anymore. Apparently, the dark mage had grown used to Ben's presence in the tent.

He stared up at the ceiling. The wind still howled outside. But the thick material the tent was made of shielded the pair well enough. Tharja kept Ben's cloak wrapped tight around her shivering form. And Ben made sure to keep the Force on call for when the cold became too much for him.

He wanted to sleep. His head felt heavy. His eyelids were even heavier. But he was unable to drift off. The memory he relived still echoed through his mind. And every time it did, his heart ached a little more. He shifted onto his side, facing away from Tharja.

Satine… it took everything in him to even talk about her. She was his first love. The one that almost made him leave the Jedi Order. The one Maul butchered. Nearly destroying him in the process.

Ben did not tell the others everything about her. She was a duchess from Valm to the other shepherds. A regal woman from a nation that no longer existed. Destroyed by Maul and his vengeful ways. Very similar to Emmeryn. Perhaps a bit more fiery. Especially in her youth.

A small smile crossed Ben's lips. They used to hate each other. Funny how danger and desperation can make a person's distaste for another fade away.

"When are you going to tell them?"

Ben craned his head back to look at Tharja. The dark mage remained curled up on her side of the tent. Facing away from him as she shivered in the night.

"They don't need to know."

Tharja stopped shivering. She glanced over her shoulder at him.

"How do you know that?"

Ben sighed, "It-" He let took a deep breath, "It is best for everyone if they remain ignorant of who I really am."

"Why?"

Ben pursed his lips. Why? Well… honestly he was beginning to have a hard time justifying the need for secrecy. The Shepherds; Robin and his wise yet plain spoken words, Gaius and his shenanigans, Panne and her loyalty, Tharja and her surprising kindness; they were more than his comrades now. They were his friends. A bond had formed between the four of them. An imperceptible one that the other shepherds probably would never notice or share. How long could he keep them in the dark? And should he?

"Get some rest." He replied, "We have to march fast tomorrow. Before another storm hits us."

Tharja did not press the issue anymore. Perhaps her own weariness got the better of her. Causing her to desire sleep more than answers at the moment. Whatever it was, Ben was not grateful for it. For some reason, he wanted her to give him a reason to finally speak up.

Instead, he heard soft snores.

 **And chapter! This was an extremely fun chapter to write. No intense action. No crazy shenanigans. Just a quiet moment for all of them to just talk. Interact and be the lovable characters we all adore. The mask continues to fall away for Ben each time he goes through memories with Tharja. It is only a matter of time before she reaches one of the harshest memories for him. The one where she will encounter Vader for the first time. Writing those two together is just so interesting!**

 **Also, we are officially fifty chapters into this thing! HOLY CRAP! That is insane to me! I love writing this story and all you guys reading make it an even greater joy to do! I can't wait to keep this one going!**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	51. General Yen'fay

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 51

General Yen'fay

It took a great deal of effort and a lot of patience in order for Marth to get close to Charlet's city gates. The soldiers that chased her down earlier in the day were more observant than she thought. Within hours, posters of her had been posted on walls around the city. Although the drawings were far from accurate. The descriptions of her ranged from tall and lanky, to short and very skinny. One poster even assumed she was a man. How they managed to do that, she did not know. But what they did manage to get right was her blue hair. Given how few people in this city possessed such a trait, it was safe to assume that she would be found out very quickly.

So she clung to the shadows. Did everything in her power to avoid curious glances. Passed through back alleys and slipped along dark roads in order to avoid guards that routinely patrolled the area. She managed to find some rather seedy areas of the city. Areas she wished she could have avoided. Especially since she was not near her full strength yet. Any criminal scum could have jumped her in the back alleys. But she was left with no choice but to brave the more dangerous sections of the city in order to reach the city gates.

Once she had the gates in sight, she waited until nightfall. And it was a dark night. Clouds lumbered in from the west. Some dim light from the full moon managed to filter through the thick canopy of clouds high above. But it was not enough to force the shadows in the city back into their dark corners and unseen places.

She studied the guards holding their position at the main gate. There were four. Two on either side. If she was healthy and properly armed, she would have been able to force her way through without much trouble.

She raised the stump of her right arm and frowned. Brute force was not a luxury she had anymore. A small curse fell from her lips. Barely a whisper on the night air. She was not meant for all of this sneaking around. She belonged on the battlefield. In the thick of the heaviest fighting. Not sneaking around in the shadows.

 _That was Kage's specialty._

Her heart ached in her chest. She could not think of him that way. Not anymore. The Kage she knew was long gone. Corrupted by the evil Maul. He was not the boy that always won at games like hide and seek. He had become a monster. Just like his master.

She returned her focus to the guards. Forcing her way through was not an option. As loathe as she was to admit it, she could use some advice from the Kage she knew. How was she supposed to slip by these guards and into the army encampment just beyond the city walls?

A distraction! But what could she use to distract these soldiers?

She cast a nervous glance at her right hand. The Force. It could help her right now. But if she used it, it could give away her presence. Her greatest advantage against Kage was that he had no idea she was coming. If she used the force too much, he would take notice. A brief use of it here and there, only when absolutely necessary, would not catch his attention. He'd likely think it to be a mage experimenting with some lost magic. But a constant force signature blinking in the ocean that was the Force, that would draw the Sith's attention. And Marth would lose any element of surprise she had.

Still, she did not have much of a choice. Even if the soldiers did not know her exact physical description, they knew her hair color. And that would be more than enough for them to arrest her. She could not allow that.

With a resigned sigh, she held out her hand. She focused all of her power on a group of crates in an alley across the main road. Her jaw clenched tight as she struggled to life the heavy crates.

 _What exactly is in these things? Bricks!?_

A shaky breath left her lips. Followed by a small gasp of surprise as she finally managed to lift the top crate up from the others. She gently guided the crate higher into the air. Then, as her stamina faded, she let the crate come crashing down.

The crate slammed into the others beneath it with a loud crash. The guards at the gate all gave each other apprehensive glances. Marth bit back a curse when only two went to investigate the noise.

 _Screw stealth!_

She stepped out from the shadows and bounded towards the gate. Before the first guard could even notice her, she jumped and planted her knee beneath his chin. One blow devastating blow, and the man slumped down the ground. Eyes rolling in his skull. The second guard heard his friend fall to the floor. Just before he could sound the alarm, Marth zipped over and leaped on top of him. She wrapped her legs around his head and propelled both of them to the ground. The guard's head snapped back against the stone road, and he went limp.

She rolled away from their fallen forms and sprinted into the shadows beyond the wall. Now her time was limited. The alarm would sound once the other two gate guards found their comrades unconscious. The entire sleeping camp would be roused in order to search for a possible intruder. She had to find General Yen'fay's tent. Fast.

Marth sped from shadow to shadow. Just as she reached the center of the camp, men started shouting in alarm. A curse escaped her lips. Their search for an intruder had begun.

Naga she wished she had Falchion. She felt much safer when the divine blade was by her side. Marth felt so vulnerable with just a shard of her weapon. She could not use it to properly defend herself. It was only a last resort now. A desperate play that Marth would only use if she became cornered.

Armor clanked all around her. Fires burst to life throughout the camp. Officers barked orders as their soldiers began to comb through each row of tents. Marth sucked in a sharp breath as some torch light came too close for comfort. She pressed her back hard against the wall of an empty tent.

 _Where is the General!?_

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him. A tall, lean man that carried himself with regal authority. He wore no armor. Just a simple, billowy tan shirt and equally bland pants. While the other officers in his company ran about barking orders, he remained standing in front of his own, large tent. Calm and composed in the face of his army's panic. She watched as he leaned over to one of his Captain's and whispered a quiet order. That same captain nodded and started barking new orders. Orders for an organized search pattern. The General would not have chaos in his encampment. Without another word, Marth saw him slip back into his tent and light a candle on the inside.

 _Good. He's remaining in one spot._

She crouched low to the ground and began to make her way towards his tent. She froze as Yen'fay's captains moved out away from the tent. Each one making their way towards their own company of soldiers. The torches from the search parties drew closer. Marth could not hesitate anymore.

She took a deep breath and dashed across the camp. Quiet as a mouse, she slipped into General Yen'fay's tent.

Kage never told her what his older brother actually looked like. She assumed he looked similar to their sister, Princess Say'ri. And there were some similarities. Moreso in aura than in appearance. He exuded power. But not in an overwhelming sense. His power was not fear inducing. It inspired confidence. The air around him was calm and controlled. Unlike his sister, he had very pale hair. Nearly grey in color. She could not see his face as his back was turned to her.

He sat straight and tall at his desk. The desk he sat at was as neat as any Marth had ever seen. Every document had its place. Each quill and inkwell sat in the exact spot it was supposed to be in. A map spread over the fine wood finish. Not a crease existed on that piece of paper. Every little thing was meticulously taken care of. And he was reading something. Marth did not get a good glimpse of the document in his hands. Not that it mattered. She was not here for espionage purposes. She did not care about the Valmese military and whatever secrets they possessed.

It suddenly occurred to Marth that, now that she was in his tent, she had no idea where to even begin if he were to discover her. How on earth was she going to explain that she was there to help find his little brother? She could not reveal her motivations. That was a risk that could end with catastrophic consequences.

Before she could even think of a solution to her current predicament, the general stiffened at his desk.

"So," He said. Voice still, firm, but quiet. "An assassin has managed to slip into my tent after all?"

Marth's eyes widened. He thought she was an assassin? She wanted to smack herself. Of course he thought that. The rumor she overheard at the tavern was that Prince Kage had been kidnapped and assassins had gone after Princess Say'ri and himself.

The General snorted, "To think, my captains set every precaution in place so that an assassin could never reach me. Even making sure that I limited the amount of addresses I gave to my own soldiers. I told them that if an assassin wished to kill me out here they would not fail. No amount of defenses would stop them. But did they listen to me?" He shook his head, "A waste of resources and time."

He rose from his seat and turned to face Marth. Marth was surprised. He looked terrible. Heavy bags sat under half closed eyes. His face seemed far paler than it was supposed to be. Lines ran along his forehead and near the corners of his mouth. For a man who was supposed to be young, he appeared old. Weathered and weary.

"I must say," Yen'fay continued, "I'm surprised my assassin is willing to show her face."

Marth drew back. Unable to hide her own surprise and uncertainty.

Yen'fay inclined his chin, "Or… perhaps I am wrong about you." He eyed the ratty scabbard at her hip, "I doubt that blade would be capable of doing the job."

A weak, pained laugh left Marth's lips. She unsheathed the shard of Falchion. Yen'fay frowned as she held the shattered blade in her hand.

"You would be right." Marth admitted.

"An assassin with a broken weapon is no assassin at all." Yen'fay hummed.

Marth snorted, "I figured the lack of one arm would be what gave it away."

Yen'fay shook his head, "No. It would be the perfect cover. A crippled girl would never be suspected to have assassinated a general belonging to the Conqueror's army." A long sigh left Yen'fay's lips, "I consider myself very lucky that I misinterpreted your intentions." He narrowed his eyes at her, "A greater mystery now unfolds before me. If you are not an assassin sent to kill me, then who are you? And why are you here?"

Marth shifted her eyes over to the tent's entry. The search parties were directly outside now. Likely combing through all of the captain's tents. She was running out of time.

"I-" Marth gulped, "I cannot exactly explain to you who I am. But what I can tell you is that I am a friend. And I heard that your little brother has been kidnapped."

Yen'fay grimaced, "How did you come about this knowledge?"

"Loose lips sink ships, General." Marth replied, "I heard from your own men at a tavern."

Yen'fay nodded, "I need to keep some things," He grabbed a crumpled up note of his desk and shoved it into a leather satchel that hung on his chair, "much closer to the chest apparently." He returned his attention to her, "Do I at least have the privilege of learning your name?"

Marth hesitated. She really did not want to unviel her identity. But if she wanted to convince Yen'fay that she was indeed an ally, then she did not have much of a choice.

"Marth." She replied.

"That is not your real name." Yen'fay deduced, surprising the blue haired girl, "But at least I have a name to match with the face. So, Marth, as my potential ally, I assume you are here to offer your services?"

Marth shifted her feet. Kage forgot to mention how intelligent his brother was. He pegged her deception immediately. Did not even bother to play along like Chrom and the Shepherds.

"I don't know how much good you can do." Yen'fay continued, "You appear to be both ill equipped an ill fit."

"And if I was healthy I could defeat any man in your army!" Marth snapped back.

Yen'fay's lips parted into a small smirk, "I see there is some intense pride in you. A fire that burns bright every time you are faced with a challenge. I can admire that. But I cannot ask for your help. Nor allow you to do so. You are in no condition-"

Marth raised her hand, "Save your pity. I don't need or want it. I did not travel all the way here from Ylisse just to get stonewalled by a melancholy general."

"Ylisse?" Yen'fay arched an eyebrow. Marth, meanwhile, wanted to scream for letting such an important detail slip, "I don't recall having allies in Ylisse?" He studied Marth for a moment, "The puzzle grows more complicated." He folded his arms, "Technically I could imprison you as a foreign agent."

"Technically I am not here on behalf of Prince Chrom." Marth retorted, "I am here of my own accord."

Yen'fay frowned, "Why do you wish to help me rescue my little brother then? By your own admission, you are not here on behalf of Ylisse. Which means your motivations are not political. You are not a sellsword looking for gold. Otherwise you would not have bothered sneaking in here. You would have simply contacted me using much more practical means. So that must mean this is a personal mission for you. Yet, I do not know you. And if I do not know you, then my family does not know you."

Marth took a deep breath, "It is a very… complicated situation. One that I cannot fully explain to you. But I swear to you, General, I am able to help you. All I ask for is information. And for you to trust me."

Yen'fay furrowed his brow. He pressed his lips into a thin line and hummed to himself. He took a few paces back towards his desk and withdrew the crumpled letter from his satchel.

"This," Yen'fay began, "Is a threat." He held the note out to Marth.

The blue haired girl plucked the paper from his hand. She carefully read over the note. As she did, her blood began to go cold.

"I know exactly where my little brother is." Yen'fay breathed before slumping into his chair, "I even know who holds him captive. But I cannot do anything about it. Excellus is Emperor Walhart's right hand. He is his tactician. The man who helped him forge an Empire."

Marth gave Yen'fay a puzzled look.

"Why would he take Kage?" She asked him.

Yen'fay's eyes flicked over to his tent's entry. He leaned close to Marth and lowered his voice.

"Because, contrary to the Conqueror's beliefs, I do not serve him willingly. I do not wish to see him rule over my people with an iron fist. But I am not foolish enough to engage in open rebellion." The General took a deep breath, "So, I decided to play the shadow game instead. Assassinations of key military figures. Funding rebellions like the one that got far too ambitious here in Rosanne. Sewing discord through underground channels among the other former nations of Valm." He turned his back to Marth and took his seat at his desk once again. As he sat, he began to roll up the pristine map on his desk, "No one knows about my actions. Not even my own sister. How Excellus came to know of them, I know not. But what I do know is that he took my little brother in response to my actions. And if he decides to inform the Conqueror of what I have done, then not only will I be destroyed, but my sister and little brother will be too. I cannot allow that to happen." He rose from his seat and held out the map to Marth, "I cannot take direct action against Excellus. I already have an ally attempting to rescue my little brother. Perhaps you can assist him. The last I heard, Excellus was holed up in Fort Stieger. Make haste there." He gave Marth a once over, "Maybe your crippled appearance will lower his guard."

Marth nodded, "We can hope."

She jumped at the tent flap opened. One of Yen'fay's captains stomped in. As soon as he saw Marth, the captain drew his sword and prepared to attack Marth.

The General raised a hand. The captain froze.

"This one is not an enemy." Yen'fay said with a small smile on his face, "She will need a horse, Captain."

"Sir?"

"She is to deliver an urgent message to General Pheros in Fort Steiger. The contents of which must remain secret. Am I understood, Captain?"

The man gave the General a hesitant nod. He slowly sheathed his blade. But his wary eyes never left Marth.

"Yes, General."

"Very good." Yen'fay nodded, "See to it that my orders are carried out. And call off the search. I have a feeling we scared off any would be assassins or rebels this night."

The Captain saluted and held the tent entry open for Marth. Marth gave the Captain a small nod of thanks, cast a worried glance back at Yen'fay then exited the tent.

That same Captain guided her over to where the army kept any spare horses. She gave the man a small thank you when he guided a reliable painted horse over to her. Marth struggled to get up into the saddle due to her having only one arm. Eventually, she managed to mount her steed. Just before she could snap the reins and race away from Charlet, the Captain stopped.

"I do not know who you are or why you are here, but the General trusts you." The man unbuckled his blade from his belt and handed it to Marth, "If the General trust you, then so will I. You cannot travel the countryside unarmed. It is much too dangerous."

Marth accepted the blade, "Thank you, sir."

"Thank me when your mission is completed and you return it to me." The Captain replied, "Now hurry. You carry the will of the General with you."

Marth nodded and snapped the reins. With a loud snort, her horse raced down the road and off into the night.

….

The crowd roared. Cheers rang out like trumpets. An endless rumble. Like thunder. It shook the very stones of the Plegian royal palace. The people all stood out in the palace courtyard. They stretched out before the great structure like a sea of ants. All of them waiting to catch a glimpse of their new King as they sat impatiently in the shadow of Grima's bones. A King that brought hope for peace. One that managed to unite the crown and the Grimleal for the first time in centuries.

The Hierophant smirked beneath his hood as he stood inside of the palace and watched Validar place golden robes over his thin shoulders. Everything was going according to his design. The loose canon, Gangrel, was no more. His corpse buried in an unmarked grave out in the desert. A name to be forgotten among the sands of time. General Mustafa stepped down as soon as he realized that he had lost control of the military council. The general opted for a quiet retirement along the western coast. A smart move for an intelligent man. If he actually had a shred of loyalty to Grima, then the Hierophant would have loved his allegiance. Sadly, he despised the Grimleal. And consequently, was against the crowning of Validar. If he had not stepped aside, then he would have been removed.

Validar took a deep breath as the golden crown was placed on his head. A jagged looking thing. Intimidating by design. Meant to stoke as much fear in an enemy as possible. Fear was how all rulers of Plegia held onto power. The desert demanded the strongest to rule. As soon as power left the ruler, a new, stronger king rose to take his place. Gangrel delayed that process by allying with the Grimleal.

" _How ironic that the foolish boy king never realized we were the ones making him weak."_ His more manipulative side chuckled inside his mind.

The Hierophant said nothing in return. He simply observed as Validar turned and walked towards the balcony that overlooked the palace courtyard. It was time for the people to gaze upon their new king.

At first, the Hierophant did worry about placing Validar on the throne. He was well known as a High Priest of the Grimleal. And it was rumored that he led the assassination attempt on Exalt Emmeryn when the war first broke out. An assassination attempt that was foiled and ended with every assassin dying save for the traitorous Gaius and the equally traitorous Kage. Thankfully, the people accepted the rumors as just that, rumors. Not facts. The misinformation spread by the Grimleal was key in making the people believe Validar never died. That he was powerful enough to survive such failures and rise up to lead them.

A small chuckle left his lips. The people were mindless fools.

Validar stepped into the bright light of Plegia's sun. The crowd roared as he raised his hands to behold all of them. A large, friendly grin spread over his face.

"My friends!" Validar's powerful voice boomed out, "Today marks the dawn of a new age for our nation! For too long, we have been victims of our own failures. Too long we have allowed our own blood lust to consume our way of life. My rule will be one of peace! My rule, one of justice! My rule, one of order! And under this new order, we shall rise to be the envy of nations!"

The roar of the crowd grew louder. The Hierophant felt some approval bubble inside of him. Validar was a wonderful mouthpiece. His skills as an orator were honed leading the Grimleal. And the fruit of his labors blossomed before him as the people adored him.

Wisely, Validar did not say anything else to the people. Instead, he waved to them. And then he returned to the shady confines of the palace.

Two Grimleal mages closed the doors to the balcony, muffling the roars of the masses.

"How did I do?" Validar asked the Hierophant.

The hooded man inclined his head.

" _ **My morsel needs approval?"**_

" _Of course he does. The man is not capable of an independent thought."_

"Well." The Hierophant nodded to Validar.

The thin king bowed to the hooded man.

"I am glad I pleased you, my lord." Validar crowed.

" _ **He's pathetic."**_ The demon snarled.

" _I admit, the brown nosing is a little much."_

"You will please me by carrying out my wishes, Validar." The Hierophant hissed, "Not by showering me with pleasantries."

Validar cleared his throat, "Of course, my lord. I was simply-"

"Attempting to enter my good graces." The Hierophant finished for him. He began to walk towards his own personal quarters in the palace. Validar fell into step with him, "Words will not accomplish such a thing."

Validar gulped but did not reply. As they reached the Hierophant's wing of the palace, a messenger came running up.

"Your grace!" The young mage gasped. He bowed to Validar. And then he bowed lower to the Hierophant. This boy belonged the Grimleal. He knew who the true power was in Plegia, "I have two messages to deliver."

The Hierophant motioned for the boy to follow into his personal suit. Validar entered as well and took a seat on velvet couch. The Hierophant, moved towards the balcony. He did not step out into the sun, but he did bask in the ever so slight breeze that drifted through the desert. The messenger stayed near the door.

" _ **The boy is afraid."**_

" _Of course he is. We are us after all. Even if he doesn't know our power, he knows Validar fears us. And that is more than enough to force the Grimleal to their knees."_

" _ **Pathetic leaders breed pathetic followers."**_

"What are the messages?" The Hierophant asked as he closed his eyes and attempted to ignore the voices in his head.

The young boy at the door let out a startled yelp.

"We… we may have located Aversa, milords."

Validar rose from his seat, "You have?"

" _ **The disappointment finally shows her face."**_

" _Hush now, don't convince our host to kill her. She still has her uses."_

" _ **I'm hungry. And her power will be delicious."**_

" _I'm sure we can find a proper mage for you to eat later."_

"Speak already boy!" Validar snapped, "Where is she?"

The Hierophant cracked an eye open and glanced over at Validar. His concern for the girl was rather strange. He was very eager to find her. Perhaps the new King was closer to the Witch than he previously thought?

" _We can use that to our advantage if necessary."_

"Carrion Isle." The messenger answered.

" _ **Mmmm…. Carrion."**_

"I will send a group of mages to apprehend her." King Validar ordered, "I want her brought before me alive. Unharmed if at all possible."

The Hierophant said nothing in reply. Aversa may still have her uses. But she was just another pawn in the great game he was playing. A plaything in the end. Once her uses ran out, he would have her cast aside. A punishment for her failures during the war. A punishment that would be delayed for now.

" _Interesting. Letting the King think he has some control by giving him Aversa's leash, hm? Now you are just playing with your food."_

" _ **Food…"**_

"And the other message?" Validar asked the boy.

"Um… It is from our agent in Valm. Regarding the special assignment."

Validar narrowed his eyes.

"Lord Excellus has captured Prince Kage. And he is ready to send the boy here for safekeeping."

"Excellent!" Validar smiled, "Everything really is going well. You are dismissed. Make sure my orders regarding Aversa are carried out."

The messenger bowed and turned to leave.

" _Did… Did he just say Prince Kage?"_

" _ **Hehehehe, I might get food after all."**_

The Hierophant snapped his fingers. The messenger froze at the door.

"M-milord?"

The Hierophant took a deep breath, "Prince Kage?"

Validar gave the leader of the Grimleal a puzzled expression.

"Y-yes, milord." The messenger stammered, "The boy was easily captured according to Lord Excellus's account."

The Heirophant turned and narrowed his burning eyes at the messenger.

"How was a person of Kage's power so easily captured? Did Excellus mention his methods?"

The messenger began to sweat a little. He also seemed very confused.

"Um… the boy was captured while playing in the woods outside of Chon'sin's capitol. He-"

The boy shot into the air by an invisible force. He hovered for a split second. A fearful whimper left his lips. His eyes widened. He grasped at his throat. Unable to catch his breath.

Validar took a few steps back. His own eyes flicked over at the Hierophant. The hooded man had not moved a muscle. He simply glared at the boy. And as he glared, the air became cold. Validar saw his breath misting in front of his face.

The poor messenger shuddered for a minute. A sickening crunch echoed through the Hierophant's suite. And the boy's head went limp on his shoulders. Eyes glazed over. Face forever twisted with terror.

What happened next, Validar could hardly describe. It sewed nothing short of pure terror in him. Horror shot through his heart. A great shadow leaked from the Hierophant's feet. Without form or shape. With it, a noise like a lion's hungry growl sounded. It rumbled in Validar's ears. As the formless shadow crept along the floor towards the floating body, Validar swore he heard breathing in his ear. The breath felt cold. So cold that it felt like his skin was beginning to freeze. But there was nothing beside him.

The thing reached the space beneath the body. A low rumbling laugh echoed in Validar's ears. To his horror, the body began to shrivel up. The skin lost it's color. Blood floated in crimson ribbons around the body then sank into the shadow's maw. The shadow reached for the body and ripped a strange, glowing energy from it. And it too was consumed. Then the body fell to the floor. Nothing more than an empty husk. A shell that once held life.

Validar's chest rose up and down as heavy, fear filled breathes rushed in and out of his lungs. The shadow receded back to the Hierophant. And the desert heat returned to the room.

Validar swallowed hard. His mouth felt as dry as the sand outside.

"My lord? What is-"

"What were my explicit instructions, Validar?" The Hierophant growled, his burning irises falling on a now pale King.

"To-to locate the boy named Kage and bring him before you."

"The one trained by Maul, correct?"

"Y-yes."

Validar let out a loud gasp as an invisible force grabbed him by the ankles. He clawed for the couch as he was dragged across the room towards the Hierophant. A loud, pain filled cry rushed from his lungs as the Hierophant gripped him with his strange powers and twirled him around so that Validar faced him.

"Then why did Excellus grab the wrong one?" The Hierophant asked.

Validar's mouth opened and closed rapidly, "Per-perhaps he misinterpreted my orders?"

"As you misinterpreted mine?" The Hierophant snarled.

Terror shot through the newly crowned King as the shadow began to form beneath the Hierophant's feet. Was he about to be consumed as well? Did Grima's designs mean he was fated to become a husk of flesh and bones? He trembled before the Hierophant's silent rage. Then, as quickly as he angered, the Hierophant calmed down.

"Prince Kage," The Hierophant continued, "Is a two year old child. Adopted by the Chon'sin royal family." The Hierophant loosened his grip on Validar and the shadow dissapeared, "A younger version of the one we seek."

Validar gave the Hierophant a surprised look, "Y-younger?"

The hooded man gave him an evil smirk, "Yes, younger. Prince Kage will grow up to be our enemy. But not for some time. And he will not be a threat until Maul does arrive on this world." He clicked his tongue, "You disappoint me, Validar. I was just recently beginning to approve of you. Then you managed to bungle one of my more simple requests."

The Hierophant walked over to the dead husk near the door. With a flick of his wrist, he raised the body upright. A strange, purple and black mist poured out of the Hierophant's right hand. Before Validar's eyes, the husk began to morph. It grew taller, lankier. Age rapidly rushed over the body's features. The King's breath got caught in his throat as he watched life return to the husk.

Even the clothing on its body changed. Instead of Grimleal robes, it wore simple, black long sleeved shirt and pants. A black belt wrapped around its waste. The spellbook most Grimleal possessed had been replaced by a strange, cylindrical device. A weapon similar to Maul's dangerous red blade. But more elegant and refined in design and construction. There was a curious curve to it as well.

"Equus." The Hierophant breathed, "Rise."

The monster's eyes opened. They glowed red for a moment, then faded to a normal human's color.

"Behold, one of my Deadlords, Validar." The Hierophant smirked back at the King, "A rather effective one as well."

"What is thy bidding, my master?" Equus asked the Hierophant as Validar watched in awe.

The Deadlord's voice was rich and low. A clipped aristocratic accent laced his tone.

"There is a loose end that could unravel my plans. A young man named Kage. He may be going under an alias. He is a blonde boy with yellow eyes. Much like mine in fact. You are to capture him and bring him before me. Alive, and if possible, unharmed." The Hierophant snickered, "Also, pay a visit to Excellus. Let that worm know of his failure. Do not kill him. But… well… have fun with him."

The Hierophant turned away. Validar's eyes widened as the floor glowed beneath the Deadlord. In a flash of light, the Deadlord disappeared.

"My-my lord." Validar breathed, "That was incredible."

" _ **CAN I PLEASE EAT HIM ALREADY!?"**_

" _You cannot possibly still be hungry?"_

"Validar." The Hierophant began, his voice sharp but calm. Forcing Validar to take a fearful step back, "This will be the last time you fail me. Understand?"

Validar swallowed hard.

"Because if you do fail me again; well, I can just as easily create a deadlord out of you as I did that messenger."

The Hierophant strode back to his spot near the balcony door. Validar rose to leave. He knew he better not stay. Not with the Hierophant's fury kindled.

"Oh before you go, your _majesty_." The Hierophant said with a hint of mockery in his voice. Validar froze as he reached for the door, "You may use Draco's services in your hunt for Aversa. I'm sure he will be much more efficient than a petty group of mages."

Validar swallowed hard.

"Y-yes, my lord."

The door shut behind him. The Hierophant closed his eyes and let out a long exhale. Validar and Excellus's failure was a small snag in his plans. But it would be dealt with. He was very confident in his Deadlord's ability to hunt down his true prey.

All he had to do now was sit and wait.

 **And chapter! Marth is moving fast towards Baby Kage's position! We get a little development for Yen'fay, which I really enjoyed writing. And one of our major villains bares his teeth. The Hierophant is so much fun to write! I love making these terrifying villains that just scare the piss out of the other villains without even having to raise their voice. It is too much fun. Also, a Deadlord is now after Kage. He is going to have his hands full between that, Say'ri, and our lovable Cynthia.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	52. The Secret Seller

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 52

The Secret Seller

Ben could not believe it. He absolutely could not believe it. This was the last straw. He had finally had enough. As he stormed through the halls of the Eastern Palace, he muttered small curses under his breath. Curses in Basic. Curses in Huttese. Even a couple Twi'lek curses that, if he were still apprenticed to Master Qui Gon, would have earned him a sharp tug on the old padawan braid.

He did it. Gaius really went and did it. Even after Ben and Robin's explicit warnings to keep his kleptomania to an absolute minimum, the thief could not help himself. Ben barreled up a flight of stairs and entered the hall where him and his friends were staying.

He saw Panne standing in front of Gaius's door. And he knew she noticed him just by how her ears flicked in his direction.

Ben stopped in front of her as she stood guarding the door.

"Panne."

"He swears he didn't steal it." Panne sighed.

"And you believe him?" Ben asked.

"Surprisingly yes." Panne replied, "Especially given the fact that I was the first person to come tearing up here ready to lay down the law. And he is terrified of me."

"Amused more than terrified."

"Tell that to the wet undergarments that I smell through the door." Panne replied, her nose wrinkled in disgust.

Ben shook his head, "Let me through."

Panne sighed and stepped to the side. Ben gripped the doorknob and shoved his way into the room.

"NO MORE, WHISKERS! I YIELD!" Gaius cried as the terrified thief jumped behind a chair and used it as a barrier between himself and the door, "I swear to Grima, Naga, and every other god in existence I did not steal it!" He peaked out from behind the chair, "Oh." His fingers tapped against the chair's backrest, "Hi, Benny."

Ben crossed his arms and tapped his foot against the wood floor. He narrowed his eyes at Gaius and waited for the thief to come out from his hiding spot. He could feel some mild fear from the thief. But there was also a sense of relief coming from the red haired man. Gaius did not fear Ben as much as he feared Panne.

Slowly, Gaius emerged from behind the chair. As soon as he did, Ben reached out with the force and ripped his personal pouch from his grip.

"Hey!" Gaius cried.

Ben flicked the pouch open and peaked inside.

Candy. Lots of candy. Little pieces of chocolate. Enough taffy to feed the entire group for an entire month. A lollipop or two. And then he saw it. A little, shiny object sitting beneath a large mound of sugar sticks. Ben dug into the pouch and dug out a diamond encrusted brooch in the shape of Naga's divine symbol.

He eyed Gaius. The thief tapped his fingers together nervously.

"I really did not steal it."

"So this just grew legs and walked into your candy pouch?" Ben asked as he held the brooch up in the air.

"Heh, you wish." Gaius snorted, "Nope. I didn't steal it. It was given to me."

"This is the now Duke Phillip's daughter's brooch. Why on earth would she give it to you?"

Gaius gave Ben a wry smirk. A quick waggle of his eyebrows and Ben had his answer.

"Kriff, Gaius." Ben groaned, running a hand over his exasperated face.

"What? I gave the lady a good night on the town." Gaius smirked, "Then I escorted her home. And well… I offered her some candy. One thing led to another. There was this one part where-"

"I do not need the details!" Ben interrupted. He pinched the bridge of his nose and tossed the delicate brooch over to the thief. Gaius easily snatched it out of the air, "Just make sure you give it back."

"You know it's considered rude to give a gift back."

"And it's even ruder to kick a comrade's insolent ass while staying in another person's house. So give it back!" Ben snapped.

"Pfft, you won't hurt me." Gaius replied with a smirk.

"True." Ben folded his hands behind his back, "But I can ask Tharja to… conduct an experiment."

All color drained from Gaius's face.

"You wouldn't."

Ben chuckled, "Are you certain of that?"

The thief's eyes flicked down at the brooch in his hands. Back up to Ben. Then back down to the brooch. His shoulders fell and he sighed.

"I'll make sure to give it back."

"Good." Ben nodded, "Let us not speak of this situation ever again."

"Are you sure?" Gaius asked, "I would gladly give you some pointers when it comes to the ladies and-"

"Never. Again." Ben reiterated.

With a final huff, Ben turned on his heel and exited Gaius's room. As the door clicked shut behind him, he heard Panne uttered a long sigh.

"He really needs to grow up." Panne muttered.

She looked sad. Her lips were drawn into a frown. And there was a lot less confidence in her posture. Ben knew she cared about Gaius more than she let on. The two were nearly inseparable whenever they traveled on the road. Perhaps there was more to their odd friendship than he thought?

"If only we were that lucky. Gaius will always be Gaius." He placed a hand on Panne's shoulder, "A man like him needs a friend like you by his side. So don't abandon him. He may not realize it, but he needs you."

Panne gave Ben a small nod. Ben replied with a small pat on her shoulder. Just as he was going to finally take a breather and fit some meditation into the day, he heard footsteps rushing up the stairs. Ben glanced past Panne and saw Robin burst up the stairs. The tactician let out a loud wheeze and put his hands on his knees.

"I-" Robin wheezed again and took a deep breath, "I heard Gaius did a thing."

Ben gave the winded tactician a small laugh, "The thing has been dealt with."

"It has?" Robin gasped, "So I didn't have to sprint all the way back here from the village market?"

Ben laughed some more and shook his head, "How did you even-"

"Tharja."

Ben arched an eyebrow.

"I'm not the only one she follows around, apparently." Robin wheezed. He sucked in another deep breath, "She saw Gaius with the Duke's daughter last night. And she correctly assumed Gaius did some stupid. So she made sure to tell me and Panne. Then we heard some guards talking about how the Duke's daughter was missing her brooch. And well… safe guess."

"Correct person. Wrong reason. And Gaius will return it."

Both Ben and Robin walked past Panne as she stomped into Gaius's room. They both heard Gaius utter a small whimper before Panne began to berate him again. Ben paid it no mind. As frustrated as Panne could get with the thief, she would not hurt him. He was a part of her Warren. While she would certainly berate and scold him, she would not lay a hand on him in a harmful way.

Robin sighed as he pushed the door open to the room he and Ben elected to share. Space at the Eastern Palace was limited. It was a sturdy fortress. But a small one. Built into the rocky face of a tall mountain peak. More space was dedicated towards armories and food stores than to actual living space. So each one of Ben's company had to share a room. All of them that is, except one.

After spending several weeks in the same tent as Tharja, Ben thought it was only fair that she received her own space. And she gratefully accepted. Gaius and Panne shared a room. And lastly, Laurent and Donnel agreed to bunk up. Everyone was happy with the arrangement. Although, Ben was not sure if that was due to the pairings or due to the actual mattresses they were all sleeping on now. A good, soft mattress did feel so much better than a mat on the hard ground.

Robin walked over to the desk at the far end of the room. His pack sat on top of it. He threw the pack open and withdrew a small game board that had been folded in half. Robin frowned, blew some sand off of it, then opened it up.

"Care for a game, Ben?"

Ben smirked, "Why not?"

Robin smiled and set the board up on the small table that sat in their room. Ben pulled up a chair and leaned back as Robin placed the pieces on the board.

"Did you hear anything at the village market?" Ben asked.

Robin shook his head, "Nothing, again."

Ben let out a long sigh, "We've searched all over these mountains for a week and still nothing." Some sunlight streamed in through the window and into his eyes. Ben blinked and shielded his eyes with his hand.

"What should we do?" Robin asked as he finished setting up the board and made the first move.

Ben pursed his lips and made his first move as well, "I'm not sure." He hummed to himself as Robin made another move, "Good move. Good move indeed."

"Well, we have exhausted Eastern Ylisse. And Southern Ylisse. So that leaves us with two options at this point." Robin pointed out as he studied Ben's reaction to his own move, "We can continue north into Regna Ferox. Or move back west and search around Themis." Robin moved another piece. A small thrill went through him as he took one of Ben's knights from the board, "From Themis we could go into Plegia and search through there."

"What is there to search there?" Ben asked with a small snort, "The only major settlement is the Capitol. There are scattered, uncharted villages throughout the desert. But good luck finding them. It would be an exhaustive search effort. One that we have neither the time nor the resources to conduct. Plus, there is a new King in Plegia. And we do not know if he is hostile to Ylisseans or not." Ben took Robin's bishop, "We may not be at war anymore. But that does not mean tensions disappeared."

Robin nodded, "All accurate points." He frowned as he studied the board. He moved his rook, "So that sounds to me like you don't want to head for Themis?"

Ben frowned, "I know we have to search there at some point but," He tapped his hand against the table, "I just can't help but feel we won't find him there."

"Feel?" Robin quirked an eyebrow, "I'm guessing it's a force wielder thing?"

Ben sighed and gave him a small nod. He moved his own rook across the board. Robin uttered a small curse under his breath. This game was beginning to slip out of the tactician's grasp.

They made the next few moves in silence. Finally, Robin furrowed his brow and uttered a frustrated snarl.

"Damn it all!"

Ben chuckled, "Checkmate."

"How do I always lose to you!?" Robin cried as he leaned back in his seat. He reached over to a small glass of water that he grabbed midway through their game and took a sip.

"You are easy to read." Ben smirked.

Robin narrowed his eyes, "Easy to read? What do you mean by that?"

"Well-" Ben took a breath, "The Force allows me to sense another person's emotions. And you wear your emotions on your sleeve. It helps me predict your intentions."

Robin gaped at Ben, "Really!?"

Ben nodded as he started to reset the game board. Robin leaned over the table.

"You have to teach me!"

Ben paused as he set a knight down on the game board. A long sigh rushed from his lungs.

"Robin…"

"Our games will be a lot more fair if you do."

"You cannot learn the force simply because you want to win at a board game." Ben replied with a long sigh.

"Oh fine! Then you can teach me to use it for winning at chess and for use on the battlefield."

Robin was caught off guard by Ben's steely gaze. He actually felt like shrinking back in his seat a little bit.

"The force is not a tool for amusement or violence, Robin." Ben scolded,

Robin cringed, "Gee, sorry if I pushed the wrong button."

Ben waved his hand, "You don't have to apologize, Robin. You did nothing wrong. You were just unaware of the nature of the Force. There was no harm at all."

Robin nodded, "So what is the nature of the Force?"

Ben sagged in his seat, "Robin-"

"How can I learn this sort of stuff if you don't teach me?" Robin asked, "You saw what I did back in the desert to that treasure hunter. I used the Force! I don't know how I did it, but I did. And that was not the first time either."

Ben's gaze flicked up at Robin, surprised.

Robin cleared his throat, "I- I think I used it to destroy a reeking box during our last battle in Plegia. It manifested itself in lightning for some reason."

He saw Ben's eyes widen, "Are you sure it wasn't an overcharged thunder spell?"

"Nope. It was not a El or Arc class spell." Robin sipped his water again, "I've never cast blue lightning before either. Or after for that matter. It was a spur of the moment sort of thing. I just felt a surge of power. And I used that power. And that power came out as ridiculously strong, blue lightning."

Now he saw Ben pale. The swordsman leaned towards Robin.

"Blue lightning?"

Robin shifted under Ben's gaze, "Y-yeah. Is that a bad thing?"

Ben drew back in his seat. His mind raced. Robin not only was a natural with the Force, but he managed to summon lightning with it as well!? That was a trait normally reserved for Force Adepts on the dark side of the spectrum. He could recall the lightning Count Dooku wielded with such devastating proficiency. The first time he faced that power had been in a duel with the late fallen Jedi turned Sith Lord. And during the war that followed that duel, he had witnessed its terrifying power multiple times in some terrifying situations. Some of which he considered himself fortunate to have survived.

How could someone like Robin wield such a sinister power? Robin did not have an evil bone in his body, as far as Ben could tell. So how was he tapping into the Dark Side? How was he able to cast Force Lightning? Without any training for that matter? Was he just that gifted? If so, how did Ben not notice before?

"I'm beginning to think its a bad thing." Robin muttered as he noticed Ben's furrowed brow and worried expression.

"Don't use it anymore." Ben said, his tone firm.

"Why?"

Ben sighed, "It's probably best if you don't know why. Just don't give in to that power anymore."

Robin let out an exasperated huff, "Well, I can't exactly avoid using it if I don't know why. If you just teach me-"

"No!"

"Why not?"

Something snapped in Ben. A rush of both fear and anger surged through him.

"Because the last person I taught was my apprentice and he-" Ben trailed off as he realized he was yelling. Robin was giving him a stunned look.

"Ben?" Robin looked at his friend with worry.

The swordsman slumped in his seat and put a hand to his eyes.

"The last person I taught was my apprentice, Anakin. And," Ben took a deep breath, "he is the reason the Jedi Order no longer exists."

Understanding washed over Robin's face.

"Is this the same Anakin that you have nightmares about?"

Ben swallowed hard and gave Robin a small nod. In that moment, Robin saw Ben drift off to a different place. There was fear in his eyes. Fear, sorrow, and intense regret. Ben sniffled and shook his head.

"Robin," He began, "A force wielder's power is very much tied to their emotions and mental state."

Robin nodded, "I remember you explaining that."

"Well, the older the person is when they begin to train with the force, the more susceptible they are to the darker aspects of it. That is due to the more varied emotions an older person can experience."

"How old were you when you started learning about the Force?" Robin asked.

"I arrived at the Jedi temple when I was barely a few months old." Ben let out a wistful sigh, "It was my home. I was raised there. And I knew nothing else until Master Qui Gon Jinn took me as his apprentice and we went on our first assignment together. Being in that environment since that age allowed me to learn the dangers of such emotions as anger and fear. That allowed me to not be tempted by the dark side of the force."

Robin furrowed his brow, "Tempted?" He shook his head, "The more I hear about this emotion part of Jedi Philosophy, the stranger it becomes to me. You all basically denied your humanity in order to control your powers."

Ben frowned, "I never looked at it that way. But, in a sense, yes. We did."

"And I'm guessing the reason you're telling me about this whole age issue is because of your old apprentice."

Ben's face saddened, "Yes. Anakin was nine when he arrived at the Jedi Temple. Initially, the council refused to train him for the very reason I explained to you. But my master was adamant that we train him. Anakin was naturally gifted. Much like yourself in that regard. And when Master Qui Gon died, his last wish was for me to train the boy."

Robin's eyes widened in surprise.

"That must not have sat well with whatever council you followed. You couldn't have been much older than Anakin when all this happened?"

"You're not wrong. And it did not sit well with the council. But given the manner in which my Master died, they felt compelled to grant his last request." Ben breathed, "I was not the right person to train Anakin. Anakin should have been apprenticed to someone like Master Windu, or Master Plo Koon. Not me. He needed a mentor. A father figure. Not a brother."

"You guys were that close."

"Well yes we fought-" Ben caught himself before he mentioned the Clone Wars. He cleared his throat, "We fought in many battles together. Over the years, Anakin and I became very good friends." Ben's eyes glossed over, "Then… then he betrayed us. Gave in to his lust for power. And now," Ben took a deep breath, "Now I may be the last Jedi alive."

Robin bowed his head and took in Ben's story. It explained his reasoning for not wanting to train him. Hell, if Robin was in his shoes, he would have said the same thing. Having an apprentice turn traitor would be a devastating thing. And apparently, Robin shared some similarities with his old apprentice. Which sparked even greater hesitance in the swordsman.

"I've decided." Robin finally spoke.

"Hm?"

"I want you to teach me." Robin said. Ben opened his mouth to deny him, but Robin cut him off, "But only when you are ready to teach me. And only when you think I am ready to learn. I may be similar to Anakin, Ben. But I am not him. I don't plan on betraying anyone, ever. Besides I'm a grown up. I don't need a father figure or a mentor. But I do need a teacher. If for no other reason than to have a solid foundation so I can explore these powers I know nothing about."

Ben rubbed his chin, There it was again. Robin never ceased to surprise him. There were many things he and Anakin shared. Tremendous power was one of them. They were both swift learners. Charming individuals capable of forming everlasting friendships whenever they wanted to. Incredibly intelligent and very brave. Willing to do anything to save those they cared about.

And that was the crux to Ben's caution. But his mind was put more at ease with Robin's choice to be patient. That was a quality Anakin did not have.

"I'll think about it." Ben finally replied.

"Good." Robin nodded, "So… Regna Ferox tomorrow?"

"We'll take a day to rest and resupply. After that we will go north."

"Sounds like a plan." Robin gestured at the chess board, "Best two out of three?"

Ben smirked and made the first move.

"You better make it best three out of five."

….

"Beef! Get yer beef here!"

"Screw the Beef!" Another shopkeeper shouted over the first one, "Chicken! Grilled, pan-fried, raw! I'll give it to ya how ya like it."

"Care for a vegetable anyone!?"

The din of the market filled Ben's ears as he walked with Robin and Tharja through the small village. While the village was not very populated, it had a bustling market. Mostly because it was the only market this far into the mountains. Small groups of villagers milled about. Going from stall to stall, shop to shop. Most just window shopped while they bought food from street vendors. Ben himself had already filled his own food pouch with plenty of dried nuts, dried fruit, jerky; stuff that would last on a long journey. He did not want to stop and resupply very often. Robin and Tharja followed his example. But they were also mages. And both were curious about finding some magical supplies. Especially Tharja, who wanted to craft some poisons in order to keep herself busy while traveling.

"See anything?" Robin asked the dark mage as her shadowy eyes flicked from vendor to vendor.

"I saw one stall selling newts." Tharja smirked, "He may have some promise."

Ben arched an eyebrow, "What is a newt?"

"Super poisonous amphibian." Robin answered, "Best not to go near one."

"And they are excellent for poison crafting." Tharja said with a slight giddiness to her voice, "But one must be careful when using them. Ingest any of their natural toxins and well… it'll be an unpleasant end."

"I'm guessing you are speaking from experience?" Ben asked.

"Several foolish novices in the Grimleal temple erred in their work. A newt accidentally lived and slipped into their shared water pot." A dark smirk crossed Tharja's lips, "Needless to say, the aftereffects of such a mistake were very interesting to observe."

Robin leaned close to Ben, "She's like a twisted version of Miriel." He whispered.

Ben uttered a quiet laugh, "If you say so."

"I've decided." Tharja nodded, "I'm buying some newts. Maybe a few deathcaps as well."

Ben paled, "Deathcaps?"

"Bad mushrooms. Make sure Gaius doesn't try to candy them." Robin explained.

Ben gave Robin a confused glance, "How does one candy a mushroom?"

Robin shrugged, "I don't know. But I have a feeling it's something that red haired scoundrel would do."

"Fair point."

" _Kenobi."_

Ben froze as Tharja swept past him and over to the mage selling newts. A voice just called him? And not only did it call him, it used his surname. While many people on this planet knew him as Ben Kenobi, most people did not refer to him as such. It was always much more informal. Often times he was called Sir Ben, or Mr. Ben, or just Ben. Never Kenobi.

"Hey, Ben?" Robin shook his shoulder, "You alright?"

"I thought I heard someone call me." Ben replied as he began to stretch out with the force. He was not crazy. Someone did call him. But who? And why?

Robin arched an eyebrow, "Well, I guess you could have heard something. There is a lot of noise around here."

" _Here."_

Ben glanced to his right. His eyes landed on a small, covered cart laden with all manner of random trinkets. Swords made of bronze, steel, and iron sat on a rickety, collapsible table in front of the cart. Lances leaned up against the cart's canvass covered sides. Then there was the motley assortment of magical tomes and spellbooks. All ranging from basic fire spells to very dark magics the likes of which were normally never sold in Ylisse. There was also potions all along the ground near the table. Vulnaries and elixirs. Potions to fight of fatigue. Potions to make a man feel stronger for several minutes.

And standing behind the table was the strangest part of the entire makeshift shop. A young woman with striking red hair. Nearly scarlet in color. Her pale face had a large, friendly smile on it as she called out her wares to the crowd. Her outfit was a mottled looking thing. A patchwork of orange and yellow fabrics with a massive collar.

Ben felt drawn to the stall. For some reason he heard the voice coming from there. But the woman had not called him. No, she was too busy advertising her wares.

"One thousand for this genuine bronze ax!" The woman called as she hefted an ax nearly as tall as her. Ben raised an eyebrow when he saw a large chip along the sharpened edge. The woman gave the market a sheepish smile, "Mildly used."

She tossed the bronze ax to the side and noticed Ben and Robin both staring at her.

"You there! Fine gentlemen, are you interested in anything? I've got swords and daggers. Potions and maybe a few poisons. An ax or two. Or perhaps you are more inclined to the lance." She snapped her fingers, "Oh who am I kidding?" She pointed at Robin, "You are clearly the mage type. I've got just the spell for you." She sifted through several tomes and yanked a faded red book from a large stack, "Very complex one. At least that's what the dead guy's notes said."

Robin paled, "Dead guy?"

"Yup! How else do you think I managed to snag this piece. So what do you say, one thousand?"

Ben's eyes widened, "One-one thousand!? You just admitted to pilfering a corpse for it."

The woman bobbed her head back and forth, "Fine. You've twisted my arm. Let's go with nine hundred and… two."

Ben folded his arms. He glanced over at Robin. As much as the mage tried to look not interested, Ben could tell his curiosity was getting the better of him. He had such a voracious appetite for knowledge. A complex spell would be something he wanted.

"Four hundred." Ben smirked back.

The woman's smile ran away from her lips, "Are you trying to swindle me?"

"Darling, I have a feeling you might be trying to swindle me." Ben replied with a wry grin.

The woman frowned. One of her fingers went up to her chin as she carefully studied Ben and Robin.

"I know you from somewhere." The shopkeeper hummed. A loud gasp suddenly rushed from her lips, "You're Obi the Skywalker!"

Robin covered his mouth as he tried not to laugh out loud. Ben sighed and ran a hand over his face.

"I'm not-"

"Nope. You are!" The shopkeeper grinned, "I remember seeing you perform at an inn back in Plegia. It was pretty impressive. Never seen a trick like it before." She smirked, "Tell you what, buy the book for eight hundred and I'll throw in a vulnary for you."

Ben chuckled and pressed his hands against the table top, "I'm not interested in vulnaries. I am… I am a great and powerful magician after all! I have much more refined taste."

"A concoction then!"

"I want to see what you have in the cart." Ben replied.

The woman drew back a little bit, "In the cart hm? That's for only the most loyal of my customers. And well, I know your name but you don't know mine." She smiled, "I better change that." She held out a hand, "The name's Anna. But some people call me the Secret Seller."

"Secret seller?" Robin chuckled.

"Yup! Cause I'm a secret. And I'm a seller." Anna replied, "Makes sense yeah? Anyways, the back of the cart normally has some of the more rare items. An enchanted dagger or two. Really powerful spell books that I just so happened to find. A couple healing staves." She moved to the side, "Feel free to take a look."

Both Robin and Ben nodded and went to the back of the cart.

"Obi the Skywalker?" Robin snickered before jabbing his elbow into Ben's ribs.

"Roll with it." Ben hissed back before scanning the items in the back of Anna's cart.

She was not a liar. Most of the stuff in the back of her cart was rather similar to what she already had on display. Ben saw some swords with more unique designs. Perhaps they were enchanted. He did not care about those. For some reason, the whisper her heard came from this cart. He was determined to find the source.

Robin carefully brushed some healing staves out of the way.

"I wonder what kind of spell books she has?" Robin muttered as he thumbed through some books.

Ben shrugged, "I don't know. What spell was on that one book anyways?"

Robin hummed, "Bol-something. Looked like a fire spell of some kind. I may very well get it."

"Well don't let her know that. I'm trying to negotiate a lower price for you."

"Aw, that's so sweet." Robin chuckled back. He slid some more books out of the way.

Robin furrowed his brow. Lying on the floor of the cart, hidden beneath a mountain of spellbooks, was a strange, silver cylinder. Robin pressed his lips together and reached for it.

His fingers brushed against the metal cylinder. An image flashed through his mind. An entire land filled with lava. Ash choked air. Black sand and intense heat wrapped around him. A sense of hatred and dread filled his core. Suffering unimaginable resonated from the scorching land. He drew his hand back and let out a loud gasp.

"What is it?" Ben glanced over at Robin. He slid over to where the tactician stood.

Ben's blood froze in his veins. He felt like he could hardly breathe. Robin glanced over at his friend. All the color in Ben's face was gone. He looked like he had seen a ghost. Ben's hands shook by his sides.

Without a word, Ben reached out and picked up the strange object. He handled it with tender care. As if it was the most fragile thing in existence. Like how someone would hold a rose. And as he lifted it from the cart floor, his hands shook even more.

Robin tapped Ben on the shoulder. The swordsman looked over at Robin. The tactician saw intense sorrow in Ben's eyes.

"What is it?" Robin asked.

Ben swallowed hard, "This-" He took a shuddering breath.

He did not answer Robin's question. Instead he turned on his heel and returned his attention to Anna.

"Include this in your deal, and I will pay full price for the spell book."

Anna drew back in surprise, "Really!?" She narrowed her eyes at Ben, "And why do you want that… thingy so badly? What is it worth to you? Hm… maybe I have half a mind to keep it for now."

Robin raised an eyebrow when Ben subtly waved his hand in front of Anna's face.

"You will include this in our deal." Ben said.

Robin's eyes widened as he saw Anna's eyes glaze over for half a second. The secret seller swayed in her spot. Then she shook her head.

"Whoa! I must need to eat some spinach or something. What did you say, Mr. Skywalker?"

Ben drew back in surprise, "I was-"

"Tell you what." Anna smirked, "I'll let you have both the book and the thingy for two thousand. Since that thingy is obviously so important to you. Hell of a bargain I say."

Robin tugged on Ben's sleeve and leaned into his ear.

"We don't even have two thousand." Robin whispered.

"I'm aware. Let me negotiate with her." Ben hissed back, "One thousand for both."

"Pfft!" Anna snorted, "Yeah, like that's gonna happen. And I don't know what that little hand wavy thing you did was, but if you're trying to cast some magic spell on me, it isn't going to work. Mind tricks don't work on me. Only money." She folded her arms, "One thousand five hundred."

The dumbfounded look on Ben's face nearly made Robin double over with laughter. Before Ben could argue back, Robin stepped in the way.

"One thousand and I will point all my friends to you for a new sword."

"Oh?" Anna shifted her gaze over to Robin, "What friends are we talking about?"

"How about Prince Chrom and the Shepherds?"

Anna's eyes widened to the size of dinner plate, "You're one of the Shepherds, aren't you?"

Robin nodded, "And I might be able to put in a good word. Maybe, I can even convince Knight-Commander Frederick to come to you for weapons and armor."

"Sold!" Anna cried. She grabbed Robin's hand and gave it a firm shake, "Did you see that Obi." She jabbed her thumb at Robin while Ben looked flabbergasted, "That is how you negotiate." She reached for the spell book, "Here is the spell. It's called Bolgannone. Really potent fire spell. As for you Obi, enjoy your… thingy. Whatever it is." She let out a happy sigh, "Well, I'm not selling anything else around here. All poor farmers and stuff. Oh well." She shrugged and began to pack up her wares, "Regna Ferox always treated me well. I'll definitely move some product up there. Fare well, Obi and-"

"Robin." The tactician smiled before turning on his heel and walking away. He stopped and noticed Ben not following him. Robin rolled his eyes and grabbed Ben by the arm.

"Come on. Before we blow through all of the money."

"H-how?" Ben asked as Robin dragged him away from Anna, "I'm known as the Negotiator. How did I lose?"

"Negotiator?" Robin chuckled, "I thought you were Obi the Skywalker?"

Ben ripped his arm free from the laughing tactician's grasp.

"Not a word to Gaius."

Robin snickered, "I don't know. It'd be pretty funny to tell him about how I out negotiated you."

"Not. A. Word." Ben replied.

"Oh fine!"

Robin laughed some more as the duo regrouped with Tharja and made their way back to the Eastern Palace. The dark mage talked excitedly about the new poisonous brews she could make using the ingredients she bought. She also took an interest in Robin's new spell. A spell that, even by her own admission, was very powerful.

Her gaze flicked to Ben's hands, where he still cradled the silver object. She could see the reverence he held for the object. Once they all returned to the palace, Tharja followed Ben to his room while Robin went to the training yard to try and learn his new spell.

She slipped into his room just as the door was about to close. Ben did not notice. He slumped into a chair and let the object rest in his lap. Tharja tucked her own spell book close to her chest and took a few cautious steps towards Ben.

"What is that?" She asked.

Ben glanced up at her. She saw some tears misting in his eyes.

"This was Anakin's." He replied with a small sniffle.

Tharja's eyes widened, "His weapon?"

Ben gave her a shaky nod, "I grabbed it when I defeated him. And I thought I lost it when I arrived on this world." He ran a hand over the polished hilt, "How in the world did that merchant get it?" He finished with a mutter.

Tharja shrugged, "Does it matter? You have it now." She smirked at him, "I'd suggest not losing it again."

Ben snorted, "Of course." He took a deep breath and clipped the lightsaber to his belt, "Are you ready to travel tomorrow?"

Tharja grimaced, "It is going to be very cold, isn't it?"

Ben nodded.

"I might have to borrow your cloak."

….

Thankfully, it did not snow on the march north. The passes through the mountains were much easier to navigate from the Eastern Palace's side of the mountains. Which allowed Ben and his friends to eventually leave the mountainous region and enter the vast, icy plains of Regna Ferox. Despite the more favorable whether, it was still extremely cold. And the snow drifts that covered the roads were thick and tall. Forcing their march to slow to a crawl.

Ben waded through the snow. He kept the force channeling through his body. Which helped him stay warm since his cloak was wrapped around Tharja. The nearest village was just a few more hours north. Once they arrived there, Ben would start searching for any orphan boys that matched Luke's description.

He stopped as Tharja tripped up in the snow. A series of bitter curses rushed from her lips as Ben helped her back to her feet. Gaius glanced back at the pair.

"You okay back there, Sunshine?"

"Don't make me hex you." Tharja snarled back.

"Geez, just trying to be helpful." Gaius replied, "I don't like the cold much either. You don't have to get so snippy."

"Says the king of snippiness." Robin chuckled as he trudged through the snow.

Robin raised his gaze up to see Panne coming to a stop in front of them. Donnel and Laurent also paused beside the Taguel. Robin drew up alongside the trio.

"This seems kind of familiar." Panne muttered.

Robin followed her gaze up the snow covered road. Sprinting in their direction was a villager. Not a young man like Donnel was. He was a middle aged man. Terror filled his eyes as he got closer.

"Don't go any further!" The villager shouted at them as he sprinted forward.

Robin raised a hand. Beckoning the villager to slow down. At that moment, Ben and Tharja arrived alongside the others.

"What's wrong?" Robin asked.

"Bandits." The Feroxi villager gasped, "A whole gang of them are trying to lay siege to my home!"

Ben furrowed his brow.

"I'm running for my life while I still can. That merchant won't be able to hold them off for long. And I am not dying today."

Ben grabbed the man's arm just as he tried to keep running.

"Hold on. A merchant is defending your village?"

"For now." The villager gasped, "But once those bandits kill her, they'll come for us next! I suggest you steer clear."

The villager tore his arm away from Ben and raced down the road. The group watched as the man rushed off into the distance. Donnel scowled.

"Coward." The farm boy spat.

"Compared to you, absolutely." Tharja muttered.

"Ben, you don't think that's _our_ merchant, do you?" Robin asked.

Ben grimaced, "It very well could be."

Robin grit his teeth. He reached into his coat and drew his spellbook, "That means we have a perfect opportunity for me to test my new fire spell." He waved for the others to follow him, "Come on! We've got a village to save."

….

Victor scowled. How was this possible? Why did the raid stop? He had ordered his bandits to lay waste to the village. Pillage it. Kill all but a few of the villagers. But instead, his men had stopped their advance. As they all sat in the shadow of a nearby forest, Victor squinted at the village.

"What is wrong, brother?"

Victor glanced over his shoulder. His twin, Vincent, emerged from the tree line. His own crew of bandits at his back. Victor sighed as Vincent smirked.

"Is the village too scary for your gang?" Vincent chuckled. He moved to draw his ax from his hip, "Perhaps my gang will be able to get the job done."

"No." Victor snapped back, "It is my turn to do the honors. You know that."

Vincent chuckled again, "Of course. I was just offering in case your crew were too squeamish." He brushed some fresh snow from his purple pauldron, "What are you waiting for then?"

Victor eyed the village closely. His scowl deepened when he saw the reason his men hesitated. Standing in front of the village, her small cart blocking the way in, was a red haired woman with a steel shortsword. A small smirk graced her lips. Victor felt his blood begin to boil when she offered the bandits a cute wave. She knew they were there. And she was not afraid.

"Oh ho!" Vincent laughed, "That one is a real beauty. The traders will pay well for her."

Victor's lips curled into an evil grin, "Yes, they will."

The red haired woman waved at them again. She cupped a hand over her mouth.

"Hello there!" She called, "Are you here to purchase something?"

Vincent slapped his hand against Victor's red shoulder pauldron. The twin chuckled.

"Well, go have fun." Vincent said, "Me and my boys will go back to the hideout."

As Vincent turned to leave, the woman shouted at them again.

"Are you potential customers? I must warn you, due to the high demand of my products, my prices are not cheap."

Victor's eyes gleamed. He pointed at the merchant and shouted back at her. His strong voice boomed out over the forested area.

"Your prices will be cheap for me!" He bellowed, "As in free!"

The woman tilted her head to the side, "Yeah… that's not going to work for me."

"Too bad!" He leveled his ax at her, "Take her boys! Then we can have fun in the village!"

His bandits uttered a furious battle cry. All of them charged in unison. Meanwhile, Victor stayed near the treeline. Content to watch the carnage. There was no sense in getting blood on him. Besides, this merchant was just a small, helpless woman. His men would have no trouble with her. None at all.

One of his archers knocked an arrow. Just as he was about to loose it at the girl, the merchant moved. Victor froze where he stood. He watched in shock as she zipped across snowy ground and buried her shortsword into the archer.

Before Victor could even blink, she moved again. And another one of his archers fell dead into the snow.

His fist curled up at his side. No, no he should not let this bother him. A few archers were nothing to worry about. His foot soldiers had her surrounded now. Soon they would overwhelm this pesky merchant. Then she would regret killing his men.

The noose tightened around the merchant. Victor smiled as she spun around and realized the predicament she was in. She appeared calm still. But Victor could see that deep down, she knew she was in trouble.

He took a step forward. He wanted to personally see to her capture now. Such defiance was not a slight he would tolerate. Just as his boot crunched in the snow, he heard a voice to his right.

"Pardon me."

He glanced over. His eyes widened in shock. Seven people stood to his right. Three mages. One of which appeared to be a very intimidating dark mage. Two swordsman. One of them sucking on a lollipop. The other with a rapier in his grip. A foolish farm boy with a pot on his head stood next to that swordsman. And a-

 _Is that a giant rabbit?_

The swordsman with the rapier cleared his throat, "We will give you one chance to walk away Mr-"

"Victor." The two other bandits he had at his side turned to face the newcomers, "And I will not have you giving me orders. I do what I please."

"I had a feeling you would say that." The swordsman sighed, "Tharja." The dark mage stepped forward, "If you would please?"

"Gladly."

A blast of dark magic shot at the bandit on Victor's right flank. The man screamed as black fire consumed him. Within seconds, he was a pile of ash laying in the white snow. The man to Victor's left turned to run. A lightning bolt struck him down before he could even take a step. Victor took several steps back.

"You-you-" He put his fingers to his mouth and whistled. The men he had surrounding the merchant all turned to see his attackers, "Kill them!" He roared.

His men hesitated. They were not sure what to do? Plunder and gold lay before them. The only thing standing in their way being the defiant merchant. Their leader wanted this merchant dead already. So why was he calling them back to deal with some random travelers?

The merchant cut down an ax wielding bandit as the entire group hesitated to follow Victor's confusing order.

"Nope. I cannot allow that either!" The merchant shouted, "Those people happen to be some loyal customers of mine."

Victor grit his teeth and drew his ax. Before he could turn to attack the newcomers, the man with the rapier surged forward and placed the tip of his blade beneath his chin.

"So?" The bearded man smirked, "Care to surrender?"

Victor snarled at him. The bearded man sighed and glanced over at the merchant. Four of Victor's men were charging back towards him. The others were dying in the snow near the merchant's feet.

Victor noticed the swordsman's focus waver. The sword lowered away from his throat. A victorious smile crossed Victor's face.

 _I have you now!_

He raised his ax. Just as he was about to bring it crashing down, the man flicked his wrist.

Victor felt pain rush through his chest. It was sharp. Burning. He looked down and saw a deep, red slash in him. A wound that ran from hip to shoulder. As blood seeped from his body, Victor gulped.

"I-" His ax fell as his body suddenly felt weak, "I... see an open field, Vincent. Such beautiful flowers."

His body slumped into the snow.

* * *

It did not take long for the other bandits to scatter. Robin managed to launch a massive blast of fire at all of them and it sent the enemy running for the forest. The tactician gave Ben a wide grin.

"I like this new spell." Robin beamed.

Ben chuckled, "I don't doubt it."

As he laughed, Anna came bouncing up to them.

"Well, this is a surprise." The merchant smiled, "I didn't think I'd be running into you two again so soon." She blinked and looked past Robin and Ben at their friends, "And your friends are?"

"Donnel!" The farm boy waved with a bright grin.

The red haired thief looked up as he looted Victor's body. He gave Anna a small wave.

"Gaius." He lifted a small sack from the man's hip and smiled as he shook it. A satisfying jingle hit his ears, "Thank you." He patted the dead man's cheek.

"You may call me Panne, man-spawn." The rabbit lady said.

The other woman with jet black hair muttered to herself as she walked around the dead bodies. She stomped her feet, shivered, then wrapped the brown cloak she had tighter around her body.

"That's, Sunshine!" Gaius pointed at her.

"My name is Tharja." The dark mage hissed before shivering again.

"And I am Laurent." The youngest member of the group bowed, "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance Miss-"

"Anna." The merchant smiled. She returned her attention to Ben and Robin, "I suppose I owe you both one. If you all had not come along, well… some nasty things would have happened. As my version of a thank you, you each may take one thing from my wagon. Within reason of course. No touching the super expensive stuff please."

"Really!?" Gaius chirped.

"That won't be necessary." Robin replied.

"Oh come on, Bubbles!"

"Well I have to repay you all somehow." Anna placed her hands on her hips, "I don't like being in debt to other people."

"Well," Robin breathed, "You travel a lot, don't you?"

"Of course." Anna smirked, "I'm the Secret Seller. It's part of the job."

"Then you may have seen or heard of someone," Robin glanced over at Ben, "multiple someones that we are looking for."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. A girl with blue hair and one arm. Her name is Marth. And a baby boy with blue eyes named Luke." He nodded over at Ben, "His kid."

Anna hummed to herself. She put a finger to her chin and shook her head.

"Nope. I got nothing."

Robin let out a defeated sigh.

"But," Anna continued, "One of my sisters may have heard something. I don't really keep my ear to the ground. So I don't hear much about current events. I'm more concerned with making a profit. But my sister pays attention to that kind of stuff, even while she is selling. She may have heard something."

"Great!" Ben exclaimed, "Where is she?"

Anna grimaced, "That's the thing. I lost contact with her. I fear she may be in trouble. I came to Regna Ferox not only to sell my goods, but to also hire some mercenaries in order to find her."

Ben glanced over at Robin. The tactician shrugged. Just how hard would it be to find another merchant like Anna?

"Where was she last seen?"

"When I last talked to her she was heading for Port Ferox. A good idea really. Great payday." Anna replied.

"Great!" Robin smiled, "We can cut west from here and be there in a week or so."

"From Plegia." Anna finished.

Robin's smile ran away from his face, "She was crossing the desert?"

Anna gave him a grim nod, "That's what she said she was going to do. We make that kind of crossing all the time. Less likely to run into bandits that way. Better for business. So after we parted ways, I went about doing my own thing. Trading and such throughout Ylisse. Eventually, I made my way out to Port Ferox. And there was no sign of my sister. I learned that I was the only secret seller to be in town in months. I figured she decided to change course and go to the Longfort before banking east back towards Ylisse. But when there was still no sign of her-" Anna shook her head, "Needless to say, I'm a little worried now."

Robin gave Ben an uncertain glance. The swordsman rubbed his chin.

"You're certain she would have information on Luke and Marth?" He asked Anna.

Anna nodded, "At the very least, she will have heard about one of them."

Robin grimaced. He glanced at Ben, "I guess we might be going to Plegia after all."

"It will take some time." Ben muttered, "We are on the other side of the continent."

"Don't worry about that." Anna chirped, "Because I'm tagging along. She's my sister after all." She strode towards her wagon. "All aboard everyone. And tell your red haired friend to keep his eyes off the merchandise."

Ben nodded, "Did you hear that Gaius?"

"Yeah, yeah." Gaius replied dismissive wave of his hand.

They all moved towards Anna's wagon. Tharja was the first to hop into the wagon. A relieved sigh left her lips as she finally had some shelter from the snow and bitter wind. Gaius and Panne hopped inside next. The Taguel had to slap one of Gaius's hands as he reached out for a golden dagger. Laurent and Donnel clambered in and took a seat close to where Anna drove the cart. Ben got inside and took a seat beside Tharja. He had to move some books out of the way. But eventually he had a comfortable seat. Robin entered the wagon last. When he finally found a spot to sit down in, he looked across the wagon at Ben.

"Are you sure about this? We have not covered any ground here in Regna Ferox yet."

"The way we have been searching has not worked so far." Ben replied, his voice hushed, "Maybe we will find something this way."

Robin gave him an uncertain nod. He felt just as worried as Ben. Not only for baby Luke, but for Marth as well. It had been a few months now and there was still no word regarding her. For all Robin knew, she could be lying dead on the side of the road somewhere. Or worse, Kage could have captured her. He already tried to kill her once before. What would he do now that he was off Maul's leash?

He sank into his spot in Anna's wagon. The red haired merchant looked back to make sure everyone was inside. She flashed them all a bright smile then snapped the reins. Her horse snorted and took off to the west. Robin guessed they would arrive at the Plegian-Feroxi border within a week. From there, it would be a long, arduous search through the desert.

This was a very risky move on Ben's part. Robin shifted in his seat.

 _I've got a bad feeling about this._

 **And chapter! Anna has arrived! And we are branching off from the canon paralogues and into some more original stuff! I'm so excited. The next chapter involving Ben and his friends is one I've been planning for weeks!**

 **As for this chapter, Ben found Anakin's lightsaber! In the Force Awakens, it called to Rey. In this story, it called to Ben. And Robin is growing even more curious about the Force. Hopefully Ben will give him and teach him soon.**

 **Anyways, let me know**


	53. Ripples in the Force

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 53

Ripples in the Force

Vader's rhythmic breathing rumbled through the small conference room aboard the _Chimaera_. He awoke a few hours ago and demanded to be returned to his suit. Against the medical droids recommendations. He did not ask twice. As soon as the medical droid denied his request, Vader crushed the droid until it was nothing more than a hunk of metal on the floor of Thrawn's ship. Needless to say, the medical personnel immediately fetched Vader's suit as well as Captain Thrawn.

And now, the pair waited in the conference room as Vader contacted the Emperor. The buzzer on the conference table rang for a few seconds. It went silent. A blue hologram shimmered on the sleek, black table top. Both Vader and Thrawn bowed low as the Emperor's hooded visage appeared.

"Captain Thrawn." The Emperor nodded. His gaze turned to his apprentice, "Lord Vader. Rise."

They both rose to their feet and stood before the Emperor.

"Explain what occurred on the surface of Lothal." The Emperor snarled at Vader, "I felt a great disturbance in the force. Then I sensed your life force flicker. After that, i received a communique from Captain Thrawn that provided me more questions than answers."

Vader's voice boomed through the conference room.

"I made contact with one of the Mortis gods."

Thrawn's gaze snapped over to Darth Vader. It took every ounce of self control in him not to gape at the dark lord in shock. The Mortis gods were a myth. A legend that a pair of Jedi Knights and a Padawan allegedly encountered during the Clone Wars. Beyond that strange report and the mural on Lothal, there was no evidence of Mortis or the strange beings that inhabited it.

Sidious narrowed his gaze at Vader.

"Have you? And which one did you contact?"

Vader did not answer. Instead he glanced over at Thrawn.

"Captain," The Emperor snapped, "Leave us."

Thrawn suppressed his own surprise. Whatever this being from Mortis was, the Emperor and Vader desired to keep it a secret. Even from the naval commander responsible for assisting in the search for their mystery planet. Despite his surprise, he respectfully bowed to the Emperor and exited the room.

He did not need to press the Emperor for answers. He would learn the truth soon enough. If Vanto followed his orders and managed to obtain information from Imperial intelligence, then he would know what planet they were searching for. And why.

Back inside of the conference room, Lord Vader returned his attention to his master.

"I spoke to the one known as the Father." Vader told Sidious.

Darth Sidious hummed, "That was the more powerful of the Mortis gods according to Anakin Skywalker's initial report. What was the nature of your conversation?"

Vader answered immediately.

"He is dying."

Sidious frowned.

"Dying?"

"His power grows weak. And as it grows weak, he is losing his life force and his own sanity." Vader took a breath, "He did manage to give me a coherent answer in regards to our quarry. The father confirmed that she cheated death. And she would cheat death more."

Sidious drew a deep breath, "Did he reveal anything else to you?"

Vader frowned behind the mask. The Father revealed so much to him. But even he could not understand most of it. It all sounded like the ramblings of a madman. Incoherent and unfocused. The last thrashings of a dead man. But he did recall one thing the Father showed him.

"A planet. Mostly aquatic with some land masses on the surface. A single moon."

"What system?" Sidious inquired.

Vader bowed his head, "I am uncertain. There were many stars around it."

"Many stars?" Sidious drew back, "Is it possible?"

"What is it, my master?"

Sidious lowered his gaze at Lord Vader, "Two years ago, I sensed a disturbance in the Force. A strange pulse that originated from the core of the galaxy. That impossible maze of dying stars, black holes, and supernovas. I sent probes into the core to investigate. None of them were able to return. And I received very little information regarding that section of the galaxy. The only concrete information we received was that there were many stars being born at the center of the galaxy. Just as many that were dying. It is a very congested region of the galaxy. Perhaps, that is what you saw. A life bearing planet in the middle of the most chaotic storm in the known universe."

"Do you believe the planet our quarry resides on is in the deep core?" Lord Vader asked.

"Your visions are rarely incorrect, Lord Vader." Sidious reminded his apprentice, "And I doubt the Mortis God would so willingly deceive you. After all, he once knew you as Anakin Skywalker. Perhaps he believes you will somehow help him? It matters not. We know where we must search. You and Thrawn are to enter the deep core. Map it. Navigate it. And locate the planet. Once the planet is located, apprehend the young woman known as Lucina. Use any means necessary to achieve this goal. And do not return to Coruscant until it is accomplished.

Lord Vader bowed his head, "I will not fail you, my master." He rose to exit the room, but before he did, he turned to look back at his Master, "How much information should I give to Captain Thrawn?"

Sidious smirked back at him, "I believe it is now Rear Admiral Thrawn, given his recent success with you. And he is… entitled to more information given his new station. Let him know of where we hunt. Not who we hunt. And not the reason why."

Vader nodded in understanding. Sidious smiled and the hologram winked from existence. Once his master faded away, Vader let out a small groan. His suit had not been fully repaired. Its systems were still struggling to reboot. Which caused immense pain to crawl all over his burnt skin. Maybe he should have waited.

No. This mission was far to important for him to be delayed by his own weakness. Vader strode to the bridge. Once on the bridge, he noticed Thrawn talking to his aide about their next course of action.

Commander Vanto saw Vader approaching first.

"C-captain." Vanto stammered.

Thrawn turned to face Vader.

"Not Captain." Vader thrummed, drawing a confused expression from Commander Vanto, "The Emperor has seen fit to grant you the rank of Rear Admiral, Thrawn. And he has entrusted me to provide you with the next phase of our mission."

Thrawn did not react to the news. But Vanto did. The Commander's jaw fell open.

"R-Rear admiral? Sir, you are the first non-human to ascend to such a post!"

"What is the next phase of our mission, Lord Vader?" Thrawn asked Vader.

Thrawn's demeanor earned a small measure of respect from the Dark Lord. The Chiss did not care about promotions or honors. He cared about accomplishing the task given to him. From what Vader had observed of the Imperial Navy, there were very few officers of Thrawn's rank that subscribed to such a philosophy. Perhaps his Master was right to entrust more details of the mission to his newest Admiral.

"We are to map and navigate the Deep Core."

A hush fell over the entire bridge. Any officers and crew that were at their stations froze and fell silent. Commander Vanto's face paled. His eyes flicked over at Thrawn's impassive face. There was a flicker of concern that crossed the Chiss's face before he corrected himself.

"The Deep Core?" Thrawn asked, seeking confirmation.

Vader nodded.

"Cap-er- Admiral," Vanto began, "The deep core is an absolute maze. Worse than any asteroid field. And far more deadly. No one has successfully navigated it since the days of the Rakatan Empire. And we don't have any records or recent maps from that species regarding the Deep Core's nature. The only reason we know they existed-"

"Is because of Jedi texts regarding their own conflicts with said Empire. As well as the Jedi's belief that their mythical home world exists inside of that hellscape. I am aware." Thrawn replied, "These are the Emperor's orders?"

Vader nodded, "The planet we are searching for is there. It is a semi-aquatic world with a single moon."

Thrawn rubbed his chin, "Commander Vanto, bring me the most recent star map for the deep core. I don't care if it is considered ancient. It could be on papyrus for all I care. But I want one in front of me. It may not be one hundred percent accurate anymore. But it can give us a starting point."

"Yes sir." Vanto saluted and marched off to the ship's archive room.

"Everyone else, prepare to jump to the core system closest to the Deep Core. We will resupply and plot our next course of action from there." The Admiral turned to Vader as the hyperdrive generator powered up, "I hope you are correct about the location. If you are not, then we could be heading to our deaths."

"I am correct." Vader said firmly.

Thrawn took a deep breath then nodded. As Vader turned to leave, Thrawn called him.

"Lord Vader."

The Dark Lord glanced back it him.

"Did you manage to see anything when you made contact with the mural? I remember reading that certain force adepts are susceptible to strange visions. Visions that could grant clarity regarding the past, present, even future. I assume that you experienced one when you contacted the mural? Perhaps what you saw can give us some more clarity as to what we seek. I assume that is how you came to the conclusion that our search must enter the Deep Core. But, I want to know if there is anything else I need to be aware of before risking my ship and crew on such a mission."

Vader glared at Thrawn. The Chiss was perceptive. An intelligent operative. No wonder the Emperor promoted him through the ranks so quickly. A loyal soldier with such intelligence was a rare commodity to have.

"No." Vader replied. He turned on his heel and marched off of the bridge.

"A pity." Thrawn sighed.

"Hyperspace coordinates are locked in, Admiral." One of his technicians barked.

"Engage."

The hyperdrive generator roared to life. The stars outside of the _Chimaera_ turned into streaks of brilliant light. And the ship shot across the stars.

….

He sat patient. Still in the night. Fingers tented in front of his face. His eyes stared into the shadows of the room. The only light provided by the moon filtering in through the large glass windows.

For a barracks room, this place seemed very comfortable. There was a large, queen sized bed resting against the wall beside the door. A desk rested against the opposite wall. Papers and documents were stacked in neat rows on the smooth desktop. A row of books ranging in color from black and purple to blue and red lined a small shelf beside the desk. Whoever lived in this room was used to the comforts of a luxurious life. They expected to come home to a warm fire, a warm bed, and a relatively stress free environment.

Equus smirked. He was looking forward to shattering such a perception.

There was a flurry of voices beyond the rich, wooden door. He heard a smaller voice squeaking orders at some larger ones. A woman's exasperated tone hit his ears. Then she faded away with the deeper tones. He crossed his legs and waited for the door to open.

"Unbelievable!" The worm called Excellus cried as he pushed his door open, "How many times must I teach a soldier how to feed a child?"

Equus arched an eyebrow as he got a good look at the cretin in the moonlight. A pale, plump man. Fat, red lips that resembled fresh sausages. Jowls that jiggled as he muttered under his breath. A revolting human to look at. Equus's nose wrinkled as a wave of overpowering perfume hit his nose.

"I have to do everything around here." Excellus grumbled as he failed to notice Equus sitting in the shadows.

The pudgy man lit a lantern on his desk and sat down. He plucked a quill and dabbed some ink onto the end.

"How to begin this letter to Lord Validar?" Excellus wondered out loud.

"Start with how you captured the wrong child." Equus's rich voice pierced the air.

"What!? Why would I-" Excellus froze in his seat. Slowly, his body turned to look at Equus, "Who the hell are you? How did you get in here?"

Equus leaned back in his seat, "Our Master is displeased by your actions, Excellus."

Excellus narrowed his eyes at him. One of his fat hands plucked a spell book from the nearby shelf. Equus arched an eyebrow as the fat man rose to his feet and opened the tome.

"You are an intruder!" Excellus exclaimed, "I have no master! Not even the mighty Conqueror can-"

Equus rose from his seat. A chill swept through the air as he leaked power from his body. His eyes flashed from their normal, soft brown to a blood red crimson. Excellus panicked and fired a thunder spell at the Deadlord. An attack the monster brushed to the side with a wave of his hand. The thunder crackled against the stone wall then died away. Leaving nothing behind but a black scorch mark.

"You do have a master. You just do not know it yet." Equus replied, "I have come here on behalf of the Fell Dragon himself."

Excellus began to tremble before him. The spell book slipped from his grip and hit the floor with a loud bam.

Equus shot across the room and seized the fat man by his thick throat. Without any effort, he lifted Excellus up on his feet. Excellus's eyes bulged from his skull as he felt Equu's grip on his throat tighten.

"Such a pathetic life form." Equus snarled, "It is a shame I am not allowed to kill you."

He let go of Excellus. The man dropped unceremoniously to the floor. He scrambled onto his hands and knees and bowed low to Equus.

"My lord." He groveled.

Equus's face twisted in disgust, "Pick yourself up before I take you by the throat and do it myself."

Excellus shoved himself back up to his feet. Showing much more agility than Equus thought was possible for a man of his shape. The Deadlord stood tall over the shorter man. His gaze scrutinized every little thing about Excellus. From his posture and nervous ticks, to the way sweat beaded on his brow when faced with such a superior being.

"If you are one of our Master's servants, then perhaps we deserve to lose." Equus snarled with disgust.

"What- what have I done to anger Lord Grima?" Excellus squeaked, "I-I followed Validar's orders exactly. I was told to capture the boy named Kage. And I did just that."

"You captured the wrong boy, fool." Equus's eyes flashed bright red again, "The one that is a danger to our Master's plans still roams free." He glowered down at Excellus, "And you are going to tell me where I can find him. Since you are incapable of accomplishing even the simplest of tasks; I have been sent to clean up your mess."

Excellus paled, "H-how could I possibly know where to find the one you seek?"

"Think. Use what few brain cells you have." Equus growled, "You captured Prince Kage, the child version of the one we seek. So who would be interested in making sure he is rescued?"

"Ch-child version?"

Excellus appeared puzzled. But he did not babble anymore, much to Equus relief. Instead, the man furrowed his brow and thought long and hard.

"Other than the boy's direct family, if he is just a younger version of your prey, then perhaps the one you seek would like to rescue him."

"Well done. You actually rubbed two brain cells together."

Excellus bristled, "I am much more intelligent than you give me credit for. It took many days of meticulous planning in order to capture the Chon'sin Prince."

He glared at Equus as the Deadlord moved towards his desk. The Deadlord's fingers flicked through multiple letters and notes until he stopped on one. He yanked that note free. His red eyes lingered on the text for a couple minutes. Rage filled him as he comprehended what he read on the note.

"So, not only did you manage to capture the wrong Kage, but you threatened his family as well?" Equus glanced up from the note at Excellus, "Truly your stupidity knows no bounds."

"I have to make it look like I still serve the Conqueror and not the Grimleal!" Excellus argued.

"How is that relevant to what I just said? This little note here, a reply from General Yen'fay, signals submission. But only at face value." He threw the letter in Excellus's face, "If you were half as smart as you thought you were, you would know that as soon as Prince Kage was beyond your grasp, his family would turn on you. That would draw Walhart's ire. Not towards Yen'fay. He would expect such a reaction. But to you for even creating such a situation in the first place. Which jeopardizes your position at Walhart's side. A position our Master is keen to keep." Equus saw realization rush over Excellus's face, "You sacrificed a long term victory for short term pleasure." He snorted, "I still wonder why I am not allowed to kill you. A being of such low intelligence such as yourself would be quite easy to replace."

Excellus fell to his knees again, "For-forgive me, my lord! I-"

An invisible force gripped Excellus. It squeezed so hard that it felt like his bones were about to break throughout his body. The force levitated Excellus up into the air and floated him so that he was mere inches from Equus' hate filled gaze.

"Save your groveling for when our Master is victorious."

The force dropped Excellus. Once again, he lay in a heap on the floor of his personal quarters.

"Are you aware of any rescue attempts in progress?" Equus asked.

Excellus swallowed hard, "No. I am not. But I did recently learn that the Governor of Chon'sin, Princess Say'ri, has decided to leave on an extended vacation. She took one personal guard with her. A stranger from Ylisse named Luke."

Equus furrowed his brow. Princess Say'ri was the older sister of Prince Kage. This was not a vacation. It was a thin disguise for a rescue attempt. Any member of the Chon'sin royal family would have an entire retinue of guards to accompany them anywhere. Yet she traveled with just a lone man. That alone spoke to the skill and power her single bodyguard possessed. Which told Equus all he needed to know.

Princess Say'ri's bodyguard was the man he was looking for.

"Make certain Prince Kage is delivered to Plegia within the month." Equus ordered Excellus, "You have started down this foolish road. Now you must see it through. In the meantime, I will deal with the actual threat."

Without another word, Equus exited Excellus's quarters. Once he stepped out into the hall, the red eyes that showed Grima's power coursing through his veins faded back to brown. It did not take him long to find Fort Steiger's exit. When he did, he took a deep breath.

The crisp night air rushed through his reborn lungs. Equus closed his eyes and breathed deep again. When Grima brought him back to life, he had been confused at first. The last memory he had was a bit hazy. He recalled being on a ship of some sort. There was an old man in a chair. His prisoner? He felt weaker in that memory. Less focused and far less powerful than he felt now. There was a younger man before him. That man was conflicted about something. Equus was at his mercy. The old man croaked a command at the younger one. Then there was nothing. Just an endless black void.

Then he heard Grima's voice call to him. Felt the Fell Dragon's power grab his soul and breathe life back into it. Reborn as the greatest of the dark lord's servants. A Deadlord.

He owed his existence to Grima. His newfound power belonged to the Fell Dragon. A gift given to him so that he may carry out his Master's wishes. Equus ran a hand through his white beard and nodded. There was still a nagging feeling in his mind. A presence that demanded to be in charge. Denied the gifts his Master granted him and yearned to be free of the Fell Dragon's grip. A part of his mind locked away. And with it, memories and experiences unknown and uncountable.

Equus shook his head and refocused himself. The mission at hand was more important than his own personal feelings. The boy known as Kage would be captured. He would see to it himself. And when he accomplished this task for his Master, perhaps then he would learn more about who he once was. A reward for his loyal service.

He turned his eyes to the southern road. He could feel the boy's presence in the air. The Force raged like a black storm cloud in that direction. Kage's power was unmistakable. It would not be hard to find him.

All he had to do was start walking.

* * *

Birds chirped soft, mellow notes in the night air. A peaceful wind swept through the large boughs and branches over Marth's head. Carrying a slight chill from northern Valm. Stars twinkled like small torches above her head. Some of them were obscured by the enormous tree that Marth decided to make camp beneath.

She knew this tree. Or, at least had heard about it. The Mila Tree, a massive thing that towered high up into the night sky above her. It was so tall that Marth could not even see the top, no matter how far back she craned her head. According to legend, the Mila Tree marked the resting place of two divine dragons. As a result two trees of mammoth size emerged and eventually intertwined into one. It was a sacred site in Valm. Revered by all in the region.

And she was going to have a good night's rest beneath it.

Marth did not start a campfire as she rolled out her small bedroll. A campfire was too risky. She had noticed a large presence of Valmese soldiers in the region. She had a feeling they were in the area in order to guard the Mila tree. Especially since there was no significant settlement in the area. Marth did not know why they sought to guard the sacred tree. Perhaps it was that significant to the religion in this land? Maybe rebels threatened to use it in some sort of scheme to upset the Valm Empire? Whatever the reason, it was not her problem. As long as those soldiers did not bother her, she would not bother them.

The horse General Yen'fay gave her lay down in the soft earth beneath the tree and dozed off. The loyal beast was tired. Marth rode the poor thing hard for a long time before finally deciding it was time to rest. Hopefully when all of this was done, when baby Kage was rescued and older Kage was dead, she could rest and reward the horse that carried her so swiftly through Valm.

A long sigh left her lips. It was still a long way to Fort Stieger. At least another three days of hard riding. Maybe more depending on the whether and how often her weary body needed to stop.

She lay back on her bedroll. Her eyes felt heavy. After several quiet minutes, she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Heat torched her skin. Fire crackled all around her. Screams pierced her ears. Marth jolted upright. Eyes wide and heart racing.

She was in the Ylisstol Palace. And it was burning. Fire rushed over the wooden beams above her head. The glass mirror across the room cracked from the intense heat. Smoke choked the air. Marth rolled over and pushed herself up to her feet.

Coughs wracked her lungs. The smoke burned her eyes. But she had to find out what was going on. Who was attacking the palace?

The answer came with a loud boom that shook the floor beneath her feet. Marth stumbled and fell to the ground. It felt like an earthquake. A rush of wind whipped through the room she was in. She heard scattered shouting from beyond her door. Marth surged back to her feet. As she reached the door, she heard something heavy smack against it.

Within a split second there was a shout. A enormous bang hit Marth's ears. The door shattered into splinters in front of her. The shards cut into her skin. A shock wave sent her body flying back across the room and out onto a stone balcony that overlooked the city.

She let out a long, pain filled groan as she lay sprawled out on the stone balcony. Somehow, the heat was even worse outside than it was in her room.

She tried to raise her head, but the pain proved to be too much. A wet cough left her lips. She could feel blood dripping out of the corner of her mouth. Her one good hand ran over her abdomen. Her heart started pounding. Her clothes were sticky with blood. With each hammering beat of her heart, she felt her ribs shift. Tears pooled in her eyes as she struggled to fight back screams of pain.

With what little strength she had remaining, Marth rolled over onto her back. There could only be one reason Ylisstol was burning. She had seen it once before.

The Fell Dragon Grima had attacked. That had to be why her home was in flames. That had to be why she heard men dying in the city around her. Once again, she had failed to stop him. Once again, the enemy of all humanity won. The world she knew was over.

Through bleary, tear filled eyes, she stared up at the smoke filled sky. She expected to see Grima in all of his terrifying power. A massive, six eyed dragon that towered over the city. Whose roar could shake the very earth it trod upon. The doom of all mankind. The harbinger of death for all living creatures that called this world home.

Instead she saw something that boggled her mind. Floating high above was an enormous, gray, triangular… something? Was it a flying ship of some sort? She did not know. She had never seen anything like it. Other, smaller things came flying out of large gaps along the sides of the ship. Green flashes of light rained down from the flying ship and crashed into the city around her. As the green lights impacted, they exploded. Sending debris and fire flying high up into the air.

She studied the ship above her, taking in every detail to memory. Down to the strange animal carved into its belly. As she lay there, her blood pooling around her, she heard metallic footsteps approaching.

"My lord," A muffled voice hit her ears. It sounded artificial. Strangely metallic. Her vision grew weak. But she could still see who spoke.

A soldier in spotless, white armor approached her. Behind him were two others wielding strange, blunt, black sticks. Another man wearing a white, cloth uniform rushed towards her and opened up a kit filled with bandages and other strange medical devices.

"Hurry up." One of the soldiers barked through his helmet.

The helmet terrified Marth. It looked like the man was casting a permanent scowl at the world. Black, lidless eyes stared down at her from the white helmet. She could not see the person behind them.

"She needs to live. Those are Lord Vader's orders!"

Marth raised her brow.

 _Lord Vader?_ Was there a Lord in Ylisse by the name of Vader? She did not recall one.

As her vision faded, the world around her rippled. The voices from the soldiers faded away entirely. Her sight began to white out. A new voice hit her ears.

" _Lucina."_

He sounded older. Wise and authoritative. But kind and gentle. Marth swallowed hard. She did not feel like she was in pain anymore. As she sat upright, the carnage and destruction around her rippled out of existence.

Ylisstol no longer burned around her. Instead she was in a giant, dark, humid swamp. Dirt and moisture clung to the exposed skin on her hands and arms as she rushed back up to her feet. Confusion filled her. What exactly was going on? How was she not dying? Why was she not in Ylisse? Where was she for that matter?

" _Calm yourself, Lucina."_

A man covered in pale blue light appeared in front of her. His appearance matched his voice. He was tall and weathered. Long brown hair ran down in great locks over his shoulders. A neatly trimmed beard lined his chin. His eyes were soft and kind. His clothes were simple robes and a cloak that was very similar to Ben's.

" _You have nothing to fear."_

"Who are you?" Marth asked, "Where am I?" She narrowed her eyes at the translucent figure, "How do you know my real name?"

The man gave her a gentle smile, " _My name is Qui Gon Jinn. And you are on the planet Dagobah. As for how I know your real name, you need to ask Obi Wan to help you sharpen your mental defenses."_

Marth drew back in surprise, "How do you know my Master?"

"His Master, he was once."

She twirled on her heel and reached for Falchion. Instead of the hilt of her sword, she only felt her leather belt. It was one thing to see a glowing, blue guy in front of her. That could be explained as some strange magical spell. But a little green man with pointy ears and enormous wrinkles was completely insane.

The little green man grunted and hobbled up to her with the help of gnarled wooden cane.

"This one, Qui Gon?" He asked the glowing man behind Lucina.

" _She is the one, Master Yoda."_

The squat green creature narrowed his bulbous eyes at Marth. His wrinkled lips pressed together in what had to be a frown of some sort.

"Hmm… clouded her future is."

"My future?" Marth glanced back and forth between the two strangers, "I know what my future holds."

She yelped when the little green man whacked her shin with his gnarled cane. As she hopped up and down, the little creature known as Yoda harrumphed.

"Improved as a Master, Obi Wan clearly has not." He grumbled, "Fail to listen to Qui Gon, he did. Heh! Know everything, he thinks, hm."

Marth bristled, "Do not insult my Master! He is-" She swallowed hard, "Was a great man. I could not have asked for a better teacher."

"Not much choice, were you given. Hm? Change, that will." Yoda remarked.

" _What he is trying to say Lucina, is that the future you know is no longer certain."_ Qui Gon's gentle voice explained, " _The actions you and others have taken have thrown everything out of focus. Even I, someone who is one with the force, can no longer divine what the future holds. I can only glimpse possibilities."_ Qui Gon looked past her, " _Would it kill you to be less grumpy, Master Yoda?"_

"Grumpy, me!?" Yoda cried, "Grumpy I can be! Nine hundred years old, I am. Right to be grumpy, earned I have!" A long sigh left the ancient creature's lungs, "But, correct Qui Gon is, Lucina. Yes, correct." He sagged in front of her, "Seemed hopeless, for so long, it has. The Dark Side, powerful it has become. For an old Jedi like me, too much to handle."

Marth's eyes widened. This old creature was a Jedi Master? That meant that the glowing man was also a Jedi of some sort. Embarrassment rushed over her face. She quickly bowed to both of them

"F-forgive me, Masters." She stammered, "I had no idea."

"Heh! Manners at least, Kenobi taught her." Yoda laughed.

" _There is nothing to forgive, Marth. This is but a vision. You have not personally offended any of us."_

"Personally offended, I am!" Yoda grumbled, "Fail to mention me, Kenobi did. Or you! Or Skywalker's failure! Bury his past, he did, Doom the future in the process, he may have." Yoda pointed at Marth, "Up to you it may be, to save the future. To save our last hope, from the enemy. And from himself."

Marth's eyes widened, "Y-you're talking about Kage, aren't you?" She shook her head, "I'm supposed to save that monster?"

"Monster? Hm… Monsters you know, young one. Kage, not one he is. Misguided, yes. Lost, maybe. But monster? No." Yoda corrected.

" _There is good in him, Marth. We have sensed this. Seen it even."_

"You don't know him." Marth snarled back, "He has tried to kill me! He betrayed me and my friends. He helped kill Exalt Emmeryn. Which set all of these events into motion."

"Oh?" Yoda hummed, "One event, cause all hardship did it? Fail to see the scope of the universe you do. Fail to understand the scale of the Force. Arrogant you are, to think that by alter one event, change others, you can."

Marth bristled a little. She looked over at Qui Gon, "Could you please tell your friend to speak plainly so that I can somewhat understand him?

Yoda whacked her other shin.

"Speak fine, I do!"

" _Enough, both of you."_ Qui Gon let out a small sigh, " _Lucina, our time together is running short. You wish to kill Kage. We brought you here to tell you to not take that course of action. Doing so will doom not only your friends and home, but the rest of the galaxy as well."_

 _GALAXY!? What galaxy!?_

She gave Qui Gon a confused looked. Beside her, Yoda closed his eyes and hummed to himself. In that moment, a wave of power slammed into Marth. It felt so bright. So pure and comforting. It nearly brought the girl to her knees. She gazed at Yoda in stunned silence.

"Powerful, young Skywalker has become." Yoda hummed. His power returned to his small body, "Dark he is. But… evil he is not. Our enemy, Sidious, hmmm…true evil, that is. Defeat him, only Skywalker can."

Marth felt even more confused. Was Skywalker another name Kage had? Was it a code name of some sort? A nickname? She remembered Ben using a stage name called Obi the Skywalker during their travels in Plegia. Did it have something to do with that.

"None of this makes any sense." Marth said. Frustration filled her voice.

"Trust in the force, young one." Yoda hummed, "Guide you, it will."

" _Do not kill, Kage."_ Qui Gon told her. His gentle voice held a firmness to it as he spoke, " _Return to Obi Wan. Complete your training. Both of you will need it."_

The world around her rippled once again. Qui Gon's blue form faded away. Yoda turned away from her and hobbled through the swamp towards a small hut in the distance. As the world faded to black, questions plagued Marth's mind.

Why was she the one that had to save Kage? Could he even be saved? How could she possibly forgive him for everything he had done?

An even darker question hit her as she lost consciousness. The two Jedi Masters mentioned an evil she had never heard of. An evil not named Grima. An evil that may have been behind the carnage she saw in the first vision.

 _Who is Sidious?_

 **And chapter! This was more of a set up chapter. A lot of building towards bigger things. We have Thrawn and Vader narrowing their search for Lucina down to a section of the galaxy. A very dangerous section of the galaxy for that matter. Equus made Excellus squirm and is now setting his sights on Kage. And Marth just saw a possible future and got paid a visit by two very powerful Jedi Masters. This is getting interesting! Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	54. The Sandstorm

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 54

The Sandstorm

The embers of last night's fire spat as it began to die away. Red, hot, glowing coals in the warm morning air. The sun had yet to rise over the vast sand sea that was Plegia's northern wastes. It would be a few hours before the heat became unbearable. Which meant it was time for Ben and his friends to rise and travel as far as they could through the sand dunes until the heat forced them into the shade of their tents.

Ben awoke first, as always. He rarely slept well. Nightmares still plagued his fitful nights. Every night was a new battle he relieved. Last night it was the Battle of Christophsis. One of the very first major conflicts in the Clone War. He and Anakin barely managed to pull out a victory on that world. Even then, the victory was temporary. The planet remained mired in conflict for most of the bloody, galaxy wide war. Despite the Jedi's best efforts to drive the Separatists from that portion of the galaxy.

It was also the place where he met Ahsoka Tano for the first time. The snippy Jedi Learner that became Anakin's Padawan on that battlefield. She grew so powerful during the course of the war. She was destined to become a very wise and powerful Jedi Knight. Anakin was always so proud of her.

Ben let out a sad sigh. Then the little one left. The result of a decision by the Jedi Council that Ben deeply regretted. He wondered how the little Togruta was faring. Was she alive? Did she survive Order 66? Or did the clones under her command on Mandalore betray her as well? He hoped not. Ben could not bear to think of someone as kind and fun loving as Ahsoka as a victim of the Empire's bloody first strike. Another body to add to the overwhelming number of dead Jedi.

He shook his head. Enough of that. If he dwelled on such things it would put him in a sour mood. Well, he was already in a bad mood. They all were back in the desert after all. He began to align with Gaius' point of view. Deserts were the worst places to be. If he was allowed to hate a climate, then this would be it. The heat scorched any exposed skin. But it also made wearing any protective clothing suffocating. Sand got everwhere whenever he walked through the dunes. This place was as unpleasant as any Ben had ever been. Tatooine included.

Ben rose and nudged Robin awake. The tactician mumbled beneath the book that covered his face. He fell asleep reading again. Another nudge from Ben's boot shook his friend from his sleepy state.

"Good morning." Robin yawned as he pulled the book from his face and stretched his arms over his head.

"Studying last night?" Ben asked as he stoked the fire. Someone had to cook breakfast after all. And the smell of bacon was the only thing that would rouse Gaius.

Robin brushed some hair from his face, "Yes actually. I'm trying to perfect Bolgannone. Anna was not wrong when she said it was a complex spell."

"You managed to cast it back in Regna Ferox." Ben muttered as he yanked a skillet out from the back of Anna's cart and set it up over the rekindled fire.

He placed some raw strips of bacon on the hot skillet and sat back as the meat sizzled. Moments like this made Ben extremely glad they befriended the red haired merchant. The amount of supplies she had in her cart boggled the mind. Sealed jars of preserved food made cooking a simple job. And she had some sort of potion in stock that was able to keep even raw meat preserved for long periods of time. Potions that were much too expensive for Ben's pocketbook, according to Anna.

"Yeah, but only one time." Robin noted, "And it took a great deal of effort. I want to get to where I can cast a spell like that without even having to think about it. And that requires brushing up on magical theory. Courtesy of the spell book written back when I didn't have amnesia."

Ben smirked a little. He sniffed the air. He could already feel his mouth watering. This world had such good food. It may be backwards when it came to technology, but the cuisine more than made up for the lack of convenience.

"How is that coming anyways?" Ben asked.

"Hm? My amnesia?" Robin sighed, "Nothing still. I'm beginning to think that I might never trigger any memories. Perhaps I am destined to never remember anything and only recall the life I began back in Southtown all those months ago."

Ben chuckled, "Since when do you believe in destiny?"

"Never." Robin snorted, "But, who knows. It could happen."

Gaius poked his head out from his own tent. The red head's hair was splayed in all different directions. He sniffed the air and sighed.

"Bacon." He moaned as he sniffed the air.

The thief's mouth watered as he trudged through the sand and over to the small fire.

"It's almost ready." Ben chuckled as the sleepy thief flopped down beside the fire.

"I'll go wake the others." Robin said.

There was a loud noise from the back of Anna's cart. Both Ben and Robin craned their heads. Anna came flying out of the back. A bright smile already on her face. She stretched her arms high over her head and let out a happy sigh.

"One down." Ben muttered, making Robin chuckle.

"Good morning!" Anna said in a sing song voice.

"Morning." Gaius mumbled as he grabbed a plate and took some bacon from the skillet.

"You seem rather chipper this morning." Ben noted as he passed a plate over to Anna.

The shopkeeper smiled, "I have a good feeling about today. That is why."

"Why's that?" Gaius mumbled.

Panne emerged from her tent. The Taguel stretched out and sat down beside Gaius. The thief passed her a plate then munched on his own bacon.

"Because, I just do." Anna replied. She took a bite of her breakfast, chewed, then swallowed, "We are pretty close to a popular caravan route. Maybe we will find my sister out this way."

"Correction." Laurent appeared and sat down next to Robin, "This _was_ a popular caravan route before the war with Ylisse. Since it has become quite abandoned. As can be seen by the lack of evidence for any other encampments in the area."

"Quit being such a downer, Specs." Gaius groaned, "Anna just got my spirits up for getting out of this damn desert soon and you had to dash them."

"I don't recall words being capable of destroying hopes and dreams so easily." Laurent rubbed his chin, "Interesting…"

"Ever heard the old expression: Sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me?" Donnel asked the Scholar as he took his own seat around the fire.

"I don't think so? I believe I can derive the meaning though. The proverb you mentioned clearly states that-"

"It's bullshit." Gaius snarked, "Words can hurt. It is best if you learn how to ignore them though. This is good bacon, Ben."

"Thank you." Ben nodded back. He took a glance at the eastern horizon. A faint orange glow began to drift higher into the pale, purple sky, "We're running out of time. Is Tharja almost up?"

"Do you wanna try and wake up the crazy dark mage?" Gaius snorted, "Be my guest. But don't blame me if she turns you into a toad."

Ben sighed and shook his head. The thief still held a bit of an irrational fear towards Tharja. A fear that probably would never go away. He grew up in Plegia. Witnessed the atrocities of the Grimleal first hand. While he doubted Gaius feared Tharja, he feared the people she once allied with. And that was enough to stoke some rather strong feelings. Even though Tharja had done nothing to warrant such fear.

Well… there was that one time where Donnel accidentally walked up to a stream she was bathing in. It took both Ben and Robin's interference to save his life that time. And the way she brutally dealt with enemies on the battlefield. And… Ben sighed. Maybe Gaius's feelings did have some merit. Tharja could be rather intimidating. Ben had just managed to get past that very prickly exterior to the point where she did not outright threaten him at all. He was not on the receiving end of her dark musings.

Which made him the perfect person to try and wake up the slumbering mage.

He stood outside of Tharja's tent and took a deep breath.

"Tharja, it's time to wake up."

No answer.

Ben glanced back at the others. Robin gave him a thumbs up, then quickly averted his eyes. Gaius scooted so that Panne blocked the path between him and Tharja's tent. Anna watched with bated breath. And Donnel looked pale as he waited anxiously. The only one that did not appear nervous was Laurent. He was too busy reading his notes from the previous night.

Ben tapped his knuckles on the tent pole.

"Tharja."

A small, incoherent grumble slipped from the tent. Donnel shot across the campfire and took shelter behind Robin. The tactician gave Tharja's tent a wary glance but kept his own composure.

Ben rolled his eyes.

"If we don't get moving, it'll get too hot for us to travel."

No answer again.

"I think she might be dead." Gaius called over to Ben, "And as my good friend Reg always told me: 'It is best not to wake the dead.'"

To Gaius's horror and the others shock, Ben ignored the thief's warning and surged into Tharja's tent.

There was a scuffle. A sharp cry of pain. A sudden poof of purple smoke. The tent's small doorway flew open. Ben emerged with a raging Tharja thrown over his shoulder.

"PUT ME DOWN AND LET ME SLEEP!" Tharja roared as she struggled against his surprisingly strong grip.

"No time." Ben huffed before setting her gently down beside the campfire, "Eat up. You'll need your strength."

Tharja gave Ben a dark glare. She then noticed the quivering plate held out to her by Robin. The dark mage flicked her furious eyes up at the tactician. He did his best to hide fear, but he was wise enough to know that the dark mage was pissed. Her pale hands snatched the plate from him and she wordlessly picked at her breakfast.

Ben took his seat on the other side of Robin. He smiled a little then popped another piece of bacon into his mouth. He was about to ask why everyone was so quiet. That was when he realized everyone was staring at him.

Gaius looked completely dumbfounded. His jaw hung open. Panne actually had to reach over and close it for him. Anna uttered a nervous laugh then averted her own stunned gaze from Ben. Donnel had a look that bounced between utter terror and complete amazement.

Robin leaned close to Ben.

"You are the only one that will ever get away with something like that." He whispered out of the corner of his mouth.

"Why do you think I did it?" Ben smirked back, "How is the food, Tharja?"

A blast of purple magic slammed into Ben's jaw. The swordsman flew backwards. He wound up sprawled out flat on his back. Completely dazed.

"I guess not." Robin shrugged.

"She heard you." Ben replied with a weak groan.

Laughter filled their little campsite. And to Ben's own amazement, he saw Tharja snickering a little as well. She picked some more at her food and remained mostly silent save for a few small chuckles. The swordsman picked himself up from the sand, brushed a few loose grains from his cloak, and returned to his seat beside Robin.

"So?" Robin asked, "East? West? North? Or south?"

Anna raised her hand, "I vote south!"

Robin arched an eyebrow as he looked across the camp at her, "That was a quick decision. Why south?"

Anna pointed at something beyond Robin. At that moment, Ben saw some fear rush into Anna's eyes. Ben furrowed his brow and rotated along with Robin in order to look at what Anna was pointing at.

It was massive. A towering, dark wall on the horizon. And it grew larger by the second. Ben's heart started to race. Gaius jumped to his feet, completely alert now.

"SANDSTORM!"

Tharja flew into action. She raced back to her tent and retrieved her spell book. Anna scrambled to gather up her cookware. But Gaius grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her towards the cart.

"No time! That thing will be on top of us in minutes!"

"Do you have any idea how expensive that skillet is!?"

"I'll steal another for you!" Gaius roared, "But that requires us to not be buried alive! Benny, Bubbles, let's go!"

"Everyone into the cart!" Robin ordered.

They all piled into the back of Anna's cart. No one cared about her merchandise stacked in the back. That stuff did not matter anymore.

Once everyone was aboard, Anna snapped the reins. Her horse bucked and charged south. The cart rumbled and rocked through the sand. The steed did everything in its power to outrun the storm. But when Ben glanced back, he saw that the sandstorm gaining on them.

"Offload stuff!" Ben barked.

"What!?" Anna cried, "Let's not get too hasty back there!"

Panne chucked a heavy crate full of bronze daggers out of the cart.

"You're gonna pay for that!" Anna roared.

"We need to lighten the load so that your horse can actually pull us!" Ben shouted back.

Anna glanced back at the storm as well. Her eyes widened as she realized how close the storm was to swallowing all of them.

"The bronze stuff only!"

"You heard the lady." Gaius said as he grabbed several bronze axes and threw them out into the desert.

The sandstorm roared behind them. The noise was enormous. A constant crashing sound like ocean waves slamming into solid rock. The wind raged around the cart. Threatening to hoist the thing up off of the ground and fling it right into the storm's waiting jaws. Anna snapped the reins again.

"Faster girl!" Anna called to her trusted horse.

"It's gonna eat us." Gaius trembled.

Tharja peered forward into the distance. Her pale finger shot out.

"Village to the right!" She screamed.

Anna yanked on the reins. The horse whinnied and took off in that direction. Soon the sand dunes became hard, rocky ground. The cart bounced high as it hit several large rocks. Tharja gasped and lost her balance. The dark mage tumbled out of the cart just as they neared the village.

"Tharja!" Ben jumped from the cart.

"Benny!" Gaius shouted.

Robin was about to jump after them, but the thief stopped him.

"No! Not you too." Gaius barked as he held the tactician back.

"They'll be buried alive! We have to-"

"If you go too that leaves me in charge. We both don't want that." Gaius pointed out.

A loud curse erupted from Robin's lips. He stared in horror as Ben pulled Tharja to her feet. They sprinted after the cart. But they were too slow. The sandstorm engulfed them. The pair disappeared from view as Anna careened the cart into town.

"Stables on the left." Laurent's calm voice rose above the sandstorm's massive roar.

Sand shot past the cart as Anna banked hard into a sheltered, sandstone alcove that sat beside a large hut near the center of the village. She jumped down from the cart and shielded her face with her arm. She undid the yoke on her horse and pulled the terrified beast into the building. The other Shepherds rushed in after her.

Donnel slammed the door shut behind them. Once he did, he sank down to the floor. His chest heaved up and down. Sweat caked his dirty face.

"No more sand, please." The farm boy gasped, "I'll gladly shuck corn over running from that."

Gaius spat some sand from his lips. He shook his head. Flinging a cloud of dust around him. Panne scratched some sand from her ears. Laurent wiped off his spectacles with a small rag. Robin and Anna latched any windows they found before finally sinking down to the floor as well.

Once they all caught their breath, Robin uttered a loud curse and slammed his hand into the wall behind him. Startling everyone else.

"We left them." Robin said bitterly. He took a deep breath. Trying his best to force back tears.

Gaius swallowed hard, "We had no choice. If we stopped all of us would be out there right now."

Donnel cringed as he heard large blasts of sand slamming into the stone structure around them. Gaius nodded at the farm boy.

"It'll only get worse. Once the wind picks up enough, that sand will move fast enough to shred flesh from your body." Gaius took a deep breath, "Oh gods…" He buried his head in his hands and shuddered.

Panne's ears drooped, "Y-you don't mean to say Ben and Tharja are-"

Gaius sniffled and nodded. He wiped some tears from his cheeks.

"It'll be a miracle if they survive."

"We gotta go find em then!" Donnel cried.

"That is not possible at the moment." Laurent said somberly, "The sand is too thick and storm too furious. We won't be able to see our own hands in front of our faces if we walked out there. Not to mention death by sand blasting. It is not a pleasant end." He sighed, "We will have to wait it out. Once the storm passes, we can search for them."

Anna gulped, "Or… what's left of them."

Robin surged to his feet, "They are not dead!"

The tactician stormed out of the hut's common room and into one of the smaller rooms that branched off from it. Anna bit her lip and moved to go apologize, but Gaius stopped her.

"Let him cool down and catch his breath. Bubbles will start thinking clearly in a few minutes." Gaius swallowed hard and took another shaky breath, "Guess I better start praying to those gods I don't believe in huh?"

Donnel gave him a grim nod. Panne curled up on the floor and remained silent. The thief gave her a small, comforting rub on her shoulder before letting out a long sigh.

"Rest for now you guys. As soon as this storm is over, we will go searching for Benny and Sunshine."

* * *

The wind howled around Tharja. Sand whipped up from the ground all around her. She thought she was dead. As soon as she hit the ground behind the cart and rolled to a stop, she felt tremendous terror in her. This was how it was going to end for her. Consumed by the desert sands of her homeland. Honestly, it was an ending she had considered but never thought would actually happen. And she did not want it to happen. She was not ready to die.

Her terror mounted when she saw Ben leap down from the cart and race to where she fell. What was he doing? The fool was going to get himself killed! Now instead of just her dying, he would die as well. What good did that serve anyone? She wanted to scream at the stubborn oaf. But the storm was close. It drowned out any other sound.

Ben's hands gripped her wrist and he yanked her to her feet. Both stumbled just as the they turned to race to town. Tharja saw Ben's eyes widen as he looked back to see the storm's jaws ready to consume them. To Tharja's surprise, he did not leave her. He grabbed her, held her close, and tensed.

Tharja squeezed her eyes shut and waited for the end. Waited to choke to death on the very land she had been born in. The sand slammed into both of them. Bit into their skin and drew some blood. Ben let out a loud cry and suddenly, the sand stopped blasting into both of them. Tharja did not even have time to open her eyes before he yanked her in the direction of the village.

They stumbled through the growing piles of sand. They already rose to Tharja's knees. In minutes they would be buried alive. She gulped and clung to Ben. Whatever he was doing to keep the storm at bay was working. But she could feel his breaths leaving his lungs in ragged gasps. The power he tapped into was exhausting him. If they did not find shelter soon, it would be all over.

Vague shapes formed around both of them. The outlines of sandstone hut. Ben pulled her in the direction of the closest one. They slammed into the sandstone wall. Tharja felt several grains of sand break through whatever barrier Ben had in place. Desperately, they clawed around the hut until they found the door. Ben shoved it in and pushed Tharja into the shelter first. As soon as she fell inside of the dark hut, Ben gasped. His barrier fell and sand blasted into his back.

He winced and stumbled forward. With what little strength he had left, Ben managed to defeat the raging winds and close the door. He latched it and collapsed against the hot, dry wood.

His chest heaved up and down. Sweat caked his body. Tharja stared at him with shock and awe. Did she just receive a glimpse of Ben's true power? But that shock and awe was replaced by anger as she caught her breath. She stood and stomped her foot.

"What were you thinking!?" She cried.

Ben gave her a weary look. He did not answer her. Instead he reached up and wiped a hand over his face. Wiping away some sweat and sand from his eyes in the process. At that moment, Tharja saw that his clothes and cloak were shredded around his back. Some blood painted the wooden door Ben rested against.

She forgot all of her anger as she rushed forward and placed a numbing hex on him. A relieved sigh left his dry lips once the pain faded away. Slowly, she leaned him forward.

His back was a mess of bloody gashes and dry scrapes. Nothing fatal. But certainly not comfortable. Tharja frowned and yanked the remains of his cloak from his shoulders. Once she did that, she flipped her spell book open and placed a hex on him that caused the wounds on his back to immediately clot.

"I-" Ben sucked in a deep breath and uttered a dry laugh. "I thought you said hexes were not beneficial spells?"

Tharja frowned, "That particular one I just casted is usually the cause of heart attacks back at the Temple. I just modified it to suit my purposes." She flung his cloak to the side and undid the clasp on her own black cape. She placed the smaller cape over his shoulders, "Keep that on. It'll help keep the wounds from rubbing against anything else."

Ben gave her a weary nod. After that, she helped him to his feet and guided him over to a dusty, wicker chair on the wall opposite of the main door. He slumped into the chair. If the numbing hex was not on him, he would have winced in pain. But Tharja made sure to execute that spell to perfection. Ben would be unable to feel any pain for a few days. That would allow him to heal nicely.

Once she was confident Ben could not injure himself any further, Tharja relaxed and slumped into the chair beside him. They stayed silent. During the silence, the dark mage got a good look at the hut they were in.

It felt oddly familiar to her. The wicker furniture was well worn. There was an old rug on the sandy ground that had started to decay. The windows were already shuttered closed. Two other rooms branched off from the main room. One door lay in splinters on the ground. The other was flung wide open. But she could not catch a glimpse of what lay in the other rooms.

And at the moment, Tharja did not care. She gave Ben an angry look. The exhausted man glanced over at her.

"Hm?"

"Hm!?" Tharja fumed, "That is all you can say?"

Ben winced, "To be fair, I'm technically supposed to be in a lot of pain right now. And I am also extremely tired."

She glowered at him, "Why?"

Ben arched an eyebrow, "Why?" He snorted, "Because you are my friend Tharja. I'm not just going to let one of my friends die."

Tharja folded her arms over her chest, "So you would willingly throw your own life away in a rash attempt to save mine!?"

Ben gave her a nod.

She shook her head and muttered under her breath words that Ben could not hear. But he was certain several had to be curses involving his own foolish decisions. Regardless of what she thought, he did not regret his actions. Not one bit.

Tharja took a deep breath. She exhaled slowly.

"So…" She said. Apparently a little calmer than before, "How exactly did we manage to survive that?"

Ben took a deep breath, "A force technique that I used often during the Clone Wars, though it had only been put to the test like that once before. I raised a Force Shield around us. I can only hold something like that for a short amount of time. And it takes a great deal of energy to maintain."

"I can see that." Tharja muttered, "How long until you will be recovered?"

Ben shrugged, "Depends really. How much rest are you going to let me have?"

Tharja snorted, "As much as needed. We can't really go anywhere at this point." She rose from her chair and dusted some sand from her body.

Tharja took another look around the hut's main room. She could not shake this strange feeling of familiarity she had with this place. It sat with her. Pounded against her mind. A strange sense of nostalgia. This was not a new place for her. She had been here before. But when? A long sigh left her lips.

"I'm going to take a look around real quick." She told Ben, "Maybe I'll find something useful."

Ben gave her a weak nod then let his head fall back against the back of the chair. Tharja shook her head as she made her way to the room with the intact, open door. He really should not have done something so stupid. Her life was not worth his.

She entered the room. It appeared to be a storage space of some sort. There were a few clay pots scattered about the room. Some of them were cracked open and consumed by the desert's shifting sands. Others were still sealed closed. Tharja approached one and tapped her knuckles against it.

There was a faint echo and the sound liquid rippling inside. A small, pleased smile graced her lips. At least they had water. She would unseal this pot later. Beyond a few other small knick-knacks, the room did not have much to offer. She did spot a tarantula scuttling across the wall. She was tempted to grab it. But her other alchemy ingredients were in Anna's cart. So there was no point in taking the arachnid.

Tharja emerged from the storage room to find Ben already asleep in his chair. The power he used exhausted him. She was curious about that one other time his shield had been put to the test. It had to be a moment of dire peril. Perhaps she would ask him later.

Her heels turned and she approached the room with the splintered door. She peaked inside. A bedroom of some sort. There was a rickety, sand covered mattress lying against the far wall. Designed for two people. Perhaps a couple shared this hut? She then noticed a few toys littered the floor. Some blocks. A wicker doll. Tharja narrowed her eyes and reached down for the doll.

It's stringy hair was stained black. Almost as dark as her own. There was a crude, crooked smiley face carved into the doll's head. It's cloth dress had been mostly eaten away by the elements. But she could see that it used to be a vibrant red color. She frowned and turned it over in her hand.

Her breath caught in her throat. Embedded in the back of the doll, wedged between the wicker that the doll was made of, was a ring. The sand had stolen it's golden shine, but she recognized it nonetheless. She wore a similar one upon her own hand. It was not a wedding ring. No, Tharja never shared a romance with anyone. It was a family ring. A symbol of status among the people of Plegia. More specifically, among members of the Grimleal. Her finger brushed against the Eyes of Grima etched into the gold.

Her heart pounded in her chest. An endless thump. If felt like a drum was beating in her chest. She gingerly cradled the ring in her hands and compared it to her own.

They matched.

A gasp rushed form her lips and she dropped the ring. No, she could not be here. This place was-

"Tharja?"

She twirled around and saw Ben leaning against the door of the bedroom. Even though he was there, she could not suppress a sniffle. She felt some tears run down her cheeks.

"What is wrong?" He asked her.

The dark mage swallowed hard. She knelt back down and picked the ring up from the floor.

"I-" She sniffled again, "I know this place."

Ben gave her a puzzle look. He hobbled across the room and peered at the ring in her hands. He noticed the ring on her right hand. His eyes widened.

"This was your home?" He breathed. Correctly guessing the significance of the two rings.

A tear ran down Tharja's cheek. Ben felt his own breathing stop. Tharja did not cry. She did not ever appear sad. She never showed any emotion except for frustration, anger, and sometimes dark satisfaction. Her small hand clenched tight over the dull, golden ring.

Ben could tell she was on the verge of collapsing right then and there. There were memories associated here that were painful for her. He placed his finger beneath her quivering chin and lifted her head so that she looked at him.

"Memory walk?" He asked. His voice quiet and gentle.

He saw some fear flash through Tharja's eyes. Her gaze darted around the room. She took a deep, shuddering breath and guided Ben over to the straw mattress against the wall. They both sat down on the edge. Tharja closed her eyes and clutched her spell book close to her chest.

"I-" She opened her eyes and grimaced, "I'm not sure about this."

Ben nodded, "I wasn't when we first did this either. But," He reached out and gently took her hand, "If it helps me, it'll help you too."

Tharja gave Ben a hesitant look. She could see the concern on his face. He would not let her face this alone. And that was comfort enough for the dark mage. She flicked her spell book open and began the incantation for the scrying spell. Only this time, the subject was not Ben. No, they would be going into her mind. Her memories. That would require a slight alteration. She adjusted the spell and completed the incantation. Purple runes raced from the book and crawled over her and Ben's skin.

They both closed their eyes. When Tharja opened hers again, they were still in the bedroom. But it looked different.

Sand was not piled up on the floor. In fact, the floors of the hut were a lovely, polished, bright tile that felt cool to the touch. There was more than just the toy doll on the floor. There was a stack of blocks with various magical runes carved into them. A toy cart sat against the wall opposite of the bed. It all appeared so neat and clean.

The mattress she and Ben sat on was not choked with sand. It was soft but firm. Freshly made. A comfortable thing to sit on. But Thraja did not want to sit. She rose to her feet and took a couple careful steps forward. Ben rose with her.

The dark mage drew close to the open door. When she did, a woman's voice hit her ears. Freezing the dark mage in place.

" _Vazol! Hurry up and bring Tharja back in."_ The woman called out the open front door, " _Supper is almost ready!"_

" _Coming Nasai!"_

Tharja peaked around the door. Her heart would not stop pounding in her chest.

There was her mother, just as she remembered her. Her black hair looked exactly like her own. Straight and sleek. As shiny as obsidian. Her skin was also pale. But instead of Grimleal robes, she wore simple peasant clothes, complete with a cooking apron that was a few sizes too big for her skinny frame.

Ben noticed Tharja start to tremble. But he said nothing. This was her battle, not his. He would help if she needed him to. But for now, he remained a silent observer as she saw her mother for the first time in years.

Although, the Jedi could not suppress a small laugh as a small, black haired toddler came bouncing into the hut. A mess of giggles and playful cheers erupted from the little girl as a large, tanner man barreled into the hut.

Tharja took a deep breath. Her father. Just as she remembered him as well. He always looked so big and strong. She inherited his dark eyes. But not his bright smile which seemed infectious at the time.

" _Here comes the the lion!"_ He playfully roared at little Tharja before scooping her up in his arms and hoisting her high above his head. Much to the toddler's delight.

Even Tharja had to utter a small chuckle when her younger self brought a fist down on her father's nose. The man recoiled but did not appear angry. Instead he just laughed and flicked her nose.

" _That's my girl."_ He placed her back down, " _Go get all that dust off of you. Daddy needs to talk to mommy."_

The little girl nodded and rushed away to the storage room. But she did not go all the way inside. Instead, she lingered near the door and listened in on her parents.

" _So what did the elders have to say? Are they going to let them stay even after their deception?_ _"_ Nasai whispered to her husband as she finished cooking some peppers over a small stove.

" _The High Priestess and her child? Yes, they are."_

Tharja drew back in surprise. She did not remember this. Or she did, but did not actively recall it. She took a few more steps towards her parents. All of her attention focused on the conversation they were having in hushed voices.

" _The elders accepted her!?"_

" _Against my own council. Yes, they did."_ Tharja's father breathed, " _They agreed to shelter her and the boy."_

A terrified gasp rushed from Nasai's lips, " _You know what that means, Vazol!"_

" _I know. I already plan on making sure we leave and find another village somewhere else. Validar will not tear my family apart. I swear that on Grima's name."_ He took a seat in the same wicker chair Ben had been sitting in. " _But we will not worry about that right now. We will solidify our plans tomorrow. For now, lets rest and enjoy this time together."_ He winked over at the storage room, " _I see you over there my little sorceress."_

Little Tharja giggled and sprinted back out from the room. Her father enveloped her in a large hug.

" _Did you get the dust out of her hair?"_

She nodded. Her father gave her skeptical look. His large, calloused hand reached down and rubbed her head. Sending a shower of sand all over the place.

" _You did not!"_ He said, feigning betrayal and shock.

Tharja's mother chuckled, " _Enough playing you two. Supper is ready."_

Just as her mother moved to hand her husband a bowl of stir fried vegetables a loud cry came from outside. Tharja and Ben both saw her parents tense up. A loud boom hit the little hut. In an instant, Vazol was on his feet. He handed little Tharja over to Nasai and raced to a shelf near the door. He plucked a dark tome from the books on the shelf and opened the front door. Fear washed over his face.

" _Vazol?"_

" _How did he find her so quickly!?"_ Tharja's father gasped.

" _Vazol!?"_ Tharja's mother called.

Tharja paled as her father turned and gave her mother a terrified look.

" _Validar is here, personally."_

" _The villagers don't stand a chance!"_ Nasai gasped.

" _Neither do we. We must run, now!"_

Nasai scooped little Tharja up and sprinted out the door after her husband.

"No, not that way." Tharja breathed before chasing after the memory of her parents.

Ben followed her. When he stepped out into the village square, he was met with chaos. Black magic swirled through the air. A purple haze settled over the ground. Villagers ran about in a panic. A few of the braver souls grabbed sickles and other sharp tools in order to try and defend themselves. And in the chaos, Ben lost sight of Tharja.

"Tharja!" He called.

She did not answer him.

A sinister laugh hit his ears. Ben turned and saw a thin, tall form emerge from black smoke. He recognized him even now. The man who attempted to assassinate Emmeryn at the start of the war with Plegia. The late High Priest of the Grimleal, Validar. He appeared younger in this memory. There were not as many lines on his face. And his beard was a darker shade of black. But his skin still held that sickly color to it.

He showed no mercy to the villagers. With a swipe of his hand, an inferno consumed the few who brandished makeshift weapons. His eyes blazed yellow and he pointed at little Tharja and her family as they sprinted towards the safety of the nearby dunes.

" _Kill them!"_ Validar snarled.

Five Grimleal mages rushed out of the smoke and fire. Ben twirled around and gave chase.

" _The rest of you find them!"_ Validar shouted above the chaos and carnage, " _Find my son and that traitorous witch!"_

Ben's eyes widened as he saw more Grimleal mages attack the village. Validar brought an entire legion of them with him. But why? These poor villagers were defenseless against such an assault.

A shriek raced across the fiery desert. Ben felt horror grip his heart. He turned his gaze and saw Tharja sink to her knees just as her father was cut down by the Grimleal. But not before he took four of them with him.

Nasai threw her daughter behind her. Tharja's mother raised her own tome and began to furiously cast spell after spell at the attacking dark mages. Her fury was something to marvel at. Ben now understood where Tharja got her power from. Her mother had to be one of the most powerful mages Ben had ever seen. Not a single Grimleal was able to stand against her.

The bodies began to pile up. Little Tharja clung to her mother's skirt. Tears stained her dirty cheeks. Ben's heart froze as he saw her father raise a hand to the sky.

Little Tharja raced away from her mother towards her dying father.

" _Tharja!"_ Nasai shrieked, removing her focus from the battle at hand.

A blast of dark magic unlike any Ben had ever seen before slammed into Nasai. The powerful mage spun around then fell into a heap on the ground. Smoke drifted up from her still form. Ben felt her life force instantly leave her body. He searched for the spell's origin. Validar confidently strode towards the fallen mages. The Jedi's fist curled up at his sides. How could that monster so callously kill innocents?

Ben finally reached Tharja. The Dark mage stared blankly at the scene before them as she knelt in the hot sand. Too paralyzed with fear to move.

Her younger self reached her father. He uttered some weak gasps and sputtered out a bloody cough.

" _Run… Tharja… please."_

The little girl did not listen. Her small hands grabbed her father's spell book. She struggled to pick up the heavy tome. But when she did, she flung the cover open and pointed a defiant hand at the approaching Validar.

A blast of dark magic shot from the little girl's hand, surprising the High Priest. He grunted and took a step back as the blast smacked him in the jaw. Tharja managed to draw blood from the corner of his mouth. Validar reached up and brushed the blood away with the back of his hand.

Vazol tried to sit upright.

" _Do not touch her you-"_

Another blast of dark magic hit Tharja's father. He fell back into the sand. Eyes filled with death's vacant stare.

Tears poured down little Tharja's cheeks. But she remained defiant. Just as she tried to replicate her success with the first spell, Validar reached down and ripped the spell book from her grasp.

His yellow eyes regarded her with contempt. But also with a small hint of curiosity.

" _That was a rather impressive little Flux you managed to cast."_ He muttered, wiping away fresh blood from his lip, " _Not many are able to land a blow like that on me anymore."_ His evil eyes regarded Tharja, " _You have marvelous potential. I may not find my son today. But perhaps I have gained nice little consolation prize instead. Take her!"_

Grimleal mages approached and grabbed little Tharja. As they took her away, Ben could feel rage seeping out of his friend. The memory began to shimmer around them. Ben took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

When he opened them again, he was back in the hut. It was dusty. Damaged. Old and covered in sand.

Tharja was not sitting beside him. Instead she stood in the center of the room. Her hands wrapped around the little doll with the faded red dress and lopsided smile.

Ben got to his feet and took a cautious step towards her.

"Tharja?"

A rage filled cry erupted from the dark mage. A pulse of magic so powerful it nearly knocked Ben off of his feet surged from her pale body. When the pulse faded, the doll crumbled to ash in her hands. Her shoulders shuddered for a second. A deep breath rushed through her lungs. Then she stood still. Eyes staring down at the ash by her feet.

"I hate that memory."

Her voice was a whisper. The confidence that normally permeated it was missing. Without another word, she strode back into the main room and left Ben alone in her parent's room.

* * *

Gaius frowned as he sat in the hut's empty main room. The others were all trying to be as relaxed as possible. Anna would not stop fretting about the products she had in her cart. It would take hours to clear the sand from her merchandise. That was a chore the thief was not looking forward to.

He leaned back against Anna's horse as the beast rested. The horse snorted and shook it's head, flicking its mane over Gaius's face. The thief sputtered as some sandy horse hair got in his mouth.

"Rude!" He said as he glared at the horse.

The horse snorted again. It did not care. Gaius groaned and got to his feet. His mouth felt dry like sandpaper. Gods, he could use a drink. He doubted he would find any water in this abandoned hut.

It had been hours since they entered the hut in order to escape the sandstorm. This had to be one of the biggest storm's Gaius had ever seen. He dared not peak outside. Opening a window could be deadly. But he could hear the storm swirling outside. Pounding against the stone hut with lethal intent.

 _It's a good thing us desert dwellers are good builders._ Gaius thought, _Those wood buildings back in Ylisse would have been pulverized by now._

He took a look around at the others. Anna managed to start a small fire a few hours ago. So the inside of the hut was not pitch black anymore. Donnel stayed as far away from any windows as he could. The farm boy pulled some jerky from his travel pack and began to pass it around. Gaius felt his stomach rumble. Some proper food would be great right about now. Laurent had his nose in his spell book, as always. Specs was always trying to learn something new. And Whiskers napped off in a darker corner of the room. Her quiet snores brought a small measure of comfort to everyone else in the hut.

But Bubbles was nowhere to be found. It had been hours and he was still in one of the rooms that shot out from the main space. Gaius frowned.

"What is he up to?" He mumbled to himself.

The thief got to his feet and made his way over to the next room. Robin took the sudden loss of Ben and Tharja hard. The sandstorm consumed them. And while Gaius did not want to believe they were dead, it was the most likely scenario. If the sand did not bury them alive, then it would have shredded them to ribbons. The desert sand in this area was as coarse as sandpaper. With how fast the storm was moving, it would only be a matter of time.

Gaius shook his head. Without Benny and Sunshine, the road would be a little more boring. He enjoyed antagonizing those two. It was his way of showing some affection. While Tharja did make him nervous due to her Grimleal upbringing, he had grown to appreciate her. Even value her strange form of friendship.

And Ben… that guy was the reason he was even alive. Ben had been one snap decision away from killing him all those months ago in Ylisstol. Back when Gaius ran around with fellow thieves and dangerous assassins. Without that small act of mercy, Gaius would be dead. That thought never left the thief's mind. He owed everything since to Ben. While he would never let the swordsman know that, he still felt that way. The guy had earned his friendship and loyalty. Even if he was a touch too uptight at times.

Gaius peaked into the spare room. To his surprise, there was more furniture in this room than in the main room. Most of it was made of wicker, like everything else in Plegia. Boring, reedy, and very uncomfortable to sit on. But there was Bubbles, sitting on one of those chairs. A dusty, leather bound tome sat in his hands. One he plucked from a sand covered bookshelf that sat off to the side in the room.

The dark room appeared to be a study of some sort. Old books lined several shelves along the walls. A small alembic and a mortar and pestle sat near the boarded up window. Some vials meant for potion crafting lay in piles around the crafting spot. Scrolls and empty inkwells littered the sandy floor. The more Gaius looked at it, the more of a bad feeling he got. This was a mage's study. And the only mages in Plegia belonged to the Grimleal.

"Hey uh," Gaius gulped, "Bubbles, you okay?"

Robin looked up from what he was reading. Gaius could see some long dry tear stains beneath his eyes. He exhaled loudly and tapped a finger against the open page he was reading.

"I um-" Robin swallowed hard, "I've just been reading."

"Obviously." Gaius snorted. He strode over to Robin and looked over his shoulder. There was some sort of magical mumbo jumbo on the page that he could not understand, "What's it about?"

"That's the thing." Robin breathed, "It is a formula for a Thunder spell."

Gaius was even more confused, "Ok? So it is a Thunder spell. Big deal."

Robin shook his head, "It… it kind of is a big deal." He reached into his own coat and withdrew his own spell book. He flicked through the pages until he reached his own Thunder spell, "Take a good long look."

Gaius narrowed his eyes at both texts. He hummed to himself. Lots of notes. He arched an eyebrow. The thief was impressed. Robin had very neat handwriting.

"What am I looking for?"

Robin rolled his eyes, "The formulas are identical. Down to the notes taken about the spell." He closed his own spell book and placed it back into his coat.

"Ok? So they're the same." Gaius replied, "Big deal?"

"At first, no." Robin remarked, "But the more I read this spell book," He lifted the older, dustier one from his lap, "The more similarities it shares with my own."

Gaius furrowed his brow, "What are you saying exactly?"

Robin took a deep breath. He shook his head and got to his feet.

"I don't know." He placed the spell book back in its spot on the dust covered bookshelf, "At first this was just another hut to me. But… the more I look around, the more everything looks familiar." Robin frowned. His fingers lingered on the spell book he just placed back, "I can't help but feel a strange sense of nostalgia while I sit in this room."

Gaius's eyes widened, "Do you think this might have something to do with your amnesia?"

"I'm sure of it." Robin replied, "But, there are no memories bursting forth. Just feelings. Intense feelings associated with this place. I close my eyes and I can feel happiness and innocence. But at the same time, there is fear and uncertainty in this place. I can't explain how I feel these things. What I can do, is recognize that everything about this hut, this village, is familiar to me."

Gaius shrugged his shoulders, "Maybe you lived here at one time?"

Robin nodded, "That's entirely possible." He long sigh left his lips, "I wish Ben was here. I don't know what he would do, but there was always something he could do to help sift through these confusing thoughts."

"Yeah," Gaius nodded, "I'm not much help in that regard."

His eyes flicked around the room. His inner thief would not stay still no matter what. There was a lot a valuable stuff in here. The alembic near the window appeared to have some crystal mixed in with the normal glass. That would fetch a nice bit of gold. He was sure Anna would pay an enormous amount of coin for any one of the spell books he saw. Hell, all of the paper on its own would fetch a minor fortune back at the Plegian Capitol.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed something odd about the wall near one of the bookshelves. Gaius frowned and strode across the room over to it. The stone looked different. It was a different color. A different pattern sat embedded in the rough rock. He walked over and ran a hand over the odd stone.

"Gaius? What exactly are you doing?" Robin asked.

Gaius raised a finger. Silencing the tactician. He pressed his ear against the stone and knocked his knuckles against it. A hollow thunk rang out.

"There's something behind this." Gaius said, "C'mon give me a hand."

Robin arched an eyebrow, "Gaius?"

"Just help me pull the stone out of the wall." He drew his sword and wedged the tip of the blade into one of the cracks on along the edge of the rock. With a quick wiggle of the blade, the stone shifted out. Robin came up and grabbed one side while Gaius gripped the other.

"This is a big rock." Robin grunted as he pulled on it.

"Pull together." Gaius said, "One, two… three!"

They pulled with all of their might. The stone refused to budge for the first few tugs. Then, on the final tug, it slipped free from the wall. The large slab slammed into the floor with a mighty crack. The tile hidden beneath the layers of sand on the floor shattered beneath its weight. A rush of stale air hit both Gaius and Robin's noses.

"A cut out. I knew it!" Gaius smirked, "What shiny things is this little hut hiding!?"

Robin let out an exasperated sigh as Gaius stuck his head into the hole.

"Gaius, there's probably nothing. This place is long abandoned."

A sudden gasp rushed from the thief. He jumped and smacked his head against the top of the cut out. A loud, snarl of pain erupted from Gaius before he yanked his head free.

"You see? There is nothing. Probably just spiders or sand." Robin said.

Gaius gave him a fearful shake of his head. Robin furrowed his brow as Gaius motioned for him to take a look.

Robin swallowed hard. At first he thought Gaius might be trying to prank him. An odd way to raise his spirits. But the thief appeared paler than a ghost. Robin could sense genuine terror radiating from the man.

Despite his own uncertainty, Robin stuck his head in the hole. His blood went cold when he did.

Sitting in the darkness were two, black boxes lined with gold. One of them was open.

"Reeking boxes." Robin breathed.

He pushed himself away from the cursed objects. Gaius gave Robin a shaky nod.

"You and I are thinking alike. Best to let the sand bury those and-"

"Grab the closed one." Robin said.

Gaius jumped back from Robin, "Are you out of your mind!?"

"Grab it and put it into the coat." Robin replied as he pulled his spell book from his large pocket in order to make space for the reeking box.

"Why me!?"

"Because we don't know how it will react to a mage's touch. You don't have magic. So it'll likely remain dormant if you touch it."

A small whimper left Gaius's lips, "I'm telling we should leave it alone."

"We won't get another chance like this. With that one box, we could learn how to actually destroy them."

"Or we will accidentally unleash hell!" Gaius hissed back.

Robin gave Gaius a pleading look. The thief drew back.

"D-don't look at me like that. No! Puppy dog eyes do not work on me. Not unless you are a cute girl. That's different." He folded his arms and frowned at Robin. The tactician did not relent. Gaius sagged his shoulders, "Fine."

"Thank you, best friend."

"Now you are lying to me too." Gaius snorted as he reached into the hole and grabbed the closed reeking box, "What's next? You profess your undying love for me? You owe me a cart load of candy for this."

Robin wrapped his hands in his sleeves and gingerly took the box from Gaius. He then rushed over to the alchemy station and grabbed a ratty, old cloth from beneath the alembic. He wrapped the dark cloth around the box and placed it inside of his coat.

"I still say this is a bad idea." Gaius remarked.

"Say it all you want. You won't change my mind."

There was a knock on the open door. Both Robin and Gaius turned to see Donnel standing in the doorway.

"Guys, I think the sandstorm's done."

Gaius arched an eyebrow. He craned his head to the side and strained his hearing. He could not hear sand blasting against the hut anymore. And the wind did not howl like an unholy monster outside. The farm boy was right.

Cautiously, Gaius moved to a window to confirm his suspicions. He opened the latched window and peaked outside. A large portion of the village was buried beneath sand. But that was good. Gaius could actually see the rest of the village. The storm was over.

He gulped and glanced at Robin. He could feel dread creeping into his heart.

"Let's hope for the best. But... um... be prepared for the worst."

Robin gave Gaius a grim nod. It was time to search for Ben and Tharja.

* * *

Ben found her sitting on the floor of the hut. Head bowed. Fingers fidgeting with the black, leather binding of her spell book. Tharja was eerily silent, even by her own standards. The only noise in the hut came from the howling wind and rampaging sand outside. He carefully walked over to her and took a seat across from her on the floor.

"Tharja? Do you need to-"

"I don't need to talk." She interrupted with a grumble.

Ben frowned, "You make me talk when we go through my memories."

"Your memories aren't staring you in the face at the moment." Tharja snarled back.

Ben let out a small sigh. He glanced around the small hut. This was Tharja's childhood home. This was where she was likely born. This was where she learned to take her first steps. Spoke her first words. She probably began her magical studies in this very room. It had to be a difficult place for her to sit. Ben could not even imagine how it would feel to be sitting in the spot where people close to him were murdered. If he went through a memory walk while inside the Jedi Temple, he would probably be in just as foul a mood as Tharja.

"I'm sure they're proud of you." Ben said softly.

Tharja flicked her dark eyes up from her spell book.

"Proud of me?" She hissed back, "You think they would be proud of me? I joined the very people that murdered them."

"You were forced to Tharja."

"I could have left at any time. But I didn't. I dishonored their memory by remaining alongside that monster." Tharja replied, "Sure, did I gain knowledge and power unimaginable by doing so? Yes. But I still-"

"You still left." Ben interrupted, "When given the choice between helping the Grimleal and leaving to forge your own path, you chose the latter."

Tharja snorted, "That would hardly make them proud of me. I'm still a Grimleal mage." She sighed "I've probably been excommunicated now that I think about it. I am a traitor after all. Leaving the Grimleal does not automatically make me a good person worthy of my parent's love and praise."

"You're right." Ben admitted, "It doesn't. But what you have done after leaving the Grimleal would." He gave Tharja a small smile, "You have fought for justice. Done battle against dark forces like Maul and King Gangrel. Fought to save lives, both of friends and strangers. You have done the right thing… in your own strange and twisted way."

A small laugh left Tharja's lips as Ben spoke. A shuddering breath left her lips.

"Maybe you're right." She muttered. Another deep breath rushed in and out of her lungs, "You know, I don't really remember being raised by them. I was barely old enough to start learning magic when my mother and father died." A small wistful smile crossed her lips, "I was actually raised by two other mages that took pity on me at the Temple. They protected me from any nasty curses. Taught me how to hex people when I was only five years old. Fought to take care of me, despite my youth and weakness at the time."

She gave Ben a small smile. Not a dark smirk that held hidden intent behind it. But a genuine smile. A beautiful thing that rushed over her pale face and brightened the dark room.

"I guess, you could say I had two sets of parents. One taught me how to take care of myself and how to become a powerful mage. The other… the ones we just saw, taught me how to take care of others. The meaning of sacrifice. What happiness and family felt like." She wiped a small tear from her eye, "Maybe one day, I'll have that feeling again. And now I will know what it feels like when it happens."

Ben smiled and nodded, "I'm glad to hear that."

Tharja sniffled. The smile on her face remained as she sat quietly with Ben. It was a small, quaint smile. Barely showing any of the bright teeth behind her pale lips. But Ben could not help but feel overjoyed for her. It was the first time he had ever seen her let her guard down. Drop the terrifying facade and relax. It was a nice thing to see.

She blinked. Her smile broadened.

"I-I think the sandstorm is finished?"

Ben strained his hearing, "It sounds like it." He extended a hand to her as he got to his feet, "Shall we go inform the others that we are actually alive?"

Tharja laughed, "I have a feeling Gaius will think we are the walking dead."

"I would not put that out of the realm of possibility."

Ben pushed the door open to the hut. And both stepped out into the scorching desert sun.

 **And chapter! I have been waiting to write this chapter for WEEKS! I have so much fun writing Ben and Tharja's parts, you all have no idea. And I loved putting this little spin on the little memory scenes I have been writing for Ben. Plus this give Tharja some enormous background and character development. And the wall she normally puts up is officially gone when it comes to Ben. That will make them even more fun to write! I'm so excited!**

 **This chapter was originally going to be much bigger. But the second half of this chapter was going to be so much more different in tone than what I have uploaded** **that** **I decided to break it up into two different chapters. Better for the flow of the story that way. Also, I just checked my word count and I'm over 10,000. First time ever!**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	55. Equus

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 55

Equus

Robin emerged from the hut. Each movement carefully considered as his feet sank deep into piles of loose sand. He stumbled forward a couple paces and glanced around the village.

Even less buildings stood now. A enormous majority of the sandstone huts had been consumed by the storm. Forever buried in the desert. He considered himself and his friends lucky to be able to emerge from their own shelter. Some sand still swirled around the village, but it was not life threatening anymore. More of nuisance than anything else.

He glanced back at the hut's half buried doorway.

"We're good!" He called.

Gaius poked his head out. Just as he was about to scramble out of the hut, Anna shoved her way past him. Plowing the poor thief right down into the sand.

"My cart!" She cried as she found her large wagon in rough condition.

Sand clogged the storage space in the back. The canvass roof had been torn to bits by the ferocious sandstorm. As she fretted over the ruined cart, Donnel emerged from the hut. The farm boy carefully guided Anna's horse out of the small entryway and brought her over to the frantic merchant. While she rushed about her cart, he calmly hooked the horse back up to the cart.

"Er, Miss Anna, do ya need any help?"

Anna stopped trying to dig her cart out. She took a few steps back and uttered a loud sigh of defeat.

"It's going to take forever to get it free." She mumbled despondently.

"Forget that!" Gaius barked as he pushed himself back up to his feet. He spat some sand from his mouth, "We need to find Benny and Sunshine."

Robin nodded in agreement.

"Look, Gaius," Anna sighed, "If my cart is buried, then I'm pretty sure your friends are too." Anna folded her arms, "I'm sorry to say that, but that is the truth."

Laurent poked his head out of the hut.

"Fascinating." The Scholar said, "A sandstorm's path of devastation is both so easily identifiable but at the same time, so easily blends in with the land around it." He adjusted his glassed, "I am afraid Miss Anna may be correct. The sand has built up to the point where most huts are completely buried."

"You don't know Ben like we do." Robin replied as Panne pushed her way past Laurent and began to sniff the air, "He has survived way more dire situations than this."

"Jumping off of Pegasi is not the same as taking on mother nature herself." Laurent replied.

"Gods damn it, Specs! Would you stop!" Gaius roared.

"Stop what?"

Robin placed a hand on Gaius's shoulder. Holding the thief back from rushing at the Scholar and beating him to a bloody pulp. Gaius took a shaky breath and jerked his body from Robin's hand.

"C'mon, we got a village to search."

Panne sniffed the air some more. Her ears then flicked to the northern edge of the village. A broad smile crossed her face. Before anyone could ask her what made her so happy, she bounded through the sand in the direction of an almost completely buried hut at the edge of the village.

"Whiskers! Wait up!"

"Don't go running off. Who knows what is out here." Robin called, suddenly remembering that there was an open reeking box in the hut they just exited.

The group raced after the Taguel. As they approached the buried hut, a wooden door burst open around the side. Robin's heart soared as he saw the pair emerge from it.

"Benny! Sunshine!" Gaius cried as he sprinted past the tactician over to the sand covered dark mage and swordsman.

Robin paused in his mad rush to his friends. They were alive, but they both looked a little worse for where. Ben's cloak was missing. Instead, Tharja's cape hung over his shoulders. He had a small limp to his walk. And his friend looked completely exhausted. Tharja appeared physically fine, save for a few scrapes and bruises. But the wet tear stains beneath her eyes were unmistakable.

Panne reached the pair first and nearly tackled them both to the ground. It took Tharja threatening to hex all her fur off in order to get the Taguel off of both of them. Gaius bull rushed into both and enveloped the pair in a large hug.

"How in the hell did you two manage to survive?" Gaius asked as he held onto both of them.

Tharja flicked her eyes over at Ben, "Get him off of me." She hissed.

Ben chuckled and pried Gaius's arms from around both of them. The thief jumped back as Tharja swiped at him with an open hand. A lighthearted laugh left his lips.

"You'll have to be quicker than that, Sunshine."

Tharja grumbled under her breath. She wanted to hex the man. But her hands were full at the moment. Ben could barely stand on his own. The exhaustion in his muscles grew worse by the minute.

Robin slowly approached the pair.

"Ben, Tharja," He started to laugh, "You two have to be the luckiest people I know."

"There is no such thing as luck." Ben replied dryly.

"How did you manage to survive the storm?" Laurent asked.

"We thought you both were goners." Donnel piped up.

Both Ben and Tharja glanced at each other. The dark mage could see Ben's eyes beginning to droop. She shook her head.

"Damn fool." She muttered with a small smirk on her face, "We will explain later. All you need to know is Ben is insanely powerful but he is also very drained right now."

"Let's get him over to Anna's cart." Robin nodded as he hooked one of Ben's arms over his shoulders, "I got him from here, Tharja."

The Dark Mage let out a small relieved sigh. Robin could see she was reluctant to let Ben out of her care, but her own weariness won out in the end. She let Robin shoulder the exhausted warrior and followed him as the tactician carried Ben over to Anna's cart.

Anna managed to find a shovel in the back of her cart. The merchant worked fast. She managed to dig out two of her cart's wheels already and was starting to work on one of the front wheels when she saw Robin and the others returning.

"I don't believe it!" Anna exclaimed. The stunned merchant dropped her shovel and watched as Robin guided Ben over to the back of the cart..

Ben gave her a weak smile, "You better start then."

"Gaius, help me get him inside the cart." Robin grunted as he tried pushing Ben up inside.

Both Anna and Gaius moved to help. Anna hopped up into her cart and pulled on Ben while Gaius helped Robin lift him up. Once Ben was lying down in the cart, the others took a moment to catch their breath.

"What now?" Gaius asked Robin.

"Now," Robin sucked in a deep breath, "Now we figure out where to go next."

"This has to be the only shelter for miles." Laurent pointed out, "I wonder how this place even existed. There are no natural springs or oasis nearby." He rubbed his chin, "Perhaps a magical element was at work here?"

"Does it matter?" Gaius replied, "The sooner we leave this dust bin the better." He hopped up into the cart and took a seat on a large, soft pile of sand, "I'm ready to go when you all are."

Robin rolled his eyes, "Always on the move." He muttered before motioning for the others to pile into the cart.

Once everyone was aboard, Robin took a quick look around. Something felt off. For some reason, he felt like he was in danger. That something deadly was approaching. A gut feeling he could not explain. He furrowed his brow. Perhaps he just felt anxious. Especially now that Ben, the best fighter in the group, was out of commission for now.

No, that was not it. The sense of impending danger only grew inside of Robin. He heard a whisper in his mind. Telling him to be ready for a fight. His hand gripped the binding of his spell book tighter.

"Hey, Bubbles?" Gaius held a hand out to Robin, "You getting in or not?"

"All aboard!" Anna called with a cheerful smile.

Robin shook his head. Why did he feel so on edge right now?

Gaius flicked his gaze up from Robin to the edge of town. His eyes narrowed.

"Hey uh… Anna?"

"Yeah?"

"Why are you over there?"

Robin spun around. He could understand Gaius' sudden confusion. Sprinting towards them from the other side of town was a woman that looked exactly like Anna. She had scarlet hair bound up into a high ponytail. Wore a mottled brown and yellow outfit with a high collar. A sword hung on her hip and she had a skip in her step.

A gasp rushed from Anna's lips.

"That's my sister!"

Gaius's eyes widened, "You have a twin?"

"Technically yes." Anna replied. A frown ran over her face, "What is she doing without her cart?"

"RUN!" Anna's sister screamed over the desert, "They're about to attack! Run!"

Gaius arched an eyebrow, "About to attack?"

Robin's heart hammered in his chest. What was about to attack? The village was completely abandoned. The only people here were himself and his friends.

His heart stopped beating.

"The reeking box." He breathed.

A blast of cold shot through the desert air. A mournful moan drifted along the frozen breeze that blasted the small group of Shepherds. Goosebumps formed on Robin's skin. The mourn grew in pitch until it became an unbearable shriek. The tactician clasped his hands over his ears. Something cold pressed against his side. His eyes widened as he realized the Reeking Box in his coat felt like ice. Panic shot through his heart.

"Risen!" He called back to the others.

A loud cry rang down from the sky. Robin cast his eyes up, ignoring the glaring sun.

Twelve shape emerged in the clouds. Black wings beat against the desert air. Red eyes, both pegasi and undead, stared hatefully down at the Shepherds. Robin's breath caught in his throat.

"Anna! Get us out of here!" Gaius cried.

The thief reached down and grabbed Robin by the back of his coat. He yanked the tactician as hard as he could. Tossing the man into the cart. Once he was inside, Anna snapped the reins. Her horse let out a fearful cry and jetted off in the direction of her sister.

Donnel grabbed a hold of one of the canvas roof's struts. He leaned out of the back of the cart and positioned himself so that he could reach out to the side. The Farm Boy's eyes flicked up to the Risen diving down at them from above.

"Don't slow down!" Donnel shouted over to Anna.

Anna glanced back at him, "Don't miss!" She shouted back, understanding what the Farm Boy was trying to do.

Anna's sister sprinted towards the racing wagon. Large clouds of dust kicked up from beneath the cart's wheels as it surged through the loose sand. The loud cry of undead Pegasi erupted once again. Ringing in the Shepherd's ears.

Anna's sister sprinted up alongside the racing cart. She lunged at Donnel. The farm boy reached and grabbed her by the wrist. With a surprising amount of strength, Donnel pulled the other merchant into the cart.

An arrow whizzed towards them. Donnel recoiled and fell backwards into Gaius as the arrow embedded itself just inches away from his face.

"They are flying now." Gaius gulped as he pushed a pale Donnel off of him, "Sunshine, Bubbles, Specs, now would be a good time to return fire!"

Tharja positioned herself at the back of the cart. Her spell book flipped open. Dark magic pooled into her body. She grit her teeth and launched a deadly Nosferatu at the flying Risen. Beside her, Laurent calmly opened his own spell book and muttered the incantation for a fire spell. The flames raced after Tharja's Nosteferatu. Both spells managed to slam into the same target. The Risen uttered a loud, pain filled cry as it's Pegasus was shot out beneath it. Gaius let out a victorious whoop as it crashed to the ground behind them.

"Keep that up! Bubbles?"

Robin was already moving. The tactician clambered over to sit beside Anna. He raised his eyes to the sky. Several of the Risen fliers were shooting out ahead of them. Trying to cut off their escape. Robin opened his spell book, gathered his magic, and shot a massive stream of fire from his open palm.

The Bolgannone spell startled the Risen above them. Three broke off from their formation. One failed to get out the way in time. The flames consumed the undead creature. Rendering it nothing but ash in the wind. Robin recoiled as the spell's after effects hit him. He failed to cast it properly. As a result, his hand felt like it was on fire. He hissed. The flesh in his palm felt exceptionally tender at the moment.

"Don't push yourself like that!" Tharja called from the back of the wagon, "You don't want a backfire!"

"We all don't want a backfire!" Laurent called over the roar of the Risen and rattle of Anna's cart, "If Bolgannone were to backfire, the flames may very well consume all of us."

"Bubbles! Stop being stupid and cast what you already know!" Gaius screeched as he held on for dear life.

"That is a simpler explanation, but yes, what the thief said." Laurent nodded in agreement.

Robin cursed under his breath. He hissed in pain as he shifted his spell book from his left hand into his right. His right hand felt like it was on fire. He dared not cast another spell with it. The pain grew in intensity as the hot leather from his spell book sat in his burnt palm. He did his best to ignore the burning sensation and instead focused on the static building up in his left hand. A massive thunder spell gathered between his fingertips. With a loud cry, Robin fired the spell up at the Risen.

A massive, yellow bolt of lightning cracked through the sky. And another Risen came plummeting down to earth.

As the flash from the lightning bolt faded, Robin saw a metallic object shrieking down at them. Before he even had time to react, a lance buried into Anna's shoulder. The merchant let out a loud scream and slumped to the side. Her horse bucked and pulled the cart erratically as it sensed it's master in pain.

"Anna!" Panne shouted.

The Taguel used her powerful arms to grab the wounded merchant and pull her into the back of the cart. Laurent broke off from firing offensive spells and immediately set to work on treating the wound. Leaving Tharja alone to handle the large number of Risen chasing after the cart.

"Sister!" Anna's sister cried as Anna's eyes began to roll in her skull.

"Here comes another!" Donnel pointed as another lance shot towards the cart.

Robin set his spell book down and grabbed the reins. He brought the horse under control and continued driving the cart faster through the sand dunes. Behind him, Tharja and Laurent were casting spell after spell. Trying to cut down the Risen attacking them from behind. An arrow whizzed past Robin's ear. He felt the iron tip open a gash along his earlobe. Hot blood leaked down the side of his head.

 _At this rate, we will get picked off one by one._

Robin's tactical mind raced. They needed to find cover. A way to make it difficult for any arrows or lances to be launched at them. He cursed as he struggled to find an answer. They were out in the open. There was no cover. Nowhere to hide. Just sand dunes stretching for endless miles around them.

Another arrow buried itself into the cart. This time right next to where Robin sat. The tactician grit his teeth. He could not defend himself like this. Not when he had to worry about driving the cart.

"Donnel, get up here!"

The Farm Boy did not hesitate. He rushed up to sit beside Robin. Robin handed the reins over to Donnel. With a loud, indecipherable whoop, Donnel cracked the reins. The horse snorted and stormed even faster through the sand.

Robin ducked beneath another arrow. This one flew through the canvass roof. Ripping a hole through the heavy material and just barely missing Panne.

"I'm losing her!" Laurent shouted to Robin.

Robin glanced over his shoulder. He paled at what he saw.

Laurent had removed the lance from Anna's shoulder. Blood covered the wagon floor. Ben had pushed himself up and was doing everything in his power to help stop the bleeding. Anna's sister gripped her hand tight. The wounded merchant's face had lost all of its color. Quick, shallow breaths left her lips.

"Tharja, clotting hex!" Ben called over to the dark mage.

"Who is going to defend the rear!?" Tharja shouted back.

Ben got to his feet, "I will!"

Tharja gave Ben an apprehensive look. His legs were still unsteady. His face held a sickly look to it. But there was determination in his eyes. Tharja nodded and switched places with Ben. The Dark Mage quickly muttered a dark incantation. Within a few moments, the bleeding from Anna's wound stopped.

"How is she!?" Robin called back.

"Alive, for now." Tharja replied before ordering Laurent to start wrapping the wound.

Robin turned his attention to Ben. A flurry of arrows came flying at their rear. Robin's eyes widened in terror. They were going to hit Ben!

A blue bar of light ignited in Ben's hands. With speed and precision that boggled the mind, Ben slashed through every single arrow fired at the cart. The blue light hummed as it slashed through the air. The swordsman created an impenetrable wall of deadly blue light behind them. Not a single arrow would be allowed to pass through.

Robin's gaped at Ben when the swordsman lowered his weapon and thrusted an open hand at the Risen fliers. He watched as one of the undead Pegasi was cast down to the ground by the Force. Robin gulped. He could feel the power radiating from Ben in that moment. It swirled around the wagon like a violent wind. And it was incredible to behold.

"Oasis ahead!" Donnel shouted over the cries of Risen.

Robin returned his focus to what was in front of him. Donnel was correct. A small grove of palm trees and thin brush sprouted from the ground in the distance. Which meant there was water there. And cover from the damn Risen and their arrows.

The cart raced towards the oasis. Towards shelter and a small measure of safety. There, Robin could execute a proper defense. The brush would force the Risen fliers to attack in low swoops. Opening them up for counters from Ben and Gaius's blades. Making it easier for spells to hit them. They just had to get there first.

Robin felt a sigh of relief rush from his lungs when the cart entered the shady oasis. He patted Donnel on the shoulder, telling him to stop the cart. The Farm Boy yanked back on the reins. The cart skidded to a halt.

Robin hopped out of the cart along with Ben, Gaius, and Panne. The tactician glanced at Ben's weapon. A glowing blue blade emitted from a strange silver hilt. Robin's mouth fell open. The blade was the same as the weapons Maul and Kage used. The only difference being the color the hilt produced. Maul and Kage's blades had been blood red. Sinister and terrifying. The aqua blue color from Ben's looked deadly, but it did not appear intimidating. Instead, if filled Robin with confidence. With a weapon like that in Ben's hands, nothing could stand against them.

He held his breath as the remaining Risen fliers landed on the edge of the Oasis. Red eyes stared through hideous black masks. Robin could feel the evil in the air as the creatures leveled lances and prepared to charge at the four Shepherds.

Panne transformed into her beast form. Gaius unsheathed his shortsword and readied himself for the charge. Robin charged another thunder spell in his hand. And Ben twirled the strange blade in his grip.

Robin let out a furious cry. He cast his spell. To his surprise, blue lightning jumped from his hand instead of yellow. And instead of a single bolt, a continuous branch of lightning raced at the charging Risen. The power that coursed through his veins in that moment felt intoxicating. So much power. He could hardly contain it. It was exhilarating.

Ben surged at the riders, forcing Robin to reel back in his lighting. His lightning had a devastating effect on the Risen. Three were instantly vaporized and another two lay on the ground in static filled heaps. Robin's eyes widened. Ben did not want him to use that blue lightning? Why? It had worked so well against the enemy? Why not tap into this power?

Gaius and Panne charged next. The enemy had been caught off guard by Robin's spell. Add in Ben's stunning efficiency with his strange weapon, and the Risen stood no chance. The trio made short work of what remained of the enemy riders. Soon, nothing remained of the Risen but small piles of black ash in the hot desert sand.

As the last Risen crumbled to ash, Ben took a deep breath and deactivated his weapon. The blue bar of light shrank back into the silver hilt in his grip. He swayed where he stood then dropped to a knee.

"Too close." Gaius muttered as he took a rag and wiped ash from his blade, "Right Benny?"

The swordsman let out a dry laugh, "When isn't it?" He took another deep breath and rose back to his feet. His gaze turned to Robin. There wasn't a smile on Ben's face. Instead, he looked a little concerned.

"It just kinda happened." Robin said with a shrug, "I meant to cast a normal thunder spell and then all that blue stuff just came shooting out."

Ben nodded, "I noticed." He patted the tactician on the shoulder, "You lack control." He gave Robin a small smirk, "I guess, in order to avoid any mistakes like that again, you will need some proper instruction."

Robin gave Ben a surprised look. An excited smile rushed over Robin's face, "I look forward to it."

Both Ben and Robin turned to look back at the cart. Tharja emerged from the back and stretched her arms high over her head. She tilted her head to the side and allowed a knot in her neck to pop. A satisfied sigh left her lips as the tension escaped her body.

"My work is done." Tharja breathed, "Anna will live."

"Thank Naga." Robin breathed as Anna's sister emerged from the cart along with Laurent.

"As for you." Tharja jabbed a finger into Ben's chest, "You need to go lie down already before you pass out from exhaustion."

Robin arched an eyebrow as Ben gave Tharja a sheepish look.

"I did just save your life."

"No, Donnel did by finding the oasis." Tharja replied with a smirk, "You just helped out. Now go lie down already." She ordered.

"Why is it that I must always be the one to thank you when you save my life, but you never thank me when I save yours?" Ben teased

"Don't make me hex you to sleep!" Tharja barked, "I promise you I can. And if I do, you won't wake up for several days."

"You'd miss my company." Ben laughed back as he lay back in the shade of one of the Oasis' large palm trees.

Tharja grumbled under her breath in response. Which usually meant that Ben won the argument. The swordsman laughed to himself as he lounged back in the shade. Robin and the others eventually joined him. The adrenaline in all their veins finally started to die down. And exhaustion took its place.

Anna's sister glanced over at the cart where her wounded sister slumbered.

"She's going to alright?"

Robin, "Tharja may be a dark mage, but she is a damn good healer in a pinch."

A light blush of embarrassment tinted Tharja's pale cheeks. She did not reply. Instead, she laid back in the shade and uttered a content sigh. Ben cracked an eye open and glanced over at Anna's sister.

"Wait a minute." He sat upright and stared hard at Anna's sister, "You're her sister?"

The other red head nodded, "Yup! I know, we hardly resemble each other. She is maybe a half inch taller than me after all."

Ben blinked, "You-you look exactly alike."

"Well of course. She's my sister. Why wouldn't we look alike?" The Merchant snapped her fingers, "Oh! Where are my manners! I forgot to introduce myself. My name is also Anna."

Ben gave her a dead stare as she smiled at all of the other puzzle Shepherds.

"It makes it easier for people to identify us as Secret Sellers." Anna number two explained.

Ben shook his head and lay back down.

"Tharja?"

"Hm?"

"Am I seeing things or is she really?"

"Oh." Tharja snickered darkly, "You are not seeing things. The world is just that crazy."

Ben ran a hand over his face.

"Now there are two of them?"

"More actually." Ben's eyes widened as Anna number two answered him, "But we're normally pretty spread out. I'm amazed you all were able to find me. Then again, my sisters have a sixth sense when it comes to finding all the others. Helps us keep track of each other and avoid accidentally setting up shop in the same place. We can't have competition like that after all."

Robin chuckled, "Family competition. How terrifying."

"It is! We are all vicious merchants. Profits before all else. So we make sure to keep our distant. Occasionally we run into each other on the road. But those are always happy little accidents. Sometimes we trade when that happens too." Anna number two sat up from where she rested, "Speaking of trade, I believe I owe you all something for saving not only my life, but my sister's too."

"Do you have any candy?" Gaius asked.

"Stop it, Gaius!" Robin snapped, "We're actually in need of some information. Your sister said you could probably help."

Anna number two put a finger to her chin, "I might be able to. Depends on the information."

"We are looking for two people. One is a baby-"

"Don't know any babies." Robin noticed Ben's crestfallen look, "So I can't help you there."

"Well, the other is a woman named Marth." Robin noticed Anna's brow furrow as she thought about the name, "Blue hair. One arm."

Anna shook her head, "I haven't run into anyone like that. In fact, the only traveler I've met in the past few months has been some blonde haired kid. Really creepy looking kid too. The yellow eyes scared the willies out of me."

Ben shot upright.

"Yellow eyes!?"

"Blonde kid!?" Robin asked.

Anna number two gave both men a puzzled look, "Uh… yeah. He didn't tell me his name. But he did buy some provisions off of me. Said he was heading for Port Ferox." She saw Ben and Robin give each other nervous glances, "Why do you ask? Do you know him or something?"

"Kage is in Port Ferox?" Robin breathed, "And if he is there, I am willing to bet Marth followed him."

Ben appeared a little more uncertain. He rubbed his beard and hummed to himself.

"We cannot be absolutely sure of that."

"There is only one way to find out." Gaius pointed out, "And I hope we are right. Cause I really want to stab that bastard for tricking me so easily!"

Anna number two puckered her lips, "I take it the blonde kid is not a friend then."

Robin shook his head, "Kage is an enemy. And a wanted criminal in Ylisse. He assisted in causing the death of Exalt Emmeryn. He also helped cause hundreds of deaths during the war by infiltrating our forces and providing our plans to the enemy." Robin gulped, "Marth has a personal vendetta against him. She'll pursue him until he has nowhere to run or hide."

"Or until she gets herself killed." Ben muttered, "She was in no condition for a fight him when she left." He nodded to himself, "We need to get to Port Ferox as fast as possible."

"It's a bit of a journey from here." Anna number two pointed out, "The desert is going to slow us down. And when we reach the Longfort, the ice will be bad. It could take us several weeks to make our way up the coast until we reach the city."

Ben let out a long sigh, "Then we will have to hope she hasn't done anything rash."

Robin nodded, "Should we load up and get going."

Ben agreed, "The sooner we find her the better. If she dies…" Ben trailed off, "I won't be able to forgive myself if Kage kills her."

"A chance to go kill Kage. And we get out of the desert for a change!" A broad smile rushed over Gaius's lips, "Count me in!"

….

Say'ri glared at him from her saddle. This man, Luke; he was an enigma that frustrated her to no end. As a Princess of Chon'sin, she liked to think she was decent at understanding people. She had to rule over an entire nation after all. Even if that nation was under the thumb of a tyrant, she was still in charge of making sure Chon'sin did not fall into absolute anarchy. Such a job required interacting with many different Lords and Ladies. Balancing opposing political viewpoints in order to fit her's and the Valm Empire's agendas. Which required understanding on what made people tick. What motivated them. What they liked and disliked. Their many vices and virtues.

But with Luke, she felt completely in the dark. For one, the power he commanded was beyond foreign to her. The strange magic he used both terrified and intrigued her. She had never seen anything like it before. The way he moved and grabbed enemies like rag dolls by doing nothing more than look at them; it was so deadly and dark that it made her shudder. And it blended so well with his impressive swordsmanship. He practiced a vicious style of combat. An unrelenting offense. Hardly any defense. The aim to inflict as much damage as possible in the quickest amount of time. She had to admire him for that. Clearly the young man spent many hours of his life training in order to perfect such terrifying gifts.

But his motivations were a total mystery to her. Why did he agree to help rescue her little brother? Sure, her brother technically hired him to find Kage. But a simple sellsword did not treat his employers with such callous indifference. He shared no opinion about Yen'fay. And he actively sought to antagonize and even offend her. The only reason Say'ri even tolerated it was because of the raw power he commanded in combat. She had a feeling that if she wanted to punish him for his actions and words, he would not care. Hell, he would probably kill her himself.

She knew nothing about him other than his name. Well, there was his friend. If she could even call the young girl with the blue pig-tails a friend of his. He certainly berated her a lot. Cursed her. Say'ri felt some pity for the former bandit turned ally named Cynthia. No one deserved to be treated the way Luke treated her. But she did not take offense to it. Instead, Cynthia let all of his insults, rage filled comments, and utter indifference roll off of her like water off of a duck's back. She was either very confident, or very, very naive. The more Say'ri was around the young Pegasus rider, the more she was convinced that Cynthia was the latter.

"So, Lukie." Cynthia smiled. The little nickname made Luke hang his head and sigh as he rode on his horse, "How much further?"

"You have been asking that question for the past three hours, you royal pain." Luke spat back, "And I will give you the same exact answer every time. Shut up!" He rubbed his temple, "Immortal gods of the Sith, spare me and seal her mouth closed."

"Hm… I don't know of any god called Sith." Cynthia remarked innocently. She glanced over at Say'ri, "You ever heard of the guy?"

Say'ri arched an eyebrow but said nothing. How on earth did this girl survive with a bandit gang? Maybe she was that skilled in combat? Her innocence made Say'ri doubt that quite a bit.

The Chon'sin princess rubbed her bruised jaw then glanced up. The sun would set in a few hours. They were only halfway to Fort Stieger at this point. Even with the hard pace they had set, they were still so far away from where Luke thought her little brother might be.

That was another thing that irked the Princess. Luke seemed so certain that Kage was held in Fort Stieger. But there was absolutely no evidence to support such a belief. Why would the Valm military capture her little brother? Her older brother, Yen'fay, was one of the Conqueror's best generals. Most loyal generals for that matter, much to her own disgust. General Pheros, the commander at Fort Stieger, held no ill will towards her people or family. If there was one general in the Valm military that Say'ri could actually stand to be around it was her. As governor of Chon'sin, she followed every order the Imperial Palace gave her. Reluctantly of course. Often she would try to tweak a minor detail or two in order to make any of their plans go awry. But they never noticed. Or had they?

Say'ri gulped. Was she the reason her little brother was kidnapped? Did someone in the Empire discover her more covert activities? Gods she hoped not.

Luke yanked on the reins of his horse. The beast let out a loud whine and stomped the earth. His companions came to a halt as well.

The beast appeared crazed. Terrified even. Luke hissed under his breath and gave the horse a gentle pat on its neck. But nothing appeared to calm the animal down. It snorted and bucked a little. Taking several fearful paces back down the way they came.

Luke narrowed his eyes. Those yellow eyes flicked all over the road. They were in the middle of a dense forest right now. Anything could be lurking in the trees. A hungry predator could be stalking them. Or perhaps another bandit gang. Say'ri let her hand drift to her sword. Whatever it was, it would not survive an encounter with her. Nothing would stop her from saving her little brother.

"Hey Luke?" Cynthia trembled beside Say'ri. For the first time since she met the girl, Say'ri saw her bright smile run away from her face, "Why does it feel so cold?"

Say'ri felt a chill crawl up her spine. Cynthia was right. The air went from humid to freezing in a split second. The cold brought a sudden dread to Say'ri. A sense of impending doom that made the hairs on her neck stand on end. Her own horse snorted and took several nervous steps back.

Luke's unnatural yellow eyes narrowed as he peered down the road. Say'ri followed his gaze. An old man appeared just a little ways down the road. His gray hair closely cropped and neatly cut. Beard trimmed to a perfect length. For someone that looked so elderly, he walked with purpose. Posture perfect. Steps completely even. Head held high and proud.

Another blast of cold. Say'ri's eyes widened as the old man stopped moving and stared at the three of them.

Cynthia gulped beside her. Her pegasus was the only steed that did not appear afraid. She whispered some quiet words into the animal's ear before looking up at Luke.

"L-Luke, it feels really dark all of a sudden."

Luke jumped down from his horse and reached into his black robes. Say'ri expected him to draw the sword her brother gave him. Instead, he drew a strange, cylindrical object. It looked so utilitarian. Nothing flashy about it save for the curious metal it was made of. She noticed Cynthia's eyes widen at the sight of the weapon.

"Ka-Ka-," The girl caught herself, "Luke?"

"Say'ri," The blonde haired boy said, his voice even and unnervingly calm, "Get off your horse and onto Cynthia's pegasus."

Say'ri furrowed her brow. She was about to protest when she saw his grip on the strange cylinder tighten. Luke expected a fight. Unlike the battle with the bandits, he was not looking forward to this one. He did not have a delighted smile on his face. His eyes did not shine with anticipation. He was hyper focused on the old man blocking the road. Grim faced and uncertain.

"Y-you heard him." Cynthia stammered out.

Say'ri's own unease surged when she saw the terrified look on Cynthia's face. She was normally so cheerful. Who was this old man? Why did he strike so much fear into the girl?

"If you plan on fighting, I will assist you." Say'ri replied, doing her best to appear unafraid.

But she could not help it. The crack in her voice gave away just how terrified she actually felt. There was something in the air. An aura the old man gave off that made her want to crawl away and hide in a hole in the ground. Pray to the gods that she was never found by this man.

"Don't delude yourself." Luke said gruffly, "You'd be useless in this fight. Now do as I say."

Say'ri gulped as Luke took a few steps towards the old man. She glanced over at Cytnhia. The young Pegasus Knight patted the small space behind her. Say'ri calmly jumped off her horse and set the loyal beast free. As her horse galloped away, she hopped onto Cynthia's pegasus.

Cynthia dug her spurs into her mount. Her pegasus's angelic wings beat against the air. Faster than an arrow, they shot into the sky.

"We're leaving him!?" Say'ri cried as they soared higher and higher.

Cynthia gulped, "That is not our fight. We would die if we stayed."

"How do you know that?" Say'ri cried back, "It was just an old man!"

Cynthia shook her head, "I know a bad feeling when it hits me. It took me a second, but I recognized it. The badness is unmistakable." She swallowed hard, "We will stay circling above."

Say'ri gaped at the Pegasus Knight. All of her endless confidence and energy were gone.

"You don't think he can win, do you?" Say'ri asked her.

Cynthia took a deep breath, "If he doesn't," She cradled her lance in the crook of her arm, "I will make the enemy pay."

* * *

Luke glared down the dirt road at his opponent. And his opponents brown eyes glared back at him.

"Drop the disguise." Luke snarled, "I already know what you are."

The monster in front of him smirked, "Perceptive, aren't you?" The eyes flickered from brown to blood red, "My master is right to worry about you."

They started to circle each other. Luke kept a firm grip on his lightsaber. This power he felt was so controlled. Unlike anything he ever felt before. Only Maul made him this hesitant to fight. It took a surge of hatred so enormous it made his power explode in order to kill his old Master. He did not have that to tap into here. He faced a monster of a different level now. One that was similar to his late Master. But at the same, the old man could not be anymore different.

"I assume you are the one known as, Kage." The old man said, his voice slipping through the air like sweet venom.

"I go by a lot of names." Luke replied.

The old man chuckled, "Well, I go by one." He bowed to the boy, "Equus."

Luke narrowed his eyes, "Oh, I remember you. Although, last time we met, Deadlord, you were not so human-like."

Equus chuckled, "Perhaps it was a different incarnation that you faced in the future. Regardless, my master saw fit to summon me in order to find you."

"To kill me you mean." Luke glared.

"Kill you? I received no such order." Equus stopped circling the boy, "My master simply wishes to have a friendly conversation."

"If that was his wish he could have come personally." Luke retorted.

Equus chuckled, "And there is the simple mind of youth rearing its ignorant head. You of all people should understand why my Master is so hesitant to show his face."

Luke chuckled, "I'm not the one hiding behind servants."

"But you are hiding behind very flimsy confidence." Equus remarked, making Luke's blood boil ever so slightly, "You think you can challenge me alone. The arrogance on display is amazing."

Luke ignited his lightsaber. The old blue blade burst to life in his hands. Equus narrowed his red eyes.

"I-" Equus frowned as he observed the weapon in Luke's hands, "I recognize that blade from somewhere."

"Suffering from some dementia, old man?" Luke taunted as he twirled the blade.

He stepped around the still Equus. Circling the fool like a predator circled wounded prey. But for some reason, he could not shake the feeling that he was facing a being far above him in both power and ability.

"Amnesia is the proper term, brat." Equus snarled back, "And I have a feeling it will be cured when I bring you before my master." He sighed, "And I now see that you will not come willingly."

"I never do."

Equus snorted, "How charming. And inconvenient. My master did want you brought to him unharmed, but it was not a requirement. A missing limb or two will put you in your place."

"Is that a threat?" Luke snarled behind bared teeth.

"No."

Luke's heart pounded in his chest when the old man ignited a red lightsaber. Just who was this old guy?

"It is a promise."

Luke roared. He charged at Equus. Lightsaber raised overhead. The old man just smirked at him. With surprising grace and agility, Equus sidestepped Luke and nudged him with a small Force push.

"Really? That is your first move. Consider me baffled. I could have gutted you five different ways." Equus tsked.

"I'll only need one way to gut you, Deadlord." Luke snarled.

He set himself in his stance. Then he lunged at Equus. Aiming the tip of his blade at the undead monster's heart. Equus smirked and deflected the attack with a simple flick of his wrist.

Then he countered. And the counter nearly caused Luke to fall flat on his back. The red blade lashed out at him so quick and precise. Luke had to bend all the way back to avoid the tip slashing into his chest.

He righted himself and swung a devastating chop at Equus's head. The Deadlord parried again then spun Luke's blade to the side with a deft movement. Luke jumped to the side as he narrowly avoided the blade biting into his shoulder.

He was stunned. This Deadlord was different. So powerful and precise. He could feel the dark side of the force radiating from the monster. But unlike Maul, it felt controlled. Subdued even. It flashed every time the monster made an attack. Then retreated when he fell back on the defensive. It was not a rampaging demon. It was a precise instrument. A reflection of the way this monster fought.

As Luke hacked and slashed, Equus weaved and flicked his wrist. Small, deft adjustments and movements. Elegant and refined. As if he was dancing with a clumsy child. His red lightsaber moved like a scalpel in the hands of a master surgeon. No wasted movements. No wasted energy. Only deadly precision and efficiency.

Luke sucked in a heavy breath as he pulled away from a blade lock. He stared down at his opponent. Frustration filled him. How? How was this happening? He killed Maul. The most powerful force user on the planet at the time. Why was this undead slave of Grima giving him so much trouble!?

Equus clicked his tongue, "I think I have seen enough."

He deactivated his own lightsaber. Luke felt some rage build up in him. What was he saying? Did Equus think he was that inferior? Oh… he was going to learn today.

"Your application of Juyo is rudimentary at best." Luke's eyes widened. How did this undead being know that term, "You rely too much on your own natural talent. As a result, you have let your skill remain raw and unrefined. And that is such a shame. There is great potential in you. Too bad you do not have the discipline or temperament to unlock it."

"You know nothing about me!" Luke roared.

He charged… straight into a torrent of blue lighting. Luke screamed as the bolts pierced his skin and dropped him to his knees. His lightsaber deactivated and fell from his hands into the dirt.

"You have no patience." Equus frowned, "No restraint. No elegance or foresight. You fight on pure instinct. Not a bad thing to do against an opponent of inferior skill. And while your own raw power may be more than my own, it is also your undoing."

Luke tried to get back to his feet. Another blast of lighting hit him. Shoving him back down into the dirt. He let out a long, pain filled groan.

"Seeing you this way reminds me of someone." Equus muttered. He resembled the young man from the fragment of a memory he had. The one who ended his life before Grima raised him up once again, "Have I had you at my mercy before?"

"Go to hell." Luke grimaced as he tried to get to his feet.

The force grabbed Luke and hoisted him in the air. His arms and legs felt like they were bound by invisible chains. An invisible hand wrapped around his neck and squeezed every so slightly.

"That tongue of yours could get you killed." Equus snarled, "Has no one ever told you to respect your elders?"

Luke let out a loud cough as he struggled to breathe.

"Such a disappointment." Equus sighed, "I was hoping to be entertained at least a little bit. But sadly, you, like so many other life forms, are weak compared to me. And now, we shall both return to my Master."

"SNEAK ATTACK!"

Equus flew through the air as a pair of hooves slammed into his back and sent him careening into a nearby tree.

The Force lost its grip on Kage. He fell into a heap on the ground. As he blinked spots from his vision, he saw Say'ri rush up and grab him beneath his arms.

"Get up!" Say'ri cried "You know where my brother is. So you will not die today."

Kage gave her a fear filled stare. He looked past her at Cynthia.

"How much of an idiot are you!?" He snarled.

"Enough of an idiot to actually give a damn about you!" Cynthia spat back, shocking the young Sith, "Get on, Say'ri!"

Say'ri flung Kage onto the Pegasus. She then hopped on as well. Just as Equus rose to his feet, Cynthia dug her spurs in and sent them all soaring into the air.

Equus watched as they made their little escape. He smirked. Let them have this temporary respite. There was no escape from him. He could feel the boy's presence. Rage filled and chaotic. No matter where they ran, he would find them.

He plotted the path they flew. North still. They were heading for Fort Steiger. Likely in order to rescue the kidnapped Prince.

Equus smirked, turned around, and started walking.

 **And chapter! We finish up with the second part of the sandstorm chapter! Ben and company have found Anna's sister and are racing to Port Ferox thinking they are going to find Kage there. Meanwhile, Kage is actually in Valm and just got his ass handed to him by one of Grima's Deadlords. That was a fun little fight to write. There will be more, I assure you. Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	56. Lucina

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 56

Lucina

Marth pressed her back against the cold, stone wall. Her eyes darted up to the ramparts above her. She could see several sentries on patrol on top of Fort Stieger's immense walls. She flicked her eyes back down to look at the main gate only a few dozen feet away from her. Heavily guarded as well. At least a dozen foot soldiers all armed to the teeth and all of them carrying a shield bigger than she was.

Knocking and asking if she could enter was no longer an option. That left one way into the Fort. She had to find a way to scale the walls. Which would be a monumental task for anyone. Damn near impossible for her. But the sheer enormity of the challenge in front of her would not stop her. She sensed the boy in the fortress. His small signature in the force felt so bright. A stark contrast to how it felt when he grew up.

She managed to narrow the Prince's location down to the western tower. Which was on the other side of the immense fortress. She could not risk getting any closer to that tower. No doubt there were sentries watching from the very top. Such a high profile prisoner would be placed under the highest security. No one, except a select few individuals, could get near him.

Marth frowned. The walls were completely smooth. No handholds or footholds for her to use. There would be only one she could scale them. But she would definitely draw attention to herself that way. Her hand brushed against the sword lent to her by Yen'fay's captain.

 _At least I'm armed now._ She took a deep breath, _Here goes nothing._

She closed her eyes and called on the Force. It's power surged through her veins. She recoiled a little bit but steadied herself just as quickly. She inhaled another deep breath then jumped.

The force bolstered her jump. It's power shot her high into the air. She could see the top of the wall getting closer.

Her momentum slowed. Marth's eyes widened. She was not going to reach the top. And it was a very long fall down. With a desperate cry, she reached out and snagged the edge of the wall with her hand.

A jolt shot down her arm when she caught herself. She bit back a strangled cry. Soldiers already were shouting some alarmed cries. They had heard her cry out. She cursed under her breath.

 _I hate being stealthy!_

It took all of her strength to pull her slender body up over the edge of the wall. She rolled onto her back once she made it over. Marth rewarded her efforts with a weak fist pump and a small, pain filled sigh.

Armor clanked nearby. Adrenaline shot through her. She needed to move, now!

Marth rolled to her feet and sprinted over to a dark alcove next to the East Tower. Just as she reached the alcove, the door beside her burst open. Two soldiers strutted out. One male, one female. Both wielded tall lances. Their red, imperial army clanked loud in the otherwise quiet night.

"I heard the scream over here." The woman said as she eyed the edges of the wall.

"You're just hearing things again." Her companion replied.

Marth moved as silent as a mouse. She stopped the tower door from closing behind them with the edge of her foot. As quietly as she could, Marth pulled the door open again. Just as it was getting wide enough for her to slip through, the hinges creaked.

 _Kriff!_

"Behind you!" The woman cried as she leveled her lance at Marth.

The man turned just in time for Marth's boot to connect with his jaw. He spun around and flopped into a heap onto the stone wall. Before the woman could even react, Marth kicked her legs out from under her. She brought her elbow crashing down on her helm as soon as the guard hit the floor. The metal rang as it smashed into the stone. The second guard lay still.

More soldiers started stirring in the courtyard below. Time was of the essence now. Marth rushed across the wall towards the western tower. When she reached the door, it swung open, nearly smacking right into head in the process. And while Marth managed to narrowly avoid getting knocked out by a door, she did not managed to avoid running into the fat man that came stumbling out of the West Tower.

She fell hard on her rump. Marth hissed in pain. Across from her, the fat, greasy man also ended up flat on his back. Hands pressed over his nose.

"Damn idiot! You headbutted my nose!"

Marth shook the haze from her own mind and jumped to her feet at the same time as the fat man. His appearance looked hideous. Greasy black hair sat on top of his head. Fat, pink lips covered her face. Dark beady eyes stared at her with rage and contempt. Rolls of fat sat beneath his chin. In short, he was revolting.

"Wait a second!" He pointed a meaty finger at her, "You're not one of my guards!"

Marth drew her sword and pointed the tip at the man's throat, "Take me to him."

The fat man started to sweat as he felt cold steel touch his bare skin, "Uh... to who?

"The Prince. The one you kidnapped." Marth narrowed her eyes. She took a step forward and allowed the sword to prick his skin. Drawing a small bead of blood in the process, "I will not ask twice."

He swallowed hard, "F-follow me."

The fat man backed up slowly. Marth inched forward with him. Never letting her blade leave its spot beside his throat. She nodded for him to carefully turn around and lead her to Prince Kage. As he turned, she pressed the tip of her blade against the back of his neck.

"Walk." She growled.

She heard the man audibly gulp before moving forward.

The spiral staircase leading to the top of the tower seemed endless. Marth could already feel exhaustion taking her. She had pushed her body so hard recently. Neglecting any chance to fully recover her strength. The hunt for Kage was too important. She could not allow his trail to go cold. Not even for one second. If she did, he would disappear forever. And any chance of dealing justice on the traitor would disappear with him.

"You are making an enormous mistake." The fat man said as he carefully walked up the stairs, "Do you have any idea who I am?"

Marth scowled, "Do I look I care?"

Beads of sweat rushed down the man's face, "N-no. But still, maybe we can introduce ourselves. After all, that is the only polite thing to do. M-my name is Excellus. And you are?"

"Walhart the Conqueror." Marth replied with no shortage of sarcasm.

Excellus snorted, "Well I must say _Walhart_ , you have really lost weight." He started to nervously chuckle, "I slay me. Not in the same way that you are probably thinking right now. But- oh look! Here we are."

He stopped in front of a reinforced wooden door. More than one lock sealed the door closed. Excellus swallowed hard.

"The prince is in there."

Marth narrowed her eyes, "Unlock it."

"W-well," Excellus stammered, "The p-problem with that is I don't exactly have the keys on me right now. They're in my study. If you just let me go and fetch them I can-"

Marth rolled her eyes and called upon the Force again. It took a lot of focus and effort, but she eventually managed to gather enough power in order to push the door off of its hinges. Excellus's eyes bulged from his skull as the door fell to the ground with an enormous boom.

"Or you can just do that." Excellus gulped. He tensed as Marth pressed the steel harder into his back.

"Stay put. If you move a muscle, I will know."

She kept her eyes trained on the worm for a moment longer, then she turned into the room.

A little boy sat in the corner. Terrified blue eyes stared at her. Small tears dripped down the toddler's cheeks as he trembled in the dark. His clothes were filthy. Hair covered in dirt. He looked so small. Underfed despite his royal status. The sight made Marth shake with fury.

"How could you-"

A thunder spell smashed into her back. Marth flew across the room and slammed into the opposite wall. Stars danced over her eyes as she struggled to stay conscious.

"Oops!" Excellus chirped, "Did that hurt you? I'm sorry. I meant for it to instantly kill you."

Marth grit her teeth and surged to her feet. Just in time to see another thunder spell charging across the room. She gasped and ducked to the side. The bolt of lighting collided with the stone wall. Shards of rock exploded around the room. Showering every little inch with bits of rock and dust.

"You are tougher than you look, _Walhart_." Excellus said with a maniacal cackle, "Perhaps a darker spell will finish you off."

Black magic danced in his hands. Marth's eyes widened. He was risking that kind of spell in here! With Prince Kage so close by! Marth did not have time to think. Only time to move. She dashed across the room at the terrified toddler.

A spell cracked at her. Marth slid beneath the deadly black and purple magic. She rolled back to her feet, scooped up Kage, and twirled around to face Excellus.

"Congratulations." He chuckled evilly, "You have successfully grabbed the prince. Wherever shall you go now?" He pointed a open palm at her as the pages in his spell book turned.

 _Damn I'm a careless idiot. I should have suspected he was a mage._

Marth's eyes flicked back at the hole in the tower wall. It might be just big enough. She smirked at Excellus.

"Out the window." She replied.

Excellus arched an eyebrow, "Out what... wait... WINDOW!?"

Marth shot back across the room. Her one arm cradled Kage as she dove through the hole in the wall.

They fell for a few seconds. During those few seconds, Marth managed to spin around so that she would take the brunt of the impact. She called on the Force and prayed that she would be able to command it in time. She felt that familiar buzz around her body. But it would not be enough. She might survive hitting the ground. But the force of her impact would greatly wound her. There would be no escape at that point.

Kage whimpered. Marth felt a surge of power rush from the boy's small body. The Force wrapped around both of them like a protective shell.

Their descent slowed just enough. When she hit the ground, it did not kill her. But Naga above did it hurt. Marth coughed loud and felt some ribs shift.

"It is always the ribs." She groaned.

She could hear Excellus screaming for soldiers to capture her and Kage already. There was no time to recover. Marth grit her teeth, ignored the pain she felt, and adjusted her hold on Kage.

The toddler no longer sobbed. Instead, he gave Marth a curious look. His curiosity was only matched by the boy's apparent concern for her. He had always been so intelligent. Even when she first met him. It only made sense for him to be just as smart as a toddler. Marth let out a dry laugh.

"It has been a while since you gave me that look." She breathed as she sprinted into the safety of the nearby forest.

* * *

"Milord!"

Chrom jumped and managed to smack his head into the top of his desk. A long groan left his lungs as pain lanced through the back of his head. He poked his head up from beneath his desk and saw Frederick giving him a puzzled look from the doorway to his study.

"Yes, Frederick?"

The Knight arched an eyebrow, "Dare I ask what you are doing?"

Chrom rolled his eyes. He had been in the middle of filling out some rather important paperwork. While he was working on it, he managed to drop his pen beneath his desk. And he was having a damn difficult time finding it. New trade agreements had to be made between Regna Ferox and Ylisse. Khan Flavia wanted a small discount when it came to Ylissean swords. That required making deals with the various merchant guilds and smiths to lower their prices when the crown purchased their wares. Tedious negotiations that Chrom despised engaging in. During those moments he wished Robin and Ben had stuck around Ylisstol. They understood people and politics far better than he ever could.

How did manage to become a mildly successful ruler again?

"I dropped my pen." Chrom sighed as he ducked his head beneath the desk and started searching again.

Frederick cleared his throat, "Well milord, you may want to delay your search."

"Why?" Chrom asked as he knelt beneath the hard, wooden desk once again.

"Your wife is currently in labor."

"WHAT!?"

Chrom surged to his feet and managed to bash the back of his head against the desk again. He let out a loud, pain filled howl.

"Milord!? Are you alright?" Frederick gasped.

"No! I'm currently both panicking and in pain!" Chrom jumped over his desk as he rubbed the back of his head. He stopped his frantic rush out the door, "Where is Sumia right now?"

Frederick gave Chrom a puzzled look, "In your room of course."

Chrom shot out of his study and sprinted down the hall. Frederick blinked then rushed after him.

"You could have informed me about this with a little more urgency, Frederick!" Chrom sighed.

"I felt fetching a midwife as well as a pair of healers were more important."

"Well yeah! They are important. But you could have actually told me what was going on instead of asking what the hell I was doing!?"

"I thought you would have already heard about it milord."

"I work in private Frederick. Do you really think anyone would disturb me while I'm trying to figure out politics and trade?"

"You make a fair point there."

"Thank you!" Chrom barked back.

He raced around a corner. The Exalt's personal chambers were at the end of the hall. The white doors briefly opened then closed as Libra stepped out of the room.

Chrom skidded to a halt in front of the Priest. He nodded at Libra and moved to enter his room. But Libra's shockingly strong hand stopped him.

"I apologize your grace, but I cannot allow you to enter." Libra said.

Chrom felt some frustration bubble up, "Why not?"

Frederick cleared his throat, "It is both traditional and ethical for the man to remain waiting while the woman gives birth. This done for-"

"I don't care who it is done for, I'm going in there." Chrom surged past Libra and burst into the room, "Tradition be damned! Lissa is right in that regard."

His eyes fell on Sumia. All color rushed from his face. The ruler of Ylisse's eyes widened to an impossible size as Sumia let out a blood curdling scream.

"You didn't let me finish, milord." Frederick stepped inside, "The tradition is in place because most prospective fathers cannot handle the process of-"

Chrom fell face first to the floor.

"-childbirth."

"My hero." Sumia breathed sarcastically before uttering another ear piercing scream. Lissa held the Queen's hand. Even though Sumia's grip grew ever tighter, Lissa did not complain.

"Deep breaths, Sumia. Deep breaths." Lissa said before glancing over Frederick picking an unconscious Chrom up off of the floor and placing him on a nearby chair, "Oh come on! He can handle the sight of dead bandits. He doesn't feel sick looking at blood and guts. But seeing a baby's head popping out of his own wife does him in."

The midwife glanced over at the young Princess.

"To be fair, it is rather unpleasant to look at."

Sumia let out another loud scream. Lissa gulped and cringed as Sumia's hand squeezed tighter than a vice.

"GET IT OUT OF ME ALREADY!"

* * *

Chrom's eyes slowly blinked open. It was noon when he initially entered the bedroom in order to be beside Sumia as she gave birth. Now, the sun had started to set. Warm orange rays of sunlight streamed in through the massive, floor to ceiling window that sat across from the main bedchamber. Painting the entire room in large, soft shadows and warm tones. He blinked some haze from his eyes and rubbed a hand over his face.

"Ugh." He groaned, "What happened?"

He heard Sumia utter a soft chuckle nearby, "You became a little squeamish."

Chrom's head snapped up. His beautiful wife looked exhausted. But she also appeared absolutely radiant. There was a small blush on her cheeks as he stared at her. Then his eyes fell to a small bundle of blankets cradled in her slender arms.

His heart hammered in his chest. Chrom barely even noticed his body rise from the chair and stride over to her bedside. It felt like he floated across the room. Sumia gave him a tired, but overjoyed smile as he took a seat on her bedside.

Inside of the little bundle of soft blankets was the most beautiful person Chrom had ever laid eyes upon. A small snore left the baby's lips. Chrom's lips parted into a wide grin.

"Wow." He breathed.

"She couldn't stay awake to say hi." Sumia smiled, "So you'll just have to wait a little bit."

"She?" Chrom was unable to catch his breath, "I have a daughter?"

Sumia chuckled and nodded, "Yes, you do." She lifted the small bundle from her lap and held her out to Chrom.

With trembling hands, he scooped up his baby girl. He swallowed hard as he looked down on her peaceful face. He took a deep breath and let out a happy laugh.

"You were unconscious when she finally arrived." Sumia said. A long sigh left her lips, "I'm amazed you slept through it actually. She came into the world kicking and screaming. She'll be fighter."

"Oh really?" Chrom chuckled. He looked down at her beautiful, serene face, "So you're going to be a daddy's girl then. Aren't ya?"

"Most definitely." Sumia laughed, "The amount of a fight she put up with the midwife… she would have made you proud."

Chrom uttered a loud laugh, "Did-did you already name her?"

Sumia shook her head, "That is something both of us have to do."

Chrom pursed his lips. He furrowed his brow as he looked down at his daughter. The girl slumbered so silently in his arms. At complete peace with the world around her.

He mulled through some names. The name Emmeryn stuck in his mind for a few moments. But for some reason, the name just did not seem to fit her. Emmeryn was not a fighter. And according to Sumia, this beautiful bundle emerged into the world kicking and screaming. Chrom smirked at his wife.

"For the life of me I can't think of anything."

Sumia rolled her eyes and chuckled some more, "That is better than what I thought you would say."

"What did you think I would say?"

"Lissa bet me that you would want to name her after the one thing you loved more than anything else."

"You?" Chrom beamed.

"Falchion."

Chrom blinked, "Well," He cleared his throat, "There is that too. But I don't think that'll work for her."

Sumia laughed softly, "I like the name Lucina."

Chrom glanced up at his wife, "Lucina?"

He looked down at his daughter. At that moment, her little eyes cracked open. Bright, blue irises glanced up at him. Full of innocence and curiosity. Chrom's breath caught in his throat.

"Hey there, Lucina." He breathed, "I'm your Papa."

He peered a little closer. To his enormous pride, he saw the Brand of the Exalt sitting in the pupil of her left eye. Just barely visible to the naked eye. A faint outline more than anything else. But it was there. And it made Chrom's heart soar.

Just as Chrom was about to talk to Sumia again, the doors to their room burst open.

"Uncle Vaike has arrived!" The large, blond haired man cheered, an enormous grin plastered all over his face. Over his shoulder sat an enormous present wrapped up in paper normally meant for the harvest festival. Sumia uttered a quiet laugh when she saw the orange paper plastered with drawings of smiling pumpkins.

"For goodness sake, would you give them a moment of peace and quiet, Vaike." Miriel huffed in after him.

"They had a long moment already." Vaike shrugged.

Miriel rolled her eyes, "My attempts are met with failure every time. Why do I persist?"

"Because you care too much." Vaike chuckled as he strutted over to Chrom.

Frederick surged into the room, breathing very hard.

"I-I apologize milord, milady!" He panted, "But I tried to hold them off as long as I could and-"

"Where is my niece!?" Lissa cooed as she rushed past Frederick, "I want to see her again!

Lon'qu followed her in complete silence. He folded his arms and leaned against the door. Content to observe everything from afar. Even though he had lived in the Shepherd's barracks for some time now, he was still uncomfortable around women. So much so that he still did his best to maintain as much distance from them as poissible.

Just behind Lon'qu, Nowi rushed inside. The Manakete zipped over to Sumia and Chrom, looked down at Lucina, and flashed the toothiest grin possible.

"She's tiny." Nowi smiled.

"Heh, everyone is when born." Gregor commented as he strode in. The older mercenary stayed near the door. Nowi tried to get him to come closer but Gregor waved her off. "Gregor give the royal baby her space."

"Aw… she's awake." Lissa smiled as she took a seat next to her older brother. "And not screaming. I call that progress." She let out a small sigh. "Maribelle is going be so mad she missed this. She simply could not wait for her to be born. I can guarantee that once Maribelle finds out Lucina is around, she will get her the greatest little welcome to the world present."

"Ha! Teach got her the best present!" Vaike grinned as he set the enormous box down beside the bed.

"The best present! Har!" Sully strutted into the room. The cavalier dragged a wooden rocking horse behind her. "I beg to differ."

The other Shepherds filtered in behind her. Each one carrying their own little gift for the newest member of the Ylissean royal family. Libra found his way beside Lucina at one point and placed a quiet blessing from Naga on her before stepping to the side.

Vaike sputtered, "B-but I got her an ax!"

"You bought a baby an ax?" Miriel pinched the bridge of her nose.

"I'd buy one for my own baby."

"Vaike a dad? Naga help that poor kid when the day comes." Lissa chuckled, she glanced at Miriel, "What about you, Miriel? What did you get my precious niece?"

"Lissa." Chrom uttered a weary sigh, "You all did not have to get her anything."

"Nonsense!" Lissa leaned close to Chrom's ear, "For Naga's sake Chrom, milk the baby card while you can."

"Well," Miriel adjusted her glasses and allowed a small smile to form over her face, "I managed to acquire a rather rare tome regarding the basic properties of magic." She reached into her robes and withdrew an enormous volume that was nearly as big as Lucina, "I hope she enjoys it!"

Vaike arched an eyebrow, "And you complained about the ax?"

Miriel smacked his muscled shoulder. The large man to just chuckled back.

Ricken rushed forward and pulled a much smaller book from his own robes.

"I got her a children's book from the market." He smiled as he passed it to Sumia, "It was actually my favorite when I was growing up."

" _Where the Monsters Are._ " Sumia laughed. A wistful smile crossed her lips, "I remember this book. It gave me my love for reading. My mother and father used to read this to me almost every night."

"I brought her some cake." Stahl said with a sheepish grin.

"She can't eat cake, Stahl." Sully snorted, "But more importantly, what does she think of the rocking horse?"

"I'm sure Lucina will love it," Sumia smiled at Sully, "when she is old enough to ride it."

Frederick uttered an embarrassed cough, "Then I suppose my own gift will have to wait until much later for her."

Chrom gave his Knight-Commander a perplexed look.

"What did you do, Frederick?"

The Knight's eyes shifted from side to side, "I may have bought the princess a pony."

"Wha!" Sully cried, "Damn! That beats all of us."

Over by the door, Lon'qu chuckled a little bit but said nothing. Lissa glanced over at the aloof swordsman.

"What about you, Lon?" She smiled, "Did you-"

"No."

"Eh?"

"When the Princess is old enough to understand and appreciate a gift, I will happily give her one. It can wait until such a time."

Lissa pouted, "You're no fun."

The door to the room opened one more time. The last two shepherds remaining in the Halidom's capitol walked in. Kellam and Cordelia had both been busy attending to their many duties. Kellam had been chosen by Frederick to train the Ylissean infantry while Frederick himself focused on the knights and cavalry. So far, the quiet man had done an admirable job assisting in the rebuild of Ylisse's shattered military. While nowhere near the force it had been before the war with Plegia, Chrom could rest a little easier knowing that the Halidom could defend itself if attacked.

What Cordelia accomplished was nothing short of a miracle. In just under a year, she had managed to recruit and train an entire wing of Pegasus Knights. Twenty new fliers joined the ranks of the Ylissean military. And each one appeared formidable and effective. The new javelins Cordelia designed wreaked havoc in training exercises. Much to the Wing-Commander's delight.

"I hear we have a new addition to our strange family?" Cordelia smiled as Kellam broke off and decided to linger near Lon'qu.

Sumia smiled at her friend, "We do."

She nodded at the bundle of joy in Chrom's arms. Cordelia approached and smiled down at the curious little girl in Chrom's arms.

"Aw," Cordelia said, "She has your face, Sumia." She glanced at Chrom, "But she definitely has daddy's eyes."

Before either royal could reply, Lucina's tiny hand reached up and tugged on a lock of Cordelia's hair. Cordelia uttered a surprised yelp. And the other Shepherds laughed at he expense.

"Looks like red might be her least favorite color." Sully guffawed.

"Hm, do infants see in color?" Miriel rubbed her chin, "Or does that sense develop with time and exposure? Perhaps-"

"Perhaps you should just enjoy spending time with everyone instead of worrying about that science stuff." Vaike grinned as he threw an arm over the small woman's shoulders.

Cordelia eventually managed to get Lucina to let go of her hair. When she did, the Pegasus Knight smoothed her hair back out and laughed a little.

"She is a fighter alright." Cordelia turned her attention to both Sumia and Chrom, "I got her a gift, but it is not ready yet."

"Not ready yet?" Sumia said with some concern.

"Please tell me it is not a baby pegasus." Chrom said.

Cordelia chuckled, "No. Nothing like that. It is just a doll I asked a local artist to make. It will be ready a few days."

"Oh good." Sumia breathed with a sigh of relief, "Something she can actually play with."

"Hey! She can play with the ax." Vaike pointed out.

"Like hell she can!" Sully cried, "It's bigger than she is."

"It'll build her muscles." Vaike replied, "Ain't that right, Miriel? Babies need exercise in order to grow correctly."

"To develop properly, yes. But a baby's physical needs are not the same as a grown man's." Miriel sighed. She turned to Chrom, "Also, your grace, I need to speak with you in private."

Chrom arched an eyebrow. Sumia reached over and rubbed his arm.

"Go on ahead. I think I can handle all of the doting family members." Sumia chuckled.

"This kid is gonna be spoiled rotten." Sully grinned as she peered down at Lucina, "Auntie Sully is going to spoil you rotten. That's right!"

Chrom laughed a little as he handed Lucina back to her mother. With a reluctant sigh, Chrom got to his feet and followed Miriel out to the hall. Once outside, he cast a small glance back inside.

Everyone in there; from big, oafish Vaike to small, studious Ricken; were more than comrades. At this point, after everything they all had been through together, they were a family. Bound together not by blood, but by friendship. Lucina would always be taken care of.

"Chrom."

He returned his attention to Miriel. The mage reached into her robes and withdrew a large stack of papers wrapped in the Ylissean Mage Academy's seal. A concerned look crossed her face as she held it out to him.

"This is the final report."

Chrom eyed the thick wad of paper in her hands. He carefully took it and flicked through the pages. Endless paragraphs and sentences raced by his eyes. It would take days before he could read through it all. But it had to be done. This report was the final report regarding his Father's war with Plegia. The crusade that nearly destroyed both nations.

He gulped and took a deep breath.

"A part of me really hopes Basilio was lying."

He looked up at Miriel. The concern in her eyes had grown. The mage sighed and shook her head.

"Chrom," She took another deep breath, "Khan Basilio withheld a lot of the details from you."

Chrom's face fell, "What do you mean?"

Miriel gulped, "When you go through the report, you will find that your father is was not… he was not a good man beyond these walls. I cannot tell you how many field reports I read that were listed as victorious military engagements when, in reality, they were really village wide massacres." Chrom's face paled as she spoke, "I found records of at least ten massacres that slaughtered over one thousand innocent people. And it is hinted in the archives of both Ylisse and Regna Ferox that there may have been many more. We were not the righteous people in that war. We were the aggressors. We were the evil ones."

"And our war was a direct result of that." Chrom's fingers gripped the pages tight. He could feel some anger burning in him. How could his father order such things? How could any man order the deaths of innocent women and children?

"Did you learn anything on the Plegian perspective?"

Miriel shook her head, "I attempted to reach out to the new King. But he is a secretive fellow. While he replied wishing our investigation well and hoping for peaceful relations; he did not want to unveil anything in his own personal archives. Mostly because those archives are still in the possession of the Grimleal."

"And who knows what they have recorded in those fell vaults." Chrom nodded, "Give me a few days to read this over. When I'm done, I may send correspondence to the Plegian King asking for a meeting."

"I'm not entirely sure how likely you are to succeed. The King mentioned he was still trying to bring the more radical sections of the military and the Grimleal to heel. Those efforts will take time."

Chrom nodded, "Nevertheless, I wish to extend an olive branch. But first," He lifted the report up, "The truth needs to be revealed."

Miriel nodded, "Also, I did attempt to keep tabs on the travels of Robin and Ben."

Chrom's mood visibly brightened at the mention of his old friends.

"How are they? Where are they for that matter?"

Miriel sighed, "That is the thing. The last I heard of them, they were leaving the Eastern Palace maybe two months ago. Apparently the two picked up a pair of new friends that they have deemed worthy of a place in the Shepherds. But I do not know much other than that. They went north into Regna Ferox. Beyond that, I do not know."

Chrom gave her nod, "They will come back eventually. And hopefully, when they do, Ben will have his little boy with him. Lucina could use a good playmate." He placed Miriel's report beneath his arm, "Now then, if you will excuse me, I have a baby girl that I want to absolutely adore."

"Of course. I shall shoo the others out so you can have some time with your family." Miriel suggested.

Chrom smiled back as the pair walked back into the bedroom. Everyone had taken a spot to sit. Either on one of the few chairs that rested near the fireplace and windows, or on the floor.

Ricken and Nowi sat beside each other. Ricken had his spell book open. He hastily scribbled notes as Nowi explained Manakete magic to him as best as she could. Gregor joined Frederick, Lon'qu, and Kellam near the window. The four warriors were discussing the latest batch of recruits. Chrom thought he even heard Gregor offer his services to train the raw batch of men Frederick just signed on.

 _His stash of gold must be getting low._ Chrom thought to himself with a light chuckle.

Lissa and Cordelia doted over Lucina while Sumia cradled his little girl in her arms. The three spoke excitedly about the dresses they could get her once she was old enough. Cordelia seemed more excited about teaching the Princess to fly a pegasus at some point.

Sully stood off to the side with Vaike and Stahl. All three enjoying a slice of cake that Stahl baked for the special occasion. Chrom's lips parted into a broad smile as he crossed the room and took a seat beside Sumia. He pecked her cheek and glanced back at Miriel.

"No need to do that, Miriel." Chrom wrapped an arm around Sumia's shoulders, "There are a few exceptions, but-"

His mind briefly dwelled on Robin, Ben, and the others that traveled with him. He felt certain they were safe and sound. And they would return home soon. He hoped.

"The entire family is here."

 **And chapter. This was a nice little chapter. We got Marth getting to baby Kage first. Wonder how that is going to work with both older Kage and Equus on the hunt. We're bound to have some sort of confrontation there. And we also get a nice little family moment with the other Shepherds. Princess Lucina has been born too!**

 **Now, as for the next few chapters, they are going to have** _ **some**_ **plot advancement. Not going to lie though, there is a lot of little holes I need to patch up before getting back to the more plot heavy stuff. There is going to be a lot of filling in some gaps for our other characters before we finally head over to the Valm arc. Such as Aversa's situation. The other Shepherds and their little shenanigans. The Hierophant and his scheming. Say'ri, Yen'fay, and their mission to rescue their little brother. Ben and co. search continuing for a little bit longer. And don't forget, Vader and Thrawn are on the hunt as well. So many different story arcs going at once. Now I gotta tie them back all together. This is going to be fun!**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	57. Port Ferox

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 57

Port Ferox

Ben shoved the door to the inn open. Wind howled behind him. Large blasts of snow shot past his body. It rained down from the dark sky in massive sheets of white. He shivered as he rubbed his arms and held the door open. Thank the Force there was an inn near the docks in Port Ferox. Ben dreaded the thought of having to go searching for shelter in this maze of a city.

The inn appeared crowded. Most of the tables in the common room were occupied. A few chairs sat around a stone fireplace. All of them empty as most patrons were busy socializing with friends. Sharing a drink, a laugh, maybe a meal too. The innkeeper was busy behind the bar counter. Preparing drinks and making small talk with some of his customers. A barmaid rushed to and fro with mugs of ale, both full and empty. A lively little place.

It also looked well kept. The amount of coin it brought in from sailors drinking there probably paid for the upkeep all on its own. There were no broken floor boards or cracked beams above Ben's head. The mugs used for mead looked very clean. The floor was free of debris and filth. It was not only a lively establishment, it was a lovely one too.

The warmth of a roaring fire in the common room blasted Ben as he stepped inside. Just as he took another step into the warm inn, Tharja surged past him and raced for the roaring fire in the common room. The poor dark mage felt frozen. Snow clung to the edges of her dark bangs and the fringes of her cape. Her teeth chattered even after she reached the fire and settled down beside it.

"I think she's had enough of snow." Gaius chuckled as he brushed past Ben.

The thief shook some snow from his head and removed his traveling pack from his shoulders.

"I'll get us a room."

"I can do it." Anna said weakly as she was helped inside by her sister.

The wound in her arm had been healing slowly. But at least it was healing. Both Tharja and Laurent kept a very close eye on it while they were traveling to Port Ferox.

"You are going to rest in a chair while Gaius gets a room." Anna's sister replied as she helped her sister over to a chair near Tharja.

"But I can negotiate a better price." Anna whined. But she failed to convince her sister to let her go.

Laurent, Panne, and Donnel all silently entered the inn. Each one weary from the long road North. Robin entered last. The tactician yanked the heavy wooden door shut behind him. He shivered and shook some layers of snow from his coat.

"That's one hell of a storm." Robin muttered.

"No kidding." Ben remarked, "Between the sandstorms in Plegia and the blizzards here in Regna Ferox, it is a miracle we even got here."

"Took us long enough too." Robin sighed as he made his way over to a booth that Tharja and both Anna's took over. Laurent, Donnel, and Panne all pulled up chairs beside them.

The tactician was not wrong. Anna estimated the journey would take several weeks at first. But the hostile weather turned several weeks into nearly two months of slow travel through endless sand dunes and ice covered plains. The many storms that hammered the western coasts of both Plegia and Regna Ferox forced them all to hunker down and seek shelter many times. Sometimes, they had to stop for days at a time and wait for a sandstorm or ice storm to pass by. Ben felt beyond grateful that they all now had a warm inn to take shelter in. Tents did not do well when it came to blocking out the elements.

Robin sank into a seat beside Anna. Ben slipped beside Tharja. Gaius eventually made his way over to them. He carried four large mugs of ale in his hands. Behind him, one of the inn's serving girls followed with five more mugs. Gaius set his mugs down and sat down next to Robin.

"Ale anyone?" He said before snatching a mug and taking a long gulp from it.

The serving girl set the last few mugs down and told the group that some stew and bread would be brought over. Ben gave her his thanks. Hot stew and warm bread sounded amazing right now. Especially after having to travel for over a week in the middle of an unrelenting blizzard.

Tharja shivered beside him, "The cold has sunk into my bones."

Ben chuckled, "Too bad the first sandstorm ate my cloak."

"That thing was surprisingly warm for how light it was." Tharja pouted, "I miss it."

Ben smirked at her then sipped on his own ale. Gaius glanced back and forth between Ben and Tharja. He noticed the dark mage give Ben a small, smirk before turning her attention to her spell book. A broad, mischievous grin crossed the thief's lips.

"What?" Ben asked the smug looking man.

"So when did you two start liking each other?" Gaius asked with a suggestive waggle of his eyebrows.

Ben choked on his ale. As he coughed, Tharja glared at the thief.

"Another word and I will invert your rib cage."

The thief paled and quickly pressed his lips to his mug. Laurent gave a dry chuckled beside him.

"Technically that won't do much other than cause extreme pain." He hummed, "And maybe widen out your torso a little bit. And your organs would be less protected."

"No need to go into the gritty details, Specs." Gaius gulped, "I know a threat when I hear one." He leaned back in his seat. One foot tapping nervously on the floor. Tharja's glare did not let up. The thief sighed, "I'll take the runny nose hex."

Tharja hummed to herself, "Tempting. But for now, I will just stick with the threat."

Donnel's eyes widened, "Miss Tharja being merciful? The cold really has addled her."

The Dark Mage slumped in her seat and wrapped her arms around her body, "You have no idea."

The barmaid returned to their table within a few minutes. A tray of hot stew and bread on her shoulder. She carefully set each bowl down in front of the weary group of travelers. Ben could feel his mouth watering as he looked down at the bowl in front of him. Force, the Feroxi could cook! He snatched a slice of warm bread and dipped it into the broth. A quick bite, and he felt warm and happy.

"Other than Bubbles, I don't think I've ever seen someone enjoy food as much as you, Benny." Gaius chuckled, "It's like you've never eaten this kind of stuff before."

Ben arched an eyebrow, "If you grew up among monks you would have learned to appreciate delicious cuisine when you could. The taste of food is not a priority usually."

Tharja let out a sigh, "You can say that again. It was the same at the Temple. Bland and more bland." She picked at her food, "Ruined my appetite for all time."

"Candy can reinvigorate that." Gaius chirped.

"No thanks." Tharja replied, "I prefer to not grow fat."

Gaius arched an eyebrow, "Is she calling me fat?"

"If she manages to invert your rib cage you would be." Laurent noted.

Gaius shuddered while Panne and the others uttered quiet chuckles. Robin leaned back in his seat, enjoying the warm fire and the low din of conversation around him.

As the group munched on their warm food and enjoyed the cold ale, the door to the already crowded inn burst open. A rabble of weary and hungry sailors sauntered in. At the lead was an imposing Feroxi captain with a large sack of coin on his hip. Ben saw Gaius's eyes wander over to the coins the man carried.

"Don't even think about it." Ben warned Gaius before sipping his ale.

"I wasn't thinking." Gaius replied, "Just looking."

"That is part of the problem." Ben replied.

The sailors and their captain settled into the booth beside their own. They were a rowdy bunch. As the group of sailors drank and ate, they sang bawdy songs that always kept them entertained on the seas. In between the drunken singing, they recounted tales of voyages they took. But one tale in particular caught both Ben and Robin's attention.

"This last voyage though, eh lads?" The large, Feroxi captain chuckled, "Didn't expect to go over to Valm that fast."

"Made record time and made the little lady happy, eh Captain?" One of his sailors chortled while drinking his beer.

"That lass ain't no lady, you idiot." Another sailor with a gruff voice snorted, "She be a warrior, that one. Ain't you see that sword on her hip? Ain't never seen anything like that one before." He gulped down some ale, "And she obviously been in a fight. Ain't lose an arm cooking in a kitchen."

Ben and Robin's eyes widened.

"My ma once lost a thumb in the kitchen." One sailor remarked.

"Nobody asked you, Len."

Robin nodded over to Ben. The pair rose from their seats.

"Um?" Gaius gave them both a confused look, "What are you two up to?"

Ben smirked, "We are about to charter a ship."

Anna's mouth fell open, "You aren't thinking of looking where I think you are, are you?"

"We only go to the best places." Robin laughed back as he followed Ben over to the sailor's booth.

Both Ben and Robin stopped at the booth. A few of the sailors noticed, but paid them no mind. Their main focus was on their food and drink. A long voyage on the high seas made one long for the comforts of cold ale and hot food. The Captain did notice the two Shepherds. His cheeks were already flush from alcohol. He uttered a quiet belch then gave both Robin and Ben a warm smile.

"How can I help you lads?" He asked, "You looking for work? Ya lot look able bodied enough. We're making good coin at the moment. Ain't that right boys?"

A chorus of hoots and cheers sounded from around the table. Ben and Robin shared the warm reception.

"Actually, we could not help but overhear the conversation you all were having." Ben remarked, "Talking about women is oh so entertaining."

The captain smacked a hand on the table, "Damn right! Lads make some room for em. These two shall drink with us."

Both Ben and Robin joined their table.

"So? You hear what me first mate said about our latest lovely passenger eh?"

"Yes." Ben nodded before gesturing to Robin, "My friend overheard and wanted to hear more. It has been oh so long since he… you know…"

Robin's cheeks flushed bright red. He flashed Ben a furious glance while the captain guffawed at his apparent misfortune.

"Know all to well." The Captain grinned, "Seas get lonely. Any girl, even one as cold as this one looked, be a good looking one when you're sailing."

"What did she look like?" Robin spat out.

Both Ben and the Captain fell into raucous laughter. Further embarrassing the poor tactician.

"He really is desperate, ain't he?" The Captain uttered a silent burp, "She be one of the stranger ones really. Blue hair. Steely gaze. One arm."

"Flat as a board." One sailor remarked.

"I thought I saw a bump or two." A man next to him remarked, "Personally, I like my women that way."

"Both ya bury your faces in your mead before you make bigger fools of yourselves." The Captain barked at them, "These gentlemen are curious about the young lass. And that curiosity ain't limited to the more entertaining kind. Ya both wouldn't asking about her specifically if ya weren't looking for her." He guzzled down the last few drops of his beer and hollered for a fresh mug, "So, what is she to ya? A lost lover?"

"No!" Robin cried.

"Unfortunately yes." Ben nodded at Robin. He thoroughly enjoyed seeing how flustered the tactician was, "He's too afraid to admit it."

"Ah, she left ya out in the cold then eh? Can't accept the fact that she left ya. So ya gotta go chasing her. She must of really stole your heart, lad."

"Oh, she really did." Ben chuckled.

Robin kicked him beneath the table. Ben quickly kicked back, landing a solid blow on his shin. The tactician screwed his eyes shut and kept his mouth closed. Doing everything in his power to not howl in pain.

"Where did you take her to? My friend wants to try and win her heart back. But the only way he can do that-"

"Is if ya know where she went." The barmaid passed by and handed the Captain a fresh drink, "Well, just got back from that little voyage. We sailed for Charlet. Little port city on the Valm coast. Nice place before the Conquest. Now, things be a little rough. Stayed a few weeks in order to gather up enough shipments to make a profit on the journey back home."

"How much to make the crossing?"

The captain sputtered on some ale, "Sorry?" He picked at his ear, "Don't think I heard ya proper."

"How much would it cost to charter your ship and cross over to Valm?" Ben asked the Captain.

The Captain leaned back in his seat, "Now, lads, that is not a cheap thing you be asking for. For one, my own boys are tired. They want a little shore leave. And-"

Over the Captain's shoulder, Ben saw Anna roll her eyes. The merchant fiddled with a small pouch at her hip. She smirked and tossed the pouch over the back of her chair and into the lap of the Captain. A small smile crossed Ben's face as the Captain jumped then looked down to see a large pile of glittering, gold coins sitting inside of the leather pouch.

"I trust that will cover passage for eight?" The merchant said with a sweet smile.

The Captain gaped at the coins in his lap. He gingerly picked one out of the small pouch and bit down on it. When the coin did not bend, he laughed and flicked it up in the air. As he caught the coin, he winked back at Anna.

"Ya got yourself a ship, lass!"

* * *

The rooms Gaius managed to acquire for the evening were cozy little spaces. They sat across the hall from each other. The girls all filtered into their room for the evening. Ben noticed Tharja quickly rush for the bunk closest to the fire while both Annas hopped into the same little bunk space together. Panne let out a loud yawn and closed the door behind them. With a small chuckle, Ben followed Robin into the guys room.

As they entered their room, Robin glared at Ben.

"I'm not in love with Marth!" Robin hissed.

Ben began to snicker.

"It is a purely professional relationship!" Robin hissed again.

"The blush on your cheeks makes that argument _very_ convincing." Ben laughed as he marched into the room.

The tactician stomped his foot, uttered a frustrated huff, then followed Ben. He was not in love with Marth! That was final! Did he admire her for her strength and determination? Absolutely. Did he care for her as a friend and comrade? Yes. That was why he was worried about her. His feelings about her did not venture beyond that.

The tactician became distracted from his fuming thoughts as he got a look at their quaint little room. Bunk beds made out of soft wool and linen lined the stone walls. Fur rugs lay across the dark floorboards. Both rooms had a small fireplace for when the weather turned especially cold. One window sat in the stone walls. Frost lined the glass panes, which kept any moonlight from streaming into the small room.

Gaius scrambled up one bed and settled into the top bunk. He tossed and turned for a moment.

"Wool is always so scratchy." He grumbled.

"Better wool than snow." Robin snorted as he slipped his pack from his shoulders and placed it next to one of the bunks.

Ben sat down in the bunk beside Robin's. The swordsman let out a relaxed sigh as he kicked his boots off. Across the room, Laurent managed to start a small fire. Once he was satisfied, the young scholar sat down beside the flickering flames and began to read. To no one's surprise, Donnel had already flopped into one bunk and fallen asleep.

"Morning people." Gaius shook his head as heard Donnel snore, "I'm telling you, they miss out on a lot of fun."

Ben shook his head, "The early bird gets the worm, Gaius. Donnel was raised a farmer. Farmers tend to rise early in order to take care of the land." He leaned back on his bed, "Meanwhile, your choice of profession requires darkness."

"Not anymore." Gaius snorted, "Whiskers won't let me get my hands near anything. Thieving is not allowed around her."

"Good. You are becoming a productive and responsible member of society." Robin remarked with a laugh.

"Gods help me if that ever happens." Gaius rolled over to look down at both Robin and Ben, "That kind of life is way too boring."

"You seem to be enjoying it just fine." Ben pointed out.

"Traveling with you is the furthest thing from boring." Gaius replied, "In the span of nine months I have been shot at by I don't know how many arrows, done battle against plenty of bandits, and traveled all over Ylisse, Plegia, and Regna Ferox. I have been frozen, baked, and frozen again. And nearly buried alive in a sandstorm. Oh, and the cherry on top? I've had to run for my life from undead, bloodthirsty monsters. Yup. Totally boring."

"Fair point." Ben conceded with a dry laugh, "At least we manage to keep you entertained."

Gaius hummed in agreement. He rolled over on his bunk. Ready to go to sleep.

Below him, Robin reached into his pack and pulled out his folded up chess board.

"Speaking of entertain." Robin unfolded the board, "Ben?"

"I am always ready for a good game of chess." Ben said as he sat up and watched Robin set the pieces on the board.

"You are always ready to beat me at chess." Robin corrected.

Ben chuckled, "You will win eventually."

They began their silent match. And within a few minutes, Robin already appeared frustrated. His hand raked through his hair as he struggled to react to Ben's cunning strategies. Finally, after a few more moves, he admitted defeat.

"I thought that new strategy would work!" Robin said, bemoaning yet another loss.

"It nearly did." Ben replied, "You had me confused for the first few moves."

"But then you just did your mind reading bit and put me on the defensive." Robin replied with a slight wave of his hand, "Damn. I need to not give my intentions away so easily."

"It'll come with time and experience." Ben said as he leaned back on his elbows. Robin carefully reset the chess board.

"So." Robin breathed, "Are you ready to cross over to Valm?"

Ben nodded, "Of course. Making a journey like that does not bother me. I'm more surprised that the others want to tag along."

"Why does that surprise you?"

Ben shrugged, "It is halfway around the world. I was surprised when all of you decided to travel all over Archanea with me. But I doubted we would ever have to go beyond this continent during our search."

"You thought some of us would call it a day, so to speak?" Robin said as he finished setting up their second game.

Ben gave him a reluctant nod.

"Well, I'd say you have to give us a little more credit than that." Robin replied, "We all have come this far. And now that we actually have a lead on something, it means the end could be in sight. Why not see it through?" Robin moved his first pawn, "Besides, I told you I'd help you find Luke. And I'm not giving up on that commitment."

Ben smiled, "Well… thank you."

"You're welcome, Benny." Gaius mumbled as he tried to fall asleep.

Robin uttered a quiet chuckle, "What he said."

Ben played his first move and watched as Robin immediately moved his knight out into the field.

"Aggressive this time?" Ben remarked.

"I've found that I last the longest when I have you reacting instead of attacking."

"A good offense is the best defense." Ben summarized, "Well, be careful not to get too aggressive." He moved his bishop to the center of the board, "You will find there are always more aggressive players than yourself."

Robin already looked flustered. The tactician frowned and drummed his fingers against his knee. He rested his head in his other hand and studied the board. They went back and forth for a few more moves before Robin uttered a defeated sigh.

"I already know where this game is going." He grumbled, "I'll make a few more flailing moves. Delay the inevitable. Then you will move that damn rook and win."

Ben nodded, "You know my strategy."

"Well, it's obvious right now. But you manage to change it mid-game all the time. It is what makes you so difficult to beat. I can't pin down what you are going to do next."

"You are focusing on the pieces instead of the player." Ben replied.

Robin gave him a puzzled look. Ben sighed.

"Notice that when I beat you, and you ask for an explanation as to how I beat you, I always answer that-"

"That you read my intentions. I know. But I don't know how to do that."

"Is that so?" Ben replied, "I think you are selling yourself a little short. I seem to recall a rather spontaneous, unpredictable, and creative tactician when on the battlefield. That requires focusing on the mindset of your opponent instead of the individual pieces on the battlefield."

Robin furrowed his brow, "You're saying that I… I…" He shook his head and let out a frustrated groan, "I don't get it."

"No one does when they first start to learn."

Robin's eyes shot wide open. This was a lesson. He instantly straightened himself and cleared his throat.

"Ok. Explain, oh wise Master Ben."

Ben chuckled, "Well, you are force sensitive, Robin. That allows you to sense the currents of the force. It also allows you to understand the ebb and flow of it through people and their actions. In a way, it allows you to notice the flow of battle and be able to adjust accordingly. You call it instinct. I call it listening to the Force." Ben took a breath, "The force often speaks through instinct."

Robin nodded, "And how does that apply to chess?"

Ben raised a hand, "I won't tell you how. Instead, you are going to see how. Well, not necessarily see." Ben reached into his travel pack and pulled out a small strip of cloth. He tossed it over to Robin, "Tie that over your eyes."

Robin gave Ben a puzzled look. As Ben reset the chess board, Robin wrapped the heavy cloth over his eyes. He frowned as he heard Ben set down the last chess piece.

"You don't expect me to play like this, right?"

"I fully expect you to play like that." Ben smirked.

Robin's mouth fell open, "But- But how am I supposed to make my moves if I can't even see the pieces."

"Hm… well," Ben uttered a quiet chuckle, "you will just have to trust your instincts."

Robin frowned, "My instincts are lot more accurate when I can see."

"Your eyes can deceive you. Don't trust them." Ben said quickly.

Robin furrowed his brow. Don't trust his eyes? One of the most important factors in defeating an opponent on the battlefield, or in the game of chess, was to see what they were doing. Notice their moves, their strategy, and place a counter against it. Without his sight, he would be unable to see what Ben was doing. Unable to know what strategy he had in place.

He heard Ben move his first pawn.

"Your turn." Ben chirped.

Robin uttered a long, heavy sigh. He stretched out his hand and fumbled his way towards the chess board. He smiled as he grabbed a piece.

"That is a bishop." Ben said with a small laugh.

Robin drew his hand back and frowned, "You're doing this just to get a laugh."

"No, I'm not." Ben sounded a little more serious, "You doubt your own abilities, Robin. Part of the problem is you think your instincts will fail you. Your instincts are a direct link to the living force. Let them guide you. They will not lead you astray."

Robin pressed his lips together. He still did not understand what the point of this exercise was. But he would play along for now. He reached out again, this time carefully running his hand along his pieces until he felt the smooth, round head of a pawn. He took a deep breath and moved it forward.

Ben did not correct him on anything. Which meant he somehow managed to move the pawn forward exactly one space.

 _I guess I'm a little lucky._

He heard another one of Ben's pieces scrape against the wooden chess board. Robin frowned. That piece sounded heavier.

"What did you move?"

There was silence for a moment. Was Ben going to answer him? Did he make a mover or not? No, he did. Robin heard it.

"I'm not saying." Ben replied.

Robin uttered a frustrated sigh, "Can you at least give me something to work with?"

"I did. You just need to concentrate."

He did? Ben gave him something to work with? What exactly? All he had done so far was blind Robin and move two pieces. The tactician took a deep breath. He had to think about this one. Obviously, Ben expected him to know exactly which piece he moved.

 _My eyes can deceive me._

Robin furrowed his brow. The piece he heard was heavier. Which meant it was certainly not a pawn. If it was a pawn, then it would not have scraped so loudly against the wooden board. Robin drummed his fingers on his thigh. The piece scrapped, not tapped. Which meant it moved more than one space. That ruled out the rooks because they would not have the space to move at this point. It also ruled out the knights because they would have to hop over the pawns. Which left the bishops and the queen.

Robin took a deep breath. In his gut, he felt like Ben had moved the queen. Which meant he was going for an aggressive approach. Even more so than the last game. If he recalled the chess board setup correctly, that meant Ben had moved one of his center pawns forward first.

 _How far did he move his queen?_

Robin reached out and plucked another pawn on his side. He carefully raised it, then set it down again.

No correction. He moved another piece correctly while blindfolded. Robin's lips tightened as his mind raced. Once was lucky. Twice might be muscle memory. So what about three times?

Another piece moved. A small tap this time. Ben moved another pawn.

 _Which means his queen is not in a position to attack, or else he could lose it. But it is also not in a perilous position either._

The board started to form in his mind. And for a split second, through the blindfold, he thought he could see it. The pieces along with the black and wide field spread out in front of him. He saw the queen hugging the wall to his right. Ben's two center pawns thrusted forward into action. Robin's own pawns in their spots. And what baffled Robin the most about what he saw was that they were the exact pawns he wanted to move.

If he moved his bishop he could threaten Ben's queen and force it to retreat. So, he did just that. Robin heard an impossibly quiet, sharp sigh leave Ben's lips. The queen pulled back.

 _That blew up one plan he had in mind._

A small smile crossed Robin's lips. He reached out to where he thought he saw his knight. He felt the horse head between his fingertips. With much more confidence than before, he made his move.

With each play, the board appeared clearer in his mind. Each move Ben made, he could see. Ben's next move he countered easily with a rook. He moved a pawn. Robin moved a pawn to match it. All of this amazed Robin. How on earth was he doing this? How could he see what Ben was doing.

Suddenly, Ben called his name.

"Alright Robin. You can remove your blindfold."

Robin's face twisted into a confused expression. Slowly, he lifted the blindfold from his eyes. When he looked down at the board, he saw that only one of Ben's pieces had moved. His first pawn. The one Robin knew he moved. The one that kept his queen from moving diagonal across the board. On his own side, Robin had moved each of his own pieces exactly in the way he wanted to. The tactician looked up at Ben, perplexed and more than a little annoyed.

Ben saw his irritation and smiled a little.

"You would have won." Ben remarked.

"How? You didn't even make a move."

Ben rubbed his chin. He was obviously considering something. He kept staring hard at Robin before staring back down at the game board. Apparently, the tactician had done something that gave Ben some pause.

"You are right. I did not." Ben leaned forward, "But you countered every single move I thought about making."

Robin thought about it for a moment. Realization dawned on the tactician's face. His eyes widened.

"You-you mean-"

Ben nodded, "Every move you saw me make was going to be my next move. And before I could even move that piece, you countered. You saw what was coming and you reacted on instinct. I never even got past my first move."

Robin's mouth slowly fell open. He stared down at the chess board, amazed.

"But that shouldn't be possible."

"Anything is possible with the force." Ben stretched his arms high over his head. A loud yawn left his lips, "Alright, I think it is time for bed. We have to be up at first light tomorrow in order to board the ship."

"R-right." Robin could not help but stare at the incomplete game.

His mind raced. The force allowed him to see every move Ben was going to make? It left the tactician at a loss for words. Reluctantly, he gathered up the pieces and closed the board.

As he settled into his bunk, he noticed Ben giving him a curious glance every few moments.

"Is something wrong?" Robin asked.

Ben shook his head, "No, just…" Ben paused a moment, "Most Jedi when they go through that kind of exercise see the move the opponent has made. You saw the move I was going to make. That exercise is meant to get you to rely on the force instead of your own sense of sight. Sight is the easiest sense to manipulate after all. I thought that you and I would play a game and you would see the moves I made and react with your gut instinct. Instead, you saw the moves I wanted to make and countered based on that same instinct. The last person I trained with that gift was-" Ben fell quiet, "It was Anakin. He was a natural at anticipating what the enemy planned to do. It helped make him so powerful." The swordsman cleared his throat, "Get some rest, Robin."

Robin nodded and let his head fall back into his pillows. As sleep gripped him and his eyes began to close, his mind continued to race. Was he really that gifted with the Force? This strange power that he had never heard of until he met Ben. His spell book did not even mention it. If he was that much of a natural, why did he have no notes on it? Why did he not experiment before he lost his memory?

Those questions plagued his mind, even as he drifted off into a deep sleep.

* * *

Thrawn grit his teeth as alarms whirred all around the bridge. The _Chimaera_ shuddered. Officers and crew barked all around him. Shouting out different readings they saw on their screens. On one side, he heard some crewman shouting out that the shields were down to fifty percent. A major problem considering the _Chimaera_ had just wandered into an uncharted asteroid field.

The Deep Core already proved to be perilous. Fraught with danger both known and unknown. Thrawn looked up at the map he had projected on a small part of the bridge's viewport. The Rakatan Empire had been thorough when they mapped the Deep Core so many millennia ago. But this asteroid field was not recorded on the map. Neither was the scorching hot nebula the ship had to circumvent earlier. Thrawn had a feeling that the only reliable markings on the map were the locations of, at the time, young stars and their many planets. Some of the older stars were likely long gone along with the rest of their solar systems.

The _Chimaera_ groaned and shuddered again.

"Admiral!" Commander Vanto called from the station where the bridge monitored the shields, "Shields are down fifty percent!"

As the Commander said this, the doors to the bridge hissed open. Darth Vader calmly entered. The asteroid field unable to raise any sort of panic from the man turned machine. Thrawn glanced over at Vader, nodded at him, then turned to Commander Vanto.

"Convert all power to the shields and our turbo lasers. Have all batteries fire at any approaching asteroid big enough to cause damage. In the meantime, I want calculations about the size of the asteroid field. I want to know how long it will hinder us and if we need to pull back."

Commander Vanto nodded and relayed the admiral's orders.

Vader's harsh breathing rang in Thrawn's ear. The Admiral took a deep breath and returned his attention to the asteroid field outside of the bridge.

"Well, the map could use some updating." Thrawn noted.

Vader said nothing. Thrawn glanced up at the hulking man. He did not even acknowledge Thrawn's comment. If Thrawn could see his face, he would wonder if the man had wandered into a daydream. He stood rigid on the bridge.

A sudden wave of cold rushed through Thrawn and raced throughout the bridge. Thrawn suppressed shiver as he felt cold fingers run over him. The men around him sensed it too. Their panicked shouts died away as the cold shot through their bodies. Each man's face turned pale as their eyes fell on the still figure of Darth Vader.

The cold faded as quickly as it came. Thrawn gave Vader a curious glance. He knew that feeling had been generated by the dark lord. But why?

"Continue through the asteroid field." Vader ordered, "We are nearing its end."

Thrawn did not ask how he knew that. Vader would never give him the answer. Beside, Thrawn already suspected that the Force had something to do with Vader's apparent omniscience on this mission. The Dark Lord turned on his heel and strode back whence he came. Likely to sit in that pressure sphere of his. The one place on this entire ship where he could remove that ghastly helmet and not die.

Green flashes of light winked through Thrawn's vision. Turbo lasers shout out into the asteroid field. Pulverizing the various lumps of floating rock and ice that threatened to harm the _Chimaera_. Creating a path for the large Star Destroyer to fly through. That would make navigating the asteroid field much easier. Vader's orders were clear. Push onwards. There would be no turning back.

"Commander." Thrawn called over to his aide, "Are we mapping our course?"

"Yes sir. We are still marking our way so that other ships may follow if needed." Vanto replied.

Thrawn nodded. Good. If Vader was wrong, a search and rescue mission could be mounted without much effort. Thrawn doubted the Emperor would allow his most effective servant, Vader, to be stranded out in the hostile Deep Core.

The Chiss narrowed his eyes at the projected map. His studious gaze carefully took in each detail. They entered the Deep Core a few dozen light years from the closest known system. If they were still following their original path, then the mythical world of Tython should be appearing soon.

"Sir!" Vanto called. His voice filled with relief and excitement, "The asteroid field is breaking. Our scanners detect a planet coming into view."

Thrawn narrowed his eyes. As the asteroid field thinned out a bright sun lit up the bridge. A blue spec grew in front of the Chimaera. The closer the ship drew to the small planet, the more Thrawn could see of it.

The surface was covered in storms. Green land likely teeming with life rested where the storms were not. Floating around the small planet were two moons. One incredibly bright. The other, shrouded in shadow.

"Sir? Is this planet on our map?"

Thrawn's lips parted into a small smile.

"Behold, Commander Vanto," Thrawn nodded at the planet and her two moons, Ashla and Bogan, "the mythical Jedi world of Tython."

Vanto's eyes widened, "That-that means the map is accurate. To a certain extent."

Thrawn nodded, "Indeed." He folded his hands behind his back, "Begin scanning for lifeforms and potential civilizations on the surface. If there is nothing, we will move on."

He already had a feeling there would be nothing. But the scans were standard procedure. If nothing else, they would reveal how viable it was to set up any colonies on the surface.

According to legend, this planet was abandoned tens of thousands of years ago as the ancient Jedi ventured further out into the stars. It still held a special, religious significant to the now extinct group. But as time passed, it faded from the spotlight. No longer the center of their strange religion.

The orange and yellow glow of the system's sun bathed the bridge in warm light. Thrawn nodded to himself. The _Chimaera_ would remain in orbit for a few days while any damage from the asteroid field was repaired. They would also take this time to gather their bearings and figure out just where Vader wanted to go next.

The search was far from over. This was a mild victory in Thrawn's eyes. But the Deep Core held many mysteries and secrets long ago forgotten. Tython had been found once again. Who knows what else lay in this dangerous section of the galaxy.

The Chiss smiled to himself. This mission continued to excite him.

 **And chapter! Again, a slower chapter. Set up more than anything else. We have Ben and friends about to pursue both Kage and Marth over to Valm. Robin got his first lesson from Ben about the Force. I wanted to sort of replicate the lesson Ben gave Luke in A New Hope when they were on the Millenium Falcon. But I also wanted to put my own little spin on it. I hope it turned out well. Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	58. Breaking Point

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 58

Breaking Point

They flew for hours over thick forest canopies. As the hours passed and Cynthia's pegasus soared, the trees far below Say'ri changed from the tropical Chon'sin species into more temperate pines, oaks, and willows. Some of them looked massive. Jutting up into the sky. So close that maybe, if she reached out, she could brush her fingertips against the leaves. The moon looked even closer. A giant, glowing orb in the sky that filled her vision. Every time Cynthia guided the Pegasus higher, Say'ri thought they were about to soar to the moon.

She tightened her arms around Cytnhia's waist as the pegasus started to descend from the stars. The Chon'sin Princess's admiration for the bubbly girl grew whenever she deftly guided her steed. Cynthia was born to be in the skies. Say'ri could see that. She flew with grace and confidence. Like it was second nature for her. The teenager did not lose control of her Pegasus once as they soared away from danger. And the brave steed appeared at ease. Even with three people on its back.

But it could only fly so far with that much weight. Eventually, the wings started beating at a more erratic pace. Cynthia frowned and whispered in her Pegasus's ear. The flying horse snorted and began to descend. Gliding through the cool night air down to the edge of one of the many forests they soared over. Say'ri looked at the land they were dropping to. With the exception of a few isolated woods, there was no cover. Rolling hills filled this part of the continent. Endless seas of tall grass waved to and fro in the wind. Far in the distance, she could see a giant, black mountain jutting up from the ground. Smoke billowed from it's coned peak. A terrifying volcano known as the Demon's Ingle. Say'ri was glad they were going nowhere near that hellscape.

Cynthia executed a perfect landing. As soon as they touched the ground, Luke jumped off of the animal's back. Say'ri frowned as he stormed away a couple steps. Shoulders hunched over. Breaths leaving his lungs in ragged gasps. It was as if his entire world had been shaken. A top predator became made prey to an unknown enemy. And he was not handling it well.

Say'ri slid off of the pegasus. She gave the beast a gentle pat on the muzzle. Cynthia smiled down at the Princess.

"She likes you." She glanced over at Luke as the man attempted to calm himself down, "Him, not so much."

"I'm not its biggest fan either." Luke grumbled before taking a seat among the waves of grass.

Cynthia hopped off her pegasus. The short girl reached up and rubbed her mount's muzzle, a bright smile on her face.

"You did great, girl." She whispered. A happy sigh left Cynthia's lips, "So, we escaped! Success!"

"I was defeated." Luke grumbled, "I would not call that a success."

"You are alive." Say'ri countered, "Given what that monster was capable of, I'd say you should be happy it ended as well as it did."

"Ended?" Luke uttered a mocking laugh, "My dance with that monster is far from over. He will not defeat me. And he will not get away with making me look weak."

Cynthia looked at Luke with a puzzled expression as she sat down across from him, "Technically he was dancing. You were flailing like fish." She hummed, "Especially when you got hit by his lightning."

Luke's fingers balled up into tight fists, "I am aware." He hissed through a clenched jaw.

Say'ri remained standing. She wanted to remain vigilant right now. They had no camping gear. It had all been on the horses. Which they lost when they fled from whoever their new enemy was. There would be no shelter for them tonight. Which meant they all had to be extra careful. Extremely wary and focused. This landscape was very exposed. Anything could attack them out here.

"Who was that man?" Say'ri asked.

Luke inhaled, "That thing was a Deadlord."

Say'ri arched an eyebrow, "I never found dehumanizing an opponent to be very helpful in defeating them. You fail to understand the enemy that way."

A dry laugh left Luke's lips, "Spoke like a general. You resemble your brother more than you would like to admit." Say'ri's gaze darkened. Luke rolled his eyes, "That thing was not human."

Cynthia sucked in a sharp breath, "You don't mean-"

Luke nodded, "He followed us. And now his servants are trying to kill us."

Say'ri gave both a confused look, "Who is trying to kill us?"

"Ever heard of Grima?" Luke asked.

Say'ri narrowed her eyes at the man, "This has to be some kind of joke. A sick joke at that. The Fell Dragon is long dead. Slain over a thousand years ago."

Luke snorted, "Tell that to the Deadlord I just fought."

"You still haven't explained what exactly a Deadlord is?" Say'ri snapped back.

"Grima's top fighters." Cynthia said, without her usual cheerful smile, "Filled with both his will and power."

"Unstoppable killing machines. And normally just as mindless as normal Risen." Luke furrowed his brow, "But for some reason, not this one."

"Do you think he upgraded them?" Cynthia asked.

Luke rolled his eyes, "How would he do that, dumb ass?"

"He's practically the god of death! You tell me." Cynthia replied, a little frustration in her voice, "And quit calling me dumb and an idiot. It's not very nice."

"I don't care." Luke snarled, "You are those things."

Say'ri kept her mouth closed. This was a personal argument. But if she had her say, she would have taken Cynthia's side. Other than her one brain dead moment following around some bandits, she had been nothing but helpful and supportive to their efforts. If it wasn't for her, both Say'ri and Luke could have been killed or captured by the Deadlord. Cynthia might not be the most focused or serious person, but she was far from stupid.

The Pegasus Knight narrowed her eyes at Luke.

"Why are you so grumpy?" Luke rolled his eyes at her question, "I'm serious!" Cynthia continued, "You weren't this grumpy last time we talked."

"The last time was three years ago." Luke remarked as he folded his hands and closed his eyes. Deep breaths rushed in and out of his lungs.

"Three years isn't enough time for you to go from one of the fun people to one of the mean ones." Cynthia pouted, "For Naga's sake, you are almost as grumpy as Gerome."

Kage grunted, but said nothing in reply.

"So why?" Cynthia asked again. She tapped his knee, "C'mon, open up to me. What is making you so mad?" Her eyes lit up, "Did you get in a fight with Luci?"

Say'ri drew back as Luke's face twisted in anger. She saw his fists ball up very tight in his lap. Obvious rage leaked out of him.

"You did!" Cynthia gasped, "Luke, what did you fight about? Did you guys break up? I hope not. You two were really cute together. Before you became a sour puss that is. I'm pretty sure if you did, you broke her heart because-"

"SHUT UP!" Luke roared. His eyes flashed. Say'ri sucked in a fearful breath as sparks danced along his fingertips.

"No." Cynthia shot back, "You will tell me why-"

"Lucina is dead!"

Cynthia froze. She gave Luke an unblinking stare. Her chest barely rose and fell as the words hit her like a slap in the face. A small, uncertain laugh left the young girl's lips.

"You- you're lying." She said, her voice weak with uncertainty, "You always did like to lead me on. So, where is Luci anyways? You have to have met up with her already and-"

"Maul killed her." Luke glared angrily at Cynthia.

Cynthia's eyes widened. Her lips quivered. Say'ri saw large tears forming in her innocent eyes. The girl gulped.

"W-what?" She whimpered.

Luke leaned closer. Rage etched all over his face.

"Maul killed her." He repeated.

Cynthia's fist shot out so fast, Say'ri barely noticed. Her punch collided with Luke's jaw. Knocking the irritable man flat on his back. Luke's eyes widened in shock as Cynthia jumped on top of him and rained another fist down on his face.

"YOU'RE LYING!" Cynthia screamed as she pounded away at him, "LIAR! LIAR!"

Luke raised his hands and caught Cynthia by the wrists. Sobs wracked Cynthia's lungs as she collapsed in a heap on top of Luke.

"She's not dead!" Cynthia wailed, "Luci can't die!"

"Get off of me." Luke grunted as he pushed the sobbing Pegasus Knight off of him.

Cynthia pushed herself up on all fours. She sniffled a moment then glared at Luke.

"You… you followed Maul when he did it, didn't you?"

Say'ri saw Luke swallow hard. Guilt rushed over the man's face. He refused to look Cynthia is the eye at that moment. No hateful comment or snide remark left his lips. That look of pure guilt was all it took to send Cynthia over the edge. The sobbing Pegasus Knight rushed over to her mount. The Pegasus snorted and knelt down for her to get on. Say'ri rushed to stop her.

"Cynthia wait!"

The beast's angelic wings hammered against the night air. Cynthia shot up into the sky. Not controlling her pegasus in the slightest. Her face buried in its white mane instead of focused on where she was flying. Say'ri's eyes followed her path. The Chon'sin Princess shook with rage as she turned to face Kage.

"What kind of sick, twisted man are you?" She spat.

"The kind that is going to save your little brother."

She spat at him. Luke drew back in surprise.

"To hell with you. I would much sooner save him myself than be around the likes of you any longer." She pointed an accusatory figure at the stunned man, "You are a poison. A sick individual who clearly gains pleasure out of causing pain. I hope you meet a terrible end at the hands of that Deadlord. You deserve it."

Say'ri huffed, turned on her heel, and raced off in the direction Cynthia ran away at.

* * *

Kage is a liar. He had to be lying. There was no way Lucina was dead. Cynthia refused to believe it. Refused to believe him. Lucina was the strongest person she knew. The best warrior she knew. No one could kill her. Risen couldn't kill her. Deadlords were unable to kill her. As long as Falchion sat in her hands, her older sister was an unstoppable force on the battlefield. Grima himself was cautious when approaching her.

But as Kage's words sank in, Cynthia could not help but feel that he told her the truth. The guilt he had on his face was impossible to miss. Only a truthful person would look that guilty. Only someone who regretted what they had done possessed that much regret. Lucina was dead. Kage's master killed her. And Kage fully admitted to standing by and watching him do it.

Another round of sobs wracked Cynthia's small body. Her pegasus wobbled in the air. The poor animal was exhausted. The amount of weight it had to carry while flying had been too much. Cytnhia did not command her steed to descend. But it did so anyways. Aware that its rider was in no condition to properly pilot her.

She buried her face into her Pegasus's long mane. The hairs on the beasts neck were damp with her tears. Shuddering sobs rushed out of Cynthia as she wrapped her arms around the Pegasus's thick neck and held on. The animal snorted, folded its wings up so that they covered Cynthia, and knelt down in the grass. Allowing Cynthia to lay on it's back and cry.

"You-" Cynthia sniffled, "Do you think he is lying?" She asked her steed.

Dark eyes stared back at her. Sympathetic eyes. The animal knew her rider was in pain.

"He's not." Cynthia swallowed then sobbed again, "I-I can tell he isn't. He wouldn't have let me hit him if was."

"Cynthia!"

The Pegasus Knight jerked her head up. A woman's voice called out to her from the hills. Her heart jumped in her chest. Was it Lucina? Did Kage really lie to her? Was he wrong?

Say'ri emerged on top of a nearby hill. The Chon'sin princess laid eyes on her and raced over to the mourning Pegasus Knight. Cynthia's shoulders shuddered again and she buried her face into her Pegasus.

Say'ri slowed down as she approached the shattered Knight. The Pegasus watched her closely. Making sure that Say'ri did not intend to cause any harm. Say'ri gave the animal a small, knowing nod. The beast snorted and turned its head away, allowing Say'ri to see Cynthia's tear stained face.

Her little hands were balled up in the Pegasus's mane. Rivers of tears rushed down her pale cheeks. Her eyes were puffy and filled with sorrow. Say'ri closed her eyes and shook her head. She could not imagine the pain in her heart. Say'ri did not know who Lucina was, but she had a feeling she was close to Cynthia.

The Chon'sin Princess sank down beside the broken Pegasus Knight. Before she could even say anything, armored arms reached over and clutched her. Searching for some sort of comfort. Say'ri hesitated then wrapped her own arms around Cynthia's shoulders.

"It is ok." Say'ri breathed as Cynthia sobbed.

The blue haired girl shook her head, "No… its not." She sniffled, "I have been traveling with the monster that helped kill my sister."

Say'ri's eyes went wide. Lucina was the name of Cynthia's sister. And she claimed Luke helped kill her.

"I thought he said Maul killed her?"

Cynthia uttered a shaky breath. More tears rushed down her cheeks.

"Maul is Kage's master. And Kage just watched him kill her." Cynthia replied.

Say'ri furrowed her brow, "Kage? I thought his name was Luke." She frowned, "This is the second time-"

"Luke is a name he uses when he doesn't want anyone to know who he is." Cynthia sniffed, "His real name is Kage. His older brother, Yen'fay, gave it to him."

Say'ri's heart stopped beating in her chest.

"What?" She pried herself free from Cynthia, "Are- are you playing some sick game with me?"

Cynthia sniffled then shook her head, "That bastard Kage is the same Kage we are trying to rescue. Just a lot older."

Say'ri reeled. She suspected something was amiss when it came to Luke's identity. Cynthia's slip of the tongue combined with Luke's own knowledge of Say'ri's family and the whereabouts of her little brother were difficult to ignore. But none of the pieces made any sense untill now. But even with Cynthia's stunning admission, it still boggled her mind.

"That is not possible."

"Not without Naga and her horrible time travel ritual." Cynthia replied.

Say'ri gave Cynthia an incredulous look.

"Are you saying you are from the future? Both of you?"

Cynthia wiped away a tear and nodded, "And I'm telling the truth to you because I don't give a damn what Kage thinks anymore. He can go… he can go…" She struggled to find her words for a moment, "I hope Auntie Tharja finds him and hexes his balls off!"

The Pegasus Knight slumped in her seat. Say'ri stared at her. Silent and dumbfounded. Unable to find any words to properly express what she felt. She did not see any deception in the Cynthia's actions. There was no reason for the Pegasus Knight to lie to her. Unless she was as sick in the head as Luke, then she was telling her the truth. Say'ri fell back against the Pegasus behind her. Her mind reeling.

"We were really good friends once." Cynthia sniffled as she tried to reel in her emotions, "Me, Kage, Cousin Owain, and Morgan. The Justice Cabal! That is what we called ourselves. Our little team."

A small, wistful laugh interrupted her quiet crying.

"Lucina used to think we were all so immature. Except for Kage. She adored him. He was the only reason she joined in our fun."

Another laugh, this one louder and even more pain filled left Cynthia's lips. Say'ri sat quiet and listened. Both dreading and eager to hear stories of the future.

"This one time, we all decided to pull a prank on my aunt Lissa. The ultimate prankster getting pranked! It would have been glorious. Kage had this gigantic bag of chicken feathers ready to go. I had the glue. Cousin Owain was going to lead his mom right into it. She would have had to race through town looking like a chicken." Cynthia snorted, "And Morgan was going to cluck behind her the entire way." Her laughter rose a little more, "But… um… well, I screwed up our timing. Because Auntie Lissa was with Auntie Tharja at the time. And well, I lost my grip on the bucket of glue. Kage thought that was the cue to drop the feathers. Next thing we all knew, Auntie Tharja was chasing us through town dressed as a chicken." Cynthia started crying again, "I've never seen a scarier chicken in my life."

"Luci got us out of a lot of trouble that time. She managed to fetch her Master who was able to calm down Auntie Tharja. But we all ended up with runny nose hexes still." Cynthia laughed, "Kage got the worst of that. It was like he had a cold for a full week."

Say'ri gave Cynthia a gentle smile, "It sounds like you all were very close."

Cynthia sniffed and wiped at her eyes, "We were. But… clearly that's all over. It… it all ended when Maul first showed up."

Say'ri waited for Cynthia to catch her breath. The poor girl looked both terrified and sad as she spoke Maul's name.

"He showed up one day," She began, "right around when me and Luci's parents just got home from a big war. Her master decided to start teaching Luci how to fight and use magic. Kage wanted to learn too. But he refused to teach two people at once. Well… Maul arrived. He knew how to fight the same way as Luci's master. And he knew the same kind of magic as well. So Kage went to him for training. Against both Luci and her Master's warnings." Cynthia sniffed, "Maul was so evil. He did not try anything at first. But I just knew he was. I could see it in how he talked, how he moved, how he fought and taught. Kage would come back from training sessions with bruises and welts so large that it worried us all sick. Luci always rushed to take care of him. I was a bit too young to help out at the time."

"A year or two later, another war broke out. The most evil of all evils returned, Grima. Mom, Dad, and all their friends left for war." Cynthia tucked her legs close to her chest, "Mom and Dad didn't come back. Auntie Lissa, Auntie Tharja, and Luci's Master took it upon themselves to take care of me and Luci at that point. And Luci especially took care of me. So did Kage. In fact, Kage almost became like an older brother to me. He was always around Luci. And since I was always around Luci, he was always around me."

"As the war dragged, more people we were close to died. Eventually, only a few of the adults we knew carried on the fight against the enemy. Our last stronghold was Ylisstol. Kage and Maul directed the defense of the palace while Luci and her Master rallied our forces on the walls. The enemy laid siege. Luci and her Master needed reinforcements. Maul did not give them. He fled through the first time portal with Kage. Left us all for dead. But somehow, we won that battle. It was a miracle really." Cynthia sniffled, "A few years later, Ylisstol was besieged again. This time, we could not hold out. Luci performed the ritual to send us all back in time. Her Master gave his life to give us enough time to get through the portals. And we all arrived here. But not together."

Cynthia wiped some fresh tears from her eyes, "I hoped I'd meet up with Luci on the other side. That we could both save the future together. And maybe, the Justice Cabal could actually see justice carried out. That we would be the ones to save the world." She hung her head, "I wanted to believe Kage did not fall as far as Maul wanted him to. But he just… just let him kill Luci. Did not even try to stop him from the sounds of things. Did our friendship mean that little? Did Luci's trust in him really mean nothing to him?" Cynthia gulped and took a shuddering breath, "I never want to see his face again."

Say'ri took a moment to take in everything Cynthia just told her. A future war with Grima? Her little brother coming under the dark tutelage of an evil master? It all seemed way too unbelievable. Traveling through time using an ancient ritual in order to defeat a long dead monster? How could she possibly believe any of that?

At the same time though, Cynthia was not lying. Either she believed her own fantasy or she was that good at lying. Something that Say'ri doubted. No one as innocent as Cynthia appeared to be was that good at lying. And the tears she shed for her sister were genuine. The betrayal on her face in regards to Luke was real.

Which meant there was a war coming. A war of such monumental scale that it would make Walhart's conquest look like a mere skirmish. Cynthia's sister gave her life to try and stop the war from coming. Say'ri would not let such an honorable sacrifice be in vain.

"I'm going to miss her." Cynthia sniffed as she held her knees to her chest, "She did everything she could to keep me safe. To give me a better future."

Say'ri placed a hand on Cynthia's shoulder, "And we will not let her sacrifice be in vain. Her memory will live on in a future not ravaged by darkness and war." The Chon'sin princess got to her feet, "First we must rescue my little brother. I intend to never let him meet Maul. That monster will fall by my blade if he ever comes near him. Then we shall both prepare for the coming war."

"We will?" Cynthia gave Say'ri a surprise look, "You really believe me?"

"I don't think you are a liar." Say'ri replied with a soft smile. She held a hand out to Cynthia. Say'ri grabbed Cynthia's hand and hauled the girl to her feet, "And if you are not lying, then you must be telling the truth."

Cynthia gulped, "But… what should we do about Kage?"

"My little brother, we shall save." Say'ri said firmly, "As for Luke, he can go jump into a pit." She placed a hand on Cynthia's shoulder, "He does not matter anymore. We have a future to save."

"Do you now?"

The hairs on the back of Say'ri's neck stood on end. Fear gripped her heart. Her stomach shot to her throat. Cynthia's eyes widened in pure terror. The Chon'sin princess turned around.

No. That was not possible. How did he find them so quickly? They had been flying for hours? No man could move that fast!

But Kage said he was not a man. No, he was a servant of the Fell Dragon Grima. A Deadlord.

Equus smirked as he approached the two women, red blade drawn and humming in his right hand. A chill rushed through the air, making Say'ri shiver. Cold sweat ran down her back as she drew her own blade and pushed Cynthia behind her. Equus uttered an amused laugh at her weak show of defiance. He held his blade aloft in front of his face then swept it out to the side. A salute of some sort.

"My Master will most certainly object to your plans."

* * *

Kage sat still in the rolling fields. Pondering what had just occurred. He took several deep breaths. Slowly inhaling and exhaling. Doing everything he could to calm his own rage.

At first, he thought he was mad at Cynthia. But whenever he pictured her face in his mind, he only felt guilt. Not rage. He reached up to his chin and felt the growing, purple bruise. He cringed as some sharp pain went through his jaw. She really walloped him. For such a small girl, she could really pack a punch

He sucked in another deep breath. He finally had some peace and quiet. A chance to think without having to worry about anyone else around him or having to move fast to avoid capture. No one knew him in Valm. No one wanted him dead except for the Deadlord.

 _And maybe Cynthia._

Kage shook his head. No, Cynthia was not like that. She did get mad. Very mad at times. But she never wanted to purposefully harm people. She was like her Aunt Lissa that way. While she understood the need to fight, she never desired to harm another living soul. However when it came to Risen; Cynthia was a flying terror for them. Her innocence only lasted until the undead attempted to kill those close to her. Then she became a warrior of almost unparalleled capabilities.

Kage gulped. He killed her innocence. In his own frustration and rage, he shattered her. Spat out Lucina's death like it was nothing more than an insult. A way to shake off a nuisance. He buried his head in his head and let out a shaky breath.

When did it all go so wrong? When did he allow Maul to control him so easily? When did he stop fighting for those he cared about? A terrifying thought entered his mind.

When he first started learning from Maul, Kenobi warned him to walk way from the monster. His methods would twist his mind. Warp his heart and corrupt him. Turn him into a monster he would not recognize until it was far too late. Was it too late now?

When he had been around Lucina and his other friends, they kept him line. Kept him grounded. Reminded him of who and what he fought for. When he went through the time portal with Maul, he lost that anchor. He lost what grounded him to reality. Grounded him to the light. To what was good and just. He realized now that Maul never intended to help save the future by coming to the past earlier than the others. He intended to separate Kage. To finally break him. Mold another monster in his own image.

A small sob left Kage's lips.

It worked. Maul succeeded. His hands started shaking as the events of the last few months raced through his mind. The atrocities he committed on his Master's orders. From kidnapping Exalt Emmeryn to nearly killing Gaius, Panne, and all of the other Shepherds that named him comrade and friend. All of those sins culminating in the death of the one person that believed in him to the bitter end. The one person that extended a hand on the walls of the Plegian Palace.

Ever since he felt nothing but guilt and rage. He thought the rage was because of the world. Because of the insufferable people he had to be around. Because of Say'ri not listening to him or Cynthia being an annoyance. In reality, they were neither of those things. The rage was because of him. He hated himself. Hated what he had done. It was all his fault in the end. He could blame Kenobi or Maul all he wanted. But in the end, he could have done something. He could have stopped Maul. He could have fought back against his wretched Master.

He could have told him no. I will not learn from you.

Kage reached up to his eyes and brushed some tears from his face. Lucina was probably looking down on him now. What was she thinking? Was she disgusted? Maybe. But he knew her. She would not be disgusted. She would be disappointed.

She was gone now. No one else was strong enough to complete the mission she started. No one, except maybe him.

And there was no one to look out for Cynthia, except for him. The joyful girl would be eaten alive by this cruel world without someone to watch her back. Her presence among bandits when they first encountered each other during this time was evidence of that.

Kage took a deep breath and looked up at the twinkling stars above him.

"I'm so sorry, Luci." He breathed. He took another deep breath and got to his feet. His hand rested on the hilt of Yen'fay's blade, "I've screwed up." He looked down at his feet, "But not anymore."

It would be a long road back. Maul's poison had gone deep into his mind. Even into his very heart. The habits he had built would likely take years to break. But he would break them. If for no other reason than to make Lucina proud as she watched from the afterlife.

He would not fight for himself anymore. He would fight for those he cared about. For those who cared about him. Cynthia and Say'ri, they cared. Even if they were furious with him. He deserved their anger. If there was anyway he could redeem himself, he would find it.

"Well," He whispered, "Cynthia ran off again. I'll go make sure didn't get hurt."

A wave of cold slammed into him. His eyes shot wide open. The dark side of the force taunted him. Laughed at him. He felt fear racing over the hills. Panic seized his heart.

Equus was here.

"No."

Kage turned on his heel and raced in Say'ri and Cynthia's direction. Praying to Naga that he would make it in time. He would not allow another one of his mistakes result in the death of someone he cared about.

Never again.

* * *

Equus smiled at the two women. This evening was working out so well. A little boost to his speed thanks to the Force, and he easily caught up to the fleeing children. Truly, the powers granted to him by his Master were magnificent. Even though his body appeared old and frail, he felt reborn. A hundred times stronger than any living creature. A predator stalking through an entire world of prey.

His eyes shifted from brown to red as the dark side flowed through his veins. He took a step towards Say'ri and Cynthia. The young Pegasus Knight took a step back. But Say'ri stood her ground.

"You are a determined one, aren't you?" Equus addressed the Chon'sin Princess.

Say'ri tightened her hands around her sword, "I do not fear you."

Equus chuckled. He let some of his power leak out. An oppressive wave of the dark side rushed out at the two women. Cynthia trembled then collapsed to her knees. Quick, terrified breaths rushed in and out of her lungs. Fear paralyzed her.

Say'ri paled and swallowed hard, but she kept the tip of her blade pointed at Equus' heart. And kept her own body between him and the girl from the future.

"Then you shall die braver than most."

Equus lunged at Say'ri. The Princess grit her teeth and moved to intercept the thrust. Just as her blade was about to make contact with the glowing bar of red light, a blast of invisible power slammed into both her and Cynthia. The two girls flew over their terrified Pegasus and landed in a heap away from Equus' deadly strike.

The Deadlord arched an eyebrow. But then he laughed.

"And the bait manages to lure my prey." He chuckled before turning to see Kage standing nearby.

The boy's chest rose and fell as he sucked in heavy breaths. He must have used the same technique as Equus in order to reach the trapped women in time. But unlike Equus, he was not experienced with such an ability. Once again, relying on pure talent in order to combat a more skilled opponent. That left him winded and weary.

Kage looked past Equus at Cynthia and Say'ri. Say'ri narrowed her eyes at the blonde boy. Cynthia gave him a furious look.

"What are you doing here?" The blue haired girl snapped.

Kage drew his own lightsaber, "Saving my friends."

Cynthia drew back in shock. Meanwhile, Equus chuckled.

"So, you believe you can defeat me? Did you consider the advice I gave you after our last bout."

Kage frowned, "I may have." He held his lightsaber loose in one hand, "And you were correct on two points."

"Oh?"

"You are much more skilled than I am. No denying that. You defeated me. Easily for that matter. But you also conceded I have more raw power than you."

"What is your point?"

"How long do you think you can hold out?"

Equus narrowed his eyes. An enormous dam burst in the force. His red eyes widened in shock as a tidal wave of dark side energy slammed into him. The Deadlord raised his lightsaber just in time to catch a torrent of blue lighting that shot from the boy's fingertips.

Blue light flashed through the night. Nearly blinding both Say'ri and Cynthia. Equus meanwhile, grit his teeth and struggled against the massive onslaught.

"Cynthia!" Kage shouted. He poured more power into his attack, "Take Say'ri and go! You will find me at Fort Stieger!"

"How will you find us?" Cynthia shouted back.

He gave her a small smile, "Just go. You'll have to trust me on this one."

Cynthia wanted to protest. But the lightning roared all around them. Little thunderclaps banged in the air as the bolts collided with Equus's saber. She pressed her hands over her ears as Say'ri grabbed her arm. The two girls rushed over to the Pegasus and clambered onto her back. Cynthia looked back at Kage as he pushed Equus down to one knee with his lightning.

"Kage!" Cynthia screamed, "You better live! Because I still need to kick your butt for what you did!"

She heard him utter a laugh. Not a sarcastic laugh. Not a condescending laugh. But a laugh she recognized. A playful one that reminded her so much of the kid she grew up with.

"I'll hold you to it! Now go!"

With a nod, Cynthia dug her spurs in. The Pegasus uttered a loud whine then soared up into the air. Kage's eyes followed them as they raced north towards Fort Stieger. As soon as he was certain they were beyond Equus' reach, Kage ended his barrage of lightning.

The Deadlord panted a moment. A few memories shot through his mind as some stray bolts of lightning lanced out from his blade and into him. He saw a hooded figure. Terrifying and decrepit. He wielded power unimaginable. And Equus named him master during a previous life. And the Master named him Tyrannus. A name with power in the Dark Side of the Force.

The Deadlord took a deep breath. Smoke billowed around his red lightsaber. Some static sparked near his hands and around his arms. The monster raised his eyes to meet Kage's.

"How noble." He sneered as he got back to his feet.

Kage paled. The lightning did what he originally intended. It occupied the Deadlord long enough to allow Say'ri and Cynthia to escape. But he also hoped that maybe, just maybe, he would have dealt some damage to the deadly monster before him. Instead, Equus shrugged the attack off as if it was just a nuisance. A little spark instead of an electrical storm that would have killed most men.

The boy tightened his grip on his lightsaber. He tried to steady his racing heart as he stared down one of the deadliest beings on the planet.

"Judging by your drawn lightsaber, I assume you are still unwilling to come quietly." Equus said.

Kage smirked, "Just because I made it a little easier for you doesn't mean I won't fight back."

"Good." Equus saluted Kage with his blade, "I was afraid this was going to be boring."

They rushed at each other. Blue and red blades collided with great sparks of light in the night air.

Kage battled with all the fury he could muster. Every trick he ever learned, every technique, every chop and hack he knew, he threw at Equus. But no matter what he did, the Deadlord effortlessly countered.

Rage filled the young Sith Lord. He could not lose. Not now. Not when he finally realized his mistakes. Not when he finally realized what he needed to fight for. He roared and unleashed a furious assault on Equus.

The Deadlord took a few surprised steps back as Kage put him on the defensive. Hacks and slashes rained down on the Deadlord's precise defense. Kage bashed a massive chop against his red blade then flipped over him. Equus spun and lashed out with his own counter strike. Kage managed to deflect it just before the red blade could bite into his thigh.

Kage had found it. During those few seconds Equus was on the defensive, he discovered the key to victory. The weakness in his fighting form. Equus fought like a master fencer. Controlled, precise, elegant attacks. But weak in power and strength. Not meant to cleave an enemy in two, but to disable an opponent with precision. And that lack of strength extended to his defense.

He needed to pour on the offense. Attack with strength, speed, and ferocity. Enough to overwhelm the Deadlord and force him off balance. Kage spun his blade and surged at the Equus.

One slash at his neck. Deflected. Immediate follow up to the waist. Deflected again. Equus danced backwards as Kage rained blows down on him. The boy could feel his muscles starting to burn. His strategy would leave him weary. He needed to finish this quickly. Needed to create an opening for escape.

He locked blades with Equus. The taller man glowered down at him.

"I sense fear in you boy." Equus snarled as he closed the space between them, "Your hatred and anger leave you. And all that is left is fear."

"Maybe." Kage grit his teeth, "But that is not fear for myself anymore."

He slid his blade down Equus' blade. The lightsabers screeched. Equus reeled away as he tried to keep the tip of Kage's blade from puncturing his shoulder. Kage placed a foot behind his ankle. Equus stumbled and fell backwards, breaking the blade lock.

Kage's own blade thundered down and burned through the Deadlord's belly. The old man's eyes widened in shock. A victorious smirk crossed Kage's lips.

"I know this won't kill you." Kage hissed, "You are technically already dead. But it is so satisfying seeing that pain on your cursed face."

Equus' lightsaber switched off. Kage kept his own buried in the Deadlord's gut for a few more seconds. Allowing the burning light to char the Deadlord's wound even more.

"You… really are impressive." The Deadlord winced, "If only you had a proper teacher."

"Are you offering?" Kage smirked, "Because you already know my answer."

He deactivated his blue blade and slammed a small burst of lightning into Equus. A way of making sure he stayed down a little while longer. Kage turned on his heel after that pulse of power, and started running North.

"You cannot run forever!" Equus called after him as he lay still in the dirt, "I will fulfill my Master's will!"

Kage paused. He glanced back at the wounded Deadlord.

"And I will happily stand against him." He started running again. As he ran a quiet whisper left his lips.

"Because you would have, Lucina."

 **And chapter! Nothing like Cynthia socking Kage in the face in order to give him a proper wake up call. This was a heavier chapter, obviously. We get to see a bit more of Kage's character other than the moody asshole we already know. Apparently he is taking it upon himself to look out for Cynthia now. As a way to try and redeem himself. He is not doing a complete 180 right out of the gate. He will still be a little snide and get ticked off easily. But he is actually going to try and be a better person now. And writing those two together is very fun. I'm looking forward to writing more shenanigans!**

 **Also, CANON DEVIATION! Say'ri knows everything now! It was only a matter of time what with her hanging around blabbermouth Cynthia and the older version of her brother, Kage. That could make her first meeting with the Shepherds very interesting.**

 **And Equus is starting to regain some memories. I wonder… if he remembers who he really was before the Hierophant raised him, will he still follow him? Hm… questions and more questions.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	59. A Good Puzzle

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 59

A Good Puzzle

Robin took a deep breath as the ship swayed beneath his body. His legs were crossed. Hands folded in his lap. Eyes closed as he breathed deep. Relaxed, but focused. The sound of the waves moving around the wooden hull soothed his mind. Allowed the tactician to drown out any other distractions. He let all pressing thoughts fade away in his mind.

There is the Force. Only the Force. Those were Ben's words to him. When meditating, clear your mind. Let the Force speak to you. The only way to hear its will is to quiet yourself and listen. Remove all distractions. Let the currents of the force take you and sweep you away. Let it guide you.

Listen and it will speak. Robin exhaled.

He opened his eyes.

The ship was gone. Instead, he found himself sitting in a rather warm room. What looked like royal chambers actually. The furniture appeared lavish and comfortable. A soft, intricate rug rested on the floor beneath him. Covering up glossy, tan, stone tiles. Bookshelves lined the wall opposite of the bed. And in between two of the shelves was a stone fireplace with a respectable fire burning in its midst. A freezing wind swept into the room from the open balcony.

Robin looked around. Both impressed by the very nice space, and also very confused. Where exactly was he? Where was the ship for that matter? He furrowed his brow and rubbed his chin as he sat on the soft rug.

"This Force stuff is very confusing."

He expected the Force to speak to him. Like a voice in his head. Not teleport him to another place.

 _How odd._

He shrugged and stood up. His mind drawn over to the many books littering the shelves around the fireplace. He stood in front of the shelves. Eyes scanning over the various different leather spines. He ran his finger over them as he tried to decide which book seemed the most interesting.

"I recommend the top left shelf. That is where the more forbidden texts are."

Robin spun around. A woman entered the room. An older woman for that matter. Her brown hair had streaks of gray hidden within it. Beyond the hints of gray in her hair, the woman appeared rather young. Her face unblemished save for a worry line or two on her forehead. She had a pale face and bright green eyes. But what caught Robin's eye, and caused an insane amount of worry to fill him, was the weathered, faded Grimleal robes covering slender her body.

The robes had lost their black sheen. The linen long ago bleached by exposure to the sun and tarnished by the elements. The gold trimming along the fringes of the robes lacked their normal luster. They even appeared to be chipping away in some spots.

With grace befitting a swan, she crossed the room and closed the doors that led out to the balcony.

"Regan Ferox." She muttered, "The cold never ends here." She huffed and rubbed her hands together.

Robin felt completely entranced by this woman. He could not take his eyes off of her. Every move she made seemed so familiar. Every sound that left her lips rang through his mind. Forcing nostalgia to fill his core. He knew this woman? But from where? Who was she?

"I'm glad to see you have done well for yourself." She said as she opened a drawer by the bed and pulled out a spell book from it. The black tome of a Grimleal sorceress, "You always were better at socializing than Aversa."

Robin opened then closed his mouth. Was she speaking to him? He glanced back behind him. There was no one standing there. And other than the woman, he was the only person in the room.

"Your powers are beginning to manifest." She said, " They will become more erratic as time passes."

Robin arched an eyebrow, "Um… who are you exactly?"

The woman arched an eyebrow as well. Very much in the same way Robin often did.

"I forgot. That amnesia has not passed." Robin's eyes widened as she spoke, "An unfortunate and accidental condition. One that I made sure to keep in place. And it has done its job."

Robin gaped at her, "You- you're responsible for-" He shook his head, "What the hell is going on?"

The woman uttered a soft laugh that made Robin's heart leap in his chest.

"Not having the answers always frustrated you." She smiled at him, "Do not worry, Robin. All will be revealed in time." She opened her spell book, "This mental connection will sever soon. You do not have the control or stamina to maintain it for long." She gave him a curious look, "I wonder… who is teaching you these rare techniques?"

Robin folded his arms, "Who's asking?"

The woman gave him a smirk. A smirk that reminded him way to much of the dark smiles Tharja would often make when something pleased her.

"Well done, Robin. You can never be too careful."

The pages to her spell book flew in her hands. Each page filled to the brim with notes on magic and various incantations. She stopped the pages near the end of the book.

"This spell will keep their powers from growing too swiftly inside of you." She began muttering an incantation.

Robin felt even more confused. And even more concerned. The thought of being hexed by an unknown, Grimleal mage really worried him.

"Now hold on a minute. Can you at least-"

A wave of magic slammed into him. Robin's world spun. Something inside his mind snarled. It sounded like an angry demon. A beast being placed back into its chains. A second voice cried out in pain before cursing the woman. Robin's eyes widened even as he fell back onto the floor.

 _What the hell?_

"Go back to your ship and friends, Robin." The woman commanded as the magical wave ended, "For now, you will not lose control."

Robin felt an intense wave of drowsiness rush over his body. He struggled to keep his eyes closed. The woman took a seat on her bed and bowed her head. Eyes staring down into her book. And as Robin's vision faded to black, he saw small tears falling from her eyes down onto the full pages.

* * *

Shadows surrounded her. Torches flickered near the hallway's ceiling. But the light they delivered failed to penetrated the darkness. Midnight in Plegia was either riddled with stars and the pale, cold moon; or as dark as the deepest pit. But this darkness around Aversa was not the typical shadows of a Plegian night. Those nights held heat. Warmth. A feeling that brought comfort even to the coldest of Grimleal mages. It connected them to their roots. To their hellish homeland.

These shadows were cold. The air bit into Aversa's skin as the armored monster dragged her through the palace halls. She cast a wounded gaze forward at her captor.

He had to be the strangest thing she had ever seen. A smaller looking man. Covered head to toe in outlandish, silver plating. That was not the strangest thing about the man and his armor. The helmet took that distinction. Expressionless. Devoid of any emotion. A simple, dark, T-shaped visor outlined with a shade of purple that reminded her of the Grimleal's own colors. A strange antennae jutted up from the side. Like a perfectly straight metal horn. But slender and blunt. She could not see a shred a skin. Not a single hint of humanity beneath the armor.

When it found her, she cast every spell she had against it. She knew why it had come for her. She was no fool. Validar demanded accountability. He wanted her at his feet, begging for mercy for her failures. There was no way in hell she would give that to him. Every curse and hex she knew she flung at this monster that now held her at its mercy. And it shrugged them off. Dodged them with that even stranger pack on his back. The pack that generated blue fire and allowed him to fly about the cave she hid inside. It made battling the monster impossible.

When she magically exhausted herself, she knew she had lost. So she relented. Grima deemed it her time for judgement. And his servant, Validar, would see that judgement passed. A small smile crossed over the witch's face. At least, in the end, she knew Grima would win. The now King Validar would see to that himself. And a King who could defy death as Validar had could never be defeated. Her life's work would be seen through.

She wondered how the Fell Dragon's embrace felt once death's cold hands gripped her. Would she remember who she was in the afterlife? Or would the Fell Dragon swallow her essence and render her non-existent? Forever a part of him. Both did not seem so bad.

The Hunter stopped in front of a set of double doors. The King's chambers. She knew them well. When King Gangrel ruled, she often visited in order to counsel him. Well, more like filled his mind with dark poison and venomous thoughts. In the land of Plegia, it was easy to confuse the two.

Her captor grunted and tossed her into the room. She fell face first onto the ice cold tile floor. Her body shivered. The cold in this room was enormous. It felt like needles jabbing into her skin. Her teeth chattered as she lay prostrated on the floor.

"I found her."

Her eyes widened. Those were the first words the Hunter had spoken. His voice sounded artificial. Hidden behind layers of material that muffled and morphed it into a metallic sound.

She took a deep breath. It was time to face Validar. She slowly raised her head.

To her surprise, Validar did not occupy this room. Instead, standing out on an open balcony, enjoying the night air, was another man wearing a heavy, purple and gold coat. He had a hood drawn over his head. Hiding his face in deep shadows. But there was no mistaking the power he possessed. It suffocated the room. Hanging heavy in the air like fog.

"You may leave us, Draco."

 _So it does have a name?_ Aversa thought, _How cute._

The hunter stiffened, performed a small bow, then exited the room. Aversa pushed herself up onto her hands and knees as the doors clicked shut behind her.

"Do not get up." The hooded man said, his voice quiet but cold, "You have not earned that right yet."

"What right?" Aversa hissed back, "I can stand where I please."

"Can you?" The man turned. Aversa sucked in a sharp breath as yellow eyes bored holes into her, "As far as I am concerned, you are nothing. But please, do try to stand up. See how I react."

Aversa gulped as the air grew icier. She could see frost leaving her lips as she shivered in the room. Those eyes. They were not natural. Filled with fury and hatred. But also a coldness that betrayed a calculating mind.

She remained kneeling. A pleased smirk crossed the man's face.

"Good. You are smart enough to know your place."

"Where is his majesty?" Aversa asked, "I thought Validar would be the one to see me."

A low chuckle left the hooded man's lips, "You believe the power belongs with him? That is funny." He stepped closer to her and leaned down so that his voice brushed against her ear, "How do you think he got his power?"

Aversa's dark eyes widened. The darkness she felt coming from this man was unlike anything she ever felt before. He held all of the power. He was power. She was an ant in the presence of a giant. Already, she could feel black magic crawling over her. Seeping into her mind. Reading her thoughts.

A soft laugh left the man's lips.

"Good. You understand." He pulled back from Aversa, "I am the reason Validar holds power. I am the reason he is even alive. If not for me, he would be dust in the earth. A corpse riddled with worms. A name forever forgotten."

Aversa struggled to breathe as she began to understand who she knelt before. Her entire body shook. Not from the cold. But from pure terror.

"You know who I am now, don't you?"

She gulped and gave the man a shaky nod.

"You now know it was foolish to try and hide?"

A terrified whimper left Aversa's lips. Her arms would not stop shaking as she remained on her hands and knees. She kept her head bowed. Both in terror and in reverence.

"You are the Hierophant. The one Lord Validar spoke of." She trembled before him, "My-my lord please-"

"Did I say you could speak?" The Hierophant snarled, "You failed. You failed to defeat the Shepherds. You failed to outdo their green tactician. As a result, you set my plans back significantly. Such failure cannot go unpunished."

Aversa could not stop shaking. Pressure built around her body. Cold sweat ran down her spine. Never in her life did she feel this scared. What was he going to do to her? Kill her? No, that was too merciful. A quick death would be a mercy she was not worthy of. Perhaps torture? That would make sense.

Her eyes widened as a shadow formed beneath the Hierophant. An indescribable monster leaked out of him. Forming into something both otherworldly and grotesque.

A small, mocking laugh left the Hierophant's lips. It sounded distorted. Monstrous. Aversa raised her eyes. The Heirophant's mouth was closed. The laugh came from the shadow. She felt cold breath brush against her skin.

"Maybe…" The Hierophant whispered, but not to her, "Stop!"

The shadow froze around Aversa. She heard a disgruntled snarl come from it before it decided to retreat back to its master. The Hierophant's frowned beneath his hood.

"So… she is alive after all." He chuckled, "And she has taken a great risk opening her powers up like that once again. Time moves much swifter now that we have decided to dabble with the events in the past." The Heirophant smirked down at Aversa, "You will not be destroyed. Not yet."

Aversa wanted to feel relief. But for some reason, she only felt more terror. If the Hierophant did not want to destroy her, what did he want to do with her? What horrible fate did he have in mind for her?

"This will be your one chance to redeem yourself in my eyes." The Hierophant spoke.

Shock filled Aversa. Her lord was being merciful?

The Hierophant laughed, "If you think this is merciful, you are sadly mistaken. I have a task for you. One that will likely kill you if you are the weakling I think you are."

Aversa grit her teeth.

"I am not weak!"

"Really? Then prove it to me." The Hierophant turned his back and stared out open doors that led to the balcony, "There is a rouge sect of Grimleal mages that broke away during Validar's rise to power. Their leader just made herself known to me. You are to find them and wipe them out."

Aversa blinked," A-alone?"

"Yes." The Hierophant smirked, "You contend that you are not weak. So prove it to me. Snuff out the heretics and their matriarch. And you will earn a place back by my side. Back by Grima's side."

Aversa took a deep breath. She would live, for now. And all she had to do was wipe out some rogue mages. That did not seem too difficult. She was one of the more powerful dark mages on the continent. Not many could stand against her in a magical duel.

"Where should I start looking for them?" She asked.

"That is for you to figure out. Begin by speaking to Validar though. He may have some… long buried information on the matter. If he refuses to divulge it, you may refer him to me. It is time his own negligence caught up to him."

Aversa gulped, bowed her head.

"As you will, my Lord."

"Run along, Aversa. You have work to do."

As Aversa exited the room to go about her task, the Hierophant drew in a deep breath.

" _ **Why?"**_

An exasperated breath left his lips.

" _Because she still has her uses, you gluttonous buffoon."_

" _ **Her power smelled good. Only my morsel could taste better."**_

"She has her uses." The Hierophant breathed in reply, "This particular issue is one of Validar's own making. One that needs to be taken care of."

" _May I inquire as to who you speak of?"_

"You both know very well who."

The demon growled inside of him.

" _ **Her."**_

" _Oh. That one."_ The rational one hummed, " _Are you sure little Aversa can manage such a task?"_

"If she fails to finally end that Witch's life, then it will prove to me that Aversa really was as useless as I originally thought. If that does happen, we will handle her ourselves."

" _ **She knows how to contain us."**_

" _The hungry one has a point. She is our greatest enemy at this point."_

"I am aware." The Hierophant closed his eyes, "And she will be dealt with. Now both of you silence yourselves. I want some peace."

" _ **And I want to feed."**_

" _Not all of us get what we want."_

"Silence!" The Hierophant hissed.

Both voices grumbled at him. But eventually, they returned to their slumber. Which relieved the Hierophant. This new snag in his plans already caused him a great deal of anxiety.

She was a Witch of unparalleled power. Someone so well versed in the dark arts that she put Validar to shame. Forbidden and lost magics were her specialty. It is why he feared her. She knew the spells that could subdue him. Knew the curses that could imprison his power once again. Capable of delaying his plans even further.

Validar told him she was dead. While he doubted that explanation, he still did not think she had enough power to challenge him anymore. But then a small blip of power burst through the air. One he immediately recognized as hers. Her mental prowess was unrivaled. And she had just used it to contact someone. The Hierophant had an idea as to who. And if she did just contact the Tactician, then his plans were in jeopardy.

Events needed to be accelerated. Peace could not be allowed to last. He turned on his heel and strode over to his desk. He dipped a pen in an inkwell and started penning a letter to his servant in Valm. Once it was finished he called for a messenger to make sure the letter was delivered to Excellus without delay.

When the messenger rushed away, the Hierophant slumped down in his seat and ran a hand over his forehead. He hated to rush everything. But it had to be done. The Valm invasion needed to proceed sooner than expected. He needed both Ylisse and Regna Ferox pushed to the brink by Emperor Walhart and his misguided attempt to unite the world. But was it too soon? He let out a long sigh. Anxiety was a foreign feeling for him. He did not like it. And only she could make him feel this way.

"Damn you, Mother."

* * *

The low hum of Vader's meditation chamber filled his ears. It drowned out the low rumble of the _Chimaera's_ powerful engines and constant din of soldiers and crew going about their business. Not that Darth Vader would have noticed any of the noises. His focus was elsewhere. On a small hologram, projected in the palm of his hand.

A beautiful woman. Slender and elegant. A bright, hopeful smile on her face. Her delicate appearance hid steely resolve and gritty determination. One of the strongest women Vader had ever known. The one person he had ever loved.

And they took her from him. Vader turned his naked eyes to the view screen which showed the planet, Tython. The ancient birthplace of the Jedi order. Where those hypocrites and traitors first perfected their abominable ways. His fist clenched on the armrest of his chair.

What failures. That is all the Jedi represented. Failure, stagnation, the inability to adapt in favor of appeasing tradition. For a thousand generations they claimed to be the guardians of peace and justice. And for a thousand generations they fought in wars and brought death and suffering on a galactic scale. There had never been peace during the days of the Jedi Order. Just a horrible facade. A cheap imitation of peace. If the Jedi Order truly stood for peace and justice, they would not have allowed slavery to exist in the old Republic. They would not have allowed wars to occur between planets. They would not have allowed the Republic to become corrupt. They would have acted instead of sitting back and watching.

Vader's eyes glanced back at the woman's hologram. His beloved Padme.

If the Jedi were not evil, then they would have helped him save her. They would have made it so that he could be with her. Love her. Cherish her without worrying about punishment or expulsion. They would have helped him find a way to keep her from dying.

The Jedi code crossed through his mind. It was a code he had memorized as a young boy. Had drilled into his head since he arrived at that cursed Temple. All of it a lie. All of it a farce. A sick, demented ideology that was cold and inhumane. Failing to recognize the realities of the universe. The Jedi lived in a fantasy world where their version of peace and justice was good.

But did they achieve peace in the end? No. They died. Died fighting a war that consumed the entire galaxy and led to the deaths of billions. Generals instead of peacekeepers. Warriors instead of mediators. A twisted version of their original mission. Only the Emperor saw that. Only Vader's master had the daring to combat such a corrupt order. The power to stand against a group of people the sewed nothing but incompetence and stagnation.

Under the Empire, there was peace. The galaxy had been reunited. The Jedi and their influence, wiped clean. The corruption rooted out and destroyed. Replaced by cold militarism and brutal efficiency. Such was the way to maintain order.

Her face still looked so hopeful when this picture was taken. Vader swallowed hard. To her dying breath, she believed in the Jedi. Believed in the Republic. Believed in him. All of those failed her. Everything she believed in turned on her and killed her.

A buzz interrupted his thoughts. Someone wanted to enter his meditation chamber. Someone wished to speak with him.

 _Let them wait._

He wanted to gaze on her beautiful face a while longer.

Another buzz. Vader grit his teeth.

"Lord Vader." Thrawn's neutral voice sounded throughout the meditation chamber, "We are about to set course again."

He let out a frustrated breath and pushed a control on his chair. The pressure inside of the small meditation sphere hissed out as the chamber cracked open like an egg. The robotic arm that held his helmet from his head lowered that infernal contraption back down over his skull. His seat turned to face the Admiral.

He knew the Chiss caught a glimpse of his true face. Often times, officers under his command did. But only once. Then they knew to stay away when he sat in this chamber. If for no other reason than to never gaze on his grisly visage ever again. The scarred skin given to him by Mustafar's fires was enough to make any man blanch.

To his surprise, Thrawn remained emotionless. Neutral.

"What course are you setting?" Vader asked, his deep baritone booming from his helmet. Even though his true voice was barely a whisper.

"Debating. One plan is to press deeper into the core instead of circumventing around it. The description of the area our mystery planet resides seems to imply that there is a multitude of stars nearby. The probes we have launched now report dense clusters of stars on the other side of the galactic center. While I believe a straight line approach to be swiftest, it may not be-"

"Time is of the essence, Admiral. I do not wish to wander about this section of the galaxy. The Emperor wants his wishes accomplished as soon as possible."

"May I ask why?"

Vader had to admire the gall Thrawn had. To dare to question him or the Emperor took a lot of courage. That, or foolishness.

"Because, he wills it so. The Emperor has far less patience than I have."

"If that is the case, his patience would certainly shatter if he were to find that we had to return to the known galaxy. In order to conduct repairs to our ship due to skirting too close to a supernova or running through yet another asteroid field of course." Thrawn said, "I highly recommend a much more cautious approach to our search."

"Your recommendation is noted." Vader rumbled, "Now execute our designed course."

Thrawn sighed and gave Vader a low bow.

"Yes, my lord."

The Chiss spun on hi sheel and marched to the door. He paused as the door hissed open.

"She looks lovely, Lord Vader."

Vader's heart stopped in his chest. Padme's hologram still stood in his Chiss exited the meditation room with Vader silently watching.

* * *

Back on the bridge of the Chimaera, Thrawn relayed Lord Vader's orders. They were to press on. A straight shot through the galactic center towards the large stellar clusters on the other side. No delays. No excuses. No exceptions.

Most of the crew whispered their worries and concerns. None raised their voices in dissent. If they did, Thrawn would not have blamed them. The galactic core had to be one of the most dangerous places known to exist. No ships had successfully navigated it in millennia. And after the damage dealt to the ship by the asteroid field, a lot of the crew were worried that they were flying to their deaths.

Thrawn did feel a tinge of worry over that possibility. But his mind was occupied by a far more interesting subject. Lord Vader apparently had a fascination with the late Senator from Naboo, Padme Amidala. How curious. It was the largest clue Thrawn had yet to the identity of the man in the suit. And perhaps, even a clue as to the nature of their mission.

"Commande Vanto."

"Yes sir?" Eli Vanto chirped back as he monitored engine readouts.

"Walk with me."

Thrawn turned on his heel and exited the bridge. Vanto hesitated, placed one of the other commanders in charge, then hastily followed Thrawn.

The pair strode through the brightly lit halls of the _Chimaera_. The drab, military style bored Thrawn. But it was imperial regulation. It had to be kept. They remained silent until they reached Thrawn's quarters. Once inside, Thrawn beckoned Vanto to take a seat.

Vanto raised an eyebrow, but sat down as his Admiral commanded. While he sat, the young human commander took a look around Thrawn's quarters.

Very unlike the rest of the officer's rooms. Most officers kept their quarters bland. Maybe a personal affect or two. A family hologram or a special totem by their bedside. Perhaps a favorite drink kept in a drawer. Vanto practiced that tradition. But Admiral Thrawn was different.

His quarters were littered with art. On the far wall, on a stone slab, was a smaller recreation of the Jedi Temple mural from Lothal. Beside it, on smaller pedestals were various other strange artifacts. A green clone helmet. One that may have belonged to one of the old military commanders from the republic. Several sculptures from various galactic cultures. Ranging from simple statues to erratic, abstract art pieces. Far from a boring space.

"Care for a drink, Commander?" Thrawn asked.

Vanto thought about it, then nodded. Thrawn poured both of them a glass of wine then sat down in a seat across from Vanto.

"I may have learned something about Lord Vader." Thrawn began, startling Eli Vanto, "But first, I wish to know your progress uncovering the nature of our mission."

Vanto took a long gulp from his cup.

"Slow, unfortunately. Imperial intelligence is locked down tight. I called in my favors. A few have managed to get back to me already. Most have no idea. Some are only speculation."

"Tell me what they speculate."

"Well, they suspect that the Emperor may have once been a Jedi of some sort."

"Impossible." Thrawn replied, "Emperor Palpatine was never a member of the Jedi Order."

"Then why is he so fascinated with the Force?" Vanto countered, "My sources have informed me that we are not the only secret investigation regarding ancient Jedi beliefs and secrets. There are more ongoing. One even in the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. Another on the sacred Jedi world of Illum. I even heard there was a team of scientists sent to Lothal after we left."

"You believe that our search has something to do with the Force?" Thrawn asked.

"Something that everyone has desired to learn in the Force." Vanto continued, "I don't know what. The Jedi were… enigmas. No one, outside of well learned scholars, truly understood their capabilities and philosophy.

Thrawn pursed his lips and set his glass down. He was silent for a moment. Cleary mulling over what Vanto told him.

"Lord Vader loves the late Padme Amidala."

Vanto's eyes practically bugged out of his skull. He choked on his wine for a second.

"Um… I apologize for my candor in this moment Admiral, but how is that relevant?"

"And he is rather tenacious in this search for an unknown planet." Thrawn rose from his seat and turned to look at the artwork from Lothal,

Thrawn hummed to himself. He gently rotated the wine glass in his hand. Red eyes never leaving the mural.

"Commander, what lengths would you go to save someone you love?"

Vanto drew back, "That is… a rather pointed question."

"Would you cross the boundaries of life and death in order to save them?"

Vanto furrowed his brow, "What exactly are you saying?"

Thrawn gestured at the Mortis gods.

"These beings, they represent different aspects of the Force. The woman represents light. The man, dark. The elder in the center, the in between. The glue holding them both together. But also the entity keeping them at bay. The Force, by Jedi teaching is life itself." Thrawn nodded, "Perhaps these gods know the secrets of it."

Vanto's jaw slowly fell open.

"Are you insinuating that the Emperor seeks a way to prolong life?" Vanto shifted in his seat, "He is… an older man. I guess that could make some sense. He may still have a lot he wishes to accomplish before passing away."

"Not prolong life." Thrawn corrected. His eyes settled on the dark figure of the mural, "But to cheat death." Thrawn glanced back at Vanto, "Who better to send in order to make certain such a thing exists, than the man who lost the one he loved most?"

Vanto appeared puzzled. The commander set his wine glass down.

"So… the Emperor believes that the secret to cheating death using the Force, is an unknown planet?"

"Don't be ridiculous." Thrawn replied, "A planet is a dense ball of rock and gas floating in space. Nothing more. No, it is not the planet we are searching for. It is what resides on that planet. That is what we seek."

Vanto rubbed his chin.

"A thing?'

"Or a person?" Thrawn sipped his glass, "That is the next puzzle we must solve."

Vanto hummed, "I assume you want me to continue to drill for more intel?"

Thrawn nodded, "Yes. Continue your part." Though his orders sounded hollow. His mind was not with Vanto at the moment. The Chiss's attention remained on the artwork in front of him

Vanto nodded, "Admiral, can I ask you something?"

Thrawn glanced back at Commander Vanto.

"Why go through all of this trouble? Why try to figure out what we are searching for? Aren't we going to learn the answer once the mission is accomplished anyways?"

Thrawn smirked.

"To properly solve a puzzle, one must have an idea regarding the solution. This mission is a mystery. A mystery is a puzzle without physical pieces. It is all mental. And there is no solution to this mystery. At least, none that has been revealed to us. We cannot successfully complete this mission without understanding both the scope of it and objective that must be achieved. And I do not want to risk my men and my ship without knowing both."

Thrawn continuing rotating his wine. They were linked after all. He was certain of it. Vader's identity and the nature of their mission. A faint bond. But a bond nonetheless. Learn Vader's motives regarding this mission, and he would learn it's true goal. A back door to the mystery had been opened. And he would step through it.

"I do enjoy a good puzzle."

 **And chapter! A mostly villain centric chapter! And the introduction of a new, original character this story. One that will have a very important role in the plot. The Hierophant is just too much fun to write. I love it when I give him moments of subtle terror. And Thrawn is fun too, but also quite the challenge. We now know the place of a few of our villains now. Next chapter we will go back to Ben. It is time for him to arrive in Valm.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	60. War Weary

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 60

War Weary

"Welcome to Valm!" Anna cheered as she stood on the deck of the Feroxi trading vessel, "Home of a conquering Emperor! Exquisite cultures stomped out by said Emperor! Cuisine that is to die for! Sometimes literally. Be careful eating the puffer fish. And all of the black market profits you can dream of!"

Robin uttered a dry laugh as he followed the excited merchant down the gangplank.

"At least she's feeling better." He said over his shoulder.

Ben followed him down to the dock below. A small chuckle left his lips.

"You cannot keep a good merchant down."

"You got that right!" Anna smiled, "So," She put her hands on her hips and looked around the docks, "If I remember my geography lessons correctly, we are in the city of Charlet."

"And that is?" Robin asked.

"In Rosanne."

"Rosanne?" Ben repeated, "Isn't that where Virion is from?"

"Shh!" Anna put a finger to her lips, "House Virion is not a good name around here. My sister told me that."

Ben arched an eyebrow, "The one we left back in Port Ferox?"

"No! My other sister." Anna smiled, "I wonder how she is doing? Maybe we'll run into her. She prefers to stay put in this city. Good money here. Constant flow of traffic. Constant trade. Always a new customer walking into the shop." A jealous sigh left Anna's lips, "A merchant's dream."

Ben started dumbfounded as Anna walked over to an approaching dock master. Just how many sisters did Anna have? And an even better question, were they all named Anna? Or did she only have one sibling with that odd distinction.

Ben noticed Gaius carefully moving down the gangplank. A very weak, sick, nauseous looking Panne leaned heavily against his shoulder.

"C'mon Whiskers, just a few more steps to dry land."

"No more…" Panne moaned as her legs wobbled down the gangplank, "No more oceans… no more…"

"Perhaps I can brew a potion to ease her disturbed equilibrium and tumultuous stomach while we are here?" Laurent suggested as he followed behind Gaius and Panne.

"No more…"

"That'd be appreciated, Specs." Gaius replied as he dragged Panne over to Ben and Robin, "So, Benny, Bubbles, what's the plan?"

"Right now, figure out the issue with the Dock Master." Ben muttered.

He strode over to Anna and the dock master. The merchant was growing increasingly frustrated.

"What do you mean we are not on the ship's manifest!?" Anna cried, she glared over at Ben, "You picked a damn fine captain, you know that? Promises the safest voyage across. Forgets to log that he has eight passengers."

Ben sighed, "I'm sure it was just an innocent mistake. There is no need to lose our heads over it. Let me handle it."

"What makes me believe you can handle it better than me?" Anna asked.

"I'm more rational."

"Rational!?"

Ben stepped in front of Anna and smiled at the Dock Master. He was a portly looking man. Clearly well fed. No doubt a result of a very well paying job. That, or he had accepted his fair share of bribes. Given the seedy nature of ports where Ben came from, it was logical to assume the latter. Still, someone that possessed power over ports on entry like this man needed to be respected. Ben cleared his throat.

"Apologies, Mr-"

"Charles." The man replied, jowls jiggling as he spoke.

"Charles," Ben shook the man's hand, "Ben. These are my friends. If you need their names, they are: Anna, Robin, Tharja, Gaius, Panne, Laurent, and Donnel. We are merchants out of Ylisse traveling here from Port Ferox."

"If you are merchants, where is your cargo?"

Ben blinked. He forgot that important detail. Anna had not been in any condition to travel alone. Let alone as a merchant with precious cargo. So her sister took on her cart and supplies. Anna took the gold she already made and stuck around with the Shepherds while her sister started selling in Port Ferox. The merchant had not been particularly happy with that arrangement. But it was both better for her health, and better for profits. After all, she wanted to keep an eye on Robin. He promised her that he would cut her in on a special deal with the Ylissean royal family. And she wanted to know for certain that he would hold up his end of the bargain.

That being said, they lacked anything they could pass off as cargo. There was no way to prove they were merchants. Ben could see a suspicious expression growing on the Dock Master's face.

"Er… cargo… yes well," He waved a hand in front of his face, "Our cargo has already been offloaded."

The Dock Master gave Ben a curious look. His eyes started to glaze over. As if he was caught in a sudden daydream. A blank expression ran over the portly man's face.

"Your cargo has already been offloaded." He replied, voice low and monotone.

Ben waved a few fingers in front of the man's face again, "There is no need to record our arrival."

"There is no need to record your arrival."

"We can go about our business."

"You can go about your business."

Ben smirked over at a dumbfounded Anna, "Move along."

Anna took a few absent steps past the Dock Master. The man did not notice her move. Instead, he furiously worked his quill against his ledger. A quick peak over his shoulder revealed him logging the various crates and their contents coming off of the Feroxi ship. But not one note mentioned the Shepherds or any merchant cargo.

The red head's jaw fell open. She stared at Ben as he sauntered past her. Robin and the others followed him. She could hear the thief, Gaius, chuckling a little at her stupefied expression.

"That's Benny for ya." He smirked.

Anna blinked and turned to watch them walk away from her.

"What just- what?" Anna raced after the Shepherds. Once she caught up to them, she surged over to Ben and wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

"So, Ben, old buddy. Old pal." She gave his chest a light pat, "What do you say-"

"No."

"You didn't let me finish."

"There will be no exploitation of my abilities for profit." Ben clarified in a firm tone.

"But the amount of money we could make together!" Anna cried as the group strode through the crowded harbor, "You could literally get whatever price you wanted. Your weird, mind, hand wavy thing has effectively cut out negotiations. We could control the entire market!"

"I've already tried roping Benny into schemes of my own, Anna." Gaius said as let Panne lean on him while they walked, "He's too much of a goody two shoes to get his hands dirty."

Ben chuckled a little. Oh Gaius, if only he knew what Ben did during the Clone War. There had been one mission where he had to disguise himself as a bounty hunter and go to prison. That had actually been quite fun. He did not like being around such lowlifes. But cutting loose without repercussions like that had been mildly entertaining.

Ben glanced over at Anna, "If I could get whatever price I wanted then why didn't it work on you?"

Anna opened then closed her mouth. Why hadn't it worked on her? She knew he tried something similar back at the Eastern Palace in Ylisse. Even felt a tickle on her brain when he attempted it. But for some reason, it failed. Maybe it was not completely foolproof as she thought. Or…

"I guess I'm just special that way." She shrugged.

Ben rolled his eyes but did not reply.

"So Ben," Robin jammed his hands into his coat pocket, "We've arrived. How do we plan on finding Marth?"

Ben hummed to himself, "We can't go finding anyone without supplies for traveling." He glanced over at Anna.

Anna blinked, "Uh no. This sack of gold is for getting a new cart and replenishing my stock."

"We are personal friends with Prince Chrom." Ben retorted, "I'm sure once he learns that you have helped us, he will be more than willing to get you a new cart-"

"A bigger cart!" Gaius chirped.

"A bigger cart and-"

"A better cart."

Ben jabbed Gaius with his elbow.

"As well as resupply your wares. Or at least give you a nice little sum to do both." Ben finished while Gaius winced beside him.

Anna narrowed her eyes at Ben, "He's taking a page from your book, Robin." The tactician chuckled as Anna considered Ben's points, "I'm becoming way too charitable. Fine, but I expect every single coin back with interest."

Ben nodded his head in understanding.

"Now, follow me," The merchant continued, "I know where to shop."

"Lead the way."

* * *

Ben had to marvel at this little port city. True, he had seen much bigger and more grandiose places in his life. Coruscant's main spaceport alone was as big as this entire city and more. And almost nothing could match the beauty that encompassed the Naboo city of Theed; with its stone columns and archways more reminiscent of a great painting than an actual city. But something about Charlet felt more impressive to Ben.

It seemed like a bright city. Lively, full of energy. Shops and stalls lined neat, cobblestone streets. Awnings jutted out from some buildings. Providing shade to the street below. Flowers sat in pots along windowsills and outside of doors. Each building appeared comforting. A welcoming facade. All achieved without any advanced technology. He had to marvel at the ingenuity and determination it must have taken to accomplish such construction.

"This place is lovely." Ben remarked as he followed Anna through the skinny streets.

"Don't let it fool you." Anna remarked back.

Robin arched an eyebrow, "What do you mean?"

Anna sighed and kept her voice low, "Notice something off about the shops."

Both Robin and Ben started paying attention to the shops and stalls around them. And there was something very odd. They seemed almost empty. These types of stores would be filled with goods in Ylisstol. Even Arena Ferox's merchants had plenty in stock compared to the people here. Large empty crates littered some storefronts. Grocers appeared out of stock on some basic essentials. Most only managing to keep bread and some fruits available.

"That is strange." Ben muttered.

"Maybe they are just selling out of stuff that fast?" Robin suggested optimistically.

"If that were the case, I'd be hearing a lot more hemming and hollering from them. They'd be placing orders for tomorrow." Anna frowned, "Instead, all of these merchants look desperate. Add on top of that, look at the prices. They're high. Way too high. Now, I'm not going to judge someone charging the moon for their wares. Go for it in my opinion. But even a money hungry soul such as myself recognizes the market's demands."

Ben nodded, "Supply is low. Demand is high."

Robin looked surprised, "You mean they're running out of food."

As he said this, a squadron of Valmese soldiers marched past them. Each one heavily armed and armored. The red metal plates of their armor glinted in the warm sun. Ben furrowed his brow. That had to be the fourth or fifth patrol he had seen so far. And they had only been in the city for acouple hours.

"The army is outside of the gates." Tharja noted as she gave the soldiers a wary look.

Anna nodded, "Which worries me. This place is one food riot away from blowing up entirely. Stay on your toes." She sighed, "This city is not how I remembered it."

She moved across the busy street over to a shop situated inside of a tall, brick building. A large painted sign hung over the doorway with the words Secret Seller emblazoned in bright red. Ben smirked. Of course Anna would be going to one of her sisters for supplies. She had to keep any gold spent within the family apparently.

A small bell rang out as Anna pushed the door open and held it for the other Shepherds to step inside.

A small gasp left the merchant's lips when she saw the state of the shop.

It was almost empty. A few vulnaries sat desolate on a shelf. One or two healing staves leaned against a dark, dusty corner. A small basket filled with apples sat on a counter top across the small shop floor. Empty mannequins stood around the wooden floor.

Standing behind the wooden counter, guarding her precious few Vulnaries with a big grin, was Anna's sister. She looked just like Anna. Except she had a dark red beret on top of her head and a painted, thin mustache above her lip. A third Anna. Were the merchants triplets? Ben could already feel a headache beginning to form.

"This is not good." Anna breathed.

"Oh my gosh! Anna, _mon ami_!" Anna's sister cried happily.

" _Mon ami_ means friend, not sister." Anna replied.

"Ohoho, don't tell the people who shop here." Anna number three grinned, "So, who are your _amis._ "

"Its _les amis_ , I think?" Anna corrected, "And these are my newest, most loyal customers. They cut me in on one heck of a deal."

"Ohoho, did they?" Anna Number Three rubbed her painted mustache, smearing the black ink around her finger by accident, "It must have been quite the deal for you to travel with them."

"It is." Anna smiled, "I'm kind of excited actually."

"You'll have to regale me of it some time, _mon ami._ " Anna Number Three rested her head in her hand, smearing some ink on her chin by accident, "I assume this is not a simple visit to say _bonjour_ , no?

"Unfortunately no. But," Anna glanced around the empty shop, "I don't know if you're gonna be of much help."

" _Absurdité!_ I'm sure I have what you are looking for."

"Other than the Vulnaries, it does not look like it." Anna sighed, "I need supplies for a long journey inland. Food, extra water skins, those vulnaries just in case, a proper healing staff-"

"Ohohoho, quite the expedition." Anna number three chortled heartily.

Robin stared in absolute confusion. He glanced over at Ben.

"Uh…"

"Don't ask me. I'm still blown away there are three of them." Ben whispered.

"What's with the weird act, Anna Number Three?" Gaius blurted out.

Panne, now finally recovered, smacked him upside the head.

"OW!"

"You are being rude."

"I think you're being the rude one considering I just dragged your furry ass across half of this city." Gaius grumbled back.

"Act!?" Anna number three cried, " _Non!_ This is no act." She leaned over the counter towards Anna, "Would you tell you dumbass friend to keep his voice down." She hissed, losing the accent and strange language, "I'm trying to play the market."

"Gaius." Anna began.

"What?"

"Shut your dumbass up."

"Hey!"

"Tharja, if Gaius speaks again, shut him up." Ben said.

Tharja began to giggle maniacally. The thief took a few careful steps away from her and wisely kept his mouth closed.

"I personally find this act fascinating." Laurent remarked from the back as he scribbled notes down, "Tell me, Anna, is this a native language for this area?"

 _"Oui._ I've been trying to learn for three weeks now." Anna number three smiled back, "Ohoho, I mean, I have spoken like this my entire life. Now, you seek supplies fo _r gros_ journey, non?"

"Depends on what you mean by gross?" Donnel shrugged, "So far nothing too disgusting has happened yet. Perhaps we do need a sack or two in case we go on a boat again."

Panne visibly blanched as he mentioned the possibility of another boat ride.

" _Non, non, gros_ means big in this country." Anna Number Three laughed, "And no worries, _mon ami._ " She waved for the group to follow her to a door behind the counter, "I have exactly what you need. You there," She pointed at Panne, " _Lapin_ , put the closed sign up."

Panne narrowed her eyes and flattened her ears back, "What did she just call me?"

" _Lapin_ means Taguel here!" Gaius exclaimed as he got between the angry Taguel and the merchant, "Just put the sign up, Whiskers."

Panne grumbled as she went over to the shop entry. She locked the door and placed the closed sign up. Once Anna number three was sure that the shop was locked up, she cracked the door in the back open.

"Follow me, _mon amies_."

Robin gave Ben an unsure look. But the group followed Anna and her sister into a dark hallway. The dark hall led to a flight of stairs that Robin nearly tripped down.

"Laurent, we could use a light."

"No lights!" Anna Number Three hissed, "The guards don't know this is down here."

A heavy, wooden, thunk hit Robin's ears. A small sliver of light winked to life in front of him as Anna Number Three pushed a heavy, reinforced door open. She quickly ushered all of them inside, but stopped Gaius at the door.

"Not you."

"What do you mean, not me?" Gaius cried.

"I know a thief when I see one." She remarked.

"Hey! Just to make it clear, I have not stolen something in a few months." Gaius folded his arms over his chest, "I think I deserve some praise for that."

"You've got lookout duty, Gaius." Robin said, "Anyone comes into the shop, let us know."

Gaius sighed, "Oh fine." He kicked at the door, "Leave me with the boring work."

Anna number three shut the door. Robin let out a long sigh.

"Sometimes, that guy gives me a migraine." Robin breathed.

"Welcome to the club." Ben chuckled.

"I can hear you through the door!" Gaius shouted from the other side.

"Good!" Both Ben and Robin shot back with a light chuckle.

The duo turned. Robin felt his jaw fall open.

They were surrounded by stuff. Big stuff, small stuff. Whatever you could think of stuff. Leather waterskins hung on one wall. Swords, spears, lances, and axes lined another wall. Several silver swords rested on racks in the center of the room with a big sign reading, 'Do Not Touch', over them. Healing staves rested in a basket in a corner. Several barrels filled with dried fruits and vegetables sat in the opposite corner.

"Welcome to my contraband room." Anna Number Three grinned with pride.

"Contraband room?" Robin gulped.

"Uh…" Donnel leaned over to Laurent, "What does that mean?"

"Illegal wares." Laurent answered.

"Oh." Donnel swallowed, "We shouldn't be here, huh?"

"Contraband?" Anna gave her sister a concerned look, "Since when did you get into the illegal product business?"

"Since Walhart's army arrived at the gates and confiscated everything that could be used to assist the rebel cells in the area." Anna Number Three replied, any accent or foreign language gone from her voice, "This is the only product I managed to save. I picked up a few more pieces but as you can see back up top, business is gone." Anna Number Three let out a sad sigh, "It looks like I might have to hit the road again soon. Just as I got used to staying in one place. I even managed to find a great baker in the area." She sniffled then took a deep breath, "But before I can do that, I've got to move as much of this stuff as I can." She looked at her sister, "Take your pick. Half off whatever you want."

"Half off!" Anna cried, "It's that bad around here now?"

"If you are aiming to get out, yeah." Anna number three nodded, "It's only going to get worse too. I've been hearing rumors that Emperor Walhart is preparing to embargo all trade into the continent. Especially trade ships from Archanea."

Ben's eyes widened, "That seems rather extreme if he is just trying to handle rebel cells."

"That is not a move to squash rebels." Robin remarked, "That is move to keep any prying eyes from looking in."

"Do you think Valm is preparing to do something in Archanea?" Ben asked the tactician.

Robin rubbed his chin, "I don't know. But this would be a damn good first step. Keeps any potential spies from getting in, or getting back out."

"How long until this Embargo, Anna?" Ben asked.

Anna Number Three shrugged, "Could be anywhere between three weeks to two months. I have nothing concrete."

Ben could not believe how rotten their luck was. Just when they get a lead on Marth's whereabouts, the amount of time they have to search for her gets cut down to a few weeks at the least. Nowhere near enough time to conduct a proper search.

"Three weeks huh?" Anna nodded, "Alright guys, pack for at least five weeks. Just in case." She turned to her sister, "Thank you."

"Hey, we're family. During tough times like this, family has to stick together."

Anna blinked, "Naga, times must be really, really bad."

Anna Number Three chuckled, "But bad times eventually turn good. We Annas will weather the worst. Like we always have."

The group quickly gathered up what supplies they could fit inside of their travel packs. Ben loaded up on plenty of dried fruit. He found the little snack to be quite delicious. Tasted like candy. Ben puckered his lips. Now that he thought about it that way, he would have to keep his stash far away from Gaius.

He reached for a second waterskin when everyone heard furious pounding on the door.

"GUYS! GUYS!" Gaius shouted from the other side, "SITUATION!"

Everyone froze inside of the contraband room. Anna Number Three rushed over to the door. She threw it open. Gaius rushed inside and pointed up to the door at the top of the stairs. Loud bangs echoed through the dark hallway. Anna number three blanched.

"I hope you guys know how to fight. Because that is the only way we are getting out of this." Anna Number Three said as she strode over to the Do Not Touch swords and grabbed one.

She tossed another one over to her sister. Anna easily caught it and smiled.

"Anna, you are about to see just how good of fighters these maniacs really are."

Ben smirked and drew his rapier. He looked over at Tharja and Robin.

"When that door comes down-"

"Clear it." Robin smiled, "Way ahead of you." Robin looked around at the others as he drew his tome, "Laurent, keep it clear while we get up to the surface."

"Of course."

The door at the top of the stairs shuddered a few more times. Frantic shouting echoed from beyond the door. Gaius grit his teeth and drew his shortsword. Donnel's face turned grim as he drew his own weapon. Panne palmed her Beaststone. Ready to channel power into it in order to pull off her beast form transformation.

Ben closed his eyes and reached out with the force. This would be close quarters combat. It would be that way even when they reached the surface again. The streets of this city were extremely narrow. If Anna had not been guiding them all, they would have become lost in the labyrinth of alleys and avenues that criss-crossed the city. The fighting would be intense. So he wanted to know what exactly they were up against.

"Four swordsmen." Robin breathed to his side. Ben's eyes widened, "Four archers outside the shop." Robin glanced at Ben, "Those Force exercises are working."

Ben smiled, "I can see that. But don't let seeing ahead distract you. Focus on what is in front of you."

"Of course."

The door shuddered one more time. There was a silent pause. Ben held his breath. A bam hit the door. The wood splintered. The heavy door fell from its hinges and slid down the stairs. Gaius yelped and hopped over the sliding projectile. The others behind him stepped out of the way.

"Tharja! Laurent!" Robin shouted as he extended a hand.

Three spells shot up at the entryway. The Valmeses soldiers at the top let out alarmed cries as the magic collided into them, clearing the way back up to the surface.

"Behind me!" Ben called as he rushed up the stairs.

He reached the top of the stairs and shot out into the main shop. Four more guards shoved their way through the broken front door. Ben surged at them and slammed the tip of his blade into the nearest enemy.

Before the second guard could attack Ben, Gaius's shortsword cut him down. The two Annas took care of the other two. A fifth guard tried to enter, but Donnel bashed the pommel of his blade against his helm, knocking the man out.

"Where are those archers, Robin?" Ben asked the tactician.

"I don't know. I just know they are out there. Give me a minute to-"

Tharja did not let the tactician finish. The dark mage stepped outside of the shop. An arrow whizzed at her. She moved to cast a spell in that direction. A blast of dark magic destroyed that arrow. But she failed to notice the other three arrows flying at her back.

Ben shot out of the shop and tackled her to the ground. The Dark Mage grunted as she hit the floor. Her eyes widened as she saw the arrows skip across the cobblestone near her feet.

"Don't be so reckless." Ben breathed as he pushed himself to his feet.

"I can be as reckless as I want." Tharja shot back as she rolled to her feet as well.

Ben saw one Archer sitting on a nearby balcony. He reached out with the force and tore the archer from his perch. The man screamed as he plummeted down to the ground. Tharja blasted a second archer hiding in a doorway. The other two archers remained hidden.

"Soldiers on the left!" Robin called as he burst out of the shop and sprinted right.

Ben looked to the other end of the narrow road. A large group of soldiers armed with swords and lances were charging at all of them. Civilians screamed in terror as they realized what was going on.

"REBELS!" One civilian screamed as she rushed out of the way of the soldiers.

Ben gulped, "Oh that's not good."

"Seize the rebels!" A Valmese Captain barked while pointing his sword directly at Ben.

Tharja grabbed Ben by the back of his shirt and yanked him after Robin and the others.

"Don't zone out." She smirked back at him.

Ben chuckled, "I can zone out as much as I want."

Danger hit Ben. He could sense more archers sprinting over the rooftops above them. They needed to find cover, fast. Robin seemed to know that as well. The tactician may not have known exactly where he was going, but he kept them in the more narrow alleyways. Not allowing the archers an angle to shoot them at.

A group of guards cut them off as they exited an alley and entered a broader street crawling with horses and carriages. Civilians scattered as the Shepherds engaged the Valmese soldiers.

The group made quick work of the ill prepared soldiers. Tharja, Robin, and Laurent's magic wreaked havoc on the surprised enemy. The soldiers were not prepared to deal with mages of their caliber.

No matter how much power they possessed though, it would not be enough if the enemy kept coming. More and more soldiers swarmed towards them. Like angry hornets who just had their nest disturbed. All Ben and his friends could do was keep running. They could not slow down. If they slowed down even a little bit, they would be surrounded. Cut off from any escape. Then it would be over.

And Ben doubted the Valmese wanted to negotiate terms of surrender.

They sprinted around another sharp corner into a small garden. A glistening, granite fountain sat in the middle of a large patch of green grass. Tall willow trees swayed lazily in the soft breeze that swept through town. The Shepherds skidded to a halt in the courtyard. Ben uttered a curse under his breath.

They were cut off. But how?

Ben locked eyes with a new captain. No… not a captain. The captains answered to this one. He wore dark armor. Layered with multiple light plates. His gray hair was held up in a high ponytail. At his hip were two swords. One short and the other longer, meant for two hands. His sharp eyes stared back at Ben.

"There's the boss." Gaius gulped as he pressed his back into Ben's.

"General Yen'fay." Anna Number Three gulped, "Our luck is rotten."

Robin's head was on a swivel. His tactical mind trying to find a solution. But the more he looked around, the more he realized how screwed they were. They were completely encircled. Three other streets led into the garden. All three were clogged with soldiers waiting for a chance to attack. Only their General and his discipline kept them from charging at the eight shepherds and their new friend.

General Yen'fay stepped forward.

"You are surrounded." His strong, stern voice rang out, "Surrender now, and you will be granted a fair trial."

"Ha! He's got jokes!" Anna Number Three laughed, "There's no such thing as a fair trial in the Empire. No such thing as fair anything now that I think about it."

Yen'fay scowled, "Last chance."

Gaius nudged Ben.

"Benny, if you got any tricks, now is the time to use them."

Ben grimaced. Fighting Risen in the desert with a lightsaber was one thing. If he used a lightsaber here, it would attract the wrong attention. And it would most certainly draw Kage towards him. The boy was powerful. He did not want his friends on the receiving end of his hatred and rage. All he wanted to do was find Marth, find Luke, and go home. Was that too much to ask for?

But he was out of options. General Yen'fay drew his own blade. A yellow colored sword, tall and broad. Several large barbs protruded from the edges. A deadly looking thing that could rip a man in half if swung hard enough. He started stalking towards Ben and his friends.

Ben's free hand reached for the silver hilt against his hip. Just as he grabbed it, a loud roar rang out through the air. General Yen'fay stopped his approach. His eyes flicked up to the sky.

Loud, terrified cries rang out from the road to Ben's left. Ben looked over and saw a massive Wyvern dive down from the clouds. On the Wyvern's back was a young woman with bright pink hair. Dark armor covered her body. A bonnet kept her hair from flying into her face. And a large, black ax rested in her grip.

The Wyvern slammed into the soldiers holding the road. Scattering them in all directions. The woman hacked away at a few soldiers that stood their ground while her moutn hissed and snapped at any unfortunate enough to try and get close. The Wyvern rider looked at the Shepherds.

"This way!" She shouted.

"You heard the lady!" Gaius cried, taking Panne by the hand and sprinting towards the Wyvern.

The others followed. As they sprinted away, Ben heard Yen'fay bark out an order.

"Do not let them escape!"

They rushed after the Wyvern Rider. The beast took to the air once again and roared over the street. Robin made sure to keep his eyes to the sky as he did his best to follow the Wyvern Rider.

They were heading for the city gates. Ben felt some relief fill him. Good, if they could get out of the city, they could flee into the countryside. Ben blasted a force push at some soldiers trying to cut them off.

"Oh no!" Anna cried.

The gate's iron bars started to descend. Ben ducked his head. Archer fired at them from behind. He turned around for a split second and deflected two arrows away from their targets.

"Hurry Ben!" Tharja shouted as the dark mage sprinted beneath the gate and out of the city.

Gaius and Panne escaped next. Robin and Laurent slipped beneath the descending gate. Anna sprinted ahead with Ben, Donnel, and her sister.

Donnel rolled beneath the iron bars. Anna slid beneath them. Scuffing up her outfit in the process.

Tharja, Robin, and Laurent fired volleys of magic at the top of the walls. Trying to keep any enemies from raining arrows down as they waited for their last two friends.

Ben and Anna's sister reached the gate. Just as they moved to slide beneath the bars, Ben felt the Force scream out a warning. He dropped to the ground. One arrow whizzed over his head and hit the bars with a small ping. He heard a second arrow whiz nearby, but it did not make a noise. He let out a relieved sigh as he slipped beneath the gate just before it closed.

He hopped to his feet. When he got to his feet, he saw Anna sprinting towards him.

"ANNA!" She screamed.

Ben's heart jumped to his throat.

The second arrow.

He glanced behind him. Anna's sister clawed at the iron bars from the other side. Trying to will her suddenly weak body to rise from the ground. An arrow jutted out of her back. More arrows whizzed towards the gate. Ben moved and grabbed Anna before she could get hit as well. She struggled against his iron grip as she tried to reach her sister. More arrows slammed into the Valm Merchant.

Anna screamed, kicked, and clawed. But she could not get free from Ben. She desperately reached out for her sister as she slipped down the iron bars to the ground.

"Ben, hurry!" Robin shouted, "There are more coming!"

Ben sprinted towards a small wood on the edge of the city. The others had already disappeared into the thickets. The swordsman's shoulder felt wet from Anna's tears as he carried the wailing merchant into the woods. Away from the enemy.

Away from her fallen sister.

* * *

Robin did not know how long they ran for. But by the time they stopped, the sun had started to set. He slowed as he approached the clearing where the others waited for him.

He quickly did a head count. Gaius and Panne were there. Both weary and bruised. But otherwise alive and unharmed. He saw Laurent tending to a gash on Donnel's forearm. Tharja sat in the dirt, spell book open. Trying to distract her mind.

"Where is Ben and the Annas?" He asked.

Ben emerged from the forest and sprinted into the clearing. He came to a slow stop. Anna was thrown over his shoulder. The poor girl lay there limp and sobbing. Ben sucked in several quick breaths before gently setting Anna down on the ground.

As the merchant sobbed in the dirt, Robin felt his heart jump to his throat. His eyes widened. He could hardly breathe.

"Her sister?" He asked Ben as the swordsman walked past him.

Ben stopped. He shook his head before quietly making his way over to a shady spot in the clearing. Robin's stomach dropped.

Anna's sister did not make it. He ran a hand through his hair and exhaled. The air left his lungs with a quiet shudder. This day just went from good to terrible really fast. Panne sat beside Gaius, ears lowered and eyes downcast. Gaius closed his eyes and shook his head. One hand rubbed the top of the Taguel's head as he tried to soothe her. Tharja flicked her eyes up. She said nothing, but Robin could see Anna's wails were getting to her. How she would react to them was what Robin wondered? Would she comfort Anna like everyone else, or would she place a silencing hex on her?

Donnel walked over to Anna and helped the sobbing merchant to her feet. The red head wrapped her arms around the Farm Boy, startling him. She buried her face into his shoulder and kept crying. Donnel hesitated, then wrapped her in a warm hug.

"Just let it out, Anna." Donnel breathed, "A good cry ain't never hurt no one."

A rush of wind hit the clearing. Robin allowed some sparks to dance over his fingertips as he readied himself for another fight. A wyvern landed at the other end of the clearing. The pink haired rider hopped down and gave the massive lizard a loving pet on the snout.

"Good girl." Robin heard her say before turning towards him and his friends.

Her expression morphed from cheerful to sad as her eyes settled on Anna and Donnel. The Wyvern rider closed her eyes and shook her head as she approached.

"I am so sorry." She said.

Anna sniffled and wiped a hand over her raw eyes, "It's-it's not your fault."

The woman nodded and waved for the group to follow her.

"There is a hideout nearby. We should get to it. Before any scouts find us."

Robin nodded in agreement. He glanced over at Anna and Donnel. Donnel asked Anna if she was ready to get going. The merchant reluctantly nodded and started walking after the Wyvern Rider. The Farm boy and Laurent followed her. Gaius and Panne glanced back at the city of Charlet in the distance, then followed as well. Robin turned towards Ben. Tharja had moved over to him. The swordsman was quiet the entire time the Wyvern Rider spoke to them.

"You good, Ben?" Robin asked.

Ben took a deep breath, "Yes… I'll be fine." He nodded at Tharja, "Let's get moving."

The Shepherds followed the Wyvern Rider for a couple miles before they arrived at another clearing. The Wyvern Rider took several large steps into the clearing then stopped. She hopped up and down on a patch of rough grass. A hollow sound erupted from her feet.

"Here we are." She said as she knelt down and yanked open a hidden door that led to the hideout.

Robin and his friends followed her inside of the hideout.

It was not much to look at. A small cave dug into the ground. A few ventilation holes allowed small strips of the fading sunlight inside of the dank, dark space. Soft earth sank beneath Robin's boots as he helped the Wyvern Rider light some candles inside.

There were some rickety wooden chairs littering the dirt floor. Barrels filled with water lined one wall. Crates filled with food lined the wall next to it.

"No fires, unfortunately. The army will see the smoke coming out of any vents." The woman breathed. "Other than that, make yourselves at home. I suggest staying here for the night while the scouts exhaust themselves. They'll give up the search by morning."

"How can you be so sure?" Robin asked.

The woman shrugged, "That's the pattern I've seen when they've tried hunting me down." She cracked open a crate, revealing strips of heavily salted pork. She picked one up, sniffed it, then nodded, "Still good." She muttered , "Help yourselves to whatever you want. It won't get eaten after tonight. Also, my name is Cherche. Figured I should tell you."

"Robin, and these are-"

"Ben Kenobi and some of Prince Chrom's Shepherds." Cherche smiled at them, "Yes, I've heard of you. Stories of your fight against the Mad Plegian King reached all the way over here." A small laugh left her lips, "It kind of inspired some of us rebels for a time. Before Walhart's armies broke us."

Robin narrowed his gaze at Cherche, "You're one of the rebels."

"The last one in Rosanne." Cherche replied, "Everyone else is either captured or dead. This is the only hideout they have not found yet. Which is why I'm only staying a night. It is only a matter of time before they find it." She rummaged through some more crates, scavenging whatever supplies she thought would be useful, "After tonight, I plan on getting out of here."

"Where do you plan on going?" Robin asked.

"I plan on hopping onto the next ship out of this place."

"You're sailing for Archanea?" Ben piped up as he gratefully took a piece of pork.

He passed some around to the other Shepherds. Anna declined to eat anything. She did not feel hungry.

"Port Ferox. That's the only stable port to sail to. Plegia is still in mild disarray from what I hear." She took a bite of pork, chewed, then swallowed, "I plan on going quick too. The Embargo will be in place sooner rather than later."

Robin cursed, "Three weeks then?"

Cherche nodded, "Unfortunately. Once the Embargo is in place, any ships that are not from another Valm port will be impounded. Their crews will be arrested as either spies or pirates." She shook her head, "Charlet will be devastated by such a move. The city relies on trade with Archanea. With that gone… I can't even imagine what will happen." She sighed, "Anyways, the ship captains in the harbor right now are aware of what is going on. If you bribe them enough, they will take you across the sea to Archanea. I suggest you all turn around and head back as quick as you can. Otherwise, you will be stuck here."

"We can't." Robin sighed, "We came here looking for a friend of ours. Maybe you saw her?"

"I can't promise anything." Cherche breathed, "But, tell me what she looks like."

"Blue hair, one arm-"

"Oh! You guys are looking for Marth."

Ben's gaze snapped over to Cherche, "You've seen her?"

"Seen her? Yeah. We ran into each other. She accidentally got caught up in one my little escapades." She saw the worried looks on the Shepherds faces, "Don't worry. As far as I know, she is both alive and free. Last I saw her, she was looking for someone too. Headed west to conduct her search. In the direction of the Mila tree."

"Mila tree?" Donnel wondered out loud.

"How far away is the Mila tree?" Ben asked.

Cherche furrowed her brow, "A week if you move fast. You can get there and back in time to escape the Embargo. As long as bandits or Valmese soldiers don't slow you down." She leaned back as she took a seat against one of the earth walls, "From there, the road diverges either Northwest, South, or further west. If you don't find her at the Mila tree, then I have no idea where she could be."

"Is the Mila tree difficult to find?" Robin asked.

Cherche shook her head, "Nope. You can't miss it. The thing is almost as tall as a mountain."

"Well, that makes finding that easy. Hopefully Marth will be there." Ben said.

"If not, we will just have to pray she got out in time." Robin breathed as he munched on a scrap of pork, "We cannot stay in Valm for long. We've already managed to make ourselves enemies of the state."

Ben nodded, "That is the plan then. First light tomorrow morning, we march west to the Mila tree."

"You got it boss." Gaius said.

* * *

Ben sat silent in the quiet hideout. The others had fallen asleep a while ago now. But sleep eluded him.

He ran a hand over his weary eyes. Today was not a pleasant day. It had been a long time since he had lost a friend in battle. And while he had only just met Anna's sister, he did consider her a friend. She was more than willing to help them when they needed it.

The image of her sliding to the ground, riddled with arrows shot through his mind again. Ben inhaled and exhaled. Each time someone close to him died, it became harder for him to push past it.

Perhaps his Jedi training was finally starting to fail him. He had grown so close to everyone in this hideout. The thought of losing any of them made him sick to his stomach. Even though the Jedi code specifically forbade attachments, he found himself very attached to this crazy group of friends. The loyal and ever loving Shepherds.

He blinked in the darkness as Anna tossed fitfully in her sleep. The poor girl. She had lost a member of her family. Ben knew all too well what that felt like. She was trying to soldier through it now. But eventually, the walls would have to come crumbling down. She would have to allow herself time to mourn. Hopefully that time came as they sailed back home to Regna Ferox. Where they would not be hunted down or mistaken for rebels.

Ben sighed and let his hands fall into his lap. He did not even feel like meditating. His mind just felt so weary. Tired of all the fighting and dying. That has been his life for years now. Fighting and dying. Battles and escapes. Gaining friends, only to lose them in the crucible of war. He was weary with it all.

A small mumble caught his attention. He saw Tharja's eyes blink open near him.

"Can't sleep?" She yawned.

Ben shook his head.

"Stuck in your own head again?" She asked him as she propped herself up onto her elbows.

Ben snorted out a quiet laugh, "Maybe."

Tharja sat upright and turned so that she faced him. He could barely see her in the darkness. But he knew she was concerned. She would not have woken up otherwise.

"Shall we?" She asked taking him by the hand.

Ben pursed his lips then nodded.

Tharja opened her spell book. The familiar purple runes rushed over their skin. Ben closed his eyes.

* * *

Tharja heard Ben gasp when she opened her eyes again. There was noise everywhere. A constant whir that made her head spin. A buzz that sounded so strange. Like an endless stream of honey bees were flying nearby.

She winced as she picked herself up off of the concrete beneath her. When she raised her gaze up, her eyes widened.

In front of her was the biggest structure she had ever seen in her life. A massive, pyramid shaped building. Several tall spires jutted up from its peak. It was so tall that Tharja could not even glimpse the top of it. As she craned her neck further back, she realized the orange sun in the sky was blotted out by a thick column of smoke pluming out from the top of the massive building.

She could hear some panicked breaths leaving Ben's lungs. She glanced over at him. His face looked pale. His hands were trembling at his sides. Eyes were glued to the building in front of him.

"The Jedi Temple?" She asked on a hunch.

Ben nodded.

"Do you want to keep going?"

Ben closed his eyes and bowed his head. He thought hard for a moment. Then nodded. Tharja reached over and took Ben by the hand. She had a feeling this memory would be one of the hardest for Ben to struggle through. He could not lose his mind in here. If he did, he may never leave the memory. Physical contact would help keep him tethered to the spell. Allow him to remember that this was not real. Only a memory replaying in his mind.

Tharja jumped as blue lights shot passed her and Ben. On reflex, Ben tore his hand away from hers and reached for his lightsaber. When he did not find it at his hip, he panicked. Tharja reached up and brushed a hand against his cheek.

"Ben, stay with me." She breathed.

Ben screwed his eyes shut and nodded.

When he opened them again, he and Tharja watched as a squad of Clone Troopers wearing blue painted armor rushed out of the Temple, weapons leveled at them. As they started firing, a green blade rushed by Tharja's head and impaled itself in one of the Clone's chest.

One of the strangest creatures Tharja had ever seen sprinted by her and Ben. A dwarfish looking thing. Body as green as grass. Wrinkled skin, like old leather. Wispy white hairs popped out from the top of his odd shaped head. Pointy ears protruded from the sides. It looked elderly. But it did not move like an old creature. The speed with which the little green man attacked the Clones boggled Tharja's mind.

"Grand Master Yoda." Ben whispered to her, "The greatest of the Order."

A small feeling of reverence filled Tharja. This little, diminutive creature was the Grand Master of the entire Jedi order. A being whose power she could only begin to guess. Obi Wan appeared right behind Yoda. His blue blade danced in sweeping circles around his body. Deflecting back volleys of enemy fire and slaying any Clones that dared to get in his way.

Once the last clone fell, both Yoda and Obi Wan deactivate their weapons and rushed inside of the Temple. Ben took a deep breath.

"Are you ready?" Tharja asked him.

She saw him clench his jaw tight. His hand wrapped around hers.

"As I'll ever be." He breathed.

They walked silently into the Jedi Temple. The first thing Tharja noticed was the smell. It smelled like a fire was burning inside. And multiple were. But they were only smoldering. Black scorch marks littered the walls and pillars around her as she walked with Ben. Small sections of the floor had caved in. Blasted away by something. Each one looked like a little crater. Several of the massive stone pillars that supported the ceiling had toppled to the ground. Smashed into small bits by weapons beyond Tharja's own imagination.

The first body they saw made Tharja's heart stop.

A little boy, no older than eight, surrounded by a sea of fallen Clones. She heard Ben suck in a sharp breath.

"They killed everyone." Ben said, "Young and old. Master and apprentice. This was the last great battle of the Clone War. Fought where we thought we were safest."

The number of dead Jedi grew as they delved further into the Temple. Each one savagely butchered by Clones. Plenty of Clones were mingled in with the dead Jedi. But the Jedi had been so few in number, that no matter how many Clones they took down, it was not enough.

They eventually reached a section of the Temple that horrified Tharja.

A dozen young children lay dead on the ground. But their bodies were mangled far more than the other Jedi. Deep slashes charred through their chests and backs. Limbs were severed. Violent deaths.

She could feel Ben's fear mounting as they strode through the shattered remains of the Jedi Temple. Eventually, they found their way into a strange room. Glowing green walls filled the space like a small maze. Tharja saw Obi Wan Kenobi fiddling with a small machine in one of the walls.

" _I've recalibrated the code warning all surviving Jedi to stay away."_

" _For the clones, to discover the recalibration, a long time it will take."_ Master Yoda's croaking voice replied.

Tharja watched as the two Jedi Masters headed towards an exit. As they walked through a small hall, Obi Wan came to a stop.

"A security hologram." Ben breathed.

Tharja did not know exactly what that was. But she knew she was about to learn.

" _If into the security recordings you go, only pain will you find."_ Master Yoda warned Obi Wan.

" _Master…"_ Obi Wan breathed, " _I… I must know."_

A blue, flickering image appeared on a small pedestal. It looked almost like a strange scrying spell to Tharja. But at the same time, there was no magic surrounding it. She furrowed her brow in confusion as she watched Obi Wan flick through different images on the pedestal.

Ben squeezed her hand. Obi Wan stopped on an image. The image began to move.

A young man attacked the young children in the hologram. Vicious, brutal hacks that shattered the children's meager defenses. He mercilessly cut them down. Their dying cries filling the small hall Ben and Tharja stood in. It took a minute for Tharja to recognize the man slaughtering the children. But when she did, both sorrow and rage filled her.

Anakin Skywalker. Obi Wan's apprentice. He looked a little older. His hair was longer. Body stronger and faster. A scar sat over his right eye. Likely given to him in some massive battle.

A choked sound left Ben's lips. Tharja squeezed his hand.

"I'm right here." She said.

" _It can't be."_ Obi Wan breathed in disbelief as he watched the hologram in horror. " _It can't be."_

Yoda bowed his head.

" _Well done, Lord Vader."_

A voice that sent a chill down Tharja's spine spoke. It came from the security hologram.

It was showing the aftermath of the battle. Anakin Skywalker, or Lord Vader as someone else called him, knelt before a hooded, decrepit figure. A man that made involuntary terror seep into Tharja. His presence alone made her want to run away and hide. And she had no idea who this figure in the hologram even was. But she knew that Obi Wan's former apprentice answered to him now. Which meant he was powerful.

" _Now go bring peace to the Empire."_

Tharja blinked. Peace? This was not peace? This was mass murder all around her. A massacre of innocent lives. It made her blood boil. These two men thought they were justified in their actions. If she ever saw them, she would hex them until they begged for death.

" _I can't watch anymore."_ Obi Wan gasped.

" _Destroy the Sith, we must."_ Yoda said.

Tharja felt puzzled. The Sith. She recalled Ben explaining them as the ancient enemies of the Jedi Order. Maul had been a Sith.

She closed her eyes and shook her head. Of course they were behind the massacre at the Jedi Temple. Only beings with Maul's power could possibly wipe out such powerful people.

" _Send me to kill the Emperor. I… I will not kill Anakin."_

The Dark Mage glanced over at Ben. She saw some tears forming in his eyes. But he held them back. Forcing himself to stay composed and confront the horrors in front of him.

 _Even after this, you still did not want to take revenge?_ Tharja stared at Ben with some awe, _You still cared for him?_

" _To fight this Lord Sidious, strong enough, you are not."_

" _He is like my brother,"_ Obi Wan pleaded, " _I cannot do it."_

" _Twisted by the dark side, young Skywalker has become."_ Yoda hobbled up to Obi Wan with the held of a gnarled cane, " _The boy you trained, gone he is. Consumed by Darth Vader."_

Obi Wan swallowed hard. Tharja could see he was desperate to find an excuse. Some way to avoid having to kill his closest friend. His brother in all but blood.

" _I do not know where the Emperor has sent him."_ Obi Wan stammered out, " _I do not know where to look."_

Yoda glanced back Obi Wan. Years of wisdom filled his gaze.

" _Use your feelings, Obi Wan. And find him, you will."_

Tharja could feel the spell starting to weaken. She took a deep breath. Gaze fixed on the hologram of Lord Vader bowing before Darth Sidious. The final dagger of betrayal that shattered her friend. The tether in the real world tugged on her mind. Tharja closed her eyes and returned back home.

* * *

Tharja opened her eyes. The earthy smell of the hideout filled her senses. Bringing her mind back to reality. She took a deep breath. Beside her, Ben struggled to catch his own breath. He was not frantic like the last time the pair walked through one of his memories. Instead, he looked like she had when the pair went through her own memory.

Broken. Sad and alone. Gaze focused not on the world around him, but on the memory dancing through his mind. Feelings long since buried.

Ben bowed his head as he sat in front of Tharja.

"Ben?" She whispered.

He exhaled. The air leaving his lungs in small shudders.

"I thought I was ready for that one." He gulped, "Not sure now." He turned his sorrow filled eyes up to her meet Tharja's, "I am so tired Tharja."

Tharja nodded, "I assume it is not physical weariness."

Ben shook his head, "No. It is not." He leaned back against the earth wall behind him, "I have been fighting non-stop for almost five years now. I've been betrayed more times than I can count. I have broken bones, shattered ribs, nearly been killed more than once. I have seen every single friend I have made die. Felt them die in the Force. I have had every person I've ever cared about die."

He gave Tharja a look that showed her his true age. The Force may have found a way to take years off of his body, but behind those eyes was a war weary man. Weathered by combat and hardship. Tired of carrying such a burden.

"And…" Ben continued, "Today, in Charlet. Losing Anna's sister the way we did, it-" He gulped, "It just reminded me of all of that. How somehow, the most innocent ones seem to die. And the ones that are prepared to die, ready to lay their lives down for their friends, always seem to live." He let out a small snort, "I don't know why the Force wants me to still be alive. I don't know why it deemed me… either worthy enough or damned enough to carry these burdens. Why did it choose me instead of those children at the Temple? Why me instead of other Jedi Masters far stronger than I could ever be? I am not worthy to carry on the legacy of the Jedi. I don't even have the will left to fight anymore. I am ready to be done. To stand aside and just be at peace for once."

Tharja sighed. She placed a soft hand against Ben's cheek.

"You do have the will to fight still. Otherwise, you would not have spent all this time searching for Marth and Luke. You would not have fought tooth and nail to save all of us when we were in trouble." Tharja breathed, "I do not say this about many people, Obi Wan Kenobi. You are one of the strongest people I know. You did not quit before. And I don't believe you will quit now. That unbreakable will to keep going, no matter how much the universe tries to tear you down; that is why the Force deemed you worthy. That is why you carry on. Not because it is easy. But because it must be done." She gave him a small smile, "I admire that about you. And when this is all finally finished, when we go back home to Ylisse, maybe you will find some peace. Sometimes it comes in the strangest of forms."

He brushed his hand against the back of her hand. A long breath left his lips.

"When this is done, when Luke is with me again, I plan on finding a nice little house and doing nothing for a while."

Tharja uttered a small laugh, "Then do it. But always know that you are strong enough to take on the universe when it comes knocking. Never doubt that." She smiled at him, "And… if you ever need some help along the way, I guess I could lend a hand. I mean, you've helped me after all."

Ben quietly laughed, "You've already done more than lend a hand."

"Well then I'll lend two." Tharja remarked.

Ben laughed some more.

"How does that sound?"

Ben nodded, "Fine by me."

Tharja smiled that genuine smile Ben finally uncovered back in Plegia. Her kindness still surprised him to this day. No one ever really saw it much. But Tharja wanted to do what was right. Wanted to help others. Even if it was in strange, perhaps slightly demented ways.

Ben already knew she had adapted this memory spell for torture. He might have peaked into her spell book once her twice. But it still comforted him to know that she wanted to use the spell to help him first. Not torture others.

"Now, you said so yourself, it will be an early morning tomorrow." Tharja said, "So, get some sleep, Master Kenobi. I know Robin will be groggy tomorrow morning. So you will have to lead the way."

Ben smiled, "Don't I always?"

"Ha!" Tharja smirked back, "Only when someone is holding your hand so you don't get too lost."

She fell onto her back closed her eyes.

"Now go to sleep. Or I'll hex you to sleep. Then you won't wake up for a week."

Ben gulped. But beneath the nervous gulp, Tharja swore she heard him chuckle a little bit.

"As the dark mage commands."

 **And chapter! An extra long chapter to celebrate reaching 60 chapters! And an action packed chapter for that matter. The stakes have been raised. And the dangers of Valm rear its head. Time is short for our heroes. Will they reach Marth in time? Or are they about to be stranded in Valm? Hm... we shall see.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	61. Hiding in Plain Sight

The Force's Shepherds  
Chapter 61

Hiding in Plain Sight

Curse her loud feet! Curse the crunch, fallen leaves! Curse her panicked, heavy breathing! Curse the toddler that wanted to jump into every single pile of leaves! Marth felt like she could scream at any second. But if she screamed, they would hear her.

She managed to move pretty far north away from Fort Stieger before running into any major problems. The thick forests between the fortress and the Mila Tree helped conceal her movements. Something she was extremely grateful for. Stealth was not her strong suit. She did not know how to move with light footfalls or how to control her own racing heart. She was a warrior. Warriors never had to worry about such things.

But eventually, her luck ran out. The small Valmese company camped around the Mila Tree received word of what happened at Fort Stieger. She knew they did. Patrols were heavy near the roads and through the many forest trails. They were not this frequent before. Marth had to be careful otherwise she would be caught. Then all of this effort would be for nothing.

She ducked behind a fallen tree as another squad of Valmese soldiers marched past her. While they marched, Marth kept her hand clasped over Prince Kage's mouth. She could not blame the little boy too much. He had no idea what was going on. The poor kid had been kidnapped. Deprived of basic nourishment. Likely terrified by everyone around him, and was now expected to remain completely silent as Marth tried to rush back to Charlet.

 _Because any two year old was totally capable of staying still and being quiet._

She shook her head. She did not even belief her own thoughts on that one. Marth did not have many memories of herself at that age. Fragments and foggy images mainly. But she could recall someone else at that age. A sibling that did not know the meaning of staying still. She wondered how her little sister was doing? She followed her on this mission. Did she arrive safely in this time period with the others? She had yet to run into any of them, except for Kage. But she did not consider that bastard an ally anymore.

Her ears perked up as she heard the squad of soldiers talking to each other as they passed her hiding spot.

"Embargo? Yeah I heard about that. Stock up on your Archanean goods while you can."

"Ain't no one going back there in a few weeks. Wonder why the Conqueror is doing it?"

"Dunno. But regardless, I'm less than thrilled. My wife loves Plegian hot peppers."

"Would you two shut up! We are supposed to be patrolling for both rebels and that escaped prisoner."

Marth frowned. So that is how Excellus termed it. A prisoner escaped, instead of a child being freed from his cruel grip. The worm had to spin it in order to justify his actions. If she ever saw that man again, he would not be safe from her wrath. The poor child looked so thin and sickly from his treatment. No child should have to endure what the little Prince has.

The soldiers faded down the trail. Marth poked her head over the fallen tree in order to see if the coast was clear. The patrols were growing in frequency. She had to be getting very close to the Mila Tree now. Which meant the Valmese soldiers' presence would be very dense. Not many spaces to hide.

She glanced up at the sky. The stars were winking to life in the purple and orange haze above her. The moon would rise soon. Under normal circumstances, she would have taken advantage of the darkness. Used it to conceal her movements and slip by the enemy positions.

But she had a toddler with her now. And said toddler got very cranky when he was sleepy. Marth could not carry him in one arm while he slept. The kid squirmed too much. They would have to find somewhere to hide for the night.

She did not want to risk anything near one of the trails or the main road. It would be too easy for a soldier to wander from their patrol and stumble upon her hiding spot. Then Prince Kage would be in the hands of the Valm once again. Excellus would send the boy to Plegia for safekeeping. And nothing would change. He would still meet Maul. Still learn from him. Still become a monster.

She glanced at the sleepy toddler beside her. The kid's eyes were half open as sleep started to claim him. He was so innocent. A smiley mess usually. Full of energy and life. Such a stark contrast compared to what he became in the future. Maul's poison did horrible things to her friend's mind.

Marth took a deep breath. Sleeping on the ground was not the best option either. Again, too easy to be accidentally discovered. She flicked her eyes at the trees around her. Some looked sturdy enough for her to sleep on. But the branches were not thick enough for two people. Even with Kage's little body barely weighing anything, Marth did not want to chance it.

 _I need a branch big enough to hold both of us without risking falling off._

She frowned. A thought hit her. A crazy idea that would have made Robin and her Master proud. That or extremely dumbfounded. One of the two. Her eyes soared up towards the mighty boughs of the Mila Tree. That would be the last place the Valmese would look for her. Who in their right mind would hide under their noses like that?

 _Me._ Marth thought to herself with a tinge of pride.

She scooped up Kage and dashed across the trail towards the Mila tree. She could see torches flickering nearby from various military encampments. But the thick forest hid her just enough. As long as she moved quick and quiet, she would not be found.

She reached the massive trunk of the tree. It stretched out to either side like the Longfort. Endless and massive. She took a deep breath and ruffled Kage's hair.

"Alright, kid," Marth breathed as the toddler woke up, "I'm going to put you on my back. You have to hold on. Ok?"

His bright blue eyes blinked at her. She saw him give her a very small, fearful nod. Gods, he was so intelligent. Even now, as a little boy. The Prince may not completely understand what was going on, but he did realize he needed to listen to her. Maybe he realized that she was rescuing him? Or maybe he just trusted her because she fed him as soon as they were far enough away from Fort Stieger to avoid capture. Regardless, his lips stayed sealed as Marth shifted him over onto her back. His small arms wrapped around her shoulders. Hands locked over the top of her chest like the clasp to a cape. A small smile crossed her lips.

"Good job, Kage." She breathed.

She looked up. There were strange, wooden stairs that ascended into the branches of the Mila Tree. But they were heavily guarded. Soldiers armed with bows and swords stood watch over that route. No one was allowed up the tree without permission from their General. And she could not fight them while worrying about Kage at the same time.

That left one option. Every time she jumped using the Force, she felt like her stomach would fly up into her throat. The amount of power it required from her usually wiped her out. Willpower kept her going. But once she made a leap like this, she would not have the energy to fight anyone.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Focusing the Force around her body. She felt Kage squirm a little on her back. The kid could sense what she was doing. He always became a little antsy whenever she used the Force. Excited even.

The little boy pressed his head against the back of her neck. A sudden surge of power rushed through Marth. Surprise filled her. But she could wonder about where this power came from later. Without another thought, she jumped.

It took everything in her not to cry out with both fear and shock as she soared higher and higher. Over the first tree limb she had been aiming for and up onto a small platform above the wooden stairs. She hit the platform hard. Failing to land on her feet and instead hitting the flat space with her right shoulder. Pain shot through her shoulder down into the stump of her arm. She winced.

"You still there, Kage?" She whispered through grit teeth.

She felt his little head nod against her back. A small sigh of relief left her lips. Her eyes flicked back and forth. The coast was clear. She rushed across the platform towards another flight of naturally made stairs. Each step carved into the side of the Mila's Tree's massive trunk. She wanted to go a little higher. In order to avoid any curious soldier from stumbling on her.

She rushed up the flight of stairs. Once she made it to the top, she skidded to a stop.

At the very top of the stairs was a small platform. Sitting at the end of the platform was a little hut made out of the Mila Tree's massive leaves and some twigs. Marth hesitated as she approached it.

There were no torches burning inside of it. No furniture either except for a small, leafy bed that sat empty inside. Marth furrowed her brow. It was very dark up here in the Mila Tree. The dense canopy of leaves and branches around her blotted out most of the moonlight and nearly all of the starlight. She struggled to see anything inside of the hut.

Maybe someone lived up here before the Valmese took over the area? Regardless, it was shelter. She was far enough up into the tree in order to avoid any wandering patrols. She doubted any soldiers thought an enemy would slip by them and get this far into the tree's branches.

As quiet as a mouse, she slipped inside of the hut. Once inside she grabbed Kage and placed him back on the ground.

"We'll sleep here tonight." She told the little boy, "No wandering off. Okay?"

He nodded.

Marth held up a finger, "I mean it. It is not safe."

A loud yawn made Marth's hair stand on end. Her sword shot out of its sheath in a flash. Another yawn hit her ears. Someone was in the hut.

She grabbed Kage and yanked the boy behind her. The tip of her blade pointed into the hut's shadows.

"Who goes there?" She growled.

A pair of eyes blinked open. They appeared very sleepy. Big, bright, and green. They did not appear malicious. Rather, the seemed curious. And very, very tired.

Someone clapped their hands. A ball of light blinked to life above Marth.

Standing in the hut with her and Kage was a young woman. Long green hair ran down in messy waves from the top of her head. A slim, red dress clothed her figure while a pink cape covered her shoulders and back. Her small lips parted into another loud yawn before she blinked at both Marth and Kage.

"Mar Mar?" She asked. Her voice filled with both confusion and affection.

Marth kept her blade pointed at the woman, "Who are you!?"

"Me?" The green haired woman hummed, "I think I should be the one asking you that question. You are in my house, after all."

She yawned again and brushed some loose hair from her eyes. As the hair moved around her face, Marth saw pointy ears on the side of the woman's head. She focused her gaze on Marth. Her sudden happiness diminished as she stared.

"Oh… you're not him." She let out a heavy sigh, "But of course you would not be. It has been several thousand years."

Marth's eyes widened and her jaw fell open, "L-lady Tiki?"

"Yes?" Tiki gave the warrior a puzzled look, "And you are-"

"She's Marth!" Kage chirped behind her.

Tiki furrowed her brow, "Hm… unless something drastic happened; you don't look like Mar Mar." She rubbed her chin, "Maybe his name became common over the centuries? Then again, I don't think anyone would name their daughter after Mar Mar. Not unless someone wanted to be particularly unique."

Marth gulped and straightened herself upright. She gave the woman a small bow.

"I apologize for invading your privacy, Lady Tiki. If I had known-"

Tiki uttered a small laugh, "There is no need to fret. I am not offended. I am actually somewhat glad. It has been a long time since I have had good company." She smiled at Kage, "Especially the company of someone so brave."

Kage's cheeks flushed as his lips curled into a bashful smile. He tucked his chin into his chest as he swayed to and fro in front of Tiki. The woman smiled and rubbed the toddler's small shoulders.

"You look sleepy. Go ahead, lie down on my mat. It is very comfortable."

"I'm not-" Kage uttered a loud yawn. He rubbed at one eye as he continued to sway in front of Tiki, "tired."

Tiki smiled at him and tapped his nose with her finger.

"I think you are lying. Go on now. Go to sleep. Me and your friend must talk for a little bit."

Kage uttered another big yawn. The little boy nodded and stumbled past Tiki over to her little mat. He curled up on the soft leaves and drifted off to sleep. Tiki glanced back at him and smiled as he let out a soft snore.

"He is such an innocent soul." Tiki smiled before turning back to face Marth, "You must be so proud of your son."

Marth blinked, "S-son? What!? No! No!" She uttered an anxious laugh, "He's not mine. Gods, no he's not mine."

Marth's mouth felt dry as she swallowed hard. A shuddering breath escaped her lips as Tiki stared back at her.

Tiki, the Voice of Naga herself. Someone who could commune with Naga and deliver her will to humanity. Marth should have known she would eventually run into her. Someone so important to the Divine Dragon would almost certainly know that something strange occurred involving the goddess's power. Was that what she wished to talk about? Was Tiki aware of her mission? Of who she really was and why she came to this time period?

"So," Tiki rubbed her chin, "If you are not his mother, then you must be his sister?"

Marth froze. That question was… unexpected.

"And judging by the look on your face, I am incorrect again. Hm…" Tiki furrowed her brow, "Are you an aunt?"

"Uh…"

"Cousin?"

"Lady Tiki-"

"A close family friend?"

Marth gulped, "I'm… well… how do I even explain this?"

"You are a stranger for him then?" Tiki narrowed her eyes, "I may not have all of my human customs in order, but I seem to recall children operate under the rule: Do not talk to strangers."

"I-" Marth cringed and rubbed the back of her neck, "It is not what it looks like."

"You kidnapped him, didn't you?" Tiki asked with a frown.

"No! I rescued him from kidnappers." Marth swiftly replied.

"Oh! Then you will be returning him to his parents?" Tiki saw Marth's face fall a little bit, "Or not. So… you are a kidnapper who just kidnapped a child from other kidnappers. I have heard many strange stories, Marth, but that is one of the strangest."

Marth hung her head, "I intend on rescuing him from a terrible future."

Tiki frowned, "A terrible future? Hm, clearly there is much more to this tale than what meets the eye."

"And unfortunately I cannot explain it all to you." Marth continued, "That would put far too many lives at risk." Marth gulped, "However, if you need a way for me to prove you can trust me, I will say to you my real name."

"A different name would be nice. That way I do not confuse you for Mar Mar anymore." Tiki replied, her tone extremely wary.

Marth took a deep breath. Even speaking her real name to another living soul was a risk. But right now, it was a risk she had to take. Tiki seemed to grow very protective of Kage in a very short span of time. And she viewed Marth as someone up to no good. Judging by how Tiki placed herself between the toddler and the warrior. No, this was something that had to be done. She needed Tiki to trust her. Trust goes both ways.

"My name is Lucina." Marth breathed.

"Lucina." Tiki thought for a moment then smiled a little bit, "That is a rather pretty name."

"Er… thanks?"

"And you are of the Exalted bloodline as well."

Lucina's stomach lurched. How did Tiki discern that so quickly?

"The small disguise you have over your eye." Tiki pointed at her own eye, "It works for those who do not know how to recognize it. But I can see the Exalt's brand in it." She pressed her lips together, "Although, I do not recall anyone of the bloodline being capable of using such powers. This must be a recent development."

Marth drew back in surprise, "You know about the Force? I did not think Manakete's knew about it."

Tiki gave Marth a mischievous smile, "How do you think I knew that you had good intentions? Even if you are technically a kidnapper yourself. If you were a bad person, I would have sensed as much and made certain you did not leave my house in the shape you are in."

Marth balked, "But- but-"

"Your mental defenses could really uses some sharpening." Tiki nodded.

Marth's shoulders sagged and she hung her head, "So I've been told."

Tiki uttered a small chuckle, "But if your mental defenses were sharp, then I would have been much more suspicious of your motives. In a way, it is a good thing you did not complete your formal training." Tiki thought for a moment, "By the way, who conducts training in the Force? I might venture out of here someday and speak to them. Is it another Manakete?"

Marth shook her head, "No, no. Um… my Master is a normal human being."

Tiki's eyes widened, "Really? Well, that is most surprising. Not many humans are capable of mastering such abilities. It is almost a lost art. What is you master's name?"

"Ben Kenobi."

Tiki furrowed her brow, "Ben Kenobi… I will remember that name." She took a breath, "Well, I am assuming you are up here because you want to avoid General Cervantes and his men?"

Marth nodded.

"The ones who initially kidnapped Kage were with the Valmese army." Marth clenched her fist at her side, "They treated him… I can't even describe it. If I did not have to worry about keeping him safe, I would have torn those monsters apart."

Tiki furrowed her brow, "You need to be careful with that, Lucina. You know what the Force is. You know how thin the line is between righteous and evil in it. While you have controlled those impulses for now, I do sense one that you may fail to stop if the opportunity presented itself."

Marth let out a heavy sigh. She averted her gaze from Tiki's steely stare. Naga, it felt like she was talking to the goddess herself. In a way, she might be. Tiki spoke for Naga. She did not gain the title of the Voice of Naga for nothing. Even if she had not asserted such a position on Marth yet.

"I sense anger in you, Lucina. It clouds your aura. Tearing away at your kindness and determination with vicious jaws." Tiki lowered her gaze at the girl, "Tell me, what is causing this?"

Marth's eyes shifted from side to side. Force, why was it so difficult for her to speak about it? She did not mind telling the Shepherds that she aimed to kill Kage. Perhaps because some of them shared her position on the matter. She knew her master would not approve. He would try to find a more diplomatic approach to the problem. But the others had made their displeasure for Kage known. Justice needed to be dealt. And if no one else was going to go after him, she would. As soon as she got the little Prince to safety she would find Kage and end him.

"To wish death on another is not seeking justice." Tiki warned, as if reading her mind.

Marth took a deep breath, "If you only knew what he has done."

Tiki closed her eyes and nodded. She motioned for Marth to take a seat on the soft, leaf covered floor. The Voice of Naga followed her as she sat down.

"I may never understand what he has done to you." Tiki began as they sat across from each other, "But what I do know, is if you continue down the path you are following, you will lose yourself." Tiki sat up straighter, "You take the name of Marth. Why?"

Marth frowned. What did that have to do with her wishing death upon Kage?

"I admire the man." Marth replied, "The Hero-King united the entire land. No one else has managed to do that. He is a symbol of strength and determination."

Tiki nodded, "How do you think he accomplished such deed?"

Marth furrowed her brow, "Well, he had to be a great warrior in order to bring the entire continent to heel. I assume he was a master on the battlefield. Not allowing anyone to stand in his way and-"

"Mar Mar was perhaps one of the kindest, gentlest souls I have ever had the pleasure to call friend." Tiki cut of Marth, "Did he do battle? Yes. Did he enjoy it? Did he enjoy seeing the sacrifices and horrors of war?" She shook her head, "Never. He did not win the land with his sword. He won with his heart. No matter how many set backs or betrayals he suffered, he endured. And he never let those pains in his heart take over who he was. A good man. Before a hero-king, he was a good man." Tiki leaned towards Marth, "You carry his name. But if he heard of what you consider to be justice, he would not want you to have it."

Marth's eyes widened. A sharp stab of pain lanced through her heart. She took on the name Marth to rally the people during the end of the world. To give them a hero to look to. One known through both myths and legends. A name that even the Fell Dragon feared for a time. To be told by one of the legendary Marth's own followers that she brought shame to his name shook the young woman to her core.

"You do not bring shame to his name. Not yet at least." Tiki breathed, reading her thoughts once again, "But you carry a great burden on your shoulders by taking his name. You must live up to the legacy of the man who made it famous." She nodded over at the sleeping Prince, "That man would have done what you have done. Save a helpless child from terrible captors. But he would not have sought revenge. Remember that."

Marth swallowed hard then nodded.

Tiki uttered a loud yawn and stretched her arms high over her head.

"Now then, I am certain you are sleepy." She rubbed her right eye, "I know I am. You may rest up here for the evening. In the morning, I will show you a way down to the surface that the General does not patrol as heavily. You should be able to slip past any guards he has posted there."

Marth nodded, now aware of her own weariness.

"Thank you." She breathed.

"Don't mention it, Mar Mar." Tiki's head started to nod. Before Marth could speak to her again, the powerful Manakete was fast asleep. Loud snores escaping her lips as she slept upright.

Marth sat quiet in the night for a few minutes. Even when Tiki's little candlelight spell winked out, she remained awake. Her mind pondering the wisdom of the ancient Manakete. Tiki might not look it, but she had lived far longer than almost any other creature on the planet. She had been born before the first histories of the world had even been recorded. Had lived several lifetimes before the Hero-King even encountered her for the first time. It would be unwise to ignore her words.

But why was it so hard to heed them? Marth knew Tiki was right. She sounded like her Master in that regard. Her Master would have told her to spurn revenge. Such a violent path only led to pain and suffering. It did not end the violence. Only amplified it. Morphed the seeker of such violence into an unrecognizable monster by the end of it. While he would have been more vague and mystical in his explanation, probably referring to the Force and its many mysteries to guide her; Marth appreciated Tiki's direct approach.

Marth claimed to admire the Hero-King of old. If she truly did, she would live up to his legacy. Not tarnish it by doing something he would not have done himself. Tiki was right. The name was an enormous burden to carry. One of many she has shouldered most of her life. And like the others, it would not defeat her.

She still wished to confront Kage. At least ask him why he did what he did. Why did he follow Maul so loyally? Even though he knew everything Maul did was vile. Why did Kage not turn on his master when he ordered him to kill her? Why did he not take her hand in Plegia and run away from the darkness? Was he really that far gone? Was three years all it took to destroy a good person?

Marth let out a shaky breath as she lay back against the floor of the hut. The leaves that covered the floor provided a comfortable enough place to lay. Better than dirt, sticks, and pine needles. She would sleep well enough on it.

As her eyes closed, she could not help but feel the time was coming soon. She and Kage would meet face to face once again. Her heart hammered in her chest at the thought.

In the end, when they did meet again, she hoped they would part ways at least understanding each other. Understanding why such a massive wedge had been driven between them. But there was also a dark whisper in her mind reminding her of the monster her old friend now was. Reminding her of the horrible crimes he committed. The atrocities he had done in the name of his dark Master. There was still the distinct possibility that she would be unable to reconcile with him. That they would come to blows.

She turned over onto her side. Her eyes fell on the sleeping Prince across the room. Sleeping so peacefully. A small smile on his little face. Marth could feel her own lips parting into a smile.

She remembered seeing a face like that before. Filled with innocence and cheer. Quiet and shy. Mischievous and smart. He always ran around with Cynthia and her Justice Cabal. Causing mayhem and trouble. She would always bail him out of trouble. A wistful sigh left her lips. If he had not been her friend, her childhood probably would have been quite boring.

Marth let out a quiet laugh.

She missed those days.

* * *

It took a lot of quiet words and snappish phrases in order for Say'ri to get Cynthia to calm down and not do something stupid. Gods, it took Say'ri a lot of convincing herself in order to keep her from doing anything stupid as well.

Why? Why was she feeling worry for Luke? The man was an insufferable prick. An asshole, to say the least. Bitter and cold. She thought he did not care for them. And she had been content to not care about him either. She would tolerate him as long as he helped her rescue Kage. Once that goal was achieved, she would never look upon his face again.

Then last night happened. Luke's rage filled explosion that sent Cynthia flying away in tears. The subsequent reveal by Cynthia of her and Luke's past. The fact that Luke, somehow, was her little brother from the future. Dark and twisted by an evil master that he decided to learn from.

A small snort left Say'ri's lips as she knelt down in the soft earth. Perhaps in the end, the explanation for her worry was that simple. Cynthia revealed that Luke was actually her little brother. Her family. As much of a pain as family could be, they often times were all a person had in the world. She could not rely on Yen'fay anymore. Not after his dishonorable betrayal of their parents memory. She could never forgive him for joining the Conqueror's armies the way he did. But Luke-Kage- he was the only true family she had left.

And last night, he showed that he was capable of some good. Equus, the Deadlord, had found them. Somehow caught up to them despite him being on foot and Say'ri and her friends flying on a Pegasus. She thought she would die in that field. Instead, Luke came to rescue them. Distracted the monster long enough so that she and Cynthia could escape and continue their quest.

Last minute sympathy. He earned it. He willingly stood toe to toe with an extremely powerful monster in order to save her life. If that had been his last honorable act, at least he made it memorable.

Cynthia wanted to race back and find him after they flew away. Say'ri had to remind the girl, and herself, that Luke did what he did in order to provide them time. This would be their only chance to save her little brother. They had to take it. He knew what he was getting into. They could not throw away his sacrifice by getting caught now.

And so, she and the young Pegasus Knight knelt inside of ditch near Fort Stieger. Both of their eyes trained on the sentries patrolling the walls and guarding the gate. Cynthia hummed nervously beside her.

"You know something," The young woman breathed, "There is not as many as I thought there would be."

Say'ri arched an eyebrow. When she looked back at the fortress, she realized the Pegasus Knight was right. The night guard did seem rather light. Only two sentries per section of the wall. Three holding the main gate. Maybe one or two at the top of the Fort's towers. It was as if they were not guarding a high profile prisoner within their walls.

 _Perhaps that is the facade they are aiming to achieve._

"We still need to get inside and find Kage."

Cynthia nodded beside her, "So, how do you want to go about it?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well," Cynthia drawled, "We could be super stealthy and sneak into the castle. Or we could have fun and fly in."

"Which would draw unnecessary and likely get us killed." Say'ri pointed out, "Besides, I think your loyal steed is worn out. She needs to rest so we can fly her out of here."

Cynthia glanced over at her Pegasus. The poor beast was weary. As soon as they landed in the nearby woods, the animal knelt down and drifted off to sleep. Cynthia made sure to leave her a couple apples for her to munch on when she woke up. That would help the Pegasus regain her strength.

"Fair point." Cynthia sighed, "Alright, engaging stealth mode."

Say'ri arched an eyebrow as the girl flopped onto her belly and started to crawl towards the Fortress.

"What are you doing?" Say'ri asked.

"Being stealthy." Cynthia put a finger to her lips, "Now we need to be quiet, Say'ri. Otherwise they will find us. Any big noise could give away our position."

A guard screamed as he plummeted down from the top of the wall. He landed in a bloody heap in front of Cynthia. The Pegasus Knight blinked, then screamed. Say'ri let out a long sigh.

 _Truly a stealthy operative._

Another terrified scream. Another guard joined his dead comrade on the ground in front of Say'ri and Cynthia. Both girls froze as they realized a battle was taking place on top of the walls. They could hear swords clashing, men crying out in pain. Arrows zipped through the night air. But none of them were aimed at the two girls.

Say'ri's heart pounded in her chest. Did rebels manage to infiltrate the Fortress? Was her brother in danger? Were the assassins that tried to kill her now after him as well?

She sprinted out the ditch and charged at the gate, sword drawn. A loud war cry rushed from her lips. The three guards did not even know what hit them. She grimaced as her blade cut into flesh and muscle.

The guard did not cry out. Did he not realize his bowels had been cut open by her blade? Say'ri yanked her blade free. The man's body slumped to the ground.

A choked cry left the Chon'sin Princess's throat. The man was already dead. Throat crushed by some unknown attacker. The other two guards slumped around her as well. Each one already long dead. Propped up by some strange force in order to give off the illusion of life.

Cynthia sprinted over to Say'ri. A low whistle left the girl's lips.

"Wow," She gave Say'ri's shoulder a light punch, "You work fast."

"This was not my work." Say'ri sprinted into the fortress.

Alarms were ringing throughout the massive compound now. Guards were roused from their barracks and scrambling out into the courtyard. Some of them still not even fully dressed. Both Say'ri and Cynthia slipped into the shadows in order to avoid being seen. Each guard appeared terrified.

"Rebels! Rebels are attacking!"

"Where!? I don't see any!"

"Don't you see the dead sentries! They're already inside!"

"CALM YOURSELVES MEN!" A sharp, strong voice broke out.

Say'ri recognized that voice from many royal balls in Chon'sin. General Pheros was a slender woman. More of a healer than a warrior. But that did not mean she was incapable of controlling an army. She was one of the Conqueror's top Generals for a reason. And she was one of the few military officials Say'ri actually tolerated.

"Captains! Roll call!" General Pheros barked as she marched down into the courtyard from the main keep, "I want to know who has been killed and who are missing. Once that is finished, organize a search, I want to know who or what is killing my men."

Cynthia tugged on Say'ri's sleeve.

"We don't want to be here when that happens."

Say'ri nodded, "You are correct. Come, we must hurry away from here and-"

Her voice trailed off. Someone stood on the roof of the Fortress's keep. He stared down from the highest point. Directly at General Pheros. Silently, the man jumped down. Surviving an impossible fall and somehow landing on his feet without making a noise.

A gasp rushed from Cynthia's throat.

"Kage."

A few of General Pheros's captains noticed him as well. They drew their swords and turned to face the young Sith Lord. General Pheros furrowed her brow and turned around.

"Or… our quarry could come to us." The General frowned.

Kage folded his arms over his chest.

"You can save yourself and your men General, I just have a few questions."

"Oh?" General Pheros scowled, "Why should I even entertain what you have to say? You have already killed some of my men."

"An unfortunate necessity. They kept me from gaining entry."

"As was their job to do."

"And their job was to help kidnap small children as well?" Kage growled back.

Say'ri could see the General shift in her stance. Clearly uncomfortable with the accusation.

The General took a frightened step back as all of her captains were hoisted into the air. Say'ri's eyes widened as their blades were ripped from their hands, rotated in the air, and held to each of their throats.

"Now General, we can do this the easy way. Or we can do this the hard way." Kage's right hand was raised, "I close my fist, they all die. The hard way is always so bloody. A damn inconvenience really. So much paperwork you would have to file. Oh! And the letters to their families explaining their deaths. What would you say? That you were too stupid to entertain little old me? And as a consequence, you became the sentencer in their executions?" Kage clicked his tongue, "For someone who portrays themselves as a healer, that is rather cruel."

Say'ri bit her tongue. Damn, he was still a dishonorable asshole after all. Why did she worry for him again?

 _Because that asshole is still my little brother technically._

"You bastard." Pheros growled.

A dry laugh left the young Sith's lips.

"I have been called far worse by people I care about a lot more than you." Kage smirked, "So, should I start dropping bodies? Or are you going to answer my questions?"

"I could have an archer shoot you."

"Hm… you could, yes. But would they hit their mark before I close my fist? I will know if an arrow is fired. Bows are quiet, yes. But they are not completely silent." Kage flexed his fingers, one of the Captains uttered a loud whimper as the blade kissed his neck, "What do you think? Will this be just a close shave? Or a beheading?"

Pheros's face twisted into a hideous snarl. Say'ri knew the woman was seething right now. She cared for her men. Cared that they were healthy and taken care of. To see them at someone else's mercy likely made her blood boil so much that it would make the magma in the Demon's Ingle look cold.

"Damn Excellus." Pheros hissed.

Say'ri's eyes widened. Excellus? As in Emperor Walhart's personal tactician? What did he have to do with all of this?

Kage lowered his hand.

"Now, _that_ is a start. Just right into the meat of things. No dancing around. I like that." Kage let one captain fall back down to the ground unscathed, "Proof that I am a man of my word."

Pheros clenched her jaw.

"What do you want to know?"

"Well, I am currently after the Chon'sin Prince."

"Why?"

"I'm asking the questions, General."

"And contrary to what you might see, I care for the boy's well-being. Unfortunately, Excellus does not. That I cannot do much about." Pheros admiited, "I wish to know what cold hearted monster wishes to steal him from my watch?"

Another dry laugh left Kage's lips, "Plegia of course."

Say'ri blinked. What game was he playing? Why did he not say Yen'fay wanted his little brother returned? She was certain that if he mentioned that, General Pheros would acquiesce. Yen'fay's army was far stronger that Pheros's. If he learned where his little brother was being held, he would storm the Fortress. Regardless of who was in command.

Or were Yen'fay's commands that specific? Did he not wish to be tied to the quest? Did her older brother play a secret game behind her back? One that involved secrets and dangerous gambles such as this?

"Why would the Plegians want the Chon'sin Prince?"

"Leverage of course." Kage shrugged, "Other than that, I don't know. I'm the hired sword. Who am I to question my employers? They pay me. I do my job. All parties involved leave happy. Well, not all. You're clearly pissed with me right now."

He dropped another captain back to the ground. The man's sword clattered down next to his feet.

"If I handed you the Prince, would you let my men go?" Pheros asked.

Say'ri felt some anger shoot through her. She could understand why the General made this suggestion. Her men meant more to her than some toddler. But it still stung that a woman as respectable and honorable as Pheros would have to stoop to such levels.

The suggestion was met with loud, hard laughter from Kage. The young Sith struggled to catch his breath. He held his chest for a minute and took several deep breaths.

"Oh, that is a good one, General. Really, good one."

"Do you think I am joking?"

"Yes!" Kage laughed, "Considering the boy is no longer here."

Pheros paled, "What?"

Kage furrowed his brow in confusion, "You were not aware that-"

"Gaurds! Bring me the Prince, now!" Pheros ordered, "Let us see how truthful this Plegian sellsword is?"

Say'ri and Cynthia waited with baited breath in the shadow of the Fort's wall. After several seconds of silence, a guard rushed out of the West Tower.

"General! Both the boy and Excellus are gone!"

Kage's lips parted into a wide grin as he saw the shock on the General's face.

"How was I not informed of this? Does this have something to do with that disturbance a few days ago?" Pheros asked her captains, "Who dared to not speak to me? Who dared to listen to Excellus's poison on this matter?"

"Do you want to know the answer to that? I can find the answer for you. All I need to do is start chopping fingers." Kage chuckled.

Pheros pointed a finger at Kage, "And you! How did you-"

Kage shrugged, "That commotion earlier... my doing. You have very poor sentries, General. The only way to catch their attention is to kill them."

"You damn bastard." Pheros snarled.

"Now then. Let us continue." Kage smiled, "You said something about a little incident a few days ago. One that your men kept you in the dark on? Care to explain?"

Pheros gripped her staff so tight Say'ri though it might shatter. The stern woman took a deep breath.

"We were infiltrated a few days ago."

"Oh ho! I'm not even the first!" Kage laughed hard, "Really General, do you know the definition of insanity. Because you clearly put those same sentries from that night on duty tonight. Well," Kage shrugged, "You won't have to worry about it anymore."

"Will you let me finish, cretin!"

"By all means, continue."

Pheros took another deep breath. Doing everything in her power not to lash out at the young Sith Lord.

"A woman broke into the fortress. We barely caught a glimpse of her. We did not know her objective at the time. I think it is fairly obvious now." Pheros breathed.

"Care to describe this woman? Who knows, I may just like how she sounds." Kage smirked.

Pheros furrowed her brow, "Blue hair."

Say'ri heard Cynthia's breath hitch. The Princess turned her attention over to Kage. His smile ran away from his face.

"One arm." Pheros continued, "A strange sword at her hip that she did not use. Even stranger abilities she used to infiltrate the walls."

Say'ri saw Kage's face go pale. Beside her, Cynthia was struggling to catch her breath.

"She ran North after my men drove her off." Pheros continued, "I thought that was the end of it. Apparently not. Apparently I have some house cleaning to do in regards to my general staff." She glared at all her officers before returning her furious gaze back to Kage, "Now, is there anything else you want to know?"

Kage remained still for a moment. His own mind reeling from what he heard. There was a subtle shake of his head. The other captains fell to the ground unharmed.

"Th-" Kage swallowed hard, "Thank you for your time, General. I apologize for the mess. Me and my friends shall leave quietly."

He waved over at Cynthia and Say'ri's hiding spot.

"Let's go you two."

Say'ri drew back in shock. How did he know they were there?

Cynthia hesitated, then emerged from the shadows. Say'ri followed suit. The two women endured both stunned, and furious stares from the fort's soldiers as they followed Kage out of the main gate. Say'ri could practically feel the surprise and fury from General Pheros's gaze. She made sure not to meet the General's eyes.

Once they entered the forest and were beyond the grasp of General Pheros and her men, Cynthia surged ahead of Kage, turned around and punched him in the nose. A loud pop rang out as her armored first slammed into his nose. The young man let out a loud howl as he fell back in the dirt.

"That," Cynthia breathed, "is for being a big meanie!" Cynthia reared back with her foot and drove it into his side. Kage cried out, winced, then wheezed, "And that is because I really felt like doing that!"

"Cynthia." Say'ri breathed as she pulled the girl back from him, "Lu-," She paused, "Kage how did you survive the Deadlord?"

Kage groaned as he clutched his side. Cynthia really landed a harsh blow on him.

"How do you think?" He wheezed, "I beat it, for now."

Say'ri furrowed her brow, "So it is not dead."

Kage shook his head, "I'm not sure if it is possible to kill those things. But I slowed it down. We have a head start on him. We must take advantage of it."

He carefully got to his feet and actually flinched a little as Cynthia moved to punch him again. Say'ri stopped the furious knight from doing so.

"Do you know who took my brother?"

Kage paused as he began marching north.

"I-" Kage swallowed hard again, "I'm not entirely sure anymore."

"Was it Luci?" Cynthia desperatly asked, "She has blue hair. Maybe Maul didn't kill her after all!"

"I don't know, Cynthia." Kage replied. His voice surprisingly soft. No venom or anger behind it, "Don't get your hopes up. I don't recall Lucina having only one arm."

Cynthia's face fell, "Oh, right. There was that too." She let out a long, sad sigh, "Well, we at least know where to go now."

Kage glanced back at the two women, "Still going to let me tag along?"

"It's either that, or death by Deadlord. And it is difficult to choose." Cynthia replied with a small smile, "One involves excruciating pain and torture. The other is a deadlord."

"Hey!" Kage cried, feigning offense.

Cynthia chuckled, "Just kidding." She waved for Kage to follow, "Come on. My brave girl should be rested up enough for an hour or two of travel."

She skipped on ahead in order to ready her Pegasus. Both Say'ri and Kage leisurely marched behind her.

"Kage," Say'ri breathed, "We-"

"Have a lot to discuss. I know." Kage drew in a long breath, "I was sort of aiming to avoid these types of conversations with you. But now I have no choice because of the airhead over there."

"I heard that!" Cynthia exclaimed.

"Good." Kage remarked with a light laugh. He let his laughter die away and anxiously massaged the back of his neck, "Look, Say'ri, the… the answers you want are very long and complicated. There is no short way to go about it. Can it wait until we have rescued the boy?"

Say'ri pressed her lips together.

"Fine." Say'ri sighed, "But you better have your story straight by then." She marched ahead of Kage in order to catch up with Cynthia, "No brother of mine becomes an evil monster without some harsh input from me." Kage heard her grumble.

The Sith Lord let out a small, quiet sigh before chuckling under his breath. He deserved both, the tongue lashing from Say'ri and the blow to the nose from Cytnhia.

He winced as he felt some pain grow in his side.

That kick to the ribs however… Cynthia was going to hear about that one.

* * *

Ben awoke first, as always. When he did, he found that their new companion, Cherche, had already dissapeared. The Rosanne Rebel had left them a small note on one of the food barrels. Once Ben had splashed some cold water on his face and properly woke himself up, he went over and read the note.

"Had to leave early. Boats don't wait up on rebels." Ben muttered as he read the note through bleary eyes, "The Mila Tree is directly west from here. Avoid the roads. They are heavily patrolled now that the rebellion is gone in the area. I wish you all the best of luck and I hope to see you in Regna Ferox. Sincerely, Cherche."

Ben drew in a deep breath. It made sense for her to want to get moving as early as possible. She likely had a smuggling contact at the Charlet harbor ready to take her and her Wyvern across the sea. Those kind of people tended to work when there was less traffic around. Less of a chance of getting caught.

He had a feeling they would see the Wyvern Rider again. While Ben felt determined to find Luke and Marth, he now realized that he greatly worried for his friends. They sacrificed a lot by following him on this insane search and adventure. Not a single one of them had to board the boat to Valm with him. But they did so anyways.

And now they could all be trapped here if they were not careful. The swordsman grimaced and folded the note up. That would not happen. He would not allow it.

Now came the laborious task of waking every other Shepherd in the hideout. Ben marched over to Robin first. The tactician was always the easiest to rouse. Mostly because he was a light sleeper like Ben. The swordsman gave him a rough shake on his shoulder.

"I'm up." Robin groaned then yawned. He stretched his arms over his head and carefully sat up. He winced as a pop rang out from his back, "I think I slept on a rock."

"You always manage to do that." Ben chuckled.

"Unfortunately." Robin yawned again and took a look around, "Where is our lizard loving friend?"

"Gone. Had to catch her ship out of Valm." Ben explained, "We need to get moving as well. Every hour is precious at this point."

"Right." Robin nodded, "I'll let you deal with Tharja. I can handle the others."

Ben chuckled, "You know. She might not harm you either. After all, she does seem to hold a keen interest in you."

"Keen interest in me? She's actually waltzed through your head with you." Robin snorted, "I think you win in the, who is she more obsessed with department."

"She is not obsessed with me." Ben replied, "She is just helping me through some… rough memories."

"No need to explain to me, Ben." Robin raised a hand, "I won't ask. And I know you will eventually say something in time."

Ben smiled, "Thank you, Robin." He turned and looked down at the slumbering dark mage.

Tharja was no where near as intimidating when she was asleep. Her normally sharp eyes were soft when closed. Every inch of her body looked relaxed and at peace. A small line of drool leaked out of the corner of her mouth. Ben laughed a little to himself. Despite her peaceful demeanor now, this was when the dark mage posed the biggest threat to their safety.

"Tharja." He gave her shoulder a gentle shake, "We need to get moving."

She rolled over and mumbled under her breath. Her eyes remained stubbornly closed. Behind Ben, Robin managed to wake both Gaius and Panne. Panne got Donnel to his feet easily enough. A loud yawn told Ben that Laurent had woken up.

"Tharja." Ben sighed as he shook her shoulder again, "We don't have time for this."

"Leave me here to hibernate." She mumbled.

Ben rolled his eyes. His gaze flicked up to one of the water barrels. Then over to the large bucket they used for gathering said water. He marched over to the bucket.

"B-Benny what do you-" Gaius paled, "Oh gods! Clear out everyone!"

"What do you-" Robin's lips puckered as he watched Ben fill the bucket of water. The tactician scooped up the still sleeping Anna, "You heard the man!"

The other Shepherds just managed to scramble out of the hideout as Ben flung the water over Tharja. A wrath filled cry raced through the hideout. Both Robin and Gaius watched with wide eyes as Ben surged out of the hideout and jumped out of the way of a blast of fire.

"It is just a little water." Ben laughed as Tharja emerged from the hideout and shot another fire spell at him.

"If I wanted to get wet I would go swimming!" Tharja raged as she flicked through her spell book, "You have earned a hex this time."

"Whoa! Whoa!" Robin carefully inched between the two, "Let's simmer down now. We all need to be at one hundred percent for this march. We have a lot of ground to cover and very little time to do it."

Tharja narrowed her eyes at the tactician. She gave Ben another furious glare before smacking her spell book closed.

"You're lucky I like both of you." She grumbled before turning on her heel and marching West.

Robin let out an enormous breath he had not realized he was holding. Behind him, Ben chuckled some more and clapped a hand against his shoulder.

"I told you she would not harm you." Ben smirked.

"We were this close to you being wrong." Robin countered, "You are absolutely insane. You know that right?"

"I am known as the Mad Swordsman to our enemies." Ben replied with a wry grin, "Now come along, the furious dark mage is leading the way."

"I'm still debating, Ben Kenobi." Tharja called back as she tucked her spell book to her chest.

"I thought you said you liked me." Ben teased.

"I- you-" Tharja huffed and muttered under her breath. Robin's eyes widened when he saw her cheeks heat up ever so slightly, "I'm ready for this day to be over."

Ben paused as he waited for the others to catch up. Robin came to stop beside Ben and shook his head.

"You keep poking the bear."

"The bear likes me. She just admitted it."

"I know!" Gaius chirped as he wrapped an arm over Ben's shoulders, "Can I say I told you so, yet?"

"Gaius, the day I admit you are right will be the day I meet a being older than Master Yoda."

"Oh? And how old is this Master Yoda?" Gaius asked as he walked backwards. Gaze never leaving Ben's face.

"Very old. Perhaps as old as Nowi."

"As childish?" Panne asked.

"No, Master Yoda has the wrinkles to match his age." Ben smiled back, "Then again, he does have a rather playful mind at times."

"What is it with ancient beings not acting their age?" Robin wondered out loud.

"I don't know." Ben shrugged, "But you can explain it to me when you find out the answer."

"Ha! Sure. Like I'll ever learn that one." Robin laughed.

"Would you all stop being so cheerful and start walking!" Tharja snapped from ahead.

Robin, Gaius, and Ben all gulped at once.

"Yes, ma'am!"

 **And chapter. Uh oh. Here we go, all three major players are about to come to a head at the Mila Tree! It is going to be one heck of chapter. Finally these three story arcs collide. It'll be pure chaos.**

 **I apologize for not having this chapter up sooner. I was busy one day, and the interent crapped out the other day. So yeah, my apologies on that one you guys. I made it extra long just for those reasons.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	62. The Mila Tree

The Force's Shepherds  
Chapter 62

The Mila Tree

One had to just marvel at the sheer scale. The absolute magnificence of it. Carefully grown and tended to. Like a beloved garden. None like it existed in all of the land of Valm. The portly man's hand reached up and stroked his fingers lovingly through his thick beard. A low hum ran out of his lips. Almost like a cat purring. How he adored his magnificent beard. The only hair on his otherwise naked head. If there was one thing he could claim to be better at than the other General's in the Conqueror's army, it was that he had the greatest facial hair.

Sure, General Pheros had the absolute loyalty of her soldiers. The love and affection of her men due to her stern, yet caring command. And General Yen'fay held the honor and admiration of his legions thanks to his own stoicism and discipline. A sense of justice that his men wished to emulate and follow. But he, General Cervantes, least of the Conqueror's three General's, possessed the beard. A symbol of manhood and power that would make enemies tremble before him.

"Tell me, lieutenant?" General Cervantes began, his gruff voice mostly muffled behind the thick brush covering his face and lips, "Should I comb it, or let it be wild today? What would galvanize the men more?"

The young lieutenant, a new recruit if he recalled, gulped behind him. No doubt uncertain as to how to respond. Which course to choose. Both seemed excellent. Yes, both were indeed excellent!

"Quite right, young man! Wild it is! For we roam the wilds around the Mila Tree in search of the dastardly prisoner who dared escape General Pheros's clutches. Tarnishing her otherwise impeccable record." A soft, mocking chuckle left the General's lips as he ran his hand through his beard once again, "Not so impeccable now. Mediocre as well. Just as I! Except the woman does not possess this mark of manhood. This monument to manliness that even the Conqueror himself noticed and praised!"

"It is a wonderful beard sir." The lieutenant cringed behind him.

"Not just a beard my boy! A mustache as well. And sideburns! The entire package!"

A slight breeze drifted into his large, personal tent. Cervantes frowned. He did not recall it being very windy outside. As he admired his gruff face in the mirror, he failed to notice the sudden flash of light follow the brief rush of wind. The lieutenant uttered a startled cry and took a few steps back as a fat, revolting looking man appeared out of thin air.

Excellus scowled as he glanced over at Cervantes.

"Would you cease petting that hairball over your lips." Excellus snapped.

Cervantes arched an eyebrow, "Oh, Excellus. I did not realize you would be paying me a visit this evening. How goes your little schemings, spider?"

"I am not a spider."

"A rather fat rat then."

Excellus grit his teeth. Cervantes meanwhile chuckled to himself. There were other perks to being one of the Conqueror's generals. Poking fun at the fat worm that he named his tactician was one of them.

"I am not the one with a rat on my face." Excellus grumbled, "And that is besides the point of my visit. Have you apprehend our escaped prisoner yet?"

"Hm? Does it look like I have?"

"Well-"

"Then there is your answer." Cervantes hummed, "Do not fret, Excellus. You can inform Pheros that her escapee will be found and brought back to Fort Stieger in chains. What did the prisoner look like again?"

"Blue haired woman. Rather young. One armed."

"Then it will not be hard to find her." Cervantes turned to face the fuming tactician, "Now, let me go about my job. I do not tell you how to do yours, so you do not have to tell me how to do mine."

"Forgive me for placing some concern into this matter." Excellus frowned, "But this is a rather high profile prisoner that must be apprehended with all hate."

"A prisoner?" An aristocratic voice clipped through the air in the tent, "Perhaps I can be of assistance?"

Excellus jumped out of his skin as a regal, eldelry man stepped into Cervantes's tent. Cervantes arched his brow and hummed to himself.

"Hm… lieutenant?"

"Y-yes General?" The boy replied.

"Does my tent have an open invitation tonight?"

"N-no sir."

"It will for me. For I can help solve your little problem, General." The elderly man said with a confident smile on his face, "Oh, I apologize, General. I have not introduced myself." He gave Cervantes a low bow, "Tyrannus, at your service."

Excellus gave the man a puzzled look. Cervantes nodded at the older man.

"Tyrannus hm? You have good sense of decorum and propriety about you. I can most appreciate that. And I see you are a man with a love of facial hair as well. That beard appears impeccable."

A genial smile crossed the elder's face, "I thank you General. It took much trial and error to perfect it."

"Oh most certainly."

Excellus stomped his foot, "What the hell are you doing here?" He snarled at the man name Tyrannus.

Tyrannus arched an eyebrow. He practically towered over the stout Excellus. His eyes glowered down at the stressed man.

"I am offering my assistance, Excellus." Tyrannus explained, "I have reason to believe that my own quarry may be tied up in this prisoner escape from Fort Stieger. After all, my target is after the child too."

"Child?" Cervantes wondered out loud.

"The woman is very young." Excellus chirped nervously.

"Young woman?" Tyrannus frowned, "I seem to recall your prisoner being a young boy. A toddler no less." He glanced over at General Cervantes, "Are you not aware of who you really hunt, General? I can assure you, once you learn, you will redouble your efforts."

"Is that so? What has Excellus failed to inform me of this time?"

Excellus took a nervous step back from the two men.

"Your escaped prisoner is not a young woman. That might be his rescuer actually. Your escapee is none other than the Prince of Chon'sin, Kage."

Cervantes's face visibly paled.

"I don't think I have to remind you of what might happen if General Yen'fay learned that you failed to rescue his brother from the clutches of bandits."

"Bandits?" Excellus snarled, "What are you getting at, Eq-"

"Clearly, your little hostage scheme involving the General has failed." Tyrannus snapped, cutting off the worm. Cervantes narrowed his eyes at Excellus as the elder man spoke, "Now the situation must be remedied if the integrity of the Conqueror's military is to remain intact. You have failed to do so. I see it as only necessary that I step in to assist."

"And how can you assist in repairing Excellus screw up, good Tyrannus?" Cervantes asked. His own small, angry eyes not leaving the extremely nervous Excellus.

"Well, the young woman who took Prince Kage happens to be a known associate of a very dangerous man. A wanted fugitive throughout the lands of Ylisse and Regna Ferox. I have come from Ylisse in order to personally apprehend said individual. But he has eluded me quite well so far. I believe that I can successfully capture him if I can draw him out using an old acquaintance of his."

"The young woman?" Cervantes hummed.

"Precisely." Tyrannus nodded, "I offer my own martial skills and decades of experience in hunting fugitives to the search."

"That won't be necessary, Tyrannus." Excellus stammered out, "We are more than cap-"

"We cannot afford for General Yen'fay to learn of Excellus's treachery." Cervantes glared at the worm, silencing him instantly, "The very integrity of the Conqueror's military is now at risk. As is Excellus's position by the Emperor's side." Cervantes chuckled, "How does it feel to be vulnerable, Excellus?"

"Quite awful if I were to be honest."

"But we do not want to lose good Excellus. After all, this is but one mistake. A large one. But only one. And if we act quickly, we can mitigate any lasting damage." Tyrannus folded his arms, "I will assist in retrieving the Prince while at the same time disposing of his current captors. You, General Cervantes, will enter into General Yen'fay's good graces by rescuing his little brother from a group of dastardly bandits that took him hostage. And you shall return him to Chon'sin personally."

"I like this idea." Cervantes hummed with delight.

"And what about me?" Excellus frowned, "What must I do to remedy the situation."

Tyrannus smirked, "Stay out of my way of course. You have managed to create quite a mess. Now, I shall clean it up for you."

"Well… you are too kind."

"Do not mistake my actions for kindness, Excellus." Tyrannus frowned at the shorter man, "I do expect to be well compensated for my actions tonight."

"Of course, of course." Cervantes hummed, "I shall personally compensate you. And I'm sure Excellus would be more than happy to pitch in as well."  
"Unfortunately." Excellus sighed.

"Splendid." Tyrannus unfolded his arms, "Now, where have you conducted your search, General?"

General Cervantes waved for Tyrannus to follow him over to a table. Two maps rested on top of the table. One of the entire continent of Valm. The other an in depth map of the area surrounding the Mila Tree. Cervantes drew a small circle around the Mila Tree at the center of the second map.

"We've been searching within a ten mile radius. A net pattern as well. I have patrols in constant motion along both the main road and the trails that cut through the forest. There are very few gaps in such a pattern."

Tyrannus raised his brow, "I can see one very large gap however."

"Oh? Do tell."

Tyrannus placed a long finger right on top of the Mila Tree. Cervantes sputtered as he realized what the elder man was implying.

"Do you believe that the woman and child managed to slip by my soldiers and reach a point under my very nose!?"

"This woman was able to outwit both Excellus and General Pheros. Do not underestimate her." Tyrannus replied, "I shall go to the top of the Mila Tree personally. Perhaps my own quarry has already met up with her."

Cervantes nodded, "Myself and a company of my men will wait at the base of the tree. I will also make sure some food and blankets are prepared for the young Prince. Do you require irons for the _bandit_."

Tyrannus chuckled as he turned to leave the tent, "That will not be necessary, General. Right now, there is nowhere she can run."

* * *

Marth awoke with a start. The air around her felt cold. Far too cold for this night in Valm. She did not remember her breath leaving her lips in small puffs of frost before. As she moved to sit up, she felt Tiki's firm hand grip her shoulder.

"Quiet your presence." The ancient Manakete hissed in the night.

Marth froze. Quite her presence? What did she mean by that?"

"Someone… no, something has followed you here."

Tiki narrowed her sharp eyes. Green irises flicked through the shadows at the top of the Mila Tree. The starless night hid everything around them in darkness. Making it difficult to make out any movement in the blackness.

Marth remained frozen in place.

"Carefully reach out with the Force." Tiki breathed, "You will know about the danger I feel then."

Marth gulped. She closed her eyes and concentrated. Tiki told her to be careful. Which meant that she had to very subtly move through the Force's currents. Sense everything around her while barely leaving a mark in the act. An extremely difficult thing to achieve. She could barely reach out an accurately sense others with the force. Let alone do so with the subtlety Tiki required from her.

She stumbled into the Force. It lashed out at her. Cold and furious. Black as a void. Marth hissed. Her eyes shot open. Her hand went to the blade at her hip.

"What is that?" She whispered.

Tiki tensed her muscles, "One of Grima's servants."

Marth's heart jumped to her throat. One of the Risen followed her here? How? The Risen were not that intelligent. And they never operated alone.

Fear lanced through her heart. A terrible pit opened in her gut. No, not all Risen ran in packs. Special servants of the Fell Dragon operated alone. Powerful enemies that could dominate an entire battlefield. Unstoppable juggernauts filled with the Fell Dragon's will and power.

A Deadlord.

Marth's breathing quickened. She could sense it drawing closer. The air around her became colder. Her breath hitched when Kage woke and whimpered nearby. Tiki's head flicked back to the boy.

"I shall go greet this fell servant." Tiki told Marth, "Grab the Prince and run while you can."

"But the way is blocked by the Valm army." Marth argued half heartedly.

"Would you rather face men or a monster?"

Marth swallowed hard. She nodded and crept over to Kage. When she reached the boy, his little arms wrapped around her hips. Marth reached down and helped him climb up onto her back. He wrapped his arms over the top of her chest and clasped his hands tight around her. She could feel him trembling.

"Go, now!" Tiki hissed.

Marth gulped and nodded. As she slipped out of Tiki's hut, the Manakete emerged from the hut's main entry and stepped out onto the small platform she called home.

A gentle breeze drifted by her. But it felt cold and vile. A fell stench hung in the air. It reeked of death and decay. Dark magic swirled with the breeze. The dark side of the force gnashed its teeth as she revealed herself.

"I sense you are there, fell spawn of Grima." Tiki frowned, "Show yourself."

There was silence for a moment. Then he emerged. Red eyes glowed in the darkness like rubies. Tiki regarded him with caution. He appeared like an old man. A deceptive disguise to hide the power beneath the surface. This old man, though genial and kind in appearance, could tear any mortal asunder with his power if he so desired.

Fortunately, she was not a mere mortal.

"You are not the one I seek." Grima's fell servant said.

His voice surprisingly sophisticated and intelligent. It alarmed Tiki. How powerful has the Fell Dragon become while she slumbered? Had he finally begun to reemerge from the void he had been cast into? If so, this world may soon be approaching its doom.

"Yet I am the one you find." Tiki replied, her own voice calm and even. Not betraying any of the trepidation she felt regarding this one.

"Indeed. And I seem to have forgotten my manners. I go by many names apparently. My master refers to me as Equus. But I now recall a much more suitable name for myself," He bowed to her, "Tyrannus."

Tiki inclined her head at him, "Very polite of you, Deadlord. I am surprised your master allowed to retain such personality traits. Free will is not something he hands out lightly."

"My will is not so free as it appears." Tyrannus countered, "Otherwise, I would not be here carrying out his wishes. He has something I want back. And I believe I will get it back when I complete this mission."

"A good point." Tiki frowned, "And what does Grima want? Why does he send a Deadlord to my home?"

"He did not send me here specifically. But he did send me in search of someone. And I believe you are sheltering a young woman that can draw my prey to me." Tyrannus said, "I have already tried conventional means of capturing my target. But he is a rather stubborn boy."

Tiki felt some confusion inside of her. The Fell Dragon sent one of his servants to capture someone? That did not sound like him at all. He usually sent legions of Risen to do the grunt work. And they never sought to capture anyone. They desired only death and destruction. Her anxiety regarding this Deadlord continued to grow as she learned more about him.

"Lady Tiki," Tyrannus continued, "I do not have orders to harm you or anyone else. I simply wish to capture my quarry. However, if you do choose to stand in my way." She saw a curved, silver hilt slip into his hand from his belt, "I will have to force my way by you."

Tiki furrowed her brow as she felt the aura of this Deadlord. Terrifying power. Dark and furious. Yet cold and extremely calculating. Measured in a way. Controlled and disciplined. This servant was the Fell Dragon's scalpel. A fine edge meant for precision strikes. The sharpest of his tools.

 _Grima really has evolved._ Tiki thought grimly.

A red bar of light hissed to life from the end of the curved hilt. Tyrannus let out a long sigh.

"I do not wish to make things messy, my dear."

Tiki smirked across the platform.

"You know my name, even though I never said it."

Tyrannus inclined his head, "I do."

"So you have some knowledge granted to you by Grima."

"Your point being?"

Tiki reached into a small pocket in her dress. Inside sat a small, shiny gem.

"Clearly he did not tell you everything."

She channeled her power through the gem. Bright light erupted from her body. Blinding the Deadlord. As the monster reeled, Tiki's form morphed inside of the bright light. When the light faded, the woman was gone. A dragon appeared in her place.

A mighty roar erupted from her large jaws. Flames shot from her maw. Tyrannus's eyes widened in shock as he was blasted off of the platform and sent plummeting down the Mila Tree.

* * *

"Are we there yet?"

Kage let out a long groan as he strode through the thick foliage around them. The forest surrounding the Mila Tree was wild and overgrown. Centuries of being considered sacred ground rendered the land practically untouched by humanity. The only exception were small trails that zigged and zagged through the undergrowth; and the main road that cut south from the massive tree.

Unfortunately for Kage and his friends, they could not use those trails or the main road. All of them were heavily patrolled by Valmese soldiers. If they set foot on those paths, they would be spotted and captured. Then their mission to save Prince Kage, Say'ri's youngest sibling, would be over. A failed quest.

Kage did not fail missions. He never failed them when he served Maul. He would not start failing now.

"Hey, Kage," Cynthia poked his shoulder. Kage grumbled under his breath, "Are we there yet?"

"Look up." Kage sighed.

Cynthia's gaze shot skyward.

"Not that high up." Kage groaned, "Look ahead."

Cynthia furrowed her brow and stared ahead of them.

"Oh!" She smiled, "We are there."

"Yes." Kage sighed as he massaged his temple, "Now I can be rid of this ridiculous headache I have thanks to your inane questions."

Cytnhia frowned, "I'm not exactly sure what that means, but I detect a lot of sass."

"He is giving you plenty of sass." Say'ri nodded. She placed her hands on her hips, "So, Luke," She saw the young man flinch a little as she still refused to use his true name, "Where do we go from here?"

Kage closed his eyes, "Give me a minute."

He reached out with the Force. Allowing the dark tendrils he had learned to control creep across the dark forest. He should be able to sense the boy if he was nearby. The Prince's signature in the force would be unmistakable. He was a prodigy after all. Even if that potential had not yet been realized during this timeline.

Kage's concentration broke when a massive roar erupted over the treetops. The ground shook as the gigantic roar reverberated through the air. Kage could sense sudden fear and panic from the Valmese soldiers in nearby clearings. He opened his eyes and looked up to the top of the Mila Tree.

Fire shot from the pinnacle of the tree. Bright and hot. Orange flames licked at the mighty branches with fury. Falling from the stream of flames was a dark body. The man was in free fall for a few seconds before righting himself. Kage felt the dark side of the force whirl around the falling man's form. Slowing his descent just enough so that he could land on his feet without too much trouble.

Kage swallowed hard.

"Equus." He said, hand already moving to draw his lightsaber.

Cynthia gasped beside Kage. Say'ri drew her blade and pointed the tip at the Deadlord.

A light chuckle left the Deadlord's lips, "Well now, my little gamble paid off. How fortunate for me." His own lightsaber ignited in his grip.

Kage grit his teeth. How did he catch up to them so fast? And how did he know where they were going? Kage did not sense him pursuing them when they stopped at Fort Steiger a few days ago. What kind of fell powers did Grima imbue into this one? A terrified thought hit his mind. Equus knew their mission. And so, the Deadlord was using that knowledge to his advantage.

 _He tracked me using the Force. But not me. No, he tracked the younger me knowing that I was pursuing him._

This Deadlord was far more dangerous than he originally thought.

"Cynthia, Say'ri, you need to get away from here."

"Oh no!" Cynthia shot back, "We are not leaving you behind again."

"We fight together." Say'ri nodded.

"He will kill you both without a second thought." Kage warned, "Besides, I can hold him while you find the Prince." He glanced at Say'ri, "He is somewhere nearby."

Say'ri's eyes widened. She flicked an uncertain look over at Equus before lowering her blade.

"The entire Valmese army will be scouring the forest now." She glanced over at Cynthia, "We best hurry."

"But-but-"

"Go Cynthia!" Kage snapped, "I already failed to protect your sister. I will not fail in protecting you."

Cynthia blinked in shock. She felt Say'ri tug on her shoulder pauldron.

"Let's go." Say'ri breathed.

Cynthia gulped and nodded. She hopped back up onto her Pegasus.

"I'll search from above." Cynthia told Say'ri.

"And I below."

Cynthia shot into the stars. The wings of her pegasus easily carrying her high above the forest canopy. Say'ri gave Kage another worried look.

"Do not die." She said before rushing away into the thickets around them.

Kage smirked as he disappeared. He did not plan on dying today.

"Oh, you will not die. That is not my Master's will." Equus said as he pointed his lightsaber at Kage, "Also, Equus is such a terrible name for me. Please, call me Tyrannus."

"That does sound a touch more intimidating." Kage replied as his own lightsaber hissed to life. The blue blade hummed ominously in the night air, "And if you think you will be taking me alive, you are sadly mistaken."

He surged at Equus. Their blades clashed together in a shower of sparks. Light flashed as the lightsabers hissed a popped.

"You are predictable, boy." Equus growled as he shoved Kage back and lashed out at him.

Kage quickly parried two deadly swipes from Equus' blade.

"Is that so?" Kage remarked as he jumped back from a thrust, "Care to explain?"

"I will not give you a lesson on swordplay when I must defeat you." Equus remarked.

"Damn." Kage smirked, "I was hoping you might tell me about an advantage." He slashed down at Equus. His heavy handed strike easily blocked by the more elegant swordsman, "Or maybe a weakness of yours."

"You discovered one weakness already. Unfortunately, you failed to follow through on said discovery." Equus growled back.

"What? Bashing your meager defenses to smithereens?" Kage grit his teeth as he parried a flurry of slashes and stabs from Equus, "I can do that again."

"But will I allow you to? That is the question."

Kage's eyes widened as he ducked beneath a wicked chop. He flicked his blade out and smiled as the tip of his blade clipped the side of Equus' calf. The Deadlord snarled and slashed down at Kage. The boy rolled out of the way and bounced up to his feet. Just in time to meet Equus's deadly red blade once again.

The Deadlord's eyes blazed with fury. He could see that the old man was pissed off. Kage clenched his jaw and muscled against the monster's blade.

He could not allow this to drag out. Kage knew that Equus was the superior swordsman. He was not a fool in that regard. Equus could pick him apart if he did not have any limitations. Luckily, the Deadlord was not allowed to kill him. Just maim him if necessary. Which gave Kage some breathing room to work with.

This battle needed to end quickly. He had to overwhelm Equus again. Overpower his defenses with brute force. But he would see that coming.

Kage ducked and hopped back from another deadly series of slashes and stabs.

 _Looks like I don't have a choice._ Kage twirled his blade, _If it isn't broken; don't fix it._

He reared back in order to slam a powerful blow against Equus. Just before he could swing his saber, the old man stepped back and extended an open palm. An alarmed cry left Kage's lips as he flew backwards through the air and slammed into a nearby tree. His head snapped back. Stars danced over his vision.

Kage groaned as he picked himself up. Across from him, Equus stalked forward. A pleased smile on his old lips.

"So," Kage rubbed the back of his head, "That's how it is going to be?"

Equus smirked, "You have poor shielding for someone trained in the dark side of the force."

"Yeah well," Kage tightened his grip on his blade, "If you ever meet my Master, go ahead and blame him. But you better get to him before me. Because I plan on killing the bastard."

"As any true Sith should." Equus praised, "But what makes you think you will ever be able to face him again once I have taken you before my Master?"

Kage shrugged, "I guess I like to think optimistically on the matter."

Equus lunged. Kage moved to the side and deflected a deadly thrust. He grit his teeth as an invisible hand gripped him and tossed him like a rag doll through the forest once again. He rolled to stop in a nearby clearing.

He spat dirt and blood from his lips as he rose back to his feet. Equus' lightsaber hummed in the night as the Deadlord continued his slow, deadly approach. Kage rubbed his bloody lip and frowned.

This was not going well.

* * *

Ben let Gaius take the lead as they got closer to the Mila Tree. If the thief was useful for one thing, it was sneaking past enemies. He led them down trails and little back ways that kept them out of the eye of the enemy. The Valmese army was thick in the woods surrounding the massive Mila Tree. That made it difficult to navigate the area without getting caught.

Ben flicked his gaze up to the Mila Tree. He had seen many strange things in his life as a Jedi Knight, but the Mila Tree had to be one of the strangest. It truly was an enormous tree. Almost as tall as many of the skyscrapers on Coruscant. It ascended for what looked like forever into the night sky. It's massive branches spread out above the rest of the forest. Creating a second canopy over him and his friends that blotted out most of the starlight and moonlight. It left him in absolute awe. No other organism on this planet possessed the sheer size the Mila Tree had. What caused this enormous plant to grow? Why was it so much taller than any other tree nearby?

He furrowed his brow as he stretched out with the Force. For that matter, why did he sense the force concentrated around it? Like a thick, heavy mist. It swirled skywards. Following the trunk of the massive tree into the boughs over his head.

Something about this tree made it important to the Force. Ben did not know why, but it intrigued him greatly.

"Hold up." Gaius hissed, holding up a fist as he crouched low.

The others crouched behind him. Ben glanced back at the others. They were all a little weary from traveling. They had moved quite fast through the flat plains and rolling hills between Charlet and the Mila Tree in order to save as much time as possible for the return journey. They managed to make a one week journey turn into only a five day trek. But Ben could see that his friends were tired.

Yet they soldiered on without complaint. Anna remained eerily silent. The poor merchant still coping with the death of her sister. Tharja was the same old Tharja. Quiet and intimidating at times. But also softening significantly towards the others recently. She no longer hexed anyone outright for offending her. Instead she just threatened them. A remarkable improvement.

It took a great deal of effort to keep Laurent from wandering to study every little thing along the road. Even now, as they hid from a coming Valmese patrol, his studious eyes gazed at the Mila Tree in wonder. Robin and Panne did a good job keeping him focused. The Tactician helped Ben plot their course throughout the journey. Which Ben was grateful for. He did not have to lead this expedition on his own.

Panne was their hunter. Her natural abilities as a Taguel allowed her to easily track down and catch prey. Which meant they ate well while marching through the countryside. That offset some of the weariness they all felt. And Donnel was a phenomenal cook.

Ben lowered his head as the patrol passed by. Gaius carefully observed the trail and waved for the others to follow him. Ben waited for the others to make it across the trail. He brought up the rear. As he moved across the trail, a loud roar reverberated through the air.

He froze. The Force exploded with power. A great jet of fire erupted from the top of the Mila Tree. As the inferno died away, Ben could see a tall figure plummeting down the side of the Mila Tree. He reached out with his senses towards the falling man.

His blood ran cold. The Dark Side of the Force swirled around him. Clung to the falling man like a black shell.

"Benny," Gaius hissed, "you coming?"

Robin looked up to what Ben was looking at, "Ben?"

"Go ahead." Ben reached into his robes and drew Anakin's lightsaber. The hilt rested heavily in his grip. He could see Robin and Tharja's eyes widen, "I think I may have found an old friend."

"Kage?" Robin asked.

Ben furrowed his brow, "Maybe. The Dark Side of the Force sure is thick around him. I'm going to investigate. The rest of you go towards the tree. I have a feeling Marth will be at the center of whatever that fiery blast was."

Robin nodded, "That does sound like something she would do."

Gaius rolled his eyes, "Why does Blue always make getting to her so damn difficult. Stay close to me everyone. And Benny, good luck."

"You too." Ben nodded.

Gaius took off. The others followed. Both Robin and Tharja hesitated. But they saw the concern on Ben's face. This was not a fight they could take part in. Robin nodded at his friend then raced after Gaius.

Tharja lingered a while longer. She clutched her spell book close to her chest.

"Ben?"

"Hm?"

Tharja took a deep breath, "Don't die."

Ben smirked, "I don't plan on it."

Tharja nodded and rushed after the others. A long sigh left the swordsman's lips. He felt anxious. But he should not feel that way. Gaius could be serious and skilled when the situation called for it. He would not lead his friends into the hands of the enemy. They would find Marth.

Ben turned and strode in the direction of where the man fell from the Mila Tree. As he tiptoed through the forest, he could feel the Dark Side growing in power around him. Fear and fury hung thick in the air. A dense cloud of dark side energy that would not abate. Ben tightened his grip on Anakin's lightsaber as he stepped into a clearing.

He froze. Slowly rising from the ground, blood dripping from his lips, was Kage. The boy staggered to his feet and sway in place for a moment. His azure blade hummed in the night air.

The boy was fighting someone. But who? Ben felt some worry grip his heart? Did Marth find him? Was she taking her revenge? He hoped not. That was a slippery slope to go down for any person. But especially for a force sensitive.

Besides, Marth could not possibly be strong enough to deal damage like what Ben saw to Kage. The boy looked concussed. Bruised and bloodied. But still standing in defiance against whatever opponent he faced. Ben moved to try and speak to the boy.

"Still standing."

The swordsman's blood ran cold. That voice; the clipped richness. The aristocratic sneer lacing those words as they hung in the air. Ben knew that voice. But it was not possible. He was dead. Anakin killed him with the very blade that rested in his own palm.

Ben's eyes widened as he emerged from the darkness. Red blade ignited in one hand. A smug smirk over his pale lips. He was unmistakable. Still as regal and sophisticated as ever. Moving with sureness and grace. Yet also exuding confidence bordering on arrogance. He stalked towards Kage as a lion stalks a gazelle. Ready to pounce and mangle its prey.

"Dooku." Ben breathed in disbelief.

Kage uttered a rage filled snarl. He raised his own blade, ready to defend himself.

Ben's mind reeled. How was this possible? How was Dooku alive? How was even on this planet? What trickery was the force pulling? Was his mind compromised? Did someone have him seeing things that should not exist?

"Why aren't you charging you damn Deadlord?" Kage snarled, voice trembling with rage.

"Because we have company, boy." The Deadlord replied.

Kage blinked. He furrowed his brow and glanced behind him.

He did not know what to feel. Anger shot through him first. Then a flash of hatred as he gazed upon Obi Wan Kenobi's shocked face. The temptation to charge at the man was tremendous. But there was a far greater enemy facing him at the moment. One that made him greatly consider his next action.

"I-" The Deadlord shook his head, "I think I know him from somewhere."

"You know Kenobi?" Kage growled.

"Kenobi…" The Deadlord looked past Kage at the paralyzed Jedi Master, "Kenobi…" A small smirk crossed the monster's lips, "Well, consider me surprised to see you again, Master Kenobi."

Kage drew back in confusion. So he did know that cursed Jedi.

"Don't you have something witty to reply with?" The Deadlord asked, "No quips this time?"

"You're supposed to be dead." Ben practically whispered.

"He is. Can't you sense that?" Kage snapped, both annoyed by Ben's own shock and his own confusion, "He's a Deadlord. One of Grima's deadliest servants." He smirked at the Deadlord, "This one goes by the name Equus."

"I know him as Count Dooku." Ben breathed back, "Or more specifically, Darth Tyrannus."

Kage's face paled. Did- did Kenobi just give Equus the title of Darth? A touch of fear lanced through Kage's heart. No wonder this monster was so powerful. In a previous life, he was a Sith Lord. Just like his master, Maul.

"You finally realize what you are up against." Dooku chuckled as he saw fear cross Kage's features, "Do you still wish to resist?"

Kage glanced back at Ben, "Kenobi! Please tell me that you know how to kill this thing."

Ben furrowed his brow. Silence hung in the air. A hiss echoed through the night as a blue blade ignited in Ben's right hand.

Ben smirked at Kage, "Kage, Sith Lords are my speciality."

Dooku scoffed, "I seem to recall tossing you around my ship like a ragdoll last time we met, Master Kenobi."

"Unlike last time, I am at least a little more prepared now."

Kenobi charged past Kage and engaged Dooku. Their blades slammed together. Kage took a minute to catch his breath as he watched the two men hack away at each other.

The bladework on display was masterful. Perfection in motion. Not a movement wasted. Kenobi fought with caution. His bladwork extremely defensive. Very little movement in his actions. Enough to deflect Dooku's weapon away from causing harm. Kage had to smile a little. The damn Jedi was sizing up his opponent.

But he did not have to do any sizing up. As Kenobi pulled away from Dooku, Kage charged in. The boy slashed hard at Dooku's exposed head. The Deadlord caught his blade with his own.

"Two against one?" Dooku smirked at Ben, "This is hardly fair."

"You never complained before, Count." Ben shot back, "I seem to recall you enjoyed being taken from two sides."

"Rather low brow of you, Kenobi." Dooku replied, "I thought a man of your caliber above such humor."

"A lot has changed since you lost your head. Including the company I keep and the humor I enjoy."

Dooku twirled Kage's blade away from his face and lashed out at him. The boy backpedaled a few steps. As Dooku pressed his advantage, Ben attacked. The Jedi Master leaped over Dooku's head and slashed down mid air. The Deadlord quickly raised his blade to deflect the attack.

When the Jedi Master landed, Dooku whirled around to face him. Their blades hissed against each other. Ben deflected a deadly stab to his shoulder. Sidestepped a following flick that would have taken his head off. Then countered with a flurry of his own. Forcing the Deadlord to fall back.

Kage surged by Ben and slammed his own blade against Dooku's, pressing the older man's defense to its limits. Ben moved to finish him off while he could.

Dooku grit his teeth and let one hand fall from his lightsaber. He delivered a brutal punch to Kage's ribs. As the boy staggered back, Dooku kicked him away then launched a torrent of lighting at Ben. The Jedi Master screeched to a stop. Raising his blade to catch the lightning before it could harm him.

"You are much more aggressive than I remember, Obi Wan." Dooku breathed, "A lot has changed. You have actually improved on your initial shortcomings." He nodded over at Kage as the boy struggled to rise to his feet, "Unlike the brat over there."

"Shut your damn mouth." Kage growl as he moved to charge again.

A spark crossed Dooku's eyes. Ben gasped.

"Kage don't!"

Dooku drew back his lighting and instead called upon the force to grab the boy. Kage cried out then gasped as Dooku grasped him by the throat using the force. He hoisted the boy in the air. Before Ben could move to stop him, Dooku yanked him towards his blade.

The Deadlord impaled the boy upon his blade. The red lightsaber jutted into Kage just above his left hip. Kage uttered a loud scream as Dooku allowed him to fall to the dirt. Wounded and weak.

"You mentioned something about not being taken alive?" Dooku uttered a dark chuckle, "Well, you failed in that endeavor. Now if you'll excuse me, I will deal with you once I finish entertaining my old friend."

The Deadlord turned to face Kenobi. The longer he looked at the man, the more the Deadlord remembered. He could recall his own death. At the hands of Kenobi's old apprentice. Skywalker took his head from his shoulders while he sat at his mercy. How very un-jedi of the boy. Kenobi would not have approved if he saw that.

Speaking of Kenobi, there was something off about him. The strange aggression he had gave Dooku some pause. He did not remember Kenobi dueling so recklessly before. And his appearance was also strange. He did not wear traditional jedi robes. And he appeared a lot more spry. Youthful even. Yes… a lot has changed indeed.

Dooku and Ben circled each other.

"I'm afraid my sudden death has left me out of the loop on galactic events." Dooku began as Kage groaned in pain nearby, "May I ask you to fill me in?"  
"Well," Kenobi smirked, "To make a long story short, your Master won."

"Did he?" Dooku hummed, "That would explain your strange appearance. You managed to survive the fall of the Jedi Order then? Now, you are in hiding. I'm most impressed Kenobi. I figured you would be a difficult Jedi to kill, but I did not suspect you would actually survive."

"It was a rather close shave." Ben replied, "Well, not as close as your own, of course."

Dooku rolled his eyes.

"So the war is over? Sidious finished the grand plan. The Jedi Order is fallen."

"And the Sith rule with an Empire."

"Indeed. I'd expect no less from my former master." Dooku replied, spitting out the title like a bad taste from his mouth.

"There seems to be no love lost between you two."

"He did order my death at the hands of young Skywalker." Dooku frowned, "That tends to leave some bad blood."

Kenobi smirked at him, "Sour after realizing you were a pawn all this time?"

"Perhaps. But now, I work for a greater master."

"You mean serve." Kenobi remarked, "Have you taken on the role of a pawn again, Count? Honestly, I thought you were a much more independent man than that."  
"I am."

"So why are you serving the Fell Dragon Grima as one of his undead underlings?" Ben shot back.

Dooku furrowed his brow. Indeed, why was he?

With a growl, he lunged at Ben. Their lightsabers sparked and cracked Ben slapped away the attack. Dooku raised his hands over his head and brought his blade crashing down. Ben brought his own blade above his head and blocked the blow.

Kenobi then did something completely uncharacteristic to his fighting style. Something that caught Dooku completely off guard. He headbutted him. Stars danced over Dooku's vision. As the Deadlord reeled, he tripped backwards and fell hard to the dirt. Before he could regain his wits, he felt the heat of Ben's lightsaber near his throat.

"I believe I have asked this a million times before but," Kenobi gave him a wry smirk, "surrender Count?"

Dooku's face twisted into a snarl. His new body gifted to him by his Master could endure much. Even heal from grevious wounds. He did manage to recover from the wounds the boy gave him a few days ago. But he did not wish to test the limits of such a body. For all he knew, if Kenobi took his head, that would be the end. And the Force would embrace his spirit once again.

He sighed and let his lightsaber fall from his grip.

"Unlike Skywalker," Dooku drawled, "I at least know you will be honorable in how you treat an unarmed man."

"Oh you are hardly unarmed, Count. I am not a fool."

Dooku's face twisted in pain as Kenobi severed his hands at the wrist. The Deadlord hissed and rolled over onto his side.

"There. Now you are unarmed." Kenobi said.

"Damn you, Kenobi!" Dooku snarled as he sat upright. A heavy sigh let his lips, "I was hoping you were more trusting."

"Watching everyone you ever cared about killed by people you trusted tends to destroy that sense." Ben countered as he deactivated Anakin's lightsaber.

A dry, pain filled laugh left Dooku's lips.

"You have actually gained some intelligence. How lovely." Dooku inhaled, "I assume you mean to take me prisoner? Or perhaps you are smarter than I give you credit for and you will actually kill me?"

Ben frowned, "No. I will not kill you. Things may have changed drastically Count, but I am not a murderer."

Dooku snorted, "Still a fool however."

"Maybe. But this way, you can explain to me how you are actually alive right now."

Dooku scowled, "I don't know how. All I know is that a dark entity named Grima deemed it my time return to life."

"And you serve him now?"

"I serve no one, Kenobi."

"You just referred to him as your master."

Dooku's scowl deepened. He did refer to the Fell Dragon as such. But why? What made that overgrown lizard more powerful than him? He was a dark lord of the Sith. Not bound to anyone's will or whims. Why had he been following that fell demon's orders so loyally? His last master, Sidious, had disposed of him without a second thought. Grima could very well do the same.

He did not plan on dying again anytime soon.

"Well," Dooku sighed, "I'm partial to not having a master anymore after how the last one turned out."

Ben snorted, "Is that so? I dare say, Count, you have actually gained some intelligence."

"Very funny, Kenobi." Dooku growled, "So, what are you going to do with me now? Kill me? Let me go?"

"Neither." Kenobi motioned for him to rise. "You are coming with me."

Dooku frowned, "I thought you were smarter than that, Kenobi."

"Oh I am. And I will sleep better at night if I know exactly where you are at all times." Ben pointed a finger at the former Sith Lord, "It is better than the thought of you traipsing across the planet doing what you please."

"I don't traipse." Dooku sighed.

"Galavant then. Is that more sophisticated for you?" Kenobi strode over to Kage.

The boy had passed out. The wound too painful for his body to properly function while awake. Ben clipped Anakin's lightsaber to his belt then reached down and picked up the wounded boy.

"You know," Dooku began as Ben shouldered Kage's limp form, "I could very easily escape. Since you are occupied with the boy."  
"I don't think you will. You are much smarter than that. But be my guest, Count. If you do choose to leave, you are on your own." Ben nodded at Kage, "Kage is under my protection now. Which will make it much more difficult for you to fulfill Grima's wishes. And if you fail to carry out his orders, your newfound life will be rather brief. "

The Deadlord mulled Ben's words. He paused for a moment as Ben started walking away from him.

"Where are you going then?" Dooku asked.

Ben stopped, "Right now, I have a friend that needs saving. Then we need to hurry back to Charlet and get out of Valm before we are stranded here. So if you are tagging along, do try to keep up."

Dooku sighed. Since when did he start taking orders from the youth? Still, Kenobi's offer was a far better fate than what Grima would do to him for failing in his mission. Besides, even if he had so far failed, staying near Kenobi meant there was a good chance the boy would remain nearby as well. If Grima ever did come for him, he would lead the Fell Dragon to his prize.

The old man smirked as he followed Kenobi into the woods, towards the Mila Tree.

There was always a way out.

* * *

Say'ri rushed through the thick undergrowth. All around her, Valmese soldiers sounded alarms. Whatever happened atop the Mila Tree had both alarmed and terrified the soldiers nearby. The entire encampment had been roused and readied for combat. Say'ri kept her hand wrapped around the hilt of her sword. She did not have much time to search for her little brother and his rescuer. Soon the soldiers would notice her. And then it would be time to fight.

Say'ri turned down a bend in the trail and collided into something. She cried out and fell backwards, hitting the dirt hard. A long groan left her lips as she lay in the dirt. Across from her, she could hear another woman groaning while a young boy whimpered.

The Chon'sin Princess's eyes shot open. A young boy's voice! Say'ri raised her head. A cry of joy rush from her lips.

Kage stood beside a stunned woman with blue hair. Say'ri burst to her feet and lunged for him. A boot slammed into her chest. Knocking her back from her little brother.

Say'ri felt fury build up in her as the woman leapt to her feet and drew a blade. She stepped between her and her brother.

"Get back, fiend." The woman growled, "You will not recapture him."

Say'ri's face twisted in anger.

"I'm the fiend? Fie! You are the one who took my baby brother and decided not to return him to his homeland." Say'ri drew her sword and readied herself for a fight, "Come then, wench. Let us settle this."

The woman hesitated.

"You are-"

"Say Say!" Kage rushed out from behind the woman.

All thoughts of battle left Say'ri's mind. Her sword fell from her grip and she knelt down to embrace her little brother. The toddler jumped into her arms and buried his face into her chest.

"Oh Kage." She breathed, on the verge of tears, "I am so happy to see you."

Say'ri sniffled and looked up at the woman. She had sheathed her blade. Making it known that she was not a threat. Now that Say'ri was certain she would not be battling this woman, she got a good look at her.

 _She is the one who rescued him?_

She looked awful. Bags hung heavy beneath her eyes. Her body seemed far too skinny as her clothes hung a tad loose on her already slim frame. One of her arms had been cut off at the elbow. Overall, not the picture of a great warrior. But there was something about the way the woman carried herself. How she looked so determined. It gave Say'ri the sense that, if she were healthy, this woman would be a formidable opponent.

The blue haired girl bowed her head.

"I apologize, Lady Say'ri." She breathed, "I did not realize it was you."

Say'ri did not reply at first. Instead, she kept her arms wrapped around Kage and placed a gentle kiss on top of his head.

"Are you ready to go home?" She asked him.

The little boy nodded as he held on tight to her.

Say'ri smiled and let go of him. She picked up her sword, sheathed it, then took her baby brother's hand. As he stood beside her, he pointed at the woman.

"Hero!" He cried with delight.

Marth gave the little prince a small smile, "I am no hero, I assure you."

"Not a hero?" Say'ri breathed, "Fie! You are a hero to him, so you are a hero to me as well. You saved his life. I owe you a debt beyond repaying. Please, tell me your name."

"Marth." The woman replied.

"Marth." Say'ri nodded, "I shall make sure you are rewarded. And I'm sure my brother will as well. Once he learns of Kage's safe return to our home."

"No reward is necessary." Marth said with a wave of her hand, "Just seeing him safe is enough for me. However-"

"Hm?"

"I-" Marth hesitated, "I must warn you that a monster may come soon. It may not be safe for him in Chon'sin. Perhaps-"

"Do you speak of Maul?" Say'ri cut her off.

Marth's face grew pale. A great fear washed over her tired visage. Say'ri furrowed her brow.

"No. He has not come yet." Say'ri said, as if answering Marth's unsaid question, "As to how I know about Maul and what he will do, I have spoken to someone who has seen it happen."

Marth's eyes widened, "Spoken to- who!? Who was it!?"

Armor clinked nearby. Soldiers cried out. Torches lit up the shadows around Say'ri and Marth. Both women drew their blades and turned to face a group of Valmese soldiers marching towards them. At the head was a large man wearing an enormous set of armor. A magnificent, bushy beard covered his chin and lips.

"There they are, General!" A soldier cried, "Men, take them out."

"Hold yourself, son." General Cervantes ordered. He hummed then bowed his head, "Lady Say'ri, I had not realized you were journeying this way."

Say'ri inclined her chin at the General, "Cervantes, you have a lot of explaining to do."

Cervantes sighed as he stroked his beard, "Indeed I do. And I shall. My lady, I had no idea that the person we were hunting down was your little brother. I was merely told a prisoner had escaped For Steiger. I greatly apologize for such a misunderstanding and offer to provide you a personal escort back to Chon'sin. My only request is that when you inform your brother of the Prince's daring rescue, you mention me as an ally and friend. Not as someone so grossly fooled by the words of another."

Say'ri narrowed her eyes. Politics, even in the military they were present. Cervantes wished to gain favor by claiming credit for saving her little brother. But if it meant she would be safely seen back to Chon'sin with him then perhaps it was worth boosting the General's ego.

"Very well, General."

"Good. Now before we get moving, we have captured some rebels that had been scurrying about. No doubt their aim was to scale the Mila Tree. I wish to take care of them before anything else."

Say'ri paused. Rebels? Anxiety raced through her. Cynthia! She probably decided not to sneak around and instead attack in order to find Kage. Cervantes might view her as a foe when in fact she had become a close friend.

"General, what do these rebels look like?" Say'ri asked.

"Well, one is riding a pegasus. The others are a motley group. One is clearly a practiced thief who managed to help the other rebels avoid detection before having their cover blown by the Pegasus Rider. Three appear to be mages. One is a rather hairy woman. And one is just a farm boy."

Marth furrowed her brow.

"I wish to speak to these Rebels." Say'ri said, "I think one of them may actually be someone who has assisted me in recovering my brother."

Some nervous beads of sweat dripped down Cervantes's bald head.

"Er, yes! Of course, my lady. Please, follow me to the main camp."

Say'ri nodded and started to follow the General. Kage skipped along at her side. Before she got too far, she looked back at Marth.

"Well, come along Marth. I still plan on rewarding you." Say'ri said before smiling down at Kage, "If not for you, my little brother would never have been saved."  
Marth hesitated to follow. Watching the Valm military deal with rebels was not something she wanted to do. But she did want to follow Say'ri.

She knew someone from the future. Marth was certain of that. No one else could have known about what Maul would do to her little brother. Now, Marth had questions she wanted answered. And she had a feeling, if she followed Say'ri, the answers would be revealed.

 **And chapter! Consider this part 1 of this little section of the story. I originally planned on this chapter being a lot longer but the two halves clashed in tone. So I broke it in half. Next chapter will pick up with Cynthia. And it will be hilarious.**

 **So, we had Tiki show off a little bit of her power. We also get a duel between Ben, Kage, and the now returned Dooku. And Ben wants to keep an eye on our former Sith Lord. That should make for some interesting shenanigans and conversations.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	63. An Uneasy Peace

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 63

An Uneasy Peace

Gaius had many things hit him over the head in his brief lifetime. Many strange things for that matter. No, a Taguel's hand somehow was not the strangest. Certainly the fuzziest. One time, on a certain heist he would much rather never speak of again, he got hit over the head with a candelabra in the shape of various portrayals of Naga. That was a nasty bruise at the time. He was pretty sure that was the only time he could consider himself to have been blessed by Naga. Since that candelabra knocked him out, he was not in the alleyway where is fellow thieves got caught. And that allowed him to make a quick escape. The blow did leave a nice bump at the time.

A flying hoof to the back of the head however, that left a much nastier mark.

Gaius groaned as he lay face down in the dirt. He could already feel a large welt forming on the back of his head. All around him, his friends had drawn their weapons. He could hear Bubbles barking out commands to Laurent and Tharja. Something about a Pegasus flying around them?

"For justice!" A girl's voice cried over Gaius's head.

Gaius raised his gaze. Stars danced over his vision. His head swam as he struggled to stand up. As he swayed in place, Panne rushed over and steadied him.

"Gaius, you need to be more aware of your surroundings."

"My surroundings need to be more aware of me." Gaius slurred as he struggled to clear the fog from his mind, "I was walking when that damn hoof hit me."

"Gaius!" Robin sprinted over to the Thief. He ducked beneath another swoop from their airborne assailant. Tharja muttered nearby and launched a nasty dark spell at the enemy. But it missed, "Look at me Gaius." Robin stood in front of the thief, "How many fingers?"

"Four and a thumb." Gaius snarked back before reaching up to gingerly touch his head. He felt something warm and slick matted against his hair. His face paled as he drew his hand back and saw blood covering it, "Oh… that is… that's my blood."

He stumbled back into Panne.

"For Naga's sake, Gaius. This is not the time to become squeamish." The Taguel snapped as she kept the pale thief from toppling over.

"Keep him safe." Robin ordered Panne before turning around to look at Tharja and Donnel. As he turned, he saw torches flickering in the shadowy forest around them. The Valmese soldiers were drawn to the commotion. The tactician barked over at Anna and Donnel, "Soldiers! Be ready!"

Both nodded and drew their blades. Robin could see a furious look on Anna's face as some of the Valmese soldiers broke through the trees and charged. The Merchant dashed forward and buried her blade to the hilt in the first enemy she saw. Donnel followed her, parrying away a deadly slash that could have cleaved the young woman in two.

"Tharja!" Robin called, "That rider-"

"Is a pain in my ass." Tharja hissed as she fired a thunder spell into the sky, "I don't think I've ever seen someone fly this well before."

Laurent stopped firing his spells abruptly. The scholar blinked. A long frown fell over his lips.

"I have." He pointed up at the rider.

Robin followed his finger. He finally got a good glimpse of their attacker. A young woman. About as old as Donnel. Blue hair tied back in two pigtails to keep it from flying in her face. A determined expression on her face as she nestled her lance in the crook of her arm and dove down at the Shepherds.

"You know her?" Robin asked Laurent as the scholar turned to combat the Valmese soldiers flooding the area.

"Know her? I grew up with her." Laurent shook his head, "She was always a bit of an airhead."

"Says the guy we found staring up at the sun in a desert." Gaius called over as he regathered his wits enough to fend off some of the enemy.

"Well tell her to knock it off. Before she injures one of us further." Robin said.

A furious cry erupted from Tharja's lips as she sent a massive burst of dark magic into the sky. Robin gulped.

"Or before Tharja rips her limb for limb."

Laurent nodded, "One moment." He cleared his throat, "DUNDERHEAD! Knock it off!"

"Dunderhead?" The pegasus rider cried as she swooped low, "No one calls me dunderhead you spectacled piece of… Laurent!?"

She soared into the sky once again. As she ascended higher, some Valmese arrows raced after her. She twisted out of the way. Again, she guided her pegasus low. This time allowing the beast to gently land on the dirt beneath her. Once she landed, she peered over her mount's head at Laurent. Her eyes widened and an excited gasp rushed from her lips.

"Oh my gosh! Laurent!" She bounced up and down in her saddle, "It is you!" She frowned, "Why did you call me dunderhead, you dunderhead? For that matter, why are you hanging around the enemy? And why is there a giant bunny next to the stupid one I hit earlier?"

"Did she just call me stupid?" Gaius asked through grit teeth as he backed away from a Valm soldier.

"She better not have called me a rabbit." Panne snarled as she kicked another soldier back and backpedaled beside Gaius.

"These people are not the enemy, Cynthia." Laurent sighed, "They are friends."

"They are? Since when?" She pointed her lance at Tharja, "That one creeps me out. Since when did you start hanging out with scary people, Laurent?"

"You can ask questions later." Robin spoke up, "We have an entire Valmese army to deal with right now." Robin turned and blasted a soldier away with a powerful wind spell, "Can you help us out at all?"

"Help? Of course I can-"

A blast of magic slammed into her armored chest. The girl cried out as she flew off of her mount. Robin furrowed his brow. He traced where the magical blast came from.

A fat mage stood deep in the shadows. Plump lips curled into a pleased smirk as one hand gripped a red spell book. Robin furrowed his brow and stepped between him and the Shepherd's newest ally.

"Oh ho?" The fat mage chuckled, "A challenger then? I'm flattered. But you will not best the great and powerful Excellus."

Robin frowned and dodged a blast of lightning. He twirled and shot a powerful ball of fire at the fat mage. The mage yelped and ducked away. The trees behind him instantly caught fire as the spell slammed into them.

"Focus on the rebel mages!" Excellus barked at the Valmese, "I want them alive! Not necessarily unharmed."

Robin face twisted into a scowl. They planned on capturing him and his friends? That would not happen while he still fought. He gathered lightning into his hand and fired a massive blast of thunder at Excellus.

The bolt grazed the man's side. Excellus hissed in pain. He flicked the pages of his spell book and gathered dark energy into his palm.

"Robin! He's casting Ruin!" Tharja cried out in alarm.

Robin gulped, "How bad is that?"

"I can't cast that one yet."

Robin paled. Oh, that was very bad. A dark spell Tharja knew but did not know how to cast. He never thought he would see the day. Robin rolled away as an evil stream of black magic hissed over the ground and exploded where he had been standing.

As he came up from his roll, Robin assessed the situation. Laurent's friend, Cynthia, was slow to get up. Her breastplate dented and charred by the blast that hit her. Her pegasus had taken to the skies. Spooked by the dark magic the enemy was wielding. Laurent held off a group of Valm soldiers as best as he could. But Robin could see more gathering nearby. Ready to charge.

Anna, Donnel, Gaius, and Panne were encircled. It would not be long before one of them got hit by a lucky strike. And once one of them fell, the others would fall too. Their defense compromised at that point.

Tharja fared the best of the entire group. Her dark magic and tenacity kept the enemy from charging her. But Robin could see obvious signs of magical exhaustion setting in. The furious casting she had been doing was taking its toll. She would succumb to her body's limitations any minute now.

Robin closed his eyes. This was a fight they could not win. They were surrounded as well. Nowhere to run or hide. He had been beaten by the mage across from him.

Robin lowered his hands.

"Guys, stop."

Tharja glared over at him, "If you think I'm going to-"

"It is that or die, Tharja." Robin breathed, "And I refuse to watch any of you die needlessly."

"Hehehe!" Excellus cackled as he stepped out of the shadows, part of his robe charred from one of Robin's spells, "How noble. And somewhat smart." He gave a dismissive wave of his hand, "Take them. I'm sure General Cervantes will want to gaze upon these rebels personally."

Robin grit his teeth as a pair of soldiers rushed up to his and bound his hands behind his back. He could hear Panne uttering angry growls as she resisted being bound. Tharja silently fumed. Donnel appeared more exhausted than anything else. Anna glared hatefully at the Valmese taking her prisoner. Laurent remained silent and cooperative. And Cynthia would not shut up.

"Get your stinking hands off of me!" The girl roared as she struggled against the soldiers, "I will never surrender! The leader of the Justice Cabal never surrenders! I will tear you apart limb for limb! Do you hear me?"

Robin rolled his eyes and bowed his head as he and his friend were marched away from the flaming skirmish sight towards the Mila Tree itself. The girl had spirit. He would give her that. He just hoped her ranting would not make things worse.

* * *

"And so help me Naga! I will shove my boot so far up your ass, that I will have to wear your corpse as a shoe!" Cynthia roared as she was shoved to her knees by one of the enemy soldiers.

Tharja glanced over at the furious Pegasus knight.

"I share the sentiment." Tharja hissed, "But you should probably shut up before you make things worse for us."

"I will not be silenced! Not even a gag will do that. I will have my voice heard!" She snapped her teeth at one of the Valm guards moving a gag towards her lips.

Robin shifted uncomfortably as he knelt before a roaring fire. So far, the enemy soldiers just milled about. Much more relaxed now that the 'rebels' had been apprehended and their dastardly plan foiled. The fat mage name Excellus watched from a nearby tent. A pleased smile over his grotesque face. Robin's blood boiled as he stared back at the man. He did not like the taste of defeat. Seeing his friends at the mercy of the enemy did not help his mood either.

Gaius remained completely silent as he knelt in the dirt. Occasionally, his body would sway to and for. Still reeling from the blow to the back of his head. Panne had to be tied down more than the others. Her powerful muscles nearly broke the original binds around her wrist. Laurent kept his eyes closed. It almost looked like he was sleeping. Donnel looked nervously around at all of his friends. And Anna kept her hateful gaze trained on the soldier that bound her. Never blinking, never wavering.

"I swear to Naga! Put that gag over my mouth and I will bite your finger off!"

Robin sighed and hung his head.

"Cynthia please-"

"Don't Cynthia please me! I will not be silenced." Robin noticed Tharja's lips moving ever so slightly, "I will not be-"

Sound stopped coming from her throat. Cynthia's lips moved. But not a single noise came out. She paused, mouth agape. A loud gasp rushed from her lungs. She tried to speak again. And still, she could not make a noise. Her eyes widened in fear. Robin meanwhile glared over at Tharja.

"What did you do?"

Tharja shrugged, "I think I casted a silencing hex. I'm not very sure. The hex I would normally use requires my spell book and a lot of preparation. Using the incantation alone is a bit tricky."

"So you just hit her with a hex, and you don't even know the effects of it right now?"

Tharja glared back at Robin, "It was either that or listen to her talk us into the death penalty."

Robin frowned, "At least tell me it is not permanent."

Tharja grimaced. Her eyes flicked to and fro. Never staring directly back at Robin.

"Tharja?"

"I may have forgotten that part of the incantation." Tharja finally admitted, "I rushed the casting. Mostly to prevent me from trying to strangle her."

"At least you stopped the temper tantrum." Laurent shrugged.

Cynthia threw herself onto the ground and opened her mouth in a silent, angry scream. Her feet kicked relentlessly behind her as she tossed and turned in the dirt.

"Never mind. It's still going." Laurent sighed.

Robin uttered a long sigh, "Cynthia this isn't helping right now."

She shot up from the ground. Eyes narrowed at both Robin and Laurent. She tried to talk back to both of them. Then she threw her head back in frustration. Finally, she stuck her tongue out at both of them in fury.

"How mature." Laurent mumbled.

The brush near the camp rustled. A group of soldiers marched into the encampment. At the lead was a large, round, bald man wearing an enormous suit of armor. A thick beard and mustache covered his chin and lips. Beady eyes glared at the group of Shepherds as he strode into the camp. Tailing him was a young woman wearing simple travel clothes and a white cloth over her forehead, which held her hair back from her face. She held the hand of a young toddler beside her. Just behind her was-

Robin's eyes widened.

"Marth!" He exclaimed as he caught sight of her.

"Blue?" Gaius's head snapped up, "Blue is here? Where? I'm suddenly very dizzy."

"You have a concussion." Panne deadpanned.

"Oh right."

Marth entered the camp and froze. Her own eyes widened as she stared at Robin in shock.

"Robin?"

She looked at the other Shepherds bound in front of her. Her eyes settled on Cynthia and stayed there. Robin gave both girls a puzzled look. He saw tears bubbling up in Cynthia's eyes. Before he could stop her, Cynthia surged to her feet and rushed towards Marth. Two soldiers caught her around the waist and held her back. The Pegasus Knight fought viciously in their grip as she tried to reach Marth.

"What is the meaning of this, Cervantes?" The black haired woman with the toddler demanded.

"Lady Say'ri, these rebels caused quite a stir and-"

"These are not rebels." The woman frowned, "In fact, the blue haired girl is my good friend, Cynthia. And your men are keeping her from reuniting with someone obviously very important to her."

Cervantes paled, "G-good friend?"

"Yes." Say'ri replied, "And I believe she considers the others her friends as well. Any friend of hers is my friend as well. Do you plan on apprehending my friends, General?"

"W-well, they attacked and-"

"Eight lightly armed travelers attacked a massive army encampment? I find that difficult to believe General. No one is that stupid." Say'ri folded her arms over her chest. Kage clutched her leg as she spoke, "Release them."

"What!?" Excellus cried. Any glee from his victory long gone with the arrival of Say'ri and her little brother, "General you cannot be considering this?"

"General, remember who you are speaking to." Say'ri narrowed her eyes dangerously at the nervous man.

Cervantes gulped. His beady eyes looked over at a fuming Excellus. Cervantes uttered a loud huff then bowed to Say'ri.

"Of course, my Lady." He waved a hand at his men, "Release the prisoners. This is just one enormous misunderstanding in the end."

"Cervantes." Excellus snarled.

"And you!" Say'ri handed Prince Kage over to Marth and marched over to Excellus while the Shepherds were cut free. Say'ri glowered at the man. He sneered at her. But it did not deter the furious Chon'sin princess, "I know exactly what you did." She breathed, just loud enough so that he would hear, "I may not get my vengeance now. But when I do, you will be begging for my blade to cut your throat."

Excellus paled as her furious gaze penetrated his own. The Valmese tactician swallowed hard, but did not retort. With a wave of his hand, a bright light appeared beneath his feet. His body shimmered and he evaporated away.

"Whoa!" Gaius cried, "What was that?" He rubbed the back of his head, "I really hit my head hard huh?"

"You didn't hit your head. Cynthia did." Panne sighed.

"Why would she do that to me?"

Panne rolled her eyes, "Robin, he is going to need a healer."

"One will be provided immediately." Say'ri said. Two soldiers raced off to fetch one, "In the meantime, we have some things to discuss."

As she moved towards the group of Ylisseans, Cynthia had her binds removed. The blue haired girl barreled towards Marth. She nearly tackled the taller girl to the ground. Silent sobs wracked Cynthia's body as she wrapped her arms around Marth. Marth quickly embraced the other girl.

"I'm so happy to see you are safe." Marth breathed as Cynthia bawled.

Say'ri glanced over at the pair. She had a feeling she knew who the other blue haired girl was. Kage's rescuer was none other than Cynthia's sister. The same sister that was supposed to be dead. She furrowed her brow. Luke had a lot of explaining to do later. If she ever figured out where he went. For all she knew, Equus defeated him. Gods, she hoped not.

Say'ri stood in front of the Ylisseans.

"Which one is the leader?"

They all gave each other uncertain glances. Gaius moved to raise his hand but Panne swatted it down.

"With Ben not here, Robin would be in charge." Donnel said, nodding in Robin's direction.

Say'ri's gaze fell on the Tactician. He looked a little weary. And the coat over his shoulders could use a tailor. But otherwise he was mostly unharmed. However, she could tell he was just as uncertain about who their leader was as the others. Not the mark of a man in charge.

"Oh? Where is Ben then?" Say'ri asked.

Robin shrugged, "He saw someone falling from the Mila Tree and went to investigate."

Say'ri gulped, "He saw Equus then."

"Who?"

"An enemy. A powerful one at that. Another friend of mine named Luke challenged him in order to buy myself and Cynthia time to escape." Say'ri let out a worried sigh, "I'm not sure what happened after that."

Worry rushed over Robin's face. A powerful enemy? How powerful was Equus? He could not be as powerful as Maul. Then again, Ben reached for his strange weapon almost as soon as he sensed him. He only used that weapon one other time. Against the Risen back in Plegia. When they were chased through the desert and running out of options. For Ben to immediately resort to his secret weapon meant that he considered Equus extremely dangerous.

He became distracted when a healer entered the camp and made his way over to Gaius. The thief let out a relieved sigh as healing magic poured into his body. Closing up the wound on the back of his head and easing the enormous headache he had. As the healer worked, Cynthia ended her embrace with Marth and turned around. She gave the thief a sheepish smile.

"I expect a damn good apology when you can talk again." Gaius grumbled as he glared back at Cynthia.

"Talk again?" Say'ri wondered out loud.

"Yeah, about that." Robin nodded over at Tharja. The Dark Mage had removed herself from the crowd and positioned herself near the edge of the small camp. No doubt searching for any sign of Ben, "Tharja put a silencing hex on Cynthia. But she might have messed up the incantation."

"Meaning?"

"We don't know how long Cynthia will be unable to speak."

"Robin!" Marth cried, "Why on earth would you let Tharja do that?"

"Well it's not like I could stop her." Robin shot back, "I was kind of tied up at the moment."

"Enough!" Say'ri snapped, "We are all very tired after today. This has been a stressful evening for all of us. You are welcome to rest with the army tonight. Tomorrow, I will accompany you back to Charlet. I believe my older brother is camped outside that city. I have a feeling he is anxious to see Kage again."

Robin drew back in surprise, "Kage?" He looked down as the toddler bounced over to Say'ri and tugged on her pant leg, "Him?"

Say'ri chuckled as she reached down and picked up the little boy, "Yes him. Kage, meet Robin."

Robin took a long look at the boy. He appeared to be just over a couple years old. Light blond hair rested on top of his head. A cheerful smile rested over his lips. Bright blue eyes stared back at Robin. If the tactician did not know any better, he would have assumed that this little boy looked like a younger version of the Kage he knew. The one that nearly killed him and all of his friends.

"Hello there." Robin smiled at the young Prince.

"It is long past his bedtime." Say'ri breathed, "Cervantes, see to it that my friends are well accommodated. I will require horses for the journey to Charlet in the morning."

"As you command, my lady." Cervantes bowed, "Anything for General Yen'fay's sister."

Robin noticed the dark look on Anna's face at the mention of the General from Charlet. So he was Say'ri's older brother. That could complicate things. He said a quiet goodnight to both Say'ri and Kage. Once the pair walked away, General Cervantes cleared his throat.

"I will send a small party out to find your missing friend, Robin." The bearded man said, "It would not do good for one of Say'ri's personal friends to remain missing. In the meantime, please follow my men. We have some empty tents you can use."

Robin nodded his thanks and waved for the others to follow. As the group walked to their tents, Robin thanked whatever gods actually existed. He and his friends were alive. Surviving through this ordeal and somehow ending up allies with a very powerful Valmese woman was an incredible miracle. He still could not figure out how that happened. But it had something to do with Marth and Cynthia.

He looked over at the two girls as they disappeared into a nearby tent. The gears in his mind turned. Both had blue hair. Both were great warriors. Both very determined in their own ways. One was louder than the other.

Robin's jaw fell open.

"They're sisters?"

"You're just figuring that one out, Bubbles?" Gaius patted Robin on the shoulder, "I figured that one out on hair alone." He slipped into the bigger tent meant for the Shepherds, "I call top bunk!"

Robin sighed, "Of course you do."

He still worried about Ben. The crazy swordsman had been gone far longer than Robin thought he would be. But Ben had been through far worse before. He managed to somehow survive the impossible. Robin believed his friend would be found and brought safely to their camp. Then this crazy journey might finally be done. After all, they all had to rush back to Charlet. The Embargo would be in place soon. Personally, Robin did not want to remain in Valm. He had seen enough of it in order to long for the gentle plains and bright forests of Ylisse once again.

He sighed as he stepped into the tent. A small smile ran over his face as he looked at his friends.

Laurent had begun picking apart a small Valmese book he found in the tent. Donnel had already passed out in his bunk. Anna lay silent. Robin could not tell if she had fallen asleep yet or not. Gaius and Panne were chatting with each other. The Taguel somewhat fretting over Gaius's head injury. Meanwhile, the thief was doing everything he could to get her to stop nagging him about it.

Tharja seemed to be the only one unable to completely relax. She sat, cross legged, on her little bunk. Worry all over her face.

Robin sighed and made his way over to her.

"He's alright." Robin said, doing his best to reassure the dark mage.

Tharja frowned, "I know. Just-"

"You care a lot about him."

Tharja's dark eyes flicked over to his.

"Do not tell, Gaius."

Robin let out a chuckle. He ran a finger over his lips.

"Sealed." Robin smirked before giving her shoulder a gentle rub, "Rest up. I'll let you know when Ben gets here."

Tharja nodded then reluctantly laid down on her cot. Spell book clutched close to her chest. Robin took a deep breath and nodded to himself.

They had succeeded in one part of their search. They had found Marth. Safe and sound. One needle in the haystack had been found. Which was far better than what Robin expected to happen. He smiled to himself. Tomorrow they would start journeying back to Charlet.

It was time to go home.

* * *

Marth drew in a deep breath as she entered the tent behind Cynthia. The inside was designed for two residents. A pair of cots rested a few feet apart from each other. A small table sat at the end of the tent, between the two cots. Cynthia bounced inside of the tent and spun around, an enormous grin on her face.

If she could actually speak, Marth knew she would be talking her ear off.

"I know. It is a nice space for a little tent." Marth sighed as she sat down on her cot.

Cynthia frowned. A gasp rushed from her lungs. She rushed up to Marth and grabbed what was left of her right arm. Her chin started to quiver as more tears bubbled in the younger girl's eyes.

"Oh this?" Marth breathed, "A long story."

Cynthia frowned and used two fingers to make horns on top of her head. Marth uttered a small laugh as she screwed her face up into a hideous, almost comedic snarl.

"Yes, Maul is the one responsible for this."

Cynthia let her arms fall to her sides and shook her head. She then pointed at Marth and made a motion across her throat that made Marth pale.

"You-you thought I was dead?"

Cynthia nodded. Marth frowned.

"Who told you that?"

Cynthia tapped her chin with a finger. Trying to figure out how to tell Marth who without being able to speak. She snapped her fingers and wiped a hand over her face. Her expression turned extremely grouchy and dark.

"Oh…" Marth closed her eyes, "Him." She blinked, "Wait a minute! You spoke to Kage!"

Cynthia nodded.

"Are you insane, Cynthia! You have to see what he has become. He is evil."

Cynthia put her hands on her hips and gave Marth a doubtful look. The younger girl frowned at Marth and shook her head. She pointed at herself and tried to signal something. But Marth could not understand her.

"Cynthia, could you try to-"

Cynthia stomped her foot, frustrated. She repeated her frantic motions. Trying to tell Marth some sort of elaborate story. Finally, the girl threw her hands up in the air and marched over to the small table. There was one drawer in the table. She yanked it open and jumped up and down in delight as she found a piece of paper and charcoal. She frantically scribbled some words down and handed the paper over to Marth.

Marth arched an eyebrow and read over what she wrote. Disbelief filled Marth.

"He saved your life as well as Say'ri's? From a Deadlord?"

Cynthia nodded.

Marth ran a hand over her chin. That seemed hardly believable. After seeing what Kage had become in Plegia, Marth did not believe he had a single ounce of good left in him. He betrayed people who called him friend. Betrayed and tried to kill her. Then stood by as Maul actually killed her and took her arm. That did not sound like someone willing to lay down their life so that others had a chance at escaping.

Cynthia could see the doubt on Marth's face. She let out a sigh and sat down on her cot. Arms folded over her chest and legs crossed. She nodded at the paper in Marth's hands. Telling her it was the truth without saying a single word.

Marth pressed her lips together. Something had happened to Kage in the months after the Plegian War. She was anxious to find out what. But also skeptical that he really would act so selflessly.

The warrior's eyes flicked up as Cynthia grunted. The younger girl fumbled with the buckles on her armor. Marth rolled her eyes and set the piece of paper to the side.

"Let me help."

She undid the buckles for Cynthia and set her dented, charred armor off to the side. A small frown fell over Marth's lips.

"You know that is going to be expensive to fix, right?"

Cynthia rolled her eyes.

"Yes, I am going to mother you right now." Marth breathed, "Someone has to."

Cynthia grabbed the paper and scribbled some more on it. She handed it over to Marth. Marth looked down at it. The words: _Thank you Luci;_ were written. Big and bold. A small smile ran over Marth's lips. The older girl sat down on Cynthia's bunk and pulled the girl in for a hug. Cynthia sniffled and held on tight.

She was not sure what Cynthia was thanking her for. It could be something as simple as helping her take her armor off. But Marth had a feeling it was more than that. Perhaps Cynthia was thanking her for living. For surviving and finding her. For making sure they arrived in the past safely and were able to save their future. Marth closed her eyes and rubbed her younger sister's back.

"You're welcome, Cynthia."

* * *

Ben grunted as he adjusted the unconscious Kage over his shoulders.

"You know, if I had hands I could help you carry the brat." He heard Dooku point out beside him.

Ben sighed, "If you had hands, you would not be helping me with anything. You would be trying to kill me."

"Trying to kill you?" Dooku frowned as they walked through the dark forest, "Hardly. Those were never my orders."

"Oh, I seem to recall plenty of times where you wanted to kill me for fun."

"That was when we were on opposing sides in a war, my old friend." Dooku drawled, "And I never really desired to end your life, Kenobi. You seem to forget, the first time you and I encountered each other, I offered you friendship."

"While I was held prisoner on Geonosis." Ben shot back, "Not exactly the ideal way to propose friendship."

"I apologized at the time."

"We both know how false that was."

Dooku snorted, "Fair point."

Ben sucked in a deep breath. His muscles were beginning to burn. He could not carry Kage for much longer. And the boy would need a healer soon. The wound in his side might not be fatal now. But if left untreated it could fester. Then it would be a long and painful road to recovery for the boy. If he could just find his friends, then he would be able to set Kage down and work on treating the wound. Tharja would probably help. She had a small knack for modifying her dark magic in order to perform healing tasks.

But where were his friends? He had been hiking through these woods for what felt like hours now and he found no sign of them. Which worried him. Had they been captured? It would explain why the Valmese patrols had suddenly stopped. Those patrols would only come to an end if they captured whatever they were searching for.

"So, Kenobi." Dooku continued, "Do you still consider yourself a Jedi?"

Kenobi frowned at the question, "Of course I do."

"But the order is dead. Why continue to follow in their ways?" Dooku said, "You and I have a common enemy now. I have my own personal reasons for wanting to destroy Sidious. And you no doubt wish to avenge the Jedi Order."

"I do not desire vengeance, Count." Ben countered.

"We both know that is a lie." Count Dooku replied, "I can sense it in you, Kenobi. The pain and anger. The deep feelings of loss and betrayal. You should embrace those feelings. The power you could tap into is beyond even your wildest imaginations."

"That is what you did, yes?"

Dooku nodded.

"And yet, you're technically the dead one. And I am still very much alive." Kenobi smirked as he saw Dooku frown, "I'll take my chances with the Jedi Code. Thank you very much."

"Hmph." Dooku folded his arms, "Suit yourself."

The Count glanced at Ben as he continued marching alongside the younger man. The much younger man. Dooku still did not understand how Kenobi looked the same, yet so very different at the same time. There was a youthful vitality to him that had not been there the last time they encountered each other.

"Speaking of alive." Dooku said. Kenobi let out a long, irritated sigh. Much to the Count's delight, "How are you so much younger all of a sudden?"

"When you figure out how you are somehow alive, you can help me discover the answer to that question." Ben replied.

Dooku furrowed his brow in confusion, "Something happened to you, Obi Wan. Something neither of us completely understand."

"You can say that again." Ben replied, "And for the record, on this world, call me Ben. If the Empire does come along at any point, I'd rather not let them know I'm here."

Dooku gave him a surprised look, "So Sidious does not have a presence on this planet? That is rather interesting. Is this world in the unknown regions then?"

Ben shrugged a little bit, "I don't know. I'm still trying to figure out how I ended up on this planet."

"How you ended up on this planet?"

"Well, Count," Ben drew in a deep breath, "Technically I survived the initial purge of the Jedi. But when I tried going into hiding, the ship I was on was attacked. I managed to get into an escape pod. And well-"

"You were blown to bits by a turbolaser?"

Ben gave the Count an incredulous stare. The older, undead man shrugged.

"It is what I would have done."

"How much of war criminal could you be?"

"Easily as much as the Jedi were. Or do you forget how many worlds starved because of Republic campaigns." He saw some guilt in Ben's eyes, "Oh you have not forgotten. I see. But, I cannot hold you at fault for those Kenobi. You were one of the few Jedi Generals that actually remembered the code and followed it. You were an honorable opponent that way."

"Why thank you, Count. I did not realize you were capable of such false flattery."

Count Dooku frowned, "It is not false flattery, Kenobi. Unlike the Jedi I was able to see some of the good qualities in my enemies."

Ben rolled his eyes. He doubted that very much. Count Dooku had mercilessly slain untold numbers of Jedi Knights during the Clone War. Both directly and indirectly. It was his actions that sparked a war that slaughtered billions of people. His actions that led to the downfall of the Jedi Order. He was not capable of anything good. Not anymore.

He heard Dooku chuckling to the side.

"You cannot solely blame me for all that has happened, Ben." Dooku drawled, "The Jedi were just as much as fault as I."

"How so?"

"If they were not such failures at being peacekeepers, I probably would have never left the Order."

"Then the Clone War would never have happened."

"Oh no, it would have." Dooku countered, "Sidious would have made certain that it did." The older man strode alongside Ben as they made their way towards a small clearing with a little pond in it, "Did you ever learn why I left the Jedi order?"

"Something about the Dark Side taking hold of your heart?"

Dooku snorted indignantly, "And this is why I lost all respect for the Jedi Order. All of them far too clouded by their own fear and ignorance to understand the truth. I left the Order because I knew the Order had become corrupt. Weak even. The Republic was rotting. And, much like a tree; if the roots rot, so do the branches. The Jedi were part of the corruption that led to the Clone War, Kenobi. I saw that and sought to leave it all behind me."

"Then you joined the Sith."

"For nobler reasons than you think." Dooku shot back.

Before Ben could snap back a reply. Torchlight lit up the clearing. Ben readied himself for a fight as Valmese soldiers emerged from the trees.

"Hold there, sir!" One soldier called, "Are you the one known as Ben?"

Ben frowned, "I am?"

The soldier waved at him, "Come with us. Your friends are sharing our camp. Princess Say'ri also wishes to meet you tomorrow morning." The soldier noticed Kage slumped over Ben's shoulders, "We will also have a healer look at your wounded comrade right away."

Ben hesitated to follow. But the Count strode ahead of him.

"Where are you going?"

Count Dooku glanced back at Ben, "To their camp of course. Even this renewed body tires at some point. And you need to keep an eye on me, per your own words. So I guess you are tagging along."

Ben scowled. He still was not sure about this. How could he be certain that his friends really were safe and free still? However, the Valmese men did not outright attack him. They did not try to apprehend him or kill him. Perhaps they were telling the truth. Somehow, the Shepherds had made more unexpected allies.

At this point, he really felt like he should not be surprised.

* * *

Sunlight filtered through the canvass roof of the Shepherd's tent. Robin groaned. He blinked his eyes open as a warm ray of sunlight rested over his face. A loud yawn left his lips as he stretched his arms over his head. Several joints popped. A satisfied sigh left his lips.

Gods it had been so long since he slept that well. No strange visions. No rocks jabbing into his back. Just a good night's rest. It was long overdue. He swung his legs out from his cot and rested his feet beside his boots. One hand ran through his brown hair. A slight frown fell over his lips as his fingers pulled down some hair past his eyes.

 _I need a haircut._

He brushed his hair from his eyes and glanced around the tent. Everyone else was still sound asleep. Robin chuckled a little when he saw Gaius in the bunk beneath the one he claimed, curled up beside Panne. The pair must have fallen asleep talking to each other.

Robin reach down and pulled his boots on over his feet. He then reached over and grabbed his coat from the cot. As he threw it over his shoulders, he noticed one of the cots had another occupant. He was not there now. But his boots were beside it.

The tactician surged to his feet and rushed out of the tent, slipping his other arm into his coat sleeve as he went. The camp had started to come alive this morning. Last night's sentries were being replaced. Other soldiers milled about, putting out the dying embers of fires. The tactician could smell breakfast being cooked somewhere nearby. Ah, hot food. Perhaps even a vegetable or two. That excited him.

But he still did not see Ben. Robin furrowed his brow and wandered a ways until he arrived at what had to be the Mess Tent. Lo and behold, sitting at one of the tables was Ben. A steaming cup of tea in front of him.

A large grin busted out over Robin's face as he strolled into the mess tent and clapped a hand on Ben's back. Startling the swordsman.

"I knew you'd be back." Robin laughed as Ben jumped in his seat.

The swordsman chuckled, "You will never be able to get rid of me that easily." He brought the cup of tea to his lips and took a small sip, "This is very good tea. You should try some."

"I think I will. Once breakfast is ready, of course." Robin took a seat beside Ben, "So… what happened?"

"Hm?"

"What did you find?"

Ben sighed, "Well-"

"He found me."

Robin noticed Ben visibly cringe as a rich, aristocratic voice hit his ears. Robin turned in his seat and saw a much older man sitting across from Ben. The older man had a cup of tea in front of him as well. He sat straight and proper in his seat. Clearly trained to act like a noble of some sort. The man saw Robin's perplexed expression.

"I am an old friend of Ben's." He held out a stump to Robin, "Dooku."

Robin smiled, "An old friend eh? Well, it's nice to meet you. I'm Robin."

He shook Dooku's stump. Doing his best not to point out how that the man's hands were missing. That would be rude after all.

"A pleasure." Dooku used his two stumps to deftly pick up his cup of tea. "So, Ben, my boy," Ben cringed across the table, "Are you going to introduce me to all of your new friends."

"Unfortunately." Robin heard Ben muttered, "Once they are all awake of course."

"And they will be roused soon, I am sure." Dooku leaned back in his seat, "We have a long trail ahead of us. A week to make it back to Charlet. And not many moments to lose."

"The Embargo." Robin nodded, "Yeah, I'm not keen on being trapped in Valm."

Ben nodded in agreement, "It is unfortunate that is happening. I would have liked to have stayed a little longer."

"In order to finish searching for your son." Robin said. Ben froze as he brought his glass to his lips. Eyes darting across the table to a rather intrigued and amused Dooku, "Me too Ben. Unfortunately, we can't. Who knows when we would be able to get home to Ylisse if we did."

"A son?" Dooku chuckled, "Ben, you never mentioned this to me."

"Well-" Ben quickly gulped down a huge amount of tea.

He took a deep breath and muttered something about needing something stronger to drink. A long sigh left Ben's lips. Robin could not help but notice how uncomfortable Ben seemed around Dooku. Was this old man really an old friend of his?

"His name is Luke." Ben breathed, "And that is all you need to know."

"Does he share a Mandalorian lineage?" Dooku asked.

Robin saw Ben's face pale.

"Mandalorian?" Robin wondered, unfamiliar with the term.

Ben shook his head.

"No, he does not. He is not Satine's."

Robin's mouth fell open in realization. Dooku thought Ben and his first love had a child together. That would have been a safe assumption to make. Robin probably would have made the same guess if he ever thought long enough about it before.

"Anyways," Ben cleared his throat. Eager to change the subject, "Did you find Marth?"

Robin's lips parted into a wide grin, "We did. And speaking of her."

Both Ben and Dooku turned to see Marth enter the Mess tent. The young warrior froze upon seeing Ben. She appeared uncertain on what to do. A broad smile crossed Ben's face when he saw her.

"It is good to see you again, Marth."

Marth nervously swallowed, "Likewise, Ben." She replied, her tone stiff and unsure. She glanced at Dooku, "Who is he?"

"Dooku, my lady." The older man bowed his head to her, "And please, join us. The tea here is wonderful." He beckoned to an open chair at the long table.

Marth hesitated. In the end, she reluctantly sat down.

"How is Cynthia?" Robin asked.

Ben drew back, "Who?"

"My sister." Marth answered, surprising Ben, "We stumbled into each other by complete accident last night. And she is still rendered silent, Robin."

Robin grimaced, "Oh dear. I'll talk to Tharja, see what kind of cure she can whip up for that hex."

Ben glanced back and forth between the two, "What exactly did I miss?"

"Cynthia got us caught because she is apparently an airhead who can't recognize friend from foe." All heads turned to see Gaius and Panne strutting into the mess tent. The thief pointed at the heavy bandages wrapped around his head, "Courtesy of her Pegasus."

"Ah. I thought Panne finally beat you senseless." Ben replied as he took another sip of tea.

"Oh ha ha. Very funny." Gaius slumped down in a seat while Panne went to get both of them tea, "I still have a headache from it. Hey Whiskers! Extra sugar in mine please."

"I know." Panne called back.

"So who's the old fart?" Gaius asked, making Ben choke on his tea.

"My name is Dooku. I'm an old friend of Master Ben's."

"No kidding. You're Benny's old pal." Gaius grinned, "So, what kind of embarrassing dirt can you give us?"

"Oh plenty."

Ben cleared his throat, "Not now. We have other things to worry about at the moment."

"Aw." Gaius said, "I was hoping to be able to embarrass Benny. You and I got to do that sometime, Stumps. Especially when Tharja is around."

"Tharja?" Dooku gave Ben a sly look.

"It is nothing."

"Oh? Making do me eyes in the night ain't nothing, Benny." Gaius smirked, "I saw you two that one night in the hideout. All that was missing was for you two to fall all over each other and for the clothes to start coming off."

"I swear to Naga, Gaius, I will give you another concussion!" Ben snapped back, causing everyone else at the table to bust out laughing.

Robin wiped a tear from his eye as Panne placed a cup of tea in front of him. As that happened, the other Shepherds filtered into the mess tent. Groggy Donnel pulled up a chair and waited for breakfast to be served. Sleep still filled his eyes. And his hair was sticking out in all different directions.

Laurent was already completely ready for the day. All he had to do was eat. He gave Marth a stiff nod before sitting down and opening his spell book. His eyes flicked up at Dooku for a minute. But then returned to his book. Not bothered at all that there a stranger dined with them.

Anna pulled up a seat. A cup of tea sat in front of her weary, red eyes. Ben had a feeling she probably cried herself to sleep again. No doubt having to reside among the Valmese was hard on her. These were the same soldiers that served the nation that killed her sister.

Cynthia was the last one to arrive. The poor girl looked horrendous in the morning. Hair splayed out in all different directions. Eyes half closed. Feet trudging forward as she dragged herself to breakfast. She pulled a seat up beside Marth, sat down, then let her head fall to the table. A soft snore left her lips. Marth rolled her eyes and nudged her awake again.

Ben's mouth started to water as the cooks emerged with plates of food for all of them. Dooku raised his eyebrows at the strange foods on his plate. Ben meanwhile, dug in. Enjoying the meal of rice and grilled fish immensely.

Gaius nudged Dooku's side.

"Hey, Stumps?" He pointed at the old man's seared fish, "You gonna eat that? Cause if you're not, I will."

"Be satisfied with your own food, Gaius." Panne said as she dug into her own fish.

"I'm just saying." Gaius replied, "Can't let a good fish go to waste."

Ben nodded in agreement. He wiped his face with a napkin and glanced around the table. One person was still missing. And he knew why.

"If you'll excuse me." Ben said as he rose from the table.

"Oh boy!" Gaius smirked, "Going to go wake up your girlfriend?"

"She is not my girlfriend." Ben snapped, pointing a finger at Gaius.

"Keep telling yourself that."

Ben huffed and marched away while the others chuckled at his expense. He swiftly made his way through the camp back over to their tent. He entered the tent and found Tharja still sleeping in her cot. Her entire body curled up around her spell book.

Ben sighed and walked up to her. He brushed a hand against her shoulder.

"Tharja, its-"

She surged upright and wrapped her arms around his neck. Ben froze as Tharja embraced him.

"Thank Grima you're okay."

Ben blinked, "Ah… I told you I would be."

He felt Tharja freeze. The dark mage's eyes flicked up and down as she realized what she was doing. A deep blush ran over her cheeks as she quickly tore her arms away from Ben and cleared her throat.

"So-so-erm… breakfast?"

Ben smirked, "Of course. Why else would I be waking you?"

Tharja smirked back, "Because you enjoy my company. Why else?"

Ben chuckled and helped her to her feet. Once she slipped on her sandals, the pair emerged from the tent and made their way back to the mess tent.

Breakfast was in full swing. Stores were being told left and right. Cynthia was trying everything in her power to communicate to the others. Her hands waved all over the place as she made signs no one understood. Finally frustrated, Marth's younger sibling folded her arms and pouted.

Robin chuckled then noticed Ben approaching with Tharja.

"Holy crap. She didn't try to burn you alive."

"That only happened once." Ben replied with a smirk.

"It can always happen again." Tharja answered as she grabbed a chair and pulled it up to the only spot available at the table. Right next to Dooku.

The old man glanced at the odd woman. He could feel the dark side of the force swirling through her and around that strange text in her arms. His eyes flicked over to Ben. Oh how he wanted to fall over laughing right now. The righteous Jedi Knight was falling for this woman? This would be something every single padawan at the temple would have gossiped about for months on end.

"You must be, Lady Tharja." Dooku said as he acknowledged the Dark Mage. He watched with a smug grin as Ben squirmed a little in the seat across from him.

Tharja glanced at the old man. Her eyes narrowed dangerously.

"And you are?"

"Dooku." He extended a stump to Tharja.

Tharja eyed him warily. Her gaze flicked over to Ben. She could see how nervous he suddenly was. This old man put her friend on edge for some reason. A friend would not cause that.

Dooku retracted his arm.

"Perhaps it is too early for pleasantries?" She seemed a rather grumpy girl.

"Nah!" Gaius chirped, "Sunshine is always like that. Except when it comes to Benny and Bubbles that is."

Tharja started mumbling under her breath. Gaius yelped and scrambled behind Panne. He pointed a trembling finger at Tharja.

"Don't do it."

The rest of the table laughed as Tharja stopped casting her hex. As they laughed, Say'ri entered the tent. Behind her was her little brother and-

Marth surged to her feet as Kage entered the tent. The other Shepherds fell silent. All of their mirth instantly evaporated at the sight of him. Ben eyed the others cautiously while Dooku continued eating as if nothing was going on. Robin furrowed his brow and kept his hand near his spell book. Laurent, Donnel, and Anna were all tense. But none of them appeared furious. Just ready to jump in if anything happened.

Panne bristled and growled as she glared at the young Sith Lord. Gaius gave the kid a nasty snarl.

"You." Marth hissed.

Cynthia bounced from her seat and raced over to Kage. The girl slammed into him. Wrapping her arms tight around his torso. The young man hissed in pain, causing Cynthia to recoil back. She then starting fretting over the bandages wrapped around his waist.

"Cynthia get away from him." Marth warned.

"That kid has balls to face us right now." Gaius glowered.

"Both of you calm down." Ben said, his tone firm and low, "Kage is Princess Say'ri' personal bodyguard and friend. We do not want to start burning bridges when we only have one to cross home on."

Gaius grit his teeth but said nothing. He kept his anger filled eyes squarely fixed on Kage. Meanwhile, Kage did not pay any attention to Marth or the others. Instead, his eyes were fixed on Dooku. The old man smirked at him.

"Good morning young man." Dooku chimed, "I trust you are on the road to recovery."

Ben could see the boy seething. But he hid it well enough. He knew he could not best Dooku. And Dooku was not a threat right now. His hands were taken from him. And as long as Ben was there, the Deadlord would not try anything.

Say'ri on the other hand appeared quite alarmed.

"What is he doing here?" She exclaimed.

Ben quickly got to his feet, "I heard you wished to speak to me, Princess Say'ri."

The Chon'sin Princess glared at Ben, "Yes," Her steely gaze turned back to Dooku. The old man waved a stump at her before using his stumps to pick at his piece of fish, "Not here."

They both retreated from the tent. As they exited the tent, Kage awkwardly took a seat beside Cynthia. The mute Pegasus Knight was more than happy to sit beside him. But the others could not help but glare angrily as he tried to eat his breakfast.

Outside of the tent, Say'ri wheeled around on Ben.

"What is that monster doing here?" she hissed.

Ben raised a hand to calm her down, "I know what I am doing. By the way, it is very nice to meet you."

"Don't change the subject on me." Say'ri jabbed a furious finger at Ben, "I know very well what that man in there is. He is a monster. A fell spawn of Grima."

"And I beat him." Ben replied, "And he knows it. He won't harm anyone or anything as long as I am nearby."

"How can you be so sure of that?" Say'ri asked.

"Because Dooku is not an idiot." Ben replied, "He does not want to die. And he knows very well that I am more than capable of killing him. He also has failed in whatever mission he was supposed to do. Which means if he were to go back to his Master, he would die. His loyalties therefore, no longer reside with Grima."

"They are still questionable."

"Oh absolutely." Ben remarked, "That is why I cut off his hands and why I am keeping a very close eye on him. As I said, I know what I am doing."

Say'ri huffed as she placed her hands on her hips, "You should have killed it."

"I don't know if I can permanently kill him, your highness. And it is better if I can keep a leash on him than to have him running about doing Naga knows what." Ben sighed, "I don't like this any better than you or the others, but it is the only option I see available to us."

Say'ri's jaw worked furiously behind her lips. She glared at Ben.

"If you are wrong, and he harms anyone I care about in any way-"

"Then you can say: I told you so. And I will make sure he is killed." Ben answered, "Now, come." He motioned to the tent, "Breakfast is getting cold. And we need to get moving soon."

Say'ri let out a heavy sigh.

"Very well." The Princess grumbled, "But you will be taking him with you across the sea. I never want that fell creature near me or my family ever again."

"Of course." Ben nodded in agreement.

"Good."

Both Say'ri and Ben moved back into the tent. Ben could not help but notice the very sudden change in atmosphere. No more jokes bounced between seats. Absolutely no one laughed. Angry glances continued to be shot at an increasingly grumpy and uncomfortable Kage. The only people exuding some sort of happiness were Say'ri's little brother and Cynthia.

Ben glanced over at the small toddler beside the Chon'sin princess. For some reason, there was a deep sense of familiarity for Ben. As if he knew this boy. But that was not possible. He had never seen the child before in his life. Yet something tugged on his mind. A faint thread telling him that this child was more than he appeared to be.

Well, if there was anything to that thread, he would find out at some point. It was going to be a long journey back to Charlet.

Gaius chucked a chunk of rice at Kage. The young Sith's eyes blazed at the thief from across the table. Everyone, except Dooku, came to a standstill. The old man however, munched happily on his food. Thoroughly entertained

Ben ran a hand through his hair.

A very long journey to Charlet.

 **And chapter! This was a tough one to write. So many little story threads that had to be tied up nice and neat. So many different elements and characters to juggle. It was one hell of a challenge. I hope it turned out decent.**

 **So this arc is starting to finally come to a close. Our heroes are returning home to Ylisse with a new 'comrade' in the fold. That should cause some fun shenanigans. And we will get a lot more character moments in the next few chapters. Including some pairings! It's time I stopped teasing some of them and started actually delivering. So yes, we will be also seeing Chrom and the other Shepherds again in the next few chapters. Then it will be off to the next big arc of this story, the Valm War. I'm so excited!**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	64. The End of an Adventure

The Force's Shepherds  
Chapter 64

The End of an Adventure

Yen'fay stood on the outskirts of the army camp. His armor still sat back in his tent. He had no need for it now. The rebellion in Rosanne had been crushed. Any resistance stomped out with the sword and shield. Brutally brought to an end. As the Conqueror demanded. Not a single threat existed for him in this beautiful country anymore.

He took in a deep breath. Enjoying the crisp morning air that had settled over the port city of Charlet. In a few days, a new company of Valmese soldiers would arrive and take over the occupation. Relieving him and his men from this work. They would all finally go home to Chon'sin.

Yen'fay looked forward to it. He grew tired of the constant war councils and campaigning. The continent had been brought to a heel. Emperor Walhart ruled all. There would be no more wars in the coming days. He hoped. And if another uprising occurred, he hoped that Cervantes or Pheros would be sent to handle it. He had been away from home far too long. His duties as a General in the Conqueror's military kept him away from the family he held dear.

Once he returned home, if his baby brother had not been found, he would start a search personally. Excellus would not defeat him so easily. He may have the Conqueror's ear, but Yen'fay had the Conqueror's respect. If it came to blows between his men and Excellus, Yen fay liked to believe the Conqueror would choose the honorable one. The one that did not kidnap helpless children in order to feed their petty schemes.

That being said, once he returned to Chon'sin, his own petty schemes would come to an end. No more funding rebellions. No more shadow warfare against the Empire that killed his parents. He would take the mantle of governor. Allow Say'ri a reprieve. His younger sister had to mature so much so fast over the past few years. His actions, as well as the Conqueror's, had robbed her of a life of her choosing.

Besides, all of the shadow games cost him his little brother. Excellus had known much more than Yen'fay thought. And that disturbed the General. The worm may not have a shred of honor, but he was damn smart. The only reason the Conqueror did not deal with his actions personally was probably due to the Conqueror exhibiting a small shred of mercy towards one of his most successful generals. Yen'fay would not allow such luck to be for nothing.

Footsteps rushed up to him. One of his sentries.

"General." The young boy saluted, "We have sights on travelers approaching the city. Eight of them match the description of the rebels that escaped two weeks ago."

Yen'fay furrowed his brow. They were returning? Why? Were these rebels surrendering? That was possible. At the same time, they had escaped his grasp. They had earned their freedom. Why come back and give it up?

"Is there anyone else with them?" Yen'fay's quiet voice asked.

"That's the thing sir. Several of General Cervantes's men march with them. We can see his standard from the camp's edge."

Yen'fay arched an eyebrow. Cervantes sent men with these rebels? Perhaps he captured them and wanted them returned to Rosanne for Yen'fay to deal with? No, that was not it. Cervantes was a competent general, but also an ambitious one. He would not pass up an opportunity to show he was superior to Pheros and Yen'fay.

The rebels were not prisoners then. They traveled with Cervantes's men as companions.

"Take me to them." Yen'fay ordered.

"Sir!" The sentry saluted and rushed towards the main road.

Yen'fay followed. Walking at a leisurely pace. He was not worried about eight potential rebels. Or were they even rebels? Cervantes did not seem to think so. Yen'fay had not even considered the possibility that the travelers were actually innocent. Then again, his men had found them dealing with a black market merchant. Something rebels often did in the city.

His curiosity was piqued. As he reached the main road, he turned to face the oncoming travelers. His eyes widened in shock.

Leading the motley group was Say'ri. Her face and outfit frayed and dirty. Striding alongside her was the mercenary he hired, Luke, and-

He sprinted towards the group, startling his own men that had gathered to watch the traveler's arrival. As he rushed towards the group, his baby brother broke away from Say'ri and ran up to him. Yen'fay knelt to the ground and wrapped the toddler in an enormous embrace.

"Kage." He breathed as he clutched the boy tight.

He let out a heavy, relieved sigh. All of the anxiety and stress he had been feeling for weeks now left his body in an instant. The little blond boy in his arms did more to comfort him than any luxury Rosanne or Chon'sin could offer. He kissed the top of the boy's head then looked up at the travelers.

A motley group indeed. Three were obvious mages. Although none of them wore matching robes. One even wore a heavy coat instead of traditional robes. Another wore a very light outfit more suited for desert sands than traveling through the Valm countryside. A merchant and a thief stood beside a very hairy woman. A Pegasus rider trotted beside his sister. And keeping to the back of the pack was a young woman with one arm; a young, unassuming young man with a neatly trimmed beard; and a tall, elderly man with rather small hands.

Yen'fay looked at his sister. He could not help but notice the small smile on her face as he embraced Kage. It had been a long time since he had seen her smile like that.

"I had a feeling you would not stay at home." Yen'fay said with a small smile as he ruffled Kage's hair with his hand.

Say'ri shrugged, "Someone had to make sure the job was done correctly."

"That is why I asked for someone who already proved himself capable to go and search for Kage." He nodded at Luke.

The young man blinked, "You knew she would follow!"

Yen'fay uttered a soft laugh, "I know my sister is willful and stubborn. That, and she won't let an injustice stand." He eyed the others around his sister, "And I see along the way she made some unexpected allies."

Yes, he recognized this group of travelers. With the exception of the two blue haired girls and the old man, they matched the description of their escaped rebels.

"You all are not rebels after all."

"No. They are not." Say'ri motioned to all them, "Brother, these are members of the Ylissean Shepherds. I present to you Robin and Ben Kenobi, their captains."

"I was never really given the rank of captain. Just tactician." Robin uttered with a sheepish smile.

"I was. Still don't know how or why that came about." Ben smirked before bowing to General Yen'fay, "General it is a pleasure to meet you under better circumstances."

Robin jumped then bowed as well. Suddenly remembering the need for a more formal approach.

"If I had known you were Ylissean, we would have met under better circumstances much earlier." Yen'fay admitted. His eyes fell on the furious looking merchant, "I apologize for what happened, my lady. I wish I could undo the damage."

She remained silent. Her gaze averted from his own. Yen'fay could understand her anger. She looked identical to the black market merchant that died that day. The pair must be related in some way.

"We have Anna's personal effects locked away currently." Yen'fay told the merchant, "I will give you the key and allow you to claim them."

He saw the shocked look on her face. It did not signal forgiveness. But maybe, she would not be as hostile as she initially was. Yen'fay drew in a deep breath and rose to his feet.

"Well, I assume they are here in order to leave Valm before the Embargo takes effect?" He asked Say'ri.

His sister nodded.

"I will make sure a ship is prepared. It will be ready to sail tomorrow. For now, your friends may rest with us in the camp. We have more food here than in the city at the moment."

"Ah food!" The red haired man cried, "This guy is speaking my language."

Ben Kenobi uttered a long groan, "He does not understand proper manners does he?"

"You're asking that now?" Robin chuckled, "Thank you, General. We will gladly take your invitation."

Yen'fay nodded. He barked some orders to the men around him. A few new tents needed to be constructed and a hot meal prepared for their guests. They were to be treated as they would treat him. Not a single soul questioned those orders. His men simply saluted and went to work.

The General reached down and picked up his baby brother. The little boy let out a cheerful cry as Yen'fay hoisted him high over head before plopping him down on his shoulders.

"Come. All of you. You must be weary from your travels." He looked at Say'ri and Luke, "And I want to know what happened."

* * *

Ben arched an eyebrow as he watched five little fingers wiggle then wrap around the handle of a small mug. Something about it just seemed so… wrong. A child's hand on an old man's body.

 _I'm beginning to have second thoughts about taking his old hands._

"You seem distressed, my friend." Dooku leaned back in the wooden chair, one leg cross over the other. He raised his glass using both of his tiny hands. Ben cringed.

"I think the reason should be obvious."

Dooku smirked, "Well, you brought it upon yourself."

"Unfortunately." Ben sighed as he brought his own cup to his lips.

Being allowed to sit a rest was a welcome change of pace for the Jedi. He had been running all over the planet for nearly a year now. And his body had finally started to show signs of exhaustion. He would not give up his search for Luke. But it felt nice to be able to relax for once. As soon as he got back to Ylisse, the search would continue. He had a feeling the others would want to return to Ylisstol. And he probably would as well. But only for a short time.

Dooku let out a satisfied sigh as he finished off his first cup of tea.

"This land has wonderful cuisine. I must say." Dooku hummed, "The tea is remarkable. A bit bitter though."

"Much like yourself."

"Hardly." Dooku shot back, "And that fish and grain they gave us."

"Rice?"

"Yes that." Dooku nodded, "A touch bland. But it paired well with the protein."

Ben nodded in agreement. If there was one thing about Dooku he could actually stand, it was that the man had very refined taste. He could be prim and proper when needed. And he understood the environment around him very well. Ben did not even need to explain why they could not speak about the greater galaxy. Dooku correctly guessed this world did not know much beyond their own. And it was best to not disturb the natural order of things around them.

"So." Dooku continued, "What is Ylisse like?"

A wistful smile crossed Ben's lips.

"Does paradise count as a proper description?"

Dooku snorted, "Paradise?" The Count shifted in his seat, "This world seems rather backwards to be considered a paradise. I'm worried that Ylisstol does not have proper plumbing."

Ben let out a small laugh, "They do. For how primitive the technology of this world is, it has not held back their civilizations. Ylisstol is a beautiful city. I'm sure it will be fully rebuilt too by the time we get back."

"Rebuilt?"

Ben nodded as he set his cup of tea down on the table between them, "A year ago, Ylisse went to war with Plegia. The Plegians almost conquered the country. But Prince Chrom rallied his soldiers. With the help of Regna Ferox, we won."

"We?" Dooku gave Ben a wry smirk, "I thought you still consider yourself a Jedi, Kenobi. Shouldn't you be an impartial observer not an active combatant?"

Ben frowned, "The Plegians attacked unprovoked. I felt it my duty to step in and assist the side in danger of being persecuted and wiped out."

"Oh really?" Dooku nodded, "So you followed your sense of honor and duty instead of the Jedi code." He raised his empty glass to Ben, "I'm proud of you."

"That is not what I meant."

"Isn't it?" Dooku argued back, "Would the old Order have become involved in such a small, regional conflict? Or would they have sat back and done nothing while genocide likely ensued?"

Ben furrowed his brow. What would the Jed Order have done? What would the council have done? Dooku did have a point. There were many cases of something similar happening throughout galactic history. A recent example being the Naboo crisis Obi Wan fought in. One of the more tragic examples being the Mandalorian Wars during ancient times. He shook his head.

"That doesn't matter."

"Your correct, because the Order is dead, Kenobi." Dooku leaned back in his seat, "If you want my personal opinion, it is time for you to move on."

"Why would you care about me?" Ben asked.

"I always somewhat cared about you, Obi Wan. You were Qui Gon's student. And Qui Gon was my student." Dooku smirked at Ben, "It is almost like I should be a grandfather to you."

"A particularly hostile grandfather." Ben grumbled.

"Perhaps." Dooku shrugged, "But that hostility was born from warfare. Not personal feelings."

Ben eyed the Count across from him, "So you would so easily forget the many times we tried to kill each other just because we are no longer on opposite sides in a war?"

Dooku shrugged, "I'm not so sure about forget. Perhaps forgive a little bit. That might be the more proper term." He could see the confusion on Ben's face, "Kenobi, unlike you, I realize there is a greater threat to both of us in the galaxy. If Sidious were to find out we were both alive-"

"He would make sure we did not stay this way long."

Dooku nodded, "Precisely. And we both know he will learn of us sooner rather than later. His reach is too long. Power too great. You and I need to join together to combat him when that day comes. Maybe we can defeat him."

Ben shook his head and leaned back in his own seat. He was quiet for a minute. A gentle breeze drifted into the tent he shared with Dooku as he pondered the older man's words.

"To defeat Sidious is not my destiny." Ben replied.

"How do you know that?"

Ben sighed, "If it was my destiny, then I would not be searching for Luke."

Ben froze as that little tidbit of information slipped from the younger man's tongue. A low chuckle left Dooku's lips.

"So that is why you are so worried about finding the boy." Dooku smirked as Ben threw up his mental defenses, "I am not trying to break into your mind, Kenobi. No need to be so defensive."

"One cannot be too careful when it comes to you." Ben frowned.

Dooku nodded, "The Jedi Purge has made you wary. Good. That will serve you well."

The old man reached up and used his tiny, regrowing fingers to scratch an itch in his beard. His other hand tapped the armrest. Kenobi did not believe it was his destiny to destroy Sidious. How strange given the fact that the rest of the Jedi were dead. Or were they? Were there other survivors?

"Were you the only one that survived?" He abruptly asked.

"Hm?"

"The Jedi." Dooku clarified, "Are you the only survivor?"

Ben's face saddened significantly. The younger man set his glass to the side. A small nod told Dooku what he wanted to know.

"So then it is your destiny to slay Sidious." Dooku concluded.

"No." Ben replied emphatically. He wanted to counter, but Dooku could see some confusion on Ben's face. A lack of conviction in what he believed, "I'm not sure what my destiny is anymore. When I initially survived the purge, my destiny was to safeguard and train Luke."

Dooku furrowed his brow, "The boy sounds extremely important if that is what you believed your life would amount to."

Ben hesitated to delve further. Dooku waited for him to speak. There was much to learn about this boy Ben was searching for. Dooku already doubted Kenobi was the father. It became apparent to him that Ben had been searching for this boy for sometime now. And not much time had passed between the present and his own death. There was not enough time for Ben to forsake his Jedi oath and actually fall for a woman that way.

"He's Anakin's son." Ben admitted.

Dooku furrowed his brow, "Skywalker's?"

And there was the missing piece to the puzzle. The child of Skywalker would have an enormous amount of potential in the force. Enough to, if properly trained, destroy Darth Sidious. No wonder Kenobi did not believe it his destiny to confront the Dark Lord of the Sith. He knew he was not strong enough. And he never would be strong enough. Sidious's power was monstrous. The old man a monument to the Sith's teachings. A manifestation of the Dark Side of the Force. Kenobi was nothing more than a man. A simple Jedi.

Dooku chucked his tea cup at Ben. Ben yelped and ducked out of the way. The cup slammed against the tent wall and fell to the grassy floor.

"What the hell!?"

"You managed to lose someone that important?" Dooku groaned, "Honestly, Kenobi, what good are you if you can't even safeguard an infant."

"It is not like I lost him on purpose!"

Before their argument could continue, the entry to their tent opened. Robin poked his head inside.

"Oh." Robin flicked his gaze back and forth between the two, "Is this a bad time?"

Ben let out a long, heavy sigh, "No, no." He waved at Robin, "Please come in. Rescue me from this old fart's questions."

Dooku snorted, "Your speech has certainly taken a downturn while hanging around that thief."

Ben glared across at the old man. Dooku smirked back.

"So, Robin." Dooku drawled, "What brings you to our humble tent at this time?"

"Well," Robin kicked at the floor, "Seeing as we finally have a chance to stop rushing about for a moment, I was hoping Ben could continue my lessons."

"Lessons?" Dooku glanced over at Ben, "Are you-"

Ben nodded. Dooku furrowed his brow and looked at Robin. Eyes flicking up and down over the unassuming boy. He did not sense anything remarkable about him.

So he delved deeper. Beneath the surface of the Force. And what Dooku found stunned him. A well of power completely untapped. No.. not untapped. Locked away. Sealed behind a strange prison that kept it from being unleashed. A shadowy pit of dark side energy waiting to burst forth from the boy.

Ben saw the Count's eyes widen. Robin looked a little uncomfortable beneath Dooku's penetrating stare.

"Uh…" Robin shifted his weight from one foot to the other, "Why is he?"

"The potential you possess is remarkable." Dooku breathed, "How did I not sense this before?"

Robin's eyes widened at Dooku, "You can-" He whipped his head towards Ben, "Is he a Jedi too?"

Ben opened his mouth to explain, but Dooku cut him off.

"I used to be a Jedi Master, Robin." Dooku folded his tiny hands in his lap, "In fact, Kenobi's master was my own apprentice. But I left the order some time ago."

Robin looked at Dooku filled with wonder and curiosity.

"No Robin." Ben sighed, knowing exactly what the tactician was about to ask.

"Oh come on! The amount of knowledge he must have! I can't help but ask."

"Come now Kenobi. No harm can come of me giving the young man a few pointers."

"Those pointers are not healthy for him."

"Do you know the Dark Side of the Force?" Dooku countered.

Ben frowned.

"Precisely. Meanwhile, I have studied such mysteries for over a decade. The Dark Side fills Robin. Penetrates him to his very core. He needs to learn to control and master it. Not bury and run from such power."

"I have been teaching him the basics. That is all he will ever need." Ben remarked.

Dooku's lips deepened into a frown, "Robin, could you give us a minute."

Robin flicked his gaze between both men. He could see the tension in Ben as he glared across the tent at Dooku. Reluctantly, Robin nodded and ducked out of their tent.

"Kenobi." Dooku droned.

"Dooku." Ben hissed back.

"Do you have any idea of the opportunity you have inadvertently created?" Dooku asked. The old man rose to his feet and paced to and fro. Excitement building inside of him as he spoke, "There may not even be a need to wait for Skywalker's child to be ready. Robin's potential in the force is significant. That boy, Kage's, is enormous. And that other child, Marth, has moderate potential as well. Properly train all three and you will have force to be reckoned with."

"A force Sidious could easily kill."

"He could easily kill them all now." Dooku shot back. Arms folded over his chest.

"Not if they aren't a threat to him." Ben countered.

Dooku rolled his eyes, "Are you that naive? Or perhaps that stupid? Sidious will always see anyone with an inkling of Force potential as a threat. He will never admit it, because his pride would never allow him to. But he will come to this planet at some point. He will take care of us. Then he will sense those three and deal with them. With or without any further training. He does not tolerate threats or rivals that he himself cannot control."

Ben shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"Neglect to train them at your own peril, Kenobi."

"We are done with this conversation." Ben rose from his seat and marched to the tent's exit.

"You cannot hide from what must be done." Dooku warned, "To do nothing, in this situation, is the worst option you could possibly choose."

Ben ignored him as he stepped out of their tent. A cool wind brushed past him. He rubbed his hands together and let out a heavy, irritated sigh.

"I hope I did not just drive a wedge between you two."

Ben glanced over at Robin. The tactician had been waiting outside of the tent. Ben frowned. How much did he hear? Hopefully not much at all. Then again, he and Dooku had kept their voices down.

"That wedge has been there for a long time already, Robin." Ben replied with a small sigh, "And… there won't be a lesson today. There is too much going on and not enough time. Perhaps on the boat ride back home."

Robin nodded, "I understand." The tactician tucked his hands into his coat pockets as another cool wind brushed through the army camp, "Um… I also came to tell you something is up with Marth. She's been having a rough few days. What with having to act as if Kage is some sort of ally and all."

"I'll talk to her." Ben nodded.

"Good." Robin replied as Ben turned on his heel and marched in the direction of Marth and Cynthia's tent, "Oh Ben! Dinner is in two hours. In the officers' mess tent. General Yen'fay wants to dine with us. As a thank you for saving his little brother."

"I'll be there." Ben called back before continuing on his way.

Robin sighed as he watched Ben disappear into the camp. He seemed so much more tense now that Dooku was around. The pair talked often enough. But every time they talked, Ben grew more aloof regarding the old man. To Robin, it did not look like they were old friends. Hell, Ben even admitted they were not on good terms.

His curious eyes turned to Ben's tent. Robin pursed his lips. He really shouldn't. Ben did not want him learning from Dooku. But damn it! He needed to learn. Needed to understand the Force. This power that he could barely control. If it could help his friends on the battlefield, then he needed to master it. Ben had made it clear he would not go past the basics. Dooku on the other hand…

Robin made his way back into the tent. He found Dooku sitting cross legged on his cot, meditating.

He tried to tip toe in. But the old man appeared instantly aware of his presence.

"I had a feeling you would come back." Dooku opened his eyes. A small, please smile rested over his lips.

"Yeah well," Robin took a seat across from him, "I have a feeling I'm going to need to know all I can about the force."

"Indeed you do." Dooku agreed, "It would be a shame if your potential went unrealized."

Robin blinked at Dooku in surprise, "Am I really that special?"

A good natured chuckle left Dooku's lips. The old man's eyes practically sparkled with excitement.

"More than you could possibly imagine."

* * *

Ben strode through camp. All around him, Valmese soldiers went about their daily routine. He could hear several blacksmiths working tirelessly on sharpening arms and repairing armor. Some of the soldiers sat around small campfires. All of them eager to dig into their rations for supper. Ben saw a few of them give him a stony glare as he passed by. Not a single soldier would question their General's orders when it came to Ben and his friends. But that did not mean they liked those orders. They all still viewed him and his friends with hostility. After all, it had only been a couple weeks ago when they clashed in the streets of Charlet. Some of their comrades fell to Ben's blade in that affair. It did not surprise him that there were still some ill feelings directed at him from the Valmese soldiers.

He managed to ignore some of the more venomous glares. The soldiers' opinions on him did not matter at the moment. Robin told him Marth was struggling over the past few days. The only reason the tactician would come to him and not try to handle it himself is that he probably already tried. And he failed to get through to her. Marth respected Ben. And for some reason, she called him Master. That still confused the swordsman.

A ball rolled up to his feet. Ben glanced down at his boots as he stopped walking. The ball was a little round thing made of rubber and soft leather. A playful cry raced across the camp. Ben looked up. A small smile crossed his lips as Prince Kage rushed over to the ball. Princess Say'ri walked behind him with a large grin on her face.

"Hurry up so you can throw it back." She called out to her little brother as the toddler hesitated in front of Ben.

The little boy looked up at Ben with big, bright, blue eyes. He shuffled nervously in front of Ben. Never moving to pick up the ball. Ben chuckled and knelt down to his eye level. He reached for the ball and plucked it up from the ground.

"I believe this is yours." Ben said.

Kage nodded and snatched the ball from Ben's hand.

He expected the toddler to turn around and run back to Say'ri. Maybe even throw the ball back at her.

Instead, the child stared hard at the ball. As if he was unsure what to do with it.

A gasp rushed from Ben's lungs. The ball floated a few inches off of Kage's hands. He let it hover there for a couple minutes before looking back up at Ben's stunned face. A bright smile ran over the young Prince's lips.

"Kage." Say'ri breathed as she picked him up. The ball fell back to Ben's feet, "I apologize Ben Kenobi." Say'ri said, "He does that often. A little trick that normally earns him some words of praise from the other dynasts in Chon'sin. All of them swear he will be a great mage someday." She brushed some of his long blonde hair from his face, "Problem is, we have no idea what kind of magic he is even using."

Ben's eyes remained fixed on the ball. Kage just used the Force. The Prince of Chon'sin just used the force. Effortlessly too. He flicked his eyes up at Say'ri. Immediately, he delved into the Force. That tug of familiarity grew stronger the more he looked at the boy.

What Ben felt made his heart stop in his chest. The boy's potential in the force was enormous. A well of untapped power. He felt so in tune with the Force. So comfortable with it. The Force hummed around him. And Ben could not help but be blown away by the raw power he felt within the toddler.

His mind raced. Extreme power and potential. Toddler. Blond hair and bright blue eyes.

"It can't be." Ben whispered as he struggled to catch his breath.

Say'ri furrowed her brow, "Are you well, Ben?" She bounced Kage in her arms, "You look like you have seen a ghost."

Ghosts would not stun him this much. Ben trembled a little as he rose to his feet. It made no sense. How could it. Luke was supposed to be barely a year old at this point. Not nearly three. Yet this toddler in Say'ri's arms matched his description and signature in the Force. The thread in his mind bolstered in strength as he stared at Kage.

"Ben Kenobi?" Say'ri said again, snapping Ben out of his stunned state.

"I um-"

"I hope he did not alarm you with his little trick. I understand seeing strange magic like that can startle some people."

"He-he did not startle me." Ben replied, still struggling to find words. He cleared his throat and tried to regather his bearings, "I apologize Say'ri. I just remembered I have to go um… handle something. Gaius and," He sucked in a deep breath, "shenanigans."

Say'ri raised an eyebrow, "Very well. But do not forget dinner is in a couple hours. I expect to see you there."

"Of course." He gave her a small nod, "I shall see you there."

He gave one last long look at Kage before turning on his heel and marching back towards the Shepherds' group of tents. His heart pounded in his chest. Mind raced.

Impossible. It had to be impossible. Prince Kage of Chon'sin could not possibly be Luke Skywalker. He ran a hand through his hair as he strode through the camp. Failing to hear Robin call to him as he walked.

He did not even notice when the tactician caught up to him and clapped a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey Ben. So Dooku and I were chatting and-" Robin caught himself, "Are you alright, Ben? You look a little sick."

"I-" Ben swallowed hard, "I found him."

Robin furrowed his brow. Puzzled for a moment. Then his eyes widened.

"You found Luke?"

Ben gave Robin a shaky nod.

"Well-" A thrilled smile ran over Robin's face, "Well that's great! Where is he?"

Ben shook his head. He looked paler than a clean sheet. Robin saw his legs start to shake.

"Ben?" Robin gave his friend a worried look. He reached out and steadied the man before he could topple over, "We need to get you to Tharja."

"Tharja?" Ben echoed.

"Yes, Tharja." Robin led Ben through their cluster of tents towards one that sat on the outskirts of the camp, "Because I think you might be coming down with something."

"Something?"

"Well, you're pale, shaking, and sweaty. Safe to assume you might be feeling ill."

Ben blinked. Oh he felt ill alright. All of that travel and hardship, and he finds Luke by complete accident. The Force must have a sick, twisted sense of humor. His stomach felt like it flipped twelve different times when he stared at the boy for the first time since he lost him. He still struggled to catch his breath. His head swam. Any minute he felt like he would pass out.

Robin burst into the tent, practically carrying Ben as he walked.

"Tharja!"

The Dark Mage was reading in her cot. Her shadowy eyes flicked up from her text.

"Robin?"

She seemed surprised. Her eyes widened when she saw Ben. The Dark Mage jumped from her cot and strode over to him. Her fingers gripped his chin. She moved his head side to side.

"I think he might be ill. What do you think? Food poisoning?" Robin said.

Tharja frowned, "He's not ill. Just stunned." She opened her spell book, "Robin set him down on my cot then go over to my travel pack."

"Uh… sure?" Robin set Ben down. The swordsman toppled over as soon as he did. Thankfully, he fell onto a pillow instead of onto the hard ground. Robin rushed over to Tharja's travel gear, "What do you need from here?"

"The vial with the thick, red liquid."

Robin fumbled through a bunch of different vials filled with all sorts of liquids. Some translucent. Others nebulous. Most of them probably poison of some sort. He finally found the one he needed at the very bottom of the pack.

He handed the vial over to Tharja. The dark mage popped the cork free and placed a dab of the red liquid on her finger. She then moved over to Ben and rubbed the red liquid beneath his nose.

The swordsman's nose wrinkled. His face screwed up in pain. He shot upright and let out a loud hiss. His eyes watered and his nose turned a bright red color.

"Immortal gods of the Sith, what the hell is that!?" Ben cried as he sniffled and wiped at his eyes.

Tharja shrugged, "Chili sauce."

Robin's jaw fell open as Tharja placed the bottle back in her travel pack.

"Chili sauce?" Robin asked.

"You wanted me to snap him out of whatever stupor he was in. So I did."

"No dark spell?" Robin asked.

"Well, I could have done that. But then we would not be able to talk to him for several hours." Tharja replied.

"Why."

"It's better that I don't go into the details." Tharja replied with a wave of her hand, "Now then, Ben, what is-" She stopped when she saw the look on Ben's face.

Pure melancholy mixed with complete shock. He stared off into space for a few moments. Mind struggling to wrap around something.

"He thinks he found Luke." Robin explained to Tharja.

"He did?" Tharja said surprised.

"I did." Ben breathed.

"Well where is he?" Tharja asked.

Ben sucked in a deep breath and placed his head in his hands. His palms rubbed his eyes.

"With Princess Say'ri."

Robin furrowed his brow, "Why would Luke be with Say'ri? Does she have a second sibling or-" He saw the surprised look on Tharja's face. Robin paused and thought hard for a moment, "Oh…"

"How is that possible?" Tharja asked.

"I don't know. But I know Prince Kage is him." Ben let his body fall back against the tent's wall, "None of this makes any sense to me."

"Now that you mention it, Prince Kage does share Luke's physical characteristics. Except for the fact that he is nearly three years old!" Robin exclaimed, "Luke is only about a year old."

"I know that." Ben replied, voice soft and distant, "But I know what I felt. I know what I saw."

Tharja furrowed her brow, "Felt?"

Ben nodded, "I witnessed the Prince use the Force. When I investigated further, his signature in the Force was nearly identical to Luke's. Something like that can not be confused or mistaken for anything else."

Robin stared at Ben in disbelief, "Well… that'll complicate things."

"How so?" Tharja asked.

"We can't just take Prince Kage from Princess Say'ri."

"Why not?" Tharja shrugged, "Just steal the baby."

"Tharja! We can't just go around stealing babies." Robin cried, "Naga above."

"He is Ben's child. She cannot just keep him. Especially once she learns Ben is the father."

"I'm not the father." Ben breathed.

Both Tharja and Robin froze. The pair stared hard at Ben.

"What do you mean you're not the father?" Robin asked, completely confused and starting to grow more than a little frustrated, "If he's not yours then whose is he?"

Tharja frowned. As she stared at Ben, she saw guilt and regret flash across his face. The same look he had whenever they spoke of his first apprentice.

"He's Anakin's." Tharja said.

Ben slowly nodded his head.

"Anakin's?" Robin drew back, "Now who the hell is Anakin?" Robin put his hands on his hips, "Will one of you please explain to me what the hell is going on? I'm clearly out of the loop on something that is very important."

"Robin." Tharja hissed, scaring the tactician a little bit.

Robin gulped, "S-sorry. I'm just frustrated I guess. We traveled all this way to find Luke. And now I find out he's not even Ben's child. That is kind of an important detail to not mention." Robin blinked, "Wait, where is Luke's mother then? Did you steal a baby Ben?"

Ben snorted, "I did not steal a baby. I was there when his mother died. She gave him to me."

"And why not his father, Anakin?" Robin asked.

"Because Ben had already killed Anakin at that point." Tharja answered for the weary swordsman.

Robin blinked. His brain felt like it had whiplash as he struggled to comprehend what he was hearing.

"What!?"

"Anakin is the traitor that helped wipe out the Jedi Order." Tharja explained to Robin, "He was also Ben's apprentice."

Realization dawned on Robin's face. His previous frustrations melted away.

"Oh." Robin breathed, "That… that's a lot."

Ben nodded, "Anakin was responsible for the death of Luke's mother as well. Because of what he did, she died in childbirth. Leaving Luke to me." Ben let out a heavy breath, "And now I have found him after losing him. And I don't know what to do."

"Steal the baby." Tharja suggested.

"Or," Robin interjected, "We explain this whole situation to Say'ri and deal with this in a much more diplomatic way."

"If you think Say'ri is parting with her little brother, you are very much mistaken." Tharja pointed out, "She risked life and limb to rescue him. And at this point, she is the one raising him. No, the only reasonable path is-"

"We are not stealing any babies." Robin groaned as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"There is a third option." Ben spoke up.

Both Shepherds looked at Ben.

"He stays with Say'ri."

It made sense in the end to Ben. Luke was not Luke anymore. He was Prince Kage of Chon'sin. That was a far better life than the boy could ever have with him. Besides, it still lined up with Master Yoda's initial intentions for the boy. The aged Jedi Master originally wanted Ben to take Luke to his family on Tatooine. A perfect place to hide from the Empire.

And somehow, Chon'sin might be an even better place. A small nation on an unknown planet in the galaxy. Beyond Sidious's reach. With a loving family to cherish the boy. Ben still felt reluctant to let him go. But this felt right. The Force had guided him to this point. To seeing Luke… Kage… happily playing with his older sister. Filled with cheer and innocence.

He could hear Qui Gon's wisdom. Be mindful of the Living Force. That is what his old Master always told him. Ben struggled with that concept his entire life. But now, as he lived in exile on a strange new world; he was slowly starting to understand. Yes, Luke needed to stay with Say'ri. Why? Ben did not know why. But he had a feeling if he took the boy, a chain of events would start that would lead down a dangerous path. One the Force did not desire to see come about.

"Are you sure about that Ben?" Robin asked.

Ben pursed his lips and nodded, "Yes. I'm sure." He drew a deep breath. His racing heart finally started to calm down, "Say'ri is the boy's family. Not me. And besides, we are friends with her now. I can always keep in contact once the Embargo is over and trade resumes between Valm and Archanea."

Robin blinked, "You aren't even going to stay in Chon'sin?"

Ben shook his head, "That… I have a feeling that my place is not in Chon'sin. But in Ylisse. The Force brought me to all of you. I think I would be foolish to not see its will through."

Robin pressed his lips together, "I'm still a little confused."

Ben snorted, "You and I both. I will have a lot to meditate upon this evening." He let out a long groan, "And I'll have Dooku nearby as I try to do that."

"You could meditate here." Tharja suggested.

Ben gave the dark mage a small smile. Tharja smiled a little back.

"If you're more comfortable with that."

Ben nodded, "I think I shall take you up on that offer."

Robin hummed, "So… do we tell Say'ri?"

Ben shook his head, "No. Let Say'ri raise the boy as her own. Let him have a childhood free of such worries and questions. And if I ever do become a part of his life, I will just be a friendly uncle."

Robin laughed, "Uncle Ben? Huh.. it has a nice ring to it."

"It does." Tharja chuckled a little bit.

Robin nodded. He them jumped.

"Oh crap! Dinner! We need to get going. The officer's mess is all the way across camp."

Ben chuckled as Robin rushed out of the tent.

"Food will always get him moving." He glanced at Tharja and held out his arm, "Shall we go enjoy an extremely awkward formal dinner together?"

Tharja chuckled and took his arm.

"Of course."

The pair exited the tent. As soon as they stepped out, Ben locked eyes with Dooku. The old man stared at Ben and Tharja. A mixture of amusement and surprise on his face. The count chuckled a little as he walked towards the mess tent.

Tharja felt Ben tense.

"So, will you be trying to kill him? Or will he try to kill you while we eat?" Tharja asked.

Ben let out a long sigh and let his head fall back.

"I thought I would only have to worry about Marth and Kage killing each other. I forgot about him."

Tharja snickered as she walked with Ben.

"I think I'm going to enjoy this dinner."

"Of course you are."

* * *

The next morning came far faster than Marth would have liked. She rolled over in her cot and stretched her arms over her head. Her joints popped. Tension rushed from her body. But then the knots in her muscles returned. And with it the tension.

Last night's dinner went well enough. There was not much discussion. Most of the people in attendance were too busy being wary of both Kage and the old man, Dooku, in order to strike up fun conversation. General Yen'fay himself was a quiet man. More prone to enjoy conversation than spark any of his own. The only source of mirth the entire night had come from Prince Kage. The toddler had managed to elicit a few laughs from the adults. But those faded fast.

 _Thank Naga it's over now._

She swung her legs out of bed and slipped her boots over her feet. With a long groan, she rose to her feet. Her legs felt so stiff. Gods, she needed a proper rest. While she did not want to go home without fulfilling her goal of confronting Kage, she was glad to be returning. Her body needed the chance to rest and recover for the trials to come.

A small snort then long snore hit Marth's ears. She glanced across the tent at Cynthia. Fast asleep. One leg dangling off of the cot. Her head beneath a tilted pillow. Blankets a haphazard mess over her body.

 _I wish I could sleep that good._

She would let Cynthia sleep a little while longer. It was still early. The ship to take them all back to Archanea would not be ready for another hour or so.

Marth stepped out of her tent into the cool morning air. A small fog had settled over the camp. Some campfires still burned from the previous night. A few sentries patrolled the many rows of tents. Other than that, the camp was quiet as the sun slowly peeked over the horizon.

A long sigh left Marth's dry lips. She needed some water. Her legs quickly carried her towards the mess tent. The cooks were already starting to cook breakfast for the army. She would eat a light meal, drink some water, then go wake Cynthia. Then they would both pack up and go home.

She stepped into the tent and froze. One other person sat in the Mess Tent. The one person she both wanted to see, and dreaded to see.

Kage glanced over his shoulder at her. He did not say a word as she strode past him and grabbed a glass of water from a water barrel. She took a long gulp; let out a loud, satisfied sigh, then took a seat across from him.

No words passed between the two. Her eyes bored holed into him. And his eyes refused to meet her own.

"So…" Marth began, "You told my sister I was dead."

Kage snorted, "That's what you're hung up on."

"Damn asshole." Marth spat.

Kage inhaled, "Yeah," He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, "You're not wrong there."

Marth blinked in surprise. He just admitted he was a terrible person. What exactly happened to him in Valm?

"I did think you were dead though." Kage continued. The fingers on his right hand tapped anxiously on the table between them. He nodded his head, "I felt your life leave your body."

"Oh it did." Marth relished the guilt that rushed over his face as she took a sip of water, "And you did nothing to try and prevent it."

"Maul told me he was not interested in killing you."

"And you believed him?" Marth asked in disbelief.

Kage let out a heavy sigh, "Yes." He leaned back in his seat, "Go ahead. Call me a fool. I deserve it."

"You're a damn fool."

Kage nodded, "I deserve that too."

Marth shook her head and stared away from him for a moment. The more she spoke to him, the tighter her hand gripped her cup of water.

"Luci?"

Anger sparked inside of her. He had the gall to call her that? After everything that had happened? After everything he had done to her and her friends.

"Do you-" Kage paused, "Do you think we will ever be friends again?"

The question caught Marth off guard. Friends? He wanted to be friends?

She shook her head.

"No." She watched as his face fell, "Not after everything you have done. Not after you tried to kill me and the other Shepherds."

Kage inhaled, exhaled, then nodded, "I understand."

Why was he being so damn agreeable right now!? This was not what Marth expected when she finally confronted him. She thought he would be more defensive. Filled with excuses. Try to pin the blame on anyone other than himself. But this entire time, he took all of the blame. Admitted to his failings. Why did that fluster her so much? That was what she wanted after all.

The rich scent of eggs and bacon filled Marth's nose. But she had lost her appetite.

"I need to go wake Cynthia." She said.

"Marth."

She stopped as she made her way out of the Mess tent.

"I'm sorry." Kage said, "I felt I should say that. For what little it is probably worth now."

Marth did not turn around. She instead took a deep breath and strode out of the tent. Content with cutting him off from the rest of her life.

She quickly strode back to her tent and burst inside.

"Wake up already, Cynthia." Marth barked as she reached for her travel gear and began to make sure everything was in its proper place.

Her sister mumbled in her sleep and turned over. Both of her eyes slowly winked open. Cynthia opened her mouth into a noiseless yawn and stretched her arms over her head. She gave Marth a sleepy wave of her hand.

"Good morning to you too." Marth replied grumpily as she strapped the remains of Falchion to her hips.

Cynthia wiped some sleep from her eyes and bounced out of her cot. She stretched her arms high over her head once again then went to pack her dented armor.

"Hurry up with your packing." Marth said, "I think the others have already gone to the harbor."

Cynthia frowned and made an eating motion. Acting like she was scooping spoonfuls of food into her gaping mouth.

"If you wanted to eat, you should have woken up earlier."

She stuck her tongue out at Marth.

"Don't give me the attitude. I'm not in the mood." Marth grumbled back.

Cynthia folded her arms over her chest and frowned. She then spelled out a big 'k' in the air with her finger.

"Yes." Marth sighed, "I just got done talking to him."

Cynthia tapped her foot impatiently.

"Perhaps he is not an evil monster." Marth finally admitted, "But that does not mean I forgive him for what he has done. And he is still an asshole."

Cynthia looked like she wanted to argue. But she stopped, thought for a moment, then bobbed her head. Admitting that Marth may be right on that point.

"I still don't know how you tolerated him for as long as you did." Marth huffed as she threw her travel pack over her shoulders.

Cynthia shrugged. She then gave Marth a sweet and innocent smile.

"Nevermind. I forgot you can be just as insane as him."

Cynthia folded her arms and jabbed her tongue out.

Marth rolled her eyes.

"Just pack already!"

* * *

Robin and Ben stood side by side at the bottom of the ship's gangplank. The cool morning air rushing over Charlet from the sea refreshed both of them as they struggled to get rid of morning grogginess. Ben took a deep breath of the salty air and let out a satisfied sigh.

"Hey, you know something." Robin said as they stood waiting for the others to show up.

"What?" Ben asked.

"In the end, we accomplished our mission. We found both Marth and Luke." Robin chuckled and scratched the back of his head, "The needles in the proverbial haystack have been found."

Ben softly chuckled as well, "Yes. I suppose you are correct."

Robin noticed Ben's somewhat melancholy demeanor.

"Are you still sure about this course?"

Ben nodded, "I am." He folded his arms over his body, "I'm just still coming to terms with it."

Robin gave his friend a pat on the back.

"It'll all work out in the end."

Ben nodded. Both men glanced over at the harbor entrance. General Yen'fay and Princess Say'ri marched into the harbor. Yen'fay carried a slumbering Prince Kage in his arms. Behind them were the other Shepherds in all of their weary glory. All of their gear seemed accounted for. Although Anna had some extra stuff. The few personal items her sister possessed. And on her head was her sister's red beret.

"Good morning." Donnel said as he made his way up the gangplank.

Gaius just grunted at both Ben and Robin. Panne smiled at the duo as she prodded Gaius along. Anna did not even take a second look back at Valm as she strode up onto the ship. Laurent let out a wistful sigh.

"I wish I could stay and study this place. So much to learn. So much culture and history."

"Get on the boat, Laurent." Robin sighed.

The scholar scampered up onto the ship. Dooku slowly sauntered up the gangplank.

"It has been some time since I went sailing."

"I'm sure." Ben groaned.

Finally, Tharja dragged herself to the gangplank. Ben opened his mouth to tease her.

"One word," Tharja warned, "And I cast the same silencing hex on you as I did on Cynthia."

Ben chuckled and waved at her as she trudged up onto the deck. Ben glanced back at Say'ri and Yen'fay. He saw Kage had joined the pair. The young Sith Lord waited awkwardly behind Say'ri as the Princess wrapped Cynthia in a tight embrace. The pair had become fast friends during the quest to rescue the little Prince. Marth waited patiently for her sister to break away.

Cynthia finished hugging Say'ri. As she pulled away, Ben saw Say'ri whisper something to Cynthia. The silent girl nodded and glanced uncertainly at Marth. She bounced over to Marth and made a flurry of hand motions.

"Cynthia, I can't understand your strange sign language." Marth sighed.

"She wants to stay." Say'ri said.

Cynthia nodded.

"Stay?" Marth drew back shocked, "Wh-why?"

"Something about finding more friends in Valm." Say'ri translated.

Marth furrowed her brow, "I don't think this is a good idea."

Cynthia rolled her eyes and started counting on her fingers.

"Yes, I know you are old enough to make your own decisions." Marth sighed, "That doesn't mean I have to like them." She flicked her eyes up at Kage, "You hurt her. I will find you and hurt you."

Kage nodded, "Not a hair on her head will be out of place when you two see each other again."

Cynthia jumped up and down with joy. She bounced over to Kage and gave him a playful punch to the shoulder. She raised a finger to the air and uttered a silent cheer.

"Yes." Kage let out a small chuckle as he rubbed his shoulder, "The Justice Cabal is reuniting."

"Do not worry, Marth." Say'ri said, "Cynthia will be treated like royalty in Chon'sin. I promise."

"Thank you." Marth took a deep breath. She cast one last warning look and Kage then smiled at her sister, "Take care of yourself, okay?"

Cynthia nodded. Marth shouldered her travel gear and strode over to Ben and Robin.

"Cynthia is not joining us?" Robin asked.

Marth shook her head, "Hopefully this damn Embargo ends soon so I can make sure she is okay eventually."

"I'm sure it will." Ben reassured her, "Now up on the ship, both of you. We need to cast off."

"Right!" Robin nodded and walked with Marth up the gangplank.

Ben took one step onto the gangplank. He cast one last look back at Charlet. Back at Say'ri and Yen'fay. Back to the small child sleeping peacefully in Yen'fay's arms.

A smile crossed Ben's lips. Luke would be safe here. Safe and loved. That was more than Ben could have ever hoped for. His part in the boy's life was over for now.

"Benny! Let's go!" Gaius called from the deck.

"We do not have time to dawdle, Kenobi." Dooku said.

Ben chuckled and strode up the gangplank. As he stepped off of Valmese soil, a part of his life ended as well. It was time for a new adventure to take place. Hopefully one that involved a little more peace and quiet.

He looked forward to it.

 **And chapter! The quests to find Kage and Marth come to a close. Our characters return home. Say'ri, Yen'fay, both Kages, and Cynthia return to Chon'sin. Ben and his friends return to Ylisse with a new companion in Dooku. This was a fun wrap up chapter for this part of the story. And what a ride this arc was. It proved to be one hell of a challenge. I basically had to create an entire original story arc using these characters. And I loved every second of it. I hope you all did as well. Thank you so much for reading you guys!**

 **We will have two or three chapters of peace and Shepherds shenanigans before the Valm war begins folks. And I am so excited to bring that to life on the page. Oh... and maybe some romance. Hehehehehe.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	65. A Party for the Princess

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 65

A Party for the Princess

When Excellus activated his teleportation magic, he expected to arrive back in his personal quarters in the Empire's capital. A quiet place where he could properly rage over his plans being foiled. That has never happened before. No one had ever been able to outwit him so easily. Yet somehow, that mercenary Luke, Princess Say'ri, and those Ylisseans managed to do it.

Yes, he wanted to be back in his home. A chance to cast whatever black magic he wanted without being interrupted. Maybe a good book to read by a fire as he finally calmed down. A chance to stew and ruminate on his mistakes and how to remedy them.

He did not expect to instead be transported to a completely different room. A completely different climate for that matter too. Valm's capital was in the north of the continent. A colder place. Not as frozen as Regna Ferox, but still quite chilly. Even during the summertime. But this place he just teleported to was boiling hot and abnormally bright.

A blazing sun sent hot rays into a rather lavish room. Dry wind brushed into the open room from a balcony. Though it did not help cool off the now sweating Excellus. A thick rug rested beneath his feet. Soft and comfortable.

A scowl fell over his fat lips. Where was he now?

"Excellus."

A chill ran up the Valm tactician's spine. That voice slipped into his ears like a cold knife. Dug further into his mind. Stabbed fear into his heart. Now he knew where he was. The hot air, blazing sun, wicker furniture, and palms swaying lazily outside.

Plegia.

A dark chuckle reverberated through the bright room. Excellus turned his head carefully towards a chair that sat out on the deck. Sitting in the chair was a man wearing a heavy coat and hood. He faced away from Excellus. Somehow basking in the sun's warm rays without overheating in his heavy outfit.

A pale hand waved at him to come closer. Excellus hesitated.

"If I have to get up out of this chair," The man growled, "My anger will only grow exponentially."

A whimper left the fat worm's lips. He tiptoed his way out onto the balcony. His spell book clutched tight in his right hand. His left hand itching to touch the enchanted ring on his right hand. The ring that held his teleportation magic. At least he had an easy route of escape if this conversation went south.

Another dark chuckle hit his ears, freezing Excellus in place.

"If you think you will be able to escape with that ring, you are sadly mistaken." The man did not even glance back at him. How could he have known what Excellus had been thinking?, "I created that little ring after all. I imbued my power into that little artifact. I can take it away just as easily."

Excellus's knees knocked together. Was this man claiming what he thought he was?

"Oh yes." The man rose from his seat and folded his hands behind his back. Eyes never leaving the city before him, "I'm not just a simple hierophant, Excellus."

The fat man dropped to his knees.

"M-my lord." He bowed low, "I did everything I could-"

"Did you?" The Hierophant's sharp voice snapped. He turned on his heel and glowered down at Excellus. Yellow eyes sparking with fury and rage, "I gave you explicit instructions, Excellus. I even sent a Deadlord to assist you."

"That Deadlord did nothing to assist!" Excellus cried.

"On the contrary, he led my prey right into your waiting arms. Yet you were more concerned with covering your own mistakes than focusing on the task I demanded of you." The Hierophant towered over Excellus, "Tell me? Do you fear Walhart more than me?"

Nervous beads of sweat dripped down Excellus's forehead. His hands trembled as he stayed on his hands and knees before the Hierophant. His heart hammered in his chest. His mouth felt as dry as the desert sands of Plegia. Terror gripped him as he saw a shadow twist and morph beneath the Hierophant.

"I-I-I-"

"Well," The Hierophant growled, "I think your inane stuttering answers that question."

"Please forgive me my lord!" Excellus exclaimed, "Had I known the boy's power, had I known about the Ylisseans-"

"Ylisseans?" The Hierophant arched an eyebrow, "What Ylisseans?"

Excellus gulped, "The-the Shepherds. A small group of them intervened in my schemes."

The shadow stopped morphing and twisting. The Hierophant pressed his lips together. One boot tapped against the tile floor of the Plegian Palace. Beneath the hood, Excellus swore he could see a furrowed brow. The monster was deep in thought.

"Who led them?"

"Two men. A-a Ben Kenobi and Robin."

The yellow eyes widened briefly, "I see." The shadow started morphing again. Excellus swore he saw it give him a sick, twisted grin, "That was not something I foresaw."

Excellus uttered a long, loud exhale as the Hierophant stepped past him and entered the room behind him. He paused in front of a tall bookshelf. A pale finger ran along the spines of several books. He plucked one book in particular and cracked it open. A worn leather tome that had seen many days of travel and much use. The paper on the inside had started to yellow and the ink had begun to fade. But the Hierophant could still read in easily.

"No, that was not supposed to happen at all." He gently closed the tome and gingerly placed it back in its spot, "How curious. The actions of one foolish girl are rippling wider than even I could have imagined." His yellow eyes darted over to Excellus. Who remained frozen in place, "You will not die today, Excellus."

"I-I won't?"

"No. You won't. I still have a use for you it seems."

Excellus gulped and carefully rose to his feet. He turned around to face the Hierophant. The hooded man let out a sigh as he sank into a seat beside a cluttered desk.

"My plans need to be accelerated. I cannot afford for Ben Kenobi to become such a strong ally of the Shepherds." The Hierophant rubbed his chin, "So many unforeseen variables." He stared hard at Excellus, "Prod Walhart into war within the next year."

Excellus gulped, "Within the next- my lord that is a tall order."

"Is it?" Excellus heard a deep, rumbling chuckle resonate near him, "Perhaps I should find a servant capable of carrying out my wishes then?"

"No! No!" Excellus exclaimed, "That won't be necessary. I should be able to do it. The Embargo is in place. All I need is to convince the Conqueror to press forward sooner."

"Precisely. So do it." The Hierophant ordered.

Excellus bowed. That had been too close. He skated on thin ice now. The Hierophant brought him here to kill him for his failure. It was by sheer luck that he knew information that still made his life worth something.

He needed extra insurance. An idea jumped through his mind.

"My lord, before I go."

"What?"

Excellus gulped, "I have discovered who resides atop the Mila Tree. As well as the reason Walhart guards it so fiercely."

"Oh?" He had the Hierophant's attention, "Do tell."

"It appears a Manakete has taken up residence in the tree."

The silence was deafening. His lord's yellow eyes bored holes into his very soul.

"A manakete?"

Excellus nodded his head, "Yes, my lord. A powerful one too. She managed to repel your Deadlord."

Those yellow eyes narrowed at him, "Do you know a name?"

"I do." Excellus smiled, "General Cervantes informed me that the girl was named Tiki."

The Hierophant shot up from his chair.

"Are you certain that information is accurate?"

Oh ho! Had he poked a nerve? His lord all of a sudden seemed very worried.

"I am." Excellus bowed.

He saw a spark of worry cross through the Hierophant's gaze. The deep rumbling voice he heard earlier snarled around him. He had his lord panicked. Oh how interesting. Was the mighty Hierophant afraid of a simple Manakete?

"You are to make sure she never leaves that damn tree." He ordered, "Manipulate Walhart into doubling the guard around her."

"Of course, my lord." Excellus bowed.

He prepared to teleport away.

"Excellus."

"Yes, my lord?"

He gulped as those yellow eyes drilled into him.

"Fail me again, and there will be nothing you can do to escape my wrath."

Excellus gulped. He nodded in understanding and tapped his ring. The bright light of teleportation magic lit up beneath him. His body blinked away.

The Hierophant remained silent beside his desk as the worm exited. He despised that man. A toad. A worthless toad. No, that would be an insult to toads. Worm was the better description for Excellus. Nothing more than a piece of filth squirming around. Trying to survive. Worms had their uses, unfortunately.

" _ **She's alive."**_

The Hierophant hung his head. A heavy, annoyed sigh escaped his lips.

" _That makes two people who could topple our plans over and crush them into dust."_ The rational voice chirped, " _Shall we go for three?"_

" _ **Her power is great. Naga's child would make an excellent meal."**_

" _If we could even overpower her."_

"Right now, we might be able to." The Hierophant breathed as he marched back over to his bookshelf. His eyes settled on an ancient tome. He carefully picked it up and gently peeled back the cracked, leather cover, "Most of her power is still sealed away. If she were to unleash all of her power, then we would be in trouble."

" _Then the only option is full scale war. Damn the consequences. We need to get her out of the way as quickly as possible."_

" _ **Hehehehe, corpses. A feeding frenzy."**_

"We cannot afford that currently."

The two voices were quiet.

" _We could always raise... him."_

The Hierophant's eyes widened. The shadow beneath him twisted nervously.

" _ **I'm uncertain of my level of control over that one."**_

" _His power, combined with our own, would easily crush the Manakete before she could fully unleash."_

"He is a last resort." The Hierophant said firmly, "I do not wish to annihilate this planet. I wish to rule it. I cannot rule over a dead world." He sighed and closed the tome, "And I cannot fight off what is to come with mere Risen."

" _We will need more Deadlords added to our ranks. After all, our control over Equus has slipped."_

" _ **You gave him too much free will. I warned you on that."**_

"You are quite right." The Hierophant admitted, "I thought giving Equus more independence would make him more effective. Instead, that strategy backfired."

" _Now we have a rogue Deadlord, a former high priestess of the Grimleal, and possibly the most powerful Manakete alive to contend with. Oh, and those pesky Naga-spawn in Ylisse. They could still cause problems too."_

" _ **How fun."**_

The Hierophant ran a hand over his forehead.

So many variables. So many unforeseen variables. Now his plans had to accelerate. He could not wait for Validar to rebuild Plegia. He could not wait for Excellus to have a stranglehold over most of Valm beneath the nose of the Conqueror. He needed to act fast. Catch Naga's followers off balance.

First he had to wipe out the Feroxi and Ylissean militaries. As well as Walhart's armies. A proper war between both would do just that. And he would not sacrifice any of his forces in the process.

So long as Excellus did his job, the plan would go well. He would deal with Equus when the time came. As for Tiki, he preferred to avoid her until he consolidated more of his power.

The High Priestess could be dealt with now though. The Hierophant leaned back in his chair.

He wondered how close little Aversa was now.

* * *

"Welcome to Ylisstol!" Anna smiled as she took a deep breath, "Home of the Shepherds. A burgeoning civilization with benevolent rulers. And of course, all of the trade you could hope for." A wistful sigh left her lips, "I've missed this place."

Ben chuckled as the group passed beneath the great, white gates of the city. It was remarkable how much the city had been rebuilt over the past year. There was hardly any evidence of the siege anymore. Life had returned to normal. It almost looked exactly the same as when Ben first laid eyes on it.

A sad smile crossed his lips as they passed through the market district. He remembered walking with Emmeryn though these streets. Enjoying the little stalls and the hustle and bustle. He could still hardly believe a ruler could walk so freely through her own city. Without fear of being attacked or kidnapped. Such actions showed how prosperous this city was. How much the common people loved their Exalt.

And from the looks of things, Chrom had done a magnificent job leading the people of Ylisse. After a weak harvest during the war, the people were enjoying a much more bountiful harvest now. Fresh fruit sat at market stalls for smiling citizens to pick out and enjoy. Farmers from all over the countryside carted their crops into the heart of Ylisse in order to make their fortune from the harvest.

The group stopped abruptly as a pack of children raced past them. All of them crying happily as they engaged in an epic chase of a small tabby cat. Several guards posted along the streets laughed at the site. Ben heard Robin laugh with the others.

"Wow," Robin took in a deep breath, "It is good to be home."

"Not quite there yet, Bubbles. Gotta get to the palace." Gaius rubbed his hands together, "Oh boy! I wonder what kind of sweets they have in there. It has been too long since I've had a good tart. Or a cake even. Oh Naga above, cake. I need some in my gut now."

Ben chuckled, "You will have plenty of time to gorge yourself on sweets, I'm sure."

He glanced towards the back of their little group. Donnel and Dooku were the pair that brought up the rear. Donnel looked around the city with wide eyes. The sights and sounds stunned the farm boy. He had never seen such a big city in his entire life. Ylisstol easily outdid Port Ferox and Charlet in almost every way. So many people. So many buildings. So much to see and do. Ben was surprised that Donnel did not appear too overwhelmed.

Dooku looked around with mild interest. The old man had seen much grander cities during his long lifetime. But Ben could see a slight smile on his face. He was still impressed. He understood the engineering feat this city was. To be able to construct such a place without the advanced technology that spanned the rest of the gaalxy was truly astonishing. That the old man could appreciate. Although, he probably would not go as far as to call this place a paradise like Ben did.

They all entered the Palace district. After quickly passing by most of the noble homes in the area, some of which blew Donnel's mind, they reached the gates of the Exalt's palace.

"Now I told you," A woman's voice barked angrily, "That the ballroom must be set in place properly. Why can you not understand that!? Have you retrieved the silverware yet? And the tables? What do you mean you're waiting for the sliveware to be polished!?"

Ben and Robin both stopped walking as they saw Maribelle standing angrily in front of a couple of palace servants.

"This is going to be a proper royal ceremony. It is the first time the public is being allowed to see the Princess, and it must go well!"

Robin and Ben glanced at each other.

"Princess?" They both said at the same time.

"Get to it already." Maribelle huffed. She folded her arms and shook her head, "Unbelievable. I don't understand it. Chrom may want to be informal but that will not do in this instance."

She turned and froze as she caught sight of Ben, Robin, and the others. Both Ben and Robin gave her a nervous wave.

"Hey Maribelle." Robin gulped.

"It is lovely to see you again." Ben bowed.

Maribelle blinked. She then shook her head and regained her usual snootiness.

"It is about time you all returned." She said, voice clipped and even, "You have not been sending any correspondence as of late. Do you have any idea how worried sick the rest of us were? Or how rude such a thoughtless action is?"

Ben and Robin gave each other a nervous glance.

"And you return looking like you rolled around in filth." Maribelle ran a finger over Robin's coat. She frowned a flicked some dust from her finger, "Gods, it is as if you do not even know the occasion today."

"We kinda don't." Robin said sheepishly.

"Well it is Princess Lucina's party today of course."

Ben heard a choked gasp rush from Marth's lips as the girl face turned as white as a sheet.

"All of you must hurry into the barracks. Baths need to be drawn. Clothes cleaned and pressed. I expect all of you to wear your absolute best attire for this occasion. And if you do not have anything moderately appropriate, an outfit will be fetched for you. Including you, Miss Panne."

"I refuse to wear a dress." Panne grumbled as she marched towards the barracks.

Gaius laughed hard, "I would pay good money to see that."

"And you!" Maribelle snatched Gaius by the ear. The thief uttered a loud cry and began to beg for mercy, "Keep your sticky fingers off of anything of value. If I find out anything is missing from this special occasion, even one silver spoon, I will drag you back to Themis and have you hung by your entrails."

She let go of his ear. Gaius straightened himself upright and shrugged.

"Yeah, yeah." Gaius replied with a wave of his hand.

"Good." Maribelle smiled, "Now hurry up, all of you! We can worry about formal introductions later. Get going. You only have a couple hours."

Maribelle drew in a deep breath as she watched the group walk past her towards the Shepherds barracks. The Duchess of Themis recognized most of them. But four she did not. An elderly man near the back, a young boy with a copper pot on his head, a red haired woman with a red beret, and a mage with an inquisitive gaze.

Maribelle let out a loud sigh.

"Robin, Ben."

Both men stopped at the door to the barracks. Maribelle gave them both a small smile.

"I'm glad you all are back."

Robin grinned and gave her a thumbs up. The Duchess rolled her eyes as the group rushed into the barracks. That tactician had no sense of formality whatsoever.

* * *

"Really, this does not have to be that big of a deal." Chrom sighed as he ran a hand over his eyes.

All around him, servants hustled about. Tables were set up in the palace's ballroom. Tablecloths flung over them. The tile floor underwent extensive polishing. Frederick helped hoist a large banner over the grand, double doors that led into the room. The Knight stood precariously on the top rung of a ladder. A handful of nails in one hand and a hammer in the other.

Maribelle continued barking orders around at the servants as they scrambled to set up the expansive room. Meanwhile, all Chrom could do was stand there. Uncomfortable and frankly, a little annoyed.

"Nonsense." Frederick called back to him as he pinned the banner above the doorway, "This is a special occasion for all royalty in Ylisse. It is-"

"Tradition. I know." Chrom rolled his eyes, "But it doesn't have to be this formal."

"We are introducing Princess Lucina to the masses." Maribelle cried defensively, "This is one of the most important occasions of her life."

"She won't even remember it." Chrom sighed.

"But we most certainly will. And I will not allow my godniece to have an informal party on such an occasion as this."

"Godniece?" Chrom arched an eyebrow, "Since when-"

"Hey, Chrom!"

Lissa skipped into the room. She paused in the doorway and leaned against the ladder Frederick precariously balanced on. The Knight uttered a small cry as it wobbled next to Lissa. The young Princess jumped and caught the ladder just before it could fall over.

"Sorry!" She called up to Frederick.

"Please be more careful next time, milady." Frederick breathed as he clung to the top rung of the ladder.

"Will do." Lissa smiled.

The Princess returned her attention to the ballroom. Blue and green banners hung from the walls all around her. The marble floor sparkled like a bright diamond. Every table had almost been completely set. Silverware placed neatly beside silver plates. Vases filled with blue flowers adorned each table. And there was a large area for dancing in the very center of the ballroom. Off to the side, Lissa could see a small band setting up their chairs. Violins, violas, and harps all being tuned for this evening's performance.

"Ooooh, it looks so nice here." Lissa clapped her hands.

"It will have to do." Maribelle huffed, "This is such short notice unfortunately. I wanted there to be an ice sculpture as well." She folded her arms over her shoulder, "I hope the cake is nearly finished baking."

Lissa pulled Maribelle into a large hug, "It is perfect, Maribelle!"

"I try my best darling." Maribelle said with a small smile before breaking Lissa's embrace.

"So?" Lissa folded her hands in front of her dress, "How many people are coming?"

"Most of the noblemen and women. And of course your personal guests." Maribelle replied, "I already warned Vaike he better wear a shirt for this. If he does not I will personally thwack him over the head with my staff."

Chrom chuckled, "I still don't think he will."

"He will probably forget." Lissa laughed.

Maribelle threw her hands up in the air, "Oh! And don't get me started on Robin and Ben." Chrom and Lissa's eyes widened, "Both of them and all of their friends showed up filthy as could be and-"

"Robin and Ben are here!" Chrom and Lissa cried.

"Well, yes, they are." Maribelle gave both a perplexed look, "I ushered them into the barracks so that they might-"

She did not get a chance to finish her sentence as both Chrom and Lissa took off out of the ballroom.

"Well fine, I did not want to finish talking anyways."

* * *

Chrom sprinted out of the palace doors and out into the courtyard. Maribelle probably wanted him to go to his chambers to get dressed already. After all, the party was in an hour. Nobles would start arriving soon. If he was still wearing his usual leisure clothes then she would have a heart attack. The Duchess of Themis was all about appearances when it came to events like this. Chrom knew that all too well. He spent several hours trying to talk her out of making this occasion such a big deal. But to no avail. It did not help that Lissa just fed fire to Maribelle's flames. His sister had also been adamant about making this night one for Lucina to remember.

But getting dressed for stuck up nobles could wait. Ben and Robin were back. So were Gaius, Tharja, and Panne. Hopefully Marth and-

Chrom smiled. If they were back, that had to mean Ben and Robin were successful in their search. Lucina was probably going to have a proper playmate soon. Sumia would be thrilled. He was excited to meet Ben's son as well.

He burst into the barracks. Lissa was hot on his heels. The two Ylissean royals rushed past the empty common room down the hall to the bunkroom. Lissa broke off towards the women's bunk room. Chrom rushed down the hall to the last room on the left.

He shoved the door open. The solid slab of wood slammed directly in a young boy's forehead. The boy let out a loud, alarmed cry. He stumbled backwards, then landed in a heap on one of the cots. Head swimming and eyes spinning.

"Donnel!" Robin cried across the room. He moved towards the unconscious farm boy but paused when he caught sight of Chrom in the doorway.

A large grin spread across Chrom's face. He locked eyes with Robin. The tactician put his hands on his hips and started to laugh.

"You know, you aren't supposed to greet new friends by knocking them out."

Chrom laughed hard. He strode up to Robin and wrapped his friend in a tight embrace. He patted the tactician hard on the back then pulled away.

"It's so good to see you again." Chrom grinned.

"Same here." Robin grinned, "It's been far too long."

"How's it going, Princey?" Gaius chirped from one of the top bunks.

The thief already completely dressed and ready for the party. Clean clothes and a fresh strip of cloth keeping his red hair out of his eyes. A lollipop dangled from the corner of his mouth as he lay back into the cot.

"Gaius." Chrom smiled, "I trust you behaved yourself?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Robin smirked, "Panne kept him on a short leash."

"I did not place my sticky fingers on anything too shiny." Gaius cut in, "I did however manage to get some rather lovely pastries during one stop and-"

"And I'm only finding out about this now." Robin sighed and shook his head.

"What?" Gaius shrugged. He sat up in his cot, "A man's gotta eat."

"That's why we pay for food." Robin groaned.

"Not me."

Chrom chuckled, "Just keep the kleptomania to a minimum, Gaius. Especially tonight. I'd rather not hear about it later from Maribelle."

"Oh, I've already heard the whole spiel from her already." Gaius smirked back, "The question is: will it stop me?" He pursed his lips and shrugged, "Probably not. But Whiskers might."

"Speaking of tonight." Robin started, "Princess Lucina?"

Chrom's cheeks reddened. Gaius bolted upright in his cot.

"That's right! Chrom and Sumia got busy!" Gaius cheered.

"Gaius…." Robin groaned as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

Chrom let out a nervous laugh, "It's alright. Yes, Robin. Sumia and I have a daughter. You'll get to meet her tonight. Right now she is napping."

"And Sumia?" Robin asked.

"Still getting ready. She's been doing that for the past hour or so." Chrom scratched the back of his head, "Meanwhile, I've had to deal with Maribelle and Frederick fretting about the palace. The poor servants are all frantic at the moment." Chrom sighed, "Honestly, I just wanted a small get together with the other Shepherds. But that offended poor Maribelle."

Robin chuckled, "Sounds about right."

Chrom glanced around the room. He finally noticed the other occupant in there. A quiet young man occupying the furthest bunk from the door. A mage by the looks of things. His nose was buried in a thick tome. He had not noticed Chrom enter.

"Oh!" Robin remarked, "I have to introduce you to the others." He pointed at the young man with the glasses, "That is Laurent. We found him wandering the desert to the South East."

"Uh… why?"

"Long story."

"Mirage villages and the nature of the universe." Laurent droned as he flicked a page in his tome.

"Yeah that." Robin nodded. Doing his best to play off the absurdity in Laurent's statement. Robin nodded over at Donnel. The farm boy groaned as he started to wake up. A large, purple bruise formed across his forehead.

"And that is Donnel. He helped us save his village from bandits." Robin smiled.

"I did?" Donnel muttered. Still a little delirious from taking a door to the head.

"Yes you did, Donny." Gaius chuckled.

Robin brushed past Chrom towards the door, "There's also Anna and Dooku. But Anna is in the girls room. Which us guys are not allowed to go into and Dooku is-"

"CONFOUND IT ALL, KENOBI! I THOUGHT YOU KNEW HOW THIS DAMN THING WORKED!" An elderly, aristocratic voice boomed. Filled with frustration and anger.

"You are supposed to pull the lever and the water comes out that way!" Kenobi shouted back as he emerged from the men's bathroom. He slammed the door shut behind him.

"WHAT LEVER!?"

"Use your damn eyes!" Kenobi groaned and ran both of his hands over his face. At that moment, he noticed both Chrom and Robin staring at him. Confused and more than a little concerned. Ben jabbed a thumb at the door, "He's senile."

"I am not senile!"

Ben kicked the door and marched down the hallway to Robin and Chrom.

"Honestly, it's like he's never seen soap and a proper bath before." Ben sighed. He stopped in front of Chrom and extended his hand, "It is good to see you again, Chrom."

Chrom laughed, shook his head, and wrapped Ben a large hug.

"I'm glad to see you both home." Chrom grinned. He patted Ben on the shoulder, "Just in time to save me from Maribelle and her party."

"Oh yes, about that-"

"Chrom and Sumia had a baby." Robin cut off Ben.

Chrom chuckled. His cheeks turned a little red. One hand reached up and scratched the back of his head.

"Yes we did."

Ben gave Chrom a warm smile, "Congratulations, Chrom. I'm excited to meet her."

"I'm excited for all of you to meet her too."

Ben waved his hand down the hall, "Shall we go to the common room and catch up?"

Chrom sighed, "I wish. But I still have to get ready for this stupid party."

"Don't let Maribelle catch you saying that." Robin laughed.

"Good point." Chrom gulped, "And if she catches me out here there will be hell to pay." He walked up to the girls' door and knocked, "Come on Lissa. We need to let them get ready."

"Fiiiiine." They all heard from the other side.

Lissa opened and shut the door. A giddy smile was all over face.

"Everyone looks so nice in there!"

"Really?" Robin asked with a raised brow.

Lissa smiled and nodded.

"I'm sure you boys will be blown away. That's for sure. But you cannot peak at them. You have to wait until the party."

"Says who?" Chrom asked, hands on his hips.

"Says me." Lissa stomped her foot, "Oh and Tharja. She's a little shy right now."

"Tharja? Shy?" Robin glanced at Ben, "I think hell just froze over."

Ben and Chrom both laughed.

"I have to get going. I will see all of you at the party." Chrom waved as he walked out of the barracks.

"See you all there!" Lissa smiled back at them before shutting the barracks door behind her.

Both Robin and Ben stood alone in the hall. Robin frowned. He ran one of his hands over his coat. Ben shook his head.

"You look fine, Robin."

"The coat could use a tailor." Robin muttered reluctantly, "And I'd rather not be on the receiving end of one of Maribelle's tirades."

Ben chuckled and clapped a hand on Robin's back. The pair strolled back to the mens' bunkroom. Inside, Donnel was struggling to button up a fancy coat over his skinny frame. Gaius had managed to get some sticky sugar on the front of his shirt. And the only thing Laurent did to change his appearance was grab a fresh set of robes. His hat was still covered in a fine layer of dirt and dust from the road.

Ben nodded and patted Robin's back.

"With how our formal outfits look, I'm certain all of us will be at the receiving end of a tirade."

* * *

Sully rolled her eyes. She hated these kind of parties. Hated them! To her, dressing up in a fancy, stifling gown and dancing elegantly around a polished floor was not a party. She did not enjoy hoity-toity societal obligations like this. She could not give a rat's ass what noble person she offended or not. To her, a party was a good drink with a bunch of great friends. Loud and rowdy. Someone had to end up passed out on the floor.

And if the party really went well, then there would be a fistfight, a brawl, and someone stripping naked in the middle of it. Those were good times. Those were proper memories.

There wasn't even beer at this party. What kind of party did not have beer?

 _The kind that makes me want to smack my head into a wall out of sheer boredom._

Sully noticed a server waltzing past with a tray of glasses. Each glass was filled halfway with some fruity looking, bubbly drink. Sully sighed. It was better than nothing.

"You there." She snapped her fingers at the servant.

"Yes, madam?"

"I ain't a madam, first of all." Sully huffed, "And I need a drink."

She plucked one glass and downed its contents in one gulp. She wrinkled her nose. It tasted bitter. And the bubbles fizzed over her palate in an extremely uncomfortable way. Not only that, it didn't even have any kick to it. She hardly tasted any alcohol.

"What the hell is this crap?"

"Champagne, my lady." The servant replied.

"Did they add pain to the name because it sucks?" Sully placed the empty glass back on the platter, "Give me another, I need a good buzz to get through this."

She snatched another glass and swallowed all of it in one gulp. Just as she reached for a third glass, she heard someone call out to her.

"Hold yourself there, oh beautiful Sully." Virion said as he sauntered over to her, "It would not do you good to inebriate yourself in such a way just yet. We have not even managed to reach the first dance yet."

"If you expect me to be able to dance in this dress, you're kidding yourself." Sully pulled on the gown around her, "I've got no breathing room in here."

"Of course not. That lovely figure must be displayed for all to see." Virion declared.

"Keep talking and my lovely figure's foot will hit your jaw."

"Damn it all!"

Vaike leaned against the wall on the other side of Sully. The oaf wore his best outfit for the occasion. Nice dress slacks. Slick black boots. A black tie around his neck. And as always, absolutely no shirt. Miriel stood beside him. The mage had changed into more formal robes. But her hat remained on top of her head. And Sully could see a spell book still hiding inside of her robes.

"No beer?" Vaike asked Sully.

Sully shook her head.

"What kind of party is this?" Vaike asked, disappointed.

"The stupid kind."

"There is champagne." Virion pointed out as he raised his own glass.

"Bleh! I think I'll pass." Sully replied.

"But you just drank three glasses."

"I need to get drunk to get through tonight." Sully huffed, "The only reason I'm here is because Chrom and Sumia wanted me here. If I had known Maribelle put this on though…" She shook her head, "I need another drink."

"Mind getting me one?" Vaike asked.

"Hold my lady!" Virion declared.

The archer pointed over to the ballroom entry. Filing in with another group of nobles was Ben and Robin. Walking just behind them was a much older man with black leather gloves over his hands.

"Our brave comrades have returned!" Virion cried as the pair made their way over to the small group of Shepherds.

Robin smiled as he patted Virion on the shoulder.

"And not a moment too soon. Chrom is going to be so uncomfortable in all of this." Robin said.

Virion chuckled and raised his champagne glass to Ben and Robin.

"Welcome home to both of you."

"Yeah, bout time you two got back." Sully smirked.

"You had to leave Teach out on one of your adventures!?" Vaike cried, "That was not fair."

Robin's looked Vaike up and down, "Vaike, where's your shirt?"

"Fitting him into a shirt is like trying to put a suit on a monkey." Miriel frowned

"Ha! I would like to see that." Sully laughed. She gestured at both Robin and Ben, "That being said, both of you clean up nice. You really make that suit look good Ben."

Ben nodded his head in thanks. He folded his hands into his pant's pockets. As a server passed by the group, Ben politely took a glass of champagne from the tray. He took a sip. The flavor hit his tongue and he grimaced a little bit.

"That is… not the best drink in the world."

"That's being polite." Sully snorted, "This stuff really puts the pain in Champagne."

"You all need to refine your tastes then." The old man said with a rich voice. He sipped on his own drink, "I find this to taste quite lovely."

Sully frowned, "Who's the guy with the stick up his ass?"

Ben choked on another sip of Champagne while Robin chuckled to the side. The old man glowered at Sully.

"Dooku. I am an old friend of Ben's."

"An old friend eh?" Sully looked him up and down, "Old might be an understatement." She leaned over to Ben, "Since when did you start gathering fossils?"

Ben chuckled a little as he saw Dooku frown at him. The swordsman shook his head as Sully and Vaike laughed with him. Ben nodded at Dooku.

"You need to learn to relax, Dooku. You will find that the majority of the Shepherds are not very formal."

"But this occasion does require formality." Dooku sighed. His eyes flicked over the room, "I shall go find a table to sit at."

"Have fun." Ben smirked. He took another sip of his champagne. At least it was somewhat drinkable. It appeared to be the only refreshment available besides water.

"So, where's everyone else?" Sully asked.

"Gaius bolted over to the deserts table as soon as we got in here." Robin said, nodding to the redhead gorging himself on sweets across the room, "Laurent is," Robin saw the scholar staring hard at the blue flower at the center of the table. His tome was open as he furiously scribbled notes into it, "Being Laurent. And Donnel is… somewhere? Where did he go?"

Ben's eyes widened. He pointed across the room towards the main entry. Robin followed his finger. His own eyes widened and his jaw fell open.

Donnel was standing next to Maribelle. The pair were just talking. Robin's eyes nearly popped out of his skull when he saw the farm boy make Maribelle laugh.

"What exactly am I seeing?" Robin asked.

"The burning too quickly part of Maribelle's personality." Miriel shifted her glasses up her nose, "It appears your new friend Donnel has some charm to him."

"I did not realize the kid had it in him." Ben gaped.

"Hey, as long as he keeps Maribelle occupied, it is a victory for all of us." Sully said with a smirk, "How'd you run into the fossil and the two kids?"

"Well, funny story when it comes to Laurent-" Ben began.

Before he could finish, he felt Robin jab him in the ribs with his elbow. Ben furrowed his brow. Robin nodded over at the doorway. Ben glanced over.

Anna, Marth, and Panne all entered the room. Panne had brushed her hair and made sure to clear her usual leather armor to a perfect shine. Anna wore a rather pretty red gown. But her sister's red beret still sat on top of her head. Marth seemed the least interested in appearing fancy out of all of them. She wore a simple clothes with a blue, leather jerkin overtop. A short red cape rested over her right shoulder. Hiding the stump that remained of her right arm.

Behind the three of them, walking as quickly and as quietly into the room was possible was Tharja. The Dark Mage no longer wore her revealing Grimleal attire. Instead she opted for her usual black cape and much more modest, black mage robes lined with gold trim. Some of her skin still poked through gaps in the outfit. But otherwise it was lovely formal wear.

"The girls are finally ready." Robin smirked.

Sully flicked her eyes over at the group. She then glanced back at Ben, who had continued staring at Tharja as the dark mage took a seat beside Laurent.

"Ohohohohohoho!" Sully smacked her thigh, "No way!"

"It appears our righteous friend; our honorable comrade in arms," Virion placed a hand on Ben's shoulder, "has been smitten by the beautiful dark mage from Plegia."

"Really?" Vaike glanced over at Tharja, "Come to think of it, she is kinda pretty. If you are into the creepy glares sort of thing."

Before Ben could reply to the others' relentless teasing, one of the servants cleared his throat.

"May I present, Prince Chrom of House Ylisse. His wife, Queen Sumia of House Ylisse. And their daughter, Princess Lucina of House Ylisse."

All eyes turned to the ballroom doors as the royal family entered the ballroom. Chrom wore a royal outfit complete with a fancy white cape. Sumia looked radiant in a green gown. And in her arms was the star for the evening. A small bundle of joy wearing a green dress and little green slippers. Her still growing blue hair carefully brushed out of her face.

Chrom waved to everyone in attendance as the nobles all bowed then clapped. The royals quietly made their way to their table and took a seat. Chrom glanced over at Ben and Robin and smiled at them.

"Unfortunately, ain't none of us getting close to them during this party." Sully sighed, "All of them nobles will be busy kissing Chrom's ass."

"And admiring the newborn Princess of course." Virion pointed out.

"That too." Sully glanced up, "Here come the others."

Frederick and Cordelia both joined their group. Frederick wore a spiffy suit with a high collar. A sword was still strapped to his waist. For the wary knight was never off duty. Cordelia meanwhile wore a lovely red gown that matched her hair. The wing ornaments that distinguished her as a Pegasus Knight still sat in her hair. She smiled at Ben and Robin before standing quietly with the group.

Just behind them, Stahl approached. The young horseman escorted a pinked haired woman towards the group. The young woman gave them all a shy wave as her cheeks flushed in embarrassment.

"I remember you!" Robin cried, "You were the messenger back in Plegia. The one that told us Chrom was going to attack."

The woman shrank a little bit, "I am." She said, her voice very quiet.

"Olivia correct?" Ben asked.

She nodded.

Ben smiled and took her hand, "It is a pleasure to see you again."

"L-likewise."

"Lady Olivia is part of the official delegation to the city of Themis for Regna Ferox." Virion pointed out, "Her and Maribelle have gotten along swimmingly."

"We have." Olivia nodded with a small hint of anxiety in her voice.

"And I have taken over training the cavalry in Themis as well." Stahl smiled, "Frederick finally said I was ready."

"And you are." Frederick nodded, "Sully on the other hand."

"My temper is fine. And so is my fighting." Sully grumbled.

"She might not be the best to teach others." Frederick finished carefully.

Everyone laughed as Lon'qu carefully approached the group. The swordsman kept a safe distance from the women that had gathered with the others. He gave both Robin and Ben a small nod. But otherwise remained quiet.

Gregor sauntered over and wrapped both Ben and Robin in a large hug.

"Gregor happy to see you well!"

"Nice to see you as well, Gregor." Robin squeaked as the man's large muscles crushed his bones.

"It is good to see you both." A quiet, unassertive voice said. Nearly scaring Robin out of his boots.

"Geez Kellam!" Robin breathed as he put a hand to his chest and caught his breath, "Don't sneak up on me like that."

"I've been here the whole time."

Finally, Lissa and Ricken came rushing up to the group. Bouncing just behind them was Nowi. The Manakete apparently enjoyed the formal atmosphere, but also did not seem to understand why everyone was dressed so fancy. Ricken smiled at both Robin and Ben as he joined the group.

"I'm close to passing my final exams to become a full fledged mage." The young boy said.

"Youngest ever to do so!" Lissa declared with a big grin, "Of course helping fight in a war against Plegia and the Grimleal sure does help one get better."

"Yeah." Ricken nodded, with a little less mirth.

Ben smiled and patted Ricken on the shoulder.

"You will make a fine mage, Ricken. I'm sure of it."

Another servant cleared their throat and made an announcement.

"Dinner is served!"

"About time!" Vaike cried, "Teach is starving." He nudged Miriel, "After this, why don't we all go get a real drink somewhere else?"

"And leave Chrom and Sumia alone?" Robin asked

"They expect us to be gone after the food." Sully snorted, "Besides, they both will probably come join us once Lucina is put to bed. Which will be in about an hour or so."

"Let's eat!" Nowi cheered as she rushed over to the table where Tharja, Laurent, and Dooku all sat. The little girl jumped into a seat beside Dooku and gave the old man a bright smile.

"Well hello there." Dooku grinned, "What is a young lady like you doing here?"

"Young lady?" Nowi smirked, "I'm one thousand years old."

Dooku chuckled as Ben took a seat across from him.

"How charming."

He noticed Ben not laughing with him. Dooku arched an eyebrow and glanced down at the Manakete. He then looked back up at Ben. No one else at the table moved to correct the little girl sitting beside him.

"Is she serious?"

* * *

Aversa shivered as she marched through the enormous ice field that covered the plains in northern Regna Ferox. A curse escaped her lips as she slipped and sank into a snow drift.

The cape around her shoulders did not help her fight off the cold. She thought she had worn warm enough clothes for the journey into this frozen wasteland. But she now learned the hard way that there was no such thing as warm enough clothes for Regna Ferox's tundra.

Her stomach growled. There was hardly any food to find in these frozen wastes. Nothing grew this far north. The cold and ice stuck to the ground almost year round. Making any plant life sparse. And any animal life even sparser. She had seen a few rabbits every now and then. But catching those had been difficult.

She shivered and rubbed her arms. She needed food. Needed a warm fire. This damn mission. It was driving her insane. Pushing her to her very limits. And she had not even found her target yet.

When she had approached Validar about the Hierophant's orders, the new King of Plegia had been quite distraught. He refused to answer any of her questions at first. But after threatening to involve the Hierophant in the matter, Validar finally opened up. And Aversa learned of her prey. And that prey would easily make the hunter the hunted if she was not careful.

A former sorceress of the Grimleal who disappeared during the waning days of the first Ylissean-Plegia war. But not before trying to assassinate Validar himself. A mage of enormous power. Power that even Validar greatly feared. He warned Aversa she would never be able to defeat her. Even he could not best her when she had been at her strongest.

But that was almost fifteen years ago. She could be weaker now. Age and the wounds she received from Validar might render her less powerful than before. Back then, Validar did win. Through luck and trickery, he thought he vanquished the Witch. But now, the Hierophant sensed her presence. Sensed her gathering power in the ice fields of Regna Ferox. Leading a rogue sect of the Grimleal in order to try and take down him and Validar.

And the Hierophant chose Aversa to deal with it.

It was either the ultimate vote of confidence. Or the ultimate punishment. Perhaps both. Either way, both Validar and the Hierophant expected her to die out here. Either the cold would kill her, or her target would.

Aversa grit her teeth and pressed onward.

No, she would not die to the damn cold. A little ice would not kill her. Starvation would not end her life either. She would be able to complete this mission. And when she did, she would return and present the Witch's head to both Validar and the Hierophant. Her place by both of their sides would be secured once again.

She reached a small crest in the ice fields. Her breath caught in her throat.

Far below her, in a small valley surrounded by icy cliffs, was a set of ancient stone ruins half buried in the ice and snow. It looked like the remains of a massive fortress of some sort. But without any protective walls. Just an enormous building with a collapsed roof and fallen pillars. Half of it had fallen deep into the ice a long time ago.

She did not know these ruins existed out here. No one did. A small smile crossed her lips.

It was the perfect place for the Witch and her followers to hide. Aversa had her quarry in her sites. It was time to finish the mission. And return to the power she once held.

 **And chapter! A fun little chapter for our Shepherds! Ben and co. have returned home! We get to see them in a bit of a formal setting. More of a setup for some shenanigans to come next chapter. And we see both Aversa and the Hierophant making moves. I wonder who Aversa is hunting exactly? Whoever the Witch is, she will not be an easy opponent.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	66. The Last Memory

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 66

The Last Memory

These ruins were old. Cracks snaked through the pillars that had not collapsed from the elements. Massive stones lay scattered about the icy floor. Most of them buried beneath piles of snow that had likely not melted in years. Aversa shivered as a frozen wind whipped through the ancient pillars. Despite some walls still being intact, they did nothing to shield her from the elements.

This place was the only shelter for miles around. This had to be where the heretics were hiding.

Aversa glanced up at the gray sky. It would be dark soon. Daylight did not last this far north. The sun graced this frozen hell only a few hours everyday. And when it fell below the horizon, the land would be impossible to travel through. Too cold to move. She would have to start a fire soon. But if the heretics were indeed here, then it would be risky to start a fire. It would give away her location to them

A small snort left her lips. Who was she kidding? She strode through the enemy's land. The heretics likely already knew she was here. It would only be a matter of time before they ambushed her.

Voices hit her ears. Aversa froze. They came from ahead of her. Beyond several massive, collapsed columns. She moved quick and quiet. Ducking behind the columns.

"The boss wants to know about your progress regarding the small machines?"

"Not much progress." Another voice replied, "Damn power sources won't start up."

Aversa peeked around the columns. Standing in the ice and snow, bundled up in heavy robes, were two mages. Plegian from the looks of things. She recognized the black spell books in their gloved hands. Typical Grimleal tomes. Likely loaded with all sorts of nasty black spells.

Good thing she knew how to counter most of them. She did not rise so quickly in the Grimleal by being a weak mage. They would be easy to take out.

Still, she did not want to expose herself just yet. These mages must be lookouts of some sort. But what were they guarding? These ruins held nothing but shattered stones and snow.

"We should hurry inside. The cold will kill us if we remain out too long."

Aversa's eyes widened as both mages opened their spell books. They cast a spell she was unfamiliar with. A purple portal opened in front of them. Both mages stepped inside. Aversa did not have time to think about what to do next. The heretics were about to get away. That portal was her only way to where they were hiding.

She shot across the snowy ground and jumped into the portal. Just as she passed through, it sealed shut behind her.

The two mages were gone already. But that did not worry Aversa. What did worry her, was the sudden change in her location.

No ice around her. No snow either. Just rock. Craggy rocks. Sharp and jagged. A small stream trickled along a creek bed in the floor. Green, slick moss brushed against her fingers as she kept her body pressed to the floor. Torches flickered on the walls. Casting long shadows along the rocky world around her. She still felt cold. But it was also much warmer here.

Aversa carefully stood up once she was certain she was alone. She let her hood fall from her head. Thankful for the chance to let her head breath once again. Aversa narrowed her eyes. This had to be a hidden location within the ruins. Purposefully sealed off and only accessible via magic. Quite an impressive feat to say the least. Whoever managed to do this had to have massive control over magic.

No wonder Validar and the Hierophant expected her to die.

Aversa took a deep breath and crept along the rocky ground. He feet fell into a pattern of light, careful steps. She could not afford to make noise in here. The sounds of her footfalls would echo throughout the cavern is he was not careful.

As she moved further through what felt like a labyrinth of dark, dim tunnels, she began to hear a strange sound. The sound of metal being struck by hammers. Grinding from that metal being sharpened and polished. A strange whir filled the air. Looping through her mind. Aversa blinked as the torches suddenly turned into strange orbs of light on the wall. Paler than firelight. Brighter too.

She noticed a staircase carved into the rock to the side. Aversa ducked into the staircase and swiftly ascended the steps.

"My lady." A voice said, forcing Aversa to freeze in place a brief moment.

She crouched and crept a little further forward towards a small balcony overlooking a massive cavern. Once she reached the edge of the balcony, Aversa peaked over the wall.

Her eyes widened. Sitting in the massive cavern was a massive...thing. It appeared to be a large lump of metal of some sort. Lighting spells sparked across it as various mages crawled all over its outer carapace. The thing was hollow as well. The inside easily capable of holding two dozen people. It was shaped like a strange bird almost. Metal wings jutted out from the sides of the main body. The beak housed some sort of space for mages to operate it from. A strange artifact to say the least.

Whatever the thing was, it was not finished. Mages were working furiously on the strange object. Fire magic was used to weld metal in place. Other mages were busy on scaffolding. Placing more metal panels in place.

"Have you discovered the secret to the machine's power source?" A woman's voice asked below Aversa.

Aversa's gaze shifted down. Standing just off to the side of the strange object, was a hooded woman. On the back of the woman's heavy, purple and gold cloak, were the six eyes of Grima. A small smirk crossed Aversa's lips. She had found her target. This one appeared to be the leader.

The mage in front of the hooded woman shook his head.

"No, my lady. Our tests still yield nothing. We have attempted multiple thunder spells on the strange power source hoping to reignite it. But it appears to be completely offline."

The woman uttered a disappointed sigh, "Then we will have to proceed with the original plan. We cannot reverse engineer something that does not function. Have you located any more Manaketes?"

"We have found one, but she is under heavy guard in Valm. There is no way to get to her. Besides, our own spies report that she may be under the watch of the Grimleal."

The woman tsked, "Validar plays a dangerous game trying to contain a Manekete. Any other sightings?"

"No, my lady. Nothing."

"Then our one chance at a dragonstone died when those Ylisseans wiped out our mages in the desert." The woman replied with a quiet voice, "That was a young Manakete as well. She would have an enormous amount of power. She had not begun to degenerate yet."

"We believe she is still being sheltered by the Ylisseans in Ylisstol."

"Making a move in that city is far to risky." The woman replied, "For now, search for other Manaketes. The ones in Valm and Ylisstol will be our last resorts."

"Yes, my lady."

The hooded woman took one last look at the strange object being built in the cavern. She nodded and strode away towards a small doorway in the wall. As she reached the door, she paused. Aversa's eyes widened and she ducked just as the woman glanced up at the balcony.

Aversa held her breath and closed her eyes. Praying to Grima that the woman had not seen her. She stayed frozen behind the balcony wall for a couple moments. She swallowed hard and peaked over again. The hooded woman was gone. The door she marched to closed with a soft click.

Aversa grit her teeth and retreated back to the main tunnel. The Heretic would not escape that easily. She paused in the shadows of the tunnel. There were a series of metal crates lining the walls. She could hide behind those and make her way over to the door the woman disappeared through.

The Grimleal sorceress dashed over to the crates and froze against them. Waiting for any cries of alarm. None came. She exhaled. No one saw her. She carefully edged her way along the metal crates. The cold iron kissed her skin, sending small shivers through her body. Damn this cold. She could not wait to return to the heat of Plegia.

And her ticket home was just beyond that door. Aversa stopped at the edge of the crates and waited for the right moment. As soon as she was certain no one was watching, she dashed towards the door and slipped inside a new room. She closed the door with a quiet click behind her.

Aversa took in the new room she was in. Private chambers of some sort. Royally furnished. A soft bed rested against one wall. Bookshelves lined the entire wall opposite of the bed. A fireplace with a smoldering fire sat in between two of the bookshelves. A pair of doors on the far wall from the door were thrown open, revealing a balcony that jutted out of a cliffside and faced the frozen ice fields of Regna Ferox.

Standing out on the balcony was the woman. The Heretic. Aversa's target to kill. She carefully peeled the first page back on her spell book. Just as Aversa moved to cast a devastating dark spell, the woman twirled around and blasted a Ruin at her.

Aversa let out a stunned cry as the black magic slammed into her body and shot her back against the door. She hit the door with a hard thud.

"So, Validar finally sends an assassin after me." The woman said, voice quiet and calm.

Aversa grit her teeth and shoved herself back to her feet.

A wave of shadow bombarded her mind. Dark tendrils seeped into her thoughts. The woman's eyes shifted from bright green to a blazing yellow as she stared at Aversa from across the room. Aversa gasped as she felt her body lifted into the air.

A cry left her lips as she was tossed across the room and into the bookshelves. She felt a rib shift as she slammed into the shelves. Several heavy tomes landed on top of her as she lay in a heap on the tile floor.

"It took him long enough." The woman remarked, "Although, I am disappointed he did not send someone stronger. He at least could have given me some entertainment." The woman's lips pressed into a frown beneath her hood, "Instead he sends me a grunt to toy with. The man does not even have the spine to face me himself."

Aversa grit her teeth and muttered a quick incantation. The woman's eyes widened in surprise as a pulse of dark magic shot across the room and took her off of her feet. Throwing her against the frame of the bed. A small smirk crossed Aversa's lips. A spell she created for her and her alone. Aversa's Night, her most potent offensive spell. A spell that dealt damage and sapped the enemy of energy. Giving that same energy back to her. Reinvigorated, Aversa rose to her feet.

"I am stronger than you think." Aversa growled as she struggled to her feet.

The hooded woman chuckled. Her hood fell away as she rose to her feet. Revealing an older woman with dark brown hair laced with streaks of gray. A worry line or two crossed her forehead. Other than that, she was a remarkably beautiful woman for her age.

"If that is what passes for strength in the Grimleal," Aversa gasped as an invisible hand gripped her and slammed her hard to the floor, "Then Validar really has run the Order into the ground."

Aversa glared hatefully at the woman. She dared disparage Validar like this. Validar managed to gather more power to the Grimleal than any other high priest in Plegian history. The Order held more power in that desert land than the crown or the military. None could contend with the group of dark mages as long as Validar led them.

"You are but a whelp to me, child." The woman hissed as she twisted her hand. Dark branches of smoke reached out to Aversa from her hand and gripped her. Spinning her helplessly in the air, "Before I kill you, I think I want to know your name. I'll include it in the letter I have prepared for Validar. I'll attach it to your head."

Aversa felt her pulse quicken. Fear shot through her heart. She could not mover her limbs. Her hands were going numb. Her spell book had started to slip from her grip as the dark smoke smothered her form.

She was going to die. Validar and the Hierophant really had sent her to her grave. They never expected her to succeed. In the end, they were right. She was an ant to this heretic. No one could possibly hold this much power in dark magic. But the evidence before Aversa said otherwise. This Witch had to be the most powerful mage Aversa had ever seen.

How arrogant of her to think she could possibly win.

"Aversa." She managed to choke out through the smoke.

"Wh-what!?" The woman gasped.

The smoke retreated in an instant. Aversa gasped and let out a heavy cough as she gently descended to the floor. Her vision still spun. She crawled about on her hands and knees for a moment as the stunned woman stared at her.

"You aren't-" Aversa coughed again, "Going to finish me?" Aversa felt rage build up in her. This was her chance, "Then I shall destroy you!"

She rose and came face to face with a flux spell. The spell slammed into her and set her sliding across the room. Her vision blurred as her head pounded.

"What has Validar done to you, my dear child?"

Child? What did this Heretic just say? Aversa's mind started to fog over. As it did, the door to the room burst open.

"Lady Morgana! We heard a commotion." A mage cried as several others rushed into the room and surrounded Aversa.

Aversa tried to stay awake. But her body felt incredibly weak now. Her power had been sapped. Days without food rendered her physically drained. Her own magic suffered as a result.

 _So much for winning._

As her vision faded. She caught sight of the woman pushing past the other mages. She knelt down in front of Aversa. The yellow eyes had faded back to a bright, green color. She placed a gentle hand on Aversa's cheeks.

"What has your father done to you?"

* * *

Nothing like a hangover headache to serve as a wake up call. Ben groaned as he pulled himself up from his bed. Head pounding. Ears ringing. Mouth dry and body slick with sweat. He blinked some of the fog from his mind. Sunlight filtered into the Shepherds barracks. Ben winced as a ray shot straight into his eyes from the window. He raised his hand and shielded his eyes from the burning light.

A rumbling snore caught his attention. Ben blinked and turned to his right.

Gregor lay on the floor beside his bed. Several bottles littered the area around him. Ben shifted in his seat and felt his foot tap against some smooth glass. His weary eyes narrowed on several empty mugs at his feet.

 _By the Force, how much did I drink last night?_

All of the Shepherds exited the formal party early with the exception of Donnel, Maribelle, and Dooku. They all followed Sully's lead to the barracks where great barrels of beer and bottles of firewine waited for them. A proper party for the princess according to both Vaike and Sully. And that party eventually escalated to a full blown celebration for the return of Ben, Robin, Gaius, Panne, and Tharja. As well as a welcome party for the newest members of the Shepherds, Anna, Donnel, Dooku, and Laurent.

Which of course required even more alcohol.

Ben winced as he swung his legs out from his mattress. Careful not to accidentally step on the snoring Gregor. He stepped off of his bed and slowly stood up. His head swam. He stumbled to the side and managed to trip over the slumbering mercenary. He landed with a thud on the floor. And at that moment, Ben realized he was not wearing a shirt. He looked at his bare arms then down at his bare chest.

 _How much did I drink last night?_

He pushed himself back up to his feet and froze as he heard another soft snort. He glanced over at Gregor. The mercenary had not moved an inch. His eyes then turned to the other bunks in the room.

Robin lay with his head on the wrong side of the bed in his bunk. Face down, legs and arms spread out as wide as they could go. A tome rested over his head and the chess board sat on his back.

Virion was slumped beside Robin's cot. His usually perfect hair a complete mess. Several chess pieces stuck out of it. He had a teacup in his limp grasp. Filled to the brim with Feroxi Firewine.

Stahl lay in a daze on the floor near the window. Several empty bottled sat around him. Ben also swore he saw someone else's shirt over his body. The one he currently wore was about three sizes too small for him. And… it looked like a woman's shirt. Ben rubbed his forehead and grimaced as a rancid belch left his lips.

"Water…" He grumbled as he stumbled for the door.

He grabbed a shirt from the floor. One that he assumed was his and slipped it on. He shoved the door open. A loud thunk rang out. Ben cringed and looked down. Anna slept in front of the door. The edge of the door now dug into the small of her back. Ben sighed and reached down. Carefully propping the merchant on the wall beside the door.

"Ohohoho… I shall get my way." Anna mumbled in her sleep.

Ben blinked. Did he detect a Rosanne accent there?

 _I did way too much last night._

He stumbled into the common room.

Sully was draped over the bar counter. Passed out drunk. Half of her face laying in a pool of firewine. Olivia lay next to her. Ben furrowed his brow then quickly averted his eyes as he realized she was missing her shirt. Only a small blanket covered her form.

 _That explains where Stahl got his new shirt._

A small fire burned in the fireplace. Ben uttered a loud yawn. It was answered by another loud yawn near the fire. Ben blinked and looked over to see Lissa and Chrom sleeping back to back. Both propped up by the other. Sumia lay in a heap beside the fire. Her head resting in Chrom's lap.

Glasses clinking grabbed Ben's attention. He flicked his eyes back over to the bar. Ricken stood behind the counter.

"Water, Ben?" The young mage asked, sober as could be.

Ben gave the boy a small nod as he trudged over and slumped into a seat. Ricken placed large glass of water in front of the hungover swordsman. Water Ben guzzled down.

"That is the greatest tasting thing on the planet right now." Ben breathed as he wiped some droplets from his beard.

"Figured it would be." Ricken chuckled, "Everyone went all out last night."

Ben closed his eyes and nodded. Force his head hurt.

"Where is everyone?"

"You mean everyone other than the people out here?" Ricken smirked, "Well, Frederick is immune to hangovers. He is. I swear it. He woke up at the exact same time he usually does and went to the stables to tend to the horses. Cordelia woke up just a little while ago and dragged herself to the Pegasi stables. Both still have their jobs to do after all."

"Unfortunately." Ben breathed as Ricken passed him another glass of water.

Rickne nodded, "Drink up." He hummed, "Now where is everyone else? Oh yeah! You escorted Tharja to bed last night."

Ben spat water out of his mouth, "I what?"

"Yeah. It was pretty funny. She wasn't ready to stop drinking but she clearly went over her limit. She hexed you several different times. I think one of them was intended to amplify the morning hangover."

 _So that's why this hurts so much more than normal._

"But you came back pretty fast after tucking her in. Apparently she went out like a light." Ricken said as he grabbed a soapy rag and started wiping down the bar, "Laurent is stuck in the rafters."

Ben arched an eyebrow. He looked up and saw the scholar sleeping on one of the ceiling beams.

"H-how?"

"He saw a spider he wanted to study. Managed to convince Miriel and Vaike to help him get up there. Hasn't come down since." Ricken shrugged, "That guy is weird. Nowi is outside with Lon'qu. Her dragonblood made it impossible to get her drunk. And Lon'qu said he had a training regimen to keep up. Nowi wanted to watch him work. Said it was fun. Panne and Gaius are… somewhere. I think they left actually."

Ben froze, "A drunk Gaius out of the palace?" Oh Force help him. He would have to rescue the thief from the dungeons now.

"Panne was with him. So I'm not too worried." Ricken laughed, "They were in pursuit of 'the Great Gummy Bear', according to Gaius."

"Oh gods…" Ben ran a hand over his eyes, "What on earth did we do last night?"

"I'm telling you right now."

"It hurts to hear it."

Ricken chuckled, "It's kind of fun for me to tell it."

Ben uttered a long sigh and gave Ricken a weary stare. He waved his hand and sipped on his water.

"Alright. So… that leaves," Ricken hummed for a moment, "Oh! Marth was the responsible one and went to sleep before getting drunk. She might wake up in a couple minutes actually. That leaves Vaike and Miriel. I remember them both going down the hall together but beyond that-"

The door to the girls bunkroom quietly opened then shut. Both Gaius and Ben glanced over. Ben's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates as a very naked Vaike scrambled out and pressed his back against the door. Chest heaving up and down as panic seized him.

"Naga what have I done?" Vaike breathed.

"Um… Vaike?" Ricken said, "What is-"

Vaike's head whipped over to the bar. His face turned as pale as a ghost.

"B-Ben! R-Ricken uh-" He gulped, "Unfortunately this is exactly what it looks like."

Ben's jaw fell open. Ricken arched an eyebrow.

"What exactly does it look like?"

"You're too young." Ben breathed as he pushed his chair away from the bar and got to his feet.

"I'm fourteen!" Ricken cried defensively.

"Just keep-," Ben winced as his head pulsed, "Just keep doing what you are doing."

 _I need to ask Tharja why she made this hangover so bad. Force this hurts!_

Ben trudged towards Vaike. He reached the terrified man and looked him up and down.

"Go put some clothes on then we can talk."

Vaike slowly nodded and crept into the guys bunkroom. In a few seconds, he returned to the hall wearing a simple pair of pants and no shoes. Nervous beads of sweat ran down his face. No color had returned to his skin. The man looked like he was on the verge of passing out.

Ben waved to him, "Come along, we'll go for a walk."

"Yeah," Vaike gulped, "Fresh air. Teach needs that right now."

The pair passed by a curious Ricken and stepped out into the bright morning sun. Ben hissed and rubbed at his eyes.

"Tharja must have really not wanted to go to sleep." He grumbled as he adjusted to the light.

"Ben." Vaike gulped, "So… I'm guessing you already guessed."

"You and Miriel had a bit of drunken fun."

Vaike paled, "Y-yeah." Vaike gulped, "B-but I don't remember any of it. I don't… oh Naga, I just did _that_ with Miriel. That means…" Whatever color Vaike did have dissapeared, "Oh Naga…"

He slumped to the ground and leaned back against the barracks wall.

"I might've just got Miriel pregnant." Vaike swallowed hard.

Ben nodded, "Yes. And that means you will have to take responsibility for it."

"I-I know that." Vaike gasped. He ran a hand over his forehead, "I just… don't know how to go about it."

Ben let out a soft chuckle, "I don't think anyone ever does at first. But you're a good man, Vaike. I know you will do the right thing."

Vaike gulped and let out a heavy breath.

"Thanks, Ben." He breathed in. Then out, "You know. I actually don't mind it too much. Me being with Miriel. It's actually kind of fun." Ben arched an eyebrow, "More than _that_ way!" Vaike cried, "She's so damn smart. It keeps me on my toes."

Ben chuckled and patted the man on the shoulder.

"Just make sure she feels the same way before trying anything." Ben said, "Drunk people tend to make irrational decision."

"You don't have to explain that to me. The Vaike made the most irrational decision last night." The man ran his hands over his face and sucked in another deep breath, "You are a good friend, Ben."

"I do my best."

Vaike got to his feet, "I-I think I better run to the flower person or something."

"Florist?"

"Yeah that. Um… flowers and maybe a box of chocolates." Vaike scratched the back of his head, "And perhaps a copy of my last will and testament."

The spiky haired man raced out of the palace courtyard. Ben watched him disappear down the road. As he rushed off, Ben let out a long sigh and shook his head.

 _Talk about a wild night._

"Ah, you are finally awake."

Ben scowled as he heard Dooku approach. Maribelle walked beside him. Her pink parasol was folded up and rested on her shoulder.

 _My headache is about to get a lot worse._

Dooku arched an eyebrow as he looked at the disheveled Ben.

"Mornings do not suit you, Kenobi." He drawled.

"Drinking and a drunk dark mage do not suit me." Ben grumbled as he walked past both towards the training yard. The pair followed him.

He could hear Lon'qu furiously hacking at a practice dummy with his sword. Occasionally, Nowi cheered him on. Ben blinked more bright sunlight from his eyes and slumped into a bench on the perimeter of the yard. A spot in the shade of the palace walls. Naga, his head hurt. And his breath tasted rancid. He covered his mouth as a wretched burp left his lips.

"You need to purge the toxins already, Kenobi." Dooku advised as he took a seat beside him.

Maribelle sat down in a seat beside Dooku. Her eyes focused on the one other person training in the training yard. Young Donnel hacked away at a dummy beside Lon'qu. Though with no where near as much power or speed.

Ben rolled his eyes, "I've already tried, Dooku." Ben breathed even as he tried to use the force to shove the alcohol from his mind and body, "Tharja hexed me last night." He admitted as he massaged his forehead with the heels of his hands.

"How rude." Maribelle sniffed.

"I agree. What do you see in her anyways, Kenobi?"

"Please," Ben raised a hand, "Please don't start. It's too early for that."

Dooku gave Ben a smug grin but did not press the issue any further.

"How was your evenings?" Ben asked Dooku and Maribelle.

"Lovely." Maribelle said, "The party went off without a hitch. Despite everyone else's best efforts. The noble class will be talking about it for weeks now."

"In a very good way of course." Dooku chimed in, "Maribelle, you put on a lovely party for the Princess. I'm sure Prince Chrom and Queen Sumia are more than thrilled with what you did for them."

"I hope they are." Maribelle smiled, "It took a great deal of energy to put together. And thank you Dooku. Your words are very much appreciated."

"You are most welcome."

"At least one of Ben's friends has manners and sense." Maribelle sniffed as she watched Lon'qu and Donnel train. Nowi cheered as Lon'qu chopped the straw head off of his dummy, "Dooku is both very proper and intelligent, Ben. I do not know how you two ever became friends."

"Feel free to tell me how when you've figured it out." Ben snorted quietly.

"Well the elderly must help educate the youth." Dooku smirked, much to Ben's annoyance.

"Precisely. And you are clearly a well learned man." Maribelle nodded, "Ben, Dooku and I were both discussing the difficulties regarding the rebuilding of Themis. It was almost razed to the ground when the Plegians sacked it."

"A most unfortunate event. You have my condolences." Dooku said.

"Thank you." Maribelle took a breath, "And Dooku had marvelous insight as to how to go about rebuilding both the infrastructure and economy."

"Lovely." Ben muttered.

"So I have named him my personal adviser."

Ben jerked upright in his seat. He gave Maribelle a stunned look.

"You what?"

"Indeed, Kenobi." Dooku smirked at Ben, making the Jedi's blood boil, "It appears Lady Maribelle has been receiving rather ill council from other nobles in the area. I pointed that out and offered much more effective and efficient solutions."

"And I want Dooku to help me oversee them." Maribelle said. She saw Ben's furrowed brow and frowned, "You may not like that I am ripping your friend away from you, Ben. But this is happening. I will not be swayed on the matter." She rose to her feet and popped her parasol open over her head, "Now if you will excuse me, I have some business to attend to."

"We shall speak later, Lady Maribelle." Dooku bowed his head.

"Absolutely, Dooku." Maribelle smiled before striding towards the palace.

As soon as she was out of earshot, Ben glared at Dooku.

"You." Ben snarled.

Dooku smirked at Ben.

"You did that on purpose." Ben wagged a finger at the Count.

"But of course. I saw a person in need and decided to assist." Dooku replied with a wry smile.

"Oh no, no, no. You saw a chance to get away from me and took it."

"Why Kenobi; it is as if you are saying you do not trust me."

"I trust you about as far as I can throw a Bantha. Which is not very far." Ben hissed, "The entire purpose of me letting you live was because I could keep an eye on you."

"Oh? And now you are considering killing me?" Dooku's eyes sparkled with delight, "That would certainly change these people's perception of you. The powerful mad swordsman dealing a death blow to a kind old man. How insidious of you, Kenobi. Very un-jedi like."

Ben grit his teeth. How did Dooku managed to get under his skin so easily? He felt like Anakin right now. Dooku managed to rattle him a lot. Ben had always been the calm one in these situations.

He flicked his eyes over to the training yard as Donnel uttered a frustrated snarl and kicked his practice dummy.

 _I need a proper distraction._

Ben got to his feet.

"Are you going to instruct Donnel now?" Dooku asked, dropping the original subject. Much to Ben's relief.

"I have been instructing him for the past few months." Ben replied as he walked over to a sword rack and grabbed a blunted blade, "He's a slow learner."

Dooku tsked, "And you are clearly a poor teacher."

Ben wheeled around on him, "I am not a poor teacher." Ben hissed.

"But you are. After all, the last student you had is dead."

Pain lanced through Ben's heart. He glowered at Dooku.

"How do you know Anakin is dead?" Ben asked. His blunt blade hung loose in his grip.

Dooku shrugged, "A safe assumption. You have Skywalker's lightsaber after all. And you don't possess your own. Skywalker would not let himself lose his lightsaber. Not unless he had been dealt a fatal blow."

Dooku saw intense pain in Ben's gaze. Sensed deep regret and sorrow coming from the younger man. Normally, he would have relished in such feelings. During the Clone Wars, he often pushed to sow such feelings in the Jedi he faced. It made them weak compared to him. Easy targets. Easy prey. But now, in the aftermath of the war, now that he and Ben were technically on the same side; he did not enjoy seeing the man in such pain.

"How did Skywalker die?" Dooku asked Ben.

Both men heard the door to the barracks open then close. Robin stumbled out. Tharja walked behind him. The dark mage unaffected by any hangover whatsoever. The tactician, however, bent over and let out a weak groan as he emerged into the sunlight. Tharja gave the man a quick rub on his back before striding towards Ben and Dooku.

"Kenobi." Ben returned his attention to the Count, "You had to have been there when Skywalker died."

Ben swallowed hard. He did not answer the Count. Instead, Ben strode away from him just as Tharja reached the pair. He headed towards the training yard exit. Making his way to the palace gardens on the other side of the palace.

Dooku furrowed his brow and let out a long sigh.

"You."

He arched an eyebrow and glanced over at Tharja. She glowered down at him with a rather intimidating glare. Dooku would not admit it made him uncomfortable. But he did shift in his seat a little bit.

"Good morning, Miss Tharja. I trust you slept well."

Tharja narrowed her eyes, "I don't know who exactly you are, but you are clearly not a friend of Ben's."

Without another word, she strode after Ben. Donnel paused in his training and watched the dark mage rush off. Nowi cheered nearby as Lon'qu bisected his practice dummy. The other swordsman uttered a small curse then went to go fetch a new target. Donnel sighed and shook his head.

"Wish I could fight like that."

"Practice makes permanent, Donnel." Dooku called from his perch, "Go about your exercises. I shall point out any areas that need improvement."

Someone had to properly instruct this rabble if Kenobi would not do it himself. And Dooku was more than happy to oblige.

* * *

The Ylisstol Palace gardens were a peaceful place. Birds chirped happily as they sat in the branches of several small trees. A sparkling marble fountain rested in the center of the garden. And that was where Tharja found Ben. The young Jedi Master sat next to the fountain. Head bowed. Anakin's lightsaber in his lap.

Tharja frowned as she pulled her spell book closer to her chest. She took a deep breath and walked up to the upset Ben. Without a word, she took a seat beside him. The soft trickling of the fountain helping to calm her own rage down.

Dooku upset Ben. That much was clear. And he consistently did so as well. Tharja did not mind causing some discomfort to people. She did so all the time. Often times unintentionally but many times very intentionally. But she almost never upset a friend unless they really deserved it. And even then, she never attacked their emotions. It was always a physical hex. A runny nose that would not end. Or a sharpened hangover. Never a crushing blow to their emotions.

It made her blood boil because that was Dooku's preferred method of winning an argument. And she despised such things.

Ben took a deep breath as he looked up from Anakin's lightsaber.

"I forgot to get mine back." He said.

Tharja arched an eyebrow.

"My lightsaber." Ben continued, "Kage has it. I recognized the blade when he used it to kill, Maul. In my shock of finding Luke, I forgot to get my own weapon back." A soft snort left Ben's lips, "If Anakin ever found out about that he would never let me hear the end of it. I used to lay into him for losing his own weapon." He pursed his lips, grabbed the lightsaber, and clipped it back to his belt, "Now I have his weapon. Funny how that works."

"What did Dooku ask you?" Tharja asked.

Ben grimaced. He swallowed hard, "He asked me how Anakin died."

Tharja furrowed her brow. She set her spell book down in her lap.

"Dooku clearly is not a friend of yours."

"No, he most certainly is not." Ben snorted, "In fact, Dooku is one of my oldest enemies. We fought against each other during the Clone War. He helped spark that blasted conflict." Ben ran his hands over his face. A long sigh left his lips as he let his hands fall back into his lap, "I cannot tell you how many times he and I tried to kill each other."

Tharja raised an eyebrow, "Then why is he even alive? Why is he with us?"

Ben sighed, "Because I can't kill him."

"Why not?"

Ben shook his head, "He is supposed to already be dead. Anakin took his head from his shoulders during the latter days of the war. Don't ask me how the hell he is even alive now. I don't know."

Tharja's eyes widened. Dooku was supposed to be dead. Not only was he supposed to be dead, but he was a mortal enemy of Ben's as well. No wonder Ben seemed so distressed around him. It was as if he was being haunted by the ghost of his worst enemy every day.

So what brought him back to life? That was a question that would require some intense study and scrutiny. She would delve into her own knowledge for that. And perhaps ask for assistance from Miriel. The inquisitive mage would no doubt be very interested in such a subject. Tharja hoped.

"I suppose his question makes sense." Tharja breathed, "I would want to know how my killer died."

Ben's jaw clenched. He hung his head and nodded, "I suppose you are not wrong."

Tharja gave her friend a concerned glance. She hesitated then placed a hand on his back.

"Ben."

The Jedi raised his head a little bit.

"Do you need to talk about it?"

Ben shook his head, "I don't really want to talk about it." He sniffed and rubbed his nose, "That memory is the single worst memory I think I have."

Tharja nodded, "Then we won't talk about it. But we will confront it."

Ben's face paled.

"Ben, you cannot let these demons rule you." Tharja warned, "You give them power by fearing them. You will never move past the horrors if you refuse to face them."

Ben shook his head.

"I thought you just wanted to use your hex to learn about the force from me by getting inside my head."

Tharja cringed, "M-maybe at first but-" She drew in a deep breath, "Look you helped me when I needed it. It is only fair I return the favor." Tharja cracked open her spell book, "Now, you and I are going to see this memory. We will face it together."

Ben rested his head in his hand. He drew a deep breath. Preparing himself for what was about to happen. With a reluctant nod, he turned his body to face Tharja's.

"Are you sure you can access that specific one?"

"Stop trying to get out of this." Tharja breathed, "And I am sure. I think I've finally perfected the spell."

Ben uttered a shaky breath. She could already see him dreading this memory. But he appeared to steel his resolve.

The purple runes crawled over their skin. Ben closed his eyes and waited for it to hit him. Tharja gave him a sympathetic look. Just as the runes crept up to her face, she shut her eyes.

* * *

Heat. Unbearable, stifling heat. It felt like she stepped right into a burning fire. Smoke filled her nose. Tharja felt like she was suffocating. She could smell brimstone. Lots of it. Thick in the air. It drowned out almost any other scent.

" _Stop!"_ A woman's shrill, heart broken voice cried. Forcing Tharja's eyes open.

Her heart jumped to her throat. Fear shot through her heart.

It looked like she had jumped into the heart of a volcano. Ash spewed into the air all around her. Black clouds choked the sky above her. Rivers of lava ran through the scorched landscape. She was facing a facility of some sort. Made of out metal. A purple shield repelled as much of the heat and ash as possible.

Tharja furrowed her brow. She looked down to see she was standing at the top of a sleek, metal ramp. No, this was not her. She could see everything as herself. But this was not her body. She looked down and saw cream colored robes and a brown cloak over her form.

 _I'm seeing this through Ben's eyes._ She thought with a startled gasp.

" _Come back please!"_

Tharja looked back up. Following Ben's own gaze to two people standing on the platform in front of her. A heavily pregnant woman. Small and slim. Beautiful and elegant. Tears streaming down her face as she faced a furious robed man.

 _Anakin Skywalker._

She recognized him from the security hologram at the Jedi Temple. He looked the same. But there was so much rage. So much anger and hatred in him. His face twisted into a terrifying snarl as he glowered down at the woman. The one that had to be his wife.

" _LIAR!"_ He roared.

The woman looked back at Ben. Tharja gasped. She could feel Ben's worry in that moment. His own anxiety. Every drop of fear and concern him. Every single thought of regret and sorrow. It weighed on her shoulders like heavy stones. An unbearable burden that no person should have to carry.

This was the memory. This was where Ben killed his apprentice.

Ben's body started moving down the ramp towards the platform.

" _N-no!"_ Anakin's wife cried, suddenly terrified. She flashed Ben one of the most fear filled, betrayed glances Tharja had ever seen.

" _YOU BROUGHT HIM HERE TO KILL ME!"_ Anakin raged.

Tharja felt like she could not breathe. She felt Ben's resolve suddenly tighten. His own determination and resilience roaring forth like a lion in his mind. In front of her, the woman gasped and reached for her throat. Tharja felt the force raging around the woman. All of it stemming from Anakin. His fingers pinched together in front him. Choking the life out of his wife with the Force.

" _Let her go, Anakin!"_ Obi Wan barked.

He did not move.

" _Let. Her. Go."_

Tharja's mind reached the bottom of the ramp with Obi Wan's body just as the woman slumped to the ground, unconscious. Anakin seethed at her then turned his hate filled gaze up.

" _You turned her against me!?"_

So much pain. So much anger and hatred. Unyielding power rushed through the hot air towards Obi Wan. Tharja reeled inside of Ben's mind as a massive wave of the dark side of the force slammed into both of them. While she reeled, Obi Wan stood firm.

" _You have done that yourself."_

Anakin shrugged off his black cloak. He started pacing. Like a furious animal. The Dark Side of the Force rippled around him. Out of control. Thirsting for blood.

" _You will not take her from me!"_ He roared.

Obi Wan tossed his own brown cloak from his shoulder.

" _Your anger and your lust for power have already done that."_

Tharja and Obi Wan started circling the platform. Gaze never leaving Anakin. Waiting for that moment where his rage would break and he would attack. She could feel Obi Wan's concern for the woman. This Padme Amidala. Every so often, she could sense Ben reach out with the Force and touch her life force. Trying to make sure she was okay. But every time he did, another rush from the dark side bashed him back.

" _You have allowed this dark lord to twist your mind until now-"_ Obi Wan took a breath as he continued circling around the platform. His goal no doubt to reach Padme and make sure she was still alive, " _Until now you have become the very thing you swore to destroy."_

" _Don't lecture me, Obi Wan."_ Anakin spat, " _I see through the lies of the Jedi. I do not fear the dark side as you do."_

Tharja and Obi Wan finally reached Padme. They knelt down and touched her forehead. Reaching out with the force to see if she still lived. Relief flooded through Obi Wan as he felt her life force beat out in the force. Strong and steady. But there was a small waver. A faint crack in her strength.

" _I have brought peace!"_ Anakin's tirade continued as he faced away from Obi Wan and Padme, " _Freedom! Justice! And security to my new Empire!"_

" _Your new empire?"_

 _Oh I doubt this empire is yours._ Tharja thought. If the Empire was ever ruled by Anakin it would likely crumble. He had no self control. No discipline. The dark lord Obi Wan mentioned ruled. And he played with Anakin like how a puppeteer plays with a marionette puppet.

" _Don't make me kill you."_

Pain shot through Obi Wan's mind and heart. Tharja reeled. Those words cut through him like the sharpest of knives. Flashes of other memories, ones shared with Anakin, raced through her mind. She saw them laugh together. Cry together. Enjoy some rather fun adventures together. Fight a war together.

She saw the first time they ever met. Aboard the Queen of Naboo's ship. Qui Gon Jinn introduced them.

" _You're a Jedi too!?"_ A young Anakin's voice cried with excitement, " _Pleased to meet you."_

 _"You will be a Jedi."_ Ben's voice echoed in her mind, _"I promise you."_

If Tharja was in her own body, she would have crumbled by now. If she had known that they were this close, then she would never have asked Ben to go through with this. This was not something for a memory walk. This memory was one that needed to be dealt with carefully. What had she done?

" _Anakin my allegiance is to the Republic. To democracy!"_ Obi Wan exclaimed, his own pain and frustration mounting.

Anakin glanced over his shoulder.

" _If you're not with me._ " Tharja's heart hammered with Obi Wan's. She could feel the tension about to snap. The rage about to break, " _Then you're my enemy."_

Sadness ripped through Tharja's mind.

" _Only a Sith deals in absolutes."_ Obi Wan breathed. He unclipped his lightsaber, " _I will do what I must."_

" _You will try."_

It was a blur. So fast and powerful. Tharja heard Obi Wan's lightsaber hiss to life. Felt the heat of the blade in her hand.

The next thing she knew, Anakin was on top of them, his own blade cutting deadly arcs through the superheated air of the planet. The lightsabers clashed in violent sparks of blue light.

Tharja's pulse raced. Her heart hammered in her chest as the battle raged right before her eyes. She could see every action Anakin took against Obi Wan. Every deadly thrust and slash. Every devastating blow to her friend's nearly flawless defense.

And it was all so fast. It boggled her mind.

One moment they were on the platform with Padme Amidala's ship. The next they were battling through a dim corridor in the facility. Sparks danced and spat all around her. Shooting into Obi Wan's robes and scorching the cream fabric.

Anakin shoved Obi Wan into an observation room of some sort. Dead bodies littered the floor. All of them slashed to ribbons by Anakin. All of them different alien life forms. In her mind, Tharja saw them as the Seperatist council. The ones who helped Dooku spark the Clone War.

More blurs of blue. More heart pounding clashes. Obi Wan hopped back onto one of the tables. Anakin jumped up and hammered his lightsaber against Obi Wan's. His gloved hand shot out and caught Obi Wan by the throat.

Tharja panicked. She was choking. She could not breath. She gasped. Wanted to scream. The Dark Side of the Force roared. It laughed at her. Laughed at her pain. She stared up at Anakin's vicious snarl as he brought a blue lightsaber closer to Obi Wan's throat.

 _Fight back!_

Obi Wan kicked Anakin. Toppling the other man over. A melee ensued. Both men lost their grip on their blades. Kicks and punches rocketed towards each other. Obi Wan knocked Anakin onto his back. He called to his blade with the force. Just as he brought his lightsaber crashing down at Anakin, the traitor snatched his own weapon and blocked the blow.

Anakin shoved his way back to his feet. Hacking and slashing at Obi Wan with reckless abandon. Already, Tharja could feel her friend starting to tire. Meanwhile, Anakin looked stronger than ever.

They both shot a force push at each other. They stayed still for a moment. Battling for dominance. Then they both shot back. Plowing into different controls on the wall. Tharja heard a loud alarm sound. Heat blasted into the room. The shields were down.

Obi Wan retread out to a catwalk along the observation room. Tharja recoiled from the heat. Enormous jets of lava shot up from the magma river below. Flecks of ash and molten rock landed on the metal catwalk beside her.

It was too much! The power she felt from Anakin. The strain on Obi Wan. The Dark Side roaring with victory as he powered through her. Taunting her with wicked, venomous whispers. Beckoning her to watch.

She shut her eyes. But she could still feel the battle. Feel every blow. Every hack and slash. Every brutal kick and punch. Every time an ember from the fiery surface below hit her skin, she hissed out.

When she opened her eyes again, the fight had moved to a floating platform in the middle of a river of lava. Obi Wan's body was covered in a thick layer of sweat. His robes were charred in several spots. His breathing heavy and labored.

Anakin stood across from him. His hate filled eyes boring holes into Obi Wan.

 _He is going to kill me._

Tharja's breath hitched as she heard Obi Wan's thoughts at that moment.

 _Oh… he will kill me. But I will make him work for it._

" _I have failed you Anakin."_ Obi Wan breathed as he held his lightsaber defensively out in front of him, " _I have failed you."_

" _I should have known the Jedi were plotting to take over!"_

" _Anakin! Chancellor Palpatine is evil!"_

" _From my point of view, the Jedi are evil!"_

" _WELL THEN YOU ARE LOST!"_

The final declaration. The ultimate words that spelled Anakin's doom. Obi Wan's heart broken admission that his friend, his brother, was gone. He would not be able to sway him. He would not be able to save him. This was it. The Jedi had failed. It was all over.

He stood alone against the tide of darkness. On that river of molten rock, Obi Wan grit his teeth and focused his mind. Tharja felt the dark side cry out in alarm. A burst of light shot through her mind. Resolve. Focus. Determination. The will to do what was right. Obi Wan embodied those things in that moment.

In that moment, as he accepted he was going to die, he was a Jedi Master.

Their blades clashed several more times before Obi Wan jumped away from the platform onto a high bank of lava. He stared down at Anakin.

" _It's over Anakin!"_

Tharja's mind raced. Ben was goading the enraged traitor. Daring him try and attack while at a clear disadvantage. Obi Wan's last ditch effort to end this fight on his terms.

" _I have the high ground!"_

Anakin stared up at Obi Wan. Arrogance and hatred in his eyes.

" _You underestimate my power!"_

" _Don't try it."_ Obi Wan pleaded.

Tharja gasped as Anakin soared into the air. Trying to land behind Obi Wan.

One move. One strike. One brutal slash through the air with his lightsaber. Three of Anakin's limbs fell to the rocky ground. The rest of his body hit the rocks then slid down towards the edge of the river. A loud cry and groan left the fallen man's lips.

The emotions slammed into Tharja. Ben had won. But at a cost. Tears blurred her vision as pain ripped at her heart.

" _You were the chosen one!"_ Ben screamed, voice cracking, " _It was said you would destroy the Sith not join them! Bring balance to the force! Not leave it in darkness!"_

Anakin tried to claw his way back up the embankment. His one remaining limb scratched helplessly at the superheated rock and ash.

" _I HATE YOU!"_

Tharja reeled. The knife dug deep into Obi Wan's heart. Those words reverberated through her mind. Their brotherhood, their friendship, severed with three words.

" _You were my brother Anakin."_ Obi Wan swallowed hard, " _I loved you."_

A spark caught Anakin's robes. Within seconds, his body turned to flames. Screams pierced the hot air. The most horrific screams Tharja had ever heard in her life.

Obi Wan turned away. He picked up Anakin's lightsaber and walked back towards the facility in the distance. Back to Padme Amidala and her ship. Away from his dying apprentice.

Away from his dead friend.

* * *

Tharja gasped as she opened her eyes. She stared in front of her. Ben was gone. The fountain's trickling water was all she could hear. She looked down at her hands. They were shaking.

"B-Ben?" She trembled.

That memory, it had been too much. No wonder Ben did not want to face it. It was terrifying and heart wrenching. It had been the moment where he had accepted death. Accepted his failures and mistakes. Accepted that his friend was gone. How could she put him through that?

 _What have I done? What kind of friend am I?_

" _You did what was necessary."_

Tharja jumped as a soft voice spoke to her. Gentle and kind. Her gaze whipped around the gardens. Was it Ben? No, that did not sound like him. He was likely long gone at this point. He probably woke from the memory just before she did and raced away in a fear filled panic.

"Who's there?" Tharja asked.

" _You do not have anything to fear, Tharja."_ The voice spoke again, " _And you have done nothing wrong. You have done a great thing for Obi Wan."_ The voice gave her a soft laugh, " _I'm so happy my student met you."_

Tharja's eyes widened.

"Qui Gon Jinn." She breathed.

Disbelief filled her. No, that was impossible. Qui Gon was dead. How could he be speaking to her now?

" _From a certain point of view, I am dead. But from another point of view, I am alive. I live on in the Force. And through it, I can speak to you and Obi Wan."_

Tharja swallowed hard. One of her trembling hands raked through her long hair.

"Wh-what do I do?" She asked Qui Gon.

" _You do what you have always done, Tharja."_ Qui Gon replied. His calm, gentle voice soothing her own mind and slowing her racing heart, " _Be there for him."_

She felt a bright presence fade away. And as it faded away, she saw Ben standing at the edge of the gardens. Facing away from her. Shoulders heaving up and down as he tried to catch his breath.

She jumped from her seat. Her spell book fell to the ground as she rushed to him.

She slammed into him from behind and wrapped her arms around him. Her own breath shivering as she held on tight. He did not react at first. Did he even notice she was there?

A hand reached up and gently cupped her own hands. Tharja gulped and let her head rest against Ben's back.

Neither felt like speaking. Not after seeing what they had seen. Not after feeling everything they felt. So they stood there. Quiet and somber. Qui Gon's words rang through Tharja's mind as she refused to let go.

Be there for him.

 **And chapter! This was an extremely fun chapter to write. We got some very lighthearted moments with the Shepherds, some very dark moments with Tharja and Ben. Qui Gon has made a long awaited reappearance. And we finally get to see Ben's memory of the Mustafar fight. I aimed to make it seem like Tharja was watching it through Obi Wan's eyes instead of as an outside observer. I hope I succeeded in doing so. That made it a very unique challenge to write.**

 **And, we get to see what Witch the Hierophant is so worried about. Lady Morgana, an OC for this story. One I am very excited to write and develop. Her role in this story will be important. As is her relationship to a few characters. I wonder what project her and her fellow heretics are working on? Hm… you'll find out eventually.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	67. A Brother's Pride

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 67

A Brother's Pride

Mornings in Chon'sin had to be one of the most serene things in existence. Especially when one woke up in the royal palace. Cynthia blinked her eyes open and stretched her arms high over her head.

Her room was so foreign to her still. Instead of a bed with a mattress, she slept on a very soft mat in the center of the room. Instead of a closet, there was a small dresser with neatly folded kimonos inside. Instead of her room being attached to a long, narrow hallway; her room led out to a grand courtyard.

She uttered a noiseless yawn and scratched the back of her head. Her voice still had not returned. And it was starting to grate on her nerves. Auntie Tharja really knew how to place a hex on someone. But did she really have to make that hex so long lasting? The young pegasus knight shook her head and hopped to her feet.

 _Oh well._ She thought, _I can't do anything about it right now._

It was time for her morning routine. A few good stretches to limber up the muscles. A round of push-ups and sit-ups. Then perhaps a nice run through the morning mists that fogged the land of Chon'sin early in the morning. A pegasus knight had to stay in tip top physical shape after all. Flying demanded much from the body.

Once she did her stretches and a brief warm-up, she slid the door to her room open and quietly shut it. The air was crisp and clean. Cynthia took a deep breath and uttered a happy sigh. She was happy with her decision in the end.

It was hard when Luci and the others went back to Ylisse. For the first week or two, she felt a little homesick. She still had trouble stomaching some of the more strange foods Chon'sin had to offer. Raw fish being the one she had to make the biggest adjustment to. But thanks to some patience from her gracious hosts, Yen'fay and Say'ri, she had finally begun to adjust to life in the Chon'sin palace in their capital city of Koto. Her palate adjusted to the strange food. She greatly enjoyed how roomy the kimonos she wore were. And the weather to her was lovely.

That being said, she did not interact with a whole lot of people in the royal palace. She hung out with Say'ri whenever she could. But the Chon'sin Princess had duties to attend to as well. She had to help rule over a province in the Valm Empire as well as take care of the young Prince Kage. She was no longer the governor of the territory. Yen'fay assumed that role upon returning home (to Say'ri's relief). But Say'ri was still in charge of some aspects of the city of Koto while her brother ran the province.

And Yen'fay was not much of a talker. Since she could not talk herself, and since no one really understood her haphazard hand motions, that made conversation with him difficult. She did play with Prince Kage quite a bit. The young toddler often brightened the mood in whatever room her entered. And Cynthia was more than happy to be the babysitter when needed.

Then there was Kage. The older Kage. The one that came back from the future before her and Luci. Cynthia frowned a little as she started her morning run.

Kage had become reclusive. Secluding himself in his own chambers most days or wandering the bamboo forests outside of the city on his own. Cynthia had tried to catch him as he exited the palace, but he either left way too early in the morning, or managed to lose her in the forests before she could catch him.

A huff left her lips as she turned a corner and exited the palace. She jogged out into the greater city. Past the more ancient section housing where some local nobles as well as the vacation homes of the many Chon'sin dynasts were. The ones that ran other cities in the province. Through the market district and commonfolk's corner of the city. Then out to the countryside.

Her quick jog took her further out into the glistening rice fields. All of them flooded from rains the day before. Orange rays of sunlight glinted off of them like jewels. Several of the farmers waved to her as she passed by. And she waved back with a bright smile.

Finally, her road led her to the edge of the great bamboo forest on the city's outskirts. At the very edge of the forest, she stopped jogging and caught her breath. Sweat covered her body. The loose clothes clung to her skin. She brushed some damp hair from her forehead and sucked in deep breaths.

 _A little break then back home._

Before she could start running again, she heard a small whir coming from the forest. A buzz that hummed like a strange honeybee. Cynthia furrowed her brow and gave the woods a puzzled look. A small smile formed over her lips as she heard the buzz again.

 _I have you now!_

She carefully crept into the forest. Followed skinny dirt trails made by the wild boar that roamed these woods. Finally, she made it to a clearing in the bamboo forest.

Kage stood in the center of the clearing. Cynthia's jaw fell open as she watched him stand completely still in his fighting stance. Knees bent. Body positioned to the side. Glowing blue blade held in both hands with the deadly, humming light directed at his invisible target.

A snarl left his lips. He whipped his blade through the air. The bar of light hummed and buzzed as it sliced through the thick, humid morning air. Drops of sweat jumped from Kage's brow as he danced through the clearing. Powerful, violent movements. Hacks and slashes meant to crush an enemy's guard in one strike.

Cynthia forgot about her morning routine as she watched him work with awe. Each strike possessed so much power and ferocity behind it. Each movement looked so fluid and effortless. Her eyes widened as he managed an impossible flip. He landed and continued his duel with his invisible opponent. Blue light whirring around his body at an impossible pace.

One final slash and he paused. Chest heaving up and down. Sweat dripping from his brow down onto the grassy clearing. The blue blade hissed back into the silver hilt in his hands.

She started clapping. Kage jumped. His eyes darted right at her. Once he saw her, his shoulders sagged and he uttered a long sigh.

"Damn it, Cynthia." He grumbled.

The Pegasus Knight hopped into the clearing. A big grin on her face. She gave him another small clap.

Kage rolled his eyes.

"It's not good enough." He replied, "Maul would have ended me if I was actually fighting him."

Cynthia frowned. She pointed at Kage then made a stabbing motion into the air with one of her hands.

Kage arched an eyebrow, "Didn't I already kill him? Is that what you are asking?"

She nodded.

Kage let out a long breath, "When is that stupid hex going to be done." He muttered, "Yes I already killed him. But he is still one of the most powerful opponents I have ever faced. And I caught him by surprise when I killed him. If he were expecting me to fight him, he would have won." Kage frowned, "Then there is Equus."

Cynthia shook her head and mouthed out the Deadlord's other name.

"Right, Dooku." Kage rolled his eyes, "I don't know how you are so comfortable with the thought of him still alive. And around the others no less."

Cynthia shrugged.

"You really trust the other's that much?"

She nodded.

Kage snorted, "You're far more trusting than I am. If that Deadlord were to turn on them, I don't know if even Kenobi could stop him." He rolled his shoulders, "Which is why I am out here training. And I'd prefer to not be disturbed."

Cynthia huffed and folded her arms over her chest. She did not move from her spot.

Kage let out a long groan.

"You aren't leaving until I go back with you, are you?"

Cynthia gave him an innocent smile.

"You're one hell of a manipulator you know that?"

She nodded.

"So all of that _is_ an act!"

She gave him a confused look.

"I guess not." Kage snorted as he clipped his lightsaber back to his belt, "Alright, let's go." He waved for her to lead the way, "I suppose I could take a break for the rest of the day."

Cynthia beamed as him and quickly took him by the hand. She yanked him along the dirt trail back towards the city.

"Hey, slow down. There's no rush." Kage said with a small smirk.

Cynthia shook her head and started working her jaw. She made a motion like she was spooning food into her mouth.

"Oh, no wonder." Kage sighed, "You're hungry."

Cynthia nodded. She skipped along beside him as they reached the main road and passed the rice fields before the open city gates.

The city streets were much more crowded when they both returned. The shops were starting to open for the day in the market district. Farmers from the countryside pulled heavy carts laden with crops into the city. Multiple groups of guards milled about the stone streets. Keeping an eye on the growing crowds that filled the city. Children raced through the nearby alleys. Several elderly citizens sat out in front of their homes and watched the day go by with a smile.

Cynthia grinned ear to ear as she waltzed through the lively city. She spun around and turned to face Kage as they drew close to a canal that ran through the city.

"Yes I know. It's very pretty." Kage chuckled as she walked backwards in front of him, "I grew up here, remember?"

She smirked and spun around again. Kage could not help but shake his head a little and quietly laugh as she continued to marvel at the sights and sounds around her.

But could he blame her? Koto was a marvelous city. Kage remembered all the days he spent running through these streets, much to Say'ri's dismay at the time. He never did care for the rules, even back then. He wanted to explore. To see and experience new and interesting things. Palace life bored him. He did not know how fortunate he had been until he had lost that life.

But at least he had memories of this city. Memories of peaceful times. Cynthia did not have those memories. Any she did have were fuzzy and likely difficult for her erratic mind to recall. War was a natural part of life for her. She was born after a war. Raised during a war. Fought during an apocalyptic war as soon as she could hold a lance and ride a pegasus. All she had known was destruction. Burned out husks of cities and towns. Even Ylisstol had not been the sparkling jewel of the world during that terrible future. The city had succumbed to decay even before Grima finally turned his eyes to it. Too weak to handle the influx of refugees and the constant onslaught of Risen. In the end, when the final siege did come, there was not much of a city left to look at.

That was probably why Cynthia loved walking through the streets of Koto so much. She had never seen anything like it before. Never experienced a truly free city. Free from war and corruption. Free from fear and death. Filled with normal people going about normal lives. It amazed her.

After living in that bleak future as well, it often amazed Kage.

They finally reached the steps that led up to the royal palace. The guards stationed at the front smiled and let them pass. Cynthia bounced up the steps while Kage wearily ascended the might stone stairs.

"How do you have this much energy?" He wheezed as the pair reached the top.

Cynthia paused and put a finger to her chin. She thought for a moment, then shrugged.

"Of course you don't know."

"Luke, Cynthia, there you are."

Both turned to see Yen'fay striding towards them. It was odd for Kage seeing the General in anything other than his military attire. Around the palace, especially when other dynasts and nobles were not around, he wore the most comfortable set of robes he could find and allowed his silver hair to flow freely over his shoulders. That appearance changed when there was business to conduct of course. But right now, Yen'fay had free time. And so, he relaxed.

"I have been looking for both of you. Breakfast is about to be served."

Cynthia gasped and clapped her hands excitedly. Kage just shook his head and chuckled quietly as she raced past Yen'fay towards the main dining room in the palace. Yen'fay's eyes silently followed her for a moment. There was an amused look in his eyes before he returned his gaze to Kage. His gaze flicked down to the hilt clipped to Kage's hip for a brief second. Then he nodded and looked up at Kage's face.

"Boundless energy." He said.

Kage let out a weary sigh, "Tell me about it."

A wry smirk crossed Yen'fay's lips. He motioned for Kage to walk with him towards where breakfast will be served. The pair strode silently along the perimeter of the main courtyard. The soft trickle of a water fountain draining into a small koi pond filled the air.

"You often go into the forests." Yen'fay quietly said.

Kage nodded, "I find it to be peaceful. A good place to collect my thoughts."

"They must be very scattered if you need that much peace and quiet to retrieve them." Yen'fay noted as the duo neared.

Kage let out a long, heavy sigh.

If only Yen'fay really knew. Kage had been more than a little confused as of late. And it all stemmed from that night near the Mila Tree. The night he lost to Equus and was rescued by Ben Kenobi. The night he discovered Lucina was actually alive.

He still could not figure out why Kenobi let him live. Why did he not strike him down while he could? Certainly he felt like doing so. He had to have wanted to. After all, Kage helped Maul slay Emmeryn. He assisted in the Exalt's captured. Which led to her execution at his Master's hands. That should have enraged Kenobi. Made him want revenge. Any normal man would desire such a thing.

Instead Ben protected him from the Deadlord. Beat back the Fell Monster and defeated him before that monster could accomplish its mission. Why would Kenobi do that? Did he have some sort of ulterior motive to letting him live? He could not understand it.

Then there was his conversation with Lucina- Marth- in Charlet. That one conversation that really rattled his cage. He had lost his friendship with her. Shattered it with his own actions. It had been a special friendship. One that he had cherished for so long. How foolish of him to think it could withstand his own idiocy. Even Lucina had her limits when it came to forgiveness. And he had moved beyond those limits.

He had lost himself in the three years he had been alone with his Master. Separated from those he held dear. And now that he thought he was free from Maul's influence, he never felt more trapped. Because he could not remember what he was like before Maul. Could not recall how to become that person once again. The poison had sunk so deep into his mind and heart that he felt like he would never be rid of it.

It terrified him.

Yen'fay slid the door to the dining room open. Cynthia already knelt down in front of the short, squat table the royal family dined at. Her knees sank into the soft pillow. Her eyes flicked over to Kage. She patted the spot beside her. Kage sighed and slowly made his way over to her.

"Fine." He admitted as he knelt down beside her.

Say'ri had been waiting for them. Along with Prince Kage. The little toddler squirmed in his spot. Struggling to stay still as servants entered with breakfast. Yen'fay quietly thanked the servants as they left them their plates and exited. Just a silent as they entered.

Kage quietly picked at his rice. Say'ri occasionally flashed him a curious look before she took bites of her own food. The little Prince wolfed down his breakfast as fast as he possibly could. More focused on finishing his food so he could go play rather than take his time and enjoy this moment with family and friends.

Yen'fay smirked at his little brother.

"Slow down. Or you will forget how the food tastes."

"I don't forget." Prince Kage shot back with a crooked smile.

Another servant entered and refilled their glasses with hot tea. Yen'fay thanked the servant. Before he left, he called him closer. Kage saw Yen'fay whisper something. The servant bowed low and quickly retreated.

"How was your morning exercise, Lady Cynthia?" Yen'fay asked before taking a sip of his tea.

Cynthia bobbed her head side to side.

"Just decent?" Yen'fay remarked, "Were you interrupted?"

She jabbed Kage with her elbow and smiled at him.

"She found me in the forest. Going about my morning routine." Kage explained for her as he took another bite of food.

"I see." Yen'fay set his tea down, "You were training, yes?"

Kage nodded, "A swordsman must always keep themselves as sharp as their sword."

Yen'fay nodded, "I agree."

Say'ri picked up a slight change in her brother's tone. Which was hard to do. Her brother's voice was normally very even. Never changing. Yet he sounded very inquisitive when it came to Luke right now.

"But you do not train with a normal weapon, do you Luke?"

Kage froze as he picked at his food. Cynthia stopped mid bite. Say'ri paused and cast a nervous look at both before glancing over at her older brother.

The servant from before returned. In his hands was a small, wooden box. Rather plain by design. The servant handed the box over to Yen'fay then shuffled over to Prince Kage. He ushered the little prince out. Concern built in the other three diners.

The wooden box had been polished to a soft shine. But beyond that, it was nothing remarkable. As the servant exited with the Prince, Yen'fay nodded his head in thanks. The door slid shut. Yen'fay placed the box in front of him. He opened the box and reached inside.

Kage's eyes widened. His heart lurched as Yen'fay pulled out a lightsaber that looked identical to his own. He set it down on the table.

"This object always puzzled me." Yen'fay breathed as all eyes remained locked on the lightsaber hilt on the table, "I found it on the same battlefield I discovered Kage on. I did not know what it was. All I knew, was when I activated it, a blade burst forth and cut a tree down in one stroke." He eyed Kage, "Can yours do that?"

Kage gulped but did not reply.

"Please." Yen'fay motioned for him to place his own hilt on the table, "I wish to see it."

Kage drew in a deep breath. He gave Say'ri a worried look. One that the Chon'sin Princess returned. She averted her gaze and stared down at her food. Kage glanced over at Cynthia. The girl looked extremely nervous. Her hands were balled up in her lap as she tried to keep herself from moving out of pure anxiety.

Kage exhaled and unclipped his lightsaber from his belt. He set the hilt on the table.

Both Say'ri and Cynthia's eyes widened. The hilts were a perfect match.

"It's blue, correct?" Yen'fay asked Kage.

Kage pursed his lips and nodded.

Yen'fay plucked his hilt from the table and held it aloft for the others to properly see.

"I did extensive research when it came to this object. This strange blade of light." Yen'fay eyed Kage, "I found that nothing else like it existed. Not in Valm. Not in Archanea. Not in the present. And certainly not in the past." He set the hilt back down on the table. His eyes bored holes into Kage, "Then I witness the exact same object on your person. So, let's just say I am more than a little concerned right now." His hands folded in his lap, "I know you're real name is not Luke. That is a cover. Especially given Cynthia's own confusion every time someone calls you that name. She is quick to correct herself. But not quick enough."

Kage gave Cynthia a weary look. The Pegasus Knight replied with a sheepish look of her own.

"But this is not about her." Yen'fay continued, "This is about you, Luke." He narrowed his gaze at Kage, "Tell me about yourself. The truth this time."

Kage swallowed hard. He took a deep breath and ran a hand over his mouth.

"I think I have overstayed my welcome." He moved to rise from his seat.

"He is Kage!" Say'ri blurted out.

Kage froze as he tried to rise. Cynthia looked at Say'ri with shocked, wide eyes. Her mouth fell open. Her head snapped over to look at Yen'fay's impassive face.

"Brother," Say'ri took a breath, "This may be difficult to believe. But," She nodded at both Kage and Cynthia, "These two are from the future. They have come to stop a great evil from destroying the world. And Luke is…" She snorted, "I still don't believe it myself at times. But he is our little brother. I can feel it in my own heart despite my disbelief."

Kage shot to his feet. He really had overstayed his welcome.

"Thank you both for your hospitality but I think it is time I-"

Yen'fay slowly rose to his feet. Kage froze in place as the taller man blocked his exit. The General stepped towards Kage. His sharp eyes hard and unwavering as he stared hard at the younger man. Cynthia gulped beside Kage. Kage meanwhile, tried to meet Yen'fay's gaze, but found himself unable to.

 _Damn it all, Say'ri._ He thought. _I am a dead-_

Yen'fay threw his arms around Kage. Kage tensed for a minute, unsure of what exactly to do. He glanced over at Say'ri. The Princess had an equally surprised expression on her face as her eldest brother embraced her youngest brother. Kage gingerly wrapped his own arms around Yen'fay. They embraced for several quiet moments.

Yen'fay pulled away for and clasped a firm hand behind Kage's neck. He stared hard at Kage.

"I am proud of the man you have become."

Kage heart jumped in his chest. He felt some tears starting to bubbled to the surface. It took all of his willpower to keep them down. He uttered a choked gasp and nodded.

Yen'fay backed up from Kage, turned on his heel, and marched out of the dining room. The lightsaber hilt still out of its box, on top of the table.

* * *

Both Cynthia and Kage stood in silence beneath the overhang of the palace roof. Rain pelted down onto the courtyard in front of them. Showering the carefully tended to gardens with enough water to cause a small flood inside of it. Rivers of water drained off of the stone shingles above them and flooded down onto a small, stone wall that lined the edge of the garden courtyard.

For some reason, the heavy rain felt peaceful. The moist air smelled soothing. And Kage really needed peaceful and soothing. The Dark Side of the Force whipped around him. Snarled like a caged animal inside of him. And he was desperate to hold it back right now.

Yen'fay thought of him as a good man. His older brother immediately accepted him and called him a good man. He was proud of him even. Kage hung his head. If only he knew the full extent of his sins. What he had done in his Master's name. What he had done for power.

A small hand wrapped around his as he stared out at the rain. Kage blinked and glanced down at Cynthia. The Pegasus Knight had not averted her eyes from the rain either.

A long sigh left Kage's lips. He turned his gaze from the courtyard to the closed study at the end of the corridor.

"You think I should go talk to him?"

Cynthia gave his hand a small squeeze.

"I don't know if I'm ready to do that just yet."

She squeezed his hand really hard. Like a vice. Kage hissed and yanked his hand back.

"Ow ow!" Kage cried, "Alright, I get it. Better to get this over with right away." He huffed and kicked at a rock that had drifted from the courtyard to the rock way. The small pebble bounced back out into the rain.

She gave him a small smirk then patted him on the shoulder. Next, Cynthia skipped ahead of him towards Yen'fay's personal study.

"Oh no." Kage hissed, "No, no." He snatched her hand and pulled her back.

Both of their cheeks heated up as she slipped and hit his torso. Her body pressed into his. Both of their blushes deepened as they remained frozen for a split second. Kage gulped and quickly pushed himself back.

"You cannot go in there with me." He said, pointing a finger at her.

Cynthia frowned at him.

"This could end up being a very personal conversation."

She folded her arms and tapped her foot.

"Look," Kage pinched the bridge of his nose, "I know I said I might not be ready for this, but I don't need you hold my hand."

His protests came too late. Cynthia snatched his hand again and dragged him towards the study door. Determined to help him through what might come next. Her way of trying to be a good friend. Kage rolled his eyes as she knocked on the door.

"Enter." Yen'fay called from inside his study.

Cynthia slid the door open and poked her head inside. She gave Yen'fay a big, bright smile.

"Cynthia." Yen'fay nodded at her. He saw Kage behind her, "Kage."

It sounded so strange to hear Yen'fay call him that name. He had been very young when Yen'fay passed away in the future. Say'ri never talked about it much. But he did not recall his older brother's voice very much. Kage had grown used to his brother calling him Luke.

Also, it still felt strange that the General had been so accepting of Say'ri's story. So accepting of his and Cynthia's story. Not a peep or shred of doubt from Yen'fay. Just trust. It still stunned Kage.

Yen'fay motioned for both to take a seat in the simple chairs across his desk. Kage awkwardly sat down while Cynthia slumped in her seat and leaned back. A loud, relieved sigh left her lips.

"A little sore, Lady Cynthia?" Yen'fay asked with a light chuckle.

Cynthia pinched her fingers together and nodded. She uttered another sigh and massaged her right leg as she sat in her seat.

Yen'fay folded his hands on his desk. Eyes leveled at the two future children.

"So," He breathed, "An apocalyptic future?"

Kage gave him a subtle nod, "Yup."

"How apocalyptic?"

Cynthia spread her arms out very wide.

"That much." Kage snorted, "It is… a very grim future."

"Which must have driven you down the path you took." Yen'fay said as he looked at Kage.

Kage lowered his gaze, "Say'ri told you I see."

"A little bit." Yen'fay leaned back, "But my opinion of you has not changed."

"How?"

Yen'fay narrowed his eyes, "How?"

"How could you accept everything so- so easily." Kage asked, "For that matter, how can you possibly be proud of me after everything I have done? How could you even believe that I am that little toddler that is taking a nap right now?"

Yen'fay chuckled, "You both snore alike for one." He drew a deep breath, "I knew you were special the moment I found you guarding Say'ri in the forest that night we met. I knew there was something familiar about you. Do you know how I knew this?"

Kage shook his head, confused.

"Only family protects someone the way you protected Say'ri that terrible evening." Yen'fay explained, "When a warrior fights for those he cares about, he becomes the greatest of warriors. Your past may be dark, Kage. You may have been mislead and led to do evil by a monster. But you are not an evil man. And you proved that the first night I met you. That is how I can accept all of this so easily."

Yen'fay reached into his desk and withdrew a small black bottle and three glasses.

"But I still need a small drink in order to take it all in." He smirked at Kage, "I'm sure you do as well. Sake?"

Kage let out a heavy breath, "Sure."

Cynthia hopped excitedly in her seat.

"Are you even old enough for this?" Kage asked her.

She stuck her tongue out at him.

"I think this is a special enough occasion. And I'm sure she is if her friends let her follow you so willingly." Yen'fay chuckled as he poured three glasses.

Cynthia and Kage both grabbed their glasses. Yen'fay raised his and took a small sip. Kage followed suit. Cynthia on the other hand let her ambition show. She downed the entire glass in one gulp. A dry wheeze left her lungs as the alcohol burned down her throat.

Both Kage and Yen'fay chuckled.

"You're supposed to sip it, Cynthia." Kage snorted.

She tossed her hands in the air in frustration. Another dry wheeze left her lips. She pounded a fist against the center of her chest as she tried to catch her breath.

"I thought you already knew that." Kage chuckled.

Yen'fay smirked at the pair as Cynthia tossed a flurry of hand motions at Kage. None of which the boy understood. Kage rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"I can't wait for that hex to be gone." He muttered.

"Yes. Because then I can hear her side of events regarding the future." Yen'fay leaned back in his seat. One hand rotating his glass. The Sake inside of it swirling gently as he reclined, "For now, I wish to hear yours. How does the world supposedly end?"

Kage took a deep breath. Should he tell him? If he said anything, he could run the risk of altering the timeline significantly. Then again, Cynthia already let the secret spill to Say'ri. And so far, nothing bad had happened. And Yen'fay was clearly a better secret keeper than Say'ri.

"Grima is resurrected." Kage said bluntly. Yen'fay narrowed his eyes, "The heroes and rulers of this time fail to stop it. They die in the attempt. Ever since that first defeat, the living have been fighting a losing war against the Fell Dragon and his undead armies."

Yen'fay pursed his lips, "Do you know how this comes about?"

Cynthia shook her head.

"No, we don't." Kage breathed, "What I do recall, is that Ylisstol was one of the last human strongholds that stood against the growing tide. We were led by Cynthia's sister, Lucina."

"Or Marth as she likes to be known now."

Cynthia and Kage's eyes both widened.

"A safe guess. One that you both now confirmed." Yen'fay sipped his drink, "There are not many people with naturally blue hair in this world. With the way Cynthia and Marth interacted with each other, it only made sense." Yen'fay nodded reassuringly at both of them, "Do now worry. All of these secrets are safe. Though I would not go talking about this beyond these walls. And I would not lose the name, Luke, Kage. There are eyes and ears beyond these walls that I do not control."

Kage nodded, understanding the warning. He glanced at Cynthia. She was deadly serious as well.

"I'm glad you both understand." Yen'fay breathed, "So, how did you two manage to return to the past? For that matter, are there more of you?"

Cynthia bobbed her head.

"There are more of us. How many, I do not know." Kage began, "Lucina was able to send Cynthia and the others back to the past with a ritual given to them by Naga. I was not there for this. My master, Maul, devised a perversion of the same ritual with the help of something he called 'Dathomirian Magic'."

"I've never heard of it." Yen'fay furrowed his brow.

"No one has. I don't know where it comes from or even what it is. I just know that it is evil. Maul managed to twist the ritual into something extremely painful. Only he and I could pass through that portal. It nearly tore our bodies apart in the process. But we survived. We performed that ritual almost three years before the others. And as such, arrived three years earlier than the others. The ritual's perversion made the portal unstable."

Yen'fay nodded, taking in all the information that he could.

"Cynthia," He glanced at the blue haired girl, "How many made the crossing with you and your sister?"

Cynthia started counting on her fingers. When she reached ten she frowned, held up ten, then lowered one hand and raised it once again with just three fingers.

"Thirteen." Yen'fay nodded, "It is a minor miracle the time portal held out that long then."

"I'll say." Kage breathed.

"And the others are unaccounted for with the exception of your sister?" Yen'fay asked Cynthia.

Cynthia shook her head and held up one finger.

"You found one other."

She nodded.

"Who?" Both Kage and Yen'fay asked.

Cynthia looped her fingers around her eyes.

"Oh, Laurent." Kage muttered, "The others found him I'm guessing."

She nodded and smiled as she let her hands fall.

"But the other time travelers are still missing?" Yen'fay asked.

Cynthia nodded her head.

"Interesting." Yen'fay finished his drink and set his glass down, "It is good you both came to talk to me."

"Why?" Kage asked.

"I just received a report from our province's western border." Yen'fay explained, "Slavers have begun operating in the region. I need them taken care of. And right now, I cannot spare the men. Especially since the Emperor is more focused on rebellions than on actual criminals."

Kage arched an eyebrow. Cynthia gave him a curious glance.

"And this pertains to the others how?" Kage asked.

"The report mentioned strange lights near where the slavers operated. Including one great light shaped like an eye. It faded away after what looked like a single person fell through it." Kage and Cynthia gaped at Yen'fay, "I had no idea what it could be until you two told me your story."

Cynthia practically jumped from her seat. In the process, she managed to trip on the chair leg and fall face first to the wooden floor. Kage sighed and shook his head while Yen'fay offered a good natured chuckle.

"I think she is ready to get going, Kage."

Kage smirked back at his older brother, "Luke, remember?"

Yen'fay smirked, "Good catch. Will you require any assistance?"

Kage shook his head as he got to his feet, "I doubt it."

Cynthia shoved herself back to her feet and slipped backwards into Kage. Kage managed to catch her just before she could fall flat on her back. She gave the boy a sheepish grin.

"I might need some help handling her."

Yen'fay chuckled a grabbed some parchment and an inkwell.

"I wish you both a safe journey." He breathed, "Return home soon."

Kage smiled as Cynthia grabbed him by the wrist and yanked him out of the room.

"We will!"

* * *

The black stallion snorted and stamped its hoof in the dirt as Kage finished strapping his saddle onto its back. The young Sith brushed a gentle hand along the beast's flank. Calming the animal almost instantly. Once his horse had calmed down, Kage threw his travel gear up on the saddle and strapped it into place.

As he tightened the leather straps, he did one final check over his gear.

Tent, check. Cooking supplies, double check. Can't have cold food on the road. That always makes a journey miserable. Regular sword, check. Provisions, check. He patted his hip and felt his lightsaber beneath his black cloak.

 _Emergency weapon. Check._

Another horse snorted across the stables. Cynthia came trotting down the row on the back of her white Pegasus. A bright smile on her face.

Say'ri had helped her purchase new armor since her old armor had been ruined in battle. It was in the traditional Chon'sin style. Light, metal plates overlapping each other to form an nearly impenetrable surface. Cytnhia beamed down at him as she hefted her lance in her right hand. Her other hand patted her travel gear on the back of her saddle.

"All set?" Kage asked.

Cynthia nodded.

"Good, let's get going."

"Luke wait."

Both Cynthia and Kage turned to see Say'ri striding into the stables. Kage sighed and glanced at Cynthia.

"Give us a minute." He asked.

Cynthia frowned.

"Please."

With a reluctant sigh, Cynthia trotted out of the stables. She waved at Say'ri as she passed by the Princess. Say'ri smiled and waved back. Once Cynthia exited the stables thought, Say'ri's smile dissapeared.

"Luke."

Kage glanced at her from the other side of his horse.

"Yeah?"

Say'ri took a deep breath.

"Yen'fay might trust you outright but-"

"But you don't." Kage replied, "I understand why you wouldn't." He put his foot into the stirrup of his saddle and heaved his body up onto his horse, "After all, I've done some pretty bad things."

"They are more than bad things, Luke." She let out a heavy breath, "I'm still trying to come to terms with it all. If you are this way then does that mean-"

"No." Kage snapped quickly, "I will not allow the toddler to become like me. Maul is what made me this way. And I plan on staying near until he arrives. And when that monster does arrive, I'll be here to greet him."

"To kill him again?" Say'ri asked.

Kage nodded, "I get to kill the bastard twice. I'm looking forward to it."

Say'ri cringed, "And… and that is why I'm having trouble trusting you. You are so violent and-"

"Dark?" Kage asked, "Well, trust me. I don't like it much myself."

Before Say'ri could reply, he snapped the reins to his horse and trotted out after Cynthia. The Pegasus knight smiled at him and waved back to Say'ri as the pair rode out into the Chon'sin countryside.

Say'ri watched as they quickly became dots on the horizon. More storm clouds brewed in the west. Their journey would be slowed thanks to the coming storm. She did not know whether to feel worried or glad that Luke would not be in the palace for the next few weeks.

Besides, anyone Yen'fay outright trusted was someone Say'ri chose to be very wary of. Yen'fay trusted the Conqueror. Trusted the Valm military. That military conquered their home and slaughtered their parents. How could she ever trust Yen'fay's judgement after making those kind of decisions?

She rubbed her arms as a cold wind blew in from the coming storm. Making her shiver. The Conqueror would have to die at some point. But would anyone finally have the courage to try and form an effective resistance? Perhaps it was time for her to break off and try.

But then she had Kage. The bright spot of her life as an imprisoned Princess. She could not just leave him. She was all that boy had. Say'ri closed her eyes and shook her head.

As much as she did not want to admit it, her duty was here. And she would see that duty through. The people in Chon'sin were her people. They would need her when the time came for Yen'fay to leave on the Conqueror's orders. The Dynasts would look to her to lead the province when another rebellion cropped up.

Maybe then she could finally rally them.

 **And chapter! A smaller chapter, really focusing in on these four characters and thier fun little story. Say'ri has thoughts of rebellion on her mind. Yen'fay seems to fully trust Kage and Cynthia. And our two members of the Justice Cabal ride off to deal with slavers and possibly save a friend of theirs. This is going to be fun!**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	68. Moving On

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 68

Moving On

Tharja really did not want to be bothered at the moment. Her fingers crinkled over the letter that had managed to get across the sea just before the Embargo could really take effect.

Curses and damnation! She really screwed up. Hexes were not supposed to last for weeks on end. Yet the letter in her hands clearly said as much. Cynthia still could not talk. Could not make any noise from her mouth. Tharja pursed her lips and crumpled the letter up, tossing the paper over her shoulder before leaning against her desk. She would be unable to get a reply to Yen'fay in Chon'sin. The Embargo would be in full effect by the time her letter reached the Archanean coast. Any cure for Cynthia would have to wait until she could get into contact with the Chon'sin royals once again.

She uttered a loud groan before glancing at her notes in her own little room.

Prince Chrom had managed to get her a room at the Ylissean Mage's Academy. Much to the Headmaster's displeasure of course. She did not care what that wrinkled old man thought of her. He clearly had a distaste for Plegians. His opinion. And oh well when it came to that opinion. It was not like she could change his mind.

Well, she could. But that would result in her being banned from the Academy and their wealth of resources. Resources she had begun to greatly enjoyed. And she would need those resources right now. The fact that Cynthia was still afflicted by silence told Tharja that she really messed up the incantation. She may not have placed a hex on the girl. She might have accidentally placed a curse instead. A much more difficult thing to dispel than a hex.

She let out a heavy sigh and swept across her dark room towards a bookshelf near the shuttered window. Her pale finger ran along the spines of the very few black magic tomes she could get her hands on in the Academy. She came across the one she was looking for and cracked it open. Her dark eyes ran over the text.

A knock hit her door. Tharja frowned, ignored it, then kept reading.

Another knock. Tharja uttered a frustrated hiss. It was probably more of those infernal students wanting a peak at the forbidden dark mage. Or maybe some foolish professor trying to convince her to leave the institution. They had not realized that their protests and scorn only made her dig her heels in even more. She would be damned if they got the better of her.

Voices came from the other side of the door. One of them the elderly voice of the Headmaster. He seemed to be in an argument with someone. Tharja's head snapped up from her tome when she heard the voice he was arguing with.

"I do not care, Headmaster. If you have a problem with Tharja taking up residence here then address that grievance with Prince Chrom."

 _Dooku._ She thought. What exactly was he doing here?

If there was one person she did not want to see more than the Headmaster, then it was Dooku. He was Ben's enemy. Ben never went into the details on his history with Dooku, but she knew well enough that if Ben labeled someone an enemy, he meant it. He had not labeled Kage such a thing. He had called the boy misguided and lost, but not an enemy. He labeled people like Maul and Gangrel enemies. Ben considered Dooku to be the same as those two cretins. So if he referred to Dooku as such, then Tharja would treat him as such.

Another knock hit her door. The headmaster started protesting again.

"Headmaster, if you do not cease your infernal prattling I have half a mind to cast my own magic on you. And I can guarantee it is not pleasant."

A wry smirk crossed the Dark Mage's lips. Well, at least the old man shared a distaste for the Academy's headmaster.

She rolled her eyes and closed the tome. The only way Dooku would go away is if she spoke to him. Blast and damnation! Why couldn't she just be left alone for the day? She had to figure out a cure for the curse she accidentally put on Cynthia.

Reluctantly, Tharja moved to the door and opened it. She glared at the two old men on the other side. Both could not look more different than the other.

Dooku as always kept his appearance impeccable. Posture straight. Emotions reined in tight. Crisp and clean clothing. Dark but not too dark. A flawless brown cape over his shoulders held together with a polished steel chain over his chest. Any noble would be jealous.

The headmaster on the other hand looked like a bird. Long, gangling neck. A hunched posture that made him appear to cluck as he talked. Wispy hairs stuck out from the sides of his balding head. Loose robes covered his frail looking form. But Tharja would not test the old man's skill with magic. He may be frail, but when it came to magic the mind mattered far more than the body.

"What?" She asked bluntly. Her tone not disguising her annoyance in the slightest.

Dooku gave the old Headmaster a victorious smirk.

"I told you she would answer the door."

The old man let out a loud huff before shuffling down the hall. Muttering obscenities to himself. Tharja felt a dark snicker slip from her lips. She loved upsetting the old fool so much. Her attention returned to Dooku.

"What do you want?" She asked before turning her back and returning to her research.

Notes were scattered across her desk. A spotless alembic rested near the corner of the desktop. Various vials and jars of different liquids, of various colors, both clear and nebulous, rested in a rack on her desk. Dooku arched an eyebrow as he observed the liquids.

"Remedies? Or poisons?"

"What do you think?" Tharja muttered as she cleared some of her notes from her desk.

She did not want anyone seeing the stuff she researched. For one, researching dark magic was a dangerous task. The students in this academy did not have a single brain among them. They would get themselves killed if they found her research and tried to replicate it. And she did not trust Dooku. She had a feeling if she upset the old man, he would go and inform the headmaster as to what her research truly entailed. Then she would definitely lose access to the Academies resources whether Prince Chrom liked it or not.

"I will be leaving with Lady Maribelle, Lady Olivia, Virion, and Sir Stahl tomorrow morning. We will be heading for Themis."

"Good." Tharja replied, her tone snappish.

 _You'll get the hell out of Ben's life then._

Dooku remained quiet as she slipped her various notes into a drawer in her desk. The old man cleared his throat.

"Kenobi is still in his… melancholic state."

Tharja paused as she closed the drawer.

"I was wondering if perhaps you can help me snap him out of it."

Tharja snorted, "If only you knew what sent him into that state, you would not say something so damn ignorant."

"Ignorant?"

"Yes, ignorant." Tharja snapped back, "You know nothing about him, do you? Although, I suppose I should not be surprised since you are an old enemy of his."

"We were on opposite ends of a war, my dear. It was only natural that conflict occurred when we faced each other." Dooku replied nonchalantly. He drifted across the room over to Tharja's bookshelf. His eyes roved over the various magical titles, "I do not view Kenobi as my enemy any more."

"Oh really? You certainly antagonize him like one."

Dooku uttered a long sigh, "I only asked him how Skywalker died because I was genuinely curious. I did not hold the boy in very high regard. But there was no denying his power in the force. To hear that he died was still semi-surprising."

"Why is that?" Tharja asked.

"Because I assumed my old Master had designs for the boy."

"He did." Tharja growled.

Dooku arched his eyes in surprise.

"Why do you think Ben is so crushed about Anakin's death?" Tharja leaned back against her desk, "Anakin fell. Ben had to confront him. He was the one who had to kill him."

Dooku's eyes widened in surprise.

"Is that so?" Dooku pursed his lips, "Are you certain?"

Tharja nodded, "I witnessed the memory myself. Using a particular scrying spell I've developed for both nefarious and not so nefarious purposes." Dooku saw her shiver a little bit, "I've never felt anything like it before."

"What you felt was likely what Kenobi felt during those moments." Dooku remarked, "The Dark Side of the Force is a terrifying thing to those unfamiliar with it."

Tharja nodded. That made sense. Ben seemed to be very wary of the darker aspects of the Force. She figured it was due to the people he claimed used that side of the Force. People like Maul and Dooku. But after feeling the dark side in all of its raw fury, Tharja could understand his fear of that power. It felt dark. Hopeless even. A endless hurricane of furious emotions that terrified and exhausted her.

All of which might be how Ben felt at this very moment.

Tharja drew in a deep breath, "I wanted to give him his space. But perhaps it is time I tried speaking to him again."

"Good."

"Later tonight." Tharja breathed, "I'm currently working on something that somehow might be more important?"

"And what could be more important than helping a friend?"

"Have you ever cast an accidental curse?"

Dooku frowned, "I… can't say I have."

"Then you should know that they may have some unintended… consequences. And the cure for such a curse can be very difficult to find." Tharja smirked a little as Dooku gave her a concerned look, "Perhaps I can cast it on you so I can test some remedies? It'll help cure Ben's headache when it comes to you. It is a silencing curse after all."

Dooku's throat bobbed, "I shall take my leave."

"That would be best." Tharja hummed, "Oh, and if you see that idiotic Headmaster on the way out, tell him I require access to the forbidden section of the library."

"Why should I be the one telling him this?"

"Because you intimidate him more than me." Tharja smirked.

Dooku furrowed his brow and bowed to her. Silently taking his leave. He closed her door behind him and let out a sigh.

How in the Sith Hells did Kenobi wind up falling for her? That boggled his mind. And he apparently still did not even realize it yet. But to Dooku it had become obvious as soon as Tharja took off to make sure Kenobi was alright. The pure Jedi Knight falling for a dark mage who practiced black magic. If he heard this without seeing it with his own eyes, he would have laughed himself silly. It was such a ridiculous notion.

But not necessarily an unwanted one. One of the basic tenets of the old Jedi Order was the rejection of any form of romantic attachments. For Kenobi to have forsaken such a tenet spoke to his shaken faith in the Jedi Code. Even if he did not realize his faith had been shaken.

To Dooku, it was a splendid development. Kenobi was starting to pierce through the stagnant, dogmatic fog that he had been blinded by since he was but a boy. He always figured Kenobi to be an intelligent man. Part of him puffed with pride at the thought that he was correct in the end.

Dooku strode down the halls of the academy, through its many bright corridors, and out to the courtyard in front of it. Ylisstol's palace stood just a few streets away. A short, leisurely walk back to the Shepherds Barracks. Quiet and peaceful.

Dooku had to admit, Ylisstol was a pleasant city. Of course, he missed the amenities provided by the superior technology he was used to. Communication was dreadfully slow on this world. What he would give for a proper comm link. It would make the tedious letter writing obsolete.

He entered the training yard near the Shepherd's barracks. Outside, Lon'qu and Frederick were sparring with their blades. Dooku admired both swordsmen for a moment. Lon'qu was clearly the superior talent. But Frederick had the better battle tactics. It helped even out the fight. Though if Dooku had to place a bet on who would win, he would choose the Feroxi swordsman. Tactics could only negate so much talent.

That rule stumped him when it came to Kenobi though. Obi Wan did not have very much natural talent. Certainly not as much as Skywalker. And yet, Kenobi defeated Skywalker. Killed him even.

 _What an interesting puzzle._

The Count noticed Robin and Donnel going through the basic exercises for Shii-Cho. He paused and watched the two amateurs work. Robin noticed and gave him a wave.

"Care to give some pointers?" The tactician asked.

"Perhaps." Dooku replied, "But for now, continue your exercises while I fetch your actual teacher."

 _Tharja may be content with waiting. But I am not._

He pushed his way into the Shepherd's barracks. The common room was already occupied by several other Shepherds. Princess Lissa sat next to Miriel. The mage showing off the flowers the brute Vaike bought for her. Such a curious couple that one. Dooku sniffed to himself. The mage could certainly do better than that meat headed oaf.

Gaius lounged in a chair, lollipop hanging out of the corner of his mouth. Eyes closed. Soft snores escaped out the other corner of his mouth. Panne sat next to the fire with him. The Taguel calm and quiet. Just on the edge of falling asleep. A lazy day for the duo.

 _Better than the two of them causing trouble._

Ricken and Laurent were excitedly discussing magical theory as they walked past Dooku in the hallway. Nowi sped past Dooku as she chased after them. The millennium old Manakete gave the old man a toothy grin. Dooku stared back at her as she shot past him. For one of the oldest beings Dooku had ever met, she certainly acted childish. Dooku was still trying to determine if she was considered a child for her species, or if her behavior was an elaborate act.

Dooku paused in front of the men's bunkhouse door. Kenobi was likely still in his bed. He reached for the doorknob and walked in.

And he was correct. Kenobi sat upright in his bed. Legs crossed. Eyes closed. Hands folded in his lap as he meditated in the Force. An action that would have been commended by any Jedi Master. Dooku probably would have praised such a thing as well if this was twenty years ago. But now, he found it both annoying and preposterous.

"You could have knocked." Kenobi muttered as he kept his eyes closed.

"Last I checked," Dooku shut the door behind him, "This was a communal bunkroom. I can enter and exit as I please."

Kenobi hung his head. He drew a deep breath and raised his head once again.

"You are breaking my concentration."

"Good." Dooku chirped back, "And I am not breaking your concentration." He strode across the room and opened the shuttered blinds to the room. Allowing bright sunlight to enter the room, "I am breaking your self imposed melancholy."

"It is not self imposed." Ben replied, unmoving.

"Oh don't fool yourself, Kenobi." Dooku's sharp voice replied, "You and I both know that you are doing this to yourself."

The young Jedi did not reply. Dooku frowned and took a deep breath. A blunt approach was not working. Perhaps another way would work.

"I still think about him, you know." Dooku started.

"Who?" Kenobi cracked an eye open, "Anakin? Do you think of the ways you would have killed him?"

"I think about Qui Gon."

Both of Kenobi's eyes cracked open.

"You are not alone, Obi Wan." Dooku sighed as he took a seat on one of the bunks, "There are a great many Jedi Masters who have lost their padawans. And I happen to stand alongside you in that company." Dooku clenched his jaw, "I still remember the day he died. I… I can still remember how it felt hearing that the boy I spent part of my life training; pouring every ounce of knowledge and energy into, had died." He shook his head, "It is an indescribable thing."

"You caused much of that yourself." Ben shot back.

"During the Clone War?" Dooku let out a weary sigh, "I'll admit, I did. But that is besides the point, Obi Wan. You are not alone in facing this… demon. Well, I guess you are semi unique." Dooku leaned back a little in his seat, "I thought of Qui Gon as a son. You thought of Skywalker as a brother. I'm not sure which would be more painful honestly. Though, in the end, it is not a competition."

The older man shifted in his seat, "Did Qui Gon ever tell you about the time he nearly fell to the dark side?"

Ben gave Dooku a surprised look, "He- he may have mentioned something. But he never gave me the details."

Dooku chuckled quietly, "He must have felt a tad embarrassed." He sad smile crossed Dooku's lips, "He had just finished his apprenticeship under me. Had just been knighted when he nearly fell. I have found that might be the most vulnerable part of a Jedi's life. Not the apprenticeship where they are wild and unfocused. Masters are there to correct that. But when they are knighted, and set out into the universe on their own for the first time… it is like a bird trying to learn how to fly. Qui Gon was no different." Dooku let out a long sigh, "The entire ordeal revolved around a woman, of course. A fellow Jedi Knight. And well, that Jedi Knight died. It sent Qui Gon into a tailspin. One he nearly did not recover from."

Ben furrowed his brow, "W-why are you telling me this?"

"Because as far as I can gather you were a remarkable Master to Skywalker given the circumstances surrounding that boy."

"He should never have been given to me."

"Perhaps." Dooku agreed, "But he wound up as your Padawan Learner. You were firm and stern. But you also knew when to be comforting. And above all else, and I saw this throughout the war, you were loyal to him. Even when he did not deserve such devotion." Dooku drew in a breath, "You were loyal to him even when he started to fall. For you see Kenobi, a Jedi does not simply fall to the dark side with a snap of one's fingers." Dooku snapped his fingers, "It takes many choices and events to finally start to toe that line. Many tragedies, and perhaps, many triumphs. Skywalker was already falling by the end of the war. And that is the one thing you are guilty of."

"That I let him fall."

"No!" Dooku said firmly. With far more passion than he thought, "You do not control the fate nor decisions of others. To think you can is the epitome of arrogance, Kenobi. Skywalker chose his path. And the only thing you are guilty of in the events leading up to it is that you did not confront him sooner."

Ben gave Dooku a puzzled look.

"When Qui Gon started to fall, I noticed." Dooku said, "And unlike you, I did not ignore it. I immediately confronted him on the matter. I demanded to know why he was acting like a damn idiot. I made him open up. Made him confront the demons tormenting him so that he might defeat them. And in the end, he did." Dooku folded his hands in his lap, "You failed to do that with Skywalker. Because you refused to believe he was falling. Even though you could sense it."

"Continue rubbing salt in the wound, would you?" Ben sighed as he fell back into his bed, "It's not like I already don't know any of this."

Dooku sighed, "Kenobi, the point I am trying to make is, you should not regret your actions in the end. You did what had to be done, from your side of the conflict. Skywalker fell and became one of Sidious's tools. A dangerous tool at that. If you had not killed him," Kenobi's eyes widened as he realized Dooku knew how Anakin died, "he would have brought death and destruction the likes of which the galaxy has never seen before. Skywalker chose his path. And you ended it. You did the right thing in the end, Kenobi. You should not shoulder any shame from your actions."

Ben stared hard at Dooku. The older man could see his mind working through his wisdom. Could feel the words resonating in the younger Jedi. But something else preoccupied Kenobi's mind.

"How do you know?" Ben asked.

Dooku drew in a deep breath, "I went to speak with Tharja earlier. Needless to say, she had some rather choice words for me. Even threatened to hex me into silence so that I might stop tormenting you."

Kenobi snorted out a small laugh.

"She does that from time to time."

Dooku nodded, "So I have gathered."

The old Sith Lord rose from his seat and walked over to the window. He looked outside and frowned as Robin and Lon'qu began to spar. The Feroxi easily handling the tactician in their mock duel.

"You are lucky, Kenobi." Dooku sighed.

"How so? If you are referring to how I am lucky to be alive; then I must say, look who's talking."

Dooku uttered a soft chuckle, "As always, you reply with dry wit. No, you damn idiot. I am not referring to your inexplicable survival. I am referring to Tharja." He nodded out the window, "And to the others down in that training yard and down the hall in the common room. But most of all to Tharja." He glanced back at Kenobi, "She is guiding you through this storm, Kenobi. Helping you shoulder the grief. Force, I wish I had someone like that when Qui Gon died. Instead, I had my own mind. A dangerous place when stricken by grief and depression. It left me vulnerable to Sidious's temptations. But you," Dooku gave Ben a small smile, "You have her. And she does what she does not because she wishes to take advantage of your mind, but because she wants to help you." Dooku nodded as Ben listened in silence, "She cares for you, Kenobi. More than even you probably realize. And through that care, she has given you something that I never had a chance at."

"That being?"

"A new life." Dooku answered, "A fresh start. Whatever you wish to call it." Dooku moved away from the window, "The Jedi Order is dead, Kenobi. It is time to bury it. Time for you to move on. Be happy for a damn change. Force knows, seeing an old enemy of mine look so miserable makes me feel terrible."

Kenobi snorted, "I thought you would relish it."

Dooku shrugged, "At first I may have. But I hold you in such high esteem, unfortunately."

Kenobi uttered a small chuckle. He sat up in his bunk and let out a long sigh. His hands ran over his face and he let them fall to his lap.

"I suppose I have sulked enough." Ben muttered.

"So you were sulking instead of meditating." Dooku clicked his tongue, "Now I'm not only frustrated, but disappointed too."

Ben rolled his eyes, "Quit acting like a Jedi Master, you damn Sith."

Dooku smirked, "You forget, I was a Jedi Master for as long as you have been alive, my friend." Dooku nodded for Ben to follow him, "Now come along, your two students are making a mockery of your lessons in the yard. I feel proper instruction is needed."

"Teaching the amateurs how to play with a blade always did brighten my mood." Ben smirked as he swung his body out of his cot and slipped his boots on.

Dooku smiled and opened the door for the young Jedi. Good, his second approach seemed to have worked. At least, Kenobi was no longer sulking on his own. Dooku furrowed his brow as he followed the young man out towards the yard. The other Shepherds inside of the barracks gave Ben bright smiles and happy waves as he strode past them.

Hopefully the Jedi would heed his advice. He needed Kenobi. Needed him to recover from the Clone Wars. Needed him stable and powerful for the conflict to come. Sidious would find this world eventually. When he did, he and Kenobi would be the only two capable of standing against him. Kenobi would be crushed if he displayed any of the weakness Dooku had seen lately from him.

They stepped back out into the training yard. Dooku frowned as Donnel tripped backwards and fell on his rump. Robin chuckled a little as he helped the farm boy up.

Hopefully these two would listen.

* * *

Dooku let out a frustrated sigh as Lon'qu once again dismantled Donnel. The older man ran a hand over his eyes and groaned.

Donnel just could not seem to listen to his advice. He listened to Kenobi's just fine. But Kenobi was now focused on Robin. And rightfully so. Robin was his first student on this world. He was further along. And he desired to learn some Soresu from Kenobi in order to incorporate more defense into his own version of Niman. A wise course of action. One Dooku commended in his mind.

But Donnel did not seem to progress in the slightest. No matter how many tips or pointers Dooku gave the farm boy, he still fought like a one legged bird. No grace or fluidity to his movements. Always rigid and uncertain. And most annoying of all, he kept making the same mistakes over and over again.

"How many times must I say it?" Dooku groaned, "If he comes at you head on like that, be ready to move out of the way. Do not try to meet a superior opponent head on or you will lose."

"If it's so easy, why don't you do it!?' Donnel finally spat back in frustration.

Dooku raised his head at the insolent boy. Normally, Donnel was quite respectful. Fairly patient even. But as with all students, that patience ran out when confronted with significant hardship. He knew he was not progressing. And it rankled the boy. So much so that he now demanded proof that Dooku knew what he was doing.

"You wish to see if my methods actually work?"

Donnel did not reply. He just picked himself up out of the dirt. As he got to his feet, Dooku held out one of his hands.

"Hand me your blade."

Both Robin and Ben stopped their own sparring and turned to watch. Frederick, who had been practicing against Prince Chrom also paused to watch. Lon'qu furrowed his brow as Donnel passed his blade over to Dooku.

Dooku gave the blunted piece of steel a few tentative swings.

"Not as balanced as I would like." Dooku hummed, "But it will do."

"You look a little nervous, Lon." Prince Chrom chuckled at the Feroxi swordsman.

Lon'qu swallowed a little bit, "I fear the old man in a young man's profession."

Dooku smirked. This swordsman could already tell he was facing a skilled opponent. Good, this very reaction would be enough to signal to Donnel that he ought to listen to him. But it would take more than simple words and a worried reaction to get through the farm boy's thick skull on this matter.

Lon'qu got into his stance. Dooku flicked his blade up in front of his face, then back down to his side.. A customary salute for him. One taught to him by his own master as a way of showing respect to an opponent. Then he held the blade in a relaxed, low guard.

The Feroxi lunged forward with decent speed. Dooku stepped to the side of his thrust. With a flick of his wrist, he tapped Lon'qu's blade to the side. Another quick flick, and the tip of his blade stared Lon'qu in the eyes. Donnel's jaw fell open as Lon'qu froze. The tip of Dooku's blade mere inches from his eyeball.

"Did you see me stay still?" Dooku asked Donnel.

The farm boy slowly shook his head. Ben let out a long sigh and shook his head beside the boy. The Jedi already knowing where this would be going. Robin watched in amazement with Chrom and Frederick.

"Movement. Constant movement. Especially when facing an opponent physically superior to you." He said to Donnel, "Now then, Lon'qu, line up again."

Ben rubbed his eyes.

 _Here we go._ The Jedi thought with some worry.

"Attack me again, Lon'qu." Dooku drawled, "I want you to observe what you did wrong."

Lon'qu grit his teeth and charged at Dooku. This time, instead of lunging forward with a fast thrust, he raised his blade high overhead. Aiming to bring it down onto Dooku's head. Dooku smirked and stepped swiftly to the side. He let Lon'qu's momentum take him stumbling forward. Dooku then smacked the flat of his blade against Lon'qu's backside.

Chrom, Robin, and the others all uttered light chuckles as Lon'qu hopped up and down for a moment.

"Did you see what you did wrong?" Dooku asked the Feroxi.

Lon'qu took in a deep breath, "I assumed you to be an easy target."

"Partially correct." Dooku replied, "You also assumed your natural talent would outweigh my years of experience. Nothing outweighs experience. You also are using the wrong approach when it comes to facing an unknown opponent. True, you can plow through grunts on the battlefield without much effort. But an opponent who matches you in skill will not crumble so easily. And on the battlefield, you will often not be able to observe how your opponent fights until you face them yourself. Am I correct, Kenobi?"

Ben nodded.

"So, how does one approach such an issue? How do you fight an opponent that may not have your talent but certainly possesses more skill?" Dooku continued, "You take your time fighting them. You dictate the duel, by making them come after you. Kenobi is a master of such tactics."

Dooku nodded at Ben to step forward. Ben let out a long sigh and grabbed his own, practice sword.

"Now, Kenobi is not superior to me when it comes to talent or experience." Dooku explained as Lon'qu stepped out the way and waited alongside Chrom and the others, "And he knows this."

Ben readied himself. He held his weapon with two hands. The blade in front of his body. Ready to parry any attack Dooku made. Dooku took a deep breath.

"As such, he is not going to give me, the more experienced opponent, the advantage of dictating the battle. He will set this engagement on his terms. And in this case, that requires me growing impatient and striking first."

He lunged at Ben. Ben barely moved. Using his wrists to deftly parry Dooku's blade just enough off of the mark to avoid striking him.

"Right there! He has set how he will engage me." Dooku explained as he kept his blade in contact with Ben's, "He plans on dragging this duel out. A smart decision. It allows him time to use his defensive technique in order to find an opening in my own. He used this many times before as well. Against Maul and against another enemy that should have beaten him based on skill and talent alone."

"Anakin." Robin said, understanding who Dooku meant.

"Who?" Chrom asked.

"I'll tell you later." Ben said quickly.

"Yes. You bested Skywalker by outlasting him. You found his weak spot and exploited it. Skywalker was a far superior swordsman to Kenobi." Dooku correctly surmised.

As he spoke, Tharja strode into the training yard. She stopped, somewhat surprised to see Ben out and about. Once she regained her wits, she decided to stand beside Robin.

"You are saying that in order to defeat a superior opponent you have to know and understand them." Robin said.

"Correct." Dooku nodded, "It is very similar to tactics in that regard. And often, when you have poor intelligence, the only way to learn about your opponent is by engaging them. As such, you want to set the rules of engagement and not deviate from them. Kenobi will remain on the defensive until I force him to break from his strategy or until he finds my weakness. In which case, he will exploit that weakness to its fullest extent."

Dooku drew back and nodded to Ben. Ben stepped away.

"Your turn, your majesty." Dooku drawled, looking at Chrom.

Chrom's cheerful face became hyper focused. He stepped out opposite of Dooku and readied himself with his own training blade.

"Dictate the rules of engagement." Dooku reminded him before lunging at Chrom.

Chrom bounced backwards almost immediately. Parrying Dooku's thrust to the side. Dooku pressed forward more. Forcing Chrom to back up until he reached the practice dummies. Once he did that, Dooku slashed at Chrom's shoulder. The Ylissean Prince ducked out of the way and weaved his way behind the dummy. Which deflected another slash from Dooku.

"Very good. You used the environment to determine the way the battle will go. Excellent work."

Dooku drew back and allowed Chrom to come out from his spot behind the dummy.

"Now, what weakness did you see?" Dooku asked Chrom.

Chrom furrowed his brow, "When… when you struck the dummy, the blade did not cut very deep. Your strikes are quick and precise. But they lack power."

Dooku nodded, "A side effect of my own style of combat. You are correct. A robust defense, much like Kenobi's, does decently to counter that. But what else would allow you to take advantage of such a weakness?"

"Press an offensive." Robin blurted out, "If your offensive strikes are weak, then your defensive parries will not be much stronger. If you can be cornered to where you cannot move and must only rely on your defense, then you can be overpowered."

Dooku nodded in approval, "The tactician is correct. Well done." He glanced over at the western wall of the palace. The sun had started to set below it, "I think that is enough for one day. I have a long journey to Themis tomorrow after all."

Chrom smiled and passed his practice sword over to Frederick. The Knight moved to put it away.

"I appreciate the lesson, Dooku." Chrom said.

"And I appreciate students willing to learn. Of which, all of you are." Dooku smiled back, "Shall we go rest for a while?"

Chrom and Robin nodded. Both led the way back to the barracks. Lon'qu, Frederick, and Donnel followed close behind. Though, Donnel cast impressed glances back at Dooku every few steps before entering the barracks. Tharja waited alongside Ben as Dooku set his own practice sword to the side.

"They all have potential." Dooku commented, "I trust you to carry on their lessons, Kenobi."

Ben snorted, "I'm not sure how well my own methods will measure up to one of the greatest swordsmen the Jedi have ever seen."

Dooku rolled his eyes, "And yet you bested me, Kenobi. I think you deserve far more credit than you think." He placed a hand on Ben's shoulder and strode after the others. Leaving Tharja and Ben alone in the training yard.

Tharja clutched her spellbook close to her chest. The dark mage gulped and opened her mouth to speak.

"You told him." Ben breathed.

Tharja cringed. She lowered her gaze. Her dark bangs hiding the guilty look in her eyes.

"It may have slipped out due to my own anger and frustration."

To her shock, Ben reached out to her and lifted her chin up with a gentle hand.

"I'm glad you did." Ben smiled at her, "In his own, odd way, Dooku actually helped a little bit." Ben let out a heavy sigh. He nodded to himself as his hand fell away from Tharja's chin, "I think… it might be time for me to move on from the Jedi order. To move on from my past."

Tharja gave him a soft smile. She reached out and took his hand. As the pair walked to the barracks, Tharja glanced over at the now relieved Jedi.

"I'm happy to hear that."

* * *

All of the Shepherds gathered inside of the barracks for the evening. All of them there to hear Ben and his friends recount their crazy adventures over the past year. Unlike the last time all of them were in the same building together, a wild party did not ensue. Much to Ben's relief. He could still feel the lingering effects of that hangover. That being said, Sully and Vaike still demanded a nice, social drink. A keg of beer was opened and Laurent currently stood behind the bar counter, fighting with a bottle of firewine.

Most of the Shepherds sat in stools or chairs near the fireplace. Chrom sat closest to the fire. Lissa sat with Nowi and Ricken on the rug near the fire. Maribelle sat daintily in a chair opposite of Lissa. A small glass of firewine held gently between both of her hands. Dooku sat beside Maribelle and Donnel. In between tales of Ben and Robin's journeys, Dooku whispered about Themis policy with Maribelle. There was much work to do after all. Donnel tried to follow along. But he grew more confused as their conversation progressed.

Kellam, Frederick, and Lon'qu all sat at a picnic table near the bar. The group had mugs of beer in front of them as they listened to the group tell their story. Well, mostly to Gaius and Robin recount the tales of their quest. Ben mostly stayed silent, adding in a detail here and there. He did laugh often as Robin and Giaus mentioned particular events.

Gregor sat with Stahl, Sully, Olivia, and Virion at the bar. The group enjoyed their firewine as they listened in. But occasionally, they broke off into their own conversations. Virion seemed to be busy trying to woo both Sully and Olivia at the same time. Succeeding in making both women red in the face. Though for very different reasons. Sully was close to planting her boot in Virion's gut. Olivia meanwhile, blushed furiously and muttered under her breath some words that no one else could hear.

Cordelia sat with Sumia on a bench near Dooku and Maribelle. Sumia seemed extremely interested both in the group's story and in the politics of Themis. Cordelia meanwhile offered Maribelle her support if she needed help enforcing the law in her corner of the Halidom. Especially since the Themis military had been wiped out by the Plegians. A few squadrons of Pegasus Knights would certainly help keep the area free of roving bandit gangs. Anna excitedly leaned over and talked to Maribelle about getting some trade deals in place. All of them to her advantage of course.

Marth sat alone near the door. She did not appear very interested in the stories. In fact, she actively avoided the others at the moment. Her own mind wrapped up in her own complex worries and thoughts.

Ben sat on a bench across from the fire. Tharja to his right. Robin to his left. Tharja remained silent as the others recounted their version of events. Much to the delight of the entire group. Tharja occasionally piped up to correct a detail or two. But she was content just listening and reminiscing. So much had happened over the past year. It blew her mind now that she heard it all retold.

Chrom could not stop laughing. He paused for a minute to catch his breath than laughed some more with the others.

"So…" Chrom took a breath and chuckled some more. He leaned forward in his seat beside the barrack's fireplace, "So, you found Laurent dying of thirst, staring at the sun?"

"Yes." Gaius nodded.

"This story continues to grow more embarrassing by the telling." Laurent deadpanned.

"Then maybe you should have thought of that when you decided to go into the desert without any water." Gaius replied with a dry laugh.

Laurent popped the cork out of a bottle of firewine, "Your logic is sound, unfortunately."

"Gaius has sound logic?" Ben guffawed, "Are cats and dogs sleeping together?"

"Oh ha ha." Gaius snarked back. He nodded at Laurent as the young scholar passed him a glass of firewine, "I have my moments."

"They're few and far between." Robin smirked with a small laugh.

"Et tu, Bubbles!?" Gaius cried.

The others laughed all around them. Chrom let his head fall back against the back of his seat. He brought his firewine to his lips and took a small sip.

"It sounds like you all had a wild adventure. Going all the way from the southeast Ylisse, to norther Regna Ferox, to Plegia, then all the way to Valm of all places."

Robin nodded, "It was definitely wild."

"But you succeeded right?" Chrom asked, "You found Marth." He furrowed his brow, "Wait a minute, why is there no baby in the barracks?"

Miriel and Vaike, who were helping Laurent behind the bar, both cringed and glanced at each other. Ben chuckled at Chrom.

"Did you find your son or not?" Chrom asked.

Ben let out a slight, weary sigh, "Well, I found Luke. But… he is not my son."

"WHAT!?" Lissa cried.

"What do you mean?" Sumia asked as she and Cordelia whipped their attention over to Ben.

Marth sat upright in her own seat as she strained her own hearing. Intrigued by where this conversation was going.

Ben let out a small sigh, "Well, he may as well have been mine. But I am not his father. I guess I'm more of an uncle."

Chrom gave Ben a shocked look, "Well then, where are his parents? Is he with them?"

Ben shook his head, "Princess Say'ri of Chon'sin is raising him."

Lissa's eyes bugged out of her skull, "You just let her keep him then. You found him with her, and you left him? After all of that effort?"

"Quite a surprising decision." Maribelle nodded.

"I'll say." Donnel remarked, "We were all shocked by it."

"Ok." Chrom took a deep breath and set his glass on a nearby table, "So, you left the boy. Why?" He shook his head, "Just… start from the beginning."

Ben smirked, "Well, we left Ylisstol-"

"Not that beginning!" Lissa cried, "We already know that bit."

Dooku chuckled with Ben as the Princess folded her arms over her chest. Ben took a sip from his glass of firewine then set it down beside him on the bench.

"Well," Ben began. Tharja gave him a concerned glance. She could see how nervous he was to talk about this. He rubbed his palms together and forced himself to continue, "Luke is not my son. He is the son of my apprentice, Anakin Skywalker."

"Where is he?" Chrom asked.

"Where is his mother?" Sumia followed up.

Ben's faced saddened, "Both of them are dead." He uttered a heavy sigh, "Anakin was the traitor that helped destroy the Jedi Order." The room fell eerily silent, "He would have harmed even more people too had I not confronted and… killed him." Ben swallowed hard, "Luke's mother, Padme, tried to help me stop Anakin. But he turned on her as well. As a result, she died in childbirth."

Sumia visibly blanched. Recalling her own painful experience with childbirth. Chrom closed his eyes and let out a long breath.

"I am so sorry to hear that." Chrom said.

Ben shook his head, "You have nothing to apologize for." He took another shaky breath, "Anyways, she died. I was the closest thing to family the boy had at that point. Myself, and Grandmaster Yoda both agreed that I should be the one to take care of him."

"But you lost him at some point?" Lissa asked puzzled.

Ben nodded, "While traveling away from the Jedi Temple we were… attacked." Ben chose his words very carefully. Tharja noticed and reached for his hand. Giving it a reassuring squeeze, "In the chaos, I lost Luke. And I did not know who took him or where he went. I started searching, and that is when I ran into you guys."

Chrom nodded, "And then a new crazy adventure started for you."

"Precisely." Ben said with a small laugh. He ran a hand over his mouth.

"What was Anakin like?" Marth asked, "Before he… you know."

"I'm not sure that's a good question to ask right now." Sumia frowned.

"No, no. Marth's fine." Ben replied with a small wave of his hand, "Anakin… Anakin was… well the best to describe him is, he was Anakin. I don't think you would ever meet a more headstrong or confident boy ever. Before I lost him to the Dark Side of the Force, he was like a brother to me. We fought side by side in many battles. I trusted him with my life. He was so powerful and brave. And he cared deeply for those he loved." Ben pursed his lips, "Unfortunately, that own care led to his downfall. He was manipulated by someone we all called friend. That love he held was twisted into… something hideous. Which led him down the path he went."

Ben sniffled a little.

"I wish I could have helped him more." Ben breathed, "But… he chose his path. And I had to stop him before he destroyed more people. In the end, I did what I had to." He glanced at Dooku, "And in the end, that horrible event led me to all of you." He smiled at the other Shepherds, "I can't really regret my decision now."

The others raised their glasses and gave him broad smiles. Ben grinned and raised his own glass. He took a quick sip then gulped.

"If you'll excuse me." He breathed.

He got up and moved to the barracks exit. He needed air. Even though he felt like he could finally open up about Anakin, it still hurt to talk about. He could still feel sorrow and regret lance through his heart as he recalled that memory. It was not as sharp as before. But it was still there. That pain might forever be there.

But it would not rule him. It would not consume his life. As Ben stepped out into the night air and glanced up at the full moon in the clear sky, he recalled his conversation with Dooku. As much as he loathed to admit it, Dooku was right. The old Sith Lord was still capable of great wisdom. Perhaps his perception regarding the fallen Jedi Master was incorrect.

The barracks door shut quietly behind him. Ben sensed Tharja step beside him.

"Ben?" He glanced over at her, "Are you alright?"

Ben gave her a small smile, "I'm fine. Just-" He took a deep breath, "Still processing it all."

Tharja nodded, "I can see that." Ben turned to face her, "But you aren't grieving anymore. So… that is a step in the right direction."

Ben smiled down at her, "And that is thanks to you. I- I don't think I ever properly thanked you, now that I think about it. You helped me through my memories, my past. Without any guarantee of reward or even me promising you knowledge."

Tharja chuckled, "Well… I might have expected to gain some knowledge at some point. But… I got a better reward in the end."

Tharja's heart hammered in her chest. She felt a feeling that felt… strange. It was not foreign to her. She had felt it before. Although, it had never felt this real before. Love potions could never truly replicate this feeling she had in her heart at the moment.

Ben had been more of a friend to her than anyone else in the Shepherds. Sure, it was Chrom, Marth, and Robin that initially accepted her into their ranks. But it was Ben who saw her as more than a Plegian dark mage. Saw beyond the Grimleal cape over her shoulders and the dark tome in her arms. From the first moment they spoke, he saw her good side. He may have been nervous about her at first. Any smart person was. But he never feared her. He accepted her. Cherished her even.

Was this really _that_ feeling?

"Oh?" Ben smiled back, "Do tell."

Tharja blushed a little bit, "Well… I- erm- you see- um," She chuckled a little, "Huh… how to go about this?"

Ben's eyes widened in surprise as Tharja leaned up and pecked his lips with hers. Her eyes were closed for the briefest of moments as she pulled back from him.

She opened her eyes again and saw the stunned look in his eyes.

Curses and damnation! Did she just make a mistake? Had she gone too far? Maybe this was not the feeling she thought it was. Perhaps she just ate something bad. An ill thought ran through her mind. Did the Headmaster poison her? Her cheeks heated up and she uttered a nervous chuckle.

"Um so I-"

Ben gently brushed her cheek and leaned in. Their lips brushed for the briefest of moments. Tharja was the one surprised this time. Her eyes shot wide before she finally melted into the kiss. It only lasted a couple seconds. But to her, it lasted for an eternity.

Ben took a breath and gave her a crooked smile as their foreheads pressed together.

"I um…" Ben gulped, "I think that is how you go about it."

Tharja laughed quietly. She gave him a small nod.

"I guess so."

"Hey Benny!"

The door to the barracks opened. Gaius stepped out. The thief oblivious to the scene in front of him at first.

"So, Bubbles and I are arguing over who exactly saved who in that big sandstorm. And we wanted… your…" It started to sink in for the thief, "opinion…"

He stared wide eyed at Tharja and Ben. Their faces still extremely close together. Wide smiles running away from their faces as Gaius's jaw fell open.

"Gaius…" Ben said with warning.

Gaius twirled around and threw open the door.

"Bubbles! You owe me a chocolate cake!"

"WHAT!?" Robin cried from the inside.

Gaius smirked back at the blushing pair behind him.

"I called it." Gaius chuckled before he quickly scampered into the barracks just before Tharja could finish casting a hex.

Ben uttered a soft laugh as cries of shock and surprise, as well as cheers, broke out from inside of the barracks common room. He glanced over at the furiously blushing dark mage.

"I never realized you were such a romantic." Ben teased, "Stealing a kiss under the full moon and all."

"Be careful. Or I'll hex you too." Tharja muttered as she sank her face behind her spell book.

Ben chuckled and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Fingers gently brushing her skin as they both returned to their friends. As the entered the barracks once again, Ben smirked over at her.

"No you won't."

 **And chapter! THE TEASING IS DONE! It is now official folks. Your welcome. Ben and Tharja are just too much fun together for this not to happen. Such an odd pairing that somehow worked far better than even I could have hoped for. I hope it has turned out well so far.**

 **And it looks like Ben is finally starting to move on. Finally starting to accept the help of his friends… and old enemies surprisingly enough. This was such a fun chapter to write. A nice peacetime chapter with massive character moments that I just adored! Ah! This story is so much fun to write!**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	69. Fell Visions

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 69

Fell Visions

Kage and Cynthia's journey began in the flat plains surrounding the city of Koto. Rice fields and farms stretched out as far as the eye could see. Even to the nearby coast. But as they trekked further inland, the rice fields broke apart into scattered villages and bamboo forests. Finally, the forests began to rise into sparse, rocky hills. After a few days, the hills abrupt ended. They came face to face with a wall of jagged, rocky teeth. A snow capped mountain ranged that soared over their heads. Craggy, rocky cliffs covered with massive ferns and small trees along the ridges.

Kage paused and glanced up to the clifftops. He and Cynthia would have to scale those cliffs at some point. But for now, it was getting late. He frowned as gray clouds began to gather atop the mountains.

It was going to rain soon.

"We need to set up some shelter." Kage told Cynthia as the Pegasus rider trotted up to him, "We'll start searching for the slavers tomorrow morning."

Cynthia frowned up at the storm clouds. Her pegasus stomped its hoof in the soft earth. Nervous about the impending storm.

Kage jumped off of his horse and yanked his travel gear free from the saddle. He let out a small grunt as he let the gear fall to the ground. His horse shook it's mane. Kage gave the beast a soft pat on the side before he yanked his tent free from his travel gear.

Cynthia hopped off of her pegasus and struggled to pull her travel gear free for a moment. After several strong tugs, she managed to get her travel gear free of her saddle. She fell backwards into the dirt. Managing to kick up a small cloud of dust as she fell. Kage uttered a small sigh and shook his head.

"Always clumsy." He muttered under his breath.

Cynthia huffed and shot back up to her feet. As Kage began hammering some pegs into the ground with a mallet, he heard her rummaging through her travel gear. After a few moments, he glanced over and found the Pegasus Knight sitting down on the ground, arms folded over chest, frustrated.

"What now?" He asked wearily.

She gulped and nodded at her travel gear. She then drew a triangle in the air. Kage arched an eyebrow in confusion. The Pegasus Knight rolled her eyes and clambered over to him. She tapped a hand against his tent, which lay flat on the ground at the moment.

"No." Kage breathed before letting his mallet fall from his hand. A long groan left his lips while Cynthia gave him a sheepish smile. He ran a hand over his eyes, "You seriously forgot your tent?"

Cynthia gave him a nervous nod.

Kage exhaled and shook his head, "I asked you if you had everything."

Cynthia shrugged.

"Did you not bother to triple check?"

Another sheepish, guilty grin.

"Of course you didn't." Kage rolled his eyes. He hammered the last peg into the ground, "Also, when is that damn hex going to wear off?"

Cynthia frowned and shrugged.

"Figured you wouldn't know." Kage snorted, "Wonder what exactly Tharja did. Maybe I can replicate it at some point."

Her armored hand smacked him on the arm. Kage uttered a low grunt as some pain reverberated through his arm from the blow. His arm stung a little actually.

"Alright, alright." Kage said defensively as Cynthia glared at him, "Not a cool thing to say. Got it. You don't like being quiet."

Cynthia huffed and sat down beside him as he worked to set up the tent. Above them, some thunder rumbled in the sky. She gulped and tugged on Kage's shirt. Her pointer finger jabbed at the darkening sky above them.

"Yeah, it's going to be one heck of a storm." Kage nodded as he set up the tent poles and pulled the heavy fabric over them.

Cynthia gave him a pleading look. Allowing her eyes to grow big and innocent.

"A puppy dog face. Really?" Kage snorted, "This tent is meant for one person, Cynthia."

The puppy dog face deepened. Kage glared over his shoulder at the Pegasus Knight.

Now that he thought about it, her armor would start to rust if it got wet. If she was forgetful enough to forget her tent, she would forget to take care of her new armor. Besides, this would not be a short rainstorm. The clouds above them were thick and heavy. They would cling to the mountains for days. Cynthia would need to stay as dry as possible.

Besides, a little water never hurt him.

"Fine." He sighed. She clapped happily beside him then wrapped her arms tight over his body in a big hug. Kage quickly pushed her off, "Don't push your luck."

Cynthia rolled her eyes. She quickly snatched her travel pack and threw it into the tent. She also grabbed Kage's and placed it in what little room there was left inside. She frowned and pointed at Kage.

"Me?" Kage snorted, "A little water won't hurt."

Just as he mentioned water, the first raindrops started to fall from the sky. A small drizzle. Harmless really. Kage glassed up and felt the cool rain hit his face. It actually felt kind of nice. The days had been hot and humid recently. A little rain felt nice. A strong wind cascaded down from the mountains with the rainstorm. Further cooling the hills that sat at the feet of those jagged peaks.

Cynthia gave Kage a questioning look.

"Trust me, I'll be fine." Kage reassured her, a slight hint of annoyance in his voice, "You get your rest. I'll wake you when it is your turn to take watch. How about that?"

Cynthia beamed at him and nodded. Without another expression, she dissapeared into the small tent. Kage heard her armor shuffle for a moment. She tossed and turned inside. After several minutes, Kage did not hear anything from the tent.

 _She fell asleep fast. Must have been more tired than I thought._ Kage thought to himself.

More thunder rumbled over his head. Kage sighed and pulled his hood over his head as the rain started to fall harder. He would not find any rest tonight. Not until it was Cynthia's turn to take watch.

His horse and Cynthia's Pegasus both knelt down near a tall tree. Using the leaves to shelter themselves from the storm. Kage smirked. Intelligent animals, both of them. Smarter than he was apparently. Because he chose not to move to a more sheltered spot. But that choice was for a good reason. He and Cynthia had entered the slavers' territory now. Slavers' placed a high value on women. Especially women like Cynthia.

Kage could feel his cheeks heat up a little bit. Both from anger and perhaps a little embarrassment. He probably should not have been thinking about her that way. And the anger stemmed from his feelings towards slavers. Spineless cretins, the lot of them. Nothing more than cowardly scavengers preying on the weak and helpless.

But those scavengers were tenacious in their pursuit for easy riches. If they found his little camp, they would target Cynthia. So he would remain close to their tent. Hopefully his presence would act as a small deterrent. And if not… well… that was what his weapons were for. One for dealing with simple enemies. The other for if things got nasty.

He doubted this mission would end up nasty though. Kage liked to think of himself as quite intimidating. Perhaps he would be able to convince these slavers to give up their current occupation. A few tricks with the dark side of the force were often more than enough to terrify weak men into submission.

But if they held Cynthia and Kage's friend hostage already… they would receive no mercy from him.

Kage folded his legs and hands. The rain soothed his mind as he closed his eyes. He wondered who fell through the time portal near here. It was only one individual. And there had been no accurate description. Not much to go on when it came to their search. Oh well, he would find out soon enough. First he had to deal with these slavers. Then he would find his fellow time traveler.

The dark side of the force woke up inside of him as he called upon it. At first it snarled at him. Reluctant to rise and obey his commands. He whipped the shadows into obedience. The dark side rumbled angrily as it finally followed his will. Allowing him to rest in the force. Meditate upon the events of the past few months

It had been such a whirlwind. First he slayed his master and thought he lost his closest friend to death's embrace. Then he traveled across the sea to Valm hoping for some peace and quiet. Only to get roped up in a desperate rescue attempt that involved his younger self, his older sister, and Cynthia of all people. He had fought dozens of bandits, several Valm soldiers, even one of Grima's Deadlords. And somehow, at the very end, he ended up on the same side as Obi Wan Kenobi and found Lucina alive. Not necessarily unharmed.

His heart still ached as he thought about how different Lucina looked now. Much more gaunt and disheveled. Her missing arm etched into his mind for the rest of his life. She had traveled through hell more than once now. He could not even imagine what that must be like.

Then he tried to get her forgiveness. He had not expected her to forgive him. And he was right. She did not. She did not want to kill him at least. But that bridge had been burned. There was no rebuilding their friendship now. Maybe later in life, when everything had finally settled down and there was a chance to reconcile under friendly terms. But that was likely a distant hope. Even if they reconciled and became friends again, it would never return to how it once was. They would never be very close again.

He furrowed his brow as he took in a deep breath and allowed the force to take the reins in his meditations. All of the anger and pain inside of him boiled to the surface for a brief moment.

He opened his eyes. Kage's heart hammered as a startled gasp ripped out of his lungs.

He was in Ylisstol. Rain pelted down from the sky above him. Soldiers scrambled all around him. Civilians screamed in terror.

 _"The Risen are here!"_

 _"Everyone to the Palace!"_

Kage's head snapped towards the city's main gate. Already barred and shut against a growing army of the undead. Standing on the wall, on top of the gate, was a much older looking Ben Kenobi. Some gray flecks hid inside of his normally blond hair. He seemed far leaner than he remembered as well. But he still held that sense of command about him. The General that had awoken during the latter stages of the war against Grima was in full command of the situation around him.

Standing beside him was… Kage swallowed hard. He saw Lucina standing beside. Looking as regal and determined as ever. But also terrified. He gulped as he realized what memory he was reliving.

The first siege of Ylisstol.

 _"Lucina."_ Ben turned to her, _"Go back to the palace, help the others rally our reserves."_

 _"Master!?"_ Lucina cried, _"My place is with you at the front. Defending our people."_

" _It won't just be Risen crashing against these walls, my apprentice. The Deadlords will come as well. You are not ready to face them yet. And force forbid Grima shows up as well. If I fail to hold the walls you will be our last line of defense. Our last hope."_

Lucina swallowed hard. She wanted to protest. Kage could see the arguments bouncing through her mind already. But instead, she nodded and rushed back towards the palace.

" _Be ready men!"_ Kenobi called as archers lined Ylisstol's walls, " _They will come like the ocean tide! And they will shatter against us like waves against cliffs!"_ His lightsaber thundered to life. A great cheer roared out among the soldiers of Ylisse.

" _Uncle Ben!"_

Kage twirled around. He saw Laurent and Cynthia rushing towards the walls. Cynthia waved up at the Jedi Master.

" _What do you need us doing?_ " Cynthia asked.

" _To the Academy, both of you. Help Tharja prepare the defenses there."_

" _But I want a piece of the action already."_ Cynthia whined.

" _It will be done, Master Kenobi."_ Laurent bowed, " _Hurry Cynthia."_

" _Awwww."_ Cynthia stomped her feet, " _Putting up sandbags is no fun!"_

Kage snorted to himself. Cynthia, always the fun seeker. Always the optimist. Her cheer managed to brighten even the darkest of moments.

" _HERE THEY COME!"_ Kage looked back up the walls. He saw Virion nock an arrow alongside the other archers.

" _Hold steady!"_ Kenobi cried.

Kage felt his body being pulled backwards, away from the battle. Through the barricaded streets and passed panicking civilians. Through the barred palace gate and inside of the palace's main hall.

It looked so much different in the future. The once grand hall no longer held such marvelous splendor. The tall windows were boarded up tight. Weapon racks lined the walls. It had become almost a mini barracks at this point in the war. Soldiers rushed to and fro as a snarling voice barked orders.

" _All of you to your posts!"_

Kage's spine crawled. Hatred welled up inside of him as Maul hobbled among the hive of Ylissean soldiers. His cane clacked loudly against the marble floor as he strode among the soldiers.

" _If those demons break the walls we will be the last defense."_ Maul growled.

Kage held his breath as his former master passed near him. His breath then hitched as the monster came to a sudden stop.

 _"So… we made it in the end, did we?"_ He muttered under his breath.

Kage's face paled. His master sensed his presence. But how? Was he really that powerful? Or was he truly that connected? Did his Master's hold on his mind, heart, and soul really extend through time itself?

Maul chuckled a little, _"Oh you foolish boy. If you think you will ever be rid of me, you are mistaken."_ His yellow eyes bored holes into Kage's ethereal form, " _I am a part of you. I exist because you live. And I will forever hold a grip on your mind. After all, you allowed me in there when you begged for my instruction."_ He uttered a quiet, mocking chuckle, _"There is no such thing as freedom for you."_

" _Lord Maul!"_ Kage's eyes flicked over to see Lissa, the Exalt at this point in time, striding up to his master, " _Battle has been joined. I am going to the front to assist with any wounded."_

Maul frowned, _"I would advise against such a course of action, your highness."_

" _I will not hide behind walls and soldiers, Maul."_ Lissa said firmly, " _My sister would not have. My brother certainly would not have. And I will not spit upon their legacy by doing so."_

" _Then allow me to accompany you."_ Maul suggested.

Kage's eyes widened. The first siege of Ylisstol had been a devastating one. In the end, the forces of Naga repelled the Risen. Especially after Kenobi slew three of the Deadlords leading Grima's armies. But that victory came at a tremendous cost. Their army had been cut in half. The dead had been nearly innumerable. They had lost the last few Shepherds that day. Virion fell on the walls to the Risen horde. Nowi, the last Manakete, fell to one of the Deadlords. Even the mighty Sir Frederick, fell as he was overcome by a hail of arrows.

But the loss that hit them all the hardest had been the death of Exalt Lissa. The last of the Shepherds other than Kenobi. No one knew how she died. Just that she fell to a horde of Risen that breached a section of the walls near the Mage's Academy. She had been fighting alongside Lady Tharja, who disappeared in the chaos. Likely taken prisoner due to her close ties to General Kenobi.

They had found Exalt Lissa's body among dozens of dying men and mages. Piles of ash was scattered around her. The wounded she desperately tried to take care of all died trying to defend her. And Cynthia had been the one to discover her body. Kage could still hear her screams.

He had barely any time to react to the sudden death at the time. A day later, Maul executed his perversion of Naga's ritual. And he followed his master to the past. Leaving the newly crowned Exalt Lucina to fight for her people alone.

A sinking suspicion sank into his mind as Maul followed Lissa towards the palace doors. His eyes widened in realization as the dark side whipped around his master.

Maul killed the Exalt that night. When she died, the Risen horde pulled back. Those were what the reports from survivors said. That is what everyone heard. Her death caused the Risen to retreat. Satisfied with their efforts.

Did Maul kill Exalt Lissa in order to prevent his own death at the hands of overwhelming numbers of Risen? Kage's fist clenched tight at his sides. It made too much sense. His master would do something that nefarious and selfish.

He felt the dark side of the force whip into a frenzy around him. The environment rippled all around him as his wrath grew.

What he would give to slaughter that monster he called a master once again. To see his life fade away in pain filled spasms. Kage would not kill him so quickly the second time. He would make sure Maul's death was slow and agonizing. He wanted that monster to beg for death by the time he was done. That is what Kage wished for.

A sudden cackle caught Kage's attention. The young Sith spun around. There was darkness all around him now. Deep shadows that he could not see through. He raised his mental defenses and waited for the creature lurking to come to the surface.

" _Look at you."_

Kage gulped. That voice sounded far too familiar to him. But at the same time, so foreign. It sounded older. Darker. Much more sinister than what he was used to.

The shadows shifted in front of him. Someone walked towards him and paused. Kage's heart jumped to his throat. It was as if he was staring at reflection of himself. Everything about him looked the same. But their presence could not be more different. Kage knew he was afraid. This unknown vision distressed him. His reflection grinned and exuded power the likes of which Kage had never felt before.

" _You are afraid of yourself?"_

His reflection cackled as the image morphed slowly. Transforming into something hideous. The color in his reflection's skin faded away. His eyes became bloodshot. Body thin and sickly.

But the power Kage felt coming from his reflection was enormous. The Dark side of the Force wrapped around the reflection. Welcoming it like an old friend. His reflection smirked at him

" _You are afraid of what you can become. The power you could possess if you only gave in completely."_ His reflection spread his arms out wide, " _Behold! The power you could command if you only let go of your restraints."_

The dark side roared around him. Kage gasped and dropped to one knee. The air vibrated around him. The dark side's voice rose to a shrill shriek in his mind. He panted and held his head between his hands. Overwhelmed by the sheer fury around him.

" _I am Darth Kage!"_ His reflection roared, " _I am your destiny!"_

"No!" Kage cried back. His voice shaking with fear.

His reflection chuckled as it faded back into the blackness.

" _Do you wish to see why I am your destiny?"_

Sweat beaded along Kage's brow as the darkness spoke to him. Terror started to surface now. Would this vision ever end?

The darkness shifted. Kage found himself back in Ylisstol. Only this time, it was not under siege. This time, it was masked in a dark shadow.

A loud whine shot over his head. Massive explosions followed the whine. Kage jumped and turned around as fireballs shot up from a row of houses. Green lights shot down from two flying machines. More explosions followed the lights as they impacted with the city.

People screamed. Ran to and fro. More lights shot past Kage. Red lights this time. Each one impacted with a different person. Cutting them down as they tried to run. A massacre unfolded before his eyes.

He remained frozen in place as strange soldiers in white armor marched past him. Displaying extreme discipline and exceptional ruthlessness.

" _You know your orders men!"_ One soldier rasped through his closed helmet, " _Find the girl. Deliver her to Lord Vader. Eliminate anyone standing in your way."_

They rushed into the city. Soldiers tried to stop them. They were no match. The men in white cut them down with ease. Using their strange weapons to blast the Ylisseans to bits. Kage's heart raced.

A chill ran down his spine. Rhythmic breathing filled his ears. A low rumbling sound followed by a sharp rasp. Steady and unchanging. The most unsettling noise Kage had ever heard in his life.

Every instinct in him told him to bury his force signature. Hide! Run away as fast as he could. The dark side laughed at him.

" _There is no hiding from this. It is inevitable now."_

Kage turned around and came face to face with something out of his nightmares. A hulking giant of a man clothed in black armor. The mask on his helmet a hideous looking thing that sent fear straight up Kage's spine. A red lightsaber ignited in the armored man's hand as Kage stood before him.

" _You need my power, because you will face him."_

The man in black raised his blade. Kage squeezed his eyes shut. He felt the heat of the blade slice through his ethereal form.

" _And if you do not give in. You will lose."_

* * *

Kage roared as his eyes opened. His lightsaber jumped into his hands. The blade ignited in his grip, vaporizing any raindrops falling near it with a loud hiss. His heart hammered in his chest.

Where was he? Where was the enemy that dared to strike him down? Who dared to mock him and his power?

He spun around and leveled his lightsaber at a person that snuck up behind him.

Fear shot across Cynthia's face as Kage's lightsaber hummed centimeters from her nose. Rain pelted against her armor as she stood across from him. The glow of his blade lit up her pale face in the darkness. Kage breathed heavily. Yellow eyes blazed at her for a few moments. Then it all came crashing back on top of him.

"C-Cynthia." His arm fell and his lightsaber fell from his grasp into a growing puddle in the mud. It deactivated as soon as it touched the mud at his feet.

She kept staring at him wide eyed and afraid. Kage gulped and cast his eyes down at the ground.

"I-I-"

She surged into him. Wrapping her arms tight around his shivering body. Her head rested against his chest as he froze in place. The rain picked up in intensity. A quiet tink rang out from Cynthia's armor every time a drop hit just the right spot. Kage uttered a shivering breath.

"I'm sorry." He breathed, "I-"

Cynthia's hand shot up and pressed against his mouth. Silencing him. She gave him a stern look. A questioning look. She wondered what was wrong?

Kage swallowed hard as she still did not let go.

"I-" Kage gulped, "I had a really bad vision."

She arched an eyebrow.

"No not a nightmare. A vision." Kage peeled her off of him, "A series of them actually." He shivered again and felt a sniffle race through his nose, "Urgh, damn this rain!"

Cynthia plopped down in the mud near him. The Pegasus Knight not caring one bit if the rain soaked her or if the mud dirtied her armor. Lightning flashed above them. More thunder rumbled. The mountain peaks shook as the sky cracked. Kage uttered a long sigh as he sank down to a seat as well. He sneezed and sniffed the damp air again.

Cynthia nudged his arm with her elbow. She motioned for him to keep talking.

"I-" Kage swallowed hard, "I saw the first siege of Ylisstol."

Cynthia's face paled. He could see she still had a hard time with that memory as well. It had been her first full scale battle. She had just turned old enough to help the defend the city. The fires of war scarred her that day. She did not speak a word to anyone after they found her sobbing beside Exalt Lissa's body. Her own armor dented and cracked from Risen attacks.

She gulped and gingerly took Kage's hand.

"Yeah." Kage breathed, "It was as bad in my mind as it was back then." He uttered a shallow breath, "I even encountered my master in the vision."

Cynthia furrowed her brow and frowned.

"He noticed me." Kage gulped, "He said that I would never be rid of him. That he would always be a part of me. That my mind would always belong to him." He started trembling in the rain again. Kage could not tell if it was from fear or because he started to feel a slight chill in his body, "Gods, that is a terrifying thought."

Cynthia gave him a sympathetic look. Kage glanced over at her.

"Yeah, its silly. I know."

She shook her head. It was not silly at all.

Kage wiped some rain from his face as it continued pouring down. The horse and pegasus both snorted beneath their tree. Neither caring about the downpour around them. Kage sighed and shook his head.

"You need to get back in the tent before you catch a cold." He told Cynthia with a slight sniffle.

The Pegasus Knight frowned. She shook her head and pulled him upright.

"What do you think you are doing?" Kage asked before sneezing hard.

Cynthia pulled him towards the tent. As she did, Kage called his lightsaber to his other hand and quickly clipped it to his belt.

She ducked inside the tent and pulled him in with her. For some reason, Kage felt his cheeks heat up rather quickly as she did this. Cynthia shifted as she laid down on his mat. She pressed her back against one side of the tent as she laid down on her side. She nodded for Kage to lie down opposite of her.

He could see a slight, pinkish tint to her own cheeks as Kage reluctantly lay down across from her.

"Well, I guess there was room for two." Kage muttered as he felt Cynthia's travel gear jabbing into his back, "Not the most comfortable fit though."

She snickered a little. Silently of course. Not a sound could leave her mouth due to that infernal hex. For some reason, Kage wished that damn hex would go away. He did miss her voice a little bit. It reminded him of a simpler time. Back when he did not have to worry about Maul's influence or Lucina's judgement. Back when the dark side of the force did not hold such a firm grip over him and his destiny. Back when they were both little kids running around with their Justice Cabal.

Cynthia held up two fingers.

"Vision two?" Kage asked.

She nodded.

Kage gulped. His face paled a little bit as he recalled that one.

"I was in a dark place." He recounted, "No light. Just shadows. Then I saw… a reflection across from me. I saw me, but it was not me. It was what I could become." Kage gulped, "The reflection held so much power. So much control over the dark side of the force. It forced me to my knees."

Cynthia listened carefully as he spoke.

"It said that it was my destiny. That I could not avoid it because of the third vision."

He hesitated. Cynthia jabbed his shoulder with her fist. A light jab. Not meant to hurt him. But to encourage him to continue.

"The third vision, I was back in Ylisstol. It was under attack. But not by Grima. And not by Risen." Kage breathed, "I saw an army of soldiers in white armor massacring the city." Cynthia's eyes widened. Her face paled as he spoke, "They said they were searching for someone. That no one would be allowed to stand in their way. That they had to deliver their target to someone named Lord Vader." Kage swallowed hard and shifted in his spot, "Then I turned around and came face to face with the most terrifying person I have ever seen. Ever felt even."

Cynthia furrowed her brow and raised two fingers up over her head. Her version of horns.

Kage uttered a small, amused snort, "Yes, more terrifying than Maul. He held far more power than Maul. And at the same time, was so much more disciplined and… just terrifying. That is the only way I can really explain it. The vision ended when he cut me down with his lightsaber."

Cynthia gave Kage a worried look.

Kage shook his head, "Bah! It's only visions." He shrugged, "One is but a memory. A… painful one for sure. But that's all."

Cynthia frowned and shook her head. She could tell he was distressed. Somehow she could just tell. He did everything in his power to mask his own anxiety and yet she could see right through the mask.

"Even silent you are one hell of a manipulator. You managed to get me to talk about this crap." Kage grumbled as he adjusted himself in his spot. He sniffled again, "Damn rain." He mumbled and wrapped his arms close to his chest, "Is it cold out or is it just me?"

A scarlet blush raced over his cheeks as Cynthia scooted closer and nestled beside him. Kage's mouth suddenly felt dry. She smiled and glanced up at him. A deep blush on her own cheeks as well.

"If Luci saw this right now-" Kage started.

Cynthia rolled her eyes and let her head fall beside his.

"She'd kill me you know." Kage said with a very nervous smirk, "Hell, she might want to kill me already."

Cynthia shook her head. She pointed at herself.

"You'd stop her?" Kage uttered a small laugh, "How thoughtful of you."

Cynthia gave him a strange look.

"You think I'm being sarcastic?"

She shrugged. Kage uttered a small snort.

"Maybe a little bit."

Her armored elbow jabbed him right in the ribs. Kage winced and coughed a little bit.

"Do you forget that you have armor on when you do that?" Kage hissed.

Cynthia blinked. Her lips parted into a sheepish smile.

"You do?" Kage rolled his eyes as she pressed closer into him. The cold evaporating away as she did so, "If I wasn't around to remind you of this stuff, force help the world."

Cynthia snickered silently. She knew he was right. Kage chuckled. He felt his own nervous guard diminish a little bit.

"Feels a little warmer now." Kage whispered.

Cynthia smiled at him.

Before he could say anything else, she leaned up and placed a small kiss on his forehead. Kage's face felt like it was on fire at that moment. Before he could react, or even try to ask what she was thinking, Cynthia rolled over and turned away from him.

Kage blinked. He carefully ran a hand up to his forehead and brushed the spot with his fingertips.

 _What the- when did? What? Huh? But… huh?_

He felt utterly bewildered at the moment. More than a little confused. Where the hell did that kiss come from? And why did he suddenly feel so bashful about it?

He gulped. Since when did Cynthia make him feel nervous!?

He ran his hands over his face as Cynthia's breathing steadied out next to him.

 _I don't even know my own mind anymore!_

* * *

Thrawn tapped the controls on the table in front of him. His emotionless face did not show a hint of anything he was planning. A small cluster of holograms stood on the checkered table. A large group of officers stood around the table. All of them relaxed and grinning. Small chatter filled the officer's mess hall. Credit chips clinked in some hands as they all watched the Dejarik game with anticipation.

Across from Thrawn sat a young officer who dared to think an alien could not possibly be intelligent enough to rise to the position of Admiral. The young Junior Lieutenant had loudly proclaimed that Thrawn had to have manipulated his way to his current position. That no one, least of all a Chiss, could ever match true Imperial intelligence and skill.

Thrawn had no doubt the boy hoped to get a sharp reaction from him. After all, that was all his grandiose blustering was about. Attention seeking drama. Thrawn detested such things. Felt it to be an extreme waste of time and energy. Well, the young officer was certainly surprised when Thrawn did not lash out or reprimand him.

Instead, Thrawn kindly challenged him to a game of Dejarik.

And now, the boy understood. Now the Junior Lieutenant knew just how out of his depth he really was. Thrawn opened the game with the first move. And with that single move, he had taken command of the board. This young officer could not counter a single move he made. Each move the lieutenant made was clumsy and reactionary. Easy to predict. Within minutes, Thrawn had defeated the last enemy piece.

Thrawn smirked a little as he heard credit chips exchanging hands around him. He leaned back in his seat and watched the stunned expression on the lieutenant's face carefully. The boy studied the board intently before uttering a long sigh and raking his fingers through his carefully combed, black hair.

"Damn it." He muttered.

Thrawn uttered a soft chuckle, "Your first mistake was reacting to what I did. You want to set the terms of engagement when it comes to this game. Keep your opponent off balance. No matter what it takes. Then they will be more focused on containing your moves instead of actually combating you. You will win the game before the second move can even be placed. Instead of doing that, you allowed me to dictate the rules of engagement. As such, you placed yourself at an immediate disadvantage. Keep that in mind next time."

Off to the side, Captain Vanto smiled. His palm cradled a large amount of credits in his right pocket. Nothing like knowing who would win in order to win all of the money. No one could challenge Thrawn at a tactical game. He had tried many times. And every time, the Chiss Admiral won. And every time, just as he now did with the Lieutenant, he educated Vanto on his mistakes and how to correct them.

Despite the young officer's initial disrespect, Thrawn still sought to mentor him. Vanto stood up a little taller. He had the pleasure of being the aide to what may be the greatest admiral in the entire galaxy. Greater than Yularen. Perhaps even greater than Tarkin.

"Now then," Thrawn pressed a few buttons on the table, the game board reset, "Shall we go again?"

"Perhaps you require a more challenging opponent, Admiral." A deep voice rumbled.

The officers in the room all stopped smiling. Any relaxed chatter died instantly. Vader's heavy footfalls echoed around the officer's mess. Faces turned pale all around Thrawn as Vader stopped and stood behind the now shivering lieutenant.

"Lieutenant, I think we will postpone our match for now." Thrawn said. His voice monotonous.

"Y-yes sir."

The lieutenant rose from his seat and gave Lord Vader a quick bow. He stepped to the side. The towering, armored man paused, glanced around the room, then took a seat across from Thrawn.

"Have you played Dejarik before, Lord Vader?" Thrawn asked.

Vader's rasping breaths rattled through the room, "I have."

Thrawn smirked, "Good. Then we can get started immediately."

Thrawn set up his pieces on the holotable. Vader did the same. Thrawn carefully studied the way Vader set up his pieces. He appeared to be going for an aggressive approach. Which meant he would likely take the first move.

"Your move, Admiral." Vader rumbled.

 _Or not._ Thrawn thought with a mild sense of apprehension.

He could already tell Vader was a much more skilled opponent than the lieutenant. The skill gap became even more apparent after a couple of moves. Thrawn leaned back in his seat and rubbed his chin as he studied the pieces on the board. He had already lost one to one of Vader's attacks. His aggressive strategy kept the Chiss on his toes. A well played game so far.

He wondered how Vader grew so adept at tactics. Who was the man behind the mask? He had to be someone with military experience of some sort. His dossier backed that assumption up. Whenever the Emperor sent Vader to a world, that world submitted. And Vader accomplished his tasks with blunt force and brutal efficiency. Typical of a military man used to fighting in harsh conditions.

Perhaps he was a veteran of the Clone War? That was certainly a possibility. But Thrawn had studied multiple commanders and admirals from that war. Even a few Jedi Generals. None of them had the raw aggression being displayed by Lord Vader. None that is, except for two. Jedi Generals Pong Krell and Anakin Skywalker.

And well, Pong Krell was certainly dead. Killed by his own men after betraying the Republic during the Battle of Umbara. That was well documented.

General Skywalker's death however, was not well documented. It was shrouded in deep mystery. Buried under layers of government red tape. The only public information available was that the famous General died at the Jedi Temple. Defending it against the 501st legion he once commanded.

 _Or did he die there?_ Thrawn wondered.

The presence of the 501st was no accident. And Vader now helmed the elite legion of soldiers. Most of them still clone veterans from the past war. Those clones would not take kindly to some random imperial being placed over them.

Then there was Vader's obsession regarding the late Senator Padme Amidala. The Naboo senator did not have any known romantic associates. But she did have a few close friends. Two of them being Jedi. Obi Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker.

Thrawn's sharp mind began to put the pieces together. Perhaps it was possible that Skywalker survived. Not because he was that powerful, but because he was on the right side of the Jedi Purge. A Jedi Traitor even.

Still, Thrawn could not be certain. But there was one way to test his theory.

"Lord Vader," Thrawn began, "Were you in the Emperor's service during his time as Chancellor of the Republic?"

He could not see Vader's expression behind that mask. But his hesitance spoke volumes.

"I was." Vader finally answered.

"Oh. Then you got to see first hand some of the more virtuous sides of the Republic. Chancellor Palpatine certainly embodied those things."

"Virtuous things?" One officer scoffed, "I don't remember the republic being virtuous."

A few others laughed with him.

"You seem to forget that the Republic senate had been a rather diverse governing body." Thrawn pointed out. Silencing the laughter, "True, most of them were very corrupt. But there were a select few that were truly great senators. The Chancellor was one of them. There was also Senator Organa of Alderaan. I believe he still serves now, does he not?"

Vader gave him a small nod.

Thrawn pursed his lips and moved his next piece. A quick attack against one of Vader's pieces. One that he defeated. The field was level once again.

As Vader observed the board, Thrawn cleared his throat.

"Oh yes, there was also Senator Amidala of Naboo."

He saw it. A very small pause in Vader's movements. Heard the slight hitch in the man's robotic breathing. Thrawn smiled to himself. He was getting somewhere now.

"I recall studying her briefly while I was still a member of the Chiss Ascendancy." Thrawn said, "Her calls for peace during the build up to the Clone Wars were admired by my people. She seemed to be one of the few level heads in the Senate."

"A foolish, level headed senator." Vader replied.

His tone was not forceful though. He did not believe his own words. How curious.

"Perhaps. Upon careful study, civil war did seem inevitable in the galaxy. The republic had become far too corrupt to be allowed to continue." Thrawn hummed to himself, "I wonder, if we had more senators like Padme Amdiala, would we have avoided such a horrific conflict?"

He could feel Vader's gaze burrowing into him. But Thrawn remained completely impassive. Emotionless. Not betraying a hint of amusement due to his prodding. He knew Vader was skilled with the Force. And through his studies, Thrawn knew force sensitives could sometimes comb through the mind of another individual. He was treading on dangerous ground right now if his suspicions were correct. So he had to remain neutral in order to avoid any of Vader's potential fury. The Emperor's favoritism would only protect him so much.

"It is a shame she died." Thrawn sighed, "She would have likely assisted greatly in the transition between the Republic and the Empire."

"She would not have." Vader suddenly blurted out.

Thrawn arched an eyebrow, "Oh? What makes you say that Lord Vader? I think of Senator Amidala as an advocate for peace. Surely she would want to assist in creating a smooth transition of power?"

Vader did not reply. Instead, he made his next move. Thrawn exhaled a little bit. Now Vader was attempting to avoid his prodding. That spoke more to Thrawn than any reply would have. The Dark Lord was uncomfortable. Which meant the subject of Padme Amidala was rather sensitive for him.

Yes. It was entirely possible that Skywalker and Vader were the same person.

"So, Lord Vader. Did you personally know the late Senator?" Thrawn asked, "You must have spoken to her frequently during your service to the Chancellor. After all, he was a close confidant of hers for some time. Even when she was Queen of Naboo."

Vader abruptly rose from his seat. He towered over Thrawn. Thrawn remained calm. Neutral. Not betraying any hint of his suspicions to Lord Vader.

A buzz sounded from the comm link on Thrawn's hip. Thrawn uttered a slightly annoyed sigh.

"Yes?" He said into the comm link.

"Sir, we are preparing to launch probes into the nearest star cluster. Initial scans report one possible life bearing planet. But it may sit on the edge of the correct zone. We are not sure yet."

Thrawn took a deep breath, "Launch the probes. I will be back up on the bridge to observe the initial readings in a moment."

He clicked his comm link off and looked up at a clearly fuming Lord Vader.

"Shall we continue our game another time?"

Vader did not reply for a moment. He almost seemed confused. Perhaps he was. Thrawn did not give him any clues regarding his suspicions. That must frustrate the dark lord to no end.

 _Oh well._ Thrawn thought, _He will have to try harder next time._

"We shall." Vader finally replied.

Thrawn rose and smoothed out some wrinkles in his gray uniform.

"I look forward to it." Thrawn folded his hands behind his back as he strode out of the officers' mess. Eli Vanto rushed after him.

"I assume your line of questioning had a purpose beyond small talk with him?" Vanto asked Thrawn after the duo reached the turbo lift.

Thrawn glanced over at his aide, "I don't know what would ever give you that impression."

Vanto furrowed his brow as he followed the admiral onto the turbolift. As the lift closed and rocketed up to the bridge, the Commander noticed something rather baffling on Thrawn's face.

A victorious smirk.

 **And chapter! This was another interesting chapter to write. Cleary Kage is dealing with some demons in his head. Maul continues to haunt him. And the dark side still tempts him. Good thing Cynthia is there to knock some sense into him right? And Thrawn continues to peel back the layers on Vader. Much to the Dark Lord's discomfort. That was a very fun little interaction to write.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	70. Peace is Strange to a Man of War

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 70

Peace is Strange to a Man of War

Ben enjoyed mornings in Ylisstol. They were cool. A little damp. Heavy droplets of dew stuck to the ground whenever he stepped out into the dawn. The land slow to warm as an orange sunrise painted the dark purple sky. It's rays slowly beat away the twinkling stars from the previous evening.

Songbirds awoke around this time. Their various songs filled the air like a quiet choir. Soothing and peaceful. For Ben, it felt like the perfect environment to sit down and meditate.

Except this time, he did not meditate. Instead, he found himself sitting at a small picnic table out in the training yard. The fingers on one hand picked at a hangnail on the other. An absent minded action. He did not feel nervous or anxious about anything. He just found himself feeling odd.

This is what peace felt like. This is what no war felt like. It felt… strange. To not having to march to another battle or lead another campaign almost felt wrong to him. War had been a part of Ben's life for almost the past half decade. In one form or another, he had always been fighting. Each battle ranged from a simple skirmish with bandits in Ylissean countryside, to massive space battles that spanned an entire planet's orbit. He had experienced it all. All of it, except for peace.

Even during the few years before the Clone War he did not know peace. That decade had been one of the most tumultuous in the history of the galaxy. Multiple uprisings that needed to be policed. Multiple crime gangs expanding their influence in bloody turf wars. The out of control eventual separatists in the Trade Federation and Techno Union sponsoring proxy wars on multiple outer rim worlds. He and Anakin had been dispatched to deal with several of them during those ten years. That had not been a peaceful time. It had been a stressful time. Filled with teaching Anakin and making sure the reckless boy did not get himself killed.

Ben did not even know peace before he and Qui Gon arrived on Naboo. True, there was a brief year or two where they were not dispatched anywhere by the Jedi Order. But that was because they had completed a very long, dangerous, extended mission on Mandalore. The Mandalorian Civil War, yet another bloody conflict Ben had partaken in.

He uttered a long sigh as the sun started to peak over the palace walls. Blessing the training yard with light and warmth.

Ben was not obligated to do anything. He did not have to march anywhere. Did not have to fight anyone. Did not have to rescue any hostages or prisoners. He had no objective to achieve.

He was completely free.

He ran a hand through his beard and hummed to himself.

 _Now what to do with this free time._

He honestly had no idea what to do. All of the other Shepherds had found something to fill their days during this hard earned peace.

Chrom and Sumia ruled the Halidom and raised their newborn daughter, Lucina. Lissa assisted by acting as a sort of governor to the city of Ylisse. The young Princess had actually become quite the effective politician during Ben and Robin's year of traveling. She did not have Emmeryn's sharpness in the subject. But she had been learning and growing fast.

Frederick and Cordelia continued rebuilding the Ylissean military. Ben had to marvel at the skill and discipline they instilled in the new recruits. Both were suited perfectly for their roles. And they enjoyed them immensely. Ben never heard a single complaint from either of them.

Ricken, Laurent, and Miriel threw themselves into their magical studies. With the latter even beginning to instruct students at the Mage's Academy nearby. Ben did notice Laurent acting extremely wary around both Vaike and Miriel. Especially after the pair announced that, in light of recent events, they would become a couple in order to ensure that their bun in the oven had a proper family around.

Vaike and Lon'qu became regulars in the training yard. Both aiming to outdo the other in feats of skill and strength. When they were not doing that, they assisted Frederick and Cordelia in instructing new recruits.

Gregor had mulled taking on new mercenary contracts. But Frederick actually hired the old mercenary to help Kellam instruct new foot soldiers. A task the former mercenary was happy to take on.

Nowi was… Nowi. The playful Manakete found joy and entertainment in even the smallest of things. Often she was found observing the other Shepherds and cheering them on while they trained.

Sully had her duties to the military. Same as Stahl. Except Sully had become a captain in Frederick's cavalry. Stahl had been knighted and given the job of rebuilding Themis' cavalry.

Virion had decided to journey to Themis with the Feroxi Ambassador, Olivia, as well as Duchess Maribelle and Dooku. The group anxious to see to the final rebuild of Themis after it had been sacked during the last war. The archer made sure to extend an open invitation to both Ben and Robin if they ever wanted to pay a visit. His door would be open if Lady Maribelle deemed them unworthy of staying in the palace. A thought that made Maribelle sniffed at and reply; "It would be most rude to deny friends a place to stay. They would be most welcome, as long as they remembered their manners."

Donnel had decided to go with Dooku to Themis. The reasoning behind that decision became apparent to Ben when Dooku reminded the Jedi that it was wiser to focus on one student at a time. He had already dedicated tremendous amounts of time and energy to Robin. That would rob Donnel of proper instruction. Dooku felt it imperative to shape the boy into a fine swordsman. If for no other reason than to give the old man something to do beyond politicking in Themis.

Panne and Gaius were the odd ones out. Both seemed to enjoy the chance to kick back and do nothing. Gaius had even started assisting Anna when it came to her shop. But that was only an occasional activity for him.

Anna's shop meanwhile, was a temporary little tent she had set up in the Ylisstol markets. The red haired merchant still debated whether or not to plant permanent roots in the city, or to return to her caravan ways.

Marth had been very reclusive. He had trouble approaching the girl. She seemed to be falling deeper into loneliness. What puzzled Ben the most was that she was doing it on purpose. She avoided contact with everyone willingly. And she rarely spoke up in the barracks. A few quiet hellos and that was it. He knew she was struggling regarding her feelings towards Kage. Whatever history the pair possessed had been effectively destroyed during the past year. Ben also suspected she worried for Cynthia, her sister, more than she let on.

As he thought about this, the door to the barracks opened and closed. Robin stepped out into the morning air. As always, the second person awake. Well, technically the third now that they were back home and around Frederick. Ben could not even pull himself out of bed earlier than the dedicated Knight-Commander.

"Good morning." Robin chirped as he took a seat across from Ben.

Ben smiled back at him. His fingers tapped endlessly on the picnic table. Robin cocked an eyebrow.

"You look anxious."

Ben chuckled, "I'm not anxious. Peacetime is just… nerve wracking somehow."

Robin frowned, "How so?"

Ben uttered a small sigh, "Well, I've been fighting in various wars and conflicts for years now Robin. Peace is a rather foreign feeling, unfortunately."

Robin nodded, "I can understand that." He hummed to himself as his leg bounced up and down, "You need a hobby."

Ben chuckled, "A hobby?"

"Yeah, something to focus on. Vaike and Lon'qu train. Frederick, Cordelia, and Sully work with the military. Gregor teaches. Miriel, Ricken, and Laurent all study magic. Hell, even Tharja has a hobby… I think? I have no clue what she does in that little room she has up at the Academy."

"She's probably up to no good. That's what." Ben said with a happy little chuckle, "I bet she is giving the headmaster fits still."

"Likely." Robin remarked with a small bob to his head, "She never did get along with people very well. You and I are rare exceptions. And you are an even rarer exception."

Ben chuckled, "I don't think romance is a hobby, Robin."

"Don't tell Virion that." Robin said with a laugh.

Ben joined him in laughter. The archer had continued his womanizing ways upon their return. His latest pursuit being the Feroxi Ambassador, Olivia.

"So, a hobby for you." Robin pressed his lips together and tapped on the table, "Do you like painting?"

Ben arched an eyebrow, "Never really did much of that."

"Writing?"

Ben shook his head, "Not much of a writer personally."

"Damn." Robin muttered, "Well, you had an apprentice before. What did you guys do for fun?"

Robin was unable to catch himself before the question slipped out. He could see a brief flash of sadness cross Ben's features.

"Oh… I'm sorry, Ben. It slipped out. I did not-"

"You're fine, Robin." Ben breathed with a small chuckled, "I suppose, the more I talk about Anakin the easier it will be for me to move on from what happened." Ben hummed to himself, "As for hobbies, we trained often. I had to teach him after all. That and bicker. We often bickered."

Robin laughed, "Really? So you had a willful apprentice huh?"

"Oh you have no idea." Ben sighed, "You are actually a nice little change of pace."

Robin blinked, "Me? Do-do you consider me an apprentice of yours?"

Ben pursed his lips, "Honestly, I'm not so sure yet. I'm not sure if I am ready to teach anyone again. I mean, you are my student when it comes to blade work. That is rather fun to teach. But for the force?" Ben sighed, "I mean no offense Robin-"

"None taken. I understand." Robin replied, "You only wanted to give me the basics. Which you pretty much have."

"And you have used them quite well." Ben chuckled, "I've never seen Virion look so flustered during a chess match."

Robin began to laugh hard, "Yeah. Now that I can use the Force, I can effectively say, you have been cheating Ben Kenobi."

"Then so have you." Ben grinned.

Robin shrugged, "I prefer the term, utilizing all of my resources to my advantage."

"Okay, _Gaius_. Whatever helps you feel less guilty." Ben teased.

Robin chuckled with him, "Fair enough." Robin ran a finger along the grain of the wooden table, "Um… Ben?"

"Yeah?"

"I have a bit of a confession to make."

Ben narrowed his eyes at Robin. A playful smirk crossed Ben's features.

"You're going to have fight Tharja."

A flustered expression rushed over Robin's face, "Wha-what? No. No! Not that!"

Ben started laughing hard as Robin stumbled over his words. Robin uttered a long sigh and let his head fall into his right hand. He rubbed his forehead as Ben's laughter finally started to die away.

"I could not help myself." Ben admitted as he continued chuckling.

"I walked right into it." Robin remarked, "Should have seen it coming."

Ben nodded and grinned, "Alright, in all seriousness Robin, what do you need to get off of your chest?"

Robin uttered a long sigh, "Back in Valm, when we were in Yen'fay's camp, I overheard you talking to Dooku."

Ben's smirk ran away from his face, "You eavesdropped?"

Robin cringed, "Maybe a little bit."

The two men sat quiet for a moment. Robin gulped and uttered an uneasy sigh.

"So… who's this Sidious guy I heard you and Dooku talking about?"

Ben's heart stopped beating in his chest. Robin really had heard his conversation with Dooku. He figured the tactician had heard only snippets. Maybe a harsh word or two between the two men. He figured Robin would ask if Dooku was even a friend. Similar to what Tharja had done a few days ago.

He did not expect Robin to put him on the spot like this though.

Ben gulped, "Sidious is… a very dangerous enemy."

"How dangerous?"

Ben had to choose his words very carefully. Again, he did not want to divulge the rest of the galaxy to these people. It would upset the natural order of things on this world. And it might even put his own standing among the Shepherds in peril. He wondered how well they would all take it if he revealed he was an intergalactic fugitive. That there was an Empire spanning the entire galaxy with technology powerful enough to overcome the planet in days. If Ben had to suspect, it would send this world into a panic. He could not take that risk. Not with the current peace in Archanea still so fragile.

"Sidious is the Dark Lord of the Sith." Ben said carefully.

"Dark Lord?" Robin frowned, "What does that mean exactly?"

"Maul was just a Sith. Dooku-" Ben paused, "Dooku was once a sith."

"What!?" Robin cried. His mind raced for a minute, "That… that would explain why he said he knows so much about the dark side of the force. That seems to be the Sith's domain huh?"

Ben nodded, "Correct."

Robin frowned, "Neither were considered Dark Lords though?"

"They may have deemed themselves that. But the real power rested with Sidious." Ben explained, "Sidious was their master. He first taught Maul. When I defeated Maul the first time, he abandoned Maul and took on Dooku as his next apprentice. When-"

Ben paused. He could not say Dooku was supposed to be dead. He trusted very few with that information. Kage already knew, obviously. He had to battle Dooku throughout Valm. And Tharja knew because she had earned Ben's complete trust. While Robin was a close friend, Ben was not sure what to do when it came to him.

"When Dooku was defeated by Anakin, Sidious cast him aside as well. He then targeted Anakin and managed to twist him into a new apprentice." Ben explained.

Robin's eyes widened, "He sounds like a puppet master."

Ben nodded, "Exactly. Sidious rarely showed his face to the Jedi. His true face that is. Although, all of us knew who he was."

Robin furrowed his brow in confusion, "What do you mean?"

"Sidious is his true name. His disguise was Palpatine, an 'ally' to the Jedi Order."

Robin sucked in a sharp breath, "A wolf among sheep."

Ben nodded, "Yes. That is one way to put it. And once he had all his pieces in place, he and Anakin turned on the Jedi and wiped us out."

Robin gulped, "Is he still out there?"

"Sidious?" Ben replied. He gave Robin a small nod, "He is. Though I don't know where."

He knew exactly where. Sidious would be at his throne of power on the world of Coruscant. Organizing his new empire most likely. But Robin did not need to know that.

"Robin," Ben breathed, "I would appreciate it if you kept this conversation between the two of us."

Robin gave Ben a puzzled look, "Why? If Sidious is such an immense threat that both you and Dooku are worried about him, then we should go to Chrom and figure out a plan. A way to combat him."

"There is no combating Sidious." Ben replied calmly, "He is too powerful."

"How do you know that?"

"Because not even Grandmaster Yoda could best him." Ben shot back, "And Yoda was the greatest of us. The most powerful Jedi in existence. And he lost to Sidious. That is how powerful that Dark Lord is. If we fought against him, we would only delay the inevitable." Ben sighed, "In this instance, right now it is best to be patient."

"And wait for Luke to grow up and take him on?"

Ben froze, "You-you heard that bit too?"

Robin nodded, "Yeah. He's going to be that powerful?"

Ben took a deep breath, "We can only hope."

Robin leaned against the table and stared hard at Ben, "I get it you know."

Ben arched an eyebrow, "Get what?"

"Why you are so hesitant to train me. I get it." Robin exhaled, "Anakin's death is still fresh on your mind. So is his betrayal. I can see why you wouldn't want to train anyone else."

"It's not just that Robin its-" Ben paused as he tried to gather his thoughts, "It's that you remind me so much of Anakin. Before he fell." Robin's eyes widened, "You are incredibly loyal to those you care about. A cunning warrior and tactician." Ben snorted a little bit, "A damn good friend." Ben lowered his gaze, "At the same time though, you are very different from him. You are not as reckless. And you… you open yourself to others. Anakin did not really do that." Ben's eyes saddened a little bit, "I don't really know why he fell. But when he did fall, there were so many secrets he held. Secrets that I had suspicions of but I never thought would actually be true."

"Like him having a family?" Robin asked, "Since having attachments in supposedly against the Jedi Code."

Ben grimaced, "Yeah. That rule is certainly suspect at the moment."

 _Considering the feelings I hold for Tharja. Very suspect at the moment._

"I-I'm not sure if I am the best teacher for someone like you." Ben admitted, "I've already failed once. I'm not sure if I want to open up a chance for failure again."

Robin sat silent for a minute.

"Well, I think you're a great teacher." Robin replied, "I mean, look how far I've come with a blade. Or Donnel even." Robin leaned forward in his seat, "Ben, please teach me. I won't fail you. I won't fail anyone else. I won't fall like Anakin did. I won't let myself reach that point."

Ben pressed his lips into a thin line.

"You are so alike and so different at the same time." He muttered under his breath.

Anakin had always been the kind of person to follow the philosophy: the ends justify the means. He fought aggressive in battle. Cared deeply. And did everything in his power to protect those he loved. Even going so far as to fall to the dark side to do so. Which led to his own downfall. While Robin did exhibit some of those traits, he also held a cautiousness to him that gave Ben some encouragement. Robin did not seek power like Anakin did. He sought knowledge. He sought to understand. Not to become stronger, but to become wiser. There was the difference between the two.

"I'll think about it." Ben finally said, to Robin's excitement, "But Robin, before you start worrying about failing others, do not fail yourself. Anakin's first failure was that he failed himself. He failed his own moral code when he fell. He lost who he was. Do not do the same thing."

Robin nodded, "I won't." The tactician rested his elbows on the table, "So, that's potential hobby number one."

Ben blinked then started chuckling, "Training you? More like an exercise in patience than a hobby."

"You said so yourself, I'm not that bad!" Robin cried.

Ben laughed and waved him off, "I'll find a hobby eventually. For now I just need to get used to peace." Ben sighed, "It just feels so strange."

"Alright, but part of getting used to peace is getting out of this palace and doing stuff." Robin smirked. He snapped his fingers, "I know!"

"What?"

"You and Tharja can go do something."

Ben started coughing hard, "W-what?"

"Yeah. You know, an actual date." He noticed a slight reddish tint to Ben's cheeks, "Oh don't tell me you've never been on a date."

"You know, most of my relationships have blossomed under life or death circumstances." Ben admitted sheepishly, "There was never really time for an actual date. Plus there was the Jedi code and all."

"And you just tossed that bad rule out the window a few nights ago. We all saw."

"Unfortunately." Ben muttered with a hint of shyness.

Robin chuckled and gave Ben's shoulder a playful punch, "C'mon. Hey look, I'll go with you to the Academy if it helps. I'll be your moral support."

"The amnesiac as my moral support?" Ben chuckled, "Somehow my prospects have dropped."

"Oh, very funny, mad swordsman." Robin shot back, "So?"

"So?"

"What are you and Tharja going to do?"

Ben sighed and sank in his seat a little bit, "I don't know. What is there to do?"

"Go out for food and a drink?" Robin suggested.

Ben arched an eyebrow, "She nearly hexed me the last time she got drunk."

Robin cringed, "Er… good point."

"Not off to a great start there, moral support man."

Robin grit his teeth, "Now you're just poking fun."

"Oh of course I am." Ben smirked, "It is one of my many memorable qualities."

As they spoke, Anna came strolling in through the main gate. Both Shepherds glanced over at the merchant and gave her a wave.

"Good morning, Anna." Ben nodded.

"Hey, Anna!" Robin said.

"Morning boys." Anna stopped beside their table, "What are you two doing up so early?"

Robin and Ben glanced at each other.

"We're always up this early." Robin shrugged while Ben nodded in agreement, "What about you? Profits down so you gotta open up shop earlier?"

Anna uttered a hearty laugh, "Nope! Profits are through the roof. Not only is business booming for me in the market square, but people are calling me the Red Beret Seller instead of the Secret Seller now. I have effectively distanced myself from my main competitors."

Ben arched an eyebrow, "But wasn't the whole point of the Secret Seller to-"

"Anyways," Anna interrupted, "I am actually here to make sure I have permission to set up my shop in the fairgrounds outside the city walls today."

Ben gave her a puzzled look, "Fairgrounds?"

Robin looked just as confused, "Why would you leave the main square for the day?"

Anna gave them both a stunned look, "You don't know?" She reached into her pocket and withdrew a flyer, "A carnival is coming to town. They arrived just an hour ago and are already setting up. And do you know what that means?"

Robin and Ben gave each other confused glances.

"What does it mean?" Robin asked.

"It means tourists." Anna rolled up the flyer in her hands, "And a lot of them. This thing has been advertised for weeks. How could you both not know about it?"

"We don't get out much?" Robin admitted.

"Well that better change. Both of you should be there tonight. I know the other Shepherds will be." Anna smiled and waved as she walked towards the palace doors, "Stop by the shop if you both go."

"We will." Robin called back to her.

Once Anna disappeared into the palace, Robin gave Ben a wide grin.

"No more excuses, Ben Kenobi." He said with a triumphant grin.

Ben hung his head, "You have me cornered, master tactician. Whatever will I do? Enjoy myself with a beautiful woman? I see that as a fairly decent term of surrender."

Robin chuckled as Ben rose to his feet, "And I will cheer you on from the sideline my friend." He glanced up at the sun and jumped, "Oh crap! I forgot. Frederick needed me for something this morning." Robin scrambled from his seat and raced towards the Palace gate, "I'll catch you tonight Ben."

"Alright." Ben chuckled as he stood beside the table for a moment.

 _A carnival? Why would there be a carnival coming to town today?_ He rubbed his chin. Now that he thought about, he had never been to a carnival. Ben furrowed his brow further as he slowly strolled towards the Academy.

 _What even is a carnival?_

* * *

Chrom let out a weary sigh as he walked through the brightly illuminated halls of the Magic Academy. Various groups of students all passed by him. Some of them too busy to even notice he was there. They had classes to attend after all. Some gave him a respectful bow. After all, not only was he the ruler of Ylisse, but he also walked beside the Headmaster of the Academy. The gangly old man named Byran.

The old mage had been at the academy for decades now. His mind filled with untold amounts of knowledge and wisdom. He had served as headmaster of the academy during part of Chrom's father's reign, all of Emmeryn's reign, and now the beginning of his. He was a man certainly to be respected. One did not gain his status among the mages of Ylisse without undergoing serious trials and conquering them. His intellect was plain as day in almost any conversation as well. Miriel always spoke highly of him. And normally, Chrom agreed with her assessment of him.

But in this instance, Chrom found himself to be more irritated by the old man than anything else.

"I still can-cannot understand your decision, your majesty." Headmaster Byron crowed as he shuffled slowly beside Chrom. His cane tapped lightly against the floor as he hobbled along.

Chrom uttered a long sigh and allowed his eyes to flick out the massive windows that lined this corridor of the Academy. Outside he could see Ylisstol in its entirety. Even out to the fairgrounds where he could see many tents being set up for tonight.

 _Crap, I'm going to have to attend that._ Chrom uttered a long sigh, _So many different obligations. For one day, I just want to sit at home with Sumia and Lucina._

He thought he would get his chance for just that today. Frederick said he could handle any military matters. Lissa volunteered to take care of the city politics. And there were no major incidents in the Halidom. Chrom thought he would finally have time to spend with his budding family.

Then the Academy messenger arrived. And Chrom found himself here. Walking alongside Headmaster Byron as he rambled on about the lack of ethics and thought regarding the latest resident of the Academy.

"Begging your pardon, your majesty. But did you hear what I said?"

He had not heard a word. Byron had been complaining about Tharja for the past week now. He did not want a Plegian Mage anywhere near his students. Least of all someone who acted as hostile as Tharja. Chrom wanted to laugh when he first heard that description. Sure, Tharja could be disagreeable. But she was almost never openly hostile. Not unless someone earned that hostility. If anything, in the Prince's experience, the dark mage usually kept to herself. She did not like to be disturbed in her work. And the only time she ever talked to anyone was if she was searching for a guinea pig for her latest project. Of which, most were completely harmless in the end.

"Headmaster, I can assure you that Lady Tharja is of no danger to your students." Chrom droned as they neared her door.

"Hmph!" The Headmaster harrumphed, "You say that now. But I remember the days when the Grimleal were not so brazenly accepted."

Chrom frowned, "She is not a Grimleal anymore, Byron. She renounced them."

"I still hear her chanting to Grima on occasion!" Byron cried, "As do the students." He shook his head, "She is a negative influence that I cannot allow in my Academy."

Chrom could feel a headache coming on. Gods, he just wanted to take a nap right now. And he was the wrong person to mediate this situation between the Headmaster and Tharja. Chrom considered Tharja a Shepherd. Called her comrade and friend. But Tharja was still an enigma to him. The only Shepherds that really knew her traveled with her, Ben, and Robin on their yearlong quest to find Luke and Marth.

 _Where is Ben or Robin when I need them?_

"Chrom!"

Chrom's eyes lit up when he saw Ben walking towards them from the stairwell at the opposite end of the corridor.

 _Thank Naga!_

"Ben! Good to see you." He clasped Ben's hand then embraced him.

"You as well." Ben chuckled, "You have been busy as of late?"

"Exceedingly so. Rebuilding a nation is a lot of damn work." Chrom sighed as he rubbed his face with one hand.

Ben nodded, "Oh, I apologize," He held a friendly hand out to Byron, "You must be Headmaster Byron."

"And you must be Captain Ben Kenobi. I have heard of you." The old man said with a friendly smile. He shook Ben's hand, "I have heard many strange tales of your feats, young man. I hope one day you might be able to explain the strange magic you use to me. Perhaps even record it for future students to study."

Ben uttered a small laugh, "I am not much of a writer, unfortunately."

"A pity. Perhaps we can arrange something." Byron returned his attention to Chrom, "Your majesty, as for the matter at hand-"

"Oh… right." Chrom did his best to rest the urge to run a weary hand over his eyes, "Tharja."

"What about Tharja?" Ben asked, both curious and concerned.

"That Plegian Dark Mage is having a negative influence on my students." Byron stamped his cane into the floor near his feet, "I now have students asking if they would be allowed to speak with her. Ask her questions about dark magic. Such a preposterous notion!"

Ben arched an eyebrow, "Well, I personally don't see the harm in her speaking with other students."

"My students are here to learn magic. Not the Grimleal's perversion of the art. Such black magic is dangerous and unethical. I will not have it practiced in my halls!" Byron exclaimed, "Your majesty, I respectfully ask that you find another place for the Witch to reside."

"Witch?"

Chrom noticed a slight flash of annoyance cross Ben's face when he heard that term. Chrom cringed internally. Ben did not anger easily. When he did… he shuddered as he recalled the one time Ben lost his temper with him. He felt the power explode from his friend back them. The old man would probably have a heart attack if Ben lost his temper in front of him.

"You know." All three men froze as a fourth voice interrupted their conversation. All three sets of eyes turned to see Tharja leaning against her doorway, "I can hear all three of you."

Ben uttered a light chuckle, "Sorry about that."

Tharja gave Ben a small smile. That smile ran away when her dark gaze turned to Chrom and the Headmaster.

"You know, I did manage to rise in the Grimleal ranks. But never to the level of a witch." Tharja hummed to herself, "That title was mainly reserved for alchemists in the order. Powerful ones at that. While I'm good, I'm certainly not at the level of witch." She shrugged, "Aversa was however."

Ben eyes sparkled with an idea as the Headmaster huffed and prepared to continue to complain. He knew Tharja liked to have her space. Liked to have a private area to practice her craft. And the Academy was the perfect place for her to do so. It had the resources and literature in order for her to perfect her art. Whenever she practiced her magic, Ben never saw Tharja look more alive. She loved her art. Loved to experiment and research. She may not show it on the outside, but she greatly enjoyed being allowed to stay at the Academy. And Ben wanted to make sure her spot would not be threatened again.

"Chrom, I seem to recall that we had a great deal of trouble with the Grimleal on the battlefield." Ben said.

Chrom rubbed his chin and furrowed his brow, "We did, didn't we? They wreaked havoc both at Themis and during the siege of this city."

"Something that deeply scarred many of my older students." Byron crowed, "The mere sight of her triggers horrific flashbacks for them!"

Tharja glowered at the old man, "If I scare them that much, then they should not be mages to begin with."

"Perhaps in your old home back in that desert wasteland that was the case. But here, magic is something for all to study."

"That doesn't mean all are capable of studying it." Tharja grumbled back.

"Back to my original point," Ben quickly interjected, "I believe; and we can confirm this with Lord Edward, Frederick, and Robin; that the reason we struggled to combat the Grimleal during the war was due to a lack of knowledge regarding them."

Chrom's eyes widened as he started to understand where Ben was going with this. He gave the swordsman a devious smirk.

"That is very correct, Ben."

"And, as my personal friend," Ben felt like he was biting iron when he said that part, "Dooku… once said; you must know your opponent to defeat them. You were part of that lesson as well, right Chrom?"

"I was indeed." Chrom replied with a grin.

Byron shifted uneasily where he stood, "What are you two getting at?"

Chrom turned to Byron, "Byron, I hereby name Lady Tharja a professor of Dark Magic Studies here at the Academy."

"WHAT!?" Byron screeched.

Tharja blinked in surprise. Her gaze flicked over to Ben. She could not help but notice the mischievous smirk on his face. A quiet snicker left her lips. The Jedi Master really did have a devious side to him.

"But-but-but-" Byron shook his head, "Such a subject does not exist!"

"It does now." Chrom shrugged, "I said so."

"But you cannot-"

"I can if this pertains to matters of security for the Halidom." Chrom folded his arms, "The Grimleal retained their power in Plegia. It is likely we could see hostilities from them again in the future. Not to mention the many castaways they produce that end up in roving bandit gangs throughout the land." He turned to Tharja, "We do teach students how to combat magic here, but; based on your own analysis; how would that instruction fare against a true dark mage?"

Tharja snickered, "I could turn any of these students inside out with a snap of my fingers."

"There you have it." Chrom nodded, "The instruction when it comes to defending against dark magic is lacking. Lady Tharja, how are the materials here regarding such a subject?"

"Materials?" Tharja said.

"Books, texts, tomes, ingredients?"

Tharja hummed to herself for a moment, "Lacking. Most texts are either highly outdated or extremely biased in their depiction of the art. There is not a single dark tome to speak of in the library. Not even in the restricted section. As for ingredients, I could probably make a decent enough poison. But certainly not something as lethal as I could at the Temple."

"And all of that is in place for a purpose. To protect my students from the dangers of such magic. Magic she so cavalierly uses!" Byron protested.

"If I cavalierly used dark magic I would be a puddle of blood and guts on the ground already." Tharja narrowed her eyes dangerously at the Headmaster, "Dark magic requires intense focus and careful study. It is not for the reckless mage. A reckless mage will get themselves killed if they dabble in such magic. A mage who decides to study dark magic requires tremendous discipline, control, and responsibility. Also a very sharp mind. A lot of dark magic is mysterious by nature."

Chrom chuckled, "I cannot think of a better instructor after hearing that. We need mages in the Halidom that understand the Grimleal. That is the only way we will be able to combat them in the end. Of course, all of this is contingent on Lady Tharja accepting the role?"

Tharja thought for a split second.

"I accept." She relished the abject look of horror on Headmaster Byron's face.

The Headmaster sputtered out a few indecipherable noises before finally admitting defeat. He hung his head and gave it a small shake.

"Your father would be turning over in his grave, your majesty." Byron sighed.

Chrom bristled at the comment. If this were a year ago, he would have lashed out at the man for daring to say such a thing. Such disrespect would not have gone without a consequence. But that was Chrom one year ago. Back when he was still just a Prince. Not a ruler of an entire Halidom. He had no one else to place in the role of Headmaster at the moment. No one had the breadth of knowledge Byron possessed. As much as he did not like it, Chrom needed him to remain within the Academy's walls.

"I'll forget that comment." Chrom said, voice even. But his reply unsettled the Headmaster enough to elicit a gulp, "And my father does not rule Ylisse currently. Remember that."

A heavy sigh left Byron's lips, "Forgive me, your majesty. Old… old beliefs die hard." He tapped his cane against the tile floor, "I have several rules I would like to put in place."

"Name them." Chrom said.

"One: Only students hand selected by myself will be allowed to undergo Lady Tharja's instruction. I only want students I know are capable of handling such danger and responsibility to take the course."

"Understandable." Ben said before Tharja could say anything back.

Ben gave her a quick little nod. Tharja frowned but decided to trust Ben's judgement on this one. She liked making the Headmaster squirm. But this was Ben's realm. Negotiations. He knew what he was doing. She did not.

"Two: I will not have dark magic cast on the Academy grounds. If Lady Tharja and the students wish to engage in hands on practice, they must do so beyond these walls."

"Fair enough." Tharja shrugged, "That'll lessen the impact of a backfire."

"A what?" Chrom gulped.

"Bad things." Ben quickly said before Tharja could go in depth on the meaning of a spell backfire, "Let's just leave it at that."

"Three: Any student caught irresponsibly using dark magic, or violating any current rules of the academy will be subject to the harshest of discipline from both you and I, Lady Tharja."

"Any student misuses dark magic, and they will wish they were just receiving punishment from you." Tharja remarked.

Byron cleared his throat nervously, "I still do not like this. But I am on the losing side in this argument. So, I shall gather up a few students I believe ready for such a course. You will have a week to prepare your first lessons, Lady Tharja. I will let you know which lecture hall you may use."

Tharja gave the old man a small bow.

"You have a nice day, your majesty." Byron bowed to Chrom, "Captain Kenobi." He nodded before hobbling towards the stairs.

As he disappeared down the stairs, Ben and Chrom both busted out laughing. Chrom clutched his stomach for a moment before steadying himself on Ben's shoulder.

"I've never seen him so mad!" Chrom guffawed.

"Wonderful entertainment, for sure." Ben chuckled as he patted Chrom's shoulder.

Tharja smirked as the two men laughed hard.

"Making him squirm is very fun." She said. Tharja hummed to herself. Her face contorted into an annoyed look, "Wait, now I have to deal with urchins."

"It allows you to stay in the Academy without the Headmaster calling for you to be removed every day." Ben said reassuringly, "I'm sure teaching a few students is a fair price to pay for that. I can tell you like it here."

Tharja smiled a little bit at that, "Maybe. We will see how this goes."

"Yes we will." Chrom cleared his throat, "Now that that is done, I need to get back to the palace. It's my turn for Lucina watching."

"Have fun." Ben chuckled as Chrom brushed past him and marched towards the stairs.

"I always do." Chrom said over his shoulder. When he reached the stairs he turned around, "Are both of you going to the carnival tonight?"

"Carnival?" Tharja wondered aloud.

Ben chuckled a little bit, "Get going already. Before Sumia gets mad at you."

Chrom paled a little bit, "Yeah, that's never fun. I'll see you both tonight."

Ben gave him a wave as he rushed down the stairs.

He glanced back and forth down the corridor really fast. It had emptied out fairly quickly. Then again, it was midday right about now. Most of the students must be at their lessons.

Ben exhaled, "So, Tharja…" He turned to the dark mage and found her blushing a little bit, "Do you have any idea what a carnival is?"

Tharja blinked. Then she laughed. Not the dark snicker she normally uttered. This was a loud, belly laugh that brought a broad smile to both her and Ben's faces. She leaned up and placed a soft kiss on his lips.

"I take that as you asking me if I want to go tonight?" Tharja whispered.

Ben chuckled lightly, "Should I take your own question as a yes?"

Tharja hummed to herself. A small smirk on her lips, "Maybe?" She said with a light snicker, "I do have lessons to plan now. Thanks to your _brilliant_ idea."

"Why thank you. I know it was brilliant."

"Arrogant ass." Tharja laughed haughtily as she stepped into her room. Ben followed her inside, "You know I was being sarcastic."

"Why whatever do you mean?" Ben teased back as he left the door open behind him.

Tharja beckoned for him to take a seat. Ben smiled as he sat down. This was his first time visiting Tharja at the Academy. And thankfully, Chrom made sure she was given a decent little space.

It was a single room. A twin mattress sat at the far end of the room, in the corner furthest from the door. Beside it was a small nightstand with a large candle burning on top of it. A bookshelf sat against the opposite wall of the bed. It had a few volumes on it. Most of them Tharja owned personally. Some she had borrowed from the Academy library.

And finally, her desk had two chairs in front of it. The desk sat on the third wall. Between the bookshelf and her nightstand. The desk was littered with notes and blank pages. An inkwell half full with black ink and a well used quill sat atop several blank pages. One tome lay open on the desk. Ben peaked at the pages and grimaced a little at the bloody picture on it.

"Animal sacrifices." Tharja said as she went over to her bookshelf and tapped her chin. She was looking for another text to read, "An ancient practice in basic dark magic."

"Interesting?" Ben gulped a little bit.

"Oh don't worry, Ben." Tharja chuckled, "I don't dabble in that personally. I know how to do it, of course. But I lean more towards the more practical side of the dark magic. The animal sacrifices are more of a spiritual thing. Very common among more devout members of the Grimleal. But also, rather out of favor in today's day and age." She plucked a small tome from her bookshelf, "Nevertheless, fascinating to read about."

"I'm sure." Ben said with genuine interest, "So, what is the first lesson you plan on giving your new students?" He leaned back in his seat as she took a seat across from him.

"How to Not Get Yourself Killed 101." Tharja replied with a wry smirk. She held up the very small tome, "I wrote down what I could remember of my first few lessons in the Grimleal. All of which pertained to control and focus. And not actually using any dark magic."

Ben appeared surprised, "Sounds rather similar to how we trained Jedi."

"Oh?" Tharja quickly closed her text, "Continue, please."

Ben chuckled, "Still out to get that information, aren't you?"

"Marth made a promise to me. I intend on her keeping it. And if you help her do that along the way… well, that is a nice reward." Tharja replied. She set the small tome down on her desk, "So, how did Jedi start out?"

"Young." Ben nodded, "Very young. I was barely able to walk when I first started training. And the first few lessons were all about control and focus. Not about power or doing neat tricks. It was all about tapping into the force for the first time. Learning about the force and how it flowed through us. All in very basic terms of course. We were toddlers."

Tharja smiled, "Lucky. I was just told to figure it out by my teachers."

"There were those moments as well." Ben cringed a little bit, "Some of the grumpier masters did that to us. But the basic instruction for a Jedi Youngling involved a lot of just getting used to the force. Learning what if felt like to use such a power. Learning the ramifications and consequences of that power. As well as instilling other qualities such as the Jedi code, responsibility, and discipline." Ben exhaled, "Two of which take much longer to learn than the other."

"I'd say your still trying to figure it out, Mad Swordsman Ben Kenobi." Tharja smirked at him.

"I did not ask for that nickname." Ben chuckled.

"Would you rather I call you, Benny?" Tharja teased.

Ben shivered while Tharja snickered, "Now I just pictured Gaius and I going to a carnival together and I want to get that image out of my head."

Tharja shifted closer to him and pecked his cheek, "Does that help?"

"Maybe a little bit." Ben smiled back at her before pecking her lips, "So… you never answered my first question?"

"That being?" Tharja remarked with a grin

Ben cleared his throat, "What is a carnival?"

* * *

The sun had nearly fallen below the horizon. Leaving the sky a gorgeous purple color. Stars winked to life high above Ben's head. And a crescent moon grinned down at the festivities below it. As night swept over Ylisstol, the fair grounds outside of the city walls came to life.

Ben smiled a little as a group of children rushed past him and Tharja as they exited the city gates and entered the crowded fairgrounds. Each child waved a pinwheel in the air as they ran. Reveling in the magic that a simple, paper, spinning wheel delivered. Their laughter practically infectious.

Most of Ylisstol were already milling about the various tents and stalls in the grassy area. All around the pair were tents. Big and small. All different manner of colors dancing in the light of torches, lamps, and small bonfires. Ben could hear different instruments being played from one tent nearby. A small band plucked stringed instruments to a growing crowd's delight.

Tharja hung onto Ben's arm as they strolled through the various tents. Ben slowly came to the conclusion that a carnival was a festival. Perhaps this was some sort of harvest festival. Ben saw so many stalls absolutely filled with different foods. He could smell meat slowly cooking on spits over large fires. The alluring aroma of fresh bread and pastries filled the air. One stall had an entire table chock full of candy and other sweets that the city children ogled over.

"This is a carnival." Tharja smiled as she walked along with Ben.

Ben and Tharja quickly stepped to the side as a performer of some sort, riding a unicycle, shot past them. Another performer approached them. His enormous legs wobbled as he walked. Tharja smirked at Ben's confusion.

"Stilts." She explained, "He's not really that tall."

"I thought so." Ben said as he gaped up at the elevated performer.

The performer waved around to the various people in the crowd, grabbed some pins from beneath his arms, and began to juggle them. Ben had to marvel at the focus and balance such a trick took. It must have taken the man months of practice to come close to perfecting.

Tharja smirked, "Wait until you see the magicians, Obi the Skywalker."

Ben's cheeks flushed a little bit, "I hope you don't expect me to perform?"

Tharja chuckled, "Not in the slightest. Tonight, you get to enjoy some peace."

Ben smiled down at her as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. The night had grown a little chilly. Not unbearably so. But he did wish he had his Jedi cloak on a night like this.

"Hey! Benny! Sunshine!"

Ben and Tharja glanced to their right. Standing beside a table covered with various different goods were Panne and Gaius. Behind the table, counting out some gold coins in her palm. was Anna. Gaius shoved a cinnamon roll into his mouth as Tharja and Ben approached the table.

The table was filled with different items for sale. There were toys for children. Different balls and dolls. Then there were more adult goods. Some bottles of firewine. A few bronze and iron knives. Some of them with decorative etching and patterns placed into the metal. Anna also had a tent set up behind her table for keeping other goods that she could not fit on her small display.

The merchant smiled at a family as she finished selling them a small ball for the children to play with.

"Come on back when you all want more!" Anna smiled at them before waving at Ben and Tharja. "You stopped by the shop after all." Anna smiled as she put her hands on her hips, "The Red Beret is always happy to serve you two."

Ben chuckled, "Thank you Anna. But I don't think we will be buying anything yet."

"Pfft, yeah, right." Anna wagged a finger at Ben while Gaius chuckled to the side, "You can't lie to me, Ben Kenobi. I can see you are entertaining a special somebody right now."

Tharja blushed and lowered her head a little bit. Shadowing her eyes with her dark hair. Ben chuckled and gave her shoulder a small rub. Before he could reply, Anna rushed into her tent and came back with two things in her hands. In one hand, a fancy bottle of wine. In her other hand, a rolled up, checkerboard patterned blanket.

"A bottle of wine and a blanket for a romantic picnic before the big show!" Anna uttered several giddy giggles, "Do you have any idea how much money I'm making off of this combo right now? I'll be able to set up a permanent shop in no time at all!"

"Congratulations." Ben chuckled before glancing over at Tharja. The mage was muttering to herself under her breath as she continued to flush in mild embarrassment. Ben uttered a soft sigh and nodded to Anna, "You drive a hard bargain, Anna."

Anna started laughing, "Of course I do. Twenty gold pieces please."

Ben arched an eyebrow, "Twenty?"

"Hey this bottle of wine isn't cheap." Anna countered, "And this blanket; nice and soft. Very cozy for a chilly night like tonight. Perfect for cuddling."

Tharja's cheeks turned a deep scarlet color. Off to the side, Gaius chuckled quietly as he nudged Panne. Beckoning her to watch the show in front of them.

Ben snorted as he glanced over at Tharja, "Alright, Anna. You win."

As he dug into his pocket for some gold coins. He placed the coins into Anna's hand and plucked the bottle and blanket from Anna.

"Now you need some glasses." Anna remarked with a knowing smirk.

Ben gave Anna a stunned look, "You trickster."

"Hey!" Anna cried, "You can't blame me for making a living."

Gaius laughed and slapped an arm around Ben's shoulders.

"Hey Benny, don't worry about it." Gaius dug into a pouch along his hip and pulled out two, small wooden cups, "My treat."

Anna's eyes flashed with anger, "You damn thief!"

Gaius gulped, "And now I make my escape!"

Panne's hand snatched him by the collar, "Pay for it."

Gaius let out a long groan, " _Fiiiine._ " He dug into that same pouch for some coins. He withdrew a pair of gold coins and slapped them on Anna's table, "There, everyone happy?"

Ben just shook his head, "Gaius, how long are you going to keep trying to sneak one past Panne?"

Gaius shrugged, "I don't know. Until I get away with it eventually."

Panne snorted, "Which he won't."

"Yeah, probably not." Gaius rubbed the back of his head, "But hey, our little game of cat and mouse is kinda fun. Or I guess, our game of bunny and thief is kind of fun?" He narrowed his eyes at Panne, "Shouldn't you be the one scared of me?"

Panne narrowed her eyes at him. Gaius raised his hands defensively.

"Just kidding." Gaius laughed nervously, "Anyways, you two kids enjoy yourselves." He patted Ben on the chest, "But not too much okay? This is a public space."

Ben heard Tharja start to mutter off to the side. He thought about stopping her. But instead, he said nothing and just let her finish her silent incantation. As Gaius walked away from Ben, a violent sneeze erupted from the thief. Gaius sniffled and sneezed hard again. Then a third time. Upon the fourth sneeze, he spun around on his heel and pointed at Tharja.

"Why!?" He cried before sneezing again.

"You deserved it for stealing from Anna." Tharja snickered as she and walked with Ben towards the edge of the fair grounds. The sounds of Gaius's torment filled sneezes causing both of them to snicker a little bit. The thief had it coming.

The edge of the fairgrounds sat at the crest of a small hill. The hill overlooked a peaceful meadow. Flowers of all different colors, shapes, and sizes bloomed through the rolling grass. Others sat out there with their families and friends. Enjoying food and drink. Laughing and enjoying the carnival. Different entertainers milled through the area. Some magicians performed simple card tricks for children. Jugglers and clowns roamed about, making people laugh and gasp with delight. Ben found a quiet spot just for him and Tharja. He set the blanket down on the grass and motioned to her.

"Ladies first?"

Tharja smirked, "What a charmer."

"I always am."

Tharja sat down on the blanket. As she sat, Ben sighed.

"Well, we bought it." He used the force to uncork the wine bottle, "Might as well drink it."

Tharja chuckled, "I'm sure we will not be disappointed. Anna may demand high prices. But the quality of her items is normally very good." Tharja took her glass from Ben's hand, "I bought a tome from her a couple days ago actually."

"Oh?"

Tharja nodded, "Nothing magical. No new spells or anything. Mostly theory stuff. Which is good considering I have to teach now."

Ben laughed, "You don't have to do anything."

"I have to if I want to stay at the Academy." Tharja pointed out as she sat comfortably on the blanket.

Ben nodded, "Fair point." He sipped his wine and let out a satisfied sigh. He eyed the red liquid in his cup, "This is very good."

"Much better than that champagne at Princess Lucina's party." Tharja chuckled.

Ben uttered a small laugh as well, "I think almost everyone can agree to that."

"There they are!"

Ben and Tharja glanced behind them. A broad smile crossed Ben's face as he saw Chrom, Sumia, and Lissa approach them. Cradled in Sumia's arms was the crown Princess of Ylisse, Lucina. Ben quickly got to his feet and embraced Chrom.

"I'm glad to see you both here." Chrom grinned, "I was afraid you two would be recluses and stay at the academy or something."

"We thought about it." Ben chuckled, "But Tharja and I were interested in the carnival and decided to check it out. Next thing we both know, Anna is swindling us. And here we are enjoying the night now."

Sumia uttered a lighthearted chuckle as Lissa flopped down in the soft grass. The blonde princess gave both Tharja and Ben a lazy wave before she laid back in the grass. Chrom took a seat beside her. Sumia meanwhile, gently bounced Lucina in her arms. Ben bowed low to both Sumia and Princess Lucina.

"It is wonderful to see both of you as well."

Sumia smiled, "Ben, your my friend too. You don't have to act so formal." She smiled past him at Tharja, "How are you, Tharja?"

"I'm doing fine." Tharja said back.

A small smile betrayed her real feelings. She was enjoying this time with Ben much more than she wanted the others to know. Besides, she needed to keep up her intimidating appearance. A dark mage needed to inspire a little fear in everyone around them. But that smile on her lips showed the whole world a much more light hearted person beneath the dark magic and intimidating glares.

Ben glanced down at Princess Lucina for a moment.

"Well look at you." He smiled at the wide eyed baby girl, "You're already getting so big."

Sumia chuckled, "She is. And already so curious about the world around her. Everyday she grows more adventurous. I found her trying to crawl this morning."

"I missed that!?" Chrom exclaimed despondently, "Ugh! Headmaster Byron continues to fall down the totem pole in my book."

Sumia gave Chrom a reassuring smile, "Don't worry, Chrom. As soon as anything exciting happens I'll let you know."

"But I want to be there when it happens." Chrom huffed, "Ben, never be in charge of a country. You never have any time to do the things you want to do."

Ben chuckled, "It is that way because you are a great leader and a great man Chrom. I'm sure everything will mellow out once the Halidom is completely back on its feet."

"I can only hope." Chrom sighed.

Ben glanced back down at Lucina. A curious look formed on the swordsman face as he spotted an odd shape in her left eye.

"Chrom? Why do I see a brand in Lucina's eye?"

"Oh that?" Lissa remarked, "That's the Brand of the Exalt. A birthmark passed down to all of the first Exalt's descendants." She pointed at Chrom's shoulder, "Chrom has his there." A slightly downcast look fell over Lissa' face, "For some reason it skipped me." She uttered a long sigh, "And Emmeryn had hers on her forehead."

Ben's eyes widened in understanding. He had a feeling that mark had something to do with the Ylissean royal bloodline. But he did not realize the significance of it.

"Interesting." Ben said as he returned to his seat beside Tharja.

Sumia smiled down at Lucina as she took a seat beside Chrom and Lissa.

"Where are the others?" Chrom asked Ben.

Ben shrugged, "We saw Panne and Gaius by Anna's tent earlier. As for everyone else, I'm not sure."

Chrom nodded his head. Before he could reply, his eyes lit up.

"About time you showed up Robin!" He called out past Ben.

Ben glanced over his shoulder and saw the tactician walking over. He gave both Ben and Tharja a bright smile before taking a seat beside Lissa and Chrom. The tactician gave the baby Princess a playful wave of his hand before grinning at his friends.

"So, there's going to be a magic show tonight huh?"

Ben arched an eyebrow, "There is?"

"Yup. Put on by some mages from the Academy." Chrom nodded.

Ben furrowed his brow. This carnival seemed far more extravagant than he originally believed it to be.

"What is the occasion for all of this?" Ben asked as he wrapped an arm around Tharja's shoulders.

Chrom gave Ben a surprised look, "It's the anniversary of the end of the war."

Ben's eyes widened, "It is?"

Robin looked equally surprised, "It has been that long already?" He blinked, "We were gone for a year?"

Tharja rolled her eyes, "You boys can never keep track of time."

Sumia, Chrom, and Lissa all chuckled.

Out in the meadow, below the hill, a group of mages took their places among the flowers and waving grass. They all held a special tome in their hands. Ten mages in total. And overseeing the entire production was Headmaster Byron and Miriel.

Chrom nodded at Tharja, "Those ten are it."

Tharja blinked, "They are?"

"Who is it?" Ben asked.

"Those are the ten mages the Headmaster said were allowed to take Tharja's course if they wanted to. Ricken is among them."

A small smirk crossed Tharja's lips, "That boy has some skill. Perhaps teaching will be somewhat fun."

"He's a prodigy." Lissa rolled her eyes at Tharja's comments, "Even Miriel says so. And Laurent is amazed by the amount of stuff he knows about magic."

Ten small fireballs shot into the sky. The crowd became quiet as the fireballs ascended higher into the evening sky. Ben craned his head back as the fireballs soared even higher.

With a thunderous boom, all ten fireballs exploded into blazing balls of light. The crowd around the small group of Shepherds gasped and cheered as small embers flickered through the night sky then died away.

Ten bolts of lightning shot into the sky. Each bolt branching off and slamming into the one beside it. A great tree of lightning lit up the sky. Ten more bolts followed the first tree. More branches joined the ever growing tree. Ben's eyes lit up in stunned awe as he watched the display of pure magical skill.

He had never seen spells like this before. His only experience with magic on this world had been healing magic thanks to Lissa and Libra, Tharja's dark magic, and the more military focused magic wielded by Robin, Ricken, Miriel, and Laurent. To see such a display of pure creativity caused a broad smile to form over Ben's lips.

He glanced over at Tharja. The dark mage seemed equally spellbound as the lightning shattered into thousands of tiny sparkles. Each sparkle fluttered in the air. Dotting the dark sky like a thousand twinkling stars.

Tharja leaned in closer to Ben as they lay back on their small blanket. Taking in every magnificent spell the ten mages cast. They combined fire and wind to create a great, blazing whirlwind in the sky. Ben could feel the heat from where he sat. It was an awesome display of raw power that left his jaw hanging open.

Wind and lightning collided into an enormous thunderclap in the air. Multiple, smaller claps of thunder followed it. Reminding Ben of horse hooves hammering into the earth.

Tharja rested her head against Ben's shoulder. The final spell was about to commence. A strong command sounded out from Headmaster Byron. The line of mages tightened into a circle. A low chant sounded out from them. Fire licked the ground at their feet. The pages in their spell books flew in their hands.

The flames at their feet gathered into a great ball of flames at the center of the circle. With one last cry, all ten mages raised one hand to the sky. The massive fireball rose into the sky. Ben squinted. It felt like the mages created a sun. The fireball morphed and twisted. Then exploded.

Embers rained down onto the field below. And out of the explosion a fiery dragon emerged. Tharja uttered a stunned gasp as the dragon raised it's mighty head and roared to the heavens. Great wings of fire spread out wide. Illuminating the sky in a bright, orange glow.

The fiery wings hammered once against the wind. The dragon soared higher above their heads. Soaring towards the smiling moon in the sky. Another bone shaking roar filled air. The fiery dragon opened it's massive maw and shot an enormous jet of fire into the sky.

It stopped flying. Wings taking the shape of the moon in the sky. One last roar, and the dragon winked away. Flames fluttered down to the ground like a million flower petals.

As each petal fluttered to the ground, Ben glanced over at the mesmerized dark mage nestled against him. She blinked and shook her head in disbelief.

"Never in my wildest…" She breathed before chuckling a little. She glanced over at Ben, "I'm going to have a lot of fun teaching these urchins."

Ben chuckled and gave her a gentle kiss. Tharja smiled as their lips met. The bright light in the sky faded with the fire petals. Each one slowly winked out of existence before touching the meadow below. Tharja gave Ben a quiet laugh and rested her head against his shoulder.

"So, how did you like your first carnival?" She asked him.

Ben smiled back, "I loved it."

If this is what peace time felt like, then he would enjoy every single second of it.

* * *

The walk back to the Mage's Academy was quiet. Most of the nobles remained at the carnival for far longer than anyone else. All of them wanted to enjoy the celebration and music. Raise toasts to the end of a war that devastated their land and their people. Praise Prince Chrom as he sat uncomfortably among all of them. Sumia exited early with Tharja and Ben. Robin remained with Lissa and Chrom. A small band of moral, and maybe even physical, support for the ruler of Ylisse as the noble folk fawned over him and the common folk hailed him a hero.

Sumia and her small retinue of guards broke off from Ben and Tharja. She wished the pair a good night and swiftly carried her daughter off to bed. That left Ben and Tharja alone to walk the mostly empty streets towards the Academy.

Their hands were interlocked the entire way to the massive building. When they reached the Academy gates, Tharja smiled and wrapped her arms around Ben's neck.

"That was a lovely first date, Ben Kenobi." She smiled.

"I am glad you enjoyed it." Ben replied with a cheerful smile of his own, "And I'm especially glad it went well."

"Oh?" Tharja chuckled, "Don't tell me that was your first time taking a girl out?"

Ben raised an eyebrow, "Would you believe me if I said yes?"

Tharja let out a quiet laugh, "Not even for a second." She placed a small kiss on Ben's lips, "You're too much of a charmer to be that inexperienced."

Ben threw his head back and laughed, "Trust me. That charm consists of lucky guesses and maybe a smidgen of talent." He wrapped his arms around Tharja's back and swayed with her in front of the Academy gates, "I had an amazing time with you tonight." He breathed.

Tharja blushed and rested her head against his chest. She stayed quiet for a moment as the pair remained still in the night.

"Thank you, Ben." She whispered.

"For what?" Ben asked with a small laugh.

Tharja flicked her gaze up to meet his, "You-" She uttered a small, nervous laugh, "You never judged me. I am a dark mage. A former member of the Grimleal. Technically, I'm supposed to be one of Ylisse's sworn enemies. And yet… you never viewed me as that. You only ever saw me as a friend." She gulped, "I've never had anyone else be like that to me before."

Ben smiled and brushed a hand over her cheek.

"You are much more than a friend to me now." Ben whispered.

Just as the pair were about to lean in one last kiss. Tharja paused. Her eyes narrowed into the darkness behind Ben. Ben noticed her suddenly tense up.

"Is something wrong?"

Tharja peered closer into the darkness. In the pale moonlight, she thought she saw a flicker of silver armor. Armor that did not look anything like what a Ylissean soldier would wear. Her eyes widened as she saw a hand raise a strange looking weapon in the shadows.

"BEN!" She tackled Ben to the side.

Ben's eyes widened as a red blaster bolt screamed past him and Tharja and slammed into the white walls of the Academy gate.

The force cried out a warning to Ben. He grabbed Tharja by the shoulders and quickly rolled over. Two more blaster bolts peppered the ground where they had fallen.

Adrenaline pumped through Ben's veins as he jumped off of Tharja and reached for his lighstaber. But he did not feel his lightsaber. Instead, he only felt his leather belt against his fingertips.

 _It's still in the barracks!_ He had not expected to ever have to use it while in the city.

"Kriff!"

"Duck!" Tharja shouted behind.

Ben pressed himself to the ground. Tharja blasted a spell across the street towards their attacker. Ben's eyes widened as he saw a jet pack roar to life and rocket their attacker away from the blast.

"What the hell?" Tharja grit her teeth.

The assassin landed beyond the shadows and in the moonlight. Ben's eyes widened. Silver colored armor. Mandalorian by design. A bluish, purple bodysuit underneath the silver plates. A Mandalorian helmet with an antenna attached to the side. Jet pack with a large rocket on top strapped to the man's back.

Ben wanted to utter a loud, annoyed, curse.

"Ben?" Tharja breathed as the assassin raised his twin blaster pistols, "What is-"

"Run Tharja!" Ben finally cried as he used a force push to shove her out of the way of two deadly blaster bolts.

Tharja let out a startled cry as she flew through the air and landed in a heap near the gate. As she picked herself back up again, she saw Ben charge straight at the assassin.

Just before the assassin could fire his blaster pistols again, Ben leaped at him and planted his feet into the assassin's chest. The assassin uttered a loud grunt as he fell backwards onto the road. Ben quickly scrambled back up to his feet and pounced onto the assassin.

He called upon the force. Willing it to imbue him with both strength and speed beyond his own physical capabilities. He rained a flurry of heavy, hard blows against the assassin's helmet. The final punch managed to shatter part of the assassin's dark visor.

Ben's eyes widened in surprise.

It was him behind the helmet. Jango Fett. Yet another dead foe somehow returned to the world of the living.

But his eyes were different. They were no longer that hard, focused, dark color. They did not hold that fierce determination or ruthlessness. Instead, they were a bright scarlet color. Redder than blood. Filled with hatred.

Ben grit his teeth and raised his fist to rain another massive blow to the dead man's head. An armored knee buried itself in his abdomen. Air rushed from Ben's lungs. Jango Fett gripped Ben by the shoulders and crashed his helmet against the Jedi's forehead.

Ben reeled backwards. Mind in a complete daze. Lungs struggling to recover. He rolled onto his hands and knees. Jango stormed over to him and gripped the reeling Jedi by his shirt. He threw Ben back up to his feet and delivered a flurry of hard punches to his body. Then a sharp hook to his jaw. Ben fell flat on his back. Stars danced in his eyes.

Tharja uttered a furious roar as she conjured forth a devastating spell. She blasted Fett with it. Sending the dead bounty hunter flying into a nearby building. Fett uttered a small groan as he hit the white bricks and slid down them.

Tharja scrambled over to Ben. She tried to pick him up. A blaster bolt screamed out. Ben's eyes widened as the red bolt hit Tharja in her left shoulder. The dark mage uttered a loud cry of pain and fell back to the road. Her other hand wrapped tight over the charred wound.

Fury unlike anything Ben had ever felt before filled him. The Jedi Master instantly refocused and jumped to his feet. Fett leveled his blaster at him before Ben could make a move.

Fett pulled the trigger. The blaster bolt screamed towards Ben. An invisible force hit Ben and smacked him to the ground. The blaster bolt passed harmlessly over his head and hit the wall behind him.

Ben snapped his head up just in time to see Marth leap down from the top of the building behind Jango Fett. The Shard of Falchion pointed down at her target. Before the bounty hunter even realized what was happening, Marth buried the shard into the gap between Fett's neck and shoulder.

Fett uttered a loud, pain filled cry. Marth yanked her shattered blade free and slashed its jagged edge along the assassin's right hamstring. The assassin's leg buckled beneath him. Marth spun around and jammed the shard right into the crack in his visor. Jango Fett stiffened as the blade bit into his face. His blasters clattered to the ground. And with a small gasp of defeat, he faded into black dust. Carried west by a cold wind.

Ben stared wide eyed at Marth as she took in heavy breaths. His attention ripped away from her when he heard Tharja uttered a small, pain filled groan.

"Tharja." Ben breathed as he scrambled over to her.

He helped the dark mage sit upright. Her right was still clasped over her wounded shoulder.

"Give me… give me a minute to hex it." Tharja hissed as she struggled to focus her magic. After a couple seconds, she uttered a relieved sigh, "There… that'll numb it for a while. Although I can't feel my arm anymore."

"Are you good to move?" Ben asked, worry still filling his face.

Tharja snorted, "I'll be just fine. Although, that really hurt." She winced as Ben helped her stand back up. She swayed and leaned into him for a second before regaining her balance. She winced and took a deep breath, "So-so much for the amazing night."

Ben uttered a dry laugh, "Yeah." He glanced over where Jango Fett had been kneeling before Marth slew him… again, "Come on." Ben breathed as he wrapped a protective arm around Tharja, "Let's get you inside."

"I'm coming with." Marth glared at Ben, "Who knows how many more Risen could be in the city."

Tharja's eyes widened, "That was a Risen?"

"A very dangerous type of Risen known as a Deadlord." Marth explained as she followed Ben and Tharja into the safety of the Academy's walls, "Seeing as how you are not armed right now, I think it's best if I stick around for the moment."

Tharja snorted, "A shard of a blade is not much of a weapon."

"It did the job still." Marth countered, "That is all that matters in the end."

Tharja winced, "Fair point."

Ben wary eyes flicked to every shadow. Even after they entered the long, tall corridors of the Academy, he kept a wary eye on his surroundings. The Force pulsed around him as he kept himself in tune with it. Ready to heed any warning. Ready to strike with a powerful force push.

They reached Tharja's room. Ben quickly pushed the door open and helped Tharja inside. He gently helped her sit down on her bed.

"Potion." Tharja hissed as she winced in pain again, "Blue elixir on my desk. Make sure it's the one that is not bubbling."

Ben rushed over to her desk. His eyes scanned through several different vials before landing on the correct one. He snatched the elixir from the rack and raced it over to Tharja.

Tharja carefully removed her hand from the wound as Marth shut her door behind her.

"Place a few drops on it." Tharja braced herself, "Then I have to drink the rest."

Ben nodded and let a few drops of the elixir fall onto the charred blaster wound. Tharja bit back a cry of pain. Her fist balled up tight in her lap as the elixir sizzled against the wound. Ben nodded and handed the rest of the vial to her. Tharja quickly choked down its contents.

"That'll… help heal it quickly." Tharja gasped as she set the vial to the side. Her eyes started to droop, "Side effect… I get really sleepy."

"Then rest." Ben said quietly as he placed a kiss on her forehead.

Tharja nodded wearily and fell back into her pillow. Within a few seconds, she was sound asleep.

Everything came crashing down on Ben at once. He uttered a loud, relieved sigh and buried his head into his hands.

Jango Fett. How the hell was that damn bounty hunter alive? Marth called him a Risen. A Deadlord, to be more specific. Ben recalled Kage calling Dooku a Deadlord. One of Grima's fell servants. The captains of the Fell Dragon's undead horde. Ben ran his hands over his face and uttered a weary groan.

Just how many old enemies were going to be resurrected around him?

"What the hell was that?" Marth's voice pierced the quiet around Ben.

Ben gave her an exhausted look. Now what was he supposed to say? Jango Fett attacked him using technology never before seen on this planet. Tharja had been wounded by a blaster bolt. The walls along the palace gate had several scorch marks in them now. How was he going to explain that?

For that matter, how was he supposed to explain Jango Fett to Marth?

"I thought you said he was a Deadlord?" Ben countered. Trying to divert Marth's attention from her original question.

"He is." Marth snapped back, "But Deadlords are unique in that they are not like other Risen. They often have their own styles of combat, are often stronger than a normal Risen, and can even display some personality traits. I've fought Deadlords before. But they always used weapons that I've actually seen before. Those lights that burned Tharja's arm is something I have never seen before. But you seemed to understand what they were. So I'll ask again, what was that?"

Marth's gaze burrowed into Ben. She was not going to budge on this matter.

"An old enemy." Ben replied, trying to stay as vague as possible.

Marth uttered a snort of disbelief, "An old enemy? That's all you can say? An old enemy! Force, that's all you ever said before. And even now, when you're younger, you still say that! Still speak in riddles." Ben felt frustration rippling through Marth. The girl hammered an angry fist against Tharja's door, "To hell with your damn riddles! You never gave me a straight answer in the future! I demand one now!"

Ben blinked. The future? What was Marth going on about?

Marth instantly realized what she had said. The girl's face lost all color. Any frustration she had became fear inside of her.

"Oh, Naga…" She hung her head, "I just did a Cynthia."

Ben's eyes widened as he started to understand.

"The future?" Ben breathed, "That… that explains why you call me Master then."

He ran a hand along his chin. Fingers raking through his beard as he struggled to wrap his mind around Marth's accidental admission.

Time travel. It seemed impossible. Ludicrous even. But it would explain so much about Marth. Since the day she first appeared to Chrom and the other Shepherds in the forests outside of Ylisstol, she seemed to have advanced knowledge of the future. She knew about the assassination attempt on Emmeryn's life. She knew that Chrom would be wounded in that same attempt. So she prevented Chrom's wound and saved Emmeryn's life in the process. Hell, if Ben were to make a guess, she even knew that Chrom would go to Regna Ferox for aid. And she made sure he got that aid by throwing their duel in the Arena so that Flavia would become ruling Khan. Thereby confirming Regna Ferox as allies to Ylisse during the war.

Everything lined up to well. Marth's knowledge of the future, combined with her own skills in the force; the way she fought mirrored how Ben fought so much; it was the only plausible explanation for it all. How could he have never considered it?

 _Because it is an insane explanation._ Ben thought to himself, _Then again, it is also insane that I am both alive and physically younger now. The insane explanation has become the only sane one._

"I-" Marth swallowed hard, "I should probably be going now."

Ben flicked his hand. The latch to Tharja's door locked. Marth faced the locked door. Ben could see her shaking. Could feel the intense fear and uncertainty in her. But she had uttered her secret. And now, Ben wanted answers.

"You're not leaving until we finish our little chat." Ben said.

He used the force to pull up a chair for Marth. No color remained in Marth's face. Ben could see a cold sweat starting to form on her brow. The fingers on her one hand curled into a tight, terrified fist.

She sat down. A nervous gulp rattled her body.

Ben uttered a long sigh.

"The future?" He said again.

"It-" Marth appeared to still be trying to cover up what she said, "That was a mistake. I misspoke. I-"

"The fear I feel radiating from you does not lie, Marth. So do not try to lie to me." Ben said, his voice filled with warning, "Explain, now."

Marth uttered an indignant snort, "Explain? _You_ want me to explain?" Marth rose from her seat as her fear and frustration mounted, "First it was Maul that you described as an old enemy. We both saw how that turned out. Now there is that Deadlord that will come back because they are damn impossible to kill off permanently. So how about you explain to me, for once Master, what the hell do you mean by old enemy!?"

She practically shook with rage in front of him. Ben could feel the force whipping around her in a furious storm. Several pages on Tharja's desk fluttered in the air. Ben remained silent as he watched her. Doing his best to remain calm so the situation could calm itself. He did not want to get into an altercation with Marth here.

Ben uttered a long sigh. Now he was backed into a corner. He wanted Marth to tell him her secrets. But if he refused to open up as well, it would likely lead to her growing more enraged. That helped neither of them.

"Swear you will not say a word to anyone." Ben finally breathed.

Marth grit her teeth, "Not even Thar-"

"Tharja already knows everything." Ben said. Shocking the furious girl in front of him, "She has seen most of it even. Now, I am asking you to swear not to say a word to a single soul about what we will discuss here. And I swear to you, I will not say a word about anything you tell me."

Marth glanced at Tharja, "You will tell her?"

Ben closed his eyes, "If she asks, yes. I will not keep secrets from Tharja." Ben glanced at the slumbering dark mage, "There are no secrets between us, already. I will not start doing that now."

Marth's fury seemed to quiet as she thought long and hard about what Ben said.

"Who was that Deadlord?" She asked, voice tense and fear filled still.

Ben decided to trust her. He had no other option now.

"Jango Fett. A Mandalorian bounty hunter who was killed during the first battle of Geonosis. Beheaded in fact." Ben snorted, "Don't ask me how he is even alive. I don't know the answer to that."

Marth gave him a confused look, "Mandalorian? Geonosis?"

Ben pursed his lips, "Mandalorian; as in a person from the planet Mandalore." Marth's eyes widened, "Geonosis is a desert planet located in the outer rim of the galaxy. It is where the first battle of the Clone Wars took place."

Marth fell backwards into the seat Ben set up for her, "Are-" She gulped, "Are you saying that-"

"This is not the only planet in the universe with life on it." Ben breathed, "There are thousands of other worlds in the galaxy. All of them with unique lifeforms. All of them part of a galactic community that was once known as the Galactic Republic." Ben pursed his lips, "Though I suppose now it's the Galactic Empire."

Marth shook her head in absolute disbelief. Her chest rose in fell in heavy breaths, "So-" She uttered a small, stunned laugh, "So you're… you're from the stars? An alien?"

Ben nodded his head slowly.

"Are you even human?"

"Oh I'm very human." Ben replied quickly, "Maul however was not, obviously. He was a Zabrak from the planet Dathomir."

Marth's eyes widened. She leaned back in her seat. Reeling from the sudden revelation given to her by her Master.

"And I," Ben continued, "am technically a galactic fugitive. Hiding out on this world from the Sith and their new empire." Marth's eyes only grew wider as he spoke, "I don't know how I ended up on this planet though. It happened by… complete accident."

Ben narrowed his eyes as he saw Marth's left eye flicker for some reason.

"You-you're disguising your eye." Ben pointed at her eye.

Marth quickly closed her left eye, "N-no I'm not!"

Ben gave her a hard stare. Marth exhaled and shook her head.

"You swear not to speak to a single soul." Marth said, her voice filled with trepidation.

"I swear on my life, Marth." Ben confirmed.

Marth swallowed hard. She took a deep breath and opened her left eye once again. Ben stared hard at her eye. The disguise she had place over it using the force faded away. In the pupil of her eye, Ben saw a faint outline. Ben's eyes widened.

"The Exalt's brand." He breathed. He stared stunned at Marth, "Lucina?"

She gulped then nodded, "I guess… I guess that is proof enough that I am telling the truth."

Ben gave her a slow nod, "And I can understand why you have not told a soul about who you are or why you are here. Doing so possibly risks not only your life but the lives of others as well. Such as-" Ben blinked, "Cynthia too?"

Lucina nodded, "She is born about two years from now."

Ben exhaled and rubbed his eyes with his hands, "Who else then?"

"Laurent."

Ben coughed hard, "What?"

Lucina shrugged, "Who does he remind you of?"

Ben thought hard for a minute. His eyes widened as his mind came a stunning realization.

"He is-"

"Vaike and Miriel's." Lucina breathed, "Again, do not say anything."

"Obviously." Ben snorted, "He and Cynthia aren't even born yet." He furrowed his brow, "How many others?"

"Not counting us three?" Lucina replied, "Eleven. You've met one other as well."

Ben gave her a puzzled look. He attempted to recall everything he knew regarding Lucina. How she interacted with the other Shepherds. Who she was closest to. His mind reeled as he came to another stunning conclusion.

"Kage." He breathed, "Then-"

"The little prince we rescued grows up into that monster, yes." Lucina scowled.

Ben felt like ice shot through his veins. Luke… Luke fell. Maul found Luke before he could in Lucina's future and twisted the child into a Sith Lord. He had failed that horrifically? Suddenly, he felt severe regret leaving the boy with Say'ri. That could not be allowed to happen. Maul could not get his hands on Luke.

"That means the Maul he killed-"

"Was from the future as well." Lucina said grimly, "He has yet to arrive in this timeline."

Ben felt like he could scarcely breathe. He struggled to inhale. Lucina gave him a concerned look.

"Master?" She said, "Are you-"

"I failed spectacularly." Ben whispered, hands shaking at his sides, "Force, how could I fail that spectacularly?"

Lucina gave Ben a concerned look, "You did not fail, Master. You-" Lucina hesitated, "As frustrating as it was when you never revealed anything to me, you still were like a second father to me and Cynthia. You were there for us when-" Lucina struggled to form her words for a moment, "When Mother and Father died you took us in."

Ben forgot all about his future failure. He could feel waves of sorrow coming from Lucina.

"Chrom and Sumia die?"

"Almost everyone in the Shepherds died in the future." Lucina gulped, "The Fell Dragon Grima is resurrected. I don't know how. We were never able to find out. My father died in the first initial battle against him. Mother died in that same battle as well. The future becomes an apocalypse. Our war against Grima was nothing more than us trying to delay the inevitable." Lucina sucked in a sharp breath, "You never gave up hope that we could win. You even helped me find out about the ritual that sent myself and the others back in time. Our last resort you called it."

Ben started stunned at Lucina, "We must have lost completely if you had to resort to that."

Lucina was on the verge of tears, "We-we did." She gulped, "When I executed the ritual, you bought us enough time to get through the portal. You-" Lucina's lips started to quiver, "You told me we would meet again. I-"

She swallowed hard before surging towards Ben. She threw her arms around him and started sobbing. Ben wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly.

"I'm sorry for getting angry, Master!" She sobbed, "I'm sorry! I-"

"You had every right to be." Ben said, voice calm and gentle, "It sounds like I was a rather poor master in the future. No doubt still paralyzed by my failure with Anakin in order to teach you what you needed to know. And for that, I am very sorry."

Lucina sniffled as tears continued to run down her cheeks. She continued to cry as her Master held her close. The memories all came crashing back at once for her. Force, she should not be like this. A sobbing mess of a girl. But damn it, she had held back all of these emotions for so long that she could fight it anymore. The dam broke for her. She clung to her Master and shook as more sobs wracked her thin form.

"No more secrets between us." Ben said, "You have any questions about me, my past, or even the force, do not hesitate to come to me. Just make sure it is in private. Or if Tharja is around. I do not want the others to know yet. Force, I can only imagine what would happen then. None of it good."

Marth nodded before finally pulling back from her Master. She wiped away tears with the back of her hand.

"Th-thank you, Master." Lucina executed a perfect Jedi bow.

Ben could not help but chuckle a little bit, "Lucina, after everything you have done and been through, I should be the one bowing to you." He rose and gripped her shoulders, "And I can honestly say, now that I know everything, I am so incredibly proud of you."

Lucina sniffled again as fresh tears rolled down her cheeks.

"You are no longer my student." Ben breathed. Marth blinked in surprise, "You may have some growing yet to do. But you have earned the right to call yourself a Jedi Knight, Lucina. You have endured far more than most. And come out both alive and stronger than before. And you never lost your way in the process. I cannot think of someone better suited for such a role."

Lucina's jaw fell open, "I-I am-" She sank back down into her seat, completely stunned, "I am not ready."

"No one ever is. But you are more ready than most. And if you wish to continue your training, I would be glad to help instruct you." Ben smirked, "You can join Robin when it comes to that. Maybe even share a few pointers with him. He's likely to understand it better coming from you than me." Ben took a deep breath and glanced out of the one small window in Tharja's room, "It is very late now, _Marth._ " Lucina uttered a small chuckle as he called her that name, "Go get some rest. If you want to, we can talk more later."

Lucina sniffled again and nodded. She rose from her seat and moved to the door.

Her… a Jedi Knight? Naga she felt nowhere near ready.

 _I need to rededicate myself to my training. I have been neglecting it for too long._

She opened the door, turned back to her Master.

"Goodnight, Master Kenobi." She said with a small smile.

Ben smiled back and gave her a bow.

"Goodnight, Jedi Knight Marth."

The door closed. Once he heard it click shut, Ben used the force to latch it again. He uttered an extremely long sigh and let his head fall into his hands. He finally had a chance to absorb everything.

 _Marth is Lucina from the future. Cynthia and Laurent, also from the future._ Ben thought as he leaned back and rubbed his chin, _And Kage… Luke…_ He closed his eyes and cursed his future self.

He would have to speak with Kage the next chance he had. Reveal to the boy who he really was. Tell him his destiny. And most of all, he had to keep the dark side from festering inside the boy. He had to offer him a path back to the light.

For the sake of the galaxy, Kage had to return to the light.

And when Maul did arrive. Ben would not turn a blind eye. The Zabrak would die. He would make certain of it.

Tharja uttered a small, sleepy mumble as she turned over. Ben felt exhaustion wash over him.

 _I need rest._ He thought to himself, _I'll process all of this in the morning._

He moved to get up, but Tharja, in her sleep, snagged his hand. Ben caught his breath, worrying she heard everything at first. But then he relaxed. Even if she did hear everything, he trusted Tharja. More than he trusted anyone else.

"You better not leave." She mumbled as she turned over. Probably muttering about something she was dreaming about.

Ben gave her a small smile. Silently, he laid down beside her and brushed a hand along her arm. His eyes started to close.

He was not going anywhere.

 **And chapter! Holy crap this one was a mammoth of a chapter! Longest one I have ever written. Period! But I felt it was worth it! This is chapter 70 and I wanted to do something special for you guys.**

 **And what a chapter we got huh? First a nice little bit between Ben and Robin. Sounds like he is really considering training our favorite tactician now. Then we get a fun bit between Ben, Tharja, and Chrom. Tharja now gets to train some Ylissean Dark Mages. That is going to be fun to write. We get a nice little peacetime scene for our heroes. Then we got that final scene where the truth came bursting out of both Lucina and Ben. And they still have more to reveal to each other too. It's about time I say.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	71. Hello There

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 71

Hello There

She held her breath in the darkness. This cave had served as fantastic shelter so far. Cold and damp during the day. A great, shady shield from the heat and humidity that sat over this land like a heavy blanket. The air always felt so sticky. So unlike the world she had grown up in. Ylisse had been much more temperate. Cooler and perhaps a bit drier than this place.

The young woman brushed some brown locks from her sweaty face. Where exactly was she anyways? She remembered the desperate battle inside of the Exalt's Palace. Her and her friends' last ditch effort to push back the Risen horde. She could remember Lucina barking for all of them to sprint towards the time portal that opened like a giant blue eye in the throne room.

She swallowed hard and ran a hand over her eyes. Some tears threatened to come crashing down her cheeks. They welled up in thick pools that had yet to spill over.

She remembered her father's sacrifice. The last Shepherd, fighting alone against Grima and his undead army. He bought just enough time for all of them to escape through the portal. Just enough time for hope to survive.

The young woman sniffed again and flinched as a mosquito buzzed near her cheek. She swatted at the annoying bug and let out a heavy sigh. A shuddering breath left her lips as she swallowed back the tears. There was no time to cry right now. No time to mourn. Someone had come near her cave.

She flinched again as she heard voices near the cave's mouth. Her left hand wrapped tight around her bow. The few arrows she had left in her quiver tempted her. Her other hand reached up to snag one. If anyone walked into her cave, they would be met with a hail of arrows.

She did not know who resided in this land. Were they friends or foes? Bandits and ruffians? Or noble knights and soldiers? Some Risen had followed her through the time portal. She had managed to evade them so far. But it was only a matter of time before they found her and attacked. Could these voices she heard be some new ability they developed?

 _They're probably waiting to try and get me while I sleep._ She gulped a little bit, _They'll probably succeed to._

She shook her head. Her one hand fell from her quiver towards a small talisman strung on a necklace around her neck. She let out a relieved sigh as she felt the enchantments on the small object take affect. A wave of confidence welled up inside the anxious girl.

 _THE RISEN WILL NEVER TAKE ME ALIVE! ANY ENEMIES WILL FALL BEFORE MY MIGHT! BLOOD AND THUNDER! I AM INVINCIBLE! I AM-_

She let her hand slip from the talisman. A small gasp escaped her pale lips.

Too much false confidence that time. Much more than normal even. She must be feeling very anxious right now. The talisman gave her strength and confidence when she felt afraid. A way for her to always be strong in the face of overwhelming terror. A way to stare down Grima's horde and laugh in their face. One of the greatest gifts her mother could have possibly given her.

Sorrow filled her as more tears threatened to surface.

 _Mother._

She clasped the talisman and used what little magic her mother had time to teach her in order to prevent the enchantment from taking effect.

She missed her more and more every day. It had been three years since the fateful battle where her mother went missing. Likely captured by the Risen.

Was she even alive anymore? Did Grima execute her after she refused to give in to whatever demands he had? She shivered and uttered a small whimper at the thought. Her mother had been the strongest person she had ever known. So powerful and determined. She never gave in to the hopelessness that surrounded all of them. Had fought so hard to protect her and her friends.

Naga how she missed her.

The young woman gulped and tapped her fingers along her bow. She shoved the tears back once again.

 _Get it together, Noire._ She thought as she heard more rustling from the forests around her.

She slowly pulled an arrow from her quiver and nestled it into her bowstring. Her fingers tapped along the feathered end of the arrow. Her blue eyes narrowed as she focused in on the forests outside of her hiding spot.

She expected Risen to emerge from the trees. She did not expect ruffians. And these ruffians were heavily armed. Axes were strapped to their backs. Swords rested on their hips. Various shields where slung over their forearms. A few archers followed them. Noire gulped when she caught sight of a horseman trotting alongside the foot soldiers as they strolled past her cave.

Noire slowed her breathing. Quiet, deep inhales. Slow, soft exhales. As more bandits passed by the mouth of her cave, she felt her hand pull her bowstring tighter. If anymore passed by, it would only be a matter of time before she was spotted.

She closed her eyes for a split second. She did not feel any danger despite the presence of these thugs crossing her temporary doorstep. Perhaps they were just passing through after all.

"Boss." One foot soldier approached a lean, gangly man who sat upon a gray horse, "They're this way."

Noire strained her hearing. They were talking about something. Someone in fact. But who? Were these bandits about to prey on innocent people? Noire gulped with some mild apprehension.

If they were about to attack some innocent people, then it was her duty to stop them. The problem was, she was not sure how to go about it. Not even sure if she was fully capable of taking all of them on herself. If she activated her talisman, all restraint would be gone from her mind. And there would be no going back. No caution to her actions at that point.

No, she needed to play this one safe. Figure out who these bandits were after. What their goal was. Then, when she felt like she had the advantage, she would strike.

"You said there was just two of them?" The obvious bandit leader asked the foot soldier.

Noire panicked as some sunlight peeked over the treetops. The first rays of sun that signaled a new day. She fought back a small yawn as she realized she had not slept at all for two nights now.

 _A little hard to sleep when I have to keep one eye open for Risen._

"Yeah, boss." The bandit grunt nodded, "A guy and girl. The guy looks pretty useless. Might sell well for manual labor stuff. But the girl… that'd be the prize."

"Is that so? A real beauty then?" The gaunt rider questioned.

"Absolutely boss. Some people will pay a very high price for her. Guarantee it."

Noire's eyes widened. Some anger flashed through her heart.

Slavers, pure scum. The lowest form of criminal. Thieves stole to get by. Bandits preyed on innocents and often killed villagers for fun. Both rubbed Noire the wrong way. Both crimes needed to have justice dealt in their own way. But slavers held a special spot of disdain for the young woman. There was something about taking an individual's free will that boiled her blood. Perhaps she got that trait from both her mother and father. Which was ironic considering her mother often used unwitting subjects for her experiments.

 _Mother never enslaved anyone though. She always set everything back to what it was once she finished her experiment._

And her father had a great dislike for slavers. She never really knew why though. Her father had been so focused on battling Grima and defending what remained of humanity that he did not have a whole lot of free time to spend with her.

"Alright, lead the way." The Slaver leader nodded, "We'll take the girl. If the boy cooperates, we'll take him too."

"And if he doesn't cooperate?"

The thin Slaver's lips parted into a sinister grin, "Well then we get to have some fun this morning."

The large group passed by the cave. Never bothering to check it's dark depths for the blue set of eyes watching them. Noire tightened her grip on her bow.

She had a mission to complete. She had to find Lucina and the others. The future must be saved. It would do her no good to go and get herself killed battling slavers that outnumbered her nearly twenty to one. But she would never be able to live down the guilt if she just let these Slavers have their way.

A long, heavy, frustrated sigh left her lips. Noire carefully emerged from the shadows of the cave. She snapped her bow up. Arrow nocked. Ready to fire into anything that moved. She could not be too careful in a land she did not know.

She narrowed her eyes as she followed the slavers' footprints in the mud. The rain from the night before softened the earth. Not a sound hit her ears as she followed the bandits. Her boots sank into the mud at her feet as she carefully followed the large group of slavers deeper into the forest. Further away from her shelter.

She pressed her body against the back of a tree as the group stopped moving. Her breath got stuck in her throat as she waited for cries of alarm. Did they spot her? Was she about to taken? Or killed? One of her fingers brushed her talisman. Should she risk it?

"They're in that clearing boss." She heard one of the slavers say.

"Good. Let's get em."

Noire peeked around the tree and watched as the group pressed through a small thicket and entered a clearing. Noire could not see who was in the clearing. Her vantage point was poor here. She needed to get higher up.

She slung her bow over her shoulder and grunted as she jumped up and gripped a tree limb above her. She groaned and used all of her strength to pull her thin body up the tree.

A loud wheeze left her lungs after she made it up the first few branches. Her arms shuddered as she lay still on the tree limb for a split second. Damn her anemia! She already felt lightheaded. The heat did not help matters.

But she still needed to get higher. She reached for the next tree branch and gulped.

 _Time to go be a hero I guess._ She swung herself up to the next branch, _Lets see how fast I can get myself killed._

* * *

Cynthia slowly blinked her eyes open. Soft light from the rising sun filtered through a small gap in the roof of Kage's tent. The rays hit her eyes and caused her to squint. A long, loud yawn left her lips as she stretched her arms high over her head.

Something heavy shifted near her hip. Cynthia blinked and glanced down. Kage's arm was wrapped around her side. The Pegasus Knight's cheeks turned a deep scarlet color. She heard the young Sith Lord mutter weakly behind her head. She froze for a minute, then carefully slipped out from beneath his arm.

She turned over to look at Kage. Concern filled her face. His face was coated in a layer of cold sweat. The neck of his shirt was damp as well. More weak mutters left his lips. Cynthia gulped and pressed a gentle hand against his forehead. A sharp breath rushed from her lungs. He was burning up.

Cynthia frowned and sat upright in the tent. She knew he should not have stayed out in that rainstorm. Now Kage was sick. She saw his throat bob up and down as he swallowed hard in his sleep. Her eyes shifted back and forth as she debated whether or not to wake him up.

 _If he's really as sick as I think he is then he needs to rest._

Cynthia let out a small sigh and flashed another concerned glance at the young man. She wished she had a blanket she could wrap over his shivering body. Something to help him sweat out the fever that had gripped him in the night. He looked so pale. So weak. So unlike how he normally appeared. He would need someway to gain some strength back once he woke up.

 _I'll try and make him some food. And he needs water._

Cynthia nodded. Food and lots of water. That was the remedy back home. That and one of Miss Miriel's concoctions. Or one of Aunty Tharja's even more potent elixirs. Those foul tasting remedies always worked wonders. But the memory of them did send a shiver down Cynthia's spine. Naga, they tasted revolting. She wished she had one now though. One of those elixirs would have helped Kage get back on his feet in no time at all.

Cynthia carefully crawled out of the tent. Careful not to accidentally bump into Kage's still form. He needed to sleep. The last thing he needed was for her to accidentally wake him up. Hell, that was the last thing she needed. Kage would be extra grumpy then. And an extra grumpy Kage was a no fun Kage.

She shook her head and uttered a silent laugh to herself. His grumpiness would not get the better of her. It may have gotten the better of Luci, but it would not break her. Besides, as far as she could tell, Kage needed a true friend around right now. Especially after she heard about his three visions from the night before.

Her pegasus snorted and shook its head as it stayed resting beneath its tree. Kage's own steed remained asleep. Cynthia furrowed her brow and looked up at the dawn sky above her.

 _That early still?_ She thought, _Hm… I normally don't wake up this early._ She pursed her lips then shrugged, _Oh well._

She gave her Pegasus a small wave before turning around and carefully pulling Kage's travel gear out of the tent. He had more food than she did. Probably healthier food too. He needed healthy food. Sick people cannot stomach candy or other rich foods very easily.

A thrilled smile rushed over her lips as she found a small jar of rice in his pack. That would be perfect for him. A nice bland food to settle his body down. She pulled out a small pot from his travel pack and moved to start gathering some firewood.

As she gathered some twigs, her mind wandered to what Kage revealed to her last night. Three visions, all of them terrifying. They did not even pertain to her and she felt afraid of them. She could not even begin to imagine how Kage felt after experiencing all of them. Since she ran into him all those months ago, he had put on this grumpy, terrifying persona. Exuded pure strenght. But in those moments when he explained the visions to her, Cynthia saw that facade melt away.

That was why she did not act like Lucina around him. Luci might want to be rid of him after everything he had done. But Cynthia still saw the boy she grew up with inside of him. The fun loving guy that loved to pull pranks and cause mayhem with the other members of the Justice Cabal. There was just a layer of grumpiness over that fun loving side that needed to be broken through. And the only way she could break through it was if she treated him like her friend. Luci did not seem to get that.

 _Then again, he did try to kill Luci._ Cynthia frowned as she stacked some twigs at her feet.

She still was not sure how she felt about that fact. Kage did try to kill Lucina. She could not dispute or rationalize that one. Even Uncle Ben and the other Shepherds agreed that he tried to kill her older sister.

There was one explanation she did have for such an action though. Maul. Her face darkened as she recalled the vile monster. Kage confessed to her that he was terrified of the hold Maul managed to have on his mind. Had on his soul even. Perhaps Maul pressed Kage into facing Lucina. Maybe he had no choice.

Cynthia uttered a long, confused sigh. She reached into Kage's gear and grabbed the small flint and stone he had in a side pocket.

He always had a choice. Cynthia grit her teeth as she struck the flint and failed to get a spark. She struck the flint and stone again. The same results. No fire. She let her head fall back and she mouthed out some frustrated words.

 _Alright focus._ Her tongue stuck out of the corner of her mouth as she carefully ground the flint against the stone. A small spark danced off of it. Her heart soared. Then sank as the spark hit a puddle of water right next to her pile of sticks.

 _Everyone else made fire starting look so easy._ She thought glumly as her shoulders sagged.

She stared down into the pot of uncooked rice. A low groan emanated from the tent behind her. She took a deep breath and pointed a firm finger at the flint and stone in front of her.

 _You will start a fire for me!_

She struck the flint again. Sparks spat off of the stone and into her pile of sticks. A small flame burst up from the damp tinder. Cynthia gasped with excitement. She clapped her hands, then fanned the flames. Soon, a small fire burned next to the little tent. And the rice boiled in a small pot of water over it.

She leaned back in the soft earth and let out a satisfied sigh. Kage would wake up and have breakfast ready to eat. Surely that would make him a little less grumpy.

Cynthia frowned as she looked up at the morning sky. Soft clouds lazily lumbered over the mountain peaks. Her mind once again wandered to Kage's visions.

The first vision was about Maul. It took place during the first siege of Ylisstol. And in that vision, Kage realized how afraid he had been of Maul's control over his life. Had even told Cynthia, in some vague terms (but that still counted to her), that he was afraid of Maul's hold on his mind and heart.

The second vision involved a dark space with a reflection staring back at him. An evil reflection. One that showed him the power he could wield if he just gave in to the dark side of the force. Cynthia gulped. Kage was already so powerful. It boggled her mind to think that he could get even stronger than he was now. Then again, Maul and Uncle Ben were both extremely powerful too. They were masters. Kage was not. He still had growing to do. So it was not inconceivable that he could grow stronger.

But his path to that strength led further into the blackness. Cynthia glanced back at the tent. He was terrified of that path. She saw it in his eyes when he explained that vision to her. And that was what convinced her that maybe Kage was not as bad as Lucina thought. He feared his own power. Feared the dark side of the force. Feared what he could do to others if he truly lost himself to fear, rage, and pain. It gave the young Pegasus Knight some hope for him. Kage wanted to better himself. Otherwise, why would he try to save his younger self from Maul's eventual arrival?

Cynthia nodded as she laid back and folded her hands behind her head. The rice would take a few minutes to come to a boil. Then a few more minutes to cook all the way. She thought about going to check on Kage. But she decided against it. Knowing how clumsy she was, she would accidentally bonk him on the head with her foot or something.

 _That would be a rude awakening._ She thought with a small cringe.

He probably already had a wicked headache. What with the three visions and his fever.

The third vision… that one confused Cynthia the most. Ylisstol under attack. But not by Risen or Grima. Strange soldiers in white armor attacked the city instead. Their goal was not to take the city, but to take Lucina instead. Then they had to bring her to some guy named Lord Vader. She snorted to herself.

 _What kind of name is Lord Vader anyways?_ She wondered.

She glanced up to check on the rice. Still cooking. Small tendrils of steam twirled up into the air from the boiling water. Flames licked the sides of the pot. Heating it up hotter and hotter. Cynthia frowned and used her boot to nudge the handle out of the flames.

 _There, now I won't burn my hand._

A small moan left the tent. Cynthia glanced back. Thinking Kage was finally starting to wake up. But she was dissapointed.

Her cheeks heated up as she remembered the last thing she did last night. It was one thing to invite Kage into the tent with her. The storm last night had been terrible. Kage needed to take shelter before he caught a horrible chill. One even worse than the one he had now.

It was another thing to give him a goodnight kiss.

Her hands gripped the sides of her head.

 _Oh Naga what was I thinking!?_ She blinked, _I probably wasn't thinking._ Her cheeks grew warmer. Kage was rather handsome. She shook her head and gave her cheek a small slap, _No! Bad Cynthia!_

Her pegasus uttered a loud snort. At first, Cynthia thought her loyal steed was agreeing with her. But, as much as she wished it to be the opposite, her pegasus could not read her mind. Her loyal steed reared its head and uttered an alarmed whine.

 _That's not good._

The thicket rustled across from Cynthia. The Pegasus Knight furrowed her brow. She froze beside the fire as the brush rustled again.

Was it a bandit? A wild animal? A risen? Cynthia gulped as some adrenaline pumped through her veins. She and Kage were in dangerous country now. This entire mountain range was not patrolled by the Conqueror's soldiers. Otherwise there would be no slavers in the area. Danger could lurk behind any bush, any stone, any tree. She had to be ready for a fight at any time.

She gulped. Her body jumped as something emerged from the nearest bush. Then her cheeks flushed in embarrassment as a small rabbit hopped out from the bushes. It's pink nose wiggled at her. Cynthia uttered a relieved sigh as all of the tension in her body faded away.

 _Just a bunny._

A rough hand clasped over mouth. Her heart started beating faster than a horse could run. Her eyes widened as a low, gruff voice chuckled behind her.

"Ain't no point it fighting, pretty lady."

Her heart pounded as her attacker yanked her off of her feet. Cynthia kicked and clawed. One of her armored feet managed to bury itself in the man's chin. The bandit dropped like a ton of bricks. Cynthia hit the ground.

Her eyes shot over to her pegasus. Her lance! She needed her lance. Her and Kage were under attack. And he was sick. It was up to her to defend the camp and-

Two sets of arms wrapped around her shoulders.

"Gag her!" A voice hissed.

A hard piece of leather got shoved into her mouth. Cynthia tried to scream. But the gag, combined with Tharja's hex, rendered her utterly silent. She kicked and struggled with everything she had. But the bandits were much stronger than her physically.

"Boss," Cynthia heard one say, "What should we do about the fellow in the tent?"

"Leave him." A thin bandit shrugged, "He's worthless. And judging by the meal of plain rice over the fire, sick too. I don't take sick stock."

Cynthia's eyes widened. These men were the slavers Yen'fay told her and Kage about. She struggled even more.

"Knock her out. Then we go back to the hideout." The boss hissed.

A heavy hand smacked Cynthia over the head. Her pegasus uttered a loud whine as her eyes fluttered. Just before she lost consciousness, she saw her steed take flight before the slavers could take her too.

The darkness took Cynthia.

One of the large slavers shouldered her limp body. Unaware that he, and all of his comrades, were being watched from the treetops. An archer perched above them. Eyes wide with concern and fear.

The archer watched the slavers march away from the camp down a dirt trail. Without a second thought, the archer hopped from one tree to another tree. Her hand tapped against a small talisman around her neck as she swung from a branch and landed silent on the ground.

Following the slavers to their hideout was a massive risk. One the archer had to take.

"Cynthia." Noire breathed as she carefully followed the Slavers.

She had found one of her friends. Now Noire had to rescue her. The archer let out a worried sigh as she followed the group of slavers like a shadow.

 _I'm going to get myself killed._

* * *

Kage groaned. Gods, his head hurt. It felt like a stampede of pegasi were flying around inside of his skull. Each beat of their wings hit his brain and each hoof smacked the bone around it. He shivered as he struggled to open his eyes. He felt like he was freezing and boiling at the same time. As if he dove into a hot spring in the middle of winter. Usually a semi-pleasant feeling. But this was not pleasant. His entire body felt weak. Even opening his eyes was an enormous struggle.

Once he managed to open them, he noticed Cynthia was not in the tent anymore.

Had he felt healthy, his mind would have been racing as he thought about the events of last night. The three visions. Opening up to Cynthia about those visions. Her out of nowhere goodnight kiss that left him stunned, flabbergasted, and just all around confused.

But his ill body had taken over his mind. One thing dominated his thoughts.

 _Water._

He tried to sit up. Every muscle in his body groaned loudly in protest. He felt like there were weights on top of his arms and legs. Pinning him down to the ground. As he raised his head, his vision started to blur. His mind spun. Everything looked fuzzy. He felt dizzy.

Kage gulped and let his head fall back onto the mat. Another moan left his lips.

Force it had been so long since he felt this sick. He had not felt this ill since he was a small child. Back before the war with Grima. A rancid, quiet, belch left his lips. His nose wrinkled in disgust.

 _Headache._ He swallowed and recoiled as pain lanced through his dry throat. _Sore throat. Stomach pain. Dizziness. Chills._ He sank down into his mat. _Crap._

He closed his eyes and summoned the force to his side. The Dark Side hissed as he tried to will it to give him strength. But his weary mind failed him, and the dark side of the force mocked him. It left him feeling weaker than he felt before.

"Damn it." He exhaled and tried again. This time, reaching for a side of the force that had become a long lost friend. A side he had not tapped into since before Maul took him under his wing.

It was a struggle. He could not recall how to call upon the light side of the force. The dark side actively snapped at him as he tried. But pure determination kept him going. He would not let the force dictate to him what he could and could not do. Least of all the dark side of the force.

When he first learned to tap into the dark side, Maul told him to access his greatest fear. At the time, that had been his fear of losing those he cared about. The war against Grima began shortly after he became Maul's apprentice. He still held deep attachments towards everyone close to him. Lucina, her parents, Cynthia and the rest of the Justice Cabal; the fear of losing them allowed him to touch the dark side of the force for the first time. Granted him power he could never have dreamed of achieving. As he lingered on that first lesson, an idea popped into his mind.

 _What if I tried the opposite?_

He focused. He still feared losing them. Then again, his greatest fear had already been realized. He lost Lucina. At first he thought he lost her to death. When that proved false, he lost her to his own stupidity. Lost that friendship.

But he had rekindled another. Cynthia stood by him. Cynthia, despite her annoying clumsiness, did not see him as a monster. Hell, she actively cared for him. Even sought him out when he initially struggled with the aftermath of their first quest together. Lucina saw the evil in him. Cynthia saw the good that hid beneath the surface.

There! A faint feeling. Soft as a feather. Barely tangible to him. But there nonetheless. A warm, bright sensation that caused him to recoil for a split second. It almost burned to the touch. The dark side hissed. Whispered vile warnings in his mind. Beckoned him to ignore this flame he had found in the force.

He grasped the flame. Pain shot through his mind. The foreign feeling of the light side channeling through his mind and body felt like the hottest fire in the world. He gasped, focused his mind once again, and worked to channel the warmth through him.

His headache began to dull a little bit. The aches in his body subsided just enough to where he could lift his body from the ground. His head swam again as he sat upright. But he channeled the force to correct himself. He blinked and uttered a loud, strained gasp.

 _I did not expect it to be that difficult._ He thought.

He smacked his dry lips together. Water. He needed water. Kage crawled out of his tent. He noticed his travel gear and waterskin lying down beside a smoldering fire. A smoking, copper pot sat on top of the dying coals.

He lunged for the waterskin and brought it to his lips. Cold, refreshing water trickled down his sore throat. He winced as his throat throbbed and ached with each gulp. But as more water ran down his throat, the pain faded. Now it felt like a dull ache. An annoying itch too. But he could at least manage to eat something now.

The water cleared the fog from his mind. As the fog lifted, he let out a weary sigh and winced as his head pounded again. He tried to inhale through his nose, but found the task impossible.

 _Stuffy nose too. Lovely._ He thought with a roll of his eyes. _Ouch! Ouch! Don't roll eyes. Head hurts too much._

He gulped in some of the morning air and uttered a long, loud exhale. He had water, now he needed food.

Kage glanced at the copper pot. He could smell burnt rice inside of it. He arched an eyebrow. Did Cynthia screw up trying to cook him food?

No, she would not burn it that bad. He grimaced as he looked inside the pot and found the rice completely blackened. Nothing more than a lump of coal fused to the bottom of the copper pot. He furrowed his brow as he sat still.

She would not have allowed a fire to die out right now either. He frowned then heard a snort from a nearby tree.

His black steed waited patiently beneath the tree. Cynthia's white pegasus was gone.

"Did she fly off somewhere?" He wondered out loud, "She better not have. This area is dangerous."

A loud whine came from above. Kage jumped to his feet. He regretted his actions immediately as his vision darkened and his head swam.

 _Curse this damn illness to the deepest pits of hell!_

His eyes widened as he saw a white pegasus land next to the fire. The poor animal was in an absolute panic. It's dark eyes were wide and fear filled. Snorts emanated from it's mouth as it stamped one hoof in the dirt. Kage blinked. This was Cynthia's pegasus.

A pit formed in his gut. His heart rose to his throat.

"Cynthia." He breathed.

Something was very wrong. She would not just wander away from the camp. Not without her pegasus and lance. Cynthia may have the occasional brain malfunction, but never one that extreme. Not when Kage explicitly told her this would be dangerous due to the-

His fists balled up at his sides. The flame of the light side extinguished in his mind. The dark side of the force roared with unbridled fury. Any pain in his body disappeared.

"The slavers." He snarled.

He reached out with one hand. His lightsaber jumped from his travel gear into his waiting palm. The cold metal felt good in his hands. That chill would be replaced by heat once he found those slavers and gutted every last one of them with the blade.

He swore to protect Cynthia. Nothing would stop him in that goal.

He approached the terrified pegasus. The beast snorted and backed a few paces away from him. Kage took a deep, soothing breath and reached out a gentle hand. He brushed the beast's muzzle and whispered soft words of encouragement.

He managed to hop into Cynthia's saddle. It was a bit small for him, but it would have to do. He glanced over at his black steed waiting patiently beneath the tree.

"You're in charge." Kage nodded to the black horse.

He dug the heels of his boots into the haunches of Cynthia's pegasus. The beast's angelic wings spread wide. Kage felt a thrill rush through his veins. With three mighty beats of its wings, they both soared into the morning air.

As he raced over the forests, Kage's burning eyes stared down at the thick canopy below. He doubted he would see the slavers moving beneath the trees. So, he placed his trust in the pegasus and closed his eyes. The force spread out from his body. Dark fingers pried through the forest canopy and crept down to the forest floor. Some spread out over the cracked, rocky mountains that towered over the forest.

He felt lives innumerable. Plants and animals, all connected to the force in their own unique way. All of them different in the force. Every single one innocent and unassuming. None of them his target.

His eyes snapped open as he felt vile intent a few miles away.

 _Hang on Cynthia._ He thought as he banked the Pegasus closer towards the mountains.

 _Just hang on._

* * *

Ezra smiled as he hopped off of his mount. He could not help but feel very pleased. His pockets were already lined with so much gold. He was convinced he would need to buy a chest and place to keep it all soon. Slavery paid extremely well now that the Valm Empire turned a blind eye to crime and instead focused on putting down rebellions. Within a few short months, he had become a very wealthy man. Each slave he sold a prize. The prize being a mountain of gold and jewels that served to make him one of the richest men in the land. And he might have just captured his greatest prize yet.

The girl was a beauty. A little short. Very feisty. Perhaps a tad childish looking. But her looks were undeniable. That blue hair was so exotic looking. She definitely came from across the sea. Perhaps she was Ylissean? Some noble or dynasts across the border would pay a premium for her. A small chuckle left his thin lips.

Yes, he would have to buy a chest and a place to put it. The amount of gold this one girl would fetch him will double his worth at least. Of course, some of it had to be paid out to his men. They played an instrumental part in this racket. But he was the brains behind this operation. If it was not for his cleverness, not a single gold coin would have been gained by this lot.

He heard some grunts from one of his men as he dropped the girl down in the dirt. Ezra smirked as she woke up, sat upright, and immediately headbutted his closest man.

"GAH!" A large, ax wielding brute cried. He stumbled back and held his bruised forehead. The blue haired girl smirked as he gave her a furious glare. He gripped his ax and stomped towards the defiant girl, "Why you little-"

One of Ezra's throwing knives jumped into his hand.

"Don't. Touch. The merchandise." He warned, "She'll be worth a lot less if you harm her." A sick grin crossed his lips, "The dynasts like their slaves looking fresh."

He saw the girl's face pale. A small chuckle escaped Ezra's lips as he approached her.

"That's right sweetheart." He knelt down and placed the tip of his dagger beneath her chin. She stayed completely still. Her throat bobbed up and down as her eyes flicked down at his dagger, then back up at his face, "You're going to fetch me a lot of gold. That smooth skin and youthful face of yours will make me a very rich man."

She remained silent. Not a noise of protest. Perhaps she had already accepted her fate. Good, that meant less headaches as they crossed through the mountains. A submissive slave always made the process go so much smoother. If she remained this way, he might even give her some scraps to eat while they traveled.

"You boys rested?" He asked his men as he rose back to his feet.

"Yeah boss!"

"Good lets-"

A bird call sounded out from one of his sentries. Ezra frowed. He gripped his knife tight in one hand. A second bird call chirped out. His sentries were signaling him. Someone was coming.

Wings beat against the air. A white pegasus landed with thunderous fury on the ground. Ezra blinked in surprise as he saw a sickly, blond boy riding on its back. But the illness he had did not hide the rage on his face.

"You there!" The blond boy rasped, "You have exactly five seconds to let her go before I kill each one of you."

Ezra frowned as he sized the boy up. Sickly and weak looking. Dark rings sat around his eyes. He sat hunched over in the saddle of the pegasus. A further sign of physical weakness. The boy's face looked pale. But what caught Ezra's attention the most was the lack of any noticeable weapon.

A mocking laugh left his lips. He ran a hand over his gaunt chin and laughed some more.

"You've got brass balls kid. I'll give you that." Ezra smirked. Behind him, two of his brutes held the girl back from the boy. She struggled against their grip. To no avail, "But you aren't going to win."

"Is…" The boy gasped and sucked in a deep breath, "Is that so?"

Damn this kid really looked sick. Ezra laughed to himself. A sick kid would be a worthless mouth to feed. Better to kill him now than deal with him on the road.

"Yeah. For one, you don't have a weapon." He noticed the boy's eyes narrow at him. But Ezra did not care, "And two, you look rather sick."

"Illness will not stop me from tearing you apart." The boy snarled.

"Perhaps." Ezra shrugged. He snapped his fingers, "This might though."

An arrow zipped through the air from where one of his sentries hid. Before the boy could even react, the arrow buried itself in his abdomen. The blond cried out as he fell back off of the pegasus. The pegasus, spooked, rocketed back into the air as its rider lay in a heap in the dirt.

The girl struggled harder to get to the blond boy. The boy struggled to get back up on his feet. Ezra felt like he should praise the boy as he managed to get up onto one knee. The blond gasped for air. With a loud cry, he used his arm to shatter the arrow shaft sticking out of his stomach.

"Well I'll be damned!" Ezra cheered. The others around him all laughed. Some even clapped. He had to give the kid some credit. He had some spirit in him. "You're tougher than you look, kid." He pointed the tip of his dagger at him, "But you ain't tough enough for two of those."

A loud cry rang out. Ezra blinked. One of his sentries fell out of the tree he had been posted in. A black feathered arrow jutted out from his throat. Another cry from across the trail. His second sentry dropped to the ground as well. Black feathered arrow lodged in his chest.

"Boss?" One of his men asked.

The blond's eyes widened. Ezra heard a pair of soft feet land in the fallen leaves and mud behind him.

"Hello there!" A young woman's voice chirped.

Ezra spun around. He managed to see the tip of black arrow rocketing towards him. Then he saw nothing.

* * *

Kage grit his teeth as he struggled to get up on one knee. Force, this arrow hurt! The barbed tip dug further into his body with every painful move. Every weak breath forced it to dig even further into the muscle. And for some reason, he felt even weaker now than before. Wounds had never slowed him down this much. Was he really that sick?

With a loud cry, he crashed his forearm down on the arrow's shaft. The thin piece of wood splintered in two. Allowing him to move his arms more freely. He need as much space to move as possible once he attacked these scum. These slavers who dared to take Cynthia.

His head swam as he struggled to stand up. More pain rushed through his stomach.

 _Come on!_ He thought, _Get up!_

He raised his head. All sound faded away. All he could hear was an incessant ringing in his ears. A constant whine that nearly drove him insane. Black rings darkened the edges of his vision. For some reason, he felt extremely weak.

He heard the slaver mocking him. His ringing ears could not make out what he said. But he knew the man felt like he had won. Kage looked at Cynthia. The blue haired girl struggled against her captors with all of her strength. But she was too small. No matter how much she thrashed, she could not break free.

She gave him a desperate look as the lead slaver pointed his knife at him. Kage grit his teeth. Another arrow was coming. He needed to move. But his body was not responding like it should.

Shock raced over the slaver's face. Kage sensed a life snuffed out nearby. Within another second, another life was extinguished. Kage raised his gaze and saw a familiar woman jumped down from a tree. Short blonde hair crowned her head. A small smirk rested over her pale lips. Blue eyes focused on the lead slaver. Once her feet touched the ground, the ringing in Kage's ears came to an end.

"Hello there!" Noire called with a proud smirk.

She drew back the arrow on her bowstring. The slaver spun around. Kage blinked in shock as Noire's black arrow zipped through the air and smashed into the space between the slaver's eyes.

The slaver took a few, unconscious steps back. He swayed in place. Then fell face first into the muddy trail. Dead.

Chaos broke out. Noire nocked another arrow and loosed it into one of the bandits guarding Cynthia. The burly brute fell dead without a sound. Noire reached up and snatched her last arrow from her quiver. She sent that one into the eye of Cynthia's second guard. As that brute collapsed to the ground, Noire brandished her bow at the others. The slavers charged at her, weapons drawn.

The dark side of the force howled in Kage's ears. He would be damned if one little arrow and a bad headache got the better of him.

Kage unleashed. All the fury and fear he felt since discovering Cynthia had been taken burst to the surface. An enormous pulse rocketed out from his body. Lifting five slavers off of their feet and sending them sprawling onto the ground.

Lightning jumped from his fingertips and into the nearest slaver. That slaver screamed briefly. A loud pop rang out as his body cooked in an instant. The lightning jumped to the next bandit. Kage's eyes blazed as he relished in the pure fear he now felt all around him.

Across the trail, Noire came face to face with a skilled swordsman. The archer danced back as the slaver slashed at her. When he tried running her through with his blade, Noire caught his weapon with her bow. She wrenched him forward. The swordsman cried out as he lost his balance. Noire reached to her hip and drew a small dagger she kept for just this purpose.

She buried the dagger into the slaver's back as he stumbled past her. He collapsed dead against a tree. Noire spun and smacked the wooden section of her bow against a charging enemy's chest. The man fell backwards and hit the ground with a loud thud. Noire jumped onto him and buried a fist into his jaw. Knocking him out.

 _BLOOD AND THUNDER! I AM INVINCIBLE!_

Static shot through the air. The hairs on her arms stood on end. Noire snapped her gaze towards Kage. The furious boy had surged to his feet and-

Her eyes widened in both stunned awe and horror. Lightning the likes of which she had never seen before shot into one of the slavers from Kage's outstretched hand. It moved like a chain between a group of five bandits. Each bolt shot through them one after another. Each man cried out, cooked alive, then collapsed into a static filled heap.

The last few slavers grouped together near Cynthia. At this point, the pegasus knight used her only weapon available to her in order to escape.

Her teeth.

She sank her teeth into the hand of one of her captors. The man uttered a loud howl of pain. Across the trail, Noire recovered her dagger and threw it with all of her strength into one of the slavers. The dagger plunged into the man's heart. He fell dead to the mud.

Cynthia kept a firm grip with her teeth as the other slavers started to run away. She allowed her body to go limp, slowing down her final captor. The girl only let go when she felt the slaver's body start to rise into the air.

Cynthia blinked and glanced over at Kage. He stumbled towards her. Yellow eyes blazing with pure rage. Cynthia gulped and shrank a little at the sight.

"I am going to make you scream." Kage snarled at the whimpering slaver suspended in the air.

As Kage clenched his fist, a dagger slammed into the side of the slaver's head. The man's eyes glazed over as death claimed him too. Kage's eyes blazed even hotter. He uttered a furious snarl and tossed the body away.

"You could not even let me have a little fun?" He growled, turning to face Noire.

He gulped. She had pulled one of her arrows free from one of the bodies and had it pointed straight at his heart.

Kage raised his hands defensively. He should have seen this coming. The last time they spoke to each other, it did not go well.

"You damn traitor." Noire growled as she aimed the arrow at him, "Give me one good reason not to put you down right now."

Kage swallowed hard. His throat felt dry again. And… and he could not feel his legs anymore.

He fell hard to the ground. Every part of his body felt cold and hot at the same time. His headache had come pounding back. Drums banged in his mind. A constant boom, boom, boom. He felt like his skull was about to shatter. And he could not breathe. Force, he could not catch his breath. Dark rings filled his vision as Noire lowered her bow.

Cynthia scrambled over to him. He managed to see her kneel down beside him. Her hands cupped his shivering face. Gods, her hands felt so warm right now.

He fought to stay awake as sleep threatened to take him. There could be other slavers nearby. He needed to be ready to fight.

Noire approached him and glared down for a second. Cynthia gave her a pleading look. Noire grimaced and let out a long sigh.

"Let me take a look." Noire said as she knelt down on Kage's other side.

Her fingers prodded his arrow wound. Kage hissed in pain. More dark circles danced through his eyes.

Noire scowled. She jumped to her feet and marched over to one of the dead archers. She knelt down and grabbed one of the archer's arrows. A grimace crossed her face as she studied the arrowhead. With enormous cautious, she brushed her fingers over the arrowhead and brought them to her tongue.

Noire quickly spat out whatever she placed on her tongue.

"Poison." Kage barely heard her say. The booming in his ears would not stop. He could feel blood rushing in his head. A dull whooshing noise that mixed in with the endless boom.

Cynthia gave Kage a fear filled look. He started to shiver. Everything felt so cold. And he could not feel his fingers anymore. Or his toes. Fear started to rocket through his mind as Cynthia brushed a warm hand over his forehead.

"Help me lift him up." Noire told Cynthia as Kage started to lose focus, "I've been hiding out in a cave nearby. I might have some stuff to help him there."

He vaguely felt both girls pick him up beneath his shoulders. Could barely feel his feet dragging along the dirt trail. Nothing felt right anymore. It was so cold. His head would not stop spinning. Eyes could not focus. His chest felt heavy. More fear mounted inside of him as he approached a dark cavern.

He could not hear Noire's voice. Could not see Cynthia's face. Everything was dark. Blurry. Everything cold. The poison coursed through his veins as he felt his body lie down flat against something very hard.

 _Where are we?_ He thought deliriously, _Where am I?_

Were the slaver's gone? Did they win? Did he rescue Cynthia?

He swallowed hard.

 _Cynthia._

 **And chapter! GUESS WHO JUST ENTERED THIS STORY! We get Noire into the picture now. And already, she is very different than how she was in game. There is a very good reason for this change in personality I assure you. And I will do my best to show why in later chapters. But for now, she is not some weak, timid character like in the game. I'm sure you all can guess as to one reason why. But I won't say anything yet.**

 **And Kage's in trouble now. Hopefully Noire can figure out a way to counter the poison in him. We shall see won't we?**

 **One more thing before we wrap up, I am going to be traveling for the next couple of days. So there will be no new chapter for at least two days. I will sit down and get right back to work on the next one as soon as I can.**

 **Now with that said, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	72. A First Time for Everything

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 72

A First Time for Everything

A pulse of energy raced through the Hierophant's royal room. His yellow eyes flicked open as he sensed the dark side of the force swirl in an intangible mass behind him. It quivered in fear. Trembled with terror and anxiety. He furrowed his brow, perplexed. Inside his mind, the manipulative voice hummed while the beast snarled in anger.

" _ **He has been eliminated."**_

" _Quite unfortunate. But a better question would be how? And why?"_

The Hierophant's eyes widened as he recognized the signature that had been consumed by the dark side of the force.

Draco, his hunter. The greatest assassin he could possibly conjure. The mighty mandalorian had been defeated. Reduced to nothing more than a presence in the dark side of the force. Subservient to his will entirely. Clinging to existence only because he allowed him to.

He furrowed his brow as more confusion shot through him. Who defeated Draco? Why was he defeated? He did not send the Deadlord out on any specific mission. Right now, he kept Draco close by in case the rogue Deadlord, Equus, got any ambition ideas. Was there someone in the Plegian capitol that knew about his assassin? Someone who could defeat such a skilled shadow warrior. Perhaps a Grimleal mage.

The Hierophant shook his head as he felt Draco's presence shrink away from his own. No, that was not it. No one in this city defied his will. Not one Grimleal mage dared to cross him. His stranglehold on the cult was absolute. His grip on Validar and the crown, unshakable. There were no threats in Plegia.

Draco met his match outside of Plegia. His mind wandered to the Shepherds in Ylisse. Very few could possibly defeat his Deadlord. One of them was the young Princess from the future. She had never managed to successfully defeat on his Deadlords before. But there was a first time for everything. She certainly possessed the skills to do so. Power became an issue when it came to her.

The ruling royal, Chrom, could have been the one to deal a deathblow to his Deadlord. If that were the case, the Hierophant felt it might be a good time to worry. His plans hinged on him remaining hidden until certain pieces were in motion. One of which being the Conqueror making a move against Archanea. That had yet to happen. Excellus was having great difficulty turning the Conqueror's eyes from petty rebellions. Excellus would succeed though. If he did not succeed well...

The Hierophant licked his lips and the beast chuckled with anticipation. His shadow would feed on the the worm's flesh then.

" _Perhaps we should just ask Draco how he met his end?"_ The rational voice suggested.

" _ **He does not deserve to have his voice heard. He is a failure."**_

The Hierophant raised a hand. He felt Draco's presence recoil.

"Draco," The Hierophant breathed. Voice quiet as he stared outside at the rising sun, "Care to explain your demise?"

The dark presence swirled in the room. Careful and tense. Afraid of its master. The Hierophant frowned.

"Kenobi." Draco said as the darkness gathered into fine black ash.

The ash rose into a small column in the shape of the Mandalorian hunter. Eventually, the Deadlord returned to form. As soon as his form returned, the Hierophant spun around and unleashed a barrage of dark side energy at the Deadlord. The bounty hunter crumbled to his knees and gripped his head.

" **YOU BROKE OUR CONTROL!"** The beast roared from Hierophant's mouth.

Draco quivered before his master, "M-Master, forgive me. I heard about Kenobi. Felt memories. Felt the need for revenge."

" _Revenge? What a stupid thought."_

" _ **Let me feast! Let me rip his soul asunder for his failure!"**_

"Have mercy, master." Draco trembled on his hands and knees, "I acted-"

" **SILENCE!"** The Hierophant roared. His voice morphing into a dragon's rumble.

The Hierophant stalked around the trembling Deadlord. A scowl spread over his lips as his servant shook with fear. He reached out and placed a hand on top of the Mandalorian's helmet.

"You are alive by my power." The Hierophant breathed, "You have consciousness because I will it to be so." A choked cry escaped the Mandalorian's helmet as the dark side of the force seeped into his mind, "I gave both you and Equus some independence. I thought that would make both of you stronger. That is a mistake I shall not make again."

He thought Equus was an isolated incident. A case of an unwilling soul not submitting to his will. The Hierophant had never had it happen to him before. But there was a first time for everything. Equus hosted a powerful soul. A former lord of the Sith. One that even the mighty Jedi feared.

It was good that he learned such independence was liable to cause problems. Those problems greatly concerned the Hierophant. The Shepherds would be made fully aware that another Deadlord prowled the world. The Naga-spawn learning about one Deadlord could be chalked up to coincidence by them. Two Deadlords would make those damn Naga-spawn worry. Perhaps they would even prepare for his eventual attack. He could not allow that to happen.

He needed to rein everything back into place. No more independent will for his Deadlords. Such foolish notions possessed too much risk at the moment. When he managed to put the Naga-spawn on the run, he might change his mind. But until that day came, everything had to be tightly controlled. There were enemies in this timeline capable of taking on his Deadlords. Capable of taking on himself in his current, weak form.

Morgana the Black was alive and causing trouble. Her power had begun to grow to the point where the Hierophant could sense it. A troubling sign. She could seriously damage his plans for regaining his true power. Then there was Tiki, Naga's own daughter. That manakete could wipe him off the face of the earth if she truly unleashed all of her power. It would cost her her own life in the process. But he was vulnerable in this avatar's body. Caution was paramount now. Secrecy important.

He would have to lay extremely low now. Draco would be corralled into the palace walls. As for Equus, the Hierophant would have to cut his losses for now. He could not risk going after the Deadlord directly for fear of alerting the Naga-spawn to his existence.

Draco's free will faded away as the dark side of the force ripped through his mind. His thoughts were the Hierophant's thoughts. His actions, the Hierophant's actions. His mind belonged to the Hierophant. His entire existence, dependent upon him. There would be no more rogue Deadlords. His control would be absolute.

The Hierophant let his hand slide from Draco's polished helmet. The Deadlord stood upright. Emotionless. Not a single tremor of fear.

"Draco. Go guard King Validar for now. Remain inside of the palace walls. You are not to show yourself to anyone except myself and the king."

The mindless Deadlord bowed, turned, and walked out of the room.

Warm rays of sunlight streamed in through the open balcony doors. The Hierophant took a deep breath and frowned.

No more rogue assets. No more mistakes. Any more mistakes would be dealt with most severely.

He furrowed his brow. Speaking of mistakes, he had yet to hear from Aversa. The sorceress had been gone for several weeks now. Pursuing the heretical Morgana. Aiming to kill off her and all of her followers. A suicide mission for sure. But the Hierophant at least expected there to be some flash of power. Some signal as to where Morgana was hiding. That was his true reason for sending Aversa on such a suicide mission. Her death would signal to him where the enemy hid. And then he would pay the heretics a personal visit.

But nothing. Not a single flash of power. Not one sensation of Aversa's life being snuffed from existence. Just silence.

The Hierophant ran a hand over his forehead. Frustration and paranoia mounted inside of him.

 _Too many variables._

* * *

Dooku frowned as he sat at his desk in the small study granted to him by Duchess Maribelle. In his right hand was a small report. A progress report regarding the construction of the new walls around the main city. Previous progress had been slow. Workers were in short supply. Most of the good manual labor had been contracted out to Ylisstol to assist in rebuilding the previously besieged capitol. They were only just now free to assist in rebuilding Themis.

During the time those crews were not available, less than capable hands were struggling to rebuild Themis. Dooku had visited the walls personally upon his arrival in the city. A meager section. Barely passable for a defensive position. If bandits decided to raid the city, they would succeed in causing plenty of mayhem. There was nothing to stop them except for the still inexperienced Themis cavalry under the command of Sir Stahl.

And the amount of coin being spent for such a paltry result appalled the Count. Dooku rubbed his eyes and groaned. Force, Duchess Maribelle may have some potential as a ruler but she was a poor evaluator of people. Her previous advisers did her no favors in the rebuilding process. Each one had their own vision for how the city should be rebuilt. All of them selfish of course. All of them aiming to line their pockets instead of truly rebuild the city to its previous splendor.

They had been cast off as soon as he arrived. Duchess Maribelle dismissed all of them. When they protested, Dooku made his voice heard. And in no uncertain terms, told all of them they were incompetent idiots with nothing more than greed and stupidity in their brains. If they did not heed the Duchess's word, they would have to deal with him personally.

One greedy nobleman tried to challenge him. Duchess Maribelle did not know about that. Dooku smirked. The city guards were still trying to find the body. As of right now, the poor noble had gone missing on a hunting trip. Since then, no one engaged in a war of personal slights and petty grievances with him. He did not have the time nor the energy. If this city were to be rebuilt to is previous splendor, then it would need a firm hand and an iron will guiding that hand.

He let out a sigh and glanced down at the report. Some of the more elite builders were finally on site. Good, that would mean more efficient construction methods would be used.

Dooku reached across his desk towards a cup of hot tea. He took a small sip and let out a satisfied sigh.

The rebuilding would still be too slow for his liking. But human beings could only be pushed so hard. Duchess Maribelle, despite her sometimes prickly exterior, was a good, gentle woman at heart. She did not desire to see pain and suffering in her city. As such, extremely good work conditions were in place for the construction crews. To her, it inspired loyalty and dedication to the city. Dooku could understand that rationale.

He still missed droid workers though. One droid could do twice the work of a normal man. A droid did not require any time to rest. Were droids as intelligent or creative? Obviously not. But they were fantastic for manual labor projects. The walls would already be a quarter of the way finished if he had just a single battalion of droids working.

Sadly, such technology was a luxury Dooku no longer possessed. This world was backwards when it came to technology. They did not even have combustion vehicles. All travel was relegated to foot, horse, or sailboat. Not even a single steam engine existed here. And those were considered extremely primitive by galactic standards. All of the machines working in construction zones were simple things. Scaffolding and pulley systems. Wheelbarrows and carts. All of which, while perfect for this world, were severely inefficient for his high standards.

There was nothing he could do about that however. As much as he disagreed with Kenobi keeping people like Robin and Marth in the dark about the greater galaxy, he could understand keeping the rest of this society ignorant. Introducing such a large leap in civilization would cause chaos on this world the likes of which were unimaginable. Such advances needed to either be introduced very slowly, or be developed naturally as to avoid tremendous chaos.

And he did not have any of his technology to introduce. No one on this world would understand any of it anyways. Dooku snorted and set the report down on his desk. He took another sip of tea and rose from his chair.

He turned around and looked out the expansive window of his office. Remarkably, a small portion of the city survived the Plegian onslaught. The General in charge of the destruction spared the palace. To the victor goes the spoils. And that General claimed the Palace as his home until the end of the war. Because of those actions, there was one less major project to deal with. Duchess Maribelle gave him a proper room and study to work from. Both had a view of the city. Allowing him to view the rebuild without even having to leave the palace. A kind gesture given he did have the appearance of an elderly man.

He flexed his gloved hand at his side. His other hand raised his cup to his lips. Out in the distance, he could see some construction crews breaking off for a meal break. The last one of the day before sundown. He nodded and exhaled.

Another day done. Another night to gather his thoughts and figure out tomorrow's events.

A knock rang out from his door. Dooku turned around.

"Come in." He called as he set his cup of tea down on his immaculately organized desk.

He smiled a little as Duchess Maribelle strode into his study. He gave the young woman a low bow. Something she always appreciated. Manners were rather important to the girl.

"Your grace." He said.

"Dooku, how was your day? I trust plenty was accomplished?" Maribelle asked as she crossed his study and looked out the large window behind his desk.

"Progress is still slow for my liking. But the walls are an enormous task." Dooku admitted, "They will not be done for several more months I would say."

Maribelle frowned, "And we still need to worry about rebuilding the main city. The market cannot remain a gathering of tents and carts forever. And then there needs to be proper homes built for the common folk so that there are laborers here. Stables need to be constructed. Farmers need a place to trade. Roads need to be repaved." She rubbed her forehead and uttered a long sigh, "So much to do."

Dooku nodded, "It will be accomplished in due time, your grace."

Maribelle gave him a weary nod, "I know. It is all so overwhelming."

She glanced down at the training yard in the palace courtyard. Down below, Sir Stahl and Virion were busy instructing the last few batches of soldiers for the rebuilt Themis military. Among the trainees was a young farm boy who, while appearing amateurish in Dooku's eyes, impressed the other warriors with his skills with a blade.

"At least the army is rebuilt." Maribelle breathed, "Stahl and Virion are miracle workers."

"It helps that the Feroxi ambassador was able to procure some military advisers to assist them." Dooku pointed out.

"Of course." Maribelle turned and started to slowly walk towards the door. Dooku followed her. He quietly shut the door behind him as she continued to talk, "Remind me to make sure I send a proper thank you to Khan Flavia and Khan Basilio. Such a gracious gesture must be repaid in kind."

"I heard Virion suggested that we send both a fruit basket." Dooku smirked.

Maribelle appeared appalled, "A fruit basket!? How abhorrent! They send us aid to rebuild our forces and we send them a fruit basket? No! We shall have a proper ceremony for them. A ball if you would."

"Of the same scale as Princess Lucina's?" Dooku asked with a mild sense of apprehension.

Maribelle waved a hand as they descended the stairs and walked into the palace's main hall.

"Do not be ridiculous, Dooku, nothing will ever overshadow that magnificent affair." Maribelle replied, "Chrom and Sumia need not come to this one. It will be a much more local affair. But I still want it to be elegant."

Dooku nodded, "Of course. When would you want this done? I will have to make arrangements regarding cooks and serving staff."

"Can it be accomplished by the end of the week?" Maribelle asked, "I have already asked Olivia to invite the Khans earlier this morning."

Dooku cringed. That was the one thing that upset him about Duchess Maribelle. She had a tendency to get ahead of herself. He took a deep breath and nodded.

"A difficult task. But I can get it done." Dooku said.

"Wonderful!" Maribelle said as both stepped out into the palace courtyard where the various soldiers were training.

Dooku frowned as he watched Donnel work. The boy had been improving. About time he did. Dooku felt like unleashing all of his fury when he first started instructing the boy. He ignored those dark impulses though and managed to tap into his old Jedi Master persona enough to avoid alarming anyone. And after a few weeks, Donnel finally started to grow as a swordsman. Not enough to please Dooku. But enough to finally hold his own against other, more capable warriors.

"He has come a long way." Maribelle noted as she watched Donnel spar with another trainee.

Stahl barked an order. The group stopped sparing and all turned to face him.

"He can go further." Dooku muttered.

Maribelle waved her hand, "You are much too harsh with him. You have to understand that you are the first true instruction he has really had with a blade. Before this he was a farm boy."

"In southeastern Ylisse, I am aware." Dooku nodded, "But that is no excuse."

"He is a gentle soul at heart." Maribelle noted.

Dooku snorted, "The nature of his soul does not matter. Only his willingness to learn and his ability to heed my instruction."

Maribelle shook her head, "You might be right. But you could also be wrong. Maybe he will rub off on that crotchety heart of yours."

Dooku arched an eyebrow. Crotchety? Him? He wanted to protest but held his tongue. Perhaps he had been a tad irritable as of late. Dealing with petty noblemen and incompetent construction crews did put him in a sour mood. That and the last minute ball he now had to set up for the Khans of Regna Ferox. That would be another miracle he would have to pull off.

Maribelle laughed quietly to the side, "I jest, Dooku. Do not take my words to heart. You have been a wonderful adviser and friend. I could not have asked for a better helper in rebuilding my city."

Dooku smiled a little bit, "It has been a pleasure so far, your grace."

Stahl dismissed the trainees. As the different soldiers dispersed, Donnel stayed for a moment and exchanged a few words with Stahl. Stahl gave the boy an encouraging pat on the shoulder before walking away with Virion. Donnel smiled and turned around. His smile ran away when he saw Dooku.

"It is time for his true instruction now." Dooku hummed as he folded his hands.

Donnel approached both Maribelle and Dooku.

"Helle, Dooku. Maribelle." Donnel grinned.

Dooku cleared his throat. Donnel paled.

"Oh crap!" He quickly bowed to Maribelle and Dooku, "A thousand apologies milady-"

Dooku cleared his throat again.

"Your grace, I mean!" Donnel quickly corrected, "I ain't used to having to greet people with fancy titles and such."

Maribelle smirked a little bit, "You are improving however, You have the perfect teacher for such things." She nodded towards Dooku, "A true gentleman indeed. I still wonder how you became friends with Ben."

Dooku smirked, "That is a long story, your grace."

"We have plenty of time. Surely Donnel's instruction can wait a few more moments."

"Honestly I'm kinda curious about it too, Dooku, sir." Donnel admitted with a sheepish smile.

Dooku eyed the boy. Donnel gulped beneath his gaze. With a small sigh, Dooku relented to the Duchess' request.

"Well, Kenobi and I were both members of the Jedi Order at one point."

"The Jedi? You mean those strange monks Ben says he was a member of?" Maribelle asked.

"You were one of them too?" Donnel's eyes practically bulged from his skull, "Do ya use fancy magic powers too?"

"Donnel!" Maribelle snapped.

"It is quite alright. Indeed, I do, Donnel. The Force is a necessity for a Jedi. Without the force, a Jedi is nothing. They have no power at that point."

The trio strolled over to a bench near the palace walls. Dooku sank down onto the bench. Maribelle daintily sat down beside him. Donnel asked for permission to sit beside her. Something the Duchess granted with a small smile.

"If I recall," Donnel began, "Ben still called himself a Jedi."

Dooku nodded, "I believe he does, yes."

"Do ya still consider yourself one too?" Donnel asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"A rather personal question, Donnel." Maribelle noted.

"Well he's my teacher, ain't he? I think I gotta know some of this stuff."

Maribelle shrugged. The farm boy might have a point there.

Dooku took a deep breath, "No. I do not consider myself a Jedi anymore. And it is not because the Order no longer exists. I left the Jedi long before the destruction of the Order."

"Why'd you leave?" Donnel asked.

Dooku pursed his lips, "I had both political and philosophical disagreements with the high council. And well, I would not change my opinion. And they would not budge on the matter. So I left." Dooku nodded, "As for how I met Kenobi. I did not meet him until he was well into Knighthood. He had taken on his own apprentice by the time I… befriended him."

"But you knew about him?" Maribelle asked.

Dooku nodded, "I did."

"How?" Both Donnel and Maribelle asked at the same time. Both captured by his story like a pair of eager school children.

"I was his master's master." Dooku smiled at both of them.

Donnel and Maribelle's eyes widened in surprise.

"Yes. Qui Gon Jinn was my student." A sad smile crossed over Dooku's face, "He always spoke highly of his stubborn apprentice, Ben Kenobi. I came to view the boy almost as a grandson just by speaking about him with Qui Gon." Dooku let out a heavy sigh, "Part of the reason I left the order was because Qui Gon died. And the order would do nothing to address how and why he died."

Donnel gulped. He did not ask the question that sat at the tip of his tongue. To his surprise though, Maribelle asked the same question he had been thinking.

"How did he die?"

Dooku's eyes saddened. The old man seemingly aged another ten years as his mind wandered to a different time and place.

"The ancient enemies of the Jedi are a group of people known as the Sith." Dooku explained, "Of which there are two. No more and no less."

"Only two Sith against an entire group of super powered monks?" Donnel wondered, "They gotta be really powerful to take ya'll out."

Dooku nodded, "And one of them you are familiar with, Maribelle."

Maribelle paled, "Maul."

Donnel arched an eyebrow in confusion, "Who?"

"Yes, Maul. The same Sith that slew Qui Gon also killed Exalt Emmeryn." Dooku explained, causing Donnel's jaw to fall open, "But for years, the Jedi High Council believed the Sith to be extinct. They refused to think they had returned in any sort of capacity. Naturally, I disagreed. That disagreement led to my exit from the order."

The old man rubbed his thighs as he remained silent for a moment. He cleared his throat and nodded to both Donnel and Maribelle.

"Enough of that for today. Come Donnel we need to begin your lessons." He rose and gave Maribelle a small bow, "If there is anything else you need, your grace, do not hesitate to let me know."

Maribelle nodded, "Of course." She hopped to her feet and smiled at both Dooku and Donnel, "You two better not beat each other up too much. There is a ball at the end of the week after all."

She strode away. Donnel found himself staring after her. Her words suddenly registered in his mind.

"A ball?" He gulped, "Ya mean like that one for the Princess?"

Dooku nodded, "She insists it won't be as extravagant, but you and I both know she will make it quite the event."

Donnel glanced over at Dooku, "Do I gotta go?"

Dooku frowned at the farm boy, "Yes you do. You are technically a member of the Duchess's house since you are apprenticed to me directly. Hence the need for you to attend."

Donnel let out a heavy sigh, "I don't fit in at those fancy things."

Dooku chuckled, "Few people do. Most are very adept at making themselves fit in despite their natural inclinations."

"I mean," Donnel watched as Maribelle disappeared into the palace, "I don't mind going. The last one I was at I got to chat with Maribelle for a while. It was kinda fun actually. Once I got past her snootiness that is."

Dooku arched an eyebrow, "Your eyes aim rather far above your station."

Donnel's cheeks flushed, "Well I mean," He rubbed the back of his neck nervously, "Can't deny she's pretty. And very smart. And past the snootiness, really nice too."

Dooku rolled his eyes, "You sound like Virion."

"I don't sound like Ruffles!" Donnel cried, "He'd use all them flowery, big words to describe Maribelle. And I don't exactly know how to say half of 'em."

A low chuckle emanated from Dooku's lips. Surprising the farm boy.

"I admire your ambition." Dooku laughed a little bit, "But you must push that ambition towards your blade work first and foremost."

Donnel kicked at the dirt near his fist, "Yes sir."

Dooku rolled his shoulders, "Now then, as for the matter of the upcoming ball. Since you must attend, you need proper attire. That we can acquire in the morning. But for today, I think we need to give you a proper etiquette lesson."

Donnel arched an eyebrow, "What is an etiquette? Is it a fancy game ya'll fancy folk play during a ball? Does it involve a ball?"

Dooku sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, "Yes, you need an etiquette lesson. Come along, Donnel." He strode towards the palace. His office would serve as a good place for such lessons. He was sure he could find a book on the subject somewhere in there, "If you want to impress the Duchess then you need to put on quite the show at the ball."

Donnel blinked as he followed the Count. Was the old man actually going to help him? Donnel shook his head in disbelief. He did not expect that. Donnel expected to spend the next few hours before sundown toiling in the dirt and heat. Working his muscles to exhaustion with a practice blade. Instead, he was getting an etiquette lesson. A break! This had to be a gift from Naga herself.

He followed Dooku into his study. Dooku ordered him to take a seat. Donnel anxiously waited in his seat as Dooku looked through some of the books on his bookshelf. The old man nodded and plucked a book from the shelf. A rather thick looking tome with a purple cover and gold lettering on the cover.

"You will have this book read by the end of the week." Dooku instructed.

Donnel furrowed his brow as he looked down at the book.

Dooku uttered a long sigh, "Please tell me you know how to read."

"I know how to read." Donnel replied, "This book just got a weird title. The heck does it mean when it says: _High Society and Propriety: A Guide to Basic Noble Eti-Eti-,_ " Donnel jabbed his finger at the last word, "That word!"

Dooku sighed, "Etiquette. Which means proper manners and behavior in a formal setting."

Donnel blanched, "I'm gonna be learning that?"

Dooku nodded, "Yes. I've instilled blade discipline into you. Now it is time I instilled some social discipline."

Donnel gulped as Dooku began his lesson.

He wanted to go back out to the yard now.

* * *

Donnel grimaced as he struggled to carry several boxes in his arms. Each box was absolutely full with fancy clothes. Shirts and pants that Donnel never thought he would ever wear in his lifetime. A suit jacket so luxurious Donnel thought it might as well be made from clouds. He did not think it was possible for a piece of clothing to be that soft. Or so expensive. The money he had earned as a member of the Shepherds was gone as soon as he and Dooku exited the tailor.

The farm boy let out a weak sigh.

"So much money." Donnel whined.

"The finer things in life require it." Dooku pointed out as they pair strolled through the throngs of tents that currently made up the Themis Markets, "And you cannot show up to the ball in what you normally wear."

Donnel frowned at the regal old man, "What's wrong with what I normally wear?"

Dooku gave him a knowing smirk, "If you're aiming to impress the Duchess, a roughspun tunic is not the way to go about it."

Donnel's cheeks flushed a bright pink color. He cracked the lid of the top box open. Revealing a sharp, black suit jacket with a black bow tie. He gulped as he closed the box. He was not sure about all of this. Maribelle seemed to enjoy his company just fine without all the fancy clothes and stuff. Then again, Dooku knew all about this high society stuff. He even spoke like a fancy lord would. He would know what was appropriate and not appropriate for the swanky ball Maribelle wanted to throw.

The two men silently strolled back to the Palace. Once there, they entered the empty main hall. Maribelle had finished holding court for the day and was likely somewhere in the city gathering supplies for the ball. She would be followed by a pair of servants and some guards too. That would leave the palace mostly empty. There was not a lot of servants or guards inside of it. Most of them had been captured or killed during the sacking of the city. Maribelle required only the bare minimum for herself. She wanted all resources poured into rebuilding the city. Not focused on herself.

"Am I going to your room to try these things on again?" Donnel asked Dooku.

"Perhaps." Dooku replied as they strolled down a long corridor, "We do need to make sure the fit is right and-"

They both paused as they heard light feet tapping on the floor in a room to their right. Donnel gave Dooku a puzzled look. That room was a storage room. It held mostly unused furniture and knick-knacks that did not have a place in the palace at the moment. No one really went in there. So who would be moving around inside of the room?

Both Dooku and Donnel peered inside. They saw two people inside of the room. Both slowly dancing to an imaginary rhythm. One was the Feroxi ambassador Oliva. The other was-

Dooku rolled his eyes while Donnel let out a long sigh.

"Now then, Lady Oliva," Virion said with charming grin as he spun the red faced ambassador, "The next step is very simple. Are you ready?"

"Um… I think so?" Olivia's meek voice replied.

Virion smiled, "Do not appear so anxious, my lady. You are following the steps just fine." Viron turned with her until he faced the door. Which is when he noticed both Donnel and Dooku, "Oh my! We have an audience."

"We do!?" Olivia cried as she quickly backed away from Virion. Her face red with embarrassment.

Virion chuckled softly as Olivia's gaze nervously flicked back and forth between the archer and the two swordsmen.

"I hope we're not interrupting anything." Dooku said with a small smirk.

"I think we were." Donnel gulped.

"Not at all, my friends." Virion replied, "I was simply assisting Lady Olivia with a dance she has been trying to perfect. It requires a partner and well… I volunteered my services."

"You found her and decided to butt in." Dooku translated for Donnel.

"I did not just butt in." Virion scoffed, "I asked if she would like assistance."

"And-and I agreed." Olivia said quietly, "It is a much easier dance to learn with a partner."

"We will be performing the dance at the ball this week." Virion smiled dashingly while Olivia uttered some anxious, inaudible mutters, "So we must practice. And this room has both enough space and privacy to conduct such a thing."

"I used this as a place to practice my dancing without an audience because I don't really think I'm that good." Olivia gulped.

"Nonsense, you dance most beautifully and gracefully." Virion replied. He glanced over at Donnel, "Speaking of dancing, are you attending the ball Donnel?"

"He is." Dooku nodded, "We just finished finding him a proper outfit."

"Wonderful! I trust you know how to dance as well?"

Donnel gave Dooku a nervous glance, "Does uh… does square dancing count?"

Virion stared at Donnel with disbelief. Olivia uttered a quiet chuckle at Donnel's innocent question. Dooku pinched the bridge of his nose and uttered a long sigh.

"I have a few days to teach you how to dance now?" Dooku groaned, "First etiquette, now ballroom dancing. We will never manage to return to swordplay."

"Hey! This was your idea." Donnel retorted as he set the boxes down on a dusty table, "I was content with just practicing my swordplay. But you had to get me involved in this fancy ball stuff. And also, I've read that entire book already."

"Oh have you?" Dooku replied with a small grumble.

"Yup."

Dooku eyed the farm boy. It had only been a day and half since he gave the book on proper etiquette to the boy. How could he possibly have read it so fast. The only way he could have is if he was hardly paying attention to what he was reading.

 _A small test might be needed then._

"Page four." Dooku said, "Paragraph five."

"Talks about proper table setting and stuff. What each fork means at the dining table. What each plate is for. And what each cup is for." Donnel replied with a smirk.

Dooku blinked in surprise, "Page fifty two?"

"That be about addressing members of the higher society." Donnel replied as he reveled in Dooku's surprise, "Like how you gotta call the ruling Exalt or Queen, your majesty and stuff. Or how I gotta call Maribelle, your grace. And how addressing someone higher in station than you involves using stuff like milord and milady."

Dooku inclined his chin at the boy, "Most impressive. You have a rather quick and sharp mind, Donnel."

"Then he should be able to pick up some simple ballroom dances in no time!" Virion grinned, "Olivia shall we assist our fellow friend?"

Olivia nervously wrung her hands together. Dooku glanced over at the ambassador. For someone in such an important position, she seemed rather low on confidence. Perhaps the ruling Khans trusted her that much? If he were in their position, she would have never been named an adviser to an ally nation.

The pink haired woman gulped and tiptoed her way up to Donnel.

"Okay. I guess I can show you the basics. I'm not sure how good of a teacher I can be."

"Don't listen to her, Donnel. Lady Olivia is a wonderful teacher." Virion smiled as he leaned against an old, chipped table, "Just follow her lead. And try not to step on her toes."

Donnel gulped as Oliva took on of his hands and placed her other hand on his shoulder.

"Um… Miss Oliva, ma'am."

"Hm?" Olivia replied.

"I wasn't that good at square dancing either."

* * *

The night of the ball was a lovely one in Dooku's mind. If there was one thing he could grant this planet, it had a wonderfully diverse climate. All of which he had enjoyed so far. The humid, mist covered lands of Valm were pleasant in their own way. But there was something about Ylisse that reminded him of his homeworld, Serenno. Temperate and sprawling with forests. It felt comforting in a way.

And tonight was extremely comfortable. A perfect temperature. No clouds in the night sky to speak of. Dooku smiled a little as he folded his hands in front of him and waited for the many noblemen and women to arrive for the ball. Maribelle, Virion, and Olivia waited alongside him.

Carriages pulled up to the front of the palace one by one. Nobles stepped out of those carriages. Each one with their own guest. Most were spouses. Some concubines. A few even brought a close friend. Dooku knew them all. He made it a point to know where power lay in the city. That allowed him to know what palms to grease, who to threaten, and who to reward if needed. Rebuilding a city was messy business. Especially when so many different influences wished to exert their own form of control over the process.

Maribelle gave each noble a courteous greeting as they entered the palace. Dooku did the same. Virion was more elaborate with his greetings, of course. But he still remained very professional. Which surprised Dooku. Virion was more learned regarding noble ways than he thought.

 _There is more to this frilly archer than meets the eye._ Dooku surmised.

Two horses whinnied loudly. Dooku arched an eyebrow. His eyes widened in surprise as two dark skinned people rode up towards the palace. A few soldiers wearing rust colored tunics and iron armor followed them.

The first rider was an enormous man. Dooku placed him as one of the largest humans he had ever laid eyes upon. A mountain of bronzed muscle. The top of his head was bald. A large eyepatch covered his left eye. His other eye held a warrior's focus to it. He wore no shirt. But instead had a fur lined metal collar around his neck. Leather pants covered his legs. And fur lined boots rested over his feet.

The second rider was a woman. She did not appear as serious as her companion. A large, fun loving smirk rested over her lips. Her blond hair was pulled up tight into a high ponytail. She was much younger than her male companion. But like her companion, she wore strange attire for the occasion. Preferring to wear plate armor rather than a dress.

"I beat you here!" The woman grinned ear to ear.

The man rolled his eye, "We arrived at the same time."

"Well I'm ruling Khan and I say I beat you here."

Dooku arched an eyebrow. So these two were the Khans of Regna Ferox? They were certainly not what he expected. Especially the woman.

Maribelle gave them both a broad smile, "Khan Flavia! Khan Basilio! Welcome to Themis. I trust your travels went well."

Flavia smirked, "Well enough. We ran into some bandits along the North Road. So it was not boring."

Basilio snorted, "Those bandits went running as soon as they figured out who we were." The large man gave Maribelle a low bow, "We appreciate the invitation Duchess Maribelle. But this is not necessary."

"Nonsense!" Maribelle cried, "This ball is for both of you. To show my appreciation for all you have done in rebuilding my city."

Flavia glanced over at Basilio, "I'd have settled for a fruit basket."

Virion started to chuckle silently. Maribelle's left eye twitched for a moment before she regathered her wits.

"Well, we have plenty of fruit to eat tonight." Maribelle said with a small sigh before smiling again, "I hope you both are hungry."

"Starving." Flavia grinned, "Food already ready to go. I like this place already."

The ruling Khan marched past Maribelle, Dooku, Virion, and Oliva. Khan Basilio let out a long sigh and turned to the four.

"Please forgive my younger companion, she is still learning how to be a ruling Khan." Basilio chuckled a little bit, "I've been slowly beating the warrior out of her with proper lessons." He held out a large hand to Virion. The archer shook it with a grin, "Good to see you again, Virion."

"You as well, Khan Basilio." Virion nodded.

Basilio turned to Olivia and spread his arms out wide to embrace the ambassador, "You look radiant as ever, Olivia."

Olivia offered him a shy smile as she embracced the Khan, "Thank you, Basilio. It has been too long."

"You have to come back and visit more often, you know. The old Arena is a dull place without you and Lon'qu around." Basilio chortled happily as he pulled away from her. His eye landed on Dooku, "I don't believe we have met."

Dooku gripped Basilio's outstretched hand, "Dooku. I am Maribelle's advisor."

"Ah, so you are the Dooku I have heard much about. Maribelle and Olivia both have mentioned you in letters. I must say, I'm impressed by what I hear. I appreciate men of action."

"I try to be that." Dooku nodded.

The brutish man surprised the Count. He had impeccable manners and social awareness. Perhaps he was once the ruling Khan? Dooku read up on Regna Ferox's strange political system. And for a collection of brutish warriors and tribes, it was surprisingly effective. People like the Feroxi understood strength above anything else. In a way, their way of selecting a ruler for combat was remarkably intelligent.

"Shall we?" Basilio gestured towards the door.

"We shall." Maribelle smiled as she took Basilio's hand and entered the palace with Dooku, Virion, and Olivia in tow.

The small band was already playing in their corner of the main hall. Violins, violas, cellos, and a harp plucked quiet, soothing notes for the guests. Flavia had already found her way over to her seat, which was beside Maribelle's. The ruling Khan had started digging into a plate of cheeses and meats right away.

Basilio and Maribelle both moved towards their seats. As Dooku and the others followed, Virion leaned close to old man.

"Where's Donnel?" The archer asked as he escorted Olivia towards their table.

"Still getting ready. He had a bit of trouble figuring out the bow tie." Dooku explained.

Virion uttered a lighthearted chuckle, "It is probably his first time wearing anything like that. Did you show him how to tie it?"

"Once. And that is all he should have needed."

"Oh you are much too hard on Donnel, Dooku." Maribelle said as they all sat down at their table, "You must remember where he comes from. He is a farm boy. I doubt he even knew what a tie was until you showed him one."

Dooku arched an eyebrow but said nothing in return. He had found the Duchess expressed strong opinions. Especially when it came to people. Though goodnatured at heart, her opinions were often either scathing or extremely favorable. There was no in between.

"Oh there he is!" Virion pointed towards the door.

Maribelle looked over to the door. Her mouth fell open a little bit as a dapper looking young man quietly entered the Palace's main hall. He walked straight and tall. His gait similar to Dooku's own regal walk. His normally unruly, lavender hair had been neatly combed and cut. The tie on his sharp suit was perfectly placed. Maribelle had to blink. There was no way this young man approaching her table was Donnel. This could not be the same boy that went into battle with a dented copper pot on his head.

The drawl in his voice was what convinced Maribelle that this man was indeed the farm boy.

"Your grace." He executed a perfect bow to Maribelle. Dooku nodded in approval. Donnel turned to Khans Flavia and Basilio, "Your majesties."

Flavia snorted hard and started snickering under her breath. Basilio uttered a goodnatured chuckle and leaned back in his seat.

"There is no need to be so formal, kid. You're one of the Shepherds, so you are equal to us in my eyes." Basilio patted the seat beside him, "Come and join us already."

Donnel flashed the large Khan a bright smile. One that Maribelle fixated on. Did he always have such an alluring, happy grin? Or had he developed that with his newfound elegance?

She leaned over towards Dooku, "What did you do?"

Dooku smirked over at the Duchess, "I educated him of course." He shifted in his seat as Donnel took a seat next to Khan Basilio, "Although I will admit this is going much smoother than I thought."

"So, how are ya'll tonight?" Donnel asked the group.

"Pretty good kid." Flavia smiled as she wiped her mouth with a napkin, "Damn I was hungry. The food is delicious, Maribelle. Well done!"

Maribelle beamed, "You are most kind, Khan Flavia. I'll be sure to pass on your praise to the kitchen later tonight."

"Please do. And give me the recipe for the sausage." Flavia grinned, "I gotta get some of that back home."

"I will." Maribelle nodded.

A chime sounded. One of the palace servants announced that the first ballroom dance shall begin. Virion rose from his seat and stretched out a hand to Olivia.

"Shall we dazzle the nobles, my lady?" He asked with a charming smile.

Olivia's eyes flicked back and forth as she nervously folded her hands in her lap, "I-" She gulped and tentatively took Virion's hand, "I guess so."

"Wonderful!" Virion smiled as he guided her over to the dance floor.

Basilio and Flavia remained in their seats along with Dooku, Maribelle, and Donnel. Donnel glanced over at the two Khans.

"Ya'll don't dance?"

"I fight, not dance kid." Basilio chuckled, "Olivia tried teaching me at one point. In the end, she conceded that I have two left feet."

"What about you, Khan Flavia?" Maribelle asked the ruling Khan.

"I've dabbled." Khan Flavia replied, "But I'm going to wait for the food to settle for a minute or two."

Dooku nodded in understanding. Maribelle turned to ask him why he did not join the dances. The old man raised his hand before she could speak.

"I do not have a partner. And I am much too old to be engaging in such an activity right now. I shall let you youngsters enjoy this night."

Maribelle waved her hand, "Nonsense! I am sure you are a most elegant dancer, Dooku."

"I was once. But the joints ache nowadays." Dooku lied. He glanced over at Donnel, "Perhaps Donnel would like to have a dance with you?"

The Count noticed a red tint wash over Donnel's cheeks. Then, to his surprise, Maribelle's own face became a touch pink. The Duchess glanced over at Donnel and gave him a small smile.

"Shall we, Master Donnel?"

 _Master Donnel?_ Dooku cocked an eyebrow, _The feelings appear to be mutual then._

Donnel gulped and rose from his seat. He smoothed out some wrinkles in his suit jacket and walked over to Maribelle. With a nervous look in his eyes, he held out his arm for her.

"Shall we?" Donnel asked her, the twang in his voice making Maribelle smile a little bit.

"I think we shall."

Maribelle took his arm and allowed the farm boy to guide her out to the dancefloor. Once they arrived, Donnel separated from Maribelle and gave her a low bow. The Duchess smiled and curtsied.

The farm boy gently took one of Maribelle's hand. He then gingerly placed his other hand against Maribelle's waist. The Duchess's cheeks heated up a little bit.

He had such a soft, yet firm grip. It amazed her. She expected Donnel to be somewhat clumsy. His hands to be hard and calloused. But the opposite was the case. He held her hand like a baby bird. Gentle and comforting.

"Ma made a special lotion for my hands." Donnel explained, noticing Maribelle's surprise, "Kept the dead skin from piling up due to the farm work."

Maribelle uttered a small laugh as the boy tried to make awkward conversation. The first note from one of the cello's droned over the main hall. Maribelle placed her one hand on Donnel's shoulder.

She could not hide her surprise as much this time. Donnel was a wonderful dancer. Elegant and composed. His movements were not flashy like Virion or Olivia's. But the simple moves seemed to make Maribelle feel much more at ease as they slowly circled the dance floor. She smiled wide as Donnel slowly spun her around then retook her hand.

"You are quite good at this Donnel." Maribelle smiled.

Donnel blushed, "Well uh- Dooku and Olivia are good teachers."

Maribelle chuckled, "Clearly." They continued swaying to the soft music, "So, Donnel, you have not told me much about your home."

"Home?" Donnel blinked, "Oh right! Home."

Maribelle laughed as the boy fumbled with his thoughts. There was a certain charm to his uncertain awkwardness in this setting.

"Well um… ain't much to home really." Donnel said with a small shrug, "It's just a tiny village in the middle o'nowhere."

"Oh really?" Maribelle replied, "Regale me with life in this middle of nowhere village. What is it like?"

Donnel blinked in surprise, "It's uh- well it's mostly quiet. Get those odd days where a merchant came into town. Those were fun days too. Ma usually got something strange or another to add to the house. One time she bought a squirrel statue."

Maribelle chuckled, "A squirrel statue?"

"Y-yeah," Donnel smiled back, "Ya know, them critters that like nuts and climb up trees and stuff."

Maribelle threw her head back as she laughed, "I know what a squirrel is, Donnel. I'm just amazed that someone would buy a statue of one."

Donnel laughed, "Well, that's ma for ya. She liked her lawn ornaments and stuff. Even had a couple wooden gnomes out in front of the house." Donnel hummed for a moment, "Then there was lots of work. Usually got up before sunrise to start working the fields."

"That explains how you are so chipper in the morning." Maribelle said.

"Ya gotta be a morning person when ya work on a farm." Donnel smiled, "Ain't no work can get done at night in the dark."

Maribelle nodded in agreement, "Well, Donnel. I am most glad you decided to venture out from your cozy little home."

Donnel beamed at her. Maribelle felt her heart flutter in her chest a little bit, "I'm glad I could see the world too."

The first song ended. The nobles stopped dancing all around them. Donnel and Maribelle stayed together for a moment longer than the others. Even as the other nobles started clapping for the band around them, the pair remained focus on the other's smile.

Back at the table, Dooku watched with mild interest. He leaned back in his seat and took a sip from his wine glass. Savoring the sweet flavor as it washed over his palate.

Olivia did a marvelous job instructing Donnel in dance. And the boy took his lessons on etiquette seriously. Dooku felt a twinge of pride. The boy was proving to be a very capable and dedicated student, despite his slow grasp on certain concepts.

He noticed Maribelle's blush as the second song began. Instead of branching off to one of the other nobles, she continued dancing with Donnel. Occasionally, she threw her head back and would laugh loudly at some witty comment Donnel made. Dooku snorted to himself and finished off his first glass of wine.

A farmer successfully courting a noblewoman. A Duchess of an entire city no less.

 _There is a first time for everything._ Dooku thought as he watched Donnel masterfully entertain Maribelle.

The old man nodded in approval as the second song finished and Donnel guided a beaming Maribelle back over to their table.

His work on boy's social training was complete.

 **And chapter! A bit of a filler chapter. We've got to set up some other pairings after all. As well as take a peak at what some of our other characters are up to. This was just plain old fun to write. Donnel and Maribelle's supports are some of my favorite in the game. And I enjoyed putting my own little spin on their relationship in this chapter.**

 **And then there is the Hierophant and his growing paranoia. He nearly lost control of another Deadlord. Perhaps he is not all powerful like he thought he was. And he is probably starting to realize that. Which will make him much more careful. Somehow, that is an even scarier thought.**

 **We will have maybe two or three more chapters before we kick off the Valm war. I enjoy writing these little interactions way too much. But we do have to get back to the main story here eventually.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	73. Cured by the Curse of Love

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 73

Cured by the Curse of Love

Noire furrowed her brow. Her long fingers carefully inched around the arrow wound in Kage's abdomen. Blood soaked into the fabric of his black robes. Sweat caked the exposed skin on his neck, face, and arms. The archer frowned and glanced over at the increasingly worried Cynthia.

"We need to get that arrow out." Noire said, her voice quiet and filled with uncertainty.

Cynthia paled. She directed a flurry of hand waves and signals at Noire. The archer gave the pegasus knight an extremely confused look.

Cynthia smacked her forehead and pointed at the arrow wound. She then made a pulling motion followed by what looked like her trying to say something would explode?

Noire sighed, "It's either we have a lot of blood coming out, or a lot of poison going in."

Noire placed a hand on Kage's forehead. His temperature continued to rise. He still retained consciousness, but his eyes were completely out of focus. Every single one of his senses seemed to be shattered. She had never seen a poison like this before. Her mother had made some deadly substances before, but nothing that worked this fast. Noire let out a weary sigh.

"Their arrows were barbed. So this won't be pretty." Noire grabbed the splintered shaft jutting up out of Kage's abdomen, "You need to be ready to put pressure on it." She told Cynthia.

Cynthia gulped and nodded. She looked around for something to place over the wound. When she found nothing, the pegasus knight tore off a large piece of cloth from the hem of her skirt.

"Ready?" Noire asked."

Cynthia gave her a shaky nod.

Noire started to pull. The reaction from Kage was instantaneous. A loud cry left his lips as the barbs on the arrowhead ripped into the flesh and muscle. Chewing them up like jagged teeth. Noire gulped as she felt a sudden spike in the Force around her. The spike centered around Kage. She stopped pulling and left the arrow buried inside of him for a moment.

 _Naga above he is powerful._ Noire thought.

That spike in the force sent shivers down Noire's spine. He was not this powerful before. He had been on more or less equal standing with Lucina in the future. He was more skilled than the Princess. However, the pair did their best to remain equals. But that one pulse in the force left her stunned. His power had spiked exponentially in the years he had been away from his friends.

A scowl formed over Noire's face. He left them. He and Maul both. Their departure helped to seal the fate of Ylisstol. Their strength combined with her father's made them formidable opponents for Grima. It gave the Fell Dragon caution whenever he chose to engage the Shepherds. When they left, Grima was able to act with impunity. Sending out too many strikes for Noire's father to keep up with. Eventually, they were all overwhelmed as the Fell Dragon claimed victory.

 _This bastard betrayed us by abandoning us._ Noire thought as she glared at Kage's weak form.

She should leave the arrow in. Let him die. Let him feel agony. Let him understand the pain all of them went through when another friend or parent died to Grima's horde. The pure selfishness in Maul and Kage's actions helped kill them all. Helped kill Noire's father. Helped defeat her mother. Led to their desperate gamble. A last ditch attempt to stop Grima by jumping back in time and defeating him before he could regain his full power.

Cynthia gulped and poked Noire's shoulder. The archer glanced over at her old friend. She could see the pleading in Cynthia's eyes. The desperation. She really cared for Kage. Really wanted him to live.

Why? Noire could not understand it. Kage had shown his true loyalties when he abandoned them. Cynthia had always been so much more naive than the others. She probably gave Kage a second chance as soon as she ran into him during this timeline.

 _Of course she would._ Noire thought.

Cynthia reached over to Kage and brushed a gentle hand over his pale, sweaty face. Noire's eyes widened in surprise when the traitor did not recoil away. In fact, Cynthia's touch seemed to help calm him down a little bit. He might not be able to see or hear properly at the moment, but the Force allowed him to know who was nearby.

Noire exhaled as Cynthia gave her another pleading look.

 _Why do I have to be friends with her again?_

Noire yanked on the arrow as hard as she could. The arrow head ripped out of Kage's abdomen. Forcing an enormous scream from the weak man's lungs. Cynthia pounced on the bleeding wound. Pressing her cloth wrapped hands hard over the bloody hole in his gut. Immediately, the fabric turned a dark red color.

"Keep the pressure up." Noire muttered as she marched across her cave over to a small pack she brought with her from the future.

The pack was filled with the basic essentials. A few vulnaries. One of her mother's elixirs. Which she would most definitely not waste on the traitor. Such a luxury must only be used under the most dire of circumstances. And to Noire, Kage's condition was not dire enough.

There were tools for making more arrows. Including some black feathers she brought with her. She would have to do that soon as well. An empty quiver for an archer was practically a death sentence on the battlefield.

There was an extra knife for cooking or for stabbing things. A knife she had yet to use in fact. The sharp edge glinted in a ray of orange sunlight that filtered into the cave. Perhaps she should start wearing both knives on her person?

The last item in the pack was the one thing Noire held closer to her than almost anything else. A small, silver ring with magic runes etched into the band. Her mother's wedding ring. Noire gulped and tore her eyes away from it. If she delved into those memories, she would not save Kage. She would just let him die.

She grabbed one of the vulnaries and marched back over to Kage.

"Let me see it." Noire muttered.

Cynthia gulped and pulled her hands away from the bloody wound. Noire moved quickly. She peeled away the heavy black robes from Kage's body. Cynthia flushed a little bit as she did so. Her embarrassment evaporated when both girls saw the true extent of the wound.

A curse slipped from Noire's lips. Thick, black, veiny lines ran out from the arrow wound as blood continued to leak slowly from it. Criss crossing through his body like a dark spider web. The poison was visible in the arteries and veins. Noire could see it snaking through Kage's body through his pale skin. The archer quickly uncorked the vulnary and dumped half of its contents onto the wound. The liquid sizzled once it hit the wound. Bubbling for a moment, then sinking deep inside of it. It stopped some of the bleeding. But not enough to leave it exposed.

"Get him to drink the rest." Noire said as she started to investigate the wound a little more.

Cynthia took the vulnary from Noire. She crept back towards Kage's face. The back of her hand gently brushed his cheek. She then lightly pressed the cold, glass vial against that same cheek.

Kage uttered a low groan. Cynthia took that as a yes. She placed the vial against his lips and gently tilted it. At the same time, she placed a gentle hand behind Kage's head and tilted him up towards the vial. Kage's lips parted every so slightly as the life saving liquid ran into his mouth and down his throat. A few sputtering coughs left his lungs as he struggled to swallow the healing potion.

"That might slow it down." Noire said as she saw the last few drops run out of the vial. She frowned as she saw the black lines in Kage's veins creep out further from the wound, "This is beyond me." She breathed.

Cynthia looked at Noire wide eyed.

"Don't give me that." Noire replied, "I-I was never that good at magic. You know that. Potions and poisons are magic. Ergo, not my area of expertise." Noire huffed and brushed some more of her sweat soaked hair from her forehead, "I'll... I'll do my best. But only because he means that much to you."

Cynthia gave Noire a thankful smile before she returned her attention to keeping pressure on the wound.

Noire rose from Kage's side and rubbed her chin. This poison moved fast. It attacked the body viciously. Rendering its victim completely helpless. From how Kage reacted to it, it attacked the muscles in the extremities first. Practically paralyzing the victim. Rendering the victim immobile. At that point, it went after the senses. Attacking the eyes and ears. Forcing the victim to live their last agonizing moments in immobile sensory darkness. That is unless the person who fired the arrow did not kill them before that point. It would be a mercy given what Noire saw at the moment.

 _If I knew where exactly I was I might be able to find some herbs to slow the poison._ Noire thought to herself as she rubbed her chin and furrowed her brow. _But Cynthia can't talk. Thanks to a hex most likely. And a few herbs won't stop this poison. Kage will need an actual healer._

And soon too. The poisonous lines slowed with the addition of a vulnary to the traitor's system. That would only last so long. And Noire only had a pair of vulnaries left to work with. Not enough to keep the poison at bay while they traveled for help.

The archer glanced out of the cave's mouth at the large amounts of vegetation surrounding it. There would have to be something she recognized out there. Something with mild healing properties. She wracked her mind. Trying to recall the few lessons her mother managed to teach her on the subject of potions, poisons, and alchemy. But they all were basic lessons. Nothing that would really help her with something as advanced as the poison in Kage's vein.

Nevertheless, she had to try.

"Wait here." Noire said to Cynthia. The archer slung her bow over her shoulder. She did not have any arrows for it, but it would work well as a club in a pinch. And she could use it as a defensive tool while wielding her knife. "I'm going to try and find some herbs."

Cynthia nodded as she used another piece of torn cloth to tighten the makeshift bandage around Kage's wound.

Noire slipped out into the forest. Her eyes gave the sky a nervous glance. It was already growing dark. She would only have an hour or two to work with. Not nearly enough time to gather the herbs she would need to make a proper potion. And she did not want to be wandering an unknown land, in a foreign world, in a strange timeline, at night. That was a recipe for disaster. Especially with both Risen and more bandits prowling about.

Noire gulped. If the Risen found her cave, they would all be dead. So very dead. Cynthia did not have a proper weapon on her. Kage, while powerful, was out of commission at the moment. If she did not manage to make an antidote, then it was likely he would not survive the night. And Noire did not have any arrows to mount an effective defense if they were attacked.

 _We are well and truly screwed right about now. This is starting to look very hopeless._

She sighed and brushed her fingers against the talisman around her neck. A small flicker of confidence rushed through her mind. Noire sucked in a deep breath and focused on the task at hand.

Herbs. She needed herbs. Something that could be easily applied to the arrow wound in order to slow, or even absorb, the poison. She flicked her gaze around at the various ferns and brush around her. Even took a long hard look at some brightly colored flowers that held some potential. But still, there was nothing.

A curse left her lips. She was getting nowhere fast. And the sun had nearly set behind the mountains.

 _I've been such a great help haven't I?_ Noire thought to herself, _Can take out slavers with a barrage of arrows but I am useless at actually saving someone's life. Go figure._

A low, moan swept down from the mountain tops. Noire froze. A frigid wind swept through the dark forest around her. Goosebumps formed on her skin as a chill crept up her spine. The moan crescendoed into a high pitched wail on the wind.

Noire's eyes widened. Fear rocketed through her heart as she caught a pair of ruby red eyes staring at her from the shadows. Another pair of blood red eyes flicked open. Low groans and shrieks sounded out around her.

 _Oh by the Force!_ Noire thought as she swallowed hard.

A small group of Risen emerged from the thick foliage around her. Noire snatched her bow from her shoulder and held it tightly in one hand. Her knife sat ready in the other hand. Not that they would do her much good. The Risen around her were all hulking monsters of some sort. Three were mountainous creatures with large axes that could easily chop her thin bow into twigs. Two more were tall, gangly looking creatures with executioner hoods over their hideous heads. Noire gulped as she saw their legs sink into a gelatinous, shadowy mass near their feet.

Slow moving Risen, but deadly. If she was to survive this, she would have to be nimble. Dodge their attacks and engage in quick strikes that slowly chopped away at their defenses. Noire took a deep breath and brushed her talisman one more time. A wave of courage and confidence surged through her mind as the first Risen took a step towards her.

The first of the tall Risen rushed at her. It's massive, clawed hands swiped at her. Noire ducked and jabbed her knife into its ribs. The Risen uttered a low moan then swiped at her again. A swipe Noire jumped back from.

A warning raced through her mind. Danger behind her! She rolled away as an ax nearly took her head from her shoulders. More fear surged inside of her as she realized the Risen had managed to surround her.

They were tightening the noose. The circle shrank. Limiting her options for avoid their attacks. Noire gulped and lunged at one of the ax wielding Risen. Her knife bit into the monster's chest. The Risen recoiled back. Noire tried to use the small opening she created as an escape route. But a heavy, clawed hand smacked her in the chest and sent her falling hard to the ground.

One of the Risen pressed down on her knife hand with a heavy boot. Terror shot through Noire's heart as she stared up at a death mask. The red eyes glowed mercilessly down at her as its ax rose over her fallen form.

 _So this is out it ends._ She thought as her eyes stared at the razor sharp edge of the ax. _At least I will be reunited with mother and father now._

The ax came thundering down. Noire squeezed her eyes shut and braced for death's embrace. It never came. A wet squelch hit Noire's ears before the ax could bury itself in her slim body.

The archer gasped when she opened her eyes. A hand ax sat embedded in the Risen's mask. The Risen took a few, staggered steps back, then dissipated into a cloud of black ash. The two other ax wielding Risen looked up from Noire's fallen form. A loud battle cry rang out.

A steel ax flashed through the night air. It smashed into a Risen's face. The Risen uttered a loud, death screech before fading away to dust. A wooden staff smacked the two, executioner Risen back. Noire caught sigh of her savior. A rough looking young man wearing black priest robes. The last rays of sunlight revealed some blond hair and a long, thin scar over one of his eyes.

 _And father said there was no such thing as luck._

The priest bashed back the remaining three Risen with his healing staff. Noire smiled a little as she recognized an old friend.

"Thank Naga." She breathed.

"Oh yeah, sure. Thank the dead divine dragon for saving your life." The priest remarked, his voice grainy and gruff.

The archer jumped back up to her feet. A small laugh left her lips as she stood shoulder to shoulder with the intimidating priest.

"It's a figure of speech, Brady." She hummed as she twirled her knife in her hand.

"Excuses, excuses. Ya'll never gave any credit where it was supposed to go." Brady grumbled as he brandished his ax, "We gonna finish these ash faced freaks off or not?"

Noire dashed forward and slashed her knife across the tall Risen's hoods. The blade bit into the sackcloth over its face. The Risen shrieked as it reeled backwards. Brady followed up with a devastating swing of his ax. Nearly cleaving the Risen in two.

Noire ducked as Brady swung his healing staff like a club. The heavy wood staff smacked into the side of the other hooded Risen. Knocking the tall, lanky creature over. Noire jumped from her stooped position and launched her knife into the last ax wielding Risen. The Risen uttered a strangled cry then faded to ash on the wind.

Brady finished off the last Risen with a quick swipe of his steel ax. The Risen let out a low moan then crumbled to ash on the forest floor.

Noire let out a relieved sigh. She wiped some sweat from her brow and replaced her bow over her shoulder.

"You're a lifesaver, Brady." She breathed.

"Oh now ya thank me?" Brady rolled his eyes. He huffed and shook his head,"You're welcome, Noire."

Noire uttered another long exhale before resting her hands on her knees.

"Too close." She muttered, "Way too close."

"What happened to all your arrows?" Brady drawled as he kicked at one of the piles of ash around them.

"Used them." Noire replied, "Slavers tried picking on some friends of ours."

"Friends?" Brady blinked in surprise, "Ya mean the others are nearby too?" He frowned, "How long have ya been here for?"

Noire held up three fingers, "As of right about now, three sleepless days and nights."

"Well shit. No wonder ya didn't see the Risen coming. Your lucky I was keeping an eye on their movements." Brady remarked, "Ya know if Ma heard about you not sleeping again she wouldn't be happy."

"No need to remind me." Noire yawned a little bit, "But I've had Risen on my tail since I got here. No time to sleep when you're hiding from death."

Brady shrugged, "Fair point. Though I wouldn't know much 'bout that. Only just arrived myself." He frowned, "Ah crap! If you arrived earlier than me then that means the ritual got messed up somehow. That or Naga is still bending us over. One of the two."

"Brady! You're supposed to be a priest." Noire shook her head with both slight disappointment and mild amusement.

"Priest? Pfft! Ya think I chose this getup?" Brady remarked as Noire snickered a little bit, "Ah shit you've got your ma's creepy laugh going now. You're definitely outta sorts. You sure you haven't slept for three days? Cause I now think it might be longer than that."

"I'm laughing because I am very happy to see you. And I'm not just out of sorts because I'm tired. The friends I ran into are well-"

Brady arched an eyebrow, "For the love of Naga tell me it isn't Owain and Inigo."

"I wish." Noire muttered, "They'd be easier to deal with in this case. Right now, one of our friends is badly poisoned."

Brady frowned as he leaned against this staff, "What kind of poison?"

Noire shrugged, "I don't know. I used a vulnary to slow it. But now that you're here, he might stand a chance of living." She waved for the priest to follow here, "Come on. I've been hiding out in a cave nearby."

Brady frowned as he followed Noire back towards the cave.

"Creepy laugh and taking up residence in dark caves? Your ma would be proud, Noire." He said with a dry laugh.

"Oh shut up, Brady."

* * *

Cynthia sat down beside Kage. Completely exhausted. This day had gone so horribly wrong so fast. It was hard for her to even wrap her mind around it all. First Kage got sick. That in and of itself was not a good situation. They would have had to slow their journey down in order for him to get healthy again. Which would have taken at least a couple days if Cynthia's initial thoughts on his fever were any indication.

Then she managed to get captured by the very same slavers Yen'fay tasked her and Kage with hunting. Cynthia tucked her legs tight towards her chest. She felt so embarrassed and frustrated about the whole situation. Guilty too. If she had not gotten caught, then Kage would not have chased after her. He would have never been shot by a poisoned arrow. They would not be in this mess.

Thank Naga Noire found them when she did. Otherwise they both would not have escaped the slavers. Kage probably would have been killed. And she would have been sold as a slave to some nobleman. Forced to do unspeakable things that made her tremble.

Kage uttered a weak groan next to her. He was fighting so hard right now. Cynthia could see him struggling with everything he had to remain conscious. His eyes were glazed over. If she moved a hand over his face, he would not see it. He could not hear anything either. Noire attempted to speak to him before he had been reduced to this state. And he did not notice.

The only indicators that he was still alive were the shallow rise and fall of his chest, and his subtle reactions to Cynthia's occasional touch. She reached over and placed a trembling hand on his forehead. The fever had started to rise again. That would only make his condition worse. She flicked her eyes down to his exposed abdomen. The makeshift bandages she made from the hem of her skirt were soaked with blood now. And the dark lines that ran out from the wound nearly reached his chest.

Cynthia gulped. If those black rivers of poison reached his heart, what would happen? Would Kage die? She shook her head.

 _I cannot start thinking like that. He won't die._ Cynthia thought as she glanced over at the suffering man, _He can't die. He's like Luci. He can't die._

His breathing grew more shallow as time passed. Whenever she checked his temperature, his movements became less and less strong. At first, he'd recoil before realizing it was her hand checking him. Now, he barely twitched. Kage was losing the fight.

 _Noire where are you?_

Cynthia looked out of the cave's mouth. Night had taken over the sky. Stars sat high over the mountain peaks nearby. A smiling crescent moon shone still, pale light onto the forest floor. She could hear a small breeze whistling past the cave. The rustle of the trees and ferns in the wind would have been soothing if she was not so worried.

Kage had been the first friend she encountered since arriving back in time. While their meeting could have gone better (she laughed to herself a little bit as she recalled his exasperation with her actions), it gave her tremendous relief to know that she was not alone in this timeline anymore. And true, he had been grumpy, mean, downright horrible at first. But once that initial anger faded away, Kage was still Kage. A grumpier version to be sure. But he still cared. He still fought for those close to him.

Cynthia reached over and intertwined his fingers with her own. His hands felt so cold compared to her own. It was as if the life was being sucked right out of him by the terrible poison.

 _Maul does not control you, Kage._ She thought as she recalled how hard he fought for her against the slavers. How he came rushing to rescue her despite his own illness. Despite being wounded, he still fought on. How he fought tooth and nail to help his sister Say'ri, even though those actions would lead to a different future for his younger self. One where he likely would not grow as powerful as he was now. Cynthia saw his heart in those actions. Saw the good shattering the evil chains Maul placed on him.

 _You…_ She felt some tears well up in her eyes as she watched his breathing slow down, _You can't die, Kage._ She swallowed hard and held his hand tighter, _Who else is going to put up with my clumsiness and antics?_ She choked a little as his own grip started to slacken, _Who is going to help me reunite the Justice Cabal? It can't be reunited if you're gone._

Footsteps echoed through the cave. Cynthia's teary eyes flicked up to the cave's mouth. Her heart soared as she saw Noire step back inside. It sank just as quickly when she noticed nothing in her hands except her bow and her knife.

Just as the hope left Cynthia's heart, a gruff, intimidating voice shot through the darkness. A voice that made her want to jump up and down with joy.

"Aw hell it's you two!" Brady cried out in the darkness.

If Cynthia could cry loudly she would have. Tears started to run down her cheeks as she saw Brady slowly stalk into the cave. A look of pure annoyance and disdain on his face. His sharp eyes narrowed at both Cynthia and Kage.

"Do I have to?" He asked Noire. He pointed his staff at Kage, "Because I know exactly who that prick is and what he did."

"So do I, Brady." Noire breathed, "But he has been in this timeline longer than us. He knows where we are and how we can find the others."

"Cynthia would know."

Cynthia sniffled and gave Brady a small wave.

"Well damn, time travel made her quiet." Brady snorted, "I'd never thought I'd see the day."

Cynthia frowned at him.

"No, she's been hexed." Noire muttered, "And if I were to take a guess, I would say my mother is responsible for it."

Brady blinked, "Your ma is nearby?" He shivered, "Oh gods, please don't tell me that. I'm having a hard enough time as it is right now."

"My mother is not _that_ scary." Noire frowned as she folded her arms over her chest.

"Says her beloved child." Brady said dryly.

Cynthia frantically waved at both of them and pointed to Kage. Brady rolled his eyes and let out a weary sigh.

"Fine." He grumbled, "I'll heal the bastard."

Cynthia clapped her hands. Accidentally clapping the back of Kage's hand as well in the process. Kage let out a small groan as his hand started to sting. Cynthia jumped and cringed. She ran a gentle hand along his forehead. Calming him down.

"Alright," Brady knelt down near Kage's waist, "Let's take a… whoa."

His rough fingers ran over Kage's torso. One finger ran a line from the thickets black branch in his veins down towards the blood soaked bandages.

"What in the hell?" Brady frowned, "How'd he get this shit in his system?"

"Arrow wound." Noire shrugged, "And if you want my opinion, it was a long time coming."

Cynthia frowned at Noire.

"It's true." Noire replied nonchalantly.

"Maybe so, but this is a brutal way to go out." Brady mumbled as he pulled the bandages back. He wrinkled his nose in disgust as he saw the bloody wound, "Damn." He looked up at Kage, "You couldn't have dodged it you son of bitch?"

"He can't hear you." Noire sighed as she gathered up some firewood from near her travel pack.

Brady blinked, "Cynthia can't talk. And this asshole can't hear me?" He began to cackle, "Oh Naga, this might be a dream come true."

Cynthia lashed out with a fist. Her armored hand managed to slam right into Brady's cheek. The priest reeled back and let out a loud groan.

"Aw hell!" He rubbed his bruised jaw, "Geez!" Brady spat out some blood from his mouth, "That ain't a way to convince me to keep working, ya know."

Cynthia stuck her tongue out at him.

"Now your just being rude."

"For Naga's sake Brady!" Noire snapped, "Get to work already!"

Brady flinched a little bit as Noire's more aggressive side bared its teeth. He threw his hands up defensively.

"Alright, alright. Don't kill the priest now." Brady let out a heavy sigh, "Can't a fellow have an opinion nowadays? Naga above." He muttered as he returned his focus to Kage's wound, "Symptoms Noire?"

"Loss of strength in the muscles." Noire explained as she tried to spark a fire, "Trouble breathing, intense fever, loss of sight." Noire huffed as she struggled to get sparks going, "Need I go on?"

Brady whistled, "Hoo boy. That's pretty bad."

He held his staff over Kage's still body. The gem at the top of the staff glowed a bright green color as healing magic poured into Kage.

Cynthia watched with growing anxiety. Her eyes remained fixed on Kage's chest and eyes. As more healing magic poured into him, she noticed his breathing become stronger. His eyes were not as glazed over. They held some life to them now. He flicked his gaze around for a moment.

"Wh-where?"

"Knock him out." Brady ordered Cynthia.

Cynthia's jaw fell open as she stared at Brady in shock.

"Well?" Brady nodded at Kage as he started to panic next to Cynthia, "Do I need to do it myself? I'd be more than happy to."

Cynthia shook her head. She was responsible for Kage's condition. So she would be the one to deal with his wrath once he woke up. Before Kage could try to lift his head and figure out where he was at, Cynthia cracked him across the jaw. His body went limp on the cave floor.

Cynthia glared over at Brady. And to her utter shock, she saw him giggling uncontrollably.

"You're too damn gullible, ya know that?"

Cynthia gave Brady an appalled look. In the background, Noire snickered quietly as she finally got a fire started. The warm glow of flames helped brighten the mood in the cave. There was something about a warm fire that always raised Cynthia's spirits. Even in desperate moments such as this one.

Brady pressed his lips together then exhaled. He lowered his staff and let out a tired sigh. One of his hands ran through his short, blond hair.

"Well…" He smacked his lips together, "Without good medical supplies, that's gonna be the best I can do." He nodded at Cynthia, "We need to get him to the nearest village for proper treatment."

Cynthia nodded. She moved away from Kage and went to go whistle for her Pegasus. She stopped halfway and stomped a foot into the ground when she realized she would not be able to call for her noble steed.

Noire shook her head. Why did her mother have to go and place such a complex hex on Cynthia? The Pegasus Knight must have really done something to upset her. Noire sighed and walked over to Cynthia.

"It can probably wait for a night." Noire said as she wrapped a reassuring arm around Cynthia's shoulders.

"Hate to break it to ya both, but it can't wait." Brady called over, "I need good potions for his condition yesterday."

Noire rolled her eyes, "I'm trying to comfort her, Brady!"

"Well comfort her later. Go find her pegasus." He nudged Kage's limp foot with his boot, "And this idiot's horse too. When you do find 'em, I'm gonna have to take this dumbass to the closest village. He needs my healing staff near him at all times at this point. Ya'll fly ahead and alert the healers in the closest village. By the way, where are we?"

Cynthia made a 'V' with two of her fingers. Noire blinked in surprise. Brady let out a frustrated cry and ran his hands over his eyes.

"Valm! We're in Valm!" Brady cried, "How'd the hell did we end up in Valm?" He shook a fist at the cave's roof, "You just love jerking our chain don't ya, Naga!"

"Brady." Noire sighed. She pinched the bridge of her nose and shook her head, "Where in Valm, Cynthia?"

Cynthia made a few frantic hand signals.

"Common tongue please!" Brady snarked.

Cynthia stomped her foot and stuck her tongue out at brady.

"And ya'll call me the rude one." The priest snorted.

Cynthia let out a frustrated huff. She pointed at Kage then drew out a house in the air with her fingers.

"Kage's home?" Noire guessed. Cynthia nodded, "Chon'sin!"

Cynthia smiled.

Noire gulped, "Please… please Cynthia, be honest with me. Have you run into Lady Say'ri?"

Cynthia nodded with a big, innocent grin on her face.

"Does she know?"

Cynthia blinked and nodded again.

"We're surrounded by idiots, Noire!" Brady hollered as he listened in on the conversation.

"Oh… Cynthia…" Noire shook her head and rubbed her eyes with one hand, "Why? Just why?"

Cynthia started to make a flurry of signals again.

Noire held up a hand, "Explain when you have a pen and paper. For now, we need to get Kage to a healer. I'm guessing Koto is the closest major settlement?"

Cynthia nodded.

"That means these are the Kiba mountains." Noire muttered to herself, "The city is roughly three days east from here, as the crow flies."

"Then ya'll got no time to lose." Brady noted, "Hurry up and find that flying horse thingy and dumbass's black steed. And I know it is black because this idiot is just that predictable." He nudged Kage's still form again.

Noire huffed. Brady, always the person to tell it how he saw it and not give a damn what anyone else thought about his opinion. Except when it came to his mother. Then it was her way or no way. Noire snickered. If Cynthia had already run into her mother, then that meant there was a chance Brady would run into his.

 _Oh that is going to be fun._ Noire thought with a dark snicker.

"Stop laughing like that!" Brady shouted as the two women rushed out of the cave and sprinted off towards Kage and Cynthia's campsite, "You're gonna creep me out!"

They did not hear him. Both girls disappeared into the dark forest surrounding the cave. Brady uttered a long sigh as he leaned heavily against his healing staff. He glanced back at Kage limp form.

The poison had stopped spreading. As long as Brady pumped some healing magic into his body, it would stay stagnant in his veins. Might even retreat back towards the wound a little bit. But a healing staff could only do so much with a poison this lethal. He still wondered how a group of slavers came across something so potent. They would have had to get the poison from a dangerous mage. No way any common thug could make something like that.

He ran a hand through his short hair again and strode back over to the warm fire. Brady took a seat and stared into the flames as he waited for the girls to return with the mounts.

 _Noire and Cynthia will fly ahead to prepare the healers. And I'll make sure the idiot lives on the way there._ He let out an annoyed breath as he placed another log into the fire. _Three days of non-stop riding to save that traitor. When did I become so generous?_

A low groan left Kage's lips as he lay across the cave. Brady glanced back at the wounded man.

"Even after traveling through time, you're still a royal pain in my ass."

Brady sniffed as he thought more about Kage's wound. The wound could not have happened to a more deserving person in his opinion. The poisoning was a bit much. But if anyone deserved to get shot by an arrow, it was that bastard lying across the cave from him.

Brady reached into a small pouch at his side and withdrew a small flask filled with his last stash of firewine. He raised a small toast in the air.

"To karma."

* * *

The worry in Yen'fay's heart had not died away one bit. A few hours ago, Cynthia came screaming through the skies over Koto. The silent girl landed her pegasus in the middle of the Palace courtyard and rushed towards his study in an absolute frenzy. Leaving her new companion behind.

When she burst into his office, she quickly scribbled "Kage's poisoned." on a scrap of paper. At that point, Yen'fay demanded to know where he was. Which is when she tried to explain that he was a few hours behind them with a healer friend. And of course, he could not make sense of her frantic, incomprehensible hand motions.

Thankfully her friend, Noire, could speak. The calm, brown haired woman explained that another one of their friends, a priest named Brady, was riding towards Koto with Kage. The two young men were a couple hours behind them since Cynthia's pegasus could fly faster than Kage's horse could gallop.

And so, after ordering healers to prepare for Kage's (or Luke as the servants and other palace residents knew him) arrival, Yen'fay marched to the steps leading up to the palace and waited. Hands folded behind his back. Doing his absolute best to appear calm and composed despite the worry in his heart.

Cynthia wanted to wait with him. But he ordered her to go get some rest. She just finished flying for three days straight. It would do no one any good if she collapsed from exhaustion on the palace steps. The healers needed to be focused on his gravely wounded little brother at the moment.

Noire managed to convince Cynthia to go rest in the end. Say'ri paid the pegasus knight a visit before leaving to oversee the preparations in Kage's room. That left Yen'fay alone last person that was not a servant in the palace, Noire.

The girl was a quiet one. She had not spoken a word to Yen'fay beyond informing him of Kage's condition and his location. Yen'fay himself was not much for starting conversation. But in this instance, he felt like he had to. He had to know who resided under his roof.

"Noire?"

The weary young woman glanced over at him.

"Shouldn't you be resting?" Yen'fay asked.

Noire shook her head, "I slept a little bit on Cynthia's pegasus. I'll be fine for a few more-" She uttered a loud yawn, "minutes. Besides, I need to make sure Brady didn't do anything stupid."

Yen'fay arched an eyebrow. Noire's shoulders sagged.

"He's not Ka-" Noire caught herself. Yen'fay had told her about the situation regarding Kage's name, "Luke's biggest fan."

Yen'fay inclined his head. So his hunch was correct. Brady and Noire already knew both Kage and Cynthia long before their encounter near the border. Which meant these two were also children from the future. Who's children? He would not ask. That was private information best kept to themselves. If they wished to reveal such a secret, then it would be their prerogative. But Yen'fay would not pry into such matters.

"How long has Cynthia and Luke been here?" Noire asked Yen'fay.

Yen'fay took a deep breath, "They have resided in the palace for a while now. As for when they arrived in Valm," Yen'fay shrugged, "I know Luke arrived roughly one year ago. Although," He leaned closer to Noire so only she could hear him, "He actually arrived in this time nearly four years ago."

Noire blinked. That made sense to her. It would explain why he aged the same as the others. Plus, the ritual he and Maul used was nowhere near as precise as Naga's. So there it was highly unlikely they arrived at the point in time they wanted to arrive at.

"And Cynthia?" Noire whispered.

"Nearly a year ago." Yen'fay nodded back.

Noire's eyes widened. Naga's ritual was not as precise either. That was not good. How many of the others would just fall into this time without any idea where they were. Let alone what point in the timeline they arrived in? They all expected to arrive in the past together. At a point just before the death of Exalt Emmeryn and the start of the war with Plegia. None of them expected to become separated as they passed through the time portal.

Noire rubbed her forehead.

"Great. Time shenanigans." She grumbled, "My father always told me there was no such thing as luck or coincidences. I'm starting to think he was very wrong."

Yen'fay chuckled, "And how do you know this coincidence really is a coincidence?"

Noire narrowed her eyes at the Chon'sin general, "Fate really is that fickle, isn't it?"

Yen'fay nodded, "So I have noticed."

Both paused as they heard hooves pounding towards them. Yen'fay glanced up from Noire. His heart jumped to his throat.

Riding at full gallop towards the palace was a priest on a black horse. Sitting in front of him in the saddle, body limp, face pale as a ghost, was Yen'fay's little brother.

It took all of Yen'fay's self control in order to restrain himself from charging down the steps towards his brother. The horse bounded up the steps towards the palace doors. As the priest and Kage reached the top of the steps, the palace healers came rushing out with a stretcher in tow.

 _So this is Cynthia's priest friend, Brady._ Yen'fay thought as he eyed the exhausted, brutish looking young man, _He does not look much like a priest of Naga._

Brady handed Kage's limp body off to the healers. Yen'fay sent a long glance at his little brother as he was rushed off to his room to be treated. He knew he could not follow. The healers needed space to work. The last thing they needed was him hovering over their actions.

Brady uttered a long, weary sigh as he slid off of Kage's horse. As his feet touched the ground, he planted his staff into the stone walkway and leaned heavily against it.

"Naga, I'm beat." He breathed as he rubbed his neck, "Ya'll have any idea how exhausting it is to ride full gallop for three straight days?" He snorted, "Bastard's lucky I consider Cynthia a friend."

Yen'fay frowned. Brady really did have a low opinion of his little brother. He would have to find out why.

" _Luke_ is lucky indeed." Noire nodded, emphasizing Kage's fake identity.

Brady appeared puzzled, "Luke?"

"A mercenary in my household. The one you rescued in fact." Yen'fay spoke up, "It is the name he wishes to use around here."

Brady eyed the taller man. His thin lips pulled into a tight frown.

"Who's the stiff guy?" He asked Noire as he jabbed a lazy thumb at Yen'fay.

Noire leaned up to Brady's ear and whispered a reply. Brady paled and uttered a loud gulp.

"Aw shit- I mean-" He cleared his throat and executed a perfect bow, "How ya doing, Lord Yen'fay?"

Noire facepalmed, "General." She corrected Brady, "It's General Yen'fay."

"It is?"

Yen'fay uttered an amused chuckle. He clasped a hand on Brady's shoulder.

"Titles do not matter to me. And I should be bowing to you. You saved Luke's life. I am in your debt." Yen'fay nodded to both Noire and Brady, "Now, you both must be exhausted. There are rooms ready for both of you. Go rest. I will come and fetch you when Luke is healed and awake."

Noire nodded and uttered another loud yawn.

"Thank you very much, General." She said before sleepily walking back into the palace.

"Yeah uh-" Brady shrugged, "Thanks uh- sir?"

Yen'fay gave the rough priest a small smile as he walked into the palace. The General waited for a moment and cast a wary glance around him.

No one else nearby. Good. That meant no one heard his and Noire's conversation. The less people knew about the future, the better. He turned on his heel and strode towards his study. There was no way he could sleep tonight. Not until he knew if Kage would live or not. And if he could not sleep, then he would work. There was nothing wrong with getting a head start on tomorrow's affairs.

* * *

Cynthia sat out in the courtyard. A week had passed since her and her friends managed to bring Kage safely back to the palace in Koto. One very long week since Kage nearly died.

The Pegasus knight gulped as she sat on a stone bench beside the large pond in the palace courtyard. Her bare feet rested in the carefully manicured grass around the pond. A cloudy sky sat over her head. She sniffed the air and let out a long sigh.

Another rainy day in Chon'sin.

 _I should probably get indoors soon._ She thought.

But she did not want to. This courtyard, the bench next to the pond, it had become her thinking place. Because in the past week, she had been doing a lot of thinking. It was all that she really could do since she could not talk to the others.

Noire spent most of her days training near the Koto barracks. Perfecting her skills in archery. Brady bounced back and forth between helping tend to Kage and replenishing his own supply of healing reagents. Neither really paid much attention to her. How could they? She could not talk to them. Could not communicate effectively. She managed to tell them where Lucina was. And that so far, the Shepherds were completely unaware of who they really were. But beyond that, she did not know much regarding their other friends and their whereabouts.

And while she was concerned about her fellow time travelers, most of her worry still lay with Kage. Two days after undergoing treatment for his poisoning, he woke up. Cynthia tried to barge into his room to see him. But a guard remained posted outside of the door. Kage- Luke- did not want to see anyone. Only General Yen'fay and the healers were permitted inside his room.

Cynthia scowled as she folded her hands in her lap. Letting them rest in the soft, silk fabric of the kimono around her body. The quiet trickle of water running into the pond from a small brook filled her ears. It helped calm her mind.

So what if Kage did not want to see her? It's not like she cared. Cynthia nodded to herself and folded her arms over her chest.

An ache rushed through her heart.

 _Who am I kidding?_ She hung her head. _I do care._

Her thinking place allowed her plenty of peace and quiet to really think about how much she cared. There were very few people in the world who could tolerate her antics. She knew that. Lucina was one of them. But she did so out of sisterly love more than actual tolerance. The rest of the Justice Cabal tolerated her because, well, great minds think alike. Noire and Brady considered her a friend. But even in the future, they weren't extremely close.

And in this timeline, Kage had been the only one to put up with her. Even Say'ri could only put up with Cynthia so much when she had her voice. And Say'ri was her closest thing to a friend in this timeline.

She brushed some of her blue hair from her forehead. She went without the pigtails today. A little change in her appearance never hurt anyone. It actually felt kind of nice to let her hair down for once. She felt a little bit like Lucina in a way.

 _Luci's hair is always so pretty._

Cynthia pressed her lips together. Despite her best attempts to distract her mind, she could not stop thinking about him. The ache in her chest continued to grow. She did not know what it could be. Was it hurt because he did not want to see her? Was it something else? Did she eat something bad and was now having gas? Naga she hoped not. That would be embarrassing.

She chuckled to herself as a few koi fish swam near her. She smiled down at the curious fish.

 _Everything here is so beautiful and elegant._

A soft breeze brushed through the courtyard. The water rippled before her eyes. Her reflection shifted. When the water stopped moving, she noticed Kage's reflection beside her.

Cynthia froze as he took a seat beside her.

He said nothing. Absolutely nothing. Cynthia gulped and glanced over at him. The only thing covering his torso were the thick bandages around his abdomen. Simple, comfortable pants covered his legs. He also wore no shoes as his toes curled up in the grass.

He looked so much healthier now. Cynthia let out a relieved sigh at that fact. For someone who nearly died a week ago, he appeared to be well on the mend.

Her cheeks flushed a little bit as she noticed her eyes wandering along his form. She gulped and averted her gaze back to the pond. Her hands folded tight in her lap.

"I suppose I owe you an apology." Kage said quietly.

Cynthia arched an eyebrow.

"I-" Kage took a deep breath as he gathered his thoughts, "I swore to protect you and I failed. For that I am sorry."

Cynthia stared at him in shock. When did he swear to protect her? Her heart thumped in her chest. Was that a promise he made to himself?

Kage pursed his lips. He let out an awkward breath, "If Yen'fay found out I'm not in bed resting he'll throttle me."

He abruptly got up and swiftly marched back over to his room. Cynthia blinked.

That's it? That was all he had to say? A small apology then he marched back to his room? Cynthia exhaled and jumped to her feet. She rushed after him. Managing to slip into his room just before he could slide the door shut.

Kage uttered a sigh as he looked down at her, "Cynthia… look I-"

Cynthia held up a hand. She pointed a hand at her chest then pointed Kage's bandaged abdomen.

Kage arched an eyebrow.

"Your fault?" He shook his head, "No, this is not your fault. You-" Kage snorted as he shut the door to his room. This conversation required some privacy. Once he shut the door, he hobbled over to his mat and sat down on it, "There was no way you could have known that the slavers found us."

Cynthia adamantly shook her head. She followed Kaga and took a seat across from her. She crossed her legs and pointed at herself again. She made a few swiping motions in the air with her other hand.

"You should have fought them off?" Kage smiled a little bit, "If you managed to do that, I would have been impressed."

Cynthia flushed a little bit. When did he get such a nice smile? Cynthia gulped and shrugged awkwardly.

The moment in the tent flashed through her mind again as the ache in her chest grew. The goodnight kiss she gave him. Something she did without thinking. It still bounced around in her head. And every time it did, she felt herself drawn to Kage more and more.

She swallowed hard and gave Kage a nervous look.

"You're um," Kage scratched the back of his head as a light blush rushed over his cheeks, "You're thinking about the tent, aren't you?"

Cynthia's face went bright red. Her heart thumped hard in her chest. Both excitement and extreme nervousness rushed through her veins.

She uttered a frustrated huff and yanked at her hair.

 _GAH! WHAT IS GOING ON WITH ME!?_

Kage laughed. Cynthia froze. She watched a he leaned back onto his elbows and kept chuckling.

"You know something Cynthia," Kage took a breath and winced a little bit from the lingering pain in his wound, "You are… you are not all that bad."

His laugh was infectious at that moment. Cynthia could feel her heart practically beating out of her chest. Her face would not stop blushing as she looked at her closest friend. A thought came to her mind that made a nervous shudder run though her.

 _Do I like Kage?_

Not like… but like like. She mentally smacked herself. If anyone else heard her describe it like that then they would have laughed in her face. Hell, Kage would have laughed in her face.

"Cynthia I-" Kage swallowed hard, "Can I be honest with you?"

Cynthia paled a little bit. She nodded and waited for the nervous man to continue.

"In all my years of fighting bandits, Risen, and whatever else the world decided to throw at us," Kage said, "I don't think I've ever been as scared as when those slavers took you."

She could see him struggling with his words. Kage was an extremely prideful person. Cynthia knew that better than almost anyone else. For him to admit anything like this took a lot of strength on his part.

"I-" Kage swallowed hard again, "Damn this is difficult. But…" He shifted in his seat, "Look Cynthia, I… I wanted to thank you actually, back out there in the courtyard. But I didn't know how exactly to do it." He sighed, "So I just let my idiot mouth start running. Kind of like it is doing now." He shook his head, "The point is, I wanted to thank you. You-" He exhaled, "You stuck by me. I know I owe my life to Brady and Noire. But I owe it even more to you. If not for you, they would not have worked to save my life. They only see me as what I probably am. An evil man." He let out a shuddering breath, "But…. you don't see me that way. And I don't know if it's because you're just that kind or that damn naive but-"

Cynthia placed her fingers on his mouth to stop him from speaking. Kage had to thank her for that. He was about to shove his foot so far into his mouth he would have ended up choking on it.

Cynthia let her hand fall from his lips. Her innocent eyes looked deep into his own. Then she craned her head forward.

Kage's eyes widened for a split second as their lips met. A tender kiss that left the Sith Lord frozen in his seat. Cynthia pulled back after a second and glanced at him.

"How was that?"

Kage blinked. Cynthia gasped.

"Did I just-" Cynthia's hands flew to her cheek as an excited gasp escaped her lungs, "I DID!" She pumped a hand in the air, "Yes! I'm back!"

Her cheeks turned bright red as Kage lunged towards her and pressed his lips to her own. Without a second thought, she melted into the kiss

Her arms hooked around his neck as the kiss grew more fervent. Outside, raindrops started pelting against the palace walls.

Kage uttered a small gasp as they pulled apart. Cynthia heart fluttered hard in her chest as she stared into his burning yellow eyes. Hot coals that made her chest heave up and down.

"I'm um," Kage gulped, "Well, that's something I never thought I would do. Least of all with-"

"Kage."

"Hm?"

She kissed him again as she pulled his body tighter to hers.

"Stop making a fool of yourself and keep kissing me."

Thunder rumbled outside. Both of them heard Brady utter a loud curse from the corridor as a loud thunderclap surprised him. They chuckled as they fell onto Kage's mat. Neither of them noticed the storm raging over their heads. How could they. Both had finally found someone that could stand their antics.

Cynthia smiled as she lay with Kage.

The Justice Cabal was going to have a King and Queen

 **And chapter! Our favorite foul tempered, foul mouthed, priest of Naga has arrived folks! Thankfully too. Otherwise, Kage was probably not going to make it.**

 **Well, this was an interesting chapter to say the least. A tough one to write too. I don't have a whole lot of experience writing romance stuff per say. And this one was even tougher because there was not as much buildup to Kage and Cynthia as there was for Tharja and Ben. That being said, this is one of my favorite pairings I thought of. It's like Tharja and Ben. I don't know why, I don't know how, but it really works in the end. Besides, Cynthia is definitely reckless enough to make a move on Kage like this. Also, I found it kind of cute that Cynthia's hex got broken by a true love's kiss situation. That was a fun little spin on the hex. Anyways, I hope I did a halfway decent job at their romance you guys. And if there is anything I can improve upon, let me know.**

 **Anyways, this chapter wraps up Kage's side of the story before the Valm war. We will get one more Ben chapter pre-Valm before the start of the next major arc in this story. And I am very excited! There will be hardships, friendships, love… loss. I can't wait!  
Let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	74. Breaking of the Shepherds

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 74

Breaking of the Shepherds

Robin grit his teeth as he readied himself across from Ben. Practice sword nestled tight, but comfortable in his hands. A fine sheen of sweat already layered his brow. The dirt in the training yard outside of the Shepherd's barracks pock marked with boot prints. Disturbed by the two training soldiers sweeping movements through the area.

Off to the side, Marth watched the pair work with interest. Robin could not help but notice a sudden change in her behavior. When they all returned from Valm, Marth had been extremely distant. Quiet and aloof. She did not speak to anyone and did not ask to be spoken too. She often faded into the background of the lively Shepherd social gatherings in the barracks.

That changed a couple months ago. Right around the same time as the incident, as Robin came to call it.

It was still a bit of a mystery. After the carnival, guards came sprinting up to him and Chrom as they made their way back to the palace. Residents near the Academy reported a violent disturbance. Strange lights, noises, and shouting. Both the royal monarch and the tactician went to investigate.

Robin furrowed his brow as he waited for Ben to make the first move.

The scene of the disturbance had been strange to say the least. Strange scorch marks had littered the road and walls of the Academy. There was evidence of dark magic casted in the area. At first, both he and Chrom worried some of the academy mages had an experiment go awry.

The next morning they both learned Ben and Tharja had been attacked by something. Ben had been very careful in how he answered their questions. Tharja acted the same way. Not revealing very much other than an assassin attempted to take both her and Ben out. And he used a strange weapon in his attack. Beyond that, no major details. Apparently, Marth drove off the assassin before any serious injuries could be dealt to Ben and Tharja.

The explanation of events still did not sit well with Robin. There was more to the incident than Ben, Tharja, and Marth revealed. But those three were the most stubborn people the tactician knew. They would not reveal any more information unless they wanted to. No amount of questions, coercing, or sweet talking could change that.

So, Robin dropped the subject quickly. Chrom did not. He and Frederick still had an investigation ongoing. No one would get away with trying to kill one of the Shepherds in Chrom's city. The ruler of Ylisse was determined to find and bring the perpetrators to justice.

Robin hoped that something would turn up in the investigation. It worried the tactician that an assassin had so easily slipped into Ylisstol. The assassin could have easily been targeting Chrom or Sumia instead of Ben and Tharja.

Ben lunged at Robin. Tearing the tactician from his thoughts. He quickly backpedaled as he parried a flurry of strikes from the superior swordsman.

"Good. Very good." Ben said as he swept low. Slashing at Robin's shins.

Robin jumped over the attack. Once he landed, he pressed an attack against Ben.

Anytime Robin dueled Ben, he had to marvel at the way Ben fought. Ben's defensive style was nigh impenetrable. No flashy movements or fancy parries. Just pure basics. Easy deflections that required minimal movement. Anytime he watched Ben work, Robin's mind furiously studied his movements.

 _If the assassin had encountered an armed Ben Kenobi, he would have stood zero chance of escaping._ Robin thought.

Honestly, the bastard was extremely lucky Ben had been unarmed for the incident. He saw Ben's silent fury when he mentioned Tharja had been injured in the attack. Robin had only ever seen Ben get angry once. That was during the war with Plegia. When Chrom pressed Ben for not divulging more details regarding Maul. And now that Robin knew about the Force, thinking back to that moment terrified him. He understood the true scope of Ben's powers now. If Ben ever truly unleashed himself, it would be a terrifying sight to behold.

A sharp pain snapped through Robin's hip as Ben's blunt blade smacked against him. Robin jumped back and let out a loud howl. His hand rushed towards his hip as he rubbed a growing, red welt beneath his coat.

Ben shook his head as Robin paced a few steps. Hopping every so often as the sharp pain in his hip turned into a dull ache.

"Your mind is distracted." Ben critiqued as he waited for Robin to ready up again.

Marth clicked her tongue, "You can't be distracted when facing someone like Ben. That is a quick way to being defeated."

Robin rolled his eyes, "My hip is painfully aware of that." He rolled his left shoulder, "And so is my still aching shoulder."

Ben frowned. Robin cocked an eyebrow as the swordsman set his blade to the side.

"I think that might be enough for today." Ben breathed.

"No, no." Robin waved a hand as he sucked in a deep breath, "I can keep going."

"Breaks are important, Robin." Marth pointed out as she rose from her seat, "Besides, if a blow to your hip won't fix your distracted mind, nothing will right now."

Robin glanced back and forth between Ben and Marth.

"When did I get two teachers?" He remarked dryly.

Ben chuckled, "When you went to Marth behind my back in order to learn about the force."

Robin cringed, "Yeah… I'm still sorry about that."

Ben shook his head and patted Robin on the shoulder, "You don't have to worry so much, Robin."

He waved for the tactician to follow him over to a bench. As they sat down, Marth passed both a skin a water. Robin took it and gratefully gulped down the cool liquid. A satisfied sigh left his lips as he pulled the water skin away from his mouth and passed it over to Ben.

What baffled Robin the most right now was how unconcerned Ben seemed about the incident. Sure, to him it might be old news. It happened several months ago now at this point. But anyone else would have been much more paranoid about an assassin trying to kill him and a loved one. Robin could not get it out of his mind. Ben was one of his closest friends. And it worried him that someone wanted him dead.

But who? Perhaps a disgruntled Plegian leader? That was a possibility. Ben had been a prominent figure in the Ylissean army during the war. But if that was the case, then why were no assassins coming after himself and Chrom? They were the biggest decision makers in the war. And as far as Robin was aware, there were no similar incidents regarding Khans Flavia and Basilio up in Regna Ferox.

No, whoever went after Ben and Tharja did so for personal reasons. For some reason, Robin's mind continued to wander to Maul. Could another one of Ben's old enemies from his Jedi days be after him?

Robin gulped, _Could it be Sidious._

Ben mentioned that the Dark Lord of the Sith was still out there. Hunting for him and any other surviving Jedi. Did he finally find Ben and decided to kill him from the shadows in order to avoid suspicion? Judging from how the Sith Lord took down the Jedi Order, that would fit his pattern. Sidious was a puppet master. Preferring to have others do his dirty work while he did the scheming. But that did not mean he was not powerful in his own right. Both Ben and Dooku worried about him. Feared him even.

"Robin?" Ben said, snapping Robin out of his mind again.

"Yeah?"

"What is distracting you?" Ben asked, some genuine concern on his face.

"Meet a pretty girl?" Marth joked.

Robin sputtered, "N-no I-"

Marth laughed a little bit, "I'm just kidding, Robin. There is no need to become embarrassed." She leaned back next to Ben, "I'm curious too though. You have been extremely distracted when training as of late."

Robin let out a heavy sigh and rubbed the back of his neck, "Can you blame me?" He nodded at Ben, "I'm still reeling from the fact that an assassin tried to kill you and Tharja."

A weary sigh left Ben's lungs, "It is nothing to worry about. The assassin is gone. Marth drove him off."

"Gave him a few wounds to worry about as he ran." Marth shrugged, "I would not be surprised if he died in a ditch somewhere."

"That is besides the point you guys." Robin rose to his feet, "An assassin came after you, Ben!"

Ben appeared rather nonchalant, "I am a member of the Shepherds, Robin. An organization that works directly for Prince Chrom. That makes me a prominent person in the Halidom. Prominent people will have threats against their life. There is no escaping from that fact."

"I thought that at first too." Robin countered, "But no one has gone after myself or Chrom. And we are the decision makers in the group. I'm the tactician. He's the military leader and ruling monarch for crying out loud. Not one assassination attempt against us." Robin shook his head, "Whoever went after you did so for personal reasons. And-" Robin gulped, "And I'm starting to worry that Sidious might have found you."

Marth furrowed her brow in confusion. Ben glanced at Robin. Gaze mostly undisturbed.

"It is not Sidious." Ben replied with a small shake of his head.

"How do you know that?" Robin asked, some frustration mounting in his voice.

"If it was Sidious, the assassin would have succeeded. And the attempt would not have been executed so clumsily." Ben rested back against the barracks wall as he sat on the bench, "For all we know, I was mistaken for somebody else and the assassin was after another person entirely."

Robin shook his head, "I don't believe that for a second."

Ben sighed, "Robin-"

"No, Ben. You and Tharja are my friends." Robin argued back, "As my friends, it is my job to worry about you two. Someone wants you dead, Ben. And the only person that I can think of is Sidious." Robin stared hard at Ben, "You need to go to Chrom and talk to him about the guy."

"Who is Sidious?" Marth asked, still puzzled.

Ben was about to reply by saying Sidious was an old enemy. But he held his tongue. Saying that phrase would be just the right thing to set Marth off at the moment.

"A very dangerous individual." Ben replied carefully, "I will explain to you-"

"Oh no, go ahead." Robin cut him off, more frustration bubbling to the surface, "Explain to her now." He folded his arms over his chest, "She saved your life from the assassin. She probably deserves to know."

Ben sighed and shook his head. Marth leaned forward in her seat. Eyes never leaving a now exasperated Ben.

"Sidious is a Sith Lord." Ben began.

"Dark Lord of the Sith. The big boss of the Sith Lords." Robin clarified in an irritated tone, "Maul's master. Dooku's master at one point too."

"Dooku's master!?" Marth cried.

"Keep it down, both of you." Ben quickly hissed, "Dooku is no longer associated with that monster, obviously."

"How do you know that?" Marth asked

"If he was I would have killed him." Ben remarked.

Marth opened her mouth, then closed it, "Fair point." She muttered.

"And," Robin continued, "The guy who turned Anakin against the Jedi. So more than just a dangerous individual. He is perhaps _the_ most dangerous individual in Ben's life."

Marth threw an accusatory glance at Ben. The Jedi Master hung his head and let out a weary sigh.

"Robin. The assassination was not the work of Sidious. He is much too precise to botch an assassination attempt." Ben huffed and rose to his feet, "I think we are done for today. Besides, its almost noon. If I don't bring Tharja some lunch, she is going to forget to eat… again."

Robin frowned as Ben marched away from the training yard. Before Marth could continue talking with Robin, the tactician turned on his heel and marched towards the palace.

Marth blinked and chased after him.

"Robin!"

Robin glanced over his shoulder at her as he stopped in front of the palace doors. The one armed warrior stopped beside him.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"What needs to be done." Robin pulled the door open, "Someone is trying to kill Ben. I am convinced it is someone from his past. If he won't tell Chrom, then I will."

Marth's eyes widened, "Robin maybe-"

"Don't tell me not to." Robin marched into the main hall. Marth followed closely behind him, "I've already made up my mind on the matter. Ben's reclusive nature regarding his past will get someone killed. Likely himself in this case. And I-" Robin pursed his lips, "I would not be able to live with myself if they succeeded and I knew I could have done something about it."

He marched away from Marth. Marth remained near the doors in the palace's empty main hall.

 _A Dark Lord of the Sith?_ Marth gulped as she remained in the doorway. _Maul's master?_

She turned on her heel and marched off to find Ben. This was not a discussion he could dodge. Not with her. She had never heard of Sidious before. Not even in the future. If someone that powerful was hunting Ben, she needed to know the full story. Every single detail.

Then she would decide if she joined Robin in sounding the alarm, or help Ben continue his deception.

* * *

Chrom let a goofy grin spread over his lips. He reached down into the crib in his room and let his fingers tickle Princess Lucina's belly. An action that elicited loud giggles from the baby girl. Chrom chuckled with her as she laughed loudly.

"Who's a funny girl?" He cooed as he stooped over the crib.

These were the moments he absolutely relished. Spending time with his family was a rare luxury for him. It had started becoming less rare now that the Halidom had finally become somewhat stable again. But the nation still reeled in some areas from the lighting fast invasion executed by the Plegians during the war over one year ago. So many refugees remained in the Capitol. Each one needed help finding an area to resettle that had not been completely ravaged by the Grimleal and the Plegian military. All of them had some sort of grievance to bring before him when he held court. And every desperate story reminded the young monarch of the herculean task he had before him.

So when he had a chance to step away from the throne and be with his little girl, he cherished it. Right now, he was supposed to be eating some lunch before returning to his duties. Instead, he marched to Lucina's crib and played with her.

She had learned how to sit upright, crawl, and babble out some incomprehensible noises over the past few months. Sumia claimed that the Exalted bloodline allowed her to have a very intelligent mind. Lissa was quick to remind her that Chrom was the father. A joke both laughed at. Chrom even chuckled along with them. He never did care for being the smartest in the room.

Lucina sat upright and gave her father a bright, starry eyed look. Chrom's face parted into a large grin.

"I wish I could take you out right now." He told her, "But I need to get back to work soon. And mommy wants you in there when no one else is around."

Sumia was off with Cordelia reviewing the latest batch of Pegasus Knight recruits. Ten in total. Some of the finest warriors Ylisse had to offer. They would undergo grueling training underneath Wing-Commander Cordelia. Chrom was extremely impressed by how well the Pegasus Knights had been rebuilt by the red haired commander. A force that had been decimated during the war, now stood at nearly one hundred strong. Each rider was elite in all facets of combat. From aerial combat to ground assaults. Even archery. Cordelia wanted her Knights to be the greatest warriors on the continent. Even greater than Plegia's Grimleal or the Feroxi Lancers.

 _Phila would be proud._ Chrom thought.

"Are you gonna be a pegasus knight someday?" He asked Lucina, "Are you?"

The baby girl blinked at him, not sure exactly what he was saying.

"You gonna fight with a sword like daddy?"

She held up her hands to him, wanting out of the crib.

"That's right, you are!" Chrom grinned, "Daddy's going to teach you how to kick ass with Falchion."

The sound of Robin clearing his throat made Chrom spin around in surprise.

"I'm pretty sure if Sumia heard that she would not be very happy." Robin said with a grin.

Chrom exhaled, "Probably not. But it's true." He brushed some of Lucina's blue hair with one hand, "Once she's old enough I'm going to train her. Just like my father did for me."

Robin smiled, "It'll be a wonderful day when that does happen."

"Absolutely." Chrom noticed some worry in Robin's eyes, "What is the matter?"

Robin exhaled, "I came to talk to you about the incident."

Chrom blinked, "Oh."

He crossed the room and shut the door to the room. He then waved for Robin to follow him over to a sofa near a large window. The curtains were thrown open. Chrom sent a cautious glance outside before closing the curtains.

"You never took an interest in the investigation before." Chrom noted as Robin sat down on the sofa.

Robin sighed, "I hoped Ben would open up to me on his own regarding the matter."

"And has he?"

Robin shook his head, "Nope. And my own anxiety over the assassination attempt is growing by the day."

"Mine too." Chrom snorted, "I've actually taken some security precautions regarding who can come into the palace during court. Frederick is rather proud of me at the moment."

Robin chuckled, "He should be. And it is about time you added some caution to your life. You're a father now after all."

Chrom gave him a wave of his hand, "I know that. And the precautions are more for Sumia and Lucina than they are for me."

"Still progress." Robin joked, "Frederick and I will drink to that."

"I'm sure you will." Chrom chuckled as he sat down next to Robin, "Alright, what is it you wanted to tell me?"

Robin took a deep breath. Chrom could see some concern in him. Even a touch of guilt in his eyes as he flicked them nervously back and forth.

"I," Robin pressed his lips together. Debating whether or not to go through with this for a single moment, "I think the assassin was sent by an enemy from Ben's past."

Chrom furrowed his brow, "His past?" A frown ran over his face, "That is a possibility. Frederick and I have considered it. But we know next to nothing about his past save for a few people he mentioned. Almost all of them dead."

"He told me about one that isn't dead. An enemy he and Dooku are both afraid of."

Chrom's eyes widened.

Robin took a deep breath, "Some guy named Sidious. He is the architect behind the destruction of the Jedi Order."

Chrom gave Robin a puzzled look, "I thought the person who wiped out the Jedi was Ben's old apprentice Anakin?"

Robin nodded, "Anakin carried out the orders of Sidious." Robin sucked in a sharp breath, "And before Anakin swore fealty to Sidious, Sidious had trained Maul."

Chrom's face darkened significantly, "What?"

Robin nodded.

"When did you learn about this?" Chrom asked.

Robin gulped, "A few months ago. The day of the carnival actually."

Chrom ran his hands over his face as he reeled in surprise.

"So you found out about a still living enemy of Ben's, one that he is actually afraid of, on the same day someone tried to kill him and Tharja."

Robin nodded.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Chrom cried.

"I did not think it was relevant at the time." Robin defended, "Besides, Ben made me swear not to say anything to a soul." Robin rubbed his hands together between his legs, "I actually feel… rather guilty going behind his back like this."

"Well it is a good thing you did." Chrom remarked as he rose from the sofa and paced a little in the room, "Someone as dangerous as Maul, perhaps even more dangerous, is out there. Naga, it is hard to fathom."

Robin nodded, "I agree."

"We have to confront Ben on this."

"We can't." Robin replied.

Chrom narrowed his eyes at Robin.

"You know as well as I do that Ben is extremely private regarding his old life. He will not divulge anything to us. The only way we will learn more is if he wants to tell us about Sidious." Robin sighed, "Besides, I already told him my suspicions. But he is adamant that Sidious was not involved."

"How can he be so sure?"

Robin snorted, "He thinks if Sidious was involved he would have died. He claims Sidious is not sloppy enough to let him escape an assassination attempt unscathed."

Chrom's frown deepened, "This monster is that dangerous?" Chrom rubbed his chin, "How have I never heard of him." Chrom's mind raced, "For that matter, until we met Ben, I had never even heard of a group of monks called the Jedi before. Did you?"

Robin pointed at his head, "Amnesiac, remember?"

"Oh right. My bad."

"No problem." Robin furrowed his brow, "That is strange though. You are royalty. You had to have some of the best tutors in the Halidom teaching you."

Chrom rolled his eyes, "I did. Don't remind me. Those lessons were rather painful, boring exercises."

"Those tutors never mentioned a religion called the Jedi? Or even the Force?"

Chrom shook his head, "Not a word." He rubbed his chin, "When we first met Ben, I thought his powers were just some sort of lost magic. But if an entire religious order practiced using the Force, then that cannot be the case."

"And that order was recently wiped out according to Ben." Robin furrowed his brow, "Now that I really think about, there are a lot of holes in his story."

Chrom nodded, "And that concerns me."

"How so?" Robin asked.

"A person who lies about their life has something to hide." Chrom noted, "I've learned that from having to deal with politics for the past year and a half now."

Robin nodded, "But what is he hiding? And why?"

Chrom nodded, "Those are the big questions aren't they?" He placed his hands on his hips, "Secrets like this could get him killed."

"And now its not his own life at stake. It's Tharja's too." Robin noted.

Chrom pursed his lips, "We could confront him by not confronting him."

Robin gave the prince a bewildered look.

"Hear me out." Chrom said, "We simply hint that we know he is lying. Maybe by signaling to him that we know he is not being truthful, he will open up a little more. Clear the air, so to speak."

Robin sighed and ran a hand through his hair, "That is a possibility." Robin sank into the sofa, "But… I don't know if that will work."

"We can only try." Chrom replied, "This is for his own good now. Someone is targeting him and Tharja. We need to make sure they are safe."

Robin nodded, "I agree."

Chrom waved for Robin to follow him, "Come on."

Robin blinked, "Where are we going?"

Chrom opened the door to the room, "We're going to find Ben and get this over with."

"Wh-what?" Robin stuttered, "Now wait, we should probably go into this a little more prepared."

Chrom did not hear him as he marched down the hall. Robin sighed and hung his head. He already had a very bad feeling about this.

* * *

Ben smiled as he strode out into the forests south of Ylisstol. In his right hand was a small basket filled with a few sandwiches and some fruit. His other hand rested in his pocket as he leisurely strolled down the road towards the clearing where Tharja instructed her ten students.

This had become part of his daily routine. An action he greatly enjoyed. Tharja often forgot to eat when she taught her students. The dark mage became so thoroughly engrossed in being a good teacher of dark magic that she would forget about her own needs until Ben showed up to remind her.

He laughed a little to himself. Tharja had dreaded teaching the urchins, as she called her ten students. While she appreciated Ben's actions and solution that allowed her to reside in the Mage Academy, she was not thrilled by the thought of teaching students.

After a few weeks though, Tharja warmed up to them. She still referred to the group as urchins. Though not in a derogatory way anymore. More in a loving, teasing way. Albeit, still intimidating for the students. They did not know her as well as Ben did. He knew she was just toying with them now at this point. Which was why he never questioned her methods.

Tharja was an excellent teacher. And it showed in how her students performed. The Headmaster had been extremely skeptical of having a dark magic class. But now, Headmaster Byron raved about how disciplined Tharja's ten students were when it came to their studies beyond dark magic. He was blown away by how far ahead the ten became in terms of raw power and ability compared to the rest of their classmates. So much so, that Byron even approached Tharja asking if she was willing to take on more students. Which she declined. She thought the selection process was the best way to go about this. That way, only the most skilled and deserving students were allowed access to such dangerous and forbidden knowledge. Although now, Byron swore to include her in the selection process for the next class once she deemed her first ten students ready.

Ben sensed the familiar, shadowy presence of dark magic in the air as he neared the clearing. He stepped off of the main road and wound down a narrow dirt trail. After a few more minutes of walking, he arrived at the wide clearing.

The ten students were lined up in a row in front of stone targets. Each one had a large, heavy, black book in their arms. Books Tharja herself procured with the help of Anna. They were mostly empty so that the students could fill its pages with their own notes. But the first few pages were filled with Tharja's own handwriting. Rules for dark magic littered the first two pages. Warnings and consequences regarding improper casting followed them. Then there was one beginner level spell in the tome. Flux, a basic dark spell that any dark mage should be able to master, according to Tharja.

A spell that they were all in the middle of practicing. Ben had observed the student's slow steady progress over the past few months. And he was impressed by how swiftly they had improved. Each one had gone from having the spell backfire badly in their faces, to casting the dark magic with relative ease. Although a few still had trouble generating the proper magic in order to cast the spell.

Ben spotted Ricken as he effortlessly fired a flux into his dark. Hitting the target right in the bullseye. The flux's shadowy form exploded against the stone then faded away into the air. The only evidence of its existence were large cracks in the stone target.

"Well done, Ricken."

Ben smiled as Tharja walked down the line of her students. Her sharp eyes carefully observing each one as they slowly followed the instructions and incantations in their spell books. He laughed a little as she snatched a student's arm just before they messed up the spell. She said a few quiet words to the student. The student paled, gulped, then attempted to retry their casting. Tharja turned away from the student and spotted Ben standing at the edge of the clearing.

A small smile formed over her lips.

"Take a break, urchins." She said.

There were a few relieved sighs as the students closed their tomes. Ricken looked a little disappointed. But when he spotted Ben at the edge of the clearing, he waved at him with a wide grin.

Tharja strolled over to Ben.

"Took you long enough." She smirked before craning her head up to kiss him.

Ben laughed a little as he pecked her lips, "I took the long way."

"You always do." Tharja replied with a little laugh, "So, ham or turkey?"

"Ham."

"Good." Tharja nodded, "I was craving ham."

"I thought so."

Ricken rushed over to Ben and Tharja. The young mage gave Ben a quick bow.

"It's good to see you again, Ben!" Ricken beamed.

Ben smiled back, "You as well Ricken. I trust you are keeping Tharja on her toes."

"Absolutely!" He pulled his tome close to his chest, "I'm hoping that I can start learning a new spell soon. This dark magic stuff is so fascinating. An entire school and ideology of magic that I never thought I would learn is now in my grasp!"

"Ever eager." Tharja said as she took a seat in the grass with Ben, "But you must master Flux first. I will not have you moving on to a Nosferatu until that is done."

Ricken's shoulders sagged, "I know. I'm trying."

"Do or do not. There is no try." Ben remarked as Tharja smirked over at him.

"Yeah." Ricken sighed, "Oh! Ben! Have you thought about Headmaster Byron's proposal?"

Ben blinked in surprise. He had forgotten about that. Byron wished for him to possibly take a teaching position as well at the Academy. The Force was deemed a lost magic by most of the scholars at the Academy. Byron wanted Ben to instruct students in its mysterious ways. Ben had declined at first. But Byron had been persistent ever since. Even suggesting that he would be content with Ben just writing his knowledge down in a book.

Ben knew he would not be content with just that, but he entertained the idea a little bit. Writing his knowledge down would help train Robin if he decided to take the tactician into more serious training. And Lucina would absolutely appreciate the knowledge as she began her journey into Knighthood.

"I'm sure Anna has a book for you."

"For an outrageous price." Ben snorted before bit into his sandwich, "But I will admit, I am considering the idea."

"You'll teach the Force at the Academy!" Ricken cried with delight, "That is amazing!"

Ben nearly choked on a bite of his sandwich, "Slow down, Ricken." Ben said after he managed to swallow, "The Force is not that easy to learn."

"Neither is dark magic."

"I think Ben means you need to have a predisposition to the Force in order to properly learn it." Tharja explained.

"A predisposition?" Ricken sighed, "Aw darn! And I'm guessing such people are rare."

"Extremely rare." Ben said, "So far, I have only encountered five definite force sensitives. Two of them live at the palace."

"Marth and Robin?" Ricken asked.

"Yes." Ben nodded, "You have noticed me instructing both haven't you?"

"I may be taking notes." Ricken admitted sheepishly.

Tharja tsked, "Focus on one school of magic at a time Ricken. Master one before moving on to another. Your skills will grow better that way."

"I know! But it is just so interesting. A lost magic being taught right in front of the barracks. It is a treat to witness." Ricken furrowed his brow for a second, "Who are the other three?"

"Dooku is one of them. But he is a former Jedi, like myself."

"He is!?" Ricken cried.

Ben nodded, "He left the order long before I reached mastery." Ben pressed his lips together, "Kage is one of the other two." Ricken's face darkened, "Then the last one is dead, Maul."

Ricken furrowed his brow, "That really runs the gambit on personalities. You, Robin, and Marth are all so good. Dooku I don't know much about. He seems pretty neutral to me. And then Kage and Maul were so vile!"

Ben nodded, "Such is the dual nature of the force. And if I tell you anymore, Tharja will start yelling at me for distracting you from your current studies."

"You know me so well." Tharja snickered as she finished her sandwich, "Go be with your fellow urchins, Ricken. I want to sit alone with Ben for a little bit."

Ricken eyed both of them, "You don't plan on doing anything gross in front of us, right?"

Ben snorted hard as he struggled to hold in a loud laugh. Tharja's face reddened before she started muttering under her breath. Ricken gulped and scampered away. Fearful that Tharja was about to place a hex on him.

"Something gross?" Ben chuckled as he leaned back on his elbows.

"I think he means this." Tharja pressed her lips to his in a deep kiss.

Ben sucked in a deep breath once she pulled away from him.

"That was rather gross."

Tharja slapped him across the chest. Ben laughed quietly as she folded her arms over her chest.

"You enjoyed it."

"Oh absolutely." Ben chuckled.

The pair sat upright as they saw Marth marching towards the clearing. Ben furrowed his brow in mild confusion. He reached out with the force and drew back in surprise when he sensed her mental walls go flying up.

"Is something wrong?" Tharja asked.

"I don't know."

Marth came to a stop in front of both of them.

"Sidious. Explain, now."

Ben paled a little bit. Tharja glanced over at Ben then turned her dark eyes on Marth.

"Watch your tone, Marth." Tharja said, her voice low with warning.

Ben sighed, "No, she has every right to ask. We agreed there would be no more secrets between us."

"I wish I was part of this agreement!"

Ben's blood went cold in his veins. Tharja's jaw tightened and Marth's face paled as Chrom and Robin both marched into the clearing. The students nearby all started to nervously glance at each other as they watched the adults gather off to the side.

"Chrom? Robin?" Ben said, perplexed by their sudden arrival.

"Tharja dismiss your students." Chrom said, his voice firm, "We need to have a long chat with Ben."

Tharja eyed Chrom suspiciously. Her eyes then fell on a very guilty Robin. Robin averted his gaze from her own. Tharja craned her chin up.

 _So Robin said something he should not have. Interesting._ Tharja thought as she rose to her feet.

She quickly dismissed her students. Telling them all to enjoy a small break before they returned to their normal lessons. They all quickly scattered. Most of them thanking Tharja for her time and wisdom as they left the clearing and hurried back to Ylisstol. Ricken lingered for a moment. But both Tharja and Chrom shooed him away.

Once all of the students were gone, Ben uttered a heavy sigh.

"Robin I told you it was nothing to worry about."

"Well I don't believe you on this one." Robin countered.

"Quite frankly, I'm with Robin." Marth nodded in agreement, "If this Sidious person is after you, then we need to be prepared to face him."

"He likely sent an assassin after both of you after all." Chrom huffed as he turned away from both Tharja and Ben in order to gather his thoughts. Chrom raked a hand through his hair then turned around, "Ben, be honest with me. And when I mean be honest, I do not mean skirt around the truth. No half truths now. I want to know what is going on."

Ben furrowed his brow. Chrom was beginning to tread on rather dangerous ground.

"What do you mean?" Ben asked, feigning ignorance.

"Your past Ben!" Chrom exclaimed, "I've known you for almost two full years now. And yet, I know almost nothing about you beyond your great skills with a blade, your strange powers, and your general personality. And that is starting to become dangerous." Chrom took a deep breath as he tried to keep himself calm, "First it was Maul. An old enemy that nearly killed all of us. Now there is an assassin after you. And I learn about another enemy named Sidious. One that is even more powerful than Maul! Taught that monster even! Was responsible for the destruction of your Order."

Chrom wagged a finger, "And speaking of your order, I have even more questions regarding that but I first want to hear the truth about Sidious. I want to know what we might be facing if he ever comes after you."

Ben's gaze hardened. He could sense Tharja tensing up beside him.

"Tharja, why don't you-"

"I'm not leaving." Tharja hissed as she stayed by his side. Her dark eyes focused solely on Robin.

Ben sighed as he got to his feet, "Chrom this is none of your concern."

"None of my concern!?" Chrom exclaimed, "Your old enemy killed my sister! And now his teacher is lurking out there somewhere. How is that none of my concern!?"

"Because if he ever does come after me, none of you will stand a chance against him." Ben replied sharply, "And I certainly would not either."

"Why?" Chrom asked.

"Why?" Ben parroted.

"Yes, why?" Chrom scowled, "Do you honestly believe that after everything we have all been through together we would not find some way to combat this evil?"

"Sidious is beyond anyone, Chrom." Ben replied, trying to keep his own frustration in check, "Not a single Jedi could best him. I certainly cannot no matter how powerful I may become."

"Then explain what we need to do to combat him!" Chrom cried, "How do we stop someone like that? How do we make sure he cannot get to you?"

"You remain ignorant!" Ben shouted back. Surprising Chrom, Marth, and Robin, "All of you! Ignorance is safety when it comes to my past and the enemies that lurk within it." Ben let out a heavy sigh, "At least that way, if he does come looking for me, and I am forced to run, you can deny even knowing me. You will stand a chance with that lie."

Chrom gave Ben a look of utter disbelief, "Do you really think I would follow such an idiotic plan? Ben, you are a Shepherd. You are more than a comrade. You are my friend. Hell, if Emmeryn lived, you would have probably been family at some point. I will die before I let anyone harm those I care about. And the Shepherds are foremost on that list. Along with Sumia and Lucina."

"Then if you really want to protect them, you will stop asking questions." Ben replied as he took a deep, calming breath, "I think I am done with this conversation."

Metal rang out as Chrom pulled Falchion free from its sheath.

"Don't you move." Chrom warned, "You are not going anywhere until I get some answers."

Robin gulped and leaned over to Chrom.

"Um Chrom, we have really deviated from the plan." Robin whispered nervously.

"To hell with the plan. Maul was the most dangerous enemy we have ever faced. He was an enemy from Ben's past. If more enemies are going to rear their heads, then I want to know how to stop them. And he knows how." Chrom leveled Falchion at Ben, "Especially right now. Because right now, I have a little girl lying in her crib at home. I don't hold my own life in my hands anymore. I hold hers as well. And you are the same way Ben. It is not your life you gamble with anymore. You risk Tharja's too!"

A sudden pressure built up in the air as Ben kept his back turned to the Prince. Tharja gulped and took a hesitant step towards Ben. Robin noticed Marth go extremely pale as the pressure continued to build.

"Ch-Chrom." Marth stammered, "I think this line of questioning has gone far enough."

"No, it has not gone far enough." Chrom snapped back, "Ben! Answer me damn it! Are you really going to risk our lives like that!? Are you going to risk Tharja's like that?"

Ben's reaction was a blur. Chrom reeled backwards just in time to avoid the edge of Ben's rapier. The Prince continued to backpedal as Ben unleashed an all out assault on the stunned Prince.

Chrom felt his back smash against a tree across the clearing. He managed to parry a few more swipes from Ben's rapier before he felt the metal tap his neck.

Chrom gulped. He did not even see Ben make that move. Did not even have time to react to it. He knew Ben was a spectacular swordsman. But the sheer skill and speed he just displayed was not even human. Chrom felt some sweat form on his brow as the rapier remained dangerously close to his throat.

"Could you keep up?" Ben's low voice snarled at Chrom.

Chrom gulped and carefully shook his head. Even as his eyes bored holes into Ben.

"Then imagine that, except you are dead by the first move. You would not have even seen Sidious lift a finger against you." Chrom swallowed hard, "You would have simply fallen to the ground. Your life's blood staining the earth. And that would be a merciful death when it comes to Sidious."

Ben lowered his rapier from Chrom's neck. The Prince's shoulders sagged. He lowered Falchion to the side as Ben took a few steps back from Chrom. Across the clearing, the others watched with fear, shock, and awe. No one had ever defeated Chrom so quickly in a duel before.

"If Sidious ever comes, he will only come for me." Ben explained, "Not for you. Not for your family. But he will harm all of that if he becomes aware that you have helped me in any way, shape, or form. That is why you must remain-"

"Are you that blind Ben?" Chrom interrupted, "What do you think we have been doing all this time? Hell, Robin even went with you on a yearlong quest to find Luke. Who all of a sudden isn't your son, but is the son of your dead apprentice." Chrom swallowed hard as he stepped forward from the tree, "We have already helped you Ben. We all already know you and call you friend. You expect me to deny that when such a day of reckoning comes?"

Ben swallowed hard. He sheathed his rapier.

"I expect you to do what is best for your family, Chrom." Ben breathed, "And if that means denying you ever knew me, or even pointing Sidious in my direction then you must do that. I would not be able to live with myself if he found this place, found me, and decided to kill all of you because of me. All of you-" Ben choked for a moment, "The Shepherds have become like another family to me. I-" He glanced back Tharja, "I've met someone I love because of them. And I cannot bear the thought of Sidious-"

"Then help me prepare for him." Chrom cut him off, "Help us, help you, Ben." Chrom extended his free hand to Ben, "We can fight him together."

Ben stared at Chrom's outstretched hand for a moment. Force, he wanted to take his hand. But he could not. If he did, then he would have to admit to everything. Have to admit to the deception he had put on. Have to tell Chrom everything regarding the galaxy, the Jedi, the Sith, and the Clone Wars. All of it would be beyond unbelievable for the Prince. No, he could not.

"Chrom," Ben breathed, "Sidious will kill all of us." Ben swallowed hard, "There is no preparing for Sidious. He is the dark side of the force incarnate." Tharja's eyes widened as she and others slowly approached and listened in on the conversation, "If you think what I can do is unbelievable, then you have no idea what Sidious is capable of. There were Jedi Masters far more powerful than I could ever hope to be that challenged him. Only two lasted longer than a minute against him. Grandmaster Yoda and Master Windu, perhaps the two greatest swordsmen in the order. And both lost. Windu died. Yoda… Yoda barely survived."

Ben pursed his lips and put his hands to his hips, "If I tell you about my past, then others will learn about it as well. Rumors will circulate. And Sidious will hear them. Then it is a certainty he will find us. I cannot risk that Chrom. I cannot risk your lives like that."

Chrom lowered his hand. Ben could see the betrayal in his gaze. The pain from one of his friends refusing to trust him.

"Very well then." Chrom swallowed hard, "You will be compensated for all you have done for Ylisse. There is a plot of land reserved for you a few miles south of here. You're free to have it. But…" Chrom shook his head, "Until you learn to trust us, you are no longer one of my Shepherds."

Ben's heart dropped in his chest. Chrom did not say another word as he brushed past the stunned swordsman. Robin tried to stop Chrom from walking away, but the Prince just strode past him in silence.

Marth watched Chrom walk away with wide eyes. She glanced over at Robin.

"I'm… not sure this was worth it." Marth whispered to Robin.

Robin shook his head, "It wasn't."

"At least you both recognize that." Tharja glowered at the two.

"Tharja." Ben breathed, "None of this is their fault." He hung his head, "I need to go gather my things from the barracks I guess."

"You can stay with me until you have a place of your own." Tharja said quickly.

Ben brushed her hand with his as he walked past her. He did not say a word in reply. His heavy footsteps echoed through the clearing as he marched back towards the city. Tharja turned on her heel and rushed after him. Leaving Robin and Marth alone in the clearing.

Robin swallowed hard.

"I screwed up." Robin muttered as he hung his head. "I really screwed up."

"We all did." Marth said. The one armed swordsman patted Robin's shoulder. "Come on. You and I should be the ones to break the news to the others."

Robin gulped. The others. Oh Naga, the others. There would be so many questions. Accusations and curses thrown in all different directions. Ben had been one of the best Shepherds. A great friend to all of them. No one at the barracks would take this news well.

 _And I led Chrom to kick him out._

Robin bowed his head and fought back tears.

 _What have I done?_

* * *

Tharja stared into the small mirror she acquired a few weeks ago from Anna. She removed her golden hair piece and allowed her jet black hair to fall freely over her shoulders. Once that was done. She grabbed a brush from her nightstand and started to gently run the bristles through her hair.

She paused in her nightly routine and glanced over at Ben as he sat silent on her bed.

He had hardly spoken for the past few hours. He did manage to eat something. Which Tharja was thankful for. Far too often, when someone became engrossed in their own mind, they would refuse to eat. So Ben had not become too gloomy yet. But she could still see Chrom's decision wearing on his mind.

The decision made her blood boil. Chrom was lucky she was more concerned about Ben in the intial aftermath. Otherwise, she would have hexed the Prince up to his eyeballs. Robin was even luckier. She still considered him a good friend. The temptation to hex him had been great. But Tharja managed to resist that urge as well. If for no other reason than to set a good example for her urchins.

"Well," Tharja breathed as she set her brush down and undid the clasp on her cape. She carefully hung the cape up on a peg in the wall near her desk, "Now you don't need an excuse as to why you are sneaking out of my room in the morning anymore."

She heard Ben snort a little bit. But that was all the reaction she received. Tharja let out a heavy sigh. She turned towards the bed and took a seat beside Ben. The dark mage placed a gentle kiss against his cheek before resting her head against his shoulder.

"Am I doing the right thing?"

Tharja blinked. It was the first time he had said a full sentence since that terrible moment in the forest clearing.

And it was a very poignant question. One she was not sure how to answer. She supported Ben's decision to not reveal anything about his past. Especially the more unbelievable aspects of his previous life. She hardly believed it herself. If it was not for the fact that she had literally seen his memories, then she would have written him off as a delusional madman. A scenario that very likely could happen if Ben ever told Chrom and the others the full truth.

If what Ben said about Sidious was true, then Tharja also believed he was correct. Sidious's power was enormous. She never witnessed the Dark Lord in any of Ben's memories. But she could sense a dark, oppressive atmosphere hanging over the final two memories they walked through together. The Jedi Temple massacre and the duel on Mustafar. She could feel a puppet master pulling strings in those memories. And if she, someone who barely understood what the Force even was, could sense Sidious' presence in Ben's memories, then she could only imagine how terrifying the Sith Lord really was.

She even witnessed the incredible power of Grandmaster Yoda in one of Ben's memories. Saw how skilled the little green man was with the force and the blade. If he could not defeat Sidious, then who could?

Ben needed to lay low. Needed to hide and start a new life as a new man. That was why he changed his name. Why he refused to speak about his past to anyone. She was the only one he ever fully trusted with that information. Marth- Lucina- recently learned about some of it. But Ben had not even told her the full extent of the horrors and wonders beyond their atmosphere.

Ben could not hide from Sidious if everyone knew him as an alien from the stars. A freak that could perform wondrous magic tricks with a power called the Force. Tharja could understand that reasoning.

But she also understood Chrom's argument. Could see why the Prince wanted Ben to be honest with him. Chrom was an extremely loyal man. He loved his friends as if they were his own flesh and blood. His own family. And he considered Ben to be part of that close knit group. He would die before he allowed one of them to be harmed on the battlefield.

Once Chrom learned about Sidious, he would do everything in his power to protect Ben. To help Ben fight back if Sidious ever came. But that resistance would be futile in Ben's eyes. Ben was right. Chrom would be unable to keep up with someone of Sidious' caliber. It would not even be a fight. It would be a slaughter. A massacre the likes of which Ben already witnessed once before.

Tharja brushed her fingers along his arm.

"I think you need to do what you feel is right." Tharja breathed, "And if this is the way it must be, then so be it." Tharja glanced up and pulled his face so that she looked right at him, "Just know that I will be by your side through it all. You will never face any of these challenges alone."

Ben exhaled then nodded. He still appeared very conflicted. But her support helped ease his mind.

"I think…" Ben pursed his lips, "I think I might take up Byron on his offer now."

"Oh?" Tharja quirked an eyebrow, "Are you going to become an educator, Ben Kenobi?"

"No, not that." Ben said with a small laugh, "My teaching days are over. I think I am going to write down my knowledge. Preserve some Jedi teachings for those that come long after me."

Tharja smiled, "I'm sure the headmaster will be thrilled to hear that."

Ben nodded. He rested his forehead against hers and pulled her in for a long, deep kiss. Tharja threw her arms around his neck and sank back into her bed. Pulling him down on top of her.

Ben uttered a sigh as he stopped kissing Tharja for a moment. The dark mage stared up at him with half lidded eyes.

"Ben," She breathed, chest slowly rising and falling, "Did you mean what you said out there today?"

Ben swallowed hard, "That I love you?"

She nodded.

Ben gave her a small smile then kissed her deep, "I meant every word of it."

Tharja smiled. Then she laughed a little bit.

"What is so funny?" Ben asked.

"I always thought hearing those words for the first time would be in a much more romantic setting than a grassy field with stone targets on it."

Ben chuckled. He placed a kiss against collarbone.

"Well." Ben kissed her lips again, "I love you."

Tharja beamed. She grasped the back of his head and pulled him closer to her.

"Ben?"

"Yes?"

Tharja uttered a light gasp as he placed another gentle kiss against her neck.

"I want to hex Chrom."

Ben froze and glanced back up at her face. There was a terrified expression on his face. One that made Tharja start to snicker uncontrollably.

"Please don't."

 **And chapter! There we go folks! The last interlude chapter before we kick off the Valm war. And the war could not come at a worse time for our heroes. Ben has been kicked out of the Shepherds until he decides to trust them with his past. A harsh move on Chrom's part. But one I feel like he probably would have made in this situation. This will give us some nice, juicy conflict for the Valm war among our heroes. Ooooh, I'm excited!**

 **Anyways, it let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	75. The Dawn of War

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 75

The Dawn of War

Kage's eyes flicked open. A long groan escaped his lips as he stretched his arms over his head. The sheets over his body shifted as he stretched his legs as well. A satisfied sigh escaped his lungs as he felt any tension in his muscles fade away.

The sheets shifted beside him. Kage glanced over at the mess of blue hair lying on the pillow beside him. With a small smile, he reached over and brushed his finger along Cynthia's bare shoulder. She barely moved at his touch. Nothing could wake her up in the morning. Not even the gentle kiss Kage placed on her forehead.

He smiled some more as he saw a slight, happy smirk forming on her lips. The past few months have been some of the most peaceful of his entire life. Peace had been a feeling he lost for a long time. He had not felt such serenity since he was a child living in Chon'sin. A lot of it had to do with Cynthia. She managed to temper a lot of his own anger and anxiety. Her general happiness always brightened the mood in the palace.

Kage gave her shoulder another gentle rub before he threw the sheets from his body and rose to his feet. He quietly made his way across his room and threw on a thick morning robe. He could already feel a chill creeping in from outside. Could smell the moisture in the air. The rainy season had returned to Chon'sin. Many massive storms were going to hammer Koto during the next few months. But that was a good thing. They would replenish the city's water supply. Flood the rice fields so that the crops could grow properly.

Yen'fay and Say'ri both took great pains to prepare the city and country for the rainy season. Yen'fay marshaled a small battalion of soldiers to be prepared at all times for an emergency anywhere in the country. Some of the rivers that flowed from the Kiba Mountains would flood during this season. Villages along those rivers would need the military to help bring in supplies. If the flooding grew worse, then the military would have to evacuate those isolated villages.

While Kage was interested by such matters, he did not involve himself in them. He let Yen'fay and Say'ri be the decision makers. This land was their land. And while he called Chon'sin home, he did not want any hand in running it. He preferred his guise as a mercenary named Luke. Such a guise allowed him to live a much quieter life in the palace. He acted as a guard assigned to protect the palace. Nothing more. Which led to a rather uneventful time after he and Cynthia successfully hunted down the slavers.

Boring was a nice change of pace. Kage enjoyed being able to just spend time with those he cared about. His relationship with Yen'fay had grown strong. His older brother even offered him instruction in more traditional Chon'sin martial arts in exchange for Kage instructing him in Juyo. He greatly enjoyed those training sessions. The traditional Chon'sin martial arts were much more focused on self discipline and defense than the brutal aggression of Juyo that Maul taught him. Fighting in the traditional Chon'sin style caused a change in combat mindset for him. He became less aggressive in battle. Less erratic. More focused and precise. Even Yen'fay noticed the visible change over the months.

Kage glanced back at the snoring Cynthia as he reached the door. She was another reason for his change in mindset. He was determined to better himself. To be a better man than what Maul had turned him into. It had been months since he truly wielded the dark side of the force. Partially because he did not have a need to. The palace in Chon'sin was one of the most secure places in Valm. But also because he did not want to use the dark side of the force. The more he distanced himself from Maul's teachings, the more horrified by them he became.

He had lived a large majority of his life in fear, anger, and pain. It exhausted him just thinking about it. Those emotions granted him great power. But he started to realize that such power was fleeting. The body and mind could only maintain such emotions for so long until it started to break down. He found greater strength and healthiness in Chon'sin's martial arts than he ever did in Maul's teachings.

Kage slid the door open and quietly slid it shut behind him. He could smell fish cooking from the nearby palace kitchens. Breakfast would be served soon. He had a feeling both Say'ri and Yen'fay were already in the dining room. Both enjoying a hot cup of tea as they waited for their food to be prepared.

Kage slowly strolled towards the dining room. His relationship with Say'ri had not blossomed like his relationship with Yen'fay. Say'ri still gave him a cold shoulder in most of their interactions. Her attitude towards him slowly improved as the months passed. It helped that he was not as angry or grouchy all the time. But she still saw him as someone who wielded great and dangerous power. A corruption of her little brother. And as long as she saw him that way, he would never hold her trust.

He shrugged to himself. That was Say'ri's decision in the end. He could do nothing to change her mind. All Kage could do now was to continue down the path he had started. Continue to better himself. To purge Maul's evil corruption from his heart and mind. It would be a slow, difficult process with many setbacks. But so far, he was off to a good start.

He slid the door to the dining room open.

Yen'fay sat at the head of the table. Legs folded on a soft cushion. A cup of hot tea cradled in his hands. His sharp eyes flicked over to Kage. His version of a silent greeting. One Kage returned with a small nod.

Say'ri sat to her brother's right. She never talked to him much either. It was impossible to miss the animosity she held towards him. Say'ri and Yen'fay's relationship had broken down to the point where they treated each other more as professional colleagues than brother and sister. Say'ri still blamed Yen'fay for Chon'sin living under the Conqueror's tyranny. Still viewed him as a dishonorable coward for bending the knee after the death of their parents. The only reason she had not left Koto was because of the toddler prince sitting to Yen'fay's left.

Brady and Noire were both sitting at the table as well. Noire had her legs crossed. Her posture perfect. Her blue eyes flicked over to Kage before settling back down on her own cup of tea. Brady meanwhile, leaned back on his cushion and kept his legs out straight. The gruff priest refused to completely adopt Chon'sin customs. He gave Kage a sharp stare as well before taking a sip out of his flask. Which now contained sake instead of firewine.

"How's it going kid?" Kage- Luke- ruffled the prince's long blonde hair as he moved to his seat.

"Good morning, Sir Luke!" Prince Kage chirped as he bounced in his seat. A big smile on his face.

Luke smiled back at the kid as he took a seat beside him.

"Kage sit still while at the table." Yen'fay gently admonished the young Prince as he squirmed a little more.

"Yes sir." Prince Kage muttered back before reaching for the cup of water in front of him, "How did you sleep, Sir Luke?"

Brady started to silently chuckle for a minute as Luke was about to answer.

"From what I heard, pretty well." Brady chuckled as Noire threw him a dark glance.

"Brady." She warned.

Brady shrugged, "What? I'm not wrong. He looks like he slept pretty well."

Luke rolled his eyes and shook his head as a servant poured him a cup of tea. He quietly thanked the servant before bringing the tea to his lips.

"So you and Cynthia hit new high notes last night." Brady smirked.

Luke choked on his tea. He spit some of it back out into his cup as his face turned a deep scarlet color.

"Brady, there is a child at the table." Noire warned.

"Oh relax, Noire. The kid doesn't know what the hell I'm talking about." Brady remarked with a smirk, "What do ya'll think it was? I know Cynthia managed to hit a middle 'C'."

Luke's cheeks heated up even hotter as he quickly buried his nose into his teacup.

"I'm pretty sure Luke hit an 'A'." Yen'fay muttered with a quiet chuckle, earning a sharp glare from Say'ri.

Brady started howling as the two men laughed at Luke's embarrassed expression.

"You're just jealous, Brady." Kage muttered.

"Oh yeah." Brady wiped a tear from his face as he continued chuckling, "I'm totally jealous. You managed to let the airhead put you on a leash. Yup, I'm so jealous."

"Leash?" Luke questioned, "What do you mean?"

"You sleeping with Cynthia?"

Luke gulped as his cheek went red again.

"Then she has you on a leash." Brady smirked, "All you can do now is go to the end of it and bark."

Luke blinked in confusion, "What?"

"Aw damn it. Work with me, Luke."

"For Naga's sake Brady, you are starting to sound like Inigo." Noire muttered as the servants entered with breakfast.

"Hey, I'm not _that_ bad."

"Yet." Luke pointed out as breakfast was placed in front of him, "And keep talking and I might be the one to introduce you to your mother when we run into her."

Brady paled as Noire stopped eating and snickered.

"Please don't do that." Brady gulped, "Ma already doesn't like how I talk."

"She really won't like your current table manners then." Luke gave Brady a mischievous look, "Oh the blackmail material I have on you after living with you the past few months. I'm sure I'll have her beating you over the head with her parasol eventually."

Brady swallowed hard as he quickly corrected his sitting position. Legs neatly folded on his cushion. Posture straight and proper. He fumbled with his chopsticks for a moment.

"Could really use a fork." He muttered under his breath before finally managing to snag a piece of fish from his plate.

Luke chuckled to himself as he expertly used his chopsticks to pluck a large hung of rice from his plate. As he munched on his food, Yen'fay cleared his throat and addressed him.

"Is Cynthia still asleep, Luke?"

Luke nodded, "She is."

"That good huh?" Brady snickered as he sipped his sake.

It took all of Luke's willpower not to lunge across the table at the priest and beat him to a pulp. He did allow some of his raw power to leak out of him in that moment. Noire visibly tensed. Brady gulped anxiously.

"He's planning on killing me now, ain't he?"

Noire nodded.

"You'll stop him right?"

Noire shrugged.

"What's that supposed to mean!?" Brady cried.

A knock on the dining room door drew all of their attention. Yen'fay arched an eyebrow as one of the servants quickly shuffled into the room. The servant leaned into Yen'fay's ear. Yen'fays face hardened significantly as the servant whispered to him.

"Thank you." Yen'fay nodded as the servant backed way and rushed back out of the dining room, "I apologize everyone, but I am going to exit early. You as well Say'ri."

Say'ri furrowed her brow, "Why?"

"A messenger from the Capitol." Yen'fay answered, "The servants have him waiting for us in my study. And I do not want to keep him waiting."

Say'ri frowned but nodded.

"Kage stay with Sir Luke, Brady, and Noire."

"Yes, Say Say." Prince Kage replied as he continued munching on his breakfast.

Luke watched as Yen'fay and Say'ri both exited the dining room. As soon as the door slid shut behind them, he reached out with the force.

They were both tense. A messenger from the Empire's capital was never a good thing. Luke had a feeling Yen'fay would be ordered to go put down a rebellion somewhere in the Empire. That would be the biggest reason for the Conqueror to send an urgent message.

He reached out further with the force. He could feel the messenger in Yen'fay's study. The poor sod was extremely nervous. Rightfully so. Yen'fay was perhaps the most respected General in the Conqueror's armies. Such a distinction was earned, not given.

While he could not hear the messenger speak, he could sense Yen'fay and Say'ri's reactions to the message. And the reactions were startling. Say'ri felt shocked and furious. Yen'fay felt dour and worried.

"Something's up." Noire muttered as she finished eating her breakfast.

Luke nodded in agreement.

"I vote we go find out." Luke said.

Noire gave him a skeptical look.

"You were sensing them out as well. You're just as curious as I am." Luke pointed out.

Noire's eyes shifted back and forth.

"Maybe."

Luke rose from his seat and nodded for the archer to follow him. As the pair reached the door, Brady moved to get up as well.

"Kage stay with Brady."

"Okay." The Prince smiled back.

"Buh wuh!?" Brady exclaimed. He flopped back down in his seat and rested his head on his hand, "I'm not the best choice for a babysitter." He sipped his flask and glanced over at the young Prince. The little boy stared at him with curious wide eyes.

Brady choked on his sake when he heard what the Prince said next.

"So what did you and brother mean by high notes?"

* * *

Yen'fay grimaced as he heard the message from the Capitol.

War. Once again, war had come into his life. And this conflict was not some petty rebellion that needed to be put down.

No, the Conqueror's ambition had grown once again. He was no longer satisfied with Valm. He wanted the world now. Wanted to bring all under the rule of his massive empire. According to the messenger, the Conqueror wished to share the peace and prosperity of his Empire by unifying all kingdoms in the world. Both in Valm and in Archanea. He would rule the world. Bring peace to all peoples.

 _And all who resist will be destroyed._ Yen'fay thought grimly.

"Do you wish for me to carry a reply, General?" The messenger asked Yen'fay.

Yen'fay drew in a deep breath as he walked around his desk and sank into his chair. Say'ri stared holes into his soul as she stood in the doorway. Arms folded over her chest.

She did not want war with Arhanea. He already knew that. Say'ri and Cynthia had become close friends. Cynthia was Ylissean. True, the girl was technically not even born yet. But her heritage still mattered. Yen'fay and Say'ri had both thrown their lot with the Ylisseans over Excellus over a year ago. The worm will not have forgotten such a slight. And he did not want war with those people either. With the exception of a very bad misunderstanding, he found Ylisseans to be a generally enjoyable folk.

A bad feeling sank into Yen'fay's stomach. It was one thing to wage war against neighboring nations or rebels. You could move soldiers easily across land. The Valm cavalry was the best in the world. It was how Walhart managed to conquer such a vast amount of territory so quickly.

Ships rendered horses useless. Their greatest asset in this war would be in the most danger crossing the sea between Valm and Archanea. Yen'fay had already seen what the Ylisseans were capable of in battle. Just eight of them managed to evade his entire army in Charlet. While at the same time they dealt an alarming number of casualties to his forces for how small their company was. Ylisse did not have Valm's might in sheer numbers. But they were a battle hardened nation. Fresh off of a resounding victory over neighboring Plegia. And staunch allies with the barbaric warriors of Regna Ferox. Such a conquest would not be easy.

And they would never bend the knee to an invader.

"How soon must my men be mobilized?" Yen'fay asked the messenger.

"Within the next three weeks, General. The Conqueror has already sent a Vanguard towards Regna Ferox. They will be arriving at those barbarians' doorstep within the week."

Yen'fay drew in a deep breath. If he refused, he would be viewed as a traitor. Excellus would spin it as Yen'fay turning into a craven commander. A rebellious one even. The Conqueror would not stand for such a dissidence. Saying no would endanger his family. Say'ri, Kage, his entire household would be put to the sword.

"Very well." Yen'fay nodded, "Inform the Emperor that my armies will be marshaled along Chon'sin's northern border within three weeks time."

"Yes sir!"

The messenger bowed to Yen'fay then quickly exited his study. As he marched out, Say'ri's eyes followed him. Once he was gone, Say'ri whipped her furious gaze over to her weary brother.

"Why?"

"The Emperor commands it." Yen'fay breathed.

"Damn the Emperor!" Say'ri barked, "You command the most well trained army in the entire continent. Challenge the Emperor already! Free our people! Don't follow his madness!"

"Say'ri…" Yen'fay ran a hand over his eyes, "It is not that simple."

"It is that simple." Say'ri scowled, "But you are too much of a coward to realize it."

A knock rang out from the door. Say'ri shook her head. She did not even bother to see who was knocking. She stormed out of Yen'fay's study. Shoving her way past both Luke and Noire. The pair took a step back in surprise as Say'ri marched towards her room.

Yen'fay uttered a weary sigh as he raked his fingers over his scalp.

"Something bad?" Luke asked as he carefully inched his way into the study. Noire followed him.

Yen'fay nodded.

"The conqueror has claimed Archanea as his own." Both Noire and Luke stared at Yen'fay wide eyed, "He has already sent a vanguard to Regna Ferox. If the Feroxi do not surrender outright, then there will be war."

"Hate to break it to you." Luke muttered, "But Khan Flavia is way too stubborn to bend the knee to anyone. She barely even listens to her own fellow West Khan."

"I am aware." Yen'fay breathed, "I have done my research regarding the nations of Archanea." He took a deep breath, "The Conqueror has never been defeated in battle before. I doubt he ever will be. But I already know this campaign will be a long, bloody affair." He stared back at Noire and Luke, "I won't be able to shelter you here once war begins. As Ylisseans, you will be targeted by Walhart's military. Excellus especially will be after you. Right now, I have managed to keep him from trying to harm you." His eyes focused on Luke, "But now he will have an excuse to barge through the palace doors and come after you and Cynthia." He turned his gaze to Noire, "And he will not show mercy to you and Brady either. He will know both of you are Ylissean."

"What do we do then?" Noire asked.

Yen'fay pressed his lips together, "You need to continue in your original mission. Prepare for the arrival of Grima. I will provide you with whatever resources I can. But it won't be much. Excellus and the Conqueror will have their eyes on me."

Luke nodded, "When must we leave?"

"Tonight." Yen'fay breathed.

"And where can we go?" Noire asked, worry filling voice.

"For now, go west. Into the mountains." Yen'fay advised, "The military does not have a strong presence there. You should be able to find a remote village to take shelter in. Away from Excellus's prying eyes." Yen'fay tapped his fingers on his desk, "And take Say'ri and Kage with you."

Luke's drew back in surprise.

Yen'fay noticed his shocked look, "I can already tell Say'ri is going to leave. Marshaling my armies for a war against good people is the last straw for her. I would feel much more comfortable knowing that she was with you than with a random group of rebels doing gods know what."

"Why can't you force her to stay here?" Noire asked.

"Excellus already tried assassinating her near the city once." Luke answered. He caught Yen'fay's nod as he started explaining why Say'ri had to leave, "Once Yen'fay leaves for war, Chon'sin will not be safe for any of us." Luke pursed his lips, "It will take some convincing to get her to come with us instead of joining a rebel faction."

"Then convince her." Yen'fay said, his voice sharp and firm, "If anyone can, it is you."

Yen'fay rose from his seat and walked over to a shelf against the wall. He reached for a familiar box and pulled it off of the shelf.

Luke's eyes widened, "You want me to take that as well?"

Yen'fay nodded as he opened the box and withdrew the lightsaber within it. As soon as Noire laid eyes on the hilt, a loud gasp left her lips.

"You know what this is?" Yen'fay asked her, surprised.

"Know what it is!?" Noire exclaimed, "How do you have my father's lightsaber?"

Luke froze.

Noire pointed at the hilt, "My father drew me a picture of his original blade when I was a little girl. I remember that picture. It looked exactly like that." Noire hardened her gaze on both Yen'fay and Luke, "So I will ask again. How do you have my father's lightsaber?"

Yen'fay glanced at Luke, "You have the same blade as well."

Noire's blue eyes raced over to Luke, "You-" She shook her head in disbelief, "You had it and-" She resisted the urge to punch him in the gut, "How could you keep that?"

"Kenobi already had a lightsaber."

"So did you!?"

"And I decided to be smart and keep it as a backup in case my own was destroyed." Luke shot back, "Besides, Maul told me to keep it. As a subtle way to spite Kenobi if he ever discovered I had it."

Noire grit her teeth, "Luke, I demand to have my father's blade back."

"No."

Noire's eyes flashed.

"No?"

"You have no training with a lightsaber. You barely have any training in the force. In your hands, the weapon will be more dangerous to you than to any enemies." Luke reasoned.

"Bullshit! That is my father's weapon! I-" Noire choked up a little bit, "I don't have anything to remember him by."

"Perhaps a compromise?" Yen'fay interrupted as he held Obi Wan Kenobi's lightsaber lightly in his fingers, "Luke will keep the weapon until you are trained to wield it." Yen'fay nodded at Luke, "And you _will_ train her to wield it."

Luke could hear the order in his brother's voice. This matter was not up for debate. Yen'fay was not about to keep a family heirloom from Noire. Such an action would be most dishonorable in his eyes. Noire helped save both Cynthia and Luke's lives. He had repaid her by allowing her to stay in the Chon'sin palace. And now, he will pay off the debt completely buy giving her the strange blade back. He held the hilt out to Luke. The young man snatched the weapon.

Noire eyes followed the hilt of the strange weapon. She gave Luke a very dangerous look.

"I think that is a fair compromise." Luke nodded reluctantly.

"I will never learn anything from you, bastard." Noire hissed before storming out of the study.

Yen'fay blinked in surprise at Noire's sudden outburst. The girl had been very quiet and polite since she started staying in the palace. He sensed some cold feelings towards Kage but never anything overtly hostile. Yen'fay furrowed his brow.

"I'll go pack." Luke gulped.

"Sit." Yen'fay ordered sharply.

Luke gulped and quickly sat down.

Yen'fay took a deep breath. He folded his hands on his desk and stared hard at Luke.

"Care to explain the ill feelings both Noire and Brady hold towards you?" Yen'fay asked, "I never got an explanation from them. And Cynthia hasn't explained it to me either. Before you go, you will tell me the truth. The entire truth."

Luke swallowed hard, "The truth hurts."

"That pain is necessary." Yen'fay said as he waited for Luke to start talking.

Luke took a deep breath. A long inhale. A long exhale. His hands folded in his lap as he sat nervously beneath his older brother's sharp gaze.

"You already know I was not the best person in the world before arriving in Valm."

"I am aware of that. Say'ri gave me an abbreviated version. But I want to know why people you told me were friends hate you so much."

Luke hung his head, "I betrayed them."

Yen'fay furrowed his brow.

"I betrayed them by following Maul into his time portal." Luke raised a guilty face up to his brother, "Together, Maul and Noire's father, Kenobi, were an unstoppable force in the battle against Grima. They both despised each other for very personal reasons thought. Which made it difficult for them to work together. My master held a grudge against Kenobi for a very long time. He managed to put aside that grudge for a while as Grima started his campaign against the world. But-"

"He never forgave or forgot." Yen'fay concluded.

Luke shook his head, "No he did not. My master saw the war going badly for us. And, being the sniveling cretin he was, desired only to survive. Not actually win. His only true goal in life was to destroy Kenobi."

"So why did he not try to kill him?" Yen'fay asked.

"There are worse ways to destroy a man than death." Luke replied.

Yen'fay furrowed his brow, "That is why you and Maul went back in time before the others." He saw more guilt wash over Luke's face, "You wished to completely destroy Noire's father. Break him. Then kill him. You had no way of breaking him in the future so you chose to do so in the past."

Luke gulped and nodded as he hung his head in shame.

"And we very nearly succeeded." Luke shook his head, "By leaving early, we left Kenobi and Lucina to fend for themselves against Grima. It sounds like they managed to hold out for three more years before the tide became too much." Luke rested his arms on his knees, "Kenobi died giving Lucina time to complete the ritual. Noire likely blames me for that. And the others probably blame me for the war going south as well."

"Cynthia does not." Yen'fay pointed out.

"Cynthia is…" He wanted to say naive. Borderline foolish. But he could not bring himself to call her that, "Different. In a lot of ways she is much more forgiving than the others." Luke drew in a deep breath, "I'm just thankful one person has given me a second chance."

Yen'fay rose from his seat, "More than one person, Kage."

Luke glanced up at his older brother.

"Kage," Yen'fay began, "The more I speak to you, the more I see that you are a good man. Misled by evil, but good. You will turn your life around. You have already started." Yen'fay smirked, "Why do you think I started teaching you traditional martial arts? To master such things requires a change of mindset that would help you."

Luke nodded, "I figured as much. And… I have noticed a change."

"Then don't stray from the path you have started on." Yen'fay said, "You may never earn Noire's or the others' forgiveness. But you can still earn their acceptance. Regain their respect. You managed to do that with Cynthia. I know you can do that with the rest of your companions."

Luke shook his head as he listened to his brother's words with mild disbelief, "You have way too much faith in me."

"You are family." Yen'fay smiled, "What else am I supposed to have faith in?" Yen'fay took a deep breath, "Now, you need to gather what belongings you can and leave as soon as possible. Walhart and Excellus will have spies here in a few hours to brief me on the war plans. They cannot be allowed to see you."

Luke nodded, "I understand."

He rose to his feet. Yen'fay walked around the table and embraced his little brother. He patted Luke on the back.

"Take care of the others." Yen'fay breathed as he held his brother tight, "And take care of yourself."

Luke gulped as he fought back some tears, "Don't do anything stupid, Yen'fay."

Yen'fay chuckled, "No promises, brother. Now get going."

Luke took a shaky breath as Yen'fay let him go. He nodded, turned on his heel, and marched out of the study. As he emerged from the study, Prince Kage came rushing out the dining room. A mess of laughter. A wide, mischievous grin all over his face.

"You little shit!" Brady roared as he emerged from the dining room. Soy sauce and rise covered his face, "Get back here and answer to the gods!"

Brady paused as he rushed past Luke. He uttered a disgruntled grunt at Luke before giving chase to the laughing little prince. As he marched down the corridor he spun around and pointed at Luke.

"I'm going to catch that little shit! And when I do-"

"Pack your things." Luke cut him off, "We need to leave."

He did not give Brady time to reply. Luke swiftly crossed the courtyard and made his way towards Say'ri's room. If she was not there, then he would go to the stables next.

Luckily the Chon'sin Princess had not left her room yet. But she was almost done packing. Luke saw that she had changed out of her traditional kimono. Now she wore riding gear and leather armor over her torso. She kept her long, dark hair out of her face with a white headband. Two swords were strapped to her hips as she shouldered her travel gear.

Luke leaned against the door.

"Going somewhere?"

Say'ri narrowed her eyes at him as she stopped her march towards the door, "I cannot stand by anymore. I-" Say'ri exhaled, "Yen'fay has betrayed this family by siding with that tyrant. I will not do the same."

"You can't go joining rebels." Luke replied.

"I can. And I will." Say'ri said, "And if it was not for… for you," She said referring to the little Prince being chased by Brady across the courtyard, "I would have left years ago. Now my baby brother has Yen'fay, Cynthia, and you to look out for him. I can go and do what I should have done years ago."

"We are leaving as well." Luke said, surprising Say'ri as she took a step towards the door, "You and Kage are coming with us."

Say'ri gave Luke a puzzled look.

"Four of us are Ylissean. As soon as this war starts, we will be deemed enemies of the state or spies by Walhart and Excellus." Luke explained, "Yen'fay wants us to finish our mission. Grima needs to be stopped. And we need to prepare to do that." Luke sighed, "He wants you to come with us. He feels like you and Kage will be safer with us than some random rebels."

"He cannot dictate where I will and will not be safe."

"That may be true. But these rebels might not accept your help." Luke pointed out, "They will know you are Chon'sin royalty. They might use you as a bargaining chip."

"Fie! They have more honor than that!"

"Do they?" Luke remarked as his words started to sink in for Say'ri, "Think about it. The little sister of the Conqueror's most powerful general comes to you. She does not have any information regarding his older brother's army. She just wants to help. If I were the rebel leader I would hold you hostage. A guarantee in case Yen'fay is ordered to hunt down the rebel cell." Say'ri swallowed hard as Luke spoke, "You go that route, you will be nothing more than a bargaining chip. You will not have freedom. And Walhart will turn his gaze on you and destroy you. What good does that do anyone?"

Say'ri glanced over at Luke. She did not say a word in reply. Her mind too busy mulling through Luke's logic.

"I'm going to go wake Cynthia." Luke breathed, "We will pack and be at the stables in an hour. I expect you to be there."

He turned on his heel and marched away from Say'ri's room. Say'ri remained in the doorway. A hard, contemplative look on her face. Her hesitance was all Luke needed to see. She would not be joining any rebels. She would be coming with them. Especially now that Prince Kage would be leaving the palace.

Luke rubbed the back of his neck. He could already feel the aches and pains of travel coming on. It would be a long ride to the mountains in western Chon'sin. With a toddler as part of their company, it would be even longer.

He slid the door to his room open. Just in time to see Cynthia standing up from the mat. Not a stitch of clothing on her.

Luke's face turned a dark red color as she faced away from him and stretched her arms over her head. A happy sigh left her lips. She glanced over her shoulder and smirked at Luke.

"You're blushing again." She snickered.

Luke gulped and quickly closed the door behind him, "Hard not to when dealing with someone as shameless as you."

Cynthia rolled her eyes, "I'm comfortable around you. Not shameless."

"Mhmm, sure." Luke replied as she sauntered up to him and placed a kiss on his lips.

"Did I miss breakfast?" Cynthia asked.

"Yes."

"Argh!" Cynthia pouted, "You should have woke me up!" She folded her arms over her chest.

Luke chuckled, "But you are so adorable when you are sleeping. Besides, you are going to be grateful for the rest."

"Why?" Cynthia asked innocently.

"Because," Luke sighed, "We are leaving."

"What!?" Cynthia cried, "Why!? I like it here."

"Because the Valm War is about to begin."

Cynthia blinked is shock, "But- but that isn't supposed to happen for-"

"It is happening now. And we need to leave before the Emperor's forces deem us threats. Say'ri and Prince Kage will be coming with us."

"And Yen'fay?" Cynthia asked as Luke stepped around her and grabbed their empty travel packs from a shelf.

"Leading his army against Archanea. He has no choice. Walhart's eyes are on him. This way, he can have a little more freedom to act since Say'ri will not be in the Conqueror's sights." Luke peeled off his morning robe and grabbed a fresh set of black robes from a drawer. He could see Cynthia's worry.

"How is the war starting already?" Cynthia breathed.

"I don't know." Luke replied as he slipped on the black robes, "Someone is forcing events to move faster in this timeline than our own. Or maybe, just our presence has caused the timeline to shift. Either way, we need to leave Koto. It is no longer safe here. Especially with Yen'fay having to leave to lead his armies against Archanea."

Cynthia gulped as Luke tossed her some clothes. She quickly dressed herself.

"Where are we going?" Cynthia asked as she pulled her shirt on.

"West, into the Kiba Mountains. There we will lay low and train until the Shepherds arrive to defeat Walhart."

Cynthia gave Luke a worried look.

"With how much the timeline has shifted, do you think they will still be able to win?" Cynthia asked him.

Luke paused as he shoved a spare set of clothes into his travel pack, "I'm not sure." He answered honestly, "But all we can do is hope now at this point. Hope and prepare. Because if the Shepherds fail then we will be the ones to have to face down Grima. And this time, we will be ready for him."

Cynthia nodded. She pulled on her pants and skipped across the room to Luke. Her arms wrapped around his waist as she pressed her body into his back. Letting her head rest against his shoulder blades.

"What is this all about?" Luke laughed a little as she placed a hand over her hands.

"I know you'll keep us safe." Cynthia mumbled as she rested her head against him, "If you and Yen'fay think this is our best option, then I trust you." Luke turned around to face her. Letting her arms remain wrapped around his waist, "But," She let her chin rest against his chest now as her bright eyes looked up at his face, "When the others get here to kick Walhart's butt, we're going to help out."

Luke snickered. He nodded and placed a light kiss on her lips.

"Of course."

* * *

He scowled as he watched the weaklings train. His wrinkled, yellow eyes burned like flames beneath the deep hood.

This room he stood in was once one of the main training halls for the now extinct Jedi Order. When the Order came crashing down, this place held the bodies of many Jedi. Sidious ordered the place repaired. The Jedi atmosphere in the room changed with the repairs. The light side of the force had been purged away from this room. If Sidious were to train an effective fighting force of dark side acolytes, then it needed to feel like a Sith temple. Now, this room served a new purpose.

The room dripped with dark side energy as a group of five acolytes meditated inside. Weaving between the five acolytes was the senior of their group. A Pau'an male who was once a Jedi. But this Jedi was wise. He bent the knee to Sidious and pledged his life to the Sith Lord. Choosing life over death. A coward's choice. Something Sidious did detest in the Pau'an. But his experience in training force sensitives proved to be invaluable. So he tolerated the fallen Jedi.

Especially since Sidious did not think these acolytes were worth his personal time and attention. Giving any of them that treatment would make them think they were legitimate apprentices. In reality, not a single one of these acolytes would ever rise to the power of a Sith Apprentice. Let alone a Master.

As loath as Sidious was to admit it, Vader would crush any of these acolytes. His new apprentice, while disappointing given his physical limitations, had more than proven that he still possessed tremendous amounts of raw power. Power like that could not be taught.

He did hold out hope that one day, he would find a proper replacement for Lord Vader. His failure on Mustafar destroyed whatever plans Sidious had for the young Sith Lord. The enormous potential Vader once possessed burned in the lava river he was found beside. Vader could have become the most powerful Sith Lord to ever live. Even more powerful than himself, Sidious mused. But now, with how catastrophic Vader's failure had been, Sidious did not deem him worthy of such a title.

He had been scouring the galaxy for a potential replacement since the day he found Vader's charred body on Mustafar. So far, nothing. Not a single being in the galaxy possessed even a fraction of Vader's power.

And… Vader had proven himself capable so far. Every test Sidious threw at Vader, Vader seemed to triumph. Every trap Sidious set in order to make Vader prove his power, Vader survived. No matter the obstacles in front of him, Vader lived and carried out every order to perfection.

Perhaps he did not have a need to find a new apprentice right away. Perhaps he should exercise some Jedi patience on the matter. A new, more powerful apprentice would come eventually.

For now, he needed to focus on structuring the Empire. The last few Separatist strongholds needed to be crushed. Jedi that survived the initial purged had to be wiped out. That was why he needed dark side acolytes. That was why he needed his new inquisitors. They would fill Vader's role as Jedi hunters until Sidious's apprentice returned from his mission.

Sidious pressed his lips into a fine line as he observed the acolytes meditate in the dark side of the force. He wondered about Vader's progress. He and Thrawn were convinced that the woman named Lucina was hiding in the deep core. That impossible maze of asteroid fields, star clusters, and black holes. A fortunate coincidence. Sidious had sensed some disturbances from that section of the galaxy for some time now. During his days as Chancellor, he even commissioned multiple probes to be sent into the deep core in order to investigate it's habitability.

None of those probes ever returned. But it was nice to know that his senses were not betraying him on the matter. Something lurked in the deep core. An unknown entity that eluded his sight.

 _But it will not stay hidden for long._

Sidious frowned as he heard some startled cries coming from the corridor behind him. His imperial guards were alarmed by something. Which was odd. His guards were the best trained soldiers in the galaxy. They were trained to not show any fear.

 _So something either very strange or very deadly must be occurring in my palace._

The acolytes stirred in their meditations. Their leader paused in his pacing and gave the Emperor a nervous glance.

"Continue, Grand Inquisitor." Sidious folded his hands into his dark robes, "I will deal with this disturbance myself."

The Pau'an nodded then snapped at the acolytes to focus on their training. Sidious grinned. The Grand Inquisitor was ruthless. Good. That will keep his underlings in line.

The Dark Lord of the Sith stepped out the main hall of the Jedi Temple. Many repairs had been finished since the Order's destruction. The destroyed columns had been replaced. Scorch marks from blaster fire erased. Rubble removed. Red and black Imperial banners hung from ceiling high overhead.

A hall fit for an emperor if there ever was one. Sidious chuckled to himself. How ironic that the Jedi Temple became his place of residence once they were destroyed. He reveled in such irony.

A pulse rang out in the force. Sidious paused as he saw his guards sprint past him. His yellow eyes narrowed when he saw strange humanoid creatures chasing them.

They appeared mindless. Ash colored humans with strange black masks and glowing, ruby red eyes. Their movements were erratic, but swift. Their garb and weaponry extremely primitive. It had been many years since Sidious had seen an ax made of iron. Usually such things were decoration in the galaxy.

He noticed some slash marks in the strange creatures charging at him. Evidence of vibroblades slashing into their bodies. They did not seem disturbed by the deadly wounds. In fact, they seemed infuriated by them.

Sidious sniffed as they drew closer. He could smell death and decay coming from the shambling creatures. Could sense the dark side of the force wrapped around them like a thin blanket. Which puzzled him. What sort of creatures were these?

Before they could reach him, Sidious sent a massive force push out. The small group of creatures flew backwards through the air. As they flew back, Sidious's eyes widened.

A bright, blue light appeared in the air above him. A portal of some sort, shaped like a great glowing eye, opened up. Several more of those strange creatures came falling out of it.

Then something else came through the portal. A young girl. She landed hard by Sidious's side.

The Dark Lord glanced down at her as she groaned and pushed herself up to her hands and knees.

A human girl. Jet black hair. Pale skin. A strange, purple and gold coat wrapped around her small body. A tome of some sort in her right hand. And a very confused, troubled look in her green eyes.

"Wha- Where-" She hissed and pressed a hand to the side of her head, "Argh! My head!"

The strange creatures wailed as they caught sight of the girl. Her eyes snapped open. He sensed primal fear rushing through her veins. And as that fear surfaced, the dark side of the force burst to life inside of her.

He watched with great interest as she scrambled to her feet. Chest heaving up and down as she stared down the monsters charging at him and her. On instinct, the girl raised a hand.

Sidious's eyes widened as Force Lightning erupted from her outstretched hand. The thin bolts slammed into the nearest monster then chained into the next three. Roasting them to ash. As the black ash scattered across the ground, the other monsters drew closer. One raised it's crude weapon to strike Sidious down.

Sidious did not move. He smirked a little as the young girl dashed in front of him.

"Look out, geezer!"

The girl blasted the monster back with a powerful force push. She blinked and looked at her hand. Somehow surprised that she managed to wield such a power. Sidious felt the force continue to build up inside of her.

His excitement grew as she faced down the last three monsters. Above Sidious, the portal winked closed. The girl gulped and opened up her tome.

"I-" She shook her head in confusion, "I can't remember exactly how to do this, but here goes nothing!"

She extended a hand as she landed on a specific page in her book. A blast of fire jumped from her hand and plowed into one of the monsters. The monster wailed as a small inferno burnt it to ash. Sidious's curiosity grew as he actively sensed the girl's power.

She utilized the force for that strange spell. Almost in the same way the Nightsister utilized the force to perform their witchcraft. Sidious's cracked lips parted into a sinister smile.

This girl had potential.

He flicked his wrist. The last two monsters floated up in the air. With a slight twitch of his fingers, Sidious crushed the monsters. They wailed out a death cry before crumbling into black ash in the air.

The girl took a step back in surprise. She seemingly forgot Sidious was behind her. Because when she stepped back, she bumped into him

"Oh!" The girl cried in alarm as she dashed forward and spun around, ready to attack again. She lowered her hands when she saw him. An embarrassed look spread over her face, "S-sorry geezer. I didn't mean to bump into you."

"There is nothing to apologize for." Sidious smirked, "You defended me today. I am grateful for that."

Before the girl could reply, Sidious sensed stormtroopers rushing into the main hall. Commander Fox, one of the last Clone commanders in service, ordered his men to take aim on the girl.

Sidious quickly raised a hand. The soldiers lowered their weapons.

"This one is not an enemy, Commander. I dare say, she may in fact be an ally." Sidious looked down at girl. She did not look at him. Instead, she stared wide eyed at the old Jedi Temple around her.

"Whoa." She breathed, "Where?" Sidious sensed pain in her as she winced and rubbed her head again, "Gah! My head!" She shook her head in an effort to make the pain go away, "I'm- I'm trying to think where I'm at." She thought out loud, "But for the life of me I can't remember anything. I don't recognize this place at all."

Sidious arched an eyebrow. He quickly sensed the child's thoughts. And he found them strangely hidden. Locked away intentionally. No matter how hard he pried at the cage surrounding her memories, he could not get through.

 _Peculiar._

"Do not try to strain your mind." Sidious said, keeping his voice soft. He did not want to drive this one away. The dark side of the force filled this girl to her core. The power she displayed was great. Perhaps he had no need for patience after all, "Try to recall one thing at a time. Let's start with your name."

"My-my name?" The girl hummed to herself. She blinked, "I- I think it's Morgan?"

"Morgan." An interesting name. Sidious had no idea what culture a name like that would come from. This mystery continued to grow. And it fascinated him. "You have been through quite the ordeal it seems. Do you know what those creatures attacking you are?"

Morgan furrowed her brow as she strained her mind, "The only word that comes to mind is Risen."

"Risen?"

He had never heard of such a creature before. Never seen such a creature before either. Sidious furrowed his brow. This would require intense study. He had a feeling this strange event connected with his vision of Lucina. Hopefully he could get into contact with Lord Vader again soon in order to check his progress.

Of course, he would not inform him of this little one. Lord Vader would remain unaware of Morgan. Her potential in the force was great. Sidious could sense tremendous power inside of her. If trained properly, perhaps she could rival Lord Vader.

 _Perhaps I have found his replacement._

"Hey, um, geezer?" Morgan said, ripping Sidious from his thoughts, "You asked for my name. Shouldn't you give me yours?"

Sidious snorted a little bit. The girl had a bold tongue on her. That would need to be tempered in her training.

"Palpatine." Sidious replied.

"Palpa-what?" Morgan frowned, "Too long. I'm going to call you Palps, okay?"

Sidious frowned at her.

"Not okay?" Morgan cringed, "Sorry. My brain is still mushy right now. It is a bit hard to process what is going on at the moment. By the way, where am I exactly?"

Sidious folded his hands, "You are in my palace on the Planet of Coruscant, the Capital of my Galactic Empire."

Morgan's green eyes bugged out of her skull, "Y-your palace? Your Galactic Empire?" She swallowed hard as her face lost some color, "Heh! So… you're a pretty big deal then, huh Palps?"

"Palpatine." Sidious corrected.

"I know. But Palps is so much fun to say." Morgan smiled back, "So Palps, you saved my life. I guess I should thank you!" She bowed, "So thanks!"

Palpatine smirked, "You are most welcome, child." He looked down at her, "Morgan."

"Yes?"

"Where are you from?"

Morgan furrowed her brow. Palpatine could practically see the wheels in her mind turning as she struggled to remember.

"I-I can't remember." A frustrated snarl left her lips, "This is terrible! I can't remember anything!"

Palpatine frowned. This girl was an enigma indeed. He would need to keep her close by. Not only to potentially train her, but also to unravel the mystery of her mind. Something blocked him from learning the truth about this girl. He would not be impeded in such a way.

"Well, Morgan," Sidious began, "Since you saved my life as well, I believe I should thank you. And repay you as well." Sidious snapped his fingers, "Commander, have someone prepare a room for Morgan. She is my honored guest now."

"Yes sir." Commander Fox said with absolute obedience.

A happy gasp left Morgan's lips, "I'm the honored guest to an Emperor! That's so cool!"

Sidious actually chuckled a little bit. Mostly due to her sheer naivete.

"Yes," Sidious beckoned for her to walk beside him as they followed Commander Fox to the Palace's residential wing.

"Can I say something, Palps." Morgan said as she strolled leisurely beside him.

"You may."

"You should look into losing the whole dark robe thing." Morgan said an innocent grin, "I can't really see your face. And to be honest, it makes you look a little creepy."

Sidious eyed the girl.

"N-not that creepy is a bad thing. Clearly you're not a bad guy if you saved my life." Morgan stammered, "You're actually my first friend since I can't really remember anything."

Friend? Was this child that open to strangers? Sidious sensed her intentions once again and found them to be completely innocent. As he sensed her presence, he once again felt her enormous power in the force.

"Yes," Sidious smiled back at her. His face shadowed out by the hood over his head. Morgan gave him a bright smile back.

"I have a feeling you and I will be quite good friends."

 **And chapter! The war with Valm is now underway. The first pieces are moving. Kage and his friends are on the run once again while Yen'fay marshals his armies for the Conqueror. And across the galaxy, a mysterious girl with a bad case of amnesia arrives in the ruined Jedi Temple. And Sidious has taken a great interest in her. This will be very interesting indeed.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	76. Impending Disaster

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 76

Impending Disaster

Ricken sighed as he slowly made his way down a winding dirt trail south of Ylisstol. His arms clutched a large, black tome close to his chest as he strolled along. Eyes downcast, heart a little heavy. Even though he also felt excited about what lay at the end of the dirt path.

He hated having to make this walk everyday. Not because he didn't enjoy the path. The little trail towards a small cabin in the forest was beautiful. Birds were constantly chirping in the trees around him. He even occasionally spotted a stag or two.

This was a gorgeous walk he made everyday. But it also reminded him of a painful fact that made his heart sink.

The Shepherds had broken.

He never thought it would be possible. But it happened. Chrom and Ben came to blows over something regarding Ben's past. He did not witness the altercation. All he knew was what Robin had told the entire barracks that night.

Chrom and Ben got into a fight. To the point where both men drew blades. Ben actually attacked Chrom. Beat him within seconds. Something that, if anyone else had told the story, Ricken and the other Shepherds would not have believed. But Robin was no liar. They all knew that.

Frederick had been the first to press for details as to what caused such an altercation. Robin said that if he wanted to know to ask Chrom or Ben. It was not his place to delve into the very personal reasons the pair came to blows. Although, Ricken could see that Robin held a tremendous amount of guilt over the matter. Robin blamed himself. And asked the others to blame him for the mess, not Chrom and Ben. He was the one who inadvertently caused the two men to come to blows.

Ricken did not blame anyone for the whole mess. Clearly there was blame for all parties involved. He believed Chrom acted rashly when he kicked Ben out of the Shepherds. A few of the other Shepherds agreed with him. Most notably, Gaius, Panne, Laurent, and (when they learned about the situation via a letter) Virion, Donnel, and Dooku. All of those people left the Shepherds on their own. Reasoning that Ben had been the one to earn their loyalty. If he was not a member, then they would not be either. Gaius had been the most vocal with his opinion. Actually cursing out both Robin and Chrom in the barracks before storming off, furious.

Frederick led those who supported Chrom over Ben. Ricken shook his head. That group did not view Ben in a very friendly light. Especially after they learned that Ben had been the one to strike first after Chrom initially drew Falchion. The group were mostly the military faction of the Shepherds. Those directly sworn to defend the royal family and the Halidom as a whole. Ricken knew Sully was visibly furious with Ben after hearing about what happened. Stahl was mostly silent on the matter. It helped that he was all the way in Themis. He was removed from the situation entirely and more focused on rebuilding the Themis cavalry. Gregor and Kellam sided with this group as well. Mostly because they too fought for the Ylissean military. Gregor served as a training adviser on a lucrative mercenary contract. And Kellam had finally found his voice as a captain in the Ylissean infantry.

Then there were the neutrals. Those who followed Robin's advice and blamed no one for the disaster. Those who wished to just move on and try to mend the break in any way they could. Ricken considered himself part of that camp as well. He did not agree with Prince Chrom. But he also did not think Ben acted in the best way either. He mainly sided with Ben because of his dark magic instructor, Tharja. A person he had grown rather fond since she decided to start giving him more in depth instruction beyond the Academy.

Miriel and Vaike remained neutral in the fight as well. Though Miriel tended to agree with Chrom, while Vaike sided more with Ben. But the pair decided it was best to remove themselves from the situation entirely. They had a newborn to take care of. A baby boy they named after Miriel's grandfather, whom she referred to as one of the most gifted scientists of his age. Coincidentally, the baby's name was also Laurent.

Lon'qu opted to return to Regna Ferox as the formal Ylissean ambassador to Khan Flavia and Khan Basilio. The man did not enjoy the breaking of the Shepherds. He viewed the conflict as extremely childish and unnecessary. Thus, he removed himself from it. Preferring an environment with less drama in Regna Ferox.

Nowi did not take a side because she hated the fighting. Anytime anyone brought it up, she almost broke down in tears. She viewed the Shepherds in a similar way as Panne. They were her new family. And now they were fighting. The young Manakete abhorred such a state within her family. Ricken often found himself distracting her from the situation whenever he was not engrossed in his studies. And he found himself enjoying his time with her more and more. Nowi could actually be extremely thoughtful, mature, and intelligent when she wanted to be. Ricken also found interacting with her, learning about Manaketes and their abilities to be utterly fascinating.

Marth remained silent on the matter. Ricken had seen her in the training yard with Robin often. And it appeared she just wanted to move on from the matter entirely. Her focus stayed on training. Not only herself, but apparently Robin too. Ricken once asked her why she had started training Robin. She explained that the mess had caused a small rift to form between Ben and Robin. Ben was initially going to instruct Robin. But Robin felt that it was not a good idea to ask Ben to train him at this time. So Marth took on Robin's training. With middling success. She was the first person to admit that she was not the ideal teacher for Robin when it came to the mysterious power known as the Force.

The most surprising neutral party in Ricken's eyes was Cordelia. The Wing-Commander remained eerily silent about the whole situation. But Ricken could see she did not agree with Frederick's own sudden coldness towards Ben and his friends. Nor did she agree with Gaius and his own fury with Chrom. She found herself stuck in the center. Unable to decide between two people who she considered good friends.

And the only person Ricken truly believed was impartial in this entire mess was Anna. The merchant viewed the fight as idiotic. In her own words it all boiled down to, "Two boys deciding to fight over meaningless crap". As long as profits remained high, and Frederick continued to buy weapons and armor from her, she would not care too much. She was far too busy establishing her new shop in Ylisstol to worry about a conflict among people she had only met recently.

Ricken furrowed his brow as he stepped over a large tree root that snaked across the trail. Robin was the most confusing of the bunch. He blamed himself for the entire mess. He said that he was the one that caused Chrom to confront Ben. And he viewed his decision to prod Chrom along as stupid and short sighted. He remained close to Chrom. Even took the military commission Chrom initially offered him over a year ago. Before he left with Ben and the others to find Marth and Luke. But there was a lack of passion in Robin. A lack of cheer that the tactician often had before. The royal family did try to cheer him up. Lissa tried to involve him in several of her own little pranks on Frederick. But he remained rather somber.

A loud shout caught Ricken's attention. The young mage flicked his gaze up the trail. The dirt path ended at a small clearing in the forest. A log cabin sat in the center of the clearing. A small, two room building that took a few weeks to build. A cozy little spot. There was a large tent sitting outside of the cabin. It had been there for as long as construction went on. It remained in place even after construction on the cabin was finished. A place to stay for two former shepherds who refused to return to the barracks.

"Whiskers!" Gaius poked his head out from the tent as Panne busied herself in a small garden on the other side of the clearing, "Where's my stash!?"

"You ate it all already." Panne sighed as she tended to a small patch of carrots.

"Impossible! I keep my stash fully stocked!"

"You keep you stomach fully stocked." Panne replied with a roll of her eyes. She noticed Ricken approaching and gave the young mage a small smile, "You are early. Tharja is not here yet."

"Oh?" Ricken replied, "I did not realize. She must have gotten held up by Headmaster Byron again."

"Is he still trying to get her to convince Ben to teach at the Academy?"

Ricken sighed and nodded. Headmaster Byron had not given up that pursuit.

Panne shook her head as she yanked a weed away from a radish.

"I maintain that I can pay him a visit." She said.

Ricken gulped, "That won't be necessary. I think Tharja would rather handle this herself."

Panne shrugged, "Very well."

"I FOUND IT!" Gaius hollered from his tent before poking his head back out of the tent. A fresh lollipop dangled from the corner of his mouth. He noticed Ricken and waved, "How's it going, kid?"

"I'm almost fifteen." Ricken sighed.

"Still a kid." Gaius shrugged, "You here to practice with Sunshine again?"

"I'm here every day, Gaius." Ricken replied.

"Well, yeah. But you know… you could be paying us a visit instead." Gaius replied as he rubbed the back of his head.

"That's exactly what I am doing." Ricken said, "I just so happen to also be receiving instruction from Tharja during my visits."

"Stop giving him such a hard time, Gaius." Panne said, "And would you come out of that tent and help me with these radishes?"

Gaius visibly shivered, "Vegetables. She's still trying to get me to eat them." He whispered to Ricken.

"Gaius!"

The mage snickered as Panne snapped at Gaius. The Taguel's sharp hearing easily caught what the thief said. Gaius rolled his eyes and sighed.

"On my way, Whiskers." He strolled out of the tent, "When did I become a farmer instead of a damn good thief?"

"Since we agreed to help Ben tend this land in exchange for a place to stay."

"He said we could stay for free!" Gaius cried.

"And you would not feel guilty for that?" Panne remarked.

"No."

Panne narrowed her eyes at Gaius. The thief gulped, cringed.

"Maybe a little bit."

"That's what I thought." Panne nodded as Gaius knelt down next to her and gave the radish a puzzled look.

"I'm going to head inside." Ricken told the pair.

"Go for it. Benny is in there doing his thing." Gaius waved as Ricken stepped away.

The young mage chuckled as he heard Gaius ask Panne what exactly a radish tasted like. Panne promised to cook him one for dinner. He did not hear Gaius's reply as he stepped inside of Ben's cabin.

The inside was lightly furnished. Ben was not someone who wanted to have a lot of possessions. He claimed it was because he lived as a monk for years. He could do without many of the normal comforts in life.

There was a small fireplace off to the side. That was where the majority of the cooking was done in the cabin. A basin filled with clean water sat near the fireplace. A few cabinets lined the opposite wall. Windows broke up the row of cabinets. Allowing warm sunlight to filter into the cozy space. A soft, fur rug sat on the floor. A couple of wooden chairs were on top of the rug. And two more chairs sat near the fireplace. Ricken had never seen the other room. He assumed it was Ben's bedroom. The one place he decided to keep as his own. Anyone could enter the cabin's main room at any time.

"Hello?" Ricken called as he realized Ben was not in the main room.

The door to the bedroom clicked closed as Ben stepped out.

"Oh, Ricken!" Ben smiled, "You got here before Tharja."

Ricken snickered, "You sound a little disappointed."

Ben shook his head and sent a small force push at the boy's hat. Ricken's hand shot up to keep his hat from flying from his head. Ben chuckled as he walked past Ricken.

"Have you eaten yet?" Ben asked as he strode over to a cabinet and pulled out a cast iron pot, "I planned on making some vegetable soup. I think I have a loaf of bread to go with it somewhere in here."

Ben rummaged through the cabinet. He uttered a delighted sound as he found two loaves of bread and some butter. He reached into another cabinet and quickly withdrew a small wooden cutting board, a butter knife, and a regular knife.

"Thank you, Ben." Ricken said as Ben handed him a slice of bread.

Ben took one for himself as well. The two sat down near the fire. Ben leaned back into his seat and let out a content sigh.

"How goes the writing?" Ricken asked Ben.

"The book is nearly finished." Ben said with a small nod. He took a bite of bread, "I'm sure Headmaster Byron continues to hound both you and Tharja about it."

"He is." Ricken chuckled, "I've never seen the old guy so excited about something before." Ricken nibbled on his bread, "To be fair, if I had as much knowledge as him and found out there was entire lost magic I was not aware of, I'd be pretty excited too."

Ben chuckled, "Unfortunately, he may never be able to learn it."

Ricken sighed, "Yeah." He glanced at Ben, "Is the Force really that difficult to learn?"

Ben swallowed his last bite of bread. He quickly chewed and swallowed.

"It is not that it is just difficult to learn, Ricken." Ben began, "The Force is a power one must be in tune with. It is not like magic. It cannot be conveyed through tomes or taught as a power. It needs to be something a person is born with."

"And that is what makes it extremely rare?" Ricken asked.

Ben nodded, "At the height of their powers, the Jedi only numbered about ten thousand."

Ricken furrowed his brow, "That does not sound too rare."

"A large majority of those Jedi were much older than me." Ben pointed out, "The power of the order waned as the years went on. And you must consider how many people there are in the world. Ten thousand out of everyone living? That is a very small percentage."

 _An even smaller percentage if you consider the rest of the galaxy._ Ben thought to himself.

Ben wiped his mouth with his hand, "Enough about me though. Tell me, what are you and Tharja going to practice today?"

Ricken's eyes lit up with excitement, "She is finally going to teach me the Nosferatu spell!"

"Is she?" Ben drew back with some surprise, "That is quite a leap."

"She thinks I'm ready." Ricken beamed as he clutched his tome, "I made sure to conduct as much research on the topic as I possibly could before coming here today. I want to make sure I get it right."

"That is what is most important." Ben nodded, "You don't want to learn it too fast. Not if that means sacrificing the quality of your spell craft."

"Very true." Ricken nodded. He pursed his lips, "Speaking of training, Marth is still trying to instruct Robin."

Ben let out a heavy sigh, "I already know where this conversation is going."

"Ben," Ricken shook his head, "Don't… don't you think that this whole thing has gone on long enough? Robin blames himself for what happened. If you can't make amends with Chrom, then maybe you could try making amends with him."

Ben pressed his lips together. Ricken could see the man thinking hard. Ben folded his hands and rested his chin against his knuckles.

"Marth is trying." Ricken continued, "She really is. But… she can't communicate the force to Robin as well as you. She's even admitted as much. She says she is way too inexperienced to be taking on a student as potentially powerful as Robin."

Ben closed his eyes, "That sounds awfully familiar." He breathed.

Ricken looked confused, "It does?"

Ben nodded as he leaned back and let his hands rest in his lap, "That is how I felt when I started training Anakin." Ben let out a long breath, "I was not ready for a student like him. Robin and Anakin share many similarities. But Robin also has a better head on his shoulder than Anakin did."

"He does?"

Ben nodded, "Anakin was extremely impulsive as my student. Robin rarely acts on impulse. He will act on instinct. But instinct does not necessarily mean impulse. He will ponder his instincts before acting. That is something Anakin had great difficulty learning."

"Basically, Robin possesses patience?" Ricken smirked.

Ben let his head fall back as a loud laugh left his lips, "Well put, Ricken." He took a breath and stared at the empty fireplace, "I was just as willful with my master."

"You were?" Ricken asked, somewhat surprised.

"Qui Gon and I were very much opposites." Ben explained, "I was rigid in my ways. Entrenched in the Jedi Code."

"And he was not?"

Ben shook his head, "Qui Gon believed that a Jedi must follow the will of the force, no matter what. A philosophy that, now that I look back on it, clashes violently with the Order's interpretation of the code. Especially with how the high council viewed the code." Ben hummed as he thought, "I remember one time I went behind my master's back and tattled on him to the council. Needless to say, the council reprimanded him. And he was rather cross with me."

"Kind of like what happened with you and Robin?" Ricken pointed out.

Ben glanced at the young mage.

"I assume that's why you were bringing this up." Ricken pointed out, "You have been thinking a lot about that, haven't you?"

Ben nodded, "I have." He drew in a deep breath, "Every time I find myself growing frustrated with what Robin did, I am reminded of my own stupid decisions when I was a student." He snorted, "I am reminded of Anakin's idiotic decisions. If getting reprimanded by the council was the only bad thing that happened in a day, then it was a good day." Ben nodded to himself, "Perhaps you are right, Ricken. I might just be able to bridge this rift with Robin."

"And Prince Chrom?" Ricken asked.

Ben's face darkened a little bit, "That bridge is gone."

Ricken's eyes fell to the floor, "Oh." He sagged in his seat, "That is a shame."

Ben glanced over at the crestfallen boy. He clapped a hand on the boy's shoulder and gave him a reassuring shake.

"I don't think the Shepherds will remain broken forever, Ricken." Ben said, "But… I don't think Chrom and I will be able to reconcile anytime soon."

"I understand." Ricken nodded.

The door to the cabin opened and closed. Tharja uttered a long, weary sigh as she relaxed in the doorway.

"No more urchins today." She breathed with relief.

"Hi Tharja!" Ricken waved from his seat.

Tharja's dark eyes landed on him. Ben started to chuckle as Tharja's glare sent Ricken sinking into his seat.

"Are we canceling the lesson today?" He squeaked out.

Tharja rolled her eyes, "You can't be so easily scared if you wish to delve further into the dark arts, Ricken."

Ricken gaped at the dark mage as she sauntered over to the room and placed a kiss on Ben's lips.

"That was an act!?" Ricken cried.

"A good one too." Ben smirked as Tharja hung her pack on a peg in the wall, "I did not even realize it was an act until Ricken did."

"You did. You just want Ricken to feel better about it." Tharja replied.

"I did not." Ben argued back.

"You sensed my intentions with the Force. You knew I was not mad at Ricken." Tharja pointed out.

Ben opened his mouth to argue. He promptly closed it.

"You win this round." Ben admitted.

Tharja snickered as opened her pack to grab her spell book

"Man, the force makes things so unfair." Ricken sighed, "Are you sure I can't learn it?"

Ben chuckled, "Unfortunately yes. And it is unfortunate because it would be a dream come true to have a student as dedicated as you, Ricken."

"He is a good student." Tharja muttered, "You even managed to arrive before me today. Did you not stop to be with Nowi beforehand?"

Ricken felt his cheeks heat up a little bit at Tharja's suggestive question. Ben glanced at Ricken and started to chuckle.

"It's not like that!" Ricken cried.

"I was born at night, Ricken." Tharja hummed, "But not last night. You like her and she clearly likes you. Otherwise she would have found someone else to entertain her."

"Tharja has a point." Ben nodded, "Although," He furrowed his brow, "What are the legalities regarding such a thing?"

"Nowi is a thousand year old dragon." Tharja reminded Ben, "And nobles marry far younger than Ricken is. The Ylissean royal family is a rare exception to that reality. But that is mostly due to their father dying before he could pawn them off to another noble family."

"I am not going to marry Nowi!" Ricken pulled down on the brim of his hat as he tried to hide the embarrassment on his face.

Ben laughed some more, "Tharja, I think we should get Gaius in on this."

"Do you wish to drive off my student?" Tharja smirked playfully.

Ben rose from his seat and moved towards the door with her. Ricken followed behind them. Red face hidden behind his spell book.

"I think it would be rather fun to hear his take on this." Ben said as he opened the door for the other two.

Tharja snickered as Ricken sank his head further behind his spell book. The young mage really did have a sweet innocence about him. Once she started instructing him in proper hexes and curses, that innocence would undoubtedly shatter. But she hoped he would keep his optimism. That was an extreme rarity among dark mages.

But before any of that, he had to master Nosferatu. Once Ricken could properly defend himself with dark magic, he could begin delving into its darker intricacies. That was how the art had been taught to her. She needed to learn to defend herself at the Grimleal Temple. Otherwise, she would have died within a few days of arriving at that cursed place. Hexes and curses came to her after she was able to stay alive.

That is how she taught her students. So far, the approach had been wildly successful. Every single one of them made tremendous strides in their studies after each lesson. Ricken just so happened to be a magical prodigy. Tharja felt like she had to advance his lessons in order for him to fully grow into the mage he could become.

Ben moved across the clearing towards Gaius and Panne. But he stopped midway there. Tharja and Ricken paused with him. All three noticed a rider charging full speed down the dirt trail towards them.

A Feroxi rider. Red in the face and covered with sweat. His steed snorted and huffed as he galloped into the clearing.

Panne rose to her feet from the garden. Perplexed by the sudden appearance of a winded Feroxi rider. Gaius glanced over then shrugged. He was more focused on the radish in his hand. He opened his jaw to take a bite. Panne slapped his hand before he could.

"Wait until it's cooked." The Taguel warned the Thief.

"Fine."

The rider rushed past them. He slowed his horse down to a trot as he approached Ben, Tharja, and Ricken.

"Captain Kenobi!" The rider called as he tried to catch his breath.

Ben furrowed his brow, "I'm no longer a Captain, but yes?"

The rider sucked in a deep breath as he looked down at Ben from his mount.

"Khan Flavia and Khan Basilio have sent me to you sir." The rider breathed, "They request your military expertise immediately."

Tharja arched an eyebrow at Ben. Meanwhile, both Panne and Gaius wandered over so that they could hear the conversation.

Ben gave the rider a curious look, "Why would they need my expertise? If they are trying to decide which them of them would win in a one on one duel, I'm staying out of it."

The rider did not laugh with him. Instead, he gulped another large breath before continuing.

"Khan Basilio believes the Valm Empire is about to invade the continent."

Ben's face hardened significantly.

"You have been to that continent. You have fought against their military before." The rider breathed, "So I was sent to fetch you for the Khans."

Ben rubbed his chin as he contemplated the message. Khan Basilio believed Valm was about to declare war on all of Archanea? That seemed difficult for Ben to believe. An entire ocean sat between Archanea and Valm. With the limited technology on this planet, conducting an amphibious invasion would be nearly impossible. The logistics alone would be a nightmare. Trying to feed an army an ocean away from friendly territory should be enough to deter any sort of invasion.

But, Khan Basilio's instincts were rarely wrong. The man had a head for war. He knew how these sorts of things started. And his spy network was massive. He even possessed spies hidden among the people of Plegia. It would not surprise Ben if he had a spy in Valm. A way to keep an eye on the massive empire that swallowed that continent whole.

"Do you have a reply, Sir?" The rider asked.

Ben took a deep breath.

"Ben?" Tharja brushed her hand along his shoulder.

"The Khans helped us in our time of need." Ben nodded, "It is time we returned the favor." He glanced back at the rider, "Return to the Khans with all haste. Tell them I am on my way."

" _We_ are on our way." Tharja said.

"Yes sir!" The Feroxi rider nodded to Tharja, "Ma'am."

The rider turned his horse around and dug in his spurts. The horse uttered a loud whine then charged back down the dirt trail towards Ylisstol.

As he charged away, Gaius hopped towards Ben, Tharja, and Ricken.

"A new adventure?" Gaius grinned, "It's about time! I'm tired of being cooped up in that tent. The only fun part is hanging out with Whiskers."

"If you weren't cooped up in that tent, you would be out thieving." Panne said with a small smirk, "And I enjoy spending time with you as well."

Ben grimaced a little bit, "This won't be an adventure, Gaius. If Basilio is right, then this will be a prelude to a new war." Ben saw Gaius's grin waver a little bit, "And you know how the last one went."

Gaius gulped, "Yeah… that was no fun."

Ricken nodded nervously. He glanced at Ben, "Do you really think this will be the start of another war?"

Ben sighed, "I'm not sure. But I am sure we will find out once we arrive in Arena Ferox."

"I'm glad you said 'we', Benny." Gaius wrapped an arm around his shoulders, "You already know you aren't going anywhere without us."

"Not a chance." Panne chuckled.

Ben rolled his eyes, "I already have you freeloading off of me at home, Gaius. You may as well freeload on the road too. We will pack and rest for tonight. Tomorrow morning, we start marching to Regna Ferox."

"Alright!" Gaius smiled, "New adventures! I'm ready!"

The thief rushed over to the large tent in the clearing. Panne sighed and shook her head before following the rambunctious thief to their tent. Ricken gulped as he stood near Tharja and Ben.

"You don't have to come along if you don't want to Ricken." Ben said as he noticed Ricken's anxiety.

"No!" Ricken cried, "I want to come along. Otherwise how will I finish my lessons?" Tharja smirked a little bit, "Besides, you almost left me out of the last war. I feel like I barely helped out at all back then. I will not be left out of this one!"

Ricken took off running towards the trail. He glanced back for a split second once he reached the treeline.

"I'll meet you in the morning outside of Ylisstol's main gate!" Ricken called back.

He sprinted back to the city. Ben chuckled a little as he watched the young mage disappear into the forest.

"He's eager." Ben breathed.

Tharja nodded as the pair walked back towards the cabin. Ben opened the door for Tharja then stepped inside after her. The dark mage uttered a relieved sigh as she removed the clasp from her cape and threw it over one of the chairs near the fire.

Ben smiled as he watched her place a few wood logs into the fireplace. With a quiet whisper, a flame jumped from her hand and sparked the dry tinder. The fire's warm glow lit the entire room as Tharja took a step back. Right into Ben's waiting arms.

She laughed a little as she felt his arms wrap around her waist.

"I think you're the eager one." She chuckled before craning her head back to kiss him.

"Sorry," Ben smirked, "Can't help myself."

Tharja smiled and spun around. Ben's hands remained near her waist as the two swayed in the firelight.

Tharja's heart always thumped whenever her and Ben were like this. She rarely slept at the Academy anymore. Preferring to stay at Ben's cabin. The walk to the Academy in the morning was a long one. And it meant she had to rise early whenever she did stay at Ben's home. But moments like this, resting in his arms by a warm fire, made the early mornings worth it.

A slight nervousness hit her. Valm wanted to invade Archanea. Ill news if she ever heard any. The continent had only just finished recovering from the war with Plegia. Now a new enemy threatened the hard won peace.

Ben gave Tharja a concerned look.

"You're afraid?"

Tharja sighed and let her head fall against his chest.

"I'm not sure how I feel about another war, Ben."

She felt Ben's chest rise and fall steadily. One of his hands stroked the back of her head. His fingers ran through her black hair. Easing her nerves and steadying her racing hear.

"I'm not sure about this either." Ben admitted, "But we will face it together. As we always do."

Tharja smiled and nodded against him.

"So?" Ben lifted her chin up, "I'm making soup."

"Vegetable soup?"

"My specialty." Ben grinned.

"Because Gaius can't be bothered to go hunting." Tharja chuckled, "And you are busy writing your first text to hunt." She broke away from him and went over to grab a small iron pot from one of the cabinets, "Lucky for you." She went over to pack and pulled out a small portion of beef she bought from the markets, "I thought ahead."

Ben smiled back as Tharja placed the ingredients in the pot and set it over the fire. Ben in the meantime, poured them both glasses of water. The couple sat down in front of the fire. Watched as the flames flickered and shadows danced along the wood walls around them.

"Tharja."

"Hm?" The dark mage replied as she sipped her glass.

"If war does come, do you want me to get involved?" Ben asked her.

Tharja furrowed her brow, "What do you mean?"

Ben looked over at her, "You saw how large one of Valm's armies was. General Yen'fay's army alone could take on Regna Ferox. If Valm really is going to invade, then the continent will need all of the strength it can muster." Ben exhaled, "But, I do not want to rush into another war. I-" He gulped, "I have too much I care about to go off into another war again."

Tharja smiled at him and took his hand, "Ben," She sighed, "You are a warrior. A Jedi Master. You may be one of the few people that can stand against the might of Valm." She snickered a little bit, "I think it is kind of adorable you are asking me if I'm okay with you going to fight."

"Adorable?"

"Yes." Tharja smiled, "And I appreciate it Ben." She took a deep breath, "It… It really shows how much you care."

Ben nodded. Tharja leaned in for another kiss.

"Now," She breathed into him, "Don't doubt what you have to do. If you believe Valm is about to invade, then you must do what you feel is right. And if that means fighting back against Valm, then I shall be on that battlefield, by your side."

Ben let his forehead rest against hers. He chuckled a little bit as he stared into her dark eyes.

"What?" Tharja asked.

She let out a startled yelp as Ben scooped her up from the chair and carried her towards the bedroom. Ben laughed some more as Tharja threw her head back and let out a loud chuckle. She leaned up in his arms and kissed him deeply. Ben's smile broadened.

"We're skipping dinner!"

* * *

Bail Organa stared into the mirror. A long frown ran over his lips. Gray hair sprouted along his sideburns. Flecks of gray peppered is closely trimmed goatee. The Empire had only been in power for about five years. And already, the stress of dealing with Imperial codes and regulations had taken its toll on him. Despite the short amount of time that had passed since the end of the Clone Wars, he looked ten years older than he really was.

Part of that was the stress. He was still Prince of Alderaan and the senator for his homeworld in the Imperial Senate.

He still could not believe he held both positions. Hell, he could not believe he was still alive.

Nearly five years ago, he had been aboard his own personal transport, Tantive IV, with the last two living members of the Jedi High Council on board. He also had two pieces of absolutely precious cargo with him. Luke and Leia; Anakin Skywalker's children. The galaxy's last hope against Palpatine. A hope that had nearly been lost as soon as it had appeared.

That day flashed in Bail's mind. He remembered speaking to Master Kenobi as the Jedi Master cradled Luke Skywalker. Could remember the panic he felt as Clone Soldiers boarded his vessel and attacked his personal bodyguards. Could hear the dying screams of his men as Clone Troopers blasted their way through his ship. He had Leia cradled in his arms throughout the entire ordeal.

He remembered seeing Master Kenobi take off for an escape pod. He tried to follow him, but Master Yoda warned him not to go. The ancient Jedi Master advised something that Bail never considered. And he never wanted to do.

Surrender.

Yoda wanted him to surrender. To act as if Yoda had him and his entire crew under a Jedi mind trick. Bail argued vehemently against such an action at first. But Master Yoda had been firm in his stance. The last hope for the galaxy rested with Leia and Luke. It was more important that they remained alive, undetected, and out of Sidious's hands.

And so, when the Clones finally corned Bail and Yoda. Yoda acted as if he let Bail free of his mind control. Bail acted completely delirious. He screamed. Cried that his newborn child was in danger. That the Jedi had taken over the ship. Begged for the Clones to help him and his men.

To his shock, the Clones and their commanding officer fell for the charade. Master Yoda was taken into custody after willingly surrendering himself.

And Bail had not forgiven himself since.

He purged his entire personal crew after that. A traitor had managed to get into his inner circle. That was the only way the Empire would have figured out that two Jedi Masters were aboard his personal ship. Any new guards or ship crew were personally checked over by himself and his new head of security. A former clone captain who asked to be discharged following the end of the war.

A clone captain that had earned Bail's trust after introducing him to an old Jedi friend that managed to survive the war.

Bail uttered a long sigh as he shrugged an overcoat onto his shoulders. He glanced behind him at his empty room.

His wife had died not long after he returned home with Leia. Her own frail body finally gave due to the stress of dealing with the Empire. His bedroom remained empty. And his heart ached every time he looked back and saw some of her things still in the same spot three years after her death.

The only thing that kept him from devolving into grief and despair was Leia. His little princess. A mischievous little toddler that managed to fill him with joy and frustration at every possible waking moment. She always managed to get herself into some form of trouble. And she relished in the thrill of mischief. The palace servants often came to him completely exasperated after yet another crazy stunt of hers. Just yesterday, she managed to scale the palace walls in order to explore the roof. The roof! It took hours to finally get the giggling girl back down to safety.

Bail chuckled to himself. He had a feeling his hair would be fully gray once her teenage years came.

A knock sounded from the door.

"Come in." Bail called.

The door hissed open. Former Captain Rex of the 501st Legion strode into the room. His sharp eyes studied every corner before he snapped his gaze over to Bail.

"Sir." Rex began, his mandalorian accent rang out sharp through the quiet air, "We have a situation."

Bail's eyes hardened, "What sort of situation?" Bail reached over to a table and grabbed a comm-link. A secret comm that only himself and Rex knew about, "Imperial? Or Leia?"

"Neither sir." Rex replied without any sense of amusement at Bail's joke, "It's… impossible to explain sir. You will have to see for yourself."

Bail furrowed his brow. Few things surprised the former Clone Captain. The man had survived the entire brutal Clone Wars. Had been to more planets than Bail would ever hope to see. Fought against impossible odds and witnessed sights that would have made his jaw drop. For him to say something was beyond explaining stunned the Prince of Alderaan.

He followed Rex out into the hall beyond his door. Did his best to keep up with the Clone's swift, sharp movements. He had seen Rex get like this a few times. Hyper-alert and dangerously fast. Eyes focused. Searching for any hint of a threat. Something spooked the former captain. That made Bail nervous.

They reached the palace's main hall. Bail furrowed his brow in confusion.

A group of his personal guards surrounded a strange looking humanoid. Dark brown fur lined most of his body. A strange type of armor covered his torso and waist. Long ears ran down to his shoulders from the top of his head.

The creature looked terrified. It's frightened eyes flicked at the guards as their blasters remained trained on him.

What caught Bail's attention next was something even stranger. Piles of ash littered the polished stone floor. Several of them rested near the strange, hairy creature. A few more were scattered around the entire main hall. Some scorch marks dotted a few pillars that held the roof up.

"Rex?" Bail asked.

"Sir, it happened while you were still asleep." Rex explained as they descended a flight of stairs, "A strange… I don't know… portal opened up. That thing," He pointed at the strange creature, "came out of it. It was followed by monsters of some sort that took several shots to put down."

"And this battle did not wake me!?" Bail cried.

"Sir, it lasted only a few seconds." Rex explained, "I have these men trained to put down any threats to you. The creature fought off one of the monsters. That is the only reason his is not filled with blaster bolts."

Bail frowned as he reached the bottom of the stairs. His eyes darted from Rex back over to the strange creature.

He had never seen anything like this before. The creature was clearly intelligent. The fear in its eyes showed that. But its appearance baffled Bail.

"A portal?" Bail asked Rex.

"Yes sir." Rex replied, "I know sir. I thought I was crazy as well."

Bail furrowed how brow.

"I think we should take it into custody and-" Rex stopped talking as Bail marched towards the unknown alien, "And you're just going to ignore me." He sighed, "I should be used to this by now."

Bail stopped a few feet away from the alien creature. It's dark eyes remained wide with terror. The Alderaan prince saw the creature's throat bob up an down as it swallowed hard.

"Does it speak?"

"Hasn't said a word." Rex answered.

Bail pursed his lips. He returned his attention to the creature.

"Greetings, my name is Bail Organa, Prince of Alderaan. Who might you be?"

The alien remained terrified. Frozen in place with fear. Bail saw one of its ears twitch a little bit.

"Wh-who?" The thing squeaked out.

Rex drew back in surprise, "It does speak."

Bail nodded and raised a hand. The guards all lowered their blasters. He could see a great deal of fear leave the alien's eyes at this action. But it still appeared to be on its guard. Ready to flee at a moments notice.

"Bail Organa." Bail pointed at himself, "That is my name. What is yours?"

The creature gulped loudly, "Y-Yarne."

"Yarn?" Rex said.

"Yarne." Bail repeated back. The creature nodded, "Do you know where you are, Yarne?"

The creature slowly shook its hairy head.

"I'm definitely not in Ylisse." It swallowed hard, "S-so could you… could you fill me in on what is going on exactly."

Bail furrowed his brow, "I was hoping you could fill me in on the situation." Bail sighed and rubbed his eyes, "Alright, let's try something else. Yarne, what are you?"

"P-pardon?"

"What species are you, kid?" Rex restated.

Yarne nervously shifted his weight from one foot to the other.

"I-I am a Taguel, sirs. The last of my kind actually."

Bail gave Rex a puzzled look. A Taguel? He had never heard of such a species before.

"What planet are you from, Yarne?" Bail asked.

The Taguel gave him a bewildered look.

"Planet?"

Bail frowned, "Yes, planet. Right now, you are on Alderaan. The captain of my guards, Rex, told me you arrived through a portal of some sort?"

"Alderaan?" Yarne gulped and raked his hands through his mane, "Oh Naga. This is bad."

"Who is Naga?" Rex muttered.

"This is really bad." Yarne's face paled considerably, "I am not where I'm supposed to be. I'm lost. The others! I won't be able to find the others and- and- I'm alone now. And I don't know where I am and-"

Bail raised a hand. Yarne froze.

"Easy, Yarne." Bail said with a good natured chuckle, "No one is going to harm you here. You did not attack my guards. My guards will not attack you. It is that simple."

Yarne gulped, "R-right."

Bail took another deep breath. This was a perplexing situation. He was dealing with a terrified person from an unknown species who did not know where he was. He seemed extremely distressed about something in fact. Bail wanted to press for more details, but the politician in him stopped him from questioning the terrified Taguel even further. He would get nowhere if the creature remained petrified. He would gain more information if Yarne became comfortable.

"Have you eaten recently Yarne?"

"Eat-Eaten?" Yarne stammered.

"Yes. Does your species eat?" Bail asked, "Or do you… I don't know, conduct photosynthesis or something?"

"What is that?" Yarne gulped, "This photosynthesis… it sounds dangerous."

Rex rubbed his forehead, "Oh, I've got a headache coming on now."

Bail sighed, "Don't worry about it Yarne. I was about to have breakfast actually. Care to join me?"

Yarne gave Bail an extremely hesitant look. He took one shaky step forward. The guards backed away as he took another step towards Bail. Bail heard a loud grumble. Yarne froze. A sheepish look crossed the Taguel's face.

"I guess I am hungry." He said, voice meek and quiet.

Bail chuckled, "Good. I'm sure the chef will not mind making another plate. Guards, escort Yarne to the dining room. He is my guest now." Bail noticed Yarne's fear filled expression, "Do not worry, Yarne. They will not harm you. I will be with you shortly. I must go wake my daughter first."

Yarne visibly relaxed at the mention Bail's daughter. Something Bail intended to have happen. Fear filled creatures usually relaxed around young children. The mention of Bail bringing his child to breakfast gave the creature a sense that this place was indeed safe. After all, if it was not safe, why would Bail bring out his precious daughter.

"Th-thank you, Mr. Bail." Yarne bowed his head and shuffled quickly alongside the guards.

As he disappeared up the stairs, Bail turned to Rex.

"I've got nothing sir." Rex breathed.

"Yeah? Me too." Bail ran a hand over his mouth, "Taguel?"

"I'll look it up. But it doesn't ring a bell." Rex nodded at the piles of ash on the floor, "I'll also have some samples of that stuff taken. Figure out what the hell those monsters were exactly. Maybe we'll get some answers that way."

"You think so?"

"Pfft!" Rex said, "I don't have any better ideas at the moment. Jitters," He jabbed his thumb in the direction Yarne walked off in, "sounds like he won't be talking much about anything anytime soon."

"I'll handle that." Bail breathed, "Just figure out who or what he is, and where he possibly comes from." Bail started to walk towards the stairs. He stopped on the first step, "Rex!"

"I'll keep this investigation quiet sir." Rex answered, knowing immediately what the Prince was about to ask, "Do I have permission to use the other line and contact you-know-who? They might have some insight on this."

Bail thought about it for a moment. Contacting them at any time was a risky move. Even Fulcrum admitted as much. The shadowy agent preferred to remain hidden in the galactic shadows. Less likely the Empire would find them that way. But if anyone knew of anything strange occurring in the galaxy, it would be Fulcrum. Fulcrum always had an ear to the ground regarding galactic events both known and unknown.

Bail gave Rex a small nod.

"Quietly." Bail whispered before marching up the stairs towards Leia's room.

"I always do sir." Rex replied.

The former clone captain glanced down at the floor and nudged his foot at one of the piles of black ash.

It still boggled his mind. It had been a normal morning. Then all hell broke loose. Guards opened fire in the main hall. Rex heard some barks as his men witnessed the blue portal open up above their heads. Rex still had no idea what exactly it was. He had never seen anything like it before.

Then Yarne fell out of it along with more of those strange, shambling, almost primitive looking monsters. His men made quick work of them. And the Taguel actually took one down before Rex's men took aim at him. That was when he ordered the guards to ceasefire. That was when he rushed to wake Senator Organa. If anyone knew how to deal with an unknown species, it was him.

Rex sighed, crouched down near one of the piles of ash. He furrowed his brow as he ran a hand through it. It felt cold to the touch. Ash was not supposed to feel cold. And it was supposed to feel soft. Fine and thin. Not coarse. Almost sharp. In fact, as he peered closer, Rex swore he saw some shells of some sort mixed in with the ash. A strange, insect like exoskeleton that had been obliterated by a blaster bolt.

He shook his hand. His fingers flicked some ash from his palm.

"Damn mystery just got stranger."

 **And chapter! New of a possible war comes to Ylisse. And Ben is on his way to Regna Ferox in order to help out Flavia and Basilio. We also learn that Chrom's decision really shattered the Shepherds. It'll be interesting to see how what the Valm war does to that delicate situation.**

 **And we introduce another character folks. Another time traveler from the future, Yarne! His story will be interesting to write, that is for sure!  
Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	77. A New War Begins

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 77

A New War Begins

Arena Ferox looked like a hive. There were people moving everywhere. Robin swore that he thought a new tournament was about to kick off to select a new Khan. But the massive swarms of men and women in the Feroxi capital were not civilians here to enjoy and tournament and a festival.

These were soldiers. Each and every one armed with swords, axes, and hammers. Robin saw a few of the elite Feroxi Lancers march past him and the Shepherds as they strolled along Arena Ferox's outer perimeter. The tactician's eyes followed the lancers as they moved by. Each man marched in sync with the other. Pure discipline. Not a single smile of excitement or anticipation.

Robin gulped. They knew what was coming. That was why the Lancers were not excited for battle. That was why Arena Ferox teemed with every single soldier in the nation.

A few days ago, Chrom and Robin received a message from Regna Ferox. Khan Basilio believed war with Valm was imminent. There was not much explanation in the message. Only a request that Chrom and the Shepherds arrive at Arena Ferox for an emergency council with all haste. Chrom, wishing to repay the northern nation for their assistance in the war against Plegia, immediately agreed to go. Frederick and the few remaining Shepherds all gathered their supplies and marched within hours of the Feroxi messenger's arrival.

Robin's feet still ached from the march. Chrom set a brutal pace north. The Ylissean Prince believed Basilio when the message said time was of the essence. Robin agreed, but also felt that they could have taken a small break or two along the Northroad. It had been a while since many of the Shepherds completed such a march. Robin knew Lissa was exhausted. The Princess had to be carried the last few miles by Frederick's horse. Sumia also looked extremely tired. And also very worried. Rightfully so. She left her one year old daughter in the capital in order to be by Chrom's side for this war council.

Robin felt a warm, buzzing feeling enter his body. The tactician glanced over his shoulder and saw Libra quietly using his healing staff to ease the ache in his legs.

"You were limping." The Priest said as the green glow in his staff faded, "I might recommend keeping yourself in better physical shape. Or perhaps, learning to ride a horse."

Robin let out a dry chuckle, "I know how to do both. Marching takes getting used to. And my body is no longer used to it."

"If war really is on the horizon." Frederick said as he guided his horse towards Arena' Ferox's main entrance, "Then your body needs to get used to it."

Robin rolled his eyes, "You don't have to tell me that twice."

"I'll never be used to marching." Lissa yawned on top of Frederick's horse, "I much prefer horseback or carriage." She yawned again, "Hopefully we will be allowed to rest before this war council."

Robin chuckled quietly, "You don't have to attend, Lissa. I'm sure Chrom, Sumia, Frederick, Cordelia, and myself can handle this just fine."

"I am the Princess of Ylisse. It is my job to represent us." Lissa huffed, "I will be there. Even if I end up falling asleep mid-council, I will still be in attendance." The Princess folded her arms, "Who else do you think will be at this thing anyways?"

"Besides Chrom and our military leaders?" Robin asked. He hummed to himself, "Maybe Maribelle and Stahl. Since they are in charge of the largest section of the Ylissean military outside of Ylisstol."

Robin's answer was confirmed when both Lissa and the Tactician heard a loud, happy cry from ahead. Maribelle waved to them as she stood beside one of the Arena's massive columns. Stahl and Donnel both stood beside her. Dooku was behind her. The old man talked in hushed tones with a pink haired woman Robin recognized as the Feroxi Ambassador to Ylisse, Olivia.

"Lissa, darling! Over here!" Maribelle called.

"Frederick." Lissa said.

"Of course, milady." Frederick nodded as he guided his horse towards the group from Themis.

Robin watched as Chrom and the other Shepherds continued deeper into the Arena. But the tactician decided to stick around with Frederick and Lissa. He had a pair of old friends to say hello to after all.

"Lissa! You look absolutely radiant, my dear." Maribelle exclaimed as Lissa hopped down from Frederick's horse and embraced her.

"I look radiant? Pfft! Yeah right. I just got done marching for two days straight." Lissa beamed at Maribelle, "You look stunning! Is that a new dress?"

"Yes," Maribelle blushed a little bit, "I got it from someone special."

Lissa looked absolutely giddy, "Oooh, someone special?"

Robin chuckled as he tuned out the girl's conversation. He turned his attention over to Donnel. The farm boy gripped his hand and pulled that tactician in for a hug.

"Good to see you again!" Donnel smiled as he embraced Robin.

"It's good to you too, Donnel." Robin grinned as he pulled back, "You've put on some muscle."

"It took a great deal of effort for that to come about." Dooku drawled as he approached the two friends, "A pleasure to see you again, Robin."

"You as well, Dooku." Robin smiled back, "How is everything in Themis?"

"Moving along at a much more reasonable pace now." Dooku replied, "The walls have been rebuilt. The markets are nearly finished as well. Plots of land are being developed for residential purposes." Dooku beamed with pride, "It will be the model city in this land."

"He's right." Donnel grinned, "I ain't never seen anything like it before. The whole building project is enormous. Oh! And Stahl has the entire cavalry rebuilt and ready to go."

Robin glanced over at Stahl as the Themis knight chatted with Frederick. Both men catching up after a long absence. Stahl appeared to settle really well into his role as the commander of Themis' cavalry. His easy going attitude helped win him the love of his men. But he also demanded excellence from his soldiers. A trait he inherited from Frederick.

Robin glanced back at Donnel. He finally noticed the farm boy's attire. His hair was neatly combed and well kept. Not longer an unruly mess hidden beneath a dented copper pot. His clothes were much finer than the roughspun tunic and pants he wore when Robin first met him. He even wore polished black shoes. Donnel looked more like a nobleman than a farm boy.

"I assume Dooku's dress has rubbed off on you?" Robin joked.

Donnel laughed, "A little bit. But the other reason is-"

"YOU'RE WITH DONNEL!?" Lissa cried off to the side.

Robin's jaw fell open. Frederick glanced over at Lissa and Maribelle. The Knight-Commander equally as stunned as Robin and Lissa.

The Duchess of Themis blushed and nodded. Donnel just let out a nervous laugh as he scratched the back of his head.

"That cat is out of the bag." Donnel said.

Robin stared stunned at Donnel. He jabbed a thumb over at Maribelle as Lissa peppered the Duchess with questions.

"Uh… really?"

Donnel snorted out a laugh, "Yes, really." Donnel sighed, "She's not bad once ya get passed the more bristly side of her."

"You'll have to tell me that secret someday." Robin replied as he shook his head. He let out a laugh, "I'm happy for you both. Is it official or-"

"Er- well- wasn't quite sure how or when to make it super official." Donnel gulped.

"You should really have some more confidence, Donnel." Dooku cut in, "Maribelle respects such things most of all."

"Vaike has all the confidence in the world, and she has zero respect for him." Robin pointed out.

Donnel laughed as Dooku furrowed his brow, "Yeah, Robin's got a point there."

A small voice cleared its throat nearby. Robin glanced over at Olivia. The pink haired ambassador gave him a small, shy wave.

"Hello Robin. It is nice to see you again."

"It is lovely to see you as well, Olivia. I apologize, I was catching up with Donnel and became sidetracked."

Olivia smiled a little bit, "There is nothing to apologize for. Although, I do have to ask everyone to step inside the Arena now. I'm sure the Khans are anxious to get this council started."

Robin nodded, "Right. I'll go find Chrom then, before he gets himself lost." He smiled at both Dooku and Donnel, "I'll see you both tonight. I'm sure we will have some sort of get together."

"Absolutely!" Donnel grinned as he waved farewell to Robin and Frederick.

Lissa stayed behind for a moment with Maribelle before realizing she was being left behind. She sprinted to catch up to the other two. Lissa huffed once she caught up to both Robin and Frederick.

"Really!? You both left me!"

"You were catching up with Maribelle." Robin defended, "We didn't want to intrude on that."

"What Robin said, milady." Frederick nodded in agreement.

Lissa folded her arms over her chest, "You both just wanted to keep me from attending the war council."

"Nonsense!" Both Robin and Frederick remarked at the same time.

The two men glanced at each other. Robin chuckled a little bit. He had been working so closely with Frederick lately that the two of them actually started to become decent friends. While Chrom was Robin's direct superior, Frederick dealt with the military more closely than the Prince. Robin handled many of the reports and strategy meetings for the Ylissean military. Which required constant communication with both Frederick and Cordelia.

And while Robin had always been on good terms with Wing-Commander Cordelia, he had never really moved past Frederick's initial suspicion of him back when they first met. But Robin gained Frederick's respect and trust over the past year. Especially in the wake of the Ben and Chrom's fight.

Robin's heart sank a little bit as he, Frederick, and Lissa followed Olivia up a long flight of stairs.

Robin could not help but wonder how Ben was doing. Other than Chrom, Ben had been Robin's closest friend among the Shepherds. They had been through so much together. A war with Plegia, a crazy quest to find both Marth and Luke, his own struggles with learning to use to the force. Those events forged a bond between the two that Robin thought could not be broken.

 _Then I proceeded to shatter it with my own nosiness and stupidity._

He still could not fathom the impact his decision to inform Chrom about Sidious had on the other Shepherds. Chrom kicked Ben out of the tight knit group. The Prince reasoned that if there was a lack of trust between them, then they would not be an effective fighting force. Therefore, Ben could not be among the Shepherds ranks.

Robin sort of agreed with that sentiment. Trust was paramount in a military group as close as the Shepherds. And they had all put their trust in Ben multiple times. They trusted him when he rushed off on a secret mission to rescue Exalt Emmeryn. He trusted Ben when they went on the year long quest to find Marth and Luke. But that trust never went both ways. Ben remained secretive. Enigmatic and aloof to everyone except Tharja and, to a lesser extent, Marth. A fact that did sting for Robin. He thought they were closer friends than that.

But Robin also believed Chrom did not handle the fight in the best way possible. He and Chrom both initially agreed to ease Ben into revealing his past. Ask him easy questions that would allow him to feel like he could trust them. But when Chrom heard Ben say there were no secrets between himself and Marth, Chrom felt angry. And he let that anger lash out in an unpredictable way. A way that drove a wedge between the two men.

A wedge that shattered the Shepherds. Robin sighed as he thought about the others. Gaius, Panne, and Laurent all left the Shepherds in a fury over Chrom's decision. Virion, Dooku, and Donnel all said they would be leaving the Shepherds as well. Although, their exit had been far more civil than Gaius, Panne, and Laurent's.

The Shepherds who were also members of the Ylissean military remained. Almost all of them utterly furious with Ben. Which did not sit well with some of the members who just wanted the conflict to end. Ricken chief among them. The young mage, Miriel, Vaike, Nowi, Lon'qu, Cordelia, and Libra all viewed the fight as childish and pure nonsense. But none of them voice that opinion to Chrom. And so, they all decided to remain Shepherds but also follow their own paths.

Vaike and Miriel were busy raising their newborn baby boy. A curious little kid that almost never cried and always seemed to be studying something about the world around him.

Libra was often found in the Ylisstol Cathedral. Leading prayers and healing the sick and injured. Lon'qu left to act as the Ylissean ambassador to Regna Ferox. Robin had a feeling he would be in attendance for this war council as well. Cordelia continued in her duties as Wing-Commander. Nowi was… Nowi. And Ricken threw himself into his magical studies. Robin was awestruck by how adept the young mage had become in the past year. He was truly a prodigy.

Oliva stopped in front of a wooden door in a long corridor near the top of the Arena. She pushed the door open and held it for Robin, Frederick, and Lissa. The trio stepped inside.

Robin looked around the Feroxi War Council Room with wide eyes. It was large room with an enormous, dark, wood table in the center. Four roaring fires burned in fireplaces along all four walls of the room. Providing light and heat to the normally dark, cold room. Two thrones sat at the head of the table. One for the ruling Khan. One for the non-ruling Khan. The rest of the chairs at the table were simple wooden seats. Comfortable, but not overly lavish.

The room was already filled with people. Robin watched as Olivia crossed the room over to Lon'qu. The two ambassadors, and longtime friends easily got along. Although, Robin could see some of Lon'qu's awkwardness with women surfacing as the conversation dragged on. Stahl eventually showed up on his own and took a seat near Cordelia. The Wing-Commander greeted the knight with a warm smile. But she stayed mostly silent. A few Feroxi commanders lingered throughout the room as well. Including Commander Raimi from the Longfort.

Robin noticed Chrom off to the side. The Prince was busy speaking with Virion and- Robin blinked as he recognized the woman standing beside Virion.

"Ah, Robin! My friend!" Virion beamed as Robin approached him and Chrom, "It is about time you arrived." He gestured over to the pink haired woman beside him, "May I present-"

Robin shook the woman's hand, "It is a pleasure to see you again, Cherche."

Virion's eyes widened in surprise, "Ah-so… you both know each other?"

Cherche uttered a light chuckle, "We ran into each other in Charlet. I helped Robin and his friends escape the city before I decided to smuggle myself and Minerva across the sea." She smiled at Robin, "And it is a pleasure to see you as well, Robin. I am happy to see you in good health. I worried about you and your friends once I left the hideout that morning."

"Yeah? Me too." Robin gulped, "There were some close calls for us during that part of our quest." He glanced over at Virion, "May I ask how you know Virion?"

"Virion was once a Lord in the land of Rosanne. My liege lord in fact. My family served his for generations before the Valm Empire conquered our nation." Cherche explained, "He and I grew up together."

"Indeed we did." Virion crowed, "And it was an absolute privilege to share a friendship with such a beautiful and daring-"

" _Anyways_ ," Cherche cut off Virion. The archer stammered as she continued speaking, "If you are wondering why I am here, I am here to provide intelligence regarding Valm for the war council."

"Cherche has a very in depth perspective on the Valm military." Chrom explained, "Especially since she was a freedom fighter against the empire for some time."

"That's right! I forgot about that." Robin remarked, "Well, as a tactician I will be extremely grateful for whatever information you can give us."

Cherche nodded in agreement. She furrowed her brow, seemingly confused as she glanced around the room.

"Excuse me, Robin, Prince Chrom, is Ben Kenobi not part of your company?"

Robin gulped as Chrom's face darkened a little bit.

"We had a bit of a falling out." Chrom breathed. Before Cherche could ask what happened, Chrom pointed over at the door, "Khan Flavia and Khan Basilio have arrived."

Robin glanced over at the door. Khan Flavia did not have her trademark grin as she entered the room. Her face mirrored stone. Focused and grim. Khan Basilio carried himself in a similar manner. Although he expressed much more confidence than the ruling Khan at the moment. Probably due to his vast amount of experience when it came to both warfare and politics.

Maribelle and Dooku also filed in behind them. The two nobles from Themis took their seats.

Khan Flavia flopped down onto her throne while Basilio's voice boomed out through the room.

"If everyone could please take their seats." Basilio said.

Robin glanced over at Chrom. The Prince shrugged then strode over to his seat. Sumia and Robin sat on either side of Chrom. Frederick sat beside Robin. Cordelia sat beside Sumia. And Lissa took a seat beside Frederick and a suddenly awkward Lon'qu. Lissa rolled her eyes as Lon'qu inched his seat a little away from her.

"Oh, get over yourself already." Lissa sighed.

Basilio cleared his throat, "Is everyone here?"

Flavia nodded her head at an empty seat near Cordelia.

"We're missing one." Flavia sighed, "Looks like he decided not to-"

The door to the council room burst open. Robin flicked his eyes over. His face paled. Chrom frowned as Ben Kenobi stepped into the room.

"I apologize Khan Flavia, Khan Basilio." Ben bowed to both of them then quickly marched over to his seat next to Cordelia, "We had a late start on our journey."

Flavia arched an eyebrow as Ben took his seat. She could not help but notice the distinct lack of warmth shared between Ben and the Shepherds present. Lissa looked about as uncomfortable as Lon'qu as Ben took his seat. Robin looked positively sick. Chrom appeared angry. Sumia let out a small sigh and kept her gaze down on the table. Frederick eyed Ben the entire way to his seat. The only Shepherds to give Ben a warm greeting were Donnel, Dooku, and Virion. Virion and Donnel smiled at the man while Dooku gave him a courteous nod.

"Alright." Flavia breathed, "Clearly some air needs to be cleared before we continue."

Basilio arched an eyebrow, "What do you mean?"

"Oaf, are you that dense?" Flavia sighed before rubbing her tired eyes, "There's something going on between Prince Chrom and Ben."

"That something involved Ben attacking Chrom." Frederick frowned.

"Frederick…" Cordelia sighed.

Flavia's eyes shot wide open, "Attacking? What the hell?" She whipped her gaze over to Ben and Chrom, "Explain. Now!"

Chrom folded his arms, "Ben and I had a falling out over personal matters. That is all this table needs to know." His eyes flicked over to Frederick. Silencing the Knight-Commander before he could elaborate.

"I agree. That is all that needs to be said about the matter." Ben folded his hands on the table, "We have much more important things to worry about."

Robin gulped as he felt Ben's gaze wander over to him for a brief second. He had no idea Khan Basilio and Khan Flavia wanted Ben at this council. The message they received had no mention of him in it. So it was safe to assume that Flavia and Basilio only wanted the Ylissean military leaders in attendance.

Then again, they had no idea Chrom kicked Ben out of the Shepherds. They probably assumed he was still part of Chrom's inner circle. Robin sank in his seat. This meeting just went from a friendly reunion with friends, to an extremely awkward affair.

Basilio's one eye roved over the group of Ylisseans. He frowned and shook his head.

"Whatever the issue is, deal with it among yourselves and on your own time." The large man grunted, "Right now, we have a major situation involving Valm." Basilio tapped a finger against the tabletop, "I'll get right down to it. My spies in Valm report massive troop build ups along that continent's eastern coast."

"How did your spies manage to get this message to you?" Ben asked, "The continent is under a self imposed embargo. Nothing can get in or out."

"Some Feroxi sailors are rather skilled… privateers." Flavia smirked.

Frederick frowned, "Pirates."

"Hey, you Ylisseans have your bandit gangs." Flavia jabbed a finger at Frederick, "Don't be acting so high and mighty on the matter. We decided to grant certain pirates amnesty in exchange for them smuggling us information on the Valm Empire's movements." Flavia sighed, "We have had our eyes on Valm for a while now. The imperial ambition of their emperor cannot be overlooked."

"And the troop buildup should make the situation fairly obvious." Basilio said, "Emperor Walhart plans to launch a full scale invasion of the continent."

"A bold move." Ben remarked, "And a difficult one to pull off."

"How so?"

Ben glanced at Robin, "I think you'll agree with me, Robin, when I say that an invasion that involves sending an army over an ocean would be a logistical nightmare."

Robin jumped as Ben addressed him, "Um, well, y-yeah, it would be. The simple act of feeding a large scale invasion force would be an astronomical task." Robin tapped his fingers against the table top as he furrowed his brow in thought, "It's difficult to believe that Valm would take that kind of risk."

"The Valm empire is built on risks." Virion cut in, "Before it became an empire, Valm was a small nation to the north of the continent. Pitifully small. The major power on the continent for the longest time was the nation of Chon'sin, not Valm." Virion sighed, "Then Walhart came out of nowhere and took the Valmese throne. From there, he unleashed his armies on the world. No one could stand against him in battle. His tactics were nearly flawless. His efficiency, brutal."

"It sounds like he has some extremely competent generals." Dooku noted.

Cherche nodded in agreement beside Virion, "He does. But they all contend that Walhart is superior to them both in might and intelligence. And I happen to believe them. I have heard tales of when Emperor Walhart personally stepped onto the battlefield." She gulped, "He is undefeated for a reason."

Robin pursed his lips, "Do you have any intelligence regarding the size of the troop buildup?"

Basilio shook his head, "No concrete numbers."

"What about a naval buildup?" Ben asked, "Any evidence of that?"

Basilio nodded, "Charlet harbor is filled with newly constructed ships."

Robin blinked, "The ships are in Charlet?" He sat back into his seat in surprise, "No wonder you called this council, Basilio. The shortest crossing into Archanea extends from Charlet to Port Ferox."

Flavia nodded, "Exactly. We believe an invasion of Regna Ferox is imminent."

"Have you started building up coastal defenses?" Ben asked the Khans.

"Yes," Flavia breathed, "But given Valm's reputation, we are not extremely confident in our short notice defenses."

Ben nodded, "Understandably so."

"What was your experience with the Valm army, Ben?" Basilio asked.

Ben shifted in his seat and allowed his arms to rest on the table in front of him, "Well, Robin was there as well." He nodded over at the tactician, "I hope he will help corroborate or correct any information I give. But… we witnessed one of Valm's armies. Their southern army, commanded by General Yen'fay of Chon'sin."

"And your impression?" Flavia asked.

Ben breathed out, "Disciplined."

"Massive." Robin muttered, "Massive, disciplined, well armed, and well supplied. Fighting them in an open conflict will be difficult."

"Especially since the Valm Empire is a master at open warfare." Cherche pointed out, "Valm's might comes from their cavalry. Specifically their mounted archers. Engaging them in an open battlefield would lead to ruin."

"Which leads us back to the initial invasion." Ben pointed out, "We believe that the invasion is going to take place in Port Ferox. That is the nearest point to Charlet. In order for the Valm military to make use of their greatest asset, they will have to take a large foothold on the continent very quickly. They cannot afford to get bottled up in the city."

"They need to hit the countryside for supplies and so their cavalry has room to maneuver." Robin agreed with a nod of his head.

Robin felt a small thrill inside of him. It felt like old times all of a sudden. Him and Ben bouncing strategies off of each other had always been an enjoyable exercise.

Ben rubbed his chin, "If they invade Port Ferox, it will not go well for them. I can't see that being a very smart strategic move on their part. They can't take very much territory that way."

"But the harbor makes a landing easier." Robin pointed out.

"That it does." Ben nodded.

"What assets besides cavalry does the Valm military possess?" Cordelia suddenly asked, "Are we dealing with any sort of Wyvern or Pegasus riders?"

Cherche scoffed, "A minuscule amount. The Valm military knows nothing about interacting with Wyverns. Barely more when it comes to Pegasi."

"So we have an aerial advantage." Cordelia said.

"Does that matter when their mounted archers can shoot us out of the sky?" Flavia pointed out as she leaned against the arm of her chair, "Last I checked, fliers do not do well against a mass of arrows."

"What about magic?" Lissa asked.

Cherche frowned, "That is much more of a mystery to me. The Valm army did not employ many mages in their conquest. I think it offended the Emperor's sensibilities to rely on magic for battle. He is a man who believes strength matters more than anything else. And he does not view mages as very strong." Cherche sighed, "But, he learned during his conquest of Chon'sin that mages can be rather useful on the battlefield. One of his generals is a known mage. She specializes in healing more than combat. But a mage nonetheless."

"So we have to assume they can match us in magical strength." Ben noted.

"Probably more than that." Flavia said, "We don't have a lot of magical people in Regna Ferox. And Ylisse is still recovering from the losses they took during the war with Plegia."

"The Grimleal did heavily damage our own force of mages." Chrom breathed, speaking for the first time the entire meeting, "I do not want to get students from the Academy caught up in this. But if we can gain a magical advantage, we may not have much of a choice. From what I'm hearing, war with Valm is inevitable. We will need every advantage we can get."

"Is there no way to sue for peace?" Sumia asked.

"I will try." Chrom said, "There is no guarantee that the Valm Empire will be reasonable." Chrom sighed, "But we have a better chance of getting a peace treaty with them than we did with Gangrel before the war with Plegia. A mad man does not conquer an entire continent and control it for as long as Walhart has."

"That means war with him will be more difficult." Ben muttered as he leaned back into his chair, "Walhart is not mad. He is of sound mind with skilled generals around him. If war does occur, we may be outmatched. Or biggest advantage is that we have an ocean between us and Valm."

"We have a small fleet in Port Ferox." Basilio explained, "But not enough ships to mount a proper naval defense. And it will take months before we can start growing the fleet."

"And we have no ships in Ylisse." Frederick sighed with a small shake of his head, "We have been far too busy rebuilding the nation to worry about a navy."

Ben furrowed his brow, "Then our best bet is to sue for peace. Buy some time to build up coastal and naval defenses. That way, we can prevent the enemy from launching a land invasion." Ben coughed, "From there we-"

The doors to the council room slammed open. A Feroxi soldier rushed inside.

"My Khan!" He exclaimed as Flavia rose to her feet, "Urgent message from Port Ferox. Valmese ships spotted offshore."

Basilio jumped from his seat, "What!?"

"How?" Flavia breathed, some fear crossed her face as the weight of the message hit her.

"The messenger left the city three days ago." The soldier explained, "He says that it is likely the Valm Empire has already launched an attack on the city."

Chrom rose from his seat, "Frederick, Stahl, how fast can you get our cavalry mustered?"

"The Themis Cavalry is at the ready, your grace." Stahl answered, "I'll have a messenger rush to Themis will all haste."

"I will do the same with our armies in Ylisstol. They will begin marching north within a couple days." Frederick answered.

Flavai grit her teeth, "We need to meet the enemy now before they can get a foothold." She glanced at Basilio, "Basilio, our two armies will march together to Port Ferox."

"I was just thinking the same thing." Basilio smirked, "It's time to break out the old ax again."

"You won't fight alone." Ben rose to his feet, "Myself and my companions will come with."

"So will mine." Chrom nodded. Ben glanced over at Chrom. Chrom cleared his throat, "Ben and I can put aside our… differences for the moment. This enemy threatens all of us. We cannot afford to fight amongst ourselves." Chrom looked over to Robin, "I want a strategy in front of me before we reach Port Ferox."

"You will have it." Robin nodded.

"Then we know what we must do." Flavia nodded grimly, "War has come to us, whether we like it or not. All we can do is meet it with sword in hand and a smile on our faces." She grinned over at Ben and Chrom, "You both will ride with me. We will lead our armies together."

Ben bowed, "As you wish, Khan Flavia."

Flavia guffawed, "You're too damn formal, Ben Kenobi." She circled around her chair and marched towards the door. She paused at the door when she noticed everyone else waiting at their seats, "Well? What the hell are you waiting for? There's a fight to be had!"

* * *

Ben quietly walked through the bustling street that encircled Arena Ferox. He had to marvel at the sheer speed with which the Feroxi army mustered. The markets had shut down as soldiers marshaled into great columns. Captains barked orders as each man and woman rushed off to their different companies. The entire area had become like a disturbed beehive. Constant activity. Rushed and anxious.

He could understand why the Feroxi felt that way. They had never faced an enemy like the Valm Empire before. Stories of the Valmese military no doubt leaked across the sea over the past few years. With how much the Feroxi people relished battle and strength, they undoubtedly heard all of those stories. Which explained the many grim, worried faces in the Feroxi ranks.

The Jedi Master uttered a small sigh. This was a war thrust upon these people. They did not desire a conflict with a nation as vast and powerful as Valm. Flavia was right though. War came to them. They would have to meet it. With brandished blades and a beaming smile.

Ben's eyes scanned the throngs of people for his friends. He specifically told them to wait near the Arena's main entrance thinking it would be easier to find them there. As he scanned the crowds for any sign of them, he heard a voice call to him from behind.

"Ben!"

Ben furrowed his brow and turned around. Both Robin and Flavia rushed up to him. The pair weaved through the crowds as they approached. Ben paused in his path and turned to meet them.

"Flavia." He nodded, "Robin."

"Alright, what is the deal?" Flavia asked, "What the hell happened over the past year? Cause Frederick's small description of events is the first I am hearing of any sort of discord among the Shepherds."

Ben sighed, "Chrom and I got into a disagreement. I would not budge on my position. Neither would he. Some rather… poor words were exchanged. Blades were drawn. In the end, no one was injured and we agreed to go our separate ways."

Robin closed his eyes and let out an anxious breath, "A rather simplistic summary of events. But not incorrect." Robin let his shoulders sink, "And most of the blame can be put on my shoulders."

"Huh?" Flavia asked, utterly puzzled.

"Robin..." Ben shook his head, "Flavia, do you mind letting us discuss this in private?"

Flavia frowned, "Alright, fine. But before I get going, Ben, I'm going to offer you a place in my army since you're no longer with the Shepherds. I want you on the battlefield with us. And by making you a General in my army," Both Robin and Ben's eyes widened in surprise, "I guarantee that you'll help us out. The pay will be good for you too."

Ben chuckled, "I'm not interested in pay, Flavia." Ben finally spotted both Tharja and Panne near one of the pillars on the edge of the massive coliseum, "And I will have to discuss it with Tharja first."

Flavia arched an eyebrow, "Why are you-"

Robin cleared his throat, "Those two are sort of… you know…"

Flavia's eyes widened, "Wait! Really?" She threw her head back and laughed, "Good on you, Ben! Sounds like you've finally decided to stop being so mysterious and settle down a little bit. I'm happy to hear that." Flavia's eyes snapped over to a group of soldiers as a sergeant shouted them down, "Oh boy. I think I'll step into that mess now. Ben, I expect an answer by tonight."

"I will make sure to give you one." Ben nodded as Flavia marched away.

As soon as Flavia was out of earshot, Ben motioned for Robin to walk with him. The Jedi gave Tharja and Panne a small wave. A way of signaling to them that he knew they were there, but he was not going to step over to them just yet. Tharja nodded back and leaned back against one of the pillars. Her dark eyes studied Robin as Ben walked a little ways away with him.

The two men found a quieter spot near the Arena's main entrance. Robin let out a weary sigh as he and Ben stopped walking.

"Ben… I-" Robin swallowed hard, "I screwed up, okay. And I am sorry." Ben stared hard at Robin as the tactician spoke, "I should have never gone behind your back the way I did. I should have-" Robin exhaled, "I should have kept my damn mouth shut and listened to you. It's your life. Your past. I had no business prying into it."

Ben shook his head, "Robin, I have been thinking long and hard about everything that has happened."

"I'm sure a lot of that thinking involved blaming me?" Robin muttered.

"At first, maybe." Ben admitted, "But, I can't really talk. When I was apprenticed to Qui Gon, I often went behind his back and reported his… unorthodox methods to the Jedi High Council." Robin looked at Ben with surprise, "My intentions were never as good as yours though. I did so more out of frustration with my Master than any desire to really help him. I know you intended to do the right thing, Robin. You should not blame yourself for that."

"But my actions caused all of this." Robin argued back, "They caused Chrom to kick you out. Caused the Shepherds to break apart. How can I not blame myself for that? And I totally expect you to blame me."

"Well, I don't." Ben folded his arms, "Did you make a mistake? Yes, you may have. But were you the one that kicked me out of the Shepherds? Did you make Chrom's decision for him?" Ben shook his head, "Chrom made that decision, not you. The Shepherds broke because of my actions and Chrom's actions. Not yours. So don't shoulder such blame. It is not healthy."

Robin sighed, "You know, I expected you to really lay into me." He snorted, "I should have known better. You don't get mad that easily." He shoved his hands into his coat pockets, "Well… there is still a bit of a rift isn't there? I aim to mend it. Shall we give friendship another go?"

Ben chuckled, "You act like we were in some sort of relationship."

"Well-I- you-," Robin stammered as Ben laughed some more. Robin finally relaxed, relented, and laughed as well, "It's been too long since I've been flustered like that."

"Well, I aim to fluster you much more in the future. After all, someone has to train you."

Robin's eyes widened, "You-you mean after all of that you're-"

"Well you already have one foot into the Force thanks to Marth." Ben shrugged, "Ricken told me that she is nearing the limit of what she can teach you. And there is no point in leaving a job half finished."

Robin positively beamed. Before Ben could say anything else, he threw his arms around his old friend.

"Thanks Ben." Robin said.

Ben laughed as he embraced Robin, "I think it is time I put my stubbornness on the subject behind me." Robin stepped back from Ben, "But to forewarn you, I will not be easy on you."

"I don't expect this to be very easy."

"It won't be." Ben nodded, "And the process will be slow. I'm not going to let you speed learn everything. We will start with resuming our exercises in Niman as well as meditation. From there, we will delve deeper into the Force's mysteries."

Robin laughed, "Sounds like a great plan to me."

A gasp sounded out next to them. A cheerful one. One that sounded distinctly like a certain red haired thief. Ben rolled his eyes as he noticed Gaius hiding behind a pillar nearby.

"Gaius…"

"Bubbles! I knew you weren't all that bad!" Gaius grinned as he approached Ben.

Robin shook his head, "I try not to be." He glanced at Ben, "The others came with you I see."

Ben nodded, "Yes." He waved over at Tharja. The dark mage furrowed her brow as she crossed over to where Ben and Robin stood. Panne and Ricken followed her, "Although, Laurent stayed at the Academy with Miriel and Vaike. Something about wanting to study the growth process of a baby."

Robin chuckled, "Of course. I wonder if they will come with the army now that Frederick is marshaling our forces?"

"It's possible." Ben shrugged, "How many came with you and Chrom?"

Robin thought for a moment, "Sully and Kellam are with a small group of Ylissean guards near the Arena barracks. Gregor and Nowi are over there as well. Then there is Cordelia, Libra, Sumia, and Lissa. And it looks like Lon'qu and Virion will be joining us in the fight. Oh, and Dooku and Donnel."

"It's as if the Shepherds have sort of come back together." Ben observed.

Tharja drew up alongside Ben. She gave Robin a dark look. Robin gulped.

"Thar-" He sneezed hard. Robin squeezed his eyes shut as he fought off the urge to sneeze again, "Ouch…" He groaned.

"Tharja!" Ricken cried, "Robin just apologized."

"That doesn't mean he can escape my punishment." Tharja muttered, "The runny nose hex will last the rest of the day. And if he pisses me off again, I'll find something much more creative to cast on him."

Robin paled a little bit. He sneezed hard again.

"Oh gods," Robin glanced at Gaius as he sniffled, "I now know how you feel every time she does this to you."

"See! I'm not as dramatic as you all seem to think." Gaius chirped.

Ben and Robin chuckled while Tharja snickered quietly beside Ben. A horn sounded out through the air. The formation of Feroxi soldiers began marching west, towards Port Ferox.

"How many soldiers are already marching?" Ben asked Robin.

Robin sniffed, "About one thousand are ready to go right away. Another three thousand will follow them by nightfall." He turned his gaze away from the soldiers back to Ben, "Are you going to accept Flavia's offer? I can try to talk to Chrom and see if he will change his mind."

Ben shook his head, "It will take a lot more than simple talk for Chrom and I to reconcile." Ben sighed, "I want to reconcile. But I will not be the one to make the first move on the matter. Chrom confronted me. He can approach me again whenever he feels like it."

Robin nodded, a touch glum at Ben's firm feelings on the matter.

"Well," Robin sighed, "At least you will be working with us in some way."

"Working?" Tharja gave Ben a curious look, "What was Khan Flavia's offer?"

Ben sighed, "A General position in her army."

Tharja's eyes widened. Panne looked just as surprise. Ricken gulped. And Gaius uttered a low whistle.

"Benny is moving up in the world." Gaius smiled.

Tharja nodded, "Well, Ben, if you decide to say yes, you know I will be right by your side."

Ben smiled, "I know." He took a deep breath, "And," He smirked at Robin, "you all can't go to war without me. Who else is going to make sure you don't get into trouble?"

Robin laughed loudly then threw an arm around Ben's shoulders.

"Alright, General Kenobi." He gripped Ben's hand, "I look forward to working with you."

Ben chuckled and shook Robin's hand.

"And I with you, Tactician Robin."

* * *

Chrom let out a loud sigh as he settled into his stride alongside Sumia's pegasus. The Shepherds marched out of Arena Ferox with the first one thousand of Regna Ferox's soldiers and Khan Basilio and Khan Flavia. The Ylissean Prince wanted to witness the tactics of the Valmese army first hand. It would help him and Robin when they planned a strategy to counter any more invasion attempts from the massive empire.

But for some reason, he could not focus on the battle to come. His mind kept going back to his fight with Ben. The lack of trust they both had in each other. It still stung. He thought highly of Ben before that moment. Believed that Ben actually trusted him as much as he trusted Ben. Unfortunately, Chrom was wrong in the end. And it hurt to make the ultimate decision he made.

That decision needed to be made though. Ben lacked his trust. And the enigmatic swordsman refused to trust anyone beyond Tharja and Marth. That would be a detriment to the Shepherds if another war broke out. A military unit was only as strong as their trust in each other. If that trust broke, then the cohesion they had could fall apart. Chrom could not allow such a risk to occur.

He did not expect the fallout from his decision to be so vast. He knew a couple of the Shepherds would object to his decision. Namely Gaius, Panne, Dooku, and Donnel. But he did not expect such wide divisions to form in their ranks. Did not expect the others to take sides in the conflict.

If he had to do it all over again, perhaps he would not have acted so irrationally. And it was an irrational choice now that Chorm looked back on it. There was nothing he could do about it now. He burned the bridge to Ben Kenobi. He had to stand by the decision he made.

"Chrom?"

Chrom glanced up at Sumia as she sleepily rode atop her Pegasus.

He did not like that she was here. It made him uneasy. Sumia was no longer just a soldier in his army like she was during the last war. She was his wife now. The mother to their little girl, Lucina. The last thing he wanted was for any harm to come to her. He could feel his own protective instincts surge at the thought of Sumia flying into battle.

"Are you still worried that much?" Sumia asked as she noticed Chrom's silence.

"Hm?" Chrom blinked, "Well, yeah."

Sumia laughed a little bit, "You don't need to be, Chrom. I'll be okay. You have to trust me on that."

Chrom gulped. Trust, that is what so many of these recent decisions boiled down to. Sumia was right. He needed to trust her. This was not going to be Sumia's first battle. She was as battle tested as he was now. And she would be flying alongside Cordelia, the most skilled Pegasus Knight in the entire army. He should not worry so much.

Yet he did worry. And he could not hide that from her.

Sumia leaned down from her saddle. Chrom looked up at her and brought his lips to hers.

Sumia smiled, "Feel better?"

Chrom chuckled, "A little bit." He sighed, "I would feel better knowing the Shepherds were whole. I would feel better if this war was not going to happen."

"Yet both are realities now." Sumia said as she sat back up in her saddle, "The Shepherds are broken. Ben has taken a position in Flavia's army. His friends follow him. And ours follow us."

Chrom sighed, "I don't want it to be that way." He shook his head, "I can't help but feel what I did was not the right decision. But at the same time, I feel like Ben forced my hand."

Sumia nodded, "There was no right decision in that situation, Chrom. No matter how it played out, someone was going to leave hurt. You made a difficult choice that day."

"One that has had consequences I did not expect." Chrom sighed, "Frederick still views the ones that sided with Ben with suspicion."

Sumia chuckled, "Frederick is always suspicious. Otherwise he would not be known as The Wary Knight."

Chrom laughed with her, "Fair point." He looped one of his hands through one of the straps on her saddle as he walked beside her, "Do you think I should try talking to Ben. Try to… be more adult about it all this time?"

Sumia shrugged, "I won't tell you what to do on the matter, Chrom. Do I think it would be in the army's best interested for you two to reconcile, probably. But the rift is deep between you two. You both have refused to speak to each other for a long time now. It will be difficult to get over that obstacle."

Chorm sighed, "I wish it wasn't."

Sumia laughed a little bit, "You were always way to straightforward for your own good, Chrom. I love that about you. But this situation does require some delicacy. It won't be easy to remedy."

Chrom nodded, "Unfortunately." He took another deep breath, "Let's just get through this initial battle. Maybe we scare off Valm to the point where Ben and I won't have to work together."

Sumia shook her head, "Avoiding the issue won't help either."

"I know." Chrom hung his head, "But I can hope right?"

Sumia snorted and rubbed his shoulder, "I guess."

They marched in silence for a little while longer. Up ahead of them, Sully trotted alongside Frederick's horse. Kellam walked alongside Sully. Chorm noticed the two talking quite often lately. Chorm smiled a little bit. That was good for Kellam. He finally was finding his voice and presence in the army.

Lissa snored loudly atop Frederick's steed while the Knight-Commander strode along the frost covered road. Gregor carried a sleeping Nowi on his back as he marched with Frederick. Stahl trotted on the other side of the road with Dooku, Donnel, and Maribelle riding alongside him.

Lon'qu marched with the Khans, Ben, and Robin. Chrom noticed Ben and Robin speaking often. They seemingly reconciled. Chrom felt happy for the two about that. They were close friends before the rift formed in the Shepherds. The Feroxi ambassador Olivia, also marched with them. She drifted back towards Virion often. The pair struck up many conversations that left them both quietly chuckling.

Tharja, Gaius, Panne, Ricken, all marched in silence just behind Ben and the Khans. Libra marched on his own in between Chrom's group and the Khan's group. His healing staff at the ready in case anyone sprained an ankle or tripped on a pebble in the road.

Marth occasionally drifted over to Libra in order to make idle conversation before lingering closer towards Ben and Robin. Chrom thought he overheard them talking about the Force once. But he paid it no mind.

Cordelia and Cherche patrolled the skies up ahead. Just in case the Valm army already established a foothold and were moving inland. They would be able to alert the army below them if that were the case.

Chrom shuddered at that thought. If Valm already seized territory and pushed inland then they could very well lose the war before it began. Cherche, Ben, and Robin's description of the Valm military's capabilities painted a bleak picture for Archanea.

"Chrom?" Sumia yawned.

"Yes?"

"Do you think this war will be as bad as the one with Plegia?"

Chrom face hardened.

"I don't know." He said honestly.

Plegia had been a far different opponent than Valm. Plegia had been a rogue nation with an insane king controlled by an maniacal cult. Their army consisted mostly of bandits and ruffians that barely counted as professional soldiers. Their generals had been highly effective. But they were hamstrung by the King's actions and the Grimleal's ambition.

Valm was not like that. Valm had an Emperor that ruled with an iron fist and an undefeated battle record. His generals were not like the Plegians. They were loyal to him, not to the empire. As long as Walhart ruled, his Generals would fight for him. And they were damn effective generals according to Ben and Cherche.

The Valmese army was also a true army. Not ruffians, or bandits, or dark mages. A true standing army led by a devastating cavalry and waves upon waves of infantry.

A true full scale war was on the horizon. Chrom was not sure if a more disciplined opponent would be a more terrible one or not. All he could do was meet their assault head on and fight to make sure those he cared upon did not die on the field of battle.

* * *

"You see my friend," Hondo Ohnaka began, "It goes like this," He pointed at the Ugnaught in front of him. The pig like alien gave him a suspicious look as Hondo reached into a bag behind him and withdrew a large bag filled with an unknown, red, powdery substance, "This here is pure spice. The best kind of spice. The only spice that can be converted into the most damaging death sticks you can imagine. Yes?" Hondo popped the bag, "Come, take a sniff." He coughed as some of the red powder jumped up to his face, "It is quite potent."

The Ugnaught rubbed its hairy chin and sniffed the air. A furious look came over the stout creature's face. A series of snorts and oinks left its fat lips before it stormed off.

"It is not just a bag of crushed peppers!" Hondo cried, "I know my spice. You clearly do not and… and he's gone."

The Weequay sighed and closed up the bag. Another potential customer lost. That Ugnaught was too smart. Everyone on Tatooine was much too smart. He could get away with selling fake spice on core worlds or mid rim worlds. Those people were stupid. Ignorant about spice and how it was made. But the criminal scum of the outer rim all knew spice. Almost all of them had tried it at some point. And none of them were dumb enough to fall for his well planned scam.

A long sigh left Hondo's lips as he placed the bag of crushed peppers back into his bag.

How did his life come to this? Just a few years ago, he had been one of the most successful pirates in the entire outer rim. A name to be feared. He even managed to capture two Jedi and the leader of the Separatist movement at the same time. Granted, they got away. But the point was, he had been powerful enough to capture all three of them.

And now, as the Clone Wars died away and law and order returned to the galaxy, he found himself without a ship, without a crew, trying to sell fake spice on the streets of Mos Eisley.

"Heh, I've become one of those pathetic life forms." Hondo sighed before shrugging, "Oh well." He shouldered his bag and marched down the dark, hot streets of Mos Eisely, "Time for a drink."

Maybe he would find a good customer at the cantina near the spaceport. It has happened before. Sometimes an offworlder was just that stupid. Regardless, the twin suns were setting. The streets were not very safe at night. Gangs roved these sandy roads when the blazing heat of Tatooine faded away. Anyone with any knowledge of Mos Eisley knew to find some sort of shelter for the evening. Whether that be in a house, or in a cantina.

Stupid people stayed out on the streets at night. Those people were robbed at blaster point. Or even worse, just killed outright. Tatooine was a lawless world. Run by the Hutt cartel. As long as someone did not cross the Hutts, then they were free to do as they pleased.

Hondo turned a corner. He could see the Cantina just a few blocks away. A happy smile formed over his lips. Nothing like a good drink to end a miserable day.

Just as he took another step forward, a bright blue light lit up an alleyway nearby. Hondo paused and gave the dark alley a curious look. He could hear some low groans and growls coming from inside the alley. A pair of ruby red eyes opened and stared at him from the shadows.

"Those have to be the tallest Jawas I have ever seen." Hondo muttered to himself as the red eyes moved forward in the darkness.

They were not Jawas. Jawas were short, cuddly looking creatures. As long as the wore their robes at least. Hondo had seen what a Jawa looked like beneath their dark hoods. There was nothing cute and cuddly about those faces. Only a mother could love a naked Jawa.

And these creatures limping towards him were the opposite of cuddly. Quite honestly, they looked rather intimidating. The shambled through the sand towards him. Crude axes in their hands. Black masks hid their faces. Hondo reached for the blaster pistol on his hip.

"Now, now, my friends. There is no need for such aggression." He smiled, "If you are looking for a quick fix, I will be happy to give you the finest of raw spice. For the right price of course."

The nearest monster moaned and snapped its gaze up to him. Hondo felt a chill run down his eyes.

"You are a rather lifeless looking fellow, aren't you?" Hondo chuckled nervously. He undid the safety strap on his holders. Letting his hand rest against the blaster pistol's grip, "I'm warning you, my friend. I wouldn't uh… shamble any closer."

Hondo gulped as three more sets of eyes flicked open in the shadows. These ones moved fast towards him. Weapons raised. Hondo gulped and pulled his blaster pistol free from his holster. Just as he was about to blast the strange creatures, the blue light returned. An eye of some sort formed in the alleyway. And a human girl wearing rather heavy looking armor and carrying a strange shield and spear fell out of it.

"What in the hell?" Hondo wondered, "Oh kriff!"

He ducked beneath an ax. Could hear the metal hiss through the air. Hondo raised his blaster pistol and fired three quick blasts into the monsters gut.

Now, with any normal person, that'd be the end of them. But this thing just refused to die. Hondo gulped as he looked up at the monster's face.

"Perhaps we can talk about this, uh, misunderstanding."

It raised its ax once again. Hondo rolled out of the way. The ax hit the sand with a quiet thud. Hondo aimed his blaster once again and fired. A red blaster bold slammed into the creature's mask. The creature uttered loud howl then exploded into a cloud of black ash.

"Hm…" Hondo said, "So four shots instead of three?"

"Hit their masks really hard!"

Hondo glanced over. His eyes widened for a moment in surprise. The armored human female had surged to her feet and charged through the sand at the creatures. She leveled her spear and skewered one of the creatures before bashing her shield into its mask. The mask cracked. The creature let out a loud wail. It faded to dust.

"Oh ho! I see. As with any creature, hit them in the face hard enough, and they die." Hondo grinned. "Sound logic!"

Hondo aimed his blaster pistol and fired again. The blaster bolt slammed into another creature's face. The creature howled and turned its angry gaze at him.

"Uh… your logic failed, miss." Hondo said with a hint of trepidation.

"Oh shut up and fight!" The woman roared as she destroyed a second monster.

"Hm.. never had someone tell me that before. Normally, I was told to shut and run. But fight, well, that option never seemed very applicable."

"How about just shut up!" The woman ended a third creature.

"I got that one quite a bit as well."

Before Hondo could take aim again, the woman ended the life of the final creature. Hondo watched as she took a deep breath and planted the end of her primitive spear into the sand.

"And that, takes care of that." She glared over at Hondo, "No thanks to-" She froze and peered hard at him, "Uh, do you have some sort of skin condition buddy?"

"Skin condition?" Hondo holstered his blaster, "My skin is just fine. Well, maybe a little dry thanks to this world's weather. But, I cannot do much about that. They don't really make lotion for Weequay."

The woman arched an eyebrow, "A what?"

Hondo smirked. Oh, he found a dumb one. Wonderful!

"You are not from around here, are you miss-"

"Kjelle." She answered.

"Kjelle, hm… does not roll off the tongue very well does it." Hondo remarked, "That doesn't matter. You saved my life, Miss Kjelle. Allow me to repay you with a drink."

He took a long look at her as she eyed him with suspicion. Damn, she actually looked very pretty for a human female. A sharp face with piercing eyes. Black hair that sat like soft waves over her head. She was probably very good looking without the armor as well.

The perfect score! If he managed to sell her to the Hutts, he would have enough money for a ship and a crew. He would be back to doing what he loved. Piracy. No more spice trade.

"What kind of drink?" She asked him.

"Only a wonderful alcoholic beverage from that fine establishment just over there."

Hondo pointed at the cantina just as a human came tumbling out. The human male vomitted against the side of the building, laughed to himself, then stumbled back into the cantina.

"Only the finest of clientele on Tatooine."

"Tatoo-what?" Kjelle asked as she gave Hondo an even more suspicious look.

 _She doesn't even know what planet she is on!?_ Hondo felt even more excitement build up in him. _Oh this is too good to be true!_

"A wonderful world ruled by some very benevolent people called the Hutts. They care greatly about letting people have the freedom to choose their squalor- I mean their riches!"

Kjelle frowned, "Mister-"

"Hondo Ohnaka." Hondo bowed at the waist.

"Yeah. I don't think I'm supposed to be here. Can you point me in the direction of Ylisse?"

 _Ylisse? Who or what is an Ylisse?_ Hondo thought to himself. But he personally did not care very much.

"Of course I can! But over a drink, because I owe you. And I hate being in debt to other people." He wrapped an arm around Kjelle's shoulder and guided her towards the cantina.

She remained very suspicious. But that suspicion turned into shock as soon as they entered the cantina. Her eyes went wide as she noticed all of the different alien creatures that sat in booths and at the bar. Hondo grinned as the heavy scent of alcohol and smoke hit his nose.

"Ah yes, my favorite place."

"Where the hell am I?" Kjelle gasped as she gawked at a Rodian walking out of the cantina.

"Ah ah ah!" Hondo quickly chirped, "Don't stare at people. They might take that the wrong way."

They passed through the security barrier that prevented droids from entering. No one paid them any mind. Stranger folk passed through here than a pretty girl with a shield and spear. They would not bother him and her unless they planned on stealing his prize.

He guided Kjelle over to a seat at the bar. Hondo hopped into a seat beside her and ordered two glasses of brandy. The strongest stuff he could think of. Stuff that most humans could not possibly digest properly. She would be unconscious in minutes once she drank this. Then it would be off to Jabba the Hutt's palace to sell her for a high price.

 _Then I can get my ship._

The bartender set their drinks down. He gave Kjelle a slightly concerned look. But he said nothing. He knew what Hondo was doing. And honestly, he did not care. So long as Hondo paid his tab, the bartender would not intervene. Worse things took place in Mos Eisley than a Weequay taking advantage of a naive human girl.

As Hondo grabbed his drink, a wookie and another young human male sat down near him. The wookie grunted out a drink order to the bartender.

"Make that two." The suave looking man said as he leaned against the bar.

Hondo paid the two rogueish figures no mind. He raised his glass in a toast to Kjelle. Kjelle picked up her own and nodded.

"To saving my life, Miss Kjelle." Hondo tilted his glass back at the same time as her.

He kept a close eye on her as he waited for the drink to take effect. Kjelle downed it all in one quick gulp. Which surprised Hondo. Most humans could not even handle a sip of this stuff.

 _Doesn't matter. She will be on the floor in moments._

His eyes lit up as a slightly uncomfortable look formed on her face. She cleared her throat and pounded a fist against her armored chest.

 _Any second now._

A loud belch left her lips. So loud in fact, that the rest of the bar stopped what they were doing and stared at her. Kjelle sucked in a deep breath and grinned over at a stunned Hondo.

"That is damn good!" She grinned, "Sits in my gut like my mom's cooking!"

Hondo blinked. What just happened? She should have been unconscious by now.

 _Maybe another drink will do the trick._

"Heh!" The human male beside the Wookie snorted, "Nice one kid."

"Thank you, sir." Kjelle smiled back as her cheeks turned a little pink.

 _Ah, there are the effects. Yes, one more drink and she will be mine._

"Sir?" The human male chuckled, "I have never been called a sir before."

"Oh, and what should I call you?"

The wookie uttered an annoyed grunt as the human stepped around him and held out his hand to Kjelle. He completely ignored Hondo despite the fact that Hondo sat between him and Kjelle.

"Han Solo." The dashing rogue nodded.

"Kjelle uh… no surname." The woman replied with a small hiccup.

Hondo chuckled anxiously, "Yes, yes. Nice to meet people here. I agree. But how about another drink, Kjelle? Then we can go find Ylisse."

"Ylisse?" Han replied with an arched brow, "I've never heard of such a place."

Kjelle gave Han a surprised look, "You've never heard of the Halidom?"

Han looked even more puzzled, "The what?"

"Now now, surely he is just a faraway traveler. We don't need to listen to him." Hondo said as he tried to keep his voice smooth, "Bartender, two more please!"

His plan was unraveling all because of this Han Solo. He need to salvage this quickly by knocking her out now. This drink would do just that. Even more realization formed in Kjelle's face.

"You know, I can get you a far better drink than that swill, miss." Han nudged the Wookie behind him, "Isn't that right, Chewie?"

The Wookie let out a small grunt then shrugged.

"You don't give me enough credit." Han replied with a dismissive wave of his hand.

"I think she is enjoying the drinks I am giving her just fine." Hondo argued quickly as the bartender set two more shots down in front of him and Kjelle.

"Really?" Han narrowed his eyes at Hondo, "I don't think the fine lady would enjoy being sold as a slave to the Hutts, Hondo."

Kjelle froze just as she brought her glass to her lips.

"Ahaha!" Hondo laughed, "You know my name, Han Solo! You must have met some of my very satisfied customers. And if you know them, then you know I am no slaver. I trade spices."

"You're a pirate." Han said, "Looking for a new ship. A pretty girl like her would get you a lot of money for one."

Kjelle turned furious.

"What!?" She roared. She grabbed her spear and jabbed the point beneath Hondo's chin, "You dared to try and deceive me!?"

Hondo could see her cheeks turning red now. The first drink's effects were slow on her body, but they were finally manifesting. He did detect a slight slur in her speech as she threatened him with her spear.

Hondo rolled his eyes, "I would never want to deceive you, Kjelle. Why would I? Clearly you can very easily kill with that," He winced as the metal point of her spear dug into his skin, "very, very sharp object of yours."

"I'm gonna-" Kjelle blinked, "I'm gonna-"

Hondo blinked as she tipped over. Her spear fell with her.

"Well… a bit delayed. But that works."

"Oh no you don't." Hondo felt a blaster press discreetly against the small of his back. He felt a curse in his native language rush from his lips, "Chewie, pick the girl up."

"For a fellow scummy patron of this place you have strangely high morals." Hondo grumbled.

"Yeah, well I have a soft spot for girls." Han shrugged, "You got her Chewie?"

The Wookie slung an unconscious Kjelle over his massive shoulder. Chewie held her with one hand while his other hand held her spear. He barked over at Han.

"Good." Han nodded, "Now, then, I say we take Hondo here over to the Hutts. I'm sure they won't appreciate him cutting into their trade by selling fake spice."

Hondo blanched, "Now-now, lets not get hasty with the accusations."

"Hasty? Oh, I'm not hasty. If I was hasty I would have blasted you already." Han pointed out, "So, give me a reason not to."

"I- I could help you!"

"Help me how?" Han asked with a roll of his eyes.

"What is your trade, young man? Hm? You don't get a fancy blaster like that by being a moisture farmer after all." Hondo laughed.

"Smuggler." Han replied.

"Perfect! Absolutely perfect! I can definitely help you! Yes! Yes!" Hondo exclaimed, "We could work together and make an obscene amount of credits. What with my knowledge of piracy and your resources, we could make quite the team!"

Han glanced over at Chewie. The Wookie shrugged.

"You are a newer smuggler after all, yes?" Hondo straightened out Han's crooked collar, "A young human like yourself doesn't know much about the business. Let old Hondo help you out, eh?" He extended a hand, "It benefits both of us."

Han frowned, "No slaving."

"Of course! Of course! I totally understand your distaste for the practice. Quite barbaric. But desperate times sometimes call for desperate measures and-"

"And I'm the captain on my ship." Han interrupted him, "You do as I say when I say it or," He nodded at the Wookie, "Chewie gets to have a little fun with you."

The Wookie chortled threateningly at that. Hondo gulped and nodded.

"A rather fair arrangement I say." He took Han's hand and shook it, "Done! Where is your ship? And do we have a job?"

"We do." Han nodded, "Jabba wants us smuggling some spice to Nar Shadda. And we were just about to leave."

"Wonderful!" Hondo started following Han and Chewie out of the Cantina, "One question, Han, my boy!"

"What?"

"Are we taking her?" Hondo pointed at Kjelle as she lay slung over Chewie's shoulder.

"Well yeah." Han shrugged, "Who knows. Maybe she will give me some entertainment on the ship."

Hondo chuckled, " _Entertainment_ , yes. I know what you mean." He said suggestively.

"Yeah. She may still stab you." Han smirked as Hondo's grin ran away from his face. Han patted Hondo's face, "And I probably won't stop her. Watching that will be very entertaining."

Hondo gulped as he followed the other two smugglers out of the cantina and into the hot night air.

"It wouldn't be very entertaining for me."

 **And chapter! The war begins! Valm is invading Regna Ferox. Robin has sorta reconciled with Ben. Chrom is thinking about talking to him again. And the Feroxi army and some of our shepherds are marching towards Port Ferox. And Ben is now General Kenobi of the Feroxi army. It's time the General returned.**

 **And, we get another future child arrival, Kjelle! And who worse to put her with than Han Solo, Chewbacca, and Hondo Ohnaka.**

 **Now, I think I should establish a proper timeline for you all at this point. So… this story takes place roughly 15 BBY as of this chapter. I know, according to the Star Wars canon, Han is not on Tatooine at this point. But I want him in this story and I'm not going to wait. Now, why 15 BBY? Because Luke arrived on Archanea about two years before Ben did. That made him two years old when he was kidnapped by Excellus. Add in the two year timeskip between Plegian and Valm war, and you get four years. Luke was born 19BBy, so he would be 4 by 15 BBY. As for Han, I'm going to make him at least 19 years old for plot sake. That's only about two years older than he'd actually be if I followed the timeline strictly, which in my mind is not too big of a deal. And that is around the time Solo takes place anyways (Which I'm still not sure if I'm including those events or not). So, that's a bit of a timeline for you all.**  
 **The next chapter won't be out for a couple days. I will be celebrating July 4th with family and will probably be busy July 5th as well. I'll do my best to have a new chapter ready on the 6th! For my American readers, Happy Independence Day (*Bald Eagle screeches in the background*)**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	78. The Silent Siege

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 78

The Silent Siege

Robin grimaced as he looked through his spyglass. Behind him, using the hilltop he knelt on as a hiding spot, were one thousand Feroxi soldiers. Braced for battle. Each soldier filled with anticipation. Kneeling beside him in the tall, frost tipped grass atop the hill were the leaders of the Feroxi counter attack: Khan Basilio, Khan Flavia, Chrom, Ben, Frederick, and Cordelia.

Khan Basilio narrowed his one good eye as he stared out at the Port City. Great plumes of smoke swirled up into the gray skies above the city. He frowned at the sight. But his reaction was nowhere near as visceral as Flavia's. The ruling Khan was clearly enraged. Doing everything in her power not to start charging down at the enemy occupying in her nation's biggest city. She took a deep breath as she tried to calm herself down. She then leaned close to Robin.

"What do you see?" Flavia asked the tactician as he carefully observed the besieged city.

A grim sight. That is what Robin saw. But not necessarily a hopeless one.

The Valm Empire really did invade Regna Ferox. But with nowhere near the numbers Robin feared. So far, he saw five large Valm ships floating in the Port Ferox harbor. The Empire's standard flew high over each ship. Robin could see a few hundred Valmese soldiers taking up positions along the harbor and in the western half of the city.

The eastern half of the city drew most of Robin's attention. He could see multiple fires and barricades blocking the streets that cut east through Port Ferox. The biggest barricades blocked three bridges that crossed over a small river. The river bisected the city between east and west. Which was a godsend it Robin's mind. The natural barrier provided by the river allowed any defenders to hold on for as long as they have so far. He could not see any Feroxi soldiers. But he had a feeling they were there. And they were still fighting.

"Is it as bad as it looks?" Chrom asked Robin as the Prince stood beside Flavia, one hand resting on Falchion's pommel.

Ben observed the city as well. His face just as grim as Robin's.

Robin closed his spyglass. He pointed to the city.

"The Valm army controls the harbor and the surrounding area up until the series of bridges that cut over the river." Robin reported, "There are large, unmanned barricades blocking the bridges. Some are on fire. That is what is causing the smoke we are seeing." Robin lowered his spyglass, "There are more barricades behind those. I don't see any friendly soldiers, which is a touch concerning."

"Perhaps they are holed up in the buildings?" Ben suggested, "Disguising their numbers from the Valmese forces?"

"That's a possibility." Robin muttered, "If that is the case that is a huge advantage to us. It will make the enemy very cautious in their advance since they do not know our real numbers."

"Do we have a numbers advantage right now?" Flavia asked.

Robin nodded, "We do. And our numbers advantage will grow come tomorrow when the next few thousand of our soldiers arrive." He pursed his lips, "The problem is the city is so cramped that I doubt numbers will help us in this situation. It'll bog us down instead. We want to take out the Valmese before they can get back on their ships. That way, whatever forces are following them have no idea what they might be dealing with. Large numbers will slow us down in tight quarters."

"You think more are following?" Chrom asked.

"Definitely." Robin said, "This is a vanguard force." He handed his spyglass to Chrom so he could take a look, "Mostly infantry," Robin explained as Chrom took a peak, "Not a lot of supplies. A few horses. But not an overwhelming cavalry force. They have plenty of archers though. That'll make any counter offensive interesting."

"Why send such a small force?" Chorm muttered, perplexed.

"They think we're that weak." Flavia sneered, "We will show them."

"Slow down, Flavia." Robin breathed, "I do worry about a possible trap in this instance. I don't like how secure they feel down there. And I really don't like the lack of our own soldiers at defensive positions. Those barricades in place could very easily be there to prevent us from retaking the city instead of preventing them from advancing into the countryside."

"What do you suggest we do?" Chrom asked as he passed the spyglass over to Flavia.

Robin furrowed his brow, "We should send a small scouting party into the city first. Assess the situation. Figure out if there are still any pockets of resistance along the river's eastern bank. A scouting party will be less likely to be detected by enemy sentries."

Chrom nodded, "Sounds like a job for the Shepherds."

"And me." Flavia said, "I'm ruling Khan. I'm the one who lost this city. I'm going to be the one to take it back." Flavia jabbed Ben's shoulder, "You're coming with. You are like Robin. You've got all the experience dealing with the Valmese army."

"I suggest the others tag along as well." Ben nodded in reply, "If there is one thing Gaius knows how to do, it is sneak around a city. Tharja and Ricken's magic will prove invaluable as well."

Dooku cleared his throat, "I shall accompany this mission as well. I have some expertise that I can share."

"That would be appreciated." Robin smiled.

Chrom did not smile back. He did not doubt Ben and Dooku's abilities in battle. He had witnessed Dooku's skill with a blade firsthand. It still amazed the Prince that such an elderly man could be that agile in combat.

What Chrom doubted was the ability for both Ben and Dooku to listen to him and Robin in this dangerous situation. It sounded like Robin wished to take the lead on this mission. Robin had Chrom's complete trust. Ben and his friends did not. Not after everything that had happened over the past year.

Flavia coming with was a good thing in Chrom's mind. Technically, Ben worked for the Khan now. He was General Kenobi of the Feroxi army now. Flavia and Chrom worked well together. Hopefully, if Ben did not listen to him, he would listen to Khan Flavia and Robin. Flavia held Robin in high regard for his military tactics. The likelihood of her disregarding Robin's advice on a battlefield was slim. Which meant if Robin gave her a suggestion, she would listen. And she would order Ben to do the same.

"Oaf!" Flavia barked over at Basilio, "I trust you to keep an eye on everything here."

Basilio nodded. His one eye remained fixed on the city. Port Ferox rested in the Wesetern Khan's domain. The city was the hub for nearly all trade in the entire country. Basilio took great pride in it. It wounded that same pride to see a different standard fluttering in the wind over the city.

"Good." Flavia said, without a hint of teasing in her voice. She knew how much Basilio cared about retaking Port Ferox. If Arena Ferox did not exist, then the port city would have been the nation's crown jewel. And likely the seat of power for the ruling Khan.

Chrom glanced over at Frederick, "You and Kellam remain here with Lissa, Lon'qu, Marth, and Nowi. I'll take Gregor, Sully, and Cordelia on this one."

Frederick wanted to protest. But he remained silent. Chrom made up his mind. There would be no deterring the Prince from this course of action. The Knight-Commander eyed Ben. His suspicion grew as Ben relayed the plan to Tharja, Gaius, Virion, Dooku, and Ricken.

Ricken he could trust. The boy had been a loyal shepherd and a good friend to many in the palace. His education under Tharja led him to remain close to Ben. Ricken held no animosity towards Chrom or the other Shepherds over the schism. The Knight-Commander wanted to believe that, if disaster were to strike, Ricken would defend the ruler of the Halidom over a recently named Feroxi General. It was the other three Frederick had difficulty trusting near Chrom. Especially the dark mage, Tharja. By all accounts, she was still dedicated to the Grimleal religion. A fact that did not sit well with Frederick.

"When are we moving out?" Chrom asked Robin.

"Nightfall." Robin breathed, "It will be easier to approach the city that way."

"Should I tell Gaius to go ahead of us?" Ben asked Robin.

Chrom glared over at Ben. Robin did not notice as he mulled Ben's suggestion.

"No, it's better if we stick together in this instance. We don't know what we could be walking into down there. And I don't want anyone going alone."

Ben nodded. The Jedi Master glanced up at the clouds above him, "We have about an hour till nightfall."

"Then prepare yourselves." Chrom grunted as he rose from his kneeling position and moved back towards the rest of the army, "We won't wait up for you."

* * *

Robin felt uneasy. Each cautious step he took along Port Ferox's cobblestone roads caused his nerves to spike. Silence hung in the air. The faint crackling of flames from nearby barricades created an ominous din over the quiet city. There were no civilians peeking out of their windows. No shops open. The city stood still and somber. Waiting for the tide of Valmese soldiers to sweep over the barricades and engulf what little remained.

His eyes flicked from alley to alley. Street corner to street corner. The city had been so lively when he first passed through here all of those months ago. For such a vast space to be so deathly still rattled Robin's nerves.

"Calm yourself." He heard Ben breath nearby.

Robin gulped. Ben must be sensing out the area with the force. He could probably sense Robin's own uneasiness as well. Both Ben and Dooku appeared calm. The opposite of how Robin, Chrom, and Flavia felt.

Flavia had a tight grip on her sword as she walked with Chrom at the front of the pack. Beads of sweat formed on her brow despite the chill in the night air. Her own uneasiness compounded by the sharp shadows cast by fires further into the city. Chrom did a better job of hiding his anxiety. His face showed grim determination as he marched forward. One of his hands rested on Falchion's pommel while others swung freely at his side. But Robin could see the Prince's eyes flicking back and forth. Constantly alert.

Robin swallowed, _Where is everyone?_

This felt more and more like a trap to him. Robin thought that as soon as Khan Flavia entered the city, any Feroxi defenders would reveal themselves. Or, any Valmese sentries would have raised an alarm and attacked. He did not expect the silence. Did not expect the lack of any reaction.

The group exited a narrow street and entered a small square near the river. Although their position was still hidden from view by a row of houses lining the riverbank. Flavia arched an eyebrow and she glanced around them.

"Still nothing." She muttered, "I've never seen a silent siege before."

Chrom grit his teeth as he looked around the square, "I don't like this. This spot is perfect for an ambush."

"I have to agree." Robin flicked his eyes to the rooftops. He did not see any movement up there either, "It is also a good spot for an overwatch." He glanced over at Virion, "Virion."

Virion looked over at Ben. Ben nodded at him then over at Tharja and Ricken.

"Take up an overwatch with Virion." He told the two mages.

Tharja frowned. But she did not protest. Ben trusted her to hold this position and keep a lookout for the others. She would not fail such a task. Ricken gulped and rushed after Virion and Tharja as the duo disappeared into a nearby alleyway.

"No defenders. No attackers." Robin rubbed his chin, "So far, no trap."

"I still sense one." Dooku muttered. The older man looked over at Ben, "You and Skywalker were always fond of springing traps."

"I don't sense a trap now though." Ben said as he countered Dooku's own instincts, "I do sense tension. Not just from our own group. But from other people nearby."

"You sense other people?" Chrom asked, "Where?"

"I'm not sure if they are the enemy or not." Ben noted. Caution filled his voice, "But they are not here. I think there are two groups near the other two bridges."

"The north and south bridges then." Flavia pursed her lips, "That does not sound like an attacking force to me. An attacking force would have just taken all the area it could. Starting right here with this center square."

"So Ben senses either defenders or a very cunning Valm strategy." Robin furrowed his brow, "I side with Dooku. But the only way we will be able to counter the trap is to spring it."

"How do you propose we do that?" Chrom asked Robin.

Robin flicked his eyes to the north. Then over to the south.

"You said two groups, right Ben?"

Ben nodded.

"Then we split into two as well. Each group moves towards one position while Virion, Tharja, and Ricken keep watch in the center. If anything happens, we signal to them and they will bring reinforcements."

Chrom frowned, "I don't like the idea of both splitting up and springing a possible trap. We are stronger together."

"We're an easier target together." Ben replied, "And if the people I sense are defenders then they likely need our help. We will be able to mark their locations and send word to the rest of the army that it is clear to advance into the city. From there, we can strike back against the Valmese across the river."

Robin could still see hesitation in Chrom. To the tactician, Ben's plan sounded fine. He knew Chrom's trust in Ben was fragile. But Robin also felt that Chrom needed to put his own mistrust aside. They were comrades still. Allies in this new war. Neither one could afford to fight with the other against an enemy as vast and dangerous as the Valm Empire.

"Ben," Robin began. He pointed over at Flavia, "You, Flavia, Dooku, Gaius, and Panne go south. Myself, Chrom, Sully, Gregor, and Cordelia will go north. Signal to the center if anything is amiss."

Ben nodded. The Jedi turned on his heel and raced south with the others in tow. As they left the square, Robin glanced over at a nearby rooftop. He noticed a small part of Ricken's pointy hat sticking up from one of the rooftops.

 _Good, those three are in position._ Robin nodded.

"Are you sure about this, Robin?" Chrom asked before the rest of the group turned north.

Robin sighed, "Not entirely, no. But I can't think of any better options at the moment. We will just have to be careful."

Chrom frowned, but nodded. If there was one person he did trust, it was Robin. The tactician had earned that much. Chrom waved his hand. Sully nodded and dashed ahead with Gregor. Cordelia stayed near Chrom and Robin as they moved up a cobblestone street. Lance at the ready in case any enemies decided to jump out at them.

Robin's muscles tenses as they moved deeper into the city. A bad feeling sat in his gut. He could not shake the sensation that they were being watched. Robin took a deep breath and shook his head briefly. His nerves were still getting the better of him.

 _When this is over, I'm going to need a drink._

* * *

Tharja pressed her lips into a thin line as she watched Ben and Robin's groups separate. Her eyes flicked over to Robin as she watched the brown haired tactician move north with Prince Chrom and the Shepherds. Her dark eyes then fell back towards Ben. She saw him for only a few moments before he too disappeared into the dark shadows that engulfed Port Ferox's narrow streets.

She did not want to be here. She wanted to remain by Ben's side through this battle. Wanted to watch his back and make sure no harm came to him. Yet here she was now, kneeling atop a flat rooftop.

The building had to be a shop of some sort with a small residence above the first floor. She did not know what rested inside of the shop. She, Virion, and Ricken scaled the side of the building thanks to a few stacked crates and a rickety step stool.

Tharja kept her eyes trained on the bridges that crossed the river. The fires on the barricades still burned. But they would only burn for so long. Sooner or later, the cold winds of Regna Ferox would put those fires out. And the barricades would be easier to break through.

Her fingers clenched the spine of her spell book. For a city under siege, it was much too quiet. Silence did not scare Tharja. Silence had been normal back at the Grimleal Temple. Silence had been a welcome luxury. But there was a difference between relaxing quiet, and eerie anticipation.

She heard Virion pluck his bow string as he lay back against a small wall that ran the perimeter of the roof. Thin, almost musical, sounds left the string as his finger flicked against it. Virion hummed and flicked his eyes over to Tharja.

"Don't worry so much." Virion muttered, "Ben is more than capable of taking care of himself."

Tharja snorted, "You don't have to remind me." Her mind wandered to that day in Plegia. The day Ben saved her life from a vicious sandstorm. He pushed himself past his own limits that day in order to save her life. She could still see how exhausted he was. How beaten his body had been. "But even Ben has his limits."

Virion arched an eyebrow, "Oh? Have you found those limits by engaging in rather arduous tasks, Miss Tharja?"

Tharja's face reddened ever so slightly. Off to the side, Ricken glanced over at Virion. The young mage shook his head and returned his gaze to the bridges. Virion had a world of pain coming to him if he kept prodding Tharja like that.

"Well that is surprising." Virion smirked, "No threats. Perhaps Ben's more friendly nature has rubbed off on you."

"She's taken to just hexing people outright instead of threatening." Ricken warned, causing Virion's smirk to run away from his face, "Just ask some of my classmates about that."

The dark snicker that left Tharja's lips confirmed what Ricken said. The archer swallowed quietly and plucked his taut bowstring once again. His jaw worked side to side as he rested against the stone wall.

"See anything?" He asked Tharja and Ricken.

The two mages shook their heads.

"That's rather disconcerting for some reason." Virion adjusted in his seat so that the roof was not so uncomfortable beneath him, "You'd think an invading force would be more proactive in their invasion."

Ricken nodded in agreement.

"Oh well, nothing us three can do about that." Virion shrugged, "It has been a few months since we last spoke, Ricken. How goes your academics?"

Ricken smiled a bit. The tension in his body eased as Virion opened up a conversation that had nothing to do with war or the Valm.

"Really well." Ricken grinned, "Tharja is an excellent teacher."

"That's right!" Virion replied, "I had forgotten about that. Tharja is now an instructor at the Mage Academy." He flashed a slight grin at Tharja, "How goes that endeavor?"

"The urchins are fine." Tharja muttered.

"Urchins?" Virion chuckled, "I hope she does not call you that, Ricken."

RIcken sighed, "Sadly she does." He noticed Tharja's dark eyes flick over to him. Ricken gulped, "Out of love, of course."

Virion chuckled some more, "You have that one well trained I see. Do you have Ben trained as well?

Tharja glared over at Virion. The archer smirked as he allowed his bow to rest in his lap.

"Don't take that as an offensive comment, Tharja." Virion said, "I am genuinely curious about you and Ben. I still consider Ben a good friend of mind after all. I sided with him in this little spat he is having with Chrom."

"It's a bit more than a spat." Ricken sighed.

Virion shook his head, "Nothing more than a small spat." Virion sighed, "This war will make Chrom change his mind. Ben is too much of a force on the battlefield for him to remain away from the Shepherds."

"That is if Ben even decides to come back." Tharja replied, her voice still very quiet, "He is a General in the Feroxi army now."

Virion bobbed his head, "General Kenobi does have a nice ring to it. Much better than Captain Kenobi. I would not begrudge him if he rejected an offer from Chrom to rejoin the Shepherds. Chrom poked his nose where it did not belong, in my opinion. And, while I'm not against poking noses places, there are much more courteous ways of going about it."

Ricken snorted, "You sound like Maribelle now."

"I have been counseling her for the past year and a half." Virion pointed out, "It is only natural that I picked up some of her thought patterns." Virion glanced over at Tharja, "And I notice you have taken on some of Ben's."

Tharja sighed as she leaned up against the stone wall.

But she could not form a rebuttal against him. In her heart, Tharja knew Virion was right. Her relationship with Ben had left its mark on her. Before she would have never agreed to teach students in the art of dark magic. She did not have the patience for such a thing. But Ben's enormous patience rubbed off on her. As did his enjoyment for the simpler things in life. Such as planting a garden, or cooking.

If someone would have told her two years ago that she would have fallen in love with someone like Ben Kenobi, she would have laughed. Then after laughing, she would have hexed that person into oblivion. A Dark Mage did not fall in love. Love was an emotion dark mages manipulated, not felt.

Yet she loved Ben. Cherished him. The one Shepherd that saw her good side before anyone else. The one that risked his own life to save her from a deadly sandstorm. He had earned her trust. In turn, she had earned his. Their memory walks sealed a bond between the two that would never be broken. They stared down Ben's past together. And she had a feeling they would face the future together as well.

"You have quite the stupid grin on your face right now." Virion chuckled.

Tharja felt a twinge of anger snap inside of her. Just as she began muttering a silencing hex, she paused. Her sharp eyes narrowed as she caught shadows dancing against the buildings on the other side of the river. Tharja's fingers quietly pried open the pages of her spell book. Ricken heard the paper crinkle in her hands.

His own gaze snapped over to where Tharja stared. His face paled as he noticed shadows moving through the darkness. Ricken swallowed hard.

"The enemy?" He asked.

"Definitely." Tharja scowled.

Virion sat upright and glanced over the stone wall he rested against. His own eyes narrowed as he saw the shadows moving in the firelight. His right hand reached for an arrow in his quiver.

"Do you see them yet?" He asked Tharja.

Tharja did not reply. She kept her attention solely focused on the movements across the river. After several more silent seconds, she saw them.

Her eyes widened. There had to be at least a hundred of them. Foot soldiers and archers. The front lines armed with massive shields and heavy lances. Just behind them, regular infantry marched. They wielded swords and lighter shields. The third row boasted archers. The pattern repeated endlessly into the western portion of the city.

"Tharja." Ricken whispered.

Tharja saw Ricken point over at the southern bridge. The Dark Mage's heart pounded in her chest. Even more Valm soldiers moved towards that bridge. The same pattern in their march.

"They are on North bridge as well." Virion muttered, "Naga above, how many did they land?"

"Enough." Tharja breathed, "Ricken, how comfortable are you with hexes?"

Ricken gulped, "He-hexes? Um… we've only studied the theory on those."

"The theory will have to do." Tharja said, "We need to use a hex that will put fear in the enemy."

Ricken paled, "You mean we aren't going to regroup with the others?"

"We don't have the time." Tharja said, "By the time we move, those soldiers will have crossed the bridges. And we cannot afford to give up the center."

"Tharja is correct." Virion nodded, "Surrender the center in this situation, and we surrender any maneuverability we currently possess."

"But it's just three of us against how many of them?" Ricken hissed nervously as he watched the enemy move closer to the center bridge.

Tharja inhaled, "We have to hold out." She opened her spell book and nodded at Ricken, "We need every advantage we can get. A terrified enemy is an easier enemy to fight." She stopped on a page with a large, black skull drawn on it. Runes littered the rest of the page, "Repeat after me. Follow my movements exactly."

"What are we doing exactly?" Ricken gulped as he opened his own spellbook and started channeling magic through it.

Tharja snickered, "We're going to put a shrieking death skull in the sky."

* * *

Ben's fingers tapped along the handle of his rapier as he and Flavia led the way through port Ferox's narrow, winding streets. The loud crackling of nearby fires echoed through the shadow filled alleys and silent streets. They were nearing the southern bridge now. They had not encountered anyone. No defenders, no Valm soldiers. Just fire and shadows.

Flavia grunted as she hefted her large blade onto her armored shoulder.

"I don't like this." She grumbled.

"Neither do I." Ben breathed.

Ben was tempted to send Gaius ahead of them. The thief knew how to sneak around a city. Even if his actual thieving days were mostly over, Ben still noticed how light his footfalls really were. If anyone could root out where the enemy hid, it was Gaius.

But Ben held back on that order. They had already split up once. They could not afford to split up again. Their numbers were too few. It would be better if Gaius stayed close. Ben could rely on Panne's heightened senses in this instance. He glanced back and saw her ears twitch a little bit as she detected sounds the rest of them could not.

Ben's gaze fell on Dooku. The elderly man had his eyes closed as they stopped walking. Already attempting to sense any life on the eastern side of the river. Ben furrowed his brow. Did his senses betray him? Was there really no one left in the eastern half of Port Ferox? If so, why were the Valmese not advancing?

Dooku's eyes snapped open, "Above, Kenobi!" He barked.

Ben's rapier rushed into hands as he sensed danger from above. Ben looked up and saw a blond haired, young man jump down from atop a building. Long, slender blade pointed down at Ben's head. Ben grit his teeth and sidestepped.

"Ha ha!" The young boy cried as he landed. Confidence burst forth from him even as his first strike missed Ben. The boy brushed a hand in front of his pale face, "My opponent appears much more artful than he ought to be. Hark, my allies! I shall fell this Valmese invader with my Sword of Justice. For my sword hand hungers with need. It desires the taste of battle!"

Ben quirked an eyebrow. The boy's speech seemed rather odd for his age. Before he could tell the boy he was not a Valmese soldier, the boy lunged at him. Ben sidestepped the point of his blade. With a deft flick of his wrist, Ben swatted the boy's blade away.

Before Ben could address the lad, Flavia's fist collided with the boy's jaw. As the boy spun, Dooku opened a palm and sent him flying into the side of a building with the force. The boy uttered an alarmed, pain filled cry as he slammed into the wooden frame of a house.

"Odin, you damn idiot!" A second voice cried out.

This time, a young woman appeared. She seemed to be about the same age as the blond boy. A few inches shorter than he was. And while his outfit seemed rather garish with it's bright yellow colors, the girl's outfit seemed very practical. A swordsman's outfit. Leather armor strapped over her torso. Leather bracers on her forearms. A large, iron pauldron on one shoulder that acted as a shield. The only striking thing about her appearance was her bright red hair that seemed remarkably similar in color to Cordelia's. Her youth filled face held an expression that was a mixture of anger, disgust, and annoyance all at once.

Flavia leveled her blade at the young woman as she emerged from the same building the boy, Odin, jumped from. The red haired girl stopped moving and folded her arms.

"Gawds, look what you've done now." She harrumphed as Odin shakily got to his feet, "Didn't you hear me when I said they don't look like Valmese soldiers?"

"But who else would trod upon these roads beyond our own hidden allies?" Odi asked the girl.

The girl rolled her eyes, "Would you please talk normal for once." She pinched the bridge of her nose as she seemingly forgot she had weapons pointed at her, "And the Valmese aren't on this side of the bridges, idiot. We would have known if they crossed. Their armor tends to make a lot of noise."

Flavia cleared her throat. Drawing both of the stranger's attention.

"What do you want?" The red haired girl asked grumpily.

Flavia grit her teeth, "Do you have any idea who you're speaking to?"

"Do I look like I care." The girl shrugged, "All I know is that you are definitely not with Valm. So-"

"It's Khan Flavia!"

The girl's eyes widened as her pupils shrank to the size of pin pricks. Several rough looking men emerged from the same building the two strangers came from. These men did not look like soldiers. They wore no armor. Most wore loose clothing covered with rough, sewn on patches. A few held cutlasses. One shouldered an ax. But most wielded crude wooden clubs.

One of the rough men stepped forward. A large man with a portly belly and a thick, black beard over his dark face. His massive arms were easily as wide as Ben's head. An intimidating figure that gave even Flavia some pause.

"My Khan! We are glad to see you here." He bowed at the waist, "The name is Bo, I be the captain of a schooner called the Barbarian Maiden. Er- well, I was the captain. Then those damn Valmese ships arrived and torched everything."

Flavia glanced over at Captain Bo. Her sword slowly lowered to her side.

"A Feroxi Sea Captain eh? You've been helping defend the city?" Flavia asked.

"Aye!" The Captain nodded, "Me and me lads here. There was more of us. But… three days of dealing with those Valmese bastards have taken their toll." He nodded over at Odin and his red haired companion, "Those two whelps be helping us. Hell, the girl has quite the head on her shoulders for combat. As for the lad… he's alright I guess."

"Egads! I'd say I'm more than alright!" Odin cried before rubbing a growing welt on the side of his head.

"You won't be alright much longer if you don't shut up." The girl hissed.

"What about the garrison?" Flavia asked as Ben sheathed his weapon.

"Wiped out." Captain Bo replied, "All that be left is a few of us sailors that were in port. And we'd be damned if those Valmese took our city and torched our ships without a fight."

A few hoots and hollers rang out from the two dozen sailors behind him. As they hollered, the Captain's eyes moved past Flavia and landed on Ben, Dooku, Gaius, and Panne.

"I'll be damned! It's you lot again!"

Ben smirked. He had a feeling he recognized this captain.

"Not only are you a reliable sailor you are a loyal fighter." Ben chuckled as Captain Bo gripped his hand, "I am glad to see you in one piece."

"You and me both." Captain Bo chuckled heartily, "And now that Khan Flavia is here, we stand a chance. I assume you brought your army with you?"

Flavia nodded, "We did. They are waiting just outside the city. Khan Basilio is with them as well."

"Ha! The damn Valmese won't know what hit 'em!" He waved for the group to follow him inside, "Come, take shelter for now. We do not want any Valmese sentries to see you."

Flavia and Ben nodded then followed Captain Bo into what was once a magic shop. Gaius let out a low whistle as he took in the ransacked space. Shattered vials and bottles lay scattered across a few shelves. Various liquids soaked into the wooden floor beneath their feet. A few wounded men lay still on the ground. Small, pain filled groans escaped their lips every few moments as they lay curled over their injuries.

Ben could see Flavia's eyes blaze with anger when she saw the wounded sailors.

"How many did you start with?" She asked Captain Bo.

"Three dozen." Bo replied, "Lost ten already. Got several wounded. Any of you happen to be a healer?"

Ben shook his head. While he could use the Force to sooth the wounded sailor's pain, it would only be a temporary measure. He had never been very proficient in healing with the force. During his days as a padawan, he focused more on the combative aspects of the force. Much to his own mild regret. There was a great benefit to the more mystical aspects of the force. Benefits he only started to discover during the Clone Wars.

He watched as Flavia stepped to the side in order to continue speaking with Captain Bo. Meanwhile, Ben stooped over one of the wounded men. He inspected the poor sailor's wound. A nasty slash to his gut. Blood still poured from the wound. The bandages covering it were soaked red. Ben closed his eyes and sent a small pulse of the force into the man. His groaning stopped and his breathing evened out.

"I don't know why you did that." Dooku muttered as he watched Ben, "He is going to die. You and I both know that."

"There is no reason for him to die in agony." Ben whispered back. He turned his attention over to Panne and Gaius, "You two keep watch up above. Let us know if anything strange occurs."

Gaius nodded, "You got it, Benny." He waved for Panne to follow him up a flight of stairs that led to the building's second floor, "C'mon Whiskers."

The thief and taguel both marched up the stairs along with a pair of sailors. As they exited, Ben sighed and ran a hand over his face.

"Three dozen sailors have held out for three days against an entire Valmese invasion force."

Dooku nodded beside him, "Most impressive."

"Most improbable you mean." Ben looked around at the exhausted group of sailors, "The Valmese must not deem them worth the energy at the moment."

Dooku arched an eyebrow, "A rather bleak interpretation of events coming from you."

"A realistic interpretation of events." Ben replied.

Dooku smirked, "The Jedi Master is now dealing in realism. It is about time."

"Oh shut up already." Ben groaned.

As they spoke, the two youngest warriors in the shop walked towards Ben and Dooku. Odin continued rubbing a large welt on the side of his head. The result of his impact with a wall after Dooku launched him through the air. An embarrassed expression formed on his face as the red haired girl marched him over to Ben and Dooku.

"Tell them, Odin." The girl commanded, her own annoyance heavy in her voice.

Odin took a deep breath, "Forgive me good sirs. I had no idea you were potentially comrades when I dared to strike at you." He bowed low, "Allow me to properly introduce myself. I am the mighty warrior, Odin."

The red haired girl opened her mouth to introduce herself as well, but Odin cut her off.

"This is my companion and fellow blade of justice, Venator."

Ben blinked. Dooku sighed and pinched his hand on the bridge of his nose. The girl, Venator, glared daggers at Odin.

"Yes." The red haired girl hissed through gritted teeth and a clenched jaw, " _Venator_. That… is _my_ name."

"She is far mightier on the battlefield than I am."

Venator rolled her eyes, "Gawds…" She moved away, grumbling under her breath as she marched over to a corner to be alone.

Odin blinked as she marched away, "Excuse me, my good sirs. It appears my dearest comrade is upset with something."

Odin moved to follow Venator. As the two young adults moved away, Dooku glanced at Ben.

"Venator?" Dooku asked.

"I-" Ben sighed, his shoulders sagged, "I have no idea, Dooku."

"You haven't told anyone about that have you?"

"I've told Tharja." Ben muttered, "And Marth knows a little bit. But not enough to know what a Venator is."

Dooku folded his arms, "So, her name is simply a coincidence?"

"You and I both know there is no such thing as coincidences." Ben breathed.

"True. So that begs the question. Who talked?"

Ben glanced over at Dooku, "I trust both Tharja and Marth. They did not say a word." He narrowed his eyes at the older man, "Did you?"

"Donnel would have been the first to hear something if I did." Dooku pointed out, "So that leaves one other option."

Ben pursed his lips, "Someone else is here."

Dooku nodded, "I think caution is the prudent course of action in this instance. You are determined to keep these people in the dark, after all."

"And you are not?" Ben asked.

"I am determined to do what is best to prepare for you-know-who's arrival." Dooku snapped back. His voice low enough that only Ben could hear him, "You would be wise to do the same."

"Benny!" Gaius charged down the stairs. Face white with fear, "We've got a major problem."

Ben charged after Gaius as the thief shot back up the stairs. Dooku, Flavia, and Bo followed him up the stairs as well. When they reached the shop's roof, Ben's blood froze in his veins.

A loud shriek wailed through the night sky. Above the center square, ghostly jaw wide in a never ending scream, was a spectral skull. A haunting image that illuminated the night air. Ben gulped when he saw where the skull came from.

"Tharja." He breathed as panic seized him.

"Ah crap!" Bo exclaimed, "The enemy is crossing the bridges."

Ben did not wait a second longer. He dashed back down the stairs and sprinted out into the shadow filled streets. Tharja, Ricken, and Virion were alone. Facing off against a horde of Valmese soldiers crossing the center bridge.

He heard Dooku calling out to him as he rushed away. But he ignored the old man. Dooku and Flavia were more than capable of figuring out a way out of this mess. Right now, his only goal was to get to Tharja. Ben knew she was powerful. Her and Ricken combined could deal serious damage to the Valmese. But there was no way they could hold off a tide of enemy soldiers this massive. Not on their own.

His hand brushed against the lightsaber hilt clipped to his belt. There would be no time to call for help. No time to send for a messenger. Hopefully, Basilio saw Tharja's signal and started moving the rest of the army into the city. If he did not, then they would be on their own while someone rushed to alert the army.

Ben drew the hilt from his belt. If they were on their own, then he could not afford to hold back.

The blue blade thundered to life in his right hand. He could hear the Valmeses soldiers moving over the bridges now. Their marching feet hammered against the stone roads like drums. Their armor crashed like great cymbals. Hundreds of them would converge on Tharja.

 _Please let me get there in time!_

* * *

Damp air hung thick in the cell. It mixed with the intense cold from outside. Creating a frozen wall of slick ice over the normal stone walls. Aversa curled her knees closer to her chest as she fought off the cold. Her body shivered as another shot of cold penetrated her skin. She could feel her skin crawling all over her as the ice clawed at her.

It had been months since she arrived at this cursed place. Months since she found her target. Months since she failed to kill her.

And the heretic refused to show her face. The only human contact Aversa had occurred when a lone, dark mage came bearing a small plate of food. Usually cold food. Very little meat. Some bread. If Aversa was lucky and her captors were in a pleasant mood, she received some slices of cheese. While not used to this kind of treatment, Aversa knew that her captors treated her far kinder than most. After all, she had visited the dungeons beneath the Grimleal Temple. She had seen the horrors that lay beneath the sandy streets. The fact that these former Grimleal mages even fed her showed that they wanted her alive.

But for what purpose? Why not just kill her now? She was an enemy. A powerful one too. Was the Heretic that confident in her own powers?

Aversa grit her teeth as she recalled her brief duel with the dark haired heretic. She only managed to land one blow on the woman. One! The Heretic toyed with her like a lion toyed with a mouse. Never worried. Smug grin and pure confidence in her own abilities. The Heretic remained that way until she learned Aversa's name.

That puzzled Aversa even more. The heretic's demeanor shifted drastically when Aversa said her name. The heretic went from wanting to kill Aversa, to simply knocking her unconscious and locking her up in this cursed cell. She did not even place chains on Aversa. She did take Aversa's spell book. The lone precaution beyond the iron bars and frozen walls that now surrounded Aversa. That had been her home for months now.

King Validar likely assumed her to be dead. The Hierophant as well. They fully intended for her to die on this mission. Aversa did not delude herself. They viewed her failure during the Ylisse-Plegia war to be catastrophic. Worthy of death. They just wanted to use her one last time before dealing the killing stroke. As she languished in this cell, Aversa realized there was no redeeming herself in the eyes of Validar and the Hierophant. No matter how well her mission went, she would die.

 _Perhaps I should consider myself lucky that I am even alive right now._ Aversa thought with no small amount of disgust.

She heard the creak of the iron door outside her cell open. Footsteps clacked against the icy floor. The captured sorceress expected to see the same dark mage coming to deliver her food for the day.

She did not expect the Heretic to finally show her cowardly face.

Aversa grit her teeth behind her lips as the woman stooped beneath the small doorway to her cell.

By Grima, she despised this heretic. Even just looking at her made Aversa's blood boil. First she decided not to end her life. Then the Heretic decided she was not even worth the time to visit. And only now, after Aversa's own resolve felt shaken, did she finally dare to come face her.

The Heretic's green eyes saddened.

"That is quite the look you are giving me." She said, voice quiet. A far cry from the powerful fury she held during her duel with Aversa.

Aversa glared hatefully back at her. She said nothing in reply.

The Heretic let out a heavy breath.

"I am sorry I did not come sooner." Aversa eyed the woman as she spoke. She was apologizing? Why? "There were some rather… important matters that I had to attend to. That and I could not be sure if Validar was watching you or not. I needed to wait until I felt he gave up on any sort of scrying he might try."

Aversa scoffed, "Validar scrying me. That is funny."

The woman narrowed her eyes in confusion, "Is that so? I thought a father would always want to keep tabs on his daughter?"

Aversa grit her teeth. Validar, the closest thing she had to a father, sent her to her death. Why would he want to keep an eye on her?

The Heretic moved towards the wall and pressed a hand against the frozen surface. Steam hissed from the place her hand pressed against. The ice melted from her touch. Aversa blinked. Awe filled her as the ice all around Aversa melted away. The room warmed to a much more comfortable temperature. The Heretic uttered a satisfied sigh.

"Much better." She let her hand fall to her side, "I've lived in this place for years, but I will never get used to the damn cold. I still don't know how the Feroxi manage to survive this insanity." She took a deep breath, "Then again, they probably think the same about us Plegians and our love for the desert."

Aversa watched the heretic carefully.

"I'm surprised Validar never taught you that simple trick." The Heretic muttered as she noticed the stunned look on Aversa's face, "Then again, he has allowed the Grimleal to become nothing more than a cult under his leadership. Cattle waiting to be slaughtered."

"Of course the heretic would say that." Aversa hissed, "It was Grima's will that Vlaidar lead us. Your very words deny his will."

"Grima's will…" The heretic uttered a light chuckle, "Grima is nothing more than an overgrown abomination. What divine authority does he hold? We scoff at the followers of Naga for doing the same thing we are guilty of ourselves." The Heretic smirked as Aversa's face twisted in fury, "He made you rather devout didn't he? So, why would he send such a devout follower to face me?"

"He trusted me to end your life." Aversa argued back. But she lacked conviction. Her argument designed to convince herself rather than to convince the Heretic. She still believed Validar wanted her alive. Wanted her to succeed. Why else would he trust her with such an important mission?

Except Validar was not the one to give her this mission. The Hierophant assigned her this task. The Hierophant held no feelings for her. Saw her as nothing more than a worm for him to torment. A tool to be used. Then once her usefulness had been spent, discarded.

The Heretic's emerald eyes focused on Aversa.

"Validar did not send you on this mission, did he?" She snorted, "He knows better than to send just one mage after me. Especially one of your middling abilities." Aversa could feel her pride sting at being called mediocre. But compared to this witch, she was nothing more than an ant trying to stand before a giant, "If he really wanted me dead, he would have come himself. So, he has either gotten lazy, stupid, or he still doesn't think I'm really alive. Validar is many things, but lazy and stupid are not among his qualities." The Heretic knelt in front of Aversa, "So who sent you?"

Aversa averted her gaze. She would not give the Heretic an answer.

"Aversa." The Heretic's voice softened significantly as her name rolled from her lips, "Please, tell me what your father is planning?"

"Why should I say a damn thing to you?" Aversa spat back, "Heretic!"

The woman appeared rather hurt by her furious tone. She drew back a little bit and shook her head.

"You have no idea who I am do you?"

"Why should I care who you are? You are going to die. By my hand or by another's, your life will end. And I will smile when it does."

"Is that any way to speak to your own mother, Aversa?"

Aversa blinked.

Memories flashed through her mind. Memories of a young woman. One with dark brown hair and a bright smile. Memories that had been locked away for many years. Aversa felt something snap in her mind. Rage filled her.

"You dare to name yourself my mother!" Aversa growled, "My mother is dead. She-"

"Died of a fever in her sleep?" The Heretic breathed, "Buried in an elaborate ceremony where the entire Temple mourned the passing of their High Priestess? I'm sure Validar made an elaborate show of it all." She sighed, "To be fair though, he did come rather close to killing me. But he never managed to. I was always one step ahead of him."

Aversa glared hatefully at the woman.

"Yes," The Heretic nodded, "My name is Morgana. Former High Priestess of the Grimleal. Once loving wife to a prominent warlock by the name of Validar." She smirked, "Mother to two children. An adopted daughter. And a son that was my own flesh and blood. But both I cherished more than life itself."

She reached out and brushed her fingers along Aversa's cheeks.

"I am so sorry I could not get you free from him as well."

Aversa swatted Morgana's hand away.

"I don't believe you." Aversa sneered.

Morgana drew her hand back. Pain washed over her face for a brief moment.

"You-" Morgan took a shaky breath, "You can believe what you wish. But, that does not change what is true." She gave Aversa a pleading look, "Aversa, I am trying to help you. Let me do that. Let me try to make up for the years I was not with you."

Aversa eyes blazed.

"Tell me who wanted you to die so badly that they sent you to kill me."

She guessed the motive behind Aversa's mission. A motive that Aversa wanted to deny, but knew to be true. She was sent to die by the Heretic's hands. The Hierophant knew how powerful the Heretic was. Knew that Aversa could never match her in magical skill and power. This was the punishment he designed for her.

Why should she remain loyal to him?

Morgana rose to her feet as she expected Aversa not to answer.

"I will come back and speak to you tomorrow. Perhaps we shall share a meal. Feroxi tea is lovely. I'll bring you a cup."

Morgana turned her back.

"A Hierophant." Aversa finally said.

Morgana froze.

"What?"

"A Hierophant sent me. Validar no longer leads the Grimleal. He is now King of Plegia. A Hierophant commands the Grimleal." Aversa saw a fear filled look wash over Morgana's face as the older woman looked back at her, "And it appears father answers to him."

Morgana's face paled.

"Are you certain of this?"

"I gave you an answer." Aversa grumbled as she rested back against the now warm walls of her cell, "Now leave me."

 _I need time to think._

Morgana stayed rooted in the door to Aversa's cell for a moment. Without another word, she marched out. The cell door clanked shut behind her.

Morgana caught her breath as she exited the dungeon. One of the dark mages guarding the entry to the dungeon gave her a concerned look.

"Lady Morgana?"

"I am fine." Morgana straightened upright, "Make sure she is given a proper meal within the next hour or so. If her cell grows cold again, inform me."

"Yes, milady."

Morgan nodded and marched away from the dungeons. She quickly ascended a flight of stairs until she reached the main room where the machine was being built. Her eyes followed small bolts of lightning as her dark mages tested the minor power systems. Normally, she would have assisted in the testing. But her mind was distracted.

A Hierophant ruled the Order. Commanded Validar. Only one being in existence could hold that much power over her husband.

 _Grima is here._ Morgana's heart thumped in her chest, _We are running out of time._

 **And chapter! I apologize for the wait everyone! The past week has been exhausting for life reasons, so I needed to take a few days to just rest. But now I'm good to go and this chapter is finally done!  
The Battle for Port Ferox is about to begin. And our heroes face some daunting odds. We also meet two new characters, Odin and Venator (Are those their names or are they hiding their real identities? Hm… I wonder…).**

 **And to the far north of Regna Ferox, Aversa confronts Lady Morgana once again. And Morgana now knows about the Hierophant. It will be interesting to see what she plans to do next.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	79. Battle for Port Ferox

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 79

Battle for Port Ferox

Frederick remained on top of the hill that overlooked Port Ferox. His eyes never left the silent city. His gaze traced over the deep shadows along the rooftops before him as fires blazed near the three bridges over the river. His sword remained in its scabbard. But Frederick itched to draw it.

He did not like waiting. Did not like being kept from the front lines. He believed one of his main duties as Knight-Commander was to lead the men into battle. To be beside Prince Chrom as they clashed with the enemy. And while the Feroxi were not his soldiers, they were his allies. He felt honor bound to stand beside them as if they were his own men.

Yet Chrom ordered him to remain behind with Khan Basilio. He still questioned such a decision. Frederick considered himself to be one of Chrom's most loyal followers. He had saved the Prince's life more times than he could count. And Chrom had saved his life more times than he could recall. The pair had fought together since they could both hold swords. And while Frederick was a few years older than the Ylissean Prince, the pair saw themselves as equals. He respected Chrom just as much as Chrom respected him.

So why leave him behind?

Frederick folded his hands in front of his body. His thumbs pressed into the back of his hands as he pondered Chrom's decision. It still baffled him. Why would Chrom willfully charged into battle with Ben and his traitors?

That is how Frederick viewed them. Traitors, the lot of them. Ben dared to raise his blade against Chrom. Someone who trusted the swordsman. Called him comrade and friend. Frederick had even considered Ben a close comrade and friend as well. His devotion towards Exalt Emmeryn eased many of the Knight's nerves from when he first met the enigmatic man.

But his attack on Chrom had been out of nowhere. And for such a trivial reason. Chrom simply asked him to stop keeping secrets. To finally reveal to the others who he really was. And instead of acting like an adult, Ben lashed out. An extremely rare instance of anger from the normally calm, collected man.

Frederick's hands tightened into fists in front of him. Ben got off easy in his opinion. Chrom had been extremely merciful. He granted Ben compensation for his service to Ylisse. Allowed him to live in peace on the outskirts of Ylisstol. If Frederick had been there for the incident, Ben would not even be breathing right now. He would be in the ground. A consequence for attacking his liege lord unprovoked.

It made the knight nervous thinking Chrom was alone in the city with Ben. Well, not alone. He still had Robin, Cordelia, Sully, and Gregor beside him. Flavia would also keep Ben on a tight leash… hopefully. But Frederick did not miss the rekindled friendship between Robin and Ben. They had started speaking to each other once again. Sharing strategies and bouncing tactics off one another as they planned for the Valmese invasion.

True, Ylisse's tactician needed to have close working relations with the newly appointed Feroxi General. But Frederick questioned just how professional such a relationship could be given the history Robin had with Ben. The pair had already traveled the world together. Developed a close friendship that seemed unbreakable. Fought side by side against rogues, bandits, Risen, even members of the Valmese army. Such a bond could not break easily. Especially since Robin did not blame Ben for what happened. A notion Frederick saw as pure naivete.

"Frederick?"

The Knight-Commander withdrew from his thoughts as Princess Lissa approached him. Her healing staff rested lazily in her left hand as she stepped to the top of the hill. Her worried eyes fell on the quiet city.

"Milady." Frederick greeted.

"You've been up here for some time." Lissa said, "Stahl and Basilio are wondering if you are even going to try and get some rest before we take back the city."

Frederick remained impassive, "I have no need of rest at the moment. Once the city is taken and Prince Chrom safely returns to our camp, I can rest. But even then, I must assist in the battle's aftermath."

Lissa sighed, "Always working." She muttered under her breath.

Frederick glanced at the Princess, "Aren't you supposed to have a bodyguard?"

Lissa snorted, "My bodyguard has a ten foot personal space radius."

Frederick arched an eyebrow, "Lon'qu?"

"No, it's Nowi. She's suddenly a germaphobe and can't stand being near us grubby humans." Lissa snickered a little bit as Frederick furrowed his brow, "Of course it's Lon'qu. Who else is afraid of women?"

Frederick shrugged, "Most men are afraid of women in some capacity."

"Oh really?" Lissa cast a mischievous glance at Frederick, "Are you admitting to actually being scared of something, Frederick?"

The Knight cleared his throat, "Not at all. I'm just pointing out a small thing you may not have noticed. Lon'qu just takes his fear to an extreme. But in my opinion, there is no finer warrior to be your bodyguard. He can close that ten foot gap in the blink of an eye if needed."

Lissa rolled her eyes, "That's what he told me too. I tried to tell him he didn't need to be _that_ far away. But does he listen to me? Nope." She folded her arms as her attention returned to the city, "How do you think they are doing?"

Frederick detected the worry in her tone, "I'm sure Prince Chrom is just fine, milady."

Lissa snorted, "If you were so sure of that, you wouldn't be watching the city like a hawk."

Frederick opened his mouth to rebuttal. But he could not think of a reply. So he snapped his jaw closed and said nothing. Lissa snickered off to the side.

"I'm right again."

"Sure you are." Frederick sighed, "And my worry isn't regarding the enemy. Robin and Chrom are more than capable of handling any Valmese soldiers they may face."

Lissa glanced over at the Knight, "You're worried about my brother and Ben?"

Frederick face hardened.

"Oh come on, Frederick." Lissa said, "It was not that bad."

"It was. And you know that." Frederick remarked sharply, "Ben raised his blade against Chrom."

"After Chrom drew Falchion." Lissa pointed out, "You seem to be leaving out some bits of Robin's recounting of the argument."

Frederick gave Lissa a surprised look, "You think Chrom was in the wrong?"

Lissa sighed, "Here we go again. Everyone must take a side in this stupid fight. You're either with Chrom or against him. Is that right?" Lissa shook her head, "I seem to recall Ben risked his life to save Emmeryn. He risked his life to fight beside Chrom against Plegia even though he had no stake in that war. Heck, he even risked his life to rescue me and Chrom when the Risen first made their appearance. Did you forget that?"

"His good deeds do not erase what he has done."

"And what exactly has he done?" Lissa asked as a frown formed on her lips, "Did he go about the fight the wrong way. Yes, I'll agree with that. But so did Chrom." She let out a small laugh, "Chrom was never much of a diplomatic person. That was always Emm's specialty. Sometimes it seems like Chrom thinks with Falchion more than his brain. He didn't exactly go about the argument well either." Lissa kicked at some of the dirt near her feet, "Both boys just let their own stubbornness win out. And it caused them to do something stupid. That doesn't mean we can't trust Ben. Clearly he trusts Chrom. Otherwise, he would not have agreed to help us fight against Valm."

"Or he agreed because he wishes to assist Regna Ferox over Ylisse."

Lissa gave Frederick an incredulous look, "Ben lives in Ylisse. I think he cares more about his home than this snowball of a country."

Lissa shivered a bit as a frigid wind swept in from the north.

"Trust is a two way street, milady." Frederick pointed out, "How many times did we trust Ben in the past?"

Lissa sighed, "Quite a few."

"And has he ever trusted us in return?"

Lissa bit her lip. Frederick had a point there. Despite how close they all became as friends, Ben never revealed anything about himself. And when he did, it was only when pressured to do so or when it was necessary to their mission. Hell, the only time she ever heard him talk about anything personal was when he told everyone about his apprentice, Anakin. Even then, it had only been a brief explanation. Anakin had been his apprentice. A good friend turned traitor. Then Ben left the building. Either to gather his composure or to avoid revealing any more details.

But Ben also had a very close relationship with Tharja. Even closer than his relationship with Emmeryn during the war. The pair practically lived together. Surely Tharja knew about Ben's past at this point. She had to know who he was already.

"Tharja must know some things." Lissa said quietly, "She and Ben are close."

"I trust the dark mage even less than I trust Ben."

Lissa blinked in shock, "Wh-what?"

Frederick scowled, "The dark mage from Plegia still follows Grimleal teachings. The very teachings that brought war to our lands. That alone makes me nervous around her. Add in her loyalty to Ben, and I believe her to be even less trustworthy. Ben at least has some of my respect in regards to his capabilities as a warrior and commander. One does not become great at either of those without having a shred of decency. Meanwhile, Tharja is a proven turncoat."

Lissa felt aghast, "Frederick!"

Frederick sighed, "Pardon my words, milady. I should not have spoken like that."

Lissa huffed, "Consider yourself lucky Tharja or Ben did not hear you say those things. Tharja risked her life far more than Ben by leaving the Grimleal. If she even steps foot back in her home country, she could be executed. You know that right?"

Frederick frowned, "That is… a fair point. But it still does not change my own uneasiness regarding her practices."

Lissa rolled her eyes, "Oh you sound like that old man Byron now. Except Byron actually changed his tune after a few months. You need to give both Ben and Tharja a second chance."

"Why should I do that?"

"Because Chrom actually listens to you." Frederick eyed Lissa, "Oh don't look at me like that!" Lissa stomped her foot, "He listens to you a lot more than you think. Besides, consider the second chance not as a personal decision but as a military one." She noticed Frederick's brow furrow, "A divided army cannot fight good… er-well. Right?" Lissa shook her head, "Anyways! This stupid argument has divided the Shepherds. Broken us even. And now we are at war with Valm. The Shepherds whole are the finest fighting force in Archanea. Even better than Cordelia's pegasus knights. But we are weak as long as we are fighting among ourselves." Lissa exhaled, "It's time to stop fighting and heal this divide already."

Frederick closed his eyes. Of course Lissa wanted this fight to end. She was a healer. A damn good one at that. As a healer, she only wished to see wounds remedied. Whether those wounds be physical or mental. And that caring nature extended towards her relationships with everyone else. She hated seeing conflict among friends. Perhaps the only reason she sided with Chrom in the fight was because she was the Prince's sister. If not for that, it sounded like she would have not taken a side at all.

She presented a sound argument too. The Shepherds had been an unstoppable force at the tail end of the war with Plegia. The Plegian army could not stand against them on the battlefield. Between Chrom's leadership, Robin's tactics, and Ben's prowess; they could face down any opponent and come out victorious.

Perhaps some reconciliation was needed. But did that mean Frederick would outright trust Ben again? Absolutely not. That trust needs to be earned. And Frederick did not hand out his trust on a whim.

"Will you at least think about telling Chrom to stop this nonsense?" Lissa asked.

Frederick sighed, "For the good of our campaign against Valm, yes."

A small smile formed on Lissa's lips.

"But that still does not erase what happened. I will not trust Ben still."

Lissa gave him a weak shrug, "But you'll work with him. That's a step in the right direction, in my opinion."

A loud shriek shot through the cold night air. Lissa jumped. Frederick's hair stood on end. The shriek sounded painful. Unnatural. Frederick stared at the city as a massive, spectral skull formed above the buildings near the center of town. Its jaw opened wide as another shriek pierced the air.

"What the hell!?" Frederick exclaimed.

Lissa gulped with fear, "That can't be good."

"Frederick! Lissa!"

The two Shepherds turned to see Khan Basilio, Stahl, and Donnel rushing towards them.

"Khan Basilio." Frederick said, "What do you-"

"I have a feeling our friendly dark mage is signaling us." Basilio answered.

"She is." Donnel nodded, "And she's also using that thing to cause fear in the enemy. Which means they might be trying to cross the river now."

Frederick's eyes widened, "And if there are no Feroxi defenders, that means Chrom and Khan Flavia are about to battle the invasion force alone."

"Like hell they will!" Basilio roared, "This is my city, damn it! And I'll be damned if Flavia gets all the glory and credit for taking it back!" He turned back towards the army camped along the otherside of the hill, "Alright everyone! It's time to retake the city!"

A loud roar erupted from the one thousand Feroxi soldiers. Lissa gulped. She heard a dull roar come from above. She looked up and jumped a little bit as she saw a black wyvern soar through the air towards the city. Her panic eased when she saw Cherche atop the wyvern's back. Sumia flew close behind her. Lance nestled in the crook of her arm.

Lissa looked back at the army and noticed Cordelia's pegasus waiting near the other horses. Before Frederick could stop her, the Princess rushed to the pegasus and clumsily hopped onto it's back.

"Lissa!" Frederick cried as he caught up to her and snagged the reins, "What are you-"

"If they're under attack, then they're going to need a healer. And they won't be able to wait for the army to find them." Lissa replied sharply, "I've flown a pegasus once before. I should be able to do it again."

Frederick grit his teeth. He could not argue against her. She was the Princess of the Halidom. If she commanded something, he was duty bound to obey. But he would make sure she was not unprotected.

"Lon'qu!" Frederick barked as war horns sounded. He caught sight of the swordsman cautiously approaching, "Get on with her!"

"Eh?" Lissa said.

Lon'qu gulped. Frederick clenched his jaw and gripped Lon'qu by the front of his shirt.

"One hair on her head gets hurt, and you answer to both me and Chrom. Get over your fear and make sure she stays safe."

Lon'qu's swallowed then gave Frederick a slow nod. With some hesitation, the swordsman hopped up on the Pegasus. He sat in the saddle behind Lissa. The Princess snickered as she felt Lon'qu tense up behind her.

"Oh relax, I can fly this thing." She grinned.

"I'm… not worried about the flying part."

"Oh?" Lissa gave him a mischievous grin, "Worried about this being romantic then?"

"Just-just fly already." Lon'qu stammered.

Lissa let out a loud laugh then snapped the reins. With two powerful flaps of its wings, Cordelia's pegasus launched into the air and raced after Cherche and Sumia. All the while, the spectral skull grew larger in the air. A third shriek reverberated through the sky. Lissa swallowed hard. The cold air shot through her blond hair. Wind froze her face as Cordelia's pegasus soared over the city.

She needed to find the others, and fast. As she flew, she noticed the sound of hundreds of feet marching. Lissa blinked and stared down at the city beneath her.

"That is… a lot of bad guys." Lissa gulped as she watched the Valmese cross the three bridges.

"Tharja's signal came from that square!" Lon'qu shouted over the wind and wingbeats. He pointed towards a town square.

The main road into the square from the river had been barricaded off. As Lissa looked down, she saw Tharja, Ricken, and Virion gearing up for a fight atop one of the buildings.

The first wave of Valmese soldiers touched the eastern half of the city. In only a few moments, they would be on top of Tharja, Virion, and Ricken.

"You ready to fight?" Lissa asked Lon'qu.

She heard the sound of metal scraping against a hard scabbard. A thrilled smirk crossed Lissa's face.

"I'll take that as a yes!"

* * *

Tharja grit her teeth as she blasted a Flux down from the rooftop she, Virion, and Ricken defended. It did not take very long for the Valmese to find their defensive position. They advanced swiftly upon seeing Tharja's signal in the dark sky. However, they advanced with caution. The three, hair raising shrieks generated by the hex put enough fear in the enemy in order to give them pause. They still did not understand who they faced. Tharja was determined not to go down without taking as many of the enemy with her as she could.

Another blast of dark magic left her hand. Her spell book glowed with pent up energy as she summoned all of her power forth in order to combat the swell of soldiers surrounding the building. Virion rained as many arrows as he could down upon the enemy. The archer aimed his shots carefully. Targeting enemies that would have been able to counter Tharja, Ricken, and his attacks. Most of his arrows hit enemy archers. Reducing the chances that the enemy would respond with a volley of their own.

Tharja had to smile with pride as Ricken blasted a perfect Flux down on a group of heavily armored infantrymen. A small explosion of dark magic burst from the where the spell impacted. Scattering a group of Valmese soldiers. Ricken grinned then ducked back behind the wall as a couple arrows raced towards him.

Tharja gathered fire in her hand and sent a stream of it rushing down at the enemy. An arc-fire spell. One of the more devastating fire spells a mage could learn. Both for the victim, and the caster. Such a spell caused great strain on a mage due to how much power it possessed. Tharja exhaled as the spell ended. Her dark eyes briefly looked at her handiwork. Another small group of Valmese soldiers had fallen as they tried to enter the building.

A boom sounded through the air. Ricken broke away from the wall and rushed towards the locked trap door that led to the roof from the shop below. The trap door shuddered as he approached.

"Uh, Tharja, Virion!"

Tharja spun around and muttered a quick hex. The weight on the trap door increased. Ricken heard muffled curses from the soldiers below it.

He also heard Tharja exhale loudly again. The mage glanced back at his teacher and saw her sway a moment before dropping to a knee.

"Tharja!" He rushed towards her.

Tharja shoved him back, "Focus on the enemy, not me." She took a deep breath, "Virion, how many arrows to do you have left?"

"Five!" Virion barked back before firing another, "Make that four."

Tharja cursed under her breath. Unfortunately, Virion did not know any magic. Once he ran out of arrows, he would be unable to help much. Tharja grit her teeth and sent another spell down at the enemy swarming around them.

 _At this rate, I will run out of energy. Then we will really be in trouble._

Ricken uttered a cry before gathering a massive gust of wind in his palm. Tharja's eyes widened as an arc-wind spell launched from his palm. Several arrows that crossed the spell's path ricocheted away while the rest of the spell slammed into a group of Valmese archers below.

Ricken let out a loud gasp. He sagged against the wall for a moment then slumped behind it once again.

"Don't expend so much energy! You'll hurt yourself." Tharja shouted at him.

"Says the pot to the kettle!" Ricken shot back.

Tharja glared at the young mage. Sometimes, she just wanted to hex the brat. She ducked behind the wall as more arrows flew over. Virion cursed and pressed his back to the wall.

"Empty." He nodded at Tharja, "I'll try to scavenge some they fired."

"Do it." Tharja replied. She peeked over the wall and ducked again. Another volley narrowly missed all three of them.

Ricken uttered a loud gulp as the trap door shuddered once again. Tharja swallowed hard. She could hex the door again, but that would almost completely drain her. At that point, Ricken would be on his own defending the rooftop. And he could only do so much now as well. The arc-wind spell wiped out a lot of his own power. Both mages would be overcome with magical exhaustion soon. At that point, they would be overwhelmed. Virion had a dagger on his belt. But a dagger could not defend all three of them against armored, professional soldiers.

"Tharja." Ricken whimpered as more arrows peppered the rooftop, "Is this it?"

Tharja stared hard at her student. The fact that Ricken had been able to keep up with her magically in this battle showed how much he had grown over the past year. Truly a prodigy. Both with regular and dark magic. Only the greatest of mages could master both. And Ricken was well on his way to doing that. He would not be her student for much longer. Tharja looked forward to the day she would see him named a full fledged mage. Worthy of becoming an instructor at the Academy as well.

That day would only come if they lived through this night.

Tharja grit her teeth and jumped to her feet. Dark Magic blasted from her fingertips. Desperate spells filled with raw power rained down upon the enemy. She could feel her limbs starting to tremble as she tapped into the last of her reserves. Beside her, Ricken followed her lead. He jumped to his feet and rained fire and wind spells down on the enemy.

Flames licked the cobblestone road below them. Charred and blasted bodies were hastily pulled back by Valmese soldiers as they tried to keep the combat area clear. More arrows skipped against the walls in front of Tharja and Ricken. Ricken uttered a terrified yelp as an arrow scraped past his cheek. A small gash opened up on his pale face.

"Down Ricken!" Tharja barked, shoving the boy to the ground as more arrows arced towards them.

Tharja shot a blast of wind at the arrows. Throwing them off course just enough in order to miss the two mages. Virion scavenged what arrows he could and shot at the enemy whenever he had the chance.

She felt lightheaded. Tharja wavered where she stood. She stooped towards the wall and braced her suddenly weak body against it.

Her eyes widened as she saw two, red robed figures slowly marching towards the building.

"Mages." She breathed.

Damnation! They saved their deadliest for when she and Ricken were weak. Tharja sank behind the wall. She saw the fear in Ricken's eyes in that moment. Before he could speak to her, two thunder spells slammed into their wall. Stone exploded around them. Tharja felt several sharp shards cut into the skin on her arms and hands. Virion let out a howl as one shard buried itself in his shoulder.

 _Curses!_ Tharja thought wearily. She pressed her body closer to the wall as two more thunder spells slammed into it. She could feel the static wash over her body as one passed too close for comfort.

Ricken slid over to Virion and tried his best to help the wounded archer. He dragged Virion into their meager shelter just as more arrows hammered the rooftop. The trap door shuddered. Tharja saw the wooden hatch jostle and pop up for a brief second. The Valmese would be upon the roof in mere moments.

An el-thunder spell hammered the wall. Blasting away what little shelter was left on the rooftop. Ricken let out a terrified cry as he dropped his spell book and pressed his hands against his ears.

Tharja grit her teeth. She had just enough magic left to maybe take those two mages out. But would she get an opening. The Valmese archers had them pinned now. If she moved out into the open to cast her magic, she would be riddled with arrows in seconds. That, or those two Valmese mages would target her and blast her off the roof immediately.

Ricken gave Tharja a teary look. The boy shook with fear. He did not want to die. Not here. Not now. Neither did Tharja. But Ricken had reached his limit. She had not.

In the Grimleal, she had been taught not to fear death. The priests and priestesses taught her to embrace death when it came for her. For Grima is change.

 _What is death but the greatest of changes?_

Tharja closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Ricken," She said, her voice level and calm, "I'm going to create an opening. I want you to take Virion through it."

Ricken blinked, "Wh-what? But Tharja-"

"You do not have the power to do this. I do." Tharja continued, keeping her voice extremely calm in order to soothe the terrified boy, "Take the opening and get help. Signal the army to come in and retake the city."

"But you'll-"

"Ricken, if they take this city. We won't be able to stop the invasion." Tharja continued.

Ricken swallowed hard.

"I'm going to get up and make an opening. Take it."

"W-wait, Tharja!"

Before Ricken could protest any more, Tharja rushed to her feet. Gathering what magic she had left, she sprinted to the other side of the roof. A few Valmese soldiers had surrounded the building. But there was not nearly as much behind them as there were in front. Ricken would be able to use what remained of his own magic to fight his way out. He just needed a chance.

Pain shot through Tharja's hip as an arrow sank into her. She grit her teeth and forced herself over the other side of the roof. Ignoring any pain that filled her body. Her pain did not matter. Ricken's life did.

Her power exploded. A massive dark magic spell rocketed through her tome and out of her palm. A fiery explosion erupted from the ground and into the air.

"Now, Ricken!"

The mage rushed by her. Virion rested against his shoulder as Ricken jumped from the rooftop. The mage landed. Tharja watched as he fired a wind spell, created more room, then raced off into the city with Virion.

Her shoulders sagged. Exhaustion hit her. Tharja took a few staggering steps back. Another arrow bit into her right arm. Her tome fell to the floor with a dull thud.

The trap door shattered behind her. The arrows stopped falling as a group of Valmese swordsmen swarmed onto the rooftop.

She had no energy left. Blood trickled from the wound in her arm and hip. Her heart hammered in her chest.

 _Do not fear change._ She thought to herself. _Do not fear death._

Her hands trembled by her sides as one of the Valmese soldiers marched around her. A look of disdain and hate on his face. She felt the cold kiss of steel touch her neck as he aimed his strike.

 _A quick death at least._ She gulped as she stared back at the enemy. Doing everything in her power to remain standing.

She would not close her eyes. She would not back down and admit defeat. Even as her body shook from the strain, she would not fall until the killing stroke hit her.

The Valmese soldiers swung back. Tharja did not flinch as the metal hissed through the air. She watched as it came rushing towards her neck.

A gasp shot out of her lungs as she felt her body jerked violently to the side. She slammed into one of the intact walls on the roof. Pain rushed through her as bruises formed where she impacted. Stars danced in her eyes.

Loud cries filled the night air. A deadly buzz hummed around her. Screams replaced the alarmed cries. Tharja blinked the haze from her vision.

She saw a blue lightsaber cut deadly arcs of light through the air. Each slash cut down one of the Valmese soldiers on the rooftop. Her eyes widened. Ben stood on the rooftop. Lightsaber ignited. Fury filled his eyes as he savaged the enemy.

One of the swordsmen tried to escape his wrath by going back down the trap door. Ben caught him first. The lightsaber thundered through the retreating soldiers back and out his chest. Killing him in an instant.

She propped her weak body up against the wall as Ben deactivated his blade. He rushed over to her.

A weak, terrified gasp left Tharja's lips as she finally let the mask of fearlessness fall. She raised a trembling hand as Ben knelt down beside her. Her fingers brushed against his cheek.

"Had a feeling you'd show up." She whispered with a weak smile.

Ben placed a hand on her forehead. The pain her body evaporated as she felt the force rush through her. His eyes darted to the arrows jutting from her hip and arm.

"They got lucky." She breathed as she noticed his concern.

She heard Ben utter a worried breath. He tore a piece of cloth from one of his sleeves and wrapped. He broke the arrow in her arm then wrapped the cloth tight around the bloody wound. Tharja hissed in pain as the bandage tightened around what was left of the arrow.

"I'm getting you out of here." Ben said, his voice quiet.

More Valmese soldiers rushed onto the rooftop. In that instance, Tharja saw Ben's face darken.

Rage. Pure, unfettered anger washed over his normally kind face. Ben closed his eyes. The knuckles on his hand turned white as he gripped his lightsaber.

The Valmese soldiers charged at him and Tharja. Tharja gasped as Ben wheeled around.

One minute. That was how long it took for Ben to annihilate the second wave of attacks. Flawless bladework mixed with anger and desperation. For Tharja, Ben was both awe inspiring and terrifying. She had never seen Ben fight like this before. Not in Plegia, where she first encountered him. Not against the bandits in Donnel's village or against the Risen in the desert. Not even when they were chased through Charlet. For the first time, Tharja saw the power of a force adept unleashed.

Power radiated in waves from Ben. The force raged like a furious wind from him. With small flicks of his wrist, Ben launched Valmese soldiers from the rooftop as they rushed up the trap door to face him. His lightsaber cut blue arcs of light through the air. Severed limbs littered the floor. Bodies began to pile up.

Tharja felt static build up in the air. Her eyes widened.

 _The mages!_

Two blasts of lightning shot through the air towards Ben. He did not see them coming. Just as Tharja called out a warning, Ben spun around.

He blocked the lighting. The two spells slammed into his lightsaber. The bolts arced around the blue blade then faded into nothing as the blade absorbed the energy.

Ben grit his teeth and marched toward the edge. Just as he was going to jump down and attack the mages, warn horns blasted. Ben paused. The Valmese around the building uttered alarmed cries. Any soldiers attacking them started sprinting back towards the bridges.

A dull roar reverberated through the sky. Tharja looked up. Cherche sat atop her Wyvern. The pair streaked through the sky. The lizard's deep roar sent shock waves of fear through the Valmese army. Combined with the war cries and horns of the Feroxi army, and the Valmese forces broke.

Tharja exhaled as all of the anxiety and tension in her body evaporated away. Pain replaced the adrenaline. She hissed as she brought a hand to the arrow wound in her hip.

"Ben! Tharja!"

Tharja looked up. Cordelia's pegasus descended from the sky. As it landed, Ben deactivated his lightsaber and rushed back over to Tharja's side.

Lissa and Lon'qu hopped off of the pegasus. Lon'qu immediately took up a defensive posture as Lissa sprinted over to Tharja.

All around the building, Feroxi soldiers swarmed forward. All of them crying out for blood as they charged towards the bridges.

Tharja smiled a little bit as Lissa's healing magic rushed into her body.

"About time you saw the signal." She said, voice tired and weak.

Ben gently held her hand.

Panic suddenly hit Tharja, "Ricken, Virion-" She tried to stand up.

"Saw them as we flew over." Lissa said as she pushed Tharja back down to her seat, "They're fine. You on the other hand are not. So you are not doing anything else today." The princess glanced at Ben, "I've got it from here, Ben."

"I'm not going anywhere." Ben argued back.

"You're a General, Ben." Tharja muttered, "Your soldiers need you." She gave him a small smile, "Don't worry. I'll be fine. Just need…" She blinked and uttered a small yawn, "I'll just need a small nap."

Lissa rolled her eyes, "And healing. Stitches too. What is it with the Shepherds and trying to act tough? Seriously!" She shook her head, "Some of you are as bad as Chrom."

Ben snorted. He squeezed Tharja's hand.

"Get going, General Kenobi." Tharja smirked.

Ben hesitated. Tharja gave him another small nod. Ben sighed.

"I'll be back as soon as I can." He said before placing a small kiss on Tharja's forehead.

"I'll hold you to that." Tharja snickered weakly.

Ben rose to his feet and let go of her hand. Tharja smiled a little as Ben turned and jumped down from the building.

He saved her life, again. Somehow, this time felt even closer than any other. Then again, she had been only mere seconds away from losing her head this time.

Lissa chuckled as she continued to work on Tharja's wounds.

"You're lucky." Lissa smiled.

Tharja glanced over at Lissa then back to where she saw Ben join the army. She exhaled and allowed a smile to remain on her lips.

"I know."

* * *

Flavia swallowed hard as she stood behind the barricade that blocked the street. She could hear the marching feet. Hear the armor clanking louder and louder. The enemy drew closer. She could not see them yet. But she knew, within a few moments, they would see her. And they would charge.

She gripped her sword tightly in both hands. A bead of sweat dripped down from her forehead. Anticipation and adrenaline rushed through her veins. She felt excited. Excited and nervous. Flavia always loved a good fight. It was what made her Feroxi. The thrill of battle made her feel alive. The act of steel clashing against steel gave her purpose. There was nothing more enjoyable in life to her than battle.

Captain Bo held his cutlass in one hand as he peered over the barricade. His round face glistened with sweat. Flavia could tell he was nervous. His sword hand flexed then relaxed. An endless, nervous tick as the enemy drew closer. His heavy, dark eyes glanced back at her. The large captain gave her a small nod.

The enemy had arrived.

"Let's give them hell." Flavia said with an excited grin on her face.

She glanced to her right. Dooku stood still, hands folded in front of him. Gaius held his shortsword at the ready. Panne had already transformed into her beast form. The claws on her paws were razor sharp. Ready to rip into armor and flesh. Venator stood in front of Dooku. The red haired girl had an irritated expression on her face as she lazily held her sword in one hand. Her companion, Odin, did not possess his previous bravado. Instead, he appeared just as serious as the sailors around him.

Flavia glanced at Dooku again. The old man did not have a weapon. What was he doing here? Did he intend on fighting with his bare hands? She appreciated his intellect. The man clearly had a lot of experience with wars. The sound of hundreds of enemies marching towards their location did not disturb him in the slightest. But she also did not think he would be very helpful in this situation. No weapon meant no way of defending himself. And unless he had a tome hidden up his sleeve, he was not a mage.

"Dooku, maybe you should fall back." Flavia suggested.

He took a step forward. Then another. The old man hopped up on top of the barricade. Flavia felt puzzled. What was the old guy doing?

"My elderly comrade," Odin called to him, "The front lines should not be of a concern to you. We can-"

"Did anyone ever tell you brats not to underestimate your elders?" Dooku took a deep breath as the Valmese army appeared at the end of the road.

Flavia grit her teeth. Heavy armor marched in the front of the Valmese column. The heavily armored men carried lances and spears that could tear her comrades to shreds. Behind that line, were regular swordsmen. The clean up crew. Lastly, came the archers in the third line. The most dangerous line. Flavia had no archers to counter them. No mages to break the lines apart. They would take the full brunt of the Valmese assault. And the arrows could render them all dead before they even had a chance to defend themselves.

The column of Valmese soldiers stopped marching as Dooku stared across at them.

"Listen, geezer!" Venator hissed, "Get down before you get yourself hurt."

Flavia's eyes widened as Dooku chuckled at her suggestion.

"I once heard a saying from someone. I believe Lon'qu said it. What was it again?" Dooku hummed to himself as a line of archers stepped to the front of the Valmese column and drew back their arrows, "Ah yes, I remember now."

Flavia cried out as a volley of arrows soared at the barricade. The sailors took cover behind it. Odin rushed to grab Dooku before he could become a pincushion. Flavia, Venator, Gaius, and Panne slammed into the barricade as well. Praying that the roughly constructed barrier would shelter them from any arrows.

Dooku smirked at the arrows rushing towards him.

"Fear the old man in a young man's profession."

A hum filled the air. A red bar of light erupted in Dooku's right hand. He raised his left hand just as the arrows were about to hit the barricade.

None of them hit. Flavia's jaw fell open. Odin stopped his mad dash towards Dooku. He stared awe struck at the sight before him.

The arrows stopped moving mid-air. They floated still as Dooku held out an open palm. His eyes were closed. Expression calm, yet focused. The arrows slowly rotated around so that they pointed at the Valmese army.

"Respect your elders, children." Dooku smirked.

The arrows raced back at the Valmese at an incredible speed. Within seconds, the archers that fired the arrows all fell to the ground, dead. Their own arrows buried in their bodies.

Silence hung heavy in the air. Both the Feroxi and Valmese stared at the confident old man in shock. Gaius glanced over at Flavia as the Khan struggled to pick her jaw up from the ground.

"The old fart's pretty awesome, isn't he?" Gaius chuckled.

A loud war cry erupted from the Valmese lines. The first wave charged. The swordsmen raced out ahead of the heavy armor. Dooku brought his strange glowing blade in front of his face, then flicked it to the side. A salute to his opponents.

The Valmese swordsmen slammed in the barricade. Dooku's blade slashed down at them. The blade cut through flesh and bone. Leaving nothing but severed limbs and bodies in its wake.

One of the swordsmen managed to get on top of the barricade. Dooku flicked his wrist and sent the enemy soldier flying into a nearby building. Flavia blinked in shock.

Dooku fought like Ben Kenobi. He possessed the same, strange powers as her newly appointed general. And his strange weapon could not be blocked by any armor or blade. The Khan grinned. They could win this fight.

Flavia bellowed out a war cry. She hopped up on top of the barricade and hacked down one of the heavily armored infantrymen. As the man collapsed into a limp pile of flesh and metal, a swordsman rushed at her. Dooku's blade lashed out and took the man's head from his shoulders. Flavia flinched as she expected blood to splash against her. But none came.

"Your blade is on fire!?" Flavia cried.

"It is not fire. It is plasma." Dooku replied.

"Plasma! Indeed! The ultimate metal!" Odin cried.

"I don't think that glowing stick is metal." Venator grumbled with a roll of her eyes.

Dooku cut down another enemy. A warning rang out through the force. Another wave of archers took aim and loosed their arrows. Dooku did not have time to concentrate and catch the arrows with the force. He scowled and shoved Flavia back down behind the barricade.

The arrows rocketed towards him. Dooku slashed through several. His blade missed one. The arrow dug into his right shoulder. Dooku uttered a snarl.

"Dooks!" Gaius exclaimed as he pulled Dooku down from the barricade.

Dooku shrugged the thief's hands off of him.

"More enemy soldiers approach us! They are a quarter nautical mile from our position!" Odin declared as a smile crossed his face.

"What does that even mean!? We're on land!" Venator cried angrily.

A Valmese swordsman hopped over the barricade. Venator unleashed her frustration on him. Her sword cut through his stomach. Another swordsman followed his fallen comrade over the barricade. The tide pushed over the barrier.

Captain Bo uttered a loud cry as he and his sailors surged forward. Clubs, cutlasses, and hand axes brandished. Panne mauled any enemy that came near her and Gaius. The thief kept a defensive posture as he blocked any attacks on the taguel. Occasionally, he lunged out and dug his blade into the gap in the armor of a Valmese soldier.

Dooku was a whirlwind of death. His red blade devastated any enemy soldier that dared to scale the barricade. Flavia found herself grinning like a madman as she fought back to back with the old man.

"You're a touch slow." Dooku grumbled at the Khan as he swept his blade over her head and cut down an enemy that escaped Flavia's notice.

"Ha! If I did not witness your abilities myself, I would have taken that as a challenge." Flavia beamed, "Perhaps you and I could go a round after this?"

"You would lose." Dooku replied.

"Oh really? I accept that challenge!"

"I never challenged-" Dooku huffed, "Focus on the enemy, Khan Flavia. Not on me."

"A duel between the great sword master, Dooku, and Khan Flavia." Odin raised a hand to the sky, "The battle will be legendary!"

"Gawds dammit Odin, get out of your own world and help me fight these guys off." Venator growled as she took down another soldier.

"Of course! I could never let you take all of the glory." Odin smirked while Venator rolled her eyes.

Flavia spun and took the arm from one Valmese soldier. As that man reeled back, another took his place. No matter how many she cut down, it never seemed to be enough. One man would fall, two more would take his place. Flavia glanced around at the brave sailors. They were starting to be overwhelmed. The true fighters like herself, Odin, Venator, and the Shepherds were able to hold their own. But the sailors and their clubs were hardly a match for the brutal combat prowess of the Valmese army. A wood club could not do much against hardened armor.

"We may need to retreat." Flavia grunted as she parried a lance.

"That would be a wise course of action." Dooku agreed, "We can regroup elsewhere."

"The Swords of Justice never retreat!" Odin declared.

"Yes we do. Because we don't want to die." Venator barked.

The group began to back up. Dooku, Flavia, Venator, and Panne held the tide back while Gaius and Odin guided the sailors into a retreat.

Flavia cursed as more arrows soared over their heads and into the crowd of sailors. Several of Captain Bo's men cried out and fell as arrows slammed into them.

"Don't suppose you can do that neat little trick again?" Flavia asked Dooku.

"I would need time to focus." Dooku remarked as he chopped a sword in half with his blade, "Time we do not currently possess."

His eyes flashed and he raised a hand. Blue lightning jumped from his fingertips. The lightning slammed into an enemy soldier. The man cried out then crumpled to the ground. Static jumped from his fallen form as his comrades pushed past him.

Dooku sensed more arrows whistling through the air. He raised a hand and tried to catch as many as he could with the force. While he was distracted, a lance dug into his side. Dooku snarled and lashed out angrily with his lightsaber. He sliced through the lance with one stroke. Then he took his attacker's arms.

Flavia noticed his wound.

"Odin! Pull Dooku back!" Flavia ordered.

"I'll be fine." Dooku rasped.

"Like hell you will be." Flavia snapped, "Full retreat everyone! Let's get back to the army!"

Horns blasted through the night. The hairs on the back of Flavia's neck stood on end. A surge of excitement filled her. The ground beneath her feet shuddered.

"Get out of the way!" Gaius called from the rear.

They all pressed themselves against the sides of the street. Frederick and the Feroxi cavalry came charging down the road. Lances leveled. Horses snorting and stomping as they charged down the cobblestone road. The Valmese stopped in their advance and tried to reform their ranks.

Frederick and the Feroxi cavalry slammed into the enemy before they could mount a defense. Stahl rode beside him. The other Ylissean knight hacked and slashed with his sword as they slammed into the enemy ranks. Above, Flavia noticed Queen Sumia soaring over the battlefield. Cherche flew alongside her. The pair circled the river as they waited for their comrades to catch up.

In one devastating counter attack, the Valmese ranks broke. Frederick rode down several enemies as they turned and ran from the vicious Feroxi charge. He broke off from the charge and allowed the Feroxi cavalry to continue riding down the enemy.

Flavia peeled herself away from a building and walked out to meet Frederick. The Ylissean knight trotted up to her.

"Damn good timing, Sir Frederick." Flavia grinned.

"We saw the signal." Frederick nodded back, "Basilio is moving in on the north end of the city with the others."

"That is where Chrom and Robin are."

Frederick furrowed his brow, "And the others?"

"Tharja, Ricken, and Virion were on overwatch at the center square." Flavia explained, "Ben rushed to them when he saw Tharja's signal. We have a feeling the Valmese are doing a three pronged attack at the moment."

Frederick shifted in his saddle and nodded, "Khan Basilio thought the same thing. We will push them back to the harbor. Maybe we'll meet up with everyone else there."

"Sounds like a plan to me." Flavia laughed.

She glanced back at Dooku. The old man looked a touch weary. But otherwise, he acted as if his wounds did not affect him.

 _He's probably just trying to act tough. That or 'Old Man Strength' is a real thing._

"You got a healer with you?"

"I do not need a healer." Dooku grunted.

"Maribelle, Donnel, and Marth are bringing up the rear." Frederick said, "They will be here any moment."

"Good." Flavia nodded, "Go drive them back. I'll catch up once I see to these men."

Frederick nodded, spun his horse around, and raced to catch up to Stahl and the rest of the Feroxi cavalry. Flavia's grin widened as she watched her soldiers charge after the retreating Valmese. Seeing her men charge so recklessly after the enemy made her damn proud.

She exhaled and let her sword to fall to her side. Gaius let out a happy cry as he saw Marth and Maribelle approaching with a small group of foot soldiers.

Maribelle grabbed her staff and rushed to start working on the wounded. She went towards Dooku first, but the stubborn old man brushed her aside. In a not so nice way, he told her to work on the sailors first. He would be fine.

Donnel fretted over Dooku's injuries. Meanwhile, Marth eyed the old man with some concern and hint of suspicion before turning to Flavia.

"Chrom?"

Flavia smirked, "Everyone's always so worried about him." She chuckled, "Rightfully so. He's nowhere near as good as me in a fight." She grinned, "He's to the north. Frederick said Basilio was already on his way there."

Marth gave her a stiff nod and turned towards that direction. Before Flavia could say anything, Marth took off.

"Strange." Flavia shrugged.

She rolled her shoulders. Dooku grumbled again as Odin tried to get him over to Maribelle. Flavia felt a twinge of frustration hit her.

"Dooku! I swear to Naga, if you do not get yourself some healing I will drag you by your ear over to a healer!"

* * *

 _I think I hate running!_

Robin gasped as he sprinted around a corner. He lagged behind the other Shepherds as they rushed ahead of him. The tactician took a quick glance behind him. His heart hammered in his chest. It pounded in his ears. He struggled to catch his breath as he ran as fast as his legs could carry him.

He did not expect the Valmese army to attack full force. He thought maybe they would send a group or two of soldiers to counter the Shepherds if they were spotted. He did not expect several hundred Valmese soldiers to cross the northern bridge just as he, Chrom, Sully, Gregor, Cordelia reached it.

Shockingly, out of all of them, Gregor ran the fastest. He also knew the city better than any of them. He traveled through here many times before during his younger days. The old mercenary sprinted out ahead of them. Guiding the group down back alleys and across streets in an erratic route that kept them just out ahead of the charging Valmese.

Chrom cursed loudly as he followed Cordelia (who was just a smidge slower than Gregor).

"Do you think they saw the signal!?" He shouted back at Robin.

Robin gasped for breath, "I think… it'd be pretty hard…," He sucked in a breath. His lungs felt like they were fire, "To not see… a screaming skull."

 _Tharja just had to use a signal that scared everyone._

"Robin, you need to work out more." Gregor chuckled back at him.

"I'm aware!" Robin snapped as he sucked in another shallow breath.

He could hear the Valmese gaining on them. Several of their soldiers broke off from the main column in order to give chase. The Shepherds already clashed blades with them once. But since then, they managed to stay ahead of their pursuers.

 _This reminds me way too much of Charlet._ Robin thought as his eyes glanced up at the rooftops around him, _Except I don't have Ben and his ridiculous powers to help out this time!_

He did not have any tactics for this situation. They did not have time to set up a barricade in the street. So slowing the advancing Valmese down was not an option. They could not turn and fight. There were too many enemies. Robin was sure they could put up solid resistance for a few moments. Chrom had to be one of the best swordsmen Robin knew. And Robin considered himself to be pretty good at magic. Cordelia was an excellent warrior. But she was out of her element on foot. If she had her pegasus, then she would be nearly unstoppable. And Robin knew Sully could not fight as well on foot as she did on horseback. Her situation was the same as Cordelia's. Only Gregor and Chrom could really put up an effective defense. And that defense would not last long. They would be overwhelmed if they stood and fought.

 _Five against several hundred are not winning odds._ Robin thought.

They raced around another corner. A curse left Gregor's lips as he skidded to a stop. The Valmese sent a group of soldiers out ahead of them. They were cut off. Robin turned to start running the other way. But their pursuers blocked the other end of the road.

"We're trapped." Chrom growled as he held Falchion in both hands.

Cordelia gripped her lance and swung it to face the enemy behind them. Sully took a position beside Gregor. Chrom stood alongside Robin. Robin gulped and opened his spellbook.

"Well, here we go Chrom."

"We've faced worse." Chrom grit his teeth and readied for the enemy to charge.

Robin cringed, "I'm not so sure about that."

Just as the enemy rushed at them, horns blasted through the air. Robin jumped at the sound. Savage war cries roared through the night. Robin saw the Valmese ahead of them on the road spin around. As they turned and they met Basilio's ax.

The Valmese behind Robin and Chrom stopped their charge. As they hesitated, more Feroxi soldiers followed a screaming Basilio. Kellam and Libra charged after him. Nowi skipped along for a moment, noticed the Valmese soldiers, then promptly engulfed herself in a ball of bright light. The light shattered and a green dragon erupted into the sky.

Robin grinned as Basilio rushed past him. Kellam paused, nodded at Chrom and Robin, then continued charging. Libra waited a bit longer. The priest's first priority was to treat the wounded. When he realized none of them were injured, he charged after Basilio. Steel ax in one hand, healing staff in the other.

Gregor uttered a cheerful whoop as Nowi soared overhead. Robin watched with both awe and relief as the Feroxi army swarmed past him. He glanced over at Chrom. Both men started laughing.

"Another close call." Robin chuckled.

"How many does that make now?" Chrom laughed.

"Too many." Robin laughed. He took a breath and laughed a little more, "I think I can make a strategy now."

"The Valmese are retreating and we have an army helping us out. If you can't win the day now, I think I might need to find a new tactician." Chrom teased.

Robin gulped, "Please don't. I rather enjoy my job."

Chrom laughed and smacked a hand on Robin's back.

"Come on, Robin. Let's retake this city."

Robin grinned and drew his sword. The surge of Feroxi soldiers would push the unsuspecting Valmese back towards the harbor. If they kept that momentum, they might even push the enemy all the way back to their ships. Force the Valmese to sail away and admit defeat. The first defeat for the Valmese Empire. And it would come at the hands of Regna Ferox and Ylisse.

Robin raced after Chrom as the Prince joined the counter attack. The harbor was just across the river. Once there, the fighting would intensify. It would be Robin's first true battle since the war with Plegia.

Robin closed his eyes for a moment. He steadied his breathing and calmed his mind. He felt the force's gentle touch. Quiet and small. Not very powerful. But comforting in that moment.

The army pushed across the northern bridge over into the western half of the city. Several groups of Valmese tried to resist them. But Basilio's fury was immense. No one could stand before him as he hacked his way through the enemy.

The group followed Basilio all the way to the harbor. Once there, their advance ground to a halt. Robin let a curse slip from his lips.

The Valmese dug in. They were not fleeing the city. They were standing their ground.

 _This is about to get ugly._

* * *

Dalton considered himself to be a very good military commander. And he liked to think the Conqueror felt the same way. After all, the Conqueror hand selected him to lead the vanguard force in the invasion of Archanea. Him and his men were given the honor of striking the first blow in the Empire's latest conquest. An honor that filled Dalton with pride. This was a chance for him and his men to remembered for all time. The soldiers who sparked the downfall of Archanea. The history books would forever tell of their courage and strength in battle.

He expected little resistance. The Conqueror's tactician, Excellus, assured him that the invasion would catch the Feroxi by complete surprise. He would be able to take the city of Port Ferox and some of the surrounding countryside swiftly.

 _I need to stop listening to that worm._

The Feroxi soldiers did not put up much of a fight. Their meager garrison fell within the first few days of combat. But the pesky Feroxi sailors managed to slow his progress by several days as well. That and those damn barricades on the bridges did not help. The narrow streets also made advancing through the city a slow process. They could not cross the bridges without meeting stiff resistance. After several frustrating days, Dalton finally gave the go ahead for a full advance. The enemy would be overwhelmed by their superior numbers.

The Valmese commander furrowed his brow and scowled as he watched his soldiers retreat away from the eastern half of the city.

How dare these barbarians stand against the Conqueror and his will!? Did they not understand that there was no resisting the might of the Valm Empire? Did they not understand Emperor Walhart was unstoppable? His will was absolute. He took what he desired. Destroyed anyone who resisted him. United once poor nations under the banner of his mighty empire. His liege lord was not just an Emperor. He was a force of nature. Nearly a god in the eyes of his men. Under his leadership, no one could defeat the Valmese military..

And yet, there were his men, running like frightened children. The Feroxi were nothing more than lawless barbarians in Dalton's eyes. A group of tribes barely united under someone known as a Khan. Nothing more than savages who lived solely for warfare. And their style of warfare; aggressive and reckless, should have been easy for his men to stand against. They were amateurs. His men were professionals.

 _So why are we retreating!?_

Dalton slammed a fist down on the railing of his flagship. He could feel his anger rising as he saw his men rushing for the ships.

"Are you men cowards!?" He roared, "You are soldiers of the Empire! Turn and face your enemy!" He marched down the gangplank of his ship, "Form ranks! Shields and spears in front! Archers in the rear! I want those barbarians shredded as soon as they try to charge into us!"

His commanding voice stilled his retreating men. His lieutenants relayed his orders. The chaos abated as discipline took hold once again. Dalton's orders were followed to his exact specifications.

The shields of his men interlocked. Spears jutted out from the gaps. Forming a wall of iron teeth, armor, and muscle that would slash any barbarian to ribbons. The archers knocked their arrows and held them at the ready. Dalton eyed the entrances to the harbor. He could already hear the howling horde of Feroxi as they rushed through the city streets.

"Let them come!" Dalton barked, "They shall shatter upon our shields!"

Two roars pierced the air. Dalton flicked his gaze up. A wyvern rider swooped down from above along with a Pegasus rider. Several archers looked up and took aim.

"Hold!" Dalton cried, "Focus arrows on the main mass!"

Another roar hit the air. This one louder than any wyvern Dalton ever heard before. Dalton frowned. What could be making that noise.

"DRAGON!" One of his soldiers screamed

Dalton's eyes widened as a great, green, winged beast dipped out from the dark clouds. It's jaw opened and flames erupted from its mouth.

Order shattered. Chaos returned. Dalton grit his teeth and drew his own sword.

"Stay in ranks!" He bellowed, "Stay in-"

The barbarians entered the harbor. Horns blasting. War cries rushed from their lips. Dalton gripped his blade and marched to meet them.

Fear gripped his heart when he saw a pair of strange blades appear near the center of his first line. Blue and red in color. The blades slashed through his soldiers' armor and weapons. They ripped a wide gap in his defenses. A gap that the enemy took full advantage of.

The dragon, wyvern, and pegasus swooped down and started picking off his men. The archers, scared and confused, did not fire controlled volleys. Their shots were scattered between the charging horde and the beasts above them. Dalton stopped marching forward as his men were pushed further back towards his ship.

Blasts of magic slammed into his archers. Dalton flicked his gaze towards his northern flank. His eyes widened.

"Ylisseans." He breathed.

No wonder the barbarians were able to overwhelm his men. They were bolstered by Ylissean brains. He had heard of that nation's stunning victory against a superior foe in Plegia. They were led by Prince Chrom, whom he saw leading the charge against his northern flank. Their strategy came from a young tactician. One with brown hair and a distinct coat.

Panic seized Dalton when he saw that tactician alongside Prince Chrom and a large Feroxi warrior he assumed to be one of the Feroxi Khans.

"We've awoken a sleeping giant." He breathed as he realized a sickening truth.

He had lost. His men were broken. First the shrieking skull unnerved them. Then the howling Feroxi scared them. Finally, the dragon and the two glowing blades ripping through their lines, shattered them. He could not bring order back to his men. They needed to retreat.

But if he retreated, he would die. Failure did not sit well with Emperor Walhart. Failure was met with the most severe of punishments. Dalton gulped. No matter what he did, he would die. Either at the hands of the Feroxi and Ylisseans, or by the hand of his Emperor, his life was now over.

He brandished his sword and charged at the overwhelming horde of Feroxi soldiers. If he was going to die, he would take one of them with him. His gaze focused on Prince Chrom. If he could kill the Ylissean leader, he could demoralize them enough to sit out a war. He could strike a blow against an enemy that would resonate throughout the world. His name would be remembered for generations. He would be revered back in Valm.

Confidence surged through Dalton as he rushed past his dying men and took aim at Prince Chrom. The Ylissean Prince did not see him. He was too busy cutting down two of his swordsmen. Dalton grinned. The Prince would die today.

He raised his blade over his head. Ready to swing the killing blow.

Pain erupted through Dalton's back. He felt something hard and sharp pierce his armor. Dalton gasped. Blood sputtered from his lips. The Valmese Commander looked down and saw a strange blade jutting out of his chest.

His sword clattered from his hands. He glanced behind him. A young woman with blue hair and one arm stood behind him. A bloody sword rested in her hand.

Dalton coughed and dropped to his knees. All around him, his soldiers died. Each one refused to surrender. At least, he could have pride in his men's determination to fight. They fought to the last man. And they would be remembered for their courage. He hoped.

As the last of his soldiers fell, Prince Chrom and two Feroxi he assumed to be the Khans approached him. A wet cough left his lips. His vision started to grow hazy. But he managed to raise his gaze to meet the three leaders of his enemy.

"Not a very bright idea attacking us." The woman Khan said.

"I agree, Flavia." Basilio glowered down at Dalton, "Are there more coming?"

Prince Chrom did not say anything. Dalton glared at all three then laughed.

"More are coming." He nodded, "You think you have fought the might of the Conqueror now?" He laughed then coughed hard. He felt some blood dribble down from his mouth. His body felt weak, "You have fought nothing. You are nothing! Nothing but a speck of sand on the boot of the empire! There is no resisting him. You shall fall. As have all others before you." He raised his shaky gaze as Flavia scowled at him, "I'll laugh when I greet you in hell."

Flavia raised her blade and cut him down. Dalton slumped to the ground, dead.

Chrom gave Flavia a surprised look. The Khan spat on Dalton's still body.

"That's what I think of your empire." She snarled.

Basilio nodded, "We beat them today. But this isn't the end."

"Not even close." Chrom nodded. He glanced around. Both horror and sorrow filled him as he realized not a single Valmese soldier surrendered. They all died fighting. All of them looking to kill as many of the Feroxi as they could before falling as well, "We are fighting a determined enemy."

"Aye. And we're more determined than they are." Flavia said, "Come. Let's see to our wounded and dead. Then we can figure out what to do next."

Chrom took a deep breath and nodded. He glanced over at Robin as the tactician moved towards him. His expression equally sad and horrified.

More Valmese were coming. And if this battle was any indication of the war to come, then they would need to be prepared. Chrom did not know how this war would go. But he did know one thing.

It will be fierce. And it will be bloody.

 **And chapter! The Battle for Port Ferox is over! The Valm war has officially kicked off! We had a few badass moments for several characters in this. Tharja showed off just how powerful she had become. Dooku flexed his own powers. And Ben unleashed when he realized Tharja was in danger. That should make for an interesting conversation between him and Dooku. I can't wait to keep this thing going! I'm so excited!**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	80. Insidious

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 80

Insidious

Validar's long fingernails tapped against the armrest of his throne. Court had ended. Various noblemen and military generals streamed out of the throne room in the Plegian royal palace. Today had been another day of tedious business. Plegia remained unstable thanks to a variety of factors that Validar himself helped perpetuate during King Gangrel's reign. Such factors included roving bandit gangs not under his influence, rogue mages that decided to spurn the Grimleal in favor of worldly pleasures and plunder, rebuilding ruined villages and settlements, rebuilding a shattered military, and juggling his duties to the nation and his duties to his master.

Now he was tasked with undoing the chaos he helped sow. Creating chaos always seemed to be much easier than restoring order. He did have some experience in such matters. When he became High Priest of the Grimleal, the religious order had been in shambles as well. Broke financially. Leaderless, gutless, and lacking in political power. That changed thanks to his leadership. His tenacity, cunning, and ruthlessness got results. And those characteristics had worked in his favor once again.

King Validar had finally consolidated all of his power. No one stood against him in Plegia. General Mustafa had been exiled to the barren coast in the northwest. Where the desert sands met the salty sea. He knew better than to kill the traitorous general outright. He was still beloved by a good deal of the common folk. And while Validar's grip strengthened, he still was not keen on the idea of a rebellion so soon into his rule.

He had managed to refill the royal coffers as well. The treasury burst with gold as he ordered mining operations to double their production. Gangrel left such vast resources untouched, such tasks derelict, for too long. If Plegia were to become the strongest nation in Archanea, it would need gold. And a lot of it. Despite having to pay reparations to both Regna Ferox and Ylisse for the war (thanks to that infernal treaty Mustafa signed), he finagled his way into keeping as much coin within Plegia as he could.

The military rebuild went slower than the financial one. Many generals had to be purged as their loyalties either lay with Mustafa or with themselves. The old guard did not want to see Validar on the throne. They resisted in their own petty ways. Some even threatened civil war.

But Validar had his master backing him. The Hierophant seized control of the Grimleal upon his ascent to the Plegian Throne. That terrifying entity stamped order back into the Order's ranks. Once the Grimleal returned to their full strength, the Hierophant crushed all resistance to Validar. Political assassinations were rampant during the first year of Validar's reign. The Hierophant destroyed all opposition to Validar's rule in a bloody, shadowy conquest of the kingdom. And as long as Validar served his master well, he would remain the ruler of this Kingdom for many years to come.

But ruling came with its own drawbacks. Such as tedious sessions of court where he had to hear the grievances of nobles and common folk alike. Such tripe. It irritated him on many occasions. He did pine for the days when he had just been the Grimleal's high priest. He did not have to worry about such foolish matters as bandits striking a village, or a well running dry out in the desert. Now, as ruler of Plegia, he had to put on the appearance of a good king. The Hierophant required the people's loyalty for his plans. And the best way to earn loyalty was not through fear or suppression, but through honor and kindness.

At first Validar questioned such methods. The Hierophant swiftly pointed out that Ylisse never had a problem with loyalty under the rule of Exalt Emmeryn. If they were to succeed, then they needed to learn from their enemies. And they needed to learn from their mistakes.

Validar let out a sigh as his fingers stopped tapping. Another long day finished. He could retire to his own chambers now. There would still be various forms and paperwork he would have to look over before having some time to himself. But he did not find such tasks as laborious as holding court.

The thin man rose from his throne. As he did, a young soldier marched towards him. Validar frowned.

"What is it?" He asked, startling the young soldier with his cold tone.

"Y-your grace, a spy just sent in a report from Port Ferox. The Valmese attempted a land invasion of the city."

 _Oh!_ Validar looked at the soldier with surprise, _That is very interesting._

"The Feroxi and their Ylissean allies managed to repel the invaders. From what our spy reports, it was a resounding victory for them."

Validar hummed to himself. His master would want to hear about this.

"Thank you, soldier. Be on your way." Validar dismissed.

The young soldier saluted and marched out of the throne room. Validar watched the soldier leave, turned, and marched towards a corridor to his right. The small corridor led to a flight of stairs that ascended into the palace's personal living space. Validar exhaled as he entered the much more relaxed setting.

He still felt tense though. And he knew why. Once again, he had to go before his master and relay news.

It still felt strange for Validar. Normally, the Hierophant delivered intelligence to him. But ever since a certain incident in Ylisstol, the Hierophant had remained very quiet. Had practically gone underground. Meanwhile, the Deadlord he created to hunt down his enemies had become a bodyguard for Validar.

Validar noticed the masked Deadlord standing in front of the Hierophant's door. The undead creature knew he was coming. And he waited for him.

 _Bodyguard?_ Validar thought to himself, _More like watchdog. A way to eliminate me if I ever manage to infuriate my master._

Validar took a deep, calming breath. He knocked on the Hierophant's door.

"Enter."

Validar pushed the ornate doors open.

The Hierophant lounged on a small, wicker sofa. A cup of tea in one hand, a book in the other. His yellow eyes studied the text carefully. Validar glanced at the book's cover. A simple red, leather bound book. Nothing spectacular. Perhaps his master was brushing up on his spell craft.

The Hierophant sipped his tea.

"It is not a spell book." The Hierophant uttered a small sigh as the warm tea ran down his throat, "This happens to be one of my favorites. _Wyvern Wars: Terror at High Noon,_ such a thrilling read. It has been many years since I flicked through these pages."

Validar looked at his master with some surprise. He did not see the man as someone who enjoyed such simple pleasures. Reading novels seemed beneath him for some reason.

The Hierophant uttered another sigh. He set his book face down on his thigh. That way he would not lose the page he was on.

"You are here for a reason?"

Validar gulped, "Er- yes. I just received a message from one of our spies in Regna Ferox. The Valmese-"

"Have launched an invasion against Archanea." The Hierophant interrupted. He sipped his tea again, "The Ylisseans and Feroxi countered, drove those foolish Valmese back into the sea, and stand victorious over a ruined city?" He noticed Validar's stunned look, "Am I missing any details?"

Validar blinked, "N-no, my lord. It appears you are already aware of the situation."

The Hierophant set his teacup on the small table beside the sofa, "Of course I am. I am the one who ordered such an action." He folded his hands in his lap, "Excellus took a little longer than I would have liked. But he still managed to prod Walhart into war with Archanea."

Validar appeared confused, "This is a good thing?"

"Most certainly." The Hierophant smirked, "Everything is happening much faster in this timeline. But that is by my design. Events are still on course thanks to Excellus's success. When I see that sniveling worm again, I shall have to reward him. Perhaps I will actually spare his life after all. That seems like a fitting reward. Yes, I shall do that."

Validar inhaled, "Well, I am happy to hear you are pleased, my lord." He cleared his throat, "May I ask what you wish for me to do about these events? Surely war between Valm, Regna Ferox, and Ylisse will impact us as well."

"Oh it will." The Hierophant sent his book face down on the table beside his teacup. He rose from his lounging position and sat upright. His yellow eyes burned holes into Validar, "But we shall control the impact."

Validar arched an eyebrow, "How are we going to do that?"

The Hierophant smirked. His eyes glanced over at his desk. A sheet of paper, an inkwell, and a quill floated in the air over to Validar. Validar hesitated before taking the quill and paper.

"We shall invite the Ylissean Prince and his allies for a little get together."

Validar gave his master a shocked look, "But- but that would mean we are going to involve ourselves in this conflict. Do we not want to stay out of it while the Valmese, Feroxi, and Ylisseans wipe each other out?"

"The only way the Valmese will be wiped out is if war comes to their soil, not ours." The Hierophant noted, "The Feroxi and Ylisseans will need help getting across the sea in order to bring the war to Walhart's doorstep. Help that we can provide. And while we look like generous benefactors, in reality, we shall be sowing the first seeds of their destruction. Their armies are newly rebuilt. They shall suffer harsh losses in the war to come. And those losses will work to our advantage." He nodded at Validar, "Invite them to your summer home on Carrion Isle. I believe a more informal setting will ease their nerves about meeting with you."

Validar nodded, "And what about you, my lord? Do you plan on coming as well?"

The Hierophant hummed to himself, "I am not certain. I am weighing the risks and rewards of such a move currently." He chuckled darkly, "Although, the Naga-spawn's reaction to me would be a reward that far outweighs the risk." He gave Validar a dismissive wave of his hand, "Get to work. Be ready to meet the Ylisseans and Feroxi in three days time. Regardless of if I am there or not."

Validar gulped and bowed low to his master.

"As you command, my lord."

Validar spun on his heel and marched out of the Hierophant's chambers. The Hierophant's glowing eyes did not leave him as he exited. Once the door clicked closed, the Hierophant sighed and reached for his teacup.

"To go or not to go?" He sipped his tea, "What an intriguing question."

If he went to this summit, he risked exposing himself to the Naga-spawn far too early. Such a risk could put his plans in jeopardy. At the same time, Excellus's successful manipulation of Walhart's ambition made his plans nearly unstoppable now. The Naga-spawn would have no choice but to meet Walhart's armies full force. They would kill each other. Choke the lands with blood to the point where no one could muster the strength to face him in battle. Perhaps, his plans were not in as great of jeopardy as he thought.

" _Do not get ahead of yourself. Kenobi and Equus remain among our enemies."_

" _ **I shall feast on the traitor's flesh when I see him again."**_

The Hierophant's face darkened. Yes, there were those two snags in his plans. Ben Kenobi was far different in this timeline than the one he came from. In his future, it took Kenobi years to finally unleash his abilities against the forces of darkness. Years for Kenobi to finally rise to meet him in battle. His own caution and reluctance had been his undoing. It helped seal the fate of the Naga-spawn in the future.

This Ben Kenobi did not act with the same caution. The Hierophant still struggled to understand why. Were the rippling effects of the time portal impacting this timeline that much? He grit his teeth. Did that loose cannon Maul shake Kenobi so badly that he felt he had to take a more active role now? If so, then Validar made a grave error in judgement trusting that fell creature.

" _You are forgetting about the little Princess."_

"You believe she has already confronted Kenobi?" The Hierophant wondered out loud.

That was a disturbing notion. One that caused him great unease. If Kenobi already knew about the future and the fate of the Naga-spawn, then his plans were hanging in the balance. Kenobi was a force of nature on the battlefield. It took his deadlords and his own intervention to finally defeat the Jedi Master in the future. If that man returned to the prominence he once held, both as a commander and as a Jedi, then he would have a worthy opponent standing against him. An opponent that he would not so easily overwhelm this time.

The beast growled inside of him. It could sense his unease.

" _Perhaps we should wait to show ourselves?"_

" _ **Destroy them. Kill them. We will surprise them with our power."**_

"Equus and Kenobi together would be a bit much to handle at the moment." The Hierophant breathed, "As tempting as it is to slaughter them all now and be done with it, that risks our vessel in this timeline. A vessel we need in order to be whole again. Do not forget that."

" _Fair point."_

" _ **Unfair point. I want to feed."**_

The Hierophant sighed. He would have to gauge the enemy personally. Validar would not know what to look for. His servant would be focused on Prince Chrom and his Shepherds. His focus would not be on the true threats in Ben Kenobi and Equus.

"How do you two feel about a three day vacation to a lovely little island?"

" _What is the island called?"_

"Carrion Isle."

" _ **Heh heh, Carrion. Delicious."**_

"Indeed."

Yes, he will gauge the enemy himself. Validar did not need to know about his plans at the moment. It would be a fun little surprise for all parties involved.

His eyes flicked over to the mindless deadlord, Draco.

"You can't come."

* * *

Ben brushed his fingers along Tharja's arm as she slept on a cot. The dark mage succumbed to exhaustion not long ago. Now she rested in one of the few buildings that was semi-intact. A large warehouse that rested next to the harbor. A makeshift infirmary had been set up by Libra, Maribelle, and Lissa inside of the spacious place. The three healers worked with the Feroxi healers on any wounded men they had. Which was minimal. Their attack had taken the Valmese by complete surprise. That surprise helped mitigate the amount of casualties. But the savagery with which the Valmese fought still left a mark. Ben could see those marks on Tharja. The bandages wrapped around her waist and arm made him struggle to catch his breath every time he saw them.

Tharja poured every ounce of magic she had into the battle. Ben recalled seeing the destruction she wrought after rushing back to her once the Valmese were entirely defeated.

He barely recognized the square. The cobblestone roads that crisscrossed the area had been blasted to bits by fire and dark magic. Many of the surrounding buildings had walls blown out of them. The magical fury unleashed in that small area boggled the mind.

Among the rubble were swords, spears, bows, and arrows that lay scattered around the bodies. Many of the bodies were mangled beyond recognition. If Ben had not seen it so many times before, he would have felt sick.

He knew the others felt ill after the battle. Basilio and Dooku were the only other people hardened to such horrors of war. But the aftermath still stunned all three of them. Not a single Valmese soldier surrendered. Not one. Every single enemy soldier fought to the death. Some of the Shepherds tried to stop fighting. But then the enemy attacked them. And they were forced to strike those soldiers down.

Ben sighed and hung his head. So much death and destruction. Over what? He still did not understand why the Valmese wanted to invade Archanea. It was a losing battle for them. They could not possibly sustain such an invasion. Not with the limited technology on this planet.

If they had not invaded, then all of that death would not have happened. He would still be at his little cottage south of Ylisstol. Tharja would be with him. Likely berating Ricken for messing up on a dark spell casting. He chuckled a little to himself and glanced up at Tharja's peaceful face.

His chuckling died in his throat. He had come so close to losing her too. If he had not arrived when he did, Tharja would have died. He would have been mourning her instead of sitting with her while she recovered. Ben could feel his free hand trembling at the thought.

 _I don't think I could go through that again._

The door to the warehouse opened then closed. Ben did not look over there. He expected it was just another healer walking in to tend to the wounded.

"Kenobi."

He closed his eyes. A silent curse bounced around his head. Of course, he was not that lucky. Dooku had to be the one to come and speak to him.

Ben raised his gaze up to look at Dooku. The old man frowned a little at him. He glanced around.

"Do you have a moment to talk in private?"

Ben frowned. He did not want to leave Tharja's side at the moment. However, if Dooku wished to speak in private with him, then it had to be something important. The two made a point not to be around each other often. Otherwise, both of them would go insane with irritation and frustration.

Dooku rolled his eyes, "She is not going anywhere, Kenobi. You can leave her alone for a few minutes."

Ben uttered a long sigh. He let his hand fall from Tharja's side before he stood from his stool he sat on. He ran a hand through his hair and nodded at Dooku. The old man marched toward the warehouse's rear exit. Ben followed.

The exit led out to a small alley behind the warehouse. Dooku shut the door behind both of them as they entered the alley. The afternoon sun sat high overhead. Providing a little warmth to the cold land around them. A chilled wind still swept in from the sea. But the cold was bearable today.

"You look terrible." Dooku noted as the old man took a seat on a wood box outside of the warehouse, "Have you slept at all?"

Ben snorted, "Can't sleep." He leaned against the warehouse wall, "There is too much going on at the moment."

Dooku rubbed his beard, "I will grant you that. There is a lot going on at the moment. Although, that has not stopped the others from resting. Even Prince Chrom has slept since the end of the battle."

Ben stared down at his feet as Dooku spoke. A small smirk formed on Dooku's lips.

"Kenobi, are your feelings for the dark mage really that intense?"

Ben glanced up at Dooku, "What do you think?"

Dooku chuckled, "Oh, the Jedi Master really has forsaken his oaths. I never expected it to happen this way."

"I have not forsaken anything. I-"

"You even doubt your own words." Dooku interrupted, "I can sense as much." He folded his arms, "You have forsaken the Jedi way, Kenobi. Tharja is not the only reason I say that. Although she is perhaps the best reason."

Ben eyed Dooku.

"You gave into your rage last night." Dooku smirked.

Ben froze. He did? He… he did didn't he? He had nor realized such a thing until Dooku pointed it out. But when Tharja's life was threatened, he unleashed. Risked everything in order to save her. Even went so far as to brutally attack the enemy with his lightsaber. A weapon that very few had seen and that Chrom would certainly have questions about. Since it was technically the same type of weapon Maul used to kill his sister.

Force, he brutally slew the soldiers that attacked Tharja. He did not even give them the chance to run away. Ben let out a shuddering breath as he ran his hands ove rhis face.

Dooku hummed, "You realize it as well. Good, you know better than to deny it at least."

"I did not give in to the dark side." Ben argued back.

"Didn't you?" Dooku smirked as he watched Ben's mind struggle to form a solid argument, "Fear and anger, Kenobi. Those are the first two steps in the fall. You feared for Tharja. And you unleashed your fury upon seeing those fears nearly realized."

"But I never lost control." Ben breathed.

Dooku inclined his chin, "Rather arrogant of you to deny what happened."

Ben flashed Dooku an angry glance. Dooku chuckled some more.

"You don't even try to hide your anger with me anymore." Dooku nodded, "Good. You are finally recognizing the folly of the Jedi Order and their damnable code."

"I recognize nothing. I did what I had to in order to save her life. I did what I had to in order to prevent-" Ben choked, "To prevent losing another one."

Dooku's mirth faded as Ben sank down to the ground. Dooku furrowed his brow as he watched the Jedi sit still against the warehouse.

What in the world was wrong with Kenobi? The Jedi Master had been a bastion of strength for the Jedi Order during the Clone Wars. One of the few that Dooku gave up hope on possibly turning. Even properly defeating. Nothing had broken him during that war. Not his many battles against him, Ventress, or Grevious. The bloody battles on worlds like Geonosis and Christophsis did not break Kenobi. Not even the deadly Blue Shadow Virus shook the Jedi Master. But events on this world seemed to shatter him without any effort at all.

His mind lingered on one phrase. Kenobi prevented the loss of another one. Did the losses he suffered during the war and Jedi purge finally crush Kenobi? Dooku let his fingers tap against his arm as he stared down at the Jedi Master.

"You live in fear now, Kenobi." Dooku shook his head, "You fear losing those you care about."

Ben snorted, "Of course I do." He stared hard at Dooku, "Do you have any idea what it is-"

"Yes, I do." Dooku snarled, "Did you forget I lost Qui Gon as well? You were not the only one who cared for him."

Ben bit his tongue as Dooku snapped at him. He swallowed hard.

"It is not just his loss, Dooku." Ben breathed, "It is all of them. The Jedi Order, Anakin, Qui Gon, Satine, and Emmeryn."

Dooku arched an eyebrow, "Satine and Emmeryn?"

Oh… that explained it. Satine Kryze had been killed while Kenobi had been on a secret mission on Mandalore. If his spies reports were correct at the time, Maul slew her. He knew Kenobi held feelings for the Duchess of Mandalore. But he did not realize how deep they were.

As for Exalt Emmeryn, that was a new revelation for Dooku. Maul killed her too. That was two people Kenobi loved that he lost. Unable to do anything to stop it from happening. Their lives ripped away by an enemy he could have fought against.

Dooku sighed, "That is a rather crippling fear, Kenobi." He glanced at the Jedi as Kenobi looked down at the cobblestones beneath him, "No wonder you have been unable to inform the others about Sidious. You are afraid that if you say anything, you will lose them."

Ben's gaze snapped up at him. Just as he opened his mouth to argue back, the door to the warehouse opened again. Both Dooku and Ben froze as Marth emerged from inside.

"I came to check on you and Tharja. One of the healers told me that you stepped out here for a moment." Marth explained as she noticed their wary looks. She frowned, "What? Am I interrupting something?"

"Yes you-"

"Not at all." Dooku cut of Ben, "We were just discussing a potential threat to everyone here. One that Kenobi refuses to acknowledge because he is too damn afraid."

Ben glared at Dooku.

"Don't look at me like that, you know I am correct." Dooku said with a wave of his hand.

"What threat?" Marth asked, suddenly worried.

"Sidious of course." Dooku remarked.

"Dooku." Ben growled.

"Sidious." Marth furrowed her brow, "That is the second time I've heard that name. That name is the reason the Shepherds are a mess right now."

"Is it?" Dooku remarked with some surprise, "Robin had been rather vague in his letter recounting what happened. But now that I know Sidious was the subject of the argument," He scowled at Kenobi, "I have half a mind to smack you upside the head, Kenobi."

"Do try." Kenobi snapped.

Dooku grit his teeth. He fought back a wave of anger that came bursting towards the surface. Kenobi had become even more insolent since he arrived on this world. The Count rose from his seat and towered over the Jedi Master.

"You have become a fear filled fool." Dooku berated, "Do you really believe keeping these people in the dark will help them when Sidious does come?"

"I have still not heard any explanation as to who Sidious is." Marth pointed out.

"He is-"

"Sidious is the Dark Lord of the Sith." Dooku explained as he cut off Ben once again.

"Robin mentioned something along those lines." Marth frowned, "He also said he was your master at one point."

Dooku cocked an eyebrow, "You have let a little bit slip out haven't you, Kenobi?" He huffed, "And you still want to keep them ignorant. You have already failed in that endeavor." He returned his attention to Marth, "Yes, I was once Sidious's apprentice. Well, more like a pawn now that I look back at it all. But I served him as loyally as I could. And then he had me killed."

Marth gave Dooku a surprised look, "Killed?"

"Oh, he didn't mention that?" Dooku glanced at Ben as the Jedi sank further behind his knees, "Kenobi's apprentice killed me. Somehow I am alive now. I still do not know how exactly I am here. But I am alive. And I am determined to take down Sidious for what he did to me." He glared at Ben, "You should be too."

"I am not interested in fighting Sidious."

"But you should not hide from the fact that he will find this planet." Dooku growled. He looked at Marth, "In case you were unaware-"

"You and Ben are aliens. I'm aware." Marth breathed.

Dooku blinked, "For someone who wants to keep a secret, you are very bad at it Kenobi."

Ben groaned and let his head fall back against the brick wall behind him.

"It was a mutual exchange of trust." Marth explained, "Ben knows some things about me that I'd rather not make known at the moment. Especially to someone like you."

"Understandable." Dooku nodded. He cleared his throat, "Anyways, Sidious will arrive on this planet at some point. The power both myself and Kenboi exude will draw him here like a moth to a flame. Not to mention the raw power you," He nodded at Marth, "Robin, and Kage possess. To have that many powerful force sensitives on one world at the same time is an exceedingly rare occurrence. He will no doubt sense such a thing and actively seek it out. Such power is a threat to him. And Sidious does not wait for threats to grow against him."

Marth clenched her jaw, "How do we prepare for him?"

"We don't." Ben breathed.

"Confound it all, Kenobi!" Dooku barked, "One more cowardly phrase from you and I will blast you with lightning! You seem to think that Sidious is some unstoppable force. He is not. Is he powerful? Yes he is. But united we stand a chance. And this world has something he cannot possibly anticipate." He glanced over at Marth, "Magic. Magic even more powerful than the Nightsisters of Dathomir. We all saw the havoc Tharja and Ricken created. And they are just two mages. Imagine if Ylisse stopped teaching their magic for academic purposes and instead focused on the more military aspects of it. You could have an army of mages that could take on any legion Sidious had."

"But can they take on a Star Destroyer?" Ben argued back.

Dooku inhaled, "We will have to deal with that when the time comes. But they certainly cannot fight off either if they are uninformed. Chrom and Robin need to be made aware of what is coming, Kenobi."

"There is a chance Sidious does not come. A chance he does not notice us."

"That is very wishful thinking." Dooku said, "It is likely he already knows we are here. Now he is just searching for us. And he will find us. Sidious does not fail when he puts his mind to something. We have to rise to meet him. Otherwise, everyone on this planet is doomed."

"How do we know when he's arrived?" Marth asked.

Dooku glanced at her, "You'll see an armada in the Planet's atmosphere probably. That, or we will not know until he strikes personally."

"And what does he look like so that we know who he is?" Marth asked.

Dooku frowned, "He has two guises. A kind old man by the name of Palpatine. Rather unassuming really. Almost bumbling in a way. The other guise is his true nature. Dark robes and a hood that hides his entire identity." Marth's face paled. Dooku noticed, "What is wrong?"

"Old and decrepit looking?" She trembled.

Dooku frowned, "How do you know that?"

Ben eyes flicked up at Marth. Marth gulped and slumped against the box Dooku had been sitting on.

"I've seen him." She breathed.

Ben's heart stopped in his chest, "What?"

"Where!?" Dooku cried.

"Not here. Not-" Marth ran her hands over her face, "I don't know how to explain it." She stared at Ben, "When-" She sucked in a sharp breath as she struggled to compose herself, "When Maul killed me, I-I wound up in some strange place. I do not think it was the afterlife. It did not feel like that. It was some sort of space between the worlds. Between life and death. There were strange doors and paths all around me. I could hear and see everything beyond those doors. And beyond one door was an old, decrepit man with a presence as black as the darkest pit."

Dooku hummed, "Sounds like Sidious."

"He saw me." Marth breathed.

Dooku's eyes widened.

"He saw me and… and he tried to reach for me. Said something about another way. I don't know what he was talking about. But he nearly grabbed me. It took Naga's direct intervention to stop him." Marth swallowed hard, "I did not know who I was seeing at the time. But now…" She gulped, "Sidious could be just as dangerous as Grima himself. Naga help us all. Master! Why have you not said anything!?"

"Master?" Dooku questioned as he looked at Ben.

"Another time, Dooku, please." Ben rubbed his forehead, "Are you certain you really saw that, Marth?"

"I will never forget it for as long as I live." Marth breathed, "I don't think I've ever been that afraid before in my life."

Dooku rubbed his chin, "Sidious would not discount something like that. If he really saw you, Marth, then he has likely taken an interest in you." He hummed to himself as he thought hard.

"But why?" Ben asked, "She is… she is nothing to him."

"No." Dooku looked stunned for a second, "She is everything to Sidious." He glanced at Marth, who remained paler than a sheet, "You said Maul killed you?"

She gave him a shaky nod.

"And yet you came back to life?" Dooku asked her.

Marth shrugged, "I don't really know how it happened."

"I guarantee Sidious is curious enough to want to find out." Dooku glanced over a worried Ben, "Sidious has only cared about two things: power and achieving immortality." He nodded at Marth, "She has cheated death. And he knows." Ben and Marth both paled, "His search will have already begun."

Ben swallowed hard.

"You can no longer just ignore this Kenobi."

Ben did not reply. He hung his head as he sat still against the warehouse wall. Mind racing and reeling. He ran a weak hand through his hair and loudly exhaled.

"I don't-"

"How about I rephrase myself." Dooku snarled, "If you do not inform Chrom and Robin, I will."

"So will I." Marth nodded, "Mast- Ben, this is," She took a calming breath, "This is a lot more serious than I thought. If the old man I saw was Sidious, then he presents a threat at the same level as Grima." She let out a huff, "Now I have to deal with two of them." Her hand rubbed the back of her neck, "It just doesn't end."

"You have one week, Kenobi. One week to pull your head out of the sand and recognize that this must be done." Dooku warned Ben, "If you do not move past your fear and rise to face our enemy, then I shall do so myself. And I will take on Robin's training."

Ben's gaze snapped up at Dooku.

"You know exactly how I would teach him." Dooku threatened. The Count exhaled and nodded at Marth, "If you need anything, let me know."

Without another word, Dooku stormed back into the warehouse. Marth waited a moment and watched her Master. He looked ill. Heavy bags sat under sunken eyes. He must have not rested at all since the battle. His face had not regained any of its color.

"Master." She breathed, "We can't fight something we know nothing about." She rose to her feet, "Please, listen to Dooku. You may not like him. Hell, I don't really like him. Let alone trust him. But… he's right on this one."

Ben did not reply. He kept his eyes down. Marth closed her eyes and shook her head. He needed some time to process everything. She and Dooku had placed him in an impossible situation. But it needed to happen. Chrom, Robin, even the Khans, can not stay in the dark regarding Sidious and the threat he poses.

She opened the door to the warehouse. A messenger nearly bumped into her as she tried to enter.

"Er-pardon me ma'am." The messenger gulped, "General Kenobi!"

Ben did not notice him.

"Ben." Marth said.

"Hm?" Ben glanced over at the soldier, "Oh!" He quickly got to his feet, "Y-yes?"

"The Khans have called a war council in the harbormaster's house down the road. I was sent to fetch you."

Ben nodded, "Very well. Lead the way."

Ben followed the messenger back through the warehouse. He paused for a moment by Tharja's side. He bent over and placed a light kiss on her pale forehead before motioning for the soldier to continue walking. Marth watched her Master exited the building. She stopped beside Tharja's side as well.

Her one hand rested on the pommel of her sword. One given to her by the Khans back at Arena Ferox, since her Falchion remained broken. But it never left her side. She swallowed hard.

She had seen Sidious. Now she needed to be ready for him. And she needed to be ready for Grima. Marth could feel the stress twisting into knots in her neck.

 _I'm not going to be able to do this alone._

* * *

The Harbormaster's house was a small place near the north end of the harbor. Far too small to contain the entire war council with all of the usual captains and generals. Due to the lack of space, Khan Flavia kept this council small.

A fact Robin was somewhat grateful for. Right now, the space felt claustrophobic. Add in more people, and he felt like he would have broken out in a cold sweat. He already felt on edge from the battle. Flashes of it danced in his mind. Not a single soldier surrendered. They all fought to the death. No matter what he did, he could not stop the Valmese from doing that. If that was how the Valmese fought their wars, then this was going to be a very bloody affair. He swallowed as a knot formed in his gut. The thought of such a bloody conflict made him feel sick.

Robin drummed the fingers on his right hand against the small, square table in front of him. A little fire crackled in a stone fireplace nearby. Giving the room some much needed warmth. Cold winds came in from the sea this morning. Robin's coat helped fend off the initial bite, but he still felt some frost kiss his cheeks and chin.

Some cups of water rested in front of the various members of the war council. Most of the cups were half empty as many of the attendees were still trying to recover from the battle. Robin noticed Chrom had not touched his water. The Prince remained in his own head. Reliving the battle just like Robin did.

Robin reached for his glass and brought it to his lips.

"Ben has one of Maul's weapons." Chrom muttered. Robin choked on his water, "Did you know that?"

Robin coughed, "W-well-"

"Did you know that?" Chrom asked him, voice stern and sharp.

Robin cringed, "Yes, I did."

"And you didn't say anything because?"

Robin shrugged, "I did not think to say anything honestly."

"Did you know Dooku had one of those infernal weapons as well?"

Robin shook his head, "That I did not know. I was just as surprised as you when I saw him wielding it in the battle."

 _Although, I do not see the issue right now._

To Robin, having two allies with such a powerful weapon was a major boon to their armies. Ben and Dooku could take on dozens of soldiers on their own with those weapons. They could become unstoppable forces of destruction. Rip holes in otherwise impenetrable enemy lines and defensive positions. The lightsabers were a great thing for the tactician. The only snag would be Ben's reluctance to use it. Robin already suspected Ben used his lightsaber simply because Tharja had been in mortal danger. If pressed, he probably would refuse to wield it again. Dooku seemed to more liberally use his powers than Ben.

 _I'll have to discuss this with them at some point._ Robin thought to himself, _Strategies will be much easier to make if I have two juggernauts on the field of battle._

"You think I'm overreacting." Chrom breathed.

Robin glanced over at his friend, "Yes, actually. I do."

"That type of weapon killed Emmeryn."

"But they are not in our enemy's hands. Are they?" Robin pointed out, "They are wielded by allies. Allies that are both strong and well trained." Robin leaned back in his seat, "I trust them with the lightsabers. They obviously know the weapon better than we do."

Chrom snorted, "Lightsabers, that is what they're called?"

Robin nodded, "I've seen Ben use it once before. He fought off some Risen with it while we were searching for Luke." He noticed Chrom's concerned look. Robin sighed, "Chrom, having Ben and Dooku at full strength like that will only help us on the battlefield. I need you to trust my tactics and their judgement."

Chrom took a deep breath then nodded.

"You're right." Chrom sighed, "Ben and Dooku are allies in this war. We cannot win if we do not trust each other." He patted his hand softly against the tabletop, "But… I'm still uncertain about all of this."

Robin snorted, "You and me both. I'm still technically learning about it all." He took a breath, "Just give Ben some time. I'm sure he will talk eventually. There's no point in reopening old wounds right now."

"Right." Chrom agreed.

The door to the house opened then closed with a loud thud.

"About damn time!" Flavia grunted as Ben shuffled in. Flavia removed her feet from on top of the table, "My messenger was looking all over for you."

"I had to speak with Dooku and Marth about some private matters." Ben replied.

Chrom narrowed his gaze at Ben as the swordsman took his seat beside Khan Basilio. The one eyed Khan nodded to Ben before clearing his throat.

"Alright, everyone is here?" He gazed over the room. Noticing both Frederick and Cordelia standing off to the side, since there was no more room at the table, "Good. Then we can get down to business." He pulled a rolled up sheet of parchment from his belt and smacked it down on the table, "I planned on having a strategy discussion for the defense of Archanea against Valm. Those plans have changed."

"Why?" Flavia asked, one brow quirked as she looked at the rolled up parchment.

"I received this letter," Basilio breathed, "from the King of Plegia about one hour ago."

Chrom jolted upright in his seat, "What!?"

Robin eyed the letter with some apprehension, "This is the first time we are hearing from him. He's been quite the enigma. Does anyone know who the king is?"

"No one has a damn clue." Basilio grunted, "He is very good at keeping himself hidden. This the first time any of us have received correspondence from him. Apparently, he has become aware of the Valmese invasion and is concerned. He wants to hold a summit at his summer home in Plegia in order to discuss Plegian involvement in the war effort."

"Hell no!" Chrom barked, "We do not need their help."

Robin sighed and hung his head.

"Like it or not, Prince Chrom." Basilio replied, voice level and strong, "We cannot fight Valm on our own. They wiped out an entire garrison with ease. We only won because we caught the Valmese off guard. I have a feeling, if they knew we were coming, our losses would have been enormous. The Valmese are professionals when it comes to war. They are battle hardened veterans. Most of our soldiers are not. The Ylissean military is newly rebuilt. And ours has never been the most disciplined of fighting forces."

"You can say that again." Flavia snorted.

"Add on top of that," Basilio continued, "This invasion is coming from the sea. If we want to stop the Valmese from invading, we will have to meet them there." He pointed out the window to the small waves churning in the harbor, "And defeat them there. Sink their ships before they can bring their invasion force upon us."

"We have a few pirates." Flavia noted, "But not enough to fend off an enemy fleet. Ylisse has no warships." She nodded at Chrom, "Guess who has a fleet?"

Chrom scowled, "Plegia."

"The King mentioned the Plegian fleet in his letter." Basilio said, "It seems he knows what we are lacking and is willing to provide it upon meeting with us. On top of that, wars are expensive. You know that very well, Prince Chrom. One thing Plegia has is gold. And lots of it."

"Sand and gold. Gold and sand. That is all Plegia is." Flavia chuckled, "Their mines are putting out a ridiculous amount of the stuff at the moment. It is allowing them to easily keep up with the reparations while at the same time rebuilding their own economy."

"We need Plegian ships and gold. Regardless of how we feel about our not so neighborly neighbor, we may need their help." Basilio noted.

Robin cleared his throat, "Where is this summit going to be held?"

"The King's summer home at a place called Carrion Isle." Basilio answered.

"Charming name." Ben muttered.

Chrom shook his head, "I don't like this. Why now? There has to be another reason the King wants to meet with us beyond just wanting to help."

"There is always the possibility that Plegia chose a good king." Ben pointed out, "And that King may just be very cautious."

"Not just cautious, but cunning." Basilio pointed out, "If he is reaching out now, that means he has consolidated his power. Plegia is completely under his rule now. Which means he now has the freedom to rule as he wishes." Basilio leaned back in his seat and gestured at the rolled up parchment, "And his first act with that power is to invite us to his home. Is there another motivation beyond wanting to help against the Valmese? Probably. This is a good way of rebuilding relations with both of our nations. Something that I hope he would be keen on doing. Peace between all three of us is the best thing we can hope for at the moment."

Chrom did not miss Basilio's stern gaze focused on him. The Ylissean Prince clenched his jaw, but in the end, relented to Basilio's opinion.

"I'm not going alone." Chrom said.

"You'd be a fool if you did." Flavia snorted, "Oaf, I'll let you do the diplomatic stuff on this one. Ben, you'll go with him."

Ben nodded in understanding.

"When do we leave?" Robin asked.

"The letter said we could arrive at our leisure, but I think we should get this over with rather quickly." Basilio replied, "I'll have horses ready by dusk. We'll ride through the night and reach Carrion Isle by tomorrow evening."

"The Shepherds will be ready." Chrom nodded before rising from his seat.

"As will Gaius and Panne." Ben said.

"And Tharja?" Robin asked.

Ben shook his head, "She needs her rest. She'll stay."

Robin let out a small laugh, "Yeah, sure she will. Good luck with that Ben."

Ben rolled his eyes but said nothing. Deep down, he knew Robin was right. Tharja would be coming with. And he would be unable to stop her. The only way he could avoid that outcome was if she remained asleep when they started traveling south.

"It's settled then. At dusk, meet at the city gate to the south. We will march upon everyone's arrival." Basilio rose from his seat and looked at Flavia, "Don't screw up my army while I'm gone."

"They're my army too, Oaf." Flavia smirked back, "And they'll be ready for another fight by the time you get back."

Ben rose with Basilio. Robin got up last as Chrom marched out. As he walked out, Chrom glared at Ben for a second. Ben held Chrom's stared.

"Nice lightsaber." Chrom said before marching out of the building.

Ben's eyes followed Chrom out of the building. Robin saw his shoulders sag considerably as Chrom left. Any tension in Ben's body evaporated away and was replaced with exhaustion. Robin moved towards his friend as Basilio, Frederick, and Cordelia moved towards the door.

Frederick did not even look at Ben as he marched out. Basilio nodded at Ben, then exited. Cordelia paused and gave Ben a sympathetic look. She patted his shoulder and quickly exited as well. Robin lingered behind.

"Don't take Chrom's attitude too personally." Robin muttered as he shoved his hands in his pockets, "You and I both know he is as stubborn as a mule sometimes."

Ben sighed, "To be fair, I earned it. Maul used a lightsaber. Now I have one too. It is only natural for him to be suspicious of it."

Robin bobbed his head, "Yeah. But that doesn't make it right." He rolled his weight from his heels to his toes, then back again, "So, what did you, Dooku, and Marth talk about?"

Ben gave Robin a weary look, "It…" Robin felt Ben's usually strong, firm presence in the force flicker. A conflicted look crossed his face, "I need some time before I can talk about it Robin. I need to put everything in order."

"I can help." Robin smirked, "Putting stuff in order is kind of my job."

Ben chuckled for a moment then shook his head, "Not right now. But maybe later. There is too much going on at the moment to bring it up." He rubbed his hands together as a cold wind shot through the open doorway, "I'm going to go sit with Tharja for a while longer. Then maybe get a small nap in before the march."

"How is she by the way?" Robin asked Ben.

Ben gave Robin a small smile, "She'll be alright. Lissa and Libra have done a marvelous job, as always."

"I'm glad to hear that." Robin smiled. Ben turned to walk away, "And Ben, I meant what I said."

"I know. I know. I'll think about it Robin."

Robin gave Ben a confused look, "What? No, not that. Well… yes that, but also in regards to keeping Tharja here." Ben started laughing as Robin continued, "You'll need all the luck you can get."

Ben shook his head as he laughed some more, "If you see me with a runny nose hex later today, you'll know how that conversation went."

"I already know how it is going to go." Robin waved as Ben walked away, "I'll bring some tissue for the march!"

* * *

Morgan lips curled into a small frown as she blinked sleep from her eyes. She let out a long, loud yawn before tapping her finger against a small switch on the smooth wall nearby. A soft, yellow light illuminated the bathroom. Morgan blinked as her eyes adjusted to the light.

She could hear the constant hum of Coruscant outside. She still had not gotten used to it. This world never slept. Something always moved over the planet's surface. Vehicles constantly zipped through traffic lanes in the air. Lights always flashed outside her window. To the point where, after a few days of trying to figure out how it worked, she set a permanent tint on her windows. Not only to keep the lights out when she tried to sleep. But to also block the very bright Coruscant sun from streaming into her room.

She had been a guest in the Emperor's palace for five days now. Those five days had been an odd experience. Morgan already had a feeling that she did not belong on this planet. And her feeling was confirmed when she had no clue how anything in her room worked. It took her three hours to figure out how to turn the two lamps beside her bed on and off.

She panicked for about an hour when she had to use the bathroom really badly. Thankfully, one of the palace guards showed her what a toilet was and how it worked. She went two days without bathing herself because the shower had been a complete mystery to her. She managed to figure that one out on her own. Although, she also had to deal with scalding hot water hitting her bare skin at first.

Morgan winced at that memory. Her back still stung. But finally, after five days of curious discovery and wonder, she managed to figure out her room. Tap the switches on the wall, the soft lights would turn on. Pull the lever over the basin, water would come out of the spout. Same rules applied for the small shower to her left. If she wanted sunlight, she simply had to march over to a small screen on the wall beside the expansive windows and punch in the correct code. The tint would go away and she could bask in the sun's warmth.

Speaking of the sun, it had not risen yet. Morgan had discovered she was an early riser. But that early rising also lent itself to rough mornings. Her body felt heavy whenever she tried to wake up. It took all of her willpower and determination to fight off waves of sleep that attempted to claim her mind. Splashing her face with cold water helped stave off the sleepiness.

The cold water smacked into her pale face like a hard slap. Morgan let out a loud, refreshed gasp as her heavy eyes shot open.

 _Much better._ She nodded to herself as she smiled at her reflection.

A small chime sounded from a screen in the bathroom wall.

" _Good morning, Miss Morgan._ "

She did not pay any attention as the disembodied, mechanical voice rattled off the date and time to her. The names for the days and the time still did not make sense to her. It just sounded wrong to Morgan. She had a feeling a new week started on this planet. Because it was the first time she heard the same name for a day repeated to her. But she also felt so out of place.

 _Shouldn't a week be seven days not five?_

" _You have one new message."_

Morgan blinked. A message? She did not have one of those before.

" _Emperor Palpatine requests your presence later this evening at the Coruscant Opera House. He also apologizes for not visiting or asking for you sooner. There was a lot of business he had to see to recently."_

"That's okay." Morgan shrugged.

A small beep sounded back at her.

" _Wonderful!"_ The voice chirped startling Morgan. Did this thing have intelligence? She narrowed her eyes at it.

 _Is it watching me?_

" _I shall inform the Emperor that you have agreed to his summons and that you are not offended."_

The voice clicked off. Morgan eyed the screen. She lowered her head so that she stared directly into the dark screen. She could make out her own faint reflection in the glass. But the display that had been up had disappeared. With a small amount of trepidation, she tapped the glass surface.

" _Yes, Miss Morgan?"_

Morgan uttered a startled cry, took a few panicked steps backwards, slipped on the rug beneath her feet, and fell into a heap in her shower. Her eyes spun as she lay still on the cold tiles. The shower buzzed and freezing water rained down on her face.

A long groan left her lungs.

" _Do you require assistance, Miss Morgan?"_

"Nope." Morgan wheezed as she raised a thumb, "I'll be good."

Her hand fell to her side. Morgan let out a weak groan as more water pelted her face and clothes. She blinked some droplets from her green eyes and sighed.

"Well, I wanted to take a shower anyway."

After freshening up and getting dressed, Morgan slipped her coat over her shoulders and took a seat on her bed. Her coat seemed so different from the clothes provided to her. The clothing she wore beneath the coat had a slick, slim look to it. Glossy, black trousers and a form fitting white shirt with long sleeves. She kept her old leather boots. But she also made sure to polish them. They could not look dirty if the Emperor of the galaxy wanted to see her.

After polishing her boots, she jumped to her feet and skipped over to the full length mirror opposite of her bed. A small frown fell over her lips. Her coat really stood out. The purple and gold fabric appeared very out of place alongside the more muted colors she wore. She pondered not wearing it for a moment. Then shook her head.

 _Nope. I came into this world with this coat. I'm not getting rid of it now._

She turned on her heel and marched towards her door. She tapped a small button near the door. The door hissed open. Morgan smiled a little bit. The way the door just hissed into the wall always made her giddy. It looked so cool.

She peeked her head out of her room. She noticed two guards standing out in front of her room. They wore the same strange armor. Black and shiny. Impeccably put together. Strange weapons cradled in their arms. They looked almost like black, blunted sticks. And their heads were hidden behind rather unsettling looking masks with an intimidating expression on it. She heard their strange warbled speech before stepping out to say hi.

"Good morning, guys!" She chirped.

The two black armored guards glanced at each other.

"So," The door to Morgan's room hissed closed behind her. She leaned back against the closed door and flashed a bright grin at both soldiers, "How are you today?"

She heard a small click come from one of their helmets.

"Well, Morgan." The guard to her right replied.

The guard to her left warbled at him in that strange, muffled language. The guard to her right answered him. Almost as if they were in a small argument. Morgan glanced back and forth between the two as they warbled and snapped at each other. The guard to her left clicked.

"Miss Morgan, we have been instructed to remain by your side for the day until you meet with the Emperor at the Opera House. We would appreciate it if you did not make your movements very erratic today."

 _Erratic?_ She blinked.

Oh… they did not like her little expeditions throughout the palace. She enjoyed exploring this massive place. There was just so much to see and discover. One of her personal favorite discoveries had been the Emperor's massive library filled with strange texts. A lot of which she could not understand. The language being different from her own and all. But some she figured out thanks to a translator… thingy... that resided in the library.

 _I think that's where I'm gonna go today actually._

"Okay." Morgan said, "I'm just wanna go to the library before going to the opera." She frowned as she started walking. The guards remained by her side, "By the way, do either of you know what an opera is?"

Her right guard glanced at the left.

"A theatrical production. Usually very fancy." The guard on the left replied.

"Oh! Like musical theater!? How fun!" Morgan spun around, "You two will be coming with right?"

They did not reply. Morgan shrugged.

"Alright. Your loss then."

She skipped down some stairs, through a long corridor, and reached a large, wooden door at the end of the corridor. Morgan shoved the doors open. An enormous smile rushed over her lips.

She loved this room. Even though she could not read or understand half of the texts here, she felt so at home among all of this knowledge. Bookshelves lined the walls. All of them towered from floor to ceiling. Each one filled with books, tomes, and strange data pads that Morgan still did not know how to work correctly. She tried reading one once. But it just screamed at her for some reason.

She rushed through the bookshelves. Looking for a new, interesting book to read. She eventually stopped at the twelfth row of shelves. Her eyes roved different leather spines and data pads. As she looked, she suddenly felt something tug at her mind. Morgan cocked an eyebrow. It felt like something was calling her.

Morgan turned around. She blinked as her eyes settled on a brown box resting on one of the shelves. Morgan glanced back and forth. Her guards did not seem to notice the box. They probably did not care.

She crossed the aisle and carefully reached for the box. She swiftly retracted her hand when the box hissed, releasing some pressure into the air. The lid popped open ever so slightly.

Morgan gave the box a curious look.

 _Is this thing intelligent too?_

Whatever called her before beckoned her once again. It came from the box. Morgan raised one hand and gently pried the lid open.

Inside the box, sitting on a bed of soft, protective cloth, was a strange metal and glass pyramid. A dull, red light emanated from the center of the pyramid. Morgan stared at the object with both wonder and caution.

She had passed through this aisle of books before. And she had not seen this box during those times. Someone put this here. But why? And what was this strange ornament inside of the box?

 _Why do I get the feeling I should leave this thing alone?_

Morgan gulped. A voice, soft and sweet, strangely seductive, called to her from the pyramid. Morgan felt completely entranced by it. With a shaking hand, she reached for the pyramid and grasped it.

The dull red light flashed bright and vibrant. Morgan dropped the pyramid. The light returned to it more dormant color. She blinked and stared at the ornament with fascination.

"What are you?" She wondered out loud.

She reached out and touched the pyramid again. This time, she did not let go of it. She gently brought it out of its box and cradled it between her fingers. Her green eyes glowed in the red light it generated. She could feel a power stir inside of her. Almost like magic. But more ancient. Darker than the simple fire and thunder spells her spellbook possessed.

She glanced over at her guards. They remained still. Either unaware or uncaring. Morgan shrugged. She would not be reading a book today. She would spend her day figuring out just what this ornament was.

She swept out of the bookshelves and over to a soft chair at the end of the shelves. She sank down into the leather seat and held the pyramid shaped ornament in front of her face.

It was not very big. Almost about the size of her palm in width. About as tall as her two fists put together. The edges were rigid and firm. The glass almost ghostly in appearance. The red light pulsed as she focused her mind more on the strange ornament.

A whisper brushed against her thoughts. It startled Morgan. She gasped as a dark power brushed past her. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on a end as a slight chill filled the air around her. She gulped and continued staring at the center of the pyramid.

"What are you?"

A loud gasp left her lips as the corners to the pyramid twisted. The faces of the pyramid split open, revealing the ruby red core on the inside. Morgan's chest rose and fell in heavy breaths as a power unlike anything she had ever felt before cascaded around her. Slammed into her. Wrapped around her. The whisper returned.

She dropped the pyramid. It closed before it hit the ground. Morgan swallowed hard as she looked down at the pyramid with both curiosity and fear. Something was alive inside of it. An ethereal presence called that ornament home.

 _Was I supposed to disturb it like that?_

Morgan gulped and reached for the pyramid again. This time, she grabbed it and buried it inside of her coat. She would spend more time investigating this later. Already she felt a cold sheen of sweat forming on her forehead. She could not afford to appear before the Emperor disheveled.

 _A book will do for now._

She got lost in a tome after a few hours. A history text actually. Something about a battle near at a place called Ruusan. And the political turmoil and resolution that occurred afterwards. She was especially curious about a group of people called the Jedi that were mentioned in the text. A group of warrior monks from the sounds of things.

 _How interesting._

A loud click caught her attention.

"Miss Morgan." One of her guards droned, "It is time to go see the Emperor."

Morgan looked up and out a nearby vertical window.

 _Oh wow!_ The sun started to set beneath the city skyline. _I really did get lost in this text._

She smacked the book closed then carefully returned it to its shelf. With a small nod, she followed her guards out of the library, down a series of corridors, into the palace's main hall, then out onto the enormous set of stairs that led up to the palace's main entry.

One of those strange vehicles Morgan often saw flying outside of her window hovered at the base of the stairs. A sleek, silver vehicle with an open cab and plush, black seats. A strange, skeletal, metallic being sat at the wheel. Morgan glanced at her guards.

"Uh… what is this thingy exactly?"

"A speeder." The guard on her right said.

Morgan blinked, "And uh… what does a speeder do?"

"You'll see." The guard on the left remarked as he opened the door to the speeder for her.

Morgan hesitated then stepped inside of the speeder. She took a seat beside the pilot. The pilot glanced at her. It's glowing, yellow eyes stared at her unblinking.

"Uh… hi." Morgan said.

" _Greetings, Miss Morgan. I am your pilot."_

Morgan sucked in a sharp breath. The pilot just talked without a mouth.

"It is a droid, Miss Morgan." One of the guards explained.

 _What the hell is a droid!?_

Morgan uttered a yelp as the speeder hovered off the ground. The knuckles on her hands turned white as her grip on the armrests tightened.

At first she was terrified. The speed that they flew through the air boggled her mind. Everything around her zipped past her vision in a complete blur. But as her panic died away, it was replaced by exhilaration. Morgan's clenched jaw relaxed. And a thrilled smile replaced her previously terrified look. Morgan raised her hands to the sky as the speeder shot towards a very fancy, dome shaped building nearby.

"Woohoo!" Morgan cheered happily as the speeder descended down to the steps in front of the domed building.

The speeder came to smooth, easy stop. Morgan beamed as she hopped out of the speeder before her guards could open the door for her. Once she set foot on the ground again, she wobbled, corrected her balance, and gave the droid pilot a sheepish grin.

"Nice er… driving. Or is it flying? Um.." She waved at the droid, "Thanks!"

" _You are welcome."_

Morgan turned away from the droid. Her jaw dropped.

Aliens… everywhere. Creatures she could not even begin to imagine strolled up the steps towards the buildings main entrance. All of them dressed in rich clothing that made her feel very out of place in her ratty coat and boots. Some of those aliens gave her a wary glance. They quickly averted their gazes when her guards stepped by her side.

"Huh." Morgan glanced at her guards, "You guys must be scary to them."

She thought she heard a small chuckle come from both of them as they guided her up the steps. She gawked at every sight, sound, and people around her as she was escorted into the building then onto a small platform. Morgan froze when the platform whooshed up into the air and came to an abrupt stop much higher up than it once was.

"A turbo-lift." One of her guards said, noticing her surprised expression.

"Oh." Morgan mouthed.

She marched off of the turbo-lift and walked with her guards down a hall lined with rich red colors and artwork. Through the walls, she heard a melodic drone and soft instruments coming from nearby. Morgan opened her mouth to ask what the noise was. Before she could, her guards stopped in front of a door indented into the wall. Standing beside the door were two guards clothed in red robes. Metal pikes rested by their side. Faceless red helmets with black visors stared down at her.

"Uh…hi." Morgan waved.

Her guards warbled at the men in red. The two red robed guards glanced at each other then nodded. One of them motioned for Morgan to walk ahead as the door hissed open in front of her.

Morgan's jaw fell open as she stepped forward.

The opera house had to be even bigger than the Imperial Palace. Seats lined the dome shaped walls around her. Each seat filled with different beings. Too many to even properly describe.

And the performance was unlike anything Morgan had ever seen or heard of before. Morgan could only describe what she saw to be a giant trio of bubbles floating at the center of the dome. Dancing between the bubbles, dashing in and out of them, were strange, almost angelic looking creatures with voices that snagged at her heartstrings and made her stare in awe and wonder.

It took the voice of a kind old man to drag her away from the scope and beauty of the performance.

"Ah, Morgan!"

Morgan blinked and looked ahead of her. Glancing back at her as he sat in a chair, was a kind looking old man. He had a somewhat balding head. But he still had some gray hair along his scalp and around the back and sides of his head. Blue eyes looked back at her. Smiling eyes that made her feel completely relaxed.

The old man waved to her.

"Come, come, take a seat."

Morgan hesitated. Wasn't she supposed to sit with-

 _Holy crap that guy is the Emperor!_

She gulped and walked around him. Morgan sank down into a chair next to the Emperor. She glanced over at him again as he watched the performance at the center of the opera house. Now that Morgan got a closer look, he did not appear that old. Probably in his mid sixties. He had a few worry lines along his forehead. Crows feet lined the edges of his eyes. And he had a few wrinkles near the corners of his mouth. But all around, he appeared very kind, even comforting.

A far cry from his first appearance to Morgan. When he had been shrouded in shadows and dark robes.

The old man smirked a little bit.

"The robes are much more informal." The Emperor said. As if he read her thoughts, "I prefer to wear comfortable attire around the palace. But for occasions such as this, I am required to wear more formal attire. Although, I did take your advice and decided to lose the shadowy bits to my normal clothing. I hope I look less… what did you say before? Ah yes, creepy. I think I look a little less creepy now."

Morgan gave the Emperor a sheepish smile, "Well um… sorry about that I-"

He uttered a friendly laugh, "There is no need to apologize, Morgan. You made an accurate observation. I want you to feel relaxed when in my company. Not on edge at all." He raised his brow as he looked past her, "Oh before I forget." He nodded at the other three occupied chairs, "You are not my only guest."

Morgan glanced over at the other three seats. The first person she saw was an extremely pale, thin looking man wearing heavy, white robes. His head was bald and his strange eyes were ringed with purple. Next to him sat a hulking, blue alien with long, blue montrails ran down from the crown of his head over his chest. He also wore heavy robes. But dark colored. A staff rested by his leg. Finally, sitting on the far end, was a normal human. Older, like the Emperor. But not as old as the ruler. He had a gaunt face and thin frame. His eyes looked like they sank into his head. But they also held a keen sharpness to them as he studied Morgan.

"May I present Sly Moore, Mas Amedda, and Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin."

Morgan gave all three a small wave, "Hello."

The two alien looking men merely nodded at her. Tarkin reached past them with an outstretched hand.

"A pleasure to meet you, Morgan." He shook her hand.

"Likewise!" She beamed.

Tarkin nodded and returned his attention to the opera. The Emperor sighed.

"Such a lovely performance, don't you agree?"

Morgan nodded as she listened to the siren songs around her, "It's beautiful."

The Emperor smiled, "I have seen this performance many times before. But for some reason, I always come back to see it again. There is something about the serenity that captures the mind and speaks to the soul." He let out a happy sigh, "I enjoy spending my days with such things. Tell me, Morgan. What have you been doing while staying at the palace?"

Morgan blinked, "O-oh well…" She folded her hands in her lap as some nervousness filled her, "I'm not sure if I was supposed to or not, but I found your library."

"Did you now." The Emperor smirked, "So you are someone who enjoys literature?"

"Not just literature. I like non-fiction too!" Morgan replied, "I especially enjoy books on tactics and history. I find them completely fascinating."

"Really?"

"Yes! The tactics books especially. The ones I can understand at least. They remind me of…" She trailed off, "They remind me of my father. Who I… can't really remember."

The Emperor gave her a sympathetic look, "The amnesia has not abated at all?"

Morgan shook her head, "No. I try to think of stuff from my past. But I only manage to get a really bad headache whenever I try." She sighed, "I guess I'll just have to let it all come back naturally."

"Perhaps I can assist with such a thing." The Emperor said, "I happen to have access to the best medical science in the galaxy. Maybe one of my doctors can figure out what is going on?"

Morgan blinked, "R-really?"

The Emperor nodded, "And… if nothing else, then we can try some other methods beyond traditional medicine."

Morgan arched an eyebrow, "Other methods?"

The Emperor nodded, "You impressed me the other day, Morgan. You utilized a power that is very rare in the galaxy." The Emperor glanced at his other three guest, "Leave us."

Without a word of protest, all three rose from their seats and left.

"Why are they-"

"The power you wield Morgan is not exactly smiled upon in the galaxy at this moment in time." The Emperor explained, "I do not want the wrong ears hearing what we are going to discuss."

Morgan nodded, "Okay." She leaned onto her armrest as she faced the Emperor, "And what are we going to discuss?"

The Emperor smirked, "You see, I just so happen to have that power you used as well. It is called The Force."

Morgan pursed her lips, "That… rings a bell for some reason."

"You were likely trained a little bit in its ways before you lost your memory. I am also very well trained in the force. And if traditional methods of curing your amnesia fail, then we can explore methods with the Force. There are abilities and powers I know that can tap into your mind and perhaps unlock what has been locked away." He folded his hands, "However, such methods can be rather invasive. I want to exhaust other options first. For your own safety and comfort." The Emperor pressed his lips together, "That, and maybe you could even learn those abilities yourself." He glanced at Morgan as her eyes widened.

"Cure myself with the Force?" She asked.

The Emperor nodded, "Yes. Anything is possible if one knows how to utilize the Force to its fullest potential."

Morgan sat up in her seat, "How do I learn?" She asked quickly.

The Emperor chuckled, "You are quite eager. That is good. Your voracious appetite for knowledge will serve you well." He took a breath, "I would be more than happy to instruct you Morgan."

Morgan blinked, "R-really?"

"Yes, really." The Emperor said, "However, I must stress that if you become my student, you must listen to everything I say. You must obey what I say when I say it. The Force, especially the side you and I are proficient in, can be a rather dangerous ally. You must be prepared for many trials and tribulations in your efforts to control and use the power you possess." He smiled at her, "I think you already had a taste of the knowledge you seek. After all, I was in my library earlier today. I was studying an ornament with a connection to the Force. And I think I accidentally left it there." He tapped the side of his head, "Sometimes the old brain misses things."

Morgan chuckled, "My brain is missing everything. So yours can't be that bad."

The Emperor nodded, "Quite." He was silent for a minute as another verse in the Opera soared through the air. When it quiet again, he glanced at Morgan, "So, do you wish to learn? Or do you want to try other methods first?"

Morgan pressed her lips into a thin line. Something in her mind screamed at her to just take the usual medicine or procedures for amnesia. But her heart yearned to learn more. And as thoughts of learning to control the Force hit her mind, she could not help but feel excited. A strange power only she and the Emperor knew about? And the Emperor himself was willing to teach her? It sounded like a once in a lifetime opportunity. A way to grow stronger so that she could face down any threat. Like the strange monsters that attacked her and the Emperor in the royal palace.

She could grow more powerful and cure her amnesia at the same time. It seemed too good to be true.

Something crept through her mind. She felt it for the briefest of moments as some doubt danced through her head. It faded away. Her doubt went with it. What was she so nervous about? This could only be a good thing.

"When do I start?" She asked the Emperor with a smile.

The Emperor chuckled, "We will start tomorrow. For now, enjoy the show."

She leaned back and watched the opera dance in front of her eyes. Before she became completely captured by the majesty of it all, the Emperor leaned over to her.

"You know, I foresee you becoming the greatest of my students."

Morgan puffed up a little as pride filled her. She did not reply. Only smiled, leaned back, and enjoyed the show.

 **And chapter! Ooooooh, we've got some good stuff going on now! The Hierophant and Validar are about to meet Ben, Chrom, Robin, and the gang for the first time. Dooku has laid down an ultimatum to Ben. The war with Valm is starting to escalate. And across the galaxy, the Emperor may have a new apprentice. I'm so excited to write this you all have no idea!  
Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	81. Family Heirloom

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 81

Family Heirloom

"I like this cave." Cynthia chirped as Brady worked on putting a fire together.

This cave saved their lives again. And Cynthia felt eternally grateful for it. The group reached the mountains after a grueling five day march west out of Koto. It had rained the entire way. And the rain only intensified as they got closer to the green, mountain peaks.

The rainy season hit Chon'sin full force during their march. Rivers flooded. Which made traveling through the lowlands of Chon'sin perilous. Once they reached the forested hills at the foot of the mountains, the flooded land turned to mud. Thick, gooey mud. Cynthia could still feel a thick wad of it stuck in between her toes.

Cynthia huffed as more mud dripped from her boots. She would not have gotten so muddy if she had not walked beside her pegasus for so long. Her loyal steed carried both Say'ri and Prince Kage while their other horse carried their supplies and travel gear.

 _Part of me wishes I was meaner and demanded to ride my own pegasus._ Cynthia thought.

"I don't like this cave." Luke grumbled as he slumped against one of the rocky walls and sank down to a seat.

Cynthia flopped down beside Luke and started unlacing her boots.

She rolled her eyes, "Of course you don't. You've got bad memories of this place." She wrenched one of her boots free and started shaking mud out of it, "You almost died here."

"Yeah, don't remind me." Luke snorted.

"Remind me." Noire commented as she stepped inside of the cave. She let her bow slide off of her left shoulder. Her brown hair matted against her scalp and forehead thanks to the torrential downpour, "I kind of enjoyed seeing you in agony."

Luke glared at Noire as she walked past him and over to Brady. The priest cursed as he struggled to spark the wet tinder. Noire knelt down beside him and snatched the flint from his hands.

"Let me do it." She grumpily remarked.

"Hmph," Brady folded his arms, "Like you could do bett-"

Bright, yellow and orange flames sparked as Noire struck the flint once. Brady blinked and glanced over at Noire. The brown haired archer smirked, tossed him the flint back, and took a seat beside the now roaring fire.

Brady flicked his eyes down at the flint.

"You cheated!" He cried.

"Did not." Noire replied as she held her hands close to the fire in an attempt to dry herself off.

"You used magic!"

Noire arched an eyebrow, "Brady, do you see a tome anywhere in my possession?"

"I-well- you-" Brady huffed, " Fine… you win."

Noire snickered, "Yes. Yes I do."

The archer sighed and rubbed her hands together. Naga, she felt cold. The rain chilled her to the bone. It did not help that she didn't really have a coat or a cloak to throw over her shoulders. She shivered and inched closer to the warm flames. As she squatted in front of the fire, Prince Kage walked over and took a seat beside her.

"Hi Noire." He chirped before letting out a big yawn.

Noire chuckled, "I think you mean, goodnight Noire."

"I'm not sleepy." He yawned again. One little hand rubbed his right eye.

Noire snickered and ruffled his hair with her hand, "Sure you're not."

She nodded over at Say'ri. The Chon'sin Princess let out a small sigh as she walked over to Kage.

"Come on." She picked up the sleepy prince, "I've got your mat all set up."

Say'ri moved over to her and Kage's sleeping mats. Noire's lips parted into a small smile as she watched Say'ri tuck the tired Prince beneath a blanket.

"Why can't you be that nice to me?"

Noire's smile ran away from her face. She glared over at Luke.

"Because, you're a traitorous asshole who refuses to return something that is mine."

Brady arched an eyebrow, "He stole from you too?" He glared over at Luke, "Have ya got no shame?"

"Contrary to popular belief, I never stole anything from any of you." Luke grumbled as he folded his arms over hsi chest.

Beside him, Cynthia shook more mud out of her boots. A thick glob of it hit the cave floor with a loud plop. A heavy sigh left her lips.

"It's going to be squishy still in the morning."

"You may not have stolen my father's lightsaber," Noire began. Beside her, Brady sucked in a sharp breath, "But you refuse to give it back to me."

"I told you," Luke stared hard at Noire, "I will give it back to you as soon as you are properly trained." He rested his arms on his knees as he sat against the cave wall, "And I am more than willing to teach you."

Noire scowled at him, "You really think I want to learn anything from you? The monster that betrayed us. Whose betrayal and cowardice led to the death of my father and the fall of Ylisstol to Grima."

"Please." Luke rolled his eyes, "You and I both know that as soon as Grima regained his full strength we would not win. Your father, Maul, Lucina, even Exalt Lissa, they all were fighting against the inevitable." Noire eyes blazed with anger as he spoke, "Like it or not, we were going to lose that war. And Kenobi was going to die in it."

Noire snapped an open palm in his direction. Luke's head snapped back as an invisble fist punched him hard in the jaw. Stars danced in his eyes as the back of his head cracked against the cave wall. Cynthia let out a loud gasp.

"Noire!"

"Quit defending him, Cynthia." Noire grumbled as she got to her feet and marched out of the cave.

"Where do ya think you're going!?" Brady hollered after her as he stayed near the fire. Noire did not acknowledge him as she marched out of the cave and back into the rainstorm, "I swear to Naga if you catch a cold I ain't healing ya!"

She walked too far away to hear him. Brady cursed under his breath.

"I'm gonna have to heal her." He clicked his tongue and reached for his bottle of sake, "Gods damn it all." He took a long swig from his bottle and let out a satisfied sigh as the burning liquid ran down his throat, "So," he glanced over at Luke and Cynthia, "You have her old man's weapon?"

Luke sighed, "I had no idea it was Kenobi's until Maul told me. By that point I had it for a number of years, and Maul had a firm grip on my mind."

Brady snorted, "Still wouldn't have stopped ya from giving it back."

"Tell that to Maul." Luke snarled.

"Both of you enough." Say'ri snapped, "We are all weary from the journey. We can discuss this with clearer heads in the morning."

Cynthia rose to her feet as Luke leaned back against the rocks beside him. Luke's yellow eyes followed her as she marched over to her pegasus and rummaged through their travel gear. She grabbed a cloak and threw it over her shoulders.

Luke sighed and got to his feet

"Cynthia…"

"Noire can't be out there alone." Cynthia muttered, "Brady obviously isn't following her."

"I don't wanna catch cold!"

Cynthia rolled her eyes, "Ever the gentleman." She drew in a deep breath, "Say'ri is staying near Kage. And if you go near Noire, she might kill you."

Luke snorted, "She could try."

Cynthia frowned at him. Luke let out a small sigh before he wrapped his arms around her back. He felt her arms snake around his waist as her vibrant eyes stared up at his own.

"You aren't gonna stop me." She breathed.

Luke bobbed his head, "I figured as much. Just don't wander too far. And be careful."

Cynthia smiled and craned her head so she could kiss him. In the background, Brady gagged.

"I will be."

Cynthia's arms fell from Luke's waist. She smiled again, threw the hood of her cloak up over her head, and marched out into the rainstorm outside of the cave. She dissapeared into the dark forest after a few steps. The rain falling took hard for anyone to see more than a few feet in front of them.

Luke reached out with the force and felt Cynthia's presence. Happy as always. A touch concerned. Mischievous. He chuckled. She always had that mischievousness inside of her. She got that streak from her Aunt Lissa. Those two were master schemers and pranksters.

"You know something." Brady spoke, cutting off Luke's concentration. Luke glanced over at the priest. Brady took a sip of his sake, "Seing you smile is one of the most disconcerting things I've ever seen."

Luke scowled at Brady, "Do you ever have any compliments?"

"Not for a dumbass like you." Brady snorted.

Luke arched an eyebrow, "Dumbass? I thought I was the asshole."

Brady nodded as he sipped his sake again, "Oh, you're definitely both."

Luke frowned, "How so?"

Brady started to chuckle, "Cynthia plays you like a damn fiddle."

Luke furrowed his brow. What could the priest possibly mean by that? He placed his hands on his hips. One hand brushed against the scabbard that held the sword Yen'fay gave him. The other brushed against his bare, leather belt and one of the two lightsabers he had.

Luke blinked. Only one lightsaber hung at his hip. He glanced down at his hip. Realization dawned on his face as Brady laughed some more.

"You wanna know the best part?" Brady chuckled.

Luke grit his teeth.

"You can't go anywhere. Cause I'm about to get piss drunk." Brady waved his sake over towards where Say'ri and Kage slept, "And they can't be left alone with me like that. So you can't go after her."

"I can do what I want." Luke growled as he threw his hood up over his head.

"Sure you can. But what would the good General have to say about you abandoing your younger self and your sister over a stupid sword?" Brady remarked as Luke reached the cave's mouth.

Luke froze.

Brady smirked as he flicked the cap to his bottle, "You ain't the only one capable of blackmail."

Luke's fist curled up by his sides.

"Relax, Luke." Brady finally sighed, "Take a seat by the fire. I'll even share a drink with you."

Luke turned around. He marched stiffly over to the fire and sat down beside Brady, absolutely furious.

Brady chuckled some more, "Get any redder in the face, and I might start thinking that I got ya blushing."

Luke's eyes blazed. Brady gulped.

"No need to get so offended. Naga, you've really got a stick up your butt nowadays, don't ya?"

Brady spread his legs out and leaned back on his elbows. He offered his sake. Luke declined. Brady shrugged.

"Suit yourself. This is good stuff." Brady smacked his lips together as an awkward silence hung in the air.

"She's gonna get it." Luke growled as he stared into the flames.

Brady arched an eyebrow, "Ya may wanna rephrase that."

Luke blinked.

"There are many different connotations of that phrase. One of which involves something Cynthia would really enjoy."

Luke threw a wild punch at Brady. The priest ducked out of the way. Small, amused laughs left the priest's lungs. Luke glared at him. In the blink of an eye, Luke reached out and swiped Brady's sake from his hand.

He held it out over the fire. Brady paled.

"Now hold on, let's not get hasty." Brady swallowed hard, "What I meant to say was, you ain't gonna hurt Cynthia."

Luke frowned, "I said nothing about hurting her. Yelling, probably."

He tossed the bottle back over to Brady. Brady bobbled the hot glass in his hands before letting it fall into the his robe covered lap. A long sigh left Brady's lips.

"Now I gotta wait for it to cool down." He huffed, "Well, since I gotta wait, why don't I play priest." He folded his hands, "You've got issues, Luke."

Luke rolled his eyes, "And you are drunk."

Brady snorted, "It takes more than that to get me drunk, you know that." Brady rested his head on his right hand, "So, from what I've seen in the past few months, you've got anger issues, lying issues, and all around, you're an asshole to the nth degree."

"Oh please, keep insulting me. See where that gets you." Luke grumbled.

"You ain't a pleasant person." Brady sighed, "And… I don't remember ya being that way. Were you and I always good friends? Hell no. I'll be the first to admit that. I personally found ya and your justice cabal damn irritating." He saw Luke irked by that comment. But Brady ignored the venomous glare he recieved. "But you were never such a prick before." He gave Luke a curious look, "So, what the hell happened during the three years you were alone with Maul?"

Pure hatred flashed over Luke's face. An all encompassing rage accompanied his question. It consumed the young Sith beside him. A chill swept through the cave and slammed into Brady's form. Crawling over his skin and down his spine. Luke's fists clenched in his lap. Despite the roaring fire, Brady felt cold. And for some strange reason, terrified.

Luke gave the fire an unblinking stare.

"Silence then?" Brady croaked as he recovered from the sudden onslaught that left him momentarily paralyzed, "Well, ya ain't gonna get over it that way."

"I'm," Luke struggled to contain his own fury, "well aware." He glanced over at Brady, "Why do you think I have been training with Yen'fay so much."

"Cause ya wish to form a brotherly connection with someone that ya never really knew?" Brady replied.

"Obviously. But," Luke clenched his jaw, "there is more to it than that."

Brady furrowed his brow. Luke struggled with something. It toyed with his mind constantly. Brady could see his yellow eyes flicking to and fro throughout the cave. As if he was constantly on alert. Constantly waiting for danger to appear. The very mention of Maul set him on edge.

"Luke," Brady sat a little taller, "What the hell happened during the three years you were away from us?"

Luke swallowed hard. He inhaled deep. Exhaled long and hard. His blazing eyes focused on the fire in front of him. His hands flexed into fists, then relaxed, then flexed again into tight balls of rage.

"Maul corrupted me." Luke finally answered, "He got his wish."

Brady sat mute beside Luke. He would not pressed the guy for details. But he would wait for him to continue talking. Once the first words spilled out, Luke would not stop.

"We arrived near these mountains." Luke explained, "Had no idea what year it was when we got here. All we knew was that the time portal Maul conjured succeeded in transporting us to a time before Grima and his horde stormed the planet. We reached a nearby village and asked for the date and location." Luke grimaced, "Maul was furious at the time. He did not want to arrive early. He wanted to arrive at the same time that Kenobi joined the Shepherds. His goal the entire time was to destroy him."

"Destroy him?" Brady asked.

Luke nodded, "Ben Kenobi and Maul were very old enemies. They fought each other long before Ben even joined the Shepherds. He won at that time. In the words of my… master, he destroyed Maul. Broke him. Maul clung to his hatred in order to survive. And when he survived, he made it his life's goal to get revenge on Kenobi."

"Grima got in the way of that during our timeline. Maul recognized that the Fell Dragon was the greater threat. And for a time, he decided to work with Kenobi. But he also realized what we all should of realized sooner." Luke glanced away from the fire and over at Brady, "We were never going to defeat Grima. We would all die and join his horde. Forever enslaved to that monster." Luke shook his head, "Maul would not have that. Not unless he got his revenge as well. The only way he could get that revenge was by taking everything away from Kenobi. So, he devised a plan to go back to the past and take everything he loved before Grima could." Luke pursed his lips, "He nearly suceeded."

"But, like I said, we arrived too early. So, we had to wait for Ben to join the Shepherds. And so, for three years, Maul and I trained." Luke's eyes glazed over momentarily. Brady could see a twinge of fear on his face as he recalled those horrible years, "The Dark side of the Force is pain." Luke breathed, "It is anger and hatred. The only way to power is to embrace those feelings. Embrace the pain and suffering inflicted upon you. Through that pain and the hatred it brings, you shall recieve power unimaginable."

Brady's eyes widened. That was Maul's teachings? That was his creed? Brady suppressed a shiver. It sounded barbaric. Animalistic and inhumane.

Luke glanced over at Brady. Some of the rage had died in his eyes. Replaced by a melancholy and fear that made the normally intimidating Sith seem more human.

"How do you think he inflicted the necessary amount of pain?"

Brady swallowed hard, "He tortured you?"

Luke gave him a small nod, "Mentally, physically," He clenched his jaw, "with the force and with brute strength." He scoffed. "That old monster had plenty of strength in him." Luke shook his head, "I had no way of fighting it. He broke me mentally. Shattered everything about myself. Destroyed everything I was and rebuilt me into something he wanted. A tool designed to bring about Kenobi's destruction." Luke swallowed hard. The fire spat some embers out at him. He hardly flinched, "And I let it happen."

Brady furrowed his brow. This explained a lot. It explained the drastic change in demeanor he saw in his former friend. Luke, in the future, had been like Cynthia, Morgan, and Owain. A prankster to the core. Always looking for trouble and mischief. Always had strong bonds with all of them. Even Brady himself, as much as he hated to admit it.

Maul tore that all down. Destroyed the kid Brady, Cynthia, and Noire grew up with. Molded a monster in his place. Brady could not help but be stunned at just how succesful Maul was. What kind of torture did he subject Luke to? Brady could hardly fathom it.

"Ya-," Brady cleared his throat. He grabbed the still warm sake bottle and held it out to Luke. Luke plucked it and opened the cap, "Ya shouldn't blame yourself."

Luke took a long drink from the bottle. He winced and let out a loud exhale as the sake ran burning trails down his throat.

"I chose that path." Luke reminded Brady, "I followed Maul willingly. I could have said no and stayed." Luke handed the bottle back to Brady, "But I was too tempted by the power he promised. I wanted that power. I wanted to be the most powerful being in existence. So that I could destroy Grima. Save the world." A bitterness took his voice, "Ben Kenobi denied me that chance. Maul offered me what I desired and I took it. In the end, all of the suffering I have been through and caused falls on my shoulders. There is no hiding or denying that fact."

Brady pressed his lips into a line, "Maybe. There sure is a lot of responsibility for this screw up on your shoulders. But… ya couldn't control what Maul did to ya. Hell, ya could not have known he was truly that monstrous. I mean, I knew he was bad news but…" Brady sighed, "I didn't think he was that insane. That evil."

"Neither did I." Luke nodded, "He fooled all of us."

"Thank Naga he's dead." Brady grunted as he took a drink of sake, "And now that he ain't around, ya got a chance to make things right. I guess I can tell ya have started doing." Brady exhaled, "And somehow, screwing Cynthia has helped."

"I'm about to punch you."

"Let me finish." Brady raised a hand, "Cynthia's got an effect on people. She always managed to cheer us all up, even in that hellish future we came from. You know that. We may have gotten annoyed with her. But that annoyance always came with a smile." Brady smiled, "She's got a good heart. And its rubbing off on ya. Then ya got Yen'fay giving you another chance. Teaching ya how to be a peaceful warrior and all that mumbo jumbo." Brady sipped his sake again, "My point is, you've surrounded yourself with the right people to fix things. But being an asshole will push them away." He nodded at the cave's opening. The rain had faded into a small drizzle, "Let Cynthia give Noire her old man's weapon. And when Cynthia gets back, don't be mad about it. It was never your weapon to keep anyways."

Luke let out a long breath. His jaw worked furiously for a moment behind his sealed lips. Brady felt surprised. His words had an effect on the guy.

 _Maybe I'm halfway decent at this sorta thing._ Brady thought to himself.

Luke nodded, "Thanks, Brady."

"It's what I'm here for." Brady winced, "Now, I'm gonna grab a mat and try to get some shut eye. Wake me when its my watch."

Luke let out a small snort as Brady moved to grab his mat from their travel gear. Once he had the mat, Brady flopped down on it and dozed off. Luke shook his head.

"Damn drunk priest." Luke let out a heavy sigh as he stared into the flickering flames, "Why does he have to be right?"

…..

Noire huffed and rubbed her arms. The rain continued to pour down from the dark skies above her. Thankfully, it only rained. If there was thunder and lightning, she might have worried about her own safety in weather such as this. Instead, she just had to worry about staying as dry as possible.

Or getting dry when she finally calmed down.

The talisman around her neck shimmered as raindrops pelted against it. Noire could feel the enchantment on the small necklace rush through her viens and slam into her mind.

Boundless confidence! Terrible anger! Blood and Thunder! She wanted to annihilate Luke!

A small gasp left her lips as her fingers brushed against the talisman. She closed her eyes and focused on the rain.

"Confidence." She breathd, "Not rage." She gulped, "Father would not want you to be enraged."

Her father. The thought of him made her heart sink. What would she do when she saw him again? Would he be any different than the man she remembered? Or would he be the same? She trembled at the thought of speaking to him again. Not out of fear. Her own anxiety crippled her in this instance. She was never afraid of her father.

She knew he would eventually arrive in Valm. The war made that outcome a certainty. All of the Shepherds would converge on this continent in order to strike down the tyrant emperor, Walhart. That would be when she reuinted with both her father and her mother

Her heart ached. The fingers on her left hand brushed the gem on her talisman once again. They trembled as they barely touched the dark, frigid, stone covered in a sheen of raindrops. Her chest rose and fell in heavy, panicked breaths.

She would not be able to do it. What could she possibly say to them? She raked one hand through her hair as she stopped walking beneath a large tree. Less rain hit her beneath the thick branches and blanket of green leaves. Noire gulped and brushed some drenched, brown hair from her brow. Her hand wrapped around the black gem on her talisman.

"I miss you." She breathed.

"Noire!"

Noire sucked in a sharp breath. Someone followed her? The voice called out again. She relaxed as she recognized Cynthia's loud voice on the damp wind.

The Pegasus Knight emerged from some brush. Cloak soaked with rain water. Boots clogged with mud once again. Cynthia stamped her feet and rubbed her arms.

"Naga, there you are!" She cried, "You can't just go storming off like that, Noire. We gotta stick together."

Noire sighed, "I know. I know. I just-" She exhaled, "My temper was about to get the better of me back there. It was best for me to walk away from the situation before I did something I'd regret."

"Like punching Luke square in the jaw?" Cynthia smirked, "I wouldn't have blamed you. I've done it before too."

Noire rolled her eyes as Cynthia walked over to a gnarled tree root and took a seat. Not caring that her pants became damp thanks to the rain falling around them.

"That's because you are… different to him." Noire answered carefully.

"Yeah. He and I have fun. So?" Cynthia shrugged, "Doesn't mean he doesn't deserve a good thwack every now and then. Once you get past this moodiness of his, you'll realize he is the same awkward guy we both knew back then."

Noire snorted as she took a seat beside Cynthia, "Back then is only a few months ago for me." She rubbed her hands together as she fought to stay warm, "How long have you been here anyways?"

Cynthia blinked, "Well, we all just got here. And I followed you out here to see if you were-"

"Oh you airhead." Noire hung her head, "I meant this timeline!"

"Ooooh." Cynthia replied, "I see." She hummed to herself, "Almost three years now." Cynthia let out a gasp, "That means I'm older than you now!"

Noire frowned, "No you're not."

"Technically I am. I'm nineteen, you're sixteen still."

"And I still look older than you." Noire deadpanned.

Cynthia hung her head, "Don't remind me."

A small snicker left Noire's lips. She rubbed Cynthia's shoulder.

"I can say I'm impressed though. You've survived on your own for a while now." Noire muttered, "I almost didn't make it three nights. You made it a full year before running into Luke."

Cynthia bit her lips, "Yeah." She shifted nervously in her seat, "I did a dumb in order to survive."

Noire arched an eyebrow.

"I accidentally confused a bandit gang for my father and the other Shepherds." Cynthia cringed

Noire blinked. She started snickering. That snicker turned into loud laughter. Laughter Cynthia joined in on.

Noire took a breath, snickered some more, then wiped a tear from her cheek. Or was it a raindrop? She couldn't tell.

"Yeah." She noded, "That'd be somethign you would do."

Cynthia chuckled, "You should have seen the look on his face when he found me with them." Cynthia sucked in a loud breath. Then wheezed out another laugh, "Luke was so mad."

"I bet." Noire shook her head, "Seems that's all he ever is. Mad or grumpy."

Cynthia took a few calming breaths.

"I mean," Cynthia exhaled, "Can you blame him? He's been here longer than any of us. Almost six years now. He practically grew up in a different timeline from us. Add in Maul and the horrible things he probably did," Cynthia shook her head, "You know, he still hasn't told me anything about that."

"About what?" Noire asked.

"What being apprenticed to Maul was like." Cynthia replied, "I've never really asked. But he's also never said anything about it." She pursed her lips. Her hands kneaded the moss covered root beneat her, "Something horrible must have happened for him to have changed so much."

Noire huffed, "Still does not give him an excuse to be an asshole. Maul's not around anymore." She folded her arms.

Cynthia sighed, "He's not that bad."

"Says you!" Noire snapped back, "Has he kept a treasured family heirloom from you? No. He has not." Noire rose to her feet, "My father searched for that blade for years. And he died before he could find it. And now, it is right in front of me. In his clutches." Noire pointed in the direction of the cave, "His traitorous hands hold my father's weapon. He likely used it against him at some point."

Cynthia cringed, "Yeah… about that-"

Noire blinked, "Oh you've gotta be kidding." She ran a hand over her eyes, "He tried to kill my father with his own weapon?"

"I never said that!" Cynthia exclaimed, "But… he did try to kill you dad."

"I'm gonna kill him." Noire breathed, "I'm gonna let my mom's side out. Brady is gonna piss himself."

"No need to get hasty!" Cynthia jumped from her seat and moved to block Noire's path, "The last thing we need is to start fighting each other. Besides, I have this."

Cynthia reached into her drenched cloak and withdrew a silver hilt. Noire blinked rain from her eyes as Cynthia held out her father's lightsaber to her. With trembling hands, Noire reached out and grasped the weapon.

Cynthia let it go. Noire gasped. Terrified she might accidentally drop the weapon. She blinked in surprise. It felt… surprisingly heavy for something so small. She needed to two hands in order to hold it steady in front of her eyes. Her blue eyes studied the hilt closely.

Yes, just like her father's sketch. Rudimentary in design. Utilitarian in purpose. Meant for warfare rather than for show. Practical in every sense of the word. It felt comfortable in her small hands. Easy to handle despite the weight it possessed.

Noire closed her eyes. She could feel this weapon in the force. Felt the triumphs it created. Sensed the pain it caused. Every emotion this weapon possessed washed over her mind. If she had not been prepared for it, it would have overwhelmed her.

"Hey, Noire." Cynthia muttered with some concern, "Are you okay?"

Noire gulped. She nodded back at Cynthia.

"Is this-"

"The one Yen'fay gave Luke, yeah." Cynthia blinked, "Well, not the older one. But the newer one. Which would actually be the older one since we are in the past. But technically it hasn't been used as much or hasn't seen as many years so-"

Noire snickered, "Don't stretch your brain too much there. You'll hurt yourself."

Cynthai sighed, "Yeah. This time travel thing has really screwed with everything."

Noire snickered some more, "It has." She brushed her thumbs along the black ridges near the center of the hilt, "How did you get it?"

Cynthia smirked, "I used my feminine wiles and sultry persuasion of course."

"You distracted him with either your lips or your boobs." Noire deadpanned, "I'm gonna guess both."

"Hey! I didn't go that far." Cynthia folded her arms defensively, "I kissed him and he did not even notice I took it."

Noire snorted, "How devious of you." She gulped, "He probably knows now though."

"I've got a plan for that." Cynthia replied, "So don't worry about it. That weapon belongs to you. It was your dad's. Luke and Yen'fay can disagree all they want. But you gotta have the weapon in order to learn how to use it. Right?"

Noire nodded, "Right." Noire let out another heavy breath.

She had it. Her father's lightsaber. The one thing she had to remember him by. An artifact she would treasure as much as her mother's ring and talisman. With loving care, Noire clipped the hilt onto her leather belt. It sat heavy against her hip. But it did not feel uncomfortable.

"It really means a lot to you, doesn't it?" Cynthia asked as the rainstorm slowed to a small drizzle above them.

Noire exhaled, "Yeah. I-" Noire swallowed hard, "I loved my father. You know that."

"Of course. Who wouldn't love their dad?"

Noire snorted and opened her mouth to reply. Cynthia quickly raised a hand.

"Don't answer that."

Noire snickered a little bit, "Very well." Noire rubbed her right arm with her left hand, "But, you also know that me and my father were not very close."

Cynthia blikned, "What!? You seemed plenty close to me."

Noire shook her head, "He was always closer with Lucina than with me." Noire sighed, "I guess that comes with taking her on as his apprentice. I mean, Lucina was the last hope for all of us. It's not wonder he poured so much time and energy into her." Noire bit her lip, "Listen to me. I sound like some needy child."

"Not at all." Cynthia replied, "It sounds like you've been meaning to talk about this for a while now."

Noire kicked at the dirt. Her left hand moved from her arm to her talisman.

"Maybe." She muttered, "Father was so distant. Even with mother. I think he tried to be there for me and her, in his own way. But with the war and having to make sure humanity didn't fall apart around us… leaves little time to take care of your own kid."

Cynthia frowned, "You sound upset."

Noire gulped. Her left index finger rubbed against the talisman.

"Maybe a little bit." Noire admitted, "I don't… I don't hate my father. I loved him with everything I had. He was my dad after all. He tried. In his own way, he tried. That is more than a lot of people from our future can say." Noire drew in a deep breath, "I like to think that if we would have defeated Grima in the future he would have taken some more time to be with mom and I. I like to think that he was so distant because he was fighting so hard for a future with me and mom. Fighting for peace so he could be close to us." Noire swallowed hard as she felt some tears starting to brim in her eyes, "And- and now I'll never know."

Cynthia surged forward and wrapped Noire in a large hug. Noire let the tears fall as she held on to Cynthia.

"I cried for a few days too when I first got here." Cynthia admitted as Noire sobbed into her shoulder, "Master Ben was like a dad to me too."

"I saw him fall, Cynthia." Noire sobbed, "I saw Grima strike him down."

Cynthia rubbed her back as she kept Noire close, "We all did."

Noire shuddered, "Did he know?" She blubbered some more, "Do you think he knew I loved him? Do you think he-"

"Of course he did." Cynthia pulled back from Noire and stared hard at the taller woman, "Why… why else would he do what he did? He gave his life so that we could have a chance at changing the future. I'd call that one big act of love."

Noire squeezed her eyes shut as she tried to reign herself back in. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. The drizzle faded to a sprinkled around them. Moonlight started to stream through the thin, dark clouds above them. A few shuddering breaths left Noire's lungs.

"You okay to go back now?" Cynthia asked, "Both of us are going to need to sit by the fire for a little bit. Otherwise, we'll catch cold."

Noire nodded, "Yeah." She whispered.

Her hand brushed against the lightsaber hilt again as they marched back towards the cave. Cynthia hissed as she slipped into a large puddle of mud.

"I just got them emptied out." She glanced back at Noire, "You owe me big time now!"

Noire let out a dry laugh, "Sure I do." One hand reached up to her talisman. The other down to her lightsaber.

She could see the flickering firelight of the cave coming closer. Inside, she heard Brady utter a curse. Something about the Sake still being too hot. Whatever that meant.

As both girls reached the entrance, Noire stopped.

"Cynthia."

"Yeah?"

Noire gulped, "Thank you."

Cynthia beamed back at her, "Don't mention it." She glanced into the cave. Luke stood against the far wall. Arms folded. Chin tucked to his chest and eyes closed. Waiting for both of them to return, "If you'll excuse me, I've got a boyfriend to pacify."

Noire snickered, "Don't do anything too overt. Prince Kage is nearby after all."

Cynthia cheeks reddened, "I-I know that!" She spun around and rushed back into the cave, "Ruin my plans why don't you." She muttered as Noire followed.

Noire blinked. Cynthia really planned on- Noire snickered some more and shook her head.

"Once an airhead. Always an airhead."

….

Luke did not recall when he closed his eyes to meditate. But he knew he needed to. It had been a few days since he drifted into the force. Traveling fast through the countryside, avoiding Valmese soldiers in the process, did not lend a lot of time to meditation.

This type of meditation was new for him. The way Maul taught him involved stoking his rage and fears into an ever burning fire. Reveling in those feelings. Using them as fuel for his powers. Honing those powers through meditation. He often found himself drifting towards that practice. And everytime he found himself tempted by the rage and fear, he snapped back to reality. A way to regain control of himself.

He was better than that now. He did not need rage, fear, or pain to be powerful. Yen'fay taught him that. His own failures taught him that. He meditated on those failures. Whereas before, to fuel his rage. Now, to learn. To understand why he failed. To grow.

He found this meditation to be much more relaxing. How meditation should be. An exercise to calm the mind. Jedi-esque in a way. Luke snorted to himself at that thought. If someone would have told him he would be following Jedi teachings one year ago, he would have laughed. Then he probably would have killed them. Back then, following a peaceful path would have been an insult.

In the background, he heard Brady mutter to himself before popping the lid on his bottle again. The Priest still unable to fall asleep. Luke blocked out his voice. His mind focused on the crackling fire. The whistling breeze that gently drifted into the dim cave. The feeling of the cold rock against his back. The dampness seeping through his robes and chilling his bones.

The darkness faded. Something surfaced in the force.

Voices. Sharp, yet muffled. As if they were speaking through a blanket.

" _Move into the city."_

" _Go, go, go."_

They sounded the same.

" _Take out those mages!"_

His brow furrowed. He could hear explosions. Death cries. Felt heat against his skin.

The heat rushed away. A chill replaced it.

Breathing. Rhythmic and unnatural. A whoosh in. Then a rasp out.

" _I sense you."_

The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as a deep voice thrummed through his mind. Beads of sweat formed on his brow. This did not feel right. He felt… terrified. The presence he sensed in his mind was overpowering. As dark as any shadow. Filled with rage and pain

For some reason, it felt familiar. And that unsettled Luke. No one filled him with dread such as this. Dread that made him shrink away and try to hide his own presence. Not even Maul elicited such a reaction. And he feared Maul.

But he was never terrified of Maul.

"Luke?"

His eyes flicked open. Cynthia cautiously approached him from the cave's entrance. The presence in his mind faded away as he exited his meditation.

Luke's yellow eyes flicked over to Noire as the archer followed Cynthia into the cave. He noticed the silver hilt clipped to her belt. Brady noticed it as well. The priest nodded at Noire then gave Luke a wary look.

Cynthia inched a little closer to him while Noire took a seat beside the fire.

"You." Luke narrowed his eyes at Cynthia. He folded his arms over his chest.

Cynthia cringed, "Yup. It's me."

He tapped his foot against the rocky floor. Cynthia gulped as his yellow eyes bored holes into her.

"You know something," Cynthia muttered, "When you get mad, you're pretty unsettling."

He frowned at her, "You gave it back."

Cynthia nodded, "I did."

His frown deepened.

"Before you say anything," Cynthia quickly cut in. She stared up into his yellow eyes. An unflinching, unafraid gaze, "you and I both know that weapon is not yours to keep. And you and Yen'fay had no right to tell her she could not have it. Sure, Noire has no clue how to use it. And she will probably mess up her first time trying."

"I can hear you." Noire called over with mild irritation. Brady chuckled beside her.

"But it's still her weapon. It was her dad's weapon. Who are we to tell her she can't have it." Cynthia took a deep breath, "So, yes, I gave it back to her. It was the right thing to do. And if you don't agree with that, fine. But if you get mad at me, I swear that there will be consequences."

Luke arched an eyebrow, "Like what?"

Cynthia smirked, "Oh," she folded her arms over her chest, "You know what."

Luke thought for a moment. Realization crossed his face.

"That's not fair." He said.

"Is too." Cynthia remarked.

"Do I look angry to you?" Luke asked her.

"You've got those yellow eyes. They always make you look angry." Cynthia countered.

Luke flinched a little bit.

"S-sorry." Cynthia stammered, "You're just… kinda moody nowadays. Compared to the old days at least. And well-"

"I'm… not angry now, Cynthia. I was at first." Luke admitted, "But, me and Brady had a bit of a frank discussion and well, he opened my eyes a bit more."

"He did?"

Cynthia glanced back at Brady. As she did so, Brady fell backwards. Head swimming with sake. Noire rolled her eyes and shook her head.

Cynthia jabbed her thumb back at the drunk priest.

"That guy opened your eyes?"

Luke let out a small chuckle, "He's actually kind of good at his job. Surprisingly enough." Cynthia flushed a little bit as Luke took one of her hands, "Cynthia, I aim to be a better person than what I was. You have done everything in your power to help. How could I get angry at you when you have done that?"

Cynthia's cheeks reddened even more.

"Well," She cleared her throat, "you've gotten better at the romantic talk over the past few months."

"Have I?" Luke chuckled as he rested his hands on her hips and brought her close.

"Hey, gross love birds!" Noire barked at them, startling the pair. One hand clutched her talisman as she spoke, "There is a child here! And I'm not interested in seeing that stuff."

Cynthia stuck her tongue out at Noire, "You're just jealous."

Noire huffed and returned her attention to the fire.

"No fun tonight then." Cynthia pouted.

Luke let out a laugh, "When we get to a village. We'll get our own room."

Cynthia rested her head against his chest, "Promise?"

"You both better make sure that room is far away from mine." Noire grumbled loudly.

Luke rolled his eyes, "Just like Kenobi. She always has to have the last word."

"Again I can hear you."

"Good!" Luke shot back as Cynthia chuckled, "And get some sleep already. I'll take first watch."

"You sure?" Cynthia asked him.

"Yes." Luke nodded, "You get some sleep as well. We have another day or two before we reach the nearest mountain village. Hopefully the rain lets up tomorrow."

"I doubt it." Cynthia sighed. She let a yawn escape her lips, "Wake me when you're raedy to go to sleep."

"I will."

Luke kissed her forehead. Cynthia smiled and pecked his cheek. With one more loud yawn, she shuffled over to their travel gear, grabbed her mat, and went to sleep. Noire also grabbed her own and fell into fitfull sleep.

Luke stayed over by the cave wall. He could see everything in front of him this way.

He was glad he took the first watch. It gave him time to think a little more. Though, he dared not meditate again tonight.

That voice still rang in his mind.

….

Darth Vader kept his eyes closed. Head bowed in silence inside of his meditation chamber. The pressurized air allowed him to remove that infernal helmet and mask from his head. Allowing his ghost pale skin to be touched by the air once again. Letting air flow into his lungs normally. Without the need for a machine to do it for him.

He hated this suit. His prison. Always with him. Never allowing him to be free. It chafed what little flesh he had left on his body. A constant itch ran along his torso, neck, and shoulders. One he could never scratch. It drove him to near insanity. The constant pain and discomfort served as a punishment and as a reminder.

He was in this suit because he failed. His master ordered him to wipe out the Jedi order. That included his old master, Obi Wan Kenobi.

His fist clenched at his sides. Kenobi defeated him instead. Left him to die in the fires of Mustafar. And die he nearly did. If not for his master, the Emperor, Vader would have did on that planet's scorched surface.

In a way, he wished he did. If he had, he would never have felt this constant pain. Never felt the ache in his chest whenever Anakin Skywalker's memories plagued his mind. Never would have to worry about a damn itch on his chest.

The Dark Side of the Force snarled around him. Vader inhaled. Relishing the feeling.

Meditation brought him some measure of quiet. Some peace. Not much, but a little was than nothing.

Yet he found no rest this time. His mind bounced dangerously between Skywalker's memories, and his last duel with Obi Wan Kenobi.

He could see the blue lightsabers flashing in his mind. The heat of Mustafar rushed over his pale flesh once again. The burning rage he held for his old master coursed through his veins.

He wished he could have been the one to end Kenobi's life. Unfortunately, a battlion of clones did the job for him. Kenobi died fleeing Senator Organa's ship. His escape pod obliterated by turbo lasers. Ever since then, Vader had to live with the fact that he did not have the pleasure of killing the man himself.

That enraged him. He wanted his revenge. And he would never have it.

He hated Kenobi. It was all his fault. His fault he was now cursed to live in this suit. His fault that he could no longer eat food normally. His fault that he lived a tortured existance. His fault he could not scratch the itch he felt crawling up his spine. Between his shoulder blades and up to his scarred neck.

It was his fault Padme turned against him.

Vader's fist curled up tighter.

His fault she died.

The Dark Side roared as he channeled that rage. Power surged through his body. A thrill shot through him as adrenaline pumped through his veins.

His mind focused. And he became aware of someone nearby.

Vader cracked his naked eyes open. Was an officer about to disturb him? Did Thrawn send someone to fetch him?

No. He sensed no one outside of his meditation chamber. Yet, there was someone here. A presence he did not recognize.

A conflicted presence. Adrift in the tide of the force. But not helpless. Certainly not weak. Torn between the light and the dark. It felt familiar.

Vader focused on it. His mind sought out the source. The presence was young. Filled with rage and pain. He felt regret as well. Deep feelings of guilt. Vader drew back a moment. Scared that maybe he was feeling himself.

Did he feel Skywalker?

No… that was not it. That would be impossible. Skywalker was dead. He destroyed him.

So who was this that felt so much like him? He narrowed his focus. Demanded that the force reveal to him the answer he seeked.

An image flashed in his mind. A boy with blonde hair and dark robes leaned against a cave wall. Eyes closed. Fire flickering nearby. Casting shadows that danced over the cave's uneven walls and ceiling.

A boy? That was who he sensed?

He saw the boy's forehead begin to sweat. Vader narrowed his gaze.

"I sense you." Vader said. His voice barely a whisper. Which was all he could muster outside of his suit.

The connection abruptly severed. Vader drew back into his seat. The Dark Side calmed around him.

The boy held power. A tremendous amount of it. But who was he? He was no Jedi. The darkness Vader felt in him made that clear.

Before he could continue his musings, a datapad near his seat beeped. Vader scowled. He tapped the datapad.

"Yes?" He whispered, his voice hoarse. But the datapad masked that.

"Lord Vader," Commander Eli Vanto said from the other end, "Admiral Thrawn requests your presence in his quarters."

"May I ask why?"

A small silence. He sensed severe nervousness from the Commander.

"He wants to talk to you about… immortality-"

Vader's eyes widened.

"G-General Skywalker."

The line cut. Vader sat stunned in his seat for a moment.

Rage burst through him. Blood pulsed in his ears. He clenched his jaw. His fists tightened on his armrests. He could hear metal groaning as the force clamped down around him.

The helmet sank down from its perch over his head. The damnable contraption hissed as it sealed around his pale head. The red tinted lenses he used to see out of the suit flashed to life. His meditation chamber hissed as pressure rushed out from the cracked open orb.

He marched out of his chamber. Nearly tore his door from its hinges.

Thrawn knew.

 **And chapter! I apologize for this taking so long you guys. Got hit by the old writer's block there for a while. Took me a bit to figure out what I wanted to do with this chapter. In the end, some interesting stuff happened. We got to see Noire get her father's lightsaber back (thank you impulsive Cynthia). We got an interesting talk between Brady and Luke/Kage. Revealing a little bit more of his time with Maul. And we get an bit of an update on Thrawn and Vader as they draw closer to their prey. Which was very fun to write.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day**


	82. Carrion Isle

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 82

Carrion Isle

Eli Vanto's hands trembled as he paced back and forth inside of Admiral Thrawn's personal quarters. His throat felt dry. Each footstep he took held a numbness to it. He flicked his eyes up at a mirror against the wall. All the color had left his face. A shuddering breath rushed from his lips.

"Panicking will not help, Commander."

Thrawn's even tone slipped into his ears. Vanto stopped his pacing and glanced over at the Chiss Admiral. Thrawn had his back turned to him. His red eyes focused out the expansive viewport. Outside of the Chimaera, an enormous, red giant star loomed. The ship's impressive shielding the only protection for themselves and the crew on board from the immense heat and radiation the mammoth star generated.

Thrawn brought a wine glass to his lips and relaxed.

"How can you be so calm?" Vanto asked bluntly, "We have just provoked Lord Vader on a hunch."

"It is not a hunch." Thrawn replied as he glanced back at Vanto.

"Every imperial record states that Anakin Skywalker died in the Jedi Temple." Vanto argued back.

"And if that is the case, he will come in and not be angry with us." Thrawn replied, "He'll probably be confused instead."

"And if he bursts in here ready to rip us apart?" Vanto gulped.

Thrawn smirked as he looked back out at the massive star. Vanto saw him press a small button on his belt.

"Then we have our confirmation."

A chill swept through the room. The hairs on Vanto's arms stood on end. Fear punched him in the gut. An overwhelming sense of dread seeped into his bones. He could feel cold, dark fingers crawling over his skin. A pressure built up on his mind. He grit his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut.

"Time for an answer."

Thrawn turned on his heel just in time for Lord Vader to storm into his quarters. The imposing figure of Lord Vader towered inside of the room. He stood in the doorway for a moment.

Thrawn stared back at Lord Vader, undeterred and unafraid.

"You may leave Commander." Thrawn ordered.

Vanto blinked, "L-leave?"

"Yes." Thrawn set his wineglass down on a small table near the viewport, "Go to the bridge. Make certain we are still on course."

Vanto gulped. He glanced over at Lord Vader.

He could feel.. whatever was behind those lidless eyes staring at him. Staring into his soul. Burning with hatred and malice. Vanto inched his way around Lord Vader. The Dark Lord's eyes followed him until the door hissed shut.

Vader returned his attention to Admiral Thrawn.

"So," Thrawn began as he folded his arms behind his back, "I see you received my message."

Vader's breathing seemed off. It sounded raspier, rushed. Thrawn smirked. He was furious. So angry that the regulators in that suit of his were struggling to maintain a consistent rhythm.

"Do you have any last words before you die, Admiral?" Vader boomed as one of his fists clenched up at his side.

" _He does not."_

Vader froze as a blue hologram shimmered into existence beside Admiral Thrawn. Vader dropped to a knee as Emperor Palpatine's form appeared in the hologram.

Vader kept his head bowed.

"Master." His voice rasped as he struggled to contain his rage, "Admiral Thrawn has-"

" _I am aware of the Admiral's discovery."_ The Emperor interrupted, " _His determination and intelligence has impressed me. He was able to deduce the identity of Anakin Skywalker without even needing to probe sealed records."_ The Emperor's lips dipped into a scowl beneath his dark hood, " _You need to be more careful with your emotions, apprentice."_

Vader reeled. His master defended Thrawn? Why?

"I informed the Emperor of my discovery once we finally established a secure connection back to the core worlds." Thrawn stated, "I was… uncertain if he was fully aware of General Skywalker's fate."

Vader raised his gaze at the emotionless Chiss. Force, he hated the man now. Thrawn was smart enough to know that Anakin Skywalker's fate was known to the Emperor. He simply called to gloat.

A low cackle came from the Emperor's hologram.

" _I must admit, I was rather surprised when the Admiral confronted me on the matter. Rest assured Lord Vader, neither Admiral Thrawn nor Commander Vanto will speak of this ever again."_ The Emperor let out a heavy sigh, " _And this incident has proven that my faith in Thrawn's intelligence was not misplaced. I trust him to handle matters regarding your mission."_

"Your excellency," Thrawn said, "May I ask what our mission entails exactly?"

The Emperor's gaze turned to Thrawn. The Chiss Admiral remained emotionless as he spoke.

"I believe that I would be able to accomplish the objective of this mission in a more efficient and swift manner if I was made aware of the objective." Thrawn explained.

" _You are already aware of the objective, Admiral. You are to find our unknown planet."_

"I am to find someone on that unknown planet, am I not? Or perhaps something?"

The Emperor remained eerily quiet. Lord Vader glanced back and forth between Thrawn and his master. The Chiss was either insane, courageous, or a damn fool. No one spoke out of turn like that to the Emperor. Not even himself.

" _Your… inquisitiveness surprises me, Admiral."_ The Emperor said quietly, " _How are you so certain that I am asking you to search for someone?"_

"A planet can be easily found with probes given enough time." Thrawn stated, "But finding a person requires a much more… refined search than probes allow. A more personal touch if you will." Thrawn unfolded his hands and turned to look at the Emperor's hologram, "Besides, I have my theories regarding why you are searching for someone on an unknown planet. Some of which line up with Jedi teachings in the force."

" _Do you now?"_ The Emperor folded his hands into the sleeves of his robe.

Vader stared nearly dumbstruck at Thrawn. He knew more than Vader thought. Not only did Thrawn discover his identity, he also learned that his mission had an objective beyond discovering a new planet. And he already suspected what the endgame of their mission actually was.

 _This one is too intelligent._

The Emperor opened his mouth to speak. A small crash sounded from behind him. A girl's voice hollered a loud sorry. The Emperor scowled while both Vader and Thrawn looked at him in confusion.

" _Lord Vader, you will inform Thrawn of the full extent of this mission."_ His wrinkled lips curled into a villainous smirk, " _I think that'll be plenty reward for his display of intellect. After which, you both will continue working together on this mission. Once the objective is achieved, you are to return immediately to Coruscant."_

"As you wish, your excellency." Thrawn bowed at the waist.

"Yes, my master." Vader thrummed as he bowed his head again.

The hologram shimmered and faded away. Once the Emperor's presence disappeared, Vader rose to his feet. And he could not miss the smug smirk on Thrawn's lips.

"So, Lord Vader." Thrawn reached for his wine glass. He gently swirled the red liquid, "Care to inform me of our true objective?"

Lord Vader resisted the urge to crush the Chiss with the force. His master wanted the Admiral alive. The Emperor deemed him a useful tool. One that could not be discarded yet. If that were not the case, then he would have allowed Vader to kill him already.

Vader rose to his feet. He towered over the smaller Chiss. But his imposing size did not disturb the blue skinned man. His emotions remained even. Though the smugness on his face remained for a few seconds.

"Our objective is the capture of a young woman named Lucina." Vader answered.

Thrawn nodded. He sipped his wine, "Species?"

"Human."

Thrawn hummed to himself, "A young human woman on an unknown planet in the middle of one of the most inhospitable portions of the galaxy. Quite the puzzle." Thrawn took another sip of wine, "And why do we want to find her?"

Vader grit his teeth behind the mask, "The Emperor wishes to ask her questions."

"Regarding?"

"Her resurrection."

Thrawn quirked an eyebrow, "Resurrection? That's… even more puzzling. It confirms my theory regarding this search. But it also opens up even more questions."

"None of which will be answered by me." Vader snarled as he pointed a finger at Thrawn's face, "Step out of line again, and not even the Emperor will save you from my wrath."

Thrawn smirked back at him, "Understood, Lord Vader."

A comm link buzzed on the Admiral's belt. Thrawn set his wine down and grabbed the comm link.

" _A-admiral?"_ Vanto stammered on the comm, " _Oh please tell me you aren't dead."_

"I am alive, Commander." Thrawn answered. He heard a massive sigh of relief from the other end, "How goes our course?"

" _Probes are nearly finished mapping this system. Still no sign of a habitable planet nearby. We may have to move on to the next star cluster."_

"Then do so once the last probe data comes in. We do not want to dally on this mission." Thrawn clicked the communicator off and glanced at Lord Vader, "We still have not finished our game of dejarik."

Vader turned on his heel and left. His rage seething silently behind the mask.

….

Ben rubbed his brow. The back of his hand flicked small beads of sweat away from his eyes. Beneath his feet, the deck of the small ferry bobbed up and down in the gentle waves between the mainland and Carrion Isle.

He could see the dock across the small channel. A little port for the ferry. Meant for personal usage rather than any sort of common purpose. A small yacht was tied up to the dock as the ferry approached. Judging by the ornate woodwork on the yacht's sides, Ben guessed it belonged ot the Plegian King.

A drop of sweat ran down the bridge of his nose. Ben reached up and wiped his brow again. The sun had started to set, but that did nothing to end the stifling heat.

"I grew up here and all." Ben glanced over at Gaius. The theif lay sprawled out on the deck of the ferry. Shirt open, bare chest pointed up at the darkening sky as he tried to cool off, "But Naga its too damn hot."

Ben let out a small chuckle, "Used to the cold now?"

"I'm used to comfortable now. Which Ylisstol is." Gaius retorted before letting his head fall back to the deck of the ferry.

Ben shook his head. Gaius, always the complainer. Even with Panne looking over his shoulder, it never stopped him from speaking his mind. Ben let out a small sigh.

The other Shepherds stood on the deck of the ferry as well. Chrom stood near the bow of the ferry. Eyes focused on the approaching shoreline. Gaze hard and unwavering. Ben could feel his tension through the force. The Prince objected to this plan from the very start. He did not see Plegia as a possible ally. And likely, he never would.

Robin stood alongside Chrom. The tacician looked at the island with a student's curiosity rather than a leader's grim resolve. Ben could understand his curiosity. The mainland shore behind them was pure desert. Hardly a drop of water hit those sandy shores. But the island in front of them was dotted with tall palms. While mostly rocky, the island held more plantlife than all of Plegia, in Ben's opinion.

 _No wonder it is the King's summer home._ Ben thought to himself, _It seems to be the only pleasant place in this land._

Khan Basilio relaxed on the deck. The older Khan not worried a bit about this meeting. He had been through enough negotiations and close scrapes to be confident in his assessment of the situation. Ben agreed with him. If Archanea was to fight Valm successfully, they would need Plegia's help. Specifically their ships and gold. Without a well funded and supplied navy, the Valmese could land on their shores with impunity. It would only be a matter of time before they gained a foothold.

Ambassador Olivia sat beside Khan Basilio. And beside her sat Virion. Ben did not miss the bashful glances Olivia threw Virion's way. The archer had a penchant for charm. And it had worked on the Feroxi ambassador. Ben did notice Virion paying much more attention to Olivia compared to any other woman he seduced. There was a tenderness to his voice. A genuine smile on his lips. Virion's feelings for the woman ran deep. Perhaps even deeper than Virion was willing to admit.

Panne lay on the deck beside Gaius. Her waterskin rested in her lap as she struggled to stave off the scorching heat. Every so often, Ben heard the Taguel let out a few animalistic pants. When that happened. Gaius would perk up, give her a quick scratch on her head, then fall back down onto his back.

Near the stern of the ferry stood Donnel, Lon'qu, and Lissa. Lissa peppered Donnel with questions about the boy's surprising relationship with Duchess Maribelle. Much as she had done the past few days actually. Ben could tell some of her questions made Donnel feel rather uncomfortable. Lon'qu actually stood rather close to both Lissa and Donnel. Surprising almost everyone on the ferry.

 _Perhaps he does better around women when in a group setting?_

Marth lingered over on the port side of the Ferry. She sat there alone. Eyes closed and legs folded as she meditated in the force. Ben felt some pride at the sight. She took her growth in the force seriously. And her own fear of those powers began to melt away as she grew more used to them. Ben knew she would make a remarkable Jedi Knight.

Frederick and Cordelia stood behind Chrom and Robin. Frederick tense and wary. Cordelia nervous, but more relaxed than Frederick. After all, she did not hold massive amounts of suspicion against half of the ferry's occupants like Frederick did.

Ben heard a small giggle. He glanced over to the ferry's wheel. Nowi had her arms spread out wide as the hot wind blasted against the ferry's single sail. Ricken stood beside her. His pose the exact same. Both cheered loudly as they reveled in a feeling that Nowi described as being similar to flying. Their ferry captain smiled at them as the mage and the manakete laughed loudly and grinned at each other.

A hand slipped into his, drawing Ben out of his observations.

"One of the few beautiful places in Plegia." Tharja breathed as she rested her head against his shoulder, "It's actually a little bit green on that island."

Ben chuckled, "I see that. I wonder why."

Tharja shrugged, "I don't know. I'm a dark mage. Not a scientist."

Ben glanced at her with a quirked eyebrow, "Doesn't that make you a mad scientist?"

Tharja snickered, "Only when I want to be. Althought, on this subject, I'm sure Miriel and Laurent would be better scholars."

She let out a weary breath after she finished speaking. Ben did not agree with Tharja tagging along. Her injuries were still fresh from the battle in Port Ferox. And he tried to convince her to stay behind with the others to recuperate. That ended with him getting a runny nose hex and the threat of another hex that involved giving him stomach cramps for a week. Where he went, Tharja followed. No exceptions or excuses.

Thankfully, Lissa came with as well. The Princess watched Tharja constantly. Her clerical sensibilities always on display whenever she checked up on the injured mage.

"How does it feel to be back?" Ben asked her.

Tharja pressed her lips together, "And not on the run from Risen or a sandstorm?" Ben chuckled with her, "It feels… strange. I'm going to this meeting with the King, not as a member of the Grimleal, but as a traitor and likely a heretic."

"Heretic?" Ben questioned.

"Those who leave the Grimleal for less savory purposes than just wanting out of that life." Tharja remarked, "The mere fact that I left and joined the Shepherds probably caused whoever leads the Grimleal now to name me Naga-spawn. Therefore, an abomination and a heretic."

Ben frowned, "I hope the new regime isn't that extreme."

"It wouldn't surprise me if they were." Tharja breathed, "There are not many moderate thinkers among dark mages."

"You're correct." Ben gave her a mischievous smirk, "Most are rather crazy."

Tharja smacked his shoulder, "I'm not that crazy."

Ben chuckled and leaned down to place a light kiss on her lips. One she eagerly returned.

"Of course you are not."

The ferry approached the dock. A small group of dockworkers scurried across the small wooden space. Some fetched lines of robe and flung them out towards the ferry. The Ferry Captain's first mate snatched one of the ropes and easily tied it off against the bow of the ferry. The dockworkers tugged on the rope and gently guided the ferry up against the dock.

Waiting on the dock for them, was a young Plegian mage. He had white hair and grey eyes. A large grin rested on his pale lips. A heavy, black cape with the typical Grimleal symbolism along the collar rested over his shoulders. A heavy black tome sat in the crook of his right arm. And a jet black crow perched on his left shoulder.

Tharja tensed as she held Ben's hand.

"Oh…" She muttered. Both apprehension and annoyance hung heavy in her voice. "It's him."

"Hello!" The young Grimleal mage gave the group a happy wave as Chrom, Basilio, Robin, and the others stepped off of the Ferry and onto the dock. The dark mage bowed to both Chrom and Basilio, "My King bids you welcome."

"He doesn't bid it himself?" Chrom grumbled.

Basilio gave Chrom a sharp glance, "We thank the King for his invitation. May I ask why he has not greeted us personally?"

The dark mage snickered, "Oh, this is all rather last minute. He is still making sure all the preparations are in place for your arrival. Quite the perfectionist, I must say." The boy's disturbing grin never wavered, "My name is Henry. I will be your tour guide!"

"Tour guide?" Gaius wondered beside Ben.

Henry cackled, "Well, not really your tour guide. More like your shepherd leading you to your pasture. Nya ha ha! Oh I slay me!"

Ben glanced over at Tharja.

"Is he-"

"That crazy?" Tharja nodded, "Yes, he is."

Ben smirked at her, "So I was right."

Tharja glared at him. Ben chuckled as Henry waved for the group to follow him.

"Come along now!" Henry chirped, "No _caws_ for delay." The crow on his shoulder squacked as he cackled quietly, "The King awaits your arrival."

The Shepherds and Basilio hesitated for a moment. Ben could understand their nervousness. There were no armed guards to greet them. No royal servants. Just a lone dark mage from the Grimleal. One that seemed a touch addled in the brain. It seemed very odd and strangely informal for such an important visit.

Tharja remained tense beside Ben as they both trailed behind Chrom, Robin, and Basilio. Her dark eyes fixated on Henry. The other dark mage whistled a happy tune as he led them along a stone path lined with lush, tropical flowers and towering palms.

The path snaked inland towards a large mountain at the center of the island. As they drew closer, Ben could see a large palace nestled into the rock cliffs of the mountain.

Gaius let out a low whistle, "That's quite the summer home."

"I'll say." Donnel muttered as he marched alongside Gaius.

Ben felt Tharja's grip tighten around his hand. Her breathing turned slightly shallow as the march towards the palace grew longer. Ben gave her concerned look.

"I'll be fine." Tharja breathed, noticing his concern.

Ben gave her a small nod. Tharja would not show weakness. And she would not turn back.

"Something about Henry worries you?" Ben whispered to her, sensing her heightened anxiety around the other dark mage.

Tharja inhaled, "Henry is an extremely powerful dark mage." She whispered back to him, "And he is rather… insane. Unpredictable. And for some reason, the King chose him as an envoy to greet us."

Ben nodded, "So this is already off to a bad start in your eyes?"

"A terrible start."

A set of stone steps led up to the palace doors. No walls circled the palace. Clearly, the King did not feel threatened at his summer home. For the first time all day, Ben noticed armed gaurds on the island. Two of them stood vigil at the main doors of the palace. The snapped to attention as Henry approached with Basilio, Chrom, and the Shepherds.

"Welcome to the Summer Palace." Henry beamed back at them. His smile genuine, but somehow unsettling, "I trust it is to your liking?"

"We aren't here on vacation." Chrom growled.

Basilio cleared his throat, "What my friend means to say, is we are here on business. Business we wish to conduct immediately before marveling at this wonderful home."

Henry cackled, "Of course. Of course." He pushed the palace doors open.

Ben blinked in shock. For a nation as poor as Plegia seemed to be, the inside of the palace was opulent. Rich, purple carpets blanketed a polished marble floor. Great marble columns towered around them. Supporting a vaulted cieling with mulitple skylights. Which allowed the hot Plegion sun to send bright beams of light into the palace during the daytime.

More guards stood vigil inside of the Palace's main hall. At the end of the main hall, sitting in front of a large window, rested a golden throne. And upon that golden throne sat a thin, reedy man. Dark purple robes flowed over his nearly skeletal body. His gaunt chin lined with a dark goatee. Yellow eyes practically sunken into his sickly looking face.

Nevertheless, he rose with both confidence and strenght from the throne. He spread his thin arms out wide and gave the group a broad smile as they entered.

"Welcome!" The King of Plegia grinned.

Chrom, Robin, Lissa, and Frederick froze in their tracks. Causing Ben to bump into Frederick's back and Gaius to nearly trip over his own feet.

"What gives Bub-" Gaius sucked in a sharp breath as he caught sight of Plegia's king, "What in the name of Grima, Naga, and all other deities in existence?"

A low snarl rumbled from Panne's chest. Basilio glanced around him at the Shepherds. He gave Ben a concerend look. Ben furrowed his brow. Chrom and the others felt threatened by this King. But why?

"Impossible." Tharja breathed beside Ben.

Ben blinked. He felt waves of fear rushing from Tharja. Terror even. Her hand shook in his as her dark eyes watched the King descend a few steps. The Plegian King sauntered towards the Shepherds. Friendly grin still across his face.

"What trickery is this!?" Frederick blurted out, causing the King to stop in his tracks.

"Trickery?" The Plegian King echoed, some confusion his face.

Chrom gave Frederick a sharp look. The Prince gulped and leaned over towards Robin.

"Robin that's-"

"Validar, I know." Robin whispered back.

"How?" Chrom whispered.

"I have no idea." Robin replied.

Lissa gulped beside Chrom. Robin's hand reached into his inside coat pocket. Ben could sense wave after wave of confusion and fear coming from all three of them. He sensed terror from Tharja.

It clicked. Validar, the man who led the assassination attempt against Emmeryn. The man who killed Tharja's parents. The former high priest of the Grimleal. Robin killed him.

What was he doing here?

Before Chrom and Frederick could say anything else, Basilio stepped in front of the pair.

"Your majesty," Basilio's calm voice hit the air. Ben let out a sigh of relief. The Khan always seemed to remain cool under pressure, "It is a pleasure to finally meet you. I am-"

"Khan Basilio. Of course you are. Who else could you be?" Validar chuckled, "I have heard many a tale of the might of Regna Ferox's west Khan. Those tales do not do you justice it seems. Not only are you a mighty warrior, you are skilled diplomat as well. I think others could learn much from you."

King Validar shook Khan Basilio's hand. He then turned to Prince Chrom.

"And Prince Chrom, I am honored to meet you as well." Chrom's teeth clenched behind his lips as Validar spoke, "I am sure whatever confusion you had regarding my identity was accidental. Perhaps the heat got to you. I know it gets to me sometimes. I may live here, but even I will admit, the sun can have to rather adverse effects if one stays out in it for too long. I hope this meeting between us will begin a new era for our nations. One of peace and friendship."

Validar's bright smile broadened, "And I look forward to entertaining your comrades as well. You all must be the famous Shepherds." Validar's yellow eyes flicked over to Ben and Robin, "And the brilliant tactician and mad swordsman are here as well? Excellent! This shall be a lively little summit then."

"Indeed." Basilio nodded, "May I ask when you wish to begin negotiations?"

Validar chuckled, "Whenever you wish, Khan Basilio. We can even discuss such important matters as Valm over dinner. I am certain the kitchens have nearly finished preparing our meal. If you would follow me please."

Validar nodded over at Henry. The Dark Mage bowed to the Plegian King then slipped away down a nearby corridor. Frederick and Cordelia's gaze followed him while the other Shepherds followed Validar.

Chrom and Robin both hesitated to join King Validar for dinner. But Khan Basilio did not hesitate. And if the Khan felt it was safe to join King Validar's table, then they should feel the same.

Although, Robin felt uneasy. A sick feeling ran through his gut. Something felt terribly wrong here.

He killed Validar. During the failed assassination attempt on Exalt Emmeryn at the start of the war with Plegia, he confronted Validar. Barely defeated the man. Robin remembered him to be an extremely powerful sorcerer. Someone not to be trifled with.

Robin tapped Chrom on the shoulder.

"Be careful." He warned.

"Always am."

"Sure you are." Robin snorted.

Chrom laughed a little bit, "Okay, you've got me there."

Chrom glanced around the corridor they all walked down. Elaborate tapestries hung from the walls. Bright skylights allowed more sunlight to filter down into the corridor. Torches sat unlit on scones in the walls. As the day waned, Chrom had a feeling someone would come by and light them. But he had yet to see any servants beyond the dark mage Henry and a few royal guards.

That concerned him. Back home in Ylisstol, servants bustled about the palace at all times. Day and night, one of them could be found wandering the palace. Going about their daily or nightly business. Whether that was cleaning a room, running an errand, or preparing a meal, the servants were a constant presence.

In this palace, they were missing entirely. It made the entire building feel strangely empty.

Validar pushed a set of rich, wood, double doors open. As he opened his mouth to speak, he froze. The others stopped walking behind him.

The table was set for their entire party. Not a single seat was missing. There were enough plates, cups, and silverware for every Shepherd. Already a disturbing fact since the group never disclosed their numbers before arriving at the island.

Even more puzzling was the man sitting in King Validar's chair at the head of the long dining table. His boot covered feet kicked up on top of the purple tablecloth. Wine glass in one hand as he lounged in the tall throne. Hood drawn up over his head. Identity hidden beneath shadows. Althought Ben could see bright yellow irises peaking out from beneath the gold and purple hood.

"Ah!" The enigmatic man called as he rested easy in Validar's chair, "Welcome Ylisseans and Feroxi. I trust your travels were stress free?"

Robin and Chrom exchanged a puzzle look. The tactician glanced at King Validar. He seemed equally confused. The King's mouth opened and closed as he struggled to formulate a response. Perhaps he struggled to search for a proper scolding of the young man in his throne?

Robin doubted that. He saw some fear in Validar's eyes. Felt a pulse of terror shoot out of him in the force. Robin glanced back at Ben. The swordsman nodded. He sensed it too.

"I don't believe we have made your acquaitance?" Khan Basilio replid, taking charge of the conversation.

"Y-you haven't. Of course." Validar stammered as the hooded man set his glass down and rose from the throne, "Allow me to introduce the Grimleal's Hierophant. The highest of our order."

A shocked gasp left Tharja's lips. Robin glanced over at her. The dark mage's face seemed far paler than normal. Her hold on Ben's hand tightened as the Heirophant's yellow eyes stared at them from the head of the table.

"A pleasure to meet you all." The Hierophant said.

Robin furrowed his brow. Ben seemed just as perplexed. They both heard it. The tone of his voice sounded familiar. The uneasiness inside both men grew.

Frederick cleared his throat.

"I apologize, but it is customary that friends show their faces when introductions are made."

Robin flashed an exasperated look at the Knight-Commander. Did he just have to piss off everyone with his wariness?

The Heirophant remained silent for a moment.

"My apologies." The Hierophant smiled beneath his hood, "I sometimes forget I have this thing on. It keeps the sun from roasting me alive. I am sure you all understand."

The Hierophant threw his hood from his head.

Robin's eyes widened. His heart stopped beating in his chest. A shocked gasp rushed from Lissa's lips. Frederick and Chrom took an uncertain step back. Ben narrowed his eyes and allowed one hand to drift close to the lightsaber hilt against hidden behind a new cloak.

Robin saw himself. But not himself. He saw a man that looked exactly like him. The Hierophant shared every physical feature he had. The same facial structure. Same height. Same body type. Same nose, lips, cheeks, and brow. The only difference between himself and the Hierophant were the Plegian's burning yellow eyes and the snow white hair atop his head.

"Wh-what is this!?" Frederick stammered.

"Do you intend to mock us?" Chrom asked, both disturbed and more than a little angry.

Validar spun around, "Not at all. I will admit, the resemblence between our Hierophant and your tactician is uncanny but-"

"My name is Robin." The Hierophant smirked. Validar puckered his lips and sucked in a sharp, panicked breath as he spoke.

Robin lost his ability to breathe.

"And so is yours, isn't it?" The Hierophant's yellow eyes fell on Robin, "What a strange coincidence."

Robin gulped. Yes, what a strange coincidence indeed.

"There are no coincidences." Ben muttered under his breath.

Robin felt his hairs standing on end. The ill feeling he had in his gut refused to go away. He could not tear his eyes away from the doppelgänger standing across the room from him. Every breath rattled in his chest. A surge of anxiety and panic took hold of him. He closed his eyes for a moment and sought out the comfort of the force. Just as Ben and Marth taught him to do in times of trouble.

It did not heed his call.

"Please," The Hierophant gestured to their places at the table, "Join us. I would be honored to feast with all of you tonight."

He nodded to Validar. The Plegian King cleared his throat.

"Y-yes. Please, take your places. The first course shall be served momentarily. I hope you all like peppers."

Robin hardly felt his body move to his seat beside Chrom and Frederick. Existance felt surreal. Everything seemed hazy. His eyes darted over to Ben. The swordsman seemed relaxed on the surface. But when Robin reached out with the force, he sensed that Ben was hyper alert. He too sensed something strange. Something sinister.

The first course came out. If Robin did not feel so ill, his mouth would have watered at the rich, savory scent. The food sat uneaten in front of him.

Chrom jabbed him with his elbow.

"Don't let them get to you." His friend whispered.

Robin gulped. He grabbed his fork and took a reluctant bite of food. He was unable to focus. He did not even hear Basilio's shock as Validar agreed to provide all of Plegia's ships and completely fund the war effort against Valm.

The sound of a spoon tapping against glass rang in his head. Robin shakily glanced over at the Hierophant and Validar. The Hierophant rose from his seat and raised his wine glass.

"To a new era." He grinned at all of them. Robin felt like he was going to vomit as those yellow eyes fell on him.

"One of peace and order."

….

Robin lay flat on his bank. The bed beneath him felt comfortable. His body practically sank into the soft mattress. The luxurious silk sheets lay in a heap off to the side. The air far too hot for those.

Under any other circumstances he would have fallen fast asleep in a matter of moments. He felt tired. The journey to Carrion Isle had been an exhausting one. The Shepherds hardly stopped marching during the trek south from Port Ferox. Each limb felt heavy on his body.

But he could not sleep. His mind continued to race despite his own exhaustion.

Who in Naga's name was the Hierophant? A doppelgänger? A twin? Something else. Something unexplainable. Robin ran his hands over his face.

Sleep would elude him tonight. The tactician rose from his bed and sat on the edge.

He shared a room with Frederick. The Knight Commander had entered the bedroom after dinner and some further negotiations, flopped down on his mattress, and passed out. Robin wished he could do the same. But he could not tear his thoughts away from what he saw tonight.

So, he slipped his boots back onto his feet, slid his arms into the sleeves of his coat, and quietly left the room.

Dim torchlight lit up the corridor outside of his room. The orange glow of the torches flickered with each passing breeze. For some reason, the shadows in this palace seemed darker than normal shadows. The air felt hot, but it did not warm Robin.

He tiptoed his way down the hall towards another door. Robin paused. He saw orange torchlight flickering beneath the door. They were still awake

He hesitated, then knocked.

Silence. Robin waited patiently. The doorknob turned.

Ben appeared as the door opened. He seemed just as wide awake as Robin. Although, he did not have a shirt on.

"Robin?" Ben asked.

Robin cringed, "Am I interrupting anything?"

Ben let out a small chuckle, "Not at all. Come in."

Robin stepped past Ben into the room. He flushed a little bit when he saw Tharja lying in their bed. Her tome open in her hands. Reading by candlelight. Her dark eyes flicked up to Robin as he inched his way in.

"Hello Robin." She said with a small smile as she set the book face down on her lap.

"Hi." Robin muttered as he thrusted his hands into his coat pockets.

Ben closed the door.

"Can't sleep either?" Ben asked.

Robin shook his head, "Not a wink. I'm sure you know why."

Ben nodded as he crossed the room. Tharja flicked her wrist. A small ball of fire shot from her fingertips and hit an unlit torch near the window. The torch burst to life right away. Washing the room with even more warm, orange light.

Ben let out a small sigh as he sank down on the edge of the bed beside Tharja. Robin remained standing. Eyes looking at his feet. Like a small nervous child. He snorted to himself.

"I don't know what the hell is going on anymore."

Ben exhaled, "I feel the same way."

Both men glanced at Tharja. The dark mage frowned.

"Don't look at me. I have no idea how either of them exist." Tharja huffed and folded her arms.

Ben nodded, "I hate to admit it, but I wish Dooku was here."

Tharja arched an eyebrow while Robin looked puzzled.

"Why didn't he come along again?" Tharja asked.

"Something about feeling tired and wanting to recuperate." Ben explained, "That, and he did not trust any of the idiots in the Feroxi military to put together a proper defensive front."

Robin frowned, "He does know the Feroxi are a warrior people, right?"

"Does it matter? He's still an ass." Ben sighed, "And I could use his help right about now. If anyone knows how Validar could possibly be alive, it would be him."

Robin gave Ben a puzzled look, "How would he know?"

Ben glanced over at Tharja. The dark mage shrugged back. Ben let out a heavy sigh.

"Robin, do not repeat what I am about to say to you. It could cause a lot of problems."

Robin furrowed his brow. Ben rubbed his hands together while Tharja remained completely silent.

"Dooku would possibly know how Validar is alive because Dooku is also supposed to be dead."

Robin blinked. Dooku was supposed to be dead?

"What?" Robin shook his head as he struggled to process this information, "Dooku is supposed to be dead? Like… how? What? Do you- do you mean you thought he was dead or-"

"Oh no," Ben cut him off, "Dooku is supposed to be very dead."

"Like dead dead?"

Ben nodded, "Headless even."

Robin blanched. His legs felt weak and shaky. Robin reached out and braced himself against the end of Ben and Tharja's mattress.

"Um…" Robin swallowed hard, "So… how?"

Ben shrugged, "We have no idea. There are so many unexplainable things popping up recently. I can hardly make sense of any of them myself."

Robin gulped. His hand kept shaking as he sank down onto the end of the mattress.

"Dooku's supposed to be dead." Robin let out a shaky breath, "Validar is supposed to be dead. And I have a look alike leading the Grimleal." He ran one hand through his brown hair, "Naga, what the hell is going on anymore?"

Ben pursed his lips, "I doubt we will get an answer to that question." He shifted in his seat, "Speaking of the Hierophant-"

"No, I've never met him before in my life nor have I ever heard of him." Robin said quickly, "I was just as shocked as you all when he made both his appearance and identitiy known." The tactician's gaze turned to Tharja, "Do you know him?"

Tharja shook her head, "Hierophants are keepers of knowledge in the order. You'll rarely see one outside of the archives. Even then, they are not people a normal mage talks to. Only the High Priest really know them."

"There's the answer to that question." Ben remarked, "The Hierophant is a new piece on the board then."

"And he shares both my name and my appearance." Robin patted the side of his head, "Except for the hair and eyes. Other than that, he's like an exact copy of me. Right down to how he eats even."

"One thing at a time. Never mixing any of the foods together. " Tharja nodded.

Ben and Robin gave her a dumbfounded look.

Tharja rolled her eyes, "You both know I was obsessed with Robin at one point. Not like I hid that bit."

"Perhaps, the Hierophant is using some sort of spell to rattle us?" Ben suggested, "An illusion of some sort?"

"That would be one hell of an illusion." Tharja muttered.

"It would take an obscene amount of power to pull off. And we would notice the drain on his magical energy." Robin stated, "No, it was not an illusion."

Ben rubbed his chin as he furrowed his brow. There had to be a reason for Robin's doppelganger. But for the life of him, he could not think of any.

"A twin?" Ben wondered.

Robin blinked, "That's possible. I must have had a family before I lost my memories."

"Given your magical strength, it would make sense if your entire bloodline is powerful." Tharja noted, "That begs the question, why would your twin have the same exact name as you?"

Robin shook his head, "Honestly, who knows if Robin even is my name anymore? Perhaps I misremembered and recalled my twin's name and not my own."

"Doubtful, but plausible." Ben nodded. He glanced over at Tharja. "Can you do anything with your scrying?"

Tharja shook her head, "I cannot scry a memory Robin does not remember. The furthest I can go into his mind would be to when Chrom found him. Beyond that, it would be impossible."

Robin frowned, "So it will remain a mystery."

Ben nodded, "For now. I'm sure the truth will be revealed in time." He gave Robin a reassured pat on his back, "Do not let it overwhelm you. Focus on the here and now. That is where your mind belongs."

Robin let out another shaky breath, "Yeah." He muttered, "I do worry about Validar and the Hierophant trying something though."

"If they do, we will know." Ben replied, "I'm remaining vigilant. And I guarantee Marth is just as wary as you."

"If they try anything they will learn the fury of the Shepherds when provoked." Tharja snarled.

Ben nodded, "Exactly. The best thing you can do right now Robin is rest. We can figure out what to do next in the morning."

Robin rubbed the back of his neck, "Okay." He uttered a small yawn, "Back to bed then. At least I have the ultimate watchman sleeping nearby."

"Frederick?" Ben said with a small laugh.

"Who else?" Robin chuckled back as he stood up again.

Robin quietly moved towards the door. He wished both Ben and Tharja goodnight before quickly exiting and returning to the dark corridor.

As he made his way back to his room. He felt a strange, cold feeling creeping up his spine. He paused outside of his door. Hand around the knob. A voice, quiet as a whisper, cut through the air. Making his blood run cold.

" _Son."_

….

The Heirophant folded his hands behind his back. Torchlight flickered off of the walls in his personal quarters in the King's summer home. The window to his room was open. Allowing warm air to flow into the room from the desert in the east. His yellow eyes stared out that same window. Focused on the shore across the narrow strait between the island and mainland Plegia.

" _The summit went well today."_

" _ **No one died. I'm dissapointed."**_

"No one was supposed to die." The Hierophant sighed, "We were supposed to lower their guard."

" _That little stunt you pulled with your name and appearance did little to help in that regard."_

"Bah!" The Hierophant moved away from the window and marched over to his bookshelf.

This bookshelf held far fewer books than the one back at the Plegian Capital. Something he felt rather dissapointed about. He enjoyed reading. It was one of the few activities he enjoyed from his old life that he could still do in his new form.

"That was for my pleasure more than anything else." The Hierophant said as he ran a finger along the spine of a row of books, "Did you see the look on Robin's face?"

" _I saw the look on all of their faces. They are wary of you."_

"They would be wary of me no matter what I did." The Hierophant sighed, "After all, I rule the Grimleal."

" _ **You rule Plegia."**_

" _Good correction."_

The Hierophant let out a small laugh, 'Validar did look quite surprised by our attendance. We'll likely hear from him tomorrow after the Shepherds are gone."

" _ **If he mouths off, I'll eat him."**_

" _No."_

" _ **Please? I'm so hungry."**_

The Hierophant snatched a black tome from the bookshelf. The other two voices silenced themselves.

"You will feed tonight."

He marched over to his door and cracked it open. One guard stood outside of the door. A heavily armored knight with a sharp, steel sword at his side.

"Soldier, I require your assistance."

The Hierophant smirked when he saw the knight's eyes widened behind his visor. The Beast chuckled as he sensed fear radiating the knight.

He shut the door behind knight. The armored man stepped into the dim torchlight. The Heiorphant circled him for a moment.

"Yes. You will do."

"D-do what, milord?"

Terror rushed out of the knight as a shadow emerged from the Hierophant body. The Knight tried to utter a scream, but the shadow shot into his mouth and down his throat before he could. The poor sod rose in the air as the shadow suspended him with dark tendrils. The Hierophant's eyes glowed with delight as the man's life drained from his body.

His husk fell to the floor. The armor hung loose over a sack of bones and skin. Void of any meat and blood. The Hierophant licked his lips as the shadow erupted out of the husk's lifeless form and seeped back into his own body.

" _ **Tasty. Lot's of lean meat."**_

" _I do not want the details. Also, may I ask why? You do not want to alert Kenobi to our true powers. He is already wary."_

"What could he possibly do?" The Hierophant chuckled, "If he knew who I really was, he would have acted already. Him and the rest of his ilk are still in the dark."

Black tendrils of magic and smoke spilled forth from the black tome. It swirled around the Knight's husk.

"But still, we need to gauge our enemy. Kenobi is different than the future. He's much more involved. You heard Khan Basilio at dinner. He referred to that damnable Jedi as General Kenobi."

The manipulative voice hissed.

" _Don't remind me."_

" _ **How do you plan on gauging our enemy?"**_

The black smoke consumed the husk. Slowly, the husk rose. The metal bent and twisted into a skeletal shape. It stretched taller. The limbs lankier and harder. Any flesh melted away. Replaced by metal, gears, and wires. Only a few organs remained. Held in a sack of gelatinous liquid in the chest cavity. Protected by a hard metal carapace similar to a ribcage.

"We give him an old foe to face." The Hierophant smirked, "One that will drive a wedge further between Kenobi and the Naga-spawn."

Reptilian eyes opened in the metal skull. The creature's posture became stooped. It's skeletal arms detached from two limbs into four. Then sealed back into two.

" _ **This one is aggressive. I like it."**_

The Deadlord towered over the Hierophant. The Hierophant smiled. He had total control over this one.

"The Shepherds will be leaving tomorrow evening. I want you to take a group of Risen and ambush them. Kill as many as you can."

" _That is rather drastic."_ The reasonable voice said with some alarm.

"But," The Hierophant continued, "You're primary target is the Feroxi General Ben Kenobi. Kill him if you can. If you cannot, I want you to learn as much as you can about him. Every little detail. His powers, his skills, who he holds closest to him. And when that is done, return to me."

The Deadord let out a low growl. A small cough rattled out of its lungs.

"It will be done, my lord." The Deadlord croaked from its lipless mask.

The Hierophant grinned, "Go then, Tigris. Prepare the ambush. And most important of all,"

The Deadlord moved towards the window. One of its clawed feet stepped up onto the windowsill. The stone beneath it cracked from the strength and weight of the foot.

"Have fun."

 **And chapter! The Hierophant makes his reveal with King Validar. The Shepherds are on edge. And a new deadlord has been raised. One that will definitely give the Shepherds a hard time. Whatever will they do?**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day**


	83. Innocence Lost

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 83

Innocence Lost

 _Oh crap!_

Morgan stared at the shattered glass by her feet. The glass was a display case. One that held a particularly valuable sculpture prized by Emperor Palpatine. That sculpture lay on the floor among shards of glass now. Headless… armless… completely broken.

Her teeth chattered. She whipped her head over to the small room the Emperor, her new Master, had walked into in order to make a call. Did he hear the glass shatter? Did he hear her shout a loud apology? Hopefully that apology counted for something. If it didn't, she had a feeling the Emperor would not longer train her.

 _I'm overreacting._

Morgan tried to reassure herself as she knelt down among the broken shards of glass and grabbed the statue's broken head and body. She cringed as she tapped the two pieces together. Somehow hoping they would magically fit back together again.

 _I'm overreacting._

Another limb fell off of the sculpture and hit the floor with a small thud. Morgan stared down at the limb.

 _I'm so screwed!_

"Morgan?" The Emperor's quiet voice called as he emerged from the other room.

Morgan flicked her wrist. The glass shards all shot behind the sculpture's pedestal. She snatched the shattered sculpture with her hands and hid it behind her back.

Emperor Palpatine gave her a curious look.

"Is something the matter?"

She shook her head, "Nope!" She gave him a nervous smile, "Everything is fine. Totally fine. There is no broken glass or sculpture in here."

 _Real smooth dumbass._

The Emperor frowned. Morgan felt a bead of sweat drip down the side of her head.

"Morgan." The Emperor sighed.

He waved his hand. The shattered glass floated out from behind the durasteel pedestal and drifted over to a trash bin in the corner of the Emperor's office. Morgan let out a heavy, guilty sigh. She revealed the broken sculpture.

"I'm sorry." She mumbled. Head bowed. Eyes staring at her feet.

Palpatine shook his head and walked up to her. He placed a gentle hand on her head.

"If you and I are to have a good Master and Apprentice relationship, Morgan, we must trust each other. We cannot try to hide mistakes. We cannot afford to have secrets." He took the broken sculpture from her hands, "Why would you try to hide what you did?"

Morgan bit her lip, "I was… afraid you would stop teaching me."

Palpatine sighed, "And why would I do that?" Morgan blinked as he spoke. The sculpture floated over to his desk as he remained standing in front of her, "Morgan, you have been an incredible apprentie. You have learned to control the force in an incredibly short period of time. So much so, that you even managed to lift dozens of shards of glass without much effort."

Morgan felt a twinge of pride as her Master praised her progress.

"You still have a long way to go." Palpatine admitted, "And actually, I think this little accident is a perfect transition into the next phase of your training."

Palpatine moved across his office over to his desk and chair. He sank down into the plush, swivel chair and let his arms rest comfortably on the arm rests. Morgan followed him. She stood waiting across the desk from her Master.

"Part of being a powerful Sith is to understand the mind. In order to understand the mind, you must know both how to defend your own mind, and how to attack others. Many battles between force users are won and lost in the mental aspect. I knew that you were lying to me because I sensed the lie in your mind. Your intentions."

Morgan nodded in understanding.

"We have brushed on this topic before. Even started constructing some mental defenses for your own mind. But you have yet to fully understand the concept." Palpatine sighed as he glanced at the sculpture, "I have a feeling that a more hands on approach to this will benefit you."

"Hands on?"

"Yes." Palpatine nodded, "You need to understand the mind. You must learn how to break into a mind. Shatter an enemy's mental defenses. Win the battle before violence can occur."

Palpatine smiled at her as she nodded in understanding.

"Alright." Morgan exhaled, "What exercise do you have in mind?"

Palpatine's smile widened. He never had a student so eager to learn as Morgan. Maul had been a tool. A blunt force instrument only interested in causing pain and havoc. It was not until he was no longer Sidious's apprentice that he began to appreciate the finer aspects of the force. Tyrannus felt he was already far too learned in order to delve deep into Sith teachings. He sought out knowledge, but more so out of curiosity than out of a voracious appetite to learn. And Vader… well, the disappointment had not earned Palpatine's more refined instruction yet.

 _Is this how Plagueis felt when he took me on as an apprentice?_

"Do you know of the Inquisitors, Morgan?"

Morgan arched an eyebrow, "I think so? They are a special arm of the Imperial military. Meant for discreet, highly dangerous missions. Usually involving a recently discovered Jedi Knight."

"Correct." Palpatine nodded, "Tell me, what do you believe the nature of their missions are?"

Morgan thought for a moment.

"Hunting." Morgan answered.

"Very good." Palpatine said, "But there is more to it than hunting. Often times, a Jedi will attempt to hide in plain sight. Blend in with the local population. It is up to the inquisitors to not only hunt that individual down, but to discover who they are. That often involves interrogation. And one of the things I am adamant that they be adept at is mental interrogation."

"Mental interrogation?" Morgan questioned.

"A way to avoid physical interrogation. They will gather up suspects and attack their mental defenses. A jedi will have staunch mental defenses. Often they will try to repel the attacks. That is how the inquisitors discover who their target is." Palpatine steepled his fingers in his lap, "I want you to accompany the Inquisitors on such an interrogation. That will be your hands on lesson."

Morgan blinked, "An actual mission?" She gulped, "Do you think I am ready?"

"You will have to be." Palpatine sensed her anxiety, "Morgan, I am sure you will perform well in this mission." The Emperor rested his hands on his desk, "Now, I am uncertain of the details of their current mission. I just know they have identified a Jedi and aim to make them confess to their crimes. I will warn you, sometimes the Inquisitors can be rough with their suspects. But that is only to ensure that the correct suspect is apprehended and brought to justice. Their methods make for a much more efficient, pain free process."

Morgan nodded, "Sounds good. Where do I have to go? Who am I meeting? And when?"

And there was Morgan's more analytical side bursting forth. During her few lessons with him, Sidious found her remarkably logical and astute. She sought out the most efficient methods of learning. Desired to learn the best tactics to taming the force. She did not like to bother with many tedious details. Preferring instead to know her objective and how that objective was to be achieved. Very similar to Vader in that respect.

 _Except she still has all of her potential in the force. Whereas Lord Vader is nothing but a shell of what he could have been._ Sidious thought to himself.

"They will fetch you." Palpatine answered, "For now, go rest back home. Once your mission is finished, we will resume your lessons."

Morgan beamed at him, "Sounds great!" She turned on her heel and marched for the door. She paused when she reached the door to his office, "Master, this gives you some time to catch up on your other stuff, doesn't it?"

Palpatine chuckled, "I will admit, there is some paperwork I have fallen behind on. Nothing for you to concern yourself with. Go get rest. I'm sure the Grand Inquisitor will fetch you soon."

Morgan smiled, "Okay. See you soon, Master."

The door slid shut behind her. Palpatine waited a few moments. Sensed her leave the floor, step on the lift with her death trooper guards, then enter a speeder bound for his palace. Once he knew she was gone, he exhaled.

The illusion fell. His more youthful appearance crumbled away. Revealing the scarred, deformed face of Darth Sidious. His sunken, yellow eyes lingered on his office door

"Yes, Morgan." He started to cackle, "I will see you very soon."

….

Aches and pains rocked her body. Drums beat in her head. Hammers pounded against her skull. Her arms and legs felt heavy. Her head felt like a stone. She struggled to raise her head from the hard ground she lay on.

Morgan winced and squeezed her eyes shut.

Did she fall out of bed? She stayed awake in her room at the palace for a long time. Waiting patiently for the inquisitors to come and grab her for the mission. After several hours of waiting, the constant drone of Coruscant lulled her to sleep.

Morgan blinked her eyes open. Through her bleary vision, she saw a cold, metal floor. No cushions, no sheets, and no blankets. The metal kissed her cheek with icy lips. A shudder ran down her spine.

Morgan blinked again as she struggled to wake up. A low, sinister chuckle rang out around her.

She turned her gaze to the low chuckle. It came from someone behind her.

Her heard lodged itself in her throat when she saw the other occupant in the room. A strange looking man. An alien. Pau'an from the physical appearance. But he appeared very gaunt for a Pau'an. His eyes were yellow and sunken into dark sockets. Razor sharp teeth flashed as his thin lips curled into a stomach churning grin.

"Sleep well?" The Pau'an male asked as sat on a metal stool. One black boot tapped against the metal floor. The other remained still as he rested his hands on it.

Morgan blinked again. The lights in this room were dim. She had a hard time making out details. She did see that Pau'an wore all black. Some shiny bits of armor protected the vulnerable areas of his body. A circular device rested against his hip. A handle rested in the center of the circular device. Morgan gave it a curious look. Her curiosity faded away when the Pau'an snarled at her.

"Focus." He growled.

Morgan sucked in a sharp breath.

"So," The Pau'an eyed her, "You are the Emperor's new apprentice?" He scoffed, "Pitiful."

Some anger flashed in Morgan's eyes, "Hey! I am a lot stronger than I look."

"Are you?" The Pau'an chuckled evilly, "I shall be the judge of that."

Morgan furrowed her brow. Who was this man? Her eyes widened.

"You're an inquisitor." She breathed.

"Not just an inquisitor." The Pau'an snarled with contempt, "I am the Grand Inquisitor."

Morgan arched an eyebrow, 'You don't look so grand to me." The Pau'an clenched his teeth as Morgan sat upright, "In fact, you look like you could use a heavy meal or two."

"Silence!" The Grand Inquisitor hissed.

Morgan's breath hitched as she felt some sort of force grab her by the hood of her coat and drag her to the Grand Inquisitors feet. His left boot pressed down on her back as she stood on all fours in front of him.

"Such foolish innocence." The Grand Inquisitor sneered, "Naivete like that will get you killed."

He removed his boot from her back. Morgan exhaled as the pressure on her body lifted. She raised her gaze. More anger rushed through her. The Grand Inquisitor smirked.

"Good. Get angry. Let that anger fill you. Use it to your advantage." The Pau'an rose from his seat, "The Emperor gave you a mission. You were tasked to find a Jedi."

Morgan took a deep breath as she tried to calm herself down.

"I was." Morgan said as she pushed herself up to her feet.

"Well," The Grand Inquisitor said, "We did the hard part for you." He nodded behind Morgan.

Morgan gave him a puzzled look. She slowly turned around.

The room was completely bare. No furniture except the metal stool the Grand Inquisitor sat on. No windows. One, bright, cold light in the center of the ceiling. And three other occupants.

The three other occupants kneeled at the center of the room. Their hands bound behind their backs with strange, glowing cuffs. Heavy, burlap sacks covered their heads. Hiding their surroundings from them.

Morgan recoiled when she saw them.

"There are your three suspects." The Grand Inquisitor told her, "Figure out which one is the Jedi. When you figure it out, let us know. You will receive further instruction then."

A door hissed open behind the Grand Inquisitor. The man stepped back into the dark room beyond the door. Before Morgan could open her mouth to speak, the door hissed closed and became a solid wall once again.

Morgan blinked.

 _What?_

She strode over to the wall and stared at it. She searched for where the door came from. But there were no indentations in the wall. Not a single crack. The door vanished entirely.

"Hmm…" Morgan frowned and ran a hand along the wall, "Strange." Some panic hit her, "H-hey! What if I have to use the bathroom?"

No answer. No door opening. Just silence and stillness. Morgan frowned.

"Okay." She muttered, "Ignore me then."

 _I really don't like that guy._

She turned around to face the three, hooded suspects. Her studious eyes took in what details she could see.

The suspect on the left was male. A reptilian male. Trandoshan perhaps? Tall, and muscular. That matched that species profile. Right down to the three toed, clawed feet and scaly skin on his arms. There were tears in his outfit in several spots. Some scorch marks as well. He had been in a fight recently.

The middle suspect was a human woman. She wore an elegant, deep red gown with sparkles twinkling all over it. She did not have much muscle. Rather diminutive in stature. Morgan noticed some spots and wrinkles along the exposed neck. An older human female.

The suspect on the right was an even bigger enigma. Dark robes covered the suspect head to toe. Hiding any physical features beyond size and build. If Morgan were to guess, she would say this one was also a female. Very humanoid in appearance. But she seemed even frailer than the center suspect. Barely able to hold her body upright as she kneeled in the center of the room.

"Find the Jedi." Morgan breathed, 'Find the Jedi."

She walked across the room. Her boots clacked against the metal. The sound echoed around her. It startled the suspect on the left.

"Wh-who's there?"

The suspect had a distinct rasp to his voice. One typical of Trandoshans.

Morgan crouched down in front of the suspect. Her eyes level with the sack on the immense alien's head. She heard his breaths rasp in and out.

He sounded afraid. Panicked.

Morgan frowned.

"Are you a Jedi?"

 _Might as well start with the direct approach. Maybe I'll get lucky._

The suspect drew back in shock.

"J-jedi? N-no! Why would I be a Jedi?"

Morgan frowned. Not off to a good start.

"I'll get back to you."

"What!?" The first suspect cried, "What do you mean? What is going on?"

Morgan sidestepped over to the center suspect. This woman did not seem very afraid. She held herself tall and elegant. Chin high. Almost arrogant.

"Before you ask your ridiculous question." The center suspect huffed, "I am not a Jedi."

Morgan scowled at the woman.

 _I don't like you either._

She scooted over to the last suspect. This suspect looked sickly. Weak and frail. Her arms were so skinny, Morgan felt she could wrap one hand around them. Her head stayed bowed even as Morgan stooped over her.

"Are you a Jedi?"

Silence at first.

"No." The woman replied.

 _Oh. So you are female._ Morgan thought, _I think I might be getting good at this._

She drew back and rubbed her chin. She should have known she would not get that lucky. Why would a Jedi reveal themselves with such a simple question. This wouldn't be a mission if it were that easy.

 _I need to figure out who these people are. Deduce their lives that way._

She glanced over at the first suspect. Before she addressed him, she recalled why her Master gave her this mission. She needed to learn how to attack the mind in order to fully understand the mind with the force. The first step, she suspected, was to try and sense the other person's mind. Their thoughts and feelings. Their intentions.

She reached out with the force. Dark tendrils seeped out of her and hit the Trandoshan clumsily. The reptilian man hissed in pain as she brushed against his mind.

"Wh-what the hell!?"

Morgan winced. He was in pain. A broken rib or two. Fear filled his mind. She could sense him trying to think of a way to escape. To get out of this situation.

 _A jedi would want to escape._

"You're afraid." Morgan said.

"Of course I'm afraid!" The Trandoshan cried, "I have no idea where I am at. I have a sack on my head. Why wouldn't I be afraid?"

"You tell me." Morgan replied.

"I-I-I-"

Morgan rolled her eyes. He was still petrified. She would get nowhere until he calmed down a little bit.

"I'll get back to you."

"Stop saying that!"

Morgan scooted over to the center suspect. The human female sniffed at her.

"I am not afraid of you."

Morgan frowned. Her Master did say that a Jedi did not feel fear easily. This woman could be the one she sought. But she was not certain.

She reached out with the force. The woman's breath hitched. Morgan sensed anger and frustration. That anger born out of fear. She hid her fear well, but not well enough. Morgan smirked.

"You can't lie to me. I can sense your thoughts." Morgan said.

"S-sense my- how dare you!" The woman bellowed, "What gives you the right to traipse about my mind?"

"You tell me?" Morgan replied, keeping her tone even and calm.

"Hmph!" The woman turned her head. She would not give an answer either.

Morgan uttered a small sigh. Two difficult suspects. This was going to take a while.

She moved over to the last suspect. The enigmatic woman kept her head bowed. Morgan reached out with the force.

She felt some resistance at first. Which surprised her. But that resistance quickly fell. Morgan felt some fear. But most of all, she felt… resignation. This woman thought she knew her fate. Morgan recalled her master said that a Jedi would have some resistance to her mental probes. But would a Jedi's defenses crumble so easily. Morgan was not an adept at the force's mental techniques. Anyone could be stubborn enough to resist for a few seconds.

One common thing she felt among all three suspects was fear. That concerned Morgan. These suspects were all very afraid. An innocent person would not be completely terrified in this situation. They would have the belief that they would be exonerated calming their mind.

Why were they all so afraid?

Morgan took a few steps back and observed all three suspects. Her arms folded over her chest. One hand tapped against her arm. Morgan pressed her lips into a thin line. She was getting nowhere fast. And even worse…

 _I need to pee._

….

The Grand Inquisitor scowled as he observed the new student work. He watched carefully as the human girl, Morgan, moved from one prisoner to the next. Doing nothing. Accomplishing nothing. He let out an annoyed sigh.

"You should have seen this coming." A woman's venomous voice said.

The Grand Inquisitor glanced over at one of his comrades lounging in a chair off to the side of the observation room. The Mirialan Inquisitor had one leg kicked up on the armrest while the rest of her lithe body leaned against the other. Her green lips bore a frown as she watched the monitor. She snorted and shook her head.

"That girl is useless." Her circular lightsaber hilt floated from her belt and into the air over her chest. She mindlessly twirled it around as she lounged in her chair, "What does the Master see in her?"

The Grand Inquisitor hummed to himself, "I'm not sure." He muttered.

"Maybe he made a mistake?"

The Grand Inquisitors yellow eyes flashed with fear, "Watch your tongue, Seventh Sister." He warned, "Lord Sidious could arrive at any moment."

The Seventh Sister gulped loudly. The reminder of their master's approaching presence caused some trepidation to fill her heart. Lord Sidious did not interact with them often. When he did, he made sure his presence was felt. The first time the Seventh Sister met the Emperor, he brought her to her knees with his sheer power. He did not even lift a finger. All it took was a small pulse of the dark side for her to realize how insignificant she was to him.

And for some reason, their all powerful master, the ruler of the galaxy, saw potential in an innocent, naive little girl.

She watched Morgan back away for a moment. A low groan left the Seventh Sister's lips when she saw the girl hop up and down.

"Humans and their weak bladders." She grumbled.

The Grand Inquisitor chuckled, "She will not be leaving that room until the target is found. Those were Lord Sidious's orders."

"I am pleased to see you diligently carrying them out, Grand Inquisitor."

Both the Seventh Sister and the Grand Inquisitor jumped as Darth Sidious entered the observation room. His deep hood drawn over his head. Hiding any facial features from them. The heavy robes hung over his frail frame like thick curtains on a thin rod. But the frail appearance was a facade. Both the Grand Inquisitor and the Seventh Sister understood the power their master commanded. And when he entered, both dropped to a knee and bowed their heads.

"Master." The two inquisitors hummed.

"Rise, both of you." Sidious commanded.

The two inquisitors rose to their feet.

"How long has she been interrogating them?" Sidious asked.

"An hour now." The Grand Inquisitor answered, "The results have been rather lacking." He glanced at his master. The Sith Lord seemed undisturbed, "Master. May I ask-"

"What do I see in Morgan?" Sidious finished for him.

The Grand Inquisitor gulped. He forgot just how easily his Master could slip into his thoughts and read them without him noticing.

"I see… power. Untapped and raw." Sidious answered, "She needs a proper nudge in the right direction to unlock that power."

"And this is the nudge?" The Seventh Sister asked.

Sidious did not reply. He kept his burning eyes focused on the monitor.

Morgan stamped her foot and hopped up and down some more.

"Frustration." The Grand Inquisitor noted.

"Pain." Sidious corrected, "It seems she needs to use the restroom."

"Shall I go in and-"

"No." Sidious cut him off, "Let her be in pain. Let her become angry. Let her take that frustration out on the prisoners that refuse to speak."

The Grand Inquisitor nodded in understanding. The Seventh Sister let out an indignant snort.

"I'm not cleaning up the mess."

Sidious's eyes flicked over at the insolent inquisitor. The Seventh Sister swallowed hard and quickly shut her mouth.

Sidious returned his gaze to the monitor. Morgan took a seat in front of the three prisoners. Her head turned towards the Trandoshan. The Dark Lord reached out with the force. His movements were subtle. He did not want Morgan to know he was here.

He sensed great frustration from Morgan. Anger at the prisoners for not speaking already. Anger at herself for not figuring out how to make the prisoners talk. And… his lips curled into a pleased grin. He sensed anger directed at the Grand Inquisitor.

" _HEY!"_ Morgan bellowed from the room, " _DID YOU HEAR ME BEFORE!? I NEED TO PEE!"_

The Seventh Sister uttered a dark snicker at her screams.

" _And I'm getting kind of hungry! How long do I have to do this before I get a break!?"_

"A spoiled child." The Grand Inquisitor scoffed.

Sidious's grin grew as he sensed more frustration building in young Morgan. A spoiled child indeed.

Memories flashed in his mind. He saw his home on Naboo. His parents, giving him everything he ever wanted and more. Speederbike racing through the countryside and swamps outside of Theed. The one thing beyond studying forbidden knowledge that gave him a thrill in his youth.

"Yes." Sidous breathed, "So was I."

….

Morgan grit her teeth. She did not know how long it had been since she woke up in this stupid room. But she was running out of patience. She rose from her seated position. She could feel liquid rolling around inside of her. A sickening feeling that made her utter a loud exhale

"Don't think about water." She breathed, "Don't think about water."

 _I'm really thirsty. STOP IT BRAIN!_

Morgan growled. This interrogation was taking too long. Her master expected her to perform well on this mission. He expected her to find the Jedi.

What if she failed? Some fear lanced through her heart. Would he stop teaching her then? Would he refuse to reveal the secrets to unlocking her memories? That had been the biggest reason she agreed to his tutelage. She wanted to rediscover her past. To remember everything about herself.

Who was her father? She had a vague image of him in her mind. But she could not recall the finer details. Who was her mother? Nothing but a blank everytime she thought of her. Where was she from? Did she have friends? Other family? Was someone looking for her? Where did she get these powers from and why?

She could not answer those questions if she did not learn the force. The force held the key to unlocking the secrets of her mind. And her master was the way to achieving that key. She could not fail this mission. She could not fail him.

She stomped over to the Trandoshan. The blubbering creature had finally calmed down enough to think clearly. She barely stood taller than him as he knelt on the floor.

Asking direct questions had not worked so far. Probing their thoughts and feelings did not work either. There were not enough clues to work on that way.

 _Why are they all here?_

Morgan sucked in a sharp breath. A proud smile crossed her face.

"Trandoshan?"

"Y-yes?" The reptilian alien rasped.

"Who are you?" Morgan asked.

"I-I," The prisoner took a deep breath, "My name is Exx Dagg. I- I'm a bounty hunter."

"Really?" Morgan replied, "How long have you been in that profession?"

"Um… two years now."

"Oh? So you are a new bounty hunter?"

Exx Dagg gulped, "Y-yes."

"What did you do before you decided to track down the scum of the galaxy?" Morgan asked.

The Trandoshan swallowed hard, "Wh-what does this have to do with my situation?"

"Oh, everything." Morgan said, "This could be the difference between freedom and a cell." Morgan put a finger to her chin, "You must have done something that made someone angry. Angry enough to capture you."

"Capture me? I-I-" Exx Dagg sagged, "I will admit, I have done some things I am not proud of. I- I was a mercenary during the Clone Wars."

Oh, progress. Morgan smirked a little bit. The Jedi were prominent warriors in the Clone Wars. Maybe he was still trying to trick her into thinking he was not a Jedi by saying a half truth about his life?

"I played both sides of the war. I… I killed lots of people." Exx Dagg admitted, "But it was a war, you know? Casualties are a part of war."

A sick feeling hit Morgan's gut.

"You killed innocent people?"

The Trandoshan let out a small whimper then nodded.

Morgan grit her teeth as some anger filled her. What kind of monster would kill innocent people already suffering from a war? Her fists balled up at her side. It took everything in her not to lash out at the cowardly man.

She learned more about him. Knew who he was now. But that did not bring her any closer to discovering who the Jedi was. This could just be a clever ruse by the Trandoshan. A way to throw her off. To keep her from discovering his true identity.

She reached out with the force again. He recoiled.

Morgan snapped. She whipped out a small blow with the force. Exx Dagg let out a small, pain filled cry as the force smashed into his sack covered head.

"Stop that!" Morgan snarled, "I want… I want this to be over with already. Tell me what I want to hear and this will all end."

"I already told you everything." Exx Dagg whimpered, "Please! I know nothing about any Jedi. I've never even seen a Jedi before!"

"Lies!" Morgan snarled. She gripped the Trandoshan with the force and tossed him backwards, "You were in the Clone wars. The Jedi were generals in that conflict. Surely you saw one?"

"I-I was never… never that close to the front lines." Exx Dagg whimpered.

Morgan grit her teeth, "A murdering coward then." She used the force and dragged him back to his spot, "That is all you are in the end."

Exx Dagg's shoulders sagged as she walked away from him and stepped towards the center prisoner.

Morgan stood over the old human woman in the center. She folded her hands behind her back and glowered down at the still defiant lady.

"I will not tell you anything." The human female snarled.

Morgan's eyes flashed. It had been the same thing with this woman for what felt like hours now. Nothing but venom and hatred. Vileness and disrespect. It grated on Morgan's nerves now. She had tried to be extremely nice before. And how did this woman repay her? She wasted her time. Belittled Morgan despite her precarious position.

Morgan's hand twitched.

The woman floated up in the air. Morgan's frustrated gaze followed her.

"I don't want you here. And I don't want to be here." Morgan snarled as the woman squirmed in the air, "I'd much rather be at home reading a good book, honestly. I'm sure you'd much rather be at home too. You can go home, if you only tell me what I want to know."

"I-I-"

A victorious smirk crossed Morgan's lips. The woman was scared now. She remained suspended in the air.

"I don't know anything about any Jedi!"

"I did not ask about the Jedi this time." Morgan corrected, "I want to know about you instead." Morgan folded her hands behind her back. The woman gently floated back down to the floor, "What is your name?"

The woman let out a ragged, fear filled breath, "Shi Falla."

Morgan nodded, "Very good. And your occupation."

"None." Shi Falla breathed, "I am just a loving wife to a wealthy man."

"Loving?" Morgan clicked her tongue, "I doubt that. And I doubt you are just some loving wife. After all, you had to have done something in order to end up here."

The woman huffed, "I don't know! Maybe I directed a derogatory or snide comment at the wrong person. Perhaps this all one big scheme to get revenge on me for gossiping about certain senators or business leaders. How am I supposed to know how I ended up here!?"

Morgan scowled, "That is all?" A disappointed sound left her lips, "Perhaps I need to be more persuasive?"

 _Because I am out of patience._

"No no! That will not be necessary." The woman's shoulders sagged, "Maybe… maybe I made some disparaging comments regarding the Emperor. And maybe those comments were overheard by some journalists. I'm not sure."

Morgan arched an eyebrow. Why would someone be considered a suspected Jedi for gossiping about the Emperor?

 _Then again, a Jedi would want to undermine the Empire any way they can. Including discrediting the leadership._

"That is enough." Morgan muttered.

"Thank god."

Morgan stepped towards the final suspect. The frail, enigma of a woman who had not spoke a word since Morgan initially tried speaking to her. Morgan glowered at her. She opened her mouth to speak.

"I am nothing but a prisoner." The woman whispered, "I have been nothing but a prisoner my entire life."

Morgan blinked.

"What do you mean by that?" Morgan asked, genuinely curious now.

The woman snorted, "I am nothing. I was raised to be nothing. Nothing but a sacrifice for the greater good." Morgan felt something brush against her mind, "As you are being raised to be nothing. Nothing but a pawn. Like me."

Morgan drew back, "Wh-what is your name?"

The woman stayed silent.

"Answer me." Morgan hissed.

Silence.

Morgan grit her teeth. Her fists shook at her sides.

"Answer me!" Morgan roared.

A pulse rushed out of her body. Tossing the three prisoners against the far wall. They all groaned and tried to prop themselves back upright. Morgan snarled and waved her hand. All three were placed back on their knees against the far wall.

"I-" Morgan swallowed hard.

 _What am I doing? I-I'm not like this… am I?_

"I want to be done." She looked back at the wall where the door was supposed to be. Some tears brimmed her eyes, "I want to be done!"

….

Hours passed. Or… what felt like hours. Morgan did not really have a concept of time anymore. The cold light above her never wavered. Her surroundings remained the same. Except for the small puddle off to one corner. But she preferred to not look at that.

Her prisoners remained the same. Uncooperative. Not saying a damn word to her. Not giving up any information she needed.

She sat in front of the trio. Legs tucked close to her chest. Arms wrapped around her shins. Chin resting on top of her knees. Eyes focused on the three suspects: Exx Dagg, Shi Fall, and Enigma.

Her mouth felt so dry. Her stomach would not stop rumbling. Her eyes felt heavy. But if she fell asleep, she risked failing this mission. She could not sleep. Could not leave this room. Not until she discovered the Jedi.

She glanced at Exx Dagg.

A cowardly trandoshan. Claimed to be a mercenary turned bounty hunter. Claimed he had no connections to the Jedi. Had never even seen a Jedi to be precise. She asked him more questions regarding his old life as a mercenary. Often in a not so nice manner. And he answered every question with the hope that he would be shown mercy.

The more she learned about him, the more she believed him. He did not have a Jedi's resolve. Did not have their anti-fear training. He practically wet himself whenever she reached out with the force and touched his mind. A Jedi would not be so mentally weak.

She turned her gaze to Shi Fall.

A Mandalorian woman. Wife to a successful businessman who owned a major news outlet on Coruscant. Made disparaging comments about multiple powerful figures in the Empire. Her and her husband held favorable views towards the Jedi during the Clone War. That little fact slipped when Morgan asked about the articles her husband's news outlet wrote. Shi Fall then told her, with no small amount of pride, about the award winning report regarding the Jedi Temple bombing and the tragedy of it.

Jedi sympathizer. But an actual Jedi? Morgan shook her head. Shi Fall's mind had been too easy to read. Her stories too plausible to ignore. Morgan wished she had a datapad in order to access the holonet. That would have helped immensely in making sure Shi Fall spoke the truth.

She did not sense any deception from the old woman. That was the key. Shi Fall believed her story. Believed the potential lie. Did that make it the truth?

Morgan's weary gaze finally stopped on Enigma.

Not a peep. Not a sound. Morgan spoke and listened to her own voice echo in return.

A prisoner. Someone who belonged in a cell, a cage. Someone who had always been in a cage. Someone who viewed their life as insignificant. As nothing more than a pawn in a game she did not understand. A sacrifice to be sent to the slaughter. Nothing more.

Enigma's mental defenses were hardly sturdy. But there was something there. A faint flicker in her mind. The remnants of a once potent connection to the force. Morgan focused in on her.

The barrage began. Morgan viciously attacked Enigma's mind. The woman uttered a gasp of shock.

Morgan hit mental barriers. Strong walls. Like stone. They appeared out of nowhere. A relieved gasp left Morgan's lips as she ended her assault.

Enigma uttered rasping breaths. Morgan rose from her seat and stood over the mysterious woman.

The woman raised her bowed head for the first time since the interrogation started. Morgan reached down and grabbed the sack over her head.

She wrenched it free. Revealing the haggard, green skinned face of a starving Mirialan woman. A very young woman at that. Not much older than Morgan herself.

The Mirialan raised her gaze to meet Morgan's. A defiant gleam lingered in the woman's eyes.

"I am no Jedi."

"You lie." Morgan hissed back. She turned to the door, "I found her!"

Silence.

The door opened. The Grand Inquisitor entered the room. Striding in with him, was another Mirialan woman. This one had a sneer on her face as she regarded Morgan and the prisoners.

 _Another inquisitor._ Morgan realized.

The Grand Inquisitor glared at Morgan.

"You have?"

Morgan nodded and pointed at Enigma, "It's her."

The Grand Inquisitor glanced over at the woman. Morgan noticed some recognition flash in his yellow eyes. He knew this woman.

"Yes.. you are correct." He whispered with shock.

The Seventh Sister snickered, "What do you know? She's actually useful for something."

Morgan glared at the inquisitor. The inquisitor scoffed at her.

"Do not test me, girl." The Seventh Sister warned.

The Grand Inquisitor raised a hand. Silencing them both.

"Well done, Morgan." The Grand Inquisitor praised, "Now, justice must be done."

Morgan nodded, "I agree. What is her sentence?"

"All Jedi carry the same sentence." The Grand Inquisitor said.

The next word rang in Morgan's ears.

"Death."

Morgan blanched, "D-death?" She glanced at Enigma, "Why must all Jedi die?"

"They are a blight on the galaxy." The Seventh Sister snarled, "Traitors and war mongers."

"They must be punished for their many crimes. And you shall carry it out."

A knot formed in Morgan's throat. She gave the Grand Inquisitor a shocked look.

"I-I was only supposed to find her and-"

"And now that you found her, she must die." Morgan saw the fear in the Mirialan Jedi's eyes as the Grand Inquisitor spoke, "Let me put it another way." Morgan gulped, "If you do not kill her, I will."

Her blood ran cold.

"And her death will not be merciful then."

"No." Enigma's voice rattled, "No please! I am not a Jedi!"

"Silence!" The Grand Inquisitor hissed. He glared at Morgan, "Well, will you give her the mercy she obviously begs for."

"Please don't!"

Morgan gulped, "Wh-what about the others? They're criminals too."

"Oh how cute." The seventh sister chuckled, "She cares about the others too."

"Their fate depends on your decision, Morgan." The grand inquisitor said, "Choose wisely."

Morgan did not miss the threat. If she did not kill the Jedi, then the Jedi would die a horrible death. And so would the other two prisoners. The ones she had no quarrel with. Morgan gulped.

 _One life… for two others._

"I don't think she's going to do it." The Seventh Sister said with a roll of her eyes. She reached for her lightsaber, "Let me. I'll have fun with this."

The Seventh Sister's eyes widened as static built up in the air around her. The Grand Inquisitor took a small step back as lightning sparked from Morgan's fingertips.

The Jedi let out a terrified howl.

"NO! PLEASE! HAVE MERCY!"

Lightning surged from Morgan's fingertips. The Jedi barely let out a pain filled howl before going silent. Morgan poured all of her power into the blast. Every ounce of energy she had went into the lightning. Every shred of frustration, anger, and fear culminated into the single biggest blast she had ever conjured.

Within seconds, the Jedi's body fell limp to the cold, metal ground. Small swirls of smoke drifted up from her still form.

Morgan exhaled loudly.

 _As quick as I could make it._

The Seventh Sister started to cackle, "I can see why Master likes her."

The Grand Inquisitor nodded, "Indeed. Well done Morgan."

Morgan felt sick. They praised her for killing someone.

 _Maybe they're glad I made it quick?_ She thought with what little optimism she had left, _Maybe they're glad I was merciful?_

The Grand Inquisitor stepped between the other two prisoners. Morgan waited with bated breath. Expecting him to undo their binds and guide them away from here.

"You made the right choice."

The Grand Inquisitor's dual bladed lightsaber thundered to life. Both ends shot through the sides of the final two prisoners. They both uttered loud, pain filled screams as the blade burned through them.

Morgan watched with horror as the lightsaber deactivated. The two bodies fell into limp heaps beside each other.

"Wh-what?" Morgan felt some tears dripping down her cheeks. Her lips quivered as she stared at the smoking wounds in the prisoners that were supposed to go free, "Why?"

The Grand Inquisitor leaned close to her ear. His hot breath brushed against her skin.

"There is no mercy in the Empire."

….

Palpatine hurried through the halls of his palace. His feet carried him swiftly towards the turbolift that led to the private quarters. Once on the lift, he punched in the code for the proper floor.

The lift hummed upwards. As it shot towards the top floors of the palace, Palpatine drifted into his thoughts.

Morgan's mission could not have gone any better.

He witnessed all of it. Her initial buildup of frustration. Her sudden outbursts of anger due to that frustration. Her stewing as she struggled to grapple with the prisoners minds. And finally, her triumph in discovering the 'Jedi'.

Palpatine chuckled to himself. Poor Barriss Offee, she died being deemed the thing she hated most. How fitting for someone like her.

The lift came to a halt. Palpatine stepped off of it and marched over to Morgan's room.

Her two DeathTrooper guards stood outside her he approached they snapped to attention.

" _Your excellency."_ They both said.

Palpatine nodded at them. The pair stepped away from the door.

The Dark Lord of the Sith shuddered with anticipation. Morgan had done it. She had broken into a Jedi's mind. Her progress astounded him. He had never witnessed anyone grow so swiftly in the dark side of the force. It was like she was born to wield such power.

He wiped the smirk away from his face. She could not know about his pride on the matter. He needed to wear the gentle persona of Palpatine now. Not the ruthless one of Sidious, as much as he preferred that one.

He stepped into Morgan's room.

The girl lay flat on her back on her bed. Her precious coat flung over a nearby chair. The tint on her windows set to the darkest shade. Only a single lamp lit up the entire space.

"Morgan?" Palpatine called.

He heard a sniffle. Morgan raised her head from her pillow.

Tears. Many tears had fallen down her cheeks. Palpatine suppressed some anger with her. She still had a purity to her. Still possessed some innocence. But most of it had been shattered thanks to her mission.

Instead of lashing out at her, Palpatine rushed over to her bedside.

"My dearest Morgan, what happened?"

Morgan sniffled again, "I-" She swallowed hard, "I killed her."

Palpatine feigned shock, "Killed who?"

Morgan's lips quivered. Fresh tears bubbled to the surface.

"The Jedi. I killed her." She gulped, "Th-the Grand Inquisitor told me to kill her. He said he would spare the others if I did it."

Palpatine felt some glee on the inside. But he wore a mask of worry on his face.

"Oh no, Morgan."

"He didn't spare them." Morgan sobbed as she surged towards Palpatine and clung to him.

He froze for a second. This was not a reaction he had been expecting. After some hesitation, he wrapped his arms around the sobbing girl and gave her back a gentle rub.

"Shhh ... let it out." Palpatine consoled.

"I'm a murderer!"

He shook his head, "No Morgan. You are not."

"Yes I am." Morgan whimpered as she buried her face into his shoulder.

"You did what had to be done, Morgan. Were you deceived in the process? Yes. And I will make sure the Grand Inquisitor is punished for such deception. But you did not make a wrong decision."

"I killed someone in cold blood." Morgan shivered.

"You killed a Jedi." Palpatine held her away from him for a moment, "Do you know why you had to?"

Morgan sniffled and shook her head. She reached up and tried to wipe tears away from her eyes. But more cascaded down her cheeks.

"The Jedi are… terrible people." Palpatine explained, "They helped start the Clone Wars. A conflict that killed billions of people throughout the galaxy." Morgan blinked in shock, "They did nothing to stop a corrupt government from taking advantage of innocents. They did nothing to try and prevent the war. But they were more than happy to join in the slaughter. They were more than happy to lead armies that decimated worlds." Palpatine sighed, "I tried to reel them in but… they did not appreciate that very much."

"So you outlawed them?" Morgan asked as she took a deep breath.

"Yes.'' Palpatine nodded, "But they found out before I could execute that order." Palpatine gave Morgan a concerned look, "Do you want to see the vile work of the Jedi?"

Morgan's eyes widened in fear.

"Do you want to see why they are so dangerous? Why they must be rooted out and possibly destroyed entirely?"

Morgan gave him a small, uncertain nod.

Palpatine gave her a sympathetic look, "I-I must warn you this is rather grotesque to see."

Morgan's eyes widened in shock as her Master's visage shimmered. The kind face of the Emperor disappeared. Replaced by the hooded, robed man she first met. Only this time, she could see under the hood.

Her blood ran cold.

"This," The Emperor croaked as Morgan beheld his scarred, deformed visage, "is what the Jedi did to me when I tried to end the war."

Morgan covered her mouth with her hands. Terror gripped her heart.

"This," The Emperor said, "is what they do to people who get in their way."

"Naga above." Morgan breathed, uncertain as to where the expression came from. But far too shocked to care at the moment.

Sidious rose from her bedside, "I am sorry you had to see me like this. Perhaps now you understand what the rogue Jedi are capable of." Sidious looked at Morgan with sickly, yellow eyes that burned like fire, "This is why you did the right thing."

Morgan's chest rose and fell in heavy, horrified breaths.

"You must help me now, Morgan. I am much too feeble in this state to do what must be done myself." He gave her a pleading look, "There are still Jedi that escaped justice. They still have sympathizers in the galaxy that shelter them. That actively resist the peace and order the Empire provides in favor of Jedi lawlessness and chaos."

Morgan stared at him in shock. How could anybody harm a man who wanted to end such a bloody conflict as the Clone Wars? Were the Jedi really that evil? If so, what did the Emperor want her to do about it?

How could she help?

"I will need you to assist me in bringing justice to the galaxy."

Morgan took a deep breath. That was how she could help. The galaxy needed justice. Chaos needed to be brought to heel. The Jedi must be stopped before they caused any more harm.

"How can I do this?" Morgan asked.

The Emperor gave her a pleased smile.

"Pledge yourself to me, Morgan. Pledge yourself to my teachings. Pledge yourself, to the path of the Sith. You shall bring justice to the galaxy." The Emperor smirked as he thought of the final push, "And, you shall gain the power needed to remember everything."

Morgan absently rose from her mattress. She stood in front of the Emperor, spellbound. She fell to one knee and bowed her head.

"Teach me, Master."

Sidious felt triumphant. He had done it.

"Rise… my apprentice."

 **And chapter! This is probably the darkest chapter I have ever written. A very character heavy chapter. One that pushes Morgan further down a very dark path. It will be interesting to see where she goes from here. And Sidious has found his possible replacement for Lord Vader. I wonder how he will react when he discovers Morgan? It'll be very interesting.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	84. An Old Enemy

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 84

An Old Enemy

Ben still had a hard time believing it. The negotiations with King Validar went extremely well. He hardly considered them negotiations. More like a friendly conversation where the Plegian King agreed with Chrom and Khan Basilio about the threat the Valmese posed. As such, King Validar pledged the entire Plegian navy to their cause. And he also pledged to fund the entire war. As a way to speed up the process of reparations from the last war. Something both Chrom and Basilio reluctantly agreed to.

Overall, the negotiations swung entirely in their favor. The finer details were worked out by the three rulers. After that was finished, King Validar bade them all farewell from Carrion Isle's small dock.

Ben leaned against the bow of the ferry. Hot desert air brushed through his hair as he focused his gaze on the sand dunes across the narrow strait. Tharja leaned against the bow as well. Her nerves much calmer now that they were leaving the island and returning back to Regna Ferox. The further away they were from Validar and the Hierophant, the more comfortable she would feel. The more comfortable they would all feel.

Ben glanced over at her and smiled.

"Ready for the cold?"

Tharja shivered, "No."

Ben chuckled and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. As they watched the ferry approach the shore, Ricken tiptoed his way towards them.

"Um… Ben, Tharja?"

Ben glanced over at the young mage as he nervously wrung his hands in front of his body. Tharja narrowed her eyes at her student.

"Yes?" She asked, already suspicious of his anxiety.

Ricken gulped. His eyes flicked back to the wheel. Nowi smiled at him from there. A toothy grin. And a slight blush.

"Oh!" Ben remarked.

Ricken's face turned crimson. Tharja started to snicker.

"Finally going to admit it?" Tharja asked between snickers.

"I- well- you see," Ricken tugged on the wide brim of his hat. Trying to hide his embarrassment any way he could, "I kind of have to admit it."

Tharja arched an eyebrow, "Why?"

Ben furrowed his brow. He decided to reach out with the force. Ricken seemed extremely nervous. Happy, but filled with anxiety. His thoughts were a jumbled mess. Filled with mixed intentions. He sensed guilt mixed with both excitement and relief. A small twinge of regret. But that regret retreated away as Ricken flicked his gaze over at Nowi again. The thousand year old Manakete's grin widened some more as she hopped away from the wheel and made her way over to them.

"Um… so we were um… hanging out in the King's palace and um…"

Tharja's eyes widened momentarily, "Ricken?"

It clicked in Ben's mind. The Jedi master groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Tharja," Ben muttered, "I think you should take the lead on this one."

"Me!?" Tharja cried, "You're the one who has had more than one lover in their life."

"And you have no shame. Ergo, you'd be better at this sort of thing." Ben retorted with a wry smirk.

"I am not prepared for a conversation like this." Tharja hissed at him while Ricken's face turned a deeper red.

"Neither am I."

"What are we talking about?" Nowi chirped as she slid next to Ricken and wrapped him in a huge hug.

Ben and Tharja sucked in sharp breaths.

"Nothing!" They said simultaneously.

"H-hey Nowi." Ricken stammered. The mage swallowed hard as the blush on his cheeks deepened.

Nowi frowned, "Guys, you know I heard everything you said, right?"

Ben paled, "Y-you did?" Ben sighed, "Tharja please-"

"Nope, this is on you. You brought it up."

"I didn't bring it up. Ricken did." Ben folded his arms, "He's your student."

"Oh he views you like an Uncle and you know it. This is a boy conversation."

"Man conversation." Ben corrected.

Tharja snorted, "Sure. And you're too scared to have it."

"I'm not scared. Just unprepared."

"Are you guys talking about what me and Ricken did?" Nowi gasped and stared hard at Ricken, "Did you tell them!?"

"No. But you just did." Ricken cringed.

"I did?"

Ben blinked, "Wait… we aren't talking hypotheticals?"

Nowi frowned, "What does that mean Ricken?"

Ricken pulled the brim of his hat further over his red face, "It means a made up scenario."

"Oh! This isn't made up!" Nowi squeezed Ricken tighter, "I'm in love with Ricken."

Tharja's mouth hung open, "Well," she cleared her throat as she looked at Ricken, "This will complicate your studies."

Ricken gulped and gave her a small nod.

"How could you be so reckless?" Ben asked.

Tharja gave him a weary look.

"I can ask that. I'm an adult." Ben defended himself.

Nowi sniffled. Causing their conversation to screech to a halt.

"Y-you guys are mad now?" She sniffled again.

Ben gave Tharja a concerned look, "This is really not helping me think this is legal."

"Well it is. She's a thousand years old." Tharja remarked, "And clearly she knew what she was doing."

"How would you know that?" Ben asked.

Tharja nodded at Ricken. The mage shrank away from her stern gaze.

"Look at him." She said, "Do you really think Ricken is capable of _that_ kind of deception. And if he did do that, he knows he would have to answer to me. And he knows what my wrath is capable of."

"Yes ma'am." Ricken quickly confirmed.

"But Nowi is so-so-" Ben groaned, "Of all of the things I have seen and heard in my life, why is this one the one I'm having trouble processing?" Ben let out a heavy breath, "Alright, you two. Do you understand the implications of what has happened?"

Nowi gave Ricken a confused look.

"Consequences." Ricken clarified.

"Oh!" Nowi chirped, "Obviously. I may be a young Manakete. But I've been around long enough to know everything about birds and bees."

Ricken's hat was off of his head and over his face now.

"Birds and _the_ bees." Ricken corrected. His voice muffled by his hat.

"And I'm not always so childish." Nowi said with a small pout, "I'm capable of being a grown up too. I would not have survived hundreds of years practically on my own if I was not able to be serious. I just enjoy not having to do adult stuff when I can. It makes up for my time having to survive and be serious." She finished with a bright smile.

"Well, now you are going to have to be an adult all the time." Ben warned.

Tharja nodded as she folded her arms. Her fingers tapped her arms as she stared down at Ricken.

"Ricken, get that damn hat away from your face and look at me." Tharja snarled.

Ricken audibly gulped. With a trembling hand, he placed his hat back on top of his head. His eyes remained at his feet.

"Eyes up." Tharja ordered.

Ricken gulped again and brought his youthful eyes to Tharja's.

"You know the consequences of your actions." Tharja said, "You will have to take responsibility for them. Do you understand?"

Ricken gave her a silent, guilty nod.

"You will have to put your studies on hold in order to make sure Nowi is taken care of. As well as the child."

Ricken paled. Ben sensed he wanted to protest. But Ricken knew better than to argue with Tharja. Ricken uttered a heavy sigh and nodded again.

"Can this stay between us?" Ricken asked, his voice barely a whisper.

Tharja frowned, "Why? They'll all find out in a few months."

Ricken's face paled considerably. Nowi reached over and gently took the fearful mage's hand.

"Don't worry." Nowi smiled, "We'll take care of whatever comes together."

Ricken gulped and turned to look at her. Ben instantly noticed some color return to his face as Ricken gave her a sheepish smile.

"Y-yeah." Ricken nodded.

Tharja sighed, "Now then, we will talk about the finer details of all of this when we get back home. For now, go do… whatever."

"Restrain yourselves." Ben warned as Nowi beamed at all three of them.

"Yes sir, Ben!" Nowi smile.

She yanked on Ricken's hand, "Come on! You can cloud watch with me."

"R-right."

The pair rushed towards the center of the deck. Nowi flopped down beside a napping Panne. The Taguel's eyes flicked open, glanced at Nowi, then closed again as she returned to her nap. Gaius used her back as a pillow. The thief snored loudly on the deck while Nowi and Ricken started to name shapes in the sparse clouds above them.

Tharja shook her head.

"She says she can be serious, then goes off to watch clouds."

"We'll have to keep an eye on them." Ben ran a hand over his eyes, "Naga, when did I become a parent?"

Tharja snickered softly, "You technically just volunteered."

Ben uttered another groaned. He rested his head against the railing of the bow. Tharja snickered and placed her head in her hand as she leaned against the bow as well.

"We're going to have to help them out."

"I'm aware." Ben sighed.

Tharja smiled a little bit, "Don't worry so much." She started to snicker uncontrollably, "You'll make a great grandfather."

Ben looked at her aghast, "You are having far too much fun with this."

"Of course I am." Tharja snickers more.

As they spoke, Robin approached them. The tactician sidestepped past Donnel and Frederick as the two spoke about the Themis military and its progress. He gave a small wave over to Cordelia, stepped over Gaius's stretched out legs, and smiled at Nowi and Ricken before he finally reached Ben and Tharja.

"Hey you two, the Captain says we should hit shore in a few minutes." Robin informed both of them, "What are you whispering about?"

Tharja flicked Ben a warning gaze. One that told him to keep his lips sealed for now.

"Nothing." Ben said with a small chuckle.

Robin arched an eyebrow, "It obviously wasn't nothing." Robin placed his hands on his hips, "C'mon, what secrets are you keeping now?"

"Love secrets." Ben retorted, causing both Tharja and Robin to blush furiously, "And if you want to know more, ask later."

"Ben…" Tharja hissed.

Ben gulped, "On second thought, it is probably best if you don't ask at all."

Robin let out a small laugh as the ferry pulled up to the dock on the Plegian mainland. He clapped a hand against Ben's arm and shook his head.

"Fine." Robin pointed at him as he marched towards the edge of the ferry. Ready to disembark and march back to Regna Ferox, "But I will find out eventually."

The ferry slid up against the dock. The wooden sides bumped against it with a few dull thuds. The crew tied the ferry off, and the Shepherds stepped off the ferry and back into the desert sands. Chrom and Basilio immediately pointed their company north. The fastest route to the Longfort.

Tharja glared at Ben as they started marching.

"What?" Ben asked innocently.

"Love secrets?"

Ben's cheeks reddened. Tharja shook her head as small smile on her lips.

"You're impossible."

* * *

Night came swiftly. The desert air cooled the further the sun set and the further the Shepherds marched north. The small group entered a rocky valley as the stars emerged in the twilight sky. And as they reached the center of the valley, Chrom and Basilio called for the group to set up camp. They would rest for the night and continue marching at first light.

Personally, Robin was grateful to finally stop. The events of the past few days left him exhausted. His feet ached. Sore from the hours of trudging through soft, hot sand. His legs burned. He struggled to keep his eyes open as he set up his small tent near the others.

He did not rest well on Carrion Isle for obvious reasons, despite heeding Ben's advice. The thing he wanted most right now was a good night's sleep. Uninterrupted, without any strange dreams or voices. Without any anxiety over meeting with supposedly dead leaders.

 _Speaking of supposed to be dead. I still haven't figured out how they are alive._

He saw Validar die. Watched as Kage cut him down in the Ylissean Palace. Stabbed him in the back. Robin helped, and he fought well, but Validar had been extremely powerful. But not powerful enough to cheat death. No one could be that powerful.

And yet, Robin saw him rise from the Plegian Throne and greet them. The new King blissfully unaware of his own demise. He acted as if he never even seen Robin, Chrom, and the Shepherds before. Overall, the situation puzzled Robin.

His mind wandered to Dooku. A secret Ben finally told him. Dooku was supposed to be like Validar, dead. Beheaded, if Ben's recounting of Dooku's death was to be believed. How on earth could he be alive as well?

A sick feeling entered Robin's gut as he finished setting up his tent and glanced up the canyon walls at the waning, orange sunlight.

 _Ben knows more than he is letting on._

"I see your travels taught you how to set up a tent correctly."

Robin glanced over his shoulder and saw Chrom striding towards him. A friendly smile on his face.

Robin chuckled, "A few rainy days without a tent made me learn quick."

Chrom laughed, "I bet. I've been in that situation before. Tried to order Frederick to set up my tent in those days. Didn't work. He said that I needed to figure it out. That setting up a camp would be a useful skill for me to learn early on. And what do you know, he was right."

Robin snorted, "Frederick is right about a lot of practical things."

"Indeed." Chrom sighed. A cool wind brushed down the rocky, canyon cliffs, and swept over their camp, "So," Chrom said, "Do you want to talk about it?"

Robin arched an eyebrow, "Talk about what? If you are referring to King Validar's gracious treaty terms, I am just as surprised as you. I never expected him to provide the entire Plegian Navy and fund the entire war effort against Valm." Robin frowned, "It almost seems too good to be true."

"I thought the same thing." Chrom agreed, "But Basilio is telling me to give King Validar the benefit of the doubt."

"Are you?"

Chrom shook his head, "Not a chance. I'll take a page out of Frederick's book and remain vigilant." Chrom folded his arms, "And that is not what I was talking about in the first place."

Robin fell silent for a moment.

"You mean the Hierophant?" Robin muttered.

Chrom nodded. Robin shook his head and looked over at the rocky cliffs in front of them.

"I have no idea, Chrom. Your guess is as good as mine in regards to who that guy really is." The tactician let out a snort, "Hell, your guess is as good as mine when it comes to who I really am."

Chrom arched an eyebrow, "What do you mean."

Robin waved a hand then took a seat on a large rock nearby, "I don't know." He sighed, "Nothing makes sense anymore to me." He pursed his lips, "I'm starting to suspect that I might not be named Robin. Maybe I misremembered and instead recalled that guy's name."

Chrom furrowed his brow, "That would mean you would be-"

"Plegian? Yeah." Robin hung his head and let out an even heavier sigh. He ran his hands over his thighs, "This all just me speculating of course. I have no idea if-"

"No, you aren't one of them." Chrom cut him off, "Maybe you are of Plegian descent. Robin isn't exactly a Ylissean or Feroxi name." Chrom took a seat beside a still discouraged Robin, "But you are my friend, and you are my tactician. You are Ylissean. No matter what anyone says."

Robin gave him a small nod. He knew Chrom was right. He had no memories of his old life. Nothing to recall. All he remembered was Chrom's name and the name Robin. Naturally, he assumed Robin to be his own name. Now, he wasn't so sure. But in the end, he did now owe allegiance to Plegia. Chrom took his in. Chrom gave him a home. The Shepherds became more than comrades. They became his family. He was an Ylissean. Nothing could change that now.

"Thanks." Robin said.

Chrom smiled, "What are friends for? Now come on, I think it is Cordelia's turn to cook."

Robin's smile widened. Cordelia's cooking, yum! Dinner will be delicious tonight.

Chrom's mouth moved. He was talking. But for some reason, Robin could not hear him.

Robin felt lightheaded. His heart started to hammer in his chest. Blood whooshed in his ears. Pain erupted in his forehead. His vision started to blur.

" _Robin."_

His eyes widened. Validar stood behind Chrom. An evil smirk on his thin lips.

" _Why do you close your heart to him Robin?"_

Chrom gave Robin a concerned look. Robin blinked. Was he seeing things?

Validar remained where he stood. Or… was he really standing there? Chrom did not seem to notice.

 _Argh! My head! G-get out of my head!_

Chrom drew back. Robin clenched his teeth as more pain erupted in his skull. He could not tell if he said those words out loud or not.

Validar laughed at him. Not the warm, inviting laugh he had back on Carrion Isle. This laugh was cold, venomous. It raced through Robin's mind. Echoed endlessly. Haunted him.

The pain became too much. Robin fell forward into Chrom. He could tell his friend let out an alarmed cry. But Robin still could not hear. All he could focus on was the pain in his head. It lanced through his forehead. Formed pressure behind his eyes. It felt like something was squeezing his head. Like a vice.

Chrom caught him as he fell. Immediately, the Ylissean Prince called for help and started carrying Robin towards Lissa.

He still saw Validar. The thin, malevolent figure moved to stand behind the growing crowd of worried Shepherds.

 _Get out of my head!_

He was pretty sure he shouted that one. Judging by the others' reactions, he did.

Validar laughed some more.

" _Such arrogance. To dare take such a tone… against your own father."_

His delirium broke for a brief moment.

"F-father?"

"Out of the way!" Tharja barked as she moved towards Robin.

Lissa hovered over him as well. Healing magic poured from her staff and into his body. And for a single moment, it worked.

Pain erupted in his head again. Tharja slid to his side. Dark magic and incantations streamed from her lips as she tried to figure out what was ailing him.

" _Yes. You are my flesh,"_ Validar's evil grin grew, " _but of sacred blood. You are to serve a glorious purpose! Search deep in your heart. You already know it is your destiny."_

 _Get… out…_

Tharja's face paled. She shouted for someone. Ben perhaps? He could see Frederick snapping at Tharja. A furious scowl formed on Tharja's face as she snarled back at Frederick.

" _ **Why do you resist us?"**_

Fear shot through his heart. Validar's voice melded with two others. Something stirred in his mind.

" _ **Give yourself to me. Join your strength with mine. It is your destiny."**_

 _No!_

Robin felt a dark presence in his mind. It thrashed about. Pulled at his power. Caused wells of terror and pain to explode inside of him. He felt his mouth open and emit a pain filled cry.

Ben stooped over him, beside Tharja. His eyes were closed. Robin felt Ben's presence in the force approach his mind.

Whatever attacked him lashed out at Ben. Ben reeled back, stunned.

" _ **Let me feed…"**_

The edges of his vision began to fade. A low laugh rumbled in his chest.

" _Begone!"_

Warmth flooded his mind. The dark attacker hissed. The warm feeling bashed against the darkness. And with the warmth came a sense of peace.

A calm, soft, gentle voice spoke to him.

" _Rest Robin."_

His visions faded as his mind succumbed to the strain.

* * *

"Robin!" Tharja shook the Tactician's shoulders

His eyes closed. He did not respond. Tharja sucked in a sharp breath and pressed her ear to his chest. The steady beat of his heart soothed her worry enough for any panic she felt to fade away. Lissa continued to pour healing magic from her stave into the unconscious tactician. The gem on top of her staff glowed a brilliant green as she tightened her focus.

"I don't get it." Lissa gasped as she relented her healing, "Nothing is helping. My magic is not finding any injuries or-"  
"It is not a physical wound." Ben breathed as he recovered from whatever lashed out at him when he tried to investigate Robin's mind, "Tharja, how do you feel about scrying Robin's thoughts?"

Tharja gave Ben an uncertain glance, "Whatever is in there kicked you out. I probably wouldn't be able to do much."

"What do you mean whatever is in there!?" Chrom exclaimed as he remained by Robin's side, "What is going on? What happened?"

Ben's face appeared grave. He flicked his gaze up to Chrom and saw Marth lingering behind the Prince. Her expression was also concerned and serious. She sensed something wrong as well. But she was unable to understand the full extent at the moment. She did not try to enter Robin's mind like he did. She did not sense what he felt.

A darkness unlike any Ben had ever felt before stormed through Robin's mind. Shoved him out of Robin's mind and made sure to keep him out. Ben did not even have time to figure out what exactly it was. But he did have time to make a startling realization. Whatever attacked Robin's mind blended seamlessly with his friend's subconscious. Ben only noticed it when it bashed him away. Whoever attacked Robin's mind knew him very well. Well enough to disguise themselves within his thoughts. An incredibly difficult and advanced thing to achieve.

Ben looked at Chrom.

"I'll need some time to figure out what is going on." Ben said, "I'm not one hundred percent sure about what happened either. But I know that something or someone attacked Robin mentally."

"With the force?" Tharja asked, her concern growing.

Frederick's jaw tightened as Ben nodded.

"And is the attacker another 'old enemy' of yours, General?" The Knight-Commander asked.

Ben frowned, "Does it look like I know the answer to that question?"

"Was it Sidious?" Chrom asked, still uncertain about who Sidious really was or what he was capable of. But if his one conversation with Ben gave any indication, Sidious would be entirely capable of doing something like this.

"Who the hell is Sidious?" Gaius muttered out loud.

Ben shook his head, "If it was Sidious I would have felt it. This was someone else."

Before he could say anything else, a chill swept through the dusk air. As the sun set even lower, dark clouds lumbered over the small valley. The hairs on Ben's arms stood on end. A darkness rushed from the plateaus around the small valley. Danger danced in his mind. An enemy approached.

Marth acted first. She wrenched her sword from its simple sheath and twirled around to face the nearest wall of cliffs. Frederick jumped at her sudden action. He also felt the sudden chill in the air.

A sense of impending doom rolled down the cliffs. And with it came a low and mournful sound. One Ben, Gaius, Marth, Panne, Tharja, and Donnel all immediately recognized.

"Risen." Tharja whispered, fear in her voice.

"What the hell is going on?" Khan Basilio asked as he approached Chrom, concern and worry evident on his face, "First Robin goes down from some mysterious attack and now-"  
A wail pierced the night air. Followed by dozens of high pitched shrieks and roars. Unnatural and evil. Ben jumped to his feet. His lightsaber already ignited in his hands.

"Form a circle!" He order quickly, "They're all around us!"

Chrom hesitated at first. Then he saw them. Risen lined the cliffs around them. Dozens of them. Red eyes stared hatefully down at the small group of Shepherds. Black masks twisted into grotesque expressions glowered down at him. Chrom drew Falchion as Basilio hefted his ax.

"You heard him, Shepherds!"

Frederick hopped onto his horse and spun it around to face the Risen Marth and Chrom stared down. Tharja remained near Robin along with Lissa. Both still working to figure out what exactly was wrong with Robin. Ricken took a stand beside Nowi, Virion, and Lon'qu. All four took a tentative step back as the Risen lumbered down the cliffs into the valley. Donnel, Gaius, Cordelia, and Panne rounded off their small defensive circle.

They drew closer. Ben thought quickly. They could not afford to remain surrounded. This was the largest group of Risen he had ever seen. Dozens of them continued to stream down the cliffs and into the Valley. Each one ambled slowly towards them. In no hurry to attack their prey. After all, where could they run?

"We need to create an opening." Ben muttered as he thought out a strategy.

 _Damn it._ He thought, _Robin had to go down now._

As the Risen drew closer, a new presence dashed in. A flock of ravens soared into the center of their tight knit circle. Ben grit his teeth and ducked his head away from a flurry of black wings, talons, and beaks. Lissa uttered a startled cry and gave a couple of ravens a harsh swat with her staff.

"What now!?" Chrom cried, both anxious and irritated.

A cheerful cackle emanated as the ravens became a thick storm next to Robin. They swirled like a vortex for a moment.

" _CAW CAW!_ " A voice cried, "Are you folks lost? Or perhaps a lost _CAWS_? Heh ha!"

Tharja grit her teeth as the ravens shot into the sky, revealing the Plegian Dark Mage from Carrion Isle, Henry. A wide, unsettling, toothy grin filled his face as he cradled a black tome in the crook of his left arm.

"You don't seem to like my ravens?" Henry said with cheerful mirth, "What's wrong? Too caw-strophobic? Nya ha ha ha! Oh I slay me!"

"Not if the Risen do so first." Chrom said as he returned his attention to the shambling monsters slowly approaching.

"Or if I do. Considering where his allegiances are." Frederick muttered.

"Get in line." Tharja said.

Henry cackled again, "You know, I thought you were all right. Turns out, you're all FRIGHT!" He laughed some more at his own joke, "I'd wish you good luck killing all of these monsters buuuuut… they're already DEAD!"

"Well aware, Cackles." Gaius gulped.

"Oh wait a moment! I almost forgot." Henry cleared his throat, "The ravens wanted me to give you a message." He cleared his throat, "Caw… caw caw… caw." Ben gave the dark mage a dumbfounded look, "Roughly translated that means… hm… what is the human word for that again? Traipse? Tripe? Oh! Trapped! Yup, you all are trapped."

"We know!" Chrom snapped. The Risen were a few yards away now. Close enough that the Prince could see the rotting flesh peeling away from their shambling bones.

More came down the cliffs. Chrom could feel his heart pounding. There were too many.

"Where did they all come from?" He wondered out loud.

"Well when a mommy zombie and daddy zombie love each other very much…" Henry cackled some more.

"Perhaps I'll save the Risen the trouble." Tharja said with a dark glance.

"Wait a moment! I did not come here to just display my humor." Henry explained with a wide smile, "I want to join your _CAWS_ \- I mean, I can help! I know magic! Lots of very fun magic." He gave Tharja a big grin, "What do you say? Birds of a feather and all of that…"  
"Why would you help us?" Frederick demanded.

"I'm wondering the same thing." Tharja said, suspicion laced her tone as she stood protectively beside Robin.

"Oh don't let all the joking fool you." Henry's grin took on a dark, sinister quality, "I've got a thing for killing. The two things must be linked. Ever talk to a jester while he's off duty? Those guys are some sick bastards."

"Enough talking!" Ben snapped, "They're on top of us now."

The first wave of Risen stopped shambling. They seemingly sniffed the air. Their red eyes glowed. Then, they charged.

Chrom grit his teeth and swung Falchion with all of his might. The divine blade sliced through a Risen with ease. The creature split in two. But instead of crumbling to ash like before, the top half clawed its way towards Chrom as black goo poured from where it had been cut in half. Basilio's ax thundered down and took the monster's head from its neck. Then it finally faded to ash in the sand.

"So these are the Risen?" Basilio parried a clumsy slash then buried his axe into the shoulder of another monster, "I can see why they're tough to deal with."

"You'll see plenty more." Chrom nodded back before taking on another Risen grunt.

Across the circle, Ben's lightsaber whirred in a circle of blue light. Risen shrieked as he slashed through any that came near. The other Shepherds gave him space to work. All of them wary of the humming, deadly blade in his hands.

Virion's arrows peppered the advanding Risen. Ricken sent large balls of fire at the charging horde. A fire sparked among a group of them. Incinerating all of the walking corpses. Ricken smiled wide.

"I'm getting better at this." He said.

A loud cackle made his jump. Henry jumped beside him and sent a dark spell he had never seen before at the next wave of Risen. A fiery explosion engulfed a group of risen. Sending limbs, armor, and rusted weapons flying in all directions.

"I've got a ways to go." Ricken sighed.

"Cordelia!" Ben shouted as he used a force push to create some space, "Take to the skies." He spotted a trail leading up the side of the cliffs. A token force of Risen blocked it off. "Clear a path."

"To where?" Cordelia asked.

Ben nodded to the trail. Cordelia's sharp eyes spotted it immediately.

"Right!"

Before she could take off, Henry dashed over to her and hopped up onto the back of her Pegasus. She opened her mouth to protest.

"I'm the ranged death. You are the stabby death." Henry beamed at her, "We'll work together."

Cordelia gave the dark mage a skeptical look, "Don't fall off."

"Oh?" The Pegasus's wings beat once. Henry smiled wide, "That'd be a gruesome way to go."

Ben watched as the duo soared into the dark sky. His gaze fell on a cluster of archers just behind a wave of Risen.

"Donnel! Hold this spot!" He barked.

Before the farm boy could protest, Ben shot into the throngs of Risen. His lightsaber danced in his hands. The blue blade effortlessly slashed through the Risen. Making quick work of any that got near him.

Ben felt another body press against his back. He glanced behind him. Marth fought alongside him.

"You told me never to go recklessly charging in without some help." Marth shouted over the clashing of steel and screams of Risen.

"You obviously never followed that rule." Ben shot back as he cut down another Risen, "Otherwise, you never would have gone after Kage."

"I never said I listened." Marth smirked back.

Ben rolled his eyes. Why did he always get the willful apprentices?

He flicked his gaze away from the enemy and towards the trail. Cordelia and Henry wreaked havoc along the gentle sloping trail. The Pegasus Knight would swoop low and take out several with her lance before shooting back up into the sky. As she ascended, Henry would rain dark spells down on the enemy. A glee filled smile on his face.

"Our opening?" Marth asked as she noticed where Ben was looking.

Ben nodded, "We need to take it now." Ben glanced back at the Shepherds, "This way!" He waved.

Basilio turned around first. He reached for Robin and slung the smaller tactician over his massive shoulders.

"You heard my General, let's move!"

"I thought Ben was Flavia's general?" Lissa asked with a wry smirk.

"Let's not start that now." Basilio grunted.

Lon'qu covered their flanks. His bladwork effortless as he fought away one Risen soldier after another. Donnel joined him. The pair created a steel wall of death that shredded any Risen that got near the Princess and the Khan.

Frederick spun his horse around and rode down a path for Chrom and the others to follow. Gaius and Panne raced after Frederick. Determination filled Panne's face while pure terror filled Gaius's.

"I refuse to die here!" Gaius screamed as he jabbed away a Risen with an enormous ax, "I refuse!"

"You won't." Panne snarled before grabbing him and throwing the thief onto her back. She morphed into her beast form and shot out ahead of Frederick.

Virion made sure Olivia stayed close to him as they retreated towards the trail. Olivia proved surprisingly capable with a sword. No doubt thanks to her upbringing in Regna Ferox. She may be a touch timid, but she did know how to fight. As all Feroxi did.

Ricken, Nowi, and Tharja brought up the rear of the group. Nowi transformed into her dragon form and let out a mighty roar that shook the ground beneath their feet. Her wings hammered against the air. She soared into the sky and raced after Cordelia and Henry. Aiming to help them clear the trail for their escape.

A small smile crossed Tharja's lips as Ricken used a Nosferatu.

"Well done." She said with an approving nod.

Ricken beamed then launched another fireball into the pursuing Risen. Then he turned tail and sprinted after the others with Tharja.

The group charged up the dirt trail towards the top of the cliffs that surrounded the valley. As they reached the top, Ricken saw a crumbling stone fortress nearby. None of the towers were intact. But the walls and gate still stood.

Apparently, Ben saw the same thing. He rushed towards the fortress. When he reached the gate, he and Marth grabbed at the wooden doors and shoved it open. The other Shepherds rushed into the safety the fortress provided. A few Risen managed to get in behind them. But once the gates were closed, the Shepherds made quick work of them.

Marth barred the gate.

"That'll hold for now." She said with a heavy breath.

"For how long though?" Basilio asked, "With how many Risen there are out there, they'll break it down eventually."

"It gives us time to figure out an escape." Ben replied, "Time we need."

As he spoke, both Cordelia and Nowi landed in the fort's courtyard. Henry hopped off of the Pegasus and let out a cheerful whoop!  
"New record! Twenty three!"

Cordelia gave him a concerned look, "When did you kill twenty two people?"

Henry snickered, "You don't want to know those details."

Cordelia paled as he cackled some more.

"Very bloody details." Henry said.

Ben shook his head. The Shepherds tended to attract the eccentric. And Henry took eccentric to another level. He had only just met the mage and already he felt relieved to have him on their side, but unsettled by his disturbingly cheerful demeanor.

Ben ran a hand over his face.

"Any injuries?" He asked.

"None. Thank, Naga." Frederick said as he hovered near Chrom and Lissa. Both royals still worried about Robin.

Robin lay on the ground. Eyes closed. Seemingly at peace and no longer in pain. Ben wondered if he simply fell asleep from the strain of the mental barrage. He even considered trying to wake the tactician, but decided against that. His unconscious state might be the only thing keeping the entity that attacked him away for the moment. The last thing they needed was Robin completely incapacitated and in pain again.

 _He's at least easy to carry this way._ Ben thought.

The gate shuddered. Ben kept his lightsaber in his hands. Not ignited, but ready for a fight.

For some reason, despite the safety of the fort, he felt uneasy. He at first attributed his unease to the horde of Risen swarming around the ancient stone walls. But for some reason, his anxiety did not stem from that. The Risen that attacked them seemed rather easy to cut down. Far too easy.

He glanced back to the small fort's keep. A squat, two story stone building. A few arrow slits lined the walls of the keep. But he could not see the inside of the keep. It remained hidden in dark shadows.

And those shadows caused his unease to grow.

"I feel it too." Marth gulped, "Something lurks nearby." She kept her sword drawn, "I'm going to check it out."

"Shall I come with you?" Ben asked.

Marth shook her head, "Stay with the others. You're the only one with any tactical experience at the moment."

"I'll go with." Ricken said, "Just in case you encounter anything magical."

Marth nodded.

"Be careful." Ben breathed to both of them. His eyes flicked at the many shadows around the fort, "I have a bad feeling about this now."

"We will be." Ricken replied.

Marth and Ricken moved towards the keep. Ricken pulled the Keep's door open and held it open for Marth. The pair ducked inside. Once they disappeared, Tharja let out a heavy sigh and stepped away from Robin and Lissa. She walked up alongside Ben.

"Anything?" Ben asked.

"I can't do anything at the moment." Tharja admitted, "Scrying takes both time and energy. Neither of which I have. I did cast a small numbing hex in case there was any residual pain in his body. Not sure how much good that will do."

Ben wrapped an arm around her and gently rubbed her shoulders. Tharja appreciated the reassuring gesture. She let out a content sigh as some tension left her body.

Ben glanced over at Chrom. The Prince dashed up some stone steps so that he could stand on top of the fort's walls. Frederick and Basilio followed him. All three anxious for when the Risen would break through the fort's gate and swarm inside.

Gaius kneeled beside Panne. The Taguel remained in her beast form. He gave Panne a small scratch along her back then patted her fur.

"Thanks for looking out for me, Whiskers."

Virion scrambled up onto the walls. He kept an arrow on his bowstring at all times. His worried gaze stared out at the black horde of Risen churning near the wooden gate.

Lon'qu and Donnel gathered some stray pieces of stone from the courtyard and used them to brace the gate even more. But it did little good. Every time the gate shuddered, the stones shifted further away. Both of them then had to shove the stones back into place. Eventually, Chrom told them to stop and save their energy. They would need it.

The gate shuddered again. Ben's thumb drifted towards the activation button on his lightsaber. Tharja swallowed hard as the bar on the gate jumped ever so slightly.

It would only be a matter of time.

* * *

Ricken whispered a spell. A small ball of soft, white light appeared in the palm of his hand as Marth closed the keep's door behind them

The entry to the keep was filthy. Littered with stray piles of sand, shattered stone, and rotting wicker furniture. The remains of a rug lay in a thready heap near their feet. A fireplace that last saw use possibly hundreds of years ago rested against the far wall. To their right, in a wall without arrow slits, were a set of stairs. One flight led down to a cellar of some sort. The other went up to the second floor.

Ricken gulped, "So… do you want to take the basement?"

Marth snorted, "Afraid of the dark?"

Ricken's cheeks reddened, "N-no! Just nervous about this place. Something doesn't feel right."

Marth nodded. Ricken was right. Something felt very wrong about this place. It could just be the Risen horde outside of the walls putting her on edge. But she knew the feeling Risen gave her. Mere grunts worried her, but even in these numbers, with her Master at their side they would not be enough to completely destroy the Shepherds. These were weak grunts as well. They did not die easily, but they seemed rather mindless and ineffective at fighting.

And that concerned the newly knighted Jedi. The Risen from her future were an unstoppable force. A wave of undead evil that fought with vicious cruelty. They were shockingly dangerous in combat. These Risen for some reason, were not.

 _Maybe it is because Grima is not awakened in this timeline yet._ She thought with a sliver of optimism.

But her more pessimistic side reminded her that it was never that simple. Not when Grima and Risen were involved. Something weakened these Risen. Or worse, they fought like this in order to make them all complacent. But why?  
 _Did they want us to come to this fort?  
_ "I'll take the cellar." Marth nodded as she drew her sword and called upon the force to steady her racing heart.

"Second floor for me then." Ricken gulped, "Um… I'll scream if anything happens."  
Marth gave the young mage a small nod. Ricken swallowed hard as they both reached the stairs. Marth pushed the door to the cellar open. Both caught the scent of damp air from below.

Marth scrunched her nose.

"Stay alert." She warned Ricken before descending the steps.

Ricken gulped as Marth disappeared into the inky blackness downstairs. He debated on trading places with her. His magic would help light the darkness down there. But he decided against it. Marth felt that the cellar would be the most dangerous area of this place. So she took that area to search. Something Ricken was grateful for.

He took his first tentative step up the stairs. Then another.

Why did he feel so anxious all of a sudden? Did the Risen unnerve him that much? He made it midway up the stairs and jumped a little as he heard some Risen shriek outside. He pressed his back against the wall. Sweat dripped down his forehead.

It felt so hot in the fort. The desert air swept in through the arrow slits and made this place feel sweltering. His breaths rushed in and out of his lungs in short, fear filled bursts.

He made it to the top of the stairs. The second floor of the keep seemed rather bare. The splintered remains of cots lined the stone walls. There was one intact table at the far end of the room. And a hatch with a broken ladder led up to the roof. Ricken gulped and stared hard at every shadow his ball of light cast.

He did not see anything. Still, he ventured a little further into the room.

Metal creaked. Ricken froze.

His tome cracked open. Eyes scanned every dark corner. He could not shake the feeling that something shared this room with him.

Ricken took another step forward. Something scraped along the stones around him. He flipped to the page in his spell book that allowed him to cast a flux.

He heard a light tap behind him. Ricken spun around, spell at the ready.

Nothing.

Wait… no… something was there.

His ball of light snuffed out. Ricken let out a series of panicked breaths as he fumbled with his spellbook. Trying to conjure another light. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw a shadow move.

He finally found the right spell. The incantation rushed from his lips. Soft light emanated from his hand.

Reptilian eyes glared at him.

His heart pounded in his chest. Hanging from the ceiling was a creature unlike any Ricken had ever seen before. It's entire body was made of metal. It's face, with the exception of its eyes, a metal, expressionless mask. But those eyes terrified him the most. Red with snake-like slits for pupils.

Ricken took a shaky step back. The creature snarled at him. It hopped down from the ceiling. Posture stooped. Eyes angry and narrow.

He could not find the ability to scream. The monster uttered a small laugh.

A metal claw reached for Ricken. Ricken snapped out of his fear filled state long enough to launch an emergency fireball at the monster.

He put a little too much power into it. The explosion ripped through the second floor. Shattering any intact furniture and sending Ricken flying back towards the stairs.

His head smacked into the walls. Ricken saw stars. He winced and blinked his vision back into focus.

The monster hardly moved an inch. The metal on its chest appeared scorched. But there was no other obvious damage. Ricken flipped through his spellbook as the monster stomped towards him.

He shot a flux at it. The monster dashed to the side at an impossible speed. The flux hit the far wall. Stone exploded out. Ricken heard his friends' alarmed cries from the courtyard outside.

"Ricken!" He heard Marth shout from the cellar.

Before Ricken could call out to her, before he could even run away, a metal claw grabbed him by the face and threw him towards the blasted out opening in the wall. Ricken slid along the stones. His robes tore in several places.

He felt some blood dripped from where the talons on the monster's claw sank into his skin. Ricken shoved himself to his feet. An artificial, sadistic chuckle emanated from the monster as it stalked towards him.

Ricken's heart hammered in his chest. As the monster drew closer, he fired a wind spell at it. The monster shrugged it off again. The spell only managing to make its cape flutter behind him.

Marth barrelled up the steps. She did not even think twice as she charged at the monster, sword raised over her head.

Ricken paled. Without even bothering to look, the monster raised one clawed foot, grabbed Marth by the face, and threw her against the wall on the right. Marth uttered a pain filled cry as she slammed into the wall.

"Marth!" Ricken cried as she lay motionless in the rubble.

He tried to reach her. But the creature blocked his path. Ricken opened his palm, ready to blast the monster with the strongest spell he could muster.

The monster backhanded him. Ricken's spellbook sailed from his hand. Ricken fell back. He stared up at the monster with fear filled eyes.

The monster reached for something at it's slender hips. Hidden inside of it's cape. Ricken's eyes widened as it grabbed two slender, silver objects. Objects that resembled-

"Lightsabers." Ricken breathed in shock.

He turned over and scrambled over to his spellbook. He opened the tome and sent a desperate thunder spell at the monster.

The thunder spell staggered the metal monster for a moment. It grunted and gave Ricken a hateful look. It's slow stomps became quick steps.

Ricken jumped to his feet. Just as he got to his feet, both Chrom and Ben reached the top of the stairs. Ricken hardly noticed them. He readied another thunder spell.

It moved. Shoved it's arms forward so fast Ricken barely registered it.

Pain lanced through Ricken's body. His hand went slack. The spell book fell from his grasp. He did not hear Chrom and Ben cry out in horror. All he heard was the hum of the lightsabers. All he saw was the monster's eyes.

A clawed hand reached out, grabbed him by the head, and threw him out of the keep and into the courtyard. The pain began to fade as he flew threw the air. Ricken felt his breathing grow weak.

He hit the ground hard. But he did not feel it. The fringes of his vision turned dark. He saw Nowi and Lissa sprinting towards him.

 _Nowi…_

Everything looked blurry. The burning pain was gone now. He felt weightless.

 _I'm... sorry._

* * *

Ben surged up the stairs with Chrom. Tharja was just behind them both. The trio entered the keep in a panicked rush. Something caused an explosion that annihilated an entire side of the keep.

He knew this place felt wrong. Something wanted them to come here. Something planned for the Risen to drive them all to this spot. Ben could not shake this terrible feeling in his gut that he had grievously erred bringing them all here.

Chrom reached the top of the stairs first. He skidded to a stop. Eyes wide, face pale, mouth agape. Ben surged beside him.

Shock hit Ben. Then frustration. And when he saw Marth laying in an unconscious heap, he felt concern.

Then he saw Ricken. The boy lay on his back, facing up at _him._ At a monster Ben killed years ago. Someone Ben swore he would never see again.

Before the Jedi Master could move and engage the enemy, Ricken surged upright. Palm open. Ready to cast a devastating spell. Ben took two steps forward.

Two lightsabers, one green and one blue, ignited. They plunged into Ricken's body. Both burned through his chest and out his back. Ricken did not cry out. Only stared stunned at the reptilian eyes of General Grievous.

Grievous reached up with one, robotic claw. He grabbed Ricken by the boy's face and tossed his limp body out of the keep.

Ben felt numb. Grievous just… he just…

"RICKEN!" Tharja screamed.

A dark spell shot past. Grevious ducked to the side just before it hit him.

Chrom uttered a vengeful roar. Falchion gleamed as he charged at Grevious.

"Chrom wait!" Ben shouted.

Chrom did not hear him. The Ylissean Prince raised his blade over his head and brought it thundering down on Grievous.

The Droid General easily blocked the attack with one of his lightsabers. Although, he seemed surprised when Chrom's blade did not shatter against the plasma blade.

Chrom yanked Falchion free and slashed at Grievous's chest. Grievous blocked again then viciously swung at Chrom.

Chrom managed to just barely get a block up. He staggered backwards. Tharja uttered another furious roar and sent a blast of fire screaming past Chrom. Her spell slammed into Grievous. This time, the cyborg flew backwards, out of the keep, and landed hard in the courtyard below.

 _No! No! NO!_

Ben snapped out of his stupor. General Grievous lived. Now stood among all of his friends. A monster capable of killing all of them.

Ben shot past Tharja and Chrom. He made an impossible leap out of the keep and landed on the other side of the cyborg. In between Ricken's body and the droid general.

Ben ignited his lightsaber. Grievous snapped back to his feet. The General snarled and spun around to face Ben.

He did not give time for Grievous to regather his wits. Ben attacked. A furious storm of hacks and slashes sent Grievous backpedaling.

None of the other Shepherds intervened. Some watched with awe as Ben unleashed his powers against the metal monster. Most rushed to Ricken. Who they prayed was still alive. Ben prayed the boy was still alive.

His stomach dropped when he heard Nowi wail. As he battled Grievous, he reached out with the force.

Ricken was gone.

Something snapped in Ben. Rage surged inside of him. A rage he had not felt since Maul struck down Qui Gon all those years ago on Naboo.

He felt focused. Determined to finally end the droid commander once and for all. If not for all of the Jedi the General killed years ago, then for Ricken. For the young mage that had become a part of Ben and Tharja's lives. A small member of their family now gone from the world.

Each slash held power behind it. Speed unrivaled. Grievous' reptilian eyes widened. For a split second, as Ben backed him into a corner, the red in Grievous's eyes faded away. Replaced by the yellow Ben knew. Recognition flooded the General's gaze. His eyes narrowed. Filled with hate.

"Kenobi." Grievous snarled.

Two more arms detached from the General's. Grievous reached for two more lightsabers in his cloak. Ben's eyes widened. He jumped back. Narrowly avoiding being slashed in two by a pair of lightsaber's scissoring in the air.

Ben ducked beneath a slash. Dodged a stab. Parried two green lightsabers as they cut through the air towards his head. He danced backwards. Meeting each strike with a parry of his own. Feet dancing against the rocky ground as he kept pace with the furious droid general.

A clawed foot shot out from the ground and caught Ben on the jaw. Ben flew backwards. Blood pooled in his mouth. He skidded against the ground. Ben shook his head. Trying to rid his mind of the fog given to him by the blow.

Grievous stalked towards him. Ben looked up just in time to see Grievous raised his blades. Ready to slash him to ribbons.

A furious roar erupted in the courtyard. Ben looked past Grievous. Nowi had transformed beside Ricken's body. Her draconic jaw opened wide. Grievous turned around.

A blast of fire rammed into Grievous. Ben rolled out of the way before he could be caught in the inferno.

The inferno blasted Grievous's metal cage over his organs apart. It consumed the organs beyond them. Grievous screeched as the fire melted through his body. Fire surged up his metal spine and out of the metal face mask. Ben grimaced as a small explosion rocked Grievous's body.

The General hit the ground with a hard thunk. Not a single limb, not a single talon, moved. Smoke swirled from the body. A shudder ran through the air from the body. The metal crumbled into fine, black ash that drifted away on the wind.

Ben remained motionless on the ground for a few moments. Tharja sprinted out of the keep. She froze in the doorway. Her terrified eyes landed on Ben. Relief flooded her gaze for a moment. That relief turned to horror when she saw Nowi power down beside Ricken's body.

Chrom emerged from the keep with Marth. Marth walked unsteadily beside him. A large gash covered her right cheek. When she saw Ricken's body, she paled. The young Jedi Knight steadied her weak, shaken body against the doorway to the keep.

"Oh gods…" Marth whispered.

Nowi sobbed over Ricken's fallen form. Lissa watched helplessly. The glow in her staff long gone. Even though she tried to heal him after she already knew he had passed. Tharja remained completely silent as she inched her way across the courtyard towards Ricken.

She bowed her head. Her dark hair shadowed her eyes. Ben got to his feet and walked over to her.

"Tharja…" He whispered.

She shook her head, "It shouldn't have been him."

Up on the walls, Virion watched. Out of the corner of his eye, the archer saw the Risen begin to pull back as the last remnants of Grievous's body drifted away.

"They're leaving?" Virion muttered stunned.

"A way out." Basilio grunted, "Good. We need it." He glanced back at the mourning Shepherds.

Virion cleared his throat. Even he struggled to keep his emotions in check, "Do we have time to-"

"Unfortunately no." Basilio said, "Who knows if the Risen will attack again. We need to go."

Virion gave the Khan a grim nod. With a reluctant sigh, he walked down from the walls and approached Chrom.

Chrom stood silent in the keep's doorway.

"Captain." Virion said, "We have an opening. We need to go."

Chrom clenched his jaw. His eyes did not leave Ricken's body.

"This may be our only chance." Virion muttered.

Chrom practically shook with rage. His gaze moved from Ricken, to Ben. The rage grew. The monster that slew Ricken used the same weapon as Ben. The same weapons as Maul and Dooku. Yet another being that Ben possibly knew and failed to inform him about.

"We don't have time for that." Virion hissed, already noticing Chrom's anger, "Wait till we get to the Longfort. Speak to him then. For now, we need to move. Or we could all die here."

Chrom glanced at Virion. The Ylissean Prince's fury faded a little. He was not angry with Virion. Virion gave him sound advice. He did not want to force a march so soon. But they had no choice. Not with Risen prowling these lands.

The Prince nodded. Basilio barked out at the Shepherds. Nowi clung to Ricken for a few more moments. In the distance, the group heard more Risen shrieking. The Shepherds were eventually able to pry Nowi away from Ricken. As she was pulled away, she snatched his hat from his head.

The Manakete held it close as the Shepherds unbarred the gates and rushed away from the fort. They all quickly turned north. Each one silent. Each one mourning. Robin, the only Shepherd unaware of Ricken's death, lay unconscious on the back of Cordelia's pegasus.

Ben let out a shuddering breath as they marched through the Plegian sands as fast as they could. It would be a long march.

He felt Chrom's gaze upon him. Ben glanced over his shoulder. The Ylissean Prince's fury burned hot. He blamed Ben. He had every right to.

* * *

Metal creaked all around her. The intense cold of space clung to every wall, every floor, every ceiling, every speck of debris around her. The only thing keeping the vacuum of space at bay and the cold from claiming her was the mask and helmet she wore over her head.

Asajj Ventress glanced down the next hall. She remembered this Venator. Recalled receiving the report from Seperatist intelligence. An act of sabotage destroyed it. And the Republic left it derelict in open space. Free for any scavengers to come and loot what they could.

She should have gotten here sooner.

Most of the good stuff had been claimed already. She had a hard time finding any useful circuit components or parts. Any weapons were long gone. A pity. Those would have sold well on the black market. She could use a good blaster too. Her guise as a bounty hunter meritted such a weapon. And well… the one she had was still not up to the task for her.

Her magnetic boots tapped along the floor as she trudged down another hall. At the end of the hall were a set of blast doors. Sealed tightly shut. No one had tried to break into these blast doors. Which meant something promising lay on the other side.

Ventress wanted to smile. She might have found something worth claiming. Worth selling for a lot of credits even. But she could not find the will in her to grin. This ship reminded her of days long gone now. Days when she was not a scavenger. When she reigned terror throughout the galaxy as one of Count Dooku's greatest enforcers. A warrior only equaled by some of the most skilled Jedi Knights in the republic.

 _How far I have fallen._ She thought with a snort.

She reached the blast doors and began to fiddle with the control panel on the side. She glanced at the data screen above the panel. Her eyes widened in surprise.

There was still oxygen beyond the blast doors.

One of two things made that possible. An air pocket formed when the blast doors closed and somehow the air remained pure. Or someone had oxygen pumping into the room beyond the blast doors.

Ventress checked the readings again. To her surprise, the level of oxygen had gone up.

"What the hell?" She muttered.

She grabbed her hacking tools and inserted the probe into the control panel. After several short seconds, the control panel beeped.

Once the blast doors were opened, she would have to move quickly inside. Figure out what was going on. And hopefully claim some valuable salvage inside. If anything lived on the other side, then they would probably die. So be it. It was not her responsibility to save lives.

 _I had always been tasked with ending them before._

Back before she became a scavenger and bounty hunter. Back before she was forced to scrounge for everything. Back when she was Count Dooku's apprentice. When she held power. When people shivered when someone said her name.

She longed for those days again. The blast doors hissed as they prepared to open.

 _Maybe if I can make a name for myself as a bounty hunter, they will come once again._

The doors opened. Air rushed past Ventress. Sucked out of the room by the vacuum of space.

Ventress's slipped inside and sealed the doors shut behind her. She glanced down at her wrist and read her oxygen readings. Still good. She looked at the readings on the environment around her. Still… good. Oxygen still flowed in here.

 _How?_

A bright light erupted inside of the mostly empty cargo space. A portal of some sort formed in the air. Ventress's eyes widened as strange creatures came falling out of it. They looked human. But they moved like corpses.

Red eyes blinked to life from the creatures. The portal winked. Just before it closed, one more body fell out of it. A young girl with green hair and pointed ears slammed into the floor. She did not move an inch. Ventress wondered if the girl was dead.

The creatures groaned. One shrieked when it saw Ventress. That blood curdling shriek was enough to make her draw her blaster and fire one blaster bolt into its head.

The creature shuddered, collapsed, then faded to dust. The other two that exited the portal charged at her. Ventress pelted them with blaster bolts. It took more than one to kill them. But they died. That was all that mattered.

As the black dust swirled on the floor, Ventress eyed the strange, green haired girl on the ground. She looked like a young human. But the pointed ears told Ventress that this girl had some other species mixed in with her blood. A red cape rested over her shoulders. It covered a short white dress. Ventress leaned in closer.

 _Very young._

And very valuable. So far, this salvaging trip had yielded nothing noteworthy. But she knew several crime lords willing to pay a fortune for someone like this mysterious girl.

Ventress flicked her wrist. The girl rose in the air as Ventress grabbed her with the force. Just to be safe, Ventress also tied a cord from her belt around the girl's waist. She then reached to her belt and grabbed her spare breathing mask.

Ventress carefully secured the mask over the girl's face. The girl twitched a little bit, but did not wake.

 _Good. No resistance this way._

And if she did resist, Ventress would just kill her. She did not have time to deal with stupidity.

The blast doors opened, Ventress marched out with the girl floating on the tether behind her. It was a short walk back to her ship. Once inside her clunker (as Ventress often referred to it when something broke), she placed the girl in metal binds and set her in the empty cargo bay.

 _Try anything and I'll space you._

Ventress left the cargo hold and strode to the cockpit. Once in the cockpit, she removed her mask and powered on her ship. The engines hummed to life. Ventress pulled away from the derelict Venator and pointed her ship's nose out at the stars.

"Next stop," She began. A small smirk formed on her lips, "Ord Mantell."

The stars outside of the cockpit turned to bright streaks of light. The hyperdrive generator whirred. The ship blasted away with one prisoner, and a very pleased pilot.

… **yup… that happened. And nope… Ricken isn't coming back. Just when tensions between Ben and Chrom couldn't get any worse, they do. General Grievous claims his first victim. How many more will he get now that he is a Deadlord? We shall see.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter. As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	85. Secrets Revealed

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 85

Secrets Revealed

Robin awoke with a start. Fires roared around him. Cracked and shattered stone littered once clean streets. He could hear screams all around him. Loud, agonizing screams that caused his hair to stand on end. The air felt hot.

Robin slowly pushed himself up onto his feet. The ground shook. An explosion ripped through the air. The shockwave picked Robin up and tossed him through the air. He hit a crumbling home with a hard thud.

He winced as he felt some bruises form. More screams. More explosions. Hundreds of marching boots clicked against the fiery stone streets.

 _Where am I?_

He shook some fog from his vision. The Exalt's palace burned in front of him. Its many towers rendered nothing but husks of stone. Flames licked at the once pristine white walls. Charring them. The entire courtyard seemed bathed in smoke. Robin blinked.

 _Wait… how did I get here? Wasn't I just-_

He spun around. He was indoors now. He still heard the screams. Still heard the explosions. Bodies littered the throne room. Tapestries hung in tatters along the walls. Ylissean banners lay crumpled and trampled on the ground.

An explosion ripped a gaping hole in the throne room. The throne now nothing more than a pile of ash.

Robin looked around in horror. What had done this? His gaze settled on a group of corpses near the door that led to the palace's private quarters. All of them Ylissean guards. Charred holes burned through their bodies. The causes of their deaths some sort of fire that seared through them.

He examined one wound carefully. His first thought was that some sort of magic caused these wounds. But he had never seen a lightning spell puncture through the human body so cleanly. And fire spells burned. They did not burrow. Wind sliced if given enough power. But it did not char the flesh it hit.

"What the hell?"

He looked up from the corpse. Confusion hit him again. The throne room was gone. He stood in one of the royal chambers. Marth stood in the chambers. Facing away from him.

The images shifted in front of his eyes. As if something was interfering with what he saw. Robin caught a glimpse of Marth spinning around to face someone. He heard a muffled voice bark orders.

The image flickered. Marth now stood in the throne room. Falchion intact. Soldiers fought Risen all around her. And they were losing.

Marth hacked and slashed her way through the Risen. She uttered a battle cry and drove her blade through the face of a large, ax wielding corpse. The image flickered.

She lay broken and battered in royal chambers. An explosion ripped through the room and sent her flying out onto porch outside of the chambers. She lay unmoving among shattered glass, broken stone, and splintered wood. Robin saw soldiers in strange white armor rushing towards her. Strange weapons gripped in their hands. Each movement aggressive and purposeful. Far different from the random, shambling actions of the Risen.

Another flicker. The soldiers fighting the Risen were dead. Marth stood alone. The sound of a structure being torn apart shot through Robin's ears. Forcing him to fall to the ground and cover his head. Dust and rock tumbled to the ground. Mingling with the Risen and the fallen soldiers.

" _Bring her to Lord Vader."_

The image flickered. The soldiers in white dragged a limp Marth away.

Flicker. Robin stared up at the torn ceiling in the throne room. Terror filled him as six, enormous red eyes looked down at him. Marth took several terrified steps back.

" _Perform the ritual!"_ A voice shouted. One Robin recognized as Laurent.

Robin got a closer look at the monster above him as a bolt of lightning arced through the sky. Fear sent him to his knees.

Grima.

Blue light flooded the throne room. Robin whipped his gaze over to Marth. She sprinted towards a bright blue portal. Risen gave chase.

Robin's breath caught in his throat. He recognized that portal. It was the same portal he saw when Marth first appeared in the forest south of Ylisstol. During his first night as a member of Chrom's Shepherds.

Flicker. Rasping breaths filled his ears. It mingled with the Fell Dragon's dull roar.

Inhale. Rasp. Exhale.

Ice cold air batted the heat from the fires away. Grima's roar morphed. It became a mocking chuckle. The chuckle coming from a voice Robin recognized.

His own.

Inhale. Rasp. Exhale.

The cold grew in intensity. He saw a man in black robes and armor. A hideous mask and helmet covered his head. A black cape rested on his shoulders. He towered over Robin.

Inhale. Rasp. Exhale.

It came from the armored man.

Inhale. Rasp. Exhale.

" _You need my power."_ A venomous voice said in his mind, " _You need me to defeat him."_

Robin gulped. To defeat who? This mystery figure? He could hear his own laughter echoing in his mind. Morphing back and forth between maniacal cackles and hair raising roars. All the while, the strained breathing rang out all around him.

" _ **You need us to survive."**_ A beast snarled in his mind, " _ **Our power will destroy your enemies."**_

" _It will save your friends. Just give in."_

Robin shook his head. He could feel darkness surging inside of him. The Dark Side of the Force howled in his mind. Roaring triumphantly as it raced through his veins.

He wanted to curl up into a ball. Close his eyes and pretend none of this was real. It wasn't real. It couldn't be real.

Inhale. Rasp. Exhale.

" _Give in to us, Robin. Save your friends."_

" _ **Let me feed…"**_

" _If you do not, they will all die. We will spare them if you just let us take control."_

" _ **I hunger… I thirst…"**_

Inhale. Rasp. Exhale.

" _ **Li**_ _sten_ _ **T**_ _o u_ _ **S!"**_

He clasped his head in his hands. Mouth open in a silent scream as pain rocked his body. Something took hold of his mind.

" _Robin."_

The voices hissed. The dark side of the force retreated away. The flickering images he saw stopped. Robin squeezed his eyes closed.

" _Open your eyes, Robin."_ A gentle voice said.

Robin shook his head.

A warm presence flooded his mind. A comforting presence. One that soothed his shaken soul and calmed his mind. The tension in his body faded. His heart stopped pounding. Robin swallowed hard and opened his eyes.

He stood on a road of some sort. A road shrouded in shadows with faint lines of white light along the edges. The road branched off in many directions. In several spots, the road shot off towards a circular portal illuminated in faint white light.

This place felt surreal. Robin took a step forward as he looked around. Puzzled, confused, and still rather afraid.

He paused as he passed one portal.

" _Enter the bureaucrats. The true rulers of the Republic. And on the payroll of the Trade Federation, I might add. This is where Chancellor Valorum's strength will disappear."_ A man whispered. Voice croaking ever so slightly.

" _I move for a vote of no confidence in Chancellor Valorum's leadership."_ A woman demanded.

" _Now they will elect a new chancellor. A strong chancellor. One who will not let our tragedy continue."_

Robin continued walking.

" _It is a great pity that our paths have never crossed before, Obi Wan."_ Dooku's rich voice slammed in Robin's ears. Paralyzing the tactician.

" _What if I told you the Republic is now under the control of the Dark Lord of the Sith?"_

" _No!"_ Robin's breath caught in his throat as he heard Ben's voice snapped back at Dooku, " _That's not possible. The Jedi would be aware of it."_

" _The dark side of the force has clouded their vision my friend. Hundreds of senators are now under the influence of a Sith Lord called Darth Sidious."_

Robin's took a shallow breath. Sidious, the name of the man Ben feared most. The name of the man who wiped out the Jedi Order.

What does this all mean? Why was he hearing all of this?

A third voice croaked through the air. It held a sinister quality to it. Hidden beneath a layer of false good intentions.

" _The Dark Side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be unnatural."_

" _Is it possible to learn this power?"_ A young man asked.

" _Not from a Jedi."_

" _Robin."_

Robin spun around as he heard the warm voice from before speaking to him. He froze in place.

He could only describe the person as a ghost. An ethereal aura surrounded the robed body of a middle-aged man. Long brown hair haloed in bluish white light crowned his head. A neatly trimmed beard lined his chin. Weary, wide eyes looked at Robin with both kindness and understanding.

Before Robin could open his mouth to ask a question. The ghost spoke.

" _What you have just heard are whispers of the past. A past that led the universe to where it is today. This past belongs to the man you know as Darth Sidious."_

Robin gulped, "Wh-who?" He spun around, "Where am I? Who are you? What in the hell is going on?"

" _My name is Qui Gon Jinn."_

Robin's eyes widened.

"Ben's master?"

Qui Gon's ghost nodded.

"But… but you're dead?"

" _Physically yes. But I am very much alive in the Force."_ Qui Gon replied, " _I never intended to intervene like this Robin, but I fear events have moved to where I must. This takes a great deal of effort on my part to do. So unfortunately, I cannot answer many questions. All I can do now is give you both instruction and a warning."_

Robin's heart beat anxiously in his chest.

" _Sidious is coming. His apprentice moves closer to your world. He will find it soon. You must be prepared."_

Robin gave Qui Gon a confused look.

"What do you mean Sidious is coming? What do you mean by my world? And- and how can I prepare when I know nothing about Sidious?"

Qui Gon gave Robin a comforting smile, " _You already know what you must do Robin."_ The fringes of Robin's vision grew hazy, " _Robin… before you go. Do not give in. Keep the bonds with your friends close. You do not need the dark's power to be victorious."_

Qui Gon's ghostly visage faded away. The soft white lights outlining the many portals and paths around Robin winked out. Consciousness faded.

He finally got some sleep.

….

First Maul. Chrom could see that demon's red and black face in his mind still. A burning visage. Forever ingrained in his memories. Snarling teeth and blazing eyes filled with hate and contempt. The monster responsible for the death of his sister would never leave him. He would always see the demon. Always see his sneer as he cut his sister down. Always remember that Ben could have done something to stop him, but didn't.

Then someone attacked Ben and Tharja. Attempted an assassination in the city he called home. A mysterious figure using a strange magic, or weapon. Something that everyone refused to explain to him out of both ignorance and stubbornness. It infuriated Chrom at the time. And now, it made him even more furious. That assassin could have targeted anyone he cared about. It could have targeted him, Sumia, and Lucina. Still could since they never found a body. He wanted to know who sent the assassin. He wanted to know who the assassin was. Ben knew all of that. And he refused to reveal any information… again. Only that time, they all got lucky. No one died.

Chrom's fist balled up at his sides as he stormed down the cold corridor of the Khan's palace in Port Ferox. A smaller residence. Meant for the Khan, a squadron of soldiers, a few servants. Which made the Shepherds space rather cramped. But at this moment, Chrom did not care. If nothing else, the cramped living arrangements made its so Ben could not avoid him this time.

This time, another old enemy of Ben's appeared. He knew it was one of that damnable man's old enemies too. The glowing swords, lightsabers as he heard them called, were a dead giveaway. They were the weapon used by Maul. And both Ben and Dooku wielded similar weapons as well. That alone proved Ben knew the monster that attacked them in Plegia with the horde of Risen..

He knew the monster that killed Ricken.

Sorrow mixed with rage filled Chrom. Flashes of Ricken's fallen form rushed through his mind. The youngest of the Shepherds lay dead in Plegia. The brightest of them, the most positive, slain by a foe none of them could fight. None of them, except Ben.

He did not even hesitate when he reached the third door on the right in the long corridor. Chrom gripped the doorknob and shoved the door open.

Tharja sat on the bed. Head bowed. Slender fingers running along the leather cover of a spell book. Ricken's spellbook. Other than the boy's hat, it was the only thing they managed to recover before having to flee from the Risen.

 _We could not even take the body._ Chrom thought as he clenched his jaw.

Tharja did not even raised her head to acknowledge his arrival. And he did not blame her. All of the Shepherds mourned Ricken. They all raised a silent toast to him upon their return to Port Ferox. Maribelle had been beside herself with grief, given the fact that Ricken at one time saved her life. Nowi was inconsolable. Ricken was her closest friend. And she watched him die.

But Tharja seemed the most out of sorts, in Chrom's eyes. She became even more quiet than normal. Her relationship with the small group of Shepherds that traveled with Ben and Robin allowed a more adventurous, friendly (if you could call it that) side of the dark mage to come out. But in the wake of Ricken's death, she retreated back to the silent, brooding figure they all met during the Plegian War.

Ricken had been one of her students. The student she held the most pride in. Chrom recalled speaking with Tharja a few times in the past few months. They were always stiff conversations. Awkward given his and Ben's animosity at the time. But he always asked how her students were doing. Both out of genuine curiosity and courtesy. And of all her 'urchins' she raved about Ricken the most. She labeled him a prodigy. Gifted with magic. Powerful beyond his years. A true student of the craft. Destined to become a powerful sorcerer or mage, depending on the path he chose in the future.

A path no longer available. For that prodigy now lay dead in the Plegian sand.

Chrom's anger abated for a moment when he saw Tharja's shoulders shudder briefly as she clasped Ricken's spellbook in her hands. The dark mage did not do well at expressing her own emotions. Well, she expressed anger, frustration, and annoyance easily enough. Those expressions usually involved a petty hex. She usually buried any other emotions beneath a layer of brooding and silence. Chrom felt somewhat surprised to see her so visibly shaken. Then again, she probably did not expect anyone to come barging into her and Ben's room at this time of night.

"Chrom?"

The anger returned. Chrom's eyes flicked over to Ben. The damned man sat on a wooden stool in front of a small fire in the fireplace. His eyes were red and puffy. Chrom could see some tear stains beneath his eyes. Not very visible. But in the flickering firelight, Chrom could see them.

Ben swallowed hard and returned his attention to the flames, "Why are you-"

"You know damn well why I'm here." Chrom snarled through clenched teeth.

Ben closed his eyes. He remained silent. An unmoving statue upon his stool. Breathing even.

Chrom's eyes flashed with rage. Did Ben decide to start meditating now!? Of all times!?

"Open your eyes right now, bastard." Chrom growled.

That got his attention. Ben flicked one eye open. He glanced over at Chrom. The Ylissean prince pointed an accusatory finger at Ben.

"You knew."

"I-"

"You knew who that monster was!" Chrom roared, "Just like with Maul. Just like with whoever tried to assassinate you and Tharja, you knew who it was! Or what it was, given how nightmarish it was!" Chrom placed his hands on his hips and shook his head, "Go on, say it. Say it now! Who was that monster?"

Ben pressed his lips into a thin line, "An… an old enemy."

"There it is." Chrom seethed, "Just like Maul. Your deceptions, secrets, and lies killed another person." Ben flinched at Chrom's accusation, "Do you see why I demanded to know? I knew something like this would happen!"

"You could not have known this would happen." Ben whispered back.

"Oh really?" Chrom snapped.

"Yes." Ben's voice started to rise, "Because I could not have known this would happen."

"You are lying to me yet again!" Chrom declared with a dismissive wave of his hand, "What will it take for you to start saying the truth? Who is going to have to die for that to happen? Me? Robin?" Chrom gestured to the grieving dark mage on the bed, "Tharja?"

Ben's eyes flashed. The first bit of emotion Ben showed during this entire conversation. In that moment, Chrom knew he crossed a line. The Prince exhaled and shook his head. Some of his rage subsided as he felt Ben's angry gaze.

"Ben…" Chrom rubbed his weary eyes. The march was exhausting. Made even more tiring due to the burden of grief upon all of their shoulders, "For the love of Naga, say something. Anything to convince me that I am wrong."

Ben remained utterly silent. Chrom cast his eyes up and let out a loud, defeated sigh.

"Why would I expect any different?" Chrom muttered, "Don't expect me to work with you in this war, Ben Kenobi. You-"

"Obi Wan."

Tharja's soft voice rang through the air. Chrom noticed Ben's face pale considerably as she spoke.

Her dark eyes looked up from Ricken's spell book. They were red with tears. Defeated and discouraged. Her hands trembled a little as they rested on the leather binding in her lap.

"Stop this already." Tharja breathed as she struggled to maintain her composure, "This… this standoff will only lead to more death, Obi Wan. You… you need each other in this war. We must defeat the Valmese. We must defeat whoever is raising these Risen. We-" Tharja choked for a moment, "We cannot allow Ricken's death to be for nothing. And that-that means… means finally letting the mask fall."

Tears brimmed in her dark eyes. Ben rushed from his stool to her side. The dark mage's shoulders shuddered as she buried her face into his shoulder and silently cried. Ricken's spellbook held tight against her chest.

Chrom did not feel as angry now. He could not tear his eyes away from Tharja's grief. Her sorrow hit him like a sledgehammer. The Prince let out a heavy breath then sank into a wooden chair near the fire. He let his head fall back against the back of the chair.

"Is Obi Wan some sort of Plegian, Dark mage thing?" He asked bluntly.

Ben froze as Tharja cried. He glanced down at her. For a split second, Chrom could see serious conflict on his face.

Ben sighed, closed his eyes, and placed a soft kiss on top of Tharja's head.

"Obi Wan," He began, "is my name."

Chrom narrowed his eyes as he stared at Ben.

"Obi Wan Kenobi." Ben let out a small snort, "Jedi Master of the Jedi Order. Member of the High Council. General in the Grand Army of the Republic. Last survivor of a now extinct religion. And a fool of a man."

Chrom frowned. Jedi Master? That he knew. The Jedi were the group of monks Ben claimed to have once been a member of. And apparently they were led by some sort of High Council, of which he had also been a member of. Something that was difficult for Chrom to believe given Ben's age. But General in some Grand Army? That was a new revelation.

Ben noticed his confusion.

"Chrom," Ben sighed. Tharja pulled away from Ben. She gave him an encouraging nod, "I am… I am not who you think I am."

"Obviously." Chrom frowned as he leaned forward. Elbows resting on his thighs. Chin in his hands as he kept his gaze on Ben, "What did you mean by General in the Grand Army of the Republic?"

Ben swallowed hard, "The Grand Army of the Republic was an army of clone soldiers commissioned to fight wars for the galactic republic."  
Chrom blinked. Galactic Republic? He recalled some of his lessons as a child. Some mages hypothesized that their world and the stars resided in a large group called a galaxy. It was just a theory, but one that gained traction among the academics at the Academy.

"Are- are you claiming to be from the stars? An alien?" Chrom asked. He scowled, "You better not be mocking my intelligence."

"Why would I do that now?" Ben asked, "My-" He struggled a moment, "My worst fear has already been realized. Someone close to me died… again. Because of my own inaction and stubbornness." He leveled his gaze at Chrom. And unblinking look. Completely serious. Not a hint of deception in his eyes, "I am a human from the planet Coruscant."

Chrom furrowed his brow.

"If you doubt me," Ben breathed, "You need only ask Dooku for more information. He's also not exactly of this world either." Chrom's eyes widened in surprise, "Dooku is from Serenno. But he also lived on Coruscant for some time."

Chrom stared stunned at Ben. He was completely serious about this. He was not lying or mocking him. This was the truth. The Prince leaned back in his chair, mind reeling.

"You're an alien." Chrom breathed, eyes wide.

Ben nodded.

"That…" Chrom gulped. His arms hung slack at his sides, "That would explain the strange weapons and powers I guess."

"And the old enemies." Ben breathed, "None of which I ever expected to see here."

Chrom frowned, "Why?"

"Because this planet is unknown to the rest of the galaxy." Ben explained, "If it was known, then it would have already come under Sidious's influence. And would therefore be a part of the new Galactic Empire, which he rules."

Chrom's jaw slowly fell open, "Galactic Empire." Chrom rubbed his face with his hands, "Do you have any idea how insane this sounds?"

"Why do you think I didn't say anything?" Ben replied.

Chrom snapped his gaze up at Ben, "Why didn't you?" Chrom got to his feet, "Ben, did you think I would not believe you? Did you think I would cast you off for this?"

A flash of guilt flashed over Ben's face.

"Really?" Chrom felt some hurt in him, "I believed Robin when he said he was an amnesiac. And there is no way of definitively proving that. For all I knew, at the time, Robin was pulling an elaborate act. I know that is what Frederick believed. Yet, I took him in. I believed him. What made you think I would not do the same for you?"

Ben pursed his lips. Tharja flashed him a questioning look.

"That is… a fair point." Ben admitted.

"Did you really think that little of me?" Chrom asked.

"At first that was my reasoning." Ben defended, "But then, after Maul's arrival… it became more about keeping everyone safe and-"

"And this same old argument from before." Chrom cut him off, "Damn it, Ben- er- Obi Wan- er-"

"Ben is fine." Ben sighed, "That is how you know me. You don't have to change that now."

Chrom paced a few steps, "Alright." He scratched the back of his head, "Ben, you are our comrade and friend. Whatever danger you face, we face as well. And we will face it together. Just as we faced Gangrel and Maul together. Just as we are now facing the Valmese together. And just as we will face the Risen together." Chrom pressed his lips together, "I'm assuming you don't want the others to know about this just yet?"

Ben shrugged, "I don't know how to go about that right now."

Chrom nodded, "I think I'll let Frederick, Cordelia, and Robin know. They deserve to know given their positions both among the Shepherds and in the Ylissean military. As for Flavia and Basilio, I think I'll let you deal with that one on your own. You do technically work for them now."

Ben sighed, "That will be an interesting conversation when that happens. But… now is not the time."

"No. It is not." Chrom stopped his pacing. The rage he felt earlier evaporated away completely. Ben's true identity sent shockwaves through him. But it still did not entirely explain everything, "Ben? What was that thing that killed Ricken?"

Ben swallowed, "That thing was General Grievous."

"Was?" Chrom asked.

Ben nodded, "I killed him during a conflict several years ago known as the Clone Wars. Blasted him with a blaster pistol so many times he combusted."

Chrom arched an eyebrow,

"Blaster pistol?"

Ben sighed and waved his hand, "Later. Anyways, Grievous is supposed to be dead."

"So was Maul." Chrom pointed out.

"Yes. But Maul came back a few years before I showed up on this planet." Ben explained, "I knew he was around. I just did not think he would end up on this planet at all. I still don't know how he managed to find his way here. Like I said, this planet is unknown and likely uncharted." Ben snorted, "Naga, I have no idea how I ended up here either."

"You don't?" Chrom asked as he gave Ben a puzzled look.

Ben shook his head, "One moment, I'm fleeing the empire in an escape pod with Luke. The next, I woke up outside of the Southtown. And Luke was gone. I still have not figured out how or why that happened."

Chrom gave Ben a small smile, "Well… it's a good thing it did in the end. Otherwise, we never would have had your help against Plegia."

"If I never showed up, Maul may have never come here." Ben pointed out, "Same with Grievous."

Chrom shook his head, "Don't… don't start that."

Tharja slipped her hand into Ben's, "If you had not shown up, I'd probably still be with the Grimleal." She snorted, "Maybe I'd be dead. Killed fighting some Ylisseans during the final battle of the war." She gave him a comforting smile, "You said so yourself. Grievous is supposed to be dead. You could not have known he would show up and-" She took a quick, calming breath, "and attack us."

"Speaking of which." Chrom continued, "If he is supposed to be dead, how is he alive?"

"I have been trying to piece that together myself." Ben replied, "I planned on asking Dooku that very same question at some point."

Chrom gave Ben a puzzled look, "Asking Dooku?"

Tharja gave him a small nod, "Another supposed to be dead, old enemy."

Chrom mouth fell open, "I'm sorry, what was that?"

"Dooku is not an enemy anymore." Ben clarified, "He's just a pain in my ass now. And a constant headache. But yes, he is also supposed to be dead."

"How many dead people from your past are alive now?" Chrom asked.

"Too many." Ben remarked, "There is also Jango Fett. Our assassin. All three of which I have no idea how or why they are alive."

Chrom reeled. That made three living-dead men. Or in Grievous's case, monster. He rubbed his forehead. Trying his best to absorb all of this new information.

"I think we need to discuss this further another time." Chrom muttered.

"I think you might be right." Ben nodded in agreement. He folded his hands in his lap, "Only Robin, Frederick, and Cordelia?"

Chrom nodded, "I'm not sure how to discuss this with the others yet. They will know, at some point. But I think it would be best if you told the entire group yourself." Chrom ran a hand through his hair, "Hell, I don't know how I'm going to tell those three any of this."

"Just take it one thing at a time." Ben advised.

"Probably best." Chrom exhaled, "First the start of another war. Then Validar and the Hierophant. Then…" Chrom grimaced, "Then Ricken. And now, I find out one of my Shepherds is an alien." Chrom let out a sound of disbelief, "I'm living in some sort of insane dream."

The Prince moved towards the door. As he wrapped his hand around the doorknob, he paused.

"Um," He glanced back at Tharja and Ben, "Ricken's service is going to be tomorrow afternoon. The other Shepherds should have arrived from Ylisse by then."

"Anna, Laurent, Miriel, and Vaike?" Ben asked.

Chrom nodded, "Yeah." Chrom opened the door, "Both of you get some rest. It's been… it's been a very long year."

Ben nodded, "It has."

Without another word, Chrom shut the door behind him. Once he was gone, Ben let out a breath he had not realized he had been holding. His body went slack and as an enormous weight ran away from his shoulders.

Tharja's finger brushed his shoulders.

"Ben?" She breathed.

Ben reached up and took her hand in his.

"Thank you, Tharja."

….

Marth did not consider herself a drinker. She often found the taste of liquor to be atrocious. It felt like fire running down her throat before burning in her gut. A feeling she did not enjoy. She also did not care for the other effects booze had on the body.

Where she came from, she always had to be alert. Constantly aware of her surroundings. Danger lurked in every shadow and faint ray of sunshine where she came from. That danger usually being a Risen grunt or even a Deadlord.

Alcohol number her senses. Numbed her connection to the force. Left her vulnerable. She hated that. Vulnerable meant weak. Vulnerable meant dead. An outcome she could not afford, even now.

But damn it, she needed a drink. Not a sip of wine or a glass of cider. No, she needed something to numb the hurt in her.

 _Thank you Sully._ She thought as she brought the flask of harsh feroxi firewine to her lips.

She winced as the fiery liquid washed over her palated and burned hot trails into her stomach. A harsh cough left her lungs as she struggled to catch her breath.

She sucked in a sharp breath then coughed again. In order to stop the coughing, she did what anyone else would have done in her situation.

Drink some more.

She gulped down another long drink. Her eyes squeezed shut as a hiss left her lips. She shook her head and set the flask down on the stone wall in front of her.

"Damn." She breathed, already feeling a little woozy from the drink.

But not numb yet. She wanted to forget it all already. She wanted to forget her failure.

Ricken was dead. And she failed to prevent it. Even worse, he died when he was not supposed to.

A knot formed in her chest. It traveled from her aching heart to her throat. Rendering the simple act of taking a deep breath difficult.

Ricken's death had far reaching consequences. Consequences that even the other Shepherds knew nothing about. He had yet to grow up. Yet to meet his wife. Yet to- Marth swallowed hard and let out a shaky breath.

"I am so sorry, Nah." She whispered, breath misting in the frigid Feroxi air.

A frozen wind rushed from the Port Ferox harbor and swept over the small walls around the West Khan's palace. She shivered. Without a second thought, she brought the flask to her lips again and downed all of it. Pushing past the burning sensation and allowing the numb euphoria to wash over her.

That euphoria never came. The numbness evaded her as well. Instead, the pain only grew worse. All she could see was Ricken. His terrified expression as he faced down a monster from their nightmares. Her own desperation as she rushed to his aid, only to be taken out of the fight by a single blow from the monster.

"I should have done more." Marth breathed. Her grip on the glass flask tightened. Her teeth clenched as she smelled alcohol on her breath, "I could have done more."

She saw the reptilian eyes of her enemy. Red, filled with predatory instincts and dark hatred. Red eyes. The eyes of a Deadlord. The eyes of her enemy's chief servants.

With all of her strength, Marth threw the flask out to the street beyond the walls. She heard it shatter against the frozen cobblestone road.

"Why didn't I do more!?" She screamed before sinking to her knees and balancing her shivering body against the wall with her one arm.

Tears streamed down her cheeks. She was supposed to be a Jedi Knight now. She was supposed to be a peerless warrior. Deemed ready to face the greatest challenges by her master. But when that challenge arrived, she hopelessly failed. And Ricken died. And an old friend of hers may have gone with him.

Stoic Nah. The half manakete, half human who was far more intelligent than her age should have allowed. Far more mature as well. Always a voice of logic and reason among her band of friends. The antithesis of Cynthia for sure. Never acting on impulse. Always rationally plotting her course. Someone Marth relied on for level headed advice and honest friendship.

Gone now, because she failed to protect her father.

She slammed a fist against the stones in front of her. The pain from the blow did not register at first. So she hit the frozen stones again. And again. And again. One more time, and she saw some bright red flecks splash against the rock. Her knuckles stung. Fingers ached. Her arm buzzed.

"Marth?"

She rested her forehead against the stone wall. Why couldn't she be left alone tonight?

She closed her eyes even as Chrom approached her. Instead of turning to look at him, she reached out with the force in order to assess his intentions. A half hearted measure. She personally did not care why he was out here in the cold with her.

She sensed concern. Worry for her. That was all surface level. Dig a little deeper, and she sensed profound confusion. Remnants of fury replaced with reluctant understanding. A small sliver of betrayal mingled with a surge of relief. She thought he would be angry. He had apparently been furious about Ricken's death. So much so, that as soon as she woke up, he stormed away from the infirmary in the palace and marched to Ben's room in order to get answers.

Her drunken mind raced and her eyes snapped open.

 _He went to demand answers!_

Chrom sighed then leaned against the wall, gaze facing out towards the distant harbor. The Feroxi managed to restore operations to the vital port rather quick. That was in large part due to the Valmese's reluctance to destroy the harbor. It provided an easy place to land their ships. So they wanted it to remain intact. The Feroxi military managed to bring it back to full operations and more. Most of them worked to ready the harbor for the arrival of the Plegian fleet. Once the fleet arrived, they would determine their next course of action.

 _That should happen soon._ Chrom thought before glancing over at Marth.

She stared at the wall in front of her. Forehead still resting against the cold stone. Shoulers sagging in defeat.

"It was not your fault." Chrom said.

Marth closed her eyes and shook her head.

It was her fault. She swore to all of them that she would save them. She would save the future. She would prevent the deaths of their parents and make sure Grima was defeated once and for all. And she broke that promise.

"Marth," Chrom sighed. He reached a hand down to her, "Come on. Stand up already. Being down there does you no good."

Marth glanced at his outstretched hand. She hesitated, then grasped it. She swayed as she got to her feet. Head swimming and spinning both from the sudden rise and from the alcohol in her veins.

Chrom snorted as she took a step back to balance herself.

"Drinking?"

Marth flushed with embarrassment.

"If I didn't have so much on my mind, I'd probably be doing the same." He admitted, one hand brushing some frost from the wall as he leaned against it. He tapped his fingers along the bare stone, "In the end, this is no one's fault."

Marth gave him a surprised look, "I- I thought you blamed Ben? Or… even me because-"

"You had no way of knowing that monster would be there." Chrom interrupted, voice stern. "And…" He let out a sigh, "Neither did Ben."

Marth gulped. Chrom's words helped the pain a little bit. But she still blamed herself. Still thought she could have done something, anything, to prevent Ricken's death. She could have made him search the basement instead. She could have gone with him upstairs in the fort. Fought against the monster with him. Made sure he was not alone.

Chrom shook his head then stared back out at the silent city.

"You're thinking too much. I learned the lesson I am about to share with you the hard way during the Plegian war." He grimaced as he relived the memory of both Phila and Emmeryn's deaths, "You can't bear burdens on your own. And you can't shoulder blame for things beyond your control. If you start doing that, you will lose yourself." He let out a long breath, "I nearly did at one point." Marth gave him a stunned look. Chrom let out a small snort, "It took Robin's friendship, Ben's wisdom, Lissa's loyalty, and Sumia's fist to get me out of that mess."

Marth arched an eyebrow, "Sumia's fist?"

"You'd be surprised what an accidental punch to the jaw can do." Chrom said with a small laugh.

Marth let out a small chuckle as well.

"Don't worry, I won't punch you." Chrom continued.

"I wouldn't blame you if you did." Marth muttered, "I should have been there to help, Ricken."

Chrom frowned, "Did you not hear what I just said."

Marth shook her head, "My master told me something similar at one point. But he also taught me there are lessons to be learnt from the past. Especially from mistakes. While…" She swallowed hard, "you're probably right, I shouldn't carry a guilty burden. At the same time, I must learn from this. I must get stronger. There is too much at stake otherwise."

Chrom nodded in understanding, "Your master was a wise man then."

Marth snorted. If only he knew who he was talking about. He probably wouldn't be saying that if he did.

Marth cleared her throat. Ready to change the subject.

"So, you went to speak to Ben."

"I did." Chrom said with a nod.

Marth fidgeted a little bit. Nervous about what he learned. Did Ben say anything regarding himself? If he did, how far did he go? And did he accidentally let anything slip about her? If he did, then she was not certain what the repercussions would be. But they probably wouldn't be good.

"If you don't mind me asking, wh-what about?"

Chrom gave her a hard stare, "I'm not sure I should say."

Marth felt some relief. Good, he did not bring up her real identity. Which meant he did not know that. Ben at least managed to keep that secret. But his lack of anger towards Ben told her another truth.

"You know now." Marth let slip before slapping a hand over her mouth.

 _This is why I don't drink!_

Chrom narrowed his gaze at her, "You knew?"

Marth flicked her eyes back and forth, "I uh…" She hung her head, "yes." She admitted, seeing no other option but to admit the truth.

"And you didn't say anything because?"

"Because it was a mutual exchange of secrets." Marth replied, "Ones we both swore to keep." Marth let out a huff as Chrom frowned at her, "I'm not someone that goes back on my word."

Chrom worked his jaw then gave her a small nod.

"I can respect that." He pushed himself away from the wall and rubbed his hands together. The night only grew colder the later it got, "How much do you know? Because I barely scratched the surface and I have no idea what to think about it all."

Marth let out a small chuckle, "Well, if you are doubting him, don't. Ben is telling the truth regarding this."

"How are you so certain?"

Marth gave her surroundings a cautious glance.

"Dooku." Marth answered, "I asked for confirmation, and he gave it. Enjoyed dredging up Ben's secrets actually. He found many of his stories very amusing."

"Makes sense he would enjoy spilling Ben's secrets. Given their," Chrom cringed, "strange friendship."

Marth snorted, "I'm not so sure you can call it that. More like a reluctant partnership since both realize they are up against a common enemy."

"Sidious." Chrom nodded, "Ben did not say much about him."

"He still doesn't." Marth replied, "But I think part of that is also due to a lack of information. I don't think Ben ever truly knew Sidious. Which would explain some of the gaps in his explanation about him."

"And Dooku?" Chrom asked.

Marth gave Chrom a quizzical look, "I haven't brought it up with him yet. Not without Ben around that is. Although… he does fear Sidious. That much is clear."

"Both do." Chrom shuddered a little bit, "With how powerful they are, it makes me wonder what kind of monster Sidious really is."

Marth nodded grimly. She glanced down at her feet, "Speaking of monsters, what do you think of… you know."

"Grievous." Chrom snarled.

Marth snapped her head up, "That's its name? It has a name!?"

Chrom nodded, "It does." He folded his arms, "Another old enemy from Ben's past. One he swears he killed. And he has no idea how he came back from the dead."

Marth felt her heart stop beating. Ben swore he killed Grievous. He also said that Dooku was absolutely supposed to be dead as well. Jango Fett was supposed to be dead. Two of those three actively attacked the Shepherds. One of those three managed to kill a Shepherd. All were raised from the dead by a power unknown to the others. Fear rushed through Marth. Her suspicions were correct. They were all Deadlords.

But that was impossible. Grima was not supposed to be even close to that level of power at this point in time. He was supposed to be a mere shadow waiting to be awakened. Barely capable of calling forth small armies of Risen. Not able to summon Deadlords at will. Grima could only do that if he could tap into his massive reserves of power.

So how were Deadlords around right now?

Chrom gave Marth a concerned look, "Hey, are you okay? You look a little pale?"

No, she was not okay. Deadlords prowled the land. Grima's lieutenants hunted the Shepherds. And unlike the future, they were enemies from Ben's past. She did not know how they fought. She did not know their capabilities or personalities (if they still possessed any). She did not know their intentions or their missions. She was in the dark regarding their greatest threat. How was she supposed to save them all if she could not fight off such powerful enemies?

Before she could answer Chrom, the force pulsed. A warning shot through her mind. She heard a whistle on the wind. Chrom seemed to notice the strange noise as well. It drew closer. Faster and faster. The whistle became a whoosh. Marth looked behind Chrom and saw a fireball of some sort rocketing towards them.

"Father watch out!" Marth yelled.

She grabbed Chrom and yanked him to the ground. The strange projectile slammed into the wall near where Chrom had been standing. An explosion ripped through the air. Shards of stone and hot flames nearly engulfed both of them. But the shockwave sent the pair flying through the air, off of the walls.

Both Chrom and Marth landed hard on the frozen ground in the small courtyard. Feroxi guards shouted alarms. Those alarms quickly fell silent as several strange screams shot through the air. Marth used the force to make her body recover quickly. She opened her eyes and saw one of the last Feroxi guards cut down by a shrieking bolt of red light.

Two jets of fire flew threw the air. They emerged from an armored man. An armored man Marth recognized.

Jango Fett. Ben and Tharja's would be assassin.

The Deadlord leveled two strange weapons at her. He took aim. Marth felt the force let out another warning cry.

She grabbed Chrom and rushed behind the stables just as two red blaster bolts shrieked through the air and slammed into the main building.

Chrom still reeled from the explosion. Some gashes had opened up on his arms from where stone shredded his skin. Parts of his shirt were burnt from the explosions. But he seemed otherwise unharmed.

Marth clenched her teeth as Chrom shook the cobwebs from his mind.

"What was-"

"This guy again." Marth snarled as she unsheathed her sword.

Panic seized her as she heard Frederick and the other Shepherds rousing inside of the palace. If they came out of those doors now, they would be met with a hail of… whatever that Deadlord fired at her and Chrom. They would not survive. She would fail even more of her friends. Break even more promises.

"No." She snarled.

"Marth wait!" Chrom cried.

Marth sprinted out from cover. Two blaster bolts screamed at her. She ducked beneath one and sidestepped another.

She rushed Jango Fett. Before the deadlord could dodge her, Marth swung her blade.

Her arms shuddered as the Deadlord swung his arm at her blade and caught it with his strange, metal gauntlet. He leveled a pistol at her.

Chrom uttered a battlecry. Falchion shimmered out of the corner of her eye. The divine blade slashed into the pack on Jango's back.

Marth let out a startled cry as the pack powered on. Twin jets of fire shot out from the pack and lifted Fett into the air. His flight seemed erratic. Completely out of control. But he was stable enough to holster a weapon and point a fist at her.

A cable shot out from his wrist. The grappling hook on it grabbed Marth by the tunic and yanked her into the air after him.

"Marth!" Chrom bellowed as he rushed towards the stairs on the palace walls.

The doors to the palace burst open. Marth heard Frederick and Cordelia sprint out, weapons in hand. The other shepherds followed them. But she did not have time to look over at the group.

She saw the wall coming closer. Marth squeezed her eyes shut and braced herself.

Her body slammed into the stone wall. Bones shifted in her chest. Wind rushed out of her lungs. Sharp pain wracked her body. But the flying did not end. Jango's out of control jet pack dragged her along the rugged walls and up higher into the air.

A streak of red light shot down at her. Marth swung herself to the side. The red bolt slammed into her right shoulder. Marth let out a loud howl. It felt like someone jabbed a hot poker into her shoulder. And the poker only became hotter with time.

She glanced at the wound and saw a charred hold in her shoulder.

 _Only the second worst wound I've ever had when it comes to that arm._ She thought before wincing.

She sensed more danger rushing towards her. Marth swung hard as she avoided another blaster bolt.

The outline of a building filled her vision. Marth's eyes widened. Jango was going to try and smash her against wood and stone. Bludgeon her to death.

She willed the force to her. With strength that surprised even herself, she curled her body and slammed her feet against the building. Jango rocketed upwards. And Marth ran up the side of the building, the cable snagged on her tunic pulling her after him.

As she neared the roof, she planted one foot into the building wall. The force pulsed through her. She rocketed up into the air. The cable went slack as she closed the distance between herself and Jango.

The Deadlord seemed surprised when she came face to face with him. Before he could raise his blaster and shoot her, Marth bashed her head against his helmet.

An action she immediately regretted. But she did not have time to linger on that regret. As her head pounded, and a gash started to bleed above her eye, Jango's jetpack exploded.

They both careened down towards the steep roof of a Feroxi house. Marth grit her teeth, closed her eyes, and willed the force to slow her descent.

She still hit the tiles on the roof hard. A couple cracked beneath her body. Marth let out a loud, pain filled cry as more ribs shifted.

Jango slammed into the tiles. Nearly breaking the roof when he landed. His armored form slid down the slick tiles towards the edge. The cable went taut and yanked Marth after him.

They both slid down the roof then over the edge. Marth cried out then hit the ground just after her did.

She felt dazed. Her sword was no longer in her grip. She must have lost it when she hit the roof. Pain rushed through her body with every breath she took. Nevertheless, she pushed herself back to her feet. Refusing to give in to defeat. Refusing to allow the Deadlord to claim the life of another friend.

Jango staggered to his feet as well. His armor scuffed, even dented in several spots. His visor cracked from where Marth headbutted him. One pistol missing from its holster. The other still grasped firmly in one hand.

Jango tapped his wrist. The cable snapped free from his arm. Marth grit her teeth as she stared down the deadlord. Her own eyes focused on the lone red iris she saw behind the cracked visor.

She charged. Jango raised his arm. A jet of flames shot out from his wrist. Marth slid beneath the fire and swept his legs out from beneath him.

Jango hit the ground. Marth pounced on top of him. She rained two punches down onto his helmeted head before he caught her hand and flipped her onto her back.

Marth struggled beneath the Deadlord. She froze when she felt the hot muzzle of the blaster pistol press against her chest.

Red light filled her vision. But the only pain she felt came from her broken ribs.

Marth remained frozen in place as a red lightsaber jutted out from Jango's chest.

"I think that is enough from you, old friend." Dooku said before yanking Jango back away from Marth.

Dooku pulled his blade free, then drove it through Jango's back a second time.

Jango Fett shuddered.

"When he hears of this… you will be dead." The Deadlord snarled, struggling to maintain form as his toes and fingers turned to black ash, "Your life is forfeit."

Dooku frowned, "When he hears?" He let out a small chuckle, "Jango, I'm afraid you are mistaken. Your master already knows."

He pulled his lightsaber free. The Deadlord crumbled into a pile of black ash.

The Deadlord's presence faded away. Whisked away to wherever his fell master lingered. Marth stared dumbstruck at both the ash and Dooku for a moment before letting her head fall back against the frost covered street.

"Ouch." She groaned.

Dooku's lightsaber hissed off.

"Typical." Dooku tsked, he reached out a hand. Marth winced as she took it. Dooku hauled her to her feet, "I should have expected such recklessness from one of Kenobi's students."

Marth rolled her eyes, "I should have expected ungrateful snark from one of my Master's old enemies."

"Oh you understand our relationship very well, don't you?" Dooku replied with no shortage of smug satisfaction.

"Marth! Dooku!"

The pair looked up the road. Chrom, Frederick, Ben, and the other shepherds sprinted towards them. All with weapons at the ready. When they realized the threat had passed, Libra shot out from the group and started working on Marth's wounds with his staff.

Marth hissed as she felt the charred wound from the blaster bolt slowly seal.

"You're getting better at healing those." She winced.

"Thank you." Libra said with a small smile, "But I would prefer if you avoided these kinds of injuries. Now, I suggest you sit down before you pass out. Lissa! I could use your assistance. Maribelle, fetch some bandages please!"

Lissa marched from the group and helped Marth sit down against the wall of a house. Frederick and the other Shepherds remained wary as Chrom stepped forward.

"You saved me." He said.

Marth gave him a weak smile, "You're welcome." She let her head fall back against the wall as pain and weariness started to take hold, "But… let's not make a habit of it anymore."

Chrom chuckled, "We won't." He leaned close, "You shouted something earlier."

Marth furrowed her brow. Did she?

Her face paled. She forgot all about her pain. Her breathing quickened.

 _WHY DO I HAVE TO SHARE BLOOD WITH CYNTHIA!?_

"We'll talk about it later. Rest for now." Chrom said.

"Are you alright, Marth?" Ben asked, a tad breathless from his mad dash out of the palace, "What happened? Who-"

"Fett, Kenobi." Dooku answered.

Ben gave Dooku a surprised look, "And you-"

Dooku shrugged, "It was semi-satisfying being the one to gut him for a change."

"Where is he now?" Frederick asked.

Dooku nodded at the pile of ash, "Apparently, our assassin may also be a Risen."

"Like the monster in Plegia?" Lissa gulped.

Maribelle returned and handed a roll of bandages to Lissa as well as an elixir. Lissa forced Marth to swallow the elixir then proceeded to start bandaging her shoulder.

Dooku nodded.

"If it is a Risen, then it could come back." Frederick frowned.

"It will." Chrom nodded, "So we need to be on guard at all times. No one is to be alone anymore. Not even in Ylisstol. We stand a better chance against such enemies with help by our side." Chrom let out a heavy sigh, "Frederick, help Libra and Lissa get Marth to the infirmary. Everyone else, back to your rooms. The fleet should arrive tomorrow evening. Which means we will all be very busy."

"Gotcha boss." Gaius nodded. He looked past Chrom at Marth, "You're one tough kid, Blue."

"Indeed." Panne agreed.

"I think it might be prudent for a pair of watchmen to preside over the palace tonight." Virion suggested, "Lon'qu, care to join me in the first watch?"

The Feroxi swordsman gave him a silent nod.

Chrom gave Virion an approving nod, "Good idea."

Frederick and Libra hauled Marth to her feet. Ben helped as well. As Marth staggered towards the palace, she leaned near Ben.

"Chrom knows." She whispered hoarsely.

Ben furrowed his brow in confusion as she limped away. Helped by both Frederick and Libra. Of course Chrom knew. Ben told him that he was an alien. Marth surely knew that by now. Chrom had been the one to alert them all to the attack. He was with Marth when Jango ambushed them.

 _Chrom knows?_ Ben thought hard for a moment.

The answer hit him. Chrom didn't just know about his origins. He knew about Marth's.

 _Kriff._

….

The Hierophant suppressed a shudder. A chill ran down his spine as he lounged on a wicker sofa in his chambers. Another novel in his hands. This one another old favorite of his. One that brought waves of nostalgia to his mind.

 _Shanty Pete and the Haunted Pirates._ A surprisingly entertaining read. A fun adventure mixed with moments of fear inducing tension. Nothing more than a time waster that he oh so loved.

A hot breeze drifted through the open windows into his room. The flames atop the candle near his sofa flickered. The Hierophant scowled, eyes never leaving the page.

"Did you do it?" He asked.

His Deadlord, Draco, bowed his head low as he kneeled before the Hierophant.

"The girl intervened."

The Hierophant turned a page.

"Be more specific." He commanded.

"The future girl."

The Hierophant's yellow eyes flicked up from the page. He stared hard at his Deadlord.

"Did she?" He set the book face down in his lap, "And did you manage to eliminate her at least?'

Draco did not answer. The Hierophant let out a long, disappointed sigh.

"I gave you a simple task." He set the book to the side and folded his hands in his lap, "And you still manage to mess it up."

"I would have killed her." Draco defended, "But Equus stopped me."

The Hierophant frowned, "Did he now?" His thumbs intertwined as he pondered Draco's report, "Equus grows bold. To openly defy me in such a way." He grit his teeth. Fists clenched in his lap, "When I have him before me, I will tear his will apart."

The Hierophant rose to his feet, "But for now, we must focus on other matters." He glanced to a dark corner in the room, where his other Deadlord, Tigris waited, "You are going to Valm." He ordered the mechanical monster, "Meet up with Excellus there. Make the Shepherds' lives a living hell when they invade."

Tigris bowed. The Hierophant's magic shimmered into a bright yellow disc beneath the Deadlord's feet. With a bright flash of light, the Deadlord was gone.

"What will you have me do, Master?" Draco asked.

The Hierophant hummed to himself, "They will be very cautious now."

Yes, very cautious. The Shepherds were reeling from the loss of one of their own. Tigris saw to that. And despite Tigris failing to kill Prince Chrom or Ben Kenobi, the Hierophant was still pleased. The boy's death will drive a wedge between the two. A divided enemy is an easily conquered one. And they will be divided, and weakened from a bloody war with Valm. Leaving the world his for the taking.

"Let them destroy themselves now." The Hierophant grinned, eyes flashing with delight, "The Prince and the Jedi will be at each other's throats. And we shall reap the rewards of such conflict."

His mind drifted to other matters. Aversa had yet to report back to him at all. It had been nearly a year since she left on her mission to find and destroy the heretical high priestess, Morgana. Given that long stretch of time, the Hierophant had a feeling the girl was dead. A pity too. She would have been a valuable tool if she managed to succeed and survive.

"I have a different task for you." The Hierophant said. Draco raised his gaze, "Go into the ice fields of Regna Ferox. There is a certain Witch I need eliminated."

Draco nodded. Teleportation magic burst to life beneath his kneeling form. In a bright flash of light, he was gone. Leaving the Hierophant alone once again.

Once he was alone, the Hierophant let out a long sigh and sank back down into his sofa. He reached for the book and cracked it open to a page he marked. A small smile crossed his lips. Shanty Pete had a twisted sense of humor.

"Truly a lovely read, Sumia." He muttered with a small sense of delight, and sadness.

 **And chapter! Robin meets Qui Gon. Marth takes a beating from Deadlord Jango but also manages to help drive him off. And Ben finally unveils the truth to Chrom. And the Hierophant continues to scheme and plot. This is gonna be good!**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed. Have a nice day!**


	86. With Friends Like These

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 86

With Friends Like These

Naga above, her head hurt! Kjelle squeezed her eyes tightly shut. Hammers pounded into her skull. Her mouth felt horribly dry. As parched as the desert sands of Plegia. And her stomach, Naga her stomach ached. She hadn't had a stomach ache this bad since her mother made clam chowder.

That revolting memory forced her awake as she struggled to hold down what little sat in her stomach. She clasped an armored hand over her mouth and gagged. A rancid stench crept up her throat and washed over her palate.

 _Gonna puke!_

Without thinking, she bolted up from the cot she had been resting on and rushed towards what looked like a door. She did not even hesitate when the door hissed and slide to the side, allowing her into a dimly lit, round corridor.

 _Bathroom!_ She thought as she whipped her gaze back and forth, _Need bathroom. Gonna vomit._

A silent belch built up in her chest. Kjelle's eyes widened to the size of saucers.

 _No, no, no, no!_

"Oh hoh!" A stranger's voice declared.

Kjelle spun around. Standing near the bend in the narrow corridor was Hondo Ohnaka. And as soon as she saw him, she could not hold it back any longer.

Hondo winced as Kjelle doubled over and vomited onto the at one time clean, metal floors.

"Uh.." Hondo grimaced as Kjelle took several ragged breaths, "Honestly, I am not so ugly as to force sickness upon someone." Kjelle wearily looked up at him, "Most of the ladies think I am quite handsome"

Kjelle raised her brow. Gods, her breath tasted horrendous. She needed to brush her teeth. Drink some water. Anything to get rid of the hangover smell lingering on her breath. She rested her hands on her knees and let out a long groan.

"Still feeling it eh?" Hondo chuckled, "To be fair, you did drink two shots of that stuff. Impressive feat for a human."

Kjelle blinked and glanced up at the Weequay pirate once again. This time, she managed to catch more details regarding his appearance.

Now, she knew strange things existed in the world. One of her close friends happened to be a half human half rabbit for Naga's sake. Two more were quite literally half-dragons. She had seen rather strange looking Risen as well. Some had half of their faces. Others were shambling, thin corpses. Nothing more than mindless zombies. Then there were the Deadlords, which she and the others did their best to avoid.

Somehow, this Hondo guy was uglier than all of them.

"What the hell are you?" Kjelle gasped before wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

"What am I?" Hondo seemed aghast, "I am a Weequay. And I am rather proud of that distinction."

"You look more wrinkly than a grandmother." Kjelle commented.

"Wrinkly?"

The arched door at the end of the round corridor hissed open. Kjelle's eyes widened as the most gargantuan creature she had ever seen (besides the Fell Dragon and Nah in dragon form) emerged from the room on the other side. The guy was a literal wall of long, brown hair. If she had to compare it to any animal, it would have been a very tall, but still somewhat thin, bear.

The creature's dark eyes glanced at Kjelle, darted to the puddle of vomit near her feet, then back up at her. The massive wall of hair uttered a series of irritated barks and groans in her direction. A massive paw then jabbed at Hondo.

"Me!?" Hondo cried, "I did no such thing. She's the one who can't handle her liquor."

"That's because you gave her brandy that would have put Chewie to sleep." A man's voice called from the room the hair ball emerged from.

The massive creature turned and barked at the guy in the other room.

"She did what in my ship!?" The man cried.

"Hey, cut a girl some slack." Kjelle spat, "Have you ever had a wicked hangover before? The aftertaste sucks."

Hondo shrugged, "She is not wrong."

"I have had a wicked hangover and that is still no excuse to vomit in my ship!" The man shouted from behind the massive, hair covered creature, "You could have at least done it in a waste bin."

Kjelle grit her teeth and stood tall.

"There wasn't one nearby at the time!" Kjelle shouted back.

"That's a load of bantha crap."

Kjelle's eye twitched. She did not know what Bantha crap was, but she had a feeling it meant bullshit. And no one, absolutely no one, declared her to be a bullshitter without them receiving a piece of her mind.

She marched past Hondo. Ignoring the… whatever he was, plea to calm down for a moment. The walking carpet stood in her way now. Kjelle stopped in front of it and stared up at it's fur covered face. The sheer size of the creature not intimidating her in the slightest.

"Excuse me, I've got an idiot to punch." She said flatly.

"You got a what to punch?" The man exclaimed from the other room.

The hairy creature glared at her. Then it started to chortle. Or chuckle? Perhaps chuckle? Regardless, Kjelle knew it was laughing.

The creature stepped to the side. Kjelle marched towards the door. Her own anger causing her to ignore another door just sliding into the wall without any effort on her part.

"Now listen here you…. dumb… ass."

Darkness. Darkness littered with millions of specks of light. Too many to even count. Some of them were brighter than others. Different colors too. A few specks of light were red. A large majority seemed a pale yellow color. Almost white. Some were a dull blue, or a brilliant blue. All of them combined took her breath away as she stared out the cockpit of the Millenium Falcon.

 _I'm nowhere near Ylisse, am I?_

She slumped to the side and sank into a leather seat in the cockpit. Now she noticed the many different strange instruments surrounding her. The different flashing lights and whirs over her head and by her sides. She detected a dull roar in the background. It sounded like a distant dragon. But it did not abate with time. It stayed the same volume and pitch.

"What the hell?" She muttered with wide eyes.

The seat in front of her spun around. A roguish man with brown hair and a devilish gleam in his eyes smirked at her. He wore a simple white shirt, black vest, and navy blue pants with red stripes down the side. Shiny black boots finished the strange look. He did not appear very old. Hell, he looked to be only a few years older than her.

"She's impressive, isn't she?" The man said with a smirk, "This baby is my ship. And it is the greatest ship out there."

Kjelle looked around, "Wh-where are the sails?"

The man furrowed his brow, "This isn't a solar sailer sweetheart. This is a corellian light freighter. One with special modifications that I have been making myself."

The walking carpet barked into the room

"Yes, I know." The man nodded, "With your help of course, Chewie. I could never forget you." He sighed, "Especially since you break more things than you fix." He muttered under his breath, "Anyways, Miss Kjelle, welcome aboard the Millennium Falcon."

Kjelle did not reply. She remained dumbstruck in her seat. Eyes unblinking as she stared out the cockpit into the gaping chasm of outer space.

Chewie poked his head into the cockpit. The wookie glanced at Kjelle and uttered a low groan.

"Yeah, this might be her first time." The man muttered, "Just our luck, we get someone who has never flown before."

Chewie eyed him.

"Don't look at me like that." The man retorted, "I know why we took her along. And that damn pirate too."

"You are technically a pirate as well, Han Solo." Hondo remarked as he sauntered past Chewie and flopped down into the copilot's seat.

Chewie promptly moved into the cockpit, grabbed Hondo by the shoulders, lifted him out of the seat and back to the chair behind the co-pilot. The massive wookie sank into the co-pilot's seat and started fiddling with some buttons and screens nearby.

"You ever flown before, Kjelle?" Han asked.

Kjelle blinked, "Fl-flown?"

This was a foreign feeling for her. Kjelle normally did not struggle to form words. She talked loud, acted loud, and was usually the most brash member among her group of friends. Always looking for a fight. Always ready for a fight. And more than happy to chew out anyone along the way.

Being lost for words felt strange.

She slowly shook her head as she stared wide eyed at the many stars outside the cockpit.

"Not even on a speeder or planetary transport?"

She shook her head again.

Han arched an eyebrow, "How the hell did someone like you end up on Tatooine then?"

"I told you. It was a portal." Hondo remarked with a smug grin.

"Portals don't exist. And you're a lying pirate." Han retorted.

"For a lying pirate, you will find I tell the truth quite often. It surprises me even." Hondo replied with a small shrug.

Han rolled his eyes, "Look, Kjelle. I'm gonna make this explanation very short. So pay attention."

Kjelle slowly nodded.

"Right now, you are a passenger on my ship. A free passenger." Han wagged a finger at her, "I don't do free. So you're gonna repay the free ride. And you are going to do that by helping me, Chewie, and Hondo with a spice shipment we have to deliver. We are about to pick it up on Ord Mantell. From there, we are going to," He chose his next words carefully, "transport it to one of the core worlds for distribution. This is a big job. A big payday. And I don't want it messed up. Got it?"

Kjelle frowned, "So all I have to do is help you deliver something?"

Han nodded.

"Easy enough." Kjelle shrugged as some of her shock began to die away, "But um… can you answer something for me?"

"Fire away." Han said as he spun his chair around and took the controls back from Chewie.

"Where the hell am I?" Han rolled his eyes at her question, "And am I alive or dead?"

"I heard two questions, not one." Hondo pointed out.

Kjelle glared daggers at the Weequay.

"Me too." Han flipped some switches and banked the Falcon to the right, "And to answer one question, you are on my ship the Millennium Falcon."

Dim light filled the cockpit. In the distance, a bright star illuminated the darkness of space. Sitting in the shadow of that star was a planet littered with millions of lights. Hundreds of ships moved in and out of the planet's atmosphere. Kjelle's eyes widened as she saw a planet for the first time.

"And you are about to be on the world of Ord Mantell." Han took a breath, "As for alive or dead well… that depends."

"On what?"

Han brought the Falcon into Ord Mantell's atmosphere.

"On how smart or stupid you are."

….

The ship shuddered to a stop in the Ord Mantell spaceport. The junky vessel settled into docking bay seventy five. Ventress peered out the viewport of her cockpit as various service droids scuttled about the docking bay. A richly dressed Quarran with pale, pink skin and pupiless black eyes strode through the herds of droids towards her ship.

The Overseer of the spaceport.

 _Great. A damn inspection._ Ventress thought with a slight growl.

She undid the safety harness over her shoulders and shot out of her seat. The first thing she did was make sure any weapons on her ship were well hidden. Ord Mantell may be a cesspool and a haven or the criminal underworld, but they still had laws. Gangster laws. And anyone not associated with one of the gangsters was rarely allowed to roam undisturbed when such valuable contraband as blasters were aboard.

Next, she marched to her ship's small cargo bay. Inside lay the still slumbering little girl from the derelict Venator. The little mystery Ventress had no interest in solving. As long as the peculiar girl fetched her a lot of credits, she did not care who she was or where she came from. Times were tight. And Ventress needed to eat. She needed a good, stiff drink too. Something to help her forget about her miserable existence.

She used the force to float the girl's bound body over to her. As an extra precaution, Ventress slapped some cuffs around her wrist. Better safe than sorry. Someone else that had once been this small constantly gave her the slip during the Clone Wars. She would not make those same mistakes twice.

 _Ahsoka Tano._ Ventress scowled as she recalled Skywalker's insolent little shit of a padawan, _She got what she deserved._

All of them did. Every single Jedi, wiped out from the face of the galaxy. Good riddance. They deserved it. After everything the order did to her: abandoning her original master to die, the one man who tried to help her as a child; trying to kill her on numerous occasions (although those actions were often reciprocated); overall, just being a thorn in her side for her entire life; they all got what they deserved. A merciless death. Their entire way of life wiped from the face of the galaxy. To be forever forgotten.

Ventress scowled as she dragged the little girl towards her ship's ramp. She smacked her fist against a button. The ramp lowered, allowing Ord Mantell's gray sunshine to come streaming in with the smell of smog and filth.

 _Home sweet home._

The Quarren overseer approached her and warbled off a series of words in its native tongue. Ventress rolled her eyes, reached into her pocket, and withdrew a few of what little credits she had left. Without a second thought, she slapped the credits into the waiting tentacled hand of the Overseer.

"Not a single droid or soul sets foot on my ship." She growled before relinquishing the credits.

The Quarren warbled back at her then nodded. Satisfied that her ship would remain undisturbed, Ventress shouldered the small girl's body and marched towards the nearest slave market.

….

Kjelle did not know whether to feel amazed, appalled, or downright stunned at her surroundings. She stood on a completely different planet than the one she called home. In a city that dwarfed Ylisstol in every way imaginable. She thought the Exalt's palace was the biggest building people could possibly make. Now she stared up at great metal and glass towers that kniffed into dull clouds high above her head.

And she thought Ylisstol was a crowded city. During the war with Grima, it became the last safe haven for humanity in the land. People flocked from all around the world to the safety of Ylisstol's walls. To the point where perhaps even several hundred thousand souls called the city home.

But Ord Mantell made wartime Ylisstol seem spacious by comparison. As Kjelle followed Han, Chewie, and Hondo through the narrow, trash choked streets, she constantly bumped shoulders with various people around her. Not just humans eithers. There were aliens. Lots of them. Many beyond description for Kjelle. And whenever Han or Hondo caught her staring, they would snap her attention back to them.

"Staring at the wrong person here can get you killed." She recalled Han saying to her in his usual dry, careless tone.

Even Hondo followed that rule. The only member of their little group that managed to be more intimidating than intimidated was their enormous Wookie companion, Chewie. His pure size alone offered Kjelle some modicum of comfort. While she was confident in her fighting abilities, it always helped to have a muscle bound behemoth on her side.

 _Naga he makes Dad look small._ She thought as she stared at the Wookie's furry back.

"Shit." Han cursed in front of her.

Kjelle poked her head around Chewie. A checkpoint of some sort had been set up ahead of them. A small squad of soldiers in identical white armor and helmets directed traffic through the checkpoint. Occasionally, a soldier would point at an individual and have them taken off to the side for a more extensive inspection.

"We can't go through that." Han muttered as they all came to a stop.

Hondo cringed beside him, "Stormtroopers. Bad news indeed. I thought the Empire didn't care about this place."

"Looks like they changed their mind." Han grumbled. Chewie groaned in mild irritation.

"Empire?" Kjelle wondered out loud.

Han and Chewie glanced back at her.

"You really haven't gotten out much, have you?"

Kjelle frowned at Han, "If you knew where I come from, you'd understand my confusion." She folded her armored arms over her large cuirass, "I did not even know aliens existed."

"What were you before this craziness? Some severely isolated moisture farmer?" Han remarked.

"The hell is a moisture farmer?" Kjelle asked.

"I told you. She came through a big portal." Hondo remarked.

Han let out an irritated breath, "One more word about a portal and I'll make sure you don't leave this planet."

"Oh hoh! We have moved into the threats phase. This is good. It means we are getting along."

Han shook his head and guided their group to a side alley away from the main checkpoint.

"You have a strange definition for getting along." He grumbled back.

Kjelle noticed conditions around them rapidly deteriorate as they ventured deeper into the congested city.

As they wandered the narrow alleys, the city became even more dilapidated. Glass and metal towers were replaced with shacks made of spare parts and sheet metal. Junked droids lay scattered in the messy streets. Stagnant rain water rested in putrid puddles on the ground. Several homeless denizens rested against alley walls. Either too intoxicated, exhausted, or sick to move.

"Are you sure you know where you are going?" Kjelle asked as she noticed a group of reptilian aliens glaring at her. Her grip shifted on her spear.

Han protested her taking her spear at first. Tried to get her to use something called a blaster. Whatever the hell that was. Kjelle downright refused. Her father's weapon was the spear. Her mother taught her to fight with a spear. She would be damned if she surrendered the weapon she had known since she could walk. She trusted her spear. She did not trust the strange blasters that rested against Han and Hondo's hips.

"Sweetheart, I've been to this slime infested rock a few times before. I think I know what I am doing."

Han came to an abrupt stop. Another group of those reptilian aliens cut off their route through the alleys. Chewie uttered a low growl. Hondo's hand twitched towards his blaster pistol.

"Are you sure about that?" The Weequay asked, voice low so that the gang of reptiles could not hear them.

Forked tongues flicked out from the reptiles' lips. Kjelle noticed Han slowly unbuckle his holster.

"I never said we would avoid trouble." Han remarked.

Chewie moved in a flash. The group of aliens in front of them lunged forward with their powerful legs. They carried strange sticks of some sort. An electricity emanated from them that made Kjelle's hair stand on end. Chewie grabbed the crossbow shaped weapon from his back, aimed, and fired.

A blaster bolt screamed through the air and slammed into the first ruffian. The powerful blast sent the ruffian flying back through the air. His friends howled, enraged.

Kjelle stared wide eyed at Chewie's crossbow.

"I want one." She breathed.

"This way!" Han shouted.

"You heard the idiot." Hondo grabbed Kjelle by the arm and wrenched her towards the building with no doors.

Enraged roars followed them as they sprinted through somebody's house. Knocking over a basket of laundry and crashing through spare parts as they ran. Kjelle heard clawed feet scraping against the ground to her left. On instinct, she shifted her grip on her lance and swiped out.

The sharp edge slashed into the chest of one of the ruffians. Strange, dark colored blood flew from the wound. Kjelle yanked her weapon free then scrambled to catch up to Han and the others.

Before she could, alarms blared. An artificial voice barked orders from the otherside of the street.

" _Drop your weapons and put your hands in the air!"_

Kjelle's eyes widened. She lost sight of Han, Chewie, and Hondo, and instead came face to face with Imperial Stormtroopers.

 _Judging by how Han avoided them, I don't want to get mixed up with them either._

She glanced back at the ruffians. They still pursued her. The threat of stormtroopers seemingly lost on them.

Then she heard one rasp at the stormtroopers.

"Murderer! She's a murderer!"

"What!?" Kjelle cried.

" _Arrest her!"_

Kjelle let out a frustrated growl, "What a crock of shit!"

She pivoted and dashed towards the nearest alley. The stormtroopers pursued her for a few blocks. Then, seemingly tired of just chasing her, they opened fire. Kjelle felt the heat of a blaster bolt flash past her head. She let out an alarmed cry and ducked out of the alleyway and onto a square filled with people.

 _Perfect._

She shoved her way into the large crowd. Hoping to lose both the ruffians and the stormtroopers within it.

As she pushed her way through the crowd, she heard many screaming out seemingly random numbers. She paused in her frantic escape and glanced at her surroundings. Hoping to find a route of escape.

Her eyes landed on a platform at the center of the square. An alien with long, fleshy flaps along its cheeks, bulbous head, and black, glossy eyes, pounded a gavel against a block of metal. Kjelle watched horrified and repulsed as a ruffian led a human male in chains off of the platform.

 _Slavers!_ Kjelle grit her teeth, _What the hell have I gotten myself into?_

"Next up! A rare treat for everyone in attendance."

Kjelle started to move away but paused when she saw a flash of green hair move up onto the stage. Carried up there by a bald woman with ghostly pale skin. Kjelle's face blanched when she saw the green haired girl propped up on the stage, still asleep.

"Nah." She breathed.

Rage filled Kjelle. No friend of hers was going to be sold into slavery. To hell with escaping from Stormtroopers and ruffians. They would feel her wrath instead.

She shoved her way forwards as the crowd began to bid on Nah. As the bids rose higher and higher, the fervor grew as well. The shouts were so loud, that Nah's eyes began to flutter open.

The little Manakete let out a loud yawn as she opened her eyes. She smacked her lips together and glanced at her surroundings, both puzzled and curious. She glanced at her captor and asked a question Kjelle could not hear. The captor did not answer.

"Sold!"

Kjelle saw Nah stiffen.

She knew what was going on now.

"NAH!" Kjelle screamed as loud as she could.

The Manekete's head snapped in her direction. Nah heard her.

A rough hand grabbed her arm. Kjelle spun towards her assailant and leveled her spear at his gut.

"Whoa whoa! Easy, sweetheart." Han gulped as he felt the tip of her spear press against his stomach, "Easy."

Kjelle grit her teeth. She wanted to scream at the scoundrel for leaving her, but now was not the time. Her friend had just been sold like cattle. She could not let this happen.

Kjelle surged towards the platform. Again, Han stopped her.

"Hondo and Chewie met the supplier and they're heading back to the ship, but we need to go now."

"Not without Nah!" Kjelle hissed back.

Han glanced up at the platform, "You know the girl?" He let out a heavy sigh, "Hate to break to you, but she's done for. Nothing we can do about it, now come-"

A bright flash of light stunned the crowd. Nah's captor took a terrified step back. The light remained for a few seconds. Kjelle smiled. Han turned pale as a mighty roar reverberated through the square.

As the light faded away, massive, green dragon wings spread out wide. A dragon replaced Nah. It's massive jaws opened wide. A jet of hot, green, magical fire erupted into the sky.

Chaos. Panic everywhere. Kjelle and Han were nearly trampled as the crowd turned into a terrified mob. The dragon beat its powerful wings and took flight, knocking over her captor in the process. Though her captor recovered and quickly sprinted off in the direction Nah flew.

"Well, looks like your friend can take care of herself. Now let's get to the ship." Han gulped.

" _There's the murderer!"_

Both Kjelle and Han twirled in the crowd. The Stormtroopers found her.

" _Blast her!"_

"What did you do!?" Han cried.

As quick as any gunslinger, Han drew his blaster and fired three quick blasts at the stormtroopers.

The sound of blaster fire sent the crowd into an absolute frenzy. Han used the chaos to his advantage. As more stormtroopers swarmed towards the area, desperate to put down the riot, Han grabbed Kjelle by the arm and dragged her towards the spaceport.

They did not sneak through alleys or gutters. They did not even stop for the checkpoint. Instead, they both barrelled past the stormtroopers at the checkpoint. The soldiers cried out in alarm then opened fire on them. Han let out a loud yell as a hail of blaster bolts chased them towards the spaceport. The blaster fire only stopped when a dragon plowed into the checkpoint, knocking over the stormtroopers at their post and sending any others ducking for cover.

Kjelle smirked at Han as he stared wide eyed up at Nah. The Manakete soared into the air again. Almost as high up as the towers around them.

"That's your friend?" Han muttered in disbelief. He gave her a stunned look, "Did you really come through a portal?"

Kjelle smirked, "Sometimes pirates tell the truth."

They made a mad dash back to the Millenium Falcon. Hondo waved to them as they approached.

"Hurry up!" The Weequay pirate cried, "The Overseer is pissed and called the authorities."

"Why!?" Han exclaimed.

The Falcon's engines came to life. Kjelle glanced at the cockpit and saw Chewie frantically working the controls.

Nah roared again. The roar shook the ground as she descended near the Falcon. Once her claws touched the ground, light enveloped her massive form. The dragon disappeared. And a small, green haired girl took its place.

Hondo glanced at Han as the smuggler stepped onto the ramp.

"Did I accidentally inhale spice?" He asked.

Han shook his head, "Say hi to Kjelle's friend Hondo." He patted the stupefied Weequay on the shoulder, "C'mon sweetheart!"

"Stop calling me that." Kjelle growled.

She rushed after Han as the smuggler sprinted into the ship. Stormtroopers flooded the shipyard. Blaster fire shrieked towards the Falcon. Hondo drew his pistol and returned fire. Kjelle paused on the ramp and glanced over at a still confused Nah.

"Get over here already, Nah! I'll explain later!"

The Manakete did not need to be told twice. Nah rushed towards Kjelle, ducking beneath blaster bolts as she ran. Kjelle pushed Nah up the ramp.

"You too Hondo!" Kjelle barked.

"No need to tell me twice. I didn't last this long as a pirate without knowing when to run." Hondo slipped by her as the Falcon started to hover in the air.

The ramp began to close. Kjelle took several steps back. Eyes never leaving the stormtroopers still blasting away at the Falcon. She noticed Nah's captor stalk into the shipyard behind the stormtroopers.

She locked eyes with the pale women. And she saw fury stare back at her. Kjelle met her fury with determination, and a wry smile

"No one takes my friends." Kjelle breathed.

The ramp closed. The Falcon ascended out of its docking bay. Han pointed the nose towards the atmosphere and fired the engines. As quickly as they arrived on the crime infested world, they left. And all of them breathed a sigh of relief.

….

Ventress watched the hunk of junk lift off out of the spaceport. Her eyes fixated on the young, human female glaring back at her as the ship's ramp closed. The stormtroopers continued to fire away with their petty blasters despite knowing they would not do much good. That ship had shields. Damn good ones for a such a simple ship. Whoever piloted that piece of junk knew what they were doing. They effortlessly dodged a squadron of TIE fighters and blasted out of orbit within seconds.

Ventress scowled. They could run for now. But they would not outrun her. And they could not hide either. The scavenger marched to her ship as more stormtroopers filtered into the shipyard. She ignored them at first.

Then she heard the Overseer speaking to one as she boarded her ship.

"That was the Millenium Falcon." The Overseer warbled, "Damn smugglers and pirates, I say! I hope you catch them!"

Ventress's thin lips curled into a dark smile.

 _The Millenium Falcon eh?_ The ramp closed behind her. She marched to the cockpit and brought her ship to life.

The engines hummed throughout the ship. She did not even bother waiting for clearance from the control tower. If she did, she would not leave the planet until the Imperials finished their investigation. That could take days.

She did not have days to wait. That girl and her friends stole her prize. Made a mockery of her. No one made a mockery of Asajj Ventress and got away with it.

Her ship thundered into orbit. She pursed her lips then closed her eyes.

When that little girl transformed, Ventress sensed a massive pulse in the force. The girl, whatever she was, tapped into some sort of latent force powers in order to pull off such a dramatic transformation. And if that girl could tap into the force then, with enough concentration, Ventress would be able to sense her.

She detected a faint presence. One that seemed far too innocent and bright to be anything but the little girl.

 _Who needs tracking devices when I have the force._

Ventress glanced at a compartment next to her seat. She flicked it open. Inside were a pair of curved lightsaber hilts. Old, a tad dusty. But still deadly. She smiled as she looked at her old weapons. Her old friends.

"Run while you can." She breathed as she punched in the hyperspace coordinates she needed to try and follow the Millenium Falcon, "You will not escape me."

The stars in her viewscreen became bright streaks of light. The hyperdrive generator hummed to life. Ventress shot off into the stars, in pursuit of her prey.

 **And chapter! A bit of shorter chapter this time around. Faster paced, and a bit more actions packed. We get to see Han, Kjelle, Hondo, and Chewie in action for the first time. Nah now joins their little group. And Ventress is hunting all of them. All the while, Han is trying to do his job and deliver Jabba's goods to the buyers. What could possibly go wrong there? Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	87. A Hard Lesson

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 87

A Hard Lesson

Noire cradled the hilt in her hands. Her fingertips brushed against the smooth metal alloys that comprised the outer shell. A thin carapace that made the hilt easy to grip. Her thumb brushed along several small ridges that allowed her hand to have a sure grip on the weapon. Yes, this was absolutely her father's lightsaber. Practical and hardy. Not flashy in the slightest. Function over flair.

One hand reached up from the lightsaber hilt. Her fingers brushed against the intricately carved talisman around her neck. A burst of confidence shot through her veins. A smile formed on her lips.

That smile wavered a little as the azure blade burst to life. It filled the early morning air. Casting a blue glow over the dimly lit clearing outside of the cave. Washing her pale face with sapphire light that felt strikingly hot in the cool air.

Noire gulped as her eyes focused on the humming weapon in front of her. Both of her hands held the hilt tight. Her knuckles white with nervousness. Her chest rose and fell in heavy breaths as a thought suddenly hit her.

She had no idea what she was doing.

 _This was stupid. So stupid!_

Noire shook her head. With a trembling hand, she reached for her talisman again. Artificial confidence burgeoned inside of her. A confident smile spread over her lips. No, this was not a mistake. This was not stupid. She could do this. The blood of a Jedi Master flowed through her veins.

She took a deep breath and raised the blade over her head.

"Do that and you are going to hurt yourself."

She let out a startled yelp. The lightsaber thundered down and slashed into the ground near her feet. Noire cried out and skipped a few steps back before tripping over a fallen tree limb. She landed in a heap. Her body sank a little a bit in the soggy grass and mud. Somehow she still managed to have her back poked by a large rock.

Luke stooped over her.

"See?" He said with a smug grin.

She scowled at him. The blue blade hummed near his gut.

"Did you forget that I have this thing on?"

Luke smirked at her.

"I'm aware."

Noire gasped as the lightsaber suddenly powered down

"And I can do that with a snap of my fingers." Luke said before taking a step back, allowing Noire to pick herself up from the mud.

"How-you-" Noire's gaze blazed at him, "How did you do that? No!" She clenched her teeth, "I shouldn't be asking you anything." She finished with a mutter.

Luke arched an eyebrow, "Done talking to yourself?" He folded his arms as she gave him a dark glance, "If you can't use the force, you can't use a lightsaber."

Noire scoffed, "I-I can use the force."

Luke gave her a doubtful look. Noire gulped as three large stones floated from near the cave over to the space between them. Luke did not even move a muscle. They just floated. Without him even breaking a sweat.

The stones sank into the soft earth near Noire's feet.

"You need a better grasp of the force in order to properly wield that weapon. That is why I did not want to give it to you." Noire scowled at Luke as he spoke, "The Force gives you the spatial awareness to know where that weapon is at all times. Not only that, it allows you to focus on your enemy and not on your own blade." He gestured to the deactivated hilt, "It can also create a protective shield that'll keep someone like me from shutting it off."

"And?" Noire said dismissively.

Luke raised his brow, "Alright, you think my advice is worthless then?"

"Well advice from a worthless traitor would be rather worthless."

She felt a small flash of triumph as his smug grin ran away. That barb hurt. She could tell. The confidence generated from her talisman continued to reverberate through her body. And it made this conversation rather fun. It was not often that she left Luke speechless.

Her triumph turned to terror as a second blue glow filled the clearing. The other version of her father's old weapon ignited in Luke's right hand. His eyes blazed bright. A wave of cold slammed into her. Any confidence she had evaporated away in an instant.

He lunged. Noire scrambled backwards, tripping over the same tree limb from before. She did not even have time to register she had fallen into the mud before Luke pounced.

Noire yelped and rolled away from a deadly slash at her chest. The mud sizzled and the grass smoked as the plasma blade dug into the ground. Noire rolled to her feet and activated her lightsaber. She gulped and held the blade clumsily out in front of her.

He did not hesitate. Luke swung a devastating chop at her throat. Noire managed to raise her weapon to meet it. She expected the blades to meet and freeze together. Instead, she found herself reeling backwards from the sheer force behind Luke's strike.

"You think just because the blade isn't made of metal it would be different?" Luke snarled as he twirled his own weapon.

Noire suddenly felt the weight of her weapon. The longer she held it, the longer it was activated, the heavier it felt. The hotter it felt. Noire felt sweat beading along her brow as Luke stalked towards her.

"You cannot just let your opponent bash into your blade." He reared back, "Meet their attacks."

Noire screamed and ducked beneath a savage slash. She stumbled as she tried to move around Luke. But he was too quick. Immeadiately, he was on top of her again.

Her scream alerted the others still sleeping in the cave. Cynthia emerged first. Her eyes sleepy at first. Until she noticed the glow of lightsabers in front of her. Then she was wide awake.

"Whoa whoa! Luke!" Cynthia cried.

Say'ri sprinted out of the cave. One hand wrapped around the hilt of her katana. Her eyes widened in shock and anger as she watched Luke stalk towards a clearly terrified Noire.

"Luke! What is the meaning of this!?"

Brady flew out of the cave. Ax brandished.

"Imma kill him!"

Luke flicked his wrist. Brady flew through the air and slammed into the cave wall. The priest slumped to the ground, unconscious.

Cynthia gaped at Brady.

"Luke! What are you-"

"Teaching." He growled.

He raised his blade overhead and brought it thundering down on Noire. Noire raised a weak parry. The blow sent her to a knee. Her arms buzzed from the impact.

A fist smashed into her jaw. Stars danced in her eyes. Her lightsaber flew from her grip and landed harmlessly in the mud nearby. The blade switched off as soon as it left her hand.

Noire's lungs heaved as she stared up at Luke. Terror filled her as she gazed up into the eyes of a Sith Lord.

She heard metal scraping in the background. Say'ri drew her katana.

"Back away!" The Chon'sin Princess barked.

Luke glared at her. Say'ri gulped, but did not back down.

The Sith Lord took a breath. His lightsaber deactivated with a low hiss. The chill in the air faded away. Replaced with the suffocating humidity of Chon'sin's rainy season.

"So," He looked down at Noire. The girl on the verge of tears, "Do you think my advice is worthless now?"

She scrambled to her feet, grabbed her lightsaber, and sprinted away into the forest.

"Noire!" Say'ri called.

The Princess sheathed her weapon and raced to follow her.

"Don't bother. This lesson needs to sink in." Luke grumbled as she moved past him.

Say'ri paused, "Some days, I think you might be a good person." She glared angrily at him, "This is not one of those days."

Say'ri marched after Noire.

"We'll keep an eye on Kage!" Cynthia shouted after her. Brady groaned nearby as he started to wake up, "And Brady."

"My head…" The priest groaned.

Luke shook his head, "Call my advice worthless again." He grumbled before moving towards Cynthia.

Cynthia placed her hands on her hips, stopping Luke in his tracks. Luke let out a heavy sigh and clipped his lightsaber to his belt.

"I was proving a point."

"You were being an ass." Cynthia replied.

Kage grit his teeth, "And if you did not give that weapon back to her, I would not have had to prove that point." He brushed by her.

Cynthia blinked, "So this is my fault!?"

Brady rubbed the back of his head as he sat up from the cave wall. He glared angrily at Luke.

"Going to try and kill me again?" Luke asked the disgruntled priest.

Brady grit his teeth, "One day…"

"Yeah right." Luke marched, "The day you do that will be the day Naga appears to us in person."

"Excuse me, but we're not done yet!" Cynthia snapped as she marched after Luke.

Brady sucked in a sharp breath as the furious Pegasus Knight stepped past him. Brady flicked his gaze over to the now awake Prince Kage. The little prince walked over to him, one hand rubbing a sleepy eye.

"Wanna go for a walk, kid?" Brady asked.

"Are they going to sing?" Kage asked.

Brady's face flushed dark red, "Well uh… you see um…" he took Kage by the hand and guided him out of the cave, "Singing usually happens when two people are actually happy with each other."

As they walked away from the cave, Luke took a seat beside the dying embers of last night's fire. He tossed a fresh log onto the embers and shot a quick bolt of lightning at the dry tinder. They sparked and crackled as the fire burst back to life.

"Want do you want to eat?" He asked Cynthia as she came tearing after him.

"Oh no, you are not dodging this." Cynthia frowned.

Luke hung his head and let out a heavy sigh, "I was not wrong in my assessment."

"Maybe." Cynthia folded her arms, "but you weren't really nice about it."

Luke rolled his eyes, "I'm trying to teach her, not coddle her." He reached for his travel gear and opened his pack. Searching for something simple to cook over their fire, "Beans and bacon sound good?"

"Mmm... bacon." Cynthia hummed. She shook her head, "Wait, stop! You are trying to bribe me!"

"Not at all. I'm trying to cook you breakfast."

Cynthia sat down beside him. Arms still folded. Frown still on her face.

"I'm still mad at you."

"Doing a great job of showing it." Luke drawled as he yanked a skillet out of their supply bags, "Wish I had some rice." He muttered.

"You know Noire does not want to learn from you." Cynthia pointed out.

"She does not have a choice." Luke muttered as he laid slices of bacon on the skillet. He grabbed a stick and poked at the fire before setting the skillet down on top of it, "If she wants to learn how to use that weapon so badly, she will need me to teach her. I don't like this arrangement either. But…" He paused, "But war with Grima is on the horizon. We both know that. And if Noire can achieve her own potential in the force, that will be one more strong piece on our side."

"Noire is plenty strong already." Cynthia pointed out, "Or do I need to remind you how she saved both of our lives?"

"You don't have to remind me." Luke sighed, "But imagine her strength if she would only listen and learn."

Cynthia frowned, "Why do you have to be the one to teach her? I mean… we both know the Shepherds have to arrive here to fight the Valmese."

"With how much the timeline has changed because of us, I would not get my hopes up. Nothing is certain anymore Cynthia. The future is beyond both our sight and control." He used a set of tongs to flip the bacon over. The grease sizzled and popped as he worked, "For all we know, the war does not happen here in Valm, but goes to Archanea instead."

Cynthia paled, "You-you don't think that will happen, do you?"

Luke looked over at the worried girl, "I hope not. The sooner Ben Kenobi can teach his daughter, the better. Force knows he should have done it before all of this." He shook his head, "That man always manages to make my life miserable. One way or another."

"I think you do a pretty good job of doing that to yourself." Cynthia said.

Luke froze mid bacon flip. He gave her a surprised look.

"What?" Cynthia shrugged, "I'm capable of a good insult every now and then."

Luke shook his head and chuckled, "Maybe you are right." He leaned back in his seat, "Hopefully she won't have to learn much from me at all."

"And if you do," Cynthia inched closer to him. One hand ran along his arm, "Promise to be nicer next time."

She gave him a pleading look and puffed her chest out a little bit.

"That's not going to work." Luke gulped.

"Really?" Cynthia asked, voice quiet and low.

"Really." Luke swallowed hard as one buckle on her armor came loose. He tugged at his collar, "So um… Kage thinks when we are alone, we sing?"

Cynthia laughed lightly before taking a seat in his lap. She kissed him deep.

"You do have an impressive high note." She breathed with a light chuckle, "Be nice?"

Luke gulped, "F-fine."

"And apologize?"

Luke frowned, "What do I have to-"

His eyes widened as her hands went low.

"I do owe Noire an apology." He hissed.

"That's what I thought."

* * *

It had been years since Noire felt fear like that. Not since Grima's first siege of Ylisstol did she feel that level of fear. But that fear felt different than the one Luke instilled in her. The fear of Grima was much more existential. Grima, the Fell Dragon, practically a god of death and destruction. It seemed almost natural to fear something like that.

Fearing Luke felt much more… terrifying. She knew him growing up. Knew that the cyclone of power and violence she experienced was not the boy she grew up with. Everything about him changed under Maul's tutelage. And the scariest thing for her, was that she felt he was right.

She was weak. Helpless with the force and with a lightsaber. He proved that point rather effectively. She did not even muster single counter attack against him. Could not muster one. How could she? She did not stand a chance against him.

Noire stopped running. Her boots were caked in thick mud from the forest trail. Brow covered in sweat from the humid morning air. She rested her hands on her knees and sucked in a deep, shuddering breath. Her right hand reached up to her talisman. The comforting confidence bestowed upon her by her Mother's magic flooded her veins. Negating any fear she felt for a short while.

She swallowed hard and stood back upright. A quick look around her, and she knew she was lost. This trail seemed unfamiliar. She could not see the cave from here. Noire huffed.

"Great." She muttered, "Just great. Fear made you look like an idiot. And fear got you lost." She smacked the pommel of her lightsaber against the side of her head, "Damn idiot."

Noire slumped against a tree and sank down into the soft earth. Her head hung near her knees as she took several more deep breaths. The confidence given to her by her talisman faded away rapidly. And the fear took over again.

Those eyes. Yellow. Like a blazing fire. Furious and powerful. Unsettling to look at. Even through the glow of a lightsaber, she did not mistake how bright they burned. He relished in her fear. Enjoyed it. Loved making her feel terrified of him.

Maybe it was Luke's own twisted way of getting back at her father? She sighed. Perhaps. But then, why did he not just kill her? That would accomplish much more in that regard

 _Because he was trying to prove a point. And in the end he was right._ Noire grit her teeth and smacked her palm against the tree behind her, "I hate it when he is right!"

"Noire!"

The young archer raised her gaze and saw Say'ri chasing after her. Noire gave the Princess a weak wave of her hand. Say'ri slowed her pace as she neared Noire.

The Princess glanced around, "You are hard to catch up to."

Noire shook her head, "I should not have run so far but I-"

"Was afraid?" Say'ri rested her hand on her katana's hilt, "So was I." She worked her jaw back and forth, "I still have a hard time comprehending that Luke is somehow my little brother."

Noire snorted, "Well… he is. Nothing we can do about that." She massaged the back of her neck, "If he wanted to kill me, he would have."

"True. But he was still an ass." Say'ri remarked as she took a seat beside Noire, "A teacher isn't supposed to make a student fear for their life. Clearly he has learned nothing of substance from Yen'fay. If he had, he would not be acting the way he is."

Noire gave her a small nod of agreement, "If he thinks I will learn anything from him, he is sorely mistaken. Not after everything that has happened. Not after what he and Maul did."

Say'ri pursed her lips.

"What?" Noire asked, somewhat deflated.

Say'ri stared hard at the younger girl, "You know war with Grima is coming. We don't know when or where, but it is coming." Say'ri let out a heavy sigh, "As much as I despise his actions, his point is not wrong. We need all the power we can get on our side. And as long as you are here in Valm, the only person that can possibly teach you the force is Luke."

Noire shook her head, "No. I refuse."

"Noire…"

"No! You don't get it!" Noire jumped to her feet, "Have you ever had someone you trusted betray you like he betrayed us? When Maul and Luke left, my father was the only person standing against Grima. But he could not fight Grima alone." Noire swallowed hard, "Before going through the portal, I saw him close the palace doors behind him. I saw him walk out to face Grima alone. To face his horde alone. That would not have happened if Luke and Maul did not betray us!"

Say'ri furrowed her brow, "Contrary to what you believe, I know exactly how you feel. After all," She took a deep breath. Trying to maintain her own composure, "Yen'fay did nothing when the Conqueror killed our parents and nearly put our land to the sword."

Noire's eyes widened.

"Did you see me throw a fit and refuse to work with him?" Say'ri asked, "Did I want to leave at first? Yes, I did. But then Kage came along. Then responsibilities came along. And at some point, you need to set aside hatred and pride and realize that duty comes first." Say'ri took a deep breath, "You know what your duty is. You came through that portal to fulfill it. You came through that portal to defeat Grima. You cannot do that without learning the force." Say'ri rose to her feet and drew both of her swords. One was shorter than the other. She glanced at the two blades then held the longer one out to Noire, "That should be about the same length."

Noire blinked, "Wh-what?"

"You may have to learn the force from Luke. But you do not need to learn how to fight from him." Say'ri lowered her gaze, "I will teach you to fight with a blade if you promise to at least listen to Luke. And I will also help Cynthia keep that bastard in line. Trust me, he does not want to test my patience."

Noire hesitated as she stared at the katana held out to her.

"It's not just how I feel about Luke though." Noire fidgeted with her hands, "You have to understand, the area of the force he uses is very different than my father's. And… I grew up learning that the dark side of the force was evil and corrupting. I don't want to expose myself to that philosophy."

"Then at least learn the basics. They both seem relatively the same." Say'ri suggested.

Noire gulped, "I don't even think I'd be that good."

Say'ri rolled her eyes, "Now you are searching for an excuse. Take the damn sword. When we both get back to the cave, I will talk with Luke and make sure he understands that he was out of line. But you need to put forth effort as well. Got it?" Say'ri shrugged, "Besides, how can you not be good at that strange magic? Your father is currently the most powerful user of it in the world, right?"

Noire bobbed her head, "Depends on how pissed Luke is at any given moment." Say'ri gave Noire a surprised look, "Luke has far more raw power than my father. That much I felt during our brief little clash."

Say'ri seemed taken aback, "Really?"

Noire nodded, "Yup. That is also the difference between Luke's power and my father's. Luke is very… negative emotions. And my father is-"

"Positive?"

"Emotionless to be more precise." Noire sighed, "Not something I am very keen to emulate."

Say'ri shook her head, "We will figure that out when we get there. For now, I want to take measure of your skills."

Noire gave Say'ri an uncertain look.

"Well?" Say'ri asked, "Are you going to take the sword? Or am I going to have to shove it into your hands?"

Noire gulped and took the longer katana. The weight surprised the archer. She held it low as she tried to adjust to the shape of the blade and the handle.

"It feels very different." Noire muttered.

"But the principle seems the same." Say'ri countered, "I've seen Luke incorporate traditional martial arts into his fighting style. I am sure you can do the same. But, seeing as how you can't use the lightsaber yet, you will have learn the old fashioned way."

Say'ri gripped her weapon with two hands and readied herself.

"Ready?" She asked Noire.

Noire gulped, brushed her fingers against her talisman, then nodded.

"Then strike." Say'ri ordered.

Noire gripped her blade with both hands, raised it over her head, and brought a heavy slash down at Say'ri. Instead of parrying the strike. Say'ri stepped back. Avoiding the attack entirely.

Noire raised her weapon to hack at her again. This time, Say'ri slid forward through the soft earth. Right underneath Noire's raised blade. The tip of Say'ri's weapon hovered beneath Noire's chin.

"No." Say'ri scolded, "You must be fluid. One movement needs to lead into the next. Keep me backpedaling."

Say'ri backed up. Noire reset her feet.

"Again." Say'ri nodded.

Noire took a deep breath and attacked. She slashed down at Say'ri. This time, Say'ri sidestepped the attack. Noire followed up with a sideways slash. Say'ri ducked beneath the slash and surged forward. She slammed the pommel of her blade into Noire's gut.

The wind left Noire's lungs. Noire gasped and fell flat on her back.

Say'ri stood over her as Noire struggled to catch her breath.

"Better. But you were slow."

Noire rolled her eyes, "This is learning the old fashioned way? You beating me up?"

Say'ri smirked, "Every mistake holds a lesson in it."

She stepped away from Noire. Noire picked herself up from the dirt and rolled her shoulders.

"Now," Say'ri breathed, "How will you respond if I do this?"

Say'ri lunged at Noire. Thrusting her blade at the archer's chest. Noire yelped and tried to hop back. As she backpedaled, Say'ri slid closer and smacked the hilt of her weapon against Noire's jaw.

And Noire hit the ground again.

"Don't back up like that. Not unless you have a very good counter in mind. Once you are on your heels, you will stay there." Say'ri frowned as Noire rubbed the growing bruise on her jaw, "Sidestep, hop back, stay on your toes. Counter when you can."

Say'ri twirled her weapon, "Come on, get up."

Noire propped herself up onto her elbows. Just as she was about to get up to her feet, a low whistle sounded from a nearby tree.

Say'ri spun to face that direction. Noire followed her lead.

A tall, heavily armored man with wild, blue hair emerged from the brush. A thick strip of scarlet cloth pulled his massive mane out of his face. An exquisite steel blade rested in one hand. He moved with power and silence. A rare combination that set Say'ri on edge immediately.

"Gotta say, not bad. Not bad at all." The man smirked. He nodded at Noire, "You know, you should really listen to her. She knows what she is talking about."

Say'ri furrowed her brow, "Who are you?"

The mysterious rogue blinked, "Oh me. Well um, my name is Priam. And unfortunately, that is about as friendly as things are going to get between us. For now at least."

Say'ri tightened her grip on her katana, "Care to explain? Or do I have to cut you to ribbons right away?"

Priam threw his head back and laughed, "I'd love to see that challenge through, your majesty." Say'ri's face paled. He knew who she was. Which meant one thing. He had to be one of Excellus's lackeys. "I'm all for a good fight. But unfortunately, me and the boys have been hired to just grab you. So…"

Noire and Say'ri jumped back as a dozen more men emerged from the thick foliage around them. Each one heavily armed and armored. Most of them were swordsmen. Say'ri noticed two archers perched in the branches above Priam. She held her katana close and glanced at Noire.

"Your bow is back at the cave?" Say'ri whispered.

"I didn't exactly have time to grab it before Luke decided to be an asshole." Noire hissed back.

Priam's friendly smirk did not falter as both women readied themselves for a fight. Say'ri held her blade with expert ease. Eyes narrowed and focused on the closest mercenary. Noire gripped her own blade with novice nervousness. She appeared clumsy and uncertain. Eyes flicking back and forth between different approaching targets.

"So," Priam raised his own sword, "it's gonna be a fight then? Fine." He shrugged, "Step back boys. I'll take care of this."

Say'ri blinked in surprise. Priam wanted to fight her and Noire alone? Noire may be a novice with a sword, but she had the Force on her side. Surely that gave her at least a small leg up in this instance. And Say'ri herself was no slouch with a sword. She had been training with the weapon since she could hold one. Yet Priam so casually challenged them both.

 _He's dangerous._ Say'ri observed.

He stood a few paces away. Guard low. A casual, relaxed stance. A small, excited smile on his lips.

"Let's see if the tales of your skill are true, Princess Say'ri."

He dashed forward. Noire gasped and took a step back. Surprised by the armored man's speed. Say'ri stepped in front of her and parried a slash from Priam.

Metal rang. Her arms vibrated. Say'ri's eyes widened in shock as she saw her katana chip where Priam's blade hit her own.

 _What the hell!?_

Noire recovered her wits and lunged forward. Priam grinned and sidestepped her thrust. Noire stumbled forward. Right into Priam's knee. The air rushed out of her lungs as she fell to her knees. Her sword sank into the soil by her side as she doubled over, gasping for air.

Before Priam could finish her, Say'ri attacked. Priam lazily parried one of her slashes then went on the offensive again. Say'ri's arms buckled for a devastating chop towards her right side. She stumbled to the side and just managed to parry another slash.

"Gotta say, Princess, you aren't half bad at all." Priam said as he paused in his assault. He took a deep breath of the mountain air. Then with all of his might, he slashed down at Say'ri. Say'ri ducked to the side and slashed out at him as fast as she could.

But he was faster. Priam yanked his weapon free from the dirt and swung hard to meet Say'ri's katana. When the blades met, a loud crash reverberated through the air.

All of the weight in Say'ri's blade disappeared. She stared dumbstruck as her weapon shattered into hundreds of steel shards.

"Unfortunately, you don't have the best weapon." Priam said.

Noire recovered. The archer pushed herself up to her feet and charged at Priam's back. She raised her sword over her head. Aiming to try and cleave the armored man in two. Priam smirked at Say'ri, and stepped to the side at the last second.

Say'ri cried out as Noire collided into her. The pair ended up tangled in the dirt.

"Is this her first lesson?" Priam asked as Noire winced and Say'ri coughed, "If it is, it would explain the amateurish tendencies." He waved his hand at Noire as she pulled herself off of Say'ri, "Don't worry. Everyone starts somewhere, right?"

Noire swallowed hard, "Should I?" She asked Say'ri.

Say'ri's eyes darted to the hilt on Noire's hip. She opened her mouth to speak, then felt panic surge inside of her.

"Watch out!"

She shoved Noire away. Priam's weapon sank into the earth where she had been.

"Here's my first lesson to you." Priam said as Noire scrambled to her feet, "Never take your attention away from your opponent." He flicked his blade so that the tip rested beneath Say'ri's chin, "And never give your opponent the advantage."

Say'ri swallowed hard. The cold steel made goosebumps form on her skin. She did her best to maintain her own steely composure. She did not want to give this scoundrel the satisfaction of seeing her panic.

"I suggest dropping your weapon and coming quietly." Priam told Noire.

"Why?" Noire asked as one hand reached up to her talisman, "You-you, you'll only kill us. Or worse, you'll deliver us to the Conqueror."

Priam arched an eyebrow, "Take you to Walhart? Nah, nope." He shook his head, "Walhart didn't hire me. His… what do you call a particularly repugnant man again?" He glanced down at Say'ri as he spoke.

"Worm." She snarled back.

"Excellus, that's the name." Priam nodded, "The fat one hired me. Said something about needing you alive. But he also wanted someone else other than you, Princess, and your little brother. He wanted a bodyguard of yours." He smiled, "Some guy named Luke." He chuckled a little bit, "And I gotta say, his reputation precedes itself. I am actually excited to meet him."

"What makes you think he is with us?" Say'ri snarled back.

Priam shrugged, "Lucky guess? Besides, I don't think General Yen'fay would send his only family away with just any old guards. He would want the best looking out for you and Prince Kage. And from what I have heard, there is no more fearsome warrior in all of Chon'sin than the black robed swordsman, Luke."

"Aren't you going to ask where he is?" Noire wondered out loud.

Priam shook his head, "No. He'll come to me. After all, I have you two." He sheathed his weapon, "Bind them. Then let's get back to camp."

Rough hands seized Say'ri's arms. The Chon'sin Princess struggled against them as thick cords were tied around her wrists. She heard Noire struggled as well.

"Should we blind them, boss?" One of Priam's men asked.

Priam thought for a moment, "Why not. Let's add a little mystery to this for them."

Say'ri cursed as a heavy burlap sack slipped over her head. The rough hands that held her arms picked her up and flung her over broad shoulders. She heard Noire's voice crack and grow furious.

"BLOOD AND THUNDER! LET ME GO OR I SHALL EVISCERATE EACH AND EVERY LAST ONE OF YOU!"

Say'ri let out a heavy sigh. Oh, they would be eviscerated all right. Once Luke discovered they were gone, the asshole would do everything in his power to find them.

Hopefully, he realized they were gone soon.

* * *

Brady whistled a small tune as he and Kage strolled back towards the cave. It belonged to a particularly bawdy song. One not fit for the little Prince's ears. But that was the point of whistling. So the little kid did not hear anything indecent. Not that Brady really cared all that much. Why should he? The kid would grow up into a bastard of a man. But he also did not want Say'ri or Noire getting on his case. And he knew they cared. So, he kept the words to himself and instead let the kid learn the melody.

The priest shivered a little at the thought of Noire getting mad at him. As quiet as Noire could sometimes be, she still had her mother's blood in her. Very few things scared Brady. His own mother, and Noire's mother were near the top of the list. Hell, Noire had her mother's creepy cackle nailed. Every time she uttered that insane laugh Brady felt chills run down his spine.

He paused his whistling.

"I've got some weird friends." He muttered, not for the first time either.

Kage trudged alongside him. Doing his best to keep up with Brady's long strides. The entire walk, the kid had done nothing but barrage him with questions. What is Ylisse like? What is the future like? Is Grima a big lizard or an actual dragon? Where is your mommy and daddy? (that question actually stung a little bit). Are you always this grumpy? (A result of him snapping at the kid for asking about his ma and pa).

He rolled his eyes as he glanced over at Prince Kage's happy face. Seriously, nothing upset this kid. How the hell did he grow up to be one of the angriest people he ever knew again?

 _A series of unfortunate events that could not have happened to a more deserving person, that's how._ He reminded himself.

They reached the mouth of the cave. Brady froze. Prince Kage stopped alongside him, brow arched in confusion.

"Why are they naked?" The four year old asked.

"Aw hell, guys!" Brady cried.

Cynthia woke up first. She blinked, not even bothering to cover herself before rolling over and seeing both Brady and Kage staring wide eyed at her.

"Wuh?" Cynthia said sleepily.

Her eyes shot open. She screamed.

Luke shot upright. His lightsaber flew from his pile of robes into his outstretched hand. The blue blade ignited, startling both Brady and Prince Kage.

"Shit! Look away kid! Look away!" Brady averted his eyes.

"Why?" Kage asked.

"Because I told you too!" Brady snapped back.

"Why?"

"Brady! Why aren't you covering his eyes!?" Cynthia cried as she scrambled for her clothes.

"Why are you two doing _that_ with a kid around!"

"He wasn't around when we started." Cynthia remarked.

"You have ten seconds, Brady." Luke snarled, "Nine… eight.."

"I'm sorry I saw you two in that… position." Brady gulped, stopping Luke's countdown, "Please put the buzzing sword away. It ain't really necessary right now."

"He's still naked." Prince Kage pointed out.

"I told you to cover your eyes!" Brady roared.

"Stop yelling at me." Luke barked.

"Tell yourself to have a little decency!" Brady snapped back.

"Guys, knock it off." Cynthia shouted. Silencing both of them. The Pegasus rider let out a heavy sigh, "We're going to have to explain this to Say'ri now."

Luke paled as Cynthia shoved his robes into his chest.

"Could you do that please?" Luke gulped.

Cynthia frowned.

"Maybe Kage won't say anything?" Luke said with mild optimism.

"A four year old not asking his older sister what sex is." Brady deadpanned, "Considering he just asked me every single question in existence during our walk, I'm going to have to say you're wrong pal."

"What's sex?" Kage asked Brady.

"Well, when a man and a women-"

"Too young, Brady!" Cynthia cried.

The Priest blinked, "Oh right. Uh… sex is uh…," He rubbed the back of his neck as he struggled to find the right words, "grown up wrestling."

"Wrestling?" Kage gave Brady a puzzled look. Cynthia pinched the bridge of her nose as Luke dressed himself.

"Yeah." Brady nodded confidently.

"Will I do a lot of grown up wrestling when I'm older?"

Brady paled, "Uh… that's uh… a difficult one to answer."

"Just shut up already." Luke snarled as he flung his cloak over his shoulders, "I'm very close to changing my mind about not killing you right now."

"Killing me!?" Brady cried, "Why would you-"

"You saw Cynthia naked. That is more than enough reason." Luke growled.

Cynthia rolled her eyes as Luke marched past Brady and out of the cave. Cynthia strolled up to the worried priest and patted him on the shoulder.

"Only look you'll ever get, buddy." Cynthia chuckled, "Worth it?"

Brady gulped, "A little."

Cynthia chuckled, "Purge the memory before Luke does it for you."

Brady blinked and turned to watch her follow Luke out of the cave, "He can do that?"

Cynthia snorted out a small laugh, but did not reply. She sauntered up beside Luke. His eyes were closed. Arms folded. Mouth etched into a deep scowl.

She poked his cheek.

"Stop frowning." Cynthia said as Luke cracked an eye open, "I like it when you smile."

He kept frowning. Cynthia huffed.

"If you're only going to smile when I'm… you know… then we might need to reevaluate a few things."

"Hush, I'm concentrating." Luke hissed, eyes still closed.

Cynthia furrowed her brow, "On what?"

Luke let out a sigh, "Say'ri and Noire have been gone for a while."

Cynthia's cheer faded away, "How long?"

Luke opened his eyes, "Too long. Brady!"

"What?" The priest groaned.

"Pack our things, we need to get moving." Luke threw his hood over his head and turned to Cynthia, "Get on your Pegasus and get airborne. Try to find them from the sky."

Cynthia gulped, "You think something bad happened?"

Luke shook his head. He tried sensing where both Noire and Say'ri may have run off to. Noire had a strong enough presence in the force without training for him to be able to sense her without a lot of effort. He did manage to catch a small trace of her presence, but it was faint. And it was afraid. He knew she had been afraid of him when he decided to teach her a lesson, but that fear should have faded away at least a little bit over time. Yet when he sensed her, none of the fear went away. Which meant one of two things.

Either she was weaker mentally than he thought, or someone else scared her when she ran off into the woods. Say'ri would have caught up to her already as well. So if Noire felt afraid and worried, Say'ri likely felt the same way.

"I sense something bad happened." Luke muttered, "Make sure Kage doesn't find out."

"Okay." Cynthia nodded.

She turned back to the cave. She would have to slip her armor on very fast. Luke suspected something bad happened to Noire and Say'ri. Which meant they were about to walk into a fight of some sort. As she walked past Brady, she told him to keep his ax ready.

The sun started to set behind the mountains. Traveling at night would be risky. And she would only have another hour or two before dark. The darkness will keep her from seeing anything on the ground while she was in the air. Time was short.

She buckled her armor, threw her pack over her Pegasus's saddle, and hopped onto the winged beast.

"Once you see something, let me know." Luke said as she trotted out of the cave.

Cynthia nodded.

"And Cynthia," Luke pressed his lips into a line, "Be careful. I don't like anything about this right now."

"I will be." Cynthia smirked at him, "But only if you promise to be careful too."

Luke let out a quiet laugh, "I promise. Now take off already."

The wings on her pegasus hammered against the air. She soared into the sky. Cynthia glanced back at Luke, Brady, and Kage as they left the cave and moved further west towards the sheer cliffs of the Kiba Mountains.

Storm clouds gathered beyond the peaks. More rain was coming.

 _Hang on Say'ri, Noire._ Cynthia dug her spurs into her Pegasus. The beast snorted and flew fast through the air, _We're on our way._

* * *

Excellus slammed the heavy tome closed. Faint candlelight flickered in his study. The sounds of the evening crept in from the open window. They mingled with a chill in the night air. A chill his heavy robes protected him from.

But that did not mean he felt comfortable.

The fat worm rose from his chair and moved over to his window. He latched it closed then uttered a heavy sigh.

He had planned plenty of wars before. The conquest of Chon'sin happened thanks to his intellect and strategy. It was his idea to send mages to the front lines against Chon'sin. To bombard the enemy army with a magical assault so fierce that it would shatter them before they could mount an effective resistance. The Conqueror liked to take all of the credit. But without his mind, the Conqueror would be the conquered.

However, planning a war against a nation across an entire ocean was a far greater task. One that taxed his mind. Not only did he have to come up with effective combat strategies, he had to determine troop movements and transport across a volatile ocean. Landing zones needed to be marked, attacked, and held. A supply train needed to established. The most elaborate and complex supply train in the history of the world. He doubted they would find much food to feed the army once they landed in Archanea. Once the armies established a foothold, the Archaneans would scorch the earth in order to deny his men food and water. Starve out the invasion. Make it too costly for the Valmese to endure a prolonged campaign. If he were their tactician, that is what he would do.

Then there was the other task he had been assigned. One not given to him by the Conqueror. One given to him by a being that made the Conqueror seem like nothing more than an ant crawling in the cracked dirt. Lord Grima wished for him to not only make sure this war decimated both sides, he still wanted that brat Kage. Or Luke, as he now went by.

That objective was secondary in his mind. Bringing Luke before Lord Grima would have to wait. He had mercenaries taking care of that little task. Gold and greed could convince any man to hunt down another. Although, there was one mercenary who seemed more interested in Luke's skills as a fighter rather than the value on his head. He could not recall the name. And it did not matter. Execullus would succeed. He always did.

His personal attention needed to stay with breaking both the Valmese and Archanean armies. Softening them so much that all Lord Grima would have to do is utter a roar in order to bring them to their knees. The reward for such a success would be tremendous. Perhaps he would even gain a place by his Lord's side. A similar position as Lord Validar perhaps. Maybe he would even be named ruler of Valm once Grima's dominion had been established.

He chuckled to himself. If that happened, the first thing he would do is make Walhart bow to him. Make him grovel before his power. Know what it felt like to be a worm in the dirt. His fat lips curled into a sinister smile. That day would be glorious.

He shivered as a cold wind swept into his room again.

 _I thought I closed that window._

A pit formed in his gut. The window was flung open. Standing in front of it. Hunched over, yet still towering over him, was a monster unlike any Excellus had ever seen before.

Yellow, reptilian eyes glowered down at him from behind a bone white, metallic, mouthless mask. A sweeping white cape hid the rest of the creatures skeletal form. One metallic toe tapped impatiently against the stone floor.

Excellus gulped, "Judging by the terror you instill, I assume you come from our master?"

The reptilian eyes narrowed.

"Yes."

Excellus felt a nervous bead of sweat run down his head. This one talked as well. That meant he carried great power among his Lord's more monstrous servants.

"What do I call you then?" He asked.

A low growl emanated from the creature's throat, "Our master calls me Tigris. But I want you to call me something else."

"Oh? And what would that be?"

The creature's toe stopped tapping, "Grievous."

Execullus's mouth felt dry. The creature certainly fit the name. He seemed rather severe in demeanor and appearance.

"Why has our master sent you?" Excellus asked.

A metal finger emerged from behind the closed cape and pointed at Excellus.

"Our master wished for me to tell you that the Shepherds will invade Valm."

Excellus blinked, "Wh-what? But… that goes against every plan I have in place."

"Do you think your plans are greater than our master's?" Grievous snarled.

Fear lanced through Excellus's heart, "N-not at all." Those reptilian eyes narrowed at him, "J-just, I was unaware. I thought the best way to decimate both armies would be for Valm to exhaust themselves in Archanea. I see now that may not be the best way. Our lord knows best, after all."

Another low grow. Grievous did not believe him. Excellus felt more beads of sweat building on his brow.

"If our master did not value you so much, I would have killed you already, scum." Grievous growled, "I am here for one purpose."

Excellus suppressed a shiver as the creature rose to its full height. It dominated the room he stood in. More fear pulsed through Excellus's veins.

"That being?" He managed to squeak out.

A low, amused chuckle emanated from the mouthless mask. Excellus's eyes widened as two lightsabers, one blue and one green, ignited.

"To kill the Shepherds." Grievous growled, "And to kill Kenobi."

 **And chapter! Sorry for the delay on this one folks, I had a hard time with a few of the characters and their motivations. Took some time to work those out before deciding to finish it up. Anyways, Say'ri and Noire are in danger as a rogue mercenary named Priam has captured them. Luke, Brady, and Cynthia are on their way to rescue them. That should make for an interesting confrontation. And Grievous has arrived in Valme. Ready for the war to begin. I'm excited for this all to really get under way now!**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	88. The Tomb of the Dark Lord

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 88

The Tomb of the Dark Lord

Darkness shrouded Morgan's quarters aboard the Emperor's personal Yacht. Not a single speck of light from the outside infiltrated the shadows around her. The only light emanated from the open holocron floating in front of her face. It cast an ominous glow over her pale face. Her eyes were closed as she knelt quietly in the dark.

Whispers. Soft, quiet, voices. Sweet temptations of power that slipped into her mind with each passing moment. Knowledge that had been passed down through hundreds of generations. Knowledge she craved. With each passing second, her sharp mind absorbed more. Understood more. And yet, produced even more questions that she would ask her master.

A small shudder ran down her spine as the dark side of the force raked its fingers through her mind. Followed by more whispers of knowledge and power. More advice. None of it freely given.

Her master warned her about the price that came with studying an ancient holocron. The ancient Sith did not give away their knowledge in life. They certainly would not do so in death. The price for such knowledge was absolute surrender to the darkness. A concept she still struggled to put into practice.

For some reason, there was a nagging thought at the back of her mind. She did not know where it came from. She just knew that it was there. A faint whisper that shouted back at the darkness wrapping around her thoughts. Telling her this was wrong. That this was dangerous. This path would lead to her downfall.

Just self doubt. Nothing more. She brought this feeling up to her master before embarking on this expedition with him. It was just the part of her mind that resisted change. Resisted the power she could command. He told her to silence that voice in her mind. Break it. Self doubt was a weakness that could be exploited by the Jedi, as well as by the dangerous nature of the Dark Side. If she was to master the power that rested at her fingertips, she would need complete confidence in her abilities and her decisions. She would have to feel no fear when it came to what she was capable of, or what she was doing. It was a hurdle that proved difficult to get by.

Still, despite this clear price, Morgan tried to learn the secrets of the holocron. But it only revealed basic things. Stuff she could have asked her Master about. Techniques and teachings that her master had already begun instructing her in. The holocron only added small tidbits of information. Nothing significant. It frustrated her a little bit.

A knock sounded on her door. The warbling voice of one of her Death Trooper guards sounded from the other side.

Morgan let out a long breath. The holocron whined then closed. The red light it emanated faded into a dull glow. Barely able to light up her hand as it floated down into her waiting palm.

The voice of her guard warbled again.

" _The Emperor summons you, Lady Morgan."_

Morgan flicked her eyes open. With a small motion of her finger, a switch flicked up near the door. Soft, yellow light lit up the room from a pair of lanterns on the ceiling.

She tucked the holocron away in a drawer near her bed, threw her coat over her shoulders once again, then marched out the door.

Her Death Troopers flanked her as she strode down the short corridor towards her Master's personal quarters. Royal guards stood beside the Emperor's door. Deadly pikes rested in their hands as they stood at attention. Morgan paused in front of them.

"How's it going today, boys?"

The two Imperial guards glanced at each other. Neither saying a word back to her. The door hissed open.

"Good talk."

Morgan strode by them and entered her Master's lavish quarters.

Emperor Palpatine stood in front of a vast window that gave him a grand view of space. He faced away from her. Not bothering to turn around as she walked to his side.

His hooded head glanced over at her for a brief moment.

"We are about to drop out of hyperspace." The Emperor said, his voice croaking as he spoke. Still damaged by what the Jedi had done to him only a short four years ago.

Morgan nodded, "And what is our destination?"

Palpatine gave her a smirk, "You are about to see."

They hyperdrive generator powered down. It's loud whir faded to nothing as the main engines roared back to life. The ship lurched and the streaks of light outside became small pin points in an inky void.

At first, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Just a bunch of stars suspended in space. Then Morgan caught the faint glow of something massive drifting into view. Her green eyes widened in shock as an immense planet lumbered into view.

A red and orange behemoth. Bigger than Coruscant. Lightning storms and enormous clouds of dust swirled over the rust colored surface. Morgan stared in awe as she gazed upon an entire planet for the first time.

"Incredible." She breathed.

"Close your eyes." Palpatine ordered.

Morgan closed them.

"Sink into the force. Feel its currents."

Morgan dove headfirst. Cold slammed into her body. Goosebumps formed on her skin. Chills rushed up and down her spine. The Dark Side of the Force swirled on this planet. Penetrated this world to its core. An overwhelming nexus of power that felt both terrifying and intoxicating to the young apprentice.

Morgan cracked her eyes open once again, breathless from the experience.

"We're going down there, aren't we?"

Palpatine nodded.

"Alone?"

"Yes." Palpatine heard her gulp, "Are you afraid, my apprentice?"

Morgan closed her eyes again. She could not lie to him. He would know. She nodded her head. He did not reply. Although, out of the corner of her eye, Morgan could see his scarred lips drop into a displeased scowl.

* * *

Rust colored dust swirled in great plumes along the red ground. What little rocky surface that poked through the piles of ash and dust was crimson. Hostile and harsh.

Morgan pulled her hood tighter over her head as a hot wind whipped more dust over her and her Master. Coughs wracked her lungs. The air felt so hot. Each breath brought grains of ash and sand into her mouth. Morgan clasped a hand over her lips. Smearing more dust on her pale face.

Her Master strode unflinching through the clouds of dust. Not a single grain of rusted sand bothered him. It was as if an invisible shield enveloped his hooded and cloaked form. As decrepit as he seemed, he strode through the loose ground with far more strength and purpose than Morgan could muster.

She stumbled through a large bank of dust and rock. The Emperor glided over that same spot. Not a single toe sinking into the loose ash.

"Where," Morgan coughed as more dust rushed into her lungs, "are we going?"

He did not answer her. Which frustrated Morgan to no end. Normally, her Master answered her questions immediately. Often both impressed and surprised by her continued enthusiasm for every single concept. For some reason, he decided to be enigmatic today. Whatever answers he did give her were hidden in riddles that she struggled to decipher.

Palpatine paused and looked back at her as a storm of red dust swirled up around them. At first it felt like a small dust devil. Nothing concerning. As it continued, Morgan noticed the intensity of the dust cloud swirling around her growing. It cut her master off from her sight. The last thing she saw of her Master were yellow dots of light from his blazing eyes.

Morgan cried out and fell to her knees. She threw her coat's over-sized sleeves over her face. Doing her best to shield her face from the dust storm.

" _Give yourself to the dark side."_

Her Master's voice croaked in her mind. Morgan squeezed her eyes shut as more dust and wind blasted her.

The dust felt like shards of glass against her bare skin. Morgan hissed and shielded her face. She tried to peak out of her arms in order to see in front of her. Through the swirling ash and sand, she saw a small, dark opening into some stone building buried in the rust colored earth.

She scrambled towards the shelter. The dust rose up to her shins, then her knees. It felt like quicksand. The more she struggled towards the opening, the more she sank down into the planet's jaws.

She trudged through the dust. It rose to her thighs. The opening grew clearer. She was nearly there.

She could see her master standing in the opening's dark shadow. His burning eyes were pin pricks of saving light in the dust storm. He appeared calm, composed, and… amused. Her struggling entertained him. He did not reach out to help her. Did not call upon the force to pull her through furious dust. She saw yellow teeth peeking out from his lips. A cruel smile.

" _Will you survive?"_

The ground gave out beneath her feet. Morgan cried out as she slipped further into the planet's waiting jaws. Her arms smacked against the loose dust and ash. She clawed at the surface. Tried to find any sort of handhold to grab onto. A loose rock, a piece of crimson colored earth, anything to stop her descent.

She cried out against as her hands failed to find anything. Ash filled her mouth. She choked. Panic filled her. Fear coursed through her veins as what little sunlight that penetrated the ash filled atmosphere disappeared from her sight.

She sank swiftly through layers of ash and dust for what seemed like forever. She could not breath. Could not see. Could only hear the shifting earth around her. She did not dare inhale, lest she choke on the dust around her.

The dust suddenly stopped. Darkness surrounded her. Morgan gasped for breath as she fell into free fall through a dark, rocky cavern.

She landed in a heap on a pile of loose dust. The dust cushioned her fall. Sparing her from any broken bones. But she could feel the bruises growing as she rolled down the dust pile and onto a cold, rocky floor.

Morgan scrambled to her feet. Dust choked her mouth still. She spat out as much as she could before taking a dirty hand and swiping at her eyes. It took a few moments before she could see clearly again. When she could, she quickly assessed her surroundings.

Unlike the surface, this cavern felt cold. The surface of this planet (which her master had yet to tell her the name of) had been blazing. She considered removing her coat while walking on the surface at one point. Now that she had fallen into a mysterious cavern and been separated from her Master, she was glad she did not. This coat, given to her by a father she did not remember, provided some measure of comfort during this already terrifying ordeal.

She shook her head and closed her eyes.

 _A sith does not feel fear._ She reminded herself, _A sith creates fear._

Anyone who claimed to be a sith and felt fear, was no sith at all. Fear broke a sith. Fear marked the end of a sith. For it usually came before a swift death blow. Her Master taught her that. Fear paralyzed the fearful. A sith was never paralyzed. A sith always moved, always adapted, always survived.

She took a deep breath and reached out with the force. A tentative gesture at first. She still was getting used to the feeling of the dark side. When she touched that dark well inside of her, her eyes shot open in shock.

It felt so powerful. Vast, unfathomable. A well of power so tremendous it made her shudder. This planet, it had to be amplifying her powers. But how? She blinked around her dark surroundings in shock. Could the Force inhabit planets? And if it could, were Force Sensitives able to draw on that power? So far, her hypothesis was proven by her observations. She never felt this powerful on Coruscant.

She cautiously tested the waters again, remembering her Master's warnings. The Dark Side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities and many gifts. But those abilities, those powers, came at a price. The price being the sheer danger such a realm of the force posed. The Dark Side was not like the powers the Jedi possessed. It was raw, untamed, primal. The Force in its natural, chaotic state. It needed to be dominated. Or else, it would dominate her.

She sucked in a sharp breath and called upon the force. The Dark Side swirled around her. She could feel it growling and snarling. Daring her to try and command it. Sweat beaded on her brow. With a final gasp of effort, she brought the enormous powers to heel. Demanded that the dark side comply to her will. And reluctantly, it did.

Calm swept over her. The fear she felt when plummeting through the ash and dust subsided. Focus filled her mind. And a twinge of anger. Her Master let her fall down here. Why? For what purpose?

 _A test._ She concluded, _And a stupid one at that. I don't even know what he is testing._

She rose to her feet and patted dust from her coat and pants. She clicked her boots heels together. Shedding even more dust in the process.

 _It's going to take a long shower to get all this crap off._

She furrowed her brow. The darkness was deep in this place. The only sound she could hear was the sound of dust slowly trickling onto the pile behind her. She frowned and tapped her foot.

The floor felt smooth.

 _I'm not in a natural cavern._

She reached into her coat pocket, dug through a pile of dust, and grabbed her spell book. The one weapon she had during her training. The only weapon she was allowed to have. A rule that puzzled her still.

She had asked her Master why she could not wield a lightsaber like the inquisitors. They appeared to be extremely effective tools that even the dastardly Jedi used to great effect. If she was going to fight Jedi, she would need such a weapon. Right?

Her Master's simple reply was: "A Sith's last resort is their lightsaber. They should be able to crush an opponent without ever having to stoop to such a level."

Morgan frowned. That still made little sense to her. How could resorting to lightsaber combat be frowned upon. It almost looked like fun during the few holovids she watched on the subject.

She cracked her spellbook open and channeled the strange magic that flowed in her blood through the pages. Her lips muttered a quiet word. A small, orange flame flickered to life in her right palm.

"Hm…" She muttered out loud as she took in the small room she had stumbled into, "Not as big as I thought."

She noticed a rickety, metal doorway indented into the red, stone walls. Her only exit.

Morgan strode over and tapped the metal door. No response. She rolled her eyes.

 _Broken, of course._ She placed her left hand against the chilled metal, _It is never easy, is it?_

She sent a pulse through the metal. The door groaned and slid to the side. Beyond the ancient, rusted door was a long, dark corridor. Sconces long ago extinguished by time lined the stone walls.

Morgan furrowed her brow.

 _Seriously, what is this place? Where am I?_

She got halfway down the corridor when a chill crawled up her spin. She flicked her head back to the room she had just left. Nothing. No lights. No one following her. And yet, she could not shake the feeling that she was being watched. Morgan gulped and returned her attention to the corridor before it.

She took another step forward.

The sconces burst to life. Morgan let out a startled yelp and pressed her back against the cold wall. Her chest heaved up and down as her green eyes flicked up and down the dimly lit corridor.

 _It's just… old tech. Yeah… old, rickety tech that just decided to start working again. No big deal. Happens all the time. I think?_

She gulped. The Dark Side gnashed its teeth at her. A warning. She was letting her control slip. Letting fear take over again. If it consumed her, the dark side would devour her. Then she would be nothing but a slave to the force. A sith was not a slave to the force. They were masters of the force.

She took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, stealing her racing heart. With mild caution, she continued through the corridor.

When she reached the end, she encountered another cramped chamber with nothing inside of it except piles of dust and stale, cold air. Morgan frowned and looked around. There was no obvious exit.

"Am I seriously trapped in here?"

That chill returned. It crept under her skin. Ran icy fingers along her neck and shoulder. Traced a line down her spine to the small of her back. Forcing a shudder out of her.

" _You are but a child."_ A sneering voice said.

Morgan spun around. The doorway to the corridor was gone.

" _Yes, a mere child. Pretending to be brave in the face of something she cannot comprehend."_ A lower, darker voice chided.

Morgan thrust the flickering flame in her palm out in front of her.

"Show yourself!" She demanded.

The air laughed at her. Morgan grit her teeth. Was it just her, or were the walls starting to close in?

A lump formed her throat as two, shadowy apparitions peeled themselves from the stones in front of her. Heavy, torn robes and hoods hung over invisible bodies. The only body part she could distinguish, were their hands. Hidden behind black, metal gauntlets.

They floated before her. Standing over her like two adults stooping over a small child. Morgan took a step back, keeping her flame out in front of her now shivering body. The temperature continued to drop in the room.

A shadowy finger pointed at her. One sharp clawing nearly touching the flame in her hand.

" _You are not welcome in the tomb of our Master."_

Morgan's breath hitched.

"T-tomb?" She bobbed her head, "That… would explain the musty smell. Um, well," She slowly backed away from the two floating figures in front of her, "if I am not welcome than I will happily leave. Just um… which way is out?"

" _There is no leaving."_ The shriller voice hissed.

" _You have entered our Master's tomb. Desecrated it with your presence."_ The lower voice growled.

Morgan jumped as they both moved faster than she could blink. They were by her sides now. Despite their faceless forms, she could feel icy breath kissing her neck. Making the hairs on her body stand on end.

" _You shall die!"_ The two wraiths declared in unison.

Morgan cursed and ducked as two clawed hands swiped at her head. She rolled away. But they were in front of her when she returned to her feet.

One black hand grabbed her by the throat and lifted her into the air. The flame in her left hand started to flicker. She tried using that small fire to bash away the monsters. But they simply laughed at her.

" _Simple tricks cannot save you."_

Morgan struggled for air as another clawed hand reached for her chest. Aiming for her heart.

They were going to kill her. She was going to die, underground. In a lost tomb, on a planet she did not know. She would never gain the power she so eagerly sought. Never grow into a Sith as her Master wanted.

Never regain the memories she longed to see again.

Fury filled her. She would not be denied her greatest desire! The Dark Side of the Force roared in her ears. The flame died in her hand. Pale, blue lightning crackled in its place. She shoved her hand into the first monster's cowl and unleashed a storm of lightning.

The wraith shrieked. Its grip on her throat released. More power filled her body. She turned onto the second monster and, through the pitch black, extended an open palm. A powerful force push barreled into the second wraith. She heard stone crack as it slammed into the wall. The crack became a shudder in the walls around her as something fell away.

She ran to the sound. Discovering a small opening in the cramped room. A little corridor. Barely wide enough for her to fit through.

Morgan did not look back as she rushed through the small space. The wraiths shrieked and snarled behind her. She could not see them. But she could feel them pursuing. Could sense them drawing closer.

Her shoulder bumped against one side of the narrow corridor. Her other shoulder slid against the other side. Her eyes widened in horror. Her little escape route turned into a trap. A squeezing snare. It continued to narrow as she struggled to shove her body towards the small opening that was her salvation.

The walls clung to her. Morgan gasped for breath. Panic seized her. She felt stuck. Caught. Unable to move. She squirmed and flailed. A claw swiped at her. She sensed it coming and ducked her head. She heard the metal claw scrape against stone. Sparks flashed across her eyes.

 _I will not die here!_

A pulse rocketed out of her body. The walls shuddered and she slipped through the gap.

Pain shot through her back as a claw dug into her skin. Hot blood ran down her body as she fell forward. She did not even cry out. Instead, she spun around to face the gap in the wall behind her. The wraiths claws and shrieked at her. The Dark Side of the Force snarled and gnashed its teeth. But they could not get through.

A smirk crossed her lips. She stuck her tongue out at the two wraiths.

"Not today." She said with a small smile.

Then the pain registered. Morgan hissed. One hand reached for her back. Her fingers dug through the shredded remains of her coat before making contact with the deep gouges in her skin. She retracted her hand. It felt wet.

 _That's not good._

One drop of blood fell from her fingertips to the dust covered floor. Then another. Morgan gulped. She could hear them falling to the ground in soft plops. It made her feel sick.

The cold she felt in the previous room did not fade away. It grew even more intense. Morgan winced as her back throbbed. She did her best to ignore the burning pain. With a trembling hand, she grabbed her spellbook and ignited a small flame in her open palm once again.

Her pupils shrank. A great stone sarcophagus rested in the center of the massive chamber she accidentally ran into. Four pillars guarded each corner of the plain looking centerpiece. Morgan gulped and inched forward.

Upon closer inspection, the sarcophagus was not as plain as she thought. Various strange markings littered the sides and lid. Each marking carved meticulously into the smooth stone. Embedded in the lid, was a familiar pyramid shaped object. But it was missing it's distinctive red glow.

She felt… drawn to the sarcophagus for some reason. Could not tear her eyes away from it. A faint, unintelligible voice spoke softly in her mind. It called to her. Beckoned her to approach. And if she did not, she felt like it threatened her with something worse than death. Though what that could be, she did not know.

Morgan's green eyes roved over the sarcophagus's lid. She recognized some of the markings as ancient Sith script. But she had only begun her for fun studies into that lost language. She figured learning it would help her understand Sith teachings more easily. But it proved to be an enigmatic, puzzling language to decipher. So much so, that she struggled to read any of the markings. In fact, she could only make out one phrase.

"Here lies the Dark Lord of the Sith." She muttered. Morgan arched an eyebrow, "Which one though?"

" _My servants are correct."_ Morgan spun around as a crisp, commanding voice echoed through the tomb, " _You are but a child."_

A dark presence filled the room. One that made Morgan shiver like never before. With a nervous touch, she reached for the force. And through it, she felt a presence that sent her to her knees. Fear rocketed through her heart.

" _But you are not pretending to be unafraid before me."_

Something swirled over the sarcophagus. A form started to manifest. The holocron on the lid began to glow a brilliant crimson. Morgan pressed her hands into the stone tiles on the ground. Trying her best to steady herself as she faced a being of unimaginable power.

" _You sense my power. You sense what I am. But you know not who I am."_

Morgan raised her gaze. Swirling in a pool of red light and fire, was a being unlike any she had ever seen before.

He wore a piece on his head resembling great horns. Through the fiery red light, she noticed his skin appeared to be ghost pale. Burning yellow eyes glared down at her. Heavy robes flowed over its nebulous form that resembled rolling shadows and burning coals in the darkness.

The being seemingly took a breath. It closed its eyes. Morgan gasped as a pressure crashed against her mind. She threw up what meager defenses she could. But they crumbled in an instant. Dark tendrils combed through her mind. Prying at her thoughts. Stoking her fear.

" _You are no mere wanderer, are you?"_ The ghost above her mused, " _You have been brought her for a reason, Child of Time."_

Morgan gasped as the dark tendrils left her mind. She groaned as she writhed on the ground. Hissed as dust scraped against the bloody wound on her back.

" _You know not the reason. Only your master knows why."_ The being chuckled, " _A test it seems. To deem if you are really worthy of his instruction. And a dangerous test as well, for he has brought you to my resting place."_

Morgan rolled over onto her belly. With a trembling head, she lifted her eyes once again to gaze upon the ghost before her.

"Wh-who are you?" She gasped.

The ghost chuckled at her, " _That is something you must discover, child."_

Morgan felt some confusion replace her fear, "You aren't just going to kill me?"

It laughed again, " _I certainly could. But what is the point of that?"_

"Because," Morgan winced as she lay prone on the ground, "According to your friends back there, I am a fearful child that dared to desecrate your tomb."

The ghost waved a hand, " _Words of mindless guards bound to their final orders."_ He swept away from the sarcophagus and swirled around her, " _I am glad they were unable to kill you. You intrigue me, Child of Time. You have strange powers indeed. You do not wield a lightsaber or a sword. You wield a magic unknown even to me. A sorcerer more than a warrior."_ The ghost hummed to himself, " _Not only that, your presence is unique. Strange even. You are both meant to be here, and not meant to be here as well. Your existence in this place is a contradiction. A defiant cry against both fate and the will of the force. For that, you have earned my curiosity, and perhaps, a bit of my admiration."_ The ghost hummed to himself, " _The last child to earn such a distinction became my successor."_

Morgan furrowed her brow. She still could not figure out just who exactly this guy was. Clearly the man was an ancient Sith Lord. His sarcophagus said as much. If she recalled what little history she managed to cram into her studies correctly, the Sith once ruled a vast empire thousands upon thousands of years ago. The Dark Lord of the Sith ruled over said empire. Often by tyrannical means. Through blood and terror.

Something wormed through her mind still. Planted strange thoughts in her head that did not feel entirely like her own. Morgan shook her head and hissed.

" _You still resist?"_ The ghost hummed, " _You are resilient. Most mere mortals would have succumbed to my influence by now. Most would have fallen to my will. But you continue to be defiant. Continue to believe that you can match me?"_

She grit her teeth as the fingers in her mind pried away at her mental defenses once again. Only this time, instead of shattering them with brute force, it slipped by them. And when it slipped by, something flashed in her mind.

A house in a little forest. White walls stood nearby. A medieval looking city. An enormous, shining palace dominated the city. It felt like home.

A brown haired man with her coat over his shoulders and a kind smile on his face. A heavy tomb rested in one hand. His other reached out to her. Her heart leaped in her chest at the sight of him. In an instant, she recognized the face of her father.

Fire burned around the house now. The warm, blue sky replaced with an evil night sky. A woman sobbed on her knees. Another man stood beside her. She could not make out what the woman looked like. But she could see the color of her dress. A pretty red color. She did not recognize the woman. But Morgan knew she was significant to her in some way.

The unknown man wore leather armor over her shoulders and arms. Beaten and well worn. He had a hand placed on the woman's shoulder as she sobbed. A lightsaber rested on his belt. And she could sense the force in him. Calm, but sorrowful. They both lost someone close to them that night. And Morgan could feel pain in her heart as well.

War. Monsters. They flashed in rapid succession. Fire and blood. Friends she did not recognize falling away. Consumed by masked, shambling corpses with an unquenchable thirst for blood. A great dragon with massive black wings roared in red skies above her. Six blood red eyes stared down at her.

And suddenly, she was back in the tomb. Chest heaving up and down. She saw her father, she wanted to keep seeing him.

 _Give him back!_

The specter laughed, " _I sense great sorrow in you, child. And with that sorrow comes potent rage."_ It swept around her again. Ghostly trails brushed past her face as the ghost lowered its eyes to hers, " _Great power can be found in that sorrow. In that pain. But that power remains locked away. It is kept from you. The power to become a true force in the galaxy. The power to regain your memories."_ The ghost drew back from her, " _Yes, you are intriguing. A child of time, and of a god. Perhaps, as Tenebrae was once my successor, so shall you carry on my legacy."_

Morgan sucked in heavy breaths even as the dark fingers left her mind. Relief flooded her as the pressure in her skull faded away.

" _You are weak now. But you will grow strong. Stronger than even your Master could imagine. The path the Sith follow now is finished. The order will need someone like you to rise and take the mantle. To rule the galaxy we have spent millennia conquering. Learn from your master. But most of all, learn from me."_

The glowing holocron lifted from the sarcophagus. It slowly floated towards Morgan and hovered in front of her eyes.

" _You were bold to think you could survive this, Morgan."_ The dark lord's ghost said, " _But that boldness has paid off. I will grant you my knowledge and power. For the survival of the order depends upon you, and the actions you will take going forward. Treachery marches in lockstep with the power your master commands. Whether that treachery is his own, or another's I cannot say. But it will lead to his downfall. And your rise."_

Power flooded into Morgan. The Dark Side of the force obeyed the ghost's every command. And it bowed to him. The Force entered Morgan. Cold unlike any she felt before rushed through her veins. Her green eyes began to burn. Morgan hissed and squeezed her eyes shut.

The sorrow she felt from the sudden barrage of memories rebounded in her mind. And they played alongside another memory. Her interrogation of the Jedi. The Grand Inquisitor's merciless slaughter of unknowing prisoners despite her own promise to them that they would be spared. She grit her teeth. The sorrow and pain she felt morphed into rage. She grabbed hold of that anger as a quiet whisper in her mind instructed her to do so.

That other whisper from before, on the ship, faded away. Beaten to nothing by this new presence in her mind. The name Morgan felt like venom in her thoughts. It did not fit her now. Did not fit this power she felt in her body. She needed a new name. The voices whispered one to her.

" _Leave my tomb."_ Light poured in from an opening in the far wall, " _Lady Ragana, Witch of the Sith Order."_

Her eyes opened. The green was gone. Replaced by a burning yellow color as the dark side coursed through her veins. It did not feel hostile anymore. It felt like an old friend. Comforting. A feeling that allowed her to focus. To draw in more power. To grow stronger.

She liked it. It felt… natural.

The holocron fell into her waiting hands as the ghost faded back into the sarcophagus. She rose to her feet and slowly marched towards the light.

When she stepped out of the tomb, she was greeted with a sight that nearly took her breath away. The world was no longer clouds of ash and dust. Great, crumbling pyramids rose all around her. Paved crimson streets lined her path. And standing before the tomb, waiting patiently, was Darth Sidious.

His eyes brightened with delight as she emerged from the tomb.

"You survived." He said with a pleased grin.

She paused before him. Sidious's sharp eyes flicked down at the holocron in her hands.

"Not only did you survive, you received a reward." Sidious's eyes gleamed as he looked down at the holocron in her hands, "Do you know whose holocron this is?"

She gave him a small smirk.

"The Dark Lord of the Sith's, Lord Marka Ragnos." She replied as the answer was whispered in her mind.

Sidious's mouth twitched, "Your presence feels different, my apprentice. I sensed something stirring within the tomb, but I could not see everything within."

Her lips curled into a smirk, "I have been baptized in power, my Master." Her grin widened, "I am excited to continue my training."

Sidious eyed her suspiciously. Something felt very different about Morgan now. He prodded at her mind. What was once a jumbled mess now felt like a steel trap. Waiting to snap its jaws shut on him. His lips pressed into a thin line.

"You have indeed." He croaked, "Then perhaps it is time for you to begin more intensive training my young apprentice."

He turned on his heel and started walking back to the ship. He paused when he noticed Morgan not following but instead staring at the world around her with curious eyes. Something he did not anticipate. He thought she would want to run away from this world as quickly as possible. Moraband was a harsh place. It devoured many an acolyte not ready for its deadly trials. Yet Morgan seemed unperturbed by this nexus in the dark side. And the wonder in her eyes did not seem to come from the newness of her surroundings. It seemed to come from something else. As if she had seen this place once before and was now reintroduced to it all for the first time in ages.

"Morgan?" He croaked at her.

She snapped her gaze back to him.

"That is not my name, Master."

"Oh? And what is it?" Sidious asked.

Her lips parted into a mad smile, "Call me Lady Ragana."

Sidious looked at her in surprise. Lady Ragana, the title of a Sith Lord? But he had not knighted her. And if he did not give her that name, then who did? His eyes drifted to the tomb of Marka Ragnos. A sick feeling entered his stomach as his apprentice walked up to him. In the shadows of the tomb, Sidious thought he saw the ghostly specter of the ancient Sith Lord staring back at him.

"Are we going, Master?" Ragana asked.

Sidious flicked his gaze away from the tomb, "Yes." He glanced back at the tomb. The ghost was gone, "We are."

He wanted to get away from this place.

 **And chapter! A smaller chapter, but very character heavy for Morgan. Or as she is now known, Lady Ragana, Dark Lady of the Sith. And it appears that how she came about that title has rattled Sidious a little bit. But is this really Morgan that is walking around as Lady Ragana, or has her encounter with Marka Ragnos done something to her that she does not realize yet? We shall see. But Morgan's story really has me excited! I can't wait for it to keep going.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	89. Of Sacred Blood

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 89

Of Sacred Blood

Yarne tugged on one of his long, furry ears. A nervous habit he built up during the course of his short, terror filled life. He still struggled to find his way around this strange place known as Alderaan. Or more specifically, the palace where the Prince of Alderaan resided. The young Taguel gulped. He lived with the Prince of an entire planet now. It was one thing to be around people like Lucina and Cynthia. They were royalty too, but he grew up with them. They did not cause anxiety to fill him.

Well… on second thought, Cynthia occasionally made him anxious. But not because she was a terrifying or malicious person. More so because he had no idea what was going on in that air filled head of hers. And Lucina could make him anxious with a single, hard stare. He gulped. Oh, she would glare at him once he found them. He could already hear the conversation in his head.

" _How could you endanger yourself by winding up on another planet Yarne!? You are the last of your kind!"_

Then there was that. Yarne swallowed hard as he paused in the impeccably clean hall. He was the last living Taguel. Or at least, he assumed he was. His mother could very well still be alive if the ritual Lucina performed worked properly. Which he doubted considering he now resided on a completely different planet than the one he knew.

Or, perhaps this was the same planet but in a different time? Yarne shook his head. No, if that were the case, he would have to be in the future. And there was no future in the hellscape Grima created.

Yarne uttered a heavy sigh. His dark eyes scanned the hallway. Sharp gaze catching on a silver vase filled with strange flowers sitting on a simple table. A small decoration that did much to soften the otherwise professional space. Yarne cocked an eyebrow.

 _Is it pure silver?_

He crept towards it and sniffed the air. His eyes roved over the vase. He could see his reflection staring back at him. His finger prodded the vase.

 _Smells like it._ He tapped the vase again and heard a light ping. _Sounds like it._ He reached out and lifted the vase. Water sloshed around inside of it. He paid the water and the flowers no mind as he weighed the object in his hands. _Feels like it._

He set the vase back down on the table, careful not to accidentally knock it over. One hand rubbed his chin while one foot tapped against the floor.

 _What did dad used to say? If it smells like money, sounds like money, and feels like money, then it is a score?_ He furrowed his brow, _Or something like that. Mother always hushed him up when he tried explaining that sort of stuff._

"Yarne?"

The hair all over his body stood on end. He spun around, accidentally bumping the table and knocking the vase over in the process. The flowers spilled out as the vase rolled along the floor and over to the small girl giving him a puzzled look.

"L-Leia!" Yarne put a hand to his chest and exhaled, "You snuck up on me."

 _Nearly gave me a heart attack._

The Alderaan princess beamed at him, "I know." She replied with a mischievous snicker.

Yarne frowned, "You know, if you give me a heart attack and I die, you will be responsible for the extinction of an entire species."

Liea skipped up to him and grabbed his hand with her own, tiny palm.

"But you won't." She grinned, "I won't let you."

Yarne let a small smile cross his lips. If there was one thing that calmed his terrified mind while he lived in this strange place, it was Prince Bail Organa's daughter, Leia. He met her during his first night on Alderaan. During a rather awkward, quiet dinner with the Alderaan prince and some of his closest advisers. Leia had been the only one to look at him without any sort of judgement or confusion. She just accepted him as a new friend. Even got mad at Captain Rex when the commander of security barraged him with questions.

He snickered a little bit at the memory. That was the only time he had ever seen Captain Rex flustered. When a four year decided to give the man a piece of her mind.

Yarne flicked his gaze up from Leia to the window at the end of the hall. He realized it was dark out.

He always lost track of time on this world. Everything was always so brightly lit. Strange torches and lights were lit at all times, both inside the palace, and outside in the various gardens and courtyards. It gave the entire space a feeling of constant daylight. So when night did come, Yarne only noticed when he looked up at a strange, starless sky.

"Shouldn't you be in bed?" He asked Leia.

Leia glared at him, "Shouldn't you?"

Yarne drew back. Captain Rex had a curfew on him. He could not wander the palace without some sort of escort. And he could not wander during the late evening hours or the wee hours in the morning. For security reasons. Rex still did not trust him. And Yarne understood the extreme levels of caution the man possessed. He did witness Yarne fall out of a strange portal with a bunch of Risen grunts chasing after him. That was not a normal occurrence in Ylisse. It certainly would not be a normal occurrence on Alderaan. Even Commander Frederick and Master Kenobi would be cautious when confronted with such a phenomenon.

And in thinking of those two, Yarne was reminded of the predicament he now had. He needed to reunite with his friends. Or, at the very least, find the Shepherds. Ask for their help. Explain the situation to them. Lucina warned him about revealing their true identities to their parents, but at this point Yarne did not care about those consequences. He just wanted some familiar faces to look at. Some friends to keep him from always being scared. People to rely on and be his strength.

Yarne shook his head and looked back down at the Princess, "Well, we both better get to bed then. Before grumpy old Rex gets mad at us."

Leia squirmed a little beside him. Normally, teasing Rex got Leia to laugh. But instead, she appeared anxious. Yarne recognized that look. He saw it in the mirror many times.

"I'm scared." Leia mumbled as she gripped his hand.

Yarne gulped.

 _She's going to ask me to help her not be scared._ Some sweat beaded on his brow, _I am woefully unprepared for this._

Leia tugged on his hand, "You're gonna help me fight off the monsters."

Yarne paled, "M-monsters?"

Leia nodded, "Uh huh. I'm not scared with you around."

He did not stop her as she pulled him along, down the hall, towards her cracked doorway.

They both paused at the door. Leia pointed at the dark shadows inside of her chambers.

"They're in there." She whispered.

Yarne gulped and peeked beyond the door. As a Taguel, he liked to think that he had better eyesight than normal humans. Then again, he was only half Taguel. So perhaps he inherited his father's eyes and not his mother's. In this instance, he believed that hypothesis to be true. He could not see a thing in the pitch black.

 _If I can't see anything in there, then maybe there really is something dangerous there._ He gulped, _This is a job for Captain Rex, not me._

"There are ghosts in there." Leia whispered as she peaked from behind Yarne's furry leg and gazed into her room.

Yarne sucked in a sharp breath. Ghosts were worse than monsters. He at least could see monsters. He could fight monsters. He could not fight an invisible being.

"What did it look like?" He asked.

 _Stupid question! Ghosts are invisible!_

"Big." Leia gulped, "Big and shadowy." She cupped her hands over her mouth, "He had a mask like this."

Yarne arched an eyebrow, "You saw the ghost?"

Leia nodded, "In my dream."

Yarne blinked. She saw the ghost in her dream? He blinked again and looked into the room. There were no actual ghosts in the room then. They existed in the Princess's mind. Relief flooded his body.

"Oh… well…" He glanced down at Leia as she hid herself further behind his leg.

She believed the ghost was real. That he really stood in her room despite only existing in a nightmare. Yarne took a deep breath. The ghost wasn't real. But that didn't mean he could not fight it for the Princess.

"Where did you see him?" He asked, eyes narrowed, claws extended.

Leia pointed a trembling finger at the closed closet doors opposite of her little bed.

"In there?" Yarne asked.

Leia nodded, "I slammed the door shut once I saw him. But I could still hear him. He sounded like-" She cupped her mouth again and sucked in a loud breath of air before rasping it out, "Like that."

Yarne pretend to roll a sleeve up his arm, "Then I say, we give this uh… asthmatic ghost a fight he won't forget."

"Really!?" Leia asked, both surprised, scared, and a little excited.

"Really." Yarne nodded.

He crouched low so that he could see the room from Leia's height. A small smile crossed his lips. This felt like a game almost. Kind of like the ones he used to play with Cynthia, Morgan, and their diabolical Justice Cabal. Someone was always the bad guy in those games. And the heroes had to hunt down the bad guy and defeat them. He always enjoyed those games. Mostly because the others always stood by him and made sure to defend him in case he got scared. Their strength gave him courage. And it stayed that way even when their games turned into actual battles.

"Follow my lead." Yarne whispered to Leia.

Leia crouched, mimicking the Taguel's movements. Yarne hopped along the ground, creeping around the cracked door and into the dark room. He paused and sniffed the air. Acting as if he was searching for a real intruder. Leia stuck her nose in the air as well and sniffed.

"He's still in the closet." Yarne whispered to her, "I'm going to go get him. You stay here and be my backup. If he comes out-"

"Beat him within an inch of his life!"

Yarne blinked, "Y-yeah… sure."

"What? That's what Mister Rex tells me to do to bad guys."

Yarne uttered a nervous laugh.

 _Hopefully he won't do that to me if he finds out I've been wandering around past curfew._

Yarne crept towards the closed closet door. His eyes finally adjusted to the darkness. Allowing him to make out the faint outline of the white door painted with yellow and blue flowers. He paused, sniffed again, then reached for the door knob.

"Be careful, Yarne." Leia whispered, fear lacing her voice.

Yarne looked back at her, "I will be." He cleared his throat, "Alright, you dumb ghost! You will not harm the Princess any longer!"

Yarne threw the door open and dashed into the dark closet. His other hand closed it slightly behind him so the Princess would not see him thrashing about the darkness in a mock battle with a vile ghost. He uttered a growl, bumped against a cupboard, tossed a pair of small shoes against the wall, then uttered an exaggerated cry of defeat.

Tiny knuckles rapped against the closet door.

"Did you get him Yarne?"

Yarne let out one more triumphant cry. He stood tall and exited the closet. Leia stared up at him with big eyes.

"I don't think he'll be bothering you anymore." He crouched down to her level and bopped her nose with his finger. Just like how his father used to do with him, "And if he does, I'll take care of him again."

"You will?" Leia asked with wide eyes.

"As long as I have my trusty backup nearby to help me, of course." Yarne smiled, "Now then, how about you get some sleep?"

Leia smiled and slowly nodded her head. Yarne followed her as she skipped over to her bed. She clambered up onto the mattress and burrowed her way beneath layers of blankets and soft sheets.

"Yarne?" She yawned, "Are you always going to protect me?"

Yarne gave Leia a small smile. He tucked her blankets around her little body and knelt down by her bedside.

"S-sure." He said with a small hint of hesitation, "But only if you do the same for me."

Leia yawned again, "It's a deal."

And with that, her eyes closed and she drifted off to sleep. Yarne smiled and rose back to his full height. He quietly tiptoed out of her room and closed her door shut behind him.

That was… strangely fun. It reminded him of his childhood. Growing up with his friends in Ylisstol. Making mischief and fighting in great, pretend battles. A heavy sigh left his lips. Those pretend battles were so much better than the real ones.

Someone cleared their throat nearby. Yarne yelped and jumped back. Quickly hiding behind another small table with another silver vase on it. Only this vase had purple flowers in it instead of a red one.

He peaked out from behind the table. Captain Rex leaned against the wall on the other side of the Princess's doorway. He wore simple clothing. Light and airy. Good for tonight. It did feel a little humid. Although, Yarne did not put it past the captain to have some sort of weapon or armor on his person beneath the light clothing.

"Very brave of you, Yarne of the Taguel." Rex said with a slightly amused smirk.

Yarne gulped then slowly emerged from behind the table.

"I uh… lost track of time." He admitted, "I-I apologize and I-I will g-g-"

Rex uttered a weary sigh, "Quit your stammering boy. I'm not mad at you this time." He folded his arms, "Hard to be mad after witnessing something that adorable."

Yarne blinked, "Y-you saw all of that?"

"I did." Rex nodded, "Seems like the Princess likes you. Trusts you even."

Yarne swallowed hard as Rex marched up to him. The Captain was shorter than the Taguel by about a full head. But he still dominated whatever room Yarne stood in. There was a confidence, a strength, in Rex's demeanor. In the way he carried himself and interacted with others. A no nonsense attitude that screamed soldier to Yarne. In a lot of ways, he reminded Yarne of Sir Frederick. Absurdly dedicated to his job. Placed duty ahead of his own personal needs. Extremely loyal to those he served. If he was not so unsettling, Yarne might have felt comfortable around him.

Rex narrowed his eyes at Yarne.

"Don't disappoint her." He warned.

A rough hand patted Yarne on the shoulder. Rex strode by him. As he walked by, Yarne caught sight of twin blaster pistols strapped to the Captain's belt. Old, beaten up weapons. They had seen many years of service. Doing what? Yarne did not know. The Captain did not talk much about his life. He seemed more focused on the present day and his duties as captain of the guard rather than reliving his past.

Rex turned a corner and disappeared from Yarne's sight. Yarne's shoulders sagged as all of the fear, anxiety, and tension in his body ebbed away. The Captain was not mad at him. He would not be beaten within an inch of his life tonight.

Although, Yarne did not want to take his chances. Without a second thought, he retreated towards his own personal quarters. Resigned to not emerging from them until daylight. There was no telling if Captain Rex would be as forgiving if he caught him wandering a second time.

* * *

Gentles waves lapped against the rocky, coral covered shores near Port Ferox. The salty sea spray had a calming effect on Marth's mind. A healing effect that soothed the many aches, bruises, and cuts on her body. The constant rhythm of the waves settled her mind. Gave her something to focus on. Something other than her failure in Plegia. Something other than the Deadlord's attempted assassination of Chrom.

She shook her head and uttered a heavy sigh. A soft breeze flowed in from the west, carrying salty air and a slight chill from sea. Marth readjusted her red cape. Using the majority of the fabric to cover what remained of her right arm. Her left hand reached up and felt the stump. If she had both arms still, would she have beaten the Deadlord? If she was whole, would she have been capable of saving Ricken?

Marth glanced away from the ocean. Turning her gaze towards Port Ferox's main gates in the distance. The city's residents were slowly filtering back into the city. A great caravan stretched out for miles to the east. Guarded by hundreds of Khan Flavia and Khan Basilio's soldiers. As the civilians returned, they came to the stark realization that their beloved trading hub had been turned into a war camp. Thousands of soldiers had poured in from across Regna Ferox. Ylissean banners hung alongside Feroxi banners within buildings claimed as army headquarters. Thousands of tents were pitched outside of the city walls, along the eastern road that led to Arena Ferox.

The camp was normally very loud. But today, it had been silent. The Ylisseans among the two nations mourned the loss of one of the Shepherds today. Marth hung her head as a larger wave hit the rocky shore, sending some sea spray into the wind.

Ricken's funeral had many attendees. Hundreds of mages were there from the Academy, both current and former students. Instructors too. Anna, Miriel, Vaike, and Laurent managed to arrive in time with the main Ylissean army as well as the Themis cavalry. They attended the funeral as well. Even baby Laurent managed to remain quiet for the solemn affair.

Marth pursed her lips. She only managed to stay there for so long before leaving. She mourned two people today. Two friends. Ricken died, and with him Nah died as well. Not the Nah she knew. But the one that was meant to be. Marth felt a tear drip down from her left eye.

Chrom said it wasn't her fault. But damn it, she felt like it was.

 _I should have been stronger. Smarter. I should have… should have made sure they all were prepared for something like a Deadlord._ Marth swallowed hard, _I'm no better than Ben in that regard, am I?_

"Hey."

Marth sucked in a sharp breath as heavy footsteps clacked against the rocky shore. She glanced over her shoulder to see a young, red haired woman approaching her. Two, long pigtails swayed in the wind as she strode up to Marth. A perpetual frown rested on her face. Along with a look that bordered on the edge of both extremely annoyed and extremely bored. But both attitudes appeared toned down today.

Marth sighed, "What is it, Severa?"

Severa let out small, relieved breath, "Thank Naga you didn't call me Venator. Honestly, every time I hear someone call me that, I just want to stab them."

Marth snorted, "I'm glad you are behaving yourself."

Severa rolled her eyes as she drew up alongside Marth. The red head folded her arms, "Yeah well, we will see how long that lasts Luci." She huffed, "I can only handle so much crap at a time. And Owain likes to pour it on sometimes. Even if he is pretty much oblivious to it all."

Marth chuckled, "I see he hasn't changed a bit."

Severa arched an eyebrow, puzzled, "Why would he? It's only been a few weeks since we arrived."

Marth blinked, "A few weeks?"

"Yeah." Severa faced Marth. Another small wave hammered the rocky coast, sending more cold spray into the air. In the distance, both girls heard the sound of wagon wheels rolling along the cobblestone roads near the city, "Why does that surprise you?"

Marth shook her head. Severa's frown deepened.

"What went wrong?"

"Why do you always assume something went wrong?" Marth countered.

"Because I am a realist."

"You are a pessimist."

"Semantics." Severa shot back with a wave of her hand. She stared hard at Marth, "Huh… you look a few years older. And… and…" Severa's eyes widened as the wind caught Marth's cape and uncovered her right arm, "And your arm!"

Marth snatched her cape and tugged it over the long healed wound.

"Don't worry about it."

Severa uttered a flabbergasted sound, "D-don't worry about-" She grabbed Marth by the shirt and twirled the other girl around to face her, "Explain now!"

Marth uttered a weary sigh, "A lot has happened."

"Obviously." Severa said, "And I demand an explanation right now." She folded her arms tight over her chest and stood waiting. Marth did not say anything at first, "Any day, _Lucina._ "

Marth bristled, "Keep your voice down."

Severa rolled her eyes, "Yeah, yeah, whatever. You still haven't explained what the hell is going on. Or what went wrong."

"What went wrong?" Marth uttered a heavy, exasperated breath. She raked her hand through her hair. Her fingers massaged her scalp for a second as she tried to calm her nervous mind, "What didn't go wrong would be a better question." She glanced over at Severa, "For starters, something went awry with the ritual. I'm only just starting to figure out the aftereffects of whatever happened. But it appears that not only were we all separated from each other, some of us were sent to a different point in the timeline than we originally intended. You and Owain only arrived a couple weeks ago. I've been here for about three years."

Severa's eyes widened, "Three years?"

Marth nodded.

Severa let out a sound of disbelief, "Wow um… okay." She scratched an itch along her jaw, "That is… bad. That is very bad. Not only do we have no idea where the others are, we don't even know if they are arriving at the right point in time. Hell, for all we know, they arrived at the point when the Hero King was actually alive."

"It is a possibility." Marth admitted, "But… I do know where three others are. You and Owain should run into Laurent at some point today. He arrived about two years ago. Wound up in Ylisse's southeastern desert."

"Oh I bet he was thrilled about that." Severa said with a slight laugh.

"If Ben, Robin, and the others did not find him, he would have died of thirst." Marth breathed, "So fate was on our side there."

Severa nodded, "As weird as he is, it is a good thing Laurent made it in one piece. We need some brains on the team besides you and I."

Marth snorted, "Yeah, sure. My brains have done a wonderful job up to this point."

Severa furrowed her brow. She did not miss the heavy sarcasm in Marth's voice.

"Who else did you run into?" Severa asked as she decided to take a seat on the shore, "You said you've run into three, besides me and the idiot."

Marth shook her head, "Owain is not an idiot."

"Sure." Severa shrugged, "And cows don't moo. The sun doesn't rise in the east. And Rega Ferox isn't always frozen."

Marth chuckled a little bit. A dry, tired laugh. But one she needed.

"He's like Cynthia. Very… spacey."

"Birds of a feather…" Severa nodded, "Is Cynthia one of the three?"

Marth nodded, "She has been here about the same amount of time as me."

Severa slowly nodded her head, "Well?"

"What?"

"Where is her air-headedness?"

Marth hesitated, "Valm."

Severa let out a low groan before letting her head fall into her curled up legs, "You've gotta be kidding me."

Marth shook her head.

"How the hell did she end up there?"

"That is where the portal dropped her." Marth answered, "I ran into her while tracking down-"

Marth stopped short. Catching herself before she said his name. But not before Severa noticed. Severa eyed her old friend.

"Tracking down who?" Severa's eyes widened, "Wait a minute! That bastard is here too!"

"Sev-"

"Don't Sev me!" Severa growled as she shot up to her feet, "Kage is here isn't he?"

Marth did not meet Severa's furious gaze.

"And you didn't bury Falchion into his cold, black heart?"

"Severa!"

"Why not!?" Severa demanded.

"I-I-" Marth let her shoulders fall, "For one, I could not kill him in front of Princess Say'ri. Especially considering she knows everything thanks to him and Cynthia."

Severa threw her hands in the air, "Oh! Great! So not only is the bastard alive, but he has successfully unveiled who we are to one of the parents. Oh when I see him again, he is going to wish he was never born." Severa paused, "And Cynthia had a hand in that too? Gawds, why am I not surprised!? That air-headed twit is going to get someone killed." Severa took a deep breath. Doing her best to calm the rage that started building up in her, "Well? Why else did you not bury Kage in the ground?"

"He's stronger than me." Marth admitted. Severa gave her a doubtful look, "Sev, he has been here three years longer than me. He had three years alone with Maul." Marth saw a very uncomfortable look flash across her friend's face at the mention of Maul, "They did nothing but train for the day that they would face Master Kenobi. And during that time Kage…" Marth gulped, "He is beyond me now. I don't think I will ever catch up."

Severa slowly nodded her head, "Alright, I sort of get it, I guess. Didn't want to throw your life away in an unwinnable fight. Understandable I suppose." Severa frowned, "But… you mentioned Maul. Where is that monster?"

"Dead." Marth replied plainly.

Severa blinked in surprise, "Really? Did Old Ben finally do him in?"

Marth shook her head, "No… Kage killed him."

That surprised Severa. The fiery redhead stared stunned at Marth for a few seconds as she tried to wrap her mind around that revelation.

"Kage killed Maul?"

"He used a surprise attack, but yes. Kage slew Maul."

Severa audibly gulped, "Well crap, he really is strong now." Her stern gaze fell on Marth's hidden right arm once again, "I'm guessing one of those two did that to you? I doubt a Risen could have gotten the better of you."

"You'd be surprised. That Deadlord last night gave me quite the fight. If Dooku hadn't come along, I would be dead." Marth sighed, "And yes, Maul took my arm." Severa noticed a glaze come over Marth's eyes, "He-" Marth swallowed hard, "He nearly killed me."

Severa scowled, "Bastard is lucky he is already dead then. If I saw him, I'd enjoy the act of slashing his guts to bloody ribbons." Severa uttered a long sigh, "So, after Maul's death and the end of the Plegian war, then what?"

"Then… then not much. I went to Valm as I tracked down Kage. Ran into Ben, Robin, Gaius, Panne, Donnel, Anna, and Laurent over there as well. Met up with Cynthia and Say'ri. Cynthia decided to stay in Chon'sin with Say'ri and Kage."

"Hold up!" Severa cried, "Cynthia is with Kage? Are you out of your damn mind!?"

Marth frowned, "Shouldn't you be asking if Cynthia is out of her mind?"

"I already know she is insane." Severa drawled, "I didn't expect that trait to be in your blood too."

"It is not its-" Marth pinched the bridge of her nose. Doing her best to maintain her own composure, "I cannot live Cynthia's life for her. She is an adult. She made her decision. And she will have to live with the consequences. Kage won't do anything to her. He… he did everything in his power to protect her before I finally met up with her again."

"I doubt that."

Marth glared at Severa. The young warrior shrugged.

"What? Forgive me for seeing an evil bastard as an evil bastard." Severa huffed, "It is a good thing we are crossing the sea soon. Maybe we can rescue Cynthia from him and make him face justice for everything he has done."

"Our priority will be defeating Emperor Walhart and the Valm Empire." Marth reminded Severa, "We are members of the Shepherds. And we need to make sure this war is as short as possible. Because you and I both know what comes next."

Severa paled a little bit, "You um… don't need to remind me on that." She cleared her throat as she kicked at a pair of loose rocks near her feet. Another chilly wind whipped along the rocky shore. Severa shivered and shoved her hands into her pant's pockets, "Do the others know?"

Marth arched an eyebrow, "Know what?"

Severa bobbed her head side to side, "You know. Do they know? Or do any suspect that you are-"

Marth pursed her lips, "Two people have figured it out other than Say'ri. I'm sure you can guess who."

Severa thought for a moment, "Old Ben figured it out didn't he? And by extension, Mrs. Tharja too?"

Marth nodded.

"Have they kept it all a secret?"

"So far." Marth breathed, "But-"

"But? What but? There shouldn't be a but."

"I might have had a Cynthia moment near my father last night."

Severa stayed quiet for a moment. Her silence said more words to Marth than any yelling of hers could.

"Well," Severa said quietly. As if resigned to the mistake Marth committed, "You know what they say, a secret is only a secret if two people know. Any more than two and well, it's not a secret anymore." Severa let out a heavy sigh, "I guess after being around all of them for three years, it was bound to happen at some point. Quite frankly, I'm impressed you managed to keep the charade up for as long as you did."

Marth gave Severa surprised look, "You are being surprisingly reasonable about this."

"Well it's not like I can do anything about it. Gawds, you and Owain act like I'm just a bossy brat all the time. Well I'm not. I can be reasonable when I want to be."

"Lo! There are two fine roses with sharp thorns!" A young man's voice declared over the soft breeze.

Severa scowled, "Speaking of the other air-headed twit."

Marth shook her head and mouthed for Severa to behave. Severa rolled her eyes and said nothing in return as they both turned around to face the blonde boy approaching them. A large grin rested over his lips as he sauntered over with all the confidence he could muster.

"Marth!" He smiled wide before throwing his arms over her, "We never had a chance for a proper greeting!"

Marth let out a small laugh as she embraced the boy, "It is good to see you again, Cousin. I wish it was under better circumstances."

Owain patted Marth's back before ending the embrace. He turned to Severa, "And Venator! I wondered where you ran off to?"

Severa grit her teeth, "Call me that again. I dare you."

"Ha! Shallow threats mean nothing to me."

"Shallow threats!?" Severa roared. She rolled up one sleeve, "I'll show you a shallow threat. How about I shove my fist up your-"

"Severa, Owain, please." Marth pinched her nose, "Both of you just stop. Not today. Okay? There is too much going on today."

Owain gave Severa a lackadaisical smile, "I have done nothing to antagonize, but I shall be on my best behavior. My sword hand shall be still for this day."

Severa glanced at Marth, "Please?" She whispered.

"No."

"Just one good punch?" Severa pleaded, "Maybe I'll concuss him enough so that his brain actually becomes normal."

"No, Severa."

"Oh fine! Gawds! Kill my fun why don't you." Severa huffed and glared at Owain, "What do you want, _Odin._ "

"Well, I came firstly to bid greetings to my lovely cousin." Owain beamed, "But also, I came to tell both of you that Sir Robin woke up."

"He what!?" Marth cried.

"Indeed." Owain placed his hands on his hips, "Sir Robin is awake and he-"

Marth shot past Owain, not bothering to let him finish his sentence. Owain blinked.

"Did she just choose to ignore me?"

"We all do it." Severa chuckled, "Although, she did take off towards town pretty quick." She blinked. A dark red blush ran over her cheeks, "You-you don't think her and Robin are-"

"Egads, Venator!" Severa grit her teeth and clenched her fists as Owain spoke, "How could you suggest something so scandalous?"

"Just a thought." Severa hissed through her clenched jaw. She watched Marth rush further into the distance, "Oh gawds!" She raced after Marth, "Luci wait! You can't be Morgan's mom!"

Owain's eyes widened and his pupils turned to pin pricks. His gaze followed both girl's as they charged towards Port Ferox.

"Gross."

* * *

Robin thought the worst was over. He finally woke up from whatever spell or illness that took him in Plegia. Finally had the strange visions and terrifying nightmares stop. When his eyes fluttered open and he saw the cold, wooden roof above him, he felt so relieved. He was back in Regna Ferox. Back where it was safe.

Then he saw Chrom, Ben, and Tharja. He saw their downcast faces mixed with relief for him. Heard Chrom's voice. But he barely registered what his friend told him.

Now that he was awake, he wished he never woke up.

This had to be another nightmare. Another fell vision given to him by whatever dark entity decided to attack his mind. He was tempted to pinch himself in order to check if he was actually awake. But the pit in his stomach, the knot lodged in his throat, told Robin he was awake. This was real.

Ricken was dead.

Robin's mouth felt dry. He cleared his throat. Voice coming out in a quiet, hoarse whisper.

"H-how?" He asked as a weight settled on his shoulders. The heaviest weight he ever felt in his life.

Chrom glanced over at Ben. The swordsman sat in a chair near the fireplace. Tharja sat beside him. Doing her best to stay warm. A cold draft seeped into the room from the closed window. The chill combated by the meager fire crackling in the fireplace.

"Risen." Chrom breathed.

Robin paled. One word that sent shock waves through the tactician. Risen attacked his friends. And he was not there to help them. Not there to formulate a strategy so that they would all come out alive and mostly unharmed. His trembling hands curled into fists in his lap. Balling up on top of the heavy fur blankets over his thin body.

"And a Deadlord." Ben breathed as he bowed his head, "Named Grievous."

Robin furrowed his brow, "Deadlord?" He gave Chrom a confused look, "What is a Deadlord?"

"According to Marth, an extremely powerful Risen." Chrom explained. The Prince glanced back at Ben, "And this one is uniquely strong."

"How so?" Robin asked, "What are we up against? Is it dead? Are we still in danger?"

"He is an enemy of mine. One that has been given life somehow." Ben said.

Robin blinked, "Wait… what?" He whipped his gaze over to Chrom, "An old enemy of Ben's? Another? And… and you're not at his throat right now?"

"Ben, opened up a little bit." Chrom breathed, "I think it is best if he explained everything to you himself. Only if you are ready at least."

Before Ben could say anything, the door to the room burst open, startling Chrom and Robin. Marth rushed inside and quickly shut the door behind her.

"I came as soon as I heard." Marth said before looking at Robin, "How are you feeling?"

Robin sighed, "Not good given what has happened."

Sympathy flashed over Marth's face. She glanced at Ben.

"You all told him then?"

Ben nodded, "He knows about Ricken." A long sigh left Ben's lips, "I was just about to explain… everything to Robin."

"And while you do that, Marth and I are going to step outside." Chrom said, "We have something else to discuss."

Robin saw Marth visibly pale. Could feel her nervousness radiate out of her with the force. While he was not very precise at sensing emotions, certainly not as precise as Ben or Dooku, he could feel the fear in Marth. Something else happened while he was unconscious. And no one was telling him about it. Robin frowned. He did not like being in the dark like this.

Chrom went to the door and opened it for Marth.

"After you."

Marth gulped, gave Chrom a sharp nod, then stepped outside.

"Master Kenobi." She breathed, "If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask." She said, "I'll help in any way I can."

"Just make sure Dooku doesn't come down that hall." Ben said with a small snort. He ran his hands over his tired eyes, "I really don't want to deal with him right now. He has been in my ear ever since last night."

Chrom and Marth both nodded.

"We can do that." Chrom said, "Come on Marth."

Marth sucked in a sharp breath and followed Chrom outside. Leaving Ben, Tharja, and Robin alone.

Robin sank into the pillows behind him.

"Oh gods what is going on?" He ran his hands over his face as exhaustion, grief, and fear hit him all at once, "Everything was going so well and then-"

"What can go wrong, will go wrong." Ben breathed as he rested his elbows on his legs, "We can never forget that rule."

Robin snorted, "This goes beyond any rule. Clearly multiple disasters happened while I was unconscious." He rubbed the back of his neck. Trying to fight off a sudden ache that formed near his shoulders, "So… what now?"

"Now," Ben rose to his feet and walked over to Robin. He carried his seat with him and placed it by Robin's side. Ben sank back into his chair, "Now we figure out what exactly happened to you."

Robin gulped, "What happened to me?" He took a breath, "I don't even know where to begin." He furrowed his brow as he slowly recalled everything that occurred in his mind. His gaze slowly turned to Ben, "I saw Qui Gon."

Ben sat completely still. Across the room, Tharja stopped rubbing her hands for warmth. She glanced over at Robin and Ben, completely stunned.

"He spoke to me." Robin breathed, "Told me not to give into the darkness. Told me to hold all of you close. To keep the bonds I have formed strong." Robin took a breath, "He also warned me to be prepared, because Sidious is coming."

Ben remained silent as Robin spoke. Whether that was out of respect or out of sheer shock, Robin could not tell. The Jedi reached up to his chin and slowly rubbed his fingers through his beard.

"Qui Gon spoke to you? And you physically saw him?" Ben asked.

Robin nodded, "I know what I saw. And that wasn't all." Robin took a deep breath. His heart raced. He needed to calm down. Speak clearly and concisely, "He spoke to me in some strange place. I can hardly describe it. Like a world between worlds. I don't know." Robin frowned as he struggled to think of how to describe the strange world with portals to different places in time and space, "But I saw things there. I saw Sidious's rise to power there. Everything from him being elected Chancellor of some Republic." Ben's eyes widened and his face paled a little bit, "To Dooku talking to you about some terrible mistake and Sidious's control over the Senate? And it was all just-" He ran his hands over his face, "I'm trying to figure it out, give me a moment."

Ben leaned back in his seat, "Take um- take your time."

Robin's mind raced as he tried to put all of the strange pieces together in his head. Qui Gon told him that he already knew what he had to do. That he already knew how to prepare for Sidious's arrival on his world.

His world.

A Republic with a massive Senate he knew nothing about. Dooku warning Ben about Sidious, but Ben refusing to believed his warnings. Ben being called Obi Wan by both Qui Gon and Dooku, even thought that was not Ben's name.

Or was it?

 _My world._

Robin gave Ben a wide eyed look.

"Obi Wan Kenobi." He breathed.

Ben swallowed hard as he sat still beneath Robin's stunned gaze.

"What are you?" Robin asked, "Where are you from?"

Ben shifted in his seat, "That is what Chrom was talking about when he said that I opened up a little to him." Ben took a deep breath, "He has not asked many questions but… he now knows the same truth I am about to tell you. My name is Obi Wan Kenobi. And I am not from this planet."

Robin fell back in his cot. His head bumped against the wall behind him. But he did not register any pain or ache. His mind continued to reel.

How did he not see it before? How did he not put the pieces together? That meant the Jedi order, a massive order of monks that no one had ever heard of before, were not of this world either. Sidious was some strange being beyond the stars. The same as Ben. The missing piece to the puzzle that was Ben Kenobi had just been revealed to him. And Robin struggled to comprehend it.

"So… how did you get here?" Robin asked, voice barely louder than a whisper.

Ben shrugged, "I don't know. One moment, I was in an escape pod, fleeing an imperial star destroyer. The next… I woke up in a field outside of Southtown."

Robin blinked, "Well um… the parallels there are rather startling."

Ben nodded in agreement.

"Except unlike me, you don't have amnesia." Robin stated as he pushed the furs from his body, finally ready to try and stand up. He could not sit still any longer. Not with everything that had happened racing through his mind.

"But I do have a sudden, strong case of newfound youth."

Robin froze as he swung his legs out of his cot, "Huh?"

"I was nearly forty years old when the Jedi Order was wiped out by Sidious and the Empire." Robin spun in his seat and gave Ben an incredulous look, "Don't ask me to explain," Ben continued, "I have absolutely no idea how I wound up nearly twenty years younger on this planet."

Robin's mouth hung open, "Do you- do you have any idea how insane this all sounds?"

"Why do you think I kept it all to myself." Ben snorted.

Robin bobbed his head, "I can see why." He rose from his seat. And for a second, he felt very unsteady on his feet. He swayed to the side. Tharja lunged from her seat near the fire and caught him before he collapsed to the floor, "Thanks." He muttered to the Dark Mage.

"No problem." Tharja said as she helped Robin regain his balance.

Robin blinked, "Wait, do you know about all of this or-"

"What do you think?" Tharja asked Robin, "I've been inside of Ben's head. I know more than anyone else here."

Tharja helped Robin sit back down on the edge of his cot. She felt Robin shiver. Tharja strode towards a coat rack near the door, grabbed his heavy coat, and tossed it over to the tactician.

"Thank you." Robin said again. He slipped the heavy, purple and gold coat over his shoulders. The warm feeling that flooded his body once that coat touched his skin allowed him to calm down significantly, "So, Ben Kenobi, Jedi Master from a different planet beyond the stars. Galactic fugitive as well." Robin glanced over his shoulder at Ben, "Are you going to tell everyone?"

Ben pursed his lips and folded his hands in his lap, "I'm not sure yet. I think right now, we need to put our full attention on the war with Valm. And also, trying to figure out what attacked your mind."

"Oh… I know the answer to that one." Robin said with a slight growl in his voice, "Validar."

Tharja's eyes widened. Then she closed them and let out a frustrated breath, "Of course. Why the hell did I not think of that!?"

"Because we did not think Validar was capable of using the Force." Ben lowered his gaze at Robin, "And I am still not convinced he can. Are you certain?"

Robin nodded, "I saw him before I blacked out. He was taunting me. And-" Robin froze, "He called me his son."

Tharja gave Robin a stunned look, "He's your father?"

"Now we can't be certain of that." Ben warned both of them, "If Validar really did attack your mind, then he was seeking to do as much damage as possible. An attack on the mind is one of the most devastating things that can happen to a force sensitive. Many falsehoods can be implanted in the mind. Those falsehood can be very powerful if you allow yourself to believe them without any proof."

Robin nodded his head, "I agree. But, I don't know. Why would he lie about something like that?"

Ben shrugged, "It is likely he knows that finding your past is important to you. What better way to throw you off balance than to offer you what you think is a critical piece of your past."

"That is what I would do." Tharja muttered, "Of course, I am nowhere near powerful enough to pull off a spell like that from a large distance." She snorted, "I had no idea Validar was that strong."

"I think he may have had help." Robin continued, "But I'm not very sure. I heard two more voices after he spoke. But I could not place them."

Ben nodded, "Well, regardless of what happened, we need to intensify your training as soon as possible. Your mental defenses need to be strengthened significantly so that something like this does not happen again." Ben uttered a reluctant sigh, "I'll need to enlist Dooku's services for that. If there is anyone capable of the same dark attack, it would be him."

Robin gulped. But he agreed. His mental defenses needed work. He never wanted to be subjected to such an assault ever again. He could still feel the pain in his mind from the terrifying event. But that pain did not compare to the ache in his heart from knowing that he was not there to help his friends when they needed him most.

"Yeah, I'll gladly take whatever help I can get." Robin admitted, "Dooku's included." He paused, "Wait a minute, is Dooku-"

"Dooku is also an alien, yes." Ben said.

Robin threw his hands in the air, "Seriously, how did I not notice any of this? I thought I was supposed to be smart."

"To be fair, Ben and Dooku fooled everyone for three years." Tharja pointed out.

"Everyone but you." Robin countered.

"Only because I literally broke into Ben's mind." Tharja cringed, "With consent of course."

"I believe the first time you did it in that tavern, it was not with my consent." Ben smirked at her.

"Well you were technically my enemy at that point in time, Obi the Skywalker." Tharja retorted with a wry smirk. She strode over to the window and peered out at the choppy harbor.

"When do we start?" Robin asked as he reached for his boots and slipped them onto his feet.

"As soon as possible would be wise." Ben rose from his seat, "I'll fetch Dooku and-"

"It might have to wait." Tharja cut him off.

Both Ben and Robin gave her a puzzled look. Tharja nodded at the harbor outside.

"The fleet has arrived. I'm sure Khan Basilio and Khan Flavia will want to start planning our counterattack immediately."

Robin felt a smile form on his face, "Tactics. Good. Something to take my mind off of everything." He rolled his shoulders as he stood up, "Shall we?"

Robin strode over to the door. His first few steps were a little unsteady. But he managed to muscle his way out of the space and into the corridor. Ben and Tharja followed him. As they walked, Robin's mind continued to wander to the nightmares and visions he had.

He did not tell Ben everything. Mostly because he still could not understand everything that he saw. But he did remember something Validar told him. Something that made his hair stand on end every time it ran through his mind.

 _"You are my flesh… but of sacred blood."_

* * *

Some birds chirped in the palace courtyard. A few guards milled near the main entryway. The gate thrown open, which allowed any captains or commanders in the Feroxi or Ylissean military to easily reach Chrom, Basilio, and Flavia. But for now, the rocky space was empty. And Marth said a silent prayer of thanks to Naga.

Still, she decided that both her and Chrom would have more privacy if they spoke on the walls. Near one of the towers. As far away as possible from the barracks the Shepherds were staying.

So she led him to the furthest tower away. Once near the latched door that led inside, Marth sighed and shook her head. She could already feel the weight of Chrom's gaze on her. There was about to be so many questions she had to answer. And she had no idea how to even start answering them. Now that she was in this position, she understood Ben's rationale for remaining silent regarding his own life and past. It all seemed so impossible to explain without sounding insane.

 _But perhaps I don't need to explain it?_

"Well," Chrom glanced around as a cold wind swept in from the nearby harbor. The din of dockworkers frantically prepping for the imminent arrival of the Plegian fleet filled the air, "This seems as good as spot as any for a private talk."

"That's the point." Marth muttered.

Naga, she wished she still hand both her hands. It would make nervously wringing her hands so much easier. Marth swallowed hard.

"I don't even know where to start." She breathed.

Chrom gave her a sympathetic look. He leaned against the wall, eyes staring out at the sea. A few rays of sunlight peeked out from the bleak clouds above them. Letting a few waves shimmer in the daylight.

"The beginning." Chrom replied, "Let's start there."

Marth exhaled. Her breath coming out in a quiet shudder. Gods, she felt so anxious. One of the most explicit rules she put in place for herself and her friends was to avoid a scenario like this. One conversation could endanger everyone.

Then again, everyone was already in danger. Regardless of if she revealed her secrets or not. For Naga's sake, Nah could already be… gone. Unless something happened between Ricken and Nowi already. Which would be inconsistent with how she knew events would take place. But it was likely the youngest member of her friends was long gone. Not even a thought in her mother's mind anymore. Marth felt her stomach lurch at that thought.

She could not protect everyone. Not without help. The Deadlords were growing aggressive. The bolder they became, the more powerful Grima became. That became evident to her last night when one attempted to assassinate Chrom. When one nearly killed her. How could she save the future if she could not protect her friends, herself, or even her own father. She couldn't protect them on her own.

No, no more doubts. Grima grew stronger by the day. She could feel that in her heart. The longer she delayed the truth, the less time they would have to prepare for the fateful day of reckoning.

"Well," Marth nodded, "I suppose I need to tell you who I am first. Or rather, show you."

Chrom gave her a puzzled look. Marth gulped. There had always been two masks. One physical. One that hid her femininity during the early days of her mission. The mask of Marth that only Ben Kenobi ever saw through.

Then there was the mask in the force. The one she had to keep up at all times. Especially around the growing number of force sensitives within the Shepherds. Ben found out about that mask only after she slipped up and revealed her true identity to him. She was still shocked Dooku and Robin had not discovered it yet. And if they had, they did not say anything. Robin was the kind of person to allow someone their personal space and secrets as long as it was not a danger. So him not bringing it up would make sense.

Dooku on the other hand… would have at least confronted her in private. In hindsight, Marth felt a small swell of pride build up in her. He did not know. No one was able to pierce that mask. Thank Naga for that.

But now it was time for that mask to fall away.

Marth exhaled. The Force ebbed around her. The iris in her left eye slowly shifted. The pupil shrank as a faint, white outline emerged from the force.

Chrom furrowed his brow, perplexed at first as Marth remained silent. Then she raised her gaze and stared him in the eye. The wind shifted some of her hair from her face. And inside of her left eye, Chrom saw the Brand of the Exalt.

The wind escaped his lungs. Chrom blinked and reached up to his own eyes. He rubbed at them. Thinking he was hallucinating. He opened his eyes again. Marth's left eye did not change. The brand remained. Only even clearer now than before.

"That's…" Chrom's mind raced. The Brand of the Exalt only existed within the sacred line of the Exalt. The sacred blood blessed by Naga herself. The Ylissean royal family were the only ones with that blood. He bore his mark upon his right shoulder. Proudly displayed it on the battlefield.

He could not mistake that mark. Lissa did not bear one. But he knew she was his sister. Emmeryn had her mark on her forehead. His late father's mark rested on his left shoulder.

Was there a missing branch to the royal line? No, that could not be it. As far as Chrom knew, only one member of the Exalted bloodline possessed the brand inside of their eye.

His heart jumped. Only one of his family held the brand inside of their _left_ eye.

"Lucina?" He said, voice barely louder than a whisper.

She swallowed hard when he spoke her name. Her chin started to tremble. Her chest rose and fell in heavy breaths as she struggled to maintain her composure.

Chrom glanced to her hip, where the Parallel Falchion rested broken in its scabbard. It made sense to him now. Only one Falchion existed. Only one had been forged by Naga. There could only be one. His Falchion was the same shattered blade in Marth's scabbard. Another piece of evidence that screamed a confusing truth to him.

And yet, he did not question it. How could he? He knew in his heart that this brave young woman standing in front of him was his daughter. He did not know how or why she was here. And he did not care.

A tear dripped down her cheek as they both remained silent. Chrom hesitated, then reached out with a gentle hand. His thumb brushed the tears from her cheeks.

"You deserve better from me than one sword and a world of troubles." He let his hand fall back to his side even as more tears brimmed in her eyes, "I'm so sorry."

Her composure broke. With a loud cry, she threw her arms around him. Chrom froze for a moment as she sobbed into his shoulder. Then he wrapped his arms around her. One hand gently rubbed her back as she cried.

In the distance, Chrom heard horns. The warships had arrived. The Khans and Robin would want to start preparations for their counter attack against Valm immediately.

 _They can wait._

Marth continued to shudder in his embrace. Years of grief, regret, and sorrow rushed out of her with every second. Chrom was content to hold her. To let her cry. He would never turn down a chance to embrace her.

He placed a soft kiss on top of her head.

"You are not alone anymore."

 **And chapter! The big reveals just keep coming! Robin finally learns that Ben is not from this planet. I kinda wanted him to figure it out on his own, or at least put the pieces together before Ben confirming it. Not sure how I did on that, but oh well. Then we get Lucina finally getting rid of her diguise. That was always one of the best moments in Awakening for me. Definitely one of the most emotional. With nearly all of the secrets unvieled, our heroes can now focus on the threats before them.  
And, we got to check in on Yarne and meet a young Princess Leia for the first time! That was a fun scene to write. Although, I wonder… what ghost did Leia see? And was it a ghost, a dream, or something else. Perhaps a vision? Hm?**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	90. Exalted Blood

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 90

Exalted Blood

Anna leaned against the bar counter on the ground floor of the small barracks the Shepherds appropriated. A stiff drink rested in one hand. A drink she gently swirled around as she observed the others around her.

She had not been around the Shepherds for very long. Well, technically she had been around the group for nearly two years. But only part of the group. And even then, she tried to keep the relationship strictly professional. She was the merchant. She helped them because they gave her a connection to valuable customers. Royal customers paid good. She did not want to lose that line of income. A line that had been incredibly lucrative lately. She did not want to get emotionally attached to anyone. Even if some of these Shepherds saved her life in Plegia when those Risen attacked in the desert.

She gave those Shepherds: Ben, Robin, Tharja, Laurent, Gaius, Panne, and Donnel a small discount at her shop. That was the extent to which she was willing to be personally friendly. Professionally friendly, absolutely. A good merchant did not win over customers with a sour attitude.

And yet, despite her general aloofness towards the others, Ricken's death still hit hard. During the two years Anna had been dealing with the Shepherds, she grew to believe them to be hopelessly optimistic. Especially their leadership (with the exception of Ben who had the rare distinction of being difficult to read for her). All of them were always smiling, joking, enjoying each other's company. Even during more frosty times like the past few months with the internal feud between the group. Did you support Ben and his privacy? Or Chrom and his desire to provide safety?

Personally, she did not have a dog in that fight. Both bought wares from her. They used good gold when they made their purchases. Why should she take a side in that stupid squabble? Fights like that were bad for profits. And nothing came before the 'p' word.

That is how she grew to know Ricken. He shared her opinion on the feud. It was stupid in the boy's mind as well. Although, he had much more altruistic reasons for despising the fight than she did. And in many ways, she agreed with him. Why did Ben's past even matter? Why did Ben refuse to at least give Chrom the bare minimum in order to placate the Prince? The whole feud screamed pride and dumb stubbornness to both of them. And whenever Ricken came by her shop, looking for a certain herb or a new spell book, they would chat. Gossip was probably the more accurate term. In a way, they bonded over the feud. He became a favorite customer of hers. Not just because he was a regular either.

And now, that naive boy was gone. And she could not muster any tears for him. He joined many others she had witnessed pass away far too soon. Her own sister among that number. So, she did what anyone else who could not openly weep for the dead did. She drank. And thankfully, Khan Basilio's firewine collection was magnificent.

Now, she was not completely heartless. There was an ache in her chest. Especially when she looked at poor Nowi, Ricken's closest friend. The normally bubbly, chatterbox of a Manakete had been rendered silent by his passing. No amount of consoling seemed to soothe her. Miriel tried, Sumia tried, Cordelia tried, even the newest member of their little band, Henry, tried to comfort Nowi. In his own strange, slightly demented way. Nothing worked.

Anna did not try. Why would she? She knew first hand how fruitless simple words were when it came to giving comfort to the grieving. They felt nice for a split second. Then the pain returned. What Nowi needed was not condolences, she needed an outlet. A way to filter through it all. And thankfully, one had just pulled into the harbor.

 _We'll take out some Valmese together._ Anna thought as she tipped her glass back and downed the last few drops of her firewine.

Her stomach flipped at that thought. She poured herself another drink. War, normally not a good thing for business. Unless she was specifically trying to sell weapons (which was an extremely risky business around armies). She tried to avoid major conflicts when she could. A few years ago, when she caught wind of a possible Ylissean counterattack against Plegia; she loaded up her cart and hit the trails. Dashed towards northern Ylisse where the fighting was not very thick. And business, while slow, was still better than in war torn Themis and Ylisstol. And her sister wanted out of Valm for that exact same reason. She sensed war on the horizon as well. And she knew business would plummet.

Except now, her sister was dead. Killed by one of the Valmese Generals they would be facing. General Yen'fay and his army of murderers. Anna grit her teeth, placed her glass to her lips, and took a long sip. She would run towards war this time. This time, it was not about business. This time it was personal.

Her attention shifted back to the Shepherds as Cordelia sat down in a bar stool beside her. Untouched drink in hand. Anna glanced over at the other red head in their company.

"Drink up. It'll help." Anna muttered as she sipped again.

Cordelia uttered a heavy sigh, "Maybe." She shifted in her seat. Still not raising her glass despite having her fingers curled around it. She glanced over her shoulder at the other Shepherds.

Miriel, Vaike, and Laurent sat off to the side on a large sofa. Laurent did not appear as grief-stricken as Miriel and Vaike. He appeared more distressed actually. Although over what, neither Cordelia or Anna could figure that out. The scholar could be extremely secretive when he wanted to be. And very silent. Likely the young man was just caught up in his own head. That seemed to happen quite a bit.

Gaius and Panne were sitting far down the bar. The thief was already long gone. The alcohol burned away the grief and replaced it with a fitful sleep. Panne stood guard near him. The Taguel did not join the drinking. And while sad, she did not show much sorrow. This was not the first death of a close friend she had dealt with. Her entire Warren had been killed before her very eyes. Mass death of loved ones tended to numb one to the solitary death of another. She grieved in her own way. A silent way.

Gregor stayed close to Nowi. Acting as a paternal person for her. The older mercenary kept up a strong facade for the shattered Manakete. If she needed something, he brought it to her. Whether that was a blanket, a cup of tea, or a hug.

Virion, Olivia, Cherche, Lissa, and Libra sat quietly on a pair of sofas. Libra offered small comforts thanks to his background in the Faith. Lissa seemed as visibly shaken as Nowi. The young Princess still struggled with deaths of people close to her. Cherche did not know Ricken very well, but offered comfort as best as she could. Virion put off any bombastic, overt behavior that he usually had and instead remained respectfully somber along with Olivia.

Frederick, Lon'qu, Stahl, and Kellam opted to channel their grief into productive matters. They threw themselves into work. All four had been diligently seeing to the Ylissean army's arrival in Port Ferox before finally joining the others in the barracks about an hour ago. All four raised a silent toast to Ricken, then remained quiet. Only muttering the occasional whisper to each other as they attempted to puzzle through soldier assignments.

Donnel, Maribelle, and Dooku remained in their own close knit circle near the door. Maribelle appeared to be the most distressed of the trio. Ricken saved her life during the onset of the war with Plegia over two years ago. If not for him, she would likely be dead. That realization was not lost on her. And she mourned the brave mage. Regretted the fact that she did not reward him for his actions sooner. Before his passing. Donnel did his best to console Maribelle. And Dooku remained like a statue. Offering an occasional word of wisdom before returning to his normal, disciplined state.

Finally, Sumia and Sully lingered near a window that looked out to the walls of Khan Basilio's palace. Giving everyone inside a view of the rocky courtyard and the dreary sky above it. Sully sipped at a drink and spoke in a hushed tone with Sumia while the Ylissean queen struggled with the death of one of the Shepherds. One she had known since he had barely been able to cast a spell.

Anna flicked her eyes around the space again. The only Shepherds missing were Prince Chrom, Robin, Marth, Ben, and Tharja. Venator and Odin did not count. She briefly met the two teenagers when she arrived in the city with the rest of the Ylissean army. They seemed likable enough. Venator seemed especially eager to spend coin (a trait Anna greatly appreciated). But both were still acquaintances, not friends. Their status among the Shepherds was still up in the air in her opinion. Kind of like hers. Sort of a member, but not deep enough in to be considered an invaluable comrade. And she preferred it that way for herself.

 _Where are those two troublesome teenagers anyways?_ Anna thought to herself.

Cordelia finally took a sip of her drink. Her face screwed into a displeased look as the liquid sat in her mouth far longer than it should have. A loud gasp left her lips when she finally swallowed.

"Didn't help." Cordelia breathed.

"You're doing it wrong, that's why." Anna remarked, "Don't breath in sharply after drinking. And make sure it goes down quick."

"I know that." Cordelia said as she stared at the amber liquid in her glass, "I just… don't feel like drinking."

"Then don't." Anna shrugged, "Everyone grieves in their own way."

"Are you?"

Anna blinked, "Am I what?"

"Grieving?"

Anna frowned then raised her glass a little bit.

"Ah." Cordelia nodded, "I see."

"Like I said, everyone does so in their own way."

Glass shattered nearby. Startling nearly everyone in the room. All conversations came to a standstill. Every single eye zipped over to the source of the sound.

Firewine and drops of blood dripped from Sumia's right hand. Shards of glass poked out of her fingers. Several more shards littered the ground near her feet. Mingling with spilled firewine and blood. Sully even seemed startled by the sudden action.

At first, Anna and Cordelia assumed Sumia had another one of her accidents. The Queen had never been the graceful sort. She still occasionally tripped over her own feet. Especially around her husband, Prince Chrom. Such accidents were usually accompanied by a look of pure embarrassment on her face as well as a flurry of apologies.

Instead, Anna and Cordelia saw a new emotion wash over Sumia's face.

Jealousy.

"Uh… Sumia?" Sully gulped.

Sumia's right fist clenched tighter. The Pegasus Rider seemingly unaware of the shards jabbed into her skin.

"That- that-" Her eyes bore holes through the glass. Her fists shook at her sides as she struggled to form words.

Sumia tore her gaze away from the window and marched over to the sofa where Lissa sat. She sat down, reached for the vase of white flowers on the table between the two sofas, and grabbed the closest flower.

Anna drew back in shock as she started plucking the petals while muttering under her breath. Lissa gave Sumia a puzzled look before she heard what Sumia was saying.

"He loves me…" A petal fell, "He loves me not…" The other Shepherds stared as they watched a third petal drop to the floor, "He loves me…"

"Oh crap!" Sully cried as she found what Sumia had been staring at through the window.

Cordelia dashed over to investigate. The Pegasus Knight stared out the window. Her jaw dropped.

Chrom stood on the walls with Marth. They were as far away as they could possibly get from the Shepherds little makeshift barracks. Both of them had their arms wrapped around each other. Marth was sobbing into Chrom's shoulder.

"This is not good." Sully gulped.

Cordelia felt her heart hammering in her chest, "I-it's probably nothing."

 _Marth is just sobbing for Ricken. And- and Chrom is comforting her. Yes! That has to be it. A hug does wonders when someone is sad after all._

Chrom kissed the top of Marth's head.

"OH THAT BLUE HAIRED BITCH!" Cordelia bellowed.

"Agreed!" Sumia cried before returning her attention to the flower petals. Upon realizing she had plucked one flower clean, she reached for another and began her ritual all over again, "He loves me… he loves me not… he loves me…"

"What is going on?" Anna asked as she stayed near the bar counter.

"Chrom is with Marth!" Cordelia seethed as she folded her arms.

Lissa arched an eyebrow in confusion. She glanced over at Maribelle. The Duchess of Themis cleared her throat.

"Okay, and?" Maribelle asked.

"Intimately with her!" Cordelia declared.

"WHAT!?" Both blondes cried as they surged towards the window and pressed their faces to the glass.

Dooku pinched the bridge of his nose as he uttered a heavy sigh.

"I am surrounded by children." He grumbled.

"Hey uh, Maribelle, maybe we should let this be a private matter." Donnel gulped.

Laurent eyed Sumia with a look that bounced between intrigued and puzzled, "I fail to see how plucking flower petals can determine someone's affection?"

"I am reading my fortune!" Sumia cried defensively as some tears built up in her eyes.

Laurent furrowed his brow, "I fail to see how plucking flower petals can-"

"Shut up while you can kid." Vaike warned, "Does no good trying to understand the female mind." He glanced over at Miriel as she carefully studied Sumia's actions, "Leave that to the other females."

"Naga, Chrom why!?" Lissa cried as she stared dumbfounded out the window.

"Honestly, you would think he would at least try to be discreet about it like other noblemen." Maribelle narrowed her eyes, "Then again, that might be giving him too much credit."

"Frederick! Go get Chrom now!" Lissa ordered.

Frederick glanced out the window. A frown creased his lips.

"He's already on his way over with Marth." The Knight Commander reported.

"Then make sure you beat him up when he gets here!" Lissa said with a stomp of her foot.

Cordelia cracked her knuckles, "I'll make sure Marth doesn't intervene."

"He loves me… he loves me not… he loves me… oh… I need another flower."

Anna looked at the scene in front of her with dumbfounded awe. In a split second, all of the melancholy was replaced by chaos. Miriel and Laurent were trying to study Sumia. Vaike inched his way over to Panne along with Kellam, Stahl, Sully, and Lon'qu. The group just hoping to avoid getting caught up in the situation.

Virion remained mostly unaffected. Although Anna did detect a small amused smirk cross his lips. That smirk ran away when he whispered something to Olivia that caused the Ambassador to smack his shoulder.

Princess Lissa was calling for Chrom to be punished. Maribelle wondered why Chrom did not act like other noblemen and cheat on Sumia when she could not notice. Donnel and Dooku stood awkwardly to the side. Neither sure of how to handle this situation. And Cordelia plotted Marth's murder. Henry even offered her a few ideas. One of which involved turning her inside out. Cordelia seemed particularly excited about that one.

Anna sipped her drink.

"All we're missing is a big bar fight and it is like a normal day on the road again." She mumbled to herself.

The door to the barracks opened. Anna glanced over and saw Robin, Ben, and Tharja enter the chaos. All three surprised that their friends were in a frenzy instead of mired in sorrow.

The trio made their way towards Anna. The only person in the barracks common room that did not seem to be caught in the sudden fray.

Ben glanced over at Sumia. He arched an eyebrow as she grabbed the last flower from the vase and proceeded to tear it to shreds.

"Care to explain?" Ben asked her while Robin seemed overwhelmed by the sudden chaos among his friends.

"Sumia saw Chrom spending some… quality time with Marth." Robin's eyes bugged out of his head while Ben listened patiently to Anna, "And now, Sumia is being Sumia. Lissa is demanding Frederick spank Chrom. And both Cordelia and Henry are gleefully plotting the most gruesome way to kill Marth that they can." Tharja uttered a slight laugh, "If they pay me enough, I might even help them hide the body."

She sipped her drink again. Ben uttered a heavy sigh and shook his head.

"This is going to be fun." He muttered.

"Chrom is with Marth?" Robin uttered as if in a stupefied daze, "Oh Naga above! I wake up from a coma and I've already got a fire to put out."

"It is not what you think, Robin." Ben breathed as he rubbed his eyes, already tired from the days events.

"You knew!?"

"There is nothing to know." Ben countered. Tharja arched an eyebrow at him, "Well, there is. But it is not what you think. Certainly not what Cordelia, Lissa, and Sumia are thinking."

"Everyone is thinking it." Robin hissed back.

"Robin!" Cordelia sauntered over to him. An unsettling smile rested on her face, "You're good at lightning magic right?"

"No I will not electrocute Marth." Robin deadpanned, "I just woke up. I'm hungry. And I'm thirsty-"

"Firewine?" Anna asked.

"Please." Robin groaned. Anna reached for a glass and poured him a large drink. One he gratefully accepted.

"Darn." Cordelia turned to Ben, "Ben?"

"You all need to calm down." Ben huffed as he folded his arms over his chest.

Cordelia blinked, "Tharja?"

"As much as I would like to have fun with you and Henry, I'm siding with Ben on this one." Tharja answered.

Ben gave her a concerned look. Tharja shrugged.

"It's been a while since I killed something." She explained without a second thought.

The door opened again. This time, everyone fell silent. Not a single Shepherd moved. All eyes were glued to the two people entering the barracks. Both Chrom and Marth had smiles on their faces. Those smiles fell away as they felt the penetrating stare of every single Shepherd.

Chrom gave them all a puzzled look.

"Uh? What's going on?"

Marth gulped and shifted uncomfortably as Sumia glared at her. Off to the side, Henry cracked open his spell book then gave her an unsettling, friendly wave of his hand.

Frederick cleared his throat.

"Milord, it has come to our attention that you are possibly-"

"Are you and Marth having an affair!?" Lissa exclaimed.

Marth recoiled. Her face turned ashen along with Chrom's. There was no blush of embarrassment or affection between the two. If anything, Lissa's question made them look physically ill.

"They um," Robin coughed, "Saw you and Marth hugging and… Chrom this is how ill rumors are born." He buried his face into his drink.

Chrom stared wide eyed at everyone.

"You saw?"

Marth smacked her forehead, "Naga above."

"Yes, I saw." Sumia rose to her feet, shredded flowers in her left hand. Her right hand balled up into a tight fist, "So Chrom, are you with _her?_ " She hissed the last word out with such venom that it stunned both Chrom and Marth.

"Wh-what!?" Chrom shook his head as he suddenly comprehended the conversation that was taking place. A small laugh left his lips, "Sumia, this all one big misunderstanding."

"On my signal Henry!" Cordelia declared.

Henry cackled as dark magic filled his palm.

Chrom blanched. Marth stepped between him and the dark mage.

"I am not sleeping with my father!" She cried.

Henry blinked. The magic radiating in his hand died away. Cordelia's stared at Marth in disbelief. Ben pinched the bridge of his nose and uttered one long, loud groan. Robin sputtered on his drink. Laurent's face turned paler than a ghost. Virion struggled to contain a burst of laughter. He was only able to contain himself because, if he did not, Cherche and Olivia would both reprimand him. Dooku cocked an eyebrow, both confused and surprised by the sudden revelation. Off to the side, a drunk Gaius groaned then nuzzled his face against Panne's arm.

And Anna sipped her drink.

"Just like a tavern on the road." She muttered.

"Your father?" Sumia said, voice hushed. Barely audible to anyone in the room.

Marth gulped. Sumia glared daggers at her.

"You had a child out of wedlock Chrom!?"

"No-no!" Chrom panicked, "Marth is well… she is our daughter."

"But we only have one daughter. And, unless something really strange is going on, Lucina is back in Ylisstol with the servants. And she is only a few years old!"

Chrom cringed and rubbed the back of his neck, "Something really strange is going on."

"Then you best explain very fast." Sumia growled.

"It is the truth." Marth breathed. She gulped then let out a shaky breath again. Trying her best to keep calm. She took a few steps towards Sumia, "I am… I am your daughter. I am Lucina." She looked Sumia in the eye, "If you need proof, all you need to do is look."

Sumia glared at Marth. She refused to break eye contact. The Queen practically shook with fury as she stared into the eyes of Marth. Those strangely familiar eyes with the Exalt's brand in her left eye.

Sumia sucked in a sharp, stunned breath. She staggered back a step.

"The- the brand is-" Sumia looked Marth up and down, "How!? What have you done to my daughter!?"

"Calm down, Sumia." Chrom pleaded, "She is telling the truth." Chrom placed a hand on Marth's shoulder, "This is Lucina."

"But-but that is impossible!" Sumia exclaimed.

"Under normal circumstances yes." Marth agreed, "But, these are not normal circumstances. I am Lucina. I am your daughter. But I come from a future. A different time. A time where-" Lucina swallowed hard, "Where the world has ended."

A sober silence descended upon the Shepherds. Lucina took a few more steps forwards so that she stood in the center of the room.

"In the future, the Fell Dragon Grima is resurrected." Lucina began, "I don't know how it happens. But what I do know is what happened in the aftermath of his return." She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, then reopened them, "Mother, Father, you both died during the first battle. Along with a few other Shepherds."

Chrom's jaw tightened. Sumia remained in a state of disbelief as Lucina spoke.

"The war, now that I look back on it, was more of a massacre than a war. We lost battle after battle. We never gained any ground. Never managed to liberate anything or anyone from Grima's hordes. Eventually, only Ylisstol stood against the tide of darkness and death." She glanced over at Ben, "Thanks to the General that stepped up and faced down that evil, we had time to discover a way to possibly defeat Grima and prevent the apocalypse from taking place. We discovered a ritual given to Exalt's line by Naga herself. A ritual meant to be used as an absolute last resort if the Fell Dragon were to ever awaken from his slumber. The ritual sent myself and my friends back in time. From there, our mission was, and still is, to prevent Grima's resurrection. By any means necessary." Lucina took a breath, "At first, we did everything in our power to prevent all of you from discovering who we were, lest a catastrophe take place such as-" Lucina choked a little bit, "Such as one of us not being born." Her eyes landed on Nowi for a brief second. Lucina took a deep breath and regained her composure, "But upon recent events, it has become clear to me that course is no longer possible. If Grima is to be defeated, then we must work together. You must know everything. And I am ready to tell everything."

Silence hung heavy in the air. Everyone reeled from Lucina's words. Everyone except for Ben and Dooku. Ben already knew. Anna could see that by how undisturbed he appeared. As for Dooku, she could not get a read on the old man. He appeared absolutely unaffected by such startling news. News that, if said by anyone else, would have been regarded as the ravings of a madman.

But the proof was all there. Marth- Lucina- had a knack for knowing about a crisis long before it was supposed to happen. Anna knew about the attack on the Exalt's palace at the start of the war with Plegia. That was big news among the merchants who knew how to get good information. It meant that the safest place to trade was no longer safe. Best to steer clear at the time. She knew that Marth had a hand in saving both Exalt Emmeryn and Prince Chrom's lives that fateful night. She alerted them to the assassination attempt. She made sure the Shepherds were able to rally and drive back the attackers before they could succeed.

"Do you have anymore proof?" Sumia asked.

Lucina nodded, "The night of the attack on Exalt Emmeryn's palace, when I snuck in and assisted in the defense, do you remember that?"

Sumia nodded.

"The assassins were supposed to succeed." Lucina said, "That night, Exalt Emmeryn was supposed to die." She looked back at Chrom, "And you were supposed to be gravely injured. You would survive, but you would be hampered by the injury for the rest of yours days."

"And you stopped the assassin that was supposed to injure me." Chrom correctly realized.

Lucina nodded, "I thought that would have been enough to change fate. Exalt Emmeryn's death was the catalyst. The spark that marked the beginning of the end. By saving her life, I hoped to alter the future with one action. Perhaps cause a rippling effect that would prevent Grima's resurrection." Lucina shook her head, "Instead, time snapped back. Fate would not be denied. And she died in a way I could not have anticipated. Now, events are moving faster towards Grima's resurrection. I can feel that much. I don't know how, or who is speeding these events along, but it is coming. We need to be ready."

"We can't be ready with Valm breathing down our necks." Robin noted as he tapped his fingers along his arms.

"You are right. Which is why they need to be defeated as quickly as possible." Lucina agreed, "The more time we have to prepare for Grima, the better."

Chrom nodded in agreement. Over by the bar, Anna's hand shot into the air.

"Anna?" Chrom wondered.

"You said there were more of you?" The merchant asked Lucina.

"There is. We were… scattered. Both by distance and time." She glanced over at Robin, Ben, and Tharja, "Some of you have already met a few of us." She hesitated, "As far as I know, Severa, Owain, Laurent, and Cynthia have made it safely to this point in time."

"Laurent!?" Both Vaike and Miriel cried. Their eyes flicked over to the young scholar sitting beside them, "Son!?"

"Severa and Owain?" Chrom asked.

The door burst open. Both Venator and Odin shoved their way into the barracks.

"I told you she was here!" Venator snapped at Odin.

"You may have been correct, sweet Venator." The red head glared angrily at Odin, "But the great Odin enjoyed his adventure with you tremendously."

"Sev, Owain." Lucina began. Both teens blanched, "No need to act anymore."

Severa blinked, "You-you told-" A few more indecipherable sounds left her mouth as she stomped over to the bar and poured herself a drink. She downed it in one gulp, "If I'm not born, I'm blaming you." She snarled at Lucina.

"Ah, so we can end the charade at last." Owain smiled, "I am grateful you decided to exercise your candor, Cousin."

Lissa sucked in a sharp breath, "C-cousin?"

A loud yawn interrupted everything. Gaius smacked his lips together and scratched an itch on top of his head.

"So, I caught a little bit of what is going on?" He mumbled sleepily. His mind still inebriated by the firewine.

Panne gave the thief a surprised look. He had been paying attention in his sleep? Well, that made some sense. Thieves had to sleep with one eye open. There was no honor among thieves after all. If they wanted to safeguard their prizes, they had to be constantly vigilant. Though she did not expect humans to be capable of such vigilance. It caused her to admire Gaius a little bit.

Any mild admiration she had for Gaius was dashed away with the next words out of his mouth.

"Who's daughter is sleeping with who's father?"

* * *

Dooku stood by his previous statement. He was surrounded by children. Impulsive, brain dead, utterly naive children.

He huffed then braced himself as the ship rocked from side to side. Another large wave hammered against the hull. Making the lanterns lighting the lower decks sway on their hooks. Water sloshed down from the shuttered doors to the top deck. A film of flotsam and salt water covered the second deck that Dooku marched through. An occasional Plegian sailor rushed down to the lower decks in order to fetch certain objects for the crew battling the storm above. But beyond that, very few remained on the lower decks. Most of the Feroxi and Ylissean leadership were topside, doing battle with the storm.

Dooku preferred to stay dry. He glanced down at his water clogged boots.

 _Mostly dry._ He rolled his shoulders and tugged his cape tighter over his body as some spray shot in from the deck above.

The trap doors opened. Dooku heard men screaming from the upper deck. An enormous wave hammered the ship again. One sailor came sliding down the steps. Carried down by a rush of water. He slid to a stop by Dooku's feet, took a moment to regather his bearings, then rushed back to the main deck. Screaming something about ropes needing to be tied down.

As that sailor charged back up the slick steps, Kenobi marched down. His clothes were soaked. His hair was matted against his forehead and his beard matched the fur on a drenched cat. Heavy bags sat under his eyes as he tried to blink drops of water from his vision. There was a shuffle to his gait as she slogged through the water towards Dooku.

"Aren't you going to come up and help!?" Kenobi called as Dooku continued walking towards the hammocks where the Shepherds bunked.

Dooku frowned, "I will not assist idiocy, Kenobi."

Ben frowned, "Idiocy?" He shut the hatch above him.

"Yes, idiocy." Dooku turned to face Ben. Boots sloshing in the water as he moved, "You and I both know this is a foolish endeavor."

Ben shook his head, "That is not our decision to make."

Dooku sighed, "I can't decide who is the bigger fool. The fool," He glared at Ben, "Or the fool who follows him."

Ben worked his jaw, "What is foolish about this?"

Dooku paused, "I have figured it out. The follower is the more foolish one."

"Dooku…"

"Kenobi." Dooku scowled and folded his arms. The ship swayed again. Ben stumbled while Dooku remained perfectly still, "I do not believe our best course of action to fighting the Valmese is to invade their shores. We are making the exact same mistake they would make with us. What is the objective?"

Ben pursed his lips and leaned against a post that held the upper deck above them.

"Have you even discussed a strategy for this counter-invasion, for lack of a better term?" Dooku asked.

"Robin wanted to," Ben sighed, "So did Basilio."

"And Chrom and Flavia?"

Ben shook his head, "You know Flavia." He reached up a steadied a lantern that was dangerously close to swinging off of its hook, "Acts before thinking." Ben sighed, "As for Chrom, he reasoned this was a Feroxi war. We are just here to help."

"Oh brilliant thought process. Truly." Dooku drawled, "Chrom shows exemplary leadership when he acts passively like that."

"Your sarcasm is noted." Ben huffed.

The hatch opened once again. Robin stumbled down. The thin tactician slipped as he stomped down the steps. He landed hard on the deck beneath him. Robin coughed, sputtering on some water that managed to get into his mouth. Ben reached down and helped the tactician to his feet. Pulling the brown haired man up by the hood of his oversized coat.

"What-" He spat some water from his lips, "What are you two doing down here?"

"Trying to convince this old miser to assist us." Ben gestured at Dooku.

"This old miser will not assist until the leadership of this mission pulls their collective heads out of their rears." Dooku glared at Robin, "You of all people should understand how incredibly stupid this is."

Robin hung his head, "Yeah well, what else are we supposed to do? Let the Valmese invade?"

Dooku wanted to retort. But Robin brought up a fair point. The Feroxi and Ylisseans could not just let the Valmese invade their shores. There was no way to properly defend the entire western coast of Archanea. Plegia and Regna Ferox's coasts were too vast for any army to properly patrol. Let alone one with the limited technology and resources they currently had. Even an entire droid army would struggle with such a task.

And, according to the limited intelligence they had on the Valmese military, Archanea would be crushed by a land invasion. A token vanguard force managed to gain a foothold in Port Ferox before being wiped out by their counter attack. What would happen when the entire Valmese military slammed into their shores? It would be like a tidal wave. Even Kenobi expressed awe at the discipline and efficiency of the Valmese military. And he commanded an entire legion of Clones at one point in time.

"We can't sue for peace either." Robin pointed out as Dooku remained deep in thought, "They made it clear in Port Ferox, that they would fight to the bitter end. Any commander even curious about peace would not allow every single one of their soldiers to die on the battlefield like that." Robin wiped some hair from his forehead, "If we are to keep the Valmese from invading, we have to strike back. And we have to strike back hard."

"Show them you are not to be trifled with." Dooku muttered as he rubbed his chin, "A sound theory. But you are about to fight the Valmese on their soil. Most Generals would take months, years even, to plan such a large scale assault before actually executing it. Meanwhile, we just hop on the boats and go for it. Foolish I say. Pure folly."

"I have a strategy in mind for landfall." Robin reassured Dooku.

"Do you?" Dooku took a seat on a bolted down chest, "Please share."

Robin opened his mouth. The ship rocked again, though not as sharp this time. After the brief roll, the hatch opened. The Shepherds all marched down to the second deck. Tired, soaked, and ready for rest. Flavia, Chrom, and Basilio trailed in at the end of the group. Basilio reached up and shuttered the doors behind him.

"Storm's starting to break." The Western Khan informed Ben, Dooku, and Robin.

Ben wrapped an arm around Tharja's shoulders as she stopped beside him. Looking for a way to warm up after spending the past few hours on deck fighting the storm. Most of the Shepherds made their way to their hammocks. Frederick, Cordelia, and Lucina lingered behind with Dooku, Robin, Flavia, Basilio, and Chrom.

"Well, what are you waiting for." Flavia marched past Ben and Robin towards the captain's quarters. The cabin was given to her to stay in, "We got an invasion to plan."

"Oh _now_ we are planning it." Dooku huffed.

"Not you." Ben said as he pointed at Dooku.

Dooku remained seat, "Fine." He folded his arms as the others walked past him, "Leave the most experienced one behind then. Wise decision, fools."

Ben rolled his eyes and ignored him. He gave Tharja a quick kiss before she left him and made her way towards her hammock. Ben then followed the others to Flavia's quarters.

Since he was the last to enter. He shut the door and latched it behind him. The ship rocked to and fro. But the pounding waves lost their fury with each swell. The thunder grew distant above them. And the frantic shouts by sailors calmed to hurried barks.

Flavia reached into her gear and withdrew a slightly soggy map of the world along with some simple, wooden pieces. Each piece colored to represent either the Archanean or the Valmese forces. She spread the map out on the captain's table then planted a knife into two of the corners to keep it spread out.

Robin cringed, "Do you have any idea how expensive maps are?"

"Forget the map, that's quality mahogany there." Frederick frowned.

"Who cares when we've got the Valm Empire to worry about." Flavia leaned against the table and looked at the others in the room. At that moment, she realized both Ben and Chrom were standing shoulder to shoulder. Both studied the map. Particularly the northeastern coast of Valm.

"Oh my gods," Flavia smirked at the two men, "Did you two finally make up?"

Chrom blinked, "Well um-"

"Yes. We can discuss how and why later." Ben said sharply, "Stay focused, Flavia. Robin, you said you had a strategy in mind?"

Robin nodded, "Yeah." He reached for a blue piece and placed it in the middle of the sea between Valm and Archanea, "We are currently here. About two days out of Port Ferox. With roughly five to seven more days to go on our voyage to here," Robin moved his finger and tapped Charlet, "the closest port. Where we will make landfall and attempt to gain an immediate foothold on the Valmese continent."

Lucina leaned over the map. She eyed the name written in bold, curvy letters on the western side of the map.

"Why is it called Valentia?"

"Old map." Basilio grunted, "Same continent, different name. We know where we are going to land, Robin. A better question would be, what kind of resistance do you suspect we will face."

Robin cringed and rubbed the back of his neck, "That is an excellent question. Intelligence on the Valmese military is scarce at best. We do not have exact numbers on anything. I'm working purely on guesswork and first hand observation. What I can confirm is that General Yen'fay's army is vast and not the only Valmese force on the continent. What I wonder is if the Valmese were committing only one army to the invasion of Archanea, or all of them?"

Ben frowned, "Regardless of how many armies, we can both agree that fighting any single army will be a monumental task. No matter what happens, once we have a foothold, we cannot engage in conventional warfare. They will destroy us that way."

"Agreed." Chrom nodded, "You mentioned that there was a surprising lack of both mages and aerial forces in the Valmese military?"

"Among General Yen'fay's army, yes." Robin nodded, "I can't say the same for any others. Simply because I don't know. So we do hold that advantage. We may not outnumber them, but it is possible we outgun them. As we saw in Port Ferox, a pair of skilled mages can hold off an entire tide of Valmese foot soldiers."

"That's all well and good, but we need to get a foothold first." Frederick pointed out, "How do you propose we do that?"

Robin furrowed his brow, "We will have to take the Charlet harbor first."

"And if their fleet has not set sail against us yet?" Basilio asked.

"That would mean they are still at port in Charlet. We do know from what little plans we could salvage from the Valmese vanguard force that the invasion fleet will be coming from there. It is the shortest crossing between the continents." Robin admitted, "If that is the case, we have two options: Find another landing zone, or fight the Valmese in port."

"The latter is doable, but it would have to be a swift, devastating strike." Cordelia pointed out, "The Valmese have demonstrated their discipline to us already. They won't stay flat footed after a surprise like that for long. We would have to gain control and hold control against a superior force. Difficult, but not impossible."

"As for another landing zone," Chrom furrowed his brow, "We would be taken off course by several days doing something like that. We would have to hope that our ships could even reach the landing zone and not be blocked by any hidden reefs or rocky shoals."

"That also defeats one of the goals of this entire voyage." Flavia said, "Catch the Valmese fleet in the middle."

Robin frowned, "I'm not sure how well that will work out. The Valmese could catch us off guard just as much as we could catch them off guard. If they surprise us, our fleet could be doomed." He shook his head and rubbed his chin, "I don't like that risk."

"Risks come with war Robin. Sometimes you have no choice but to take them." Ben sighed.

"And how risky can it be?" Flavia smiled as she glanced at Ben, "We got you and Dooku on our side. Both of you guys are superhumans with fiery, light swords."

Ben shook his head, "Basilio, what supplies do we have aboard our fleet? Other than normal food and water rations for ourselves and mounts?"

"Other than rations and feed?" Basilio thought for a moment, "Medical supplies, magical equipment such as different herbs for potion crafting, armory supplies including a few anvils, hammers, oil…" He trailed off, "Well crap."

"One accidental spark and that oil bursts into flames." Ben said, "I'm not sure fighting with lightsabers in such a confined space with such a volatile substance nearby is a good idea."

Flavia grit her teeth, "Well there goes that advantage then."

"It is much more likely we either miss the Valmese fleet or even fight them in port." Robin pointed out, "The sea is vast. Even in such a narrow corridor, it is possible that we miss each other."

"Which would be bad because they have the bigger army and would lay waste to Archanea quickly." Chrom sighed and shook his head, "There are no good options here, are there?"

"There never are." Ben said. He glanced at Robin, "If we were to encounter the Valmese fleet and engage in a naval battle, what plan do you have in mind?"

Robin furrowed his brow, "I'm working on that still. I have a rough idea in mind, but it is not a very good one and it could very well backfire. But-"

Someone pounded furiously on the door.

"Benny! Bubbles!" Gaius called frantically from the other side.

"What does he want?" Flavia groaned.

Basilio raised a hand. Silencing everyone in the room. The thunder stopped. Raindrops pattered on the deck above them. The Plegian sailors were silent as well.

A war horn blared. A long pause followed. It blared again. Long, loud, and aggressive. Boots scrambled across the deck of their ship. Ben looked at Robin with wide eyes.

"Well, let's hope it doesn't backfire."

Flavia stormed around the table to the door. She threw the door open, startling Gaius.

"What!?" She barked.

"Valmese." Gaius gulped.

Chrom and Basilio glanced at each other. Without another word, they sprinted out of the room and to the top deck. Flavia, Lucina, Frederick, and Cordelia raced out as well. Cordelia and Frederick rushed to the Shepherds at the other end of the deck. Each Shepherd hastily donned their armor and grabbed their weapons before rushing up to the main deck.

Robin stared down at the map on the table.

"Robin?" Ben nudged his friend's shoulder.

Robin spun on his heel and marched towards the stairs. Ben followed. The pair emerged up onto the main deck.

Dark grey clouds hovered over their heads. In the distance, thundered rolled, but grew fainter with each passing moment. The thunder was replaced by blaring war horns. Robin made his way across the drenched deck over to the starboard railing. He leaned over and stared ahead of them.

Emerging from a mist of rain and sea spray, was one Valmese ship. Its red sails were easily visible through the grey mist. The immense ship lumbered towards the Archanean fleet. Massive in size, but still a single solitary ship. Robin felt some relief hit him. It was probably just a scout ship. They could handle a scout ship.

Another massive ship emerged from the haze. Followed by a third. Then a fourth. Robin's optimism died as an entire fleet cut through fog. Cold wind whipped over the deck. A chill ran down Robin's spine as he tried to count the number of ships dotting the horizon.

"Naga above." He breathed as he lost count.

"Robin!" Chrom marched down from the bow and over to him, "Plan?"

Robin tore his eyes away from the enemy fleet in the distance. His mind raced. The Valmese easily outnumber the Archanean fleet. Perhaps two- no, three to one. He caught a glimpse of Ben donning leather armor over his arms and shoulders. Cordelia helped him buckled the armor in place. The same armor he wore during the final battle in the Plegian war. The Jedi Master glanced to the horizon. Robin saw his fingers twitch towards his lightsaber.

 _He's already tempted._ Robin gulped.

"Robin?" Chrom said again, voice level despite the terror he must have felt.

Robin shook his head and refocused himself. A fleet as large as the Valmese one would be tightly packed on the water. They would be in formation. Their discipline demanded that much. And judging by the size of the enemy ships, they would be loaded with enemy soldiers. Perhaps close to bursting. Which would make any movement near impossible on their ships.

 _Wait… they'll be in a tight knit formation._

Robin surged to the bow and peered at the enemy ships on the horizon again. He glanced at the amount of space between each ship. A small smile crossed his lips.

"Basilio!" He glanced back at the Khan, "You said we had oil?"

Basilio gave Robin a puzzled look, "What exactly have you concocted in that insane brain of yours?"

Chrom saw a gleam in Robin's eye.

"You aren't thinking what I think you are?" Chrom gulped.

Robin gave his friend a mad grin, "Empty several ships and get used to tight spaces everyone."

Robin turned his attention back to the Valmese ships as they lumbered across the horizon. Their discipline and numbers would be their downfall. All he needed to do was draw them in. Draw them into the trap. Then light the fuse.

"I need to burn some ships."

 **And chapter! Cliffhanger! The naval battle between the Valmese and Archanean fleets is about to begin. And it is going to be a big one. The rest of the Shepherds also learned about Lucina's identity in this chapter as well. So another milestone hit on our journey folks! A bit humorous too. We've had a few dark chapters in this section of the story lately. I felt like it needed to be lightened up a bit before getting back into some heavier stuff. Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	91. Ocean of Fire

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 91

Ocean of Fire

Robin took a deep breath. Salt air rushed into his lungs, then back out of his mouth. Cool and crisp. Thunder rolled in the distance as the storm drifted further away from the two fleets. His eyes focused on the line of Valmese ships holding position in front of them. He was not sure how many ships actually stood in their way. But there were a lot.

He gripped the rope near his head tight. Steadying his body as the ship lurched forward with a strong gust of wind. Plegian sailors hollered to each other as the sails were adjusted. The wooden mast creaked as the great cloth sail swung to catch the wind. White water hammered against the hull as they gained speed.

Robin glanced back. Two other ships followed the flagship. Each ship filled with soldiers and sailors ready to do battle with the Valmese on the open ocean. Behind those ships, the truly deadly force of the Archanean fleet. Five empty ships. Their crew, their soldiers, all loaded onto other vessels. Squeezed into whatever space they could while their ships were loaded with oil. Skeleton crews remained aboard those ships. Just enough men to make sure that they stayed on course. And when the battle was joined, they would attempt to reunite with the three attacking warships.

The strategy was fairly simple in Robin's mind. But it carried tremendous risk. He shifted his grip on the rope. Knuckles white with tension and nervousness.

"Relax." Ben said beside him.

Robin glanced over at Ben. For the first time since the Plegian war, they would be engaging in a full scale battle. There would be death on a mass scale. By the end of the day, the decks of their ships will be slick with blood and gore. Dead men will be floating in the waves. And, if Robin's strategy actually worked, fire will dance upon the ocean.

"I'm starting to agree with Basilio." Robin breathed. He reached to his neck and attempted to scratch an itch that sat just beneath the ill fitted leather armor covering his torso. "I'm insane."

He had to be insane. Only a maniac would risk his ships, his Prince and Khans, his friends, in a desperate tactic like this. Robin's mouth felt dry at that thought. People were going to die in this battle. It was likely some of his friends would die here, hundreds of miles from home. On his orders. A weight rested on his shoulders that threatened to crush him and send him sinking into the waves.

He did not want to lose another Shepherd. Ricken's death sent shock waves through the group. It made him wonder what he could have done to prevent his death. If he had been awake and capable of fighting, would Ricken be alive. It made him second guess his decisions. Second guess his strategies. He could not bear to lose another.

Ben chuckled, "That insanity is what the Valmese are not expecting." He patted Robin's shoulder, "Rest in the Force, Robin. Let it guide you. It will not lead you astray."

Robin gave Ben a small nod.

He really hoped Ben was right. He hoped the Force would protect him and his friends. He hoped that it guided this strategy. That he was not actually mad.

The risks in this strategy were enormous. The Valmese outnumbered them by at least ten to one. And that was just the number of vessels, not soldiers. Naga knew how many soldiers and sailors each Valmese warship held.

The enemy could box their warships in, forcing Robin to activate the strategy while they were all still within the danger zone. That meant they would be roasted alive on the ocean. The Valmese could also sink all of the attacking Archanean ships before the strategy could be executed. Leaving the rest of the Archanean fleet vulnerable and leaderless.

He still did not like that last wrinkle. Basilio, Flavia, and Chrom all wanted to take part in this battle. They demanded to be on the front lines. Basilio commanded one ship. Flavia commanded another. Chrom joined Robin and Ben on the lead warship. Most of the Shepherds followed their Captain into battle. Robin glanced back at them.

Frederick, Cordelia, Kellam, Gregor, and Lon'qu stood in the front row on the deck. Armored and ready for battle. Grim faced. Each one knew what was coming. They were veterans of many battles. Hardened warriors that knew the horror bearing down upon them. Behind them stood Sully, Vaike, Stahl, Donnel, and Gaius. Sully had an eager grin on her face. Vaike bounced up and down on his toes. An easy action for him since he still refused to wear any protective armor despite Miriel and Laurent's protests.

Virion, Tharja, Miriel, Henry, and Anna made up the third row. The ranged attackers with a close range bodyguard. Anna proved to be very capable in combat. And she also had a small affinity for healing with a staff. Robin considered those skills invaluable in this situation. There was no way they could extract the wounded from the battlefield today. Any wounded soldiers would have to be treated on the decks with the battle taking place around them.

He thanked Naga Libra joined them on this ship. The priest had to be one of the greatest healers Robin had ever witnessed. Libra personally tended to Robin's wounds many times, including recently when something attacked his mind. The tactician felt confident that any wounded would be taken care of with him around. And anyone who dared to try and harm those wounded would meet a harsh end. Libra knew how to swing an ax. He already proved he was not afraid to use it.

The final row had Cherche, Sumia, Panne, and Laurent. Sumia rode atop her Pegasus. Cherche straddled her Wyvern, Minerva. Both ready to take flight in case the battle went south. The two riders were their last hope to deliver a retreat message to the rest of the fleet if Robin's strategy failed. If such a terrible outcome happened (Naga forbid), then both would fly back to the fleet where the rest of the Shepherds; led by Dooku, Maribelle, and Lucina; waited. And those Shepherds were rather irate with his decision.

But in Robin's mind, he needed insurance in case the attack failed. Dooku had Ben's powers. Was arguably as strong, if not stronger, than Ben himself. He could provide an incredible defense for Lissa, Maribelle, and Lucina. The three of which would assume command of the fleet if Chrom, Basilio, and Flavia all fell in battle.

Lucina argued with him and Ben till she was red in the face over being left out of the battle. Ben was quick to remind her that she was still limited by her arm. Or more accurately, the lack of one. Ben did not doubt her tenacity in battle. But he did not want her to risk herself unless absolutely necessary. And in the end, with Severa and Owain siding with Ben, she relented. Reluctantly of course.

Dooku agreed with Robin's decision. He actually called it, "The only sound strategic decision you have made in this entire campaign". Dooku chose Olivia, Severa, and Owain to assist him in defending the rest of the fleet and the more vulnerable Shepherds. Especially Nowi, Lissa, and Maribelle.

The rest of the Shepherds did not know about Nowi's… condition yet. Robin, Ben, and Tharja kept that very close to the chest for the moment. Mostly because they were not sure how to approach such a situation. If they should even approach it at all. Any child Nowi bore would be her responsibility, and it was her decision on who should know about it. But that did not mean Robin would let the Manakete risk herself and her unborn child. He would not be able to forgive himself if she was harmed. They already lost Ricken. They could not lose Nowi too.

Lissa and Maribelle stayed behind because of their lack of combat expertise and their status in the Ylissean ruling hierarchy. If Sumia and Chrom both fell in battle, Lissa would have to take the mantle of Exalt until Princess Lucina was old enough to rule. Maribelle ruled over the largest territory in Ylisse. The last of her bloodline as well. If she died, Themis would have a massive power vacuum. It could descend into chaos. And as much as Plegia offered to help them, Robin did not trust the desert nation. A chaos riddle Themis was a weak Themis. A weak Themis meant a weak border. And Plegia would take full advantage of that, regardless of the threat from Valm.

Robin took another breath. They were halfway to the enemy now. Several Valmese ships broke formation and lumbered towards them. Ready to meet them in battle. Valmese soldiers and sailors moved along the deck. Preparing weapons, tying down lines, loading arrows and ballistae.

 _Ballistae!?_

"Shit." Robin spat.

"Shields!" Ben hollered over the sea spray.

Feroxi soldiers raised their shields near the sides of the ship.

Massive arrows screamed through the air. Steel tips hammered against the ship's hull. Robin's eyes widened and ducked to the side as one came dangerously close to hitting him. Several arrows hit their mark. Robin heard Feroxi soldiers and Plegian sailors screaming. Some just fell silent to the deck. A wet thunk the only sound they managed to make.

Libra and Anna moved into action to treat the wounded.

"Archers! Mages!" Ben barked.

Robin glanced over at Ben. The Jedi did not even flinch from the ballistae volley.

The archers knocked their arrows. Tharja, Miriel, and Laurent readied spells.

"Return fire!" Ben bellowed.

Arrows soared at the Valmese ships. Three thunder spells arced through the air. The static made the hair on Robin's arms stand on end.

The Valmese cried out in alarm from the spells. All three hit their mark, blasting holes into the top deck of the enemy's lead ship and setting some small fires. Arrows peppered the Valmese. Robin heard men screaming. He looked at the enemy with wide eyes as they got closer.

They were packed tighter than sardines. One volley of arrows, and dozens of Valmese lay dead or dying on the deck. And not a single healer moved to help the dying. Robin gulped. Outnumbered, and (judging by the ballistae), outgunned. Could they actually win this fight?

 _Rest in the Force._

Chrom strode up from the first line to stand beside Robin and Ben. Falchion glimmered as the sun peeked through the grey skies.

"Ready?" The Ylissean Prince asked both men.

It was weird to see Chrom actually wearing heavy armor. Robin was used to seeing the Prince where leather plates to protect himself. Those usually went beneath his travel attire. Which gave off an armor-less appearance. But now, Chrom wore silver armor, gauntlets, and greaves that protected every inch of his body. As ruler of Ylisse, he needed to wear such armor. If for no other reason, than because both Sumia and Frederick insisted upon it.

Ben drew his rapier. Robin opened his spell book.

"As we'll ever be." Robin replied.

"BRACE!" Ben shouted.

The Valmese fired their ballistae one more time. Steel tipped arrows skipped across the deck. More Feroxi and Plegians fell dead to the deck. Splinters of wood zipped through the air from where the arrows slammed into the deck railing.

The Plegian sea captain cursed and furiously turned the wheel.

Robin's eyes widened. The Valmese on the other ship hollered and cursed. They were going to collide!

The impact sent Robin off of his feet, sliding along the deck, and rolling over onto his stomach as the two ships slid against each other. Both ships ground to a halt. As Robin lay dazed on the deck, he heard Valmese war cries erupt through the air. Gangplanks slammed against the deck. Valmese soldiers charged across.

"Get up, Robin!" Ben tugged Robin to his feet, "This is no time to lie around!"

"I was not trying to!" Robin hissed back.

 _Rest in the force._ He sucked in a sharp breath and blasted a quick wind spell into the Valmese that poured onto the ship. Sending several Valmese soldiers falling into the ocean's waiting embrace.

The first line of Shepherds met the charging Valmese and stopped them. Frederick and Kellam held off a large group of Valmese on their own. Kellam blocked any attack against Frederick with his shield while Frederick lashed out with his blade. Felling any Valmese that dared to come up against him. Chrom and Lon'qu worked in tandem beside them. Both men were whirlwinds of steel. Slicing through charging grunts with ease. Cordelia and Gregor covered their flanks. Doing their best to keep any Valmese from making it over the gangplank and onto the ship itself.

But there was so many of them. Another gangplank hit the deck.

"Sully, Stahl! Move to stop them!" Robin ordered.

The two Ylissean knights raced to the second gangplank. Ben rushed with them. The trio blocked off an advancing group of heavily armored infantrymen. When the flow became too much, Ben extended a palm and sent dozens flying back onto their ship or overboard into the ocean.

"Robin!" Tharja shouted over the loud clashes of steal.

She pointed behind him. Robin spun around.

A second Valmese ship rammed into their port side. The ship lurched. The defensive lines staggered as the deck rolled beneath their feet. Valmese soldiers charged onto the deck.

Gaius, Donnel, and Vaike sprinted to meet them. Virion pivoted and fired arrow after arrow into the mass of Valmese soldiers pouring out of the enemy ship. Tharja gathered a ball of dark magic into her hand and delivered a devastating strike against the enemy. Henry cackled gleefully as he sent a nasty hex straight into a poor Valmese swordsman. The man fell to his knees screaming as dozens of cuts opened up beneath his armor.

Robin grit his teeth and blasted a thunder spell at the nearest Valmese soldier that managed to get past Sully, Stahl, and Vaike. Robin sucked in a sharp breath when the man screamed then fell down in a static filled heap.

The man twitched a couple times. Then lay still.

"Don't stare! Keep firing!" Tharja barked next to him as she unleashed a torrent of dark magic on the enemy.

"Wee!" Henry cheered as he sent a couple soldiers screaming to a watery grave.

Robin shook his head. _Rest in the Force. Let it guide you._

" _Use my power…"_

" _ **Let me feed."**_

A sharp pain snapped through Robin's mind. He cringed and fell to a knee. One hand shook as he reached up and massaged his temple. A sharp ringing danced through his mind.

A loud cry of pain hit his ears, snapping him back to reality. Robin's heart jumped to his throat.

The tide proved too much for Donnel, Sully, and Stahl. A sword protruded from Sully's abdomen. Stahl raced to her and started pulling the furious knight back towards Anna and Libra. Donnel did his best to defend them.

Tharja and Henry hammered the attacking Valmese with spell after spell. Donnel fought with grace and precision. A fighting style that emulated Dooku's.

But it proved ill equipped for the mass of enemies bearing down on him.

Robin's mouth fell open in horror when a lance burrowed into Donnel's side. Henry blasted the attacker away from Donnel while Tharja reached for the farmboy and caught him as he fell.

"Libra!" Tharja screamed.

Robin's breaths came and went in quick, sharp pants. Panic rose inside of him. The ship shuddered again. A Valmese ship slammed against their bow. The impact sent him flying backwards. His head smacked against the mast. Stars danced in his eyes. His head pounded.

The world went quiet. The din of battle became dull. Robin stared ahead as a gangplank slammed onto the bow. Valmese soldiers rushed aboard. Ben broke away from his defensive position and moved to intercept them. One of his hands twitched towards his lightsaber. But before Ben could draw it, the Valmese were on top of him. And he engaged in a deadly dance against waves of enemy infantry.

Blood soaked the deck. Valmese and Feroxi corpses littered the deck. The waves turned red beneath the ship as more bodies fell to a watery grave. Robin's eyes fell on Libra and Anna as they worked furiously on Donnel and Sully.

Donnel lay still at Libra's knees. Libra's staff glowed a brilliant emerald color as the priest worked to stop the bleeding. Sully kicked and cursed as Anna tried to heal her. The Knight demanded to pay the Valmese back in kind. And she did not want to wait.

Vaike fell back to defend the healers. Kellam stepped in front of Sully and took a glancing blow to his thigh. The only defensive position holding strong was where Frederick, Cordelia, and Chrom fought.

They were overwhelmed. The Valmese did not employ any specific strategy. They just poured upon them like unyielding waves. A never ending tide of disposable bodies meant to clobber an opponent into submission. A callous waste of life. But it worked.

Robin choked as he saw Donnel lift a trembling hand skyward. Libra shouted something at Miriel. The mage scrambled to Donnel's side and pulled an elixir from a pouch on her hip.

He was dying.

They were all dying.

They would all die.

A voice whispered in his mind.

" _Only if you let them."_

 _NO!_

Power flooded Robin's veins. A rush of cold slammed into his skin. Goosebumps formed along his arms, hidden by his coat's sleeves. The tactician grit his teeth and rose to his feet. He cast his spell book to the side.

A Valmese soldier rushed him. He raised his sword. Ready to cleave the tactician in two.

" _ **K**_ _il_ _ **l**_ _TH_ _ **EM ALL! S**_ _av_ _ **E Yo**_ _UR F_ _ **RI**_ _Ends!"_

Blue lightning burst from Robin's fingertips. The bolts slammed into the Valmese soldier. He screamed for a split second. Then collapsed to the deck. Little plumes of smoke swirled up from the charred body.

Three other Valmese soldiers saw Robin. They glanced at their friend. And through the Force, Robin felt their fear.

 _Good._ He thought as he drank in the power he felt. Reveled in the focus it gave him as he sank into its embrace. He gave another glance at the others.

Frederick struggled with a wound in his right hip. But he fought on. Gregor shouldered Cordelia as she limped backwards. Fighting off Valmese as they tried to surround the pair. Henry and Tharja held the center of the ship. Preventing any from reaching Libra, Anna, and the wounded. Chrom and Vaike rushed towards the wheel in order to protect the Plegia captain. If they lost control of the wheel, they lost control of the ship. Their means of escape would be gone.

Out of the corner of his eye, Robin saw the oil laden ships slip past the Valmese ships. Protected by Flavia and Basilio's ships. As he thought, the Valmese did not employ a strategy when they attacked his ship. They only sought to kill as many Archaneans as the could. They wanted to kill as many of his friends as they killed.

Anger swelled up inside of Robin.

"DAMN YOU!" Robin screamed.

A storm of lightning surged from his hands as a hideous howl roared in his ears. A dozen Valmese soldiers crumpled to the deck. Burnt alive by the blue tendrils of lightning. A display that gave the other charging soldiers pause.

Robin stepped forward. Images of the war with Plegia flashed in his mind. Exalt Emmeryn's death flashed in his mind. Lucina's wounds flashed in his mind. Ricken's funeral flashed in his mind.

Nowi's mournful cries rang in his ears.

Robin drew his sword with his right hand. In his left hand, more lightning danced on his fingertips. The cold he felt in the force enveloped him. And he welcomed it.

"I will not lose another!"

* * *

Ben buried his rapier into a Valmese soldier. He tugged back on it. The blade did not budge.

"Kriff." He hissed.

A warning rang out in the Force. Ben followed its wisdom. He rolled to the side. Avoiding impalement upon a Valmese lance. He stretched out a palm and sent a group of six Valmese flying off of the side of the ship. Including the body that held his rapier. A curse escaped his lips.

He was reluctant to use his lightsaber. The battlefield grew tighter all around him. One wrong swipe of his blade, and one wrong step by one of the Shepherds, and the sapphire blade could end up taking the limb off of a friend. Or worse, a life.

He could not forgive himself if that happened. And yet, as he looked around, Ben realized he did not have a choice.

Most of the Shepherds had minor wounds. He could sense fear and pain radiating from them. Through that fear and pain, their courage burst forth. Tharja and Henry led a desperate defensive. Hurling spells left and right as they tried to prevent the horde of Valmese from reaching the growing number of wounded tended to by Libra and Anna. Anna occasionally broke away from her healing in order to plunge her shortsword into a Valmese soldier that got too close for comfort.

Chrom, Frederick, Vaike, and Gaius fought towards the wheel of the Plegian ship. Their ship captain still stood along with a few of his crew. They mounted a strong defense against the few Valmese that decided to charge them instead of the Shepherds. Ben knew what Chrom was trying to do. Keep the enemy of the ship captain so that they could somehow sail out of this mess.

If they even could.

Sumia and Cherche's mounts flapped their wings. Both took to the air as the area on the deck shrank. Virion ran out of arrows. The frilly archer drew a dagger and did everything in his power to fend off the Valmese trying to circle around the wounded. Panne clawed and bit the enemy. Mauling them before they could raise their blade against her.

Sully roared and fought despite a devastating wound to her abdomen. The woman refused to quit. Kellam hopped alongside her. All of his weight on one leg while he nursed a bloody wound in his other thigh. Stahl covered Sully's other flank with Lon'qu. The knight and the swordsman were the only two Shepherds not sporting any bloody gashes. But dried blood caked their hands and the hilts of their swords. Gore coated their boots. Red splotches littered their armor. Two whirlwinds of blood and death that refused to give ground to the Valmese despite their overwhelming numbers.

Through the chaos, Ben saw Miriel and Libra working furiously on Donnel. Through the force, he sensed the boy fading. Miriel poured another vulnary over the bleeding wound, causing Donnel to let out an ear piercing scream.

Another warning in the force ripped Ben's focus away from his friends. He ducked beneath a wild slash. His fist slammed into the lightly armored side of a Valmese swordsman. Ribs cracked beneath the blow as he allowed the Force to bolster his strength. The attacker crumpled to the deck, then disappeared behind another wave of infantrymen swarming over the gangplank on the bow.

A ballista arrow shrieked through the air. Ben ducked to the side. But not fast enough. He felt steel graze his right shoulder. Hot blood ran down his arm. A curse slipped from his lips as he jumped back from a pair of lances.

He had no other options now. The fighting space condensed down to just a few feet of room. The others would have to watch out for him. He needed to drive off as many of the Valmese as he could.

Ben reached for his lightsaber. As his fingers brushed against the cold metal, a frozen wave erupted in the force. Slamming into him like a blizzard.

Ben paled as he felt the fury of the dark side bellow out around him. He whipped his gaze over to the source.

Lighting pierced half a dozen Valmese soldiers. Ben could see their bones through the flashes of light that erupted from their bodies. They all crumpled to the deck. The smell of cooked meat permeated the air. Making Ben nauseous.

The nausea grew when he heard a furious roar come from Robin.

The tactician stood near the mast. Sword in one hand, force lightning in the other. The roar echoed in Ben's ears. Reverberated through the force. Chills rushed over his body as Robin's eyes flickered a blazing yellow color for the briefest of moments.

"Oh no." Ben breathed.

Robin surged into the throngs of Valmese soldiers. His sword slashed into their ranks with all of the fury and precision of a berserker. Lighting leaped from his fingertips. Directionless, aimless, chaotic. Several bolts slammed into the planks near Tharja and Henry, causing both to scamper back from Robin.

"Robin, don't do this." Ben breathed as he drew his lightsaber and ignited the blade.

A Valmese soldier howled as he severed the man's right arm at the elbow. His next stroke slashed through the chests of three more Valmese.

The strange weapon gave the enemy pause. Reluctant to go up against a weapon that made their armor look like nothing more that wet paper. Ben twirled his weapon in his hand. He closed his eyes and wrapped himself in the Force. If his friends were to survive this battle, if he was to survive this overwhelming wave of enemies, he needed to rely on its will to guide him. He needed to calm his mind and focus.

Waves of darkness blanketed the Force. He could feel Robin's fury, pain, and fear. The tactician gave into a wave of anger that caused his latent force abilities to erupt from within him. The power he displayed boggled Ben's mind. He sensed an untapped well in the force. Black as the midnight sky. As cold as Regna Ferox's frozen wastes. A feeling Ben had only sensed from very few individuals.

The first was not Maul, surprisingly enough. Maul exuded an unfettered hatred and rage that burned hot in the force. It numbed the dark side's usual cold feeling. The mark of an inexperienced dark side adept. An apprentice. Although, the last time Ben fought Maul in Plegia, that had been tempered significantly.

No, this tremendous cold came from someone who embraced the dark side of the force. Reveled in its power. Listened to its sinister whispers and enjoyed sinking into its frozen waters. Ben never faced the man this feeling reminded him of. But he felt it across the stars when the Jedi Purge began.

The dark mass of power buried inside of Robin felt like Sidious. Cold, ruthless, unfeeling. Reveling in the terror it instilled in its enemies. Drinking in their fear and feeding upon the death sewed by its dark abilities. It made focusing difficult for Ben. The light side of the force practically shrank away from the fury of it.

When Ben opened his eyes again, a pulse took him off of his feet, along with the Valmese soldiers near him. He hit the deck hard. Spots danced in his vision. Ben shook his head, spat out bloody salt water, and pushed himself back to his feet.

The Valmese recovered from their shock and charged once again. The chaos returned. Only more ferocious than before as Robin's out of control powers continued to explode out of him.

Ben twirled his lightsaber and cut through the Valmese waves. This battle needed to end swiftly. He needed to get the Valmese ships that slammed into their own to retreat. Once they were away, the Plegian captain could guide the ship back to the Archanean fleet. Away from the impending inferno.

And the sooner this battle ended, the sooner Ben could turn his attention to the rampaging Robin.

Ben attacked. The Valmese backpedaled away from him. Their encirclement collapsed as Robin's fury forced one group of Valmese back over their gangplank and onto their ship. Ben unleashed a force push that scattered another group. Any reinforcements hesitated to cross over the gangplanks.

As more space opened up, Tharja and Henry unleashed the magic they had left. Black and purple balls of dark magic exploded into the Valmese ranks both on board the Plegian ship and aboard the trio of Valmese ships. Chrom and a limping Frederick rushed down from the wheel back towards the front lines. Gaius shouldered Vaike as he helped the wounded man towards Miriel and Libra. A bloody gash ran over his chest. Another war scar Teach could boast about once it healed.

Chrom rushed to Ben's side. Falchion sang through the air as it cut down a Valmese soldier. Ben spun around Chrom and slashed a lance in two before it could pierce the Prince. He slipped to Chrom's side and shoved an enemy back with the force. Chrom lunged forward and plunged Falchion through that same man's gut.

The ship rocked. Ben glanced to the port side. The attacking ship on that side tried to pull away from the furious lightning storm generated by Robin. Before it could, Robin uttered a furious roar.

Ben's eyes widened as the hull on the enemy's ship cracked. Wood splintered. The mast on the Valmese ship uttered a loud groan. Panicked voices rose up as the sail fell to the deck.

The dark side of the force screamed around Robin. The chill in the air grew as he became even more unstable. Lightning danced from his hands in every direction. The bolts now coming dangerously close to hitting the Shepherds instead of the enemy.

 _This needs to end. Now!_

"Chrom!" Ben cried over the clash of steel.

Chrom blocked two swords then shoved both blades back, "Yeah?"

"Give me space."

Chrom nodded, "Frederick, Cordelia, Gaius, protect Ben with me! Tharja, Henry give us some time!"

Ben stepped back. His lightsaber switched off with a loud hiss. Cordelia stepped in front of him. Her lance caught another lance. She twisted her weapon then brought her foot down on the shaft of the enemy's lance. Snapping the wooden shaft into splinters.

"Whatever you're going to do Ben, do it fast!" She cried.

Ben locked eyes with the ship smashed against their bow. On board that ship, hollering orders at the Valmese soldiers, was an older, weathered man in heavy, red armor. He carried a massive shield in his right hand. A javelin sat in his left. The Valmese commander. If he could take him down, the enemy would be leaderless. It would buy the oil laden Archanean ships more time as the Valmese tried to regain order.

Ben took a deep breath and closed his eyes. This would be difficult. He had not pushed his Force Powers this much since his arrival on this planet. The most he had ever attempted were simple pushes, jumps, and a mind trick or two. What he was about to do was much more difficult.

He fell into the waters of the Force. Felt its currents envelope him. It's power coursed into his veins. Through his closed eyes, he saw the Valmese flagship. He saw her commander and all of its soldiers and crew. He saw the splintered wood on its bow from where it smashed against his own ship. He saw the arrows littering its deck. The scorch marks and gashes in the wood from lightning and wind spells. The blast marks from dark magic. He sensed the anxiety of her crew, the determination of her soldiers, the confidence of her commander.

He raised both hands and curled his fingers. His jaw clenched tight as the weight of the entire Valmese ship slammed into him. He tuned out the sounds of battle. Tuned out the dying cries of men. Tuned out Cordelia shouting for him to hurry up.

There was only himself, the ship, and the Force.

Ben let out a shaky breath. He gripped the ship. The muscles in his arms tightened. Pressure built up in his fingertips.

The ship groaned. Water rushed around it. Ben sensed the confidence in the Valmese commander evaporate.

"Naga above!" Chrom cried.

The Valmese ship rose out of the water. Water cascaded down from her sides. The soldiers aboard the ship cried out in terror as they rose higher above the ocean surface. The gangplank connecting both ships collapsed into the sea, stranding some Valmese soldiers aboard the Archanean vessel.

Ben's muscles felt like they were on fire. His breaths turned into short, rasping gasps as he struggled to lift the ship higher. His hands rose as the ship floated higher.

 _Just… a little… more._

Ben cracked an eye open. Sweat caked his brow. His arms trembled above his head.

"Tharja, Henry." He croaked, "Blast it!"

The two dark mages summoned their most powerful spells and fired them at the exposed hull. A fiery explosion ripped through the air. The force of which broke Ben's concentration. With a loud gasp, Ben let his hands fall back down to his sides.

He collapsed to his hands and knees. And the Valmese ship plummeted back down into the waves.

The Valmese aboard the ship screamed and panicked. Terror rushed through their ranks. But through the force, Ben sensed resignation from the Valmese commander. Water rushed into the ship. And soon, the waves consumed her.

Ben grit his teeth. Every fiber in his body felt like it had been set on fire. It had been ages since he pushed his powers to their limit like that.

 _I need to train more._

Before any of the Shepherds could ask how the hell he managed to do that, a blast of lightning slammed into the deck near Ben. Puncturing a hole into the wooden planks. Ben recoiled back.

Robin had turned around to face the last Valmese ship attached to their ship. His eyes had turned from the kind brown, to a blazing yellow. The Dark Side of the Force ran through his very core. Controlled every volatile action and every chaotic burst of power.

If he continued on like this, Robin would not only destroy the Valmese. He would destroy the Shepherds as well.

Ben sprinted towards Robin. He ducked beneath a bolt of lightning then skidded to a stop in front of the tactician.

"Robin!" Ben shouted.

"Out of my way." Robin snarled with a voice that did not sound like his own.

Ben grabbed him by the front of his coat, "Snap out of it! Before you kill us all!"

Robin blinked. Sparks flickered in his palm. The yellow glow in his eyes faded. Behind Ben, the remaining Valmese scrambled back to the safety of their ship. Pushed there by a renewed counterattack led by Chrom and Frederick.

Robin saw the enemies retreat. His eyes fell on the wounded between him and the enemy. He saw Donnel laying in a pool of blood. And for a split second, the rage returned.

"Robin, don't give in to it." Ben pleaded, "This is not you."

The tactician glanced at the damage around him. Scars from his lightning littered the deck. Charred bodies surrounded him. The ship that had been against their port side limped back towards the Valmese fleet, barely afloat. And the other Shepherds regarded him with fear.

Their fear snapped him back.

"B-Ben?" Robin swallowed hard, the brown color returned to his eyes.

"The ships made it!" Henry shouted as he stood near the bow.

Robin shook his head. He pushed the sudden guilt and horror he had down.

"Full retreat." He muttered, "Or else we will be engulfed in the fire."

Ben nodded, "Pull back." He told the ship captain.

The Plegian captain spun the wheel. The sail's groaned on the mast. The rudder shifted and the ship lumbered around. Basilio and Flavia's ships followed. Both racing away as the now derelict, oil laden ships were engulfed by the Valmese formation.

Ben waited for Robin to give the signal. A well placed fireball would spark the trap. But the tactician seemed too out of it. Too horrified by his own actions to think at the moment. Ben took a deep breath and looked at Miriel.

"Miriel!" Ben called, "Set them ablaze!"

Miriel nodded. She sprinted to the bow, cracked open her spell book, and fired.

The fireball arced through the air. It flew for forever. Soaring over the first line of Valmese warships towards the last oil laden ship. The only one still in range for Miriel.

The fire hit the ship. The Valmese ships, crews, and captains all realized too late what was happening.

An explosion ripped through the air. The ocean burned.

* * *

It had been a good many years since Dooku enjoyed a voyage upon open waters. Under normal circumstances, the soft breeze and chilled air would have been mildly relaxing. The sun was not overbearing. Most of its rays were hidden behind a thin blanket of grey clouds. The salt air revitalized his lungs with each breath. Rejuvenated his spirit. All he needed was a comfortable chair, a good drink, and perhaps a lovely book and this would be a delightful afternoon.

That, and the lack of a battle would help. Dooku frowned as one hand twisted the leather gauntlet on his right wrist.

Armor, how pathetic. A master in the force did not require such trivial means of protection. And yet, everyone that outranked him insisted on it. Of course, he could have refused. But given his delicate place as a person of leadership in Themis, it was probably best to lead by example. Although, he would be damned if he followed Kenobi and wore anything more than simple wrist guards.

Now that he thought about it, the wrist guards were rather comforting. Especially given the embarrassing way he lost to Skywalker aboard the _Invisible Hand._

 _Perhaps I should reconsider my approach._ He drummed his fingers along his right gauntlet. _Cortosis would be much better than leather._

Dooku heard Lucina utter a worried sigh as she stood beside him on the bow of the ship. Dooku paid her no mind. Let her worry. If she was half the person Kenobi though she was, she would know that worrying never helped anyone.

 _Perhaps Mandalorian Steel gauntlets? If I ever get the chance to get my hands on that again._

Lucina jumped and took a step back. Dooku frowned and gave her a withering look.

"They are just boarding parties, Lucina. Calm down." The old man advised as he folded his hands in front of his body.

"From what I sense it is a lot more than mere boarding parties." Lucina huffed.

A cold wind whipped around the bow of the ship. Lucina's cape flapped, unveiling the stump of her right arm. She quickly reached out and snatched her cape. Dragging it back over to its place. Concealing the long healed wound.

Dooku raised an eyebrow, "You should not be ashamed of such a thing."

Lucina's jaw tightened, "I don't like being reminded of it."

Dooku snorted, "No one likes to be reminded of their failures, but that does not mean you have to bury your head in the sand when those reminders come."

"I am not burying my head in the sand." Lucina hissed.

"Is the cape not your sand?"

Lucina's eyes glanced back and forth. Never making eye contact with Dooku's piercing, nearly judgmental gaze.

"Quit talking in riddles." She finally muttered, returning her attention to the battle playing out in the distance.

Dooku gave her a smug grin, "You are a Jedi now. Get used to them."

She shook her head and let out another heavy sigh, "I should be out there."

"But you cannot."

"Do you have to reply to my every thought!?" Lucina snapped.

"If they were simple thoughts you would not be saying them out loud." Dooku glowered down at her, "And what I just said is true. If you went into that battle, you would not last very long."

"How would you know that?" Lucina scowled as she kept her gaze focused on the horizon. Where hundreds of Valmese ships waited for them.

"Because the numbers would overwhelm you. You do not have your full strength with that arm. You could fight. But you would die. And there is no sense in throwing your life away needlessly."

"So I'm never going to fight again?" Lucina glared back at Dooku, "Because as far as I know, I'm not capable of regrowing a limb."

Dooku gave her a small smirk, "Perhaps not with this world's technology."

Lucina narrowed her eyes, "What are you saying?"

Small footsteps interrupted their conversation. Nowi stood on the other side of Dooku. Her eyes also fixated on the battle between the the three Archanean ships sent to escort Robin's trap, and the Valmese defense. The Manakete still did not seem like her old self. Although, Dooku could not blame her.

Despite being one thousand years old, she lacked a certain maturity that would have helped her through Ricken's passing. Although, he also did not understand why she was so upset about his death. It was not like the pair were anything more than friends.

He sensed something strange for a brief second. A second life force inside of Nowi. Small and faint. And he suddenly regretted his rather harsh thoughts.

"Are they going to be okay?" Nowi asked, her voice very quiet as the waves rocked their ship up and down.

"Yeah." Lucina nodded. Although, her tone sounded unconvincing, "I'm sure they will be."

"Have confidence in Kenobi, Robin, and Chrom." Dooku advised both, "Those three are capable warriors. And Kenobi will not allow anything too devastating to happen."

Nowi gave him a small nod, "Good."

She sniffled a little bit and shivered as the wind picked up. Plegian sailors adjusted the sails behind them in order to prevent their ship from lurching towards the heated battle.

"They better win." Nowi gulped, "Ricken would want them to win."

"And they will." Dooku nodded.

Lucina gasped as a third Valmese ship careened into the bow of the flagship. Dooku furrowed his brow. He could sense some panic growing among their allies aboard the flagship. If something did not happen soon, the flagship would be overwhelmed.

He flicked his gaze along the horizon and spotted Flavia and Basilio's ships grabbing the skeleton crews from the floating bombs disguised as actual ships. The Khans were not going into the jaws of the Valmese fleet. A wise decision. Once inside the mass of enemy ships there would be no escaping. Dooku only hoped someone hit one of the oil ships with a well placed fireball or flaming arrow. If they failed to do that, then all of this effort and sacrifice would be for nothing.

This strategy felt way too risky. Dooku did not like it at all. He viewed Robin's idea as utterly insane. In this instance, he would have followed the example of General Grievous and retreated. Live to fight another day instead of taking a dangerous chance like this. So many variables lay beyond their control. If even one went awry, the entire strategy could fail.

Valmese sailors poured onto the flagship. Their red armor swarmed over the deck. He lost sight of the Shepherds as they were caught in the endless, red wave.

"We need to help them!" Lucina hissed.

"If we go in there now, we will be caught in the inferno." Dooku reminded her as he watched the oil ships lumber into the waiting arms of the Valmese fleet. Basilio and Flavia's ships were already racing back towards the Archanean fleet.

"But we must do something!"

"And risk other lives in the process." Dooku snarled, catching Lucina off guard with his anger, "You need to learn when a battle in unwinnable, Lucina. Sometimes retreat is the only option."

 _And it is looking more and more like that is what we must do._

If the flagship was overwhelmed, then no one would be able to ignite the oil. The ships would just be captured. The Valmese fleet would proceed unharmed towards Port Ferox. And this entire voyage would be a disaster.

Dooku glanced over his shoulder at the two blonde women nervously watching the battle. Lissa and Maribelle would assume command of the Ylissean military. Prince Chrom's younger sister would be named Exalt (if she chose to take such a title). The war would turn into a defensive struggle. And they would rely on his expertise in war when that happened.

He noticed Nowi fidgeting with something in her right hand. A shiny, pale stone. Glossy, rather pretty to look at. He could sense a strange power radiating from it. As if it contained a vast well of strength that only the little Manakete could tap into.

 _That stone must facilitate her bizarre transformation._

"Don't even think about it." he warned Nowi, surprising the Manakete, "You no longer have the luxury of worrying about one life."

Lucina blinked, "What?"

Before she could ask any more questions, the dark side of the force roared. Lucina and Nowi both recoiled as the force growled and snarled around them. The chill on the wind turned colder. Dooku could see his breath misting out in front of his face.

"Naga…" Lucina breathed as she stared at the battle with terror.

Dooku furrowed his brow. The dark side did not alarm him. At this point, he was very familiar with the feeling. But he could not pinpoint where exactly this wave of power was coming from.

It would not be Kenobi. Obi Wan was a powerful Jedi, but he had been slacking off in recent years in regards to his formal force training. Something Dooku very much disapproved of. Even if he had been in peak condition, Kenobi would not be able to call upon the dark side of the force like this. The power radiating out from the battle grew. The temperature continued to drop. The roar in the force crescendoed louder and louder.

Someone just toying with the dark side would not command such power. Dooku detected Robin fighting inside of the whirlwind in the force. But he had a hard time believing the tactician was capable of such rage. Robin was always rather mild mannered. A bit strange at times. Perhaps far too naive about warfare for his own good. But never angry or hate filled.

And yet, as Dooku investigated further, he sensed nothing but Robin in the maelstrom. A sinking feeling hit his gut.

"Where did this come from?" He wondered out loud.

He always suspected the Tactician had sizable potential in the force. But this eruption of power was beyond anything Dooku could have expected.

"That's Robin?" Lucina breathed, shocked.

Dooku frowned. No, it was not Robin. This was something else. This was a storm unleashed. A loss of control the likes of which Dooku had never sensed before.

Nowi crept close to Dooku and hid slightly behind his billow cape.

"Guys?" Severa called from near the wheel. Owain stood silently beside her. Grim faced and worried, "What is going… on…"

Lucina's jaw dropped as one of the Valmese ships rose out of the water. Nowi stared wide eyed with the rest of the crew and the few Shepherds on their ship. Dooku folded his arms. His scowl deepened.

"This should not be that difficult for you Kenobi." He huffed, "Captain, full speed towards the flagship."

"I thought you said we were not going in there?" Lucina cried.

"The circumstances have changed. You can sense that." Dooku replied, voice level and calm. The Plegian sailors scrambled across the deck, moving the sails so that they would catch the frozen wind.

A cheer rose up from the other ships around them. The Valmese vessel Kenobi lifted crashed back into the sea. The waves quickly engulfed it. Taking any soldiers and sailors directly to the ocean floor. In the process, the other Valmese were spooked. Dooku noticed many of the enemy soldiers scrambling back towards their ships as Kenobi and Robin unleashed.

Severa and Owain rushed down from their perch in order to stand beside Lucina. Both teenagers were eager for battle. Lucina seemed more anxious than eager.

 _Perhaps you are not so hopeless._ Dooku thought as he sensed her apprehension.

"Fireball!" A Sailor shouted.

A fireball launched out from the center of the flagship. It arced through the air. Flying directly for the closest oil ship. Dooku held his breath as he watched the orange ball of flames descend.

The fire slammed into the ship. Sparks danced across the hull. Embers spat out. The wood hull exploded. Water blasted high into the sky as a fiery inferno consumed the first ship.

The flames spread rapidly. The second oil ship exploded. Dumping rivers of flaming oil into the waters surrounding the Valmese fleet.

The fire spread. The Valmese fleet burned. The waves now a mixture of charred flesh, burning oil, and blood. A great cheer erupted from the Archanean fleet as an orange glow filled the grey sky. Waves of heat burst forth as the inferno consumed the enemy fleet.

"It actually worked." Dooku muttered in disbelief.

The flagship limped back towards the fleet. Khan Flavia and Khan Basilio's ships rushed back as well. The inferno spread further among the enemy fleet. Their tightly packed formation spelling their doom. As he sensed more death and destruction through the force, a small smile crossed Dooku's lips.

"We have won the day." He nodded then looked at Lucina, "Make sure healers are ready." He turned on his heel and marched towards the stairs that led below deck, "And bring me both Kenobi and Robin when they arrive."

 _We have much to discuss._

* * *

The meditation chamber hummed. The variation electronics and machines designed to keep the pressure stable worked overtime. Vader did not normally remain inside his sphere of solitude for this long. But for some reason, he felt the need to be reclusive.

His hairless brow furrowed. Pale skin wrinkling like thin, used paper. Scars creased. A slight sting lanced where what little nerves that weren't burned away by Mustafar's fires still existed. The Sith Lord's mind latched onto that ever so slight pain. Used it like a lightsaber used a crystal. As a means of focus.

Pain was one of the basic building blocks of the dark side of the force. Without pain, there could not be fear, anger, or hatred. Pain was human feeling in its rawest form. The most primal urge any animal felt was not fear, happiness, wrath, or even pleasure. It was pain. A universal feeling. A sensation that could be understood by every single living thing in the galaxy, dumb or intelligent. Civilized or barbaric.

But only a Sith truly knew how to focus such a feeling. Only a Sith knew how to transform pain into pure power in the force. And Vader had grown especially adept at such a technique. He lived with pain. Lived within pain. Every single breath rattled his weak lungs. Every blink of his eyes caused aches to pulse through his head. His stomach groaned with hunger more often than not. The severed remains of his limbs burned to the touch from time to time. His heart ached with each pulse.

The pain gave him power. Gave him control over the Dark Side of the Force. Control Anakin Skywalker lacked.

Anakin Skywalker had been nothing more than a foolish child. A boy playing with powers he did not comprehend. He did not understand the depths to which one had to sink in order to discover the dark side's true powers. Did not understand the pain that had to be inflicted on oneself in order to unlock the force's mysteries.

But Vader understood. Mustafar's fires made him understand. The humiliation of defeat opened his eyes. The pain of burning alive opened him to an untapped well of power. He may never have Skywalker's raw talent, but he would forever outdo the boy in experience.

In a way, a small, minuscule part of him felt grateful for that. He was thankful for what Kenobi did to him. The damnable Jedi Master burned away the arrogance and folly of Anakin Skywalker. Allowing Lord Vader to rise from the molten ashes. An unstoppable force. Ruthless, tenacious, and utterly unforgiving.

But for the most part, Vader hated Obi Wan Kenobi. That passionate hatred burned hotter than any pain fire could inflict. And the hatred did not die when a Star Destroyer near the Polis Massa system reported his death.

Vader did not believe the reports for a single second. Kenobi outwitted his own soldiers, Commander Cody and the 212th. Those men knew Kenobi the best. They knew how he fought, how he thought, and how to best combat him. And they were unable to destroy the Jedi Master. A random squadron of clones aboard a Star Destroyer would not be capable of slaying Kenobi. After all, if Kenobi really did die, then Vader would have felt it. He would have felt it through the pain filled haze of his first days trapped in this infernal suit of armor. He would have sensed his old Master's passing.

Instead, he felt unfulfilled. Whenever Kenobi entered his mind, restlessness followed. He knew his old Master was still out there. Still living. Like a disease that refused to be cured. Through the currents of the force, as Vader rested deep in it's waters, he could feel the faint pulse of Obi Wan Kenobi reverberating through the stars.

But he could never pin it down. The origin of the faint signature always escaped him. He would lose hours in his meditations. Not a soul dared to disturb him during those times unless they needed him to address a matter of the utmost importance. Vader was glad the 501st were that disciplined. They knew not to bother him whenever he stepped into the sphere. Only foolish officers forgot their place.

His fingers twitched on his chair's armrest. He sensed it again. An ever so faint pulse. Like a dying heartbeat struggling to cling to life. But for the first time, Vader noticed something rather curious.

It seemed stronger this time. As if he had suddenly drawn closer to the source of the faint thrum in the force. For a split second, his heart jumped in his chest. Anticipation filled him as he narrowed in on the signature and grasped at it.

The Force howled its denial. It dared to defy him. Him, a master of the force. Vader snarled. His hands gripped the armrest tight. Metal creaked beneath his grip as his fists tightened more and more. He would not be denied. He would find Kenobi. Dead or alive, he would find him.

And if Kenobi was alive, Vader would kill him. There was nothing the Sith Lord wanted more than to see the light leave the Jedi Master's eyes. To see the man that betrayed him gasp his last breath as his red lightsaber plunges through his heart. To gaze upon the corpse of the man that turned Padme against him.

To his shock, the Force rebuffed him again. And the pulse died. A few years ago, Vader would have been outraged at such denial. But now, he saw it as a chance to learn. There was a reason for the Force hiding Kenobi's presence in such a manner. But he still could not figure out precisely why.

Another pulse in the force caught his attention. No… grabbed his attention. It felt like a punch in the jaw. His mind reeled as the Dark Side of the Force roared in his ears. Vader's grip on his chair lightened as he sat in shock.

A girl with black hair and a peculiar purple and gold coat appeared in his mind. She sat on the floor inside a pitch black room. Eyes closed in meditation. Three sith holocrons hovered around her. Each one open. Their collective voices whispering dark wisdom into her mind. Vader could hear them. A choir of dark whispers that sent a chill up his spine. And she drank it all in. Undisturbed by the myriad of voices streaming through the darkness.

Vader stared at the girl with genuine curiosity. Her presence in the force was unmistakable. She was extremely powerful. Her potential far greater than any acolyte the Empire had in their ranks.

Worry filled the Sith Lord as he probed further. This girl dwarfed even the Grand Inquisitor in power. She felt raw. Untrained and inexperienced. But incredibly potent in the dark side. Alarmingly in tune with the force.

Her eyes opened. They flashed from emerald green to blazing yellow. She stared at Vader.

"So… you're Palps' other apprentice." She smiled at him.

For some reason, Vader felt mildly unsettled. That was not a friendly grin. Nor was it a sane one. She had to be insane. No one referred to Lord Sidious as Palps without asking to be killed.

A brat to be sure. Vader felt some anger well up in him. She referred to him as the other apprentice. Was this child insinuating that she had replaced him? That his master had found another that could match him in power? The dark side of the force snarled as Vader reached out and grabbed the girl within the force.

Normally, Vader won the fight right there and then. Regular, insignificant beings cowered at the feeling of a Sith Lord probing their minds. Jedi felt disturbed by it. Even feared such an action. He had grown incredibly adept at making a Jedi soil themselves before he slaughtered them. But this girl simply smiled wider as he tried to break into her mind.

"Can't find something that isn't there buddy." She said, "Trust me, I've tried." She narrowed those blazing eyes at him, "I can see why Master likes you though."

Vader felt a pressure slam into his own mind. A crude attack. Blunt and brutal. Amateurish, but still devastatingly effective in the first few seconds.

Vader threw up in his mental defenses. The girl hissed then drew back.

"Oh, so there is more than brawn there." She chuckled, "I look forward to meeting you."

Her image faded into blackness. The red glow of the holocrons were replaced by the violent, white light inside of Vader's meditation sphere. His eyes blinked open. And for a split second, he felt blinded.

A buzzer sounded near one of his datapads. Vader blinked again as he tried to refocus himself.

Pain rushed through his head. A splitting migraine. The rattle of his lungs snapped him back to reality.

His master had a second apprentice. One he likely wished to keep hidden from Vader. His teeth clenched tight. Several machines groaned as his rage manifested itself in the force. Pressing against the walls of his sphere. Then violently contracting back to his body as he reined in his fury. This sphere was the one escape he had from his prison. He did not want to ruin it.

 _Hopefully, this mission will be over soon._ Vader thought to himself as he glanced at the blinking red light on his datapad. Likely an update from the Admiral as to their progress searching a new solar system around a white dwarf star. _I have been away for too long._

His mind lingered for a moment on the image of the girl surrounded by the floating holocrons. Relishing the darkness. Enjoying it every second.

She was a rival. One groomed by his Master to challenge him. Another test to see if Lord Vader was truly worth enough to be Lord Sidious's apprentice.

Like all of the others, she would fall away. She would be cast down by him. No one would stand in his way. No one would challenge him.

 _I now have two to worry about._ Vader pressed the button. A report came into view on his datapad. Nothing more than a simple star chart. Thrawn had already given the order to move on to the next star cluster in this abandoned corner of the galaxy. He flicked the datapad off.

 _I will kill this rival._ Vader closed his eyes, _And I will kill Kenobi._

 **And chapter! The battle is over! And the Shepherds have carried the day. But it was a brutal victory. Something is not quite right with Robin. Soon our heroes with arrive in Valm, and when they do, the war will truly begin. And Vader draws even closer. Although now, he may be distracted from the mission his master gave him.**

 **Now, I'm still not the most confident when it comes to my battle writing. So I will take whatever advice and criticism I can get. I want to get better at this sort of thing and your input always helps with that.**

 **Also, this fic is now officially ONE year old! Holy crap! That blows my mind. And it is thanks to all of you guys reading, reviewing, and being awesome. I cannot thank you all enough for all of the support and love. I look forward to continuing this story!**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	92. The Sword of the Radiant Warrior

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 92

The Sword of the Radiant Warrior

Mist covered the Kiba mountains. Blue moonlight pierced the mist. The occasional hoot of an owl completed the eerie feeling around the small group traversing the ridge line.

Luke paused in his march. His boots sank a little bit in the damp earth. He could smell the moisture in the air. Another storm was coming. If they did not find Noire and Say'ri soon, then the trail could go cold. At that point, he would have to rely on only the Force in order to find them. Noire did not have a strong enough presence in the force for Luke to sense her effectively.

 _Damn you Kenobi. Why did you not train her?_ He thought to himself as a chilled wind swept over the jagged peaks, down the ridge, and into him, Brady, and Prince Kage.

Brady carried the young Prince in one arm. His other hand planted his staff into the soft earth. Luke glanced back and saw Kage sleeping soundly. Head resting on the Priest's shoulder.

"Don't say it." Brady snarled.

"I look cute sleeping in your embrace." Luke smirked back.

Brady let out a long groan, "If I didn't have my hands full-"

"I'd kick your ass." Luke snorted, "Keep fantasizing, and I might just think you have ulterior motives for always wanting to fight me."

"I am a priest." Brady frowned.

"Not a very good one." Luke replied, "And you wouldn't be fighting me, you'd be fighting Cynthia."

"I do not want to-" Brady hung his head and let out a loud huff, "Naga damn you." He shook his head then glanced up at the dark sky above them.

Stars innumerable twinkled high above the mist and trees. A full moon dominated the sky. It's blue light making it easy to navigate the narrow mountain trails. But Brady was not looking up in order to marvel at the stars' beauty. His blue eyes scanned the sky, hoping to see the silhouette of a Pegasus soaring past the stars.

"She's been out there a while now." Brady grunted as he adjusted Kage in his arm. The little Prince snorted, turned his head over, and let out a quiet snore.

Luke nodded grimly. His own eyes glanced up at the night sky. Cynthia took off on her Pegasus in search of both Noire and Say'ri hours ago. Back when the sun still sat over the mountains. She had not been seen since. And now, Luke was starting to worry.

Cynthia was many things, clumsy airhead being one of them. But she was not someone to wander too far from her friends. She knew Luke and Brady were trying to track Noire and Say'ri as well. Regardless of if she had seen anything, she would have returned by now.

 _Unless something happened._ Luke thought.

And if anything did happen to her… his right hand balled into a fist. If someone harmed Cynthia, they would not live to see another sunrise. If someone harmed Say'ri and Noire, then they would answer to him. He tried his best to contain the immense anger he carried because of Maul's training. During this entire search he applied many of the lessons Yen'fay gave him. He moved forward with a calm, collected mind. While he assumed the worst, he also knew that giving into his rage would only exacerbate the situation. It would not help him here.

But the temptation was enormous. He could feel the dark leviathan in the force rumbling in his mind. Sweet whispers of power that he had grown so familiar with danced through his thoughts. Maul's venomous teachings plagued him still. Every so often, out of pure reflex and instinct, he would let the dark side take control. Power would swell inside of him. A blood lust would burst forth. He would feel like a hunter again. A predator searching for prey that dared to step out of line. And Yen'fay's voice would bring him back. Cynthia's love drove away the darkness. And his devotion to his friends, whether they liked him or not, refocused his mind.

Brady trudged up to his side. His staff planted into the soft ground next to him.

"Any ideas?" The priest asked as he adjusted Kage's weight, "Cause this kid is starting to get heavy."

Luke returned his attention to the jungle around them. He closed his eyes and drifted into the force for a brief moment. Being incredibly careful to avoid sinking too deep into the dark side. Sensing another force sensitive was a relatively simple exercise. It was one of the first things Maul taught him to do. Using this technique, he was able to detect the location of others with the force's gifts so long as they were strong and close by.

The past few hours yielded nothing whenever he tried. But now, he sensed something. A faint, anxious flicker. One he recognized as Noire's.

"Yeah." Luke looked up at the peak of the mountain, "We've got to get over the mountain."

Brady's eyes bugged out of his skull, "Wh-what?" He shook his head, "Okay, if we're doing that, you have to carry yourself for a couple hours. I can barely feel my arm right now."

"Deal with it." Luke grunted as he marched up the trail once again.

Brady grit his teeth and followed, "Asshole." He muttered.

The pair trekked further up the mountain trail. As they rose higher, the canopy thinned out. Allowing both men to have a clearer view of the night sky and stars around them. Endless pin pricks of light that stretched out forever in every direction. Luke sucked in a small breath when they reached the peak of the ridge. For some reason, he felt enamored by the moon and stars above him. They were so close now, he felt like he could reach out and touch them. There was a longing there he had never really noticed before. And could not place as to why he felt such a thing.

He shook his head. Focus. He needed to focus.

"Spot Cynthia?" Brady puffed as he reached the peak. He used some rope to strap the slumbering prince around his back. Sweat caked his forehead as he leaned heavily against his staff. "And another question, why did we leave the horse?"

"The horse would not fit on the trail, you know that." Luke grunted, "We'll find it again once we find the others. It is a loyal beast."

"Doubtful, but whatever you say." Brady remarked as he tried to catch his breath. He reached for his hip, grabbed his flask, and brought it to his lips. He grimaced after he took a drink then shook the bottle near his ear, "I'm running low."

"So?" Luke asked.

"So, unless you want to see me cranky, I suggest we hurry this up." Brady frowned.

Luke rolled his eyes, "You are always cranky."

"Am not."

Before Luke could reply, he heard something on the wind. A faint rustling in the brush nearby. His eyes narrowed as he glanced in the direction of the disturbance. He allowed the dark side of the force to bubble to the surface. He could not sense any danger, but he also could not be too careful. The Force had been deceptive and hostile to him as of late. He did not want to become too reliant on it.

"We gonna keep going or-"

Luke raised a hand, silencing Brady. To his credit, the priest knew that he had to shut up. Both men reached for their weapons. Luke's fingers brushed against the hilt of his lightsaber. Brady's hand gripped the handle to his ax.

"Where?" Brady whispered.

Luke nodded to their right. A thicket sat on top of the mountain ridge. Large ferns made it nearly impossible to see into it. Brady pivoted, making sure to place himself between the thicket and the prince on his back. He drew his ax and eyed the thick brush.

"Animal?" He asked, voice hushed.

Luke furrowed his brow. That was certainly a possibility. Wild boar roamed the countryside. And while a single boar was not much to worry about, a group of them could do damage if they managed to get close. Luke was not interested in dealing with those animal's fiery tempers and sharp tusks.

He waved his hand. The ferns pulled away as the force brushed against them. Luke peered into the darkness.

Nothing there.

 _Strange._

Wings flapped in the wind. Luke's gaze snapped skyward.

Cynthia's pegasus crashed down onto the peak in a landing that was far from graceful. The impact startled Brady, who let out an alarmed cry, backpedaled, tripped on a vine, then proceeded to rolled down the other side of the mountain.

"BRADY!" Cynthia shouted from atop her Pegasus as she and Luke watched the Priest tumble down the trail with Kage.

Luke gave her a withering look.

"Sorry." Cynthia said sheepishly.

He shook his head and charged after Brady. Sheer, rocky cliffs lined the narrow trail down the mountain ridge. The soil felt slick beneath Luke's boots and he raced after Brady and a now wide awake Prince Kage. More than once, he slipped and nearly joined Brady in a slide down the mountain. Only his extensive training and sharp reflexes kept him from tumbling.

Cynthia raced above him. Trying to cut off Brady and the Prince further down the trail. Luke shook his head as she zoomed out ahead of him.

"Couldn't have warned us before landing there, could you?" He grumbled as he hopped over a fallen tree limb and continued his mad dash after Brady and Kage.

His eyes widened. The trail had a gap in it. No wonder they had not encountered many travelers passing through this section of the mountains. It was impassable. And Brady was tumbling right towards the drop off.

"LUKE!" Brady shouted.

The priest fumbled with the plants around him. Trying to grab a hold of something to slow his descent. The Prince screamed on his back. Terrified of the cliff. Brady grit his teeth.

 _Naga has a sick sense of humor if this how I'm going to die._

The ground fell away beneath him. Brady twisted his body so that he faced the rocky cliff. He desperately reached for the edge. Fingers grazed the dirt, but he missed the handhold. His stomach shot up to his throat as he started to plummet down to the jungle below.

He descent stopped abruptly. Brady let out a loud cry of pain as his shoulder popped out of its socket. He grit his teeth and looked up. Luke had a hold of his right wrist.

"As much as I would enjoy the peace I would get from your untimely death, I can't let it happen." Luke gasped.

Brady let out a loud sigh of relief as he legs kicked in the air, "Just pull me and kid up already!"

Luke clenched his jaw. He pulled with all of his strength. Then he reached out with force and used it to bolster his strength. With a loud cry, he managed to tug Brady back onto the trail. Once he was safely on the ground again, Luke fell backwards, gasping for breath.

"You are a heavy bastard." Luke huffed as he craned his head up, "I suggest you quit drinking."

"And I suggest you quit being a complainer, but neither of us are going to get our way." Brady snapped back. He undid the ropes holding Kage onto his back. The Prince jumped onto the ground and scrambled towards Luke.

"You okay?" Luke asked the boy.

The young prince threw his arms around Luke's neck. Luke froze.

"What now? Not used to hugs?" Brady muttered as he got up from the ground and shuffled over to a tree.

Luke watched as he leaned against the tree with his dislocated shoulder, "I can pop that back in-"

Brady slammed his full weight into the tree. A loud pop rang out through the night. The priest uttered a loud howl of pain.

Luke blinked, "Fine then, hurt yourself."

"Screw you!" Brady cried as he flopped down beside the tree.

As he sank to a seat, Cynthia managed to land her pegasus behind them on the trail. The blue haired girl hopped off of her steed and gave its mane a small scratch.

"Good girl." She whispered with a smile. She glanced over at the two exhausted boys, "So, find anything?"

"What do you think?" Brady groaned as he hovered his healing staff over his shoulder. The gem on top of it glowed green and he let out a relieved sigh as healing magic poured into the joint.

Cynthia cringed, "Well, it could have been worse."

"Yeah, I could have died. No thanks to you." Brady remarked.

"Calm down." Luke sighed as he pried Kage from his neck and lifted the Prince away from him. The young boy instantly bolted towards Cynthia and wrapped his arms around one of her legs.

"Oh, did the mean boys scare you?" Cynthia asked with an amused laugh.

"You both have never seen me get mean." Brady grumbled as he stopped healing his shoulder. He shrugged his shoulders. Feeling the ligaments and muscles in his neck and upper arms pop, loosen, then tighten once again, "Naga, I need sleep."

"We can't sleep now. Not until Noire and Say'ri are found." Luke grunted.

"So that's the other girl's name!"

Luke spun around. Standing across the gap, like a ghost in the mist, was a man wearing shimmering steel armor. A red headband held back a mane of dark blue hair. Sharp, dark eyes studied Luke, Brady, and Cynthia as he gazed across the gap in the mountain trail. At his hip, rested a long sword. Unique in design. Unlike any Luke had ever seen before.

Brady jumped to his feet and drew his ax. Cynthia yanked Kage behind her before adjusting her lance so that the tip pointed towards the stranger. Luke did not draw his weapon. Instead, he eyed the man carefully.

"What girl?" Luke asked.

The man snorted, "Oh, come on now. Are we going to be like that? Let's get past all of the dumb posturing already." He gave the group a small bow, "The name is Priam, and well… I am the bastard responsible for capture all of you."

Luke gave the man a skeptical look. Sure, he had fancy armor and a strange sword. But he could not possibly think that he could capture him, Brady, and Cynthia. One man was not strong enough to take on all three of them. Hell, Luke doubted this idiot could even challenge him. He did not sense anything especially strange about the man. Nothing more than a normal human being.

Luke snorted, "If you think you are going to capture us, I'm afraid I am going to have to disappoint you." His hand drifted towards his lightsaber.

Priam brought two fingers to his lips. A shrill whistle sounded through the night.

That was when Luke sensed danger.

 _And the force continues to betray me._

A large group of mercenaries emerged from hiding spots along the trail. They were surrounded. A dozen bows and arrows aimed at them. Swordsmen and ax wielding brutes guarded those archers. And Priam smirked from his side of the trail. Luke glared at him.

"Who said I was alone?" Priam grinned.

Luke's fingers twitched. Anger swelled inside of him. His eyes glanced around at the mercenaries that inched closer to him and his friends. His hand drifted to his lightsaber. Wrapping around the hilt, ready to wrench it free from his belt so that he could slaughter these miscreants.

"Ah ah ah." Priam chided. He noticed, "Don't move a muscle, or your friends become pin cushions." Luke froze as Priam spoke, "You see, I have been told that I only had to capture Princess Say'ri, Prince Kage, and you." He pointed at Luke, "The rest… well… blood makes the grass grow, right?"

Luke's eyes flashed dangerously.

"But we both don't want that." Priam continued with a wave of his hand, "I'm not the kind of guy that likes to needlessly murder people. So, if you would kindly hand your weapons over to my men and come quietly, we can resolve this in a much swifter manner. I mean, after all, you do want to see Say'ri and… what was her name again?"

"Noire." Brady snarled, surprising Luke with his fury.

Though he did not blame Brady. If it weren't for the archers pointing their deadly arrows at Cynthia and Kage, he would have already unleashed his fury upon Priam and his men. If not for Yen'fay's teachings reverberating through his mind, he would not have cared about either of them and killed all of the mercenaries anyways. That is what Maul would have wanted him to do. His old Master would have considered this scene an utter embarrassment.

And if he killed all of them, he would likely not find Say'ri or Noire. Not easily at least.

"You heard him." Luke reluctantly sighed.

He unclipped his lightsaber and tossed it to the ground. One of the mercenaries scurried up to him, snatched the weapon, gave it a curious glance, then shoved it into a leather pack on his back. They did the same thing to Cynthia's lance and Brady's ax. But when one of them tried to take Brady's staff, the priest resisted.

"Get back!" Brady growled.

"Let it go Brady." Luke said, trying to keep calm as well.

Brady gave Luke a furious glance, "You know who this staff belonged to."

"And you'll get it back, I promise."

Priam uttered a small laugh, "We'll see about that won't we?" He nodded his head. His mercenaries bound Cynthia, Brady, Kage, and Luke. Their arrows remained pointed at all of them. Luke frowned. Priam did not relax when they were tied up. He was a cautious mercenary. Which meant he likely knew who they were and what they were capable of.

 _You are a lot more intelligent than you look._ Luke thought as he stared hatefully at the wild haired mercenary.

Priam snapped his fingers. Two more mercenaries appeared from the mist behind him. Both carried a simple rope bridge. They threw one end across the gap. Two mercenaries on the other side caught it and tied the rope bridge down.

"Alright everyone, time to go home for the evening." Priam smiled at Luke as he was pushed over the bridge and past him, "We'll get to know each other over breakfast. Won't that be fun?"

* * *

Noire took a deep breath. She held it. Then exhaled. The air, wherever she and Say'ri were held, smelled dry. Especially when compared to the humid, damp air of the jungle they marched through. Naga, she wished she could see. But the damn mercenaries and their damnable leader, Priam, seemingly forgot to remove their blindfolds. Yet another factor in this entire mess that made her both anxious and furious.

She was an archer. Sight was her most important, and treasured, sense. Without her sight, she felt helpless. Unable to pinpoint a target. Unable to take aim at anyone. She taught herself all of those skills. Molded herself into an impeccable archer. Prided herself on her ability to hit any target. And now, she could not see anything. That made her anxiety flare. Panic descended on her.

 _Calm down._ Noire scolded herself.

She recalled an old exercise her father tried to teach her when she was just a small child. Noire was not sure if she could properly use the heightened senses the force could grant her. But she had to try. If she wanted to escape this place with Say'ri, she would have to learn where she was first.

She shifted in her seat. Feeling a fur blanket slide away from her legs. Cold stone brushed against her legs. Her second clue as to her whereabouts. The first clue had been the air. The sudden dry, stale scent. Not much moisture penetrated Priam's little hideout. Which meant it was sheltered from the elements. The stone indicated some place on the ground. Perhaps even in the ground. A cave of some sort? It would make sense given their close proximity to the mountains when she and Say'ri were captured. But the Kiba Mountains were vast. They could be anywhere along the jagged range.

A fire crackled nearby. Noire detected the faint sizzling of meat on a skillet. Her mouth watered as the scent wafted up to her nose.

Clue number three, it was mealtime. It had not been too long since Priam capture her. They marched for several hours, then were placed in their seats upon arriving at the hideout. Which likely meant the day was long gone.

Night time, meal time, and tied up in a cave. Now she needed to locate Say'ri.

 _Only one way to really do that._

She gulped. Hesitant to raise her voice at all. So far her captors had not mistreated her. Well, they had. She was livid about the blindfolds and rope binds. But beyond that, they had not struck her or screamed at her. No torture or torment. Just silence and the occasional check up with some water thrown in there every hour or so.

But she had to speak. She needed to know if Say'ri was held nearby or not.

"Say'ri!" She hissed.

"Yeah?"

Noire let out a relieved sigh. Say'ri was nearby. Good, that would make conveying any escape plan to her relatively easy. Now the hard part, figuring out how to escape.

She struggled against her binds.

"You'll break your wrists." Say'ri whispered over to her. Hearing the archer trying to muscle her way out of the binds, "These guys know how to tie a knot."

Noire slumped in her seat. So far, none of the mercenaries cared about their chatter. Either they had not noticed, or genuinely did not care if she and Say'ri spoke to each other. Noire really hoped for the latter.

"Are you still blindfolded?" Noire asked, keeping her voice hushed just in case.

No reply. Noire sighed.

"I still am."

"Oh!" Say'ri replied, "Sorry, I nodded my head."

"Thought so." Noire shook her head, "Any ideas as to where we are?"

"I smell bacon." Say'ri remarked, "But I doubt we are in a kitchen."

Noire let out a small laugh, "I'm guessing a cave of some sort."

"So we are still in the mountains. Good. That means Luke and the others have a chance of tracking us down."

Noire let out an audible sigh. Honestly, she was not sure if Luke actually would try to find them. Things didn't go well when they last spoke. That conversation about her training ended with him nearly taking her head off with his lightsaber. If he was anything like the bastard she had grown to know since arriving in the past, then he would leave her to rot with Priam. He left all of them in the future. So the pattern would fit.

"You doubt he'll come for us?" Say'ri asked.

"You don't know him like I do." Noire muttered.

Say'ri shifted in her own seat. Noire heard a fur blanket rustle against coarse stone nearby. Say'ri was closer than she originally thought. Even better.

"Probably not. But right now, the only way we are getting out of this mess is if he proves to be a better man than we both believe."

Noire felt surprised. Say'ri did not hold a very high opinion of her own brother. Although, according to what Cynthia told her, their relationship got off to a rather rocky start upon his arrival in Chon'sin after the war with Plegia.

"Do you really think he could be better?" Noire asked.

Say'ri let out a long sigh, "I will admit, he is at least trying. Yen'fay has been mentoring him for a few months now. And while that also grates at my morals, Yen'fay has not imparted any traitorous ideas into his head."

"That's because he didn't have to. They were already there. Courtesy of Maul." Noire grumbled.

Say'ri was silent for a moment, "You and your friends mention that name a lot."

"Maul?" Noire repeated.

"Yes." Noire swore she could see Say'ri nodding her head through her blindfold, "You speak his name, but you never speak of who he is."

Noire bristled, "There is not much to talk about. Maul was a monster. He trained Luke. He hated my father. And now, he is dead. The world is a better place because of it."

Noire scowled. There was a lot more to the traitorous wretch named Maul than that. But she did not want to discuss it. The very mention of his name evoked both fear and anger in her. If not for his cowardice, Ylisstol might have been able to stand against Grima. The combined strength of Maul and her father held off of the Fell Dragon, the Deadlords, and the Risen horde for years. Yet his own obsession with destroying her father prevailed over any sense of duty and honor. And she hated Maul for that.

She hated Luke even more for going along with it.

"Alright." Say'ri breathed, detecting the venom in Noire's tone, "Then we won't talk about him."

Noire let out a small, relieved sigh. Good, she did not really feel like talking about her past anyways. Her focus needed to be on finding a way to escape.

"What about your parents?"

Noire's thoughts blanked.

"Wh-what about them?" Noire stammered, taken off guard by Say'ri's question.

"Well," Say'ri continued, "You have lived among my family for several months now. You speak very highly of your parents. Yet, you hardly speak of them at all. Only rarely do you bring them up." Noire bowed her head and bit her lip as Say'ri continued, "Were they not good to you?"

"N-no, they-" Noire fumbled with her words as she tried to gather her thoughts. She let out a heavy sigh, "I know my parents loved me. But-"

"But?"

"Well, our lives were consumed by the war with Grima. There was not a lot of time for them to actually be parents." Noire's bound hands sat in her lap as she spoke, "Father was… distant. Very aloof. I mean, he occasionally attempted to be a father to me. But now that I look back on it, he was very out of his depth. He was always a far better General than a father."

Again, Noire swore she could see Say'ri nod through her blindfold. Not only that, she thought she saw the flickering, orange flames of a campfire over Say'ri's shoulder. Noire shook her head. Her mind had to be playing tricks on her.

"What about you?" Noire asked, desperate to change the subject, "How were your parents?"

Say'ri uttered a slight laugh, "Present. Very formal. Myself and Yenf'ay were meant to be the golden children of the kingdom. Examples to our peers and the other nobles on how a proper family should conduct themselves." Noire saw Say'ri smile wistfully, "Father was always strict with us. He cared deeply about honor and respect. But he loved us. Fought for us. Made certain we were always taken care of. I remember when I was a little girl, he would come into my room to wish me goodnight. And he always had an old legend to tell me." Say'ri uttered a small laugh, "He told me all about great heroes of old,the Radiant Hero and Alm the Conqueror. But my favorites always involved the Hero-King from Archanea. Father had me spellbound when he told me tales of the Hero-King's triumphs and tragedies. How he persevered through every hardship in order to defeat great evils and unite people. They always inspired me to be better, stronger, wiser." Say'ri intertwined her fingers, "As for mother, she was a typical noble woman from a powerful dynast. She married my father when her family was looking to gain political power in the Kingdom. She loved me and Yen'fay. The nurturing hand to my father's firm, guiding hand."

"That sounds nice." Noire said. Not realizing the words that slipped from her lips.

Say'ri furrowed her brow behind her blindfold, "What do you mean?"

Noire sucked in a sharp breath.

 _I swear Cynthia's airheadedness is contagious!_

"Well," Noire folded her hands tight in her lap. Her legs crossed as she tried to find a comfortable way to sit, "I know nothing about my father. I mean, I know who he is. I grew up with him. I know how he is. But, I don't know _who_ he is. He was always very secretive about this past. I never got stories from him. Only lessons and riddles that never made any sense to me. Honestly, it was extremely frustrating. Lucina would tell me tales of how much she loved being around her father. And I longed for something like that. I wanted my father to hold my hand and tell me bedtime stories. I wanted a hug and a kiss on the forehead when I needed comforting." Noire swallowed hard as she fought back tears, "The longer the war dragged out, and the more friends we lost, the fewer anything like that happened." A shaky sigh left her lungs, "As for mother, well, you had nurturing. I had… borderline insane."

"Oh dear." Say'ri gulped.

"Don't get me wrong, Mother loved me. In her own, strange, demented way, she did." Noire reached up and touched her talisman with both of her hands, "I've always struggled with fear and self-confidence. Mother despised that. She told me: 'Noire, you are a Kenobi. You must be strong like one'." Noire shook her head and let her talisman fall from her fingertips. The pendant tapped against the top of her chest. "She made this talisman so that I could have confidence. No matter how artificial it might be, I'd never lose heart on the battlefield or in life. She wanted me to be strong and courageous in the face of Grima and the Risen. Tried to teach me magic even."

"Your mother was a mage?"

"Dark mage." Noire replied. She could practically see Say'ri shift uncomfortably in her seat. Felt a wave of nervousness seep out of her, "And I was abysmal at it." Noire started chuckling, "In one of my first lessons, I had to hex a frog. Make it turn inside out."

"Oh gods!" Say'ri exclaimed.

Noire started to chuckle a little more, "Instead-" She laughed a little more, "Instead, I only managed to make it's tongue extra long. And that made the frog panic. It got loose and hopped into Mother's potion chest, accidentally came into contact with something, then grew to the size of the entire room." Say'ri started to laugh with her as Noire recounted the ridiculous tale, "Mother did not get mad at me. She scolded me of course. But then she taught me how to take care of the problem."

"How?" Say'ri asked between chuckles, "How did you shrink the frog?"

"Shrink? No, we blew it up."

Say'ri stopped laughing, "O-oh."

Noire snorted, "Mother spent the rest of the day scrubbing frog out of my outfit. But she laughed about it in the end." Noire let out a sigh as her laughter died away, "I lost her three years before passing through the portal." Noire's voice dropped as she recalled that horrible day, "On the same night Exalt Lissa was killed. The next-" Noire swallowed hard, "The next day, Maul and Luke betrayed us." Her hands balled up into fists in her lap, "Maul was at the same section of the battle as Mother and Exalt Lissa. To this day, I am convinced he is the reason we lost them."

"Your mother was killed as well?" Say'ri asked, voice quiet and sympathetic.

"I don't know." Noire sighed, "That is the worst part of it all. Mother just… disappeared. Her workshop was destroyed in the battle. Now all I have left to remember her is her ring and this talisman." Noire tucked her knees to her chest, "I… I miss her. She was my strength, my confidence."

Say'ri scooted closer to Noire.

"Well, maybe you can rekindle those relationships now that you are here?" Say'ri suggested.

Noire let out a quiet, snort of disbelief, "I can't. Lucina made us swear not to reveal our identities to the parents. Not until we are born at least." Noire shook her head, "Besides, I don't know what they are like nowadays. For all I know, mother is a full blown murderous psychopath and father is, well, father. No, I can't have a relationship with them. Not the kind I want. In this time, I will only be a comrade. Nothing more."

Say'ri reached out and took Noire's hands.

"You speak as if destiny cannot change." Noire gulped as Say'ri spoke, "The future is already radically different than the one you know. I mean, just look at my little brother. And no, not the grown up one." Noire snorted out a small laugh, "He was supposed to be kidnapped and taken somewhere else. I was supposed to join a resistance against Walhart. And now-"

"Now we are bound and blindfolded in a cave surrounded by stinky mercenaries." Noire finished for her.

"See, already better." Say'ri said with a slight laugh, "I'm sure, when you see your parents again, they will love you. You just need to have a little faith."

Noire sniffled a little bit. She gave Say'ri a shaky nod.

"Did you just nod?" Say'ri asked.

"Y-yeah." Noire croaked.

Chatter filled the hideout. Say'ri scrambled away from Noire. A few cheers rose up from the mercenaries guarding the place as footsteps thumped against the rocky floor.

"Say'ri?" Noire hissed.

"I think someone important arrived?"

Noire yelped as a rough hand grabbed her by her left arm. The hand hauled her to her feet. Another hand grabbed the black blindfold and yanked it away from her eyes.

Noire blinked as firelight hit her vision. A massive bonfire burned at the center of an enormous cave. Tents lined the walls of the cave. The mouth of the cave faced out of a cliff side. Outside, stars dotted a dark sky. A full moon hung high over the jungle that sprawled out before the cave. Ropes hung over the mouth of the cave. Mercenaries clambered down the ropes and into the cave. One mercenary flew a white pegasus into the cave. The beast resisted its pilot. But did not buck the rider.

Noire recognized the pegasus immediately.

"Kriff!" She hissed.

Say'ri blinked as the mercenaries removed her blindfold. When she saw the Pegasus, Say'ri scowled.

"That's not good."

Four prisoners were lowered down the ropes. Noire blinked in surprise when she saw Luke among the prisoners. Cynthia kicked and squawked as the mercenaries yanked her away from the ropes and over towards Say'ri and Cynthia. Prince Kage quietly toddled along after Cynthia. Tear stains lined his face. Rage flashed over Say'ri's.

Brady trudged over to the others. He looked frustrated. Overall, done with the day. His eyes were half open. His gait slow and weary. Noire sighed and shook her head.

"Babysitting sucks, doesn't it?"

Brady grunted as he flopped down on the ground beside her. Noire glanced down at him.

"I dislocated my shoulder for that damn kid." Brady glared at a fearful Kage, "Where's my hug!?"

Kage whimpered and ducked behind Say'ri.

"You're scaring him." Noire hissed.

"I'm scaring him!? I saved his life!"

"Technically, I saved his life." Luke said as he marched over to Brady's side. Hands bound behind his back. He glanced at Noire. Noire frowned at him, "Nice to see you too, Noire."

"No, you saved my life. And by extension, his." Brady furrowed his brow as he processed his own words, "Damn it all! I hate it when you are right."

"Are you going to pout now?"

"Yes."

"Boys, enough of that." Cynthia sighed. She glanced at Noire and rolled her eyes.

"Tell me about it." Noire nodded, "So, how's it going?"

Luke frowned as she gave him a smug grin, "Well, we noticed you were gone for too long. And we were worried about you."

"I was worried about you." Brady corrected, "Asshole was mostly irritated."

Luke gave Brady a sharp glance, silencing the belligerent priest, "And because of our worry, we decided to come and rescue you."

Noire glanced at her bound hands. She then looked down at Luke's binds.

"Good job." She replied sarcastically.

Cheers echoed throughout the cave. Noire flicked her eyes away from Luke and back to the cave's mouth.

Priam swung into the cave. When he landed, he raised his hands and gave his men a slight bow. Enjoying the congratulations he received from them.

"Gentlemen! Gentlemen! This victory is not mine alone, but all of ours!" He cheered, "And so, to celebrate, I say we have an early breakfast! Break out the eggs and bacon rations. We shall feast this morning!"

An enormous chorus of whoops and cheers followed his declaration. Pots and pans appeared from travel packs. Cartons of eggs were set near the bonfire. As Priam sauntered into the cave, he flashed his prisoners a smile.

"Well, welcome to our temporary humble abode." He said.

No one replied at first.

"It's nice." Cynthia blurted out.

Brady hung his head, "Goddammit, sometimes I wonder if there is a hamster running on a wheel instead of a brain in her skull."

Luke snorted, "You and me both."

Cynthia flashed them both a glare. But Priam laughed.

"Good friends I see. Only good friends bicker like this."

"Friends being the relative term." Noire muttered.

"Why do you have us here?" Say'ri snapped, causing Priam's smile to waver, "You said Excellus hired you to capture us. Why not just take us directly to him?"

Priam's mouth twitched, "An apt question, Princess. Perhaps I'll answer it while we eat."

"You'll answer it now." Luke snarled.

Priam gave the Sith Lord a relaxed smirk, "Oh really?"

Noire glanced back and forth between the two. She had heard about the worm, Excellus. Luke and Say'ri had an extensive history with him at this point. The Valmese tactician attempted to assassinate Say'ri when Luke arrived in Chon'sin. Then he tried to kidnap Prince Kage and kill Say'ri again. Luke and the Shepherds prevented him from achieving his goals.

The entire reason Yen'fay sent them all away from Chon'sin when the war with Archanea began was because he wanted them beyond Excellus's reach. Excellus feared Yen'fay. The Chon'sin General's presence gave the group protection from the worm's nefarious machinations. With him being called away to war, they lost that protection.

Excellus's reach was long indeed if he still managed to capture them this easily.

"What the hell, why not?" Priam shrugged. He dragged a wooden stool away from the fire and sat down in it, "Why did I bring you here and not straight to the worm himself?" He thought for a moment, "Is it bad to say I did it mostly to piss that prick off?"

Say'ri's jaw fell open.

"I mean, they don't call him worm for nothing." Priam snorted, "That Excellus character is worse than a filthy pig. But, his gold is good. And his orders were clear. Capture you three." He pointed at Say'ri, Luke, and Kage, "But he never said how. Nor did he give me a deadline or any other parameters. So, at this point, I can do as I please."

"Only until he puts a knife in your back." Say'ri warned.

Priam shrugged, "Maybe. I'd like to see him try. Doesn't seem like much of a warrior to me."

"But he is treacherous. Does that not concern you?" Say'ri asked.

Priam sniffed, "Bacon smells good." He smacked his lips together, "To be honest, Princess, no, it does not concern me. That worm has not earned a single ounce of my respect. I reserve that for actual warriors. And he is not that." His eyes landed on Luke, "You on the other hand… I've heard a lot about you."

"Good things I hope." Luke snarked.

"Only the best." Priam grinned back. He rose from his stool and sauntered over to Luke, "Luke, the bodyguard of the Chon'sin royal family. And before that, the Black Rider of Plegia."

Noire's eyes flashed. She gave Luke a stunned look.

Luke met Priam's amused gaze.

"Student to a particularly terrifying beast named Maul. The very same beast that slew Exalt Emmeryn a few years back." He clicked his tongue and shook his head, "He gained my respect by beating that one swordsman across the pond. That Ben Kenobi. But he lost it with that move. I'm not a fan of killing needlessly like that." He nodded his head and pointed a finger at Luke, "Then you killed him. Not an easy feat, I imagine?"

"Easier than you think." Luke snarled as Priam turned around and moved towards the bonfire.

"Ha!" Priam guffawed, "Great false bravado kid. You'd make a damn good mercenary, did you know that?" He reached over to a skillet cooking near the fire and plucked some bacon from it. He took a bite and savored the flavor, "Mmm… delicious." He smacked his lips again, "You see, Princess and company, the main reason I brought you here instead of directly to Wormy, was because I have a slight infatuation with great warriors." He tapped his strange sword, "I like to test their metal. I've traveled the world, looking for the best fight that can be had. Unfortunately, I just missed you, Maul, and Kenobi in Plegia. But when I heard about this opportunity, well I just could not pass it up."

"Why not just come and fight me then?" Luke asked.

Priam shrugged, "Well, this opportunity was better. Because, if things work out for me, I beat you, take you to Wormy, and make a ton of gold in the process." He gave the group a sheepish smile, "Plus, I only found out about your role as royal bodyguard when I got this job."

Luke furrowed his brow, "So, what is the point?"

"The point, is I want a good old fashioned fight. One on one. You and me, kid." Priam gave Luke a confident smirk, "So what do you say? Wanna go?"

Luke raised his brow, 'Right now?"

"Is there a better time?"

Luke pressed his lips into a thin line, "And what is the benefit for me in this? Why should I even give in to this… delusion?"

"Delusion?" Priam snorted, "I can assure you, my confidence is no delusion. But if you must ask what you have to gain from this, well-" He thought for a moment, "Tell you what, you win, I let you all go. How about that?"

Noire snapped her head over to Luke. If Luke beat Priam, they would be freed? No strings attached? That seemed too good to be true. Luke was many things she detested. But he was no slouch with a sword. He far outclassed both her and Say'ri with the weapon. And if he was allowed to use his lightsaber, then he could make quick work of Priam. They would all be freed by the time breakfast finished cooking.

Luke seemed to be thinking the same thing, "I'll need my weapon."

"Ah ah!" Priam shook a finger, "One caveat, kid. No magic." Luke frowned, "This is gonna be a fair fight." The other mercenaries cleared an area for the two to duel in. Then they encircled the area as Luke stepped forward, "Got it?"

Luke smirked, "Understood."

One of Priam's mercenaries undid his binds. Another approached him with the katana Yen'fay gave to him. Luke hesitated, clearly wanting his lightsaber more than the katana. But in the end, he reluctantly took the weapon and drew it from its sheath.

Priam bounced on his toes for a moment. He shook his arms and legs, loosening up his muscles. Then he drew his sword. Both Say'ri and Noire gulped when they saw that perfect, steel blade emerge from its sheath. A blade so sharp and hard that is shattered Say'ri's katana.

Priam rolled his shoulders. All around him, Mercenaries hollered. Calling out bets. Holding gold coins up. Most bet on their commander. Very few thought Luke could beat him.

Luke smirked. They were about to lose a lot of money.

He lunged at Priam. Priam sidestepped his thrust then swiped at Luke's right hip. Luke parried.

Instantly, he knew something was wrong. His blade shuddered. Small shards of metal skipped away from the edge of his blade. Right where Priam's blade made contact. Luke frowned.

"Nice sword." He said as he stepped back and readied for another assault.

Luke's eyes ballooned as Priam attacked faster than he could. He ducked beneath a deadly slash at his head, then scampered away from three quick chops at his body.

"Thank you. It's a family weapon." Priam grinned as he reveled in the duel, "Passed down from generation to generation."

Luke nodded, "Seems we both like using family weapons."

Their blades collided again. Sparks spat from the metal as they ground against one another. Luke grit his teeth. Surprised by the speed, power, and ferocity behind Priam's attacks. The man fought aggressive. No holds barred, nothing held back.

Priam shoved Luke back, breaking the blade lock. Luke stumbled back. Before he mount a counter attack, Priam was on top of him again. He brought his weapon rocketing down towards Luke. Aiming to cleave him in two. Luke raised his sword to block it.

The blade shuddered. Priam grinned. The two swordsman separated.

Luke took a breath. That breath got caught in his throat when he felt his blade lose all of its weight. Luke's eyes widened as he watched metal shards fall to the ground in front of him. Each one sparkled as the firelight glinted off of them.

He stared wide eyed at Priam.

"Well, I think that is a win." Priam smirked.

Luke grit his teeth. No, he could not lose. He glanced over at Say'ri, Cynthia, and the others. For their sake, he could not be defeated.

Luke took a breath and reached out with the force. His lightsaber zipped away from the hip of one of the mercenaries in the front of the circle around the duel. It hit his palm. His thumb brushed over the activation button. The sapphire blade burst to life.

Priam eyed the weapon with curiosity and mild apprehension.

"Magical?" He asked.

Luke shook his head, "Nope. Then again, you could call it that since it is beyond your meager understanding of the world."

Priam snorted out a small laugh, "Is that so? Well then, show me how powerful this weapon really is?" He readied himself for Luke's assault.

Luke bent his knees and lowered himself into Juyo's starting position. He tried fighting Yen'fay's way. He ended up with a shattered blade and a desperate position because of it. In order to defeat Priam, he needed to use Maul's training.

He needed to dance with the dark side again.

The beast within the force awoke. Luke glared at Priam. Anger filled him. This mercenary dared to mock him. Dared to take his friends captive. Dared to think him equal to his own powers. He will soon learn his folly.

Luke grit his teeth, channeled the force, and burst forward at Priam. Surprising the mercenary with his renewed speed and ferocity.

Luke cut his lightsaber in a vicious arc of blue light. He waited for the hiss of metal melting against his blade. The sound of flesh being torn open by the tip of his blade.

It never came. His arms shuddered as Priam's weapon blocked his lightsaber.

Shock filled Luke. He glanced at his weapon, then up and Priam.

"Surprised?" Priam grinned, "As I'm sure you can now tell, this isn't an ordinary sword." He shoved Luke back. Luke stumbled, still stunned by Priam's deflection, "This is Ragnell." Priam explained, "The sword of my ancestors. Blade of the Radiant Hero. It has never tasted defeat. No sword has ever matched it. Can yours?"

Before Luke could respond, Priam attacked.

A slash at his right flank. A chop at his knees. A thrust at his abdomen. Priam kept Luke on his toes, and on the defensive. Backpedaling around the ring. The other mercenaries in the room hollered and cheered on their leader. Cynthia, Brady, Noire, and Say'ri held their breath as Luke struggled to fend off Priam's relentless assault.

Priam drew back away from Luke's lightsaber. Luke expected another heavy handed blow. Instead, Priam lashed out with a kick to his chest. Luke reeled and fell backwards. He lay flat on his back.

Priam pounced. Luke ducked away just as Ragnel sank into the stone where his head had rested. Luke stumbled to his feet. Priam's fist slammed into his jaw.

The Sith saw stars. He spun around and fell to the ground again. Everything looked blurry. He felt blood dripping from his lip, down his chin, and onto the rocky floor.

"Is that all, kid?" Priam asked as he stood over Luke. A heavy sigh left Priam's lungs when Luke did not reply. The Sith crawled a few feet forward as he tried to recover his wits, "I'm a little disappointed."

Luke's bleary eyes fell upon Cynthia and Say'ri again. They looked at him with fear and desperation. His jaw ached from Priam's punch.

Sharp, blinding pain erupted in his back and out his stomach as Priam plunged Ragnel into him. Luke's mouth fell open as the metal scraped against the rock beneath him. A choking sound came from his lungs as his air escaped him.

Priam twisted his sword, then yanked it out of Luke. Blood pooled beneath Luke's fallen form.

"LUKE!" Cynthia screamed.

Brady reached out and grabbed Cynthia before she could rush towards him. Say'ri stared horrified as Luke rolled over onto his back. He coughed on some blood that bubbled up his throat.

"And that is that." Priam sighed, "Not a bad fight kid. But not a great one either." He shook his head, "I'm not even hungry anymore."

Luke heard Cynthia scream again. But it sounded duller.

" _Foolish brat. To think you could live without me."_ Maul's sinister voice whispered in his mind, " _I am disappointed. You really are nothing. You only managed to kill me because I was not expecting it. Truly, you are worthless. You could not even save your friends."_

Maul's mocking laughter echoed in his mind.

Something snapped in him. Something broke free. Rage and hatred erupted inside of him. The beast snarled and roared. The dark side of the force flooded his veins. Blood whooshed in his ears. Dulling all of the noise around him. Cynthia's screams. Brady's shouts. The mercenaries' cheers. And Priam's silent disappointment.

 _I will not lose!_

The force pumped into his muscles. Luke shot to his feet. He stumbled, ignoring the blood pouring from his wound. Hatred pushed him forward. The dark side of the force gave him life. Gave him power. He sank into its depths. Letting it guide his movements and actions.

Priam turned away from his men. He looked at Luke with mild surprise. He opened his mouth to say something.

Luke roared. Every voice fell silent.

He lunged through the air. Propelled at inhuman speed by the dark side. Priam managed to raise his weapon just in time to block Luke's brutal thrust. Luke spun and delivered a devastating slash to his side, staggering Priam.

He flipped over Priam. Priam spun around. Luke buried the hilt of his blade into Priam's jaw. The mercenary stumbled backwards. Luke reached out and snagged him by his armor. He yanked Priam back to him.

Priam's eyes widened as a blue glow filled his vision. Luke's lightsaber sat inches away from his throat. He could feel the heat generated by the blade. Sweat beaded on his face as he stared at the glowing core.

"Yield." Luke snarled.

Priam glared at Luke. There was no mirth in his gaze. Only shock and… respect. The mercenary slowly nodded.

"Alright, you win."

Ragnell clattered to the ground. The mercenaries surrounding the warriors stared in stunned silence. Luke nodded and deactivated his lightsaber.

The dark side of the force gave him this victory. But he would not let it rule his actions. He would not surrender his mind to it. That is what Maul wanted. He would never give that monster the satisfaction.

Pain returned. Luke gasped and fell to a knee. Brady broke away from the others.

"Untie me, dammit!" Brady demanded, "And give me my staff."

Priam nodded, "Release them." He said with a wave of his hand, "And give the priest his staff. I am a man of my word."

Noire gasped as her bonds were cut. She stared slack jawed as Cynthia sprinted to Luke. She nearly knocked him over when she reached him. As she helped him lie down, Brady grabbed his staff, took a drink from his recovered flask, and started working on Luke's wound.

"Well boys." Priam sighed, "I failed you. And for that, I am sorry." He looked around at his mercenaries, "I don't deserve to lead you now. Because of my failure, I will have a target on my back, courtesy of Wormy. And I don't want that target on you lot as well." He waved his hand, "Go. Have happy lives."

Not a single mercenary moved. Priam furrowed his brow in confusion.

"Well? Go!"

Several slowly shook their heads.

"We fight with our leader!" One shouted near the back.

Priam drew back in shock. He stared dumbstruck as his men cheered his name. Priam glanced over at Luke.

He lost. Why would they want to follow him?

"Well, Priam." Princess Say'ri started. He glanced over at her, "It appears we have a common enemy now."

"Excellus." Priam nodded, "It appears we do. And the only way to beat him is to beat the Empire. I'll happily fight alongside such strong warriors as you and your friends." He smiled, "Tell me, Princess, how do you feel about becoming a rebel?"

Say'ri smiled. She reached down and scooped Kage up in her arms.

"I'd say it's about damn time."

 **And chapter! This was such a fun one to write! I love writing the bickering between these characters, as well as getting in their heads and fleshing out their characters and backstories. It is just too much fun! And now Priam is on board. Another powerful warrior has joined our heroes. The Valmese better beware.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	93. Latent Power

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 93

Latent Power

Regna Ferox was always cold. You could live in any area of the country, and your life would be nothing more than permafrost, chapped lips, and frozen toes. How any civilization managed to survive in this harsh, unforgiving climate still boggled Morgana's mind. Then again, she probably should not scoff at the Feroxi and their choice of environment. Her people lived in the exact opposite climate. A sandy wasteland, scorched by the sun and dry, unforgiving winds. Sweat and sunburn marked the days of a Plegian. As well as dreams of an oasis in the desert sands.

In a way, Ferox was far more livable than the desert wasteland she grew up in. Water was not hard to come by. Just step outside, scoop up some ice, and melt it. A Plegian villager living in the desert wastes could only dream of such luxury. But they, like her, would complain about the cold.

It just was not natural for humans to live in ice fields. No matter how many layers she placed over her body, she could not escape the frost. Only a roaring fire and a damn good hex warmed Morgana's bones. And she at least was capable of conjuring a powerful enough hex to combat the freezing temperatures. She could not say the same for some of the other 'heretics' in her company.

Morgana let out a sigh as her boots crunched in the frost beneath her feet. Grey skies dominated the land yet again. Very few sunny days existed this far north. And half the year rested in permanent darkness. A time that would be coming soon. She hoped the darkness would last long. The weather would turn. The blizzards would come. And any hope Validar and this new, mysterious Hierophant had of finding her would be delayed once again.

She paused in her march back towards the hideout. She had spent most of the morning getting some fresh air. Away from the stresses in her life. There was a quiet cliff that overlooked the arctic sea to the north. While a chilly spot, it was quiet. It allowed her to think.

She needed those quiet moments now more than ever. Before, she could throw herself into her research and work. Occupy her mind and toss away any stress that way. But this stress, this anxiety, was different.

Grima lived. She did not know how that was possible, yet. But she knew Grima roamed the world once again. Now she needed to puzzled out how exactly the abomination managed to do it.

He did not take over his intended vessel yet. She made certain of that. Although, he most certainly tried to. The longer his dark avatar contained his power, the more likely it became that Grima would consume him. She still had yet to find a solution to that vexing problem.

 _The curse needs to hold a little while longer._ She thought to herself, _That way, I can figure out how Grima is trying to come back without the use of another body._

She furrowed her brow. Perhaps she was thinking about this all wrong. What if Grima decided to shift his plans? What if he intended to inhabit another body? She shook her head. Impossible, that would require Validar and the Grimleal capturing the current vessel. Which they had not done yet. The Ylisseans kept the boy very secure. Validar, now King of Plegia, could not make a move against him without inciting a war against the Naga-spawn. And it would be a bloody war. That gave her even more time to formulate a solution to this mess. One that ended Grima's scourge on this world and preserved the life of her beloved son.

And if she failed, there was always her doomsday plan.

She waved her hand. The portal to the hideout opened. She stepped inside.

Sparks flew through the air around her. The scent of molten metal filled her nose. She could feel the vast amounts of magic energy radiating in the air. It surrounded the workers moving along the hull of the project. The strange ship she had designed.

Her green eyes roved over the enormous construction project. As she gazed up at it, one of her mages strode up to her.

"Lady Morgana!"

Morgana glanced over at the man. A reedy, frail, former Grimleal mage. Gray hair flecked his thinning brown hair. Spectacles sat on the bridge of his nose as he stooped close to her.

"Alfred." She nodded, "What is our progress?"

Alfred was her lead scientist. The man who helped her develop much of the equipment needed to build such an enormous feat of technology, engineering, and magic. He had been relegated to a mere archivist among the Grimleal. Banished to that monotonous work in the temple library thanks to his rather eccentric mindset. But that eccentricity was what allowed him to thrive under Morgana's guidance. He thought outside the box. Looked at the problems surrounding the project with a vision very few could fathom. Without him, none of this would have even gotten off of the ground. Because none of them would have been capable of understanding the object they got the technology from.

"Well," He continued. Nasally voice echoing through the icy cavern. One long finger pushed up on his spectacles, "Construction is starting to slow. The outer carapace is nearly complete. We are working on the inner wiring and ducts. Mostly struggling with how to implement proper airflow inside of such a sealed containment. Recycling used air into usable air and whatnot. Complex stuff. The Artifact has sparse information on the subject. But I'm certain we will figure it out eventually. Nevertheless, I must ask: are you certain there is no air beyond the atmosphere?"

"Positive." Morgana breathed as she strode towards the set of stairs that led to her personal quarters. Alfred followed her, "Think about it, Alfred. The higher up one ascends a mountain, the thinner the air. The higher a Wyvern rider soars, the more likely they are to suffocate. It is why, when Wyvern riders are trained, they are warned against soaring above the clouds. Neither the beast, nor the rider can survive the thin air at that altitude." She pushed her door open and strode into her quarters. As always, a fire burned in the fireplace. Keeping the space warm and comfortable. She strode over to her bookshelf and ran her finger along several book spines, "It is, therefore, only logical to assume that if we were to pass beyond our atmosphere and into the stars, there is likely extremely thin or even no air at all. So we must compensate for that with our… ship. For lack of a better term."

"Flying ship." Alfred nodded, "Seems to describe it well enough. Although, it will not fly without a proper power source." He folded his hands into the billowing sleeves of his purple and black robes, "It will take a great deal of magical energy to power the ship."

"I'm aware." Morgana sighed as she yanked a book regarding the theory of Magic and Mana from her shelf. She tossed it onto her bed. A little light reading for later in the evening, "Which is why we need a Manakete. Otherwise, it will take at least half a dozen mages to get the damn thing off of the ground."

"And we lost our Manakete thanks to the Naga-spawn." Alfred huffed.

Morgana glanced back at him as she stood near her window. A heavy sigh left her lips.

"You know that there are only two Manketes we know of. And that one was the easier one to obtain."

"Not anymore." Morgana hummed, "The Shepherds will not just give her up. And she is unlikely to come willingly. She has our scent after all." She cursed, "I should have gone on that mission personally. We would not have lost her and some of our best mages in the desert if I did."

"And you would have been discovered by Validar. Not only that, but you could have altered the course of the war between Ylisse and Plegia. Which would have put us under both nations' gazes." Alfred reminded her, "You alone could have taken most of those Naga-spawn. But we do not need that kind of attention right now."

Morgana reluctantly nodded in agreement, "That leaves one Manakete we can reach. One that has not been taken by anyone."

"Not technically. She is still under guard by the Valmese."

Morgana blinked, "And it just so happens Ylisse, Regna Ferox, and Valm are about to come to blows." She turned around to face Alfred. A small hint of excitement laced her voice, "This could be our opportunity."

She shot past Alfred, out of her door, and down the stairs. Alfred rushed after her. This time, Morgana did not stop to observe the ship's construction. Instead, she marched to a door embedded in the wall on the other side. She opened the door and descended down a long corridor carved into thick layers of stone and ice.

"Lady Morgana! I feel the need to remind you that this particular Manakete will be much more difficult to capture than the younger one."

Morgana stopped her march and spun around, "I am aware. Let me think for a moment."

She continued her march until she came upon a set of iron, double doors. Two of her most powerful mages guarded the doors. She nodded at both of them. They opened the doors.

Inside, on an iron table covered in a thin layer of ice, rested the Artifact. The object they had found frozen in the ice fields. A strange looking machine. Its metal was an unknown alloy. Dark as midnight. Various lenses and sensors lined its bulbous head and body. Several long, probing arms protruded out form the base of the body. They had been very careful not to disturb it when they unfroze the artifact.

At one point in the past, it woke up. And when it woke up, it communicated with them. A strange, warbling tongue consisting of various bleeps, bloops, and broken speech. Morgana recalled staring into the largest of the lenses, seeing her reflection, and being utterly fascinated by it. She wanted to learn its technology. Discover its secrets. And when she made her demands known, it unveiled it all. Now they just had to apply the knowledge. Something that was proving rather difficult.

 _Even more difficult now that the damn thing died._ Morgana thought as she looked at the massive object stretched out on a metal table. It's bulbous head was open. The various wires and components inside exposed to the air. Allowing her mages to study the strange inner workings and technology.

"Have you managed to discern its power source?" she asked as she walked around the table. Alfred stood on the other side.

She hoped that maybe they would not need to capture a Mankete after all. Maybe, in order to power the ship, they could use whatever powered the Artifact.

Alfred shook her head. Dashing her hopes once again.

"It is still a mystery to us. There does not seem to be any sort of magical power source we can identify. And we are still discovering how many of the various components work inside of it. For example," He grabbed a metal rod and shot some faint thunder magic through it. He pressed the rod against a wire. The largest black lens turned red, "This allows it to see and scan us."

"Scan?" Morgana asked.

A red beam shot out from the lense. It fanned out over the wall and swept up and down. A loud beep sounded and the beam disappeared back into the lense.

" _Subject, non-sentient."_ The Artifact warbled, " _Construction, solid. Two parts Hydrogen, one part Oxygen."_

"That is new." Morgana observed.

"It was silently doing it to us the entire time." Alfred reached for a strange component laying next to the Artifact. He prodded his electrified rod to it. The Artifact twitched and a blue beam of light erupted from another lens.

Information poured out of it. Morgana's eyes widened as she recognized her portrait in the blue light. A three dimensional picture of her. Her attributes, physical and non-physical, listed beside her. It also had a note regarding her magical abilities. Although, it listed her powers as unknown, needing further study.

"It seems while we were learning from it, it was learning from us." Alfred's voice rose with excitement, "This artifact isn't just a machine. It is capable of thought. Of learning!" He exhaled as his icy eyes roved the machine, "What kind of civilization is capable of such a thing?"

"One far beyond our own. And one that, if we ever meet, will hopefully be friendly." Morgana breathed as she furrowed her brow. The blue light flickered off once Alfred removed his rod, "Judging by what you have just shown me, it is a research device."

"I came to the same conclusion." Alfred nodded.

"Which means it will have limited knowledge to share. Wherever and however it stores this information will be reserved for what it learns from us more than anything else." Morgana frowned, "Which means we are nearing the limit of what we can decipher from it."

"Unfortunately yes." Alfred sighed.

"And with no way of figuring out a power source…" Morgana trailed off and shook her head, "A Manakete is our only option. They are the only beings capable of producing enough magic to power the ship."

"And that leads me back to reminding you that the particular Manakete we are thinking about is-"

"Extremely powerful." Morgana nodded, "I'm aware. She is… an old one. Abnormally old, even by Manakete standards. Most of them degenerate several hundred years before her age. And yet, from what we have gathered, she is still completely healthy." She rubbed her chin, "Which means her power could be enormous."

"Our understanding of Manakete's is rather limited. Perhaps we will learn more once she is in our custody." Alfred said, "Speaking of which, how do you plan on doing that? If we try to grab her now, we will have both Archanea and Valm fall upon our heads, with axes. And then we will be headless."

Morgana sighed, "It'll be just like the situation in Plegia. You're right, we cannot personally capture her." She hummed to herself as she thought, "We will have to let someone else do it for us." Her gaze brightened as an idea came to mind, "We will allow the Naga-spawn to do it."

Alfred was silent a moment.

"That guarantees we will never reach her. The Naga-spawn will never trust us."

Morgana chuckled, "I would not be so sure of that. After all, if the reports are to be believed, two former Grimleal mages fight alongside them now."

Alfred arched an eyebrow, "Is that so? Huh… the late Exalt Arcturus must be rolling over in his grave at the moment then."

Morgana laughed out loud, "Almost certainly." She nodded, "Well, continue with our current work. Once the Manakete is captured by the Ylisseans we can…" A sudden pain hit her skull. Like needles jabbing into her skin. Poking at the bone beneath, "We can…"

She gasped and slumped against the table. She heard Alfred utter an alarmed cry. But she could not decipher his words as he rushed to her side. Instead, she heard a different voice thrumming in her mind. One that forced a chill up and down her spine.

" _ **I know you are there."**_ An abomination rumbled, " _ **I sense you, Witch."**_

Morgana swallowed hard. Sweat beaded on her brow. Her arms started to trembled as Alfred helped her lie down on the ground. Her green eyes widened as she saw someone hovering against the ceiling above her.

A man in a purple and gold coat. Spiky white hair topped his pale head. Hate filled, yellow eyes glared down at her.

" _ **He is mine!"**_

The pain subsided. The vision of the fell demon disappeared. Reality crashed back around Morgana.

"Lady Morgan!" Alfred shook her shoulder.

Panic filled her. She just saw Grima. He possessed his Avatar. But how? He could not have done that without her knowing. She would know if her curse broke. She would know if he had been resurrected.

"Robin…" She breathed, shoving Alfred's hand away as she struggled to rise to her feet.

Her strength felt sapped. She stumbled against the stone wall next to her and winced.

"I shall fetch a healer, Lady Morgana." Alfred informed her.

"No. Don't bother." Morgana breathed.

She needed to know what Validar was doing. She needed to know what this Hierophant that commanded him was up to.

She needed Aversa.

"Get me my daughter."

* * *

Sully shoved Libra back, "I'm fine!" She roared as she sat on a crate of apples. Armor removed. Heavy bandages wrapped around her abdomen. She spat and reached for a bottle beside her, "Let me celebrate."

"I don't recommend that." Libra hummed disapprovingly as he picked himself up off the floor and dusted off his white robes.

"Don't recommend celebrating?" Sully snorted, "We won." She put the bottle to her lips and took a long gulp. She winced when the liquid hit her belly. A sharp stinging pain shot through her wound, "Ah… that's how you know you're alive."

Inside of the hull of the flagship, most of the Shepherds were celebrating. The Valmese fleet had been completely destroyed. Only a few ships with red sails managed to escape the fiery inferno that danced upon the ocean waves. A resounding victory for the Archaneans. One with far fewer casualties than any of the leaders expected.

Although, there were plenty of wounds to go around. Most of the Shepherds had bandages wrapped around some part of their body. Frederick hobbled around with the help of a long stick. He took a sword to his calf while defending Chrom from a wave of attackers. Kellam sat beside Sully, thick cotton bandages wrapped around his wounded thigh. Virion had some of his fingers splinted together. The result of punching an armored Valmese away from him when he ran out of arrows. Vaike was… Vaike. He had a new scar to sport on his muscled chest. And he actively showed it off. Exasperating both Miriel and Laurent in the process. As well as making Lissa chuckle every so often as she tried to heal the wound.

Stahl had a few nicks in his hands and arms. Lon'qu had a large cut above his right eyebrow. Lissa healed that up quickly. Gaius nursed a nasty welt on his forehead. He didn't get it from an enemy though. In his own words he 'accidentally' took an elbow to the head while protecting Panne. The elbow had in fact been Panne's because she had to shove him out of the way of a ballista arrow. Gregor was missing a tooth. Henry and Tharja were coping with magical exhaustion. Both dark mages were slumped in their hammocks. Henry snored away, a smile on his face. Tharja remained awake. Her fingers twirled Ben's hair as he sat beside her hammock.

Anna lounged on her hammock far away from everyone else. Occasionally, one of the Shepherds would go over to check on her. And she would wave her hand, say she was fine, then drink. Sully snorted. The normally upbeat merchant had grown rather sour since the campaign against the Valmese began. But she could understand why. The Valmese killed her sister. Sully would want vengeance for such a thing as well. Although, she'd probably be enjoying the vengeance a lot more than Anna was.

The only Shepherds unscathed were Chrom, Ben, Sumia, Cherche, and Robin. Sumia and Cherche were airborne for most of the battle. Swooping low from time to time. Picking off enemy soldiers with their weapons. Sully had to admire Cherche's abilities with an ax. They put Vaike's to shame. And she did not hesitate to point that out once they returned to the rest of the fleet. But Sully was especially surprised to see Chrom, Ben, and Robin unscathed.

Those three were in the thickest parts of the battle. Hell, Robin and Ben took on entire waves of soldiers on their own. Ben even managed to lift a damn ship out of the water. Something that made Sully's jaw drop. Of course, he was exhausted afterwards. But if not for that display of power, the Valmese probably would have kept attacking them and eventually overwhelmed their defenses.

Chrom celebrated with the others. He sat beside Sumia, one hand around her shoulders while they both toasted their firewine. Lucina leaned against the wall nearby. Still feeling a little awkward about hanging out with her parents.

Sully gulped down another swig of firewine.

 _Then again, I'd feel awkward if I had my future kid nearby too._

Drinks were passed around. Food distributed. Mostly salted pork and some dried fruit. Sailor food. But good food. Sully reached for a tray of pork and snatched two pieces.

"Take it easy." Kellam advised her, his quiet voice barely penetrating the loud chatter inside of the hull.

Sully arched an eyebrow. In response, she opened her mouth and shoveled an entire piece of pork in.

"I do what I want." She said with her mouth full. She swallowed hard and let out a belch, "And you!"

"Me?" Kellam cried.

"What the hell were you thinking out there?" Sully huffed, "I'm getting healed by Libra and Anna, and I see those enemies coming at us. I get up to defend them, and all of a sudden you step in front of me and take a wound to the leg." She shook her head, "You stole my thunder."

"You could barely stand up." Kellam muttered.

"I just needed some more adrenaline to start pumping." Sully punched at the air in front of her, "Then no one could have stood against me." She winced as her wound stung again.

"Mhmm, sure." Kellam nodded.

Sully rolled her eyes, "Whatever. Just don't do it again. I can take care of myself."

She exhaled and slouched against the wall. She took another long gulp of firewine as she watched everyone celebrate around her. Two Shepherds were missing from the celebrations, Donnel and Maribelle.

She gulped as she thought about the poor farm kid. Libra insisted he would live. But damn he looked rough when they got back to the rest of the fleet. Maribelle was inconsolable while they tried to heal him. Even Dooku seemed visibly shaken by the sight of the boy bloodied and broken. And that guy had ice in his veins, as far as Sully was concerned.

Speaking of Dooku, he was nowhere to be seen either.

 _Probably with Maribelle and Donnel._

Kellam nudged her shoulder.

"What?" Sully asked.

"Robin doesn't look too happy."

Sully frowned. She flicked her eyes across the cramped space to the furthest hammock away. Robin lay silently in it. Eyes staring up at the ceiling. Face pale and hands folded over his chest. His soaked tome rested open near his hammock. A small candle burned near it. Trying to dry the pages.

"I don't know why." Sully remarked, "His strategy won us the day. And he was bad ass out there. I mean, you saw all of that lightning right?" Sully hooted, "Naga damn, he may as well have been a thundercloud out there."

"I think that is why he's so upset." Kellam muttered.

"Why? That he's powerful?" Sully shrugged, "Shit, if I had powers like that, I wouldn't be upset."

"That is because you don't understand them, Sully." Ben sighed as he rolled his head. Popping several knots in his neck.

Sully eyed Ben, "You know, I'd normally be offended by that, but screw it. I'm drunk, wounded, and damn happy. So I'll let it slide."

"You're just afraid he'll beat you up." Virion chuckled as he wrapped an arm around Olivia's waist. The already drunk Feroxi Ambassador snoozed against him.

"Can it, Ruffles!" Sully barked, "I may be bloody but I ain't beaten."

Ben chuckled, "Save it for the Valmese, Sully."

He reached up and rubbed Tharja's arm as her fingers slowed their twirling. Her eyes were closed. Breathing even. With a reluctant sigh, Ben rose to his feet. He winced as his sore muscles protested. After taking a second, weary breath, he walked towards Robin.

That tactician remained completely silent as he lay in his hammock. Ben leaned up against the wall beside him.

"Robin."

Robin let out a heavy sigh. Eyes never leaving the ceiling above him, "Yeah?"

"Come on. Let's talk."

Robin closed his eyes, "Now?"

"Better now then when we have to fight the Valmese again."

"Fair point." Robin groaned and rubbed his eyes. He swung his legs out of his hammock and hopped out. He and Ben moved towards the stairs that led up to the top deck.

"Look at that!" Chrom smiled, "He's up and moving!"

Robin gave his friend a small smile, "For now. Pretty sure I'm going to pass out soon."

"Not before you drink with us." Chrom beamed, "You won us the day Robin. Don't look so dour."

Robin gave him a small nod while the others cheered around him. But he did not reply. Instead, he took a deep breath and followed Ben up onto the top deck.

The sun had nearly set below the horizon. Stars twinkled in the twilight sky above them. A full moon lumbered higher into the darkness. A few Plegian Sailors lingered on the deck. One of them manned the wheel while the Captain got some much deserved rest. Severa, Owain, Cherche, and Cordelia lingered near the stern. The younger red head seemed rather cross whenever she was around Cordelia. Robin wondered why.

His mind snapped away from those thoughts when Dooku addressed him and Ben.

"Good, Lucina finally sent you to me." Dooku huffed as he stood on the bow. Eyes focused on the fading light in the distance, "It took you both long enough."

"Chrom wanted us to celebrate for a little bit." Ben replied as he took a set on a bench near the deck railing. Robin remained standing, barely present in the conversation as his thoughts lingered on the battle.

"Celebrations can wait." Dooku frowned.

"Not when the ruler of Ylisse demands them." Ben chuckled, "He pays us, remember?"

"The Khans pay you." Dooku reminded him.

"Then I most certainly have to celebrate otherwise Flavia gets offended." Ben remarked with a wry smirk. He noticed Dooku's frown deepened, "Do you always have to spoil the party?"

"You are still one of the most insolent Jedi I know." Dooku remarked as he folded his arms.

"I'll take the compliment."

Dooku growled.

Ben shook his head, "Alright, something is clearly bothering you." His smile ran away for a moment, "Is Donnel alright?"

Dooku flinched a little bit, "He's-" A heavy sigh left Dooku's lips, "The boy will be fine. A few weeks and he will be fully recovered. Hopefully, he is allowed to. And hopefully he does not do something foolish and rush into battle too soon."

"I'll make sure he doesn't." Robin muttered, "He'll stay with the reserves until he is ready."

Dooku eyed Robin, "Good." He finally replied after a long silence, "And Donnel is not my most pressing concern at the moment." He glanced over at Robin, "Care to explain what happened?"

Ben frowned, "Dooku…"

"Silence Kenobi." Dooku lowered his gaze at Robin. The tactician ducked his head beneath Dooku's stern glare, "Any day now."

Robin shook his head, "I have no idea." He trudged up the bow railing and leaned against it. The wind whipped over the deck. Causing his coat to flap behind him a little bit, "One moment, I am in over my head. The next moment, I see the enemy. I see-" Robin choked a moment, "I see Donnel in a pool of his own blood. And I-I just saw red."

Dooku furrowed his brow.

"I can't explain it." Robin breathed, "Something just… took over. I mean, I let it. But-" He rubbed the back of his neck, "I don't know."

Dooku raised a hand, "No need to go any further." He glanced at Ben then returned his attention to Robin, "Go get some rest." He said as he nodded his head at the stairs.

"Is something wrong with me?" Robin asked, "I mean, first the mental attack. Then this… loss of control."

"Nothing is wrong, Robin." Ben reassured him.

"Quit lying to him, Kenobi." Dooku snarled, startling Ben, "Something is wrong. We are just trying to figure out what. And seeing as how I don't want to worry you any further, I am telling you to go get some sleep. We will need your mind rested for when we reach the Valmese mainland."

Robin gulped. He gave Dooku a small nod, turned on his heel, and marched away.

"A rather quick conversation." Ben muttered as he rested his elbows on his knees and watched Robin descend by down into the hull.

"But one that needed to happen. You at least recognized that." Dooku sighed and rubbed his eyes.

There was silence for a moment. Ben quirked an eyebrow as Dooku kept his attention on the horizon.

"You're thinking about something." Ben pointed out.

"No, _really_?" Dooku sassed back, "How did you know?"

Ben narrowed his eyes, "Now that I'm on the receiving end of it, I can see why my sass annoys you."

Dooku snorted but said nothing in return. The long fingers on his left hand tapped against his right arm as he continued his silent musing.

"Seriously, Dooku, what is going through that mind of yours?" Ben asked again.

"Other than thoughts of strangling you?" Dooku remarked. A heavy sigh escaped his lips. He ran a hand over his face, "What did you feel on that ship, Kenobi?"

Ben furrowed his brow, "Feel?"

"Yes, feel." Dooku spun around and glared at his Jedi counterpart, "Because I know you were not blind to what Robin was doing."

Ben leaned back in his seat, "I'm not exactly sure what I felt."

Dooku frowned as Ben gathered his thoughts. Ben glanced up at Dooku, some surprise on his face.

"You're afraid." Ben realized.

Dooku snarled and spun back around to face the sea.

"You are!" Ben said, more shock laced his voice, "You are afraid of Robin."

"Preposterous! I am not afraid of Robin." Dooku snapped, "But I am afraid of what is inside of him."

Ben gave Dooku a puzzled look, "What do you mean by that?" He asked as he rose from his seat and stood beside the Count.

Dooku tensed up, "Did you hear what caused Robin to lose control?"

Ben frowned, "You aren't answering my-"  
"I'm getting to it, Kenobi. Damnable Jedi impatience." Dooku grumbled, "But did you hear what he said?"

Ben nodded, "I did, he saw Donnel fall and saw red."

"He let his anger and fear get the better of him. Not because the enemy was swarming around him, but because one of his friends was on death's door." Dooku clarified, "Does that remind you of anyone?"

Ben's face darkened, "Robin is not Anakin."

"But he exhibits some of the same fatal flaws as Skywalker." Dooku argued back.

"No. he does not!" Ben snapped, "He has nowhere near the arrogance Anakin possessed."

"Perhaps not, but that does not matter." Dooku replied. He glanced over at Severa, Owain, Cherche, and Cordelia as the group marched down into the hull of the ship. He lowered his voice as they drew closer, "Robin exhibits the same flaw that allowed Sidious to twist Skywalker."

"That flaw being a desire to save his friends?" Ben asked.

"Not just his friends, those he cares about." Dooku pointed out, "And at any cost. Otherwise, he would not have tapped into such power." Dooku shuddered, "Not only does he exhibit that foolishness, but he also has potential that likes of which I have only felt twice before."

Ben arched an eyebrow.

"Skywalker and Sidious both possessed such power. Skywalker had far more potential. But… there is something different about Robin. It is like he isn't just wielding the dark side when he used the force. It almost feels like he is embodying it."

"That is ridiculous." Ben argued, "No one can embody an aspect of the Force. Only use it."

"But Robin was not just using the Force he was channeling it, Kenobi!" Dooku snapped, "That power inside of Robin is enormous. And it is as dark as black hole. How and why it has not corrupted him already is beyond me." Dooku rubbed his beard, "I suspect his amnesia has something to do with that."

Ben shook his head, "Do you have any idea how absurd this sounds."

"About as absurd as you being killed by Clones then waking up alive and younger on an unknown planet." Dooku replied.

Ben remained silent for a moment. He took a deep breath and leaned up against the bow's railing, "Alright, so lets say your hypothesis is correct. Robin isn't just using the dark side of the force, he is embodying it. Why? And another important question, how? And what does his amnesia have to do with any of it?"

"I doubt even Robin knows why." Dooku answered, "I'm still piecing that together. As for how… I'm not entirely sure. I suspect he has already received some training. Training he does not remember. Hence, his amnesia being a factor. I suspect his amnesia is blocking his full potential. And it may even be blocking the sinister nature of the dark side inside of him."

Ben snorted, "Are you saying that the dark side has not corrupted Robin purely because he is ignorant and naive?"

"Yes." Dooku nodded, "So that leads to our next question: how did this amnesia happen? And how long will it persist?"

"It has persisted for three years now, Dooku." Ben reminded the count.

"Yes, and some of it broke when his mind was attacked. After all, he recalled Validar being his father."

"We don't know that for certain." Ben said, "It could just be a trick."

"And what is the point of tricking Robin with that tidbit of information?"

"I don't know!" Ben shouted in frustration. His shoulders sagged as a wave of exhaustion hit him. He reached up and rubbed his tired eyes, "So what does this mean?"

"It means that we must proceed with caution in regards to Robin's training."

"We?"

"Yes, we." Dooku reiterated, "You are not keeping me out of this any longer."

"Oh no. No, no!" Ben walked around Dooku and wagged his finger at him, "You will not take Robin to be your own sith apprentice."

"If you continue to belittle me I have half a mind to shock you." Dooku sneered as he swatted Ben's finger out of his face, "And I do not intend to train Robin as a Sith. That would be playing right into Sidious's hands."

Ben froze, "What do you mean by that?"

Dooku groaned, "You still do not see it. Damn it all, Kenobi. You have grown weak, blind, and apparently stupid as well. My disappointment in you continues to grow." Dooku clapped his hands together, "How did Sidious make Skywalker fall?"

Ben furrowed his brow.

"He manipulated Skywalker, didn't he?" Dooku began, "Played on his emotions. Particularly his strong feelings for others." Dooku stared hard at Ben, "Particularly on his feelings for someone."

"Padme." Ben breathed.

Dooku looked surprised, "Senator Amidala? Well, that is certainly scandalous. I wish I would have learned that during the Clone Wars. It could have worked to my advantage." He cleared his throat, "Disregarding that for now, I am willing to bet that Skywalker feared harm befalling Senator Amidala. And Sidious knew exactly how to twist the knife for maximum damage." Ben's eyes widened as he began to understand, "Robin exhibits the same deep caring for his friends. Imagine if he fell in love with someone. Then imagine if Sidious found him. Skywalker would have been his test run. Robin would be his masterpiece."

"No! I won't allow it!" Ben snapped.

"Then you must let me instruct him." Dooku took a breath, "Master Windu and I sparred frequently. And it is no secret Windu struggled with his own demons in the force. So he developed a philosophy to not only counter his darkness, but harness that darkness."

"Vaapad." Ben rubbed his mouth, "You think you can teach Robin that?"

"At the very least the fundamentals of it. Windu never revealed all of its secrets, unfortunately." Dooku sighed with regret, "I will instruct Robin to the best of my abilities. You will of course, continue to help. But, if Sidious arrives before his training is complete, we must do everything in our power to prevent the Dark Lord from sinking his claws into him. Or else-"

"Sidious will have an apprentice equal in power to Anakin." Ben paled at the thought.

"And now you understand."

Ben frowned. What Dooku said made sense. But, the thought of Robin equaling Anakin in terms of power still seemed preposterous to Ben. Anakin had been a once in a generation- no- once in a millennium Jedi Knight. His strength rivaled the most powerful of the Jedi Order, even at a young age. Robin never exhibited such raw strength until very recently. How could he have not sensed it?

"And what about your original plan?" Ben asked as Dooku turned on his heel.

"Original plan?"

Ben turned to face Dooku, "You know, your original plan to defeat Sidious. To train Lucina, Kage, and Robin into the ultimate force against Palpatine?"

Dooku paused as he strode towards the stairs, "Plans change, Kenobi. If we are to survive all of this, you must gain some Sith adaptability. Force knows, the Jedi never understood that they had to adapt to survive."

Ben frowned as Dooku disappeared into the bowels of the ship. Likely on his way to check on Donnel. He and the farm boy had become close during their year together in Themis. And he likely needed to discuss political matters with Maribelle. Ben felt grateful he no longer had to deal with inane politics anymore.

Then again, this situation with Robin made him long for boring discussions with galactic senators. At least he could understand politics. He no longer understood the force. The currents made no sense to him. And every time he thought he finally regained his grasp on it, another strange element would rear its head. This time, it involved one of his closest friends.

"He's not like Anakin." Ben pushed away from the railing, "He will not fall." He turned on his heel and marched back to the stairs.

"I won't let him."

* * *

Noire trudged through the mud. Ankle deep mud. Her boots were stuffed with the stuff. Thick and slimy. Like wet clay. It made traveling through the Valmese countryside miserable. Noire huffed a she stumbled and sank to one knee. She cursed under her breath and struggled forward. One of Priam's mercenaries reached over and grabbed her by the arm. An action that startled her and caused her to swat his hand away.

She still did not trust Priam or his men. The wild haired man seemed rather mercurial. One moment, he was quite witty. Dangerously so. He pissed off Brady more than once with a sharp barb or two. The next moment, he was deadly serious. Those moments were usually when he was discussing marching orders with his men or polishing his armor and ridiculously strong sword, Ragnell.

Noire still felt baffled by the weapon. There was only one sword in existence she knew could defy a lightsaber. She witnessed it many times. Back when her father was training Lucina. Falchion was a divine weapon. According to legend, it was forged using a tooth from the Divine Dragon herself. Only one existed in the world. And, as far as Noire was concerned, it was the only weapon that could stand up against a lightsaber besides another lightsaber.

Priam proved her wrong. He proved Luke wrong. Noire glanced over her shoulder at the still wounded Sith. He rode atop of Cynthia's pegasus. Slouched over. Heavy bandages wrapped around his torso, hidden beneath his black robes. Cynthia remained close by while he rested. Or, claimed to rest. Noire suspected the bastard was brooding. Wallowing in his near defeat.

He defeated Priam, but just barely. That fact alone startled her. She could not imagine how much it rattled Luke. Luke, the young man who matched Lucina blow for blow in the future. The traitor personally trained by the most dangerous man Noire ever met, Maul.

Priam nearly bested him, not because he was faster or stronger, but because he was better. Noire watched that fight closely. She wanted to see just how powerful the traitor had really become. And for the first few minutes of the duel, she was unimpressed. He appeared off balance. Out of focus and overwhelmed by Priam's effective technique. Overall, Priam appeared to be the better pure swordsman.

But those last few moments stood out to Noire. The sudden black hole that opened in the force. A chill she could feel in her bones. She did not consider herself overly capable with the Force. Hell, her own father did not bother to train her. He chose Lucina over her. Her potential must not be that great. Yet, she could feel the power Luke radiated when he engaged in his final assault on Priam.

That was the only reason Luke won. He surprised and overwhelmed Priam with a short burst of raw power when he should have been done for. And now, Noire could see the fatal flaw in how Luke fought. And she was damn sure he realized it as well.

He relied on his pure talent and nothing else. Maul no doubt cultivated such laziness. After all, Noire knew Luke's potential in the force was enormous. Maul would not have wanted Luke to surpass him out of pure self preservation. That spineless coward always looked out for himself before others. And that selfishness obviously extended to his lone student.

The column of mercenaries came to a brief stop in the muddy, rain soaked trail. Priam pointed up to a nearby hill. Say'ri, who stood with him at the front of the company, nodded in agreement. Noire could not hear what they were discussing. But she hoped they were talking about making camp.

They had passed beyond Chon'sin's northern border a day ago. A slow descent from the Kiba mountains into the hills and plains south of Mila Tree. Naturally, all of the rain from Chon'sin's rainy season cascaded down from those mountains and flooded the plains below it. Rivers swelled out of their banks nearby. The only respite from the water and mud were the occasional hilltop the company made camp upon.

And they were approaching one such hilltop. Noire powered her way up the last few meters to the top of the hill. She gasped for air when she reached the top. Legs on fire, lungs burning, and a little dizzy. She dropped to her butt in the mostly dry grass on top of the hill.

Brady trudged over and offered his flask. Which Noire politely declined with a small shake of her head.

"Fine. Don't enjoy the good stuff." He reached to his hip and grabbed a small water skin he kept as well.

Noire nodded eagerly before taking the water skin and taking a large drink. She let out a loud gasp.

"Don't drink it all at once." Brady muttered as he put the cork back on it.

"Thirty miles." Noire gasped. "Thirty miles through mud, water, and heat."

"You forgot the humidity." Brady grunted as he took a seat beside her.

"That too!" Noire gasped as she wiped her hand over her sweaty brow, "I didn't think any place could be warmer than the future." She fell flat on her back while Brady chuckled, "Naga, give me strength!"

"She ain't listening." Brady muttered before taking a sip from his flask.

"I'm starting to think you're right." Noire groaned.

Cynthia's pegasus came to a stop beside Noire. The beast knelt down and Cynthia quickly zipped over to help Luke down. Luke winced as he dropped back down to the ground. Cynthia offered to carry some of his weight. But he shook his head. Determined to try and muscle through the pain himself.

"Don't be stupid. Let her help." Brady remarked as Luke stepped around him and Noire, "I'm not going to seal you up again if you break the wound open."

"Just get your staff powered up." Luke grunted as he gingerly sat down beside the priest.

Brady frowned, "You know, one of these days, you are going to get yourself too damn hurt for me to patch up. And when that day comes, I'm just going to laugh and say I told you so."

"Brady!" Cynthia snapped.

"What? Karma's a bitch." Brady mumbled as he poured magic into his healing staff. The gem on top glowed green and he focused its power on Luke's wound, "And he has a lot coming to him."

"Karma was not the reason he lost." Noire said. She propped herself up on her elbows.

"He didn't lose." Cynthia remind her.

"No, he did. Then he got lucky and surprised Priam with the Force. I know what I sensed." Noire argued back.

"I thought you couldn't use the force very well?" Luke breathed. He winced a little bit as the healing magic made his wound sting.

"I can't." Noire sighed, "Doesn't mean I haven't picked up a thing or two. I was around Lucina when she was training with my father. I overheard some things. Besides, I don't think karma would have struck you during that duel."

"You don't?" Brady blinked, surprised.

"Yeah, I don't." Noire took a deep breath, "He actually came to save us." She admitted reluctantly, "And that surprised me a little bit."

"You all have such a high opinion of me, don't you?" Luke grumbled. He hissed as Brady did something with his healing staff.

"Sass us again, and I might make this healing staff a good ol' fashioned beating staff."

"Why do you think he lost then, Noire?" Cynthia asked, her curiosity growing.

Noire pursed her lips, "He already knows." She nodded her head in Luke's direction, "Ask him."

Luke's expression darkened. Normally, when he got upset like that, Noire would feel a slight pulse in the Force around him. A flash of anger that caused the dark side to snarl. But this time, she did not feel any of that. The force remained eerily silent around him. He was not mad at her. He seemed angry at himself.

"Maul's training is failing me." Luke admitted.

Cynthia blinked in surprise, "But-but you fought like him against Priam. That is how you won."

"And if I did not end it quickly, Priam would have recovered and beaten me again." Luke said.

He glanced to the front of the company. Past the myriad of small tents being set up by the mercenaries. Both Priam and Say'ri were staring hard a map of Valm. Each talking in hushed voices. Prince Kage remained close to Say'ri's side. One hand gripped on the hem of her shirt.

"That man knows how to fight." Luke breathed, "And I do not."

"You know how to fight." Cynthia replied, somewhat confused.

"I know how to overwhelm an inferior opponent." Luke replied, "That is how Maul fought. If he knew you were stronger than him, then he would wait until he knew he had an advantage. He would wait until he was certain of victory by sheer force." He glanced at Noire, "Why do you think he did not engage your father at all in the future despite his hatred?"

Cynthia's eyes widened, "Your father is that good, Noire?"

"You watched him train Lucina. You should know." Noire said.

"I know that but-" Cynthia sat back, shocked, "I mean, he never looked like he was trying very hard. Even against the Risen."

"Risen grunts would not concern him unless they were going to overwhelm him." Luke noted, "And he was also training Luci. He's a Jedi. He would not go all out on her while she was still learning." Luke pulled at some wet grass where he sat. His jaw worked back and forth, "And unfortunately for me, Maul imparted that habit onto me. Wait until your opponent is weak. Wait till they are vulnerable. Then strike. But what if my opponent is not vulnerable? What if he is not weak?" He flicked some grass from his fingertips, "What if such a scenario never manifests? What if I'm cornered? What do I have to rely on? Juyo is lightsaber combat at its most aggressive form. But the way Maul taught me was raw." He cursed under his breath, "Damn cretin never wanted me to become stronger than him."

"Sweet Naga, he's learning!" Noire snickered.

Luke threw her a sharp glare. But that only made her snicker a little more. As she laughed, Brady made his way over to their horse and removed their tents and mats from it.

"It is not like you knew that." Luke grumbled.

"I didn't at first." Noire admitted, "But now I have seen you fight. And I can say, I am not impressed."

Luke snarled. But that slight twinge of anger faded as he took a breath. He gave Noire an ever so slight nod of his head.

"You are right. My technique is shit." He tugged at some more grass, "And… its not just that."

Cynthia furrowed her brow in confusion. Behind their little group, Brady started to pitch their tents. Her Pegasus knelt down beside her. Cynthia smiled and gave her loyal steed a small scratch near her ears.

Noire looked at Luke with some confusion, "What else then?"

Luke sighed. A despondent sound. The source of his sour mood.

"The Force is betraying me."

Noire furrowed her brow, "What?"

"What does that mean?"

"It means he's losing his connection." Noire answered, expression grave.

"Not really. It's not that extreme, thank Naga." Luke breathed, "Look, when a dark side user utilizes the force, they use negative emotions as a way of focusing power. It gives clarity. If you're fully immersed in the dark side, you can feel the ebb and flow of battle. Feel the fear radiating out from your enemy. You can harness anger and pain so that they are no longer hindrances but strengths." Luke shook his head, "I tried doing that against Priam. And it only worked at the end. When I realized that if I lost, I would lose you." He looked at Cynthia. The Pegasus Knight gave him a small smile, "The anger I had in that moment was not anger at Priam or at the mercenaries. It was at myself. I was infuriated by my own weakness. The dark side of the force does not tolerate weakness."

"So what you're saying is, the dark side is turning its back on you?" Noire asked.

Luke nodded.

"Can you tell it to knock it off?" Cynthia asked.

Luke snorted out a small laugh, "If only it were that simple." He shook his head, "I don't know what to do about it."

Noire stared at Luke with wide eyes. This was unlike him. He never admitted his weaknesses. Blatantly refused to acknowledge them. He was powerful, end of discussion. His near loss to Priam shook him far more than Noire thought.

"I'm guessing my training is on hold then?" Noire wondered out loud.

"You're not weaseling out of it that easy." Luke replied, causing Noire to utter a small curse, "Just because I cannot utilize my full strength does not mean I cannot teach."

"No flips and nonsense until you are actually healed." Brady shouted as he finished setting up the last tent, "So help me, I will follow through on my threat."

"I'm not going to teach her to do nonsense." Luke shouted back. He shook his head, "I'll leave that to the person who should have taught you in the first place."

Noire looked down at the ground at the mention of her father not training her. It was still a huge source of discouragement for her. Why couldn't he teach her? Was she really not strong enough to be worth the time or energy? Did he father think that little of her?

She shook her head. No, her father loved her. She knew that. He gave his life so that her and her friends could get through the portal. He fought for her and her mother everyday in the war. This line of thinking was false.

So why did it hurt still?

"Alright," Noire sighed, "What other nonsense will you be teaching me then?"

Luke snorted, "I don't know. Where do you want to start?"

Noire pursed her lips as she thought for a moment, "Before you arrived in Priam's hideout, me and Say'ri were blindfolded and-"

"Hold up! Blindfolded!?" Cynthia cried.

"I'm going to kill him." Luke breathed.

"Get in line." Brady growled as he returned to his seat beside Noire, flask open and in hand.

Noire raised her hands, "Let's not get ahead of ourselves. I don't like Priam either. But he has agreed to help us. And that is besides the point." Noire took a breath, "While I was blindfolded, I swore I could see the world around me. It looked faint. But I could make out details. I could see the flickering bonfire. I could see Say'ri beside me. I could see the faint outline of the cave we were in. It was like looking through a dense fog."

Luke nodded, "You were seeing with the force."

"She can do that?" Cynthia gasped.

"I can do that." Luke remarked.

"You can!?" Cynthia placed a hand behind her back, "How many fingers?"

"Cynthia…"

"How many!?"

"Three."

Cynthia blinked. She screwed her face into an odd expression.

"Okay, how many now?" She asked.

"Cynthia, I can't see through you." Luke shook his head as he chuckled a little bit. "Seeing through the force is just like Noire described. If our vision is impaired or impeded, we can use the force as a sort of sixth sense. Train enough, and that sixth sense can be clearer than actual eyesight. After all, our eyes can deceive us. We should never fully trust them." He looked at Noire, "Brady blindfold her."

Brady choked on some sake, "Wh-what?"

"Do it Brady." Noire commanded.

Brady arched an eyebrow. He reached into his pack and grabbed some unused cloth bandages. He walked behind Noire and wrapped the cloth over her eyes.

"Imagined this happening under different circumstances." Brady muttered under his breath.

"You're a priest." Noire reminded him.

"A guy can dream." Brady huffed as his cheeks heated up, "There!" He clapped his hands, "Blindfolded." He flopped back down his seat, "Where's the magic?"

Luke glared at Brady. The priest shrank away.

"Alright, Noire." Luke began, "Focus." She nodded, "Imagine your environment. Your surroundings. Every blade of grass beneath your feet. Every wisp of wind. Every breath we all take. Everything around you is part of the Force." She pressed her lips into a thin line, "Do not try to see through the blindfold. Rather, try to see as if the blindfold was not there."

"I thought the flips were nonsense, but this is something else." Brady droned.

"Quiet Brady!" Cynthia hissed.

Luke raised a hand and pulled a finger back with his thumb. Before Cynthia or Brady could stop him, he flicked Noire's forehead.

"Ow! Hey!" Noire yelped.

"Luke!" Both Brady and Cynthia cried.

"It's motivation." Luke reassured them all, "I could use rocks. That's what Maul did to me."

"I'll stick with the flicks." Noire replied, a little irritated, "So, I'm supposed to see you trying to flick me?"

"And stop me." Luke nodded.

Noire took a deep breath. Luke waited a few moments, then flicked her knee.

"Hey! That's-"

"A different spot. I know." Luke interrupted.

Noire folded her arms, "How the hell am I supposed to see you like this?"

Luke rolled his eyes, "What did I say? Your eyes can deceive you, don't trust them." He rubbed his forehead, a little exasperated, "Look, just… stretch out with your feelings."

"What in Naga's name does that mean?" Brady asked.

"It means she needs to be happier." Cynthia nodded.

"I don't think so." Brady frowned.

Noire took a deep breath. She slowly exhaled. She had to stretch out with her feelings? Brady was right. What does that even mean? Frustration built inside of her as she felt Luke flick her arm. She grit her teeth.

 _Focus Noire!_ She thought. She took another calming breath. Similar to what she saw her Father and Lucina do when they grew frustrated. What was that piece of advise her father always gave Luci when she was exasperated? _Rest in the Force. Let it speak to you. Let it guide you._

Her muscles relaxed. The tension in her shoulder ebbed away. A strange calm came over her. For a split second, the haze over her eyes lifted. She saw Luke reach towards her, ready to flick her shoulder.

She smacked his hand away. Brady's jaw fell open. Cynthia smiled and clapped her hands. Luke nodded.

"Well done." He quickly tried to flick Noire's forehead again. Noire reached up and caught his hand.

"I'll be damned." Brady breathed.

Noire grinned as she let go of Luke's hand. She reached up and removed her blindfold.

"I-I did it!" She said, voice filled with excitement, "I mean, I don't exactly know how. But I did it!"

"Good." Luke nodded, "We'll work our way up to rocks soon enough."

Noire paled. A nervous laugh left her lips. As she laughed, Say'ri made her way over with Kage.

"Good news. We should pass by the Mila Tree tomorrow." Say'ri informed them all, "We're about a week away from Charlet."

"Do you think we will reach the city in time?" Luke asked her.

Say'ri folded her arms, "Priam says if we keep this pace up, we should be able to. But the closer we get to Charlet, the more likely we are to run into Valmese patrols."

"Good thing we have a bunch of untrustworthy mercenaries to protect us." Brady said dryly.

Say'ri sighed, "Yeah, well, we have to take what we can get. Priam does give me that impression."

"He already betrayed Valm? Why wouldn't he betray us for the right price?" Luke pointed out.

Say'ri frowned, "Look, we need help if we are going to unite with the Shepherds once they land. And I'm sure the Shepherds will welcome him with open arms if he helps us. He's already expressed a desire to fight Ben Kenobi. This is his chance. Why would he waste it?" Say'ri turned her attention to Noire, "You are certain they will be landing in Charlet?"

Noire nodded, "That is where they landed in the future. I just can't be certain of the timing."

Say'ri sighed, "Well, then we better hope by some miracle we arrive when they do. Otherwise, it'll get very interesting very fast."

"Wasn't Yen'fay supposed to march to Charlet?" Brady asked.

Say'ri's face darkened, "He was. And if I see him, I will happily fight him. It is time he paid for betraying my parents."

Luke swallowed hard, but said nothing. Cynthia gulped. Brady bobbed his head and offered Say'ri some sake. Say'ri took a small sip then let out a loud sigh.

"Rest up. The Mila Tree is still crawling with Valmese soldiers. We'll have to go a safe distance around it."

"Then on to Charlet!" Prince Kage cheered.

Say'ri smiled.

"Then on to Charlet."

 **And chapter! A bit of an interlude chapter, bringing together these two separate story arcs just before they collide. Dooku and Ben are starting to worry that there is a lot more to Robin's abilities than meets the eye. Noire is learning from Luke (Naga help them). And Luke is grappling with his own deficiencies as a warrior. He's not necessarily weak, as much as he is losing his grasp on the Dark Side. He has tried to turn away from it. And the dark side does not tolerate weakness or rejection. Should be interesting to see where Luke goes from here.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	94. Charlet

**DISCLAIMER! Normally I don't do this. But I'm going to for the next two chapters. I am really pushing the boundaries on the T rating with these next two chapters. For a good reason. Not just because I want to. But because it will have an impact on the story as a whole. So, just a forewarning, there will be some more adult content in this chapter and the next one. Alrighty, with that out of the way, enjoy the chapter folks!**

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 94

Charlet

The Jedi Council Chambers looked exactly as Obi Wan remembered them. A circular room. Rather plain in design. Simple, red and grey seats with plush cushions arranged in a ring along the circular walls. Expansive windows looked out to the sprawling metropolis of Coruscant. Warm sunlight filtered into the room so that artificial light was never needed during the daytime. A place meant for peace and meditation. But often engulfed in conflict and deliberation.

He could hear one such debate going on. Who would they send to kill General Grievous? Ben paid little attention. His mind dwelled on something else. His eyes flicked over to the youngest, and newest, member of the Jedi High Council.

Part of him felt extremely proud. He knew Anakin was always destined for a seat in this chamber. The power he possessed in the Force was undeniable. His achievements as a Jedi Knight, irrefutable. To be able to say that he trained the boy into the great Jedi he had become thrilled Obi Wan. And it thrilled him even more to finally be working alongside his old Padawan on equal ground.

Well, almost equal ground. He did throw a tantrum over not being given the rank of Master. Ben cringed as he replayed that tense exchange between Anakin and Master Windu in his mind. That was the part of all of this, he was not proud of. Anakin did not obtain his seat on the council through conventional means. He was not elected or selected the traditional way by the Jedi High Council. Chancellor Palpatine designated him as the Chancellor's personal representative. A gross overreach of power on the Chancellor's part. One that violated the sovereignty of the Jedi Order.

 _What sovereignty?_ Ben thought, _We fought a war for the Republic after all. Are we not mere soldiers for the Chancellor anymore._

He furrowed his brow. Where did that thought come from?

For some reason, he had a splitting headache. His mouth felt very dry. A wave of nausea hit him. Something pressed down on his chest. Almost like a body rested there.

"Master Kenobi?" Master Windu's voice pierced his mind.

Ben blinked, "Um… yes, Master Windu?"

Master Windu stood in front of him. His stern gaze hard and penetrating. Making Ben shrink back into his seat. What did he do wrong?

"What is wrong, Comrade Obi?" Ben blinked as a strange voice came out of Windu's mouth, "My Skywalker."

Ben arched an eyebrow, "M-master I-"

A dark, amused snicker left Master Windu's lips. One that seemed vaguely familiar to the Jedi Master.

"Obi refers to me as Master?" Master Windu put a finger to Ben's forehead, "Tharja approves."

Ben felt extremely puzzled, "Tharja?"

His eyes flicked open. Ben stared up at a dark blue, cloudless sky. A few stars still winked in the blue expanse. But they retreated away from the growing sunlight creeping over the horizon. A warm breeze brushed around his naked form. Salt air rushed into his lungs. A long breath escaped his lips. And the rancid stench of alcohol crept up his throat.

The pounding headache came with a vengeance. His mouth felt drier than the sands of Tatooine. Each limb weighed as much as a Bantha. And for some reason, he could not move his body. Something kept him from moving. Something near his waist.

Ben blinked some more fog from his vision and tilted his head up. His eyes widened.

Tharja straddled his hips. A fuzzy hat sat on her head. Bracelets covered her arms. And nothing else.

"Um…" Ben gulped.

Tharja uttered a drunken snicker, "Does Obi like Tharja's hat?" She smiled sweetly at him, "Tharja found it in Gregor's stuff."

Ben sucked in a sharp breath, "What is going on?" Tharja's smile wavered a little bit, "Where is Master Windu?" He snapped his gaze around. His head swam. Ben cursed as his headache pulsed. At that moment, he realized where he was, "Why are we in the crow's nest!?"

"Tharja wanted fun with Obi." Tharja smiled mimicking Gregor's accent, "But Tharja and Obi need privacy."

Ben's mind worked slowly as he tried to piece together what exactly happened last night. He remembered talking to the others regarding their strategy for the invasion of Valm. Particularly the landing at Charlet. He recalled Flavia urging everyone to make merry, for tomorrow they die. Or something along those lines. Then… then…

Tharja's fingers snaked up his neck and up to his cheek.

"Does Obi not approve?"

A breath got stuck in Ben's throat, "Well um… I think I did. But um, can we drop the accent?"

Tharja uttered a light snicker before laying her head down on his chest, "Oh alright." She let out a happy breath, "I suppose I had my fun." She glanced up at him as he rubbed his eyes, "Who is Master Windu?"

"Someone I never thought would talk dirty to me in my dreams." Ben groaned. He froze for a second, "You weren't behind that were you?"

Tharja snorted, "Please, if I were, I would have made sure I was the one you were dreaming about. Not some Windu character."

"Then that was all my own-"

"Sick." Tharja placed a kiss on his lips, "Twisted," She pecked his neck, "Mind." She smiled at him, "Absolutely."

"Naga above!" Ben cried as he felt the urge to vomit. He rolled over. Tharja yelped as she fell off of him and bumped into the crow's nest railing. Ben gagged, spat, groaned, then shivered as he tried to keep himself from puking his guts up.

"Is Master Windu that bad?" Tharja snickered behind him.

"Yes…" Ben groaned as he slumped back against the railing and faced Tharja. He trembled a little bit as another breeze hit the crow's next, "Question: Where are my clothes?"

Tharja nodded at the deck below them. Ben glanced down and saw his stuff strewn across the deck. None of the Plegian crew seemed to care. They just stepped around it. Tharja's clothes were also mixed in with them.

"How much did we drink?" Ben asked.

"You and I both had about two and a half bottles of firewine."

Ben furrowed his brow, "That's not a whole lot."

"Each." Tharja clarified.

Ben sucked in a sharp breath, "Oh." He winced as the sun's rays hit his eyes. His head throbbed again, "No wonder this hurts."

"Do you need a hex?" Tharja asked with a slight chuckle.

Ben nodded wearily. He groaned again and ran his hands over his eyes as Tharja cast her spell over him. Within a few moments, the pounding headache dulled. The feeling of cotton balls in his mouth evaporated away. And his nausea retreated into a simple stomach ache. A sigh of relief rushed from Ben's lips.

"That's better." He said.

Tharja smiled and pecked his lips again, "I'm glad."

"BENNY! SUNSHINE!"

Ben and Tharja's eyes widened. Both cautiously peeked down to the deck. Gaius sauntered out from below deck. His red hair a haphazard mess. Gait a little off balance. A lollipop dangled from his lips. He paused in his search when he noticed their clothes strewn across the deck. He quirked an eyebrow, puzzled. Then he glanced up at the crow's nest.

"Really guys?" He asked with a slight, amused smirk on his lips.

Ben pointed a finger, "Look away!"

"Why?"

Tharja began muttering under her breath. Gaius saw her lips move, cursed, then scampered back below deck. Ben glanced at her.

"Were you actually going to hex him?" He asked as he used the force to lift her clothes up to the crow's nest. Followed by his own clothing.

Tharja snatched her outfit from the air, "If he didn't actually run off, yes." She smirked, "I have him well trained now at this point."

Ben snorted, "Between you and Panne being on his case, Gaius might actually turn into an upstanding citizen."

Tharja snickered and patted his shoulder, "I wouldn't get my hopes up."

They finished getting dressed then carefully inched their way down the ship's netting and back onto the deck. When the reached the bottom, Lucina emerged from below deck. She glanced over at the two, still slightly haphazardly put together couple, and shook her head.

"What?" Ben asked as he straightened one of his leather pauldrons.

Lucina let out a slight laugh under her breath, "I'm glad I don't drink." She put her hand on her hip, "Flavia, Basilio, Chrom, and Robin are awake. I've been sent to fetch you, Ben."

Ben nodded, "Final plans for the invasion?"

Lucina nodded. Tharja let go of Ben's hand.

"Go on ahead. I'll make sure everyone else is capable of fighting."

Ben nodded and leaned over to kiss her. Then he marched below deck.

 _Naga above we really went overboard._

Empty bottles littered the floor below deck. Several empty crates were smashed to splinters. Several hammocks hung by one hook from the ceiling instead of two. And that did not compare to the damage Ben saw among the Shepherd's ranks.

Sully slept at a small table. Half of her face lying in a puddle of booze. Her hand clenched around Kellam's. The result of a drunken arm wrestling contest. Vaike was passed out beside that table. No doubt the one responsible for said competition.

Henry hung by his legs from a beam in the ceiling. Sleeping like a bat. Rather peacefully too. Which both reassured and disturbed Ben. Nowi slumbered quietly near Anna. The pair did not engage in the revelry last night. Nowi for reasons only Ben and a couple others knew about. Anna because she did not feel like partying. Not when they drew closer to her sister's final resting place.

Virion had his arms wrapped around both Olivia and Cherche. Cherche had her fist clenched. A large welt sat beneath Virion's chin. Evidence of what Cherche did with her fist. Olivia slept beside Virion with a small, content smile. Head nestled comfortably against the archer's shoulder.

Panne remained curled up on the floor near Gaius's hammock. Gaius rummaged through his travel pack. Drunkenly searching for something to satisfy his sweet tooth. Severa and Owain were together in a fallen hammock. For the first time, Ben noticed a small smile on Severa's lips. Lucina's friend from the future came across as rather grumpy and combative. It was nice to see her at least a little happy. She still did not reveal who her parents were. Although, judging by her vibrant red hair, Ben could take a pretty good guess.

 _Her and Cordelia will have to talk about it at some point._

Speaking of the Wing-Commander, her and Frederick were already awake. Cordelia reeled from last night's party a little more than the absurdly dedicated Knight-Commander. She suffered from a wicked hangover. More than once she slapped a hand over her mouth to keep herself from vomiting. Frederick meanwhile looked completely normal.

 _He is not human._ Ben thought as he stepped over Laurent and Stahl. The two men were playing a drunk game of chess when they passed out. Laurent had Stahl in check.

Lon'qu slept in his hammock. Stiff as a board. And Ben could see why. Lissa was curled up in the same hammock as him. Not an ideal scenario for the Feroxi swordsman. But given how drunk Lissa became last night, he likely did not have a choice.

Maribelle did not join the festivities last night. She remained in the bottom deck with Donnel. The Farm Boy finally woke up from yesterday morning. Maribelle doted over him ever since with Libra occasionally popping in to check up on the wounded Shepherd.

Currently, Libra weaved between the drunken Shepherds. His healing staff glowed every few moments. Slowly distributing healing magic into his comrades in order to ease the coming hangovers. Everyone needed to be in peak condition for this battle. Invading the Valmese mainland would be the most difficult battle of their lives. The Valmese would not give ground easily.

The priest nodded to Ben as he passed by.

"Good morning, Ben." Libra said.

"Good morning." Ben replied, still groggy.

Libra uttered a light chuckle, "Healing staff? Or potion?"

"I'll take a potion after this meeting." Ben replied as he made his way towards the Captain's cabin where Flavia, Basilio, Robin, and Chrom waited for him.

Dooku stood outside of the cabin. Arms folded over his chest. His brow furrowed as Ben approached. A disappointed sigh left his lips.

"I never took you for a hedonist." Dooku grumbled.

"I never took you for a stick in the mud. Oh wait, I did." Ben snarked back.

Dooku rolled his eyes, "How observant of the ex-Jedi." Ben frowned. Then to his surprise, Dooku uttered a slight laugh, "It is about time you left that dogmatic lifestyle, Kenobi. Just do not get too carried away with it."

"I have not abandoned the Jedi way." Ben hissed back.

"Keep living in denial and you will only deceive yourself." Dooku grumbled in return, "Get inside already. They are waiting on you."

"Oi!" Gregor hollered from his hammock, "Where is Gregor's ushanka!?"

Ben paled. Dooku gave him the side eye.

"Not a word." Ben said.

"Oh Gregor!" Dooku called.

"Do you want to invoke Tharja's wrath? Because I think she likes that hat."

"I think you like that hat more." Dooku replied with a wry smirk.

Ben's face flushed. He grumbled under his breath then shoved his way into the captain's quarters. Dooku laughed lightly as the door shut behind Ben.

None of the partying entered the Captain's quarters last night. Basilio made certain of that. He did not want anything bad to accidentally happen to their carefully drawn up plans from the previous day.

Everything appeared very similar to how they left it yesterday. The small, circular table at the center of the room had a map of Valm draped over it. The various wooden pieces symbolizing their ships and forces were in the same spots on the map. Each piece sat just outside of Charlet harbor.

"Good, you're awake." Basilio grunted as Ben stepped into the room.

"Barely." Ben mumbled as he trudged forward. He leaned against the table and squinted down at the pieces, "Are we running through the plan again?"

Flavia uttered a loud yawn. Ben looked over at her and jolted in surprise. She was not wearing her armor. Flavia always wore her armor. But this morning, she wore a simple, dark brown tunic. The ruling Khan smacked her lips together and blinked some more sleep from her eyes.

"Yup." She sighed before covering her mouth. A rancid belch rushed from her lips, causing Basilio to cringe, "Let's," She waved her hand, "just start the thing guys." She rested her elbows on the table and placed her head in her hands, "I'll catch up in a second."

"This is why you don't party hard before a battle." Basilio sighed. He shook his head, "No one is going to be in good shape for this."

"They'll be relaxed at least." Robin yawned and stretched his arms over his head.

Heavy bags sat under Robin's eyes. His face looked paler than normal. He did not party as hard as the other Shepherds last night. Ben did remember that he left to get some fresh air early and did not return until… until…

 _I can't even remember what happened anymore._

Chrom chuckled as Ben let out an exhausted sigh. The Prince clapped a hand against Ben's back.

"How was the crow's nest?" The Prince asked.

Ben let out a long, despondent groan. He let his head fall to the table, "So much for privacy." He pushed his body away from the table and wiped a hand over his face, "Alright, Robin." He motioned towards the tactician, "If you would please."

Robin cleared his throat, "Simple plan. Less room for hiccups this way." He reached to the table and moved the front two pieces into the Charlet harbor, "The flagship and two of our more heavily armed vessels will hit the harbor first. The harbor itself has a beach area for landing right here." Robin's finger tapped against the western section of the massive Charlet harbor, "It is narrow, but it is the only place where we can land any sort of craft."

"Using rowboats correct?" Ben asked.

Robin nodded grimly, "Unfortunately yes. However, this is a diversion. The rest of our fleet is going to attack the main harbor. Any ships, merchant or military, will be sunk." Robin glanced at Chrom as the Prince frowned, "We need as much room as we can get. Once the heart of our fleet has a grasp on the waters in and around the harbor. They can hit the marina and dispense soldiers into the main city while most of the Valmese forces will be occupied with us on the beach."

"What is the plan for the inevitable hail of arrows directed at our rowboats?" Chrom asked.

"We will have to defend ourselves the only way we can." Robin continued, "Heavy armor will be at the front of the landing craft. Their shields can handle any frontal volleys. As for volleys from the flanks; the sides of the landing craft are currently being outfitted with shields as well. We won't have total cover. But it will have to do. We have to take the city fast. Our strike needs to be hard and brutal. We cannot stand against Valm's massive numbers. We learned that out on the sea. This strategy allows us to divert the defending army's attention towards a fraction of our forces while the main bulk takes the city and encircles the defending army. If they do not surrender, then they are surrounded." Robin's face turned grim, "And then, it'll be a bloodbath."

Ben nodded, "Hopefully they will simply surrender if this works. Who leads the landing craft?"

Robin nodded at Ben, "You and Dooku will take the lead one. Do not hesitate to use the lightsabers. Secure a beachhead. Myself and Chrom will be in the wave directly after yours. We will buttress the beachhead and provide a push," Robin ran his finger from the beach up to the sea wall lining the markets nearby, "up towards the port markets. Once both are secure, our third wave can hit the beach. That third wave will be our reserves and healers. It will be their job to handle the clean up."

"Who will be leading that?" Ben asked.

"Severa and Lucina volunteered." Chrom answered, "They are anxious to take on some leadership." Chrom bit one of his fingernails, "Hopefully they won't have to engage in any of the heavy fighting."

"Do not worry so much, Chrom." Ben reassured him, "You forget, Lucina is one of the most proven warriors in the Shepherds. And I'm certain Severa is more than capable of looking out for both of them."

Chrom nodded, "Right, right just… she's my daughter and I'm still going to worry about her."

"That's only natural." Basilio grunted, "But she's also a damn good fighter. Too bad she lacks an arm, otherwise she would be on the front lines." Chrom gave the Khan a dark look. Basilio gulped, "Only if the strategy required it of course."

"Ha! He scared ya there." Flavia chirped, "Alright, where are me and the Oaf at, Robin?"

"You two get to have fun with the rest of the harbor. Scorch any ships. None leave the harbor." Both Khans nodded, "From there, secure the harbor. Basilio, you will take the main bulk of the army and push immediately for the city gates to the west. Cut the city in half. From there, divide and conquer. Flavia, you will circle around through the markets near the harbor back towards the beachhead. If the diversion is facing pressure, you will relieve that pressure and force any remaining Valmese to surrender." Robin stood back from the map, "And I cannot stress this enough Flavia, Basilio; minimize civilian casualties. We need to be seen as liberators, not conquerors."

"Understood." Both Khans nodded.

Robin exhaled, "Alright, all that is left is for Ben to decide who is going to be in the lead craft with him."

Ben ran his fingers through his beard. He furrowed his brow.

"Feroxi lancers at the front of the craft correct?" He asked.

Robin nodded, "Their heavy armor and shields will provide cover for the main landing."

Ben nodded, "I need speed for this. Speed and range." He ran through the Shepherds in his mind, "Give me Lon'qu, Owain, Gaius, Anna, Panne, Virion, and Tharja."

Chrom arched an eyebrow, "You want Tharja in the main thrust?"

Ben nodded, "She is our most destructive mage. You said you wanted a brutal first strike. She can help with that."

"Good idea. I'll have Henry and Miriel in the next wave with me and Chrom. They can rain fire from the boats while you secure the first stretch of beach." Robin rubbed his chin for a moment, "I'll have Libra with us as well. There will be immediate casualties that will need medical attention."

"That's also why I want Anna with us." Ben nodded, "She is quite handy with a staff."

"What do you want to do with the Pegasus Knights?" Chrom asked Robin.

Robin smiled, "We can't just secure the city. We need to secure the surrounding area as well. The Pegasus Knights, led by Cordelia, Sumia and Cherche, will fly past enemy lines and take out any enemies holding the walls as well as the land beyond Charlet. We are not going to get bottled up in the city like the Valmese were in Port Ferox." Robin took a breath, "Does everyone understand the plan?"

All heads nodded.

"Good. Let's wake everyone up. Armor up." Robin's face remained grim, "This is going to be a bloody one."

"Meeting adjourned then." Flavia rolled her shoulders, "Oaf, strap me into my stuff!"

Ben chuckled as he followed Chrom and Robin towards the door. When he reached the door, he glanced back out the windows in the Captain's quarters. He saw the fleet behind them. Dozens of warships loaded with soldiers. Each soldier ready to charge into the teeth of the Valmese army. Ready to die in order to defend their homeland.

A heavy sigh left Ben's lips. Flashes of the many landings he commanded in the Clone Wars ran through his mind. Including the nearly disastrous landing at the Second Battle of Geonosis. A battle that nearly killed him.

The weapons may be different, but the blood would flow the same.

 _Time for another war._

* * *

Charlet bustled with activity. The markets were crowded. Different vendors from across the Empire lined the streets. Soldiers in scarlet armor patrolled the stone roads and narrow alleys. Some of those soldiers met scornful gazes. Others received adoration. The Conqueror's army come to defend their land from the dastardly Feroxi and their Ylissean allies. Most already boarded ships and cast off towards Archanea. Ready to do battle with the enemy. Which left the military presence in Charlet surprisingly scant. There were a surprising amount of mages wandering the city streets. All of them in red robes.

She tugged at the collar of her shirt. A patrol turned a corner and marched down the main market road near the Marina. Say'ri ducked her head, averted her eyes, and made herself as inconspicuous as possible.

She was not a wanted woman. She committed no crime. But Excellus wanted her head. Or at the very least, wanted her captured. For what reason, she did not know. She still could not figure out that fat worm's endgame. Why would he risk angering the Conqueror's most powerful general, Yen'fay? Why would he destabilize the Chon'sin region by removing her from her position of authority? The people of Chon'sin were loyal to their dynasts. And they were especially loyal to her family, which had ruled Chon'sin for several generations now. Forcibly removing such a tradition would be seen as an act of war against Chon'sin's very values.

Hell, only Yen'fay publicly acknowledging Emperor Walhart as the final authority over Chon'sin kept the people from entering all out rebellion. Say'ri shook her head then turned her attention to a cart laden with bright red apples. She grit her teeth.

Chon'sin could have stood against Walhart if Yen'fay only had the courage to lead them. Instead, he chose to be a coward. Chose to betray their family. Chose to betray their parents and their memory. He tossed away any honor he had in her eyes. Yen'fay became nothing more than a puppet. And she loathed puppets.

A particularly ripe apple caught her eye. Say'ri felt her stomach rumble. She let out a heavy sigh and tore her gaze away from the cart.

It had been a few days since she arrived in Charlet. The others remained outside of the city walls. A safe distance away, in case anything went wrong. When they arrived to the city, the group decided to send two people to keep an eye on the army and to keep an eye out for the Shepherds. According to Noire, Brady, Cynthia, and Luke, the Archanean fleet would attack Charlet first during the war between Valm and Achanea. Say'ri prayed that remained true in this timeline.

She volunteered to enter the city. After all, she knew the people of Valm better than anyone else. And if this was her brother's army patrolling the streets (which she doubted since there was a surprising lack of Chon'sin soldiers among their ranks), then she would know how they worked. And they would not touch her.

So there was some security in Yen'fay's army being the one occupying Charlet. The problem now was that she had yet to see Yen'fay or his captains among the soldiers. If there was one thing she could give her brother credit for, it was his abilities as a commander. One of the many duties he regularly gave himself was checking on his men. Walking through the camp. Talking to his soldiers, asking if they were okay. Seeing how battle ready his men really were.

She did not see any of that. Which led her to wonder, was this really her brother's army? Or only part of it.

"Say'r-"

Say'ri jumped and slapped a hand over Cynthia's mouth. The Pegasus Knight accompanied Say'ri into Charlet. Noire did as well. But Noire took a much more secretive approach to moving through the city streets. Once they passed beneath the city gates, Say'ri lost sight of the archer. But Cynthia remained by her side. And in some ways, that was a good thing. Cynthia was so caught up in the sights and sounds of a major city like Charlet, that she looked like a genuine newcomer. Excited to be in a city she had never truly seen before. It helped them look less suspicious.

She just needed to quit saying their names so loud!

Say'ri sighed and let her hand slide away from Cynthia's lips, "Be careful."

Cynthia nodded, "Sorry, I just got excited."

Say'ri chuckled as the pair started walking down the busy road. Weaving between crowds of people. Occasionally taking a long glance at one of the food stalls along the road.

"Excited about what?" Say'ri asked.

Cynthia beamed, "Well, it has been years since I have seen my parents." She jumped and down, "I can't wait to see them again. To talk to them again! I was so young when," her smile faltered a little bit, "when they died." She regrouped from her sudden melancholy, "Just the thought of being near them again is a dream come true. I can talk to mom about Pegasus riding. I can talk to dad about fighting and stuff. Me and Luci will be with our family again."

Say'ri sighed, "I would be careful with all of that Cynthia. Noire mentioned that your sister made you all swear not to interact with the parents too much."

Cynthia blinked, "Well, we're talking to you a lot."

Say'ri uttered a light chuckle, "I know but-" She froze in the street, "Wait." She grabbed Cynthia by the arm and spun her around before she got ahead of her, "Are you saying I'm a parent!?"

Cynthia gulped, "I just broke the rule, didn't I?"

Say'ri put her hands on her hips, "That is a yes. Ooooh gods." She bent at the waist, took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled. Was it just her, or was it getting very hot all of a sudden?

"Do you-"

"No!" Say'ri raised her hands, stopping Cynthia, "No more information!" She took a deep breath, "Let it go for now."

Cynthia slowly nodded her head, "Okay." She folded her hands in front of her as they walked through the busy markets, "I'm sorry I accidentally let that slip. I've kinda got a bad habit of that."

Say'ri shook her head, "It's alright, Cynthia. But you do need to be more… aware of your surroundings." She huffed, "Now then, what have you noticed about the patrols?"

"Not much really." Cynthia answered, "They keep going in their same patterns. All of them are in groups of five to ten. Although, I did see one patrol with a fat guy walking with them."

Say'ri blinked. Fat guy?

"Did he wear red robes?" Say'ri asked.

Cynthia nodded, "And he had really fat lips."

Say'ri's heart stopped her chest. Only one man, one worm, matched that description.

 _Excellus is here._

She grabbed Cynthia roughly by the arm and dragged her to the closest alley. Once in the shadows of the alley, Say'ri pressed Cynthia against the brick wall of a shop.

"What is it?" Cynthia gulped.

"That man you saw is Excellus."

Cynthia paled, "That's not good."

"No it is not." Say'ri sighed, "We need to find Noire and get out of here. Regroup with Luke, Priam, and Brady outside of the city."

"I agree but-"

Metal scraped against stone. Cutting Cynthia off. It sounded like claws scratching across the ground. For a moment, it stopped. Replaced by the sound of metal tapping against the stone ground beneath their feet. Say'ri let go of Cynthia and pivoted to face the rest of the alley.

The shadows seemed deeper the further she peered. Whether that was because of the taller buildings blocking the sun or something sinister lurking nearby, Say'ri was not sure. But she could not escape the feeling of someone watching her. Her hand drifted towards the new sword given to her by Priam and his men. An apology for breaking her sword during their brief duel.

It was not the greatest katana. But it was well maintained. Decent condition. No nicks or chips. Made of solid, simple steel. A trustworthy weapon. And yet, even as she reached for it, Say'ri had a feeling it would not help her now.

Something shifted near a pile of discarded, shattered crates. It unfolded itself. It's skeletal body groaning and popping. As it rose to its feet, yellow, reptilian eyes winked open inside of a skeletal, metal skull. Say'ri felt fear rise inside of her as the monster towered over both her and Cynthia. Its body hunched over and hidden beneath a heavy cape. Those yellow eyes narrowed at her and Cynthia.

"Uh…" Cynthia gulped, "Say'ri, do you know what that thing is?"

Say'ri slowly shook her head. They both took a step back towards the main road as the thing stalked closer to them.

As they neared the street again, a horn blasted over the harbor. A loud blast that caused every citizen on the street to come to a complete stop. A second horn blasted. The crowd began to murmur. Soldiers started sprinting towards the harbor. The monster in front of Say'ri and Cynthia came to halt.

A third horn blast. The crowd went into a frenzy.

Say'ri took advantage of the chaos. She grabbed Cynthia by the wrist and charged into the stampede of people. The monster watched them run away, but did not pursue.

"What was that thing!?" Cynthia shouted as she and Say'ri shoved their way through the crowd of people.

Soldiers shoved past them. Each one sprinting towards the harbor. Men in red armor streamed from the city walls and main gate towards the beach on the western end of the harbor. Say'ri gulped and surged towards a tipped over cart. The same apple cart she browsed earlier.

She hopped up onto its side and looked out over the crowd. Her face paled.

"They're here." She breathed.

Cynthia looked towards the sea. Appearing on the horizon were dozens of ships. Enormous white sails sat above the ships like great square clouds. Even more rowboats emerged from the ships and surged towards the beach.

Her heart pounded in her chest, "Mother, father."

"We need to find Noire and get back to the others, fast." Say'ri said.

Say'ri's hair stood on end. Static filled the air. She saw a flash of light out of the corner of her eye. Without a second thought, she dove off of the cart and tackled Cynthia to the ground. Praying that the stampede of people did not trample them to death.

"Oh your majesty!"

Say'ri rose to a crouch. Through the crowd, Excellus glared at her. Smoke swirled up from his right palm while his left hand held an open spell book.

"You did not introduce yourself to my new friend. That was rather rude."

The monster from the alley stomped up alongside Excellus. A sinister smile crossed the fat worm's lips.

"Deal with the Shepherds. Execute the plan as designed." Excellus ordered the monster, "I will handle the traitorous princess."

Another lightning spell charged in Excellus's palm. Just as he moved to cast it, an arrow zipped through the air and embedded itself in that same palm. Excellus howled in pain. And over his loud screams and curses, Say'ri heard Noire's voice.

"BLOOD AND THUNDER! I WILL NOT ALLOW HARM TO BEFALL MY FRIENDS!" The archer screamed as she stood on a nearby rooftop. She nocked another arrow and took aim at Excellus, "RUN YOU FOOLS!"

Say'ri gulped. Noire was normally not that aggressive. But she had a point. Both Cynthia and Say'ri recovered and disappeared into the crowd. Flowing with the stampeded like leaves upon a raging river. Say'ri glanced behind them. Excellus was not following. She looked up to the rooftop. Noire disappeared.

 _Get to the gate. We need to get to the gate._ Say'ri uttered a heavy breath.

Soldiers along the edge of the harbor loaded ballista and nocked arrows. Pikemen rushed to the beach. Mages took up defensive positions along the sea wall near the beach. Each soldier ready to greet the invading Archaneans. And the panic continued to grow among the people of Charlet.

She closed her eyes and offered a silent prayer to the gods. This battle would be bloody and brutal. She prayed no one she cared about would be caught in its destructive path.

* * *

Frederick stood at the front of the boat with Chrom and Robin. All three completely silent. The waves battered their rowboat, prodding it along towards shore. Those waves the only sound anyone could hear. So far, no horns came from Charlet. No alarms or bells. Pure silence. Then again, the boats were still far enough out from the main harbor to not draw attention.

Frederick stumbled a little bit as a wave rocked the rowboat. Sea spray spat into the boat. Coating Frederick's armor in a thin veneer of water and salt. The rowers grunted and heaved behind him as they fought the ocean currents and dragged the little boat towards land. The extra weight added by the many shields lining the hull making it even more difficult to row. And Frederick knew the heavy armor he wore also did not help. But he would not step foot on the battlefield without proper protection. He needed to be the best warrior he could possibly be in order to serve Prince Chrom effectively. And that meant placing adequate protection on his own body as well.

He glanced over at the Prince. Chrom tugged on the silver pauldron over his right shoulder. He was not used to armor covering that arm. Years of wearing light leather plates made any heavy armor uncomfortable. But this was not a simple skirmish against Plegian raiders. This was an invasion. A full scale battle. By the end of the day, Frederick expected the waves crashing against the shore to be red with blood. A thought that sickened him, but did not discourage him. He knew what war was now. He knew what was coming. And he was ready.

He could not say the same for Robin. The tactician looked nervous. He could practically feel the anxiety radiating out from his friend. And he did consider Robin a friend. He had earned the Knight's trust. Months of working in close quarters with the smaller man allowed Frederick to realize just how brilliant he really was. He could out think any of his captains in strategy. Knew how to allocate resources. Knew the strengths and weaknesses of his army. Knew the importance of intelligence on the enemy and actively sought it out. He gained Frederick's respect.

But Frederick still worried about his stomach on the battlefield. Especially after the sea battle where Robin was visibly shaken by the carnage he sewed. He knew Ben and Dooku were trying to help Robin work through his emotions. And Robin kept up a strong facade. But Frederick could see the tension in his friend. The slight twitch in his fingers as they drew closer to the harbor. The way he shifted his weight from one foot to another. Not to remain balanced on the rocking rowboat, but just because he needed to do something.

Frederick tapped Robin's shoulder. Robin jumped.

"Huh-what?" The tactician cleared his throat, "Yes, Frederick?"

"Are you alright?" Frederick asked bluntly.

Chrom glanced over at Robin as the tactician remained silent.

"I will have to be." Robin finally replied.

Robin took a deep breath and exhaled. All three men stared ahead to the lead boats. Five in total. The formation spearheaded by Dooku and Ben's rowboat. Frederick frowned a little bit.

Frederick had mild trust in Dooku. The elderly man remained an enigma to the Knight Commander. He only spoke to Dooku on several occasions. Those conversations were usually just simple pleasantries. Nothing revealing or informative. Which did put Frederick a little on edge. He liked to know the warriors in the Shepherds' ranks. However, Dooku proved to be a genius statesman. Frederick marveled at the way he rebuilt Themis, both physically and militarily. Maribelle raved about his wit and intellect. And in every battle, Dooku proved to be a force equal to Ben. Which brought mild comfort to Frederick. He still did not trust Ben. It was nice to know that there was someone else that could challenge the powerful swordsman.

Frederick let out a heavy sigh.

"What's wrong now, Frederick?" Chrom chuckled.

Frederick pressed his lips into a thin line, "I am concerned about the commander leading this charge."

Chrom arched an eyebrow, "Ben?"

"Or Dooku?" Robin muttered.

"Dooku does not concern me. Dooku, for as enigmatic as he has been, when pressed, has been transparent. Ben has-"

"Are you still hung up on that fight me and Ben had?" Chrom interrupted.

Frederick opened and closed his mouth, "And-and you're not?"

Chrom chuckled a little bit, "It is water under the bridge at this point, Frederick. Ben and I reconciled. There is… there is still a bit I am confused about. But we are no longer adversaries."

Frederick drew back. He glanced over at Robin. The tactician did not seem as surprised. He was missing something here.

"H-how did-"

"Ben's an alien." Robin deadpanned.

Frederick blinked, "He's a-" He shook his head, "Please Robin, do not mock my intelligence."

"No, he's right." Chrom nodded, "Ben's an alien."

Frederick eyed the Prince. His jaw slowly fell open as he realized Chrom was not joking.

"From the stars?"

Both Chrom and Robin nodded.

"See why he didn't want to say anything?" Robin smirked, "You didn't believe me either."

"Well it just seems so absurd!" Frederick cried.

Chrom and Robin both chuckled.

"It is." Chrom nodded, "It definitely is." He let out a long exhale, "We're getting close."

"No alarms or bells. No horns." Robin frowned, "Have they not seen us ye-"

Horns blasted through the air. A blaring alarm that likely sent the entire city of Charlet into a frenzy.

"Well there they are." Robin finished.

"Fireball!" A Feroxi soldier near the front of their boat screamed.

Water splashed up on the port side of their boat. Sea spray rained down upon the soldiers in the boat. Every soldier ducked behind the heavily armored lancers at the front.

Another fireball slammed into the water on the starboard side. Frederick sucked in a sharp breath. The Valmese had mages.

"I thought you said they didn't like magic!" Chrom shouted at Robin.

"That's what I heard too!" Robin shouted back. The tactician looked back at the rowers, "Full speed ahead! We need to get to that beach!"

Screams erupted nearby. A fireball exploded. Heat slammed into the boat. Frederick ducked behind a shield. He peeked over as the heat washed away. One of the rowboats in the second wave sat on top of the waves. Nothing more than a flaming wreckage. And men consumed in fire flung themselves into the waves. Doing everything in their power to keep themselves from burning alive. But only managing to drown themselves as their heavy armor and weapons dragged them to a watery grave.

"Naga above." Frederick gulped.

"First wave has hit the beach!" Chrom shouted.

Frederick whipped his gaze back to the beach. He saw two lightsabers burst to life on the sand. One red and one blue. Arrows rained down on the first wave of rowboats. Several fireballs hit the sand. Turning the tiny grains into small shards of glass. Frederick ducked again as another fireball screamed overhead and slammed into the water. Steam and super-heated droplets of water shot up into the air around them. Frederick hissed as some of the hot water splashed against his cheek.

Robin shoved past the lancers in the front. His spell book opened. Yellow static crackled in his open hand. He launched a spell forward into a fireball racing right at their rowboat. The fireball exploded in the air. Raining embers down on the water around them.

"Nearly there!" Chrom shouted over the fireballs exploding against the water around them, "What do you see Robin!?"

Robin glanced back, "Get ready for a brutal one." He warned

Frederick stared ahead. He paled. Ben and Dooku were struggling to move up the beach. Valmese mages rained fire and lightning down on them and their men. Their lightsabers flashed in the air as they struggled to fend off the overwhelming amount of spells and arrows.

Another ship exploded to Frederick's right. This one even closer than the last. Screams of men burning alive filled the air. Making Frederick's blood run cold.

"Listen up!" Robin marched back from the bow of the rowboat, "When we hit that beach, we move right to the sea wall. No stopping. You stop, you're a sitting duck. Then you're dead." The tactician looked at Henry and Miriel at the rear of their boat, "Mages and archers provide cover while the lancers push forward! Whatever you do, do not get pinned down!"

"Arrows!" A lancer shouted.

Robin's eyes widened, "Cover!"

Everyone ducked in the boat. Arrows peppered the heavy armor at the front of the boat. The Lancers raised their shields. Easily battering away any arrows sailing directly at the boat. Several soared over their shields and into the main group. Two rowers let out cries of pain as arrows sank into their flesh.

Gregor and Kellam took their places. Pushing their limp bodies out of the way and yanking on the oars with all of their might. As long as they were in the water, they would be easy targets.

"Get ready!" Chrom shouted.

The waves curled behind the boat. Water washed over the heavy boat. Filling the shallow hull with water up to Frederick's ankle. Frederick glanced down. The water was red.

"Here we go!" Chrom roared.

The boat shuddered as it ran up onto the sand. As soon as the boat came to a stop, the Feroxi Lancers jumped over the bow and charged up the beach. They were met with a hail of ballista arrows and fireballs. One lancer took the full brunt of a ballista arrow. The arrow ripped through the man's armor. Shards of metal and flecks of gore shot backwards toward Frederick. Frederick ducked out of the way. His eyes widened as he saw a massive fireball flying right for the boat.

He grabbed Chrom and fell over the side of the boat into the water. Robin jumped off of the other side. The fireball hit the boat. Wood exploded over their heads as they ducked into the waves.

Chrom got to his feet first. The Ylissean Prince hooked an arm around Frederick's and hauled him to his feet. Frederick blinked bloody water from his eyes. Bodies floated up and down with the swells.

"Come on, Frederick!" Chrom shouted.

He drew Falchion and charged up the beach. Aiming to meet up with Dooku halfway towards the seawall lining the harbor markets. Frederick took a moment to recover. He gasped, sucked in a sharp breath, then drew his own blade.

Just as he took a few steps forwards, a fireball hit the sand in front of him. He flew backwards into the water again.

Everything spun. Water washed over his face. Frederick tried to take a breath, but only swallowed water instead. He choked and coughed. Causing more water to rush down his throat. Panick seized him. He fought the urge to scream. Another hand reached down and tugged him up by his breastplate.

"Frederick!" Ben pulled the sputtering knight up, "Frederick! Are you alright?"

Frederick swallowed hard. Nothing felt missing. He did feel some blood dripping out from his right ear. A popped eardrum. He winced as the pain hit him. But adrenaline chased it away. He gave Ben a small nod.

"Stick with me!" Ben shouted. He spun around and deflected a lightning spell away with his lightsaber.

Frederick regained his balance and charged after Ben. All around him, men lay dying in the sand. Patches of red littered the sand. He slipped on a puddle of blood as he charged up the beach. Other patches were scorched by fire spells that still burned. Arrows littered the beach. And hooves hammered against the ground.

"Kriff." Ben cursed, "Cavalry charge."

Frederick paled. The Valmese had cavalry in the city.

"LANCERS TO THE FRONT!" He heard Robin's voice boom out, "Form a pike wall! Do not let those horses ride us down!"

Frederick sheathed his sword. He saw a fallen Lancer nearby. He reached down and pried the spear from the dead man's grip. He rushed towards the front of the battle. The Lancers formed their pike wall. And he joined them. Kneeling at the front of their wall. He dug the butt of the spear into the sand and braced himself for the coming charge.

Spells soared over his head. Tharja, Henry, and Miriel shattered the first line of Valmese cavalry charging down from the city and onto the beach. The horses piled up on the stone ramp. Causing the charge to shrink down to a few horses across.

Frederick grit his teeth as the enemy drew closer. He glanced at the men around him. Sully, Stahl, and Kellam were in the pike wall as well. Lances dug into the sand. Bodies braced for impact.

Hooves hammered in his one good ear. A constant pounding that rang in his mind incessantly. He could feel the earth rumbling beneath his knees. Frederick braced himself.

The cavalry hit the jagged maw of steel, iron, and muscle. Horses screamed. Men cried out as they fell from their mounts. Frederick's body jerked backwards as his lance jammed into the neck of a Valmese horse. The beast uttered a scream and fell to the sand, pinning its rider beneath it's dead body.

He moved quickly. Frederick drew his sword and pounced on the trapped Valmese soldier. He drove his blade into the man's throat. Ending his suffering swiftly.

Another explosion hammered the beach. Sand kicked up over Frederick. Raining down on his armor with small taps. He shook grains from his hair and slashed up at lagging Valmese rider. His blade dug into the rider. Shattering the man's ribs and ripping his chest open. The horse carried on into the pike wall without its rider.

"Move towards the wall!" A Feroxi captain bellowed.

Frederick nodded.

"You heard him! Move forward!"

* * *

Luke took a deep breath. The salt air from the ocean to the east rushed into his lungs. Filling him with peace and clarity. Behind him, milling about the forests surrounding Charlet, was a small company of mercenaries. Led by the traveling swordsman, Priam. A man still not in Luke's good graces.

He winced a little bit as his wound smarted again. One hand rubbed his chest. Pressing down on the still healing wound through his robes. Brady did a pretty good job repairing the damage. But Ragnell would leave a scar. Yet another to remind Luke of his many failures in life.

He exhaled and kept his eyes closed. Birds chirped in the trees around him. For some reason, despite the tense anticipation he felt, he did not feel worried. Why should he be worried? He knew the outcome of the battle to come. The Shepherds would invade here, at Charlet. They would storm the city from the sea, easily overpower the Valmese garrison holding the city, and swiftly move inland. Their tactician, Robin, would run circles around the Valmese generals. The war would be a swift one. A brutal one, but quick.

A staff tapped against the earth near him. Luke cracked open and eye. Brady walked up alongside him. Prince Kage sat on his shoulders. Little hands clenched into Brady's short, blond hair. Brady did not seem to mind. But a frown did rest on his lips.

"How do you think the girls are doing in there?" Brady asked.

Luke sighed and folded his arms over his chest, "Have a little faith Brady." Brady arched an eyebrow, "They're more than capable of remaining undetected."

Brady snorted, "Well, Noire and Say'ri are. But your girlfriend's scatterbrain could change that."

Luke scowled, "Cynthia is getting better about that. Besides, Say'ri will have an eye on her. I'm not worried."

"Now you're just lying to yourself." Brady remarked. He reached up and pulled Kage down from his shoulders. The Prince let out an unhappy whine but Brady just nudged his shoulder, "Another time, alright kid." Brady kneaded his staff with one hand, "What do you think is going on down there? Got a sense of anything?"

Luke gave him a puzzled look.

"What?" Brady shrugged, "You've got those weird powers. I figured maybe you can-"

"I don't have supervision Brady." Luke said with a slight chuckle.

"I never said you did." Brady quickly backpedaled, "Just saying… like can you feel weird things?"

Luke raised his brow, "Feel?"

"Yeah, like what you told Noire. That whole, stretch out with your feelings crap."

Luke chuckled a little bit.

"What's so funny?" Brady asked.

"It does sound like quite the load of crap doesn't it?" Luke shook his head and walked over to a large boulder. He took a seat. Wincing some more as the bandages beneath his robes chafed against the healing skin around his wound, "I couldn't really do it right now anyways."

Brady frowned, "Because you think your powers are betraying you?"

"They are." Luke sighed, "The Force isn't just powers, Brady. It is not like magic. It is not a tool." He snorted in disbelief, "I'm about to use a very Jedi perspective of this. Maul would kill me." He muttered then cleared his throat, "The Force is… well, it's life itself. It is an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us, binds us, it holds all life together. People like me tap into that energy and use it. But if the Force doesn't like us then it can and will betray us. I think?" Luke shook his head, "Maul was never really into the more spiritual aspects of it all."

"You'd have to talk to Noire's old man to get the answers to that, huh?" Brady replied as he took a seat on the boulder as well. Prince Kage stuck close. Deciding now was a good time to try and climb a tree.

Luke let out a laugh, "If he even wants to talk to me. I think the only reason we didn't come to blows the last time I saw him was because of Say'ri and Yen'fay. Kenobi is nothing if not diplomatic." Luke flicked a pebble off the top of the boulder, "Gods… Lucina is probably going to arrive with them."

Brady arched an eyebrow, "That's what worries you?"

"Last time I saw her, it took all of her restraint to not strangle me."

Brady bobbed his head, "To be fair, other than Cynthia, that is how we all felt about you."

Luke gave the priest a withering look, "Thanks. You're such a good friend."

Brady smacked a hard hand against Luke's back. Right where Ragnell went through his body. A flash of hot pain rushed through Luke's back. Luke let out a small cry. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to keep himself from screaming.

"You're welcome." Brady smirked.

Luke grumbled under his breath as he tried to block out the pain.

A loud cry rang out. Prince Kage came tumbling down from the tree he decided to climb. He hit the ground with a hard thump. In an instant, Brady was on his feet and over by the little boy. Luke arched an eyebrow as he helped the boy to his feet. Tears filled Kage's eyes. He sniffled and whimpered as Brady inspected a nasty gash on the Prince's right arm.

"We'll get that patched up." Brady said quietly.

"Bad things are in the city." Kage whimpered.

Luke furrowed his brow, "Bad things?"

"Yeah, bad guys are in the city kid. We know." Brady nodded as he reached into a pouch and pulled out a small vulnary, "Hold still."

Kage shook his head, "Bad things. Not people."

Brady paused as he let a small drop of the blue potion hit the cut. He frowned.

"Bad things?"

Luke rose from the boulder. He stepped up to Kage and glowered down at his younger self.

"What did you sense?"

Brady drew back in surprise, "You telling me even at that age you could-"

"Kage." Luke said sharply. He knelt down and met the boy's eyes, "What did you sense?"

Kage gulped, "Dead things."

Luke paled. He shot to his feet and turned to look at the city. As he turned, horns blasted through the air. His chest tightened as he stared out at the harbor. Dozens of rowboards surged towards the beach. Fiery magical explosions rocked the water as the rowboats rushed towards land. Archeanan warships sailed into the harbor, ready to destroy every single ship at anchor.

Brady got to his feet and followed Luke's gaze.

"Please tell me your powers aren't betraying you now." Brady gulped.

"Cynthia…" Luke breathed.

He shot towards the city. Ignoring every single ache and pain in his body. His lightsaber jumped from his hip to his hand.

"Wait! Luke!" Brady shouted after him.

He ignored the priest. The battle had begun. Cynthia, Say'ri, Noire, they were all in danger. All three were not known allies to the Archaneans. The Shepherds thought they were all in Chon'sin still. Which means the Archanean army would have no warnings to not kill the trio along with any Valmese soldiers. He did not know how brutal Robin could be. He did not know how devastating this battle was going to be. It already deviated hard from what he knew in the future.

In the future, the Shepherds took the Valmese by surprise. There was no magical defense from the Valmese military. It was a resounding victory for the Archaneans. Not a hard fought battle.

The Valmese were not commanding this battle. Someone else led the Valmese defense. The magical defenses Luke already witnessed were too well coordinated for a Valmese General to put in place. Someone else had a hand in the changes. And he had a feeling who. Kage said he sensed dead things moving through Charlet. Only one type of living dead existed.

There were Risen in the city. Or worse, a Deadlord. And Deadlords loved to hunt Shepherds.

He ignited his lightsaber as he charged towards the main gate.

 _Hold on, Cynthia! I'm coming!_

 **And chapter! The battle has begun! I'm breaking this battle up into two chapters. Mostly for pacing and tone reasons. Because this is going to be a violent fight and some major stuff is going to happen. We are going to see just how difficult Valm will be to defeat in this battle and I am excited to show it.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	95. Red Sunset

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 95

Red Sunset

Explosions rocked the beach. Fiery spells arced through the smoke billowing up from sunken boats in the harbor. Human bodies littered the sand. Blood washed into the waves. Turning the once peaceful aquamarine sea into a sickly scarlet. Shards of glass erupted where white hot flames impacted the sand. Soot covered patches where red flames still danced over bodies. Horses screamed as the humans formed a pike wall. Men cried out. Crying for peace, crying for blood, crying for life and death. The chaos of war.

Oh how he missed this.

Grievous narrowed his reptilian eyes as he surveyed the carnage from atop one of the market buildings near the seawall. Metallic hands folded behind his back. His stooped body hidden beneath a fraying cape. A low growl rattled out from his lipless face.

He wanted to crush the enemy. He could see the Shepherds surging onto the beach. The enemies of his new master. He could so easily destroy them. Charge onto the battlefield and annihilate them all. Their primitive weapons stood no chance against him. Their swords would shatter on his limbs. Their armor would be cut to slag by his blades. Their skulls crushed by his talons. Only their strange magic gave him pause. But that strange magic these humans possessed also provided him with some amusement.

The Valmese were much more intelligent than droids. Grievous appreciated that. When he ordered them to open fire, they opened fire. Unleashed fire spells that would make hell seem cold. No processing, no second guessing due to programming. A swift yes sir. And even swifter execution. Pure discipline.

It made him want to win this battle. He knew he could. But he also had his orders. The orders that superseded the Conqueror's. Grima's will stood above all. Grima gave him life again. Grima gave him a chance to exact revenge against the man that killed him. He felt duty bound to at least assist the life giver in destroying his enemies.

The Valmese were among those enemies. The Conqueror was not an ally to the Fell Dragon. He needed to be destroyed along with the Shepherds. What better way to get rid of the competition than to have them destroy each other?

The Shepherds would annihilate the Valmese. The Valmese would take a heavy toll from the Shepherds. To the point where neither would be able to stand up to the dark force rising in the sands of Plegia. A cunning, ruthless plan. But still, Grievous disliked it. Why not just destroy the Shepherds and their allies with the Valmese? Then turn around and destroy the Valmese with the Risen? This all seemed far too complicated to the cyborg general reborn as a Deadlord.

But he also knew better than to challenge a being clearly more powerful than him. He had life again. He would not throw it away. Not until he got his revenge.

And his revenge now stood in his sights. A low growl emanated from his mask once again as he caught sight of a blue lightsaber flashing on the beach. Catching lightning spells and cutting through fireballs.

"Kenobi." He growled.

A red lightsaber flashed, catching his attention. The processors that sped up his thinking whirred. He recognized Count Dooku fighting alongside the Jedi scum. Dealing devastation to the footsoldiers Grievous sent to pulverize the charging Archaneans.

There was a brief sense of shock. Then he remembered, Dooku was also reborn by his Master's will. A Deadlord gone rogue. One his Master wanted crushed and brought before him for punishment. A low chuckle came from Grievous.

He did wonder if he could stand against both Kenobi and Dooku. Grima granted him his fell power. But would it be enough to stand against both masters of the lightsaber? There was only one way to find out. He glanced over at a Valmese captain standing nearby.

"You!" He pointed a sharp talon at the man. The Captain jumped, gulped, then nodded at the cyborg, "Oversee the battle. Carry out Excellus's strategy. Fail and I will crush you."

The man shook, "Y-yes s-sir."

Grievous stalked down from the roof. Yellow eyes fixed unblinking upon the red and blue lights dancing in the fire, smoke, and chaos. He stomped past his line of mages holding the seawall. Admired their handiwork as he marched towards the ramp that led down to the beach. These mages dealt as much death and damage as any battle droids. They had earned his respect, for now.

His metal talons sank into the sand. An excited chuckle rumbled from his mask. Dooku and Kenobi had yet to notice his arrival. Both were focused on protecting their soldiers. His reptilian eyes scanned the chaos. Standing in the smoke and fire, bellowing orders at the top of his lungs, was someone his Master had a great deal of interest in. The Ylissean tactician, Robin. A good friend of Kenobi's.

The gears in his limbs whirred. The mechanisms that powered his machine body fired up. He shot into the fray faster than any normal being could fathom. Two green and blue lightsabers thrummed to life in his hands. Both slashed into the pathetic Feroxi Lancers between him and the tactician.

He may not be allowed to win this battle, but he would deal a critical blow to the enemy war effort. If for no other reason, than he wanted to.

* * *

There was something about flying a Pegasus that made Sumia breathlessly happy. Even as she flew over a battlefield, she struggled to contain her excitement. The wind rushing by her body, through her hair, exhilarated her. Refreshed her mind and soul in a way few things could. The subtle shift and movement of her loyal Pegasus beneath her thrilled her. The mighty flaps of angelic wings on the wind were music to her ears. Being able to reach out and touch low hanging clouds made her smile even wider.

And yet, despite her love of flying, something about this battle worried her. A sinking feeling always hit her gut whenever a broad smile came over her lips.

The Shepherds were about to do battle in a land so far from home. One they did not know. Against an enemy that they hardly understood. An enemy they had little intelligence on. An enemy that outnumbered and outgunned them. All to prevent an invasion that would otherwise wash over their homes and consume them in blood and fire. They were stuck between dying at home, or dying in a foreign land. Sumia could understand why Chrom, Robin, Flavia, and Basilio all believed it was better to take the fight to the Valmese rather than sit back and wait for the war to come to them. It seemed like the only way they could prevent war from touching their lands again.

At the same time, she feared this path. She feared a war gone awry. A war at home would be devastating, but they knew how to defend Archanea. They knew how to defend Ylisse. The Shepherds had already done it once before. Sumia felt they could do it again.

But the cost of such a strategy still made her heart sink. She remembered the devastation left behind in the wake of the Plegian War. The broken homes, the thousands of orphans, the destroyed livelihoods, weighed heavily on her heart. She helped rebuild it all with Chrom. And right as they were starting to bear the fruits of their rebuilt nation, the drums of war beat once again. Only this time, Chrom refused to allow them near his home. So he took the fight across the sea. And she followed him. Even though her gut instinct was to stay at home with Lucina.

Now, she soared over Charlet. Flew alongside her best friend, Cordelia, and one of the newest addition to the Shepherds, Cherche. At their backs, the Pegasus Knights. All two hundred of them. Trained to perfection by their Wing-Commander and their Queen. Each one was ready to defeat any threats to Ylisse.

"Sumia."

Cordelia's voice broke through the rush of wind. Sumia glanced over at the red haired knight.

"It's going to be okay." Cordelia continued with a reassuring smile, "Chrom has the best looking out for him."

Sumia gulped, "I know." She took a deep breath. Her Pegasus beat its wings against the air again. Keeping them level with the clouds. Concealing their movements from the Valmese city below, "I just can't help but feel-"

"Something bad might happen." Cordelia finished for her. Sumia nodded, "We can't control that Sumia. I wish we could." Cordelia exhaled, "All we can control is our part in this battle. If we do our part, the pressure on the beach will not be severe."

"R-right." Sumia nodded.

Cordelia turned her head and glanced over at Cherche. The Wyvern rider had her heels dug into the stirrups. She practically stood on them. Keeping most of her body weight off of her Wyvern, Minerva. Something the massive lizard seemed to appreciate as it flew with much more speed and agility than the Pegasi behind them.

"Cherche! What should we expect around the walls?"

"Archers!" Cherche shouted back to Cordelia, "Ballista maybe."

"Mages?" Sumia asked.

Cherche shook her head, "The Conqueror has a disdain for mages in the army. He won't employ them unless absolutely necessary."

Sumia nodded. Good, they would not have to deal with any lightning or wind spells. Those magics could devastate any flyer. Especially Pegasus riders.

Cherche glanced down from her Wyvern. She nodded over at Cordelia. Cordelia took a deep breath.

"We're over the city." She twisted in her saddle and glanced back at her knights, "Fast dive!" She shouted over the wind, "One strike then take flight! Do not be static!"

A chorus of "Yes ma'ams" echoed around Sumia. Sumia closed her eyes and tried to steady her racing heart. She reached to the special part of her saddle that held her lance. She drew it from the leather and let it rest in the crook of her right arm. Her hand gripped the shaft. Knuckles white with nervousness.

Cordelia raised a hand. They flew silent for a moment.

Her hand fell.

"DIVE!"

Sumia dug her spurs. Her Pegasus whinnied, folded its wings, and pitched down.

The wind howled in her ears. A whistle echoed around her as the wind swept through the leather belts on her saddle. The clouds thinned out around them. Trees emerged like small green pin pricks on a vast field of grass. The rooftops below her expanded as her mount shrieked down.

Charlet was a large port city. Expansive and dense. The harbor was the largest one in all of Valm. And the Empire valued the city for its strong trade presence. So it would naturally have the best walls and defenses. The best archers with the best bows and arrows. All of them trained to defense the city to the last man.

Sumia did not expect the lightning magic.

A bolt of lightning shot into the sky. Static wrapped around her. The hairs on her arms stood one end. Through the howling wind, Sumia heard it crack. She glanced back towards where the lightning bolt shot by her.

One of the Pegasus Knights screamed towards the ground. Smoke swirled from the angelic beast and its rider.

A pit formed in Sumia's stomach. The Valmese had mages.

Razor sharp wind shot past her. A Pegasus screamed as a wing was severed by the deadly spell. The rider howled down to the ground even as she struggled to stay airborne.

Sumia tightened her grip on the reins. She grit her teeth. A flash of light hit her vision. She yanked on her reins and banked hard to the right. Just barely managing to dodge a lightning bolt. Another Pegasus Knight plummeted to the ground. Sumia eased off on her dive.

"KEEP GOING!" Cordelia roared.

The Wing Commander shot past Sumia. Cherche hot on her heels. Sumia gulped and resumed the sharp dive.

As they got closer, arrows zipped into the air around them. Sumia ducked her head and buried her face into her Pegasus's mane. Letting the soft hair and soothing scent of her beloved steed comfort her.

Just a little closer. She could make out the individual soldiers on the walls now. She could see the red robed mages scurrying on top of the towers near the city's main gate.

Cordelia pulled up in front of her. The Wing Commander lashed out with her lance, burying the tip into an exposed mage on one of the towers. Cherche's wyvern roared, grabbed two more mages with its claws, and carried them into the air. The mages screamed and tried to free themselves. Then Minerva dropped them to their deaths.

Sumia sucked in a sharp breath as she broke out of her dive. She swiped down at an archer with her lance. Her arm shuddered as the sharp steel missed the strike, but the shaft hammered against the man's unprotected face. He fell to the ground, face a bloody mess. Blood coated the wooden shaft of her lance. Running down in thin ribbons before pooling up onto Sumia's gauntlet. Sumia paled.

"SUMIA! UP!" A Pegasus Knight cried.

She snapped out of her stupor and yanked on the reins. Stone blocked her vision. She was about to hit a tower. Her Pegasus whined as she shot sharply up into the air. Hooves grazed the stone in front of her. Sumia let out the breath she had been holding as she soared up.

Cordelia shot up beside her.

"Stay close to me on this one, Sumia!"

Cordelia dove again. Sumia followed. Along the walls, Cherche's Wyvern sewed panic and death. Her axe flashed in the sunlight as the Wyvern landed hard on the walls, cracking stone with its massive claws. The Wyvern snapped its jaws around another mage while Cherche cut down an archer. Then she took flight again.

Sumia gulped as they got close to the walls again. Soldiers streamed out from the towers. Lances and bows at the ready. Cordelia zipped over them. She leaned down from her saddle and thrust her lance down. Impaling it through the helm of a Valmese archer. Sumia followed her. Jabbing her lance into the robed head of a Valmese mage. She yanked her lance free and paled at the gore etched into the steel.

A pegasus screamed. Another rider fell. This time landing in a bloody heap upon the walls. Crushing two Valmese soldiers beneath her fallen steed.

"Focus on the mages!" Cordelia roared, "Stay low-"

Lighting shot out. Cordelia's pegasus screamed. Sumia's eyes widened in horror as the Wing Commander, her friend, twirled out of control.

Cordelia's pegasus hit the walls first. The impact threw Cordelia from her saddle and onto the walls. She tumbled along the stone then came to an abrupt stop when her body hit the doorway to a tower.

"CORDELIA!" Sumia screamed.

She shot towards the fallen knight. Ignoring the various spells and arrows sailing through the air around her. She managed to land near her friend's dead pegasus. Sumia snapped her reins and leveled her lance as she charged at two Valmese soldiers moving to finish off Cordelia.

She buried her lance into the back of one soldier. Her pegasus reared back and stomped its hooves into the chest of the other one.

Sumia hopped down from her saddle and scrambled to Cordelia's side. Her armor was dented badly. Some blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. A bloody gash rested over her right eye. One arm hung loose by her side. Her right leg was twisted around in a position that made Sumia want to retch.

"Sumia." Cordelia breathed weakly.

Sumia picked up her friend and threw her onto her Pegasus. Before Sumia could jump back onto her mount, a Valmese mage blasted a wind spell at her. Sumia dodged to the side, reared back, and threw her lance as hard as she could at the mage. The mage uttered a brief cry as the lance lodged into his gut.

A roar broke the air. Sumia ducked as Cherche's wyvern soared over her head. Minvera landed hard a few yards down the wall from her position.

"Get in the air!" Cherche shouted as she spun in her saddle and cleaved her ax through an archer's helmet, "I'll take it from here!" Minerva's scaly tail whipped out and sent three Valmese mages falling from the walls.

Sumia clambered back onto her Pegasus. Cordelia's body rested against her chest. Limp and fading.

 _Libra… I need Libra._ Sumia gulped, snapped the reins, and shot into the air. She banked her Pegasus hard towards the beach.

Her breath got stuck in her throat.

Fires raged on the beach. Spells exploded in the red waves. Bodies littered the sand. The Shepherds were pinned down halfway up the beach. Mages rained death upon them. Her gaze drifted towards the fleet led by Flavia and Basilio. They were hitting the harbor now. Ships burned at the docks. Feroxi soldiers surged off of the warships and raced towards the city with Flavia and Basilio leading them. The only part of this battle proceeding as planned.

And the only place safe for Cordelia.

"Su…. mia. Sev-sev… Severa." Cordelia gasped, struggling to breathe and stay awake.

Sumia shot towards the warships. Several arrows shot after her. They all missed. Smoke billowed up from the harbor. Her eyes stung as she shot through a column of smoke then descended down onto the closest war ship.

"I NEED A HEALER!" Sumia cried as she jumped off of her Pegasus and gingerly grabbed Cordelia.

Two Ylissean healers rushed towards her. She set Cordelia down on the deck. A bloody cough bubbled up from her lungs. Both healers hovered their staves over her body.

An explosion rang out. Sumia snapped her gaze to one of the warships. Flames billowed out of it. Another Valmese fire spell hit it, sending flames rushing up the mast to the billowing sail. Soliders screamed and ran to escape the deadly flames. Some flung themselves into the water. Others sprinted off the ship and into the waiting jaws of the Valmese army.

"OFF THE SHIPS, YOU LOT!" Flavia bellowed nearby, "GIVE AS GOOD AS YOU GOT!"

Sumia's chest heaved up and down. Her gaze fell on the beach. No progress.

"Your highness."

She kept her eyes focused on the beach. Desperately searching for Chrom in the chaos.

"Your highness!"

Sumia blinked. She glanced to her right, Basilio ran towards her.

"What are you doing here? What is going on at the… walls…" Basilio trailed off as the two healers carried Cordelia off of the deck and down into the ship's bowels. One of them shouted for help and for vulnaries as they disappeared below deck.

Sumia broke down. She dropped to her knees as sobs bubbled up from her throat.

"I-I can't-I-"

Basilio crouched down beside her, "Hey. Come on, girl. Get up now." He reached out a large hand. Sumia sniffed and tentatively grasped his hand. Basilio hauled her to her feet.

"Now then, you're queen of Ylisse." Basilio said calmly, "You may not like being out here, but here you are. Now you gotta do what you came to do." He glanced at the stairs that led below deck, "Cordelia is out. It's time for you to step up. Can you do that?"

Sumia took a shaky breath. She wiped at some tears with the back of her hand. Could she lead the Pegasus Knights? She was not Cordelia. She was not as skilled or gifted as Cordelia. She did not have the combat experience Cordelia had. What made her capable of leading them into battle?

Basilio gave her a small nod, "If you can't, then stick close to here. Can't let you fall too. Chrom would have a fit." He unsheathed his ax, "Or, you can charge with me. And we can kick Valmese ass until they run screaming away from the walls."

Sumia gulped. Another healer charged below deck as the others hollered for more help.

Her best friend lay dying below deck. Healers worked furiously to save her. But the more frantic shouting she heard, the worse the situation seemed. Another explosion hammered the waves. Sumia jumped.

"Come on. Let's at least get off this boat." Basilio said.

Sumia gave him a shaky nod, "F-for Cordelia."

Basilio nodded, "That's right. For Cordelia."

Sumia walked back to her Pegasus. She ran her hand along its nose and up into its thick white mane. The feeling of its soft fur beneath her hand calmed her racing heart and mind. Sumia took a deep breath and threw herself back up into her saddle.

"Sumia!" Basilio called to her before she took off, "I'll see you at the walls!"

Sumia gulped, took a deep breath, then drew her sword.

"See you at the walls, Khan Basilio!"

* * *

Sand exploded around Robin. Smoke filled his nose and burned his eyes. Shards of glass from super heated flames hitting the sand crunched beneath his boots. A thunder spell built up in his palm. He launched the spell up at the seawall. A thunderclap rang out from his spell. An explosion rocked the wall. Shards of rock and rubble exploded out where the thunder spell hit. Several mages fell to the ground.

"Keep pushing!" Robin bellowed at the Feroxi and Ylissean soldiers storming the beach, "Get to that wall!"

He shielded his face with his right arm as a fireball whooshed past him and hit a Lancer charging alongside him. The scent of cooked flesh and molten metal hit Robin's nose. Robin glanced back. The Lancer knelt in the sand, flames dancing over his torso. A second later, he slumped to the ground, dead.

Robin spun back around. A thunder spell hit the sand in front of him, causing him to fly backwards.

He rolled back down the beach, stopping only when he reached out and braced himself into a pile of newly made glass. The shards dug into the sleeve of his coat and bit into his arm. Blood leaked out of fresh gashes. Robin hissed. His head spun as he tried to regather his wits.

This battle was a disaster. He built this strategy thinking a large portion of the Valmese military died at sea. He also built this strategy using the intelligence from Cherche that the Valmese held disdain for mages in the military. That the Conqueror viewed magic as a dishonorable form a combat. A way to compensate for weakness rather than a military strength. And yet, the Valmese mages wreaked havoc on the Shepherds and their allies. Flaming husks of rowboats bobbed up and down in red waves. Charred bodies hung out of a few of them.

His ears rang as another explosion hit the sand nearby. Robin threw his arms over his head as sand rained down on his body. A few arrows peppered the ground near him.

"Oi! Little tactician!"

Robin blinked as Gregor grabbed him by the arm and hauled him to his feet.

"Gregor see you go down. No good here. No time for rest."

"I'm aware!" Robin shouted back.

"Oh good, Gregor worried Robin's brain broke." The old mercenary chuckled, "Come friend. Up beach we go."

They both took a step up the beach, then froze. Robin's heart stopped beating in his chest. A lump formed in his throat. Stalking into the battle, reptilian eyes focused solely on him, was the Monster that killed Ricken.

"H-how-" Robin stammered.

Gregor brandished his blade even as the monster drew two lightsabers hidden beneath its cape.

"Come Robin!" Gregor grit his teeth, "We take together. Avenge Ricken!"

Gregor charged at the monster. Robin's heart jumped to his throat. He wanted to call out to Gregor. Tell him to stop. But the words died in his throat. The monster lifted a clawed foot and grabbed Gregor by the face. He stomped down. Burying Gregor's face into the sand. The lightsabers crashed down.

Horror filled Robin as Gregor went limp. The monster uttered an amused, artificial chuckle when it saw Robin's fear filled gaze. It removed its talons from Gregor's head and stomped towards Robin.

Its wrists twirled. The lightsabers spun faster than a pinwheel. The blades shrieked in the air. They cut into the sand, turning it to slag as he stomped towards Robin. Robin took a step back. Frozen by the terror in his heart.

A whistle rang out. The monster paused. Something slammed into it. Ripping the behemoth off of its feet. The monster roared as it flew back and slammed into the sea wall, causing parts of it to crumble around him.

A blue lightsaber rushed past Robin, followed by a red lightsaber. Both Dooku and Ben stopped defending the lancers from magical blasts and moved to engage the metallic monster known as Grievous.

Robin's gaze fell on Gregor's limp body again. Two charred holes punctured his back. Not a muscle moved. Robin shook away his fear. He scrambled over to Gregor's side and turned the mercenary over.

He was already dead. Robin's hands shook as he let go of Gregor. He flicked his gaze up to the battle around him. They were three quarters of the way up to the sea wall. Tharja, Henry, and Miriel blasted away at the mages firing down upon the army. Frederick and Chrom led the Lancers in a charge towards the ramp that led up to the main city. Sully and Kellam charged with them. Virion picked off one mage after another with his bow and arrow. Panne weaved through explosions. Gaius rode on her back. Teeth grit, lollipop hanging out of the corner of his mouth.

Lon'qu chased after the Lancers. Chrom and Frederick poked a hole in the Valmese defensive lines. Now they were going to burst them wide open. Tharja, Henry, and Miriel rushed towards the ramp. Ducking beneath magical blasts and arrows. Henry had the biggest smile on his face as he cast a hex at an enemy mage. Making the poor sod turn inside out.

 _Where is Stahl?_ Robin thought as he did a headcount.

"R-Rob-"

Robin paled. He glanced to his right.

Stahl lay in a burnt crater. Flames licked the ground around him. The bodies of several Lancers lay around him. Two arrows stuck out of his chest. Burns littered his body. Parts of his armor had been blown to pieces. Robin's entire body shook as he stared down at Stahl.

"Looks…like," Stahls sucked in a sharp breath, "They got me."

Robin knelt by Stahls' side, "LIBRA!" Robin screamed till his voice went hoarse, "LIBRA!"

He saw the priest sprinting towards him. Stahl's body shuddered as a weak breath left his lungs.

"Should have… trained harder." Stahl's eyes stared to close, "Make… self… strong…"

"No, no, no." Robin grabbed Stahl by his shoulders and shook him, "Not another one. Not another!"

Libra slid to a stop beside Stahl. The priest hovered his staff for a brief moment over Stahl. The gem on top glowed green, then it died away. Robin's eyes flashed as rage filled him.

"Why did you stop!?"

"Robin-"

"Keep trying damn it!"

"He's gone Robin." Libra replied somberly.

Robin stared blankly at Libra. What he said did not register for a moment. Robin glanced down at Stahl, waiting for the knight's eyes to flick back open again. Waiting for Libra's staff to glow green as he tried to heal the fallen man. Stahl was going to get back up and ask for food. He was always hungry after all. But none of that happened.

"I need to move on Robin." Libra breathed, "And we need to get up the beach. Come on lets-"

He did not hear the rest of what Libra had to say. Something snapped. Red filled Robin's vision.

" _ **Let me feed."**_ A beast rumbled in his mind.

The Dark Side of the Force exploded around him. Lighting crackled between his fingertips. His gaze shifted from Libra to the Valmese mages on the sea wall. Chrom and the others were already drawing closer to them. But they were getting picked apart by devastating fire spells. Meanwhile, Ben, Dooku, and Grievous were nowhere to be seen.

He fought to keep control even as the rage built up inside of him. Fought to suppress the swell of power rising in his body.

That control failed when a fireball slammed into the ground in front of Chrom.

Robin roared. Lighting surged from his fingertips, arcing across the beach and into the first three mages on the walls. It chained between the three. Electrocuting them to the point where their skin fried on their bones.

 _I will kill them all._

He dropped his spellbook into the sand. His sword jumped into that same hand. Ripped free from its sheath by the force. Sand whipped up around Robin as he sank further into the dark side. All the while, the beast whispered in his mind. Gave him visions of power. Visions of what would happen if he did not surrender himself. If he did not give in.

" _ **They will all die. And you will have let it happen."**_

That did it. The tipping point. The thought of all of his friends, all of those he cared about, dead because he failed to do something. Because he failed to formulate a winning strategy. Because he failed to be strong enough.

Ben and Dooku were wrong. This power was not evil. This power would save his friends. And so, he relinquished control.

Robin surged into battle. The Force gathered around his feet, propelling him up over the seawall with one massive jump. He landed among a crowd of Valmese mages and soldiers. Frederick cried out to him. Telling him to hold on. To wait for the others to help him. He did not hear.

" _ **Feed. Kill. Drink their fear, my avatar. Revel in this power I have given you."**_

His blade slashed through any Valmese in his way. Their armor meant nothing to him. Their weapons and spells nothing more than a nuisance that he batted away with a swipe of his hand. The Force howled in his ears. Screamed with blood lust.

Fear radiated around Robin as the Valmese started to scatter. Some dropped to their knees and begged for mercy. Robin showed none. He impaled his sword into their bodies. Wrapped lightning around those who dared to defy him. Who dared to harm his friends. Who dared to kill Stahl and Gregor. His eyes glowed with hatred as he cut down man after man. Even as they all turned and ran from him, he did not stop. They would all die. Every single one of them would feel his wrath.

"Robin!"

He spun and jammed his blade into the next body. A short cry hit his ears.

Miriel stared back at him. Shock on her face. The shock gave way to pain. Robin snarled, then froze as blood trickled from her lips.

The glow in his eyes faded. The adrenaline that pumped through his veins receded. The Dark Side snarled as it left him. Angry that his conscience burst forth.

"M-Miriel?" Robin trembled.

His hand shook as he let go of his blade. Robin staggered back from Miriel. The mage looked down at the sword jutting out of her chest. Her head shuddered as she looked back up at him. Wordlessly, she dropped to her knees and fell to the ground. Blood pooled beneath her.

 _No. NO!_

Robin dropped to his knees. He slowly crept towards Miriel. All around him, Valmese soldiers retreated. Feroxi and Ylissean soldiers gave chase.

Robin trembled as he reached out and pressed a finger to Miriel's neck.

No pulse.

"Gods…" He paled, "Oh gods…"

His hands raked through his hair. Tears bubbled in his eyes.

"What have I done!?"

* * *

Noire stared out at the chaos, horrified. She was no stranger to war. But the war she grew up in was between the living and the dead. A battle for the very existence of humanity against a god of death and destruction. In the waning days of the world, humanity came together to fight the darkness. To make a defiant last stand in the land of the Exalts. An honorable cause. One for the storybooks and legends if they won.

This was not honorable. This was a battle that made Noire's stomach flip. Humans slaughtering other humans on a scale she once thought unfathomable. She heard about the wars between Ylisse and Plegia. She learned about the war between Archanea and Valm. She knew they were bloody, brutal conflicts. But this was beyond anything she could have read about. This was beyond anything anyone could have explained to her.

A warm breeze swept in from the harbor. The stench of death came with it. Noire wrinkled her nose as the horrid stench of burning bodies hit her nose. She stared out at the harbor. Bodies littered the sandy beach. Burning boats washed ashore or sank beneath red waves. Blood ran down from the sea wall and soaked into the sand beneath it. A grisly scene that nearly made her retch.

She quickly turned away. Her eyes looked up at the many Pegasus Knights darting through the air. She felt mesmerized by the soaring Pegasus Knights in the sky. Each one gracefully swooping down upon Valmese soldiers manning the outer walls and main gate. Her awe turned to horror once again as she witnessed a wind spell clip the wings from one of the majestic beasts. Sending both rider and pegasus plummeting to their deaths.

Noire felt woozy. The Force ached around her. She stumbled a little bit and braced herself against a brick chimney. So much pain and death around her. She may not be able to use the Force very well, but she felt all of it. One trembling hand reached up and brushed her talisman. The wave of fear and worry vanished. She took a deep breath tore her gaze back down to the empty streets below.

The civilians of Charlet cleared out rather fast when the horns blared. Most took shelter in their homes. Prayed that the Archaneans were not monstrous conquerors. That they would not sack the city. Destroy everything they loved and take everything of value. Noire knew they wouldn't. Not with Prince Chrom and her father leading them. But still, she could understand their fear. She lived in that fear as a child whenever the Risen attacked her home.

She shook her head. _Focus, Noire._

During the first moments of the battle, she lost sight of both Say'ri and Cynthia. The panicked stampede of people swept them both away like a powerful rip current. She remained on her perch upon one of the tallest buildings in the city. Blue eyes scanning the city streets. But she saw nothing. And her frustration mounted as the battle drew closer.

" _Your eyes can deceive you."_ She remembered Luke telling her.

Noire gulped. If she could not see with her eyes, then she would have to see with the Force. She closed her eyes and took a deep, calming breath. She dipped a tentative toe in the waters of the force. Uncertain of how to go about doing this. As soon as she touched those murky waters, pain and death slammed into her. A sharp breath rushed through her lungs. Her eyes shot open and she uttered a brief, alarmed cry as pain washed over her body. Phantom pain given to her by the dying soldiers in the city.

And through that pain, she felt something. Two large force signatures working as one. Battling against a dark force in one of the nearby alleys. She wanted to find Cynthia and Say'ri. But she felt drawn to those two large signatures in the force.

Noire gulped, rose from her crouched position, and turned to face a rooftop across an alley. She backed up a few steps, then sprinted forward. Somehow, she managed to make the jump. Something propelled her through the air, allowing her to easily clear the gap. She slid along some shingles, just managing to catch her footing before sliding off the roof. She let out a tense breath then tiptoed along the rooftops towards the three signatures she sensed.

As she got closer, she heard a noise that made her pause in her tracks. A buzz. Lots of them. Like angry wasp. And whenever those buzzes clashed, they hissed and cracked. It was a sound she knew well. One that caused her to reach for her talisman once again in order to keep moving forward.

It came from an alleyway below her. In the shadows, she saw blue, red, and green lights flashing. She crept towards the gutter of the building she was on and peered over. As she soon as she caught sight of the fighters, she gasped and drew back out of sight.

Her father fought below her. Another elderly man fought alongside him. Both dueled against what Noire could only describe as a monster. A four armed, metallic behemoth that moved extremely fast for something that looked heavy and bulky.

Noire took a calming breath. She carefully reached for the arrows in her quiver, drew one, and nocked it in the string of her bow. Her breathing turned shallow. Fear penetrated her heart. She wanted to remain hidden. Freeze in place. Avoid being seen.

But her father fought a monster. She would not allow that monster to take him before she could be with him again. She tapped her talisman.

"Mother, give me courage." She breathed.

She twirled back around and took aim. One eye closed, the other eye focused on the monster.

It's lightsabers twirled in deadly blue and green wheels. Keeping both her father and his elderly ally from getting too close. The elderly man lashed out with his red blade. Catching two of the monster's blades. Ben Kenobi swung hard at the monster's hip. The monster easily parried the strike.

But they were pushing the monster back with every strike. Both men unleashed a deadly offensive that caused the monster to backpedal through the ally. Noire kept her arrow trained on the monster. Waiting for the right opening.

" _Trust the force."_ Her father's voice told her.

The monster uttered a furious snarl and slashed at her father. Ben Kenobi ducked away. Right into one of the monster's waiting feet. Noire sucked in a sharp breath as her father flew backwards and hit a wooden crate. Dazing the Jedi Master. And leaving the older man alone to take on the four armed enemy.

" _Trust the force."_

The force screamed around her. A wave of darkness slammed into her mind. Pain and rage like she had never felt before radiated through the air around her. She grit her teeth. Trying to block the sensation from her mind.

The dark wave was enough to distract the elderly man. The monster laughed and sent a deadly chop at the alarmed old man. One arm fell. The old man let out a pain filled howl. Ben Kenobi rose to his feet. His attention pivoted between the monster and the origin of the dark wave in the force.

The monster raised its arms. Ready to finish off the old man.

" _Trust the force."_

Noire exhaled and let her arrow soar.

* * *

The shriek made Ben's hair stand on end. The Force howled in agony. The light retreated away. And the dark side chased it. Laughed at Light's futile attempts to hold it back. Pain and hatred washed over the city. Dulling the chorus of death in the force and replacing it with a black hole of darkness. A sensation and presence Ben recognized. And one that made his heart stop in his chest.

"Robin." He breathed.

Before he could do anything, before he could even get up from the ground, Dooku uttered a loud howl of pain. The wave of darkness hit him as well. And it was enough to distract him. Grievous pounced on the distracted Count. A blazing fast chop severed Dooku's sword arm at the elbow. Stunning Dooku and sending the Sith Lord staggering backwards.

Ben's eyes widened. He knew Grievous was skilled. He fought the droid general in the waning days of the Clone Wars. Bested him. It had been a difficult fight, even back then. But now, the droid general had a speed and power to him that boggled Ben's mind. He kept up with both him and Dooku for the entirety of this duel. Granted, both Ben and Dooku had the General on the retreat the entire time. But Grievous managed to not lose any hands or weapons. He matched their attacks blow for blow. Dooku even marveled at how the droid general's newfound skill.

He was no longer sure he could beat the General alone. And he certainly could not without the Force on his side. Right now, the Force screamed. The Dark Side roared over the city of Charlet. And Ben felt his own strength shrink away from the overwhelming wave of power reverberating in the force.

Grievous raised his arms. Ready to finish off Dooku. Dooku stared at the droid general. Shock written on his face. Fear mixed in with that shock as the dark side shrieked once again. A head splitting sound that made both Ben and Dooku wince.

Ben gathered the force in his hand, aiming to push Grievous away from Dooku before the final blow could be delivered. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw something fast zip through the air.

A black arrow slammed into Grievous's right eye with a loud, wet squelch. The General howled and staggered back. Ben whipped his gaze up to the rooftops, where he found the archer. A thin, young woman wearing a green outfit. Brown hair fell in short waves around her head. Her hair held out of her face by a small headband. She quickly nocked another arrow and let it fly.

This time, the General swatted the arrow away with one of his metal arms. And that provided Dooku with an opening.

Blue lightning jumped from Dooku's hand into the droid General. Grievous howled in pain as Dooku poured his power into the attack. The Force picked the General up and tossed him back as lighting continued to arc through him.

Dooku let out one last burst of lightning before sagging and dropping to a knee.

"He'll run now Kenobi." Dooku breathed, "Go to Robin. Quickly!"

Ben furrowed his brow. He glanced back down the alley. As Dooku predicted, Grievous was gone. He flicked his eyes up to the rooftops. The archer was gone.

"Kenobi!" Dooku snapped, "Go! I'll be fine!"

Ben nodded, got to his feet, and sprinted back to the harbor. As he ran, he noticed packs of Valmese soldiers running for their lives. Feroxi soldiers chased after them. Leading the charge for the Feroxi were the Khans. Ben uttered a small sigh of relief. At one aspect of the plan went off without a hitch.

He turned a corner and skidded to a stop at the harbor entrance.

The battle moved on from the harbor. The Valmese were in full retreat as more Ylissean and Feroxi soldiers poured off of the warships. The third wave of rowboats hit shore. Ben saw Lucina, Severa, Laurent, Nowi, Maribelle, and Lissa rush ashore. Immediately, Laurent and the two blonde noblewomen rushed towards any wounded men they could find. Archanean or Valmese, it didn't matter. Although, very few Valmese littered the sand.

The rest of the Shepherds sat on the stone street near the sea wall. Battered, bloody, and exhausted. Anna and Libra weaved between the group, distributing vulnaries and dispensing healing magic from their staves. But something else caught Ben's attention. Something that made his heart sink.

Vaike sat on the ground, sobbing. In his lap rested Miriel's head. Her body in death's still position. A bloody hole in her chest from a sword. The other Shepherds seemed dumbstruck around the pair. All of them uncertain of how to react. Sully grit her teeth and clenched her fist. No doubt wanting something to punch. To let her anger loose on some unwitting enemy. Panne's ears drooped while Gaius gently scratched the top of her head. Lon'qu's usual silence seemed far more somber. He sat on the ground, sword across his lap. Owain did not have any cheer. And neither did Henry. The Dark Mage's twisted smile was absent despite the copious amounts of destruction around him. Kellam tried to console Vaike. But Vaike just shrugged him away as he held Miriel's body close.

Lingering away from the group, with both Frederick and Chrom near him, was Robin. Tharja had dark magic radiating from her spellbook as she knelt beside Robin. The dark mage trying to cast a hex of some sort. But judging by her frustrated expression, there was little success.

Chrom noticed Ben first. He looked rough. His silver armor scorched by fire. Blue cape burnt and frayed. A bloody gash sat on his forehead. Some blood trickled from his nose. His movements were stiff as he limped towards Ben, despite Frederick's protest.

"What happened?" Ben asked.

Chrom uttered a heavy sigh. He looked over at Vaike and Miriel. Over on the beach, Laurent remained blissfully unaware of what happened as he nursed a wounded Feroxi Lancer. The Prince bowed his head and shook it.

"We lost three." He said with a slight shiver in his voice. He choked up for a moment, "One-" He ran his hand over his mouth. Ben's eyes widened

"No." Ben shook his head, "Oh no." He pushed past Chrom and strode towards Robin.

As he got closer to Robin, Frederick reached out and stopped him. Ben pushed his hand away and drew up alongside Robin.

The tactician had his head bowed. Tears stained his cheeks. His hands trembled as he gripped his spell book in his lap. Tharja muttered beside him for a moment. When her hex failed again, she glanced up at Ben. Worry and fear filled her dark eyes.

"Robin?" Ben said, voice quiet.

Robin swallowed hard, "It-it was me." He shivered. Fresh tears ran down his cheeks, "I did it."

Disbelief filled Ben. But he also knew what he felt. The Dark Side of the Force still lingered over the city. Leftover residue of Robin's out of control rampage. And he could see the physical damage. Scorch marks snaked along the stone ground in the shape of lightning bolts. The bodies of Valmese soldiers littered the area around them. Some still had static jumping up from their armor.

In this moment, Ben did not know what to do. He just bowed his head and ran a hand through his hair.

"Who else?" Ben asked, his voice a little hoarse.

"Stahl and Gregor." Frederick replied. His voice extremely quiet, "Both casualties of the enemy."

Ben exhaled and nodded. He ran his fingers over his eyes. That is what caused Robin to lose control. He saw both men die after swearing he would not lose another. And whatever darkness hid inside of Robin burst to the surface as a result.

The sun started to set. Red rays stretched out over a smoke filled sky. Ben uttered a shaky breath.

"Later." He muttered to Robin.

Robin nodded. He looked up and stared out at the blood filled waves. Made even more red by the fading sunlight.

 _All of this death…_ Robin thought. He glanced back at Vaike and Miriel, _All of it is my fault._

He watched as Ben turned away. Tharja followed him. And Robin sat alone on the seawall. Horrified at what he had wrought.

* * *

Luke stepped through the empty city streets. In the distance he heard the sounds of battle. The loud clashes of steel and flesh. Enormous cries of pain that reverberated through the air like a morbid choir. His lightsaber hummed in his right hand. Anyone that stood in his way in his search would meet their end with it. Whether they were Valmese, Feroxi, or Ylissean, he didn't care. Get in his way of finding Cynthia and Say'ri, and they will die.

He crept around a corner. The sounds of battle drew closer. Several civilians ran for safety deeper in the city. Luke heard distant explosions all around him. He noticed mages along the walls of the city when he snuck in. But he did not realize that many had been deployed to defend Charlet.

That meant this army defending Charlet from the Archaneans was not his brother's army. Chon'sin did not have many mages in the first place. Even fewer marched with Yen'fay's army. In fact, the defenders seemed mostly comprised of archers and mages. Very few foot soldiers. A couple companies of cavalry. But nothing the Archaneans couldn't fight through. Which Luke found odd.

Maybe the Shepherds really did catch the Valmese by surprise. Maybe his initial analysis of the situation was wrong. But if that was the case, why did he feel so much death in the force? Why did he feel so much darkness? Were the mages holding this city really strong enough to cause that much destruction? No, whoever commanded the defenders knew how to deal maximum damage to an enemy. They were a skilled tactician.

Which ruled out the Worm, Excellus. Luke was convinced that Worm only achieved his position because he got lucky once or twice and the Conqueror found that luck amusing. He seemed to lack basic logic. And he was a coward. Something Luke knew the Conqueror detested thanks to his conversations with Yen'fay about Valm.

His train of thought was interrupted by a piercing shriek in the force. One that sent him to his knees. His lightsaber hissed off as he dropped to his hands and struggled to breath. The Dark Side of the Force suffocated the air around him. It hung over the city like a heavy fog. Not a single light in the force could pierce this cloud. Luke struggled to even fathom how powerful the dark side felt right now. Even in his most hate filled moments, he did not command the dark side like this. Not even Maul held this much power in the dark side. This wave of darkness made Maul seem like a novice.

It felt uncontrolled. Raw and primal. A furious beast let loose off of a chain. Ready to devour anything in its path. He tried to rein in his own powers. But the dark side laughed and shut him out. Leaving Luke to remain paralyzed on his hands and knees. Teeth grit, struggling to push past the wave of hatred he felt in the force.

"Luke?"

Cynthia's voice hit his ears. Any thoughts about the force ran away from his mind. Luke glanced over at an alley. Both Say'ri and Cynthia were hidden in its shadows. When they saw him, they carefully inched out.

Luke forced himself to his feet and rushed to Cynthia. He wrapped her in his arms.

"Are you okay?"

Cynthia blushed furiously then let out a small laugh, "I'm fine, silly."

Luke broke away and smiled at her, "Thank Naga." He glanced past Cynthia and at Say'ri, "How about you?"

"I will be better once this is all over." Say'ri admitted, "For now, let's try to get out of the city and…"

She trailed off as something caught her eye behind Luke. Luke heard metal scraping against the stone road. He furrowed his brow and spun around.

"Deadlord." He hissed as he recognized the force signature.

But it was one unlike any he had ever seen before. This one had a hunched posture, but still seemed taller than any man Luke had ever seen. Its body looked like one large metal skeleton. One reptilian eye glared at him, Cynthia, and Say'ri. A black arrow protruded from the other. At the sight of the arrow, Say'ri gasped.

"Noire's arrow."

Luke's lightsaber hissed to life. At the sight of his blue blade, the Deadlord snarled.

"Jedi scum."

But it did not attack. It seemed… cautious. More anxious to leave than to fight. A strange quality for a Deadlord. Normally, thanks to Grima's power coursing through their veins, they were invincible. And that led to hyper aggression. After all, what could possibly stand against them? But this Deadlord was not only wounded, but fleeing.

 _Did Noire put fear into this Deadlord?_

"You cannot escape that easily, General." An aristocratic voice droned. One that Luke, Say'ri, and Cynthia recognized. One that set all three on edge.

Dooku emerged around the corner of a road. One of his arms was missing. The other held his ignited lightsaber. The Deadlord's reptilian eye widened. Dooku twirled his blade.

"You and I are going to have a small discussion once I am done ripping your limbs from your body." Dooku growled.

Luke glanced back and forth.

"Is he an ally?" He wondered out loud.

"Which one?" Cynthia asked.

"You tell me." Say'ri growled, "But only one has one of Noire's arrows jutting from its skull."

"Fair point." Luke nodded, "Equus!"

Dooku glanced over at him, "Well, if it isn't my favorite little group. I didn't think I would be seeing you again so soon." He chuckled a little bit, "My dear boy, Kage, shall you help a wounded elderly man and dispatch this abomination."

"Pot calling the kettle black." Luke muttered with a roll of his eyes, "But… I have a feeling you are correct." He pointed his blue lightsaber at the other Deadlord, "Kill, or let live?"

"Let live." Dooku replied. The Deadlord glanced back and forth between Luke and Dooku as they stepped towards it, "I have a few questions for him."

Luke furrowed his brow, "Very well."

A loud snarl erupted from the Deadlord, stopping both Dooku and Luke in their tracks. Luke expected an attack. A desperate attempt at self preservation. He could feel fear radiating out of the Deadlord as it eyed both him and Dooku.

"Excellus!" The Deadlord snarled, "Get me out of here!"

A blinding yellow light erupted beneath the Deadlord's feet.

"Stop him!" Dooku cried.

Luke surged forward. He reared back with his lightsaber, ready to chop the Deadlord's head from his shoulders. The Deadlord laughed at his futile attempt, then vanished in a flash of golden light.

Luke's swing hit air. The young Sith uttered a frustrated snarl.

"Coward." He spat.

"Oh I very much agree. Grievous has always been that way." Dooku stated, "And it appears he has allied himself with Excellus. That is not a good sign."

Luke shook his head, "That means Deadlords are working with the Conqueror. The Shepherds need to be warned."

"I think they may have more pressing matters at the moment, but you are welcome to try." Dooku turned on his heel. He marched a few steps then glanced back at the still frozen Luke, Cynthia, and Say'ri, "Well, come along. The Shepherds will be anxious to talk to you three. It should be safe. The battle is nearly over, judging by the sudden lack of death and spike of terror I'm sensing in the force."

Luke slowly nodded

"Do we trust him?" Say'ri asked.

"What choice do we have? Besides, I haven't found Noire yet. She is likely already near the Shepherds." He nodded, "Come on, lets go."

Cynthia followed him without question. Say'ri lingered a moment. The explosions and cries of death faded throughout the city. Cries of retreat replaced them. The main streets would be clogged with Valmese soldiers running for their lives from the Archanean forces.

 _Good._ She thought, _Let this be the first day in the fall of the Empire._

The sun started to set. Red rays of light descended upon the city. Say'ri took a deep breath, wrapped her hand around her katana's hilt, and followed Luke. Ready to meet the Shepherds once again.

 **And chapter! These past two chapters were massive undertakings. I have never written any battle of this scale before. And honestly, it was very challenging and very intimidating. So many characters were involved. Which required quite a bit of juggling and jumping through hoops. So hopefully, it all turned out decent. I'll take any helpful criticism I can get of course. This won't be our last big battle in the Valm war.**

 **I also wanted this battle to show just how dangerous this war is going to be for our heroes. The Plegian War was dangerous, but it was not on the same scale as this war. Characters are going to die. Stahl, Gregor, and Miriel will not be the only ones.**

 **As for our characters, it seems like Robin is loosing control of whatever powers are contained within him. That will be addressed here very soon. The Shepherds have landed in Valm and suffered hard losses thanks to a stout defense put up by our infamous cyborg turned Deadlord. And now they will have to somehow regroup and push forward. And finally, both story lines on this planet have met up. Should make it a bit easier to write now lol.**

 **Lastly, before I go, I do want to do something really quick. I have had the privilege of knowing and reading several great works by phenomenal authors on this site. If you love Fire Emblem, check them out. They are truly fantastic stories. They are:** ** _All the World's A Sale _****by Narwahl Lord** **and** _ **Aberration **_**by RedXEagl3. Seriously, check those stories out you guys. They are absolutely worth it!**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	96. A Future Lost, A Hope Found

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 96

A Future Lost, A Hope Found

Severa's hands shook. Her right knee bounced up and down as she sat on a hard, rickety wooden stool. She kicked her left leg out in order to steady herself as the warship she was on rocked a little bit.

Ylissean healers buzzed all around her. Sweeping in and out of different parts of the hull with great urgency. Some ran off to fetch more vulnaries from the stores in the bottom deck. Others ran to assist wounded soldiers lying in hastily constructed tents on the bloody beach. And some came here, into Khan Basilio's quarters where her mother lay broken and bloody. Barely alive.

She sniffled. Her head trembled as she tried to look up at her. No matter how many times she glanced at Cordelia, Severa could not get used to the sick feeling in her gut. Her chest ached as her heart screamed.

Most of Cordelia's body lay beneath blankets, covering her bandaged form. Massive gashes lined her upper arms. An enormous welt lay on her forehead while another gash was stitched up over her right eye. Her breathing was labored. A weak wheezing sound that made Severa want to curl into a ball and cry.

She did not want to look beneath the blankets. Did not want to see the broken state of her mother's body. She already knew the damage. She could see how badly her mother was injured just by looking at the dented armor beside her cot.

Severa gulped as she gazed into the armor. Her reflection warped by the dents and dings all over the breastplate. A shaky breath left her lips.

She did not know how, but her mother was alive. Severa wiped her hand over her eyes as she fought back tears.

 _I will not cry._ She sniffed. A tear dripped down from her eye.

What if her mother did not wake up? What if this was her end? A sharp deviation from the future that would render Severa's existence in this time over. Not even a thought in her parents mind. Hell, her mother had not even fallen for her father yet.

Severa trembled again. Cordelia didn't even know she was her daughter yet. Severa had not brought it up. Could not bring up. How could she? She was still furious with her mother. Furious with her for putting the war against Grima ahead of raising her. Furious about her going and dying in battle instead of fighting with everything she had to return to her family. Severa's hands tightened into fists. She clenched her jaw as more tears bubbled in her eyes.

Was she about to lose her again?

A small knock sounded from the door. Severa expected another healer to come in. Perhaps Libra. The priest took over Cordelia's treatment as soon as he finished his work on the beach. Instead when the door opened, Lucina stepped in.

The door quietly shut behind the Ylissean Princess from the future. Severa sniffed hard and glanced over at her friend.

"Hey." Severa croaked.

Lucina gave her a sympathetic look. She reached for a chair that sat at a desk in the room and dragged it over beside Severa. Lucina took a seat and let out a heavy, weary sigh.

"How are you feeling?"

Severa let out a snort, "How do I look?"

Lucina shifted uncomfortably in her seat, "Pretty bad."

"Then I guess that gives you an idea." Severa replied. She sniffed again and wiped at her right eye.

Lucina gave Severa a concerned look, "It's okay to cry."

Severa vehemently shook her head, "No." She sniffed again, "I can't." A shuddering breath left her lips, "I-I need to be strong. I need-"

"Sev…" Lucina sighed, "This isn't the future. You don't have to be that way anymore."

"You're right!" Severa snapped as some tears dripped from her eyes, "This isn't the future. This is something far worse! At least in the future, I did not have to watch my mom die before my eyes."

"Libra says she will make it." Lucina reassured her. Her voice remaining soft, quiet.

"How can you know that? How can he know that? Has he ever been shot down while flying a Pegasus?" Severa clenched her fists even tighter in her lap, "How do we know my Mom isn't just going to- going to-" She let out a small cry, shot to her feet, and kicked her stool away.

Lucina rushed to her feet and quickly wrapped her friend in a hug. Severa broke down. Tears fell freely as she buried her face into Lucina's shoulder and sobbed.

"I can't lose her again." Severa sobbed, "I just can't- I can't- I mean-"

"I know." Lucina breathed, "I know."

"What happens if she does die?" Severa cried, "What happens if she dies and I'm not born. Will I disappear? Will it be over? Will-"

"No, I don't think so." Lucina pulled away and looked Severa in the eye, "I refuse to believe that. Because your mother is not going to die. Alright? You have to have faith that she will pull through."

Severa sniffed and nodded. She grit her teeth and fought back more tears. Trying her best to regain her composure. She took a deep breath. Slowly inhaling, then quickly exhaling.

"Luci?" Severa took another quiet breath, "What is going on? Why is everything suddenly so wrong?"

Lucina pressed her lips into a thin line, "I don't know." She shook her head and sat back down in her seat, "I don't know how this all changed so radically."

"Do you think it is because of us?" Severa asked. Her face turned white with sudden fear, "Do you think that mom is like this because of me?"

"Sev-"  
"Do you think Laurent's mom is dead because we decided to change the future?"

"Don't start thinking like that, Sev." Lucina replied firmly, "We have absolutely no control over these events. We-"

Lucina hesitated. Was she saying this to comfort Severa, or to comfort herself? The same questions had been going through her mind ever since the end of the battle. Ever since Ricken's death even. By coming to the past, did she and her friends really change the future for the better? Or have they made everything worse? Because of their messing with the timeline, Nah was not going to be born. Laurent lost his mother. Ricken died. Stahl and Gregor died. Naga only knew what else could happen now.

And that terrified Lucina. There was no control anymore. No more foreknowledge of events for her to rely on. The future was an enigma with only one thing certain anymore: Grima's resurrection. Beyond that one apocalyptic event, nothing was guaranteed. Her parents were in danger. Ben and Tharja were in danger. Every single Shepherd that was supposed to survive until Grima's rise was now in danger. All because the timeline changed.

Her one advantage was gone. The future was no longer certain. That terrified her now more than ever before.

Lucina took a breath.

"Come on." Lucina nodded, "Let's go sit with the others."

Severa sniffed. She cast an anxious glance back at Cordelia.

"She'll be alright." Lucina continued, "Come on. I'm sure Owain would love to try and cheer you up."

A small laugh left Severa's lips, "He'll definitely try." She took a deep breath, slowing exhaling before nodding. Without another word they both moved towards the door.

Lucina threw the door open. Dooku stood on the other side, one hand raised as he was about to knock. He blinked in surprise.

"There you are." Dooku remarked, "I was hoping you both were here and not with your father."  
Lucina arched an eyebrow, "Why are you worried about where my-"

She trailed off as four figures stepped down into the hull from the stairs behind Dooku. Say'ri emerged first. The Chon'sin Princess looked weary. Dirt covered her boots due to days of traveling on the road. Behind her came Cynthia. The Pegasus Rider's face beamed when she caught sight of Lucina. She shoved past Say'ri and barrelled into Lucina. Her arms wrapped her older sister's body in a tight hug.

"Luci!" Cynthia cried.

"C-Cynthia!" Lucina stammered, "How are are you-"

Lucina froze when she saw him. Behind her, Severa sucked in a sharp, panicked breath.

Luke looked different than the last time Lucina saw him. His hair looked neatly taken care of. A bit longer than before, held back in a Chon'sin style. He also looked healthier. His cheeks were fuller. His body less gaunt and more muscular. Life in Chon'sin treated him well. And that made her nervous. How powerful could he be when fully healthy?

She quickly reached out with the Force. Aiming to determine his intentions. When she touched his mind, she drew back in surprise. There was no resistance. No brick wall keeping her from combing through his thoughts. And through those thoughts she detected immense anxiety. Which made sense, he did have a price on his head in Ylisse. But also pain. He was wounded. Something happened when he traveled here with the others. But she could not detect what.

Despite his strangely open demeanor, Lucina remained guarded. At any moment he could change. She knew that. Back in Plegia, when she first confronted him, he changed from wanting to let her go to nearly killing her in an instant. Even as Cynthia embraced her, Lucina kept her wary eyes trained on the Sith Lord standing nervously behind Dooku.

"Why do you look like you have a stick up your ass?" A gruff voice asked.

Brady stepped down the stairs. He nudged Luke, which elicited a snarl from the Sith. Brady quirked an eyebrow the glanced over at Lucina and Severa.

"Oh!" Brady nodded reached for his flask and took a long swig, "You guys are here."

Severa rolled her eyes and moved around both Cynthia and Lucina, "Nice to see you too, Brady." She glanced back at Lucina, "I'll go grab Owain and Laurent, they'll want to be here."

"Just ask Laurent given everything that has-"

"I know, Luci." Severa interrupted, "I won't force him to tag along." She marched up to the deck.

Brady's eyes followed Severa as she stormed away.

"She hasn't changed much." Brady remarked.

"She has only been here for a couple of weeks." Lucina replied as Cynthia squeezed her one more time then broke away.

The Pegasus Knight hopped up and down excitedly, "I'm so happy to see you again! You won't believe everything that has happened. So much fun stuff and not so fun stuff. But mostly fun stuff and-"

"And what the hell!?" Brady suddenly cried out as he got a full view of Lucina. He stormed past Dooku and Luke. Fist clenched tight around his staff. An irritated look on his face. He reached out before Lucina could stop him and tugged her cap away from her arm. A large scowl formed on his face, "You little shit."  
"Brady!" Cynthia exclaimed.

"How did you do it this time, Lucina?" Brady seethed as he flicked her cape back over her arm, "Reckless charge into a horde of Risen? Deciding to attack Maul?" Lucina cringed, "Oh Naga, you did something that stupid."

"It was not stupid. It was necessary."

"I agree, it was stupid." Luke nodded.

Lucina pointed a finger at Luke, "You, shut up." Luke snapped his mouth closed. Lucina's eyes drifted over to Dooku, "Do you mind giving all of us some time?"

Dooku nodded, "I shall make sure none of the other Shepherds come over here."

"Ben I don't mind." Lucina reminded him, "But… Frederick, my father, those ones… make sure they steer clear for now." She glanced over at Luke, "I'd rather not have more infighting in our ranks."

Dooku nodded, "Smart decision." He gave Say'ri a small bow then disappeared back up the stairs.

Once he left the hold, Brady frowned at Lucina.

"So, how did you-"

"Don't change the subject." Brady wagged his staff at her, "How many times have I told you not to recklessly throw yourself in danger. If for no other reason, than it pisses me off to have to heal you for stupid reasons." He motioned at her stump, "Hell, I can't even heal that crap." With a trembling hand, he brought his flask to his lips and took a long drink, "Not unless you have the other half?"

Lucina cringed again.

"You didn't even bother to-"

"It was a battlefield, Brady." Lucina interrupted, "And we lost that battle, just so you know. We had to retreat. There was no time for someone to grab what remained of my arm." A Ylissean healer quietly walked down the stairs, gave the newcomers a curious look, then entered Basilio's quarters to check on Cordelia, "You understand that right?"

"What I understand is you tried to attack Maul. And, unsurprisingly, you lost." Brady uttered a weary sigh, "You are just lucky I was not there to scold you right away."

Lucina snorted, "You sound like your mother you know."

Brady drew back, "How dare you!"

Say'ri cleared her throat, "I believe that it might be best if I leave you all alone for now and-" She blinked, "Brady… I just realized something."

Brady sipped his flask, "Yeah?"

"Did you just leave my little brother alone with Priam?"

Brady quickly shook his head, "No." Say'ri eyed him, "I brought him with when I chased after Luke." Brady continued.

"You brought my brother onto a battlefield?" Say'ri growled. She clenched her fists, "Where is he now?"

"I um…" Brady scratched the back of his neck, "Well, there was a giant bunny keeping watch by one of the boats and-"

"You left my brother with a stranger!" Brady recoiled. Say'ri raised a finger, "If one hair on his head is harmed I will- I will-" Say'ri uttered a furious sound then stormed out of the ship to find her little brother.

Lucina glanced at Brady, "You were saying when it comes to stupid decisions."

Brady smacked his lips together, "How about we drop this topic and never bring it up again."

Lucina shook her head and marched past the stairs towards a few crates stacked against the hull. She let out a weary sigh as the exhaustion of the day hit her then slumped down onto one of the crates. She folded one leg over the other then ran a hand over her eyes. Struggling to keep herself awake.

Brady leaned back against the hull. Staff out in front of him. Both hands resting near the jewel on top. Cynthia bounced over and took a seat beside Lucina. Her bright smile still on her face. Luke cautiously followed all of them. He glanced over at Brady.

"Look, you can either be uncomfortable next to me or next to them." Brady snorted.

Luke shook his head and took a seat beside Brady. A long silence filled the air.

"So," Cynthia broke the silence. She popped her lips together, "How have you been, Luci?"

"How do you think she has been?" Brady muttered. He took a drink, "She just got done fighting a damn bloody battle. By the way, what the hell is up with that?"

Lucina uttered a heavy sigh as she hid her eyes with her hand.

"I'd like to know too." Luke nodded, "The battle was not supposed to be that bloody."

Lucina shook her head, "Do you really think I know? I'm just as lost as you two are about all of this."

The hatch to the deck opened and closed again. Luke folded his hands and rested his arms on his knees.

"Well," Luke sighed, "At least the Shepherds are intact."

He instantly noticed a change in Lucina's demeanor. Her skin lost most of its color. Her throat bobbed up and down as she swallowed hard. A nervous action to a statement that she did not want to hear. He reached out with what little force powers he still possessed. She instantly blocked him out.

"Don't try it." She growled.

"I'm trying to figure out why you are so-" Luke drew back, "The Shepherds are not intact, are they?"

Lucina swallowed hard again. She slowly shook her head. Cynthia's smile ran away from her face. Brady froze mid drink.

"Like… did they just break up?" Brady asked. His voice very quiet, "Are some back in Archanea?"

Lucina shivered and shook her head again.

"We've…." Lucina exhaled as she attempted to reel in her emotions, "We've lost four."

Brady's mouth fell open. Cynthia's hands flew to her mouth as horror filled her face. Luke leaned forward, brow furrowed.

"Who?"

"Is ma and pa alright!?" Brady blurted out.

"Mom and dad?" Cynthia gasped.

Lucina raised a hand. That hand dropped when they all fell silent. It kneaded her leg. A nervous tic.

"Ricken," She breathed. Cynthia paled, "Stahl," Brady's jaw tightened, "Gregor,"

Luke closed his eyes and uttered a heavy sigh. Other than Ricken, no parents had been killed.

"And Miriel."

Luke's eyes shot open, "Her as well?"

"Oh no, Laurent." Cynthia whimpered.

Brady bowed his head, "Naga really has abandoned us."

"She has not, Brady."

"Oh really?" Brady barked, "First she allows Grima to come back to life in our timeline. And then she does nothing as our families are wiped out before our eyes. Then, she finally acts, we are given hope by going back in time. Only now, everything has become worse. The Valm war started early. And four shepherds are dead. Two of them parents. And-" Brady smacked the end of his staff into the planks beneath him, "And damn it, Ricken did not even have Nah yet!"

"I know!" Lucina snapped, surprising all of them. She ran her hand over her face. Worry lines creased her forehead, "I know." She breathed, "But we cannot abandon hope. If we do, then we will lose. That is…" Lucina uttered a shaky breath, "That hope is the only reason we fight. It is the reason we have a chance. We cannot lose it now." Lucina eyed both Brady and Cynthia, "I will need both of you before this all set and done. Stay strong. We will win this fight."

Footsteps neared them. Luke blinked as he recognized a force presence approaching. A small smirk formed on his lips.

"So, you can take care of yourself."

Lucina snapped her gaze towards the stairs. Her eyes widened in surprise.

"Noire?"

Cynthia smiled at her friend, "You made it!"

Noire nodded wearily. She trudged towards Brady and slumped down on the other side of him. Brady offered her his flask. Something that she declined.

"One day." Brady muttered, "I will get you drunk."

"Keep dreaming." Noire breathed, exhausted, "Luci how-" Her eyes widened, "Where is your arm."

"She did a dumb." Brady summarized.

"I did not-" Lucina groaned, "I did what I had to in order to save Ben from Maul." Noire paled, "And it did not go very well for me. But in the end, I succeeded in what I aimed to do." Lucina sucked in a deep breath. She leaned back against the hull. Resting her head against the softest wooden plank she could find. All her muscles started to grow stiff, "Noire, how did you manage to find us?"

Noire yawned, "I followed the old man."

"Why didn't you join us if you were following us?" Luke asked.

"Because I did not like the feeling I got from the old man." Noire answered, "It felt too cold."

"That is just how Dooku is." Lucina explained, "He is a very powerful dark side user. Do not cross him."

Cynthia snorted, "Too late, right Luke."

Lucina arched an eyebrow, "Luke?" She glanced across to Luke, "Why is everyone calling you Luke?"

"Cover name since my younger self is a Prince." Luke replied, "Plus… it separates me from that innocent kid. I think it makes both Say'ri and Yen'fay a little more comfortable that way."

"I don't think Yen'fay would care." Cynthia shrugged.

"He probably doesn't." Brady nodded.

"I wouldn't." Noire grumbled.

The hatch opened and closed with a loud click. Two healers marched down the steps, paused on the landing, then marched down to the bottom deck to retrieve supplies. Just behind them, Severa, Owain, and Laurent appeared.

Laurent looked terrible. He did not have his large hat on his head. His short blonde hair was a mess. Heavy bags sat under his raw eyes. Some dry tear stains ran down his face. He shuffled over to the others. Not even bothering to give Luke a wary look. He did give Cynthia a small nod of his head before sinking to the ground between both Noire and Brady.

Brady tapped Laurent's shoulder with his flask. Laurent glanced up at it, reached, and took it. He gulped a large amount of sake, not even flinching as the liquor ran down his throat. Brady patted his shoulder.

"There ya go."

Severa took a seat beside Lucina. She folded her arms. An irritated expression on her face.

"Did he cheer you up?" Lucina asked her.

"He called me Venator." She growled.

"And behold! You are no longer sad!" Owain waved his hands dramatically. A broad smile covered his face. A smile that only grew wider when he saw the blonde haired young man sitting beside Brady, "Is this who I think it is!? Our prodigal son! The fourth member of the Great Justice Cabal has returned to those who hold him dear!"

"Be careful of him, he's evil now." Brady snorted.

"Even better!" Brady's jaw fell open as Owain spoke, "For now, he shall be the darkness to my light. The villain to my hero. The ying to my yang. The rice to my soy sauce."

"He really is an idiot." Severa deadpanned.

Owain threw his arms around a very surprised Luke.

"I am happy you have come back to us, old friend."

Luke hesitated then returned the hug. A small smile crossed his lips.

"Thanks, Owain."

Owain patted Luke's back then drew back, "Now, my friends, my family," He stood in the middle of the group, hands on his hips, "do not be so dour. We may have lost brave companions. Brothers and sisters in arms that we will now mourn, and forever hold dear to our hearts. But we shall emerge from this stronger than before." Owain beat a fist against his chest, "The enemy will not be able to stand against the courage in our hearts and the strength of our bonds. We shall be victorious in the end."

"Ever the optimist." Severa muttered, "Laurent, pass the booze."

Laurent tossed the flask to the red head. Severa opened it and took a long swig. She cringed.

"Sake? Really?" She passed the flask over to Lucina, who promptly passed it to Cynthia.

"Hey, Chon'sin doesn't have firewine." Brady replied, "Wait." He blinked, "I'm on a Feroxi ship."

He tried to get up but Luke grasped his shoulder and pulled him back down to his seat.

"Later."

"Do not get between me and my drink." Brady growled.

"Try me." Luke snarled back.

Brady looked Luke up and down, "I shall wait."

"Thought so."

Lucina rolled her eyes. At least Brady did not trust Luke fully. And judging by Noire's dark glances in Luke's direction, she did not trust him either. She glanced over at Cynthia, who was taking a massive drink of sake.

"Cynthia!" Lucina snatched the flask from her lips.

"What?" Cynthia sputtered. She gulped down the liquid still in her mouth, "It's good."

Lucina shook her head and tossed the flask to Luke. Luke took a quick sip and gave it back to Brady. Brady shook it and frowned.

"Greedy bastards." He muttered, he handed the flask to Laurent, "Here, you have the rest. I'm sure you need it."

"Thanks." Laurent whispered back.

Owain spun around, glancing at everyone, "Hark! I see we are still missing friendly faces."

Lucina nodded, "Yes, we are." She looked over at Noire, "Have you and Brady met up with anyone else?"

Noire shook her head, "The first people I ran into were Luke and Cynthia." Noire scratched at an itch on her brow, "After that it was Brady. From there, we all moved into the royal palace in Koto."

"Chon'sin right?" Severa asked.

Noire nodded, "Yeah." Noire gave Lucina and Severa a worried look, "You haven't come across anyone else."

Lucina shook her head, "Myself, Severa, Owain, and Laurent have been with the Shepherds most of the time we have been in the past."

"Me and dunderhead found them recently." Severa huffed as she folded her arms over her head.

"Venator is correct." Owain declared.

"I am going to break my fist on his jaw." Severa seethed.

"That means we still have many who are unaccounted for." Noire breathed, a hint of anxiety in her voice. She reached up and brushed her fingers along her talisman.

"Yes." Lucina nodded, "As far as I know, Inigo, Gerome, Morgan, Nah, Yarne, Kjelle, and Sa'kura are missing."

"Ah, ah." Brady raised a finger, " _Sakura_. You know she hates the Chon'sin pronunciation."

Lucina gave him a confused look, "But it's her name."

"Anyways," Noire piped up again, "No leads on them?"

Everyone shook their heads.

"I'm sure they'll turn up eventually." Luke said, "I mean, we could always check the nearest brothel for Inigo. He'd likely be in an empty room."

Laurent choked on the sake. Brady threw his head back and uttered a loud laugh. Laurent started to snicker a little bit.

"You would not be wrong either." Laurent muttered as the alcohol took effect. Turning his cheeks red and causing him to relax a little more.

Noire gave Luke a withering look, "Let's not do that."

"Agreed." Lucina nodded, "Right now, we need to focus on the mission at hand. Our parents are at war with Valm. It has happened early, which we could not anticipate."

"And it is deadlier." Luke grimaced, "Which means for some reason, the Valmese are much more competent than before."

Cynthia raised a hand, "Question. Do you think that Deadlord had something to do with that?"

Lucina jumped upright in her seat, "Deadlord!?"

"Where?" Severa snarled.

"Hol'up." Brady waved a hand, motioning for everyone to simmer down, "The hell are you talking about, Cynthia?"

"There was a Deadlord on the battlefield." Noire answered for her, "He fought both the old man and my father."

Lucina's eyes widened, "If he warranted both Dooku and Ben's attention then he is certainly a threat." She rubbed her chin, "But I cannot bring myself to believe he commanded the enemy forces. Why would the Valmese side with the Risen? It doesn't make any sense."

"I have a feeling that there is something else at play in all of this." Luke said, "Something none of us can sense just yet." He eyed Lucina and Noire, "All three of us know there is darkness hovering all around us. But it manages to keep its origins hidden. Its intentions unknown. And with how sharply everything in the timeline has deviated, we cannot discount anything anymore."

Lucina was loath to admit Luke was correct. But he was right. The deviations in the timeline meant nothing was certain anymore. That included the major powers at play in the world. For all Lucina knew, Valm made a pact with Grima and his followers in order to more easily defeat the Archaneans. A shiver ran up Lucina's spine at the thought.

"We'll have to be extra careful." Lucina breathed, "All of us."

Everyone nodded around her. Noire uttered another small yawn.

"Alright, so," She looked at Lucina, "You've been around the parents for how long now?"

Lucina shifted uncomfortably in her seat, "Three years now."

Brady nodded, impressed, "And you've managed to keep everything a secret for that long. I would raise my flask to you but the nerd has it."

"I am not a nerd. I am a scientist." Laurent slurred.

Lucina's eyes flicked back and forth. Luke furrowed his brow as she hesitated to reply. A pit formed in his stomach.

"Oh Naga, Luci did you really-"

"I had a Cynthia moment, okay." Lucina replied defensively.

"Hey!" Cynthia cried.

Brady went slack jawed. Noire reached for talisman and wrapped a hand around it. A knot formed in her throat.

"They know?" Noire whispered.

Lucina nodded, "I slipped up with both Ben and my father. At that point, the secret got out." A shaky breath left Lucina's lips, "They know that I am from the future. They will know all of you are from the future as well. It is up to you if you want to extend the relationships any further than that."

"So they don't know who belongs to who then?" Cynthia asked.

"We don't belong to anyone." Severa replied with a role of her eyes.

"You know what she meant, Sev." Brady grunted. A hint of nervousness flashed in his eyes, "Oh Naga, that means Ma might know who I am." A loud laugh left Luke's lips, "Shut up!" Brady cried. Beside him, Noire snickered as more confidence formed inside of her thanks to her talisman, "And quit with the creepy dark mage laugh."

"Can't help it." Noire snickered, "When Lady Maribelle sees how you are she's going to have a fit."

Brady shrank in his seat, "Yeah, don't remind me."

"This is most grand news!" Owain declared, "I can claim my parentage to both father and mother. Relationships shall be renewed! And we will be stronger for it!" An excited gleam entered his eyes, "I can duel my father as a man now."

Severa snorted, "A man. Now that's funny." A yawn escaped her lips. She smacked her lips together and blinked as sleep attacked her, "This has been nice and all, but I'm tired."

"Really?" Cynthia chirped, "I'm wide awake."

"They've just gotten through with a battle, airhead." Brady sighed, "And we've kept them up for too long." He nodded at Lucina, "Where do you want us to stay given his situation?" He nodded his head at Luke.

Lucina frowned as she thought for a moment, "Remain here. Basilio won't stay in his quarters because Sev's mom is in there."

Cynthia blinked, "Why is Auntie Cordelia in another man's room?"

"Injuries Cynthia." Brady groaned, "Get your mind out of the gutter."

"Oh!" Cynthia gave Severa a sheepish look, "Sorry."

"I expect it from you at this point." Severa rose to her feet, "Luci, I'm staying with my mom tonight."

"I don't blame you." Lucina nodded, "Rest well." Severa walked away towards Basilio's quarters, "Laurent? Are you ready as well?"

Laurent gave her a small nod, "My father needs me now."

"And you need a rest." Lucina stressed, "Come on." Lucina got to her feet, "I'll walk with you. Are you coming Owain?"

"I shall stay and keep Venator as well as our newfound companions company!"

Lucina shrugged, "Sounds good." She and Laurent started up the steps. As they walked, Lucina heard something that made her stop in her tracks, spin around, and charge back down the stairs.

"So, Luke," Cynthia said, "Wanna go find a spot to sleep with me?"

* * *

Today was nothing short of a disaster. Ben uttered a heavy sigh as he lay in his hammock. Eyes staring up at the hammock above him, where Tharja lay. The Dark Mage equally as despondent as him.

Sure, they were victorious in battle. The Valmese retreated en masse from Charlet. They gained a foothold on the continent and could not surge out of the city. But if every battle was going to be as devastating as this one, how far could they move inland? How many hits could the Shepherds take before crumbling and declaring enough? Ricken's death was still a raw wound for many of them. That wound grew wider with the deaths of Stahl, Gregor, and Miriel.

Ben turned his head. Three empty hammocks hung where the Shepherds slept. Vaike was curled up in Miriel's hammock. The large warrior finally fell asleep only a few moments ago. But he did not snore happily. His dreams likely fitful nightmares of battlefield horrors. Laurent left with Severa not long ago. Something about Lucina wanting to speak to him. Laurent reluctantly left his father.

 _Hopefully Lucina will try to comfort him._ Ben thought as he tossed over in his hammock once again.

Most of the Shepherds collapsed from exhaustion as soon as the battle ended. Many dragged themselves to their ship and slumped into the hammocks. Both physically and emotionally weary. Despite their victory, there was no revelry. No liquor was poured. No food cooked. Just silence and sleep. The day's events weighing heavily on everyone involved.

Ben knew Chrom was still awake. He was likely still meeting with the Khans over how best to proceed. Sumia tried to get him to rest, but he refused. Lissa and Maribelle were both with Libra on the beach. All three worked in the hastily set up medical tents on the sand. Doing everything in their power to save wounded soldiers. And while they all worked, Ben dragged himself to his hammock and attempted to fall asleep.

But sleep would not come. Anxiety kept him tossing and turning. Worry clenched his thoughts with an iron fist.

Grievous commanded the battle for the Valmese. No wonder their defense was so stout. Ben did not hold the former droid general in high regard. He had more cowardly than courageous tendencies. But he did not doubt cyborg's capabilities as a battlefield commander. There was a reason Dooku trusted a large portion of the Seperatist war effort to him. When not consumed by his self preservation instincts, Grievous could be an extremely dangerous opponent. Many dead jedi attested to that.

And somehow, Grievous seemed stronger now than when Ben faced him before. It took the combined strength of himself and Dooku to drive the General back. Even then, he managed to maim Dooku. Luckily, Dooku's new body seemed quite impervious to permanent harm. But the fact Grievous managed to land a blow at all likely stunned the Count. It certainly shocked Ben. Something coursed through Grievous's new body. A power that already bolstered his dangerous abilities. But he could not place where it came from, or who put it there.

A long sigh left Ben's lips. He reached up and rubbed his eyes. How could he feel so tired yet unable to fall asleep?

"Ben?" Tharja muttered sleepily. She rolled over in her hammock and looked down at him, "Can't sleep either?"

Ben let out a small laugh, "I don't think you are having the same problem."

"Magical exhaustion tends to do this." Tharja muttered, "This is not going to be a nice, natural sleep. It'll hurt in the morning."

"Like a bad hangover?" Ben asked.

Tharja nodded slightly.

"Do you want to go see Libra about it? I'm sure he could give you a vulnary or something to help."

Tharja thought for a moment. Again, she nodded.

 _Good._ Ben thought.

Tharja needed someone to check up on her. She pushed herself way too hard in battle. Especially recently. Magical exhaustion, from what Ben researched, could be extremely dangerous for a mage. Life threatening even. And Tharja consistently edged close to that line whenever engaging in battle.

So, he wanted to make sure she was okay. This also gave him an excuse to go to the medical tents. Robin did not come with the Shepherds to their hammocks after the battle. He remained on the beach. And Ben had a feeling he would find Robin doing something to distract himself from the horrors of the day. Horrors that affected him much more acutely than others.

He and Tharja slipped out of their hammocks then tiptoed their way up to the top deck. Even this late into the evening, the harbor buzzed with activity. Lanterns lit up the decks on every Plegian ship. Skeleton crews roamed the top decks. Repairing any damage the ships received in the battle. Feroxi soldiers stood guard on each ship.

Ben gave the guards near the gangplank a small nod. They saluted him and let him pass. Ben and Tharja quickly strode down the gangplank and onto the docks.

The docks were choked with supplies offloaded from the ships. Medical supplies were rushed to the tents on the beach. Smithing tools were carried towards open areas on the main market street, where more tents were erected. Some were command tents for the individual army companies. Others were tents meant to keep the army functioning. Mess tents for hungry soldiers. Supply tents for rations and field equipment. Two smithing tents were set up. Ylissean and Feroxi smiths were already working hard to repair damaged armor and weapons. Both Ben and Tharja weaved their way through the crowded street down to the beach.

They went for the largest medical tent. When they entered Ben felt pain flicker through the force. Wounded and dying men lay in cots lining the tent walls. Healers moved between each cot. Their staves glowed a bright green as they tried to repair wounds and soothe pain. At the end of the tent, a fountain of blood burst from one wounded man.

"Robin!" Libra shouted, "Help me here!"

Robin jumped away from a different cot. He grabbed a white sheet from a rack and pressed it against the open wound. Libra grit his teeth as he uncorked a vulnary.

"Open it."

Robin grimaced and pulled the rag away. Libra dumped the vulnary onto the wound.

"Pressure."

Robin pressed the sheet onto the wound again. The wounded soldier let out a cry. Libra's staff glowed as he hastily tried to stop the bleeding. Ben and Tharja slowly approached as the man's cries grew quieter. Until finally, he fell silent. Libra's staff flickered. The glow faded away. He gave Robin a shake of his head.

Robin uttered a frustrated snarl before he pushed himself away from the dead man's cot. He spun around and noticed both Ben and Tharja. A mixture of emotions flooded his face. Fear, anger, worry, then relief.

He uttered a heavy sigh and moved towards a water basin filled with bloody water. Robin dipped his blood soaked hands in and tried to scrub the grime from his fingertips.

"You two should be sleeping." He muttered. He rolled the sleeves up to his coat and scrubbed at his forearms.

Ben sighed, "So should you."

Robin shook his head, "Can't." He flicked bloody droplets from his fingertips then wiped his hands on a clean towel, "I need to distract myself. If I don't distract myself then I think about it. And if I think about it-" He paused, "I might go crazy."

Ben nodded, "Do you have at least a minute to talk?"

Robin hesitated. His eyes glazed over as he relived the last few dreadful minutes of the battle. He gulped and gave Ben a small nod.

"Libra, I'm stepping out for a moment." Robin called.

"Very well." Libra replied, "I appreciate your help so far Robin."

Guilt flashed over Robin's face. He did not reply. Instead, he spun on his heel and marched towards the exit with Ben and Tharja in tow.

The cool night air was stark contrast to the heat inside of the medical tent. Cleanup was still underway on the beach. Feroxi soldiers finished gathering the bodies earlier in the evening. Now soldiers combed the ground for salvageable weapons, armor, and equipment. A few soldiers sat on crates near the medical tent. Pipes in their mouths and smoke slipping from their lips. Robin felt tempted to join them, but instead, he walked past toward the sea wall.

He paused at the wall and glanced up it.

"I can still see it Ben." Robin swallowed hard. He glanced back at the Jedi Master and the quiet Dark Mage, "What is wrong with me?"

Ben pursed his lips, "I am not entirely sure myself."

That did not reassure Robin. The tactician uttered a heavy sigh, one hand raked through the back of his head.

"You sure you can't scry me, Tharja? Maybe you'll find something?"

Tharja shook her head, "I tried immediately after, remember? Something is in there, and it did not like me sniffing around."

Ben gave Tharja a surprised look, "What did you detect?"

Tharja shrugged her shoulders, "Honestly, I'm not sure. It's dark, that much I can say for certain."

Ben furrowed his brow.

"Ben," Robin leaned back against the sea wall. He hung his head, "I'm at a loss now." He glanced up at the Jedi Master, "I-I can't even trust myself on the battlefield. I can't trust my own mind anymore. How can I be the army's tactician like this?"

Ben closed his eyes. Robin had a point. If his mind was under as insidious of an assault as he and Tharja suspected, then Robin had no business leading the Shepherds into battle.

"You can't." Ben admitted. Robin swallowed hard and cast his eyes to his feet, "Not until we figure out what is going on."

"Do you think we can?" Robin muttered, "Before it strike again? Or… or before one of the Shepherds decides I'm-"

"Don't even go there." Ben warned.

"If anyone makes a move at you they will feel my wrath." Tharja snarled.

"They'd be justified." Robin breathed, "I killed one of our own."

"You weren't of sound mind." Ben argued back.

"Does it matter?" Robin countered, "I still did it. I still gave in to that power and let it control me. I still killed Miriel." A shaky breath left Robin's lips, "Naga… I still killed her."

Ben placed a hand on Robin's shoulder, "Robin look at me."

Robin gulped. He raised his gaze.

"We will figure this out." Ben reassured him, "You have my word on that."

Robin nodded. He exhaled, tension leaving his shoulders.

"Thanks Ben, Tharja." He muttered. Ben's hand slipped from his shoulder. Robin wiped at his eyes with the sleeve of his coat, "Ben?"

"Yes?"

"I think we need to cancel any training until this is solved." Ben frowned as Robin spoke, "I have a feeling this problem will only grow the more powerful I become in the force."

"You need control Robin. Pausing your training will not give you that." Ben argued back, "And… Dooku and I discussed this very topic after the naval battle. We both came to an agreement. He is going to take over your training."

Robin's eyes widened, "I-um-what? But… he's a Sith. I would think that is the last thing I need at the moment."

"No, he is exactly what you need." Ben said with great reluctance, "Dooku will not train you as a Sith. He will train you in the light still. He was a Jedi for decades before falling. There is much knowledge he can give you. Including knowledge on how to deal with this power inside of you."

"How so?" Robin asked, some eagerness filling his voice.

Ben folded his arms, "There was a Jedi Master in the order who also had a darkness in him. Instead of letting that darkness control him, he invented a style of combat and a state of mind that allowed him to channel his darkness. Allowed him to use it without it corrupting or controlling him. His name was Master Windu. Dooku sparred with him frequently. He even managed to pick up bits and pieces of his philosophy in the process." Robin appeared stunned, "You won't get the full instruction, unfortunately. Even Dooku does not know the intricate mysteries of Vaapad to their fullest extent. But he can help you build a foundation."

Robin's mouth fell open. A way for him to channel the darkness? Was that really possible? He thought he was already channeling it whenever he lost control? Was this just a new way for him to grow stronger while also not falling to the darknesses poisonous sway? Uncertainty filled him. But also, excitement. There was a chance he could correct all of this. He would never be able to atone for Miriel's death. But he could at least try to be better. And this new philosophy, Vaapad, gave him that chance.

He nodded, "Dooku agreed to this?"

"He suggested it." Ben replied, "And, of course, myself and Tharja will be here if you need us Robin."

Some tears filled Robin's eyes. He sniffed and wiped at his eyes again.

"I don't deserve friends like you."

"Nonsense." Tharja replied. She walked up and embraced Robin, "Say something like that again, and I will hex you."

A small laugh left Robin's lips. He nodded and ended his embrace with Tharja.

"I'm… um…" Robin took a breath as he tried to reel in his emotions, "I'm going to go help Libra some more."

"Make sure you get some rest at some point. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day." Ben reminded him.

"I will." Robin nodded. He started walking back to the medical tent, paused, and turned back to Ben, "Ben! Thank you."

Ben nodded, "Your welcome, Robin."

Robin marched for the tent. When he disappeared back into the medical tent, Ben let out a sigh. He rubbed his forehead.

"Hopefully this doesn't spectacularly backfire."

Tharja smiled at him. She leaned up and placed a kiss on his cheek, "It won't."

Ben smiled back at her. Their hands intertwined. It was time for both of them to rest. The pair made their way back towards the docks. Several Feroxi and Ylissean soldiers smiled and nodded to them as they passed. They smiled back. Despite the devastating losses, it appeared most of the soldiers were still in decent spirits. Khan Flavia's and Basilio's charge into the main city likely helped morale. Their attack had been devastating. Breaking the Valmese defense and forcing any enemy soldiers to flee.

Ben and Tharja stepped back onto the docks. As they walked past Basilio's warship, they noticed something rather curious.

Panne stood near the warship. And a young, blond boy was in her grip. She held him up in the air by his ankle. An annoyed and perplexed look on her face.

"Why do you have long ears?" The boy asked, "Are they fake? Do you eat carrots? Are you part bunny?"

Panne did not answer his questions.

"How come you are so hairy? Do you shave? My brother Yen'fay shaves. He let me use shaving cream once. It felt funny. Have you met him before? I know you met Say Say."

Ben's eyes widened. Tharja sucked in a sharp breath.

"What is he doing here?" Tharja asked.

"Your guess is as good as mine." Ben gulped.

The pair quickly moved towards Panne.

"Did you know Rosanne speaks a different language?" The little boy continued. Panne grit her teeth. One eye twitched as she struggled to contain her annoyance, "Do you speak a different language? Is that why you aren't talking? Do you speak rabbit?"

"I. Am. Not. A. Rabbit." Panne growled before setting the boy down on the dock.

The boy cocked an eyebrow, "But you look like one."

"Panne!"

Panne snapped her gaze over to both Ben and Tharja. A relieved sound left Panne's lips.

"Thank Naga." Panne picked up the boy and shoved him at Tharja, "Take him, before my migraine gets worse."

"Why are you only wearing underwear?" He asked Tharja.

Tharja backed up a little bit, "I am not prepared for this." She muttered to Ben.

"Panne, what is going on?" Ben asked, "How is he-"

"I don't know who this small child is? All I know is that his sister is someone named Say'ri, an important person because she left him with me and went to speak with the Prince." She sniffed, "He was originally left here by some random priest, who was following Dooku towards Basilio's ship. And since then, I have been getting badgered with inane questions all night."

"What does inane mean?" The boy asked.

"You're inane!" Panne snapped.

"Calm down, Panne." Ben took the boy from her hands, "We'll take it from here."

"We will?" Tharja blinked.

"Thank you, Ben." Panne let out a relieved breath, "I could not take much more." She quickly scampered away. Back towards the Shepherds warship.

Both Tharja and Ben watched her rush off. Tharja glared at Ben.

"So, he's here."

"He is, and now we can't leave this spot because Say'ri will come back for him." Ben concluded.

A frustrated breath left Tharja's lips, "We aren't getting any rest tonight, are we?"

Ben uttered a slight chuckle, "Apparently not."

"Who are you?" Prince Kage asked Ben suddenly. Ben blinked, "Why do you not shave? Do you like being hairy?"

Tharja snickered as Ben set the prince down.

"My name is Ben." He told the little Prince, "I am a friend of your sister."

"You are?" Kage gave Ben a puzzled look, "How come she never talks about you? Are you actually a stranger trying to kidnap me?" Ben paled. Tharja covered her mouth as she stifled a laugh, "I've had that happen to me before. They didn't get far. Sir Luke and Lady Cynthia helped save me. They're on the boat right now."

Footsteps marched down the gangplank before Ben could register what Kage said. Ben glanced up. Lucina and Laurent moved down the gangplank. Both froze halfway down. Lucina's eyes bugged from her skull as she saw Ben standing with Prince Kage. Tharja narrowed her eyes at both Lucina and Laurent. Already suspicious of their activities.

Lucina gulped.

"M-master I-" She stammered as Ben frowned at her, "I can explain."

"We had coitus." Laurent lied drunkenly.

Lucina's cheeks burned. "N-no! No we did not!"

Tharja inclined her chin, "Laurent's drunk. I believe Lucina." Her frown deepened, "So that begs the question, what is going on in Basilio's ship?"

"Shall we find out?" Ben smirked over at her. He picked Kage up and held him with his right arm. He and Tharja marched up the gangplank.

"Uh! Well you see, there is er-" Lucina stepped aside as Ben and Tharja marched past her.

"It seems my lie failed to convince them." Laurent muttered.

"Obviously." Lucina muttered. She turned and chased after Ben.

She caught up to them as Tharja threw open the doors that led below deck.

"Ben! Tharja! Wait it may come as a surprise but I need you to slow down and-"

Ben bumped into someone at the bottom of the stairs. That someone jumped back with an alarmed sound. One hand rubbed her forehead after it collided with Ben's chest.

"S-sorry." A brown haired girl muttered, "I did not… mean… to.."

Ben eyed the girl. Tharja looked at her suspiciously. She was not a part of their invading force. The girl did not wear Feroxi armor. She did not wear Ylissean colors. Instead, she wore a forest green outfit. A large, black bow was slung over her shoulder. A quiver was strapped to her back.

It took Ben a moment, but he recognized her.

"Well, hello there." Ben smiled. The girl's face paled, "I suppose I should thank you for shooting Grievous in the eye."

The girl turned on her heel and sprinted away. Ben felt confused.

"Did I say something wrong?"

"Noire!" Lucina hollered, "Damn it." Lucina stepped down the last step. She exhaled, "Noire meet Ben, Ben meet Noire. She's a bit shy."

"Aha!" Ben and Tharja whipped their gazes over to a stack of crates behind the stairs. Owain waved his hands over at them, "Two of the Shepherds' finest have arrived! Come one and all, let us greet them!"

"You already did that, dumbass." A rough looking young man in priest robes muttered. He reached for a bottle of firewine and brought it to his lips. After taking a long sip, he set the bottle down, "And you and I are the only ones here to say hi to them."

"Then we must wake our comrades, Luke and Cynthia! The Justice Cabal shall give proper introductions to great Master Kenobi and Lady Tharja!"

"Are Luke and Cynthia singing again?" Prince Kage blurted out.

"Singing?" Owain wondered out loud.

"Ah shit, kid what did I tell you about talking about that?" The priest grumbled. He rose to his feet and motioned at Ben, "Here I'll take the brat."

"I'm not very inclined to give him to you." Ben replied with no small amount of worry.

"Brady just sit back down." Lucina sighed.

Brady grumbled under his breath. He sat back down in his spot and grabbed the bottle once again.

Lucina took a deep breath.

"Before you get too suspicious, they are with me." Lucina told both Ben and Tharja.

"They're from the future as well?" Tharja asked.

Lucina nodded, "Noire and Brady both are." She blinked, "Brady!"

"What!?" Brady snapped back.

"Go grab Noire."

Brady paled, "Are you sure that is a good idea?"

"Just do it." Lucina sighed, "I'd rather not fight about this."

"Shall I grab Cynthia and Luke?" Owain asked, "And Venator?"

"Leave Sev alone with her mom." Lucina replied, "And if you want to grab Cynthia and Luke go ahead." Lucina's frown deepened, "Those two shouldn't be alone together anyways."

Ben's gaze followed Lucina as the clearly tired woman took a seat on a crate. She rested her head in her hand and uttered a long, weary sigh. Ben pressed his lips into a thin line as he set Kage down.

"Stay close alright." Ben told the boy.

"Okay." Kage nodded.

Ben smiled back. He patted the boy's head then moved to sit beside Lucina. Tharja gave a wary glance to her surroundings then took a seat beside him. Her eyes darted over to Kage as the boy sat down on the floor. Her gaze then shot over to the hammocks. The other children from the future marched over. Cynthia's hair appeared to be a bit of a mess. Luke's cheeks were beat red. And Owain had an awkward look on his face.

Cynthia saw Ben. An enormous grin broke out across her face. She surged towards him and wrapped the Jedi Master in a hug.

"Uncle Ben!" She cried. She broke away and wrapped her arms around a very surprised Tharja, "Auntie Tharja! I can call you both that now because you know about Luci!"

Tharja's flicked her eyes to Ben, "Get this child off of me." She hissed.

Cynthia uttered a nervous laugh and quickly backed away from Tharja, "Sorry. I forgot you both aren't really the touchy feely kind of people."

She looked over at Luke and Noire. Both lingered further away than the others. Brady moved past them and retook his seat.

"Noire, Luke," She waved at both of them, "Come say hi to them already!" Cynthia beamed, "You both are going to love Noire!"

Tharja arched an eyebrow as the archer meekly followed behind Luke. Luke appeared nervous, rightfully so. While Ben did not hold any hostility towards him, Tharja still remained suspicious of him. He knew she could hex him into oblivion. So he treaded lightly around her for that reason.

Noire on the other hand seemed to be anxious for a completely unknown reason. Perhaps she was just a fearful girl. In which case, Tharja already did not like her very much. Noire's eyes darted to everyone except at Ben and Tharja.

Ben put up a friendly appearance than Tharja. The Jedi Master nodded at both future children.

"It is good to see you again, Luke." Ben said, "And it is a pleasure to meet you Noire. Again, thank you for shooting Grievous. That helped out in our battle immensely."

Noire gulped. She muttered something under her breath. Tharja rolled her eyes.

"Speak up, damn it!" Tharja snapped.

"Your welcome!" Noire cried.

Brady chuckled to himself as he brought his bottle to his lips again, "So, you're parents that figured it all out first." He raised the bottle, "Here's to you two. Clearly smarter than the rest."

"Brady, just shut up. You're drunk." Lucina sighed, "And Cynthia, you better not have been doing what I think you were."

Cynthia gave Lucina a nervous look, "We um- we-"

"She enjoyed every second of it." Luke said smugly, causing Brady to spit out some alcohol.

"Do you have a deathwish?" Brady asked Luke.

"Everyone calm down." Ben said. He glanced at Lucina, "Is this all of your friends from the future?"

Lucina shook her head, "Some are still missing. We don't know where they are. But this is a large group of us." She nodded her head at Brady and Noire, "They've been with Luke, Say'ri, and Cynthia for the past year now."

Brady raised his bottle, "It is good to see you both again. Firewine?"

Ben exhaled, "You know what, sure."

Brady grinned, "Damn, you never would have said yes before."

He tossed the bottle over to Ben, who deftly caught it and took a sip. He then smiled over at Tharja and offered it to her. Tharja shook her head and laughed a little bit. She took a sip as well.

Noire stared at both of them, slack jawed.

Ben took another sip then tossed the bottle back to Brady. Brady smiled and nudged Noire's shoulder with the bottle.

"Do you want-"

Noire sntached the bottle and took several long gulps of Firewine. Brady's mouth fell open in shock. Then a laugh rumbled out of his chest.

"About damn time." He chuckled.

Noire gasped when she pulled the bottle from her lips. She shakily handed it back to Brady then pulled her knees close to her chest. Her blue eyes remained glued on the smile on Tharja's lips and Ben's hand wrapped around Tharja's.

"So, Lucina," Ben glanced at her, "How do you plan on introducing them to Chrom?"

Lucina gulped, "I have no idea. I'm hoping you can help with that. Especially given Luke's situation."

"Ah yes. That bounty has gone up recently, according to Frederick." Ben nodded.

"Lovely." Luke sighed. Cynthia sat down beside him and rested her head on his shoulder, "If they try to kill me, I will fight back."

"It won't come to that." Ben reassured him, "I'll make certain of that. But you need to be on your best behavior. And you certainly need to make amends somehow."

Luke snorted, "I don't think I can."

"But you will at least try." Ben said firmly.

Luke rubbed his thighs. He gave Ben a slow nod, "Alright."

Ben nodded back. He returned his attention to Lucina.

"How are Laurent and Severa?"

Lucina closed her eyes, "Not good. We managed to distract them a little bit. But they won't recover from this for some time." Lucina worked her jaw back and forth, "They both already lost their parents once before. Now Laurent has lost his mother again. And Severa's mom is severely wounded. Honestly, I am amazed they are holding it together this well."

"They're both tough." Brady remarked, "In their own ways of course."

Lucina nodded, "No matter what, we will be ready for the next part of this campaign." She told Ben, "All of us are dedicated to assisting the Shepherds in whatever way we can!"

"My fell sword hand stands ready to deal death to the enemy!" Owain declared.

"Eh, I'll ax a few." Brady muttered then took a sip of alcohol.

Noire remained silent. She gulped and nodded. Her gaze still focused on her parents and their intertwined hands.

"Good, good." Ben breathed, "Well, Tharja, shall we?"

Tharja eyed Noire for a moment. Noire shrank beneath her penetrating stare.

"Tharja?" Ben asked again.

Tharja blinked, "Hm? Oh, yes." She rose to her feet with him.

"Rest, all of you." Ben told them all, "It will be a long day tomorrow."

"We will." Lucina nodded.

Ben smiled back at her. He gave all of them a small bow, then walked with Tharja out of the hull and back onto the deck. When they disappeared up the steps, Noire uttered a ragged sigh.

"They were holding hands." She breathed.

Brady nodded, "Sure did surprise me." He nudged Noire with his knee, "I'm surprised you didn't say anything."

"I'm not." Luke admitted.

"What could I say?" Noire replied, "Hey mom, dad, how are you? You guys are holding hands. That didn't really happen in the future. Oh, by the way, I'm your daughter." She tucked her knees closer to her chest, "I have a feeling that wouldn't go well."

"You're overthinking it." Brady remarked, "Besides, there is only one way to find out what they would think."

Noire gulped, "I don't know."

"Noire." Lucina leaned forward in her seat, "It is up to you if you want to tell them. But I will say, Ben and Tharja will figure it out on their own eventually. Perhaps it is best if you just do it now?" Noire paled, "They're different in this time Noire." Lucina continued, her voice reassuring, "And… and with how everything is going, there is no guarantees anymore."

A sober silence filled the space. Brady took a deep breath. He grunted and nudged Noire again.

"Go introduce yourself to your parents already!"

Noire surged to her feet and rushed up the stairs after them.

* * *

Noire burst out of the hull of the ship. When she reached the top deck, she froze. Her blue eyes landed on her parents as they slowly walked towards the gangplank. Her mother's head rested on her father's shoulder. Their hands intertwined still as they walked together.

It felt so strange to see them like this. She knew her parents cared about each other in the future, but they were never this close. Her father kept to himself. Remained very aloof. Did his best to take care of her and her mother. But the war came first. Her mother regarded Ben as a scientist regards an experiment. Something to pry information out of rather than a genuine romantic relationship. Whenever her parents were together in the same room, her mother would ask her father more questions about the force. And her father would never answer.

Noire gulped. Her hands shook. Her knees knocked together as fear twisted her gut around. She was tempted to just turn around. Disappear back below deck. This was a mistake. They did not need to know about her, right?

Lucina's words bounced through her mind. Nothing was guaranteed anymore. Her thoughts drifted to Laurent and Severa. Laurent would never be able to be with his mother again. She was dead in both timelines now. And Severa could only hope and pray that her mother pulled through. Severa did not even tell Cordelia about her true relationship with her yet. The amount of regret Noire would feel if she stood in Severa's shoes would be tremendous.

Noire took a deep breath and reached for her talisman. She closed her eyes. Memories of how her parents were in the future flooded her mind. Her heart ached. She could not lose this chance.

"B-Ben!" Her voice squeaked out.

Ben and Tharja stopped at the top of the gangplank. Ben glanced back at her. One eyebrow raised in mild confusion. He whispered something to Tharja. Noire's heart hammered in her chest as her mother nodded then continued down the gangplank.

 _One parent at a time then._ Noire gulped as she shakily stepped towards Ben, _I don't know if that is more or less nerve wracking._

She stood a few feet away from Ben. A soft wind drifted in from the harbor. Noire suppressed a shiver that came both from a slight chill and nervousness. Her fingers brushed her talisman again.

"Yes Noire?" Ben asked.

Noire closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Panic raced through her heart. How exactly was she supposed to do this? How did Lucina do it?

 _She had a Cynthia moment. Something I now don't have the luxury of pulling, kriff!_

She let her hands fall to her sides. One hand brushed against the small pouch on her hip. The pouch that contained her lightsaber. Noire blinked.

"I-I-" Noire swallowed hard.

She unbuttoned the pouch and reached in, fingers wrapping around the cool metal hilt. She took one more deep breath. Failing to calm her nerves in the process. But she had gone too far now. This was happening. No going back.

She withdrew the lightsaber from the pouch. Her hand trembled as she held it out in front of her. Each breath she took came and went in rapid succession as she struggled to contain her nerves. No amount of magic from her talisman could keep her from feeling afraid now.

Ben eyed her warily for a moment. Then his eyes widened as he recognized the hilt in her hand. He gently raised his own hand and plucked it from her grip. Noire's arm fell. Her fingers buzzed. Her hands shook at her sides.

 _It feels a little difficult to breath all of a sudden._

Ben ran his fingers over the hilt. It appeared older than he remembered. Weathered and worn. A few shallow scars ran along the once fine metal finish. His fingers drifted over the black ridges that made up the center. Down to the sturdier pommel. Finally his thumb hovered over the activation button. He pointed the emitter up and pressed down. The sapphire blade burst to life, startling Noire. She took a step back and gulped.

Ben stared at the blade. Eyes wide as he studied the blue plasma. His gaze flicked past the blade to the trembling girl in front of him. The lightsaber deactivated.

Noire gulped and bowed her head. She wrung her hands in front of her. This was getting too much to bear. She needed to just go back below deck. Think of some excuse to leave.

Before she could, Ben spoke.

"Where did you get this?" He asked.

Noire gulped, "I-I-I-uh well you see-" Noire clenched her hands tight in front of her. Ben's gaze did not leave her, "L-Luke has one. Well it came from, Luke. But I got it because well-because-well-" She gulped and finished under her breath.

Ben arched an eyebrow, "What did you say?"

"It was my father's." Noire muttered a little louder.

It did not register for Ben at first. Noire said the weapon belonged to her father. Ben rolled the hilt over in his hands.

It sank in. Ben looked down. This was his blade, his lightsaber. He remembered building it after the Battle of Geonosis. Remembered retrieving the crystal he needed in order to finish its construction. He thought Luke had it. Remembered Luke using it to kill Maul. He never considered that another from the other timeline could be in existence.

He raised his gaze from the hilt to Noire. Noire kept her eyes down.

"I um… figured it should get back to its owner." Noire muttered.

Ben stared spellbound at the teenager in front of him. If the girl just came up to him and claimed to be his daughter, he would have had his doubts. He probably would have probed her mind to determine if she was lying or not. But she presented this weapon as proof. And it was all the proof he needed.

"I remember making this weapon." Ben breathed, "I made it after I lost my second lightsaber." He laughed a little bit as he held the hilt and both hands, "Stupid loss as well. I got captured by the enemy while I was spying on them."

He chuckled a little bit again. A slightly nervous laugh. But also one that brought forth mixed emotions. This girl in front of him, the nervous wreck, was his daughter from the future. Just as Lucina was Chrom's daughter. This girl was his.

"It… it has seen many battles." Ben continued, "Many tragedies and triumphs. Some of which I did not witness."

Noire quickly glanced up. Surprise filled her as Ben held the hilt back out to her.

"I think it belongs to you now."

Tears bubbled up in Noire's eyes. With a trembling hand, she reached out and grasped the hilt. A tear dripped down her cheek. Then another. Finally she surged forward.

Sobs wracked her frail form as Ben wrapped his arms around her. Ben held her close.

"It's okay." He whispered, "It's okay."

She clutched at him. Did not want to let him go. Her tears stained his shirt. And she did not care. And from the sounds of things, he did not either.

Ben smiled down at her then placed a small kiss on top of her head.

"I'm happy to finally meet you."

 **And Chapter! This chapter gave me some issues. It was actually kind of difficult to write out. But in the end, I think it turned out pretty well. We get a bunch of the future children interacting for the first time. We start to see how Robin is feeling about what happened in the battle. And, Noire and Ben finally meet. That was a fun part to write. We'll see where we go from here.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all this of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	97. The Naboo Insurrection

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 97

The Naboo Insurrection

The Dark Side of the Force swirled through the room. A miasma of latent power and energy. Bubbling like a toxic concoction. A seductive poison that, if treated incorrectly, would rip anything of value from the adept daring to discover its secrets.

But Sidious was no adept. He was the Dark Lord of the Sith. The Dark Side of the Force was his domain. He commanded it. He channeled it. He lived and breathed the very air it was made of. For so long, he had unquestioned mastery over this realm of the Force. No serious challengers. Maul, Tyrannus, even Vader, all children compared to him in the force. All infants crawling blind through the darkness while he saw clearly.

But now, the force was not so clear. He sat deep in his meditations. The shades to his office in his palace drawn closed. Not a shred of sunlight from the outside world filtered in. Not a soul dared to disturb him. Not while he delved so deep into the force. Attempting to drag the secrets of the force out from its hidden clutches.

Normally, such an exercise bore great fruit. He used these meditations to blind the Jedi Order to his true identity. He used these meditations to foresee the future. It was how he knew he would be victorious against the Sith's foe. It was how he knew he was the culmination of all Sith teachings. No one could best him. Because, as he looked into the future, as he wrestled the dark side into submission so that it lifted that veil away, he could see no one standing against him.

Until now. Until that veil suddenly returned.

There had to be an origin to this. A connection he was missing. A brief image flashed in his mind. Not an image of the future, like he wanted. An image of the past. A recent memory that set him on edge.

Morgan's trial on Moraband, the entire ordeal actually pleased him. She emerged from a Sith Tomb alive and uninjured with a rare relic in hand. He couldn't have asked for a better performance. However, it was what happened in the aftermath that disturbed him. The sight of a ghostly figure watching her leave lingered in his mind. It let her leave the tomb in peace. As if that ghost deemed her not a student or an intruder, but a successor.

The tomb of Marka Ragnos deemed Morgan worthy of both its knowledge and its respect. And that disturbed Sidious. Only one Sith Lord in galactic history garnered such an honor. That one Sith Lord went on to rule the Sith Order for over a thousand years. A Sith Emperor of unrivaled power. Something Sidious himself dreamed of achieving. Something he thought he had within reach.

And now, everything was murky once again. Morgan emerged from the tomb changed. The Dark Side of the Force was drawn to her like a magnet. Her entire demeanor seemed warped. Gone was the naive little girl that looked at the Force with wide eyes and awe. That girl was replaced by an apprentice with a voracious appetite for knowledge. A hunger for power that rivaled Sidious's own ambition.

Normally, he would be very pleased by this. So long as it did not contend with his own power. So long as it did not intrude on his domain.

But he was not pleased. In fact, he was furious. The Dark Side of the Force dared to mock him by showing him images of a little girl he had yet to knight a true Lord of the Sith. The fact that whatever spirit resided in that damnable tomb decided to anoint her in the first place grated on his nerves. It felt like the Dark Side itself decided to not only mock him, but deny his supremacy.

How dare it!

He snarled and ripped his mind free of his meditations. As the world came into focus around him, he got the distinct feeling that the Dark Side was laughing at him. Enjoying every moment of his frustration and confusion over its sudden change.

 _I am the Dark Lord of the Sith._ Sidious let his hands rest on the sleek, black desk. _I am the culmination of the rule of two._ His hands balled into fists. The force grew in pressure around him. Then it exploded out. Shattering vases on pedestals all around him, _I am the Dark Side!_

He took a deep breath. His rage continued to simmer. But he reined his emotions back in. A Sith did not lose control of their rage. They did not let their fear and anger determine their choices. Those emotions were tools. Nothing more. Just as the Force was a tool for his will. And his will would not be denied. Not by some long dead spirit in a dusty old tomb. And certainly not by a naive little girl.

Still, he could not shake the feeling that there was more to this. That his sudden paranoia was not unfounded. He steepled his fingers, pondering what to do next.

Morgan was undoubtedly powerful. More powerful than any adept under his command currently. Did she possess the raw power of Lord Vader? No, Vader's raw power exceeded some of the greatest Sith to ever live. But what Morgan did possess that Vader no longer had was potential. What she possessed was a drive to learn more and apply everything she learned in order to grow even more powerful. That drive led her to grow exponentially. Grow at a rate that made Sidious both wary and proud.

 _This must be how Plagueis felt near the end._

That dark thought lingered in his mind. Was the Dark Side of the Force spelling out his doom to him? Did it give him a glimpse of the person destined to defeat him? Usurp him? Perhaps even destroy him?

He shook his head. No, the Force would not be so open like that. The Dark Side, by its very nature, was a deceptive mistress. Anything it revealed needed to be treated with both skepticism and caution. And only treated as a certainty when events lined up exactly as foreseen.

He needed to test these mocking visions. Needed to test his own grasp over the dark side. He needed to test Morgan's power. Force her true strength to reveal itself. But how to do that?

A light blinked on his desk. An urgent communique for him. One long, knobbly finger reached out and tapped the blinking light. A hologram of an Imperial officer appeared on his desk. A small, diminutive looking man who looked even smaller as he visibly cowered before the Emperor.

"Commander?" Sidious croaked, both glad for the sudden distraction and displeased that someone would bother to contact him now of all times.

The officer swallowed hard, "We have a situation."

The officer spoke. And Sidious's lips curled into a thin, sinister grin.

* * *

An alarm blared in her ear. An incessant cry. Beep, beep, beep! Her hand crashed down on the infernal clock. A long groan escaped Ragana's lips. She kept her eyes closed as she lay face down on her mattress. Sheets haphazardly tossed over her small form. Her lips sputtered as she exhaled.

Another beep sounded from the table beside her. A lone red light on the side of a small hologram disk blinked on and off. The bright light filtered through her closed eyelids. Ragana winced and cracked one green eye open. The green retreated away as yellow washed through her iris. A tired sigh left her lips.

She spent all day yesterday training. And no, not just in the Force. Her Master was adamant that powerful Sith maintained their physical strength as best as they could. Which was an odd thing for him to say considering his frail physical condition. Ragana felt relatively sure that she could knock the old man over with a nudge of her elbow.

 _Then again, he is old. He has an excuse._ She pushed herself up onto her knees and stretched her arms over her head. Her elbows and shoulders popped as the sore muscles stretched then loosened up. A small grunt left her lips as a pop rang out from her back.

"That's the spot." She muttered.

She swung her legs out from her bed. Her eyes glanced at the holo disc, bleary vision noticing the blinking red light once again.

She grabbed the disc and held it out in front of her. Her thumb pressed a button on the side. A hologram of one of her Master's personal guards appeared in front of her. The masked, red robed guard stood rigid. Unreadable unless she decided to try and pry into his mind. Which she did attempt on several occasions. He did not appreciate those moments very much. But how else was she going to practice the new mind powers her Master and the Holocrons had been teaching her? It's not like she had any Jedi to toy with. And these guards had the strongest mental conditioning in the Imperial military. Or so the academy reported. Ragana had her doubts.

" _The Emperor requests your presence immediately."_

Ragana furrowed her brow. She glanced over at her clock. Still early in the morning. Her eyes darted over her shoulder. Even though the shades were drawn, she could tell the sun had yet to rise over Coruscant.

"Can I get dressed first?" She asked with a slight smirk.

The hologram winked off. Ragana's lips pouted.

 _I don't think he likes me._

Ragana hopped to her feet. Her toes sank into the rich, burgundy rug. She smiled a little bit then hopped up and down. Still thrilled by the somehow foreign sensation of a soft, bouncy carpet beneath her bare feet.

Her eyes gazed longingly at her shower. A small, disappointed sigh left her lips. Her master wanted to see her immediately. That meant no shower this morning. Not until she was done speaking with him at least.

 _But then we'll probably do more training._ She winced a little bit, _More insane exercises. Flips, running… force I hate running. More force meditation and holocron study._ She blinked, _Why am I complaining about that bit? I actually like those last two._

She glanced across her room over to the two pedestals that rested on top of a squat dresser. Resting on top of the pedestals were two Sith holocrons. One gifted to her by her Master when she first became his apprentice. A holocron meant for a novice, according to him. It contained easy to understand information regarding the nature of the dark side of the force and how to interact with it. Although, the old woman whose voice seeped out of the red and gold pyramid seemed quite cranky whenever she spoke. Ragana breezed through that holocron within a few weeks. Although she still went back to it every now and then. It never hurt to brush up on the basics. A solid foundation meant anything she built upon it could grow even stronger.

The second holocron, that is the one she tore into. The holocron of Marka Ragnos called out to her whenever she gazed upon its ancient edges. Most of the knowledge it contained puzzled her. But the more she studied its intricate mysteries, the more she understood. The more power she gathered. With every lesson, she craved even more. The ancient Sith Lord was a genius. A being far ahead of his time. It was no wonder none of his contemporaries could stand against him.

She found herself particularly fascinated by his knowledge of Sith Sorcery. An ancient school in the Dark Side of the Force that had become sort of a lost art by this time in the galaxy. Of course her Master had mastered such a thing. And he gladly instructed her in the lost magics. But for some reason, the lessons Lord Marka Ragnos gave to her seemed more potent. Much more sensible and powerful. It was as if her Master was simply a student teaching another student in the art of sorcery. But Marka Ragnos was a true master. And Ragana felt thrilled whenever his dark voice slipped into her mind and delivered forbidden knowledge to her.

She slipped into some simple clothes, dark pants and a brown shirt. Nothing extravagant. With a flick of her wrist, her beloved coat rushed to her fingertips. She pulled the soft fabric over her shoulders. Her heavy spell book bumped into her hip as she adjusted the oversized coat. She glanced down at the weathered tome.

In between her studies in the dark side, she read her tome. Or, what she thought was her tome. Although, the more she read, the more she became convinced that this book belonged to someone else at one point in time. Her handwriting was completely different than the handwriting in the spell book. The handwriting within the weathered, yellow pages had a slight loopiness to it. Rather pretty to look at. Meanwhile, she considered her own penmanship to be chicken scratch.

Then there was the topics and spells discussed within the spell book. Such a diverse range of spells, hexes, curses; it boggled her mind. The amount of knowledge contained in this one book would have taken a lifetime to gather. There was no name in the book to indicate who it once belonged to. But Ragana could say for certain that she did not own this tome for very long, despite its weather cover and fraying spine.

 _I need to get it repaired, now that I think about it._ She thought as she buttoned up her coat, _Would do no good to have pages fall out in the middle of training or in a fight._

Recently she had been attempting to incorporate the spells within her spell book with the force techniques her Master had been teaching her. Using them in succession. Quickly drawing her spellbook and launching a flurry of spells before falling back on her natural force abilities. Her Master did not scold her for such things. In fact, it almost looked like he approved. Although, his feelings towards her had been difficult to read since their trip to Moraband.

 _Maybe the darkness of that place rattled him as well._ She thought to herself as she marched to her door, _I know it rattled me… at first._

Her door slid open. She stepped out into the dimly lit hall. She took a deep breath of the morning air that slipped into the hall through the vast, open windows. Her burning eyes glanced to her right and left.

Her two Deathtroopers were slumped over in chairs. Both probably fell asleep while they were supposed to be guarding her door. Ragana frowned. She still did not know why her Master insisted on guards. Then again, he had guards when he didn't really need them either. Maybe it was a display of power?

She did not mind. In fact, she found their company rather nice. They gave her someone to talk to beyond the voices from the holocrons and her own mind. Granted, it took a good deal of time to weather them down from simple one word answers to her questions. One time, she attempted to get them both to join her for a drink in her room. They declined of course. She snorted to herself.

 _So disciplined._ She chuckled.

She did not bother to wake them. They likely needed the rest. She tiptoed away from the door.

Once she was further down the hall, she picked up her pace. Orange sun rays peaked through the clouds. Bathing Coruscant in a sea of sunlight that exposed every cracked piece of concrete and exposed scrap of metal. Normally, a sunrise brought a smile to her fact. But on Coruscant, it only brought a sense of mild disappointment. This had to be the only place in the galaxy that looked more beautiful in the dark than in the light.

She quickly made her way to her Master's study. Two red robed royal guards stood at attention in front of his door. Pikes placed perfectly at their sides. Not a single article of clothing out of place. Discipline personified. A stark contrast to her own Deathtroopers snoozing away in front of her door.

 _They aren't afraid of me._ She thought as she smiled a little bit again. Her thoughts lingered on her Deathtroopers, _But I don't mind that too much. Why should they be?  
_ She stopped in front of the doors.

"Good morning boys."

The guards glanced at her. Ragana pursed her lips. Now that she thought about it, could they be girls under those robes? They didn't exactly reveal anything. Maybe the boobs were hidden beneath those thick layers.

"Or should I say girls?"

Both drew back a little bit. Ragana let out a dry chuckle.

"Boys it is. Is my Master in?"

They stepped to the side

"I'll take that as a yes."

The door to her Master's study hissed open. Ragana stepped inside. The door quietly hissed shut behind her.

She walked into a solid wall of darkness. One that made her freeze for a split second. Her Master rarely exuded power like this. And when he did, it was usually due to one of two things. Someone reported something that displeased him and he needed to be intimidating. Or someone pissed him off and that person had to die. Her throat bobbed. Hopefully it was not the latter, because she was the only person he called for.

 _Or maybe it is the latter and he is sending me to take care of someone?_ Again she gulped a little bit, _Not exactly clean work._

She stepped towards his desk. Two lamps shimmered dimly in the dark room. Some goosebumps formed on her arms beneath her coat as cold air wrapped around her like a frozen hand. She suppressed a shiver. Doing her best to avoid displaying overt weakness. Her master's chair was turned to the window. Wordlessly, she fell to one knee and bowed her head.

"You summoned me, Master?"

The chair rotated around.

"Ah, good. You did not delay this time." Sidious croaked.

Ragana did her best not to smirk. The last time he called her like this, she decided a shower was more important. He was not exactly happy with her that time. He threatened to electrocute her. Ragana argued back that she only wanted to appear her best when he summoned her. As a sign of respect. She knew he saw through such a farce. But that seemed to placate him a little bit. Maybe because her rambling on the matter amused him.

"Rise." Sidious commanded.

Ragana rose to her feet, a slight smile still on her lips.

"I hope you know, I stink right now."

Sidious's fingers tapped against his desk. An unamused look masked his face.

Ragana rocked back and forth on her feet, "Just thought you should know." She muttered.

"I have an assignment for you." Sidious quickly said.

Ragana perked up.

"A mission?" She beamed as he slightly nodded his head, "Oh goody! It has been so long!"

A slight smirk crossed her Master's face, "I am glad to see you are so eager, but this will not be a simple task like last time." Sidious pressed a button on his desk. A hologram of a planet appeared.

Ragana read the text next to the planet, "Naboo?" She glanced past the hologram at her master, "What's happening on your homeworld?"

"An insurrection." Sidious growled.

Ragana's smile dropped, "Of what kind?"

Sidious leaned forward in his seat, "What do you think?"

Ragana swallowed a little bit, "Jedi?"

The hologram winked off. Sidious steepled his fingers.

"My spies report that the queen is trying to build up a force to rebel against the Empire. A group of Jedi fugitives have been assisting her. Advising her. Poisoning her against me and the Empire that loves her planet so much. She needs to be removed before this escalates out of hand. As do the Jedi." Sidious's stared hard at her, "I will be sending you with three inquisitors and a battalion of stormtroopers to put down this petty rebellion."

Ragana waltzed over to a chair near his desk. She ran a hand along the rich leather. Eyes focused on the intricate grain in the dark seat.

"Lenient?" She asked.

"No." Sidious quickly snapped, "You are to crush them, Morgan."

Ragana suppressed a snarl as he used that name. The name she forsook back on Moraband. The name of a weakling afraid of her own shadow. He still did not deem her worthy of the title given to her by Marka Ragnos.

She blinked. Perhaps this was her chance to prove herself?

"I have assigned you the 212th." Sidious informed, "You are to depart immediately. The Grand Inquisitor, Seventh Sister, Fifth Brother, and your commander officer will be waiting for you in the Shipyard. Do not delay."

Ragana bowed at the waist, "Your will shall be done, Master."

She turned on her heel.

"Morgan." Sidious called to her.

Ragana paused, "Yes, Master?"

Sidious's lips curled into an evil grin, "Bring back one of their lightsabers for me. I have need of one."

Ragana furrowed her brow, perplexed by such a request. Nevertheless, she bowed her head and marched out. Once the door hissed shut behind her, Sidious tapped a button on his desk. The hologram of one of his Imperial guards appeared.

"Prepare my shuttle for immediate take off. We depart for Naboo once the 212th leave."

The guard bowed. His image shimmered out of existence.

Sidious stared at the door out of his study. Eyes gleaming with excitement and worry.

It was time to see how powerful his new apprentice really was. And if his spies were correct, these Jedi would be more than up for the task.

* * *

 _Brilliant. Absolutely, positively brilliant._

Commander Cody had received plenty of assignments during his day. He was an old man in the Imperial military now. His enhanced aging thanks to his damnable, manipulated genetics made him appear well into middle age. Flecks of gray peppered his short black hair. Some lines bordered the corners of his mouth. Deep trenches formed as he furrowed his brow. A large scowl broke out over his lips as he marched through the hectic Imperial navy shipyards.

He should have felt happy. For the first time in years, he was being placed on active duty. He had armor over his chest and shoulders again. A polished, shiny white helmet was wedged between his arm and hip. A blaster strapped to the other hip. Any clone worth his salt would be thrilled to be placed back in a combat role. It is what he was bred to do.

But when he received the mission report, all he could do was scowl. Sure, the mission seemed exciting enough. An insurrection on the Emperor's home planet of Naboo. He felt slightly honored to even be considered for command over such a delicate mission. Simple in premise. Engage the insurrectionist, eliminate the threat, apprehend or eliminate any rebel leadership. Just the way he liked it. No political bullshit in the way.

Then he found out who would be leading the operations. One of the Emperor's personal lackeys. Someone named Morgan, whoever the hell that was. Add on top of that, a trio of inquisitors would be joining the mission. Likely to mitigate any Jedi presence. Which Cody doubted would be there. The Jedi were extinct. Him and his brothers in the old Grand Army saw to that personally.

A small wave of melancholy hit him as he thought back to those dark days. But he quickly shook his head and sidestepped past a group of repair droids shuffling around a shuttle. It did no good to linger on the sins of the past. He had new sins to commit now.

He glanced down at the datapad he had in his left hand. At least the Empire had the damn courtesy to give him and his superior a state of the art ship. Brand new. Not even named yet.

 _Although knowing Palpatine's little ass kissers, they'll name it something stupid._

He drew closer to his destination. A large, new, Imperial Class Star Destroyer hovered in its docking bay in the shipyard. Various droids and grounds crew buzzed around it, putting the finishing touches on the ship before it could take off. Cody noticed a few uniformed officers mingling near one of the shuttles that would take all of them up to the Ship's hangar. When they noticed him, a few blinked in surprise. He could already hear the murmurs.

"A clone, with us?"

"Is the fighting going to be that heavy?"

"He's an old one. It probably won't be."

Cody rolled his eyes as he walked past them and stepped onto the shuttle. Stupid, youthful officers. He may be old, but he had experience. And experience outranks everything on the battlefield.

The droid piloting the shuttle beeped and whirred. The shuttle quickly hovered up to the star destroyer's hangar. Within a few seconds, Cody set foot onto his new home.

Tie fighters hung along the ceiling of the hangar. All shiny and new. All pieces of junk in his eyes. What was wrong with the old Arc Fighters? At least those had shields for the pilots. Hell, at least those old hunks of junk had a life support system for the pilots.

His boots clicked against the polished floors. Several stormtroopers noticed him. Some gave him brief salutes. Others ignored him outright. Probably because he refused to be like these other pissant officers and wear his rank in colorful ribbons on his chest. He did not want to look like a damn peacock.

He stepped onto the first turbolift he could find. He punched the button that read 'bridge'. That was where he would be. A small part of him hoped he was the first of the command crew to arrive. It would give him some time to acclimate to the new environment without anyone looking over his shoulder. And he certainly did not want to be around those inquisitors. That little group of the military gave him the shivers. Something about them just did not sit well with him.

 _Maybe because the Republic fought scum like them. Yet the Empire now embraces them._ He snorted, _Yeah, that's probably it._

The lift came to a smooth stop. The doors to the lift opened.

Someone else was already on the bridge. Someone important. He could tell by the two Deathtroopers standing guard in front of the bridge doors. Their black armor polished to a perfect shine. Posture rigid. Rifles locked and loaded. The only soldiers in the pathetic Imperial army that could possibly stand up to his brothers, in his opinion. What were they doing here? Cody arched an eyebrow as he stepped out of the lift.

He entered the bridge. The lone occupant inside was a little girl. No, not necessarily little. A teenager actually. Jet black hair crowned her head. A purple and gold coat sat over her small frame. It's oversized sleeves billowed over slim arms. Her gloved hands were folded behind her back as she stood facing away from the lift.

Outside of the bridge, the Imperial shipyards hummed with activity. A few droids finished wiping down the viewports on the bridge. Some shuttles took off from other docking bays. Cody wondered if the rest of the crew were beginning to board.

 _They better be. We cannot delay on this mission._

"Finally, someone shows up." The girl spoke, causing Cody to stop in his tracks.

Did she hear him arrive? He was not sure. The lift was rather quiet. Maybe she heard his boots tapping against the floor?

She glanced over her shoulder. Cody felt something crawl up his spine as bloodshot eyes stared back at him.

"I was told my command crew would be waiting for me. But I arrived, and no one was here. Imagine my disappointment."

Cody blinked. Her command crew? His jaw slowly fell open. A migraine started to form in his head.

So this was the lackey Emperor Palpatine wanted in command. Cody had a bad feeling about this.

The girl's eyes darted up and down. A slight amused smirk flashed on her lips. A pressure built up in Cody's mind. Not from the splitting headache, although that did not help matters. Something crawled through his mind. Invaded his thoughts. A subtle thing that he only detected thanks to the fogginess he now felt whenever he tried to think of something important regarding… regarding himself?  
"Cody?" The girl smirked back at him. A surprised look flashed over the old Clone's face, "Hm, that name fits you. An old war hero back in command of his old unit. It's almost like the ending to a good storybook." She turned around to face him, "Tell me Commander, do you view this assignment as the beginning or end of your career?"

Cody furrowed his brow. The pressure in his mind receded. Something was off about this little girl. There was an unsettling gleam in those burning eyes of hers. An off putting aura whenever she smirked.

The girl snickered a little bit, "Oh, there is no need to be afraid of me, Commander. We are going to work together after all." She put a finger to her chin, "Although, the start to any good working relationship is proper introductions." She cleared her throat, "My name is Ragana. The Emperor placed me in charge of this mission. And you are?"

Cody arched an eyebrow, "Cody." He said, "But you already knew that." He narrowed his gaze at the girl, "And I thought my commanding officer was named Morgan."

A twinge of anger flashed in her eyes. Cody did not recoil away from it. Instead, he studied that brief flash in her eyes.

"It is." Ragana replied, "That is… a name I don't really like."

 _Oh you are one of those._ Cody thought to himself, _I've got a loon in command._

"But, if you want to refer to me as such for now, you may. Although, I do expect that to change at some point." Ragana replied, "I can't help what others have already told you of me." Her breath hitched, she furrowed her brow, "What have others told you?"

Cody frowned, "Your name. And that is it."

 _Part of the reason why I am not happy about this mission. I prefer to know who is in command of such an important mission._

"Oh?" Ragana blinked, "Hm… well, then we can get to know each other organically. Nothing wrong with that. All you need to know right now is that I am close to Palps." _Did she just call the Emperor, Palps?_ "And that I expect you to lead the soldiers of this legion to the best of your abilities. Can you do that?"

 _As long as you don't get in my way._

"Yes ma'am." Cody replied.

Ragana chuckled lightly. She sauntered up to him. One small hand patted his armored shoulder,

"Don't worry, Commander. I won't get in your way." Cody's heart thumped in his chest. Did she just read his thoughts? "You are far more experienced than myself at this sort of thing. I would be an idiot to impede your skills in the ways of war." She walked past him, "Walk with me."

They moved towards the turbolift. The lift opened and the bridge's crew stepped aboard. All of them moved towards their stations. Ready to prep the Star Destroyer for takeoff. Stepping off the lift last were the three inquisitors. All three of them blinked in surprise when they saw Ragana.

"L-lady Morgan." The Grand Inquisitor stammered, "We were not informed-"

"That I already arrived. Well I have." Ragana quickly cut him off. The inquisitor standing behind the leader, a green Mirialan, sneered at Ragana. Ragana's yellow eyes flicked to her, "Watch your thoughts, Seventh Sister. They betray you."

The Seventh Sister gulped in shock.

"You have the bridge for now." Ragana informed the Grand Inquisitor, "I must speak to my commanding officer in private."

"We are a part of this mission too." A hulking, gray alien rumbled beside the Seventh Sister.

"Yes, you are. And I gave you your job. Watch the bridge. All three of you."

Cody felt a small smirk form on his lips. Alright, this girl had a sense of command about her. The inquisitors seemed to act with caution around her. He did not know whether that was a good or bad sign. But quite frankly, anything that put the fear of god into these creeps sat well with him in his book.

Ragana waved her hand. Cody stepped onto the lift with her. She punched a code into the lift. The code to her personal quarters.

"I prefer that those morons do not listen to our conversations." Ragana admitted as the bridge rushed down from the bridge, "The Grand Inquisitor is not stupid like the other two. But I don't like him."

"Why not?" Cody asked as he cast a sidelong glance at the shorter girl.

Ragana's gaze hardened a moment, "Because he is nothing more than a sophisticated animal."

The lift slid to a stop. The door opened. Both stepped out and into a small room.

Cody had been on enough command ships to know how most officers liked to decorate their rooms. Normally there would be memorabilia commemorating their successes all around the room. Trophies, awards, commendations would hang on the walls. A few art pieces maybe. Officers liked to exempt themselves from normal regulations regarding decorations.

But Ragana's room reminded him of a Jedi General's room. Sparsely furnished. A simple, twin bed off to the side. A small desk with, of all things, actual paper and ink. A datapad sat on top of those papers. No lush carpet on the floor. Her room did have a small window allowing her to view outside of the ship. But that was pretty much standard for a commanding officer's quarters.

The only thing that seemed out of the ordinary were the two red and gold pyramids sitting on small pedestals near her bed. Cody furrowed his brow as he glanced over at them. A red light pulsed inside of each.

"Holocrons, Commander." Ragana explained, noticing his confusion.

"Jedi holocrons?"

"Do those look like Jedi holocrons?" Ragana asked with some playfulness in her voice, "I thought you fought alongside those dastards for most of your career."

Cody frowned, "I did." He glanced at the holocrons again, "And I guess those don't look like Jedi holocrons."

"Good, they aren't." Ragana motioned for him to take a seat.

It was nothing more than a simple metal chair. Nothing comfortable or uncomfortable about it. It was as if this entire room was nothing more than a blank slate. The only hints of personality being the paper, ink, and holocrons.

He ran his gaze over Ragana again. This room was a stark contrast to her. She looked entirely unique compared to any other commanding officer he ever had. Not just due to her age, but her demeanor in general. She seemed… surprisingly friendly. There was clearly a sharp intellect to her as well, judging by how she spoke. And she had boundless amounts of energy. Ever since he arrived, she had not stopped moving. Even as she sat down, something moved.

Ragana drummed the fingers of her right hand on her leg. She stared at Cody silently for a moment. Cody matched her gaze. A smile broke out of her lips.

"I like you." She grinned, "You don't bow or kowtow to me at all."

Cody blinked in surprise.

"You have no idea how many of those types I've run into since meeting Palps." Ragana rolled her eyes, " 'Oh Lady Morgan, you are absolutely magnificent. Truly intelligent. Nothing can stand up to you. Please let me continue to stroke your ego.' " She shook her head, "Obviously, my Master knows better than to give me someone like that to work with. Still, I was worried." She folded her legs, "Tell me a little about yourself."

Cody shifted uncomfortably in his seat. A superior didn't often ask him to do that.

"Well um, I am designated as CC- 2224. I have served in-"

Ragana raised her hand, "I already know that about you. A cursory glimpse of your mind revealed those little details. I don't want to know about CC-2224. I want to know about Cody. The accomplished commander of the 212th Attack Battalion."

Cody gave her a perplexed look.

"I mean," Ragana leaned back in her seat, "Unless you are _that_ boring." She chuckled a little bit, "That'll change around me."

Cody opened his mouth to speak. Then he paused. How was he supposed to address her? She held no rank as far as he was aware.

"Ragana." He said slowly.

"Yes?" The girl replied, a small smile on her lips as he used the name she preferred.

"Can I know a little about you?" He asked carefully, "There is not much to me. I am simply a soldier. But you are my commanding officer, and I-"

"Know nothing about me." Ragana finished for him.

Her burning eyes bored holes into him. Studying his face. Likely searching through his mind again. Although, Cody did not feel any pressure in his head.

Her lips parted into a smile. One that did not make Cody feel very comfortable.

"Well, I'd love to tell you about me. The only problem is," She tapped the side of her head, "The memory is not very good past about a year ago."

Cody furrowed his brow, "Amnesia?"

Ragana nodded, "Yup. My memory goes about as far back as when Palps found me in his palace, fighting off some strange ash monsters."

Cody raised an eyebrow. Ragana waved her hand dismissively.

"Not important." Ragana muttered.

"Can I ask you something else." Cody continued.

Ragana nodded.

"Why are asking me these questions? How do any of these questions pertain to our mission?"

Ragana's smile never wavered.

"I am asking you these questions because I want to know who the man leading my soldiers really is. I want to know if he is truly capable of leading this mission. There is only so much I can learn from dossiers and mind reading." Ragana folded her hands, "But since you insist on saying you're just a boring soldier, I'll ask a different line of questions. Who was your first commanding officer?"

Cody furrowed his brow. Why would she be asking him that?

"Jedi or non-Jedi?"

Ragana pursed her lips, "Jedi."

Cody frowned. Where was this line of questioning going?

"Obi Wan Kenobi." Cody answered.

A strange look crossed Ragana's face. Her smile wavered ever so slightly.

"That… actually sounds familiar." Ragana pressed her lips together, "Hm… Kenobi. Kenobi…" She shrugged, "Oh well, maybe it'll come to me, maybe it won't. What was he like?"

"Pardon?"

"What was he like?" Ragana asked again, "Kenobi, how was he as a commander?"

Cody shifted in his seat again, "He was… he was one of the few Jedi Generals that actually knew what they were doing on the battlefield."

"Oh? So he was good at his job then?"

Cody nodded, "He was. Did his best to minimize casualties on the battlefield. Actually listened to soldiers trained to conduct battles. Fought beside us on the front lines. Him, General Skywalker, and a few others were actually good generals to fight beside."

A faraway look drifted into the Commander's eyes as he thought back to those days. The days of the Clone War. All of the triumphs and tragedies, victories and defeats. All of it culminated in one single, horrible moment. A moment where he had to kill a man he considered a friend.

"You seem sad, Commander." Ragana said.

Cody jumped. He quickly adjusted himself. Returning to the same, blank stare he had before. An action that made Ragana uttered a small, sympathetic laugh.

"You have nothing to fear from me, Commander. You haven't done anything to upset me." Ragana leaned forward in her seat, "Go on, speak."

Cody hesitated, "Kenobi and I were good friends during the Clone Wars. I regret his death."

Ragana nodded, "You regret Order 66?"

Cody shook his head, "No. It needed to happen I-" He fumbled with his words for a moment, "I just wish Kenobi did not have to be a part of it."

Ragana closed her eyes, "I can't even imagine."

Cody drew back in surprise. Sympathy from one of the Emperor's lackeys? Hell must have frozen over. Ragana really was not like any of the other political idiots the Emperor thrust upon the military.

"I hope you and I can reach that level of loyalty one day." Ragana admitted, "And as my first step in that journey, I am going to inform you of something regarding our mission. Something the regular stormtrooper does not know."

Cody arched an eyebrow.

"There are Jedi on Naboo." His heart jumped to his throat, "We do not know how many, or who is leading them. But that is why myself and the inquisitors are a part of this mission."

Cody reeled. Jedi on Naboo? Impossible! The Jedi were extinct. Sure, there could have been some survivors of Order 66. But he liked to believe that those survivors were not stupid enough to reveal themselves to the Empire so brazenly. The Jedi had to be more intelligent than that, right?

 _Then again, they commanded their own killers._

Cody focused on Ragana again. And once again, all he could see was a little teenage girl sitting in front of him. Certainly not a battle tested warrior. At least Ahsoka Tano had seen warfare alongside Anakin Skywalker. This girl seemed greener than a patch of grass.

Ragana tilted her head a little bit.

"Yes, I don't have that much experience."

 _Kriff, she is in my head again!_

"But," Ragana continued, "that is why I will be relying on you. The Inquisitors only care about the Jedi. They don't care about actually putting down this insurrection while dealing as little lasting damage to the Naboo as possible. I will not be relying on them. Because I hate them. And because I think very little of them. I want you to take charge of ground forces on this mission. I do not trust the Inquisitors to actually succeed in this endeavor. You have all of the experience. You are the ideal person to lead the charge."

Cody blinked in surprise. He never heard an Imperial say such a hostile thing about the Inquisitors before. Any who did never got away with it. They usually ended up dead. Who was this girl exactly?

"Aren't you an inquisitor?" Cody asked.

Ragana threw her head back and laughed, "No," She chuckled some more, "No. The inquisitors are… glorified bounty hunters that exclusively hunt Jedi down. Me, I don't hunt Jedi." Ragana's eyes flashed with excitement, "I execute them. I guess you could call me the Emperor's executioner, if we go off of that description." She rose from her seat, "Now then, I trust you Commander. I trust your record and your intelligence. I want a plan of attack in front of me as soon as we arrive in the Naboo system."

Cody breathed a sigh of relief as he rose from his chair as well. Grateful that Ragana transitioned from speaking on personal matters back towards the mission at hand. The mission was easier for him to think about. It gave him a purpose.

"Any intelligence we have on the insurrectionist will be available on your personal terminal. If you see any gaps, inform me." Ragana continued, "Understood?"

Cody nodded, "Yes ma'am."

"Good." Ragana grinned. She nodded for Cody to follow her back to her door, "You will find me in here once you have finished creating a plan of attack. I want you to explain it to me before we conduct our operation. The Jedi will likely be heavily involved in the fighting, I want to be able to fight within our plan of attack while also effectively combating any of them."

Cody nodded, "A wise course of action, ma'am."

"Thank you." Ragana smiled again. Her door hissed open, "Oh, and tell those inquisitors to take off immediately. We cannot delay this mission any longer."

"Yes, Lady Ragana." Cody nodded again.

He caught her unsettling smile one more time before the door hissed shut. As soon as the door closed, Cody exhaled. Waves of tension and anxiety left his body. For some reason, that little girl managed to set him on edge. But at the same time, she impressed him. Not many could claim to have done that recently. She appeared focused on the mission. Willing to listen to advice about how to best combat the enemy. Certainly not an arrogant know-it-all fresh out of the Imperial Academy. It rapidly became clear to Cody that he, in fact, would not be a babysitter on this mission. Rather, he would play an integral part in it.

A swell of pride filled him at that thought. Ragana did not see him as an old, washed up clone. She saw him as an experienced and accomplished battlefield commander. Someone who's wisdom should not be tossed away. His respect for her continued to grow as he marched back to the turbo lift.

"A plan of attack..." He muttered to himself, "A plan of attack…" The turbo lift opened, he stepped on. The door closed behind him, "It has been a while since I've done one of those."

* * *

Kjelle gripped the bar above her head. One of the few scraps of metal in this rust bucket that did not appear entirely essential to anything. Although, Han would likely protest her using the bar in the doorway as a pullup bar. She grunted as she slowly pulled her body up till her chin hovered over the bar. Then she exhaled as she slowly lowered her body.

"Working out again?

Kjelle flicked her eyes over to the small, green haired girl with pointy ears sitting on the bunk nearby.

Nah normally did not do much. Due to her Manakete heritage, she slept often. She would read on a datapad whenever she was actually awake, something she was doing now. Studying up on the galaxy and everything in it. Not that Kjelle actually cared about that nonsense. All that mattered was that she and Nah barely survived a violent situation on another planet. Barely making it was not good enough. Not for Kjelle.

Kjelle pulled herself up again. Nah flicked her eyes up from the datapad.

"You know pull ups won't help when a blaster is fired at you."

Kjelle lowered her body again. Sweat beaded on her brow.

"You don't even know what a blaster is." She grunted back. She yanked herself up again. This time her arms trembled a little bit as she held her chin above the bar.

Nah frowned, "Neither do you." Nah tapped her datapad, "Did you know that there are over-"

"Don't care Nah." Kjelled interrupted.

Nah blinked, "Well, I was just going to tell you how many types of blaster there are."

"Innumerable amounts." Hondo called as he rounded the bend in the ship and waltzed towards the little bunk room in the Millenium Falcon. He paused and whistled as Kjelle lowered her body from the bar over her head, "Looking good Kjelle. Truly, any human or alien sees you, they will fall head over heels."

Kjelle let go of the bar, "Because they will have just met my fist."

Hondo let out a small, nervous laugh, "Not what I meant, but maybe you do not have much romantic experience."

"No time for romance. Only training." Kjelle replied as she fell onto her back. She glanced at her reflection in her armor, which was lying beside her bunk. Then she sat up and breathed out, "One…"

"Sit ups won't help with blasters either." Nah muttered.

"Two… don't care, Nah."

Hondo nodded as he leaned against the doorway, "The little lizard girl is right you know. A blaster doesn't care how muscular you are. It will burn a hole through you regardless."

"I am not a lizard girl." Nah deadpanned.

"Five…" Kjelle breathed, "I don't care." She sat up again, "Six… the body must remain in tip top shape." Up. "Seven…" Down. "Mom taught me that. Never know when you'll get into a fistfight."

Hondo arched his brow, "Does everything revolve around fighting for you?"

Kjelle sat up again and paused at the top, "No. It revolves around being the best warrior."

Hondo frowned, "That's exactly the same thing."

"No, it isn't." Kjelle continued her exercise, "If I'm the best, no one is going to want to fight me."

"Except those who also want to be the best." Nah pointed out.

"Shut up, Nah." Kjelle grunted, "I'm starting to regret saving your life."

"I'm fully capable of saving my own life. You seem to forget I am capable of turning into a dragon."

"Well aware." Kjelle grunted.

"So that is what the big lizard is called." Hondo nodded, "Dragon. Any relation to the Krayt Dragon?"

Nah shook her head, "Krayt dragons are mindless animals. Manaketes are not."

"Hm… and how many Manaketes are there?" Hondo asked.

"Depends." Nah shrugged, "Kjelle, what time are we in?"

"Does it look like I know the answer to that, Nah?" Kjelle huffed, sweat dripped down her brow, "We are in space for crying out loud. Nowhere near Ylisse. Who knows if we even ended up in the right time period."

Hondo looked at them both with some confusion.

"Are you two saying you're time travelers?"

"How else do you explain the portal I came through?" Kjelled asked.

Hondo bobbed his head back and forth, "Fair point, my friend. Fair point." He sighed and stretched his arms over his head, "This has been a boring trip. No action, other than that little spat back on Ord Mantell. Then again, if you don't get into a spat on Ord Mantell, you did something wrong. And should probably look out for a sniper." He laughed wistfully, "I remember my first trip to that scum ridden, hell hole-"

The ship jostled. Hondo paused in his storytelling. He blinked and glanced back down the corridor towards the cockpit.

"Hm…. must've come out of hyperspace." He muttered, "As I was saying-"

The ship jostled again. Kjelle froze on the floor. Nah flicked her eyes around the room. Before anyone could say anything else, the ship shuddered. All three heard Chewie howl from the cockpit.

"I know, damn it! I know!" Han roared.

"The hell is going on?" Kjelle wondered out loud.

She jumped to her feet and marched past Hondo towards the cockpit. The ship shuddered as she neared the cockpit. Kjelle lost her footing and fell against the curved wall. Her feet slipped on the slick floor. Hondo caught her from behind.

"Careful or you'll hit your head on something."

Kjelle shook his hands from her arm and stormed into the cockpit. Han and Chewie were furiously working the controls to the Falcon. The Wookie uttered a loud howl before shaking a massive paw in the air.

"You tell me!" Han snapped at Chewie.

"What is happening?" Kjelle asked. A flash of red light passed over the cockpit. The ship shuddered again. Kjelle braced her body against the doorway.

Han wheeled around in his seat, "I told you to leave that damn girl alone!"

"Nah!?" Kjelle blinked, "What does she have to do with any of this?"

"Because I have a feeling those slavers are now trying to blow us up." Han growled, both of his hands gripped the controls to the Falcon, "Chewie how are those deflector shields looking?"

Chewie uttered a series of furious snorts and growls.

"That bad huh? Divert some power then." Han pulled on the yoke. The ship swerved. Kjelle gasped as she almost fell backwards in Hondo.

"Are you crazy!?" Kjelle cried.

"I don't need to hear it from you right now!" Han snapped at her, "Any idea who's after us, buddy?"

Chewie shrugged. More red lights flashed over the cockpit. A red light blinked on and off as an alarm whined in the cockpit.

"What's that flashing!" Kjelle asked as she pointed her finger at the light on the control panel.

Han swatted her hand away, "Deflector shields aren't holding up well. Damn it all! How the hell did they track us?" He glanced out the viewport, "We're so damn close to the drop."

Chewie bellowed at him.

"I know! I know!" Han shouted, both worried and exasperated, "If we arrive with heat on our asses we lose the buyers. Then Jabba will really be pissed." He yanked on the yoke again. The Falcon twirled. Kjelle yelped as she used all of her strength to keep herself from flying up into the roof. "We'll have to jump again." He glanced at a gauge, "Closest place with a fuel depot, Chewie!"

The Wookie's massive paws started fiddling with several knobs and switches. Han spun in his chair and tapped on a screen to his left. He uttered a loud snarl and smacked an open palm against the screen. The ship shuddered. This time, an explosion rang out in the rear of the ship. Nah came sprinting up the corridor.

"Something went boom!" Nah cried.

"I know!" Han roared, "Hondo, turret!"

"We're shooting back?" Hondo blinked in surprise.

"Until the nav computer finishes working yes!" Han shouted, "Get to the turrets." He nodded at Kjelle, "You too, Sweetheart!"

"How many times have I told you not to call me that?" Kjelle hissed.

Hondo grabbed her wrist, "Come on. No time to chit chat."

Kjelle tugged her arm from his grasp then raced after him down the corridor towards a shaft that ran up and down. Kjelle eyed the ladder. Hondo waggled his eyebrows.

"Top or bottom?"

She shoved him onto the ladder.

"Alright, I'll be the bottom, heh!" Hondo laughed.

Kjelle shook her head as she grabbed the ladder and scrambled up it. Once she reached the top, she found herself in a cramped chamber. A single, leather seat rested in the center of the small, round space. A console of some sorts was attached to the chair. In front of the bulky contraption was a large window staring out into the vast, empty expanse of space. Through that window, Kjelle could see the top of the Millenium Falcon.

Kjelle arched an eyebrow as she sat down in the chair and strapped herself in.

"What do I do now?" She muttered to herself.

She spotted a strange headband resting on a hook on the console. She reached for it and put the circular parts over her ears. A long antenna rested near her mouth.

" _Can you hear me, sweetheart?"_ Han asked in her right ear.

Kjelle snapped her head around, "How are you talking to me!" She shouted.

" _Not so loud."_ Hondo winced in her left ear, " _These mics are shit and I can't adjust the volume."_

" _Don't badmouth my ship, you damn pirate."_ Han growled.

"What am I doing!?" Kjelle screamed, silencing both of them.

" _Yeah…listen to the pirate and try not to scream."_ Han said, " _You're operating one of the Falcon's turrets."_

"What does that mean?" Kjelle asked.

" _You know blaster pistols?"_ Hondo said in her ear, " _Bigger version."_

The ship shuddered. And as the ship shuddered, excitement built in Kjelle.

"Bigger version?" She asked. Giddiness laced her voice.

" _Yes, bigger. You control it with that console in front of you. You fire with the two buttons on top of the handles."_ Han told her.

Kjelle grabbed the handles. The screen on the console winked to life. The chair she sat in swiveled. Kjelle gasped and pressed her back further into the seat.

 _It moves._ She gulped.

" _That screen in front of you, do you see it?"_

Kjelle gulped again. She peered at the small screen on the console.

"Yeah." she replied.

" _That is a targeting screen. Line up the enemy with the center, hit those buttons, and fire away."_ The ship shuddered, " _Simple as that."_

"Sure… simple." Kjelle muttered as the chair swiveled again.

She yanked on the console, trying her best to straighten herself. As she did that, she caught sight of another ship on their tail. Red light zipped from that ship. Two blaster bolts hammered the top of the Falcon. Kjelle squeezed her eyes shut as the flashes nearly blinded her.

" _Fire back! I'm trying to get this old bucket of bolts to work."_ Han barked.

Kjelle acted on instinct. Her thumbs jammed down on the red buttons. The chair shuddered as the turret fired several red bolts through space towards the enemy ship. A thrill filled Kjelle as she watched the bolts shriek towards the enemy ship. The ship twirled out of the way and any thrill left Kjelle as it returned fire.

" _You okay, Kjelle?"_ Hondo asked.

"Never better." Kjelle grinned as she jostled with the controls, trying her best to line her turret up with the elusive enemy ship, "I'm guessing this guy is good?"

" _Oh hoh, he's excellent! We should try and get them on our side!"_ Hondo chuckled.

" _How about no!"_ Han snapped back at Hondo, " _I've got too many tagalongs already."_

Kjelle squeezed the buttons again. Her turret followed the path of the enemy ship. A large smile crossed her lips as the thrill of a new form of combat hit her. This was proving to be very fun. In an extremely dangerous kind of way. Just how she liked it.

"He's going towards you, Hondo." Kjelle said.

" _I see her."_

" _I don't care where, Chewie! Anywhere but here would be nice at the moment!"_ Han cried so loud that Kjelle heard his voice down the corridor. The Wookie roared in the background, " _Sure, why not. Punch it you fuzzball!"_

The ship shuddered again. Though not due to blasterfire. This time, the Falcon lurched as the hyperdrive whined to life. The stars turned to streak of pale light all around Kjelle. With a loud boom, the Falcon shot into hyperspace. Away from their pursuer.

A relieved sigh fell from Han's lips.

" _Too close."_ He breathed, " _Where are we going, Chewie?"_

Kjelle exhaled and sank back into her seat. The adrenaline in her veins continued to pump. But the excitement in her started to die. A large smile crossed her face once again. One of her hands ran along the console in front of her.

 _I gotta get me one of these._ She thought.

" _Naboo huh."_

" _Oh, that planet is lovely this time of year!"_ Hondo cheered, " _Then again, Naboo is lovely almost any time of year. There was this one time-"_

Kjelle tuned out the pirate's story. It probably had something to do with some form of debauchery or piracy. Quite frankly, she was not that interested at the moment. As long as they were safe from harm, she did not care where they ended up.

Hopefully, the slavers were not chasing Nah to this Naboo place. And if they were, Kjelle would be ready to run her spear through their gut. She hummed to herself she stepped out of the chair.

 _Maybe I should ask Han for a blaster._

 **And chapter! This is part one of a little arc I have set up for Morgan, Kjelle, Nah, and our band of pirates. Morgan is given command of a mission by Sidious, and she has an old war hero to help her out with it. I'm excited to write their interactions. I think they will work well together. The bitter old war hero in Cody and the unsettlingly energetic Morgan/Ragana. Nothing could go wrong there! And Kjelle's little band is on a collision course with them now. It'll be interesting to see what happens there.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	98. The Fallen Master

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 98

The Fallen Master

The Millennium Falcon burst out of hyperspace. Kjelle braced her body against her chair's armrest as the hunk of junk lurched forward. Her harness kept her from flying out of her seat in the cockpit. A long sigh left her lips as the blue tunnel returned to its normal state. That normal state being a sheet of darkness speckled with stars. Which still did not feel normal to her. Space would never feel normal for her. The day she returned to Ylisse was going to be a wonderful day indeed.

In front of her, Han Solo uttered a long sigh.

"Finally." He breathed. One hand ran through his thick, brown hair, "Good job, Chewie."

The Wookie in the co-pilot's seat uttered a small grunt.

"Hey, I'm complimenting you now." Han grumbled as he undid the straps over him, "No need to be so defensive."

"Where are we?" Kjelle asked as she peered out of the cockpit.

Han furrowed his brow. He glanced over at a screen to his left. One that had a star chart mapped out on it.

"Just outside of the Naboo system." Han replied, "We should see the planet… any… moment."

He trailed off as Naboo came into view. Kjelle sucked in a sharp breath.

Awe filled her as she saw a bright, green and blue jewel suspended in space in front of her. A breathtaking sight. Clouds swirled over the surface of the planet. A breathtaking sigh that filled the young Ylissean with wonder.

"A lot better looking than Ord Mantell right?" Hondo chirped as he sauntered into the cockpit. His mirth faded as he looked at what Han was looking at, "Oh shit."

Kjelle arched an eyebrow, confused, "What is wrong?"

"Chewie, please tell me we have enough fuel to-"

Chewie threw his massive paws in the air and uttered several frustrated roars and snarls. Han sank further into his seat. He ran a hand over his eyes.

"Our luck sucks." Han groaned, "It really sucks.

"What is wrong?" Kjelle rose from her seat and leaned past Han's chair.

Her breath got stuck in her throat. A massive ship lumbered over Naboo. The size of the ship blew Kjelle away. It easily could swallow the Millennium Falcon whole.

"Star Destroyer." Hondo whistled, "Imperial too."

"All Star Destroyers are Imperial." Han groaned, "And we don't have any fuel to run away from it at the moment. Blast it!" He smacked a hand into the cockpit wall. A long breath ran out of his nose as his mind race, "Chewie, set us down somewhere remote on the planet. We'll have to hunt for fuel the old fashioned way."

"Why can't we land at a port?" Kjelle asked, still a little confused.

"Because we are technically criminals, sweetheart." Han replied, "And the Empire does not treat criminals kindly."

"The Spice Mines of Kessel." Hondo shuddered, "Nasty place. Very nasty place."

Chewie groaned out his agreement. Han's lips sputtered.

"Get us close enough to a major settlement. But not so close that we are detected, alright Chewie." Han ordered. He glanced back at Kjelle, "You feel like hunting for fuel with us?"

Kjelle nodded, "I'll go get my armor on."

"Armor yeah- wuh, wait!" Han's voice faded as Kjelle rushed down the corridor towards the bunk room. He let his head fall back against his seat. Chewie chortled at him, "Yeah, yeah. I should be used to her not listening to me."

Chewie groaned.

"Why?" Han parroted, "Why? Because I have gotten plenty of practice when it comes to you." He glanced over at Hondo, "You get ready as well. You'll have to keep an eye on Miss Naive. I don't want her and her damn armor getting us into trouble."

"Will do, Han." Hondo patted Han's shoulder. Han suppressed a scowl, "I have a feeling that everything will work out in the end. Don't worry so much."

Han arched an eyebrow, "Yeah?" He glanced out at the Star Destroyer as it lumbered over the dark side of the planet, "I wish I could share your optimism."

* * *

The sun rose. Bright orange rays kissed her pale cheeks. Morgan's big, green eyes shot open as the sun's warmth washed through her bedroom window. A loud yawn escaped her little mouth. Normally, she struggled to wake up in the morning. What could she say, she enjoyed sleeping. Her mother's blood made sleep both the most essential and most enjoyable part of her day.

Well, the second most enjoyable part. The most enjoyable part was actually about to begin for her.

Today was the day. Her father was going to train her in magic. She was so excited. She jumped out of her bed, hastily threw on her little coat, and bounced her way out of her room. Her small feet scrambled against the wooden floors in the cottage Morgan and her family called home. She bounded for her parents' room. One little hand reached up and turned the brass doorknob.

Morgan paused when she heard her parents talking frantically beyond the door. She frowned and pressed her ear to the door.

" _Are you sure, love?"_ Her mother asked, worry thick in her voice.

Morgan froze at the sound of her mother's voice. It tugged at her heart. A sense of longing lingered in her chest. She could not put a face to the voice for some reason. But she knew that voice anywhere. A sweet sounding tone. Kind and patient.

" _Positive. Chrom wouldn't be calling an urgent council otherwise. Ben's even going. That doesn't happen often."_ Her father replied. His own voice calm and collected.

A small silence.

" _I knew this day would come. I just prayed it wouldn't be so soon."_ More shuffling beyond the door, " _Do you need me to come with?"_

" _No. It is likely just some problems with King Validar. I'm sure it'll work itself out, hopefully. Stay with Morgan."_

" _She's going to be so disappointed."_

Her father was silent, " _Damn it. That was today, wasn't it?"_ Morgan heard her father sigh heavily as her heart slowly dropped, " _I promised her too."_

" _Well, this gives you a reason to make sure you come back."_

Her father chuckled lightly, " _I will always come back for both of you."_

Heavy footsteps neared the door. Morgan gasped and scrambled back just as the door opened.

"Morgan!" Her father cried, surprised to see her up and moving already.

She looked up at his face. Kind brown eyes looked down at her. Slightly spiky brown hair crowned her father's head. A small smile crossed his lips and he crouched down to her eye level.

"What are you doing up already?" He asked, brushing a hand over her shoulder.

Morgan gulped, "Magic lessons."

Guilt filled her father's gaze. A heavy sigh left his lips, "I'm sorry sweetheart. Daddy needs to go to work."

Tears welled up in Morgan's eyes. She stomped her foot, "You promised!"

Her father recoiled, "I know I did. And I'm sorry." A spark danced in his eyes. He snapped his fingers. One hand reached into his coat. Morgan's eyes widened as he withdrew his spell book. A worn, weathered tome with cracked leather binding and yellowing pages. He paused for a moment, dark eyes running over the cover. Then he held it out to her. "Tell you what, you read up on everything. And when I get back, we can get to work. What do you say?"

Morgan's heart pounded in her chest. Father was giving her his spell book! Her small hands shook as she took the heavy tome from him. She grunted as she struggled to hold it in her arms. Her eyes widened as she gazed down at the cracked leather cover. It felt so dry in her arms. It smelled like an old book. But she could practically feel the power radiating inside of it.

"Are you sure that is a wise decision, Robin?" Her mother asked.

Morgan did not take her eyes from the book. She wanted to tear it open right now. But she waited. Too stunned to move. Her father trusted her with this book. She would make sure it was ready for him when he came back.

"Yeah. It's just a small council meeting then likely a diplomatic mission. I doubt anything will go horribly wrong." Her father shrugged.

Morgan glanced up. A sudden pain lanced through her head as she tried to see her mother's face. She caught a glimpse of a red robe. Some messy green hair flashed behind her father's head. She saw her father lean back to kiss her mother. Then he sighed.

"I won't be gone long." He said.

"I know." Her mother replied.

Her father uttered another heavy sigh. He stooped down and wrapped his arms tight around Morgan.

"Be good for mommy, okay?"

Morgan felt a wave of emotions hit her. For some reason, this all seemed way to familiar.

An image flashed in her mind. Her mother kneeling out in front of the cottage. Tears cascaded down her face. A man wearing a brown cloak stood beside her. One hand on her shoulder as he awkwardly tried to comfort her. Another woman with jet black hair and a terrifying gaze lingered to the side. Eyes downcast. Filled with sorrow.

Her father could not leave. Something bad was about to happen. His hand rubbed her back.

"Study up." He smiled before tapping her nose.

* * *

"Father!" Ragana cried as she jerked awake.

The hum of the Star Destroyer's engines filled her ears. Her own breathing ran in and out of her lungs in ragged gasps. Sweat caked her body. Drenched her clothing and caused some of her dark hair to stick to her forehead and neck. She uttered another ragged gasp. One hand ran over her face as she shook her head.

 _A dream._ She thought. _Nothing more than a dream._

She swung her legs out from her small bed. Her feet touched the cold, metal floor. She closed her eyes and exhaled. Her mind called out to the force. The Dark Side rushed to her. It steadied her mind. Gave her focus once again. Drove away any thoughts of that strange dream.

Was it dream? It all felt so real. Hell, she felt like she was living a memory. Every detail was so vivid. Every sound lifelike. And she knew what her father looked like. His face was unmistakable to her.

She shook her head again.

 _Just a dream. Don't dwell on it._

She furrowed her brow and opened her eyes. Burning irises landed on the hologram disc by her bed. It sat still. No lights blinked on the side. No messages. Her lips creased into a slight frown. Strange, normally she woke up with more messages than she wanted.

Ragana rolled her shoulders. Muscles and tendons popped. She winced.

"I miss my bed on Coruscant." She grumbled as she reached for her boots and pulled them over her feet.

She rose to her feet and stumbled for a second as sleep tried to claim her mind once again. With a sharp shake of her head, she trudged her way over to the bathroom in her quarters. A bright white light winked on above her head. Morgan leaned up against the metal sink and stared into the mirror.

Her new eyes still gave her a fright every now and then. The yellow seemed so unnatural for some reason. Her Master called it a sign of her growing power. A sign that the Dark Side of the Force was growing within her. That she would soon be unstoppable. But Morgan only saw them as disconcerting. With great effort, and some happy thoughts, they flickered back to their normal emerald color. A small smile crossed her lips as a now familiar face stared back at her in the mirror.

"Hello gorgeous." She chuckled to herself.

She turned on the sink and splashed some cold water on her face. Immediately refreshing her body and mind.

Her mind returned to the dream. It still puzzled her. It could not have been an ordinary dream. Something so mundane would not bounce around her skull like this. She sucked in a sharp breath.

Was it a memory? A memory re-lived as a dream? It had to be. There was no other explanation. She saw her father again. Heard her mother for the first time since she lost her memories. An ache filled her heart. She gripped the sides of the sink and let out a long breath. Her head remained bowed.

"What is going on?" She muttered.

Something like this had not happened before. Did this occur because her powers were growing? Was she finally beginning to unlock her memories like her Master told her she would? If so, how did she do it? She gulped.

 _Or was it complete coincidence?_

Knuckles rapped against her door. Morgan exhaled again and raised her gaze to the mirror. The emerald green in her eyes retreated away as someone interrupted her thinking. Blazing yellow engulfed her eyes. An angry snarl crossed her lip.

 _This better be important._

She turned on her heel and marched to her door. She tapped the control panel on the side. The door whooshed open. Commander Cody stood on the other side. His expression weary but focused.

"Lady Ragana." He held a datapad out to her with one hand, "We are about to exit hyperspace. Here is the battle plan I have come up with."

Ragana blinked, "Oh." She let out a small yawn, "That time already." She nodded for Cody to come inside. The old Clone hesitated at first then stepped inside. The door hissed shut behind him.

Ragana looked down at the datapad. Her finger brushed along the glass screen as she scrolled over a map showing Naboo's capital city, Theed.

"Aggressive." She muttered as she sank into a seat near the window. She glanced outside, still seeing the blue tunnel that marked hyperspace travel.

Commander Cody nodded, "It takes advantage of our superior firepower. I debated whether or not we should even bother with putting boots on the ground and instead executing an orbital bombardment."

"But?" Ragana asked, one eyebrow quirked.

"But that would be bad optics in my opinion, ma'am." Cody sank into a chair across from her, "This is the Emperor's home planet. Annihilating the rebels along with innocent civilians would be perfect propaganda for rebel extremists. So we will have to deal with the insurrectionists and Jedi the old fashioned way."

Ragana nodded, "Good. I was right to trust you." She brushed some hair from her brow and poured over the report some more, "We will have aerial support?"

"Absolutely. TIEs will keep the Naboo security forces's fighters from harassing our soldiers as they land in the city. If intelligence is correct, we should be able to gain air superiority immediately with our overwhelming numbers."

Ragana pinched the screen, showing the suggested battle formations. A slight smile crossed her lips when she saw that she would be leading the main attack.

"Our main thrust will cut straight into the heart of Theed. A company of stormtroopers led by you and I will secure the Royal Palace and the surrounding district." Cody continued, "Snipers will take up positions along the many causeways and balconies in the area. The Queen will be holed up inside her palace. Once it is surrounded, we can work on forcing surrender."

Ragana nodded, "I'd rather not risk destabilizing the planet by assassinating a monarch. I doubt my Master would be entirely pleased by that. It would turn his own people against him." She hummed to herself and pointed at the two flanking formations, "I assume the inquisitors will be leading these formations."

"Away from the main battle? Yes."

Ragana eyed Cody. The Clone shifted in his seat and cleared his throat.

"You said you did not trust them, so I made sure their role is relatively minor. It won't harm our main attack. The Naboo security forces are well trained but very small in number. They won't be able to execute a proper flanking maneuver on our main mass. Not with TIEs in the air. The inquisitors will negate any attempt to flank anyways."

"The fighters will keep the enemy from exposing themselves along the city's main arteries." Ragana correctly surmised, "And the Inquisitors will divert enemy manpower away from our main attack."

Cody nodded, "Correct, ma'am."

She nodded, "Good. This is very good."

The Star Destroyer lurched. The blue tunnel outside of her window disappeared. Stars twinkled in the vast, dark expanse of space. Some of the light from those stars faded as a planet lumbered into view. A beautiful, blue and green jewel suspended in a sea of inky blackness. Under any other circumstances, Ragana would have marveled at the beauty she witnessed above the planet's atmosphere. But in this moment, she was focused on calming her nerves and gathering her power.

"Are the Inquisitors prepared?"

"Briefed and ready for battle. Although the two underlings are not happy about their role in the strategy." Cody informed Ragana.

Ragana rose from her chair. Cody followed her. She extended a hand as she marched to her door. Her coat jumped to her outstretched hand. She threw the comforting fabric over her shoulders as she stepped out of her room.

"And the Grand Inquisitor?" Ragana asked as she sidestepped a pair of Mouse Droids.

Both she and Cody marched towards the turbolift.

"Ready for battle. Eager to spill Jedi blood, if I recall what he said correctly."

She shook her head as they stepped onto the lift. She punched in the code for the ship's main hangar.

"See?" She said as the turbolift doors shut, "Told you he was nothing more than a sophisticated animal."

Cody gave her a sidelong glance, but said nothing in return. His mind remained focused on the upcoming battle. He adjusted his helmet beneath his arm. One hand tugged on his glossy, white breastplate. He took a deep breath as the lift came to a slow stop. Both Ragana and Cody stepped off of the lift.

The main hangar buzzed with activity. Shuttles were flooded with crewmen. Some pumped fuel into the shuttle's vast tanks. Others finished making the final flight checks. Above the shuttles, TIE pilots scrambled along catwalks towards their ships. Their black armor a stark contrast to the white armored stormtroopers standing in formation below them.

Ragana saw the Inquisitors standing near the lead shuttle. As she approached, the Seventh Sister scowled, the Fifth Brother remained utterly quiet, and the Grand Inquisitor gave her a small nod of his head.

 _The scum should be bowing to me._ She thought. She frowned to herself, _Huh… where did that come from?_

"Lady Morgan." The Grand Inquisitor breathed, "Ourselves and our soldiers are prepared for battle."

Ragana eyed the Grand Inquisitor. Razor sharp teeth smiled back at her from behind thin lips. He knew that name irked her. She would not give him the satisfaction of seeing her angry. Not right now at least. She gave him a small nod.

"Good. Stick to the plan and the Jedi should reveal themselves. They won't allow so many innocents to be killed without intervening personally."

"We should be hunting them down." The Seventh Sister grumble.

Ragana's eyes flashed, "Well, you are more than welcome to." She gave the Mirialan a twisted smile. One that made Cody gulp, "But good luck fighting an entire group of them on your own. The Jedi want us to be separated from our soldiers. That gives them the advantage. That is something we will not allow." She stared dangerously at the Seventh Sister, "So I suggest you do not deviate from your role. There are worse things than meeting a group of Jedi."

Her two Deathtroopers waited for her at the base of the shuttle's ramp. Ragana glanced past the Grand Inquisitor and smiled at both of them.

"Mount up." She told the Inquisitors. She marched up the ramp to her shuttle, "We have a rebellion to put down."

* * *

There has always been a calming beauty on the little planet of Naboo. It was one of the few planets in the mid rim that the weathered, old Jedi Master genuinely found beautiful. From its lush plains to its humid swamps and jungles, the planet flourished with natural phenomenon that would make any being's jaw drop. When he first laid eyes on the planet decades ago, he found the entire place to be breathtaking.

Especially the capital city of Theed. It's stone spires, arches, and domes were architectural marvels, even by today's galactic standards. Each wall intricately designed and meticulously crafted. Every paving stone lining the city streets had love, care, and passion poured into it. The Naboo loved their city. They took great pride in being a shining beacon of peace and prosperity to the rest of the galaxy.

For a split second, the Master felt guilty about ruining that peace. He ran a gloved hand over his dark, bald head. The cold leather over his mechanical right hand still felt strange against his scalp. He likely would never grow used to the sensation.

He sniffed. The scar tissue along his nose caused him to wince. A burn ran up the bridge of nose towards his forehead. His gloved hand reached up. Unfeeling fingers prodded the spiderweb scars along his face. He hissed at the touch. Could still the pain from the unnatural force that caused the injury.

 _Good._ He thought to himself, hand falling to the side. That same hand clenched into a fist while his other hand dragged a dark brown hood over his dark head, _I will use that pain._

He cast his eyes to the dark skies above Theed. Thunderclouds rumbled nearby. Bright flashes of lightning lit up the unusually silent capital. Everyone inside the city knew what was coming. The Master knew what was coming. He could see Naboo security forces scrambling to their stations. A few laser cannons lined the streets and pointed up at the stars above them. Waiting for the coming swarm. The Master's hand twitched near his hip, where a beat up silver and gold lightsaber hilt rested.

A blast of cool wind hit the balcony he stood upon alongside the palace. The Naboo Queen hid deep inside of the palace. Hoping to ride out the coming storm. Likely praying that her brave security forces would be able to repel whatever force the Empire sent to crush them.

The Master hoped that they could. But after years of hardship and loss, he knew better.

The door to the balcony opened, then quietly closed.

"Master." A young Zabrak Jedi Knight said as he cautiously approached the older Jedi Master. The Master did not even bother to turn his head. His dark eyes remained focused on the rolling clouds obscuring the atmosphere. He frowned. They would not even know when the Empire arrived until they broke through the storm.

"Master?"

The Master sighed, "Yes?"

"We are ready." The young Knight informed him, "All of us are ready to defend the palace and the people within. We shall avenge the Jedi and defeat the Empire."

The Master did not say anything back. He had to admire the boy's optimism and determination. But he had yet to grasp the true nature of this battle. If he was smart, he would avoid the front lines. The Empire had already proven themselves capable Jedi killers. And given the alarming number of Jedi now present in Theed, the greatest Jedi killer would be leading the Stormtroopers into battle. And the young Zabrak stood no chance against him.

 _Vader._ The Master clenched his jaw.

The Sith Lord responsible for all of this. The monster that betrayed the Jedi. The damnable man that betrayed him. The Master relished the opportunity to finally face him. To destroy the traitor that doomed the galaxy to the Sith's carnage and tyranny.

"Master? Where will you be?"

His dark eyes glanced over at the young Jedi Knight. In that moment, he realized that the boy had to be nothing more than a Padawan Learner when Order 66 occurred. Likely a survivor on one of the outer rim worlds. His Master probably sacrificed his life so that he may live. The Master's lips pressed tightly together. In this moment, while he respected the boy's courage, he would have rather he died and his master lived. The newly minted Knight stood no chance against the darkness coming. If he were wise he would see Vader and retreat.

 _But none of them are wise. All of them are arrogant. All of them think that, if they fight as one, they can defeat the Jedi Killer._ The Master snorted to himself, _They are wrong, of course._

A part of his mind felt conflicted by that thought. He should not feel so callous about this. These Knights with him on Naboo were likely the last Jedi Knights in the galaxy. Very few survived Order 66. Even fewer survived the subsequent purges led by Darth Vader. The lucky ones remained off the Empire's radar. The smart ones stayed there.

But the Master was no longer interested in just surviving. He was not interested in being smart or caring anymore. For nearly five years he had bided his time. Waited until he was absolutely certain of his enemy's identity. Waited until he was certain he could defeat Darth Vader.

TIE fighters screamed down through the clouds. The Jedi Knight behind the Master gasped as the security forces opened fire with what little anti-aircraft weapons they had. Several TIEs exploded in the air. Pinwheeling down into the once calm city below. Several streaked by the red lasers fired at them. Green blaster bolts rained down upon the anti-air positions. In the span of several seconds, the TIEs cleared a landing zone for the dozens of shuttles behind them to land.

"They need help." The Zabrak hissed.

The Master did not stop him as he rushed out of the balcony in order to join the battle. The other young Jedi would probably join him. Only the Master would remain behind. There was no point in foolishly charging into the coming storm. Why do that when it would come to him.

His dark eyes turned to the Mausoleum district just a few blocks away. Within that solemn section of the city rested the one place the Master knew for certain Vader would not destroy. The resting place of Queen Padme Amidala.

He glanced back out over the rest of the city. Stormtroopers poured out of the shuttles. He frowned as he saw three double bladed, red lightsabers burst to life within the blaster fire.

 _Inquisitors._ He scowled, _The coward Sith does not even want to sully his hands._ He turned on his heel, cloak twirling in his path behind him. _When he learns where I am, that will change. He will come for me._

He marched through the palace halls. Outside he heard the screams of dying men. The horrid screech of blasterfire filled the air. Explosions shook the ground, but he paid the tremors no mind. The sound did not bother him, even as he stepped outside of the palace and calmly strode towards the mausoleums. Several security forces soldiers followed him. He did not need them, did not want them. But at this point, he did not care if they followed. They would probably die, like the others. Let them, so long as his own quarry arrived their deaths would be worth it.

The Master felt the heat of fires beginning to burn throughout the city. More explosions rocked the once silent city. More shuttles landed. More stormtroopers swarmed. He felt the presences of his Jedi Knights flare to life as they moved to engage the enemy. Moved to defend the palace and the Naboo Queen that sheltered them.

And he strode into the untouched Mausoleums, a confident smile on his face. He stopped in front of the mausoleum of Queen Padme Amidala and turned around.

"Go to the battle. You won't be needed here." He ordered the security forces.

The maroon clad men nodded and rushed away from him. Hurrying to rejoin the main battle.

The Master glanced up at the marble building. Once again marveling at the sheer scale of the architecture. The love and care devoted to such a beloved queen's burial place. He even admired the lovely stained glass window that allowed the burning city's light to filter into the main chamber.

He used the force and gently nudged the doors open. Then he stepped inside the dark main chamber. The stench of death hung heavy in the air. Whether from the corpses of the Amidala family or from the many deaths outside, the Master could not tell. But there would be more death to come. He reached to his hip and grabbed his lightsaber. With a final sigh, he knelt down on the ground and placed the hilt in front of him. His dark eyes closed and he sank into the force.

 _Come to me._ He let his force signature flare to life. Drowning out the presences of his Jedi Knights. Any Inquisitor, any dark acolyte, any Sith Lord, would know he was here. They would be drawn to him like a moth to a flame. And he would destroy them all. And he would continue to kill them all until the one he desired arrive.

 _Come to me, Skywalker._

* * *

Ragana's eyes were closed. She could hear the roar of the her Shuttle's engines. A dull, thrumming sound that permeated the entire cramped space within the shuttle. The shuttle jostled. Loud cracks sounded outside of the metal walls. Several stormtroopers near her shuffled nervously. She cracked one eye open and glanced at her two Deathtroopers by her side.

They did a good job projecting an aura of confidence, but she knew better. She had been around these two long enough to know their mannerisms. Deathy One (the shorter one to her right), as she liked to call him, stood rigid. Back straight. Head held high. One hand rested across the blaster rifle strapped over his torso. His other hand gripped the handhold above his head. Ragana saw that hand flex, relax, then flex again as the shuttle shuddered.

She glanced at Deathy Two (the taller one to her left). His head seemed slightly bowed. The tinted lenses on his black helmet were focused on a small point on the floor. His comms were off. If Ragana were to take a guess, he was muttering to himself. Likely trying to calm his mind by talking to himself. Giving reassurance to an anxious mind about to step foot onto a battlefield. Ready for combat, but not ready for death.

She tightened her grip on the handhold over her head. As long as they stuck close to her, they would not die. She would not let them.

The shuttle shuddered again. Massive booms sounded outside the thin metal walls. The overhead lights above them went dark. Emergency red lights winked to life along the floor. Some of the stormtroopers shuffled nervously around her. Ragana herself, did not feel worried. If she was in danger, the Dark Side of the Force would warn her. So far, no warnings. No strange feeling crawling up her spine. No nagging thoughts at the back of her mind or a sinking feeling in her gut.

Deathy One leaned close to her ear.

"AA gun." He whispered to her.

"Guns." Deathy Two clarified, both speaking only so that she would hear them.

Ragana furrowed her brow. The Naboo really were prepared for an assault. She was not aware a planetary security force would have such firepower.

An alarm blared through the cabin. The stormtroopers around Ragana let go of their handholds and primed their blaster rifles. She reached into her coat and withdrew her spell book. A speaker crackled to life over their heads.

" _Touchdown in ten seconds!"_

Ragana glanced around her, "You know the strategy." She reminded the two dozen stormtroopers around her, "Land, move immediately towards the palace. Use the buildings along the main road as cover. Allow the TIEs to clear the road."

"Yes ma'am." They all replied in unison.

She took a quiet, calming breath. Her blazing eyes closed once again. She allowed the force to come to her. Allowed the Dark Side to pour into her veins as a shot of fear hit her heart. She gripped that fear in the force. Tightened her fingers around it like a vice. Held onto it, allowed it to fester, let it trigger the primal urge to fight within her.

The shuttle touched down. Wind and rain rushed into the cabin as the ramp lowered. Thunder clapped outside. The Stormtroopers around Ragana surged out of the shuttle and charged into a hail of red blaster fire. Ragana took a breath and stepped off after them. Her Deathtroopers flanked her as she marched onto the battlefield

"COVERING FIRE!"

"GO! GO! GO!"

An explosion hammered the ground to her right. Ragana flinched. Deathy Two grabbed her by the arm and pulled her out of the open towards several columns lining a large administrative building.

As she reached cover, the Inquisitor's shuttle landed. The three hunters were the first off of their ship. As soon as their dark boots touched the rain soaked ground, their dual bladed lightsabers burst to life. Red blaster bolts bounced off of the blades as they marched up the road, their platoon of stormtroopers following close behind. As they reached a fork in the road, the Inquisitors and their men broke off from the main point of attack. The two underlings rushed down a road to the west. The Grand Inquisitor took his men east. Both groups would flank then encircle the palace. Relieving pressure from the main front. And if they listened to her orders, they would not chase after the first Jedi they found.

Ragana took a breath.

"Lady Ragana!"

Ragana glanced over her shoulder. Commander Cody ran up to her. He ducked his head to avoid rounds of blaster fire. One round shrieked over his head and slammed into the wall behind him. He skidded to a stop beside her.

"Reinforcements are loading up back on the ship. But we need to begin the main attack now."

Ragana furrowed her brow. She glanced down the road. Her men were starting to return fire now. But the Naboo were dug in. Several turrets opened up on the street. Peppering the ground and pillars that served as cover with blaster bolts. Ragana ducked behind her pillar as three rounds smacked into the stone.

"Get some snipers up high. I want them taking out whoever is manning those turrets." She ordered Cody, "And someone call a TIE strike on those positions up ahead!"

One stormtrooper followed her orders for the TIE strike. Cody barked at a trio of snipers. Those three soldiers scrambled towards a set of stairs that led to a balcony up high. Ragana peaked out from her pillar. A loud rumble filled the air.

"Tank." Cody cursed.

Ragana arched an eyebrow as a metal behemoth lumbered into view. An old looking thing. A circular turret rested on top. The front part of the tank was designed like a shield. Curved to deflect glancing blaster bolts. Several smaller turrets lined the base. Cody let another curse slip.

"AAT." He informed Ragana, "Where the hell did they get one of those?"

"Does it matter?" Ragana's eyes flicked across the street as the Tank opened fire with its cannon.

A fiery explosion engulfed a pair of pillars across the road. Stormtroopers fell to the road, dead. Fire consumed the stone around them.

"Heavy infantry has not landed yet." Cody hissed.

"We don't need them."

Ragana stepped out from her source of cover. Blaster bolts shrieked around her. She ducked her head to the side, narrowly avoiding one. The Force gave her a warning whenever one came close. In a way, the Force slowed the battle down for her. It allowed her to focus on any imminent threats without overwhelming herself.

Her eyes narrowed on the tank. The pages to her spell book fluttered open. The Dark Side howled in her ears as a massive thunder spell gathered in her hand. She balled up her fist and charged up the yellow bolt. Then she let some force lightning leak out of her fingertips. The blue bolts crackled along the outside of the yellow core. Ragana grinned.

 _Let's try something new._

She thrust her hand out. The thunder spell wrapped in a cloak of force lightning exploded from her palm. It shot down the street and slammed into the tank. The blue bolts arced around the metal shell. No doubt short circuiting the tank's primary systems. The main bolt punched through the metal. Tore a hole clean through the center of the tank. It's propulsion systems died. The tank stopped hovering and slumped to the ground like an exhausted giant.

Ragana grinned.

"Forward!" She bellowed.

As she marched up the road, TIEs shrieked over her head. Green blaster bolts soared down from the fighters. Explosions erupted down the road. Screams followed. Ragana's lips curled into an even bigger grin. A perfect strike.

"Turrets are down!" Cody barked as he rushed out ahead of Ragana, "Move towards the Palace!"

Ragana smirked as she let her men rush past her. The Naboo were already crumbling. The small band of rebels could not hope to stand up to the firepower the Empire had at their disposal. And the rebels's main defenses seemed much weaker now. No doubt thanks to the Inquisitors actually holding up their end of the plan and diverting enemy resources away from the main thrust.

Blaster fire roared around her. The remaining Naboo security forces rained as much fire as they could upon her soldiers. Ragana flinched a little bit as several of her men cried out and fell dead. Smoking holes punched into their armor from blaster bolts.

She shook her head. It did no good to stop for the dead. Not when the battle had yet to be won. And while the Empire clearly held the upper hand, anything could go awry at any moment. And in the back of her mind, a voice reminded her, the Jedi were still unaccounted for.

Perhaps they fled? It would have been the smart thing for them to do. Then again, Jedi were not necessarily known for their self preservation skills. Ragana frowned to herself. If they were not on the battlefield now, then where were they?

"Lady Ragana." Deathy Two leaned close to her, "Seventh Sister reports Jedi contact made."

Ragana blinked. Of course, the Jedi would be attracted towards the red lightsabers. She sighed a little bit. Why couldn't she have one yet?

"Where at?" She asked her Deathtrooper.

"Near the Mausoleum district. Three Jedi have engaged the inquisitors there. Another three recently showed up as well. The Grand Inquisitor is moving to rendezvous with the other inquisitors."

Ragana clenched her teeth. Of course he was. Killing Jedi seemed more important than actually winning the battle to him.

"Six Jedi in total?" She asked.

"We suspect seven. One scout reported a lone figure retreating into the mausoleums."

Ragana pursed her lips, "Odd." She breathed. She glanced ahead. Cody was still commanding the battle. Still directing traffic as the Naboo retreated closer and closer to the Palace. "Commander!" She snapped.

Cody glanced back at her, "Yes ma'am?"

"Take over from here. Surround the palace, do not enter it. I want the queen alive and unharmed. I have Jedi to take care of now."

Cody nodded, "Understood."

She did not hear his orders as he assumed full command of the assault. Ragana diverted her attention to a nearby avenue that led towards the Mausoleum district. She took a few steps then paused as she noticed her Deathtroopers still flanking her.

"Coming along?" She asked, somewhat surprised.

"Our orders are to protect you at all costs." Deathy One said. Deathy Two nodded in agreement.

"Aw," Ragana cooed with a slight smirk, "How sweet."

She chuckled as they walked down the silent avenue. Fire illuminated the dark sky. Not even the rain could put out the blazes near the palace as more explosions rocked the gorgeous city of Theed. TIE fighters streaked over the city. Less anti-aircraft fire soared through the dark skies. Meaning the TIEs' bombardment of the city had been effective so far.

Ragana puffed with pride. So far the strategy had worked to perfection. The Naboo were in retreat and the battle had hardly begun. Their firepower had been diminished by the Empire's aerial superiority. She did see a few yellow colored starfighters attempt to fend off the swarm of TIEs. They did not last long.

She furrowed her brow as her and her deathtroopers drew closer to the Mausoleum district. Everything around her remained eerily silent. The only battle noises came from the main road to the Palace. Where the din of blaster fire and explosions hung over the entire city.

That silence came to an end as she heard the distant whirring of lightsabers. Their hum crescendoed through the air as more rain tapped along the stone streets and buildings around her. Ragana turned a corner.

At the entrance to the Mausoleum district, six Jedi surrounded three Inquisitors. The Inquisitors held their own by spinning their lightsabers like pinwheels in front of them. Creating a wall of deadly red light that kept the Jedi from encroaching upon them. But that would only hold for so long. Eventually the half dozen blue and green lightsabers would penetrate the meager defense and force the Inquisitors to fight or die.

A part of Ragana wanted to see that happen. She did not care if the Fifth Brother died. He seemed to be nothing more than a mindless brute. Useless in the grand scheme of things. The Seventh Sister despised her for some reason. Ragana grew weary of insolence the more she interacted with the Mirialan. And the Grand Inquisitor still drew Ragana's ire thanks to his unceremonious destruction of her naivete on Coruscant. She could still hear the cries of those two prisoners as he slaughtered them, despite her promise that they would not be harmed in the end.

Her anger flared at the memory. The Dark Side pulsed around her. A pulse that alerted the Jedi to her presence.

Two spun away from the Inquisitors in order to gaze upon their new opponent. A Rodian Jedi with a green lightsaber and a Bothan Jedi with a blue lightsaber. Their eyes narrowed as she quietly walked forward. Her two Deathtroopers hesitated as they caught sight of the deadly lightsabers in the Jedi's grip.

Ragana paused a few meters away.

"So," She said, a small smile crossed her lips, "who wants to try first?"

The Rodian charged. Green lightsaber raised over his dark green head. Massive, black eyes focused solely on her. Ragana felt both fear and excitement surge through her body. Finally, she had the chance to engage a Jedi in combat.

She stretched out a hand and blasted the Rodian away with a powerful force push. The foolish Jedi Knight slammed into the wall of a nearby mausoleum. The stone cracked where he impacted.

The Bothan charged next. Ragana twirled to face him. Her two Deathtroopers dashed to the side in order to avoid the deadly blue lightsabers.

She ducked beneath a slash aimed at her neck. One of her feet snapped out and slammed into the Bothan's knee. A wet snap filled the air. The Bothan howled. His howl was cut short by Deathy One's blaster rifle unloading several shots to the back of his head.

That got the attention of the others. The last four Jedi were fairly simple to figure out. Three humans, all of whom appeared rather nervous, and a Zabrak who appeared more determined than afraid.

 _Perhaps he is the leader._

The distraction she created allowed the Inquisitors to end their defensive posture and attack. The Seventh Sister furiously hacked at one of the human Jedi. The Fifth brother bashed a massive, stone like fist into the gut of another Jedi. The Grand Inquisitor moved to engage the Zabrak Jedi. Meanwhile, the Rodian Jedi recovered. He and the third human Jedi, a young woman barely older than Ragana, took aim at the young Sith apprentice.

Deathy One and Two opened fire on the two charging Jedi. Both Jedi's blades twirled as they stopped their charge and focused on deflecting the blasterfire. Ragana's eyes widened as several bolts shrieked back towards her. She rolled out of the way, gathered magic in her hand, and unleashed a hellish fire spell upon the Jedi.

A fiery explosion hammered the ground between the two Jedi. Smoke billowed up from the scorched stone, some of which had turned to slag from the sudden, intense heat. Ragana quickly followed up with a pair of wind spells that took the Jedi off of their feet and threw them backwards.

Lightning danced in her palm. A thunder spell rocketed from her hand. A large smile crossed her lips as she watched the lightning rush towards the Rodian Jedi. Before the Rodian could recover from the wind spell, the thunder spell tore through his hip. The Rodian let out a loud cry then slumped to the ground, one hand clasped over a large, bloody patch on his robes.

The human woman stared stupefied at Ragana.

"What are you!?" She cried.

Ragana smiled, "Come find out."

The woman pointed the tip of her blade at Ragana then charged. Ragana grinned as she balled up another lightning spell in her hand. She fired another salvo.

This time, the Jedi raised her blade and deflected the blast right back at her. Ragana's sucked in a sharp breath. It rushed back towards her. Faster than she could hope to move.

"Morgan!"

Deathy Two stepped in front of the blast. His body shuddered as the lightning bolt burrowed into his chest. With a long breath, he sank to his knees then fell limp onto the rain soaked stones.

Ragana's eyes widened. Beside her, she heard Deathy One utter a furious roar and unleash a hailstorm of blaster fire on the Jedi. The Jedi easily started deflecting the blaster bolts back at her and her Deathtrooper. But Ragana did not move. Her eyes remained focused on the corpse near her feet.

 _He… took that for me?_ Ragana blinked rainwater from her eyes.

Pain filled her heart. Why would he do that? She probably could have handled a spell like that. If she could cast them, then she could probably shrug off a little bit of their damage. Why would he jump in front of one? Why would he sacrifice his life for her own? When did she ever deserve such a thing?

She raised her gaze to the human Jedi. The woman still tried to bounce blaster bolts back at her other Deathtrooper. One blaster bolt grazed a black patch of armor on Deathy One's shoulder.

Ragana's eyes blazed.

"No." She hissed.

Force lightning crackled on her fingertips. The Dark Side of the Force howled in her mind. The voice of Marka Ragnos whispered in her thoughts.

" _Anger is power. Hatred is strength. Use these emotions as fuel. Let them focus you."_ Ragana focused her hate filled gaze on the Jedi Knight, " _Let them destroy your enemies."_

She roared. Blue lightning jumped from her fingertips. The Jedi Knight gasped and raised her blade to block it.

Too late.

Blue lightning bolts slammed into the Jedi Knight. They force of the lightning lifted the woman into the air and threw her against a mausoleum wall. She likely did not even feel the impact. Her body fell limp to the soaked ground. Her blue lightsaber clattered out of her grasp and hissed off.

The Inquisitors and Jedi paused as Ragana sank into the Dark Side's depths. The other two human Jedi, both very young males, paled as the Dark Side of the Force creeped out of Ragana like a steady fog. The Seventh Sister and Fifth Brother both gulped and took a step away from Ragana as the young Sith stalked towards the Jedi Knights.

One human Jedi tore away from the Seventh Sister, determining that Ragana was the greater threat. Ragana's eyes flashed as the Jedi dared to raise his blade against her. Blue lightning danced on her fingertips. Instead of arcing from her hand like small tree branches, she gathered a small ball of it into her palm. The ball pulsed with energy as she waited for the reckless Jedi Knight to get closer.

As the Jedi Knight raised his blade to cleave her in two, Ragana launched the ball of lightning. The ball hit the Jedi's chest. A storm of blue lightning engulfed the Jedi Knight. Bright flashes revealed his skeleton through his flesh as he screamed. His body fell backwards, dead. Small streams of smoke billowed up from his charred corpse.

The final two Jedi moved quickly. Both gained separation from the Inquisitors, who were now more focused on staying out of Ragana's way rather than engaging the Jedi.

The last human Jedi grit his teeth. The Zabrak Jedi tried to stop him from charging, but he did not listen. Whether out of pure arrogance, or pure fear, he charged. Ragana did not care why.

She reached out with the force, bashed his defenses away, and grabbed him by the throat. The Jedi gasped as she hoisted him into the air. His lightsaber fell from his grasp. Before Ragana could snap his neck, the Zabrak attacked.

Ragana snarled and ducked beneath a slash. She hopped back from a thrust and drew her spell book once again. Meanwhile, the human Jedi remained suspended in the air. A ghostly fist clenched tight around his throat.

The Zabrak uttered a furious growl as he failed to connect with another slash. Ragana bounced back again, creating enough distance to unleash a devastating spell. One she had yet to use, but had been eager to try for a long time. A blast of shadowy, indigo energy soared from her hand and slammed into the Zabrak. An explosion engulfed his body as dark energy pulsed through the air.

He flew back from her and into the waiting blade of the Grand Inquisitor. A red bar of light thrummed through the Zabrak's back and out his chest. He shuddered for a split second, then perished.

Ragana flicked her eyes over to the last Jedi Knight. With a careless flick of her wrist, his neck snapped. The body fell into a large puddle with a wet plop.

Ragana paused. Her eyes darted between the six corpses in the rain soaked street. She waited for any of them to move. Even just a slight twitch of muscle, and she would pounce with the force once again.

The Grand Inquisitor cleared his throat as he cautiously approached her.

"Lady Morgan?"

She growled and raised a hand, allowing sparks to dance on her fingertips. Her burning eyes bored holes into the Pau'an. Causing him to stop in his tracks. He gulped nervously.

"There is still one more." He nodded behind him at the various tombs lining the streets in the Mausoleum district, "In there."

Ragana glanced past him. One more Jedi. One more enemy. One more corpse.

She turned her gaze to her Deathtrooper.

"Remain here." She ordered him.

She did not wait for a reply. Ragana strode past the dead Jedi and marched into the mausoleum district. The inquisitors followed her. Their red lightsabers remained on. The hum of the deadly blades rang in her ears as they marched among the various stone buildings that housed the greatest of Naboo's dead.

Queens, senators, rich merchants, and heroes; those were the dead that occupied these hallowed grounds. Another corpse would be added to their number tonight. Ragana clenched her fist as she sank into the force. Determined to sense her prey.

She expected him to be hiding. Instead, she detected the last Jedi right away. A blinking light in the force. Beckoning her to find him. She followed the pulsing light until she came to a stop in front of one of the newer tombs. She glanced up at the building.

If she did not feel so infuriated, she would have marveled at the marble columns and stained glass window on the building's front facade. But her rage blinded her to such beauty. The Jedi killed one of her Deathtroopers. One of her only friends in the galaxy at the moment. And he would be avenged. The Jedi responsible for this petty rebellion would pay for their actions.

She marched up the marble steps. The inquisitors boots clacked against the stone behind her. Their lightsabers hummed as they reached the door. A red glow engulfed the air around her as the lightsabers lit up the doors.

Ragana placed one hand against the heavy doors, took a breath, and unleashed the force.

* * *

Somber silence speaks loudly. That is something the Jedi Master learned long ago. In the silence, a Jedi could tune out the chaos of the universe around him. He could sink into the force, sink into his thoughts, and hear the currents within the invisible cosmic realm. To love the silence was a simple task, but a difficult one for young Jedi to learn. Young Jedi were always enamored by their powers. Arrogant in their abilities. Some, whether they liked to acknowledge it or not, believed themselves to be superior to non-force sensitives. But those same Jedi that thought that way could never suffer the silence. They never had the will or discipline to listen to the quiet whispers of the Force.

Anakin Skywalker had been one of those very Jedi. Arrogant in his own abilities and power. Smug about his skills. Incapable of truly understanding the mysteries of the Force, despite his Master's best efforts to teach him otherwise. The Jedi Master scowled as he meditated on the boy turned traitor.

Now that he looked back on the years leading up to the Jedi Purge, the Master realized that he hated Anakin Skywalker. He may have denied it at the time. He may have genuinely felt that his dislike for the boy stemmed from a purely juvenile reason that he failed to grasp. But now, after years of hardship and heartache, he learned he deeply hated the so called Chosen One.

Who was he to be the Chosen One? Nothing more than an arrogant brat who thought he should always get his way, no matter what. A disobedient boy who never heeded his wisdom or the wisdom of the Jedi High Council. Who even ignored the wise council of Master Yoda, in his arrogance. And ultimately, Skywalker's actions led him down a dark path. A path that the Master could now act upon. A path that allowed the Master to feel no remorse when it came to his vengeful desires.

Explosions rocked the city of Theed. He heard the dull whine of TIE fighters leak through the thick stone walls of Queen Amidala's tomb. With every explosion, the great stone building shuddered. Dust drifted down from the ceiling as several explosions came rather close. The Master did not budge in the face of such danger. He simply remained kneeling, eyes closed. Mind focused on the task at hand.

This entire battle, the entire Naboo Insurrection, had one goal in mind. The Queen's goal was to break free of a tyrannical empire. But that was not the Master's goal. True, he would like to see the Naboo succeed against the Empire. To see such a small planet become a shining beacon of hope and justice to the rest of the galaxy. But he was a realist. The Naboo stood no chance. Only one goal was tangible in this instance.

Kill Darth Vader. The Emperor's personal attack dog. The dark specter that had consumed Anakin Skywalker and made him turn his coat. The greatest Jedi Killer in galactic history would lead the Imperial response to the Naboo rebellion. The Emperor would make certain of that. And when Vader came for the Master, the Master would be ready. The Master would kill him.

He furrowed his brow as several force signatures burst to life outside of the mausoleums. He sensed three dark presences. Small shadows in the force surrounded by flickering flames of bright light. Six Jedi facing down three Inquisitors. The Master suppressed a small smirk. It should be no problem for the six Jedi Knights. True, some were only Knights now because they survived the Jedi purge. A few barely had the skills of a well trained Padawan. But he trusted them to take care of the Empire's hunters. Inquisitors trained in the bare minimum in the dark side would be no match for six Jedi working in tandem to defeat them.

The Force howled. The Master's breath hitched. A tenth presence entered the melee. Completely different from the six Jedi and the three inquisitors. The Jedi's flickering flames paled in comparison to it. The Inquisitor's shadows were drowned out by an inky darkness that consumed any light around it. The Master knew this presence. He felt it before with the Emperor. He felt it inside of Anakin Skywalker when the boy first fell. The presence of a newborn Sith.

Vader had arrived. It could only be him. The darkness was not as deep as Lord Sidious's. If Sidious himself arrived, the Master would have felt much more worried. But Vader, he could handle with practiced ease.

His face flinched a little as he felt one Jedi's light die away. A second was quickly snuffed out afterwards. Then a third and a fourth. Two lights lasted longer than the others. The Dark Side screamed, the two lights quivered, then died. The Master's scowl deepened. His companions were dead. Vader killed them. More names to add to the list of beings slain by the dark monster.

 _I will avenge them._ The Master thought as he clenched his jaw.

He sensed the four dark presences approach the tomb. The darkest lead the way. He furrowed his brow as he investigated the leader further. For some reason, the strength of Vader seemed a tad… small, compared to when he last met the traitor. Anakin Skywalker had been many things, weak was not one of them. The Master gave credit to the traitor in that regard. Vader was immensely powerful.

Was he holding back against his Jedi companions? Why did his presence seem much more fragile? The Master's flicked his eyes open as he sensed the Inquisitors and their leader reach the doors to the tomb. Something was wrong.

The Force blasted against the heavy, stone doors. They groaned off of their hinges and collapsed to the marble tiles with an enormous boom. The doors cracked against the ground. Four silhouettes stood in the doorway as fire consumed the Palace district of Theed behind them. The Master's dark gaze narrowed beneath his deep hood.

He recognized the three inquisitors. They seemed overconfident about this entire situation. But the one in the front was someone he did not expect. He expected to see the towering form of Darth Vader marching into the tomb to confront the Master. Instead a human girl, shockingly young, led the Inquisitors into the dark mausoleum. And even stranger, she did not carry a lightsaber. Instead, a weathered, old book rested in the crook of her right arm. Glowing eyes glared through the shadows at him.

The Master raised his brow, perplexed.

"This is the last one?" The girl asked the Pau'an inquisitor to her right.

The Pau'an nodded, "Apparently so." His dual bladed lightsaber hummed in his grip. The other inquisitors gripped their blades tight. Ready to do battle, "Shall we eliminate him?"

The girl inclined her chin as she regarded the kneeling master. The Master narrowed hid dark eyes at her.

A pressure hit his mind. One that caught him mildly off guard. He grunted and threw up his mental defenses. Ironclad and unbreakable. The girl sucked in a sharp breath as the pressure in the Master's mind retreated away.

Before the girl could say anything, the Mirialan Inquisitor and her gray skinned, hulking companion, snarled.

"Enough waiting!" The Mirialan snapped.

Her and the hulking Inquisitor beside her charged. The Pau'an uttered a sharp command for them to stop, but their blood lust consumed them.

 _Typical dark siders._

The Jedi Master raised his left hand. He flexed his fingers. A force push rocketed from his palm and slammed into the Mirialan. The Inquisitor let out a stunned cry as she flew back out of the mausoleum. Before her companion could realize what happened, the Jedi Master grabbed him with the force and threw him against a marble column within the tomb. A wet snap sounded throughout the cavernous space at the gray skinned alien's neck broke.

The Pau'an's eyes widened in shock. He leaned towards the girl at the front.

"L-lady-"

"Call me the wrong name again, and I'll let him kill you." The girl hissed. She took a step forward and addressed the master, "Impressive. I have yet to encounter a Jedi of your power."

The Master frowned at her, but said nothing. Where was Vader? Why was the Emperor's fist not here to face him?

The girl tilted her head to the side, "Is this one a mute?" She asked the Pau'an.

"How am I supposed to know that?"

The human girl shrugged, "I don't know. You're more experienced at this than me."

The Master's scowl deepened. The girl was not just a child, she was an inexperienced child at that. The Empire did not even deem him a worthy enough adversary for Vader's personal attention. Perhaps he should have been so secretive about his involvement in the insurrection.

"I think he might be mute." The girl muttered to the Pau'an.

"I am not mute." The Master finally spoke, voice even and calm.

Instantly, the Pau'an's eyes widened.

"I know that voice." The Inquisitor gasped.

The girl's eyes brightened, "Do you? Is the Jedi an old friend of yours? Oh do tell!"

"Master Windu." The Pau'an breathed, shock radiating out of him.

The girl raised an eyebrow, "Who?"

"Typical dark siders," The Master removed his hood, revealing a dark, bald head with ribbons of scar tissue running over his skin, "You never know your opponent until it is too late."

The girl regarded the Jedi with some curiosity. The Pau'an took a fearful step back.

"It is him." The Inquisitor trembled, "That is impossible! The Emperor killed you!"

Mace Windu glared at the cowardly Pau'an, "In a way he did. I certainly am not the Jedi I once was. Perhaps, you could say he murdered my once brighter spirit. But that is not good news for you. That means I will have no regret or remorse when I destroy you."

The Pau'an paled. His sharp teeth chattered behind clenched lips. A proper reaction to Mace Windu's presence.

The girl chuckled, making Mace give her a puzzled look. Her laugh sounded almost amused. Of course it would be though. She had no idea who he was. Had no idea who she faced and the power he commanded. An ignorant fallen brat.

"I'm all for reunions like this, but I have a job to do." The girl nodded at Mace, "I guess since I know you're name, I'll give you mind." She bowed at the waist. Gold and purple coat fluttering over her small frame as she dipped towards the ground, "Ragana."

"Not a typical name for a little human girl." Mace frowned.

"Well I'm far from typical, Macey." Ragana smirked back.

The Pau'an glanced at Ragana, stunned. She seriously did not understand the danger or the gravity of the situation. This was not a fight they could win. This was a fight the Grand Inquisitor doubted Lord Vader could win. And at this moment, the Grand Inquisitor wished Vader was by his side and not this upstart human that the Emperor seemed amused by.

"But so aren't you." Ragana's smile remained, "You are very different from those dead weaklings outside. I tried to take a stroll through your mind and you promptly kicked me out. Only my Master has ever really managed to do that."

 _Master?_ Windu felt some caution enter him. The Inquisitors likely believed the Emperor to be their master, but they would not so brazenly declare it to a Jedi. Mostly because it was not entirely true. They were not Sith. They did not have the privilege of referring to Darth Sidious as master except when said as a sign of submission.

But the word left Ragana's lips so casually. As if she worked closely with Sidious. As if she actually thought she was his apprentice.

"You are a deluded one, aren't you?" Mace hummed.

Ragana's smile wavered, "Deluded?" She uttered a dry chuckle, "I think you are the deluded one. I mean, who in their right mind convinces a planet to rebel against the Empire? Let alone a planet with absolutely no military might. Honestly, sounds both deluded and stupid to me."

Mace narrowed his eyes, "Winning was not my goal."

Ragana furrowed her brow as she thought for a moment. Then a small gasp left her lips. Her smile broadened.

"Oh! Oh!" She threw her head back and laughed loudly. The Grand Inquisitor gaped at her, "You wanted to draw us to you." She wagged a finger at Mace, "You are looking for a fight. You are looking to kill us all off, damn any allies that help you in the process." She clicked her tongue, "From what I have studied, that is not very Jedi of you."

Mace clenched his jaw, "Clearly the Jedi way has not worked in wiping your kind from existence. Perhaps a new approach is needed."

"Oh and I commend it." Ragana beamed, "You know, I think if you and I wanted to sit down and chat this whole thing through, you would find that we might have some common ground. That being said, clearly you do not want to do that. I mean, judging by your rising power and that nasty snarl on your lips, you are about ready to try and kill me."

The Master snarled. He grabbed his lightsaber in front of him and rose to his feet.

"Trust me." A purple blade hissed to life in his hands, "There will be no trying when I kill you."

Ragana's eyes flashed, "Oh, ominous."

"Is this some kind of joke for you?" Mace asked, still semi-perplexed by her strange excitement.

"No." Ragana shrugged, "But I do plan on having some fun while I fight you. Is that so wrong?"

Mace's eyes widened briefly as yellow lighting erupted in her hand. A bolt flashed from her palm. He ducked to the side. The lightning slammed into a stone monument behind him, shattering the white stone into rubble. As he rolled back to his feet, another lightning bolt arced towards him. Mace called out to the force and whipped a large piece of rubble in front of him. The rubble exploded as the lightning bolt hit it. Hit hissed as dust flew into his eyes.

Heat washed over him. Flames licked at his robes. A fireball followed the lightning bolt and plowed into him. He uttered a short cry as he stumbled backwards. But the Jedi Master quickly recovered and shed his smoldering cloak. He leveled his purple blade at Ragana.

"You're a tough one." Ragana grinned.

Wind whipped up around her. Mace's eyes widened. What kind of power was this? This felt like the Force. But at the same time, it felt uniquely different. The closest thing he could compare it to was the Nightsister's magic on the planet Dathomir. But even their magic did not involve such physical spells. They were mostly illusions. As far as Mace could tell, those lightning bolts and fire were not illusions.

Blue lightning danced on Ragana's fingertips. Mace narrowed his eyes.

 _There is something familiar._

He raised his blade and caught a blast of Force lighting. The purple blade absorbed the energy, surprising Ragana a little bit. The young girl glanced at the Grand Inquisitor.

"Are you going to keep staring? Or are you going to fight?"

The Pau'an shook his head as Mace's eyes bored into him.

"We can't win this fight." The Grand Inquisitor gulped.

Ragana's eyes widened as he shut off his lightsaber and ran.

"Hey! Hey!" Ragana stomped a foot, "Coward!"

"If you were smart, you'd do the same." Mace bent his knees, ready to attack, "This is your one opportunity."

Ragana uttered a heavy sigh, "Why must I do everything myself? Honestly these inquisitors are useless."

She lashed out with the force. But instead of carrying Mace away with a powerful push, Mace threw up his defenses and simply slid a few feet back.

He dashed at her. Ragana's eyes widened as his purple blade hummed towards her. She ducked beneath the lightsaber at the last second. One of Mace's boots slammed into her gut. With a slight pulse from the Force, she flew into a pillar and lost her grip on her spell book.

Ragana groaned and pushed herself up to her hands and knees. She shook her head.

"That hurt." She groaned.

"This will hurt more." Mace slashed down at her.

She rolled out of the way. The purple blade dug into the pillar, turning the stone it hit into molten slag. Ragana used the force to quickly propel herself away from Mace. But he followed her still. Closing the gap rapidly.

She let out an alarmed cry as he unleashed his fury upon her. She managed to dodge, but as he fought, he grew stronger. He learned her tendencies, her strengths, and her weaknesses. And he noticed one thing curious about her. Ragana did not possess a lightsaber. She did not know how to fight with one.

Mace smirked to himself. He had already won this battle.

He drove the butt of his lightsaber hilt into the girl's chin, catching her off guard and causing her to stagger backwards. Just before he could drive his blade into her heart, she called on the force and snatched the Fifth Brother's blade away from his body. The lightsaber ignited in her hands and she parried Mace's thrust. An awkward parry, but one that saved her life as the purple blade sank into the wall beside Ragana instead of into her flesh.

Mace noticed something in her eyes as he glared at her. In those yellow irises, he saw a flash of fear. A sudden realization that she was out of her depth against him. That fear quickly twisted into anger. She uttered a roar and slashed at Mace. He bounced back from her wild slash and parried another wild chop at his hip.

Ragana had some blade skill, more than he thought. She fought aggressive, that much was certain. And he detected inklings of Form One in her combat style. But it was an amateurish application of the form. Easy to predict and counter. Within a few seconds, Mace turned the tables once again. He caught her blade by the circular handle and slashed through it, destroying the lightsaber in the process. Then he pushed her with the force. The little girl flew out of the Mausoleum and back into the rain soaked streets of Theed.

She landed in a heap outside. Rainwater soaked into her coat. She gasped and scrambled away from the Queen Amidala's tomb. She slipped as she tried to get to her feet. Then resorted to crawling as she tried to create distance. Distance Mace would not give her.

He stalked out after her. One cursory glance outside, and Mace knew the greater battle was lost. TIEs screamed overhead as thunder rumbled in the dark clouds above. Fire roared around the palace. But few blaster bolts shrieked in the air. The Empire put down the rebellion and were now trying to get to the Naboo queen.

He could not even have a victory. Vader still did not show his traitorous face. The Naboo lost their rebellion and the queen would likely be executed. Six Jedi lay dead in the street around him. Anger flared inside of Mace Windu. Was all of this for nothing?

He growled and grabbed Ragana with the force. The girl yelped as she was dragged along the cobblestone street back towards him. She reached out with a hand and snagged a Jedi's lightsaber with the force. An emerald blade came to life in her hand. She swung with all of her might at Mace.

Mace bashed the pathetic attack away. And his anger only grew as he kicked Ragana flat on her back.

"You dare to use a Jedi blade, Inquisitor?"

Ragana let out a ragged gasp, "Why does everyone think I'm one of those idiots?"

Mace snarled and shoved her with the force. She rolled along the ground. Several small cuts opened up on her hands. A gash appeared above her right eye as her head cracked against an out of place stone in the road. She bit back a sharp cry then struggled to get to her feet as her head swam.

"You're correct, you are not one of those idiots." Mace snarled as he marched towards her, "You are weaker."

Ragana let out a small, manic chuckle, "If I'm weaker, how have I lasted longer than those cowards?"

"You are a coward as well!" Mace slashed at her.

Ragana weakly dodged to the left. She hit him with a small punch across his face. Pain flared up in the scars that spiderwebbed along his skin. He hissed and paused as she bounced back from him.

More thunder rumbled overhead. Lightning danced in the dark sky. TIEs screamed over their heads once again.

"I'm the coward!?" Ragana's manic chuckles continued, "I led my soldiers into this battle." She wiped at the blood running from the gash above her eye, "I'm bleeding for them right now. What about you? You hid away while others died for your own ends." Her laughter died in her throat. Furious eyes glared at him. A snarl crossed her lips, "Who's really the coward, Jedi?"

Mace scowled. He did not want to listen to this little brat anymore. He rushed at her. Before she could raise her emerald blade to defend herself, he grabbed her left arm and slashed down.

Ragana screamed as her hand fell to the ground, blade still gripped in her pale fingers. She crumpled to her knees. Body hunched over her wound.

Mace glowered down at her. For a split second, he felt… remorse. This girl was young. Probably led astray by the Emperor and his poisonous words. She could be innocent after all. Nothing more than a pawn in Darth Sidious's twisted game.

 _She claims to be a Sith._ Mace reminded himself. He tightened his grip on his lightsaber and raised it to cut her down, _I show no mercy to Sith._

Ragana stared defiantly at him. Just as he was about to bring his blade crashing down, he paused.

A fifth dark presence entered the Mausoleum district. At first, Mace thought he finally got his wish. This darkness felt impenetrable. This darkness felt like a Sith.

 _Vader._ Mace thought.

But when he spun around, his gut dropped.

An old man in dark robes stood in the rain soaked road. A deep hood sat over his head. Burning eyes glared at Mace from beneath that hood. Gnarled, knobby hands rested in front of him.

The Dark Side of the Force did not just surround this newcomer. It penetrated him. It lived and breathed inside of him. Mace's eyes widened and he took a small step back.

"Well, well, well." Darth Sidious cackled, "I am most impressed to see you have survived, Master Windu."

Mace swallowed hard. All of his attention diverted away from the young girl kneeling on the ground behind him and instead focused on the Dark Lord of the Sith calmly shuffling towards him. Mace pointed the tip of his blade at Sidious, causing the Sith Lord to pause in his approach.

"You seem… confused, Master Windu." Sidious said, voice filled with amusement, "Were you expecting someone else to come and put down your little rebellion?" His yellow eyes glowed, "Were you expecting Lord Vader to come and face you?"

Mace snarled back.

"If he were available, I might have sent him." Sidious admitted, "But… I have another apprentice that needs to gain much needed experience. An apprentice I aim to nurture into a true, Dark Lady of the Sith."

Mace blinked. He glanced back at Ragana. She remained kneeling in the rain soaked street. Her face was pale. Breaths left her lungs in ragged gasps as the pain from her injury washed over the rest of her body.

This little girl was the Emperor's apprentice? Where was Vader?

Mace clenched his jaw as the Emperor cackled more. A pressure slammed into Mace's mind. And unlike when Ragana tried to break into his thoughts, he could not force Sidious out. The Dark Lord flexed his power. And within moments, Mace's mental walls crumbled.

"Oh, you are not just confused." Sidious laughed, "You are furious. You are consumed with a lust for vengeance. How far the mightiest of the Jedi has fallen."

Mace snarled. Sidious's presence retreated from his mind.

"Tell me, Master Windu. Do you believe you can defeat me?" Sidious spread out his hands, "If you do, this is your chance to try."

Mace narrowed his gaze. The Emperor was willingly letting him strike? Why? There had to be some other motive for this. An angle he was not seeing.

But could he pass up the chance to strike down the Emperor? Could he pass up the opportunity to end his tyranny once and for all? No, he could not.

Mace surged forward, calling upon all of his power, all of his rage, all of his anger and hatred towards the Sith, so that he might end it once and for all. Like he should have done all those years ago on Coruscant.

He raised his lightsaber. The Emperor's eyes gleamed with delight.

Something grabbed Mace before he could strike the tyrant down. He flew to the side and rolled along the ground. When he came to a stop, he shook his head and glanced back at Ragana. The girl's right hand was stretched out towards him. She stopped him.

Mace grit his teeth. And Sidious laughed.

"Foolish Jedi. So focused on revenge that you failed to notice the other Sith ready to stop you. Even if she is not as powerful as you, even is she is not able to fight you now, she will come to my aid. Although, I do not really need it."

Windu jumped to his feet. He spun around to face Sidious. The last time they fought, Mace gained the upper hand using Vaapad. A variation of the seventh form of lightsaber combat. One that allowed him to channel the dark side inside himself as well as all around him, and force it back onto his opponent. A way to ricochet the power of the enemy into them. He did not think Ragana was worth such effort. But Sidious more than warranted his best.

Windu charged. His purple blade arced through the air. Raindrops hissed against the superheated plasma as he took an aggressive approach to the battle. Sidious grinned. The old man stepped to the side. Lighting erupted from Sidious's fingertips, catching Mace off guard.

His charge skidded to a stop as he raised his lightsaber. The bolts of lightning crashed into his lightsaber with vicious flashes of light that nearly blinded Mace. He grit his teeth as the sheer power crashing into him caused him to slide backwards. His arms shook as he struggled to keep his blade raised against the torrent of lightning coming from the Emperor's gnarled hands. All the while, he tried to channel it back. Tried to do what he did before Order 66.

He failed.

Mace uttered a loud cry as his defenses crumbled. He flew backwards, lightning arced over his body. His lightsaber flew from his grasp as he collided with a lamp post.

Sidious's cackles filled his mind as he groaned and pushed himself back up to his feet.

"Vaapad, Master Windu?" Sidious mocked, "You seem to have forgotten what your own philosophy requires, a balance within. It requires you to channel the dark side, not give into it. And well, my old friend, you have given into it."

Mace grit his teeth. He stumbled to his feet. Sidious did not move closer. Mace eyed the Emperor. He could not move for his lightsaber, the Emperor would not let him get near it. He could not attack, or he would die. He did not want to admit defeat.

A voice whispered in the back of his mind. One that told him the hard truth. He lost. He failed in his objective to draw out Vader. And he failed to defeat Sidious once again. Now six Jedi were dead, and he needed to flee or he would join their ranks.

"Maybe." Mace admitted, "But-"

"But you thought that would give you an advantage?" Sidious laughed, "Foolish thinking. You thought that by using the Dark Side, you could destroy me?" He leveled his fingers again, "The Dark Side will not go against its master. Least of all to aid a Jedi like you."

Lightning rocketed towards Mace. Mace gathered what strength he had left and dashed out of the way. He ran as quickly as he could. Boots carrying him down rain soaked streets, towards the alleys that would guide him out of the city. The entire time, he heard Sidious's laughter echo over the whine of TIE fighters and the roar of fire.

He skidded around a corner, right into a squad of stormtroopers.

"Jedi!"

"Blast him!"

Mace pushed them away. He gathered the force to him and jumped to the nearest rooftop. Blaster fire raced after him. He did not turn to fight back. He kept running. And in his mind, Sidious kept laughing.

He neared the cliff where the Naboo royal palace rested on. Below that cliff rested endless jungles and swamps. He did not even hesitate as he sprinted towards the edge. With a loud cry, he jumped into the darkness.

" _Run while you can, Jedi."_ Sidious's voice said mockingly in his mind, " _We shall meet again."_

The treetops rushed towards Mace. The Jedi Master gathered the force around him. Using its power to try and cushion his fall.

He hit the first layer of branches hard. Wood snapped beneath his body as he tumbled down through the upper canopy. He kept his focus through the bruises and pain. Kept the force swirling around him as his fall slowed even further.

He still hit the forest floor with a loud whack. Thankfully, the rain softened the ground. His body sank into thick mud instead of colliding with solid dirt. Mace groaned as he lay face down in the mud. He had enough strength left to roll over and stare up at the smoke filled sky. The Force ran away from him as his consciousness started to fade. Exhaustion rushed flooded his mind.

Muffled voices sounded near him. He could not make out who was speaking. But he knew they were not stormtroopers. As his vision started to fade, he noticed a human girl in large, metal armor approach him. Beside her was a Wookie, a human male with an apprehensive stare, and a Weequay male with a worried expression on his face. The Wookie reached for Mace.

He could not fight these people. His body felt too weak, too bruised, too exhausted. His vision started to fade. He heard the human girl say something about a bird. A falcon?

Sidious's cackling entered his mind again as the Wookie carried him deeper into the swampy jungle.

" _When we meet again, Master Jedi. You will die."_

Mace's vision turned dark.

" _You will die."_

 **And chapter! Holy crap this was a behemoth to write! So much I had to do in such a short amount of time. Honestly amazed it turned out as well as it did. I always liked to think that Mace Windu survived his battle with Sidious. Mostly because it is a fun thing to think about. And I do think if he did survive, he would do everything in his power to go after Vader and Sidious. Including goading Vader into attacking him by starting a rebellion on Naboo.**

 **I got the inspiration for the Naboo rebellion from Star Wars Battlefront II btw (Not the EA one. The original one). I thought it would be fun to bring in some elements of the Empire actually being effective, and quite frankly devastating to any opposition.**

 **As for Morgan, well, she continues her descent. And Sidious continues to prod it along. I have a feeling he knew she would be severely** **challenged on this mission, and that is why he showed up in the end. I did mention in the previous chapter that he wanted his ship readied for take off. Perhaps he expected her to lose and need his help? We shall see, won't we.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	99. Change in Mindset

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 99

Change in Mindset

Candlelight flickered in the Hierophant's chambers. Warm air drifted softly into the large space. The thin, purple curtains draped alongside the balcony doors shifted lazily in their spot. Caressed by the desert breeze. The heat provided him with comfort. A sense of belonging in a land he never truly considered home, and yet, was his home. This starved land birthed both the flesh of this body and one of the souls that inhabited his mind.

His glowing eyes roved over the words of the book he was reading. A small break from the missives and paperwork he had to deal with as head of the Grimleal. He just finished going over a report from Validar that informed him of the war effort against Valm. So far, all was going according to plan. And with that thought in mind, he curled up on the wicker sofa and decided to enjoy another silly novel. One that brought a pleased smile to his lips. The other two souls did not understand why the flesh enjoyed these simple works. Hell, the part of his mind that still belonged to the foolish boy known as Robin did not entirely know why he still enjoyed these silly novels.

 _Because they remind you of better times._

Flashes of the old days danced in his mind. The day he awoke to Chrom's outstretched hand. Meeting Ben Kenobi and the Shepherds for the first time. The many battles they all fought together, united as one. Strong because they relied not on one person, but on the strength of each other. An unbreakable bond forged between many different people. Forged in the fires of war with Plegia and Valm.

 _Bonds shattered by me._

More images, torturous images. Meeting Princess Lucina for the first time. Robin felt overjoyed holding the little princess in his arms upon meeting her. He could still remember the proud smile on Chrom's face. The look of both relief and joy on Sumia's face. He remembered Donnel and Maribelle's wedding and the chaos of it all. Maribelle insisted on making the barn as elegant as a palace. Needless to say, it went about as well as expected.

The Hierophant snorted at the memory. He turned the page and froze as another memory hit his mind. One that caused Robin to roar in his thoughts. Demand freedom.

Her.

A red dress. Bright emerald eyes sparkled in his mind like the gems they resembled. A stunning smile that, even now, made his heart skip several beats. A gentleness in her personality that hid stunning ferocity when pushed to her limit. Ancient wisdom combined with a young woman's creativity. Undeniable love, shared between himself and her.

And a little black haired girl, eager to learn magic. Her mother's eyes stared up at him with adoration and excitement as he knelt to give her his spell book.

He slammed the cover to the novel shut with a snarl. His glowing eyes stared down at the title.

 _Mad Tales of a Bloodthirsty Falcon Knight_ : Volume ten of thirty seven. He'd been reading these stupid adventures for several days now. One hand brushed over the front cover. His fingers ran over the red stitching in the leather. It felt so strange to hold a book in this good of condition. In the future, the one he created, they were so hard to come by. He had to settle for less than perfect copies. Damaged covers, missing pages, smudged ink, and illegible text were normal for books in the apocalyptic future he created.

If he remembered correctly, she enjoyed reading as well.

 _She would have thrown a fit if she saw how books were in the future._

Anger flashed hot in his mind.

 _STOP IT!_

He threw the book with all of his might at the bookshelf. The heavy volume hit the wooden shelf with a hard thunk. The bookshelf shuddered. Several small ornaments along the shelves toppled over. A porcelain vase shattered against the tile floor. Two other books followed it to the ground. One book fell open. The one book he took with him when he returned to the past.

The Hierophant rose and walked over to the shelf. His booted feet crunched on shattered porcelain as he stared down at the open pages.

A picture. A small sketch made with charcoal of the two most important people in this body's previous life. A manakete sitting beside her beloved child, Robin's beloved child.

Trembling fingers reached down and picked the book up. The yellowed pages crunched beneath his gentle grip. He brought the book closer to his face. His burning eyes dulled as he stared at his daughter's face.

He had to wonder, did she make it? Did she follow Lucina into the past, like the rest of the children?

 _Of course she did._ Robin thought in his mind, _She never knew my fate. She did not know what I became. What you made me._

" _ **I made you what you wanted to become. What you were destined to be."**_

The Hierophant's fingers froze as they drifted from his daughter's face towards his wife's. His eyes slowly moved up away from the page towards the shadows dancing against the wall. He saw his own shadow. Hooded and cloaked. And behind it, a winged creature. Long head and massive wings hovered over him like a dark cloud.

" _Do you deny your destiny?"_

A third figure emerged in the shadows. A slim, tall figure. Humanoid and hairless. Shorter than the beast, but taller than the body. The Hierophant could almost see the smug smirk on its lips.

"No." He breathed, as he closed the book. Hiding the faces of his old life once again.

" _Your thoughts betray you."_

" _ **That little girl is a weakness. When she is found, that weakness must be uprooted."**_

Intense fury burst to life inside of the Hierophant as Robin snarled in his head. The Hierophant winced and pressed his fingers against his right temple.

 _Don't you dare touch her._

"I…" The Hierophant grit his teeth, "This body, still cares about her."

" _I suppose that is only natural. You humans are oh so attached to your young."_

" _ **He is not human. He is an avatar of ours. His humanity is a shell. We are the core."**_

" _Hm… if that were the case, he would not be longing for both of them right now, would he?"_ The second soul hummed, " _Perhaps he would benefit from a nice little distraction?"_

" _ **Eating people."**_

" _No! Not that. We do that enough already. And you will lose your taste for gorging yourself if you overdo it too soon. I meant a different distraction. I'm sure plenty Grimleal priestesses would be more than happy to oblige the highest Hierophant in the Order."_

A sudden pang of guilt hit the Hierophant's heart.

" _See? I told you. He is very attached."_

" _ **All the more reason to destroy them. The only way he can truly become us, is if there is none of him left."**_

"She is still my daughter." The Hierophant whispered to himself. He carefully replaced the worn book back on the bookshelf. His hand lingered against the cracked spine before it fell away, "That will never change."

" _ **Death is change."**_

"Does she really have to die?"

The voices were silent a moment.

" _What devious thing are you imagining? Because so far, I approve of the direction we are going."_

" _ **I do not."**_

"You only care about destruction, Grima." The Hierophant hissed, "And the Son cares only for power, no matter how it is obtained. But I… I wish to rule." He turned and looked out the open doors to the desert sands beyond the city, "This time won't be like the future. A wasteland is not pleasant to have dominion over. I found it quite dull actually. If I am to actually rule this world, and the people in it, I will need help. Who better to help than my own flesh and blood?"

" _Assuming she will join us?"_

" _ **Assuming I don't kill her first."**_

"You won't kill her, and she will join us. After all," He called the book back to him with the force and cracked it open to the charcoal drawing. His eyes glowed like embers as he looked down at the drawing. That ache returned to his heart. And Robin stirred in his mind once again, "Morgan is my little girl."

" _ **She is the avatar's child, not ours."**_

" _I see your reasoning, but the problem will be, how do we do it? How do we find her? And how do we keep her dear, sweet mother from intervening?"_

" _ **We can just kill Naga's child."**_

"We can't. If pushed to the edge, Tiki will unleash. And we do not have anywhere near our full strength. That is a battle we will not win." The Hierophant sighed and tore his gaze away from the sketch.

" _So we stick to the original plan then? Perform the ritual needed to gain our full power, and force any opposition to surrender or die."_

" _ **Hopefully they choose death."**_

"Yes." The Hierophant nodded, "This path will require patience. Or rather fortuitous luck."

" _ **Or the right group of Deadlords to slaughter Naga's spawn."**_

" _Led by… him."_

The Hierophant's heart stopped beating a moment.

"You know if I summon him the endgame must happen." He reminded both souls, "And all of us are unsure of the level of control we hold over that one. He may have surrendered to our will voluntarily, but that has never happened to us before. Not with one as powerful as him. Who knows if he will follow our will. Or if he will follow his own will."

" _True. A rogue deadlord of his caliber would make Equus pale in comparison. You're right, we must be patient."_

" _ **Unfortunately."**_

"Tiki will end up joining the Shepherds, we know this to be certain. Given how random events have been lately, I see that as a positive. We can still predict what is coming." He hummed to himself.

The other two were silent for a moment. The Hierophant relished the peace in his thoughts for the few seconds he had them.

" _So how do we find sweet, little Morgan?"_

The Hierophant furrowed his brow, "I'm not sure." He pressed his lips together and retreated into his thoughts, "I should be able to sense her by now." He muttered to himself. A slight shake of his head drew him back out of his mind, "She will show herself eventually. The Shepherds draw people like Morgan to them. Eventually, she will return to her friends. And when she does, that is when we will make our approach."

" _If she joins the Shepherds, we run the risk of her running into this timeline's vessel. Then there is no way you gain her allegiance."_

" _ **And if that vessel dies, we will not obtain our full strength."**_

The Hierophant snarled, "I am aware!" He uttered a heavy sigh, "Just… leave me for now, both of you. I need to think."

The voices did not reply. They actually listened to him for once.

 _Thank Na-_ He caught himself before he could think that cursed name. A small snarl crossed his lips. One that faded when his eyes looked back down at the sketch of his old family.

If they did not join, they would die. And he already knew _she_ would not join. But Morgan would. Morgan was smart that way. She would know how the events of the world would be written. And she would flow with the tide, not be swept away by it.

He glanced to the beautiful woman sketched beside his daughter. Part of him filled with hatred, but part of him also burned with love. He closed his eyes. To his shock, the Hierophant felt small tear drip down his cheek.

Weakness.

With a furious cry, he reached back, ready to throw the book as far into the desert as he could. But something stopped him. A nagging thought in his mind kept him from throwing it away. Robin still stirred in his mind. And the damnable tactician and his cursed feelings kept him from doing away with this weakness.

The book fell from his grasp. It hit the floor with a small thunk. This time, the cover remained closed. The Hierophant uttered a long sigh. He shuffled away from the book and returned to his spot on his sofa. His glowing eyes darted over to the novel he had been reading.

He reached out, grabbed the novel, flipped to the page he had been reading, and lost himself in a new world.

* * *

Robin blinked as he struggled to get sleep out of his eyes. Morning songbirds whistled throughout the city of Charlet. Sweet little songs that almost made him forget a terrible battle occurred here just a few hours ago.

The stench reminded him. The smell of still burning smoke from smoldering fires, the smell of blood soaked sand and rotting flesh, dragged him out of a happier place and back to a terrible reality. One he hoped a cup of piping hot tea would help him forget for a small moment.

He sighed as he grabbed the teacup in the mess tent and took a small sip. An even longer sigh left his lips as he set himself down in a chair. He did not sleep a wink last night. The medical tent had been hectic all night. It was likely still hectic. The number of wounded from the battle was staggering. Enough for Robin's analytical mind to begin wondering if they brought enough soldiers for the carnage to come.

 _That's a morbid thought._

He sipped his tea again. The warm, berry flavored liquid washed over his palate and ran down his throat. A small boost of energy hit him as a satisfied sigh escaped his lips. His weary eyes flicked down to the brown liquid in the teacup. He noticed some eucalyptus leaves floating in the mixture.

A pang hit his heart. And suddenly, he was no longer thirsty.

 _Miriel put stuff like that in the food to help us all recover._

He closed his eyes. A shuddering breath left his lips as the horrid scene replayed in his mind. The bloodlust, his vision red with rage. The thrill of forbidden power coursing through his veins, making him feel unstoppable. The sensation of his blade cutting into Miriel's heart. And the crushing reality that threatened to force him to his knees.

He tried to to pay penance by working with Libra and the other healers all night, despite many saying it was an accident. But he could not bring himself to believe that. It was no accident. He gave into that dark power. He gave into the temptations it whispered to him. He allowed the darkness to take over, just as Ben's master, Qui Gon, warned him not to do. And it took the life of a dear friend.

Robin shook his head and pushed himself away from the table. He left the steaming cup of tea on the table. Water would do for now.

He grabbed a glass of water and sipped it as he marched out of the mess tent. His eyes flicked back and forth as he observed the docks and markets around Charlet's harbor.

The Feroxi worked efficiently, even if their methods looked like organized chaos. Tents were set up in a haphazard manner. But everyone seemed to know where to go. If you were Ylissean, go to the blue and green tents. Feroxi, the red and gray tents. Need a healer? White tents are on the beach. Weapons? Blacksmiths were near the ruined Charlet markets. Just follow the sound of hammers hitting anvils. Supplies? Robin blinked.

 _Requisitions tents are…_ He looked around, _Somewhere…_

He sagged his shoulders and shook his head. Naga, it took everything in him not to go around and start organizing everything. He had been too busy drowning in his own guilt to focus on his actual job last night. And now, the army was paying the price. A camp set up like this was inefficient. Inefficiency could cost the army dearly. And as the army tactician he-

He stopped his thoughts. No, he could no longer be the tactician. Not after everything that has happened. He came to that decision late last night as he gripped the hand of a dying Feroxi Lancer. The woman did not want to be left alone as she breathed her last breath. She had been the third patient to die under Robin and Libra's care. Killed by a lightsaber wound to her abdomen, courtesy of the monster Ben and Dooku called Grievous.

His strategy turned the battle into a meat grinder. And his own actions on the battlefield cost lives of both allies and dear friends. He shook his head again.

 _I am no longer fit to lead this campaign._

"Bubbles!"

Robin raised his heavy head. Gaius strolled towards him. One of the thief's hands were busy trying to shove a sweetroll into his pocket. The other worked furiously to unwrap a lollipop.

"You know," Robin began, "it would be easier to unwrap if you used both hands."

Gaius shook his head, "Maybe. But then I can't hide this extra roll. Supposed to only have one."

"And how many did you take?" Robin asked, eyebrow raised.

Gaius glanced around him. He leaned close to Robin's ear, "This is number four."

"Naga, Gaius!" Robin cried before he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"What?" Gaius shrugged as he finally managed to undo the lollipop wrapper. He jammed the red piece of candy into his mouth. Letting it rest between his teeth and cheek, "I skipped the eggs and ham. So I figured that meant I could have a few more rolls."

"That's not how rations work, Gaius." Robin sighed, "Oh who am I kidding, you won't listen to me." He started walking away from the mess tent. Gaius followed.

"What do you mean? I'm listening now, aren't I?"

"You won't apply what you are listening to." Robin droned before uttering a loud yawn. He jammed his hands into his coat.

Gaius snorted, "Now you sound like Benny."

Robin let out a small laugh. Gaius beamed.

"There we go! I got you to laugh." Gaius smacked a hand against his shoulder, "C'mon Bubbles, we need you at one hundred and ten percent. Because you've got to be our tactics… guy… person-"

"Can we talk about something other than tactics?" Robin breathed wearily.

Gaius blinked. His mouth fell open. The lollipop fell from his lips and onto the ground, "Did- did you just say that?"

Robin stopped walking a let his head fall back, "Yes, I did. Now can you grant me that small request?"

Gaius stared at his flabbergasted. He quickly shook his head, bent over, plucked the lollipop from the ground, and brushed it off with his fingers.

"Gaius don't-"

He shoved the red lollipop back into his mouth. Robin closed his eyes and groaned.

"What?" Gaius remarked, "We're in a warzone now. Ain't gonna be easy to get my hands on sugar now. And Anna's jacked her prices up like you would not believe. So," he tapped the lollipop stick jutting out of the corner of his mouth, "can't let it go to waste."

"You don't know if a horse pissed there during the night or not."

Gaius quirked an eyebrow as the pair kept walking. They weaved their way through a patrol of Feroxi soldiers.

"I'm pretty sure I would have tasted that. This still tastes like cherry to me." Gaius replied, "So… something other than tactics? Hm… where are we going?"

"To Chrom's tent, why?" Robin replied.

Gaius pursed his lips, "Pretty sure I saw Blue walking in there earlier. Don't know what she wanted to talk to her old man about, but pretty sure she did not want them to be disturbed. She looked pale though." He chuckled a little bit and jabbed Robin with his elbow, "Do you think he was about to tell Princey that she has a boyfriend?"

Robin snorted, "Naga help whoever the boy is. Chrom may be trusting with his own life. But with Lucina's?" He shook his head, " Falchion is always sharp for a reason."

Gaius nodded, "And, in speaking of future kids," He leaned close again, wrapping an arm around Robin's shoulders, "I figured out who Severa's mother is."

Robin raised his brow.

"It's Cordelia." He whispered.

Robin feigned shock, "No, _really_?"

Gaius rolled his eyes and let his arm slide from Robin's shoulder. The duo stepped out of the way of a group of Themis soldiers as they guided their horses towards tents with feed.

"Okay, smartass." Gaius drawled, causing Robin to chuckle under his breath again.

"I thought it was fairly obvious, Gaius." Robin replied, "I mean, the hair is a dead giveaway."

Gaius shrugged as they moved past the smithing tents, "She could have been Anna's kid?"

"Oh yeah, Anna having a kid." Robin muttered, "And she no longer wants to be a merchant too."

"Very funny." Gaius deadpanned, "So, who do you think daddy is?"

"Are we seriously discussing this? Cordelia is literally unconscious right now."

"It isn't tactics." Gaius pointed out.

Robin huffed, "I don't know." He admitted.

"Hey, hey," Gaius chuckled a little bit, "Maybe the extra red hair comes from yours truly."

Robin stopped walking and eyed Gaius, "You don't have the balls to go behind Panne's back like that."

Gaius feigned hurt, "That's a low blow." They continued walking, "But you are not incorrect." He hummed to himself, "I've seen how close you two are at strategy meetings." Robin paled as Gaius continued, "Maybe you two eventually, you know… wink, wink, nudge nudge, woo hoo."

"Gaius!" Robin snapped.

"Oh lighten up a little bit. I'm trying to get you to cheer up some." Gaius exclaimed.

"It is a little difficult for me to cheer up at the moment." Robin breathed.

Gaius's playful smirk fell away a little bit. As they neared Chrom's tent, the thief reached out and spun Robin around by his arm.

"Bubbles, listen to me. We know it wasn't on purpose. Okay, shit happens on the-"

"Try telling that to Vaike and Laurent." Robin interrupted with a slight snarl, "Hell, try convincing me that. I'll tell you exactly how it'll go. Not well." He stumbled a little bit as a flash of darkness hit his vision. He groaned and massaged his eyes with his fingers.

Gaius gave Robin a concerned look, "Did you sleep at all, Bubbles?"

Robin shook his head, "Couldn't." He sighed, "Everytime my eyes closed, I just saw it all over again." He clenched his jaw, "I still keep seeing it."

Gaius placed his hands in his pockets, "Is that why you're going to go talk to Princey?"

Robin exhaled. He nodded again.

"You aren't going to do something stupid, are you? I warn you, I can be quite sneaky and I will follow you around."

Robin ran a hand through his brown hair, "I appreciate the concern, Gaius. I really do. But… just let me deal with this for now." He glanced over at Chrom's tent, "I gotta talk to Chrom."

"I think Blue is still-"

"FATHER WAIT!"

"WHAT THE HELL IS HE DOING HERE!?"

Both Robin and Gaius froze as two men surged out of Chrom's tent. The first was a blond young man. His long hair was held back in a traditional Chon'sin style. Black robes covered his lean form. Glowing yellow eyes glared back at Chrom as the Ylissean Prince held Falchion to the boy's throat. The Prince's eyes blazed with pure rage. His lips were curled into a hideous snarl as he let the point of Falchion dig into the blond's neck. A small bead of blood ran down the boy's throat.

"Father!" Lucina cried as she emerged from the tent, "Please calm down!"

"Oh shit." Gaius paled, "It's the Kid."

Robin cursed. He quickly marched towards Kage and Chrom. He had the same question bouncing through his mind as Chrom. What the hell was a wanted traitor doing in their camp?

Chrom kept Falcion pressed to Kage's throat. The blond's hands were held up near his head as he tried to indicate he was not armed. But that did not matter to Chrom. The Ylissean Prince grit his teeth as Lucina shouted again and moved to stop any bloodshed.

Kage glared at Chrom.

"Go ahead," Kage hissed through clenched teeth, "Give me a reason to fight back."

"Father! Kage! Both of you please just-"

"Chrom!"

Lucina twirled. An enormous sigh of relief rushed from her lips when she spotted both Robin and Gaius rushing over to them.

"Robin, thank Naga, a little help please."

Gaius drew a dagger from his hip, "I'll help."

"Put that away!" Robin snapped at the thief, "Chrom, let's allow cooler heads to prevail here."

Chrom glared back at Kage. His hands tightened around Falchion's grip. A snarl crossed his lips. Then with a growl, he withdrew Falchion from the boy's throat. Chrom shoved the point of the divine blade into the ground and spun around, hands on his hips as he faced a very nervous Lucina.

"Care to explain?" He demanded, "You know he helped kill your aunt. I have every right to bury Falchion in his heart."

"You wouldn't even get the chance." Kage grumbled as he rubbed at the small cut along his throat from where Chrom pressed Falchion.

Chrom spun and pointed a finger at him, "Don't push it!"

"Father, you can't kill him. I can't kill him. As much as both of us probably want to kill him, it would not be a good idea." Lucina uttered a heavy sigh and shook her head, "He's one of the future kids. We will need him when Grima rises again."

Chrom's eyes widened with mild surprise. Both Robin and Gaius's jaws dropped. The thief looked back and forth between both Lucina and Kage.

"Well… that explains how you two know each other." Gaius sheathed the dagger back into his belt.

Robin smacked his hands over his face, "How did I not pick up on that!? Gah!"

Lucina uttered a weak laugh, "You all have had a lot going on recently."

"Milord!"

Lucina froze. Robin's hands fell from his face as the exact same worrisome though entered his mind. Frederick came rushing from the medical tent on the beach. Worry etched on his face. The Knight would see Kage and immediately move for his sword. If he did that, Kage might react.

"Uh oh." Gaius muttered.

Frederick's eyes landed on Kage. The Knight Commander froze for a split second. He ripped his sword from its sheath. His eyes narrowed on the Shepherds traitor as his knuckles turned white around the handle.

"So, he has decided to turn himself in?" Frederick growled as he cautiously approached.

Kage chuckled darkly, "In your dreams."

"Would you, for once, behave yourself!" Lucina exclaimed, "Sir Frederick, it is not what you think it-"

"Frederick," Chrom let out a heavy sigh. He bowed his head and gave it a small shake, "Stand down."

Frederick blinked, "I beg your pardon milord, but-"

Steel sliding against hardened leather rang out. A katana flicked up underneath Frederick's chin. The Knight-Commander flinched when he felt the steel kiss his skin.

Princess Say'ri had her sword drawn, aimed at Frederick's throat. Her eyes were narrowed. Expression grim and determined. She scowled a little bit as Frederick swallowed hard.

"Your commanding officer ordered you to drop it." She said, voice even and unflinching, "I suggest you listen."

"I-" Frederick gulped again as sunlight glinted off of the perfectly polished katana, "I don't take orders from foreign-"

"No." She nodded her chin at Chrom, "You take your orders from him. And he ordered you stand down, did he not?" Frederick did not reply, "And if you do not, then I will act. For not only is that rogue, rude vagabond my personal bodyguard," She uttered a weary sigh as Kage arched an eyebrow in her direction, "He is also my little brother from the future."

Robin blinked. His eyes darted over to Kage. A sharp breath shot into his lungs.

"Oh Naga." He breathed.

This Kage and Prince Kage were the same person. Which meant… Robin closed his eyes and breathed out a long groan.

 _Ben's going to be pissed._ Robin massaged his temple, _I need a drink._

Frederick looked at Chrom. The Prince gestured for the Knight to listen to Say'ri. Reluctantly, Frederick sheathed his sword. But he kept his eyes focused on Kage as a smug grin crossed the young Sith's lips.

"You'll have to wait on collecting that bounty." Kage smirked as Frederick brushed past him.

Frederick glared back, but did not reply. He snapped to attention beside Chrom.

"It appears I am missing some details, milord." He frowned.

Chrom shook his head, "You and me both." He looked over at Lucina, "He's your responsibility. And if he does anything-"

"He'll have to deal with me." Say'ri reached up and yanked at Kage's ear. The Sith let out a startled yelp as she tugged him down to her level, "And obviously he is forgetting the lessons in courtesy that his brother taught him."

"I was not the one who held a sword to someone's throat." Kage hissed.

"You no doubt threatened to." Say'ri hummed as she let go of his ear.

Kage rubbed his ear, "I did not." He mumbled back.

"Is everyone finished?" Lucina interrupted, "Father, if Ka-" She caught herself, "Luke, steps out of line. I will handle it. Besides, he is part of the group of children that came back from the future. I'm in charge of that mission."

"You've done a marvelous job so far." Luke replied dryly.

Lucina glared at him, "And… there are three others with us now. Brady, Noire, and-" She looked around, "Luke, where is Cynthia?"

"Her airheadedness is wandering the camp with Brady. I think they're trying to find Priam. That insane mercenary has to pop up again at some point." Luke answered.

"Priam?" Both Chrom and Lucina wondered out loud.

"An ally. That is all you need to know. And don't accept his challenge for a duel." Say'ri informed all of them, "He lives for that sort of thing." She huffed and folded her arms, "Alright, Prince Chrom, I'm here to discuss the military campaign moving forward. I'm sure you are eager to do so as well."

Frederick arched an eyebrow, "There is a strategy meeting?"

"Yes there is, apparently." Chrom sighed. He glanced over at Robin, "Ben will be along shortly with Flavia and Basilio, come on Robin we should-"

Robin raised a hand, "Actually, Chrom, may I speak with you a moment?"

Chrom gave Robin a puzzled look. The Prince nodded his head and motioned for Robin to follow him into his tent while the others remained outside.

As they stepped into the tent, Robin already heard Gaius starting to try and get a reaction out of Luke. The tactician's shoulders sagged. If the thief got himself hurt, he had only himself to blame. Lucina sharply rebuked Gaius, and the shenanigans stopped swiftly.

 _At least one of them has a head on their shoulders._ Robin thought to himself.

The inside of Chrom's tent was lightly furnished. A small desk sat against one wall. His and Sumia's bed rested behind a curtain that divided their small living space from the rest of the tent. A square table acquired from one of the shops in Charlet sat at the center of the tent. Maps of Valm and different letters and messages were already spread out over it. An inkwell and quill sat unused on top of the maps and letters.

"Busy already?" Robin remarked.

"You have no idea." Chrom groaned, "Hardly slept a wink last night." He leaned up against the table. Concern crossed his face, "I heard you didn't sleep at all."

Robin sighed, "It's not a big deal, Chrom."

"It is." Chrom replied, "You are my tactician. I need you at full health."

Robin drew in a deep breath. He ran his finger along one of the maps. Tracing the outline of southern Valm as he shifted his weight from one foot to another.

"That is what I wanted to talk to you about, actually." Robin breathed.

Chrom narrowed his eyes, "No."

"Chrom…"

"My answer is no." Chrom pushed back from the table, "Robin, I-"

"I killed Miriel." Robin sharply interrupted, "I am responsible for that. I am responsible for the bloodbath on the beach."

"The Valmese are responsible for that, not you." Chrom argued.

"But they are not responsible for Miriel. They are not responsible for my actions on not one, but two battlefields now." Robin rubbed the back of his neck. Naga above, it felt so sore right now, "Chrom, what happens if I lose control again?"

Chrom frowned, "Ben reassured me last night that he and Dooku were-"

"What happens if I lose control and another Shepherd dies by my hand." Robin breathed. His voice trembled a little bit. His legs felt a little weak, so he steadied himself against the table, "I can't take that chance, Chrom."

Chrom shook his head, "You aren't going back home. I need you here."

Robin shrugged, "Then put me in a reserve role." He suggested, "I'll… I'll happily work alongside Libra and the other healers. Or have me clean out Pegasi stalls or-"

"Robin." Chrom exhaled, "If you are set on this, then only focus on getting yourself better. Alright?"  
Robin nodded his head. He sniffled a little. One sleeve went up to his nose and wiped at it.

"I still don't know why you are so damn trusting." Robin breathed.

Chrom let out a small laugh. He walked around the table to Robin and clapped him on the shoulder.

"It hasn't failed me yet." Chrom exhaled and glanced at the tent exit, "But there is one person in this entire camp I certainly do not trust." He glanced back at Robin, "Did you have any idea that he was-"

"No clue." Robin replied, "I mean… I should have been able to guess, but for some reason my brain likes to not notice some of the details when it comes to people around me."

"Like Ben being an alien?"

Robin let out a small laugh. He nodded his head, "Exactly my point."

Chrom chuckled with him. The Prince looked down at the many maps covering the tabletop.

"So… any ideas as to who can make sense of all of this other than you?"

Robin flicked his eyes at Chrom, "Who else?"

Chrom nodded, "Ben?"

Robin nodded, "He still hasn't told me everything regarding his past. But I know he has a lot of military experience. If you need a new tactician, he is the right person."

"If you say so. I trust your judgement." Chrom agreed.

"Not sure if that is good or bad anymore." Robin sighed as they both moved towards the exit, "But we will see how this goes."

"Everything will work out fine." They paused in front of the tent exit, "Are you going to join Dooku for training now or-"

Robin shook his head, "I'll make my way back over there in a few minutes. I plan on going to visit Cordelia. See how she is doing."

Chrom exhaled, "I need to do that too. But everytime I try, I get pulled in another direction." He sighed, "Oh well. I'll see you later, right?"

"Later?"

"Yeah." Chrom nodded, "I'm sure the Shepherds will get together at some point tonight. Once everything has settled down a little bit. We'll probably march out tomorrow. Might as well check in on everyone."

Robin thought for a moment, then nodded. The two friends stepped out of the tent. As they stepped out, Robin nearly ran into Flavia.

"Whoa! Slow down there." Flavia laughed. She smacked Robin on the arm, "Don't need you knocking yourself out on the armor." She nodded at Chrom as she walked past them into the tent, "How's it going, Chrom?"

"F-Flavia?" Chrom replied.

"Damn it all." Basilio sighed, "Flavia you can't just walk into someone's tent without permission." He brushed past Chrom and Robin.

"You just did it!"

"Naga above!"

Chrom and Robin both chuckled.

"Time to take care of that now." Chrom patted Robin on the back, "I'll let Ben know of his new position when he arrives. You go check on Cordelia, then go to Dooku."

"I will." Robin took a few steps. He paused then glanced back, "Chrom," The Prince hesitated before entering his tent, "Thank you."

Chrom smiled back, "It's what friends do."

Robin gave him a weak smile, turned on his heel, and marched back towards the ship.

* * *

 _Where is that blasted merchant?_

Dooku marched through the crowded military camp that occupied the majority of Charlet's harbor and markets. Soldiers wandered all around him. Most focused on fixing any damaged gear from the battle. He could hear anvils ringing as hammers slammed into them. The smiths were certainly busy today. Many soldiers sharpened their blades and axes. The few cavalry in the army worked on their horses. Brushing their fur and dressing any wounds their loyal steeds may have received.

Many Feroxi soldiers rested from yesterday's battle. He noticed several groups sitting beside their tents, pipes between their lips as they puffed on a plant known as Tobacco. Something that seemed utterly disgusting to the Count. Why would anyone willingly inhale smoke? He rolled his eyes.

 _There are plenty of idiotic cultures in the galaxy._ He reminded himself, _I can just add the Feroxi to that list._

He flicked his eyes around the tents again. Blacksmith, blacksmith, officer's tent, blacksmith-

"I've got everything you need right here! For the right price, of course!"

Dooku smirked.

 _And there is my merchant._

Anna's tent was buzzing with activity. It was a small setup. A long table sat in front of a squat, white tent. Merchandise lay all across the tabletop. Vulnaries, weapons, basic supplies, waterskins, even a rare, jarred item of food. Most of her extremely valuable items, such as spell books, lay inside of the tent. Hidden in boxes. Protected by the shortsword on the red head's hip.

Her red eyes drifted past a group of Themis Cavaliers before landing on Dooku. A broad smile crossed her lips.

"Well, well, well," She placed a hand on her hip, "About time one of the Shepherds paid a visit."

Dooku regarded her silently. His own, sharp eyes perused what she had on display. He needed very specific supplies at the moment. Supplies that would allow him to make something Lucina desperately needed. She could not hope to complete her full training with just one arm after all.

Anna leaned against her makeshift counter.

"What can I get ya?"

Dooku frowned. He failed to see what he was looking for. "You don't happen to keep scrap in your tent?"

Anna cocked an eyebrow, "Scrap? Like, metal?"

"No, food scraps." Dooku snarked back.

Anna snickered, "I have plenty of those. As for scrap metal, that might actually be the one thing I don't have. Not very valuable, unless I'm going to sell it back to the smiths. And seeing as how we had to travel over water and I didn't have a lot of room to pack, I did not bring any with me."

Dooku sighed, "A pity."

"Why do you ask?"

Dooku silently looked down on the smirking merchant. She seemed in an awfully cheerful mood at the moment. Quite the opposite of how she acted during the voyage from Archanea.

"Why are you so cheerful all of a sudden?"

"Profits." Anna smirked back.

 _Ah, of course. Money._

"Are you going to help me add to them?"

"I'm considering it. But unfortunately, you don't have what I require."

"Is that so? Well, you just so happen to be talking to the best merchant there is at getting the right stuff for her customers." Anna glanced down at her fingernails, "You need scrap metal. I can get it, for the right price of course."

"And your price?" Dooku asked.

"Depends on the metal. Are we talking steel? Iron? Copper?"

"All of the above. As well as miniscule amounts of silver, gold, and platinum."

A low whistle sounded from Anna's lips, "What kind of project requires those? That kind of metal is not cheap to get."

Dooku eyed her, "What I do with it is none of your concern." Never let the merchant know the purpose of your purchase. Especially one as wily as Anna, "Can you acquire the materials I need? I particularly need the copper to be wire. Not a solid block."

Anna put a finger to her chin, "It is a good thing there are a lot of smiths around. That'll knock out the iron, steel, and copper fairly easily. As for silver, gold, and platinum, I'll see what I can do. But-"

"But your price, yes. What is it?" Dooku asked.

Anna hummed to herself as she thought for a moment, "Depending on how much you ultimately end up purchasing, we can settle on at least seven thousand."

Dooku resisted the sudden surge of surprise in him.

"Seven thousand?" He echoed back, voice level.

Anna nodded, "You want the best, you need to pay for the best."

"And why don't I just cut out the middleman and get the materials myself?" Dooku remarked.

Anna chuckled. She pushed back from her counter and folded her arms.

"Because you need to stick close to Robin. Which means you don't have the time to go hunting for pieces of scrap metal. Let alone rare pieces like gold, silver, and platinum."

Dooku furrowed his brow. _A wily merchant indeed. But nothing the Force cannot assist me with._

He allowed the force to reach out and touch Anna's mind. Pried it ever so gently open in order to plant the proper persuasive suggestion into her thoughts. His fingers swept in front of his body.

"You will accept one thousand." Dooku said, voice monotone yet commanding.

Anna's eyes glazed over momentarily. For a moment, she said nothing.

To Dooku's shock, she shook her head and blinked.

"Wh-whoa." She uttered a weak laugh before massaging her forehead, "A little dizzy there. What were you saying, Dooku?" She eyed him with excitement, "Are you trying to negotiate? I warn you, you won't win."

Dooku's mouth fell open ever so slightly. Did this red head just resist the mind trick? He shook his head slightly and tried again.

"You will accept one thou-"

"Look, Dooku, I don't know what," Anna exaggerated his hand motions, "this is. But if you're trying to… I don't know, visually distract me during these negotiations, it won't work." She sucked in a breath, "Wait a moment!" She narrowed her eyes. A smug smile crossed her lips, "You just tried to use the force on me, didn't you?"

Dooku inclined in his chin, preferring not to answer.

"You did!" Anna's smile widened, "Just like Ben tried to do too. Ha ha! That's funny, he didn't tell you your weird mind magic doesn't work on me."

Dooku scowled. He tried to fold his arms. Then remembered he only had one arm at the moment, "Consider yourself lucky that I consider you a valuable comrade."

"Then I am lucky. Because I now know that Ben isn't the only one that can do that mind trick, you can too." Anna's eyes sparkled, "I'm changing my price."

"You can't do-"

"Seven thousand, and you help me sell some of my merchandise using your mind trick."

Dooku's jaw fell open. Anna reached up and twirled a lock of her hair around her finger.

"Told you I'm the best." She smirked.

Dooku grit his teeth. This aggravating merchant proved to be worse than a Toydarian. Or even a Hutt. What kind of mental fortitude could a mere human, not trained in the force, possibly possess in order to resist the force's mental prowess.

 _One influenced by greed and greed alone._

"You will not parade my powers about for your own personal gain." Dooku hummed.

 _Despite the fact that I do somewhat admire the bold suggestion._

Anna sighed, "You and Ben are no fun, you know that? Fine, seven thousand and you have a deal."

"Three thousand." Dooku snapped back.

Anna snorted, "Yeah, how about I get you some fool's gold instead of the real thing." Dooku scowled back. Anna was undeterred, "I'm telling you, my bottom line is going to be seven thousand."

Dooku let out a heavy sigh. The mind trick was not going to work. He could break all of the rules and subjugate Anna to his will, but the other Shepherds would not take kindly to that. Kenobi certainly would not approve. And in his current physical condition, Dooku was not eager to get into a duel with Kenobi. The Jedi Master may not be as guarded around him as he once was, but that did not mean he lost his vigilance.

"Fine." Dooku begrudgingly agreed.

Anna clapped her hands, "Wonderful!"

An idea popped into Dooku's mind. One that would give him a verbal lashing from Maribelle, but he could handle one of those.

"Just inform Duchess Maribelle of my purchase. I'm sure she can cover it."

Anna eyed Dooku suspiciously, "Are you sure about that?"

"Positive." Dooku nodded. He looked down at the various items on the countertop. In the end, none interested him, "I shall return when you have the materials I required."

"I'll have them as soon as possible." Anna waved. She reached under her counter and struggled to hoist a massive battleaxe up, "GET THIS BATTLEAXE!" The head fell off of the shaft, "Mildy used!"

Dooku turned on his heel and marched away from the Merchant's tent. A flare of anger burned in his mind at the failed barter. Perhaps he was suffering from lazy work ethic like Kenobi. This planet seemed to make him feel far more relaxed than it should. Granted, being the equivalent of an apex predator among these primitive humans meant he did not have to worry so much. But pride dictated he did not allow his abilities to slip in quality.

It was a good thing he had a new training partner.

 _Now where is Robin._

He stretched out with the force. Why make things difficult by asking people where they last saw the tactician when he could easily sense the boy. Robin had yet to learn some of the more intricate aspects of the force, such as hiding one's own signature. So finding him among the sea of soldiers would be fairly easy.

Dooku immediately sensed multiple force signatures, all of which he knew. He could sense Lucina and Luke in close proximity to each other. The young Jedi knight was probably keeping tabs on her old friend turned enemy, turned friend once again. A smart decision. Luke had a temper and a bit of a chip on his shoulder. If the wrong person frustrated him, then an ugly encounter could play out. And Lucina would be there to prevent such a thing.

He sensed Kenobi right away as well. His presence felt much more subdued. No doubt due to him actively keeping his own signature down so that Dooku could not find him easily. Little did he know, he was not very successful in his efforts. But Dooku would allow him to have such a minor victory.

He sensed Prince Kage as well. The young boy's signature was as bright as a star. It flickered in the force. Dancing like the flame on a candlestick. Young and untrained. Lacking any control but also lacking menace. A blank slate for the future.

A fifth signature puzzled Dooku. He was not aware of a fifth force sensitive in the area. Upon further inspection, he noticed that this signature seemed rather weak. Untrained and unfocused. Young, but not as young as Prince Kage's. Dooku paused in front of Khan Basilio's ship as he tried to determine who's signature he was sensing.

His answer came as Noire, one of Lucina's friends, inched her way down the gangplank and onto the dock. She uttered a swift, quiet greeting to Dooku before quickly marching into the main camp, bow and quiver slung over her shoulders. Dooku cocked an eyebrow.

 _Her as well?_

He blinked when he finally detected Robin. A small smile graced his lips as he realized Robin was on the same ship he was standing beside. Dooku marched aboard Basilio's ship then stepped below deck.

The door to Basilio's cabin was open. Robin sat on a small, wooden stool inside of the cabin. Sitting on an identical stool beside him was Severa. Both were busy watching the wounded Wing Commander, Cordelia. Dooku hesitated before entering the small room.

He cleared his throat, grabbing both Severa and Robin's attention.

"D-Dooku!" Robin stammered.

Dooku frowned as he looked at Robin. The tactician looked like a mess. Heavy bags sat under his eyes. His shoulders were hunched, posture stooped. As if he was carrying a heavy load on his shoulders. It looked like he was on the verge of falling asleep any second. But he forced himself to remain awake.

 _Stubborn youth._

"I hope you have not been trying to avoid me." Dooku hummed as he stood in the doorway.

Robin blinked, "N-no just-" He yawned, "I just came here to check on Cordelia. She still hasn't woken up yet."

"Given the extent of her injuries, I'd call it a miracle if she ever does." Dooku replied.

Robin's gaze hardened. Beside him, Severa bowed her head. The young girl's hands balled up in her lap. Several tears dripped from her eyes onto the wooden floor. Robin gave her a small rub on her back before rising from his seat. He marched over to Dooku and paused beside him.

"Quit being such an ass." Robin growled.

Dooku arched an eyebrow, "I'm only stating a fact. I hope the Wing Commander has a swift recovery, she is an invaluable warrior. But we must be prepared for-"

"Just step outside with me before you upset Severa more than she already is." Robin leaned closer Dooku, "That is her mother, asshole." He hissed.

Dooku blinked. He cleared his throat and bowed slightly to Severa, "My apologies, Miss Severa. I did not mean to offend you."

Severa did not reply. The red head reached out and gently rested her hand over Cordelia's. The Wing Commander's chest rose and fell in weak breaths. Dooku reached out with the force in order to sense her condition.

Cordelia's life force felt very faint. But she clung to life with a tenacity that he had to admire. Dooku still felt surprised that she even survived the battle. Being shot down from the sky at the speed she had been flying, without any outer shell to protect her beyond her own armor, would normally kill a human being. The fact that Cordelia was alive was a testament to her own strength of will and the skill of Ylissean healers.

Without another word, Dooku followed Robin out of the room and up onto the ship's main deck. The sun sat high in the sky. Dooku glanced up. Nearly noon. At some point, each company would receive their orders. If the Khan's and Ylissean Prince were wise, they would immediately cut into the heart of Valm. Keep the enemy off balance with an aggressive offensive. Sitting here in Charlet was only a waste of valuable time and resources.

"I am surprised you are not in the middle of a meeting with the Khans and Prince Chrom." Dooku stated as he and Robin walked across the deck towards the bow of the ship.

Plegian sailors moved around the pair. Some scrambled up nets towards the top of the mast. Others worked on repairing the damage dealt to the ship during the battle. But none paid the tactician and the Count any mind.

Robin let out a heavy sigh, "I resigned my post."

Dooku gave Robin a surprised glance, "I doubt the Prince allowed that."

"He did on one condition." Robin replied, "That I focus all of my time and effort on fixing whatever is causing me to lose control in battle." He paused at the bow and faced Dooku, "I don't want to kill another one of my friends."

Dooku hummed, "The Dark Side of the Force is a treacherous mistress to the uninitiated and the foolish. You happen to be both." Robin bristled, but did not reply, "Lucky for you, I am willing to help you fix both of those problems."

"Ben said you were not going to train me in the Dark Side." Robin replied.

"He is correct." Dooku nodded.

"Then why bother? Wouldn't it be safer to stop training me so my powers stop growing?"

Dooku sighed, "I have a feeling that would only exacerbate the problem. Your powers have been growing regardless of training, have they not?" Robin furrowed his brow as he pondered Dooku's words, "When did your force powers first manifest?"

"That I can remember?" Robin frowned, "The tail end of the war with Ple-" He shook his head as he recalled his brief duel with Validar in the Exalt's Palace, "No, when I fought Validar in the Exalt's Palace. When he tried to assassinate Exalt Emmeryn. I had no business going up against someone as powerful as him."

"And yet you did."

"Not only did I fight him, I held my own, albeit briefly." Robin explained, "Looking back on it, I tapped into something during that fight. I did not understand what it was at the time."

Dooku nodded. He rested his hand on the deck railing.

"Do you recall what brings about these sudden explosions in power?"

"What brings it out?" Robin pursed his lips, "It's always in battle. I've never had it happen outside of the battlefield before. And…" Robin paused, "And I'm always terrified when it does happen."

"Terrified for yourself?" Dooku asked, "Or for others?"

"What do you think?"

Dooku nodded, "And that is why I will not be training you in the Dark Side." Robin gave Dooku a confused look, "Feelings like that are easily manipulated, Robin. And a master in the Dark Side will play those emotions to their advantage. Whether we like it or not, Sidious will eventually find this planet. When he does, we all will have to face him. And if he encounters someone like you; someone who is susceptible to the Dark Side and its temptations, not because you want to use that power for personal gain, but because you want to use that power to save others; he will destroy you. He will twist you into the very thing you aim to destroy. He did it to Skywalker, and he can do it again. What I aim to teach you is how to combat such temptations of power. And the mindset of Vaapad, while not easy to learn and practice, is perfect for such a thing."

"Mindset?" Robin asked.

"Yes, mindset. That is first and foremost what Vaapad is. A state of mind, where you brush against the Dark Side and the negative emotions within it, then channel those very feelings against your opponent. Master Windu, a former colleague of mine, invented the technique because he struggled with the very same thing you do. An unfettered darkness that threatens to destroy who you want to be." Dooku took a breath, "During your training, I'm also hoping to uncover what may be causing these flare ups in raw power. Because outside of those moments, your power is nothing if not mediocre."

Robin rolled his eyes, "Thanks for the compliment."

Dooku uttered a small chuckle, "You're quite welcome. And don't expect much more." He glanced at Robin, "Now then, go and pack your things."

Robin gave Dooku a puzzled look, "Why?"

"You and I are leaving."

"What!?" Robin cried, "But, we can't just leave. We can't go back to Archanea. Not now."

"Who said we were going to Archanea?" Dooku replied, "I am well aware we cannot sail back now. The ships need to remain here in case this invasion fails the army needs to retreat back home. You and I are going out ahead of the army." Dooku looked west, "Towards the Mila Tree."

Robin furrowed his brow, confused.

"May I ask why?"

"Because I said so." Dooku replied, tone stiff, "And because I know you, Robin. If you remained with the main army, and a battle occurred, you will not be able to resist the temptation to enter combat. Your own tactical mind will see the errors and seek to correct them while engaging the enemy. If this explosion of rage and power is connected to battle, then the last thing we need is for you to be anywhere near a battlefield. Especially if your goal is to not harm your friends." Dooku paused for a moment, "We will go to the Mila Tree. It is apparently sacred to people in these lands, so it is unlikely a battle will occur there. And no matter which way the Shepherds march, they will have to pass by that tree. Which means we can rejoin them at some point. So do not worry, we are not abandoning your friends. We are just making certain every factor is in our favor. Now, go pack your things." Dooku turned on his heel and marched off the ship, "I will be waiting at Charlet's front gate."

"Wait!" Robin cried as Dooku marched away, "Does Ben know-" Robin trailed off as Dooku kept walking. A heavy sigh escaped Robin's lips, "Why do I even try?"

* * *

The Naboo royal palace always had a serene feeling surrounding it. The building, topped with many domes and spires, was the model of both beauty and tranquility on Sidious's home planet. The waterfalls that cascaded from its sides, down the cliffs into the swamps and jungles around Theed, always sparkled in the sunlight. Making the city gleam like a pure diamond.

But now, the palace was scorched. The floors bloodied and marred by blasterfire. Several spires were smoldering ruins. Holes were torn into the domes from blaster fire. The waterfalls were dry. The Palace turned from calm and inviting place, into a grim tomb.

The Queen's royal guard fought to the bitter end to protect her from Sidious and his Imperial Stormtroopers. But they could not hope to hold out against the might of the Empire.

The Queen was dead now. Sidious ordered her death personally. He had yet to select a replacement. Although, maybe he would not select a Queen. Perhaps it would be better to place Naboo under the Moff system of government. He already had several candidates in mind for the position. And such a system allowed him to have much more control over the rebellious system.

A small cry of pain dragged Sidious out of his thoughts. His attention returned to his apprentice. She sat in a sturdy, metal chair. One hand balled up in a fist on her lap. The other hand currently being reattached by a medical droid.

He could feel pain radiating out of her as the droid's many arms and devices connected the nerve endings in her hand to the ones in her wrist. Each little movement sent shots of pure agony rushing through Morgan's body. Sweat beaded on her brow and dripped down her face. Ragged breaths rushed from her lungs as she fought to keep herself from screaming.

Sidious did not allow the droid to numb the wound. This was her punishment for failing to measure up to Master Windu. And in Sidious's mind, this was a light punishment. After all, there were not many who could hope to defeat such a powerful Jedi Master. But he had hoped Morgan would be able to perform better than she had.

 _Then again, Windu is more experienced with both the force and a lightsaber._

Sidious frowned to himself. Lightsabers, he hoped the Sith could eventually move on from such pathetic devices. In his mind, drawing a lightsaber as a force sensitive was a sign of weakness. A signal to an opponent that one's control and mastery over the force was not significant enough to be relied upon in battle. A true Sith was beyond such a tool.

But Morgan was not a true Sith, yet. She was merely an apprentice. One with a self proclaimed title. She had not even been knighted by Sidious. Perhaps it was too much to expect her to match powerful Jedi Masters without the assistance of a lightsaber.

It is a good thing she followed his orders and obtained one of the dead Jedi's blades. He smiled a little bit as one hand reached into his robes. His fingers ran along the smooth silver hilt. He could feel the crystal inside hiss at his touch. Morgan would corrupt this blade. And she would have a formidable weapon to pair with her spells and natural force ability.

Morgan yelped again. This time, the medical droid was busy reconnecting the muscle fibers, tissues, and ligaments. She squeezed her eyes shut and hissed out sharp breaths. Her teeth were clenched tight as one of the droids arms tugged on a ligament and attached it to her wrist.

"NAGA ABOVE!" Morgan cried out before biting down on her sleeve.

Sidious grimaced.

 _Her tolerance for pain could use some work._

Footsteps approached the room. Sidious turned his head to see Commander Cody striding into the small infirmary inside of the palace. The old clone commander snapped to attention and saluted the Emperor.

"Your excellency, the rest of the insurrectionist have been rounded up. We are awaiting your orders."

Sidious eyes gleamed with delight. Perhaps it had been a mistake to prematurely retire Cody from combat. The Clone proved to still be an extremely capable leader on the battlefield. And judging by the swiftness of the victory on Naboo, he and his apprentice worked well together.

"Good." Sidious croaked, "I will make a decision in due time. Have you found any more Jedi?"

Cody shook his head, "No my lord. We have reason to believe all of the Jedi except their leader were eliminated."

Sidious smiled beneath his deep hood. That was actually better results than he could have hoped for. According to the account of Morgan's surviving Death Trooper, it had been Morgan's actions that led to the Jedi's deaths. She almost single handedly killed six Jedi Knights. Although, the Grand Inquisitor did claim responsibility for one Jedi Death. But Morgan's Deathtrooper assured Sidious that he got lucky.

Morgan screamed. Sidious's eyes blazed as he felt the dark side of the force thrash within her. Cody shifted uncomfortably beside Sidious.

"Is she going to be alright, my lord?" The clone asked.

Sidious glanced at the commander, "She will be. Thank you for your report, Commander. You are dismissed for now."

Cody saluted and marched away. Morgan bellowed out another scream as more nerves were reattached. Her face turned pale as she struggled to maintain consciousness. The droid stopped its work and turned to look at Sidious.

Sidious shook his head. Morgan may have eliminated six Jedi, but she let the greatest of them escape. Mace Windu was a new threat Sidious did not anticipate. One that made him feel rather uneasy. Although he regarded her work here as successful, she still failed to eliminate all of the Jedi, as he ordered.

And if orders were not completed to his desires...

Morgan screamed. She buried her face into her sleeve as the droid attached the last nerve. Her small body heaved up and down as she struggled to catch her breath. Sweat caked her brow. Her fist was clenched tight in her lap. Knuckles white with strain. Sidious grinned.

… Punishment was necessary.

 **And chapter! We are back to Ben, Robin, and friends now. Although we did get a small update on Morgan and Sidious torwards the end there. And we finally get to see the Hierophant once again. I wanted that scene to show there is still a bit of Robin fighting for control inside of the monster. I hope I succeeded in that regard. As for this chapter as well as the next one, they are going to be mostly set up chapters. The focus will mostly be on character interactions rather than shoving the plot forward. Although, we will get to the Mila Tree very soon, I promise.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	100. Onward

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 100

Onward

The dawn air held a chill to it. One that reminded Chrom vaguely of winters in Ylisstol. While nowhere near as biting as Regna Ferox, the winters of his home had their own hardships. Wet and soggy lands, mud covered roads, dreary skies. At least the Feroxi had blinding snow drifts to brighten their days in the wintertime. He did not think it was winter here in Valm, but this morning, it felt like it.

A gray fog hung over Charlet. Soft mist drifted in from the sea. Brushing droplets of water and salt air against his skin as he stood on the scorched beach. One hand rested on Falchion's pommel as it sat still in its scabbard. His blue eyes stared out at the ocean. A grim look rested on his face.

Robin and Dooku disappeared yesterday. The Shepherds put off any get together they planned on having in order to find them. Ben even hopped in on the search, despite his new duty as the Archanean army's main tactician. But nothing turned up. Nothing except a pair of empty tents, missing supplies, a strange request from Dooku to Anna, and two missing horses.

 _At least they didn't steal a ship._ Chrom thought with a heavy sigh.

He did not know what went through Robin's head to think that he could just up and leave like that. Maybe it wasn't his idea. Ben believed that Dooku was the one behind their sudden disappearing act. Then again, Ben never fully trusted the old man. And as much as it grated Chrom, perhaps Robin leaving for a time was for the best. Especially after everything that had happened in the battle just over a day ago.

The Shepherds were still reeling from their losses. Stahl, Gregor, and Miriel, they were all members of their loosely put together, dysfunctional family. Miriel and Stahl had been original members of the Shepherds. They both grew up alongside him and Lissa. And all of the Shepherds viewed Gregor as a kind old uncle. Even if they couldn't understand what he said most of the time.

A light chuckle left Chrom's lips as he kicked at some west sand. He would miss them. All three of them. And when this war was actually over, he'd have time to properly mourn them. Just as he mourned Ricken and Emmeryn before them. A bitter breath left his lips. Only two battles into this war, and the Shepherds had already lost so much. He knew morale was low. Not only because of the losses, but the manner in which they happened.

Whatever Grievous was, he put fear into their hearts. The monster slaughtered three Shepherds now, even though Ben and Nowi obliterated him back in Plegia. Somehow, he still lived and terrorized them, even in Valm. The fact that such a creature not only possessed great power, but also a cunning tactical mind (judging by the destruction from their invasion of Charlet), caused great unease to sit inside of Chrom. He made sure to let all of his friends know that if Grievous was on the battlefield, avoid him. Let Dooku and Ben take care of him.

 _Well… I guess only Ben can deal with him now._

Then Miriel's death. Gods, Miriel's death. Chrom closed his eyes as he tried to rein in his own emotions. He did not know exactly what happened. No one really did. The chaos of battle masked so much. One moment, Miriel was rushing to help Robin, since the tactician entered a horde of Valmese soldiers on his own. The next, she lay dead. And Robin was kneeling beside her, tears in his eyes, fear on his face.

Almost immediately, Robin claimed he did it. He killed her. Chrom did not believe it at first. Until he saw Robin's blade in Miriel's chest. There was no denying what happened then.

He just did not know what to do about it.

Some of the Shepherds viewed it as a terrible accident. An unfortunate occurrence caused by the chaos of war and the unholy nature of Robin's abilities run amok. Ben sat in that camp with Dooku. The pair made it their goal to figure out what was going on with Robin and attempt to fix it. A few Shepherds just wanted to move on from the tragedy. He knew Vaike felt that way. The Prince did not know if Vaike blamed Robin for what happened. His old friend never said a word about the matter. And Chrom did not press the issue.

And finally, a small number of Shepherds viewed Robin with extreme wariness. Twice now, the tactician had lost control of his powers on the battlefield. The first time, he nearly killed some of them. The second time, he did kill one of them. He already knew Frederick, despite how much he appreciated Robin's brilliance, regarded him with caution. But that's par for the course with Frederick. He viewed everyone except Chrom, Lissa, and Sumia with caution. Laurent certainly appeared wary of Robin, when he wasn't mourning or with his friends from the future.

If this situation was not handled carefully, the Shepherds could fracture again. Only this time, there was no peace to contain the consequences. The Shepherds needed to remain united in this conflict. The Valmese were the most dangerous enemy they had ever, and possibly will ever face. That much had been proven on two battlefields now.

Yes, perhaps Robin leaving with Dooku was for the best. Although, Chrom wished he could have sent a pair of Shepherds with them. To help Robin stay comfortable and in the loop. Perhaps he would have sent Gaius and Panne. Those two seemed the most comfortable around their shaken tactician. But Chrom could not do anything now. He did not even know in what direction Robin and Dooku left.

 _Maybe they'll turn up soon._ He thought to himself.

He ran a hand through his hair as another chilled breeze rushed in from the sea. He shivered a little then pulled his cape a little tighter around his shoulders. Footsteps brushed softly through the sand behind him.

"Chrom?"

Chrom glanced back to find Sumia quietly approaching. She did not wear her armor. Given they were no longer in a battlefield, he did not mind too much. She probably just woke up, given the frazzled nature of her long brown hair and the heavy sleepiness lingering in her eyes. That, and the white nightgown over her body that she fell asleep last night.

Sumia rubbed her bare arms and shivered a little bit from the wind.

"You're up early." Chrom said.

"So are you." Sumia muttered, "The sun hasn't even started to rise yet." She wrapped her arms around his back, clasping her hands in over his chest. Her head rested against his back. A soft sigh left her lips, "What troubles you?"

Chrom grasped her hands with one of his own, "Robin." He turned around, still letting her arms remained around him. She let her head rest against his chest, "I'm worried about him."

"He's your best friend. I think it's alright for you to worry." Sumia smiled back. Her smile wavered a little bit, "You're worried about how everyone will view him?"

Chrom nodded, "Like it or not, what happened to Miriel happened. And Robin blames himself. He is… harder on himself about it than anyone else. Yesterday he resigned his post, then asked to be put in a support role, then he just leaves with Dooku."

"I'll admit, it doesn't look all that great." Sumia sighed, "But if there is anyone that can help Robin, it's Dooku. Even Ben admits as much. Albeit with his typical dismissive snark regarding the old man."

Chrom chuckled a little as he brushed his fingers along her right shoulder, "Those two have an odd relationship, that is for certain."

Sumia hummed as she closed her eyes in his embrace, "Why do you think that is? They act like they're enemies turned reluctant allies."

"Maybe because they are in a similar situation as each other. They sympathize and understand each other better than any of us ever could." Chrom shrugged, "I mean, both of them are aliens after all."

"Hm… yes, alie-" Sumia's eyes popped open, "Wait what!?"

Chrom arched an eyebrow, "I didn't tell you that?"

Sumia stared up at his face, "Uh… no, you didn't. Do you mean to say Ben and Dooku are from the stars?"

Chrom gave her a sheepish look, "Well, now you know."

"And this isn't some mad thing you're repeating?" Sumia asked.

"Robin believes it. So does Lucina. And Tharja, of course." Chrom replied.

Sumia gaped at him, "Why hasn't Ben said anything?"

Chrom shrugged again, "Fear, mostly. Would you have believed him if he came right out and said something like that." Sumia frowned back, "Er… perhaps you are the exception then." Chrom gulped, "But, I told him he could let the others know in his own time. I'm sure that time will come eventually." He let the embrace end, his fingers dragged along her arms briefly before he cupped her cheek with his left hand, "I think we have more important things to worry about for the moment."

Sumia closed her eyes and uttered a heavy sigh, "I'm going to have to lead the Pegasus Knights with Cordelia out of commission." Worry washed over Chrom's face. Sumia shook her head and laughed a little bit at his reaction, "I can handle it love, don't worry so much. You'll go gray if you keep it up."

Chrom snorted out a laugh, "Now I know why I remember my father having gray hair instead of blue." He let out a weary sound, "Politics, wars, and the day to day of ruling Ylisse, I'm surprised we haven't had any mad Exalts before."

"Your ancestors were chosen for such things. Just as you have been chosen, Chrom." Sumia replied, "And I think you have done a wonderful job so far. I'm certain all of them would be proud of you. Especially Emmeryn."

Chrom gave her a sad smile. He leaned in brushed a kiss against her lips.

"Thank you." He whispered as he let his forehead rest against hers.

Sumia smiled back, "Come on. You insist on being awake, I think we should both check up on everyone. Since we didn't really have the opportunity to do so yesterday." She gripped his hand and spun around. Chrom followed her up the beach, "I'm sure Frederick is already awake."

"He doesn't sleep." Chrom chuckled back, "No wonder we go through so much coffee while in camp."  
Sumia laughed lightly, "Maybe he sleeps while doing his tasks?"

"Active sleeping?" Chrom chuckled some more, "It wouldn't surprise me at this rate."

They both marched up the stone ramp onto the road running along the edge of the beach and into the main camp. Feroxi soldiers started to wake up. Most were busy packing their gear. The war council agreed to start marching out from the city this morning, after breakfast. Both Chrom and Sumia could smell the army cooks frying bacon and scrambling eggs for the soldiers. Chrom's mouth watered a little bit as his stomach growled.

"Hungry?" Sumia asked as she took his arm with her own.

"A little bit." Chrom admitted, "Shepherds first though."

"I'm sure some are already at the mess tent." Sumia replied.

The mess tent sat closest to one of the large inns on the road. The innkeeper agreed to open up his kitchen for the Archanean army to use in exchange for protection and a hefty bag of gold. Conditions Chrom had been more than happy to oblige. A large white tent sat out in front of the inn. Small tables lined the inside of it. Some Feroxi foot soldiers mingled with Ylissean soldiers as they traded stories and gossiped.

Chrom and Sumia moved past the foot soldiers and into the main inn, where the officers mess was located. Several cavalry officers were already awake and having a cup of coffee. Among them, Chrom spotted Frederick.

"Milord." Frederick nodded before walking over and handing Chrom a steaming mug, "I had a feeling you would be awake early."

Chrom eyed Frederick, "Do you have a sixth sense designed for me?" He sipped the steaming liquid and let out a satisfied hum. Sumia took a mug from Frederick as well.

"Hardly milord. I have just been around you long enough to know your habits." Frederick replied, "Some of the others are already awake as well, they are waiting in the great room for you and milady."

Sumia chuckled lightly, "You don't have to be so formal, Frederick. I'm still-"

"You're a queen now, good luck convincing him not to do it." Chrom laughed.

"Quite right." Frederick nodded then lead the pair into the inn's great room.

A large fire burned in a massive brick fireplace. A bunch of chairs were huddled around the fire. The two closest chairs occupied by both Henry and Tharja as the Plegian mages struggled to fend off the surprising chill in the air. Henry had that unnerving smile on his face, as always. Tharja's dark gaze flicked over to Chrom and Sumia as they entered. The dark mage gave them both a small nod, then returned her attention to the flickering flames a few feet away from her.

Sully leaned back in a rocking chair. A cup of mead rested on her knee. A loud yawn left her lips. She gave Chrom a small wave then smacked her lips and brough the mead to her lips.

"Drinking already?" Chrom asked her as he sat down on a bench.

"You know it." Sully snorted.

"Utterly repugnant." Maribelle huffed as she crossed her legs in her own seat, "It is not even sunrise."

"Mead Maribelle?" Donnel asked as he strode over to her from where the food and drinks were being distributed, two frothing mugs in hand.

Maribelle blinked, let out a long groan, and buried her head in her hands.

"Why not." She grumbled reluctantly.

"That's the spirit, Twinkles." Gaius cheered as he gulped on his own drink.

"Twinkles?" Panne arched an eyebrow as she lay curled up by Gaius's feet.

"She's always wearing shiny colors, like pink. So yeah, twinkles." Gaius nodded.

"Consider yourself lucky." Tharja hummed. She rubbed her hands and held them near the fire, "Your stupid nickname is not an ironic one."

"I heard that, Sunshine." Gaius chirped.

"Ha! Sunshine." Henry guffawed. Tharja threw him a dark glance, but the other dark mage smiled back.

"You all are surprisingly chipper this morning." Chrom muttered before sipping his coffee.

Gaius shrugged, "Felt like waking up early, right Whiskers?"

"I carried you here so you would actually be on time for breakfast." Panne hummed as she lounged on the warm floor.

"Farm work will make ya like the mornings." Donnel sighed as he leaned back in his seat, one arm around Maribelle, "That and working for a city as big as Themis. Lots a stuff has to get done in the day."

"Quite correct." Maribelle nodded, sipped her mead, cringed, then set the mug on the table behind the bench, "I am most surprised to see you awake Tharja. I have heard of your reputation for being a heavy sleeper."

"Not with Benny waking her up." Gaius snorted.

Tharja eyed Gaius. The thief gulped and buried his nose in his drink.

"I like mornings." Henry smiled, "Warm sunshine is just as lovely as all encompassing darkness. Hell, the heat often makes corpses smell even more than in the darkness."

Sully's mouth fell open as she stared horrified at Henry. The Dark mage let out a small laugh.

"Besides, I had to wake up and check on Cordelia."

"You checked on Cordelia?" Tharja asked, some surprise in her usually quiet voice.

Henry shrugged, "I consider her friend. I mean, we both plotted Lucina's murder together."

Sumia spat out her coffee, "You did what?"

"Before we knew she was your daughter." Henry cackled quickly.

"Oh." Sumia blinked, "Older Lucina. Right."

"I mean, I could come up with a succesful way to murder-"

"Henry, for the love of Naga, no." Ben said as he marched in, two plates in hand. Both plates had some eggs, bacon, and a biscuit on it. He handed one to Tharja, pecked her cheek, then took a seat on the floor beside her, "Good morning, Chrom, Sumia."

Sumia smiled back, "Good morning Ben. I trust you slept well?"

Ben shook his head, "About as well as anyone suddenly thrust into a tactician's role can." He shoveled some eggs into his mouth, chewed, then swallowed. He picked at his food with his fork for a moment, "It's a good thing I'm used to it."

"How are you used to it?" Sully asked as she sipped on her mead.

Sumia blinked and stared back at Ben. Ben slowly chewed another bite of his breakfast.

"Well fighting a galactic war certainly helps with that." Ben said nonchalantly.

Tharja froze in her seat. Henry's eyes widened to the size of saucers. Chrom paused as he brought his cup to his lips. Donnel's jaw fell open. And Frederick's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

Sully sputtered on some mead. She coughed and cleared her throat.

"I'm sorry, galactic what?"

"Good morning everyone!" Lucina strode into the room. Noire, Owain, Brady, Cynthia, and Luke followed her. She paused as she noticed the stunned looks on everyone's faces.

"A good morning it indeed is!" Owain declared, "Even our brave comrades are in awe of-"

"Tone it down, Owain." Luke quickly said.

"I don't think he's wrong." Cynthia said out of the corner of her mouth.

"He's very wrong." Brady muttered before taking a long swig of firewine from his flask.

Ben glanced over at the group, "Oh good morning. How are you all doing?"

Sully jabbed her mug of mead at Ben. Some of the amber liquid splashed out due to the sudden movement.

"Ah ah! No deflecting! You said something there." Sully snapped.

Lucina flicked her gaze over to Ben. Noire paled considerably as she eyed her father and mother. Her mother's eyes narrowed at her, but then her dark eyes returned to her father. A relieved sigh left Noire's lips.

Ben paused as he bit into some bacon.

"Oh…" He muttered. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, "Lucina, I believe you would refer to what just happened as a Cynthia moment?"

"Hey!" Cynthia cried.

Lucina gulped, "Did you-"

"Apparently I did." Ben glanced over at Chrom, "Although, it had to come out eventually." He set his plate to the side and got to his feet. He quickly wiped his hands on his trousers and cleared his throat, "I am not from this planet everyone. In fact, I am actually from another planet known as Coruscant. And, before you all dismiss me as crazy or mad, consider that we have children, our children, from the future standing among us as I speak."

Everyone stared at him. All of them, except for Tharja, Chrom, and Sumia, were utterly shocked. Gaius froze mid lollipop unwrapping. Panne's usually calm and collected facade had been reduced to a stunned look. Her own mouth agape as she looked at Ben. A series of small cackles escaped Henry's lips as he looked at Ben with fascination.

Noire remained frozen where they stood.

"Y-you're-," Noire gulped. "You can't be serious."

Ben looked over at her. A soft breath left his lips, "I am."

Noire shook her head in disbelief, "I-" She glanced over at Lucina, "Did you know?"

Lucina gulped, "I only found out very recently."

Noire's eyes widened. She wheeled around to face Luke.

"And you?"

Lucina blinked. Did Luke know the truth?

Luke shifted uncomfortably where he stood, "I um… I think I'm going to go grab some breakfast."

"You did know!" Noire cried.

"Quit with your hysterics." Tharja suddenly hissed, silencing Noire, "It does not change who your father is. Grab some breakfast and sit down. If you have questions, you can ask them later."

Noire opened and closed her mouth. She shrank beneath her mother's stern gaze. A sharp breath rushed into Noire's lungs. She turned on her heel and marched out of the mess.

"Noire…" Ben sighed. He gave Tharja a weary look.

Tharja flicked her eyes back and forth as a shot of guilt hit her, "Don't look at me. She's overly sensitive."

"No doubt thanks to our wonderful parenting skills." Ben sighed. He turned to Chrom.

"Go." Chrom nodded, "I'm sure everyone else will hound you with questions later. Just make sure Noire is alright."

Ben nodded his thanks and quickly exited. As he left the inn, Chrom let out a heavy sigh and leaned back in his seat. He brought his mug to his lips and sipped his coffee again. Savoring the warm liquid that helped wake his weary mind from its slumber.

Lucina inched her way over to a seat beside Sumia. His future daughter flicked her eyes nervously around to the other Shepherds, all of whom were still mostly gawking at her and at Tharja. Their gawking turned to cautious stares as they watched Luke sit as far away from the others as he could. He kept his yellow eyes averted from the other Shepherds. Chrom narrowed his gaze at the young man. If he was not so important to Lucina, he would have gutted him on sight. Or he would have allowed Frederick to do it.

Brady and Owain took a seat near Sully. Sully clinked her mug to Brady's flask before both took a long drink. Whenever Maribelle looked over at them, mildly disgusted, Brady would quickly avert his gaze and try to engage in conversation with Sully and Owain.

 _With how much he drinks,_ Chrom thought as he watched Brady, _He could be Sully's._

Finally, Cynthia took a seat beside Chrom. The blue haired girl took a deep breath.

"So, while we're on the topic of surprising revelations," Chrom gave her a suspicious look. Sumia glanced over as well. Cynthia gave them both a wide smile, "Hi Dad, Mom!"

Lucina smacked her hand to her forehead. Sumia choked on her own breath. And Chrom's coffee mug clattered to the floor.

* * *

"Noire!" Ben called as he rushed out of the mess tent.

Naga above, she was elusive. One moment, he saw her stride out of the inn and mess tent, the next she disappeared into the crowd of Feroxi and Ylissean soldiers.

Then again, it would be difficult for anyone to find a small, young girl in the chaos of an entire army packing up camp and readying to march. Horses whinnied, snorted, and stamped all around Ben. Carts loaded with supplies rumbled along the cobblestone roads. Formations were forming in the streets and on the sandy beach as the sun peeked over the horizon.

Ben cursed under his breath. He brushed past a group of heavily armored Feroxi Lancers, weaved his way by Ylissean archers, then had to screech to a halt as a squad of Pegasus Knights trotted swiftly up the road towards Charlet's main gate.

Ben's eyes scanned the crowds. He still saw no sign of Noire. As he felt some mild panic rise in him, he smacked his forehead.

"She's my child." He reminded himself before closing his eyes and delving into the force.

It took a couple of minutes for Ben to find her. The chaos of the world around him muddied the waters of the force. Now more than ever, he felt slightly out of practice. Dooku constantly berated him about his skills falling off since the end of the Clone Wars. And honestly, Ben was starting to agree with him. It should have been easy to sense Noire's presence in the force then follow it to where she actually was. Instead, he really had to concentrate. Sift through the many lives inside of Charlet. Comb through the vacuum left behind by the recent dead. Block out the fog of darkness generated by the war and by the young Sith Lord sitting awkwardly in the mess tent.

Noire's presence felt like a flickering candle. Small and shy. Wavering with the smallest of winds. Ben opened his eyes and let out a small sigh. He followed her presence up a flight of stairs to one of the rooftops in the markets.

Noire sat on the edge of the roof, facing the sea. One leg curled to her chest, the other dangling over the edge. The sun rose in the east, bathing Charlet's harbor and markets with warm rays of orange light. The sea itself sparkled like millions of precious gems. An awe inspiring sight that would send waves of calm through any person. Which was likely why Noire retreated up here.

Ben quietly sat down beside her. Noire blinked in surprise, gave him a quick glance, but said nothing.

The loud clanking of armored men drowned out the ocean waves washing up on the beach. There was nary a moment of silence to think in this city.

Ben let out a sigh.

"Your mother will come around eventually." He said, finally breaking the silence between the two.

Noire shook her head, "Are you sure?"

Ben let out a small laugh, "It could be worse. She could see you as one of her Urchins from the Academy." Noire paled a little bit. Ben chuckled some more, "Tharja is just an abrasive person at first. Trust me, I'm more aware of that than most. There are layers you'll have to break through. Besides, I think she is a little alarmed that she is technically a parent now."

Noire arched an eyebrow, "And you're not?"

Ben snorted, "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't. Living the life of Jedi does not prepare one for that responsibility. We all deal with situations differently. Tharja is still…processing, I think that'd be the right way to put it."

"So you'd advise patience?"

Ben nodded, "In this instance, yes."

Noire bit her lip, "I just-" She let out a shaky breath, "What exactly did I do wrong?"

Ben furrowed his brow, "You did nothing wrong. You were surprised and rightfully alarmed by… by everything. Tharja is not the most sensitive of people. That comes from her upbringing in the Grimleal. And as I said, it will just take time and patience for her to open up more to you."

Noire sniffled a little bit then nodded. She glanced up at the shimmering sea in the distance, "Everything is so different now."

"How so?"

Noire shrugged, "Well, I don't know. In the future, mother and I had a close relationship. You and I did not." A regretful expression crossed Ben's face at her admission, "I mean, mother was still just as abrasive in the future. But it feels different now. I can't really explain it." She snorted out a small laugh, "Hell, you two are way different now than before."

"Oh really?" Ben asked, brow raised. Curiosity piqued.

Noire nodded, "You both were never so lovey dovey with each other. I'm fairly certain I'm the result of a one night stand at some point. You were never so… so open with everyone. Not even with me or Lucina. I don't even think you were that open with Mother. None of us knew who you were before the Shepherds. Hardly anyone knew what you were like outside of the battlefield."

Ben frowned a little bit, "I sound like a rather cheerful person in the future."

Noire snorted out a small laugh, "You do still have the dry wit. That hasn't changed." She bowed her head again. The fingers on her right hand picked at a hangnail on her left hand, "Here is the past though, everything has changed. You are genuinely in love with mother." She paused, "Gods, I make that sound like its a bad thing." She laughed under her breath in disbelief, "I dreamed of that scenario as a kid." She rubbed her hands on her legs, "And not only that, but you are open with everyone now. Even to the point of admitting that your from another planet."

Ben cleared his throat, "Well, that took a lot of work on my part, on your mother's part, and on Chrom's part. He'd probably say that task was like pulling teeth." He folded his hands in his lap as he legs dangled off the side of the building, "It sounds like I was not a very good father, or friend for that matter."

Noire cringed a little bit, "Well, I wouldn't say that. But," A long sigh escaped your lips, "Yeah, you could have been better. But… there is no changing that now."

Ben furrowed his brow, "I think there is." He got to his feet and extended a hand to her, "But we cannot do that here."

Noire closed her eyes and took a breath. She gave him a small nod, took his head, and rose to her feet.

"So," Noire breathed, "If we are going to have a better… relationship now, how do we start?"

Ben gave her a soft smile, "We start by just talking more." The pair moved towards the wooden stairs that led back down to the street.

Noire flicked her eyes over to her father. She remained silent for a second.

"So…" Noire wrung her hands in front of her, "What do you want to talk about?"

Ben blinked as they reached the street, "I was kind of hoping you had something."

Noire gulped, "Oh well, um…"

What to talk about? Noire had no idea. Her father had never been so forthcoming in the future. And now that she finally had the opportunity to speak to him as a daughter would actually talk to their father, she did not know what to do. So many different ways she could take this conversation, none of them she wanted to do. Should she just make small talk? Ask about the weather? No, too trivial. Perhaps she should try to learn more about her father's past? But her father in the future ignored or resented such questions.

 _Maybe I can ask what his favorite food is?_ Noire thoughts before quickly discarding that idea as well.

"You're nervous." Ben chuckled as he walked alongside Noire, "Take a deep breath."

"S-sorry." Noire stammered.

"You don't have to be sorry, Noire." Ben stopped walking and turned to face her. A group of Feroxi Lancers marched past the pair. All of them in full armor, their lances sharpened and ready for battle, "Anything you ask will not be wrong."

Noire gulped. One hand brushed against her talisman, "Are you sure?"

"Positive." Ben nodded for her to walk with him further into the city, where less soldiers mingled around.

"Okay." Noire exhaled, "Um… so, what is Coruscant like?"

She braced herself for the look. The look that told her she asked the wrong question. That she would not get an answer ever. Instead, she found herself looking at a slightly caught off guard Ben Kenobi. But not one that would shut down her question.

"Well, how best to explain Coruscant?" Ben said, "What is the biggest city you have ever seen?"

Noire arched an eyebrow, "The future was a wasteland, including Ylisstol. So… this city would probably be the biggest one."

"Oh." Ben replied, "Well, um, Coruscant is a planet sized city, so to speak."

Noire's eyes widened, "Planet sized city?" She whipped her gaze around to the buildings around her, "So the entire world is like this?"

"N-no, not exactly." Ben replied, "Um, well the technology of the world makes Coruscant extremely different than Charlet. For one, the tallest building here in Charlet would be one of the smallest buildings on Coruscant."

"Really?" Noire gasped, eyes wide fascination.

"There are some towers on Coruscant that reach above the clouds and into the atmosphere." Ben explained.

Noire stared up at the white clouds above them. A building that reached that high up into the sky? It seemed utterly impossible. Fantastical even. How could a building possibly be that tall? She remembered seeing the Exalt's palace for the first time in the future and being amazed by the sheer scale of it. The massive rooms with ceilings that seemed impossible to reach. What her father just described were buildings that dwarfed the Exalt's palace. It boggled her mind.

Ben chuckled a little at the look of utter disbelief on Noire's face.

"It is difficult to accurately describe." Ben stated, "You would have to see it in order to understand it all."

"Will I ever get to see that?" Noire asked.

Ben shook his head, "There is no way of getting there from here. That and I am galactic fugitive."

Noire blinked and ground to a halt as they neared Charlet's main gate, "Fugitive?"

Ben glanced back at her, "Yes. I am a Jedi, and the Jedi were wiped out by the Galactic Empire." A sad look crossed Ben's face for a split second, "As far as I know, I'm probably the only survivor of the old Jedi Order."

Noire's mouth fell open.

"Is that…why you were so aloof?"

Ben let out a heavy sigh. He nodded his head.

"In the end, yes. And, from what I have learned about myself, it sounds like I did not open up to your mother in the future."

Noire nodded, "Yeah, you didn't. Mother explained her relationship with you once to me. It seemed more like she wanted to study you rather than be romantic with you."

Ben blinked, "To be fair, that is how it all started off. It just… diverged somehow."

"Perhaps due to Lucina and the rest of us arriving in the past? What we did shifted the future?"

Ben gave her a small smile, "I would think so. The future is never certain, Noire. Never forget that."

Noire nodded. She opened her mouth to ask a second question, but the words got lodged in her throat as she stared at something utterly disastrous near the main gate.

Tharja stood near the main gate, arms wrapped around her black tome. And speaking to her was a young man with wavy gray hair, blue armor, and a charming smile.

"Oh no…" Noire gasped.

Ben furrowed his brow, puzzled. He followed Noire's eyes over to the main gate. At first, he was not too concerned.

Tharja's eyes narrowed dangerously at the young man. Ben froze. He knew that look. She often got that look when Gaius crossed the line. When she finally had enough of someone's shenanigans and decided to hex the ever living crap out of them. She was relentless at hexing her friends, how dangerous would she be hexing a stranger?

Both Ben and Noire glanced at each other.

"Kriff."

* * *

Tharja sighed as she walked through Charlet. She hung around the inn for a few minutes after Ben went chasing after Noire. Nothing interesting really happened after that. Most of the Shepherds engaged in meaningless small talk that did not interest or concern her. Henry did spark a small conversation with her about creating a poison using certain native Valmese plants, once they both could get their hands on some. But even that conversation died off as Tharja preferred to read her tome.

But even as she read her tome, something felt wrong. She felt off, in the most disconcerting of ways. At first she thought she might have eaten something bad. Dinner last night had been a tad, unappetizing for her. Mostly dry, salted beef and even dryer crackers. Not many cooks were ready to prepare a full meal in the wake of a massive battle after all. But she did not feel nauseous. In fact, she did not have a stomach ache at all.

She then figured it had to be some sort of illness. Perhaps she caught a cold? Then she took a deep breath through her nose and remembered she was not having any problems there. A startling thought entered her mind after that. Did someone hex her? Was Henry playing games? There would be hell to pay if he was.

No, that could not be it. Henry had been nowhere near her until she and Ben arrived in the mess at the same time as him this morning. Unless he managed to cast a long range hex without her noticing, an impressive feat if he managed to do it, then she was not hexed.

She discovered the origin to her ailment when Lissa strode into the mess, small smile on her face, and asked if she had seen Ben at all. Tharja promptly replied that Ben went after a rather upset Noire. That's when Tharja really felt the strange, churning in her chest hit her again. That's when she abruptly slammed her spell book closed, got to her feet, and marched out of the inn, grumbling under her breath the entire way.

Did she feel guilty for what she said? Impossible, she said nothing wrong. Noire was overreacting. She was being a dramatic child in the face of her father's true past. The melodrama grated on her nerves. Nothing Ben said was that startling. If anyone had half a brain and the ability to pay attention, then they should have been able to figure it out given enough time. She figured it out.

She clutched her tome closer to her chest as she quietly strode down one of Charlet's main roads. Her dark eyes flicked all around her as she tried to spot both Ben and Noire.

 _Then again, it took me strolling through Ben's memories in order to realize who he really was._ Tharja let out a long sigh.

Perhaps there was a different reason for her displeasure with Noire. Although, for the life of her, Tharja could not figure out what it was. And she wanted to know.

 _How did we first meet?_

Oh, that had been eventful. Tharja recalled Noire approaching her at the bottom of the gangplank at the end of the battle. The girl trembled with every single motion as Tharja glowered at her standing beside Ben. In fact, it had been Ben that introduced her. Then, when Noire could hardly speak, Ben clarified that she was their future daughter.

Tharja blinked as she stopped near the main gate.

Is that it? Is that the reason she felt guilty about the way she spoke to Noire? Did she really already hold that strong of feelings for the nervous wreck she barely knew? She squeezed her tomb tight to her chest. Trying to find comfort in the familiar leather in her arms and the smell of ink and pages near her face.

No, that could not be the only reason. It seemed far too trivial.

Was her problem not just with Noire's attitude, but her mere presence as well? Tharja furrowed her brow as she pressed her back against the stone walls of Charlet and took a breath.

Now that she thought about it, that seemed the most logical explanation. To have her daughter from the future suddenly appear was… unsettling.

During her upbringing in the Grimleal, children and a family were very distant thoughts in her mind. They weren't even dreams to aspire for. When she served Grima, she dreamed of becoming the most powerful sorceress that ever existed. She dreamed of growing so powerful, no one would dare stand against her. She could finally be independent. Not beholden to anyone's will that way. She could avenge her parents. Avenge herself. Those had been her goals. Her aspirations and dreams revolved around power.

Then Ben came along, and she got to know him. Suddenly, all of that faded away. She found herself wanting to grow alongside him. There was a strange… magnetism to him. She felt drawn to him for some strange reason. Not just because of his powers in the force, although that was certainly a factor at first. She found him fascinating as a person. That fascination blossomed as they grew closer. But even as they both realized their feelings for each other, becoming an actual family, having children, those were never thoughts that entered her mind. It still sounded like such a stupid fantasy. Unrealistic and unreachable. Hardly desirable. Having a child would prevent her from being able to pursue her research. It might even prevent her from properly instructing students at the Academy. A task she greatly enjoyed, even though she did not show her enjoyment very often.

Noire shattered all of that. It brought a stark reality right to the forefront of her mind. Tharja, or her futureself in this case, was a mother. Noire looked at her that way. She could see it in the girl's blue eyes. The same eyes she shared with her father. And Tharja could not help but feel hopelessly uncertain about the situation.

She brushed a lock of black hair from her forehead as a small breeze drifted in from outside the main gate. She looked down at her feet as she drew circles in a patch of dirt with her toe.

"I'm a mother." She thought to herself.

Tharja shook her head. In a way, it wasn't just that fact that bothered her. She did not feel worthy of being such a thing. She was a Grimleal mage. The amount of lives she had tortured and taken during her days with the Order had been many. Who was she to suddenly find what many people considered the greatest treasure in existence? How could she deserve such a thing?

A ragged breath left her lips as she recalled the look on Noire's face the first time they met. The look that bordered on hurt and surprised at Tharja's reaction. She must have expected a hug, or some words of love. Instead, Tharja glowered at her, turned on her heel, and left.

What kind of mother does that?

Tharja shook her head again. Before she could dwell even further in her thoughts. Some surprised shouts from the sentries guarding the walls caught her attention. Tharja blinked, happy for a sudden distraction.

She turned her gaze to the road beyond the main gate. Striding down the road were three figures. A young man with wavy gray locks and a confident smirk on his face. He carried himself with youthful arrogance. Shoulders raised so far back that it almost looked like he sauntered instead of walked. A simple longsword rested on his hip. And his outfit, despite the mud caking his boots, looked impeccable. Not a scuff of dirt on it. Some of the village maidens that worked in the stables beyond the Charlet walls saw him and reddened at the sight.

Tharja just rolled her eyes as that cocky boy smirked back at those women.

The second person was a girl. A young teenager, about the same age as Noire, if Tharja were to take a guess. Her hair was chestnut colored. It sat long over her shoulders. She gripped the reins to a horse behind her. A great, proud stallion that eerily reminded Tharja of Frederick's horse. Cavalier amor rested over her small form. Something Sully would not doubt be proud to see.

And the third person, that one made Tharja's jaw fall open.

"Mustafa?" She breathed.

The disgraced Plegian General walked in between the two teenagers. A weary look on his weather, leathery face. His beard looked much longer. No longer just covering his chin, but extending to a length that would make some of the old, miserly wizards at the academy jealous. He did not wear the berserker armor of wyvern bones and leather, as is common in the Plegian army. Instead, he wore a simple dark cloak over his bare torso to protect himself from the elements, and a pair of leather trousers. Heavy boots caked with mud trudged up the road. And a massive battleaxe was strapped to his broad back.

He glanced up as the Feroxi sentries leveled their spears at the trio. The girl gulped and kneaded the grip of the sword sheathed at her hip. The cocky young man's smirk faded ever so slightly. Mustafa simply stood still.

Before the sentries could do anything else, Tharja's voice rang out.

"Leave them be." She saw Mustafa's eyes widen briefly as she stepped forward beyond the walls, "They are not foes." She smiled a little bit at the old, ex-general, "Mustafa, it has been some time."

Mustafa furrowed his brow. She could tell he was on edge, suddenly.

"I don't recall knowing you, Grimleal." His gruff voice replied.

Tharja chuckled lightly, "I'm not surprised, I was not very high in the ranks."

"Was?"

"So," The young man said as she strutted forward. He flashed a shining smile at one of the Feroxi sentries before stopping in front of Tharja, "This is what a Grimleal mage looks like?"

"Inigo, don't be stupid." The girl warned as she tightened her grip on the reins to her horse.

"What?" Inigo glanced back at Mustafa, "You told us Grimleal were to be feared." He turned to look at Tharja, "You didn't tell me that the fear should come from how lovely they looked."

Mustafa's shoulders sank.

"Kid, I wouldn't-"

"So," Inigo reached out and leaned up against the walls. He put on a charming smirk, "What's your name gorgeous?"

"That rose has thorns, dumbass." The girl quickly said as she carefully guided her horse towards the gate.

Inigo's smirk twisted into a look of mild annoyance for a split second.

"Don't pay attention to Sakura. She could not possibly understand feminine beauty like yourself."

"I am a girl." The young rider quickly snapped.

"Exactly." Inigo replied. He flashed his smile at Tharja again, "So," He chuckled lightly, "What is your name?"

Tharja narrowed her eyes at him. This boy was already starting to test her patience. She did not appreciate his boldness at the moment.

Some excitement built up in her as she thought of a way to curb the guilt she felt from earlier. Perhaps a little hex would remedy her sour mood. She flashed a dangerous smirk back at Inigo then started muttering under her breath.

"Oh, don't be so shy, my lady." Inigo said, "You can speak louder for me."

"Inigo, she's not trying to talk to you."

"Shut up, Sak."

The girl's eyes widened as she stared furiously at the boy, "What did you call me?" She glared over at Mustafa as the large man passed by her, "Aren't you going to stop him?"

"And miss the chance to laugh my ass off?" Mustafa grunted.

Sakura blinked, "Oh right, I forgot about that." She whipped her gaze back over to Inigo, "Keep going, dumbass!"

"Don't pay her any mind." Inigo shrugged, "How about you and I go to a tavern nearby? Get a drink. Sit down and… get to know each other."

"Tharja!"

"Mom! Don't hurt him!"

Inigo's grin shattered at the same time as Tharja's excitement died. Tharja sighed and glanced up the road. Both Ben and Noire were sprinting towards her.

"N-Noire?" Inigo sputtered. His gaze creaked back to Tharja. His face paled immediately. Tharja started to snicker.

"So… you're one of the future children as well?" She started her muttering again.

Behind Inigo, Sakura doubled over laughing. She gripped her stomach as she wheezed out laughs. Her horse snorted beside her. Stomping a foot and shaking its mane with her.

"Oh you are so dumb. It's like your brain is just your dick." Sakura roared.

"Well at least I have a dick!" Inigo cried.

Sakura fell backwards, kicking as she howled with laughter. Beside her, Mustafa chuckled a little bit, still not entirely sure what just happened. Her horse snorted again and let out a small cry, rearing its head back as if it shared in Sakura's laughter.

Ben and Noire screeched to a halt.

"Tharja," Ben breathed, "please don't hex a-" Tharja stopped muttering. And Inigo bellowed out a loud sneeze.

"Took late now." Noire sighed.

Inigo sniffled, then sneezed again.

"That is your warning," Tharja breathed, "Inigo."

Inigo sneezed hard, sniffled, and wiped at some boogers coming from his nostrils.

"Y-yes ma'am." Inigo sniffled.

Mustafa still chuckled a little as he walked over to a still wheezing Sakura. He reached down and picked the girl up with one easy jerk. The girl guffawed even more and leaned against her horse. Trying to stay upright and not fall to the ground laughing again.

"You flirted with one of the parents!" Sakura laughed.

"I-I didn't know!" Inigo cried defensively.

As the pair fell into bickering, Mustafa let out a weary sigh.

"I have been dealing with this," He nodded back at the teenagers, "for several months now." He sighed and looked at Tharja, "You couldn't have hexed them both into silence?"

"Don't tempt her." Noire squeaked.

Ben chuckled a little bit, "General Mustafa," The burly man turned to him, "I did not expect to find you all the way out here. Aren't you supposed to be in exile in Plegia?"

Mustafa gave Ben a friendly grin. He chuckled a little bit, "Just in exile." He looked around, "I don't think I can get more in exile than going across the ocean. And I am equally surprised to see you here, Ben Kenobi. Although, both of those children insisted that you and the other Shepherds would be here at some point."

"And we were right!" Both Inigo and Sakura said at once. They glared at each other.

"Hell no! I was right!" Sakura declared.

"You only wish you were intelligent enough to be right about that." Inigo sniffed.

"Says the one who thinks his brain is between his legs." Sakura huffed and folded her arms.

"If both of you do not silence yourselves, I'll do it for you." Tharja hissed, quieting both feuding teens. Inigo sneezed hard, then bit his tongue. Trying his best to stay completely quiet. Tharja rolled her eyes at both, "I assume you want to meet up with Lucina and your friends." The both sucked in sharp breaths. Sakura slowly nodded, "She's probably in the mess tent near the harbor still. Just look for the inn with a large tent in front of it."

The two teenagers dumbly nodded then quickly raced away from a very annoyed Tharja. As they raced away, Tharja heard the pair start bickering once again. Mustafa uttered a weary sigh.

"Peace and quiet." He breathed, "I have not heard it in a lifetime."

Ben chuckled, "It looks like you had your hands full."

"You have no idea." Mustafa grumbled, "Those two are always bickering. One snide comment after the other. And then there are the other issues." He glanced at Tharja, "You were subject to one, unfortunately. And I'll apologize for the boy."

"Don't apologize, he got what was coming to him." Tharja hummed as she folded her arms.

"Agreed there." Mustafa nodded. He looked around, "I don't recall Feroxi having such a large presence in Valm. The rumors of war are true it seems."

"They are." Ben nodded, "We landed only a couple of days ago." He eyes flashed as an idea hit him, "General, I think you and I should go speak to Chrom and the Khans."

"May I ask why?"

"Well, I think they will take whatever expertise they can get." Ben shrugged, "What do you think Tharja?"

"From what I remember, Mustafa was one of the few decent Generals in the Plegian army." Tharja hummed, "He wasn't a glorified marauder like the others."

"Not in the later days, no." Mustafa sighed, "And I appreciate the offer, Sir Ben. But… I'm not a commander anymore. I'm a wanderer now."

Ben nodded, "Well, at least stay with the army. We have food and shelter for you. I'm sure Chrom will not mind given the mercy you showed us in the desert all those years ago."

Mustafa nodded, "I think I shall take you up on that offer." He looked back up the road as he heard Inigo and Sakura shouting at each other now, "If you'll excuse me. I better rein in those two before they piss off the wrong person."

"Have fun with that." Ben chuckled lightly.

"Let me know if you need help." Tharja snickered, "I'd gladly make them my test subjects."

"Mom… not my friends." Noire gulped.

Tharja snickered some more, "Oh don't tell me you haven't been tempted to do the same." She glared up the road, "Those two, especially that fool of a boy, seem utterly insufferable."

Noire kicked at some dirt, "To be fair, you viewed almost everyone that way in the future." Noire bobbed her head back and forth, "Although, Sakura and Inigo definitely deserved it on occasion. We all did really. And-"

Tharja narrowed her gaze at Noire. The girl started rambling. Nervous, inane rambling that led to nowhere. A reflex brought about by fear. But of what? Tharja frowned.

"Am I that intimidating?" She suddenly asked.

Noire blinked. She looked up. Her mother had a stern look on her face. But, it seemed oddly different. She did not appear upset or annoyed. Instead, she looked rather sad. In the only way her mother could appear that way. A slight frown and a miniscule amount of softness in her gaze. Noire gulped.

"You haven't lost that directness."

Tharja inclined her chin, "I'll take that as a yes."

"Tharja…" Ben sighed.

Tharja raised a hand, silencing him. Ben shook his head as Tharja's eyes locked onto the talisman around Noire's neck. She hummed to herself.

"Nice necklace." Tharja breathed before quickly walking away, following Mustafa back towards the harbor.

Several Feroxi captains bellowed orders. Recon companies were about to move out. Several formations formed on the road, the lead formation made up of a group of Ylissean cavalry. Ben uttered a small sigh as he watched Tharja stride into the mass of soldiers and disappear once again.

"Is that her coming around?" Noire asked, her voice quiet.

Ben glanced over at her.

"That was a layer."

* * *

Robin's head nodded as his horse slowly trotted along the western road out of Charlet. His head felt heavy. His eyelids felt even heavier. Every moment was a struggle in remaining awake. That struggle was interrupted by brief moments of blissful unconsciousness.

Then the nightmares would crush the bliss. He would see it all again. The beach, the smoke lazily swirling high into the sky above Charlet, the stench of decaying bodies all around him. The seductive whispers that entered his mind during those horrible moments bounced around his skull. The growling voice of whatever beast that emerged whenever his control slipped. The image of Miriel, jerking as his sword ripping through her chest, replayed over and over in his mind. He could not get it out of his head. The look in her eyes, of both shock, betrayal, and sadness as he ended her life, it lingered with him. Incessantly haunting him, forcing him to snort awake from the nightmares.

And the cycle would continue, even as the sun rose in the east, signaling the start of a new day. Another sleepless night. Not that it mattered much anymore. He was no longer tactician of the Archanean army. And for good reason in his mind. Mentally, he could not do it. Not with his powers threatening to run amok at any given moment.

He raised his exhausted gaze up ahead to his lone companion on the ride west. Dooku rode tall on his black steed. The older man easily adjusted to the saddle and the gait of the horse, despite his unfamiliarity with the beast. He looked like a natural rider. Comfortable, completely at ease with the steady pace he set. Utterly regal looking, which made sense given his position in Themis's court. Maribelle probably settled for nothing less.

 _Then again, her and Donnel are a thing._ Robin thought wearily.

"You should rest while riding." Dooku chided from up ahead.

Robin groaned, "You've said that for how many hours now? And I shall give you the exact same answer. I cannot sleep."

Dooku clicked his tongue, "That is not true. You just won't allow yourself to sleep."

Some anger flashed in Robin's mind, "Won't allow myself to sleep?" He growled, "Believe me, if I could actually stay asleep, I would. I feel like the back side of a horse right now." His steed snorted and shook its mane, "No offense." He finished.

"Speaking to the steed now?" Dooku shook his head, "You cannot hope to absorb what I have to teach you if you are not in the right state of mind."

"I thought the entire point of us leaving and you teaching me is that I already am not in the right state of mind." Robin drawled.

Dooku scowled back at him, "You've inherited Kenobi's sharp tongue. Hopefully that goes away. Otherwise, I may have to beat it out of you."

Robin rolled his eyes, "Crotchety old man." He reached for his waterskin on the side of his saddle, uncorked it, and brought it to his lips. The cool liquid rushed down his throat and helped stir him awake for a moment. He smacked his lips together and let out a long breath, "We've ridden through the night, Dooku. How much further will we go?"

"We will not stop until we have a respectable distance between us and the army." Dooku replied, "And even then, it will only be a brief respite for the horses before we continue on to the Mila Tree."

Robin furrowed his brow, "You sure seem determined to get there." He put his waterskin back against the side of his saddle. The reins to his horse rested leisurely in his grip as he trotted up to ride alongside Dooku, "May I ask why?"

"I already told you." Dooku replied, "The Mila Tree is the most likely centerpoint of your friends' campaign against Valm. It is also a relatively safe distance from the rest of the army. Armies move slow, it will take them much longer to reach that point than for us. I estimate we can reach the Mila Tree within the week if we keep riding. Meanwhile, a slow moving army, burdened by numbers, possible small skirmishes, and need for rest, will take at least double the time."

Robin nodded, "All things I am-" He yawned loudly, "Aware of." He swallowed as he struggled to remain awake once again, "But I know you, Dooku. Your motivations are never that simple."

"You hardly know me, Robin." Dooku drawled.

"Then enlighten me." Robin snarked back, "Both on you, and on whatever you have planned."

"The student should not question the master so."

"The student is also capable of destroying the master if I get mad enough."

Dooku snorted out a sarcastic laugh, "The master cannot be killed. Or have you forgotten that?"

Robin raised an eyebrow, "Just because you have an inexplicable tolerance for pain and suffering, does not mean you cannot be killed."

"Lucina said so herself." Dooku reminded him, "I am something called a Deadlord now. I am not fully aware of the implications of that title. But I do know what that means, is that I am damn difficult to destroy. You can ask that petulant boy, Luke, if you want further evidence."

"Got an ax to grind with him?" Robin asked as he slouched in his saddle.

"Not necessarily." Dooku replied, "He and I came into conflict before we met you and Kenobi."

"Why?"

Dooku frowned but said nothing.

"Fine, keep your secrets." Robin huffed, "So?"

"Hm?"

"Keep talking."

Dooku's frown deepened, "You are just looking for ways that I can help you stay awake."

"Maybe." Robin shrugged, "But I also am curious."

Dooku snorted, "The youth and their curiosity. Such things can and will get you killed. That curiosity needs to be tempered lest you make costly mistakes." Dooku sighed, "But I suppose, given our current relationship, it is only natural. I'll answer a few questions."

"Why are we going to the Mila Tree? The real reason too." Robin swiftly asked.

Dooku scowled, "Even when weary you are as sharp as a razor." He shifted in his saddle, "Last time I was at that blasted tree I encountered someone. A very powerful person that I believe can help a little bit."

Robin's eyes widened, "Really? Who?"

"Do you think I know the answer to that?" Dooku remarked, "Before we could really chat, she blasted me off of the tree with dragonfire."

Robin sputtered, "You mean… there's a Manakete on the Mila Tree?"

Dooku nodded, "Yes."

"And you think she can help me? Why?"

Dooku furrowed his brow, "Because… there is something else at work right now Robin. Something I don't fully understand. Something lingers, not just in your mind, but in your very essence. Something that is very good at hiding from any of my attempts to investigate it. I'm sure Tharja and Kenobi have sensed it as they tried to solve this issue. But they are not as well versed in the Dark Side as I am. And whatever lurks in your mind is clearly something far beyond what they are capable of understanding."

Concern filled Robin, "There's something inside of me? What? Do you have any idea?"

"It is merely a theory, Robin. Nothing concrete." Dooku hummed back, "I do have a question for you now."

"Okay?" Robin tried to suppress a yawn, but failed. He brought a hand to his mouth and waited for Dooku to speak.

"When these powers take over you, how does it manifest in your mind?"

Robin cocked an eyebrow, "How does it manifest in my mind?" Robin furrowed his brow. He tried to think of how, but his brain felt so tired that he struggled to put his thoughts together. He sagged in his saddle and uttered an exhausted sigh, "I don't know. But… its like I hear a voice."

"A whisper?"

Robin shook his head, "No." Dooku furrowed his brow, "A growl. Like… a beast. I don't know. I sound crazy."

"No." Dooku muttered, "Not crazy at all. Just very observant." He glanced at Robin's hands. Out of the corner of his eye, Dooku spotted a strange marking on the back of Robin's right hand. A strange emblem, almost like a tattoo, made of six eyes. An uncomfortable feeling formed in Dooku's gut as he gazed upon the mark, "That mark on your hand, when did you get it?"

Robin frowned as he looked down at his hand, "What, this? I don't know. I must have gotten it before I lost my memories. I had it when Chrom found me near Southtown." Robin shook his head, "And before you ask, no, I don't know how to get my memories back. I've considered such a thing a lost cause at this point."

Dooku pressed his lips into a thin line, "I believe I saw a similar marking once in one of Tharja's tomes she was studying"

Robin blinked and stared surprised at Dooku, "What are you saying? That," He raised his hand and beheld the six eyed marking to Dooku, "this has something to do with the Grimleal."

"Not just that. But you as well, my boy." Dooku hummed. He did not miss the perplexed, extremely concerned look on Robin's face, "Oh come now. Don't tell me you are that oblivious. You are far too intelligent for that. Notice the colors of your coat? What are they?"

Robin gulped, "The colors of-"

"The Grimleal, yes." Dooku nodded, "Dark purple, black, and gold. The colors of the Fell Dragon Grima. And before you give me that same idiotic look of utter confusion, I will have you know that I studied this world's history during my free time. I do not like to be blind of a world's culture or history. Given Themis's proximity to Plegia, I felt it only prudent to study up on Ylisse's main rival. Tharja and Henry sport similar colors in their attire. Tharja a little less so due to her… rather interesting choice of dress."

Robin chuckled a little bit under his breath, "Good luck trying to change it." He furrowed his brow as he pondered what Dooku was saying, "Dooku?"

"Hm?"

"When I went to meet Plegia's new king with Chrom and Ben, we… we met someone, a Grimleal Hierophant."

Dooku visibly stiffened in his saddle.

"I was not aware of this." Dooku said carefully.

"We didn't really have much time to discuss what happened, did we?" Robin muttered as he struggled with sleep once again. Every so often, his eyes would remain closed as he tried to gather his thoughts, "Anyways," He yawned again, "the um… the Hierophant… looked like me, but with white hair and yellow eyes."

Dooku did not react.

"And he also shared my name. Which was probably the least believable part of it all." Robin shook his head, "I still don't know exactly who that guy is. Hell, I don't even know who I am. For all I know, I took my name from him instead of remembering my own name."

"Robin, may I ask you a strange request." Dooku said.

Robin nodded sleepily.

"Don your hood."

Robin smacked his lips together and yawned again, "Afraid I'll get sunburned?" He said sleepily, "How sweet of you." He drew his hood over his head.

Dooku could not hold back the sudden intake of breath rushing into his lungs. He quickly cleared his throat, doing his best to mask his sudden alarm. And thankfully, Robin failed to think anything of it. The boy's mind too distracted with trying to force the body into a slumber.

"How do I look?" Robin said with a light laugh as his head nodded forward.

Dooku did not reply. And before long, he heard soft snores coming from the tactician beside him. He would awaken soon. The boy's nightmares would not let him rest easily. And if he did not learn to push through such obstacles, he would never fully recover from the Battle of Charlet.

But for now, Dooku's mind was no longer preoccupied with Robin's stubborn refusal to drift off. Now, his mind lingered on the young tactician to his left, restlessly sleeping in his saddle. Dooku grit his teeth, reached over, and threw the hood back from the boy's head.

 _As I feared._ Dooku thought to himself.

He looked up the dirt road. Endless plains stretched out in front of them. But at the end of this road, stood the Mila Tree. Within a few days, they would be able to see it.

He did not forget his lone conversation with the original Master that raised him from the dead. The one that wore a hood and coat eerily similar to Robin's. A Master whose power made Dooku worry. Someone with mastery over life and death was not someone to be trifled with. And yet, Dooku had a feeling that he was about to do just that. And if he was going to trifle with a being of such power, he would need an equally powerful being by his side.

His mind turned to the Manakete atop the Mila Tree. Held there in a flimsy prison by the Valmese. Lady Tiki held a power greater than many Dooku had felt in both life and death. A power similar to the force, perhaps even the force but manifested in a different way. He was not entirely certain. He remembered being on the receiving end of just a fraction of her power. And he hoped that maybe the ancient being would have some idea as to how to handle Robin.

The Master he once answered too had designs for Robin, he felt certain about that now. The resemblance they bore to each other was absolutely uncanny. That could not be a coincidence. But what those designs were, Dooku could not discern. The Force clouded the answer from his sight. Rendered him blind and prevented him from digging any further. It was as if the Dark Side itself was denying him from divining the answers to such pressing questions.

His grip on the reins tightened. Robin snorted and slid to the side in his saddle before unceremoniously slipping from his horse and falling to the road in a cloud of dust. Dooku sighed and clicked his tongue. His own steed came to a stop.

Dooku glanced up at the sky. The morning sun drifted lazily overhead. A few more hours and it would be noon. They had nearly a twenty hour head start on the Archanean army. If Robin could get a proper rest, then they could put even more distance between them and the others.

More distance, less risk.

Dooku looked down at Robin as the tactician groaned on the ground.

"I hit a rock." Robin mumbled, "Why do I always fall asleep on a rock?"

Dooku raised his brow. He could not afford for Robin to fall of his saddle again. That would just waste time. He watched Robin wearily mount his horse again. The tactician absently snapped the reins and trotted out ahead, body swaying too and fro as sleep began to claim him again.

Dooku frowned.

 _Do I have any rope?_

 **And chapter! THERE IT IS FOLKS! Chapter 100 is officially here! Wow... one hundred chapters. That is honeslty kind of surreal to me. This is without a doubt the biggest story I have ever written. And so far, every single one of you reading this story have made it an absolute joy to write. So I do want to thank you all so much for the support, the criticism, and the advice. Without that, none of this would have happened. I also am going to shout out several other authors, namely Narwhal Lord, Recursive Logic, and RedXEagl3; who all helped with many creative aspects in this story. Now, before I conclude this long winded AN. I will also say that I am part of a writing discord (been part of it for a while now actually) that has a bunch of other Fire Emblem fans and fic writers in it. The link is: discord . gg /9XG3U7a (Add https and : / / to the front of the link and ingorne the spaces. Fanfic hates links for some reason) It is known as the Treehouse. Feel free to stop by, say hello, talk Fire Emblem or even other fandoms and fics.**

 **Anyways, thank you all again. I have a blast writing this story and I hope to continue delivering a great story for you all. Let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	101. Around the Fire

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 101

Around the Fire

A small fire crackled in the stone fireplace inside of Morgana's chambers. She rocked back and forth in a rocking chair near the fire. Allowing the flickering flames to warm her frozen bones. Her green eyes gazed into the fire. Watched the flames dance up and down, side to side. A little ballet that entranced the mind. But it did not serve as a distraction. If anything, it caused all other possible distractions around Morgana, from the open book in her lap to the many reports on her desk, to fade away. Only the thoughts in her mind gained her attention. Unpleasant thoughts, worrisome thoughts, thoughts that made more gray hairs sprout in her black locks.

Her son… he was fading. She could sense it with each passing day. Not fading in a physical sense. She couldn't feel him dying. But she could feel his control slipping. The monster contained within him was stirring. And now, she could do nothing to contain it. Nothing except pray that some miracle stopped the Fell Dragon from bursting through the Vessel's shell. Perhaps the followers of Naga would discover some way to keep the beast bound.

 _That is if they even recognize what is happening in time._

She doubted they would. The Fell Dragon was merely a legend now. A borderline myth. Only the Grimleal truly viewed him as a living, breathing entity. One that could return given enough time and blood. He was an unimaginable abomination.

 _And I saw him._

Or, a shell of him. A figment of her mind, projected in her vision. An assault on her thoughts that allowed a man simply known as the Hierophant to attack her. The mental assault when she was investigating the Artifact with Alfred brought her to her knees. At the time, she was not certain who was capable of such a thing. To be capable of mentally assaulting her, without knowing her actual location, over such a vast distance, was insane.

In order to discern who could have pulled off such a spell, she consulted the one person she knew had been in contact with the mysterious Hierophant, Aversa, her adopted daughter. At first, she had been rather… disagreeable. She remained silent, sulking in her cell despite Morgana's best attempt to coax her into speaking. Only when Morgana made certain to mention her attacker's physical appearance did she get any answers.

The fear on Aversa's face was plain as day. Her face turned ashen at the mention of white hair, yellow eyes, and a twisted grin. Her dark eyes looked at Morgana wide eyed. The Sorceress heard only three words from Aversa.

"You saw him."

Morgana ran her finger along the ink riddled pages of the book in her lap. An ancient tome with wrinkled yellow pages and faded ink. Within those yellowed pages was an ancient description of the Fell Dragon himself. A copy drawn from stone tablets found within the long lost, cursed city of Thabes. Written by the very sorcerer that spawned the Fell Dragon. A fact long lost to the Grimleal (or more accurately, long buried by their ancestors), yet known to those who sought out such knowledge. Part of why Validar now deemed her a heretic.

It made no mention of a human vessel. And what rituals it did mention, were vague theories, hardly concrete spells. And yet, she saw him. She saw the vessel teeming with Grima's essence. Wreathed in dark power unimaginable. And it was merely a small flash of power. A drop in a vast ocean. Not only did the vessel display dark magic abilities the likes of which Morgana never thought possible, he displayed draconic powers long restricted to the realm of the Manaketes. Powers that even Morgana struggled to fully understand, despite her intense study in the mysterious subject.

Robin would soon lose himself to that power. Grima would consume him. He will take over his mind and render her son nothing more than another soul consumed by his dark clutches. Nothing could stop it now. And once Grima consumed her son, the world would burn.

The Project needed to be finished. It was humanity's lifeboat. An ark to deliver survivors away from the Fell Dragon's destruction. Whether she would be on it or not, it would not matter. In the end, because of her research, and her mages' work, humanity would live on.

But first, she needed a Manakete. One was out of reach. Cut off by the Naga-spawn. But one could be within her grasp. A manakete of unknown power and origins. All she really knew about it was that it lived atop the Mila Tree in Valm. Trapped there by the Valmese. Getting to it would be extremely difficult. But not impossible.

She would have to send some of her best mages to do it. Morgana even considered leading the task force herself. But if she did, Grima would know. He would find her. He would find the project. Then all really would be lost.

No, she needed to remain here. Trapped in her cocoon of ice and rock. Her best mages would seek out the Manakete. They would take her from the Mila Tree and deliver her back to the hideout within the next moon. She could gather enough power along with several other mages to cast a hefty teleportation spell. One that would exhaust her for several days. But it would be worth it now. Their plans needed to accelerate. Grima was obviously accelerating his plans. She would have to rise and meet his vicious pace.

The door to her quarters opened.

"You wished to speak to me, Lady Morgana?" Alfred said as he shuffled into her room, shutting the door behind him.

 _Who to lead the mages?_

She thought for a moment. It would have to be someone powerful. Strong enough in magic to handle the raw power a Manakete could toss around. Her thoughts drifted to the young woman lingering in the ice dungeons of the Heretics Hideout.

 _Maybe…_

"Gather our strongest mages, Alfred. And fetch Aversa from her cell." Morgana's green eyes flicked over to the older mage near her door, "I have a task for them."

Alfred gulped, "Manakete hunting, my lady?"

Morgana nodded, "Yes." She turned her gaze back to the flames, "And the hunt has quite the prize."

* * *

Dooku stared at the embers of the night's fire. The small logs glowed with faint orange light. As the dying embers ate away at the last bits of wood, the logs would shift and spit hot sparks out onto the ground near his feet. What little residual heat remained from the fire drifted through the air in small spirals of gray smoke.

He had been reluctant to start a fire upon taking a break. His new body did not feel the normal needs of his old body. This undead form he now lived in did not know hunger, thrist, heat, or cold. It barely knew pain and weariness. He did not see the need for a fire until he saw Robin shivering. Then he was reminded of his pupil's weakened state.

The boy finally drifted off to sleep once they stopped. Two and a half straight days of riding. Not easy riding either. Hard riding, never slowing past a trot. He may not need the rest, but Robin and the horses certainly did. Dooku glanced across the small campsite at the brown and black steeds he and Robin took from the army stables back in Charlet.

 _Loyal beasts._ Dooku thought to himself as he admired the powerful muscles they displayed.

He found horses to be useful companions. He certainly could see why the people of this world, in their backwards ways, relied on them so heavily. Loyal, easy to work with, easy to train, and could perform a multitude of tasks. And, given the right push and rest, hardly ever tired. Dooku now considered purchasing one once this war ended and he returned to Themis. He actually found riding to be a relaxing exercise. Even if he and Robin were riding behind enemy lines in a land where any passing Valmese soldier would have good reason to try and kill them.

Another reason for his reluctance to start a fire. A fire brought warmth, but it also could bring danger. Flames could signal to any passing patrol that two Ylisseans were behind their lines. But in the end, he allowed Robin to spark one. It helped the boy sleep. And he needed the rest. A human's body could only run for so long without sleep. And Robin had pushed the limits of his body during their ride west towards the Mila Tree. To the point where Dooku could hardly instruct him in anything regarding the force. The tactician was incapable of fully applying lessons with his body deteriorating due to lack of rest. If a fire helped Robin get even a few hours of sleep, Dooku would allow it.

Embers spat out from the dying logs. Gray ash lined the base of the fire. Hot coals still glowed a dull red deep within the small pyre. Dooku's eyes focused on those burning coals for a moment. Then he glanced across the camp at the slumbering tactician. The boy using his large coat as a makeshift blanket. Which made sense, the night did possess a slight chill to it.

Dooku's eyes studied the coat once again. He did not understand how no one else, not even Robin himself, made the Grimleal connection. It seemed so obvious to Dooku now that he got a further look at the boy. Between the Grimleal colors he openly wore and the Mark of Grima branded onto the back of his hand, the boy reeked of a previous life among Dark Mages. A life he did not remember.

Then there was the-

" _ **Equus."**_

The hairs on Dooku's neck stood on end as the temperature around him plummeted. The Dark Side of the force swirled into a thick cloud in the shadows beyond the dying firelight. A humanoid form shifted to and fro in the shadows. Wreathed in darkness. Two pinpoints of yellow light showing where its eyes were.

Only one person in the entire galaxy referred to him by the name Equus. Dooku's hand drifted towards his lightsaber. The shadowy form shot towards him. It brushed past his still form, rendering Dooku motionless as it swept around him.

It clicked its tongue at him.

" _ **If you think such a paltry little tool will harm me now, then you are not as intelligent as I thought you were."**_ Grima hummed.

Dooku retracted his hand carefully from the curved hilt on his hip. Grima snickered low as his shadowy specter circled around him.

" _ **It has been some time, my servant."**_

"I do not serve you." Dooku snarled lowly.

" _ **Don't you?"**_ Grima hissed, shadowy form snapping around him so that the yellow eyes stared into Dooku's, " _ **Perhaps you are executing my will through your actions, whether you mean to or not."**_

Dooku gave him a smug smirk, "If that were the case, you would not be paying me a visit."

Grima's specter hissed again. Dooku steeled his mind in case the shadowy form decided to attack his thoughts. But as he brought up his mental defenses, a pain lanced through his head. A sharp pain. Pain he had not felt since his body had actually been living.

The shadow tsked.

" _ **You think you can do what you wish? Foolish slave. You are mine. You always will be mind. I brought you back. I gave you life. And yet you try to defy me?"**_ The shadow swirled around him, blotting Dooku's vision of the campsite. Consuming his thoughts with images that sent fear coursing through his veins.

Ylisstol burned. The entire planet set aflame. An ash riddled wasteland laden with the bones of millions. A six eyed dragon roared triumphant over the conquered carcass of humanity's final stronghold.

" _ **Do you see, Equus. This is the fate of the world. It all shall be mine. I will take all. I will rule all. And those who do not bend to me, shall be consumed."**_ The visions raced away from Dooku's thoughts. He blinked as the embers of the fire sparked once again. The shadowy specter was nowhere to be seen.

Dooku scowled. Nothing more than a vision. Nothing more than a possible nightmare? Had he fallen asleep.

A low chuckle reverberated in his mind. He froze.

" _ **You can redeem yourself in my eyes, my servant."**_

Dooku gulped.

"H-how?"

This power… it felt like the Dark Side itself was speaking to him. Sweat pooled in the creases of Dooku's hand as he struggled to mount a meager defense in his mind. Only for that defense to be torn to shreds by a furious beast. One that prowled his thoughts and sought out whatever information it could. Another low chuckle sounded in his skull.

" _ **So… you aim to go to the Mila Tree? Your actions will determine your fate, my deadlord."**_ Grima said.

Dooku gulped as an iron hand gripped his mind. Suppressed his power. Made him feel drained in a horrible way. Weak and weary. All too human.

"How will I know?"

Grima's low laughter echoed in his mind. He received no answer. It appears he would have to solve this puzzle on his own.

The presence in his thoughts faded away. The fierce cold that gripped Dooku's body retreated. He suddenly felt in control of his thoughts once again. And when control returned, he fell forward, gasping for air.

For a split second, his old Master took his power away. For a split second, Grima rendered his new body useless. There was no mistaking this strange interaction. It was a threat, and a promise. Bend the knee once again, serve Grima, and Dooku would not only live, he would be rewarded. Fail to do so, and death awaited him. He recalled death's embrace. The sudden finality of it all. How he could feel nothing, knew nothing, had become nothing more than a speck in a void. Bound to the endless currents of the force. Without form or identity. Without power or purpose.

He raised a shaky gaze up to Robin's slumbering form. The tactician slept fitfully now. He tossed and turned. Haunted by nightmares of Charlet. Dooku winced as he pushed himself upright once again.

The boy had slept for several hours. If he woke up now, he would not be harmed too much. Dooku strode over and shook Robin awake. Robin gasped, sweat beaded on his brow. His eyes flicked back and forth as he was ripped from a dream.

"Wake up." Dooku grunted, "We should start riding again."

Robin blinked. A long yawn left his lips. He wiped his eyes and sat upright. Both horses snorted awake when he rose.

"How much further?" Robin asked.

Dooku furrowed his brow. He turned to the west. Hills and rolling plains lay before them. But with how much distance they managed to cover in the first two days, they could not be far away now.

"Perhaps a day." Dooku replied. He kicked some dirt over the dying embers of their fire, "Maybe two."

Robin yawned again. He placed his coat back over his shoulders.

"How long did I sleep?"

"A few hours."

Robin nodded wearily, "I should have slept more."

"But you would not feel rested." Dooku replied as he hopped into the saddle of his horse, "The nightmares would have kept your mind from recovering properly. If you need more rest, sleep in your saddle."

Robin sighed, "Fair point." He jumped up into his saddle and spun his horse to follow Dooku's. The pair loped into a quick trott away from their small camp. Robin yawned again, "Do you think this Manakete can help me get some sleep?"

Dooku glanced over at Robin. He could not shake the feeling of unease he had whenever he saw the boy now. His interaction with the Shadow of Grima had a disturbing sense of familiarity to it. And Grima's words resonated in his mind. His redemption in the Fell Dragon's plans resided at the Mila Tree. Which meant, his path back to the Master's side involved one of two people, Lady Tiki… or Robin.

 _Or both._ Dooku mused.

"Dooku? Did you hear me?"

Dooku blinked, "Oh… yes um… we shall see, won't we."

Robin frowned, "That is not an answer."

Dooku rolled his eyes, "I cannot give an answer to a question I don't know the answer to. We shall see when we get there. I mainly hope that she can assist us in solving your little power control problem."

"It is not a little problem." Robin muttered.

Dooku did not respond. He instead returned his attention to the road ahead. Pale moonlight lit up the dirt and gravel. Eventually, the moonlight would unveil the Mila Tree, standing tall like a thin mountain in the distance. There, he sensed his fate would be decided. There Grima's will would come to pass. Whether that be the Deadlord's return, or the Deadlord's fall, Grima would have his way.

 _I just hope it will happen after I solve the puzzle that is Robin._

* * *

Smoke filled the air. Several fires burned in the scorched plains that stretched out from Charlet. The black plumes hid the sun. The smoke made it difficult to breath. The stench of slaughtered livestock hung thick in any air. Ben coughed and brought a hand over his mouth as he caught sight of a slaughterhouse in the middle of a once prosperous wheat farm.

Dozens of cows lay dead in the field. Their meat scorched by fire or poisoned by rot. A demoralizing sight for the army.

Three days ago, the army set out from Charlet. A slow, slogging march west towards the Mila Tree. The centermost point on the Valmese continent. Ben hoped to reach that point and then discern a plan of attack from there. By reaching the center, he hoped to cut off the northern and southern sections of the continent, thereby preventing the Valmese from marshaling their full strength against the invading Archaneans.

He would not be able to do that if the march did not speed up. And the march would not speed up if they continued running into scorched farms and sacked villages.

He grimaced at the thought. During the first day of the march the army trudged their way through a small village west of Charlet. Dozens of villagers were piled in the center square, dead. Their livestock laid in heaps alongside the road. Their homes were charred husks. The Valmese army left nothing for the invaders to use. Not a single tool, weapons, or scrap of food could be recovered from the land as the Valmese army adopted a scorched earth strategy. A strategy that wore down the Feroxi and Ylissean soldiers.

Footsteps crunched in the dirt and gravel behind Ben. Ben glanced over his shoulder. Virion strode up to the side of road. His usual arrogant smirk and bravado long gone after three days of fire and blood. He swallowed hard as he gazed at a still burning barn in the distance.

"If I had known this would happen, I would have advised against this course." Virion muttered.

Ben uttered a heavy sigh, "I'm sorry, Virion."

The archer shook his head, "War is war. I should have expected something like this. But... to actually see these horrors in my homeland is unbearable."

"All the more reason to defeat the Valmese."

Cherche walked up alongside Virion. Anger burned hot in her eyes as she stared out at the ruined farm. One of her hands rested on the head of her ax as it sat holstered to her hip. She furrowed her brow as the roof of the barn caved in.

"They are not far." She muttered.

"This farm was recently burned." Ben nodded in agreement, "We are either gaining on the retreating Valmese, or they are slowing their retreat." He turned on his heel and marched back towards the center of the army camp. Night would fall soon. The march had ground to a halt so the soldiers and horses could rest for the evening. Ben did make sure to send out scouting parties into the night, in all directions. He did not want to be caught unawares by enemy troops.

As they moved through the throngs of Feroxi and Ylissean soldiers, Virion cleared his throat.

"Which Shepherds will you have leading scouting troops tonight?"

Ben uttered a heavy sigh, "I will not have you go out three nights in a row, Virion. You need rest as well."

Virion opened his mouth to speak, but Cherche cut him off.

"The General is right, Lord Virion." Cherche said.

The archer stubbornly shook his head, "I must go out and-"

"You can't fight for your people and redeem yourself if you end up dead in a field." Cherche scolded swiftly, "You are the last of House Virion, do not recklessly throw your life away. The people of Rosanne will need you when this conflict is finally over."

The pair followed Ben into his tent. The inside had been hastily set up. Everything in the tent, from the simple furniture to the walls and tentpoles, were designed to be taken apart within a moment's notice. Ben did not even have a mattress inside of his tent like others in the Archanean leadership. Instead, he slept on a simple bedroll. The only pieces of true furniture he allowed was a table that currently was covered beneath piles of maps, paperwork, and reports; and a chest meant to hold extra clothes and his leather armor.

Ben sighed as he moved towards the table a sifted through some of the reports. He muttered to himself as he read the latest report on the cavalry from Frederick. The horses were consuming more food than they estimated. It would not be long before they would have to forage.

"I did not count on the Valmese burning their own land to stop us." Ben rubbed his eyes with one hand and let out a low groan, "How does Robin do this so easily?"

"He didn't do it easily." Virion chuckled a little bit, "He just made due with what we had. And he did so rather well."

"I'll say." Ben sank down onto a wooden stool beside the table. Virion leaned up against the main tentpole while Cherche remained near the entryway. Ben ran a hand through his hair and exhaled, "Do you really think we can win?"

"Well we have the Mad Swordsman on our side." Virion shrugged, "So who's to say we cannot?"

"Every conventional evaluation of warfare." Ben deadpanned.

"And who said we were conventional?" Cherche pointed out, "The Shepherds lead this army, along with the Feroxi Khans. Your army inspired the Rosanne rebels to be unpredictable and daring. Those same qualities will prove troublesome for the Valmese and their legions. We can win this war. We will just have do so in a different way than normal."

Ben pressed his lips together, "Easier said than done." He sighed, "What I would give for a platoon of ARC troopers. I could send them behind enemy lines and cause absolute havoc right about now."

Virion arched an eyebrow in confusion. Ben blinked. He forgot the Shepherds now knew of his true origins, but they did not know everything that entailed. To try and explain every detail of the galaxy and the Clone Wars would be an exercise in futility. There was simply too much for Ben to properly talk about.

"Special soldiers. Extremely effective." Ben explained flippantly.

"Perhaps you are the one that needs to rest more than me?" Virion replied, "You can't shoulder this task on your own."

Ben exhaled and rested his arms of his knees. His head felt heavy. Eyes even heavier. And he had a wonderful pain in the side of his neck that kept him from turning his head to the right. He winced as he tried to stretch out the sore muscles.

"You won't be going out tonight Virion." Ben sighed, "Cherche, you will go with Minerva a small squad of Pegasus Knights. Soar high, do your best to stay out of sight. If you find the Valmese army, report back immediately. I want to know their movements."

Cherche nodded, "Of course." And she left.

Once she left, Ben sagged even further into his seat.

"I'll have to get up now." Ben grumbled, "And go tell Sully, Lon'qu, and Kellam that it is their turn to lead scouting troops for the evening."

Virion laughed, "Let me do that Ben."

Ben eyed the archer.

"You won't let me fight for my country tonight, so at least let me assist in some other capacity." Virion pointed out with a slight smirk. He strutted away from the post towards the exit, "Shall I make your message sound very firm? Or should I be nice and gentle?"

Ben gave him a weary look.

"Exhausted soldier tone it is." Virion chuckled, "I'm sure that will go a long way with Sully."

Ben snorted out a laugh, "If anything, she'll take the scouting mission as a personal challenge, like she always does."

"Indeed." Virion paused at the tent exit, "If you are feeling up to it Ben, perhaps I can give your mind a rest with a chess match later?"

Ben scoffed, "Chess with you is more of a headache than battlefield strategy." Ben thought for a moment, "Why not? I'll stop by later tonight."

Virion grinned, "Wonderful. Oh and if you bring Tharja-"

"There will be nothing indecent during a chess match!" Ben cut him off swiftly.

Virion laughed his way out of Ben's tent. Leaving the Jedi Master alone once again. Ben let his hands rest limply in his lap as he stared at the tent wall. Weariness waashed over him. He reached up and rubbed his forehead.

"Kriffing headache." He muttered before rising to his feet once again.

He rolled his shoulders and walked over towards his bedroll. Through a small slit in the tent wall, he saw the sun setting in the distance. He sighed as he reached up and fumbled with the buckles to the leather pauldrons on his shoulders. A curse left his lips as his hand slipped.

 _I must be more tired than I thought._

A slender hand snaked over his shoulders. Delicate fingers danced along the buckles, easily undoing them. Ben smiled a little bit as he reached up and brushed his fingers along the back of Tharja's hand.

"I didn't even notice you enter." Ben raised his arms as Tharja helped him pull the armor up over his head. Once it was removed, he felt her head rest against his back as her arms wrapped around his chest.

"Little stuff like that doesn't normally slip by you." Tharja hummed.

Ben nodded, "Little stuff like that tends to slip when you are as exhausted as I am."

He turned around to face her. Tharja craned her eyes up to look at him.

"Need a sleeping hex?" She asked.

Ben shook his head, "I don't think so. Besides, if you cast a sleeping hex, I'm not going to wake up for several days."

Tharja chuckled lightly, "It might do you some good."

"But it would not do the army any good." Ben reminded her as his fingers ran along her arms.

Tharja rolled her eyes, "I think they can manage. Chrom is a resourceful enough person."

"Maybe. But it still wouldn't be right." Ben sighed.

Tharja nodded reluctantly. She let out a heavy breath as she pulled away from Ben and walked over to the tent entrance. She closed the flap and let her shoulders fall.

"Are you alright?" Ben asked, noticing her sudden exhaustion.

Tharja let out a wry laugh, "You'd think after all the traveling we have done together, I would be used to marching this much." She shook her head a little bit, "But this march feels different." She glanced back at Ben, "I can't help but have a bad feeling about all of this."

Ben furrowed his brow as she walked past him over to the small chest that contained what few personal items they both had. Tharja peeled the bracelets from her pale arms and removed the golden ornament from her hair. She placed them gently inside the chest before reaching for her family ring on her finger. She twisted the ring to and fro for a moment.

"I guess we are actually a family." She muttered.

Ben arched an eyebrow as he returned to his chair and kicked off his boots, "Noire is still troubling you?"

Tharja frowned a little bit. She let the ring remain on her finger as she turned to look at him, "I'm surprised she's not troubling you as well."

Ben pursed his lips, "I never said it wasn't." He managed to yank off one boot. His aching foot creaked as he wiggled his toes. A small wince flashed over his face as he rested his foot back down on the earth. He hesitated as he reached for his other boot, "I'm just as stunned as you are."

"It's not just surprise, Ben." Tharja huffed. She set the tomb she always had on her person inside of the chest, "It's… I don't know. I should have suspected something like this could happen as soon as we learned of Lucina's true identity. I mean, given our relationship, it should have been obvious that one of Lucina's friends would be our…" She gulped a little bit, "child."

Ben gave her a concerned look as she glided over to her own small wooden stool and took a seat beside him. He could see the tension in her shoulders. A tightness to her jaw. Her hands were flexed into small fists in her lap. Fists she quickly relaxed as soon as he noticed them.

"Tharja," He breathed, reaching out and brushing a lock of her hair from her face, "Talk to me." He gave her a small smirk, "You always force me to talk to you."

Tharja snorted, "Your situation was a bit different, in case you have forgotten, mister beyond the stars."

Ben cocked an eyebrow playfully, "Technically there is no such thing as 'beyond the stars'."

"Oh really?" Tharja hummed.

"Really." Ben replied, "And you are not going to change the subject that easily."

She sagged, "Can you blame me for trying?" She lowered her gaze to her lap for a moment, "This all feels so… unbelievable. And I know what you are going to say. It can't be as unbelievable as meeting someone from another planet, falling in love with them, et cetera." She waved her hand a little bit, "But, when I was in the Grimleal, a family was never something I even considered. I always thought I'd either be long dead, or far too detached from anyone in order to desire such a thing. And… a part of me still feels like it is impossible." She glanced over at Ben, "Noire has given me a glimpse of a future that I have never prepared for or desired. And it terrifies me."

Ben regarded Tharja quietly for a moment. He cleared his throat.

"Well, she did admit that future was quite… accidental."

Tharja gave him a puzzled look, "Accidental?" She blinked in understanding, "No wonder she gives us such strange looks."

"You and I were nothing more than a one time thing in the future." Ben explained, "At least, that is Noire's personal belief. Which, judging from what I have heard so far, may not be too far off."

Tharja snorted in disbelief, "And what caused the change? Just the presence of the children from the future?"

Ben furrowed his brow, "I've considered that. But if you think about it, Lucina actually did a good job of keeping us all in the dark for a long time. She gave us cryptic warnings of what was to come, of course. But she never gave any hint as to her true origins." Ben rubbed his chin for a moment. Then the answer hit him like a punch in the gut, "Maul." He breathed. He glanced over at Tharja, "Lucina knew Maul. Which means that the Maul we fought was from the future. His actions sparked the change." Ben gulped, "If I had not been forced to confront Maul once again, then I would not have had to… use as much of my abilities in the war. I could have stuck with my original plan of remaining hidden among the Shepherds. Maul forced me out. Maul made the others see what I was capable of. He made you see what I was capable of." Ben let out a small sound of pure disbelief, "If not for my greatest foe, I would not have this life right now."

"Funny how fate works." Tharja whispered.

Ben gave her a small smile, "Funny indeed." He leaned in a kissed her.

Clapping filled the tent. Ben and Tharja quickly pulled apart. Virion stood in the tent doorway, a broad grin on his face.

"Oh do continue. Don't mind me." Virion smirked.

Ben gave him a withering look, "I thought I told you to-"

"Already told the trio to get going." Virion replied, "And," He reached into a pack on his back and pulled out his chessboard, "I figured with how weary you looked, I would bring both the game, and the party, to you."

"Party?"

Gaius popped his head into the tent, "Is it safe? Sunshine is not going to hex me right?"

"If Lady Tharja was going to hex anyone, it would be me." Virion hummed.

"I'm tempted." Tharja grumbled, "You could have at least knocked."

"On what? The canvass?" Virion sauntered further into the tent, "A lot of good that would have done."

Gaius surged into the tent, "How's it going guys?" He smiled, dug into his own pack, and withdrew a large bottle, "Courtesy of Anna." He held it out to both Tharja and Ben.

Ben eyed the thief, "You mean courtesy of your fingers pilfering it from Anna."

Gaius cringed, "Shhh! Keep it down. Whiskers is right behind me and-"

Panne strolled into the tent.

"H-hey, Whiskers!" Gaius leaned up against the tent's center poll, "Fancy seeing you here."

"You invited me here." Panne replied.

"Did I?" Gaius laughed nervously, "Oh hey look! Benny is already got the drinks ready to go."

"I do?" Ben blinked. He did not see any glasses nearby.

A bad feeling surged in the force. Danger rushed towards the tent. Ben tensed as he sensed it drawing closer. Before he could react, a red head barreled her way into the tent.

"Who has the balls!?" Anna roared.

Gaius quickly pointed at Ben. Anna's gaze snapped over to Ben. Ben rolled his eyes.

"Do you honestly believe that I would-"

Gaius sneezed hard. Panne glared angrily at the thief. Anna's wrath turned to the other red head. Virion took a seat on the ground and watched with amusement. Ben glanced over at Tharja as the dark mage gave him a mischievous grin.

"Already taken care of." She muttered.

Gaius sneezed again.

"Gods dammit!" He cried.

"Panne," Anna's eyes blazed with wrathful vengeance, "Do I have your permission." She reached for a dagger at her hip and slowly drew it, "to beat him within an inch of his life."

"Whiskers-" Gaius sneezed, "I was just trying to-" He sneezed again, "Do something nice for Benny cause-" Sneeze, "Naga, remove this hex already Sunshine!"

"No." Tharja replied.

"I'll take care of it, Anna." Panne sighed, "For now," She walked over to Ben's chest. Virion stood up. The Taguel reached into the chest, withdrew some gold coins, and tossed them over to the merchant, "Payment."

"Th-those are mine." Ben stammered.

"Accepted." Anna sheathed her dagger. She glared at Gaius, "I catch you stealing from me again, there will be no amount of coin that can save you."

Gaius gulped, "Duly noted."

The tent opened again.

"Virion said something about a party?" Lissa strolled in. The Ylissean Princess flashed a bright smile at both Ben and Tharja. Frederick followed her into the tent. He gave Ben a stiff nod before moving towards the far wall.

Flavia strolled in behind them. A massive grin rested on her face as she adjusted two bottles of firewine in the crook of her arm.

"It's only a party when I show up." Flavia beamed. She laughed, "I hope you've got plenty of glasses, General. I suspect more are bound to show up."

Ben laughed nervously in his seat, "I'm not sure a party is the best idea for right now."

"Oh," Lissa waved her hand dismissively, "you worry too much. We're just trying to help you relax."

"And-" Virion took one of the bottles from Flavia, popped the corked and passed it over to Ben, "There is no better relaxation medication."

"Libra would argue against that." Lissa pointed out.

"He's a priest." Virion shrugged, "Of course he would."

The tent opened, "I'm a priest." Brady strolled into the tent. Walking in with him were Noire, Say'ri, and Cynthia. Brady raised his flask to Virion, "And I say, cheers."

Virion laughed heartily, "If you are one of the future children, then I dare say, you must be Lady Sully's. Only she can match you when it comes to liquor."

Brady coughed hard on his drink as Virion spoke, "Yeah uh-"

"A party?" The priest froze as both Donnel and Maribelle entered the increasingly crowded tent. Maribelle held a closed parasol in both hands while Donnel had an arm around her shoulders. The Duchess of Themis eyed everyone, "I hope you all plan on drinking responsibly tonight."

"What does that mean?" Cynthia asked Say'ri jokingly.

"I happen to agree with the duchess." Say'ri hummed. The Chon'sin princess glanced at Maribelle, "You and I will make sure they don't go too far tonight."

"At least I have someone to assist me." Maribelle nodded. She frowned as Brady remained frozen in place in front of her, "Are you going to move sir? Or shall I have to step around you? It is rather rude to block a woman's path."

"R-right!" Brady stammered. He tripped over his own two feet as he stumbled out of Maribelle's way, "Pardon me, Ma."

Cynthia's eyes bugged out her skull. Noire's sucked in a laugh as she struggled to contain herself. Donnel blinked as Brady's words bounced through his mind.

"Did ya just say-"

Maribelle stared incredulously at Brady. The priest gulped, tucked his flask behind his back, and shrank beneath her penetrating stare.

"So uh… how's it going Ma, Pa?"

Maribelle's parasol whistled through the air before crashing down onto Brady's head with an enormous thwack.

"Gah! The hell!?" Brady cried.

She swatted at him again. This time she hit his shoulder. Brady jumped back, his flask clattered to the ground as he reached up and rubbed the growing bruise on his shoulder. Maribelle reared back to deliver another blow, only for Donnel to reach out and snatch her parasol from her hands.

"Maribelle, there ain't no need for that." Donnel said quietly.

Maribelle stared at Brady red faced, "Of all the… pigheaded… brutish… drunken…" She stormed out. Both Donnel and Brady watched her leave.

"Um…" Brady bent over and retrieved his flask from the ground, "I'm gonna have to talk to her now, aren't I?"

Donnel shrugged, "I can talk to her first, if ya want."

Brady's eyes darted to and fro as he considered it for a moment, "Nah." He sighed, "I dug my grave, time to lie in it." He looked over at Noire and Cynthia, "Dig me up when it's all over."

"No promises." Noire smirked back.

Brady rolled his eyes and stepped out of the tent. Cynthia watched with some concern as the priest followed a furious Maribelle out of the tent.

"I don't remember Lady Maribelle getting that upset with him." Cynthia whispered to Noire.

"You don't remember a lot of things." Noire muttered back as she remained close to Frederick and Say'ri on the far wall. Far away from both Ben and Tharja. She shrank a little bit as Tharja's dark gaze settled on her for a moment before turning away.

"Looks like Brady is not the only one with parental issues." Say'ri said out of the corner of her mouth.

Noire bristled, "Yeah well…" She sighed and brushed her finger against her talisman, "The issues are a little different."

"Oh what I would give to hear Brady talking to Lady Maribelle right now." Cynthia snickered a little bit, "That's going to go either really well, or really badly."

"I'd say it's already gone badly." Say'ri remarked.

"That is just Maribelle." Lissa said with a wave of her hand, "She'll warm quickly enough. Especially since Brady is her future kid. Isn't that right, Frederick?"

Frederick cleared his throat, "I don't think I am in any position to comment on Lady Maribelle's relations with any future children."

Lissa pouted, "You're no fun. At least when Lon'qu guards me, I can pester him to no end and always get a laugh out of it." She turned her gaze back to Ben, "By the way, why did you pick him for patrol?"

Ben quirked an eyebrow, "Because it was his turn."

Gaius chuckled out loud, "Does the Princess have eyes on the tall, dark, and handsome Feroxi swordsman?"

Lissa's cheeks reddened, "No-well-er, he's my bodyguard normally. So it's natural for me to be worried about him too."

"Uh huh, sure." Anna snatched a bottle from Flavia and took a quick sip, "And I have some beachfront property near Themis to sell you."

Virion snorted out a laugh as he took the bottle from Anna, "Well played, my merchant friend." He sipped the firewine then passed the bottle over to Ben and Tharja, "So, on the topic of future children. We know several of Princess Lucina's friends have arrived. But how many have actually unveiled themselves to their parents?"

Ben glanced over at Noire. The archer nervously fidgeted across the tent.

"I think we can all guess who yours is." Tharja hummed, a mischievous gleam danced in her dark eyes.

Virion drew back in surprised, "Mine?"

"Inigo." Brady took a long gulp from his flask, "Womanizer extraordinaire. He always did take after you, Mr. Virion. Not in the best of ways though, in my opinion."

Virion blinked, "How could you know-"

"He tried flirting with um… with mother right as he entered the city a few days ago." Noire commented.

Virion eyes widened in surprise, "Did he now? And your mother is-"

Noire gulped and nodded across the tent toward Tharja. Virion expression remained unchanged for a moment. He flicked his eyes towards Tharja and Ben. A broad smile crossed his lips.

"Well, I cannot be upset over Inigo's ambitions." He chuckled a little bit, "Although, I hope he learned the consequences of his actions swiftly enough."

"Oh he did." Tharja snickered. Brady shivered nearby.

"Where is he anyways, Brady?" Noire asked.

The priest shrugged, "Probably trying to get into someone's pants. I don't keep track of him."

"He was flirting with some pegasus knights." Say'ri sighed, "I noticed him as we walked here. As for the other children, I believe Owain went with Henry to go check on Severa. Lucina remained near her tent. The other one… Sakura, I think that was her name? She went with Owain as well."

"And Luke?" Ben asked as the bottle of firewine reached him. He leaned back on his stool and took a small sip before handing the bottle to Tharja.

Say'ri sighed, "Luke is… somewhere. I can't keep track of him. I left him to keep an eye on Kage and instead he left Kage in the care of that mage, Laurent."

Brady snorted, "Laurent taking care of a baby? Naga, help that child."

"He was actually doing rather well from what I could tell." Say'ri shrugged, "Do you have any idea where Luke is, Cynthia?"

Cynthia shrugged, "He said he needed some time to meditate away from everyone else." Ben blinked in surprise as she spoke, "Something about needing to clear his head. He has to do that from time to time."

"Why is that?" Ben asked.

Cynthia twirled with a lock of her blue hair, "He says it's to boost his abilities. I think it's because he is scared."

"Of what?" Gaius remarked as he sat down on the floor beside Panne, "The guy is practically unstoppable, unless he decided to fight Benny."

Cynthia pursed her lips, "I think he's scared of his powers. And he doesn't exactly know how to handle it."

Ben furrowed his brow. Luke was afraid of his abilities? Why? He never showed any fear when using the force before. This had to be a new development. His heart jumped as a possibility danced through his mind. Was Luke somehow turning his back on the dark? And because of that, was he realizing just how terrible the dark side really is? But how could that be? The Jedi Order taught that once a force adept fell to the dark side's temptations, there was no coming back. The dark side corrupted absolutely. Ben had seen its horrific work personally through both Dooku and Anakin.

Ben shook his head. Perhaps it would be prudent to speak to Luke at some point? Maybe he could use some advice on the force?

 _As if he would listen to me._ Ben reminded himself, _Maul taught him to hate me._

Flavia nudged Ben's shoulder with the other bottle of firewine, "Stop looking so glum. Drink, relax a little bit."

Ben uttered a long sigh. He reluctantly took the bottle and sipped the firewine, "I do not plan on going all out tonight. I need to be up early to help Chrom, Basilio, and _you,_ with military strategy."

Flavia waved her hand, "Bah! Unless the Valmese army decides to suddenly show up, we'll just be dealing with more skirmishes on the fringes of the march again."

"Those skirmishes add up." Ben commented.

"Enough talk regarding war." Virion declared as he opened up the chess board in front of Ben, "Let us have a night of peace."

"By playing a game of war?" Ben replayed with a slight chuckle.

"Absolutely!" Virion grinned back.

"Oh! Oh!" Cynthia slid beside Virion, "I call next!" She eyed the board, furrowed her brow, and uttered a sheepish laugh, "What game is this again?"

* * *

The warm sands of Plegia were a strange place indeed. During the day, when the blazing sun sat high in a crystal clear sky, the earth below was scorched with heat. Plants could not grow. What little water existed in the sands evaporated away as if it never existed. If someone was unprepared for the harshness of the desert, they would die. Whither away and become a mummified corpse buried in the sands. Then that corpse would turn to yellowed bones. Cracked by the sun's rays. Chewed to bits by the wind whipping up violent sandstorms. The desert harshness comforted the Hierophant. Reminded him of his origins. Of his nature.

Night in the desert rattled him. True, one would normally say night in Plegia was more tolerable than the day. The furious sun disappeared, replaced by a massive, pale moon in the black sky. Clouds would sometimes appear in the blackness. And the temperature would plummet until the Hierophant could see his breath frosting in front of his. Necessitating the need for a roaring fire in his stone fireplace in order to fend off the biting cold of the dark desert.

The Hierophant's blazing eyes followed the dancing flames as he lounged on a wicker sofa. On a table to his right was a glass of water. Condensation dripped down the sides of the glass. The liquid ice cold despite the deserts usual conditions. The room he inhabited even colder than the night air outside the open balcony doors. The chill in the air a result of his growing powers. Of him flexing his abilities to their current zenith.

Breaking into Equus's thoughts and projecting his own consciousness across such a vast distance, into Valm, proved tiring. And when he finished tormenting the rogue deadlord, he returned to his grand quarters in the Plegian palace, started a fire with a quick spell, and watched the flames dance.

Embers spat out at him, singing the small rug near his feet. He paid them no mind. His thoughts were occupied. So occupied that he did not bother grabbing a book to read or a tome to study upon finishing his conversation with Equus.

" _That was a risk."_

The Hierophant let an annoyed snarl cross his lips. For the first time tonight, one of the other souls decided to speak up. And of course, he would be critical.

"It was necessary."

" _ **No."**_ The beast snarled back, " _ **What is necessary is eliminating Equus before he causes our plans to unravel entirely."**_

" _A rogue deadlord like him becomes a greater liability as time passes. Honestly I am surprised you let him live this long."_

" _ **Recall him so that I may feed on his flesh and soul!"**_

The Hierophant raised a hand, silencing both voices. He furrowed his brow as his hand fell back to his side. The flames danced up and down, choreographed chaos. Orchestrated by the wind and the wood it fed upon.

Equus similary danced as if he were actually free. Acted as if Grima's will did not influence his actions.

"What is his endgame?" The Hierophant mused out loud.

" _Equus's endgame?"_

" _ **To become my prey due to his disobedience."**_

But was Equus really disobeying his will? The Hierophant ran a hand on his chin as he pondered that question. Equus did fail his initial mission, find and deliver Maul's apprentice known as Kage to him. Upon that failure, the rogue deadlord fled from him. He did everything in his power to avoid being recalled to his master's side. A fool's errand. If the Hierophant truly desired to bring his deadlord back into the fold, he could have done so with minimal effort. Truthfully, the real reason he had not done so yet was due to both being occupied by other, more important matters, and being curious. He never had a deadlord go rogue before. The more science inclined side of him wanted to observe the results of an out of control deadlord.

 _And so far, he has allied himself with our enemy. Kindled an odd friendship with one of our greatest foes._ The Hierophant scowled, _And he has-_ He blinked.

"Wait a damn moment." He breathed.

" _What is going on in that head of yours?"_

" _ **The vessel within him is stirring."**_

" _Of course he is you brain dead glutton. That is our more tactical side, after all."_

"Is it possible that Equus is actually acting in our favor?" The Hierophant wondered out loud. He rose from his seat and drew closer to the fire. The heat of the flames washed over him, chasing the chill he exuded away from a brief second.

The chill returned when the beast snarled in his mind.

" _ **You are giving that traitor too much credit."**_

" _No, no. He may be onto something."_

"Are you two incapable of connecting the dots?" The Hierophant growled, irritated. He spun around, staring at two starkly different shadows against the far wall. One humanoid, tall, and lean. The other an amorphous cloud pulsing in the firelight, "Think about it. Use those brains you both claim to have. What has Equus done recently?"

" _ **Actively fought back against both Draco and Tigris."**_

" _Assist the Shepherds in their war against Valm."_

The Hierophant's scowl deepened.

" _ **He even helped defeat Draco once."**_

" _Befriended Ben Kenobi and Prince Chrom. Two of our mortal enemies."_

The beast snarled low, " _ **I'm going to eat him."**_

"More recently!" The Hierophant snapped.

A long silence filled the air.

" _Oh…"_

" _ **What?"**_

The humanoid shadow threw its head back and laughed. The amorphous cloud shifted and swirled in a puzzled fashion.

" _Equus, you sly bastard. Playing both sides, are we?"_

A small smirk formed on the Hierophant's lips, "It appears we may have underestimated both Equus's abilities, and our own control of his actions. Our will courses through his veins, regardless of his loyalties. By our will alone, he lives. And through our will, he acts, whether he knows it or not."

" _ **He has separated the vessel from the Naga spawn.**_ " The amorphous shadow breathed in surprise, " _ **He has deduced who the vessel is in the process."**_

"And," The Hierophant's smirk widened into a pleased grin, "He is placing the vessel and our greatest threat in the same location at the same time." He folded his hands behind his back as he strode away from the flames towards the open balcony doors. His burning gaze looked out to the Plegian Capitol city. Dark and silent in the cold night, "He is giving us the opportunity to… what is the expression? Kill two birds with one stone? Yes, that is it."

" _He has made it so the vessel is easily attainable while at the same time making it so we can personally keep the Child of Naga confined to her treetop prison."_

" _ **Is he really acting on our behalf? Or is he unaware?"**_

"Does it matter?" The Hierophant snorted, "Either way, the vessel is far away from those that can protect him. Ben Kenobi and Prince Chrom will not be able to save him."

" _... But she could."_

The Hierophant's smile wavered ever so slightly, "True." He gripped the doors to the balcony and slowly closed them, "We will just have to insure that cannot happen." He pursed his lips, "How much assistance do you think we should send our rogue deadlord?"

" _ **Send him."**_

The Hierophant snarled, "I cannot summon that one without sacrificing the others. And I will not summon that one unless I have no other options." He pinched the bridge of his nose, "How many times do I have to tell you? If I bring that one from the depths, the world will end. There will be nothing left for us to enjoy. I find that prospect quite dull."

" _Perhaps a trio of Deadlords then? Three that can surgically strike the Mila Tree. One to handle Equus if he remains beyond our direct control. The other to handle Naga's child."_

"And one other to seize the vessel and bring him back to us." The Hierophant nodded, "I'll need three bodies."

" _ **Am I about to feed?"**_

An evil gleam entered the Hierophant's eyes, "Yes, you are." He glided across the cold floor towards the door. As he entered the dimly lit hall of the Plegian palace a sinister smile formed on his lip, "I think you shall enjoy this meal a great deal."

Equus had already set the stage, whether he knew it or not. Now it was up to his other deadlords to execute the final move. To bring the Shepherds and their allies into check. With one stroke, he could have his prize. He could be whole again. And he could eliminate the one person in this world that could actually overwhelm him with her power. It was too good of an opportunity to pass up.

 _I will be whole again._ The Heirophant felt anticipation building up in him. _I cannot wait._

 **And chapter! I LIIIIIIIIIIIIVE! Just barely. It has been a busy two weeks to say the least. And I did get bit by the burnout bug for a few days there. So I forced myself into taking a break (not as easy as it sounds for someone who writes as much as I do). And getting back into the groove is a lot more difficult than I thought it would be. So I apologize for the delay on this chapter.**

 **This is more of set up chapter with a smidgen of character development thrown in there. I wonder what Dooku's endgame really is? Is he playing both sides? Is he hedging his bets? And if he is, what is going to happen when he and Robin reach the Mila Tree? Oh this is going to be very fun to write! I am excited to do it!**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	102. Visions of Future Past

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 102

Visions of Future Past

Lucina could not breathe. The air around her was filled with ash and smoke. What little light filtered through the plumes of black smoke came from the fires surrounding her. Screams pierced the air. The cries of thousands falling to fire, steel, and shadow.

Ylisstol burned all around her. Soldiers scrambled through the palace courtyard. Lancers rushed by her towards the gate that barred the way into the Exalt's Palace. Lucina's blue eyes followed those brave souls towards the gate as they slammed into it. Using what weight they had to brace it.

The gate shuddered. Lucina's heart hammered in her chest. Despite the flames engulfing the city, the air felt so cold. The screams outside of the walls around the Exalt's palace turned to shrieks. Ash drifted down like gray snowflakes onto the ground. She glanced up and felt one flake brush against her dirty cheek.

"HOLD FIRM!"

The gate shuddered. Lucina's gaze whipped back to the gate. Limping away from the soldiers bracing the gate was her old Master, Ben Kenobi. Deep lines ran over his brow. Crowsfeet marred the corners of his eyes. He was not much older than forty. But the apocalypse aged him beyond his years. Gray hairs sprouted in his beard a few years ago. Locks of his once brown hair had turned white due to stress long ago. His once brilliant blue eyes were dull and sad.

He marched towards her as she remained still behind the gates.

"Lucina!" Master Kenobi shouted over the shrieks of Risen smashing against the gates.

Up on the walls, ladders hit the battlements. Risen surged up onto the scorched white stones. Few men were left to hold them back. Ylisseans, Feroxi, even a rare Valmese soldier, fought in a desperate final stand. Fought for their lives. Fought against the darkness one last time. Some dropped their weapons and tried to run. But there was nowhere to run. This was it. Ylisstol was their last hope. A hope that faded with each dying breath around Lucina.

Master Kenobi gripped her shoulders and shook her from her stunned stupor.

"We have no choice now." He said, his voice somehow calm despite the hopelessness of the night.

Lucina gulped. No choice… she remembered now. This was the night it happened. The last stand of Ylisstol. The night she and her friends performed the ritual and retreated through time to the past in a desperate attempt to save the future.

That familiar sensation of fear gripped her heart. What if the ritual did not work? What if it failed and Grima stopped them?

A calloused hand brushed a tear from her cheek.

"You need to be strong now." Her Master whispered.

The gate shuddered. Wood splintered. Black arrows zipped through the cracks. Ylissean soldiers screamed as the arrows bit into their flesh.

"MASTER KENOBI! THE GATE!" One soldier cried.

"Ben!" Lucina whipped her gaze at the gate. Sir Frederick's armor had multiple deep gouges in it. Blood soaked his forehead, knuckles, and right arm. He held his blade loose in his left hand. The other remaining shepherd, Anna, stood beside him. A dagger in one hand, a shortsword in the other. She took several, terrified steps back from the gate as it shuddered and sagged inwards. One more blow, and it would fall.

"There is no more time." Ben pleaded with her, "Go into the palace. Bar the doors behind you. Gather the other children and perform the ritual. The gems should already be in place."

A boom hit the gate.

"They're coming!" Frederick roared.

Risen poured over the walls. The last defenders on top of the battlements fell away. Her Master's lightsaber ignited. The brilliant blue color a stark contrast to the ash and fire around them.

Tears bubbled in her eyes.

"You're not coming?" She croaked as one hand tightened around Falchion's grip.

A sorrowful look filled her Master's eyes. A look that made Lucina's throat tighten. Her master rarely showed emotion. He was always so austere in both appearance and attitude. Disciplined and strong. But in this moment, the strength cracked. The discipline gave way to profound grief.

"I'm sorry, my dear padawan." He breathed.

"READY YOURSELVES MEN!" Frederick bellowed in the background, "FOR TONIGHT, WE DINE WITH THE GODS!"

Lucina shook her head. More tears bubbled in her eyes. A choked sound escaped her throat as she tried to speak, "No, y-you can't leave me alone. I-I can't do this on my own. I'm not-"

The gate broke. One half groaned off of its great hinges and collapsed to the ground with a thunderous boom. The other swung inward, knocking over several defenders in the process. Risen surged forward. The last of the Ylisseans leveled their lances and braced their shields against the black tide of masked monsters.

Master Kenobi's eyes flicked back. As the Risen crashed into the shield wall, twelve beings emerged through the ash and flames. Terror slammed into Lucina. All of the Deadlords came tonight. All of them led this final charge. A determined look crossed her master's face.

"I'll buy you as much time as I can, but you must hurry." Her entire body trembled, "This is our last hope, Lucina. You carry that hope now." He gave her a small grin. The first smile he ever showed her, "I know I haven't misplaced it."

The Deadlords slammed into the shield wall, shattering it instantly. Frederick fell as multiple blades slashed through his armor. Anna screamed as a spell slammed into her chest. Master Kenobi twirled his lightsaber in his hand.

"Go." He ordered her. He turned to face the deadlords. Just over the audible shrieks of Risen around them, she heard him say one last thing, "Until we meet again."

He charged. She turned and ran. Her legs bounded up the steps, skipping stairs as she rushed up to the palace doors. Four Ylissean soldiers trembled at their posts near the doors as the Risen rushed towards them.

"Get inside and bar the doors!" Lucina ordered. She wanted to sound stern, heroic. Calm in the face of the end. Instead, her voice came out in a cracked squeak. But it got the point across. The guards sprinted in after her. Two of them spun around and shoved their entire weight against the palace doors. As Lucina spun around and watched the doors close, she saw her master fighting furiously against the Deadlords.

He was losing. A spell hit his right leg. An arrow burrowed into his left. He slashed at two deadlords that made the mistake of getting close to him. They became nothing more than piles of ash as his lightsaber ripped them apart.

Several stray Risen got into the palace before the doors could close. Lucina drew Falchion.

A fire spell shot by her head and hit one Risen. A throwing ax whistled through the air and took out another.

"Lucina!" Brady bellowed as he rushed to help close the gates.

Laurent stood near the ruined throne. Fingers smoking as he charged another fire spell. The rest of her friends emerged in the main hall as well. Inigo and Owain hurried to help Brady. A lightning spell cracked through the air as Morgan felled several Risen in one stroke. Kjelle uttered a furious roar as she slammed into the doors and tried to shove them closed. Cynthia and Sakura flanked Lucina as several more Risen slipped into the main hall. Only to be met by a hail of arrows that zipped through the air and into the horde surrounding Master Kenobi.

"FATHER!" Noire shrieked as she sprinted towards the doors.

Brady spun away from the doors and caught her by the waist before she could get out. Her frail form struggled against his iron grip. The struggling ceased when a roar erupted through the air. The palace shook. Rubble trickled down from the ceiling as the roar rumbled around them.

The Deadlords backed away from Master Kenobi as he rested on one knee in the palace courtyard. Piles of ash covered the ground around him. Blood seeped through his robes. Wounds riddled his body. It took everything in Lucina not to charge out there and save him.

A thirteenth figure emerged from the throngs of Risen beyond the palace doors. One clad in a black and gold coat. Obi Wan Kenobi raised his gaze to meet the newcomer's.

Fire engulfed her Master. White hot flames swarmed over his skin. Lucina's stomach lurched as she sensed his pain through the force. The bond they shared, that frail thread in the force, quivered as he screamed.

Noire wailed. Brady growled at the others to get the damn doors closed as he yanked Noire away from the horrible sight. Lucina's blue eyes never left her Master's burning form as he fell to the ground in the courtyard. Just before the doors closed, the hooded figure raised his gaze.

A pair of burning yellow eyes focused on her. The dark side of the force howled in the air. The Risen shrieked an insidious cheer.

The doors slammed shut. The thread broke.

* * *

Lucina awoke in a cold sweat. She bolted upright. Her master's name stuck in her throat. Her blue eyes focused on the chest across the room from her bedroll. The shattered remains of Falchion rested in its scabbard beside the chest. Her leather armor and red cape lay on top of that chest. Her extra sword lay on the ground in front of it. Her gaze roved to the muddy boots at the foot of her bedroll. As the familiar objects came into view, a shuddering breath left her lips.

 _Only a dream._

Every inch of her body shivered in the night air. The thin blanket wrapped around her shifted as she reached up and wiped a few tears from her eyes. Chilled air kissed her bare shoulders. The night's icy fingers wrapped around her body. She shivered again and squeezed her eyes shut. The image of her master burning alive as the palace doors shut shot through her mind once again.

"Only a dream." She shuddered as she opened her eyes and threw the blanket from her body. There was no way she could fall asleep again.

She reached for a simple blue robe beside her bedroll. Her one hand fumbled with it as she struggled to place the heavy piece of clothing over her frozen skin. A curse slipped from her lips as she dropped the robe to the ground. With an annoyed growl, she picked up the robe and placed the collar of it in her teeth. She then slid her one arm through its sleeve. Once that was secure, she used her hand to pull the rest of the robe over her body. Her fingers clumsily tied the robe closed. It hung loose over her thin frame, mostly because she could not tighten it very well with one hand. But it would have to do for now.

She glanced over at her boots and her extra sword. She slid her feet into the boots and gripped the old, leather scabbard in her one hand. Silently, she slipped out of her tent.

It was still dark outside. Stars twinkled in the sky. A half moon hovered behind some clouds. Not a hint of sunlight pierced the inky blackness.

 _The sun won't rise for a a couple hours._ Lucina let out a heavy sigh. She kept her scabbard in her grip as she trudged through the camp towards the nearby dining tent. Hoping that maybe she woke up late enough that the cooks had something prepared.

A few Feroxi sentries nodded at her as she passed. She noticed a few give her a curious gaze due to her attire before they quickly averted it upon realizing who she was. There were some perks to being the future daughter of Prince Chrom. One perk was that no one dared mess with her, even if they held an advantage when it came to limbs.

Lanterns flickered in the dining tent. A faint flicker of hope entered Lucina as she smelled ham cooking inside of it. A large fire burned at the center of the dining tent. Warming the massive space. Warmth she welcomed as she stepped out of the cold and into the firelight.

"Food won't be ready for another hour." A Feroxi woman grunted from behind a counter. One hand stirred a pot of broth, another grabbed at some spices. She did not even turn to see who entered the tent.

Lucina's hope died a little bit. She cleared her throat.

"Is there tea?" She asked, her voice a quiet whisper compared to the crackling fire beside her.

The Feroxi cook glanced over her shoulder. A sympathetic look crossed the woman's face as she saw Lucina's haggard appearance.

"There be some tea, milady." She nodded over at a table off to the side of the counter, "Water's piping hot for the leaves."

Lucina nodded, "Thank you."

She strode over to the table. Boiling water sat in a kettle over a small fire. On the table was a basket of tea leaves. Lucina plucked a few then grabbed a large mug. She filled the mug with water then placed the tea leaves into it. The water slowly turned dark as the tea filtered through it.

She carefully brought the mug to her lips and took a slow sip. The warm liquid rushed through her body. Causing color to return to her cheeks and feeling to rush through her fingers and toes. She uttered a satisfied sigh.

A feeling in the force interrupted her tea time. Someone was watching her. Probing her even. She furrowed her brow and looked over her shoulder.

"Damn it." She muttered.

Luke sat at a table in the far corner. A mug of tea sat in front of him. His yellow eyes were focused on her. And for a split second, Lucina did not see his yellow eyes. Instead, she saw the yellow eyes of the hooded monster that slew her master.

She shook that image from her mind.

 _What is he doing here?_

She glared back at him. He averted his gaze before running a finger along his collarbone. A slight red tinge rushed over his cheeks.

"You um…" He cleared his throat and rubbed at his collarbone again, "You're slipping."

Lucina gave him a puzzled look. She glanced down at her right shoulder. Her robe was slowly slipping down over the stump. She jumped a little bit, set her mug down, and struggled to pull the fabric back up over her shoulder. She cursed as it slid down again.

Her muscles tensed as Luke rose from his chair and carefully approached her. Without saying a word, he placed the fabric back over her shoulder and tightened the belt around her waist so it would not slip again.

"I suggest," He muttered, "you go to Anna and get a better fitting robe." He kept his eyes focused on the ground as he finished tying the knot, "Then again, you probably aren't used to wearing these things, so maybe you just haven't gotten the hang of them yet. I've never seen you in one before."

Lucina's gaze remained hard as she watched him, "They're easy to get on in a hurry."

Luke nodded his head, "That they are." He took several steps back from her. An awkward silence filled the air between them. Luke coughed quietly, "Um… care for some company?"

Lucina narrowed her eyes at him, "Why would I want your company?"

Luke pursed his lips, "Well…. It's not like anyone else is around at the moment. And from the looks of things, you aren't going back to sleep." He turned on his heel and strolled back to his table. Halfway there, he glanced back at her. As if waiting for her to follow him.

Naga above, she did not want to sit with him. But what else was there to do? Wallow in her own worries and stress alone? Somehow, sitting with Luke sounded less appealing. Nevertheless, she trudged her way over to his table and sank into the seat across from him. Her one good hand set her tea down in front of her. Small spirals of steam twirled up from the boiling liquid.

Silence hung between them. Her fingers quietly tapped against the tabletop. Luke kept his eyes focused on his own cup of tea as the fingers on his right hand trailed invisible lines on the table.

"So," He finally broke the silence, "what woke you up?"

Lucina did not answer him. She did not want to answer him. Just because she decided to sit near him did not mean she was interested in speaking to him. She reached for her tea and sipped it.

Luke shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He flicked his eyes up at her.

"I'll tell you what woke me up." Luke sighed as he leaned back, "Although, you probably won't like it very much. So… maybe I shouldn't tell you." He folded his hands in his lap. His thumbs tapped against the back of his hands as he pondered what to say next, "What kind of tea?"

Lucina frowned, "Same as yours, obviously."

"R-right." Luke stammered, "Sorry, just…" He shook his head, "Naga, when did things get so weird?"

"You know exactly when." Lucina sipped her tea.

A weary breath left his lungs, "I'm not sure how many times I can say I'm sorry." She scowled at Luke as he spoke, "And I know it will never be enough. But I will keep saying it for as long as it takes."

"A simple apology will not change anything." Lucina growled.

Luke nodded a little, "I know that." His thumbs stopped tapping. But she could see one of his knees bouncing up and down. Was he nervous? Scared even? He struggled to meet her gaze even as they sat across from each other, "But I'm still sorry."

"You helped kill my aunt." Lucina snarled. Guilt rushed over Luke's features, "You tried to kill the other Shepherds, including my mother, my father, and my master. Your actions caused Ylisstol to fall even faster in the future. And… and the cherry on top of all of that, you told my little sister I was dead."

"I really thought you were." Luke breathed.

"And now you're sleeping with her." She spat the words out like venom.

He cringed, "That just…" He shook his head, "I've got no excuses for any of it."

"Good, because it is all your fault." Her hand tightened around her mug as more fury built up inside of her, "Naga, why am I even sitting here right now?"

Luke shrugged. He reached for his mug and brought it to his lips, "Nothing better to do than berate me?"

A small laugh left Lucina's lips. One that caught her by surprise. She snapped her mouth closed. A small sparkle danced in Luke's yellow eyes.

"Got you there." He smirked before sipping his tea again.

"Ass." She growled.

He smacked his lips as he set his mug down, "Not denying it. I am trying to correct it."

"From what I have heard from Noire, you aren't doing a very good job."

Luke rolled his eyes, "She'll never forgive me. Just like you. If you actually want an unbiased opinion, I suggest speaking to Brady. Somehow being a drunk gives him a lot more clarity than others."

"Are you saying I'm blind?"

"I am saying your anger is blinding you." Luke replied simply, "And," He spun his mug slowly in front of him with the force, "As someone who knows what that path is like, I'm warning you to get off of it while you can."

Lucina furrowed her brow. Was Luke trying to give her advice? Help her even? If she did not feel so tired, she would have laughed in his face.

"Where was this sagely advice when we actually needed you?" She snarled back before sipping her tea.

"Imprisoned by Maul." Lucina froze as her mug remained near her lips, "That's where it was. Trapped by stupidity and hatred." He pressed his lips into a line, "You could say I was rendered both dumb and blind by my own anger. I don't want to see you go down that road as well." A shaky breath left his lips, "It's damn near impossible to come back from."

"Are you saying you are back from it?" She snorted, "I find that hard to believe."

"I-" He bit back something more scathing. Lucina smirked to herself, "I'm saying that I am trying." Her smirk faded a little bit, "Cynthia has helped a lot in regards to that. So has Yen'fay. But… he's not around at the moment. So, I feel a little vulnerable."

"You feel vulnerable?" Lucina scoffed, "The all powerful Sith Lord, slayer of Maul, and all around asshole, feels vulnerable? Call me surprised."

"Yeah, yeah." He grit his teeth across from her, "Mock me. Go ahead." He shook his head, "You don't even know the half of it."

Lucina frowned. She set her mug off to the side and leaned forward in her seat.

"Well?" She said.

"What?" Luke snarled.

"You expect me to know something. So please," She gestured towards him, "educate me."

She waited patiently as Luke remained quiet. His yellow eyes stared down at the table. His mug of tea continued to spin in lazy circles as he twirled it with the force. His throat bobbed up and down.

"You and Kenobi were right about Maul." He raised his gaze, "He was a monster."

"And you are just learning that now?"

"Will you-" His voice softened from a snarl to a soft whisper as he reigned in his anger, "Please let me finish."

Lucina remained silent as he took a deep breath and collected himself.

"Pain." He began, "Pain is power. The more pain a force adept experiences, the more power they can draw upon."

Lucina quirked an eyebrow as she listened, puzzled. What was he talking about?

"Pain leads to fear. You learn to fear pain. You learn to be terrified of it. The more animal parts of your mind take over in the face of it."

His eyes had a glaze over them. As if he were seeing a different place, in a different time. Lucina's own annoyance shifted to strange curiosity as he spoke. She did not understand what exactly he was talking about. But whatever it was, it had an effect on him. It was as if he was not even talking to her anymore. Just reciting a mantra. A code that had been burned into his mind. A philosophy that governed his actions for so long that he knew it by heart.

"That fear can remain. You can remain an animal then. Powerful, but only so far as the fear lingers. But it is only a fraction of what you can achieve." His voice croaked a little bit. He swallowed hard, "Or… you turn that fear of pain into anger because of the pain. You grow furious at the pain. You focus on the source. The root of the pain. And you turn your power onto it. You harness the pain into anger. And eventually, that anger will blossom into hatred." His voice fell to a whisper, "Hatred… gives you focus. Makes you stronger. Hatred allows you to unleash. To be uninhibited in the face of the pain. The pain becomes your strength through hatred. The pain becomes… good."

Lucina swallowed nervously. This was a philosophy. Realization dawned on her. A pit formed in her stomach. This was what Maul taught Luke. This was all he knew regarding the Force.

"It becomes your one true friend." Luke voice cracked a little bit, "The only one that will be by your side in the end." He grit his teeth. The mug spun erratically on the table, "When nothing else is left, there is pain. And you will survive because you hate it so much." He raised his yellow eyes and stared straight into her blue ones, "You will survive because you hate me."

Lucina's chest rose and fell as he burned holes through her with his gaze.

"Do you want to know what woke me up?" The mug spun so fast it became a blur, "I've been having a recurring nightmare lately. It comes and goes. Sometimes it doesn't appear for several weeks. Other times, it happens twice, three nights in a row." He worked his jaw back and forth, "I see my last night in Ylisstol. In the future. But… I don't see my perspective of it. Instead, I see all of it. I see you and Kenobi on the walls, fighting with everything you have against the Risen. I see Exalt Lissa rushing with her personal guard to the Academy in order to aid Lady Tharja."

He paused, jaw clenched tight. The mug started to hover off of the tabletop. A piercing cold filled the tent. The skin on Lucina's body recoiled from it.

"I see Maul." His voice dropped to a snarl, "I see that monster…leaving Lady Tharja and Exalt Lissa to die."

Lucina's heart dropped, "Wh-what?"

"I see him coming back to me." Hatred filled his eyes, "Acting as if he was wounded. In great pain." Luke scoffed, "He even had blood on his robes. Claimed it was his own. He described how he barely survived the onslaught. H-he told me that Grima and the Risen had become too powerful. That the only way to save everyone was to leave. Then he tells me about a ritual he discovered, deep in the archives of the Academy. One given to the heroes who last defeated Grima. A ritual to be used as a last resort, in case the fell dragon ever returned. He tells me that he knows how to perform the ritual." His fists clenched tight on the table. Cracks formed in the tea mug. Tea leaked out of the cracks. Small drops of it tapped against the table, "And me… in my stupidity, believed him."

There were tears in Luke's eyes. Tears Lucina could not look away from.

"In my stupidity, I followed him." The mug shattered into dozens of shards. The shards hung suspended in the air. Floating in lazy circles where the mug once floated, "I destroyed everything I cared about because of him. And what did he do to reward me for my loyalty? He made me a monster." Luke returned his gaze up to Lucina's startled eyes, "He made me just like him."

The shards dropped to the table. Each one pinged against the wood. They echoed through the empty dining hall. Lucina swallowed hard as Luke's eyes blazed with a feral hatred.

The hatred evaporated away as he realized where he was once again. The snarl on his lips receded. The dark side of the force ebbed away with a reluctant growl. The cold that pierced the air was bashed away by the warm fire once again.

The yellow in Luke's eyes flickered. A familiar soft blue replaced them for a single moment. Lucina's breath caught in her throat as she saw them again. Her heart hammered in her chest. Her old friend was still in there.

The yellow returned just as fast as it left. Luke lowered his gaze.

"S-sorry." He muttered. He moved to leave his seat, "I think… maybe I should-"

Lucina waved her hand, using the force to keep him seated. Luke's eyes widened in surprise. He looked across at Lucina as she reached for a mug with a trembling hand. She wrapped her fingers around the warm mug and brought it to her lips. The warm tea soothed her rattled nerves. She closed her eyes and exhaled through her nose.

"I woke up from a nightmare." She whispered as she hid her lips behind her mug, "It was… the last battle of Ylisstol."

She slowly lowered her mug back down to the table. As she spoke, a group of voices entered the dining tent. The sentries from the last shift were coming in for breakfast. They were relieved from their post. Through a crack in the tent wall, Lucina saw pale streaks of pink light paint the night sky to the east.

"What happened?" Luke asked quietly.

Lucina worked her jaw back and forth, "We were trapped in the palace. The last of our soldiers braced against the gate. The… the only Shepherds left were Sir Frederick, Anna, and Master Kenobi. Everyone else was dead at that point. Only myself, our friends, and a small group of soldiers remained. One last defense against the end." She shook her head, "Everyone was hurt by that point by something. Loss, actual injuries, a hint of madness maybe; none of us were in any condition to fight." Images of that night danced in her eyes. She could see the fire again. Could feel the ash brush her skin, "But, we fought. When we should have dropped our weapons and begged for our lives, we fought. Or… or to be more accurate, they fought." Luke furrowed his brow as Lucina stared down at her lap, "During the last moments of that night, Master Kenobi told me to run. To go perform the ritual. And… instead of standing with him and fighting for my people, I did what he told me to do. I ran." She swallowed hard, "I was the Exalt of Ylisse. I was their leader. I should not even be here right now. I should be-"

"Don't even start talking like that." Luke growled, catching her off guard, "You were in a hopeless situation. I don't give a damn what title you had. Grima won. As soon as he trapped you all in the palace; as soon as Kenobi told you to run, he won. Or at least, he thinks he won. Because by running, you and the others lived to fight another day." Lucina sniffled as some tears formed in her eyes again, "You've given humanity hope again, Lucina. Some might not know it yet. Others may never know it. You might end up an unsung hero, forgotten to time. We may save the future, and disappear from the present because of it. But you are not a coward. You have sacrificed everything… including your own life, for the mission. For your people. Do not lament that decision."

Luke rose from his seat as more soldiers filtered in for breakfast. He flicked his gaze around as Lucina's eyes followed up.

"I don't like crowds." He said with a small shrug. He started walking towards the exit, but stopped beside her, "I admire you, Lucina." He glanced over at her, a small smile on his lips, "I wish I could be as strong as you."

He marched away, leaving her alone with her tea. The din of soldiers filled the dining tent. Dishes clattered, silverware clinked, weary conversations filled the air. None of which she paid attention to. Her mind remained wrapped around her conversation with her old friend.

The smell of fresh soup filled her nose. She blinked and glanced down as the Feroxi cook placed a hot bowl of it in front of her.

"Figured you'd want some, milady." A spoon rested inside of the bowl already, "If ya need anymore, just holler."

"Th-thanks." Lucina whispered as the cook stepped away.

She stared down at the warm broth. Chunks of ham and some peas floated in it. While she did not have much of an appetite, Lucina forced herself to grab the spoon and nibble at her breakfast.

A pair of excited arms wrapped around her neck, startling her.

"Hey Luci!" Cynthia laughed as she hugged Lucina from behind.

Lucina chuckled, "You startled me."

"Oops." Cynthia laughed back. She flopped down in the chair across from her. Immediately, her younger sister noticed something off, "What's wrong?" She leaned over the table, "Luke just left. You talked to him, didn't you?"

Lucina sucked in a breath, "I did." She nodded carefully.

Cynthia nodded, "About?"

Lucina snorted and shook her head, "You can ask him. I'm sure he'll share."

Cynthia furrowed her brow, "You'd be surprised. Sometimes, he just bottles it all up and stays quiet. Worries me a little bit, honestly."

A smile graced Lucina's lips. She swirled her spoon in her soup, "He's lucky to have you."

A grin crossed Cynthia's lips, "Thanks." She glanced down as a bowl of soup was placed in front of her, "Gah! Soup again! I want stir fry!"

The Feroxi cook glared at her. Lucina laughed out loud.

"Just eat."

* * *

A calm breeze brushed past Ben's still form. A dull hum sounded all around him. A familiar hum that eased his heart and mind. It was the drone of shuttles and speeders zipping through the air. He could hear it through the thick walls surrounding him.

His eyes winked open. As they opened, he found himself face to face with a meditation chamber in the Jedi Temple. The shades to the room, while normally drawn closed for meditation, were instead wide open. Bright sunlight filtered in from Coruscant's sun. Sitting opposite from him in the sunlight, eyes closed, relaxed and content, was Master Qui Gon Jinn.

Ben's heart jumped in his chest as he saw his old master once again. For a split second, he thought this was real. It felt so real. The air he breathed rushed in and out of his lungs so easily. The ground he sat on felt the exact same way he remembered it. Hard, but warm. Comforting and familiar. He glanced over to the window. Corcuscant's sun was setting. A vibrant orange glow washed over the planet's sky. The many skyscrapers beyond the window became shadowy silhouettes in the face of a descending star.

"You aren't very relaxed." Qui Gon said.

Ben flicked his eyes back over to his old master. Qui Gon took a deep, soothing breath. His hands rested on his knees. His shoulders rose then fell. Any tension in the older master's body left in one silent exhale. Ben felt in awe, even now, of how easily his master could become in tune with the living force. How he managed to be so confident in its will, despite never knowing what exactly the force's will was.

"Is this a vision?" Ben asked abruptly. Qui Gon cracked an eye open, "A part of me hopes it is not."

"A part of you hopes that you are waking up from a dream." Qui Gon replied as he closed his eyes yet again.

Ben nodded.

"This is a vision, Obi Wan." Ben's heart sank a little bit, "But do not let that upset you." Qui Gon opened both of his eyes. A small grin crossed the older man's face, "You have found your place."

Ben pursed his lips, "I don't even know the name of that place."

"Does the name of your place matter?" Ben pursed his lips at Qui Gon's question. The Jedi Master smirked at him, "All that matters Obi Wan, is that you have arrived where the force wanted you to be. And now, you must listen to it even more carefully."

Ben furrowed his brow. This was something Qui Gon attempted to teach him ever since he was just a padawan learner. Trust the will of the force. Listen to it. Let it guide him. Do not worry about the future. Concentrate on the present. Easier said than done, in Ben's opinion. If he was just a Jedi Master, left to simply meditate upon the force in the confines of the Temple, he may have learned how to do that. Unfortunately, he did not have such luxury.

"How?" Ben asked, "How can I just listen to the force? How can I not worry about what is to come?" Ben hung his head a little bit, "There is… so much I care about now."

"And you did not care about anything before?"

Ben jerked his head up, "N-no, I mean-" He sighed, "This is different and you know it."

Qui Gon uttered a soft chuckle, "You have always cared deeply, Obi Wan. Regardless of what the code said, regardless of what other master told you to do, you cared. While other Jedi Masters kept their apprentices at arm's length, you embraced Anakin, even after he was knighted. And now, on a new world, surrounded by new people, you have finally embraced those around you. You have surrounded yourself with people that care about you just as much as you care about them. I am proud of you for that, Obi Wan."

"Proud?"

"Yes." Qui Gon's eyes almost appeared sad as he spoke, "There was a time where I was worried you would never return from despair. I feared that your grief would consume you. I feared that you would remain paralyzed by what happened with Anakin."

Guilt washed over Ben's features, "I still feel like I am."

"If you were, you would have never tried to help Robin." Qui Gon pointed out, "You would have never allowed yourself to rebuild your life. Instead, you found a partner to help you through that grief. You have built yourself a happy life. One filled with close friends. Filled with love, joy, and hope." Qui Gon's features saddened further, "For those reasons, I am here to warn you of what is to come."

Ben's chest tightened as Qui Gon spoke, "He knows… doesn't he?" He swallowed, "Dooku was correct."

Qui Gon gave him a grim nod, "Sidious is coming, Obi Wan. And he is closer than you think. You must prepare for him."

Ben's mind wandered to the world outside of his vision. The Valm War and the terrible toll it had already taken on him and his friends plagued his thoughts. Robin's plight with his out of control abilities sat heavily on his mind, even as he was unable to do anything to help. His worry for Tharja, for Noire, in the battles to come whispered in his ear. Tormented him with terrible possibilities that he had to push through.

"There's another war going on." Ben muttered.

Qui Gon nodded, "An unnecessary one. One that is being orchestrated by something beyond my sight."

Ben's eyes widened, "Beyond your-" He frowned, "What are you not telling me?"

A grave look came over Qui Gon's features, "There is a shadow, playing with the strings of power around you Obi Wan. The Valmese did not enter this war without prodding. Neither did the Ylisseans or Feroxi. All of it is being orchestrated. All of it is-"

The entire vision darkened. Qui Gon's voice faded away into the blackness. Ben's heart thumped in his chest as a beast snarled in the deep shadows that consumed the meditation chamber.

"Qui Gon?"

He was gone. The spot across from Ben was empty. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as the air turned cold. The Dark Side of the Force hissed and snarled around him. It's long, frozen fingers gripped his body. Ben squeezed his eyes shut, hoping to somehow wake himself from the vision.

" _Wake up, Master Jedi."_ A voice snarled at him, " _Open your eyes."_

His eyes were forced open. He hoped to see Qui Gon once again. Instead, he saw a man. His features were hidden beneath a gold and purple hood. A heavy coat sat over thin shoulders. Pale hands with long fingernails were folded in his lap as he sat cross legged in front of Obi Wan. In the shadows of the hood, yellow eyes glowed like burning coals.

" _That fool of a Jedi was talking far too much."_ The man snarled.

An amorphous shadow crawled up the wall behind the man. It swirled and twisted. A deep, evil chuckle sounded throughout the meditation chamber. Cold sweat beaded down Ben's brow as the dark side of the force turned into a whirlwind around him.

" _But, you wish to know what is coming?"_ The man chuckled low. One pale finger stretched towards Ben's face, " _Let the dark side in, Master Jedi. It will show you the truth."_

His cold finger pressed against Ben's forehead. The mediation chamber fell away. Images became a blur in his vision. He saw fire and ash consume Ylisstol. Risen swarmed over the once peaceful city. Twelve powerful monsters led the black hordes towards the barred palace gates. A harrowing roar echoed all around Ben. His gaze was cast to the sky. Towering over the city, black wings spread wide, blotting out any starlight that could possibly pierce the smoke, was a dragon. Six blood red eyes gazed down upon the burning city. They sparkled with delight as thousands perished before its might.

The roar reverberated in his mind. Bounced through his thoughts even as the images flew around him faster and faster. The roar turned into a mocking laugh. Then that laughter fell away.

He was left in darkness. Alone, without either Qui Gon or the evil entity that invaded his thoughts.

A harsh inhale. Long and labored. As if someone was struggling to suck in air through a straw. A low exhale. Loud, low, artificial.

An orb appeared in front of Ben. A black, metallic shell. It cracked around the center. The orb was a chamber. It slowly hissed open as pressurized air erupted from the crack.

Inside sat a man. No… a machine. Or perhaps both. Ben could hardly tell. His pale head was hairless. His sunken eyes were squeezed closed. Gloved hands were clenched tight around the armrests of a large chair at the center of the pressurized chamber. The dark side of the force whipped into a frenzy around the thing in the chamber. Ben's heart hammered in his chest.

Its eyes opened. Blazing yellow irises focused on him. The thing opened his mouth to speak. A hoarse, barely audible whisper came from his throat.

"You _are_ alive."

* * *

Ben's eyes snapped open. A gasp rushed from his lips. His chest rose and fell in harsh, ragged breaths. Cold sweat covered his body. His heart continued to hammer in his chest as remnants of the dark side's power flickered all around him. Panic seized his heart as he struggled to see his surroundings in the darkness. Was this another vision? Another nightmare?

He felt a warm, slender arm over his torso. Warm breath brushed against his neck. Locks of silky, black hair ran over his right arm. The arm Tharja decided to use as a pillow for the night.

The panic faded. The fear receded as Ben realized that he was awake. The visions were over.

 _Thank Naga._ He thought to himself.

Ben ran his left hand over his face. He massaged his eyes and let out a long exhale. Once he gathered his bearings, he glanced over at a small crack in the roof of his tent.

Pinks washed over the once dark sky. Oranges chased after those vibrant streaks. Stars winked out as the sun began to lumber up into the morning sky. No more time for rest. Not for the army's general turned tactician.

He gently removed his arm from beneath Tharja's head. The Dark Mage hardly stirred from his movements. She always was a heavy sleeper. He smiled a little in the darkness as he brushed a lock of dark hair away from her face. He placed a small kiss on her forehead before rising from his bedroll.

Ben rolled his shoulders as he stood up. The muscles and tendons popped. A low groan left his lips as, for a small second, the stress and tension in his neck subsided. Only to return just as quickly when he realized the march would start again soon. He trudged over to his little chest at the foot of his bedroll, sat down on top of it, and threw his boots on his feet. Once those were on, he grabbed a loose, white shirt and pulled it over his head. He would have time to get properly dressed later. For now, he needed to eat a small breakfast, then gather the reports from last night's sentries and scouts.

 _Frederick probably already has them._

He trudged his way out of his tent. The camp was buzzing with activity. Soldiers emerged from their tents. Bags packed, armor on, all of them ready to tear down their tents and march further west.

Ben made his way towards the dining tent. None of the other Shepherds were inside when he arrived. So he quietly grabbed a small mug of tea, drank it, ate a bowl of soup, then left. As he left, he caught sight of one of the medical tents as he tried to find Frederick. The same medical tent that housed Cordelia.

 _It has been a while since I checked up on her._

Ben marched through the mud and dirt towards the tent. Mages and healers already buzzed around it. All of them gathering medical supplies as they prepared to march west with the rest of the army. It was better to keep the wounded near the army. Staying with the bulk of the army offered better protection than lagging behind them. The Valmese legions were vast and powerful. Ben did not dare to leave any stragglers behind him. With their small numbers, the Archaneans could not hold much territory for very long. Not once the Valmese organized an effective counter assault. One he hoped to mitigate by moving fast to the heart of the continent.

As he approached the medical tent, Libra emerged from it.

"Good morning, Ben." The priest nodded with a gentle smile, "I hope you slept well?"

Ben winced, "It could have been better."

A concerned look crossed Libra's face, "Shall I prescribe a sleep aid?"

Ben snorted out a small laugh and waved his hand, "No, no. Just… nightmares. Nothing more. They'll pass with time."

Libra gave him a small nod, "I assume you are here to check on the Wing Commander."

Ben nodded.

"I'm glad you are." Libra continued, "She is awake."

Ben's eyes widened, "She is? When?"

"Just a couple hours ago. I've been feeding her a mixture of soft foods and elixirs in order to help her regain some of her strength."

A grin formed on Ben's lips. Cordelia was awake. His friend was going to be okay. When Sumia brought her broken body back from the battlefield, many of the Shepherds feared that she would not recover. That her injuries would worsen and eventually kill her. Not many Pegasus Knights survived being shot down at the speeds Cordelia had been flying at. To hear that she not only woke up, but was also recovering some of her strength, was wonderful news.

Ben took a step past Libra. The priest raised a hand and stopped him.

"Ben," Libra took a deep breath, "I need to speak with you a moment longer."

Concern flashed over Ben's face, "What is wrong?"

Libra's eyes darted towards the tent's entry. A long sigh left his lips, "Cordelia is awake. And she will survive her injuries. But… those injuries were extensive. I had no way of testing her full condition until now and-"

"And what, Libra?" Ben asked, his concern growing.

Libra shook his head, "The crash broke her back. I did everything I could to heal her. But… when she woke up, she complained about not being able to feel her legs." Ben's face paled, "I'll continue to do what I can. But with how long it has been, I'm not sure how much more I can do."

Ben swallowed hard, "Is she aware of how serious this is?"

Libra nodded, "I did not mislead her. So… it is good she has a friend stopping by to talk to her. She could use the distraction." Libra took a step away, "Oh… be a little quiet while you're in there. Some of the other patients are still asleep. And Severa is also still asleep near Cordelia as well."

Ben nodded. He entered the tent.

Various healers still quietly milled around the tent. Some focused on packing up their medical supplies. Placing vulnaries into their proper containers, storing various healing herbs and plants into their proper crates. Some focused on healing the various wounded soldiers occupying the tent. The wounded lay in small cots. Most were still asleep. The ones that were awake were either silent due to the pain, or quiet due to their own exhaustion.

Ben quietly made his way to the far end of the tent. He saw Severa sleeping in a chair beside the last cot on the right. Her head rested on the small table beside the cot as she snored quietly.

Laying in the cot, somehow quieter than the rest of the tent, was Cordelia. White sheets and blankets covered her broken body. Bandages were wrapped around her head still. Her red hair was pulled back away from her face as she lay still in her cot. The Pegasus Knight's eyes were focused on the tent wall. Ben wondered if she even noticed him arrive.

"I wondered who would be the first person I'd see today." Cordelia said, her voice a quiet whispers as she struggled to talk. She struggled to turn her head and looked at Ben, "Other than Libra that is."

"And Severa." Ben replied with a slight smile as he stood beside her cot.

Cordelia's eyes darted over to the slumbering warrior. A small smile formed over her lips.

"I guess that solves the mystery of who one of her parents is." A sad look replaced that smile, "Hopefully she does not have to see me like this very much."

Ben closed his eyes, "Cordelia-"

"Libra must have told you already." She continued. Her voice came out in a quiet croak. She tried to clear her throat, "S-sorry, talking hurts a little bit."

"You don't have to talk at all, Cordelia." Ben replied.

"I want to." Cordelia quickly replied, "It… it at least helps me think all of this through." She gulped, "Helps me to realize that this is all real. Helps me realize that I am awake. That I am alive."

She winced as she tried to sit up in her cot. Ben raised his hand and gently used the force to keep her lying down.

"Rest, Cordelia."

"I have been resting for the past week." Cordelia hissed, "Let me sit up." She swallowed hard, "It seems to be the only thing I am capable of doing anymore."

Ben hesitated. Determination filled Cordelia's eyes. Reluctantly, he relented. Cordelia winced again. She bit back a curse as her weak arms slowly propped her frail body upright. Ben reached over and adjusted the pillows behind her back. Helping her stay upright.

"Thanks." She croaked. Her eyes fell on her legs, which did not move beneath the sheets, "I keep trying to wiggle my toes." She let out a small scoff, "Sometimes, I think that maybe, just maybe, the sheets move when I tell them to move." Tears formed in her eyes, "But they don't." She gulped as one tear trickled down her right cheek. She glanced at Ben, "I'm… I'm never going to be able to ride again."

"Cordelia-"

"I-I'm never going to be able to fly again." Cordelia's words shuddered as she fought to maintain her composure. Her hands tightened around the sheets, "I-I-I'm never going to be able to take care of m-my pegasus again. I can't fight anymore. I-I c-can't walk. I can't even move!"

Ben knew that if she had even a fraction of her former strength, she would have been shouting. But with how frail her body was, she could only manage a loud whisper. Her lip quivered as more tears trickled down her cheeks. Her eyes slowly turned to look at Severa as the child from the future murmured in her sleep. Any color in Cordelia's face rushed away.

"I'm never going to be able to have her."

Ben's heart sank, "Cordelia don't-"

"How can I?" Cordelia sniffled, "I won't be able to take care of her, even if I do manage to-to have her." Panic filled her eyes, "She-she can't see me like this. No, no she can't. Not like this. Not-"

Ben closed his eyes. He brushed against Cordelia's mind. He sent a wave of calm through her thoughts. Slowly, Cordelia's panic faded. Her chin stopped quivering. Tears still ran down her cheeks. But at a slower pace. Her grip on the sheets loosened. She turned her gaze away from Severa and bowed her head.

"I'm sorry." Cordelia whispered.

"You have nothing to apologize for." Ben quietly replied. He knelt down beside her cot, "Cordelia." She raised her eyes to meet his, "You will make it through this. And all of us, every shepherd, every pegasus knight, will be right beside you along the way."

Cordelia swallowed hard. She wiped at the tears dripping down her cheeks. As she regained her composure, Severa muttered again. The girl raised her head and smacked her lips together.

"Ugh…" She yawned, "Gawds, that table is uncomfortable." She blinked her eyes and focused her sight on Cordelia.

Her eyes widened. An enormous smile rushed over her face. Before Cordelia or Ben could do anything, Severa threw her arms around Cordelia's neck. Cordelia winced as pain lanced through her body. Severa froze and quickly pulled away.

"Well erm-" Severa cleared her throat, "It's about time you woke up. Gawds, its like you just wanted to keep me worried forever."

Ben arched an eyebrow. Cordelia however, gave the young girl a soft smile.

"It's nice to see you too, Severa."

Severa's cheeks reddened. She struggled to meet Cordelia's gaze. Before she could reply, a cheerful voice cackled through the tent.

"Good morning, Lady Venator of the future."

Severa's face screwed into a scowl as Henry sauntered into the tent, two cups of hot tea in hand. He stopped beside Severa and held out a cup to her.

"Your usual wake me from the dead concoction. Nya ha ha! Get it. You sleep-"

"Like the dead, I get it." Severa deadpanned. She swiped the cup from his hands and took a sip, "And quit calling me Venator."

Henry's grin widened, "But it's so much fun." He turned to look at Ben, "And good morning to you, General Kenobi."

Ben shook his head and laughed under his breath, "Good morning, Henry."

Henry whipped his gaze over to Cordelia, "I see I should have brought a third cup. Turns out this morning will not involve any further mourning." Henry hummed to himself, "I'm not entirely sure if that is a good thing or not."

"It's a great thing you idi-" Severa caught herself yelling as several healers glared at her, "I-I mean, it's alright I guess." She shrugged and sipped her tea, "Well," She nodded at Cordelia, "S-since you're finally awake, I can get going now. Maybe I'll finally catch up with Sakura. We haven't really had a chance to talk since she showed up." She sipped her tea one more time before setting it down on the table, "I'll stop by later. Try not to die while I'm gone."

Cordelia frowned a little bit as she walked away. Henry cackled.

"No promises!" The dark mage waved.

"That girl confuses me." Cordelia muttered.

"Welcome to our world." Henry snickered.

Ben arched an eyebrow, "Our world?"

"Well not everyone can know the intricacies of the female mind like you, General Kenobi." Henry remarked. Cordelia started to laugh as a flustered expression crossed Ben's face, "I hear you have seduced at least four noblewomen in the past three years and then decided to bed a dark mage-"

"F-four n-noble-" Ben frowned, "Gaius or Virion?"

"Oh?" Henry replied.

"Which one started those rumors?"

Henry cackled, "That's for you to find out." Cordelia laughed quietly in her cot as Henry smirked at Ben, "I will say, he knows a lot about the art of love-"

"Virion." Ben nodded.

"You couldn't leave it a fun mystery, could you?" Henry sighed.

"Not at all." Ben sighed, "And it appears I will have to add speaking to that damn archer to today's to do list. But first… reports with Frederick."

"Sounds fun." Cordelia remarked sarcastically, "That's maybe the one thing I'm glad to be missing out on."

Ben rolled his eyes, "Loads of fun. After that, I'll probably have a meeting with the other commanders. Which means I'll have to act like a general." Ben sighed, "I best get going. This army is not going to run itself. Wish me luck."

"Break a leg." Cordelia replied.

Henry threw his head back and laughed loudly, "I like her humor."

Ben paused, shook his head, "Rest." He ordered Cordelia, "I'll check back on you in a bit. And I'll see if Tharja can stop by. She might have some remedies to help with any pain."

"That would be appreciated." Cordelia winced.

Ben gave her another small smile then quickly exited the medical tent. Just as he exited the tent, a messenger ran up to him.

"General, Sir Frederick is looking for you. He is-"

"Already with the Khans and Prince Chrom?"

The messenger blinked, "Y-yes sir. He said that you-"

"Better hurry up or they will start the meeting without me?" Ben sighed as he started walking towards Khan Basilio's tent. The messenger nodded. Ben shook his head and picked up his pace.

 _Never a moment of peace in this army._

 **And chapter! Another character and relationship building chapter. A few bits of setup thrown in there as well. This was a very fun chapter to write. Especially the first two parts of it. I've never really shown how Lucina feels about the future she came from. And the game never really goes to far in depth on it either. So it was kind of fun showing not only the horrors of the last days of the future war, but also how it impacted her. Even it was only a small sliver of detail, it was fun to write. Next chapter, we're going to get this plot going again. It's about time Robin and Dooku reached the Mila Tree, in my opinion. And they are on a collision course with some unpleasant people, if I remember correctly. This will be interesting.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chatper! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	103. The Voice of Naga

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 103

The Voice of Naga

Robin feared sleep. He feared the moment his eyes would close and the darkness would take him. But he could not deny his body's needs. He could not fight off the weariness in his eyes or the heaviness of his head. One moment, he rode alongside Dooku, head bobbing up and down as he fought to remain awake. The next, darkness.

Then a flicker of white light. Robin squinted at the white light as it consumed the world around him.

The light morphed and twisted. Shapes appeared. Those shapes stretched and squeezed. Some became cobblestones in the road. Others rose into the sky as buildings. The sky remained a blank canvass for a moment. Then it turned into the crystal clear sky from that fateful day.

The smoke from the battle was absent. So was the fire, the screams of the wounded, the moans of the dying; all missing. Charlet sat empty in his mind. Not even a breeze brushed past him.

Robin furrowed his brow. He took one step on the cobblestone road. His boots clapped against the stone. That clap echoed all around him. It bounced off the shop walls to his right. Ricocheted through the alleys and streets that ran away from Charlet's vast harbor. The echo faded away.

Then it got closer. As the sound returned, a pit formed in Robin's stomach. It did not sound like his footstep. Instead, it sounded like a voice.

" _Robin!"_

He squeezed his eyes shut as Miriel's voice rose into a loud chorus around him. It fractured. Became malformed. Then reformed into dozens of different voices. All of them hers. All of them screaming his name. The scream she shouted just before he buried his sword to the hilt in her heart.

 _Make it stop._ Robin dropped to his knees. His eyes screwed shut, tighter than before. His hands gripped the sides of his head. He tried to cover his ears, but the screams only grew, both in volume and number.

Vaike's mournful wails joined the horrible cacophony surrounding him. Nowi's screams when Ricken was slain joined in. A disturbing choir sang in the windless air.

 _Stop._ Robin fell to his hands. He kept his eyes closed. Fearing what he would see if he opened them again. The cobblestones shifted beneath his palms. _Please, stop._

The air grew cold. Goosebumps formed on his skin as frozen hands brushed against the back of his neck and ran down his spine. His jaw clenched tight as the voices rose in pitch around him.

" _ **You failed them."**_

"STOP!" Robin roared, eyes flying open.

Charlet was gone. Ylisstol took its place. Just as empty as Charlet. As lifeless and artificial as the city that haunted his every waking thought.

This was the first time he had been taken here though. Robin furrowed his brow. His chest rose and fell in heavy breaths as the mournful choir faded into nothingness. He stood frozen before the gates to the Exalt's palace.

Nothing seemed out of place. Nothing appeared wrong. And yet, everything about this sight felt wrong. Everything appeared fake.

 _Of course it would be._ Robin glanced over at vibrant red roses growing along the walls surrounding the palace, _This is my mind._

He looked up the white walls. Blank and unmoving. Being in Ylisstol puzzled him. He could understand why his mind always took him back to Charlet or Plegia. The trauma of the events that occured in those places would haunt anyone. The events were forever burned into his mind. He would never be able to forget the death, destruction, and loss associated with the ruined fortress in Plegia and the Rosanne city of Charlet.

Ricken's still form flashed in front of his eyes. The young mage, gone far too soon. Taken by one of Grima's fell servants. And there was nothing Robin could have done about it. His own weakness rendered him useless in that fight. He was not even conscious for it. But for some reason, he could see how Ricken looked. He could see the holes in his body from where Grievous's lightsaber pierced him. He could see Ricken's pale, lifeless face. Could stare into the mage's eyes, no longer vibrant and happy. Instead they were vacant and dull.

 _How am I seeing this?_ Robin thought as Ricken's body lay at his feet in front of the palace doors. _Why am I seeing this?_

Stahl and Gregor's deaths flashed in his mind. Stahl, killed by the savagery of war. Slaughtered because Robin's strategy caused him to charge into the teeth of a vicious wall of fire and lightning. Gregor, slaughtered by Grievous while he just watched. The mercenary dying as a far more courageous man than Robin felt he could ever be. While he shook in terror before Grievous, Gregor stood and fought. Gregor died a warrior. And Robin let him.

Tears dripped down Robin's cheeks. It felt difficult to breath.

Miriel's corpse appeared beside the others. A hole sat over her heart. Blood stained her dark robes. Her pale face had gone ghost white. As Robin looked at her corpse, he felt his hands shaking.

"All my fault." He whispered. "All of it… it is my fault." His hands balled up into tight fists as anger rushed through his veins, "WHY ARE YOU TORMENTING ME WITH THIS!?" He cried at his mind. At a void that just let him scream, "WHY MUST I…" He lowered his gaze as tears rushed down his face, "Why must I keep seeing this?"

" _ **Because you are weak."**_ A shadow crept up the white gates in front of him. It towered over him. A formless mass of darkness that glowered from its perch over his shivering form, " _ **All of your strength, is mine. And unless you embrace me, you will always fail them."**_

Robin choked as he looked at the bodies of his friends.

"I can't fail anymore." Robin gulped, "I must be stronger than this." He raised his eyes and stared defiantly at the dark shadow, "I must be stronger than you."

The shadow snarled.

"You are the voice." Robin clenched his teeth, "You are the one that causes me to lose control." Robin glared hatefully at the shadow as it shrank down the city gates, "What are you?" Robin growled as the shadow started to take shape, "ANSWER ME!"

The shadow laughed. A mocking chuckle that infuriated Robin. Piercing cold slammed into Robin. Power poured out of the shadow. An endless well opened in the Force. And the Dark Side burst out of it like a geyser.

" _ **Foolish child."**_ The shadow took the shape of a man. The same height as Robin. Same build. Same clothing and stance. " _ **You**_ _think_ _**I am**_ _some_ _ **thing**_ _else_ _ **?"**_ Yellow eyes glowed beneath his drawn hood. Robin's breath lodged in his throat as he stared at an all too familiar face. A wide, sinister grin formed on the shadow's lips.

" _ **I**_ _am_ you _ **."**_

* * *

The hooves of their horses quietly stamped into the soft earth along the trail. Deep shadows hung all around the two riders as they delved further into the massive forests that blanketed central Valm. In the distance, Dooku could hear several rivers rushing through the forests. The soothing sound of the water gave the dense forest a far more pleasant, serene feeling than the shadows alone would allow.

The Deadlord's gaze glanced above the treetops around him. Ascending higher and higher as his sight scaled the trunk of the largest tree he had ever seen in his life. An enormous feat as well, for he had been to Kashyyk before.

The Mila Tree dominated the land. A thick mountain made of wood and leaves. Branches spanned out like great dragon wings from the top. It almost looked like a second canopy hung over the rest of the great forest. Even though he had seen the tree before, Dooku still felt in awe whenever he looked upon it.

 _Some things about this world continue to amaze me._ He thought.

Robin stirred in his saddle beside him. Dooku glanced away from the Mila Tree over to the tactician. The young man slowly woke up in his saddle. His head hung heavy as he let out a loud yawn.

"Rest well?" Dooku asked as he kept their riding pace slow and deliberate along the dirt trail.

Robin gave him an exhausted look, "Not really." He sighed, "But I guess, it was better than nothing."

Dooku hummed, "Another nightmare?"

Robin nodded.

Dooku frowned. The nightmares did not seem to end. Despite whatever council or advise Dooku gave the boy, Robin's mind seemed hellbent on tormenting him.

 _Is it his mind, or something else?_

"Care to share?" Dooku asked.

Robin sucked in a sharp breath, "Same as before-"

"Charlet?"

"Would you let me finish." Robin snarled.

Dooku gave him a surprised look. Robin did not anger easily. But throughout the campaign in Valm, the tactician's mental state had been erratic at best. Come to think of it, Robin's problems truly began after the diplomatic mission to Plegia. A mission he did not go on for reasons he did not want to reveal to the other shepherds.

After that diplomatic mission, and the tragedy of Ricken's death, Robin's behavior became troubling. He actively lost control of his temper, especially on the battlefield. That loss of control led to the dark side of the force bubbling to the surface around him. A cold surge that always took the old Sith Lord aback. It was startling to feel just how in tune the tactician really was with the dark side of the force. How he could see easily call upon it when enraged or terrified. It took so much training to be able to will the dark side into coming to one's aid for a normal person.

 _Robin is far from normal._ Dooku frowned to himself. He nodded for Robin to continue.

Robin took a deep breath, "I saw Charlet again. I kept my eyes closed this time."

"You could control what happened?" Dooku asked.

Robin shook his head, "Not really. I still… I still heard it all. I heard Miriel's last words. I heard Vaike's mournful screams. I… I heard Nowi's wails when Ricken died. And that is one of the strangest parts to me. How could I hear that? I was not conscious when Ricken died."

 _Indeed._ Dooku thought, _How could you hear that?_

"The dream shifted after that. I was in Ylisstol. Before the Palace gates." He gulped, "Their corpses were at my feet. And as each one appeared, I saw their deaths all over again." Robin's hands tightened around the reins, "I begged for it to stop. As I begged, a shadow crept up the walls of the gates." Dooku furrowed his brow as Robin continued, "I heard… the voice. The one that growls in my mind whenever I lose control. It told me I was to blame for all of this. That if I had only embraced its powers, I would not have lost them." Robin grit his teeth. Dooku sensed a surge of anger from the young man, "I replied back to it. I mean, that voice is there whenever I lose control. That voice caused it all. But then it shifted. The shadow turned into… me." Robin tore his gaze from his horse over to Dooku, "The shadow became me."

Dooku did not say a word.

"Do you think it is right?" Robin asked, "If I had-"

"The Dark Side of the Force is a treacherous mistress, Robin. Listen to it, and it will betray you." Dooku uttered a heavy, regretful sigh, "Like it betrayed me."

Robin arched an eyebrow, "Betrayed you?"

Dooku opened his mouth to explain further. Before he could, a warning shot through the force. One that caused him to yank on the reins of his horse. His steed snorted and stamped a hoof as their slow march through the forest ground to a halt. Robin paused alongside him. The weary tactician suddenly just as alert as the wary Sith Lord.

"What is it?" Robin whispered.

Movement. Multiple beings rushed through the thickets around them. Dooku's eyes flicked back and forth as he struggled to see in the dark. A snarl crossed his lips as his hand slowly descended towards his hip. Ready to draw his lightsaber. Robin paled when he saw the slow, deliberate motion.

"Trouble?" Robin asked again.

"Stretch out with the force, Robin." Dooku hissed back. His horse stamped nervously beneath him, "You tell me."

Leaves rustled to their right. In an instant, Robin's spellbook was in his left hand. His left hand clenched into a fist as he readied himself to cast a spell. Dooku gripped his lightsaber and turned his horse to face the rustling brush nearby.

A Valmese soldier burst from the brush. Eyes wide with terror. Face soaked with blood, both fresh and old. When he caught sight of Robin and Dooku, an insane scream left his throat. Before either Dooku or Robin could blink, the man drew his blade and charged at Dooku.

The red lightsaber thundered to life, and the soldier's head rolled along the ground. Robin paled as he watched the rest of the body crumple to the dirt.

The lightsaber's red glow caused the shadows to deepen around the two riders. A cold breeze brushed through the forest. The branches above them groaned and creaked. Several leaves fluttered down in a frantic dance on the cold wind. The lightsaber's hum was the only sound that pierced the night.

"Something is very wrong here." Robin gulped.

"I couldn't agree more." Dooku glanced over his shoulder at Robin. He deactivated his lightsaber, "Keep your wits about you."

Robin gave him a stiff nod then followed the Sith Lord further down the trail. The closer they drew to the Mila Tree, the more hushed the forest became. Birds that once sang soft songs all around them went silent. Squirrels and other little animals that called the trees and thickets home disappeared. Not even the wind produced a sound despite the occasional caress of cold that rushed by the two riders.

Robin shivered in his saddle. With his free hand, he adjusted his coat. Buttoning the gold buttons in order to block the breeze from crawling over his skin. It did little to help. The cold only grew worse as they drew closer to the Mila Tree.

"Isn't there an army that is supposed to be stationed here?" Robin asked, his voice a hushed whisper as he strained his ears for any sign of life around them.

Dooku frowned, "General Cervantes's army to be precise."

"What is he like?" Robin asked, trying to strike up a conversation in order to ease his own nerves.

Dooku let out a small snort, "A bit vain. Especially when it comes to his mustache. Although, it is a rather impressive mustache. If we run into him remember that we are not-"

A mournful moan floated on a blast of wind. The hairs on Robin's neck stood on end. Chills crawled down his spine. This feeling felt all too familiar.

His horse snorted and uttered an alarmed whinny. Dooku's horse snarled and stamped. Both steeds refused to go any further down the trail. Dooku cursed and dug his heels, trying to get his horse to go forward. But the animal only stamped backwards. It jerked against Dooku's commands. It's dark eyes were wide with primal terror. The look prey has when it knows a predator prowls the night.

Robin gulped, "Go the rest of the way on foot?"

Dooku scowled, "I'd rather not. If these crazed beasts do not listen to my compulsions-"

"Compulsions?" Robin blinked, "The force can-"

"With the right training yes, you can command beasts of low intellect." Dooku hissed back, "Unfortunately, their fear is stronger than my command at the moment."

Robin's gut twisted into a knot, "I'm not sure how to feel about that."

A curse in some strange language slipped from Dooku's lips. The Sith Lord scowled, jumped from his horse and uttered a low growl.

"On foot it is." Dooku smacked the horse's behind. The horse did not need any further prodding as it raced away. Back the way they came. Robin followed Dooku's example. But when he dismounted, his horse shot away with any command or gesture.

"W-wait, my… stuff…" Robin's shoulders fell as the horse disappeared into the night, "Damn it." He glanced over at Dooku, "There go our rations."

"At least you have your book and sword." Dooku replied. His eyes glanced at the shadows around them. He then looked up. The boughs of the Mila Tree blotted out the stars. Only thin rays of moonlight penetrated the canopy over their heads, "I think those will be more useful tonight than rations."

Robin gulped, "I hope you are wrong."

The two pressed further down the trail. Soon, the trail widened. The massive roots of the Mila Tree rose up out of the ground around them like great wooden walls. Walls that would normally have torches or campfires lit along them.

Robin arched an eyebrow as they drew closer to the great tree. Where was General Cervantes's army. The army charged with guarding this sacred sight from Valmese Rebels. Did they leave? Were they recalled away in order to deal with the Archanean threat to the east? For some reason, Robin felt that was wishful thinking.

They entered a clearing in the forest. Robin's heart surged to his throat.

A large campsite sat empty in the clearing. A Valmese flag, torn into tatters, still flew on a small pole at the camp's entry. Robin and Dooku both paused as they stared at the camp.

"Nobody home." Robin gulped.

"No bodies." Dooku corrected, "And no weapons or fires." His lightsaber once again returned to his hand. His thumb hovered over the activation button. The force continued to give him whispered warnings. Cryptic feelings that he could not pinpoint, "Be cautious."

Robin nodded. He slipped his spellbook back into his coat and drew his sword instead. The metal screeched against the hardened scabbard. Robin cringed. Dooku eyed him, but said nothing. They both tiptoed their way into the camp.

Eerie, that was the best way to describe the abandoned military camp. Everything looked normal. Nothing seemed out of place. There was a pot filled with cold stew sitting over the remains of a large, communal fire. Chairs and stools sat around that fire. None of them were toppled over. No sign of alarm or struggle. The grass and dirt didn't even look disturbed. And that unsettled both Robin and Dooku.

"An army does not just leave all of this." Robin muttered. He nodded at the tents around them, "These tents are too nice to just abandon."

"I agree." Dooku flicked his gaze back and forth. He briefly sank into the force. Trying to sense what was out of place. But the force remained murky. With a frustrated growl, he pressed forward, "Best to get to our Manakete friend quickly." He glanced all around the camp one more time, "I have a bad feeling about all of this."

"Yeah?" Robin remarked, "You and me both. When did yours start? Before or after we beheaded a manic soldier?"

Dooku rolled his eyes, "What would you have me do, let him stab me?"

"By your own admission, you can't die." Robin pointed out.

"It still hurts a little bit."

Footsteps scurried to their right. Both men froze. Dooku slowly turned to face the darkness. In the darkness, he saw a command tent. General Cervantes's tent to be precise. The shadows within too deep for him to make out anything. Robin gulped beside Dooku. The tactician gave the Sith Lord a hesitant look before following him closer to the large, open tent.

They stepped into the tent. Before their eyes could adjust to the darkness, a pair of large hands seized Robin.

"GAH!" Robin cried as he sword was smacked from his grip by a heavy hand.

Dooku's lightsaber thundered to life. General Cervantes emerged in the red glow. Eyes bloodshot. Filled with terror. Mustache caked in dried blood. Armor dented and slashed in several places. A broken lance rested in the corner of the tent. A shield shattered into three pieces, scorched by fire, rested beside it. Cervantes's large hands were wrapped around Robin's throat as he clenched his teeth and squeezed.

"General." Dooku's measured voice began. He reached out with the force and brushed against the General's mind, "Release my companion, please."

The General's bloodshot eyes snapped over to Dooku. Robin squirmed in Cervantes' iron grip. The General did not even blink as he glared at Dooku. Primitive fear filled the general. Something savage swirled through his mind. This was no longer a commander of men. This was an animal of prey, desperately seeking to survive.

Dooku pressed harder against Cervantes's mind. No longer merely suggesting obedience with the force, but demanding it. He risked shattering the man's mind by doing so. But urgency was needed. He did not want the large man to crush Robin's throat.

What meager mental walls the General had collapsed under Dooku's assault. Within seconds, Dooku dove into the man's mind. Bashing away the hostility he felt and instead coaxing forth feelings of clarity and calm.

Cervantes's grip loosened. Robin fell onto his back. Chest heaving up and down as he struggled to catch his breath.

"T-Tyrannus?" Cervantes stammered, his once powerful voice meek and still in the night, "Wh-what are you-" He shook his head, "You must leave, quickly. It is… it is not safe here."

"General," Dooku hummed, "The Conqueror is worried. We have not received contact from-"

"To hell with the Conqueror." Cervantes croaked as fear washed over his bloody visage yet again, "I fear the beasts prowling this night more."

Dooku furrowed his brow, "Care to explain, General."

Cervantes uttered a ragged breath. He glanced down at Robin. The man's bald brow furrowed as he looked at Robin's coat.

"Is he one of them?" Cervantes growled.

"One of who?"

"Damn Grimleal!" Cervantes snarled back.

Dooku kept his lightsaber activated as he sensed anger directed at Robin, "No. He is actually Ylissean."

Cervantes scoffed, "Could've fooled me." He glared at Dooku, "Had a whole mess of those scrawny bastards descend on us a couple hours ago. Nothing my men couldn't handle. We outnumbered them after all. They seemed to be after something, not sure what."

Confusion filled Dooku, "Grimleal, here?"

"I felt the same way." Cervantes growled, "One of them split my shield with a nasty spell." Cervantes staged his way towards his broken weapon, "Broke my spear in one of their guts. Heh! Puny mages. They think they can break me and my men? The lot of them stood no chance… at first." Cervantes started to tremble, "Now I wish I did not kill as many of those bastards as I did."

"Why?" Dooku asked, "What happened?"

Robin coughed some more before rising to his feet as well, "I'd like to know that as well."

Cervantes kept his back to both of them, "They came out of nowhere. I… I can't describe them. Demons, all three of them." Cervantes glanced over his shoulder. Terror filled his gaze, "They killed… all of us. Indiscriminate carnage. Those Grimleal enemies became my allies as we were all torn to pieces. I-I've never seen anything like it."

Dooku's face paled, "Three demons?"

Robin gulped as a cold breeze brushed into the tent, "Are you thinking what I am thinking?"

Dooku slowly nodded, "We need to get up the tree, now."

Robin gave Dooku a surprised look, "Uh no, we need to get the hell out of here. There is no way we can take on three Deadlords. We can't even take on one at the moment!"

"And the Manakete at the top of the Mila Tree can, trust me." Dooku replied.

"The Manakete… Lady Tiki... oh gods," Cervantes paled, "The demons wanted the Voice. They are going to kill the Voice of Naga. Oh, if that happens, I will be strung up over gallows. That is if they don't kill me first."

Robin gave the portly man a perplexed look, "Voice of Naga?" He glanced at Dooku, "What the hell is he going on about now?"

"I'm not sure. But we can seek out answers later. We are running out of-"

A blast of cold slammed into both of them. A moan echoed on the wind. The red glow from Dooku's saber shrank as the shadows deepened all around them. A whimper left Cervantes's lips as he sank to the ground and covered his head with his arms.

"No… no…" Cervantes whimpered, "Not again… no…"

Dooku felt two new presences approach the tent. Both force sensitive. Both opposite in personality. One was controlled, measured, extremely disciplined. He could not even feel a faint flicker of emotion from it. The other, wild and angry. Without much restrained at all. It felt like an animal on a leash. Ready to pounce upon prey.

Robin gulped beside Dooku, "I sense two-"

"I sense them as well."

Both turned around. Dooku blinked.

"Deadlords." Robin breathed.

Two of the strangest Deadlords Robin had ever seen stood beyond the tent. The one on Robin's left was a woman. A very strange woman. Most of her body was covered in dark robes. Only her face was visible. In the red glow of Dooku's lightsaber, Robin could barely make out her face. And the color confused him. Who on earth possessed green skin?

The Deadlord to the woman's right seemed like a normal human being. Dark robes covered his body as well. A deep hood shrouded most of his head. Yellow eyes glowed beneath his hood. But in the scarlet glow, he could see a circular scar on one of his cheeks. A burn scar from the looks of things. A snarl rested over his pale lips.

"Robin." Dooku breathed, "I will take care of this."

Robin arched an eyebrow, "Alone? Why?"

Dooku inclined his chin at the deadlords, "Their weapons of choice."

Robin flicked his gaze to their hands. All color rushed away from his face. Both deadlords carried lightsabers. He could just barely see their silver hilts glinting in the red light.

"Old friends of yours?" Robin asked, his voice hushed as the pair stared down their enemy.

"One is. The other… not so much." Dooku kept his lightsaber in a low guard as he took a step towards his opponents, "Away with you now Robin. Get to our destination. I will meet you there."

Robin blinked, "Ar-are you sure you can-"

Dooku inhaled, "Question me again, and I may help these deadlords kill you." Robin gulped, "Now go."

Robin hesitated. The deadlord on his left flicked his yellow eyes over to him.

"One of the targets." He muttered to his female companion.

Robin paled.

"First the traitor." The green skinned woman replied, "Then the target."

Fear punched Robin as the first deadlord narrowed his eyes at him. The piercing cold in the air jabbed him like needles. Without another word, Robin rushed towards the large stairs that ascended up the trunk of the Mila Tree. Leaving Dooku alone to face the enemy.

Dooku flicked his gaze over to Robin as the boy rushed up the Mila Tree's steps.

"I did not know you were capable of worrying for others, Equus." The green skinned woman remarked as she stepped to Dooku's right.

Dooku gave her a small smirk, "Master Luminara, you should know better than that. I cared for Qui Gon, after all."

The other deadlord that circled him to the left snarled at the mention of Qui Gon's name.

"And judging by that reaction," Dooku's smirked at the other deadlord, "I'm going to assume you are little Xanatos. My, how you've not grown. I remember hearing of your death." Dooku clicked his tongue, "Rather pathetic in the grand scheme of things."

Xanatos's red lightsaber thundered to life. The pair stopped circling him.

"Let me slaughter him, Simia." Xanatos snarled.

Dooku cocked an eyebrow, "Simia?" He glanced over at Luminara. A small chuckle left his lips, "Oh, has our master grown paranoid over giving you both personality? How little identity do you have left? Did I make him change his mind about actually giving us deadlords our full abilities?" Dooku shook his head, "I pity both of you then. You will never come close to challenging me. And if your goal is Robin, well, you should have grabbed him while you could."

Luminara's lightsaber hissed to life. The green glow of the blade lit up the area around her, revealing twin points of red light in her irises. A slight hint of sadness hit Dooku upon seeing the Mirialan without her natural blue eyes. His smirk fell away as he glanced at both red and green blades to his sides.

"Is that how it is going to be then?" Dooku twirled his lightsaber in his hand, "Very well." He glanced at Luminara, "Know that I will not enjoy this, Master Luminara." He glanced over at Xanatos as the deadlord snarled, "I will very much enjoy killing you."

Xanatos lunged at Dooku. An awkward, out of practice stroke the Sith Lord easily parried. He sensed danger behind him and ducked beneath a prescise slash from the Mirialan deadlord. Dooku twirled around and swiped at Luminara. She hissed as she jumped back.

"Already disappointing, the both of you." Dooku frowned.

With confident ease, Dooku began his assault. Xanatos backpedaled as Dooku expertly picked apart his defense. The deadlord growled as he caught Dooku's blade and tried to hold it in a lock.

"I can see how Qui Gon so easily bested you, boy." Dooku snarled, "You lack any sort of martial skill."

"I nearly killed that bastard of a master!" Xanatos roared.

A sparkle danced in Dooku's eyes, "So there is some of your former personality there. Perhaps our master is not so much of a fool as I thought he was."

He spun around and parried Luminara's attack, a low thrust to his hip. Dooku slashed at her neck. The Mirialan easily deflected his strike. Xanatos growled and raised his blade to cleave Dooku in two. Dooku smirked and spun, opening his palm around his hilt and sending the deadlord flying back with a force push.

Luminara chose that moment to attack again. Dooku twisted to avoid her strike. He felt her blade buzz close to his chest as he narrowly avoided the point of her green blade.

"You are much more aggressive than you used to be, Luminara." Dooku hummed as he took several steps back, coaxing the deadlord to follow him, "I thought Soresu was your preferred choice of combat."

"That does not mean I cannot be on the offensive." Luminara spat back.

"How the old you would have scowled at such a declaration." Dooku spat.

Their lightsabers clashed in a flurry of red and green. Dooku quickly stepped around Luminara and stabbed at her shoulder. The Deadlord snarled as she stumbled backwards and bumped into one of the massive roots of the Mila Tree. Dooku slashed at her. She ducked away as his saber slashed into the root. Leaving a deep, glowing gouge in the bark.

"A little help would be appreciated, Porcus!" Luminara cried as Dooku continued his assault. Peppering her solid defense with precise stabs and slashes. She tripped backwards and fell flat on her back.

"Yes, this is not the Luminara I know." Dooku frowned, "She would not have been bested so easily."

The force fluctuated. Dooku felt it ripple through the air behind him. A warning rushed before it. He spun to the side, avoiding the red blade aimed at his neck. Dooku twirled and caught a follow up strike from Xanatos.

"See that one coming, Equus?" Xanatos growled.

Dooku frowned, "Surprisingly no. Let me guess, Force Stealth." Xanatos blinked in surprise. Dooku chuckled, "Did you honestly believe you were the only practitioner. Foolish boy. You think you match the abilities of a Sith Lord? You are merely playing pretend, even in death."

Xanatos roared with rage. And to his credit, his form improved. Dooku found himself actually having to concentrate as the Deadlord engaged him. Showering his defenses with heavy handed slashes before quickly twirling and attempting to stab him in the back. A well executed move, but not perfectly executed. Dooku caught his blade.

 _If I had my other hand, I would have blasted this brat with lightning already._ Dooku thought to himself with frustration.

Luminara dashed at him. Dooku tore his blade away and parried her attack. With an annoyed snarl, he let out a small pulse in the force. Pushing both deadlords back away from him a few feet.

"Growing tired, old man?" Xanatos said with a smirk.

"Quit acting like a fool. You are underestimating him." Luminara hissed, "He was a Sith for a reason."

"Indeed," Dooku quickly deactivated his lightsaber, "I was." He directed a blast of lightning at Xanatos. Catching the deadlord off guard. The bolts slammed into his body, sending the deadlord screaming across the camp and crashing into a tent. The tent collapsed around him. Several sparks caught the dry canvass. Flames erupted over the fallen structure.

"Now then," Dooku turned to face Luminara. He activated his lightsaber once again and readied himself, "Where were we?"

* * *

For one moment, one brief moment, death had its claws around him once again. A cold embrace that consumed everything about Bovis. His mind, his body, his soul, they belonged to the void. He did not know how long the void owned him. Was it seconds? Minutes? Hours? Days, or even years? Perhaps even centuries? It did not matter. He breathed air once again. He had been given new life by a master he did not know of, until now.

At first, when he returned from the grave, he thought Medeus brought him back to life. That damn dragon always hated him. And he hated Medeus in return. When he realized Medeus was not responsible for his resurrection, he assumed the next worst option. That Naga, in her ever growing cruelty, was playing a trick on him. That she brought him back as a husk. A plaything for her to torment and mock. A way of her extracting revenge for his actions against her kin.

The sight of a young man with ghost white hair and blazing yellow eyes was certainly not something he had been expecting. The place he was resurrected was also foreign to Bovis. A strange palace in a desert land with a strange residual dark energy hanging thick in the air. Before he even had time to assess his location, the young man gave him orders. And something, a strange force, compelled him to obey. In that moment, Bovis realized the game. Unlike Medeus, this new man… no, this new creature, commanded him. This new creature possessed power the likes of which were fascinating to the decrepit deadlord. That fascination led him to willingly carry out the creature's orders. If for no other reason, than to learn more about the one responsible for his revival.

Bovis paused in his ascent up the steps of the Mila Tree. Cold wind shot through his greasy, black hair. He was grateful he was revived in his thick robes. He had a feeling this night would give him quite a chill if he wore anything else. Besides, these robes, weathered and fraying, were familiar to him. They warmed him in a way clothing should not. They almost served as a reminder of who he once was, before he was killed and brought back.

He furrowed his dark brow. Bovis, that was not his name. What was it again?

 _The mission._ He thought to himself, _If I want to discover more about my… master… I need to complete the mission._

A simple mission really. This young creature who desired to be his master required him, and two others like him, to find two people. The primary target was a young man named Robin. Rather unassuming in appearance. Brown hair, pale skin, average stature. But skilled in magic and he possessed a very sharp mind.

 _Sounds like my type of person._ Bovis smiled to himself.

The other target piqued his interest the most. A manakete that lived atop this strange tree. One that clearly put his new master on edge. Manaketes were certainly a familiar thing for Bovis. He recalled his previous life actively battling the draconic creatures. Even seizing one very powerful, young Manakete and hypnotizing her to his will. A wistful smile crossed his cracked, wrinkled lips.

 _Wonderful times._ He thought, _Times where I served no one._ Fragments of memories surfaced in his mind, _And the world feared me._

He recalled a little girl with green hair and pointy ears. An extremely young Manakete. He also remembered a young man. A lord of some sorts. His name started with an 'M'. And every time he pictured that young man, hatred built up inside of him. Almost as much hatred as he held for Medeus.

He ascended higher into the Mila Tree. Up, up, and up, until the stairs ended at a large platform hidden deep in the boughs of the great tree. At the center of the platform was a small hut made of leaves and branches. The location of his target. He let the other two deadlords deal with the supposedly unassuming mage Robin. The Manakete would be his prize.

He took a step forward. The wooden platform creaked beneath his footfall. A loud yawn penetrated the silence.

"Mar Mar?" Two points of green light appeared in the hut's shadows. A pair of sleepy eyes.

Bovis sucked in a breath as a pair of hands clapped once. A little orb of soft, white light winked to life near those eyes. The light revealed a beautiful female Manakete. Long locks of green hair crowned her head, tied back in a high ponytail. Her flawless skin was hidden behind a homemade red dress that was cut short over her thighs. A pink sash was wrapped around her waist. Her gloved hands reached up and rubbed at one sleepy, green eye.

A memory of the little green haired Manakete rushed through Bovis's mind.

"Look how you have grown." He said. His voice hoarse with excitement and age. A low, threatening chuckle wheezed from his lungs as more memories came back to him.

The Manakete froze. Her eyes shot wide open. Slowly, she craned her head to look at where he stood. A smile spread over Bovis's lips as he saw fear enter her gaze.

"Y-you." The Manakete gasped. She scrambled to her feet. He stepped forward. She took a terrified step back. Her back pressed against the far wall of her hut as he entered, "I-Impossible." She gulped as he drew closer, " Stay away from me!"

Bovis tsked, "How cold of you? Is that any way to treat an old friend? After all these years-"

A spell erupted from the Manakete's right hand. A ball of fire flashed over Bovis's body. The heat swarmed over him. The flames washed over his robes and skin. But the fire did not harm him. As the flames disappeared, he emerged from the smoke. Close enough to the Manakete that she could feel his breath run cold over her skin.

He took a deep breath.

"I've missed you, my little friend."

The Manakete shook before him, "Y-you're no friend of mine!" She glared at him. Both terrified and furious, "I remember how you hypnotized me." More of her fear turned to anger, "The terrible things you made me do!"

"As do I, little one." He reached up with a hand and let his long fingernails brush her cheek, "As do I."

She smacked his hand away. Bovis chuckled.

"It took me a moment to recall, but now I remember. And… I can see why my new master fears you so much." Bovis grinned at her as she gave him a confused look.

"New master?" Her eyes widened, "Grima."

"Is that the youngster's name?" Bovis replied, "Grima, I wonder how he came into being."

More fire built up in the Manakete's clenched fists, "You will not live to find out."

"Now, now. How did that work out for you last time." Bovis shook his head, "Don't you know, you cannot harm me? You could not before. And you cannot now."

The flames flickered in her fists. She grit her teeth and buried a fiery punch into his gut. Bovis wheezed as he stumbled backwards.

"Harmed?" The Manakete snarled.

Anger flared through Bovis, "Why you-"

A blast of dark magic slammed into the deadlord. Bovis roared as he crashed through a wall a skidded out onto the platform. The Manakete's eyes followed him as he slid away from her. She flicked her gaze to the spell's origins. A woman in sorceress attire emerged from the shadows.

"Come with me!" The woman hissed.

The Manakete hesitated.

"Him or me!" The sorceress snarled.

The Manakete flicked her gaze over to Bovis as he struggled to rise to his feet. Without another thought, she rushed after the sorceress down the steps.

"Thank you." She exclaimed, "May I know my rescuer's name?"

The sorceress narrowed her eyes at her as they raced down the steps, "Aversa. And don't thank me yet."

They flew faster down the stairs. Far below the Mila Tree, the manakete could see three glowing blades dueling in the dark. Two red and one green. They clashed in bright sparks of light that startled her with each deadly blow.

"What is your name?" Aversa snarled as they paused at the next platform.

The Manakete drew in a breath, "Tiki."

Aversa nodded. She jerked in surprise then took a small step back. Tiki arched an eyebrow in confusion. Aversa nodded past her.

"And his?"

Tiki turned around. Her heart shot to her throat as she saw her attacker rise up from a pool of shadows in the platform. She swallowed hard and built up a fire spell in her hands once again.

"Gharnef."

 **And chapter! Happy Halloween everybody! A bit of spookier chapter for you all! I don't usually write a lot of horror stuff, so I decided to dabble a little bit. While obviously not terrifying (or maybe even scary), it was kind of fun to dabble in another genre for a few scenes.**

 **Robin and Dooku have reached the Mila Tree, but not before our other friends reached it first. And it appears things did not go very well for our heretical Grimleal mages. Our three new deadlords have been revealed! One to antagonize Ben in Luminara. One who fit Porcus's profile very well in Xanatos. And one to terrorize Tiki in Gharnef. I do want to thank my friend Recursive Logic for helping me out with learning more about Gharnef, since I've only ever played awakening and didn't know much about him. Things are getting very interesting now. Can Dooku defeat two deadlords? And will Tiki and Aversa be able to defeat Gharnef? We will find out, won't we?**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	104. Unexpected Allies

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 104

Unexpected Allies

Now that Aversa got a good look at the enemy in front of her only route of escape, she had to wonder, why was her luck so terrible. Why did she always get the bad missions, the suicide missions? The missions where no matter how it went, she would end up on the run, wounded, or likely dead. Why did the gods hate her so? She glanced to her right, where the manakete she was sent to retrieve stood frozen in place. Green eyes focused on the repulsive, hunched creature in front of both of them.

 _And for a Manakete, she is about as useless as they come. She can't even hurt a dark mage with a fire spell._ Aversa thought to herself.

The sorcerer in front of them uttered a thin, wheezing chuckle. One that made Aversa scowl, both with anger and annoyance.

"Going somewhere, my little friend?" The sorcerer, Gharnef, said.

An evil gleam danced in his eyes. One Aversa had grown all too familiar with during her time among the Grimleal. She had seen such a sinister sparkle in Validar's eyes many times when he had caught something, or someone, he considered prey.

She heard the Manakete, Tiki, snarl beside her. A low, rumbling growl that made the hairs on her neck stand on end. Tiki's eyes narrowed into dangerous slits. Flames flickered in her clenched fists as Gharnef took a slow step towards both women. Her fire flickered from a dull red to blazing white as the cretin drew closer. Her lip curled back, revealing sharp fangs hidden in her mouth.

"Oh, no need to be so hostile, my dear." Gharnef hummed, "I only wish to catch up."

Aversa opened her black tome, ready to fend off the mysterious sorcerer. But Tiki moved first. With speed that boggled the mind, Tiki shot across the platform and slammed another fiery fist across Gharnef's face. The old sorcerer's body jerked to the side, froze, then straightened. A wicked grin flashed over his gray face, revealed sickly yellow teeth that made Aversa's stomach curdle.

"You asked if I was harmed?" Tiki's eyes widened as a ball of black magic formed in Gharnef's outstretched palm. He pointed it right at her stomach, "Do you want my answer?"

Aversa quickly cast her spell. A strong Ruin that shot across the platform like a long, dark shadow. It took Gharnef off of his feet, causing his spell to fire harmlessly to the side of Tiki. The Manakete hopped back from Gharnef as the sorcerer snarled on his back.

"Must you keep trying?" Gharnef growled. He slowly picked himself up from the ground, "How long before both of you realize that your efforts are futile?"

Aversa lowered her hand. It trembled a little at her side. Her magic was one of the most powerful in the Grimleal. How could it not harm this unknown sorcerer? Who exactly was this old man?

"He's right." Tiki said, voice low. The fire in her fists slowly died, "Our only choice is to run."

"But where?" Aversa flicked her eyes over the edge of the platform to the three swordsman dueling below. She could not even tell who was friendly and who was not. But if she had to guess, she would say the person with the green sword was probably the nice one. Of course, nice was relative in this instance, "We don't exactly have anywhere we can go."

"Indeed, you don't." Gharnef smirked, his hunched form, "So you have two options, my friend. Come with me. My new… master… would be most interested in speaking to you, I'm sure." Tiki snarled back, "Or… remain here in your prison. And I can keep an eye on you personally. Just like old times."

Something snapped in the Manakete. A massive rush of power flowed out of her like a geyser. Aversa took a fearful step away as the air rippled with magic energy. Gharnef's eyes widened with delight.

"Oh, did I hit a nerve?"

Static filled the air. A flash of lightning ripped across the platform and crashed into Gharnef. The seemingly invulnerable enemy gasped as the bolt crackled over his robes and wrinkled skin. Aversa snapped her gaze to where the spell came from.

Terror shot through her heart as she caught sight of a black, gold, and purple coat glinting in the light of the pale moon. She knew that coat anywhere.

 _The Hierophant is here!_

Another bolt of lightning shot out from the man's hand. A bolt that sent Gharnef skidding to the side of Aversa's escape route. In the brilliant light of that bolt, Aversa got a glimpse of the man's face. And her fear turned to confusion. His eyes were brown instead of blazing yellow. Hair a dark brown instead of the ghost white Aversa had seen so many months ago.

However, just because his appearance was different, did not mean she would lower her guard. The Hierophant likely viewed her as a failure for not ending Lady Morgana's life sooner. And because she was here, acting on Morgana's orders, instead of attempting to kill the heretic, the Grimleal's leader would view her as a traitor. And traitors died horrible deaths. She knew that personally. After all, she enjoyed carrying out those executions when she was a part of the Grimleal.

Dark fire flickered on her fingertips as Aversa prepared to defend herself. If this man really was the Hierophant, then this Manakete, and Lady Morgana, could all go to hell. Her priority was saving her own skin.

 _Perhaps he will be focused on the invulnerable old man and his dragon friend instead of me._ Aversa thought as her dark eyes watched the newcomer move further onto the platform. Meanwhile, she inched away from the Manakete. With every step, her fingers twitched. Ready to cast a spell in order to creatue distance between herself and the terror in front of her.

The man's brown eyes glanced over at Tiki. He pointed a finger.

"Are you the Manakete?"

Tiki turned her head ever so slightly to look at him.

"Depends." She narrowed her eyes, "Who is asking?"

The man blinked. He seemed uncharacteristically unsure of himself. Very different from the hierophant Aversa knew. Was it possible that this doppelganger was not the monster she knew?

The man sighed, "Yup, you are. You've got the pointy ears, just like Nowi." He took a breath, "Look, I came here because apparently a friend of mine thinks you can help me and-"

"If you are looking for Naga's wisdom, it will have to wait." Tiki returned her attention to Gharnef, "I'm entertaining an old enemy."

The newcomer turned his attention to Gharnef, "I got that impression." The pages in his spellbook became a blur, "Want some help?"

"If you think you can do any damage to him, be my guest, sir-"

"Robin."

Aversa blinked.

Robin… _the_ Robin!? The Ylissean tactician was here? How did she not recognize him immediately? It had been several years now that she thought about it. And with the dangerous sorcerer furiously glaring at her, Tiki, and Robin; her mind was rightfully distracted. She studied his appearance once again as her guard remained up. Then she pictured him beside the terrifying Hierophant.

 _The resemblance is uncanny._

Aversa took another small step towards the open stairs. She froze as Gharnef started to laugh. A quiet, wheezing sound. As if he was struggling to suck air in through a straw. His heavy eyes looked at Robin.

"What good fortune. Both of my master's targets are now within my grasp." He reached into his heavy robes and withdrew a tome. A kind Aversa had never seen before. Black leather binding covered its pages. A skull rested on its front cover. Cracked, yellowed pages sat in between the leather. The sight of the tome caused Tiki to suck in a sharp breath. Gharnef eyed Tiki, "I'm sure you remember this little spell."

"Watch out!" Tiki cried.

Dark magic pulsed from the pages of Gharnef's tome. Some of it wrapped around him. A shadowy sphere encased him like a protective cocoon. The rest of the spell shot all around him, knocking Aversa, Tiki, and Robin over and sending all of them sliding towards the edge of the platform.

Aversa rolled upright. She swayed precariously along the edge of the platform. A firm hand grabbed her by the arm and tugged her back.

"Even now." Tiki hissed.

"As if." Aversa growled.

Another lightning bolt shot at Gharnef. Robin's palm smoked as he charged another powerful thunder spell. His eyes widened as the first spell bounced harmlessly off of the shell of dark shadows encasing Gharnef.

Tiki grit her teeth, "We cannot win this fight. Sir Robin! We need to flee!"

"You are not going anywhere!" Gharnef bellowed.

Tendrils of black magic rushed out from his body. They slammed into the platform. Splinters exploded out from where they landed. Robin leaped back and covered his face with his sleeve. Several shards of wood tore into his coat. One nicked his cheek. A thin line of blood ran down his jaw. He clenched his teeth. To Aversa's surprise, he slipped his spellbook back into his robes.

"I'm going to create an opening. Both of you take it!" He shouted.

Aversa blinked. He knew she was here? And he did not attack her? But she was an old enemy of Ylisse. Likely wanted. The bounty on her head must be enormous at this point. And yet his first concern was helping her escape this unbeatable opponent.

 _Strange._ Aversa thought.

A chill hit the air. Tiki's breath hitched as she stared wide eyed at Robin.

"Is that-"

Before she could finish her sentence, an invisible force shot out of Robin's palm and into Gharnef. The sorcerer cried out in surprise as he was lifted high into the air then sent plummeting down from the ruined platform.

As soon as Gharnef fell from the platform, Aversa took Tiki by the wrist.

"Time to leave."

The pair raced down the stairs. Aversa heard Robin's footsteps and labored breathing behind them. Whatever that spell he cast was, it took quite a bit of energy from him.

Piercing cold hit the air as they reached the bottom of the stairs. An icy wind brushed by all three of them. A shriek shot through that wind. Aversa paled, Tiki balled up her hands, and Robin gulped.

"I know that sound." Robin breathed.

The ground opened up. Dozens of dark, rotting limbs emerged from the earth's bowels. Robin jerked his gaze towards the main road, where he saw three lightsabers moving in a deadly dance in the darkness. Risen sprouted from the ground, blocking that way of escape.

"Into the forest!" He snapped to both Aversa and Tiki, "We'll lose them there."

Aversa did not feel the need to argue. For the first time in her life, she agreed with her mortal enemy. The trio sprinted towards the dark thickets surrounding the Mila Tree as more Risen emerged from the ground with shrieks and roars. She could hear dozens of them giving chase. Her muscles already felt tired from having to scale the Mila Tree and fight off… whatever the hell that old man was. Aversa's confidence regarding taking on undead monsters and surviving was rather low.

A black arrow zipped past her head. It whistled by her ear and caused her to jerk to the side. Hot blood ran down her earlobe from where the arrow hissed by. Aversa grit her teeth and willed herself to run faster.

A spell slammed into the ground ahead of her. A purple explosion erupted. Aversa skidded to a stop. She felt both Robin and Tiki bump into her back.

Small pellets of dirt rained down on her as the explosion subsided. Aversa gulped. Red eyes surrounded them. There was nowhere to run. A dozen Risen soldiers, wielding all manner of weapons, shambled out of the brush towards them. Their expressionless masks somehow far more terrifying than any snarl an enemy could ever give her.

She sensed a fire spell ignite in Robin's hand. Aversa gulped and gathered dark magic in her right hand while her left cradled her spell book.

"Any ideas?" She hissed.

Power coursed through the air. A brilliant white light filled the space between the three. Aversa glanced over her shoulder at Tiki. The Manakete glowed as white scales rushed over parts of her skin. The Risen surrounding them shrieked. This time, not with anticipation, but with fear.

"BEGONE, FELL SPAWN OF GRIMA!" Tiki cried, her voice morphing between a woman's defiant cry and a dragon's furious roar.

Beams of white light shot from out from her body. Each one slammed into a Risen. And each Risen shivered, screamed, then melted into a pile of black ash on the ground. Aversa's jaw hung open as she watched.

 _Maybe she is not as useless as I thought._ She gulped, _No wonder Morgana wants her._

The white light faded as the last Risen was torn to pieces. Tiki's shoulders sagged and she pitched forward. Robin quickly caught her. He ran a hand over her forehead.

"She's out." Robin breathed.

Aversa eyed him, "Good. That'll make it easier for me to take her." Robin frowned as Aversa pointed a hand at him. Black magic built up in her palm, "If you would be so kind as to hand her over. Since you just saved my life, I'll return the favor and not take yours."

She did not miss the scowl on Robin's face, "In case you have forgotten, there is not only Risen, but three Deadlords prowling this area. I think the last thing you and I should be doing is fighting each other." More shrieks filled the night. Robin cast a worried glance back towards the Mila Tree. Aversa's eyes followed his gaze as she also detected a worryingly powerful magic moving towards them.

"I'm guessing the old creep is a deadlord." Aversa whispered.

Robin nodded, "No idea who exactly he is, but the fact that we could not scratch him, worries me." He frowned, "The fall alone should have hurt him. Damn it!" He glared at Aversa, "I say we fight later."

Before she could protest, he slung Tiki in his arms and rushed off into the forest. Aversa grit her teeth.

"Oh no you-" Chills ran up her spine as more shrieks pierced the air. A long growl erupted from her throat. She turned on her heel and sprinted after Robin.

"I'm going to regret this."

* * *

Dooku grit his teeth as the pretender brat, Xanatos, swung a vicious chop at his neck. The red blades collided in a shower of sparks. He could feel the heat of the deadlord's blade close to his hand as the blades sizzled together near the hilts. Before he could even sneer at Xanatos, he sensed Luminara charge at him from behind once again. An annoying little combination that was starting to frustrate the Sith Lord. He spun around, executing a quick slash that parried away her attack. He kicked one leg out. Shoving Xanatos a few paces away from him.

Any enjoyment he had in this battle was long gone. Now, this duel became an annoyance. While his two deadlord _comrades_ only fought more viciously by the second, he felt his own strength waning. Whether that was due to Grima sapping his power away, or due to the prolonged nature of this battle, he could not accurately tell at the moment.

Dooku snarled, then went on the attack. His wrist flicked in effortless circles as he jabbed and swiped at Luminara. Forcing the former Jedi to backpedal. Her mastery of Soresu saved her life in this instance. Just as Dooku thought he found an opening, Xanatos closed the gap. He leaped at Dooku, blade raised overhead.

 _The stupidity of youth often manifests as eagerness._ Dooku smirked to himself.

He spun so fast the deadlord only saw a red blur. Then he howled. And Dooku grinned. Xanatos slumped to the ground. Body severed in half. Black mist pooled out of the area severed by Dooku's lightsaber. His lightsaber rested harmlessly near his hand. Dooku quickly kicked the hilt away before returning his attention to Luminara.

"How long do you think it will take before he gives up and just returns to your master?" Dooku wondered out loud.

" _Our_ master." Luminara hissed back.

Dooku frowned, "Seeing you in this state almost breaks my heart, Master Luminara. I always held a great amount of respect for you." He held his blade to the side as the pair slowly circled each other, "You were one of the few Jedi Masters that was not an obvious hypocrite."

The Deadlord across from him, the one wearing the Mirialan's skin, scowled at him.

"I don't know what you are talking about."

He saluted her. An action that made her pause.

"This gesture is not for you, _Simia._ " He snarled out the name like venom. In the glow of his red blade, his eyes flickered to a dangerous burning color. The dark side of the force erupted from his body, stunning the deadlord, "But for the Jedi Master that you have claimed." He flicked his blade back to his side, "I have had enough of this little game."

Simia lunged at him. Dooku easily parried her strike. He hopped over Xanatos's fading body as more of Grima's essence leaked from his broken form. Simia stepped over her fallen comrade and struck again. A heavy handed chop at Dooku's head. One the Sith Lord parried. Simia, drew her blade back for another heavy strike. Dooku smiled as he watched the clumsy attack coming.

He ducked then slashed up. Simia screeched as both of her arms were severed at the elbows. Her green lightsaber hissed off then fell softly into the dirt. In one fluid motion, Dooku swept around her and bashed the pommel of his lightsaber into her back. Simia's scream was cut off as she fell face first to the ground.

"Master Luminara would not have been bested so easily." Dooku hummed to himself.

The orange glow in his eyes faded away. His lightsaber hissed off. Shadows claimed the area as the red glow retreated into the curved hilt. He clipped the blade back to his hip and let out a heavy breath. Weariness suddenly overcame him. His power felt thin, spread out. He ran his hand over his forehead and took in a deep breath.

"Aren't you going to finish me?" Simia sneered as she raised her gaze to meet his. Her red eyes glowed in the night. Filled with both Grima's power, and a hatred unbecoming of the once powerful Jedi Master.

Dooku frowned, "Tempting as it may be, consider this my one gesture of good will towards you." He nodded over at the fading Xanatos. The other deadlord had stopped moving. His flesh slowly deteriorated to black ash on the ground as his own eyes glared hatefully at Dooku, "And before you ask why I did not show him the same courtesy," He returned his attention to Simia, "He tried to kill several friends of mine in the past."

Simia laughed weakly. She shakily pushed herself up onto her knees.

"So Kenobi is a friend now?" Dooku frowned, "The Master will not be pleased to hear that. He honestly thought you were actually acting in his interest."

Dooku arched an eyebrow, "I have no master. So why would I act in the interest of one." He spun on his heel. This thing occupying Luminara's body deserved no more attention. He reached out with the force and attempted to sense Robin's presence.

It felt… strangely faint. As if he was some distance away now. Dooku lips curled into a frustrated snarl.

 _He better have reached the Manakte. If I found out he just ran away-_

Simia cackled behind him, "Wondering where your other friend is? Hm? He's probably long gone by now, if he knows what is good for him. After all, he knows we are after him." Dooku glanced over his shoulder at the deadlord, "And you know, we will never stop hunting him now. Not now that the Master has his sights on him."  
Dooku glared at her, "Since you insist on talking," He turned and towered over her, "You are going to explain what exactly Grima has planned for Robin."

Simia scoffed, "And why would I do that? If I did, I'd be considered a traitor. Like you. And Lord Grima does not suffer traitors." She smirked up at him. Revulsion filled Dooku. Master Luminara was always so stoic. Grima really has grown paranoid if he simply gave the deadlords a skin and some abilities, rather than their full minds, "Would you like to know what he plans on doing to you, once you are dragged before him that is?"

Dooku snorted, "Let me guess, he will return my soul to the force." A slight shiver ran up his spine at the thought. But he did not give the deadlord the satisfaction of seeing it, "He will have to be more intimidating than that."

A dry laugh left Simia's lips, "If you think that is remotely intimidating." Dooku furrowed his brow as he felt the force build up around her, "That is nothing compared to what I am about to do to you!"

She surged to her feet. Dooku took a step back in surprise. Just before her body could slam into him, a spear shot through the back of her head. The Deadlord froze in place as the iron tip shuddered in her skull. A soft sound left her mouth, then she crumbled into a pile of ash.

Dooku glowered down at the ash, "Rather unimpressive."

He glanced up at the deadlord's killer. Mild surprise filled him when he saw Cervantes plant the butt of the spear into the dirt before leaning up against the shaft. The spear bent a little as his large weight rested on it. The General snorted, spat into the dirt, then sniffed.

"Got tired of hearing it talk."

Dooku inclined his chin, "If you wouldn't have done it, then I would have." He watched the ashes of both deadlords fade away in the breeze, "Perhaps it was a mistake to give her some grace."

"You knew her?" The Valmese General asked.

A slight pang of sadness hit Dooku. He remembered when he was still a Master at the Jedi Temple. He and Qui Gon both went to watch a small group of Padawan Learners train. A group that contained the unruly Quinlan Vos, the unimpressive Obi Wan Kenobi, and the stoic Luminara Unduli. He was still puzzled as to why Qui Gon chose Obi Wan over Luminara. The little Mirialan had been most impressive that day. Dooku even considered taking on another apprentice because of her. But in the end, his student proved to be a wiser judge of a Jedi than he was.

"Once." Dooku sighed, "But it has been many years." He kicked at what remained of the ashes, rubbing them into the dirt, "And a lot has changed since then."

Cervantes shrugged, "Its dead, I hope. That's all that matters." He wiped a hand over his blood covered face. A shuddering breath rumbled from his lungs as he looked around the area. Observing the various scars in the earth from lightsabers digging into the ground, "I was left with what was deemed enough men to watch the Voice. The rest were pulled to combat those invading Archaneans." he snorted, "So much for Excellus's brilliant ideas."

Dooku arched an eyebrow as the General trudged over to a large boulder and sat down. He rested his spear beside him.

"I did not know you considered that worm intelligent?" Dooku replied as he vaguely recalled the fat tactician.

Cervantes uttered a quiet laugh. He spat into the dirt again then reached for a pouch on his belt, "He has to be if Walhart hasn't killed him yet. The Conqueror has executed others for worse failures than that worm has committed." He withdrew a pipe and some tobacco from the pouch. As his fingers trembled, struggling to shove some of the tobacco into the pipe, he sighed, "I'm guessing I'm going to be added to those ranks soon enough." He grabbed a match from his pouch, struck it, then lit the tobacco. The General took a long puff, then shuddered as he blew the smoke out. He gestured the pipe at Dooku, "Filthy habit. Only do it when I got nothing else to do. Considering all my men are dead, I figure I'll enjoy it once more before the Conqueror decides my fate."

Dooku pursed his lips. He glanced up at the Mila Tree, "You don't think the Voice is still up there?"

Cervantes shook his head, "Your friend went to go get her. And you," He gestured his pipe again before wedging it in the corner of his mouth, "are not going up there to find him. Which tells me you believe he has already left the area with the Voice. And the two of us aren't going to find them in this forest. Not tonight at least." He puffed on his pipe, "And by tomorrow, if they kept running, then we will not find them nearby. So… time to await my fate." He chewed a bit on the end of his pipe before pulling it from his lips, "You don't have to suffer a dead man like me, Tyrannus. If you have work that needs to be done, go about it."

To the General's surprise, Dooku took a seat beside him.

"To be honest with you General." Dooku folded his arms, "My old bones are quite tired at the moment. And I happen to like you, so I'd much rather you not meet some terrible fate."

Cervantes snorted, "Not like any amount of protesting will change the Conqueror's mind. I failed the mission he gave me. He does not allow failure." He looked into the forest as smoke swirled around his face, "And the Voice is on the run. I hope more of those damnable creatures aren't after her, but my well of hope is drained at the moment." He shook his head, "A delicate thing like her won't last long against those demons. Good thing your friend is with her. Maybe she stands a chance that way."

Dooku let out a dry laugh, "Delicate? Clearly you have not had the pleasure of seeing a Manakete in action."

Cervantes cocked an eyebrow, "And you have?"

Dooku took a breath, "Manaketes may seem fragile, but they are far from delicate. Don't underestimate her." Dooku closed his eyes then called upon the force. He needed to recuperate. And meditation was the perfect way to do so, "I have a feeling my friend, Robin, will be the one protected rather than doing the protecting."

Cervantes puffed on his pipe. He blew out a smoke ring then sighed.

"I hope you're right."

* * *

Robin's legs felt heavy. Each step caused shots of pain to rush up through his sore, stiff muscles. He stopped actually running hours ago. His body did not have the stamina to keep going at the sprint he had been going at. Not while he also carried the body of a passed out Manakete in his arms. So now, he trudged through the thick brush and foliage of the forest. Eyes heavy, arms weak, and legs wobbly. He sucked in a sharp breath as his head nodded.

"Getting tired?"

He scowled at Aversa's taunt.

"Perhaps you should let me carry the Manakete?" She said as she strolled along beside him. Robin could tell she was also weary. She did not carry herself with the same confidence she did back at the Mila Tree. And her voice was much quieter than it was before.

Robin shook his head, "If I give her to you, you are just going to stab me in the back and run away." Robin glared over at her, "So, no thank you. I can handle her."

Aversa rolled her eyes, "Sure you can. I can tell you aren't about to fall over from exhaustion."

"Am I wrong?" Robin shot back as he took another heavy step before pausing near a fallen tree.

Her silence spoke volumes. And that was enough for Robin to know that he was doing the right thing.

"You know," Robin wished she just stayed quiet, "If I really wanted to, I could just stab you in the back right now then forcibly take the Manakete from your dead hands."

Robin spun around, "She has a name you know."

Aversa arched an eyebrow, "And when did you get so attached? Perhaps that is just a characteristic of you pathetic Ylisseans. Always looking to befriend everything that crosses your path. Like a bunch of dumb puppies." She glanced at the Manakete lying in his arms, "Or, perhaps your reasons for growing attached to her are much more… well… selfish in nature."

Robin gave her a puzzled look. Aversa rolled her eyes.

"You are either blind or dumb."

Robin blinked. He looked down at Tiki. His eyes roved over her face. He could not deny, the woman was beautiful. Long locks of green hair were tied up into a high ponytail, with some in unruly bangs over her forehead. The way she slept peacefully in his arms despite the terror they all just experienced made him smile a little bit. He quickly shook his head.

"N-No!" He cried as his cheeks turned red. Aversa chuckled beside him, "I do not plan to do something like that."

Aversa shrugged, "Then you really are a dumb puppy." She folded her arms as she leaned up against a tree. Her eyes scanned the trail behind them, "Do you think we lost them?"

Robin sighed, "I don't know. I get the impression that Gharnef guy was quite slow." He adjusted his hold on Tiki, "As for the other Risen, well… we're just going to have to pray that we can outrun them."

Some rays of sunlight broke over the horizon. A weary sigh left Robin's lips.

"Gods, I'm tired." He groaned.

He tried to take another step. His leg buckled. Robin gasped as he pitched forward, dropping Tiki to the ground. He squeezed his eyes shut and groaned as he lay on his stomach. When he opened his eyes, he glanced up and saw Aversa squatting beside him.

"This would be too easy." She said with a sinister smirk.

A small sound came from Tiki's lips. Her eyes fluttered open as she stirred awake. Aversa furrowed her brow as the Manakete pushed herself up from the ground. A loud yawn left her lips. Both Robin and Aversa froze when they caught sight of fangs hidden behind her lips. Tiki smacked her lips together as she blinked sleep from her eyes. Her green eyes flicked over to Robin and Aversa.

"Oh?" She stretched her arms over her head. A slight brush rushed over Robin's cheeks, "Sorry about that. Sometimes when I use the more draconic side of my powers, I get tired." She yawned again. Both Robin and Aversa paled as her fangs were much more visible now. Tiki cracked an eye open as she yawned. A small smirk crossed her lips, "I guess my fangs are showing today."

"Um," Robin replied dumbly, "Uh…"

"They are." Aversa grumbled as she rose back to her feet, "And my job is now a lot more complicated." She glared down at Robin, "I should have just stabbed you when I could."

Robin glared back at Aversa. Beside him, Tiki frowned.

"I doubt that is the correct way to treat someone who just helped you escape a deadlord."

Aversa blinked, "A what?"

"A deadlord." Robin replied. He pushed his body up from the ground and rested his back against the fallen tree behind him. The soft moss cushioned him as he leaned his head back, "Think bigger, scarier Risen."

Aversa's eyes widened a little bit, "So that thing we fought was a Risen?" She whipped her gaze back towards the Mila Tree. She could still see it sitting high over the forest in the distance. A shudder ran through her, "That's worrying. It means we can't kill him."

"Gharnef is now truly invulnerable." Tiki took a breath, "Between Imhullu and his status as one of Grima's Fell Servants, he can't be killed. I doubt he could even be harmed by anything."

Robin cracked an eye open, "I'm pretty sure I hurt him with my lightning spell."

Tiki shook her head and rose to her feet, "As much as I appreciate your efforts, you only managed to annoy him." She glanced back at the Mila Tree, "We can't go back that way."

"You're right on that one." Aversa hummed, "I don't plan on dying to Risen. Or being dragged back to face the one who summoned them."

Robin nodded in agreement. He furrowed his brow as he thought about their newest enemy. Gharnef, an unknown sorcerer that was now a deadlord. And he used a spell he had never heard of before.

"Imhullu?" He asked Tiki.

Tiki gave him a puzzled look, "Has humanity really forgotten?"

Robin shrugged, "To be fair, my memory extends to waking up in a field near Southtown about three years ago." He gave Tiki a small smile, "Consider me ignorant on the matter."

Aversa scowled, "I'd like to know what the hell Imhullu is as well."

A slightly sad expression crossed Tiki's face, "It has been that long since the old days." A soft sigh left her lips, "Imhullu is an extremely powerful spell created by Gharnef himself using the darksphere. Or as you probably know it, the gem Sable."

Robin noticed Aversa tense up a little bit.

"The tome makes the caster invulnerable." Tiki further explained, "Except if someone uses a spell that breaks Imhullu's barrier. That spell is Starlight. It was made by Gharnef's master, Gotoh." Tiki gulped, "Although, given how many years it has been since Gharnef's actual life, I doubt Starlight exists anymore."

"So he's unkillable." Aversa huffed, "Great."

"Indeed. And thus, I think it would be a very bad idea for us to fight among each other when Gharnef is trying to track us down." Tiki glanced at Robin, "He's after you as well. Why?"

Aversa eyed Robin as the tactician remained resting against the moss covered log.

Robin shrugged, "You tell me. I don't know why those deadlords wanted me." He turned his attention to Tiki, "I just came with my friend, Dooku, to the Mila Tree in hopes that you would be able to help me with a problem."

"A problem?" Tiki replied.

Robin nodded. He opened his mouth to explain, but quickly snapped it shut. He glared at Aversa.

"What?" The dark mage asked, "Oh, does the dumb puppy not want others to hear his secrets?"

"Not really." Robin snarled back.

Tiki gave both a confused look, "Are you two enemies? Rivals?" She put a finger to her chin, "Scorned lovers?"

Robin and Aversa paled.

"No!" They both cried.

Aversa pinched the bridge of her nose, "I hate him. He hates me. We fought on opposing sides of war." She blinked as she recalled the last battle of the Plegian War, "And he electrocuted me during that war."

Robin let out a dry laugh, "I'd happily do so again."

A cold rush of wind caught all of their attention. Tiki frowned. Her pointed ears twitched as she heard sounds neither Aversa or Robin could be capable of detecting.

"We should get moving." Tiki muttered, "Both of you can argue later."

"We're not arguing." Robin grumbled. He groaned as he struggled to rise to his feet. Tiki reached out, took him by the hand, and easily yanked him to his feet. Causing a startled yelp to leave Robin's mouth. Tiki laughed a little bit.

"Sorry, I don't know my own strength sometimes." Tiki flicked her gaze to the woods around them as more sunlight rushed over the forest, "Do either of you know where we can find some shelter?"

Aversa shook her head.

"I have friends I think are nearby." Robin replied, "Myself and Dooku rode several days out ahead of them. Depending on how slow they marched, we could be close to them. They would be east of here."

Tiki nodded, "Then we go east."

Without any hesitation, Tiki marched towards the rising sun. Robin winced as his muscles protested. He followed her. Aversa hesitated. She watched the two stride away from the fallen tree. A scowl formed over her lips.

"Death one way, or death the other." Aversa muttered to herself, "I'm more likely to be spared by the dumb puppies than the Risen."

An exasperated sigh rushed from her lungs. Reluctantly, she followed the Manakete and the Tactician east. All the while, she said a quiet prayer to Grima that something would befall the annoying tactician. Something that would make her mission easier to complete.

* * *

Validar's heels clacked against the warm stone halls of the Plegian Palace. Torches burned bright on sconces along the long corridor that led from the great hall towards the personal living quarters. As he walked, he ran a thin hand over his face and uttered a long sigh.

Another long day as ruler of Plegia finished. Hopefully this farce would be finished soon. He grew weary of hearing the commonfolk's constant complaints.

"Our village well has run dry."

"Bandits are terrorizing the farm lands to the southeast."

"The harvest has been weak so far this year. Should we expect a famine?"

All of those complaints, and not a single one of those blithering idiots he called subjects could come up with a solution on their own. No, they had to heap their concerns upon the crown. Then they will act surprised when the crown lashes out.

 _Soon._ Validar thought to himself as he descended a flight of stairs. Down the corridor he heard the sound of steal hissing through the air, _Very soon, they will not complain any longer. Grima will rise again. And all will be right in the world._

He pushed his way out a set of double doors. The heat of the Plegian desert blasted against his greying skin. His yellowed eyes stared out into the courtyard as the sun set on the horizon. Normally this place was used an area for rest. A reprieve from the labors of court and kingly duties. Chairs were usually set out with small umbrellas to shield the King from the sun. Servants would stand at the ready to attend to his every need.

Those chairs were pushed to the side now. The umbrellas were folded and cast to the ground beside the chairs. Two servants stood near the palace doors along with two guards. One servant carried a jug of cold water. Another carried a towel and a crystal glass. Both servants looked terrified as they stared out at the man at the center of the courtyard.

The Hierophant sucked in a sharp breath. In through his nose, then out. Sweat dripped over his lean form as he gripped a steel blade in both hands. Across from him stood three Grimleal mages. All three looked afraid. Their spellbooks were cracked open. Validar could feel magic hanging thick in the air.

The King's eyes widened.

 _He's training._ He felt confused, _Why? He is practically a god._

The first mage fired a thunder spell at the Hierophant. With tremendous grace, the Hierophant spun around the spell. The bolt brushed past him. Just barely missing the skin on his back. The lightning bolt slammed into the stones beside him. Dust and smoke shot up as a small explosion rocked the courtyard. The servants beside Validar trembled as the Hierophant shot forward.

The second mage gathered a flux into his palm and quickly fired it. Validar's jaw fell open as the Hierophant avoided it at the last possible second. Easily flipping over the ball of purple energy. When he landed, the spell impacted with the wall surrounding the courtyard. Rubble shot out from the wall as an explosion of dark magic rocked the stones.

Before the Hierophant could recover, the third mage conjured an immense fire spell. The Hierophant narrowed his eyes as the fireball rocketed towards him. With a snarl on his lips, he rose and extended an open palm. The fireball collided with an invisible wall inches from his palm. Flames billowed around his form. But not a single ember touched him.

He slid up in front of the mages. All three took a step back. But not fast enough.

He slammed the flat of his blade into one's skull. The mage staggered backwards then fell unconscious. His fist hammered into the second mage's jaw. The second mage crumpled to the ground like a plant dying in the desert heat. The third mage whimpered then fell to the fetal position, arms covering his head as he curled up at the Hierophant's feet.

That one, he killed. His steel blade dug between the mage's ribs. The poor fool uttered a short cry. The Hierophant twisted his blade, and life left the mage's eyes.

The white haired man jerked the blade free from the lifeless body. His burning eyes flicked over to Validar. Immediately, both servants rushed away from Validar's side towards the Hierophant. One offered him a cold glass of water. The other gave him the towel. The Hierophant sipped on the water then grimaced.

"The day I no longer have to worry about the needs of a mortal form, is the day I will truly be happy." He tossed the glass back to the servant, wiped sweat from his face with the towel, then gave the towel back. He glared over at Validar, "What do you want?"

Validar stiffened, "Um… I just came to report to you on the activities in the kingdom."

"Anything that actually requires my attention?" The Hierophant rolled his shoulders. Muscles popped, and he winced.

Validar hesitated, "Well-"

"Then why are you bothering me?" He nodded at a guard stationed near the courtyard entry. The guard bowed then retreated back inside of the palace.

Validar flicked his eyes away from the Hierophant's penetrating stare. He needed to think of something quick. Obviously his lord was in a foul mood today.

"The-there are bandits attacking farms to the southeast."

The Hierophant frowned a little bit as he swung his arms in lazy circles. Doing his best to keep the muscles loose.

"Are they our bandits?"

Validar blinked, "P-pard-"

"Are they our bandits. Or has this group gone rogue?"

Validar drew back. He had forgotten about the bandits the Grimleal had hired to wreak havoc in southern Ylisse. While Prince Chrom and his Shepherds were busy fighting a war an ocean away, the bandits worked on destabilizing the hard fought peace the damned Naga-spawn thought they achieved after the last war. When the Prince returned, his nation would be in a panic over bandits and dark mages attacking the fringes once again. The Ylissean people would be demoralized. Making it easier for Plegia and his master to conquer the weaklings once and for all.

But he never told those bandits to attack the Plegian side of the border.

He slowly shook his head. A low snarl left the Hierophant's lips.

"Then they will be brought to heel. See to it."

Validar bowed his head, "Of course, my lord."

The door to the palace creaked open. The guard marched back out into the courtyard. Following him were ten prisoners bound in chains. Validar eyed the prisoners with confusion as they were marched out into the courtyard. They all stood in a line across from the Hierophant. Some were scrawny men. Half starved from the looks of things. A couple were burly looking brutes. And there were two women in the bunch. One with jet black hair eyed the Hierophant with fear. The other with pale blonde hair stared at him with stubborn determination.

The Hierophant noticed Validar's confusion, "Rogue bandits." He said simply.

"Ah." Validar nodded.

The Hierophant twirled his still bloody blade in one hand. He nodded over at the guard. The guard went one by one along the line of prisoners, unlocking their chains and ordering them to grab a weapon from a rack at the edge of the courtyard. Not a single prisoner moved at first. All of them seemed too terrified, or too confused to comprehend the order.

The Hierophant snarled and curled his fingers. One of the scrawnier prisoners gasped and reached for his throat.

"It was not a suggestion." He clenched his fist. The prisoner's neck snapped. He fell limp to the ground. The other bandits stared horrified at their fallen comrade, "You will need a weapon."

"Why?" One prisoner, a large, barrel chested man with a balding head and hard eyes,

asked.

"Because," The Hierophant began, "you and your little crew failed to uphold your end of the bargain." The leader of the prisoners gulped, "You decided it would be fun to try and pick off some Plegian trade caravans out in the desert. And now, you shall be punished for such idiocy." The Hierophant gave the prisoners a small smirk, "However, I am not without some mercy. If any of you manage to defeat me, then you will not only live, you will be rewarded." He gestured at the prisoners with his sword, "Go on now, I'll wait."

There was no hesitation this time. Two prisoners grabbed axes. One grabbed a warhammer. And the rest grabbed swords. The two women held the swords awkwardly. As if they were more accustomed to handling books than blades.

The Hierophant inclined his chin at the prisoners.

"Any day now."

The one with the warhammer charged with a loud yell. The Hierophant smirked, stepped to the side, then bashed the pommel of his blade between the man's shoulder blades. The blow had a surprising amount of power behind it as it sent the man stumbling into the dirt.

The rest charged as one unit at the Hierophant. A pang of worry hit Validar as he realized his lord was outnumbered nine to one.

Then the Hierophant moved. First it was simple movements. Easy, stiff parries meant to warm his body up and grow accustomed to the pace of the fight. Then his parries turned into even simpler movements. His blade deflected enemy strikes just enough so that they would miss his body. Each subtle movement of his blade expended as little energy as possible. And Validar stood in awe as he watched a perfect defense for in front of his eyes.

A switch flipped. The Hierophant flipped off of the ground, up and over a bandit with an ax. Midair, he extended an open palm. A blast slammed into the bandit, driving his body into the ground. The man's legs splintered beneath the pressure. His screams filled the yard as he writhed on the hot stone. Screams that faded as blood pooled beneath his shattered body.

The Hierophant landed, deflected a stab at his chest, then began his counterassault. His blade became a blur. A red line of blood shot up from the second ax wielding bandit. His throat was cut. As he collapsed to his knees, the bandit with the warhammer swung a wild blow at the Hierophant's shoulder. The Hierophant twirled around, dodged the hammer, then plunged his blade down the man's throat.

Two sword wielding bandits and their leader attacked at that moment, forcing the Hierophant to leave his weapon lodged in the mouth of his last victim. Not that he needed the weapon in the first place.

A ball of black fire ignited between his fingers on his right hand. He launched a fireball at blonde woman. The flames consumed her in a pillar of black fire. Within seconds, her body turned to ash.

He turned on the final five bandits as they backed fearfully away from him. The Hierophant's eyes gleamed with delight as he drank in their fear. He flicked his wrist. His blade ripped free from the esophagus it was stuck in and flew to his waiting hand. The bandit leader swallowed hard as the strong determination he once showed vanished.

"Oh come on now." The Hierophant hummed, "It is still five against one. You still have a chance."

The bandit leader looked at his comrades, "Together." he grunted.

Four charged. The fifth, the woman with black hair, trembled in fear as the Hierophant glared at her.

The Hierophant tore his attention away from her in order to focus on the last four bandits. He killed two easily. Quick slashes through their throats ended their lives in the blink of an eye. He reached out with a fist at the third bandit. This one rose in the air. Bones cracked as an invisible force crushed him. As the third lifeless body fell to the ground, the bandit leader trembled. He dropped his weapon in the sand and sank to his hands and knees, head bowed.

"Have mercy! Please!" The large man cried as the Hierophant stood over her.

The Hierophant clicked his tongue, "I have known many leaders of men in my life. One became one of my greatest foes. He was a rather benevolent person, now that I look back on it. But even he would be disgusted by your cowardice."

He drove his blade down through the man's skull. The bandit leader shuddered, then fell to the side, dead. That left the final quaking woman alone to face the Hierophant. She uttered a whimper as the Hierophant turned his attention to her.

He took one step towards her, she raised her hand in a panic.

"Stay away!"

A blast of dark magic rocketed from her hand, catching the Hierophant off guard. The blast slammed into his chin. He swayed for a moment then fell to a knee as he reeled from the attack. The woman stared stunned as the Hierophant spat into the sand then glared up angrily at her.

"Not… bad." He growled, "For a randomly cast spell, that actually stung a little bit." The anger in his gaze faded, "You were once a dark mage, weren't you?"

The woman shook as he returned to his feet and stalked towards her. She gulped and nodded shakily.

She flinched as the Hierophant reached out a hand. A tear dripped down her cheek. Her eyes squeezed shut as his hand moved closer. She froze when it brushed the tear away.

"Congratulations, mage." He muttered, "You'll live." He nodded over at the guards, "Clean her up, I wish to speak with her later."

Validar arched an eyebrow as the guard scurried over to the former prisoner, grabbed her by the wrist, and quickly ushered her out of the courtyard. He eyed her as she entered the palace. The doors shut loudly behind her.

"I'm surprised you let one live." Validar hummed.

"She bested me." The Hierophant shrugged.

" _ **No she didn't."**_

" _I sense other plans for that one."_ The Brother hummed, " _I think our human side wants to do something with her."_

" _ **Does it involve feasting upon her flesh?"**_

" _In a way, yes."_

The Hierophant snarled and smacked the side of his head, silencing both voices for the moment.

Validar nodded, "Well, until that _defeat,_ it was a most excellent display of martial skill and magical prowess."

"Honed over years of practice." The Hierophant muttered. A servant offered him another glass of water. One he happily took. He sipped on it then exhaled, "That should be enough for this evening."

"Going to retire to your chambers?" Validar asked with a slight smirk on his lips.

The Hierophant scowled back, "I enjoy reading at night."

Before he could leave the courtyard, a cold wind rushed over the hot courtyard. Two piles of ash formed at the center, causing the Hierophant to freeze midstep. Validar's face paled as two of his master's deadlords appeared from the pillars of ash. Both prostrated themselves immediately before their creator.

The Hierophant was silent at first as his back was turned from them.

"What are you two doing here?"

The female deadlord raised her gaze, "Master, we-"

"Were defeated in battle by Equus." The Hierophant breathed, "Did you two at least accomplish your mission?"

Both Deadlords glanced at each other.

Pressure built up in the air as Validar noticed anger growing on his lord's features.

"Master," Simia gulped, "both the tactician known as Robin and the Manakete escaped our grasp."

The air froze around Validar. The desert heat changed into icicles on his breath. He could see frost puffing from his lips as the pressure in the air grew. The Hierophant spun around, teeth clenched tight.

"Escaped?" His eyes blazed with fury, "Robin I can understand escaping." He seethed as he approached the bowing deadlords, "But Tiki… I specifically told all three of you to make sure she stayed put. And if you could not manage to do that, at least try to kill her." The air rippled with lightning around the Hierophant, "Instead, you manage to let her slip from her prison with the Vessel!"

Lightning exploded out of him. Blue bolts shot into the deadlords. Screams erupted from their lips as they writhed on the ground beneath the furious assault of unnatural lightning. Validar shielded his eyes as the lightning flashed brighter than the sun.

The flashes faded as the Hierophant reined his fury back in. He took a deep breath and glared at his deadlords as they lay nearly motionless on the ground.

"Where is Bovis?" He snarled.

The second deadlord, the one known as Porcus, raised his head.

"Pursuing them." He wheezed, "With some Risen assisting him."

A low growl left the Hierophant's lips as he stood over his wounded deadlords.

"And Equus?"

Simia uttered a weak cough, "A traitor."

The Hierophant's hands clenched into fists at his sides. Through a clenched jaw, he spoke again.

"How did this happen?" He asked, "Both of you were supposed to take care of Equus while Bovis handled the Vessel and the Manakete."

"Mages interfered." Simia weakly groaned.

"Mages?" The Hierophant scoffed. He buried a foot into her side, eliciting a loud cry followed by hard coughs, "Valmese mages should be nothing for you!"

"Grim… leal." Simia wheezed, "Grimleal mages."

The Hierophant drew back. His rage shifted to contemplation, then back to fury.

"Morgana." He hissed, the air rippled with dark power once again, "Damn her." He glared at Validar, "Aversa has failed. You will give any information on the heretical high priestess to Draco. He will hunt her down now."

Before Validar could reply, the Hierophant spun around.

"As for both of you," The Hierophant began as his Deadlords tried to pick up their weak forms from the ground, "you will return to Valm. Link up with Tigris in the Valmese army. Inform him that he is to use you both for maximum effect against both Kenobi and Equus. And remind him that he is to make sure the Valmese lose this little war. If you cannot handle this simple task, then perhaps I need to summon different souls to take your place."

Fear shot through both Deadlord's faces.

"Go now." The Hierophant said with a dismissive wave of his hand. Golden light filled the area beneath both deadlords. In a bright flash, they both disappeared.

" _ **When can I feast upon Equus's soul?"**_

" _Whenever you want to at this point, in my opinion. Unfortunately, I thought too much of him."_

 _We both did._ The Hierophant thought.

He strode past Validar as the Plegian King remained frozen in place.

"Do not disturb me tonight." The Hierophant growled as he strode back into the palace.

The palace doors opened and closed. The Hierophant left the courtyard, and Draco took his place. The armored deadlord walked up beside Validar. He stood silent as ever. Validar snarled.

"Start in an abandoned village to the north, in the wasteland. Hopefully the desert hasn't consumed it yet. That is the last place I saw her alive." Validar growled to the deadlord.

Draco gave him a slow nod, then marched away. Validar took a deep breath and turned his eyes to the setting sun.

"Once again, you interfere." Validar growled, "Morgana, you will die for this. I swore it back then, when you took my son from me."

He spun on his heel and stormed back into the palace.

"And I swear it again now."

 **And chapter! Another very fun chapter to write! The dynamic between Robin, Tiki, and Aversa is going to be very entertaining to create. Especially since two of them are going to constantly antagonize each other. And it looks like Dooku made a legitimate friend in General Cervantes. I'm sure the good General will be in for a shock when he realizes where his true loyalties lie. And the Hierophant gets some rather bad news. His scene was extremely fun to write. So far, I've only ever shown him in a more magical aspect. This time, I decided to follow the advice of one of you reviewers and show a bit more of his human side by having him train, even if he sort of doesn't have to. His character is going to be very fun to write going forward.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	105. Hope in the Darkness

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 105

Hope in the Darkness

Lucina carefully sat down on a boulder. She tucked her knees to her chest. Her hair was matted over her forehead. Grimy, caked with sweat and dirt. She ran a shivering hand across her face, brushing blue strands from her eyes. Smoke choked the air as small fires burned across the plains of Rosanne. Another farm burnt to the ground. This one at the edge of Rosanne's borders. The people who once lived in this area probably thought such violence and destruction would never reach them. They likely believed that until the moment the battle broke out.

Now, the people that called this land home burned in a pyre with the rest of the dead. Their once prosperous fields scorched with blood and fire. Their cattle slaughtered by the retreating Valmese. All of it too much to take in at once.

A shuddering breath escaped Lucina's lips. She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment as the smoke made them sting. Footsteps came closer to her. Forcing her eyes to snap open.

Sakura glanced down at her feet as she approached the future Princess. Her boots sank into the blood soaked mud around the boulder. A scowl crossed her face as she brought one foot up and scraped the scarlet dirt along the side of her pants.

"Sakura?" Lucina finally spoke, curious as to why one her friends came up to her like this.

Her hazel eyes flicked up to Lucina. Then they glanced around. Lucina followed her gaze.

Feroxi and Ylissean foot soldiers worked tirelessly to clean up the carnage. Wounded men were taken screaming and moaning towards the healers in the medical tents. Those that would not survive being lifted onto a stretcher were comforted in their dying moments, either with kind, soothing words, or a bottle. The dead were heaved onto burning pyres. There was no time to bury them. Not with the rapid pace set by General Ben Kenobi, Prince Chrom, and the Feroxi Khans.

"I thought I'd be used to death." Sakura breathed. She glanced over at the closest pile of bodies. Her nose wrinkled at the stench as the flesh burned, "There's something different about this. It's one thing to fight side by side with all of humanity against an apocalypse." She swallowed hard as she watched a Feroxi soldier finish off a wounded Valmese horseman. She flicked her eyes down at her soaked boots once again.

"It's another to see us fighting with each other." Lucina finished for her.

Sakura sniffed and nodded, "A different world right?" He jaw tightened, "That's what we're fighting for." She rested her hand on the sword strapped to her hip, "That's what everyone sacrificed their lives for and yet… this is the new world we are creating?"

Lucina closed her eyes, "Sakura…" She rose from the boulder and placed her hand on Sakura's shoulder, "It's hard, trust me I know. But-"

"But how do we know what we are doing is the right thing?" Sakura asked.

Lucina blinked, "The right thing?"

"Yes," Sakura sniffled, "The right thing. How do we know that all of this-" She swept a hand around, "will lead to a better future? If… If I remember how this war went correctly, it did not go this badly. None of the Shepherds were killed. N-none of our parents were killed, and they barely got hurt. But now, Laurent's mother is dead. Nah's father is dead, before her mother could even get…" Sakura trailed off as she choked a little bit. Her voice dropped to a whisper, "Lady Cordelia may never be able to have Sev now. Who's going to fall next? Which one of us will be at risk next?"

Lucina shook her head as her hand fell from Sakura's shoulder. It was a question that plagued her own mind as well, both during her waking moments and in her dreams. The war was already beyond her knowledge. The carnage in Valm far exceeded what was written about in the archives in the future. And the war had barely even begun. But as the army moved further inland, their pace slowed. The Valmese resistance grew stiffer. And the bodies piled up higher.

"We can't live like that, Sakura." Lucina breathed. A part of her trying to reassure herself as well, "All we can do is keep fighting. If we stop, then everything we have already gained will be lost."

Sakura gulped and nodded.

"Can you do that for me?" Lucina asked her.

Her friend squeezed her eyes shut. Trying her best to keep any tears from falling.

"I never really fought much in the future, you know that." Sakura sucked in a breath as she still fought to contain her emotions, "Father never let me near the front lines. I was… all he had left after mother and Exalt Lissa passed. I didn't get to see what battle was really like." She snorted, "Always on guard duty. Protect the palace, protect the women and children, protect Cynthia when she had that terrible stomach flu." Both Lucina and Sakura chuckled quietly, "Protect, protect, protect. Always in the rear. Always insulated." Sakura's laughter died as she saw another body thrown on a nearby pyre, "I always had it in my mind that battle, while terrifying, was a much more… honorable thing. But after today, after seeing what the Valmese did to those farmers and to us, I am not anxious for another fight."

Lucina let out a small sigh. She should have seen this coming. As soon as she was old enough to join the front lines in the future, she did (much to Aunt Lissa, Sir Frederick, and her Master's displeasure and slight disapproval). But she proved herself on the battlefield. She experienced and withstood the horrors Grima and his fell spawn unleashed on humanity. A few of the other children were the same. Brady fought on the front lines, along with Sev, Laurent, Kjelle, Gerome, Inigo, and Luke.

The older children took the places of the Shepherds that fell in battle against Grima's hordes. The younger ones waited. Listened to the strategy meetings. Trained every day, every hour, for the moment they would be called to fight on the front. The only young child that fought anywhere near the front was Morgan, but that was because she was a brilliant tactician and mage. Two things that were in short supply during the waning days of the future war.

But the others; Sakura, Noire, Cynthia, Owain, Yarne, Nah, they did not experience as much of the horrors as Lucina did. They did not have the callouses, the hardened state of mind that carnage gave to a soldier over time. The Valm war they now fought in was their first true experience of war. The first time they had ever seen the dirt soaked with so much blood that it seeped out of the earth in scarlet puddles. The first time they ever had to face down a cavalry charge in the open plains. With screaming men, screaming horses, and a thousand hooves thundering towards them. Not stopping, not breaking off, all they could do was brace and pray a spear didn't find their heart. Open warfare was so different from the skirmishes some of them fought in upon arriving in the past. Now it was starting to take a toll.

"Gather the others." Lucina breathed.

Sakura gulped, "What are you going to do?"

A wounded man screamed nearby as he was lifted onto a stretcher. One of his legs was missing. Lucina glanced over as he screamed. Sakura jumped and paled at both the sound and sight.

"Just go get them." Lucina said again, "Meet at my tent, I'm sure someone already has it set up."

 _Perks of being royalty._

Sakura gave her a small nod then quickly rushed away. As soon as Lucina was sure she was gone, she sank back down to her seat on the boulder. Her blue eyes looked down at her boots. The once brown leather was now stained red. Even though she had not even been on the front lines for this battle, the evidence of its savagery was all over her. Even on the sword that rested in her scabbard.

Flashes of the battle shot through her mind. The march west, Master Kenobi believed they would reach the Mila Tree in two more days. Then the horns, the rumble in the earth as horses galloped. The panicked pike wall set up by the Feroxi Lancers.

Then chaos.

The Valmese slammed against the pike wall. They ripped it asunder. The Shepherds were able to reorganize and drive back the Valmese, but not before the army's ranks were shredded once again. It felt all too similar to what Lucina heard about Charlet. Except this time, she was in the thick of it, not landing at the end of the battle. This time, she fought, one armed, as horses charged all around her.

Her hand clenched her thigh. A knot formed in her throat. The images of this battle were replaced by another. Her first battle. A bloody massacre on Ylisse's southern plains, near the ruins of Southtown. Grima's hordes were executing a pincer movement on the entire country. Half of his armies were flooding the frozen Feroxi North then crashing down upon Ylisse's mountainous countryside, the other half swept in from Plegia's deserts and cut swaths of bloody destruction through the south.

Screams of dying men, terrified soldiers, filled her mind. Shrieking Risen mixed with those screams. Metal hissed, spells exploded, her ears rang. Two lightsabers whirred. One blue, one red. Maul and her Master, fighting to give what was left of their army time to retreat. She witnessed death for the first time that day. And it was not some random soldier she had never seen before.

It had been Aunt Maribelle and Uncle Donnel. She could still see their faces. Eyes filled with death's vacant stare. Faces colorless. The dead grass beneath them soaked scarlet with their blood as Risen shrieks filled the air.

A choking sound left her throat. Lucina squeezed her eyes shut.

 _Just a memory._ She reminded herself, _Just a memory._

"Luci?"

Her head snapped up. Cynthia approached her.

"Sakura said something about a meeting at your tent?" Lucina remained silent as her sister leaned up against her lanced, "Shouldn't you be going there?"

The images of war faded away as Lucina took a deep breath, using the force to refocus herself on the task at hand. But she still did not move. She could still see the first two deaths.

A concerned look crossed Cynthia's face, "Sis, are you okay?"

Lucina's mind snapped free from the memory as Cynthia's voice his her ears again, "Y-yeah." She nodded, took a breath, then got to her feet, "Mind walking with me to my tent?"

Cynthia snorted, "Sure. I mean, I have to go there anyways, You just called a big meeting with the rest of us."

Lucina let out a quiet laugh as they started walking into the center of the army. Tents were erected all around them. Any soldiers that were not wounded or on patrol worked to set up camp for the evening. Most worked in silence, still too fired up or too melancholic from the Valmese surprise attack. But Cynthia seemed immune to those troubles. Her steps had a bounce to them that surprised Lucina.

"How are you feeling, Cynthia?" Lucina asked as they walked. She noticed her red cap drifting from her shoulder right shoulder. Lucina quickly tugged it back over to its spot, covering her lost arm.

"Me?" Cynthia replied as she spun around and started walking backwards. She thought for a moment, then shrugged, "I'm alright I guess."

"Alright?" Lucina replied, "You seem awfully… cheerful. Especially given-"

"Well we won, didn't we?" Cynthia cut her off, "That's cause for a smile."

 _But at a terrible cost._ Lucina thought. Sometimes her sister's naivete could be a blessing and a curse at the same time. She did not seem to grasp the severity of the situation. Although, she would once the meeting began.

Cynthia arched an eyebrow, "Are you sure you're okay, Luci? You're not sick are ya?"

"Sick?"

"Yeah, you look a little… I don't know, maybe a bit pale. And you've been really quiet lately." Cynthia put a finger to her chin, "Maybe I should go ask Aunty Tharja for a remedy."

Lucina gulped, "Probably not a good idea."

"Why not?"

"Any remedy Lady Tharja gives me will knock me out for a week." Lucina answered.

Cynthia opened her mouth to reply, thought for a moment, then closed it, "Yeah, you're not wrong there."

They finally reached the area of the camp the Shepherds would be occupying. Most of their tents were not set up yet. Prince Chrom and the Khans wanted the soldiers to get their own tents set up before worrying about any others. And if the soldiers were too weary, the army leaders could set up their own tents (something Frederick happily pointed out to everyone else). But Lucina's tent was set up. As well as the main command tent, Lady Maribelle's tent, and Princess Lissa's tent.

Everyone was already gathered inside of her tent. While not as big as the other royal tents, the place was still a comfortable size, even with all of her friends crammed into it. Brady and Luke stood off in a far corner. Brady leaned against his healing staff, his flask was already pressed to his lips. He offered to share with Luke, but this time Luke declined.

Sakura and Owain sat on the ground near Luke. Owain had a broad grin on his face as he tried sparking some small chatter with Luke. Sakura picked at some blades of grass beneath her.

Inigo leaned against the far post, near Lucina's bedroll. He flashed Lucina a wink, and Lucina resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Sakura gave Inigo a glare, one that he returned in kind. Both growled then averted their gazes.

Laurent and Severa sat near Inigo. Laurent was busy reading his tome while Severa had her sword across her lap. The redhead decided now would be a good time to clean the gore from her blade. As she ran an oiled rag over the steel, she glanced up and nodded at Lucina.

Brady pulled his flask away from his lips.

"About time you showed up." He grunted as he shoved the flask into a pouch, "Can we make this quick, I'm sure Ma wants me to help her at one of the medical tents."

"How's everything going with her, by the way?" Cynthia asked as she bounced over to Luke's side.

Brady paled, reached for his flask, and took a long gulp from it.

"About that well." Luke answered for him.

Brady gasped as he pulled the flask back down, "Thank Naga, Pa is at least sane and understanding. All I've heard for the past week is how I need to get rid of my drinking habits and start speaking like a proper noble." He sniffed and spat at his feet.

"I'm sure if Lady Maribelle gives you plenty of treats and pats your head enough, you'll do the right tricks for her." Inigo snickered.

Brady eyed Inigo, "Ya calling me a dog or something?"

"Don't start guys." Luke sighed, surprising Lucina, "Lucina did not call this meeting to hear us all bickering." He glanced down at Sakura as she glared daggers at Inigo, "That includes you."

Sakura frowned and folded her arms, "Fiiiiine, _Uncle_ Luke."

Cynthia covered her mouth and snickered as Luke bristled a little bit.

"Indeed!" Owain declared, "We are allies in this grand conflict. And as allies, conflict amongst each other cannot be allowed-"

"Say another word and I throttle you, Owain." Severa sighed as she kept cleaning her steel.

Owain balked, "Su-such hostility is exactly what I'm talking about, Venator!"

Severa froze mid wipe. Sakura sucked in a sharp breath.

"Sev…" Sakura said, tone calm and even.

Severa shot across the tent, her sword clattering to the ground as she moved. Owain yelped. Before she could reach him, an invisible hand grabbed her and tossed her back to her spot. She landed hard, howled a moment, then glared angrily at Luke.

Luke shrugged, "I'm used to being the bad guy. I don't mind doing that again."

"Everyone, enough!" Lucina barked.

The entire tent fell silent. Lucina took a deep breath.

"Like Luke said, I did not call this meeting to hear everyone fight with each other. We are not just allies, we are friends. As much as this entire ordeal has worn us down, we cannot lose sight of that fact. And-" Lucina paused. Someone was missing, "Where's Noire?"

"Probably with Kenobi." Luke shrugged, "Or with her mother. She's still trying to crack that one." He nudged Brady with his elbow, "See, it could be worse."

"I'd gladly take quiet yet spooky Miss Tharja over my overbearing, crazy Ma."

"You shiver every time you hear Noire even snicker like her mother." Luke deadpanned.

Sakura guffawed beside him, "Are you serious?"

"Th-that's off topic." Brady quickly gestured to Lucina, "Please keep going."

Lucina took a breath, "Alright. First things first… we probably should allow some people to vent-"

Inigo arched an eyebrow, "I thought you didn't want us at each other's throats?"

"About the battle." Lucina finished, "Because, some of you are not used to what just happened." A few of the younger Shepherds glanced away from Lucina. Sakura looked down at her lap. Owain's usual mirth wavered a little bit. And Lucina noticed Cynthia gently reach for Luke's hand.

 _So it did affect her more than I thought._

"What's bringing all this on?" Brady wondered out loud.

"We're afraid." Owain admitted, his voice strangely quiet.

Sakura nodded, "He's right. And… we have every reason to be afraid. Now more than ever too. I mean, we know nothing about what is happening. The war with Valm was supposed to be a hard war, true. But not this hard."

Luke nodded, "The war with Plegia was also different." All eyes turned to him, "Myself and… and Maul, made it difficult. But not as difficult as it was in the future we knew. I remember studying about that war and the many battles that took place along the borders. But the war we fought in was a few skirmishes punctuated by a massive battle in Plegia."

"You forget the Plegians laid siege to Ylisstol still." Lucina pointed out.

"And they conquered Ylisstol in the war we knew from the future." Luke argued back. He folded his arms, "Our biggest advantage, knowledge of what is to come, is now our greatest weakness. Because it is now useless. If we continue to operate as if we have any sort of foreknowledge, we will continue to be caught off balance. The Valmese clearly have more competent commanders than we believed. Now we need to adjust, or we will lose more than we already have."  
Laurent flicked his gaze back down to the tome in his lap. Severa swallowed hard and slowly nodded in agreement.

"Well, that brings up another problem then." Sakura breathed, "What if… what if our actions change how we are made?"

"I don't think sex changes based on the timeline, Sak." Inigo muttered.

"Like you'd know." Sakura said with an eye roll. Brady snickered beside her, "What I mean is, what if the parents change. We've already seen it with Noire's parents. I mean, they're the same, but they also treat each other way differently than they did in the future."

"You're worried that maybe who our parents are will change?" Lucina replied.

Sakura nodded. Brady chuckled again.

"It's entirely possible." Brady snickered, covered his mouth, "I mean, a lot of people would love to have fun with Inigo's hot mom."

Inigo nodded for a split second, "Yes they- HEY!"

Sakura threw her head back and laughed. Lucina chuckled quietly.

"What happens between our parents is beyond our control at this point. All we can control is how we conduct ourselves and how much we assist in this war and the war to come." Lucina took a breath.

"Damn, our birth orders could change." Brady hummed.

"Does that mean there is a chance I could end up being born before you?" Cynthia gasped.

Brady shrugged, "Entirely possible."

"Oh gawds, I don't want to be younger than her." Severa cringed.

Lucina pinched the bridge of her nose, "What did I just say?" She muttered before clearing her throat again, "Alright, everyone. The most important thing right now is we stick together. Support each other. The battles are only going to grow more vicious and-"

Cynthia raised her hand. Lucina sighed.

"Yes, Cynthia?"

"I have a question. Or well, a concern is probably more accurate." She folded her hands in front of her, "Where are the others?"

Lucina frowned.

"Yeah, that is a good question. We're still missing a few of us." Brady stated.

"We are?" Inigo remarked.

"Morgan and Kjelle are two of them." Luke nodded.

Inigo smirked, "Oh, right. Well, I'm sure someone as tough as Kjelle is okay. As for Morgan, well," He flexed an arm, "she'll likely need a strong person by her side in case anyone got too close in a fight."

Sakura raised an eyebrow, "Are we sure he's not Vaike's child?"

Brady choked, "Vaike screwing Olivia, that'd be hilarious."

"SHUT UP!" Inigo cried.

"My father is much more respectable." Laurent hummed.

"Hey!"

"Enough making fun of Inigo." Lucina chuckled. She took a breath, "We also can't forget about Nah, Yarne, and Gerome. Gerome can probably handle himself just fine. But Yarne and Nah, not so much."

"Especially given the amount of attention Grima gave to the Manaketes in our time." Severa noted, "He made it priority towards the end to get Nah, just because of the blood in her veins."

"Ol' Grima really doesn't like anything even remotely related to Naga, does he?" Brady hummed.

"Shouldn't you know the answer to that one, priest?" Inigo asked.

"Probably. But the booze gets in the way." Brady remarked.

"Should we make it a priority to find the others as quickly as possible?" Luke asked.

Lucina furrowed her brow, "That would require some of us to branch off and begin searching for needles in a giant haystack. As much as I want them to be reunited with us, that could be more dangerous. We have safety in numbers at the moment. Especially with Deadlords prowling the lands."

The group fell into a sober silence.

"How many of those are we aware of?" Sakura gulped.

Lucina took a breath, "Three."

"That means he's here." Inigo shook, "Grima followed us back."

"Or," Cynthia piped up, "Maybe this is just the past Grima starting to rise up."

"The Deadlords did not appear in our timeline until after Grima woke up." Brady noted, "Which means a less powerful Grima can't bring to life his captains. I think it might be more likely that he followed us back."

Cynthia paled, "Th-that's bad."

"And we have no idea where he could be." Sakura gulped.

"We should not fear such a thing!" Owain declared, "For we can see him coming. He is a massive dragon after all."

"Gawds you can be so dumb sometimes. That massive dragon can kill all of us." Severa deadpanned, "And if Grima really was back in time with us, then wouldn't we have noticed by now?"

"Hard to miss a dragon the size of a small country." Brady muttered, "Unless he can change form."

The silence that followed was deafening. All eyes turned to Laurent. The mage looked up from his tome.

Laurent cleared his throat, "Pardon?"

"You haven't been paying a bit of attention, have you?" Severa sighed.

"Do you or do you not know if Grima can change form? You're supposed to be the smart one." Brady asked.

Laurent pushed his glasses up his nose and slammed his tome closed in his lap, "For the record, I have been paying attention. Just in my own way. And as for the possibility of Grima fluctuating between different forms, I have neither heard nor read of such a thing. So it is plausible, but not recorded."

"Shit." Brady spat.

"As for the location of the rest of our friends, might I propose a theory?"

Lucina nodded. Laurent took a deep breath.

"Firstly, I would like to point out how we are now aware of the extraterrestrial origins regarding General Ben Kenobi." Laurent rose to his feet and dusted some dirt from his pants. He tucked his tome beneath his right arm then continued, "We can then infer that, due to Maul's intimate relationship with General Kenobi, that Maul is also of an extraterrestrial origin. It is therefore entirely plausible to assume that there are multiple other planets beyond our own that can sustain complex life forms."  
"Get to the point." Inigo sighed.

Laurent frowned, "The point is that there is a possibility that our companions have been placed on different worlds than our own."

Lucina paled. She never considered such a scenario. And if that was the case, then the odds of all of them reuniting and fighting Grima together were astronomically low. She did not know anything regarding space or the stars. Even though her Master revealed his origins to her, he never really elaborated. But now that Laurent brought up his theory, a pit of worry slammed into Lucina's gut.

"So Naga might've screwed us worse than we thought?" Brady massaged his eyes, "Just great."

"No, that can't be possible." Severa shook her head, "We all ended up on the right planet."

"But the timing of our arrival was different due to something going awry with the ritual. And we were still all separated from each other." Laurent pointed out, "It is safe to assume that due to such an error, it is possible that the ones we have yet to find are on entirely different worlds than us."

"Which means it is impossible for us to find them." Lucina breathed.

Laurent gave her a grim nod. As he nodded, Lucina sank down to a seat. The others remained quiet as she sat. Her hand shook by her side.

They were all separated. Some of them likely separated forever on another planet. Never to be reunited with their friends or family. Lucina sucked in a deep breath as she tried to steady her racing heart.

 _First Ricken is killed and Nah is wiped from existence. Then Laurent's mother is killed. Severa's mother is paralyzed. And now… now the others could be gone for good._

She shook her head, "I'm so sorry." She whispered, then raised her gaze, "If I had known this would have happened-"  
"We would have all perished at the feet of Grima." Owain pointed out, "Retreating back in time was the only course of action we could take. It is not your fault that the consequences of such a decision were beyond your control, cousin."

Lucina sniffed then nodded, "Still, I should have executed the ritual better."

"We didn't have the time." Severa muttered, "Grima's Deadlords were breaking down the doors when we went through. There is nothing you could have done to change the outcome."

"Like you said," Luke began, "All we can do now, all we can control, is how hard we fight in this war and the one to come. First we need to win this one against Valm. And with our help, our parents can win. It's going to be a bloody one. More violent than the Valm war we learned about growing up. All of us will need to be prepared for the worst." Lucina raised her gaze as Luke spoke, "And we will fight like hell to prevent it. If not for our future, then for those we've already lost. For Ricken, Stahl, Gregor, Miriel, and Nah."

The others nodded. Owain let out a whoop. Severa smiled a little bit, picked up her half cleaned sword, and shoved it back into its sheath. Sakura smirked over at Luke and nudged him. She nodded when he gave her a surprised look. Cynthia beamed. Brady raised his flask, took a swig, then handed it over to Inigo. And Laurent gave Luke a stiff nod.

"Well said." Laurent breathed.

 _Well said._ Lucina thought to herself, some pride building up in her as she watched Luke inspire those who at one point hated him.

At that moment, Noire burst into the tent. Her chest heaved up and down. Her blue eyes were wide as she sucked in as much air as she could.

"Everyone! Everyone!" She exclaimed.

Lucina surged to her feet. One hand rushed to her sword as she waited for Noire to declare that the Valmese were attacking once again. But that was not the news Noire had. And when Lucina heard the real news, her sword hand fell and her jaw hung open in shock.

"Nowi's pregnant!"

* * *

Of all things to let slip, this one Ben regretted the most. He did not regret letting his origins slip to Lucina all those months ago. In the end, that had been good for him. It finally allowed him to start trusting others, besides Tharja, with the secrets of his past. It allowed him to break out of the protective shell he built around himself and start living without much fear once again. But that secret mainly affected him. The one he just let slip affected Nowi and her future child.

He ran his hands over his face and let out a long groan as he sat in his spot in the empty command tent. Tharja had just stopped by to check on him. They got to talking about Nowi, and of course that is when Noire had to come in and overhear the secret. Before either of them could stop her, she bolted out of the tent. Likely on her way to inform Lucina.

His hands fell from his face. Poor Nowi would be bombarded with questions now. Especially from the other Shepherds. A secret is only a secret if it shared with one other person. More than one person makes a secret no longer a secret. And the future children would learn about it first. How could they not? For the past few weeks, ever since Ricken's death, they believed that one of their own had been ripped from existence.

Ben and Tharja did plan on informing everyone at some point, but only when they believed it was a good time. A time when they were all not focused on war and survival. And only with Nowi's permission of course. But that ship just sailed.

He shook his head and rose to his feet. Right now, he could not dwell on his mistake. He had other mistakes to worry about.

A large table sat at the center of the command tent. An enormous map of Valm was spread out over the table. The corners were pinned in place by four small stones, in order to keep the parchment from curling up. Various wooden pieces littered the map. Almost like a gameboard.

He wished this was just a game. Ben sighed and leaned up against the table, brow raised, mind laser focused as he studied the details of the map.

The army was now just a day or two from the Mila Tree. What was supposed to be a one week journey had turned into three thanks to Valmese soldiers harassing their march. That harassment turned into a full scale battle this morning. A battle the army was still working to clean up.

How did none of the scouting parties notice the Valmese moving in from the west? Was there an army he did not account for? Ben smacked his forehead.

 _I've been so worried about Grievous and Yen'fay that I forgot about Cervantes._

He recalled the stocky general from the Mila Tree when he and Robin went searching for Lucina and Luke over a year ago. The General commanded an army that guarded something at the Mila Tree. He still did not know what exactly. That army had been smaller in comparison to General Yen'fay's army and Grievous's army at Charlet, but it was still a sizable force. And they just wreaked havoc on his lines. The medical tents were currently overflowing with wounded Feroxi and Ylissean soldiers. Even more bodies lay in burning pyres on the edges of their hastily set up camp.

Worry lines creased on his forehead as he eyed the blue pieces that represented his forces. He then glanced at the initial battle reports given to him by the Feroxi Captains, Frederick, Libra, and Sumia. With a disgusted sound he swiped two blue pieces off of the map.

"Stupid." He muttered before tossing the pieces off to the side. He slammed his hands against the table, "Utterly stupid."

"Ben?"

He let his head hang as Chrom stepped into the command tent. Dirt and grime still covered the Prince's silver armor and skin. Weariness was thick in his eyes, but he still carried himself with strength and authority as he entered the tent. The Prince slapped a reassuring hand on Ben's back before moving by him and standing on one end of the table. His blue eyes glanced down at the pieces on the map.

"Another five hundred out of commission?" Chrom muttered.

"Three hundred killed." Ben sighed. He massaged his eyes. Naga, he had a wicked headache, "Another two hundred wounded. Considering our army barely numbered over ten thousand when we left Port Ferox ..." He exhaled and shook his head, "We may be in trouble, Chrom. That was a small-"

"Do I hear my General talking about being in trouble?" Flavia barged into the tent. Blood splattered across her red breastplate. Dirt and dried blood smeared over her dark face. A wicked smile rested on her lips as she sauntered in, "It better be because he got caught with another woman, not because he thinks we can't win this war."

Basilio quietly shook his head as he followed the ruling Khan in. He also looked filthy. Mud caked his muscled torso. Some bandages were wrapped over a nasty gash on his right forearm. His ax had not been cleaned yet. Blood still dripped from the steel blade as he moved to his spot at the table. Say'ri also entered the tent. Her armor had blood spatters and mud across it. The robes beneath her armor were covered in dirt and sweat. The headband over her forehead prevented any of the grime from dripping down her face. But it was soaked with sweat. She gave Ben and Chrom a silent nod before moving to her spot at the table.

"We may need to start considering the possibility." Ben muttered.

"Bah!" Flavia dismissed, "One of my lancers is worth at least ten of those soldiers the Valmese keep throwing at us. And you know that is true. The numbers don't lie."

"Exactly," Basilio hummed, "The numbers don't lie. And I think that is the point General Kenobi was getting to."

Flavia arched an eyebrow. Ben rubbed his chin and nodded at the pieces on the board.

"Another five hundred lost today." He breathed, "Maybe half of the wounded will be ready to see action again in one or two weeks time. The rest will be incapable of fighting for some time. These are losses we cannot consistently sustain."

"Meanwhile, the Valmese can." Baislio stated. Both Chrom and Flavia frowned.

"They absolutely can." Say'ri breathed, "I suspect the army we fought today was General Cervantes's army. A smaller force, but a very effective one. Although I am surprised we did not see him on the field of battle today. The Conqueror must have deemed his duty of guarding the Mila Tree as more important."

"Guarding what exactly?" Chrom asked, "I would think a General would want to be on the field with his men."

"Not all generals are as honorable as you." Say'ri replied, "But you are not wrong, Cervantes may not be at the front lines in battle, but he would still fight. However, the Conqueror is playing this war carefully by keeping him at the Mila Tree." She pointed at the massive tree that dominated the center of the map, "It is a sacred place for all of the people of Valm."

"Why?" Ben asked.

Say'ri arched an eyebrow, "Did you not do any research before conducting this invasion?"

Chrom and Ben glanced at each other.

"To be fair, you invaded us first." Ben smirked.

Say'ri rolled her eyes, "It is a good thing you can fight well," She sighed, "The Mila Tree is the home of the Voice of Naga. Someone who is able to directly commune with Naga herself."

"What!?" Chrom cried.

Flavia's jaw fell open, "Someone who speaks to god is on that tree?" She glanced at Basilio, "Have you ever heard of such a thing?"

"Only rumors." Basilio admitted, "Nothing concrete. Most of it was dismissed because… well it is rather hard to believe."

"Well the Conqueror clearly believes those rumors." Say'ri replied, "He stationed an entire army to guard the Voice and to prevent anyone from speaking to her. Call it a rather nice prison for such an influential person. If the Voice ever came out against Walhart, the entire continent would rise up against him."

"This Voice holds that much sway?" Ben asked, surprised.

"Naga holds that much sway." Chrom clarified, "And by extension, whoever this Voice is does as well."

"Sound observation." Say'ri nodded. Her eyes widened in sudden realization, "Cervantes' army was not only beaten but is on the retreat…" Her mouth fell open, "The Conqueror has slipped."

Basilio furrowed his brow, "What are you getting at?"

Say'ri flicked her eyes up from the map to the Khans, "The Voice is likely lightly guarded at the moment."

Ben's eyes lit up, "If we can break the Voice free and convince her to join our side we effectively destroy any support Walhart has. Such a move could severely cut into the enemy's numbers if the Voice causes devout followers to desert." He flicked his gaze down to the Mila Tree, "We need to get to that tree."

"I'll assemble the Shepherds." Chrom nodded, "We can move faster and quieter as a smaller unit than the rest of the army."

"You'll go with them, General." Basilio ordered, "Myself, Flavia, and our newest general, Mustafa, can handle things here." He glanced at Chrom, "And I'm sure Commander Cordelia can still assist us with her mind."

"Absolutely." Chrom nodded, "I think she would be thrilled to assist in any way she can."

"I'll go with you." Say'ri said, "I know the area around the Mila Tree well. And depending on how stupid the sentries are, I may be able to sneak us by thanks to my status as General Yen'fay's sister. That is if the Valmese don't already know I've defected."

"They likely already do, but it is worth a shot." Ben muttered. He glanced up at Flavia and Basilio, "I leave the next few days in your capable hands."

Flavia snorted, "You're just looking forward to a break."

Ben chuckled, "Oh you have no idea."

The tent burst open, Lucina rushed inside, breathless.

"Nowi's pregnant!?" She exclaimed.

Ben's stomach dropped. Say'ri gave Lucina a confused look. Basilio drew back in surprise. Flavia's eyes widened. And Chrom's jaw fell open. All eyes shifted over to Ben. The Jedi Master pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Just go ahead and tell everyone, why don't you." He sighed. Lucina gulped and uttered a sheepish laugh. Ben let his hand fall to his side, "You really are your mother's daughter."

Chrom frowned at Ben. Meanwhile, Flavia hung her head and laughed.

"I like you all too much. I'm gonna miss you while your off saving some mystical oracle or whatever." Flavia took a breath, "Get going you three. I'll make sure Miss Nowi is well taken care of."

Ben gave Flavia a grateful look, "Thank you."

He nodded at Chrom and Say'ri. All three moved out of the tent, Lucina quickly followed them. She caught up to Ben and tugged on his sleeve, spinning him around.

"You weren't going to say anything, were you?" She asked.

Ben sighed, "For the sake of Nowi's privacy, no. Even though I'm not very troubled by it… the social norms of Ylisse would have made what happened between Nowi and Ricken rather scandalous."

"He's right, unfortunately." Chrom nodded, "Let's do our best to keep this as quiet as possible." He turned back to Ben, "You better have a good excuse for not telling me."

"You were busy." Ben replied.

Chrom shook his head, "Not good enough." He folded his arms as they paused outside of the command tent, "I'm half tempted to leave you here."

"Oh please, you'll need me to handle whatever mess you make. Robin isn't around to clean up after you at the moment." Ben chuckled back.

"Leave here?" Lucina wondered out loud as Chrom chuckled and kept walking with Ben and Say'ri, "What's going on?"

"A group of Shepherds led by myself, Ben, and Say'ri are moving ahead to the Mila Tree. We're hoping to rescue the Voice of Naga from her imprisonment atop the tree." Chrom explained, "And no, you are not coming along."

Lucina frowned.

"You're still not a full fighting strength." Chrom sighed as he noticed Lucina's upset glare.

"Unless I manage to grow a new limb like a lizard I never will be." Lucina argued back, "Besides, I've interacted with the Voice before. Both in this timeline, and in the future. If anyone should go with you, it's me."

"She has a point." Ben conceded.

"And I'm sure Luke will want to tag along as well." Say'ri sighed, "But it will be better that way. He won't cause any trouble as long as I have my eye on him."

Ben nodded in agreement as they made their way towards the Shepherd's small cluster of tents.

"Anyone else we want to take?" Ben asked.

"Who's the sneakiest?" Chrom replied with a wry smirk.

Ben paused and let his head hang, "Naga… I'm going to have to deal with Gaius's antics again."

"You like him and you know it." Chrom laughed.

Ben shook his head as they approached the Shepherds. Most of whom were grouped together around a large, communal fire. Sully was sitting on a crate, bottle of firewine in hand. A bottle she happily passed between herself, Vaike, Kellam, and Brady.

Tharja sat close to her and Ben's tent, tome open in her lap. Too busy studying to notice Noire carefully reading over her shoulder. Nowi sat on a crate beside Tharja. A bright smile rested on her face as she occasionally glanced over, read Tharja's tome, frowned, then tried to entertain herself once again.

Cynthia and Luke sat beside Gaius and Panne. Both the thief and the Taguel remained wary around Luke, but Cynthia put most of their nerves at ease.

Maribelle frowned at Brady's drinking, but she said nothing as Donnel gave her a small rub on her shoulder and urged her to just enjoy the time together.

Sumia chatted with Cherche, Virion, and Oliva. Ben overheard something regarding Rosanne literature. He made a mental note to ask about that later. It had been a long time since he read a good book.

As for the ones not at the fire, Ben had a feeling he knew where they would find them. Lissa, Laurent, and Libra were likely at the medical tent taking care of the wounded. Maribelle was bound to leave the fire and join them at some point. Frederick was likely assigning patrols to the Ylissean soldiers for the evening. Anna would probably be found somewhere in the middle of all the destruction, trying to sell mildly used arms and armor from the enemy. Either as souvenirs or actual usable equipment. Henry and Severa would both be with Cordelia at her spot in one of the medical tents. Both Shepherds did their best to keep her in good spirits, in their own strange ways of course. Severa had a rather strange way of showing her mother affection. And Henry… well, not everyone in the medical tent appreciated his dark sense of humor. The other future children were probably elsewhere in the camp, catching up on lost time.

As they joined the other Shepherds, and Chrom informed them all of the plan. Ben let out a long breath. Tharja closed her tome and moved to his side.

"Do you think Robin will be near the Mila Tree?" She whispered to him.

Ben glanced at her. That was something he had not considered. But, he had a feeling that would be something Dooku would try to do. The Sith Lord was a well learned man who had a voracious appetite for knowledge. Ben could not deny that. He would know about the Voice of Naga and the power that person held. Maybe he believed such a person could assist him with Robin.

But that also seemed unlikely. In Ben's experience, Dooku was too prideful to allow another person to influence one of his students. It was more likely Dooku took Robin there because he knew Ben would push the army to that point.

"Maybe." Ben said, trying to reassure Tharja, "If he is there, we will find him."

Tharja nodded as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"Good." She breathed, "I plan on hexing both him and Dooku for leaving without saying goodbye."

Ben gave her a worried glance, but he said nothing. In his mind, it was best to not get in her way.

* * *

His talons clacked against the smooth stones beneath his feet. Warm torches lit the narrow corridor he stalked down. His yellow eyes flicked back and forth between the two, meager bags of flesh in armor that served as his "guards". Simple, human bags of meat that he could so easily slaughter with a swipe of his hand. Grievous glared up ahead at the worm of a man that sauntered ahead of him.

Excellus had a cockiness to his gait this evening. A bravado in his step. As if he managed some great accomplishment. Grievous scoffed at the mere notion. This worm thought he was a tactical genius. If he really possessed even a slight hint of intelligence, he would have known that invading Archeanea was a foolish plan. A plan crafted by a fool that thought himself intelligent. Also known as the most dangerous kind of commander. He had seen plenty of that in his days as a General.

Besides, Excellus had accomplished nothing in this war against the Archaneans. The devastation against the enemy at Charlet was thanks to Grievous using what little mages the Valmese had to maximum effect. He utilized them almost like auto turrets. Blasted those pesky invaders to pieces on the beach. If he had even more mages, he probably could have prevented the invasion entirely. But these Valmese were a foolish bunch. They did not view magic as an asset. Or at least, whoever this Conqueror that ruled them felt that way.

He had yet to meet the mighty Conqueror of this continent. And frankly, Grievous was not very interested in meeting him. A man who could conquer a continent was nothing compared to the men that conquered galaxies. Grievous had vague memories of himself leading massive armies across the stars. Invading and defeating entire planets in devastating strikes that would have made the Valmese quake in their red armor.

Grievious growled low as they neared the corridor's end. He did not know where the Worm was taking him, but he did not appreciate being led away from the front lines of the war. Their master may want them to lose the war in the long run, but Grievous wanted blood. He wanted to soak the land with the lives of his enemies. He wanted to sink his lightsabers into the hearts of both Kenobi and Dooku. Watch the life leave their eyes and have their final moments filled with his face staring down at them. A final revenge that he craved almost as much as pleasing the master that restored him to life.

His hunched form followed Excellus into a cavernous space. A throne room of some sort. Massive fires roared in long fire pits along the sides of the room. Great marble pillars held the tall ceilings up. A massive red throne made of steel and iron rested atop a stone pedestal at the far end of the room. Grievous's eyes narrowed as he took in the throne.

There was not a hint of comfort on the chair. No cushions, no arm rests. Just a hunk of solid, cold metal, painted red in the Valmese colors. Or for the blood they spilled on the battlefield. An intimidating chair. One meant to compensate for some sort of deficiency in the man that occupied it.

 _The conqueror is probably another worm._ Grievous thought to himself as he paused and watched Excellus take a few more steps towards the empty throne, _A weak sack of flesh and bone that only got this far because he was able to trick others into following him._

He could not help but view this 'great' Conqueror in such a way. The man had yet to step onto the battlefield in order to combat the invading Archaneans. Any man that dared called himself by such a powerful title needed to earn it in Grievous's eyes. So far, the Conqueror hid behind incompetant Generals, a cowardly tactician, and Grievous. The actions of a worm afraid of war.

Excellus glanced back at Grievous.

"Remember, you do not speak. You follow what I say." The fat man hissed, any confidence he had before long gone, "Otherwise, we are both dead."

Grievous narrowed his reptilian eyes. Excellus paled and quickly averted his gaze. A low chuckle sounded from Grievous. If Excellus was not so entertaining to torment, and so necessary to his Master's plans, he would have already killed him. He was certainly more annoying than he was entertaining.

Grievous eyed the two guards still by his side. Then he noticed something peculiar. There were no more guards in the throne room. An odd thing in the General's mind. One would think the ruler of an entire continent would seek to have the best soldiers protect him so he could rule his land in comfort and safety.

He noticed beads of sweat forming on Excellus's brow. The guards behind him gulped at the sound of doors opening and closing from behind the throne. Grievous could practically smell the fear exuded by the three humans in the room. He heard the leather gloves of his guards clenching tight around their lances. One of them swallowed hard. They were not just afraid. They were terrified. And not of him, but of this Conqueror.

 _Who is he?_

A set of double doors opened behind the throne. Heavy footsteps echoed off the stone walls around them. Grievous narrowed his eyes. No guards exited the doors. No herald announced the arrival of anyone important. Instead, a lone figure emerged from the doors. Grievous's eyes widened a little bit.

This human was a behemoth. A mountain of flesh and muscle that moved with pure power. A giant clad head to toe in blood red armor. His face was large. His jaw square and strong. Eyes small, intense, and… milky in color. Grievous narrowed his gaze. Was this man blind?

He got around his throne easily enough. The giant then turned and sat down on his throne. His entire body rigid as he sat straight up. Those milky eyes darted down to look at Excellus.

 _Not blind after all._ Grievous thought to himself.

He eyed the Conqueror further. He could practically feel the authority and strength this man generated. It was as if he gave off an aura of pure power. In that moment, his allegiance to Grima wavered ever so slightly. He could see why the others were afraid of this Conqueror. This man was more than a mere human.

"Excellus." The Conqueror's voice boomed through the throne room.

Excellus quickly bowed at the waist, "Your excellency, the great and magnificent Emperor Walhart, I-"

"Why have you come before me?" Walhart leaned forward in his seat, eyes narrowing on Excellus's shivering form, "Do you not have a war to lead? A war that, I seem to recall, you assured me would be easily won without any need of my assistance?"

It took everything in Grievous to not start laughing. So that was why the Conqueror had not taken the field himself. Little Excellus wished to prove his worth.

 _What a stupid piece of scum._

"Y-yes, your excellency. Your magnificence, your stupendousness, your-"

"Enough with the groveling, worm." Emperor Walhart growled, causing Excellus to shrink away. He rose from his throne and slowly stepped down the stairs. He stepped up towards Excellus. The Emperor towered over the worm. As he stooped over the tactician, Excellus shrank even more, "My generals have informed me that the war goes… poorly." The conqueror's teeth were clenched. He did not show any blatant emotion. But from the pallor of Excellus's face, Grievous assumed the man was furious, "Care to explain?"

Excellus gulped, "W-well," He cleared his throat, "You see, your excellency, we are beginning to regain ground and-"

"You have regained nothing." Emperor Walhart boomed, "Charlet is still lost to us, and the Archaneans are moving fast west. They are cutting right to the heart of our land."

Walhart moved away from Excellus. The tactician swallowed hard as he stared at the Conqueror's back.

"We will soon have those Ylissean and Feroxi dogs running with their tails between their legs, I assure you, your excellency." Excellus replied.

"How do you plan on doing that?" Walhart asked. He glanced over his shoulder as a servant quickly shuffled in with a pitcher of water and a glass. He took a glass of water and gently swirled it in his hand, "The closest army to the Archaneans was General Cervantes's. And from what my own sources have told me, you relieved Cervantes of his command over the main bulk of his forces and ordered those forces to charge right into the Archanean column."

"I hoped to break their march and spark a route!" Excellus declared.

"And instead, you wiped out one of our armies while not slowing the Archaneans down in the slightest." Walhart scowled, "One of our Generals is without an army." Cracks formed in the glass as Walhart held it tight, "And worse of all, the Mila Tree now stands unguarded. Do I need to remind you of the significance of such a place?"

"N-no, your excellency." Excellus stammered, "I swear I shall marshal whatever forces I can and-"

The Emperor set the cracked glass down on a tray the servant carried, silencing Excellus.

"The Archaneans are one day from the tree. That area is already lost to us, for now." Walhart frowned, "Your incompetence has cost us valuable resources, land, and men. I will not stand for it any longer."

Excellus turned ghost white.

"Y-your excellency, please, allow me to make amends!"

"Oh, you will." Walhart continued, "You are to report to General Yen'fay's army in the south. Circumvent the Archaneans. Inform Yen'fay that I will personally lead my forces in an attack from the north. He is to push up from the south. We will squeeze the life out of the Archaneans that way. Am I clear?"

Excellus shot Grievous a nervous glance. Their master would not be pleased by this news. The Conqueror taking the field now could spell disaster for the Archaneans in a war Grima wanted them to win.

"Excellus?"

The tactician jumped, "C-Crystal clear, your excellency."

Walhart's brow furrowed. His milky eyes moved past Excellus and landed on Grievous.

"What is this… creature, behind you?"

Excellus gulped, "He is… er… he is…" He straightened quickly, "A creation of mine!" He declared. Grievous resisted the urge to growl, "A conjuration of black magic. A most effective tool on the battlefield, I assure you. With his help, we devastated the Archaneans in their initial invasion at Charlet."

"Devastated?" Walhart repeated, "Is that so? That must have been quite the pitiful amount of devastation considering the progress our enemy has made."

Sweat beaded down Excellus's head, "W-we have not been able to keep up with the Archanean's speed and agility on the battlefield. I will admit, their application of both mages and aerial fliers is quite potent."

"Then eliminate that advantage. You are a tactician, are you not?" Walhart sank back down onto his throne. As rigid as a stone statue, "What do I call this creature of yours?"

"Grievous." Grievous growled back.

He noticed a faint flicker of surprise cross Walhart's face. Barely noticeable. But Grievous had seen enough shock and horror from his victims to notice it. He had to give the Conqueror credit, his strength did not waver despite his surprise.

"He will go with you to General Yen'fay. You both will be under his command from here on out." Walhart informed both of them, "Now leave."

Excellus swallowed hard and bowed low, "Y-yes, your excellency."

He turned on his heel and started to walk away.

"Excellus." Walhart's booming voice sounded again, freezing the worm in place, "Fail me again, and I will mount your head on a pike."

A terrified whimper slipped from Excellus's throat. He did not say anything in reply. Instead, he quickly shuffled out with Grievous following him.

As soon as the doors to the throne room closed, Grievous reached with one of his claws and took Excellus by the throat. The tactician gasped and clawed as he slammed the worm against the wall so hard the stone cracked.

"I am no creation of yours." Grievous growled, "And I am not subservient to you. The only reason you are not dead by my hand, is because our master wills that you live. If that changes, I will happily tear out your entrails and parade your carcass in front of the Conqueror myself. And I will make sure you live long enough for him to remove your head."

Grievous's reptilian eyes narrowed into dangerous slits as his mask drew closer to Excellus's whimpering face. The worm nodded as quickly as his fat head would allow. No more words needed to be said. Grievous's claw released him. Excellus gasped for breath as Grievous turned and marched towards the palace exit.

Hopefully he would not have to deal with the worm much longer. And hopefully this General Yen'fay was much better to work with. If not, he may just have to take over the Southern Army himself.

There were no rules saying he could not kill a General.

 **And chapter! The future kids are reeling from the ferocity of battle, but they are also given hope thanks to Luke and the revelation that Nah will indeed be born. Ben, Chrom, Say'ri and some of the Shepherds are on their way to the Mila Tree in order to rescue the Voice of Naga. Unfortunately, they don't know about the carnage that already happened there. It'll be interesting to see how they take that. And we are finally introduced to Walhart. And we get to see the Conqueror through the eyes of Grievous. And it looks like he has earned some of Grievous's respect just by presence and authority alone. We will see how long that lasts. Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter. As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**

 **PS: Come join the Treehouse! Discord is: 9XG3U7a**


	106. Ruminations and Revelations

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 106

Ruminations and Revelations

A golden sunrise shone through the Mila Tree's thick canopy. Bright rays slipped through some of the gaps in the expansive green roof over Dooku's head, showering the area at the base of the tree's immense trunk with both light and warmth. Warmth he very much appreciated, since the root he had been sitting on for the past hour felt rather cold to the touch. Rather uncomfortable actually. But within a few minutes, it would be warm. And he could smoke his new pipe in peace.

He gently pulled the small, wooden, artifact of vice from the corner of his mouth. A few puffs of smoke followed it. The white wisps swirled around his face for a moment before he blew out a strong breath, scattering it into the gentle morning breeze. He let out a low sigh, one hand tapped his thigh as he pondered on the events of the past few days.

In fact, Dooku had been thinking about what had occurred for some time now. The conversations he had with Robin while on the road to the Mila Tree both intrigued and puzzled him. It was as if the more he learned about the Ylissean Tactician, the more of an enigma he became.

He was certain the boy was Plegian. There was far too much evidence for that to not be the case. And while he shared a lot of characteristics, both physically and personality, with the Ylisseans he fought alongside, Dooku attributed much of that to circumstance. As an amnesiac, Robin likely took on the features of his environment around him, since he had no other frame of reference in his mind to work off of.

But much of the other quirks to Robin were undeniable. The Plegian colors he sported: purple, gold, and black, the colors of a Grimleal mage, were a telltale sign of his origins. Add in the Eyes of Grima branded on the back of his right hand, and Dooku was beginning to believe the boy had a deeper connection to the Grimleal than he previously thought.

 _Then there is the Hierophant._ Dooku thought to himself as he stuck the pipe back between his lips and puffed on it slowly.

The resemblance between Robin and the Hierophant could not be a coincidence. With the exception of hair and eye color, the pair were near perfect mirrors of each other. Honestly, Dooku wondered if the Hierophant really was Robin's twin. But the man holding the reins of power in the Grimleal was still hidden in the shadows. There were not enough facts about him for Dooku to grasp who, or what, he really was.

 _What I do absolutely know,_ He thought as he puffed even more on his pipe, _Is that the Hierophant is dangerous._ He let the pipe dangle in the corner of his mouth as he glanced down the dirt road that led east, _And we cannot take him lightly._

A long groan sounded nearby. Dooku withdrew his pipe from his mouth and glanced over at a rickety, old, single person tent. General Cervantes emerged from it. His portly form naked except for a loin cloth wrapped around his fat waist. He grunted, raised his arms over his head, then sniffed.

"Smoking already?" He asked Dooku.

Dooku arched and eyebrow, "I was up early and decided to do some thinking. Care to join?"

"Eh…" Cervantes shrugged as he reached into a chest beside the small tent. He threw a loose, cotton shirt over his body then yanked on a pair of tan pants, "My job isn't to think."

"Your job is, at present, non-existent." Dooku pointed out as he placed the pipe back in its spot between his teeth, "What with your failure to safeguard the Voice as well as the Mila Tree."

Cervantes cinched a belt around his round belly, "Don't remind me." He huffed, "I'm still bracing myself for when reinforcements arrive and I am placed under arrest for treason and whatnot."

Dooku arched an eyebrow, "Treason?"

Cervantes waved off his concern, "It'll be some stupid reason like that. Mark my words, within a few days time, my body will be hanging by a rope." His voice fell as he spoke, "And all I'll be is a footnote in history, at best." A long sigh left his lips. He reached into the chest and grabbed his own pipe, "You know," He grabbed some tobacco and shoved it into the pipe. Then he struck a match, "I once had visions of conquering this continent myself." He lit his pipe and placed it in the corner of his mouth.

"Did you now?" Dooku replied, somewhat surprised.

Cervantes sniffed again. One hand brushed the thick, brown whiskers on his chin as he nodded, "I did. Had it all planned out too. Even started building up my own army. But then Walhart came and…" Cervantes slumped down beside Dooku on the tree root, "I know real strength when I see it. I may be strong, but the Conqueror?" He shook his head, "He is not even human. Not anymore at least."

Dooku inclined his chin, but said nothing. Over the past day or so, he had gleaned much information from the Valmese General. Of course, maintaining the guise of Tyrannus, tactical aide and enforcer for the Valmese Empire, helped in that regard. Cervantes viewed himself as a disgraced general and a doomed man. So he let secrets slip, and Dooku made sure to remember every one of them. Troop formations, preferred strategies, opinions on other military leaders in the Valmese military, and most important of all, information on the still mythical figure known as the Conqueror.

Just as Dooku started to return to his own thoughts, he detected several force signatures moving fast towards him. At first, he felt a twinge of concern. One signature felt dark, which made him think a Deadlord was on the move once again. But then he detected the two bright spots, and a fainter bright light in the force beside that lone dark presence. A small smirk crossed his lips.

"I believe we have company, General." Dooku said nonchalantly as he puffed on his pipe and leaned back on the massive tree root.

Cervantes gave him a puzzled look. Dooku nodded towards the eastern road. The large man's beady eyes peered down the dirt trail.

A head with blue hair appeared in the golden sunrays. Following him were a motley group of men and women. All of them were on foot. And every single one of them wore different clothing. Cervantes recognized Ylissean, Feroxi, and even Chon'sin style armor of the travelers. He noticed curious mage's attire on one, dark haired woman. And at the rear, a man in Feroxi armor guarded a young lady with a healing staff.

It took him a moment, but as the group drew closer, Cervantes recognized the man leading them.

"Prince Chrom," Some sweat beaded on his bald head, "Archaneans!" He cried, causing the group to freeze on the road. Cervantes dashed to his tent, grabbed his lance, and grit his teeth, "Come now Tyrannus, we shall both meet more glorious ends now than swinging from a noose!"

"Tyrannus?" Cervantes heard the bearded man beside Prince Chrom pipe up. The man placed his hands on his hips, "Dooku, what exactly have you done now?"

Cervantes arched an eyebrow, "Dooku?"

"Only what was necessary at the time, Kenobi." Dooku hummed back before he puffed on his pipe, "And it is about damn time you showed up. I was starting to think you were lollygagging." He narrowed his eyes, "Then again, you likely were."

"Says the one sitting leisurely while smoking." Ben replied with an eye roll.

Cervantes glanced back and forth between the two men.

"You two… know… each… other." Cervantes lowered his lance as his jaw fell open, "Oh."

Dooku let out a heavy sigh. He took out his pipe, strolled over to Cervantes, and patted his shoulder.

"It is better than a noose, my friend."

"You know this guy, Dooku?" Chrom asked.

Dooku turned to the Prince, "Indeed, I do, your grace." He gestured to the dumbstruck, fat man beside him, "May I present recently disgraced General Cervantes of the Valmese military."

"Disgraced?" The woman behind Chrom said in surprise.

Cervantes's jaw fell even lower, his eyes widened, "Lady Say'ri!?" His gaze whipped back and forth as he stared at Chrom, Say'ri, Ben, and Dooku. His shoulders sagged and he hung his head, "What is going on?"

Dooku gave him an amused smirk, "You are being captured, General." He nodded over at the Shepherds, "And these are your friendly captors."

None of the Shepherds moved. Dooku let out an exasperated sigh.

"A little rope, if you would please?"

Ben looked back, "Gaius!"

"What!?" The thief snapped back, mid chomp into a lollipop, "Can't you see I'm busy!?"

Ben huffed, "Rope."

"Why?"

Ben bristled, "Prisoner, Gaius."

"Oh hoh!" The redhead smiled suddenly, "I'm the one doing the arresting now? This is a change. For the better of course." He sauntered up to the dumbstruck General, a length of rope in hand, "Now then," Gaius cleared his throat, "I would say your rights, but quite frankly, I've been arrested in so many different places that they're all sort of jumbled together now. So, I'll just advise you to not try to escape, and don't be a snitch."

"Gaius…" Ben pinched the bridge of his nose, "We need him to talk to us."

Gaius tied the rope tight around Cervantes's wrists, "We do?" He blinked, "Oh right. War criminals are different." He gave Cervantes a wry smirk, "Forget what I said."

"I cannot believe this." Cervantes muttered. He glanced over at Dooku, "I thought we were companions, comrades Tyran-" He caught himself then snarled, "Dooku. And yet, you betray me like this?"

"I am betraying no one. I was never with the Valmese to begin with." Dooku replied in a matter of fact tone, "And we can discuss how you feel about this matter later. I now have business to attend to." He turned to Ben, Say'ri, and Chrom, "Your majesties. Kenobi." He spun on his heel and marched away from the others. Ben, Say'ri, and Chrom followed him.

Dooku took one more puff from his pipe before leaning up against one of the Mila Tree's massive roots. He glanced over at the group of Shepherds busy arresting General Cervantes. The thief, Gaius, and the Feroxi swordsman, Lon'qu, were busy tightening the bonds around the large man's wrists. The Ylissean Princess, Lissa, watched with curious eyes as Lon'qu tightened the ropes around Cervantes's wrist with a sharp tug. Both Virion and Noire stood watch, arrows nocked on their bowstrings. Luke and Lucina waited quietly towards the rear of the group. Tharja read her spellbook. The dark mage did not seem to be paying any attention at all to her surroundings. Something in that book caught her eye. And Sakura lingered towards the front of the group, her hand wrapped around the reins to her horse, which carried some supplies for their travels.

"A small force." Dooku hummed, "Not anticipating much trouble?"

Ben frowned in return, "Since when did you start smoking?"

Dooku arched an eyebrow, "Are you not going to answer-"

"I mean, I would think the regal Count Dooku would think of that as a filthy habit." Ben continued.

"It is," Dooku harrumphed, "But there was little else to do for the past few days. So I pilfered this and-"

"Oh of course you took it from a dead body." Ben groaned as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"It's not like the poor sod I took it from cared. He's dead."

Say'ri cleared her throat, "I understand you two wish to catch up, but we have more important things to worry about."

"Do we?" Dooku remarked.

"We do." Chrom nodded, "The reason why we have brought a small force is because this was supposed to be a quick, quiet extraction mission."

"Extraction?" Dooku glanced over at Ben. A knowing look crossed over the Count's face, "You're after the Voice, aren't you?" Dooku took several puffs from his pipe, "Well, I hate to inform all of you, but she is no longer here."

"What!?" Chrom and Say'ri cried at the same time.

Ben furrowed his brow, "What do you mean, she is no longer here?"

Dooku gave Ben an irritated glance, "I mean exactly what I said, Kenobi. She is no longer here." He let his pipe hang loose from the corner of his mouth, "The Manakete fled the same night as the attack here."

"Attack?" Say'ri echoed. She placed her hands on her hips, "You have a lot to explain right now, Dooku." A finger wagged at the Count. Causing Ben's jaw to fall open a little bit, "What are you doing here? Where is Cervantes's men? Where is the Voice? Where-"

"If you would quit your jabbering I can answer those questions." Dooku scowled back. Say'ri drew back, shocked. Before she could protest his snarling reply, Dooku continued, "I have no idea where the Voice is. If I knew that, I wouldn't be here right now. Cervantes's men are all dead, alongside some rather out of place Grimleal mages." Chrom gave Ben a worried glance, "I am here because I believe the Voice, who happens to be a very powerful Manakete, might be able to help Robin."

"And Robin?" Ben asked.

Dooku sighed and took the pipe from his lips, "If the boy followed my instructions, he would have gone up the tree and found the Manakete. And, if that is the case, he is likely by her side."

"And you have no idea where they are?" Ben asked.

Dooku shook his head, "No idea." He noticed Ben open his mouth to ask another question, "I have already tried sensing Robin's presence, Kenobi." Ben closed his mouth. A frustrated frown crossed Dooku's lips, "Something is blocking me from being able to. Anytime I try to locate Robin, I am rebuffed. It is as if something in the Force is trying to hide him. And by extension, they are hiding the Manakete. And no," Dooku continued before Chrom could ask a question, "I haven't been able to sense the Voice either." He glanced over at Ben, "Now I know how you Jedi must have felt during the waning days of the Order." He cleared his throat and nodded at Chrom and Say'ri, "I'd like to talk with Kenobi in private, if you would please."

"Oh no," Say'ri folded her arms, "If this has anything to do with-"

"Kenobi, Prince Chrom," Dooku interrupted, voice even, "If you do not silence her and guide her away from my presence in the next ten seconds, you'll have to arrest me and place me in chains beside Cervantes. Not that those chains will do much good."

Chrom paled a little bit. Ben nodded to him.

"Go, I'll inform you of anything important." Ben reassured.

Chrom sighed, "You better. You both know how much I despise secret keeping." He nodded, "Lady Say'ri."

Say'ri narrowed her gaze dangerously at Dooku before spinning on her heel and following Chrom back to the others. Ben watched the pair as they walked out of earshot.

"She's quite brave." Ben remarked.

"You mean she is quite stupid." Dooku huffed, "The last time someone got that testy with me, they ended up dead."

" _You_ ended up dead." Ben replied with a slight smirk, "I recall both Anakin and I being very testy with you aboard the Invisible Hand."

Dooku glared down at Ben, "So, on the matter of Robin-"

"Ah yes, change the subject when you lose. That is something Anakin never really learned."

A low growl emanated from Dooku, "Are you concerned for the boy or not?" Ben fell silent as Dooku let out a long breath, trying his best to calm his rising anger, "I managed to learn quite a bit during our days traveling together."

"Oh? And what did you learn?"

"The boy is clearly Plegian." Ben furrowed his brow, perplexed. Dooku hummed to himself as he continued, "Honestly, I am surprised no one else has even noticed."

"Plegian?" Ben parroted.

"Yes, Plegian." Dooku rolled his eyes as he watched the Jedi still struggling to put the pieces together, "Have you become that poor at observing others. Now I worry you might have grown too trusting while living on this planet." Dooku puffed on his pipe, "Robin wears Plegian colors: Purple, Gold, and Black. Those are hallmark colors of a Grimleal mage. On top of that, he has the brand of Grima on the back of his right hand. It is faint, but it is there. Finally," Dooku took a breath, "he mentioned something regarding a Hierophant."

Ben stiffened, "Ah yes, that character."

"What did you make of him?"

Ben glanced down at his feet as he thought for a moment, "I couldn't get a read on him. I did try poking around the man's mind, but it was locked up tighter than a bank on Muunilist." Ben folded his arms, "I'd say the most distressing thing about the Hierophant was how similar he looked to Robin. The current theory Robin and I are working with is that he has a possible twin." He flicked his gaze back to a quiet Dooku, "What did he tell you about the man?"

"Not much." Dooku sighed, "Nothing more than you already know."

Ben muttered a curse under his breath, "That is a dead end then." He blinked and raised a hand to shield his eyes from a ray of golden sunlight, "What else did you learn about him? And were you able to teach him anything?"

Dooku let out a frustrated sigh, "I was not able to teach him much. The boy could hardly stay awake or focus the entire ride here. Something…" Dooku's mouth tightened, "Something is lingering inside of him."

"Inside of his mind, I know." Ben nodded, "Tharja and I have both sensed-"

"Not just in his mind, Kenobi." Dooku cut him off, "There is something else inside of Robin. I don't exactly know what. But from what I can tell, it is very dark. And it worries me."

Ben took a deep breath, "Anything that worries you greatly concerns me." He bowed his head, "You don't worry easily." He exhaled, "Do you think this Manakete of yours can help him?"

Dooku shrugged, "I don't know. I think she may be our best shot at figuring out what is inside of Robin. The woman is quite powerful. Whatever is plaguing Robin will think twice about crossing her."

"That powerful?" Ben replied, some surprise on his face, "I know Manaketes are strong. Nowi alone can handle entire platoons of enemy soldiers."

"Nowi is not even fully grown." Dooku stated, "Imagine, a fully grown Manakete. One that is mature physically, mentally, and magically." Ben's eyes widened, "Now you see what I mean."

Ben snapped his head up to the top of the tree, "What was she doing lingering here then?"

Dooku shrugged, "How should I know the answer to that question? The only one who can answer that is the Manakete."

"And we have no idea where she or Robin are… blast!" Ben cursed, "Any ideas on how best to proceed?"

Dooku raised an eyebrow, "Well, with how vast this forest and the surrounding country is, we won't find Robin by searching and shouting. And, as loathe as I am to say this, we may have more pressing matters to attend to."

He started walking towards Chrom and the other Shepherds. Ben followed him.

"Those matters being?" Ben asked.

"We are at war, aren't we?" Dooku remarked.

Chrom and the others turned to look at Dooku. Towards the rear, Cervantes flashed a furious scowl at the Count while Lon'qu held him tight by a long rope.

"Done talking?" Chrom asked.

"Yes, and…" Ben sighed, "We have reason to believe that Robin and the Manakete fled this area together."

Chrom nodded, "Okay, that could be a good thing. Manaketes are powerful. Robin shouldn't be in any danger then, right?"

"Most likely." Dooku nodded, "The Voice of Naga is a particularly powerful Manakete. Even if Robin were to lose control of his powers again, she would have enough power to knock him out of a fight."

"How would you know that?" Say'ri asked with a frown.

"Because I've been blasted by her dragonfire." Dooku replied in a matter of fact tone. Chrom blinked in surprise, "How else do you think I fell from this tree over a year ago?"

"That was you!?" Say'ri gaped.

"Oh, I remember now." Ben nodded, "Then I promptly beat you in a duel."

"Wait what?" Chrom said as he flicked his eyes back and forth, "But you two are friends?"

"That is a recent development." Dooku replied with a dismissive wave of his hand.

"Very recent development." Ben emphasized, "And that is not the point. The point right now, is that we probably will not be able to go searching for Robin."

Chrom frowned, "Why not?"

"Because as much as we all wish to find him safe and unharmed, we also have a war to fight, your majesty." Dooku said, "A war takes precedence over a single individual. Robin is smart. He will find his way back to us. For now, we must focus on something much more dangerous." He marched towards Cervantes. Chrom and Ben watched as he Dooku took the rope from Lon'qu and led Cervantes over towards them, "Tell them what you told me."

Cervantes glared at Dooku, "I will say nothing."

Dooku sighed, "Cervantes, I know you have a brain. So please use it in this instance. You lost the Voice. Which means that even if you assisted the Conqueror by not speaking to us, he will still have you killed. You unveiled much information to me about the armies of Valm while we were alone here. Do share."

Cervantes scowled. He shifted his hands and the rope dug into his wrists. A hiss of pain slipped from his lips.

"What do the Valmese armies number?" Dooku asked.

Ben blinked as he sensed the force fluctuate around Dooku and Cervantes. A slight smirk crossed Ben's lips. Dooku was trying to pressure Cervantes into talking using a hard to notice mind trick.

 _Subtle interrogation, Count._

Cervantes uttered a long sigh, "General Yen'fay's army is to the South. He and General Pheros are supposed to link up at Fort Steiger. Their armies together number near fifty thousand strong."

Chrom paled. Ben coughed hard.

"Did he just say fifty thousand?" Ben asked.

"Oh it gets much worse." Dooku hummed before tugging on the rope again, "Continue, General."

Beads of sweat formed on Cervantes's bald head. A ragged breath escaped his lips as he fought to keep himself from revealing anything else. But the pressure the Count put on his mind was too much.

"The Conqueror himself, once he learns of how swiftly you Archaneans are moving west, will intervene personally." Cervantes let out a gasp, "His army, last I checked, numbers near a million."

Ben's stomach dropped. He glanced over at Chrom, whose face turned ghost white. Say'ri shook a little beside the Prince. Lon'qu's jaw tightened and he placed a nervous hand on his sword. Lucina and Luke glanced at each other, dumbstruck by the number. Gaius coughed, then choked on his lollipop. Virion smacked Gaius's back, knocking the lollipop free. Noire swallowed hard while Sakura did not react.

"A million." Ben breathed.

"I knew the Conqueror's army was fast… but a million?" Say'ri shook her head, "I never even-"

"Could fathom the sheer scale?" Cervantes finished for her. A dry laugh left his lips, "Yes, I may be a dead man in the Conqueror's eyes for my failure here. But, you all shall join me. No one can stand against the Conqueror's might." He glared at Prince Chrom, "Not even you and your little army. His wrath will be swift and powerful. You cannot hope to win."

Chrom grit his teeth. He took several strong steps towards a still chuckling Cervantes. His blue eyes stared right into Cervantes dark, beady eyes.

"I'll enjoy the look on your face when we prove you wrong." He spun away from the General before he could reply, "How many days until the rest of the army reaches here?" He asked Ben.

"If the pace remains steady, they could be here within a day or two." Ben replied, "That is assuming they are not attacked again."

"Attacked?" Dooku said as he handed the rope back to Lon'qu, "Kenobi, how badly has the column been harried during your march?"

Ben sighed, "A few light skirmishes at first. We had our first major battle since Charlet yesterday. The Valmese were defeated, but we took five hundred casualties."

Dooku frowned, "Those are losses we cannot sustain."

"That is why we came here." Say'ri cut in, "The Voice of Naga holds powerful sway over the people of Valm. She is looked to as a conduit directly to Naga herself. If we can convince her to side with us in this war, we may be able to turn some of Walhart's numbers against him."

Dooku nodded, "You aim to level the playing field. A smart move. But one we cannot execute without the Voice. Even then, you may not sway many to change sides."

"It is better than nothing." Ben muttered. He ran a hand over his beard, "A million men." He breathed, still stunned.

"You faced worse odds during the Clone Wars." Dooku reminded the Jedi Master, "Need I remind you of Christophsis?"

"There is a vast difference between battle droids and Valmese soldiers. Intelligence being the biggest difference." Ben rubbed at his eyes, "Not only that, but this style of warfare is completely different from what I am used to. I could negate those massive numbers if I had cannons and several thousand elite Clones." Chrom glanced at him, mildly puzzled. "And if I had some gunships ready to provide aerial support. But this…" Ben shook his head, "I'm not a miracle worker."

"You don't have to be." Chrom said quickly, "We've faced these kind of odds before. Ylisse was practically conquered when we defeated Plegia. I know we'll find a way to defeat the Conqueror and his legions." He gave Ben a small grin, "It'll just be a little unconventional."

"It'll have to be a little more than unconventional." Ben muttered.

Chrom chuckled and patted his back, "With you and Robin planning everything out, once he gets back at least, I'm sure we'll do just fine." He glanced over at the other Shepherds, "No point in rushing back to our lines if they'll be right here in a day or two, we'll make camp."

Ben nodded, "Good idea."

Chrom moved towards Sakura's horse in order to gather camping materials with the others. As he walked away, Dooku leaned close to Ben once again.

"I waited to say this now in order to not worry the others," Dooku whispered, "Two more deadlords were here as well. They wiped out the Valmese guards and the Plegian mages that were here."

Ben's face darkened, "What are we dealing with then?"

Dooku took a breath, "Xanatos... and Luminara."

A rush of emotions crossed Ben's face. The mention of Xanatos caused a small flare of anger and worry to rush through the Jedi Master. Old feelings that refused to go away no matter how much time passed. But when Dooku breathed Luminara's name, a wave of sadness washed over Ben.

"The dark side can't even let the souls of our old friends rest easy." Ben sighed, "Thank you for telling me Dooku. Did you-"

"I handled them for now, but they will be back."

"I'll be ready when that happens." Ben nodded.

"You better be."

Without another word, Dooku strode away, dumping out what little remained of his tobacco from his pipe. Ben watched the Count as he strode away.

A lot of what the old man said worried Ben. Walhart had a million men at his disposal. And he had a whole second army to the south, commanded by General Yen'fay. Ben recalled that fighting force and he remembered being in awe of the pure discipline and organization he saw. Fighting that army alone would be a challenge. Fighting both Walhart and Yen'fay's armies together? Impossible.

Then the Voice went missing. The plan to turn some of Walhart's numbers against him was on hold until she was found. Hopefully, because the Voice was a powerful Manakete, she would be found easily. A powerful Manakete on the loose could be a very good or a very bad thing. And it would definitely attract attention. Likely the wrong kind of attention.

Lastly, he worried about Robin. If Robin was with the Voice, he could be in serious danger. After all, what other reasons were there for deadlords and Grimleal mages to be in the same place at the same time. Someone else wanted the Voice as well. But why?  
Ben ran his hand through his beard.

"This is getting much more complicated."

* * *

A small fire flickered in front of Noire. The bright orange flames danced, waved, and jumped. Each ember sparkled in her blue eyes. One of her hands absently played with the black gem on her talisman around her neck.

Night fell quickly over the Mila Tree. Most of the day had been spent setting up camp and trying to keep busy. Noire and Virion enjoyed a small archery competition. Virion won, but it had been a close match. Three bullseyes to two, and Noire was convinced that she got lucky to be that close. The nobleman from Rosanne was a remarkable shot.

The others watched their competition for a small while, but then they all decided to do their own thing. Gaius binged on his stash of candy, since in his own words "Whiskers is not here to tell me no". Noire chuckled a little as she recalled that comment.

Luke mostly chatted with Gaius. At first the thief was very standoffish with Luke. Which made sense, since Luke was the enemy in a battle that nearly killed both Gaius and Panne during the Plegian war. But eventually, Gaius got back to calling him Kid. And the pair chatted over meaningless nonsense, like which city they visited had the best sweets. Luke was adamant that Koto had incredible sweets. But Gaius reminded him that chocolate cake exists in Ylisstol. And the conversation spiraled into a debate from there. A debate Noire tuned out eventually.

Sakura spent most of the day tending to her horse. Lissa, and surprisingly, Lon'qu, helped her with that task. All three brushed the horse's fur to pristine shine before eventually falling off into their own conversation while Sakura cooked supper (a very delicious smelling root and vegetable soup). As Sakura cooked, Noire noticed Lissa blink in shock before glancing over at Say'ri (who took a nap on her own) several times. Lon'qu kept his distance from the two women. But Noire did notice the swordsman tended to stay closer to Lissa than to Sakura.

Dooku, Ben, and Chrom were busy talking strategy for most of the day. And when they were not discussing strategy, they rested and discussed the condition of the army and the Shepherds. Noire could hardly understand most of what they were talking about. But she did recall what Cervantes told them all. The Conqueror commanded an army of one million men. It boggled her mind. The only other army she knew of with those kind of numbers had been Grima's hordes of Risen towards the end of days in the future. It seemed like such a massive number to fathom. The longer she lingered on it, the more she wondered how the Shepherds won this war in the first place.

Her mother, Tharja, kept studying her spellbook. Her dark eyes occasionally flicked up to glance at Noire. But they were fleeting glances, nothing more.

Lucina mostly meditated off to the side of the camp. The Princess rededicated herself to her training in the force. She was a Jedi Knight now, after all. She needed to constantly train both her body and mind in order to keep up with the other force sensitives around her. Something Noire felt she should also be doing. But she had no idea where to even begin.

 _Father knows where to start._ Noire thought to herself as her fingers tapped against her talisman. A small flicker of confidence burst inside of her as she thought about approaching her father and asking him about the force. That confidence slowly ebbed away when she noticed her mother glance at her again, _He's busy though._

She let out a heavy sigh as her hand fell from her talisman. She felt the back of her palm brush against the lightsaber strapped to her hip. Noire glanced down at the beat up old hilt, drew it, and held it up in the firelight.

This was her father's weapon, but she never saw him wield it. She only ever saw drawings. Only ever recalled vague descriptions of this treasured weapon. He never went into great deal over the weapon in the future. Then again, he never really went into detail about anything. Always vague, never growing too close.

Footsteps sounded near her. Noire glanced up. She jumped a little bit as Ben held out a bowl of soup to her.

"Sakura is done cooking." He said with a small smile.

Noire gulped and gratefully took the bowl. To her great surprise, as she moved to take her first bite, her father sat down beside her. She blinked and watched as Ben scooped up a mouthful of soup. He paused as he went for a second bite and turned to her.

"Is there something on my face?" He smirked a little bit, "Other than the beard at least."

Noire uttered a sheepish laugh and quickly shook her head. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Lucina crack an eye open, glance at both of them, then close her eyes again.

She took her first bite of soup. And as always, it tasted great. If there was one thing Sakura knew how to do other fight, it was cook. A skill Sakura picked up from her father. While not the best cook in the world, both of them were decent enough cooks that their food managed to be tasty and filling. In fact, Sakura knew how to cook almost anything, except for bear. Noire remembered asking her why she would refuse to cook that meat, even if it was the only food available at the time. Sakura's reply involved turning green in the face then muttering something about a stomach ache.

"Do you like it?"

Noire blinked. Her father was talking again.

"L-like what?"

Ben nodded at her bowl, "The soup?"

Noire uttered a nervous laugh, "Uh yeah… I um.. I've had it before. Sakura does a good job cooking it. It's uh… simple."

 _I feel so awkward right now._

Noire froze as she saw her mother rise to her feet, march across the camp, and take a seat right beside her. She cast her blue eyes towards the starry heavens.

 _Have you no mercy Naga?_

Before she could get back to eating, Tharja's hand zipped out and snatched her talisman from her neck. Noire yelped as the clasp broke away, separating her from the source of her confidence.

"H-hey!" She reached for the necklace, but Tharja held it away. Ben uttered a sigh and let his spoon rest in his bowl.

"Tharja, could you not have-"

"Hm…" Tharja hummed as she studied the dark gem on the talisman closely, "Interesting."

Ben pressed his lips together. He leaned towards Noire's ear, "She's got that look now."

Noire arched an eyebrow, "Look?"

" _That_ look." Ben nodded at Tharja as she continued studying the talisman, "Something has grabbed her curiosity." Ben returned his attention, "Good luck getting it away from her now."

Noire arched an eyebrow, "Why do you say that?"

Ben let out a small laugh, "How do you think her and I got together?"

"I seem to recall I helped you through some mental trauma." Tharja hummed in reply, causing Noire to freeze.

Ben quietly chuckled, "I seem to recall you approaching me in a tavern because you were curious about me." A slight smirk crossed Tharja's lips, "And you haven't let me go since."

"The only reason I accompanied you around the world was because I was initially infatuated with Robin." Tharja replied as she flipped a page in her spellbook and rested the talisman on the page.

"So you didn't want to know what made my powers work at all?" Ben asked as a teasing sparkled danced in his eye.

"I never said that." Tharja replied. She plucked the talisman off of the page, "Very complex work…" She glanced over at Noire, "I'm keeping this."

Panic surged inside of Noire, "Y-you can't keep that it's-"

"A talisman." Tharja finished for her, "Quite the potent one too. Very well crafted. Did I make it?"

Noire gulped, "Y-yes."

A dark smirk crossed Tharja's lips, "Oh… I got very good." She snickered to herself, "Very good indeed." She returned her attention to Noire, "Confidence charm?"

Noire nodded nervously.

The smirk on Tharja's face wavered, "Why?"

Noire gulped and cast her eyes down, away from her own mother's glare. Before she could answer, Tharja's voice snapped at her.

"Look at me."

Noire tensed and raised her gaze. Tharja's dark eyes bored holes through her, leaving Noire feeling weak and vulnerable. A feeling she detested. But one she could never escape.

"Why do you feel the need to artificially build confidence?" Tharja asked her.

"I-I didn't." Noire replied. Beside her, Ben quietly listened as he ate his soup, "You did." Tharja arched an eyebrow, "Y-you said that I was a Kenobi. And Kenobi's are not fearful on or off the battlefield."

Ben let out a loud laugh, startling Noire and causing Tharja to give him a curious glance. He looked at Tharja.

"You and I really were a one time thing in the future."

"It appears so." Tharja hummed as she returned her attention to Noire, "Because if I actually knew your father the way I know him now, I would have known that he has had his moments of fear."

Noire's eyes widened, "R-really?" She snapped her head around to Ben, "You've been afraid?"

Ben took a bite of soup and nodded.

"But you're a Jedi Master." Noire continued.

"And?" Ben replied, "I've slowly come to learn that fear is a natural thing."

"But doesn't that…" Noire took a moment to collect herself, "You always said to Lucina that fear is the path to the dark side."

"How we react to fear determines that." Ben replied, "Fear itself is natural. Everyone feels it, even the greatest of Jedi Masters. And quite frankly, my future self should have known better." He tapped the side of his bowl with his right hand, "Then again, my future self was not smart enough to trust anyone in the future. I probably stunted my own growth in that regard." Ben shook his head, "I'm glad that changed."

Noire still looked at him, stunned.

"When did you feel fear?" Noire asked him.

Ben paused mid bite. Tharja gave him a slightly worried look as she noticed his eyes glaze over for a moment. Neither of them noticed Lucina cracking an eye open or Luke carefully watching them.

Ben set his spoon back down in his soup.

"When I fought my apprentice." Ben breathed, "I felt fear then."

Noire's eyes widened, "F-fought your-" She took a deep breath, "When? How? What happened?"

"Noire, slow down." Tharja admonished.

Noire's cheeks reddened, "S-sorry."

"Don't apologize." Ben replied, "You asked a question. And I am not mad that you did." He set his bowl to the side, "It is a little difficult to talk about. Even more difficult to relive. But… not as hard as it used to be. That is thanks to your mother." He took a deep breath, "I felt fear, as I fought on a small, floating platform atop a river of lava. My former apprentice, my old friend, Anakin… he was so much stronger than I was. He was stronger than I could ever hope to become. And up until that point in the duel, I had managed to hold him off but…" Ben trailed off a little bit as Mustafar flashed in his mind once again. But this time, he did not feel a sharp pain or intense sorrow. Instead, he felt regret, and a small tinge sadness, "Once we got to the river, I was so tired. And he just kept coming. The Dark Side of the Force pulsed through his very being. It powered every strike he made. It made him into a juggernaut. All I could hope for was to hold him off and pray I would find some sort of opening. And when I felt there was no opening, I felt afraid. I was cornered, exhausted, and, quite honestly, overwhelmed." He looked over at Noire, "The important thing is, I did not let that fear consume me. I remained calm, and I made up my mind on that river of lava. If Anakin was going to kill me, I was going to make him work for it."

Out of the corner of Noire's eyes, she saw Lucina's lips twist up into a slight smirk. Meanwhile, Luke listened silently. Not reacting to anything Ben said, but also not growing bored or diverting his attention somewhere else.

Ben reached to his hip and grabbed his lightsaber hilt.

"This was Anakin's lightsaber." Ben breathed. He turned the hilt over in his hand, "I took it when I cut him down that day. A reminder of the man, the friend, he once was." He nodded, "I keep it so I remember the good times we had together." Ben uttered a small laugh, "I cannot even begin to tell you how many times this weapon saved my life during the Clone Wars." His eyes rose from the hilt up to look at Luke. He smiled a little bit then turned his attention back to Noire, "Well…" Ben breathed, "There was one time I was afraid."

"Anakin was the one who betrayed the Jedi, right?" Lucina finally spoke up, opening both of her eyes and letting the force ebb away from her.

Ben glanced over at her, "Yes," He nodded, "He was. Because of his actions, and the actions of the Sith that turned him, the Jedi Order is all but extinct."

"Do you ever think about starting over?" Luke blurted out.

Ben snapped his gaze over to Luke, "What?"

Luke shrugged, "Do you ever think about trying again?" He reiterated, "Try rebuilding the Jedi Order?"

Lucina's eyes lit up, "You should!" She smiled at Noire, "I've got one candidate in mind for training."

Noire's face reddened considerably as embarrassment rushed through her.

"I'm not all that impressive and-"

"Neither was I." Ben reassured her, "But if you train and work hard enough, you will grow. Hard work will always outdo talent when talent doesn't work hard." Ben let out a heavy sigh as he placed his lightsaber back on his hip, "As for rebuilding the Jedi Order… I'm not sure I'm the right person to do that."

"Nonsense." Tharja said. She nodded over at Lucina, "You trained her well, didn't you? And Robin, despite the current problem plaguing him, has grown considerably under your tutelage."

"There were far greater masters than me in the Order. They were far better teachers than I am." Ben argued back, "And I was the one that trained the apprentice that killed us all. I hardly think that qualifies me to rebuild the order." He shook his head, "No, I will leave that to someone else, if that ever happens. I think I will be content living a quiet life, once this blasted war is finished at least."

Tharja leaned over to Noire, "I think I see where you get your low confidence from."

Lucina covered her mouth as she giggled at Ben's betrayed look. Luke snorted as he lay on his side near the fire.

"P-pardon?" Ben stammered.

Tharja snickered, stepped around Noire, and placed a kiss on Ben's lips, "You should have more confidence in yourself." She glanced at Noire, "Both of you."

She sauntered away towards her bedroll back across camp. Ready to indulge herself in her spellbook once again. Ben and Noire's eyes followed her as she walked away. Noire frowned a little bit.

"Yeah," She nodded and turned to look at Ben, "I blame you."

Ben snorted, "Doesn't everyone?" He chuckled and pushed Noire's shoulder, "Get some rest. Who knows if the army gets here tomorrow or not."

"Fine." Noire sighed and flopped back on her bedroll. Ben rose to his feet, taking his bowl of soup with him as he got up. Before he walked away, Noire tugged on his pant leg.

"Yes?" Ben asked.

"Um… do you think you can um…" Noire took a deep, calming breath, "Can you teach me more soon?"

A warm smile crossed Ben's face.

"I would love to."

* * *

Tiki glanced at Robin across their dark, barren campsite. No bedrolls, no fire, no food. Nothing that brought even a hint of comfort to any of them. Not that Tiki minded too much. She traveled often in years gone by, and never in the best of circumstances. She could rough it for a few nights if needed.

And as she sat quiet in the cold night, she stared at what had to be one of the strangest, most curious humans she had ever come across. A young man, wearing the colors of a dark mage, but so uncharacteristically bright and helpful. It presented quite a puzzle for Tiki. So far, in their short journey east in search of Robin's friends, she had been content to silently observe both him and his… frenemy, Aversa, who laid curled up off to the side, sound asleep.

Aversa appeared to be the type of person she would normally be averse to. Generally foul mannered and foul demeanored. A scowl and a snide comment always rested on Aversa's lips. Generally unlikeable and ill tempered. And Tiki did not appreciate that this woman had an apparent mission to kidnap her. But so far, she had not attempted to. And she doubted Aversa would try. Not after her little display of power against a group of undead monsters a day ago. She seemed to be the type more worried about her own skin than any sense of loyalty to a cause.

But Robin… that young man piqued her curiosity. For one, unlike so many others that came to visit her at her previous home atop the Mila Tree, he was not there for any sagely wisdom from Naga. He was not there to do her harm or to kidnap her. No, he was there to seek help for something else. Something he had yet to specify. And along the way, despite his own need for help, he made sure to help her first. He took on Gharnef, _the_ Gharnef, one of the most dangerous sorcerers the world has ever known, without a moment's hesitation. And that garnered some of Tiki's respect.

What happened when Robin attacked Gharnef drew even more of her attention than the motives behind his actions. Tiki sensed it for a brief second before her attention was taken elsewhere. Robin used the force. And a very dark form of it. A side of the force she knew existed, but had rarely seen or even experienced.

Finally, she recalled something that fiend Gharnef said. "Both of my master's targets are within my grasp". Gharnef was not only targeting her, he was targeting Robin. Buy why him? She could understand why Gharnef, and the monster he served, wanted her. But there seemed to be no obvious reason for Gharnef or Grima's interest in Robin.

She let her green eyes flick up to Robin once again. The young man insisted on staying awake and taking the first watch. At first, Tiki felt he was being overly chivalrous, so she stayed awake in an attempt to try to both decipher him and keep him company. But as they both remained awake in the quiet night, she noticed how heavy Robin's head was. How is his eyes seemed to droop, close, then snap awake every few minutes. He was exhausted, and yet he fought sleep. He refused to allow it to claim him.

Tiki quirked an eyebrow. She knew some humans struggled with sleeping. Insomnia, that is what they called it. She never witnessed it before personally, only read and heard of it. And she had a feeling the sleeplessness bothering Robin was not insomnia, but something else. Something that he could not explain.

 _Perhaps this is why he came to me for help?_ Tiki thought to herself.

Robin snorted as he jerked awake once again. He ran a hand over his eyes and gave Tiki an exhausted glance.

"You can sleep, I can-" He covered his mouth as he yawned, "I can keep watch."

Tiki laughed quietly to herself. Humans, such stubborn creatures.

"To me, it looks like you are the one that needs to sleep." She gave him a small smile as he struggled to keep his head up and meet her gaze. Tiki cleared her throat and folded her hands in her lap, "Well?"

"Hm?" Robin replied sleepily.

"I recall you saying you needed my help when we first met each other," Tiki noted, "I see no better time than now to help."

Robin furrowed his brow, "I asked you for-" He blinked, "Oh, r-right! I did, didn't I?" He uttered a sheepish laugh, "Well… um… honestly I was hoping Dooku would be the one doing the explaining on this. He understands the problem more than I do."

"Dooku?" Tiki hummed, "Is that the friend you mentioned before?"

Robin nodded, "Yes. We um, we reached the Mila Tree and those Deadlords ambushed us."

Tiki's eyes widened a little bit. Deadlords, so there was more than Gharnef at the Mila Tree. That was a sobering fact that gave her some pause. One deadlord was a problem. Multiple was a threat.

"He took on two of them while I ran to get to you." Robin admitted. Some shame entered his eyes, "Honestly, I feel like I should have stayed and fought by his side. But the old man insisted I run to you. He said that I'd be safer by you than near him."

Tiki raised her brow, "By me?" _This Dooku knows much more than even Robin realizes if he realized it was safer to be by me than anywhere else._

"Y-yeah." Robin took a breath, "He said you were extremely powerful. And after seeing how you destroyed those Risen, I think he might have underestimated you a little bit."

Tiki chuckled lightly, "People tend to do that." She gave him a gentle smile. To her slight amusement, she noticed his face both pale and blush at the same time.

 _The fangs must still be out._ She laughed to herself.

"So," Tiki continued, "Why do you need my help?"

Robin swallowed. He flicked his eyes down at his lap as another wave of shame washed over him. His aura fluctuated. Tiki sensed tremendous fear and sadness take over the exhausted man. And with that fear came a pulse in the force that caused her breath to hitch. A dark pulse that subtly drifted through the cold air like a gentle ripple. Barely noticeable, even to those that are aware of the force's existence.

"I um…" Robin raised his eyes, "You see there is this type of… magic, I guess would be the best way to describe it, called-"

"The Force." Tiki finished for him.

Robin fumbled his next few words and stammered into a jabbering mess for a moment. He caught himself, took a breath to collect his thoughts, then pressed his hands together.

"How?"

Tiki chuckled again, "Not all unknown things are unknown to everyone."

Robin narrowed his eyes at her, "You know the force, don't you?"

Tiki folded her legs and let her hands rest on her knees as she sat across from Robin, "I know of it." She explained, "But… the way you use it is rather new to me. I have never seen someone summon lightning the way you did. Nor have I felt such a powerful…"

She trailed off. Would it be rude to mention how the force felt around him? Humans had rather strange norms. And in this case, she did not want to upset those norms. Robin seemed to be a kind, brave person. Someone she could get along with quite well actually. In fact, he reminded her of some old friends she had in days so far gone that many living today viewed them as myth. For some reason, she did not wish to offend someone who quite clearly wished to assist her as much as he desired her assistance.

"Darkness?" Robin said, voice quiet.

Tiki gave him a small nod, "There are very few I have encountered in my long life with such a cold darkness inside of them, Robin." She took a deep breath as she steadied her own heart, "Gharnef was one of them. But normally, when such a darkness has a hold on a person, it is their entire being. It defines who they are. It dictates their actions. But with you…" She hummed to herself, "You are different. You resist that darkness, but at the same time, you use it when you have to. Why?"

Robin swallowed hard, "Well… I don't exactly know how to control it."

"Do you let your emotions get the better of you?"

Robin frowned, "Isn't that part of being human?"

Tiki shrugged, "I wouldn't know."

Robin's cheeks reddened in slight embarrassment, "R-right because you are-"

Tiki laughed, "You did not offend me, Robin. It is a fact, I am not human." She shifted in her seat, trying to find a more comfortable spot on the hard ground, "So, you cannot control these sudden bursts of dark power?"

"Well… no. And yes, I guess." Robin rubbed the back of his neck, "It happens when I feel like I'm in danger. And when others I care about are in danger. It um…" He went quiet for a moment. A glaze went over his tired eyes. A look Tiki had seen many times before in other humans long ago. The gaze of a man who has seen violence that he wishes he could forget, but will never be able to. "I lost control during a battle in Charlet." Robin sniffed, "And I ended up killing a good friend of mine."

Tiki's heart stopped in her chest. She carefully watched Robin as he sniffled and wiped at tears threatening to come from his eyes. Pain and sadness came off of him in waves.

"I-I-" Robin gulped, "I don't know what is going on? One of my friends, Ben, he is trained in this sort of thing. And he says that I am tapping into something called the Dark Side of the Force. But I hardly even understand the… Light Side I guess? How could I possibly tap into the dark when my own understanding of it all is mediocre at best? How can I be so powerful and dangerous when I barely even know what I am doing? And worst of all, none of us know what is causing this. Ben and Dooku think something else is at work but…" Robin took a shaky breath, "What if something else isn't causing this? What if it is me? What if I am that dangerous and there is nothing that can be done about it?"

Tiki remained quiet as a tear dripped down his cheek. His chin quivered as he struggled to contain his emotions. Fear radiated out of him. He did not fear the Deadlord tracking them, he did not fear the possibility of Risen chasing them, he did not even fear the fangs occasionally peeking out from behind her lips. Robin feared himself.

She rose from her seat and quietly moved across the camp over to his side. Without a word, she took a seat beside him. Robin gulped, sniffled, then wiped at his eyes with the back of his coat sleeve.

"Now, I can't sleep." Robin continued, "I close my eyes, and I see me killing Miriel all over again. I see some dark monster inside of my mind, daring me to give in and sink even further into this madness. Madness that I want no part of." A shuddering breath shook out of his lungs, "All I want to do is help my friends. All I want to do, is make sure they all survive this war we have gotten ourselves into here in Valm. And now, I am incapable of even doing that. Gods, I can't even take care of myself right now. All because I am too afraid of what I see when I close my eyes." He glanced over at her, "So…" He swallowed again, "What do you think is wrong with me?"

Tiki furrowed her brow. What was wrong with him? To her, that seemed like the wrong question to be asking. These dark powers were sparked by fear. That much Tiki had discerned. And they were growing. What especially concerned her now, was Robin's lack of well-being. The nightmares he described were hindering any chance he had of rationally combating this problem. In fact, they exacerbated the central issue, fear.

"Close your eyes." Tiki breathed.

Robin blinked. A wave of fear rushed out of him.

"You are not going to sleep." Tiki reassured him, "Just trust me."

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. As soon as his eyes were closed, Tiki reached for a small leather pouch on her hip. Her fingers wrapped around a warm, luminous gemstone that glowed with a faint, white light inside of the pouch. As soon as her fingers brushed against the stone, power coursed through her body. Her breath hitched at the sensation.

Wordlessly, she removed the gem from the pouch and held it tight in her right hand. Then she closed her eyes.

Power erupted inside of her. Overpowering, raw, and terrifying; she trembled a little bit as Azure's light erupted in her hand. It quickly engulfed both her and Robin. Through the whir in her ears, she heard Aversa wake up, utter an alarmed cry, and snarl their names. But her voice faded as the air howled around her.

Then… all went still. The air calmed, the noise died away, and the sensation of power steadied inside of her. Tiki inhaled, exhaled, then opened her eyes.

A cluttered room surrounded her and Robin. Books were stacked from floor to ceiling around the room. Even more sat on dusty bookshelves surrounding the dark walls. Torches burned along the walls as well, casting the cluttered, dusty room in a faint orange glow. Against the far wall from where they stood, sat a desk. Papers rested on top of the desk. Arranged neat and tidy. The desk did not have a speck of dust on it. Several books rested on the desk as well. Stacked neatly in a clean row beside a pair of full inkwells.

Tiki furrowed her brow. Robin took a breath.

"Can I open my eyes?"

She jumped, "Oh, um, yes." She uttered a slight laugh, "Go ahead."

Robin cracked his weary eyes open. His eyes widened and his jaw dropped.

"Wh-where-" He looked around, "What in Naga's name is-" He paused and cringed, "Sorry."

Tiki uttered a small laugh, "No worries. If I were in your situation, I would use the same expression. Even if I'm technically supposed to be in service to her."

She glanced around the cramped space. So much knowledge stored in this little room. But all of it seemed untouched, dusty, and old. Cobwebs clung to several stacks of books and scrolls.

"What is this place?" Robin asked.

Tiki brushed her finger along the spine of dusty book with a cracked spine, "Your mind." She answered simply. Robin gave her a stunned look, "Or, what is supposed to be your mind. Honestly, I haven't done this very often. Results tend to vary."

"My mind…" Robin breathed. He looked around then walked up to one of the tallest stacks of books. He did not recognize any of the titles or texts. But when he brushed his hand along the dusty spines, a strange feeling of nostalgia washed over him. A small chuckle rushed from his lips, "I need to do some housekeeping in here."

Tiki chuckled as well, "It looks like some things have been forgotten."

Robin glanced over at her, "Oh, you have no idea." He turned his attention to another strangely foreign, yet familiar stack of books, "I guess I shouldn't be surprised. I'm an amnesiac after all."

Tiki blinked, "You failed to mention that."

Robin cringed, "Yeah well, it never exactly came up."

"Fair point." Tiki shrugged as she glanced at more volumes of books and scrolls.

Eventually, she drifted over to the spotless desk at the other end of the room. Her eyes scanned the several texts resting on the desk. Most of them had to do with military tactics of one form or another. Another was a spellbook. She plucked the spellbook from the desk.

"You're a mage?" She asked.

"Partially." Robin answered as he continued to look in wonder at the space that was his mind, "I have a bit of an affinity for magic. But I prefer tactics to spellcraft."

Tiki glanced at the volumes on strategy once again, "I can see that." She hummed, she placed the spellbook back on the desk then turned her attention to the pieces of parchment and inkwells.

Behind her, Robin tugged a book from one stack. He blew the dust from the blank, brown cover.

"Strange," He muttered, "This one has no title."

He cracked it open. The first thing he saw was a drawing of a woman. She seemed young, but older than his friends. Midnight black hair ran down in long locks from her head. Emerald eyes stared back at him from the drawing. She wore Grimleal attire. Flowing purple and gold robes that seemed very light covered her lean form. Perfect for the desert heat.

A deep sense of knowing filled Robin. He furrowed his brow as he looked down at the drawing.

"Who are you?" He muttered under his breath.

"Are you aware that your thoughts are blank on these pieces of parchment?" Tiki asked.

Robin blinked and tore his gaze away from the drawing, "What?"

Tiki lifted a blank piece of paper from the desk, "Empty." She said with a slight smirk, "Not thinking of anything at the moment?"

Robin stared back at her. And for a split second, his cheeks blushed. Tiki gave him a knowing look.

"Not anything you want me to know about." She smirked at him, "I see."

"I uh- well-" Robin cleared his throat, tore his gaze away from Tiki, and closed the book with drawing, "What is the point of us being here?"

Tiki laughed lightly to herself before setting the blank page down, "The point is for us to figure out what is causing you to be so fearful." She put a finger to her chin, "It cannot be anything from your past, since by our own admission, you do not remember your past."

Robin nodded carefully, "Correct."

"So by that logic," Tiki turned her attention back to the desk, "It has to be something there."

Robin frowned, "Wouldn't it just be the events that happened in Charlet causing this fear?"

"Did the fear start in Charlet?"

Robin went silent, "No." He finally answered.

Tiki nodded, "The events in Charlet magnified the fear, but it did not cause it. Something else is causing these dark powers inside of you to burst forth. Now we must find out what."

Tiki scanned the items on the desk once again. All of it appeared mostly surface level. Stuff Robin happened to be interested in. Basic thoughts and habits he relied upon on a daily basis. From what she saw, Robin was clearly a very intelligent man. And a curious one at that. He had a hunger for knowledge that bordered on an obsession. Anything new, especially when it was about magic or tactics, he needed to know. And he would apply that newfound knowledge in ways that best helped those he cared about. It caused some admiration to build up inside of her. Most people would use such intelligence for their own personal gain, yet Robin used it to help others. It reminded her of someone else she once traveled with over a thousand years ago. A brave, selfless soul that used his great skills to help those in need.

Before her melancholy could overtake her, she noticed a latch hidden beneath the top of the desk. She arched an eyebrow and reached for it.

"Do you mind?" She asked Robin.

Robin shrugged, "If you think it will help."

She flicked the latch open.

The top of the desk flipped open. The books flew off of the wooden top. The papers fluttered into the wind. The inkwells clattered to the ground, spilling their contents all over the ground. A wave of penetrating, icy air blasted against Tiki from inside of the desk. Her breath rushed from her lungs as shadows erupted from the desk and consumed the room around them.

"Tiki." Robin breathed nervously, "What is going on?"

Tiki whipped her head around as the shadows moved like sentient beings made of smoke. They jumped and dove through the air, consumed the stacks of books around them in darkness. And as the shadows grew, two distinct whispers started to come from the desk.

" _Well, well, well… look who woke us up."_

" _ **Feed… I hunger… must feed..."**_

" _I know you are hungry, my parasitic companion. But perhaps we should give our guests a proper greeting."_

Two large shadows erupted from desk. One was a formless clump of darkness. But it was black as coal and cold as the deepest of winters. Tiki shivered as it brushed by her. And when it brushed past her, she heard it utter a draconic snarl. One that caused her eyes to open wide.

" _ **Child of Naga… your soul would be most satisfying."**_

" _Oh… we have a very important visitor then?"_

The second shadow dwarfed the first. And unlike the first, it had form. It took the shape of a tall, lanky man. Tiki and Robin could not see any facial features in the shadows, but it did possess two glowing red eyes that glared down at them with mild amusement.

Robin stared at both shadows, stunned and afraid. Tiki quashed whatever fear she felt inside of herself. She stood taller and stared up at the second shadow's lidless, red eyes.

"Hello." Tiki breathed, "To whom do I owe the pleasure?"

" _ **Aren't we supposed to be asking the invader that?"**_

The second shadow chuckled, " _Yes, but we can forgive such a lapse in manners. Can't we, my draconic friend?"_

The first voice growled low.

" _Ignore him, he has primal urges that he allows to control his thoughts and actions. Usually they get us into more trouble than they are worth."_

" _ **It is thanks to those urges that we exist."**_

" _And thanks to those urges we have been reduced to this state. A state we are now nearly free from."_

"Care to elaborate?" Tiki asked, face resembling stone as she remained strong in the face of an overwhelming, dark presence emanating from both shadows.

The second shadow chuckled, " _You hope for us to give away the game before it has even begun? Darling,"_ The shadow's mocking laughter rang throughout the room, " _you think the game has only just started? You are wrong. It has been played many times before. And now, we are reaching its final stages. And there is nothing you can do to stop it."_

" _ **For we are the end…"**_

" _And we are a new beginning."_

" _ **I shall consume all life."**_

" _And we shall rule what remains."_

Tiki's heart hammered in her chest as the first shadow crept up the wall in front of her. Six red circles winked to life on the shadow. Her heart jumped to her throat.

" _ **Do**_ _you_ _ **see**_ _what_ _ **it is**_ _y_ _ **ou**_ _f_ _ **a**_ _c_ _ **e**_ _now?"_

She reached for her pocket and drew the gemstone. It's bright light burst to life in her hand as she let her power surge inside of it. The shadows hissed as the light bit into them.

"Do you understand who you face, Fellspawn!?" She snarled in reply. They shrank away from her light, "Back to your prison!"

The second voice chuckled, " _Yes, back to our prison. Where we will wait oh so patiently. For we already know you cannot destroy us. No one can. The end has come, are you ready to witness it, Child of my Sister?"_

Tiki's face paled. The gemstones light wavered

"Wh-what?"

"TIKI!"

Robin's shoved her to the side as the first shadow surged towards her. The first shadow uttered a loud roar that rang in her ears as it slammed into Robin. In the blink of an eye, Robin's eyes changed from their kind, weary brown to a burning yellow color. His presence changed from courageous and selfless, to dark, evil.

She needed to end this, before it was too late.

Tiki thrust the gemstone into the air again, this time channeling even more of her draconic powers through it. The light erupted, turning as bright as the sun. Daylight pierced the fog of shadows that engulfed her and Robin. Both shadows screeched as they were bashed back into their prison within the once spotless desk. Once they were inside, Tiki rushed forward and slammed it closed, locking the latch as soon as it clicked shut.

She exhaled as the light from the gemstone faded back to it faint, white color. Exhaustion slammed into her. Before long, the cluttered room faded along with all of the books. The dark forest surrounding the Mila Tree came into view once again. She could see Robin sitting across from her, sweat soaking his brow. His face pale and clammy.

Aversa stood a few paces behind him, awestruck as the light around Tiki faded entirely and the gemstone's hum died away.

The gemstone fell from her grasp and hit the earth by her feet with a soft thud. Tiki shivered and looked down at her hand. It felt like it was on fire. The flesh on her palm had turned red. Some of it started to peel from the amount of power she poured into the gemstone. Mentally, she cursed.

 _What was I thinking?_

Robin blinked his eyes open, groaned, then tipped forward.

"Robin!" Tiki caught him.

Ragged breaths rushed from his lungs.

"That was…" Robin exhaled, "That was something."

He was shaking uncontrollably. Tiki placed a hand on his forehead.

 _He's cold._

"Fire." Tiki ordered Aversa.

Aversa frowned, "But that Deadlord-"

"Will face my wrath if he dares to come near here, but we need a fire now!"

The way she bared her fangs must've spurred the dark mage into action. Within moments, a small fire burned beside her and Robin. Tiki reached up to her neck and undid the clasp of her pink cape. She then gently laid Robin's head in her lap and placed the cape over his shivering form.

Robin's half lidded eyes glanced up at her.

"That could've gone better?" He muttered weakly.

Tiki let out a slight, weary laugh, "It could have." She brushed a hand over his freezing forehead, "Close your eyes and rest. What happened was quite taxing for you."

His eyes slowly started to close.

"You know," Robin mumbled, "Laying right here is not a bad thing to have happen before falling asleep." He let out a weak yawn then his eyes closed, "Just thought you would like to know…"

He fell asleep, thankfully. Tiki let out a long exhale and sagged in her seat as her own exhaustion crashed down on top of her. Every muscle in her body felt like it had been set on fire. Her eyes felt heavy. Her head nodded every time she attempted to raise it.

Leaves crunched near her. Normally, Tiki would be alert when she heard such a noise. But the amount of power the gemstone took from her drained her entirely.

"What just happened?" She heard Aversa ask.

Tiki raised her green eyes up. She gave Aversa an exhausted look, "I think I found out what is plaguing Robin's mind."

Aversa arched an eyebrow, "You mean beyond a case of stupidity and annoying selflessness?"

Tiki let out a weak laugh. She shook her head, "Even worse." She breathed, "I think the Fell Dragon himself is in there. And… he is not alone either."

Naga, she just wanted to lie down and fall asleep. Every fiber of her being desired rest. It was a struggle to prevent herself from giving in.

"Y-you're joking?" Aversa laughed nervously, "Right? You have to be joking? The Fell Dragon can't just inhabit someone?"

Tiki's head nodded. It was no use. Sleep would claim her. And when it did, Aversa would have her opportunity to kidnap her. She slowly shook her head,

"I saw him." Tiki murmured.

Aversa paled.

"Six eyes." Tiki hummed as her eyes drooped, "A rumbling growl. And an insatiable… hunger…"

Her eyes closed. And sleep claimed her.

 **And chapter! Ruminations and Revelations, definitely an appropriate title for this chapter I think. We had a lot of interesting stuff come to light in this chapter. Some of it good, and some of it very, very bad. And we get a lot more of Tiki, which was very fun to write. She's a tough character for me to write, so when I do get to write her, it is an enjoyable challenge. I hope I've done a good job with her so far.**

 **Come join the Treehouse! Where we discuss writing stuff, fandom stuff, and basically just hang out! Discord is: 9XG3U7a**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	107. Windu

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 107

Windu

A sharp, shrill hum pierced Han's ears, and his eyes opened. Through his bleary vision, he noticed a red light blinking on and off on the control panel in front of him. He kept his head lying back, pressed against the leather of the pilot's chair as he stared at the blinking red light. The Falcon was telling him something was not working right… again.

He closed his eyes and let out a loud sigh. Reluctantly, he let his feet slide down off of the console and back down onto the floor. Once he opened his eyes, he cleared his throat and forced his stiff body to sit upright. One hand reached up and wiped at the sleep still lingering in his right eye.

 _What time is it?_ He glanced at the clock in the cockpit and grimaced, _Way too early._

He smacked his dry lips together and shifted in his seat once again, trying his best to find a comfortable spot on the old, flattened leather cushion beneath him. He yawned and stared at the light blinking on the console once again.

"Damn it." He muttered.

He smacked the console hard with his right hand. The light stopped blinking. Han drew back in mild surprise.

"Huh…" He raised his brow, "That was easier than I-"

A yellow light started blinking in its place, causing a long scowl to fall on his face.

"Alright old girl, that's how we're going to be is it?" He spun his chair to face the multiple computer screens lining the cockpit wall. He studied the different readings, "What is going on with you now?"

Life supports were running fine. The shield generator hummed beautifully. No immediate repair notices flashed, which meant most of the vital systems were running perfectly normal. Well, as normal as the beautiful bucket of bolts could run. Fuel levels were not great, but there was enough fuel for them to make it to ... wherever the hell they needed to get to.

Han sighed as he tapped his finger against a gauge measuring the fuel in the Millennium Falcon. As he tapped it, the gauge dropped a little bit.

"Kriff." He hissed beneath his breath.

They would have to make port soon. A dangerous task now, since they failed to deliver Jabba's shipment of spice to the buyer on time. Han ran his hands through his brown hair and leaned back in his seat, eyes focused on the fuel gauge.

Jabba would be pissed, and the last thing anyone, criminal or honest fool alike, wanted to do was piss off Jabba the Hutt. The shipment Han was given to smuggle was a large one. Worth nearly ten thousand credits. And thanks to a couple of stowaways, a bad stop on Ord Mantell, and a pissed off slaver chasing them, that spice still resided in their assigned compartments. Unsold, undelivered, and out of circulation.

Han gulped as he glanced over his shoulder at the Falcon's main corridor. The spice sat in compartments hidden beneath the floor. A clever little smuggler's trick he picked up when he first broke into the business. It had served him well so far. Helped him make a decent living and avoid any local authorities.

 _Maybe I can hide myself in them until Jabba gives up._

Because of his failure, the Hutt would hunt him down. Han now had a debt to pay. A massive one at that.

 _All because of that idiot girl._

Footsteps padded softly down the corridor. Han frowned and glanced over his shoulder. An exasperated sigh left his lips and he spun around to face the emptiness of space.

 _Speak of the devil…_

Kjelle shuffled into the cockpit. Her brown hair unkempt and dripping with sweat. Heavy bags sat under her eyes. Her entire body appeared hunched as she wrapped a thin blanket tighter around her body and sat down in the co-pilot's seat beside Han. Her weary brown eyes stared straight out at the massive expanse of stars twinkling beyond the confines of the Falcon's cockpit.

Han glanced over at her as he sat quietly in his own seat. This was new. Normally, whenever Kjelle came barging in here, it was to bellow something at him. The girl was abnormally loud, and not in a good way. Smugglers needed to be quiet, not attract attention. Very hard to do when you have a loud mouth, loud attitude, and a ridiculously loud set of armor.

 _What is that stuff even made of? Old fashioned iron?_ Han snorted to himself and shook his head, _Does she think she lives in some sort of fairy tale?_

A heavy breath sounded from Kjelle.

"Can't sleep either?" She asked, her voice strangely still and quiet.

Han glanced at her, "I was sleeping just fine." He nodded at the still blinking yellow light on the ship's console, "Then that started blinking."

Kjelle furrowed her brow a little bit, "Shouldn't you be worried-"

Han shook his head, "We're still breathing and still flying. As long as both of those things keep happening, we shouldn't be in any sort of trouble." He let out a sigh, "Unlike the past few days."

Kjelle frowned back, "What do you mean?"

Han rolled his gaze to her, "Are you that oblivious? First, I take you on as a favor. Kept you from ending up a slave to the Hutts, you're welcome by the way." Kjelle's frown deepened, "Then you pulled some ridiculous shit with gangsters and a slaver on Ord Mantell. A slaver that, by the way, caused me to miss my delivery."

"That slaver was trying to sell my friend." Kjelle snarled back, her voice still strangely quiet.

"I don't care if they were trying to sell your mother. You have put all of us at risk with that stunt."

"How?"

"How!?" Han leaned closer to her, nearly shaking in his seat as he felt a sudden flare of anger in him, "Gee, where do I start? We have a slaver that is tracking us down and trying to kill us. Which forced us to make an unscheduled stop to a planet under siege by the Empire. People that I am even less enthusiastic about running into than our slaver. And the cherry on top of all of that, we now have a half dead guy in the medical hold." Han huffed and sank further into his seat, "A bunch of bantha crap."

"So you're upset that we've helped others?"

Han gave her an incredulous look, "I don't give a damn about helping others, sweetheart." Kjelle's frown turned into a scowl, "The only thing I care about," He pointed a finger at his chest, "Is me, and my survival. A goal that is now at risk because we missed the drop."

"It can't be that bad." Kjelle muttered.

"The drop was for the most powerful gangster in the outer rim."

Kjelle gave him a confused look, "What's a gangster?"

Han's eyes widened. Frustration exploded in him. And he could do nothing now, except laugh.

"You really must be from the middle of nowhere to not know who Jabba the Hutt is." Han breathed between frustrated chuckles, "That guy makes our friendly slaver look nice. And now, because we missed the drop, I owe him a lot of money. And if I can't pay up…" Han trailed off as realization dawned on Kjelle.

"Oh."

"Yeah, oh." Han nodded, "So thank you, sweetheart. You turned my week completely upside down." He folded his arms, "I guess that is the other reason I'm not sleeping right now. I'm too busy trying to figure a way out of this mess you've gotten me into." He uttered a frustrated growl as the yellow light started blinking red again, "Damn it all!" He spun his chair to face the computers on the wall, "What the hell is… oh…" Han's shoulders fell, "kriff."

"What?" Kjelle asked.

"The hyperdrive is leaking." Han cursed again, "And if we stop anywhere, Jabba will hear about it. And so will our slaver. Then we are really in trouble. I don't want to meet a bounty hunter anytime soon." He noticed Kjelle pale quickly, "Oh, you know what a bounty hunter is?"

Kjelle nodded, "Heard of em in stories and stuff my mother used to tell me." She shifted in her seat. The blanket slipped down from her shoulders a little bit. Kjelle pulled it back up over her shivering body, "Damn it, it's cold in here."

"It's space, get used to it." Han commented. He frowned at the computer readouts again, "We've got no choice."

Kjelle sat quiet as Han started putting calculations into the Nav Computer. Her eyes followed his fingers as they danced over several buttons and controls. Various screens flashed different images and readouts, all of them confusing to her.

"What are you doing now?"

"Using what is left of our Hyperdrive to get to the nearest spaceport. Hopefully we can get it repaired there."

"And where is the nearest spaceport?"

"I'm trying to figure that out, give me a minute." Han growled as he kept his back turned to her. He rose from his seat and moved to the navigator's chair behind the co-pilot's seat. He studied a screen riddled with incomprehensible star charts, "Let's see…" He mumbled, "No, Nar Shadda is a bad idea." Kjelle furrowed her brow as he talked to himself, "We don't want to go anywhere near the core worlds. Hm…" His eyes lit up, "Hold on a moment. Is that?" He dashed back into the pilot's seat, "Son of bitch, it is him." He breathed as he started plugging in coordinates.

"Who?" Kjelle asked.

"And old friend. Real smooth talker. And one of the best con men I know. You'll like him."

Kjelle arched an eyebrow, "Why would I like a con man?"

Han kept working on the computers, "You're still talking to me, aren't you?"

Kjelle's cheeks flushed in mild embarrassment. She grit her teeth and tore her gaze away from Han. The smuggler put the final touches to the hyperdrive calculations then punched the accelerator.

The Falcon lurched, throwing Kjelle back into her seat. The stars surrounding the cockpit turned to bright streaks of light. A loud roar filled the ship, and the Falcon shot forward. Once the roar died away, Kjelle exhaled. In that moment, she realized she was holding onto the armrest of the co-pilot's chair for dear life. Her knuckles were white even when she let go.

Han exhaled and leaned back in his seat, placing his hands behind his head. A content smile on his lips.

"We may just get out of this situation." He breathed.

Kjelle pursed her lips, "How do you plan on doing that?"

"Well-" Han paused as he thought hard for a moment, "You see what I have in mind is-" He trailed off again, pressed his lips into a thin line, and huffed, "Just let me do my thing."

"You have no idea." Kjelle groaned as she massaged her forehead.

"Hey, I've been in much stickier situations than this." Han pointed out.

Kjelle gave him an incredulous look. Then, to Han's surprise, she started to giggle uncontrollably.

"What?"

Kjelle covered her mouth, "What kind of sticky situations?"

She threw her head back and laughed as his cheeks turned red. He opened and closed his mouth several times as he tried to come up with a response. In the end, he just turned his attention back to the various ship readouts on his left.

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up." He grumbled.

"Oh," Kjelle chuckled more. But as she spoke, her laughed started to die in her throat, "It's um… it's been awhile since I've laughed like that. At something so stupid too. Honestly that was a joke someone like Morgan would make."

Han arched an eyebrow, "Morgan?"

He blinked in surprise as Kjelle's mirthful mood suddenly changed. Sadness washed over her face, replacing her bright grin with a look that bordered on sorrowful. The shine in her brown eyes faded as she glanced down at her lap. Her hands wrung together beneath the blanket covering her.

"A good friend of mine." Kjelle answered, voice quiet once again, "One of my good friends actually."  
"You mean like lizard girl back there?" Han remarked as he kicked his feet up on the ship's console once again.

"You mean Nah." Kjelle breathed, "Yeah, Morgan and Nah are part of a pretty close group of friends I have."

Han furrowed his brow. Usually she berated him for not using the other girl's name. Told him it was rude and that he should treat her better than that. But this time, Kjelle simply corrected him.

He glanced at her some more. He could see Kjelle still shivering beneath her blanket. But he had a feeling that it wasn't just because it felt cold. The sadness he saw on her face made him believe there was more to her newfound quietness than he initially believed.

"Alright," He sighed, folding his hands in his lap, "What is going on?"

"Hm?"

Han nodded at her, "Something's eating at you. And don't deny it, I'm not stupid."

Kjelle exhaled. She fidgeted with her hands some more before finally answering.

"You're awake because you're worried about you and your ship." Kjelle breathed, "I'm awake because I relieved a horrible memory in my sleep." She glanced over at Han, "Han, the planet I am from… well… there is a massive war going on. One that is apocalyptic in scale."

Han fell deathly silent as she spoke.

"There were only a few of us left when another friend of mine, Lucina, opened the portal that was supposed to save us all." Kjelle gulped, "But that night… we lost the war that night. And when we jumped through that portal in a desperate attempt to escape, we were all separated from each other." A shuddering breath rattled from her lungs, "I guess I should say I'm scared. I mean, I've seen some serious shit for someone as young as I am. I've watched people be torn apart by monsters you could not even imagine in your worst nightmares, Han. I've fought in hopeless battles, just praying that somehow I'll survive and those I care about will survive with me. And through all of that crap, I had my friends by my side. Now…" Kjelle shook her head and looked out at the blue tunnel of hyperspace that surrounded the Millenium Falcon, "Nah may be here, but she was never the most sociable of us. I feel a little alone, and lost. The rest of my friends need me, and here I am on a ship in the middle of space. Naga, knows where my friends are." She tucked her knees up onto her chair, "And the monster that started the war is still out there, ready to finish the job."

Han eyed Kjelle as she fell into silence. This was a different side to her than what he was used to. Kjelle personified toughness. During the short time he had known her, he had learned that Kjelle was not one to back down from a challenge or a fight. She was always training herself to be better than anyone else in battle. Partially so she could declare herself as the strongest, but also to protect others. A notion that, in Han's experience, only managed to get someone in trouble.

But he could understand why she felt the need to help those that were helpless. If what she just told him was true, she came from a war torn world where acts of kindness like that were a rarity. Hell, he came from that kind of place. Not a war torn one, but one that resembled a war zone. The slums of Corellia were a living hell to most. Few ever managed to get out of them in one piece, much less survive for any long period of time. Maybe that was why he found himself suddenly in a chivalrous mood.

"I'm sure your friends are out there, sweetheart." He said, not adding the venom to the nickname he dubbed Kjelle with when they first met, "And I'm betting, wherever they are, they're looking for you too."

Kjelle swallowed hard, "That's an unexpectedly nice thing for you to say."

Han nodded his head back and forth, "Yeah well… I'm not all that bad, okay?"

Light footsteps rushed into the cockpit, abruptly ending their conversation.

"Kjelle!" Nah cried.

Kjelle and Han both spun in their seats to face the little Manakete. Her eyes were wide as she struggled to catch her breath.

"The dead guy is awake."

* * *

 _Why do I have to watch the half dead guy?_

Hondo frowned, leaned back in his chair, and glanced over at the Korun man. He folded his hands behind his head and leaned back further, kicking his legs up on a crate filled with medical supplies. Medical supplies that were recently used on said Korun man still passed out on the medical table.

 _That has to be uncomfortable._ Hondo thought as he observed the hard slab of metal the man slept on, _But at least we gave him a pillow._

He shrugged to himself and reached for a spot beside his chair, on the floor, where he kept a bottle of brandy he found in the ship's pantry. Did Han and Chewie say he could have it? No, but they also did not say he couldn't. As far as the Wee'quay was concerned, as long as he abided by the specific rules given to him, he had free reign on the ship.

He took a long, slow sip from the bottle of brandy. A slight, squeamish feeling hit his gut as the burning liquid hit his palate. He grunted and wiped at his mouth before setting the bottle back in its spot.

"Humans and their strange taste." He muttered before glancing back at the Korun.

Hondo did not really pay much attention to the guy when Chewie, Kjelle, and Han brought him on board. He was more concerned with acquainting himself with the Falcon's systems. Call it the inner pirate in him, but he knew that this hunk of junk was much more valuable that it looked. If he could pinch it, then he would have one of the best pirate starships in the galaxy. Of course, that meant getting past Han, who he was slowly starting to like.

 _Even if he tries to act tough._

Then he'd have to get by Chewie. And well… there is a reason people say it is wise to never upset a Wookie. Hondo was not keen on the idea of angering the behemoth mountain of hair and muscle that was Han's partner in crime. Unless he had a blaster handy, the Wookie would take care of him rather easily.

Then there was Kjelle and her little lizard, dragon, friend Nah. And they were the main reason he still held off on any plans to try and take the Falcon for himself and start a new crew of space pirates. Mostly because he greatly enjoyed Kjelle's company, even if she probably did not enjoy his. And Nah, despite being a tad dry for his taste, showed remarkable intelligence for such a youthful person. He enjoyed having conversations with her regarding everything from favorite literature (it had been a while since he read a book, but he could still hold that conversation), to the number of times they have nearly been killed. Which was alarmingly high for someone as young as Nah.

Hondo hummed to himself and looked at the Korun.

 _Not as high as this guy._

The wounds on the Korun were, to put it simply, horrific. Long lines of blackened scars ran likes strands of spider silk over his face and upper body. His right arm was mechanical from the upper arm down. Judging by how crude the cybernetics were, Hondo had to guess it was a patchwork job, meant to only hold together long enough to get… whatever this guy wanted to do done. Then there were the obvious wounds from his long fall from the cliffs near Naboo's palace. Several broken bones, multiple abrasions and gashes from the jungle canopy he crashed through, bruises that turned his already torn up skin a myriad of different colors. Honestly, Hondo wondered how this guy was even alive after taking such an apparent beating.

 _One tough son of a bitch._ Hondo thought to himself before sipping the brandy again, making a face, and setting it to the side. _Why do I keep drinking that? Oh right, there is nothing else to drink on this ship._ He huffed, _That'll change when we make port._

Small footsteps moved towards the medical room. Hondo flicked his dark eyes over to the doorway, where little Nah stood, half awake. The green haired girl uttered a loud yawn and rubbed at one eye.

"You can fix that with more sleep." Hondo chuckled quietly as she trudged in and took a seat near the wounded Korun man.

She shook her head and placed a hand of the man's forehead.

"I must periodically check up on him. It is only the right thing to do."

Hondo snorted, "Why do you think I'm in here?"

She glanced at him, "You don't strike me as the kind of person that enjoys doing the right thing."

Hondo feigned a hurt expression, "My dear, you wound me. While I may be a pirate, I have always held a strict code of honor when I engage in my profession."

"Is that why you tried to drug and sell Kjelle?"

Her monotone question caught him off guard. Hondo cleared his throat.

"Well um…" _Careful Hondo, this girl can turn into a massive lizard beast that can eat you._ "We all make mistakes."

Nah narrowed her eyes at him, "Kjelle may trust you a little bit. But I certainly do not. Touch her again, and I will eat you."

Hondo swallowed then uttered a nervous laugh, "I do not doubt it." He quickly reached for the bottle and guzzled down a large gulp. A long gasp rushed from his lungs as he yanked it away from his lips.

 _I'm on a ship with a rookie smuggler, a teleporting girl, a lizard girl that can eat me, and a temperamental wookie._ He massaged his right temple, _This is almost as bad as that time I captured those two Jedi and Count Dooku._

Nah furrowed her brow. Her long ears twitched and she flicked her eyes back to the Korun Male. A worried look flashed over her face.

"What's wrong now?" Hondo asked.

Nah frowned, "I'm not-"

He moved in a flash. The Korun male surged from the medical table, knocking Nah over in the process. Before Hondo could even blink, the man had his hand wrapped around the Wee'quay's throat. Hondo wheezed as he was shoved hard up against the Falcon's wall. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Nah quickly scamper away.

 _Oh sure… don't try to eat him._ Hondo thought before stiffening as the man's hand tightened around his throat.

"Where am I?" The Korun snarled.

Hondo choked, "Can't… breathe…"

The pressure lessened just enough for him to talk. Hondo gasped for air.

"You know, if your victim can't talk, then you shouldn't try asking questions." Hondo coughed. He noticed the man's eyes narrow dangerously, "N-no need to be hostile my friend. All your questions will be answered and-"

"Hands off him!"

Kjelle barreled into the Korun, wrenching the man's hand away from his throat. The large girl pinned the man to the ground. Before she could get a firm grip, the Korun spun and flipped Kjelle over onto her stomach. The girl howled as he grabbed her arm and placed it into an arm bar.

"Where am I!?" The man roared.

A blaster primed. The Korun froze.

"Let her go." Han said calmly as he leveled his blaster pistol at the man.

Hondo smiled to himself. Nothing like a blaster to de-escalate the situation.

The Korun dropped Kjelle's arm. Kjelle groaned and rolled over onto her back as the beat up man slowly rose to his full height. Han kept his blaster pistol aimed at the man's head.

"How about we all calm down a little bit." Han said, keeping his voice cool and collected, "Nobody's gotta get hurt here."

"Too late." Kjelle grunted as she struggled to push herself up off of the ground, "I'm gonna feel that one for a few days."

The Korun glanced back at her. His dark eyes flicked over at Hondo, then to Han, then to the small Manakete hiding further back in the corridor.

"Pirates." The man scowled.

"Such a dirty word." Hondo folded his arms with a huff.

"You refer to yourself as that." Kjelle sighed.

"Well, it is accurate for me. But for such a beautiful human as yourself, it would be most incorrect." Hondo said with a grin. He glanced over at Han, "And he's far to stupid to be an effective pirate."

"Don't make me turn this blaster on you." Han growled.

Hondo let out a laugh and moved to get up, only for the Korun's stern gaze to keep him rooted in his seat.

"No one has answered my question." The Korun said.

"Well, judging by who has the blaster, I think I'm going to be asking the questions. Not you." Han pointed out.

The Korun glared at Han. Han's throat bobbed as the man's dark eyes narrowed at him.

He shot towards Han. Before the young smuggler could pull the trigger, the man wrenched the blaster free, pointed it at Han, then took several steps back.

"If we go by your logic," The man began, "then I can ask questions now."

Kjelle looked pale as she stared at the man. Han swallowed hard.

"How the hell did you-"

"I'm asking the questions now." The man growled, cutting off Han. He flicked the blaster over at Hondo, "You stay seated." Hondo did not budge. The blaster swiveled over to Kjelle, who was inching her way towards Han, "And you stay put."

Kjelle froze. The man took a deep breath.

"Where am I?"

Han raised his hands, "Look, just put the blaster down and we can talk like civilized people."

"Heh…" Hondo laughed, "Civilized."

Han glared at Hondo.

"What?" Hondo remarked, "It's a good joke."

"You're aboard the Millennium Falcon." Kjelle said, finally answering the Korun's question, "It's a… what is it called again?"

Han arched an eyebrow, "A spaceship."

"Yeah, that." Kjelle took a breath, "That's still weird to say, you know. Spaceship… I'm used to ships only sailing on water not the in the stars."

"Little off topic, sweetheart." Han breathed as he stayed still in the doorway, "But she's right, buddy." He told the Korun, "You're on my ship, the Millennium Falcon."

The Korun frowned, "Never heard of it."

Offense washed over Han's face. It was as if he completely forgot about the blaster pistol pointed at his heart.

"You've never heard of the Millennium Falcon?" The Korun's face remained unchanged as Han spoke. "This is the ship that made the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs. How could you not-"

"I doubt he's the kind of man that keeps up on those sorts of things, Han." Hondo said quickly.

"To be fair, it's a pretty useless fact." Kjelle shrugged, "What even is a parsec?"

"It's a measure of-" Han shook his head, "Off topic again! Look, buddy," He nodded at the blaster pistol, "No one's gonna harm you. Just put the blaster down. We can have a nice, quiet chat."

The Korun's dark eyes studied Han. For a split second, Han's expression morphed into one of slight pain, confusion, then relaxation. All in the span of several seconds. Once he seemed calm, the man lowered the blaster.

"You aren't lying." He held up the blaster one more time, "But I'm keeping this. Just in case."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Han sighed a gave a slight shake of his head. As if he was trying to clear some sort of mental fog, "Eventually, I'll get it back." The Korun frowned as Han sagged into a chair beside Hondo. Han noticed the look on the man's face, "I'll ask nicely, don't worry. I've already got enough enemies trying to hurt me today, I don't need to add you to that list."

"Enemies?" Hondo remarked before remembering, "Oh kriff, Jabba's cargo."

"Yeah, exactly." Han exhaled.

The man frowned, "You're carrying cargo for Jabba the Hutt?"

Han snapped his gaze over to the Korun, "Yeah."

"Who wants to know?" Kjelle finished for Han.

The man flicked his gaze over to the still ready to fight Kjelle. The same strange expression Han had washed over Kjelle. Confusion, pain, then relaxed. That was followed by a stunned gasp.

"You… you…"

The man narrowed his eyes at her.

"Don't say it." He growled.

"You have the same powers as Mr. Kenobi!" Kjelle gasped.

The man stiffened. Hondo saw his face change from wary to alert and ready to fight for his life in an instant.

"What did you say?"

Kjelle glanced over at Nah, "Did you know?"

Nah gulped, "I suspected."

The Korun pointed the blaster at Kjelle. Kjelle's eyes widened.

"Whoa, whoa! No need for that!" Han surged to his feet only for an invisible force to slam him back down and hold him in his chair.

The Korun hovered his finger over the blaster's trigger as he stared at Kjelle, "What do you know of Kenobi?"

Kjelle gulped. Some sweat beaded on her forehead as she stared down the barrel of Han's blaster pistol.

"He's… he's the Master to a good friend of mine, Lucina. Teaching her all about the force and weird monk stuff." Kjelle hands shook at her sides as the blaster did not move, "He's been a protector for me and my friends. And quite frankly, I would love to find him because this whole space thing is a bit much for me."  
The Korun kept the blaster focused on her, "You say Kenobi is teaching a friend of yours?"

Kjelle nodded.

"So he is a friend to you as well?"

Kjelle gulped, "Well, more like a distant, as entertaining as a plank of wood, uncle." She swallowed hard, "Why are you asking me this? Do you know Mr. Kenobi?"

The Korun snorted, "Know him?" The blaster slowly lowered, "I was… a colleague."

Kjelle sagged as the man let the blaster fall to his side. Hondo and Han both sagged in their seats as whatever had them pinned to their chairs relented. They both glanced at each other, unsure of what exactly was going on anymore.

"Did he come through a portal too?" Han hissed to Hondo.

"How should I know?" Hondo hissed back.

"Who are you?" Kjelle asked the Korun.

The man winced before slumping down onto the medical bench. He rolled the shoulder of his lost arm and glanced over at Kjelle again.

"Well…" He sighed, "I guess if any of you tell the Imperials who I am, I can easily just kill you." Hondo paled as the Korun spoke, "The name's Windu. That's all you need to know." He took a shaky breath, "Where are we in terms of proximity to Naboo?"

"Got the hell out there as soon as we scraped together some fuel." Han piped up, "I don't plan on messing around with the Empire. And they were crawling all over that planet. Good thing they weren't really focused on any small, non-Naboo ships leaving the planet."

"We got lucky." Hondo remarked.

Han nodded, "I know that."

"There is no such thing as luck." Windu breathed. He swallowed hard and flexed his one good hand. As if he was still fighting off intense pain, "Where are we going now?"

"Numidian Prime." Han answered.

Windu snorted, "Pirate scum hole."

"Our kind of place." Hondo smiled, trying to ease the tension in the room. He rose to his feet. Then froze, "Numidian Prime?" He spun around to Han, "When did this happen?"

"A few moments ago. I got a signal from an old friend that's still there." Han replied, "He should be able to help us. Might even buy Jabba's cargo from us. Probably not for the price Jabba wants, but getting something is better than nothing."

Hondo nodded, "Yeah, then we're in debt to that slug. That'll go well."

"You're welcome to get off my ship anytime." Han snarked back, "I'll even show you to the airlock."

"No no. I'm perfectly fine." Hondo smirked, "Besides, Jabba will have plenty of eyes on a place like Numidian Prime. So you will need someone as experienced as old Hondo in case you get into any close scrapes. Like that one back on Ord Mantell."

"You weren't there when things got hot." Kjelle deadpanned.

"Exactly!" Hondo pointed out, "And if I was, no one would have shot at you. Well… except for our vengeful slaver probably. But we can deal with him later. Especially now that we have some true muscle," he gestured to Windu, "on our team."

"I'm not on your team." Windu said, "As soon as this ship lands, I'm leaving."

"I'm fine with that arrangement." Han remarked, "Whoever you are, Windu, you and the Empire clearly don't like each other. The less heat on my ass when it comes to them the better."

Heavy footsteps shambled down the corridor. Hondo glanced over and saw Chewie nod and offer a small grunt in greeting to Nah. The wookie stooped down to avoid knocking his head on the doorway and entered the room. His dark, beady eyes glanced at all of his tense friends then over to the now awake Windu. A long groan came from the Wookie's throat.

Han hung his head, "I could have used you a lot earlier buddy." He got to his feet and patted the Wookie on the shoulder. The Wookie grunted, causing Han to pause on his way back to the cockpit, "No one would dare try to wake you up. And you know why."

Chewie barked at him.

"I sure as hell don't want my arms ripped off!" Han called back as he disappeared down the corridor.

Hondo uttered a nervous chuckle, "He has a point there, my furry friend." He slipped by Chewie and exited the medical room. Leaving Nah and Kjelle alone with Windu.

Nah inched her way closer to Windu. The Korun man hissed under his breath as he raised his gaze to look at her. Kjelle subtly moved to get between him and her.

"He won't hurt me." Nah breathed to Kjelle.

"How can you be so-"

"He's a friend of Master Kenobi's. He just said so." Nah answered.

Kjelle frowned, "Colleague is not the same as friend, Nah."

Nah's ears twitched, "I know that." She brushed past Kjelle and took a seat beside Windu. Her short legs dangled from the bench as she gave Windu a curious look, "What I want to know is how a spaceman knows Master Kenobi?"

Kjelle furrowed her brow.

 _Yeah…_ She looked into Windu's now weary eyes as the man sucked in a deep breath. Fighting off waves of pain from wounds she had trouble seeing. _How do you know Master Kenobi?_

* * *

Cody shuddered. A cold wave blasted into him as he strode through the brightly lit corridors of the Star Destroyer. The Star Destroyer he now commanded along with his commanding officer, Ragana. After his performance on Naboo, not only was his full rank and responsibilities completely reinstated, he was allowed to choose his station. The Emperor offered him a place at the Officer's Academy on Coruscant. Or perhaps a spot with an accomplished admiral in the Imperial Navy. Fighting to secure the fringes of the Empire.

In the end, Cody chose to remain where he was. He was not sure if that pleased the Emperor or not, but the man did not seem upset. And he was glad that his request was granted. Ragana proved to be a brilliant young mind. She had thoroughly impressed Cody on the battlefield with her steel nerves, quick mind, and sharp tactical understanding. It was a once in a lifetime commander to come across. And now, Cody had the privilege of serving under two such commanders in his life. Although, one was a long dead traitor now.

He shook his head, ridding his thoughts of General Kenobi. The Jedi General was long dead. And he could not compare Ragana to him. While they were both great tacticians, there was a ruthlessness to Ragana that Kenobi did not possess. If Cody were to compare Ragana to any Jedi General, she more closely aligned with General Skywalker, but she was much more composed and a little less reckless.

 _Then again, she did try to fight Mace Windu by herself._

He was still stunned by that bit of information. Jedi Master Mace Windu was alive and actively fomenting rebellion on major worlds. This was a startling revelation that deeply worried the old Clone Commander. Mace Windu had been one of the most powerful Jedi Masters in the Republic. The man hardly set foot on a battlefield in the Clone Wars, preferring instead to be more of a staff general leading the charge from Coruscant alongside Master Yoda. But whenever Master Windu did enter battle, the enemy never stood a chance.

 _And Ragana thought she could fight him. Foolish girl!_

He had yet to speak to her since the battle on Naboo. In the aftermath, she had been whisked away by the Emperor for emergency surgery in order to save her severed hand. Thankfully, the procedure had been successful. But afterwards, once Ragana finished reporting to the Emperor, she returned to the ship, face pale and eyes blazing hot with hate. She did not bother going to bridge. Instead, according to the ship's computer, she immediately went to her quarters and locked herself in.

And that was where Cody was heading now. She was the commander of this ship. They needed direction. They needed a mission. He knew the Emperor gave her one during her report with him. Otherwise, they would not have just been sitting idle without any orders. They would be executing the admiralty's orders instead.

Another blast of cold, and Cody cursed. He bit his tongue and shook his head. After living on a ship most of his life, he should have been used to the cold of space already. But it never felt this icy before.

He finally reached Ragana's quarters. The cold didn't come in harsh blasts anymore. Instead, it was a continuous stream that made Cody shiver in his new, sleek officer's uniform.

He raised his hand to knock on Ragana's door, then hesitated. A primal fear bubbled up inside of him as the cold continued to pound against his body… and his mind. His instincts kicked in as he recognized this feeling.

 _The force._ He thought as the cold crawled over his skin. The unfamiliar, incomprehensible power washed over him and caused him to shiver again. It felt like something he would feel in the presence of dark side users like Count Dooku or Asajj Ventress. Bad memories floated into his mind. Memories he quickly blocked out as his knuckles knocked against Ragana's door.

"Lady Ragana." Cody called, "It is-"

The door beeped and slowly slid open. Icy air slammed in Cody, taking his breath away. He swallowed hard, glanced up and down the empty corridor, then entered Ragana's dark room.

The door hissed shut behind him, enveloping Cody in darkness. He squinted as he tried to adjust his eyes to the shadows.

"Lady Ragana, are you alright?"

He took a step forward and grunted as he bumped into a table… floating in the air in front of him. One leg of the table was bent and twisted beyond repair. The durasteel tabletop had multiple dents. It looked crumpled, like a piece of paper.

Cody's eyes fully adjusted. His breath got stuck in his throat. All of the furniture in Ragana's quarters drifted aimlessly in the air. All of it was broken. Mangled beyond repair. Metal bars not attached to any furniture twirled slowly around his head. Shards of glass drifted near the window like a shattered mirror.

But he could still not see Ragana in the darkness.

 _Where are you?_

A low hum hit his ears. Following that hum, voices. Hushed, sinister, dark voices that slipped into his mind and conjured horrific images inside of it. He squeezed his eyes shut. Images of the Clone Wars, the worst battles he participated in, rushed through his mind. Battles that caused animalistic feelings to slowly bubble to the surface. Anger, hatred, terror; his heart hammered in his chest as he lived those days over again, all of it culminating in the moment he blasted Obi Wan Kenobi from the walls of a sinkhole on Utapau.

A ragged gasp left his lungs. The voices suddenly stopped.

"Cody." A young girl's quiet voice whispered in the darkness.

His eyes snapped open. Now he saw her, Ragana, sitting still in the darkness near her shredded, mangled bed. She faced away from him. A simple black tank and shorts covered her small body. Her black hair was matted. Her skin glistened with sweat, and her shoulders rose and fell as heavy breaths rushed in and out of her lungs.

Cody swallowed hard, "L-Lady Ragana, I came to discuss our next course of action."

Her head tilted to the side ever so slightly. But just enough to unnerve Cody some more. Still, he quietly approached her. As he drew closer, he saw one of her holocrons gently drifting down to the ground.

"Yes… our next mission." Ragana drew in a deep breath, as if she was also trying to compose herself, "It is quite simple, Commander. We have a Jedi Master to track down."

Cody blinked, "Master Windu?"

"Yes." Ragana breathed.

Cody furrowed his brow. The cold ebbed away. The shattered furniture around him slowly fell to the floor. Not a single piece made a sound as it gently brushed down onto the carpeted floor.

"If that is our new mission, ma'am, I'll see that we get it done. But-" Cody took a breath, debating whether or not to keep going.

"But what, Commander?" Ragana asked, still not turning to face him. More sweat formed on her neck. A shudder ran through her body as she spoke.

"We do not know where he went. Scouts searched the jungles below the forest. We found evidence of a ship that had been nearby, but nothing else. It likely slipped by us while we were focused on the rebels on the surface." Cody took a breath, "We have no way of tracking him."

A low, sinister snicker came from Ragana. One that made Cody's hair stand on end.

"Oh Cody, you are wrong." She snickered some more, "We have a way of tracking him. Never underestimate the force, my friend. Mace Windu will unveil himself in time. And when he does…"

A red glow filled the room as a blood red lightsaber burst to life in Ragana's hands. A thrilled gasp left Ragana's lips. Cody swallowed hard as he looked at the hilt in her pale hands. Glimmers of gold and silver filled his vision. Master Windu's old lightsaber hilt was clenched tight in her fingers.

"... I will be ready."

 **And chapter! Another very fun chapter to write! We finally returned to the Falcon crew, with one new addition to their ranks. I wonder who signaled Han? I'm pretty sure we all know who, but it is fun to ask. Should make for some entertaining moments when the crew does land at their destination. As for Morgan and her new weapon, I love the idea that the new Star Wars Canon introduced when it comes to red lightsabers. How there are no red crystals and that a Sith must make a crystal bleed in order to make it red. I think that is actually really dark and really cool. So that is what she was up to in her room. And now, her descent into the darkness continues. How far will she go? That is the question.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**

 **Come join the Treehouse! We have cookies! Discord is:** **9XG3U7a**


	108. A Whole Lot of Tricks and Nonsense

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 108

A Whole Lot of Tricks and Nonsense

Every time the Falcon emerged from hyperspace, something new always managed to steal Kjelle's breath away. The first time she experienced faster than light travel, she had been taken to a pretty empty portion of the galaxy in order to help Han make his smuggling delivery. And she had been absolutely spellbound by the stars twinkling in the vast expanse of darkness beyond the cockpit.

The second time she experienced hyperspace, she was treated to her first view of another planet. It may have been a criminal cesspool and hellhole in Ord Mantell, but just seeing that massive, dark gray sphere suspended in the darkness by forces unknown to her had been a jaw dropping sight. Then seeing Naboo from beyond the planet's atmosphere, that blue and green jewel that sparkled with a gem among a million sparkling stars, had been just as breathtaking.

Somehow, each new planet they came across had the same effect. This one, Numidian Prime, looked very similar to Naboo. Kjelle could see lush, dense forest surrounded by vast waterways that snaked across the planet's surface like hundreds of blue arms. But it also did not have the obvious landmarks and cities that Naboo possessed. This world seemed much more wild and dangerous.

Han spun around in his chair to look at her.

"This place may look pretty, but it might as well be as dangerous as Ord Mantell." He explained quickly.

Kjelle glanced over at Hondo, who simply nodded in agreement.

"If you're going to walk on the surface," Han continued, "You do exactly as I say, when I say it. I don't want any nonsense like on Ord Mantell." He spun back around in order to help Chewie guide the ship down to the planet's surface. The Falcon rumbled as it started to enter the atmosphere. All the while, the red light blinked on the console, "I'd rather not be shot at again."

Chewie groaned in agreement.

"I thought you said we were meeting a friend of yours." Kjelle asked, "So why would we be shot at?"

Han sighed in front of her, "Because friends, in the smuggler world, is a very loose, vague term."

"He's not wrong." Hondo nodded, "One moment, you could be sharing a drink with someone you call your best friend, maybe even sharing an intimate moment or two, then next, after you give them your heart, they'll try to kill you or sell you."

Kjelle eyed the Wee'quay, both disturbed and puzzled. Hondo noticed her appalled look. He straightened up in his seat and cleared his throat.

"A bad ex-girlfriend." He clarified.

Han uttered a small laugh as he fiddled with some buttons on the console, "Sounds like it." He noticed the comm link light blinking, "Alright, we're being hailed by the spaceport. Kjelle, go tell Nah and Windu to be ready for landing. And make sure they follow the same rules as you when we do land."

Kjelle snorted as she undid her seat belt, "I doubt Windu is going to follow your rules."

"A guy can hope. If he did, I would be a lot less stressed out."

Kjelle got to her feet, "Why do you care anyways? The guy wants to leave us completely once we land."

"I don't care about him." Han called to her as she exited the cockpit. Chewie groaned next to him, "Damn right, pal. I care about what kind of heat he might bring down on us."

Kjelle shook her head as she heard that last bit while striding down the corridor towards the Falcon's small lounge.

Nah sat across from Windu in the lounge, a book from their home open in her lap. A weathered, cracked leather tome given to her by her father, Ricken. Whenever Nah opened the tome, hardly anything could pull her free from its words. Yet this time, Kjelle could see the little Manakete glancing away from the beloved pages and flicking her eyes up to Windu. She would quickly avert her gaze whenever Windu noticed her looking. But after a few moments, the pattern would repeat.

Kjelle could understand why Nah seemed so fascinated with the battered Jedi Master. What he told them earlier… it was still difficult to believe. Master Kenobi, the protector of Ylisse, the Mad Swordsman, Lucina's teacher and the man that was like a second father to her, was an alien. A spaceman who was actually far older than either Kjelle or Nah thought possible. She could still hardly wrap her brain around it.

And yet, Windu was not lying. He knew too much about Master Kenobi for him to be lying. He knew how Master Kenobi acted, what he looked like, and he shared the same powers Old Ben used so effectively against Grima. It was no wonder Nah could not stop looking at Windu with both awe and curiosity. He had lifted a veil from both her and Kjelle's eyes. Opened them to a truth hidden from them and their friends.

 _Wait until Luci hears about it all._ Kjelle thought to herself as she took a seat beside Nah, _She won't believe it for a second._

The ship shuddered once more. Kjelle heard the landing gear creak open beneath her feet. The engines died with a dull whine. One more shudder, and the Falcon came to a stop. Han emerged from the cockpit with Hondo and Chewie.

"Alright, Kjelle, you're with me and Hondo." Han ordered. He then pointed at Nah, "You're staying here with Chewie."

Nah frowned, "Why?"

Han let out an exasperated sigh, "Because little girls are very attractive to bad people." Nah's frown deepened, "And unfortunately, there are a lot of bad people around here." He turned to Windu, "And you are-"

"Leaving." Windu winced as he got to his feet. He staggered a couple steps towards the main corridor that led to the Falcon's exit ramp. The man did not even bother to look back at Kjelle, Nah, or the others.

 _So much for being a friend of Master Ben's._ Kjelle thought to herself.

She started walking towards the bunkroom so she could put on her armor, but Han held out a hand and stopped her.

"You'll stick out like a sore thumb." He sighed and shook his head, reaching into a locked compartment on the wall.

Chewie uttered a nervous groan.

"I know." Han muttered, "I can't believe I'm about to do this either." He reached into the compartment and withdrew a beat up looking blaster pistol and holster. He tossed it over to Kjelle, who easily snatched it out of the air, "Strap that to your hip. It's better protection than any armor can give you."

Kjelle blinked in surprise, "Y-your giving me-" She shook her head, "Are you expecting a fight?"

Han paused as he turned on his heel and started towards the exit, "I wouldn't put it past anyone in this place. Besides, that Slaver is probably still after us. And at this point, Jabba might have put a hit out on us. So yeah, I would expect a fight. Better to expect it than to be caught off guard by one. Now come on."

Kjelle flicked her eyes down at the beat up blaster pistol. It did not have the shine or tender care that Han's obviously had, but it was better than nothing. She was loathe to exit the Falcon without her armor, but she also knew Han was right. The last thing they needed was to be easily singled out on a dangerous world like this one. If Han was giving her a blaster as an extra precaution, then she would need to be discreet and on her toes at all times.

"Nah." Kjelle said, "Don't do anything stupid."

"I won't." Nah hummed back, returning her attention to the pages in her tome.

Kjelle nodded and followed Han and Hondo off of the ship. Once those three were gone, Chewie grunted over at Nah.

Nah's ears twitched. She glanced up at Chewie, "I can't understand you like Han and Hondo can."

Chewie shrugged and jabbed a furry paw over at the cockpit.

"You'll be in there?" Nah asked.

Chewie nodded.

"Okay." Nah muttered, returning her eyes to her book.

Chewie's heavy footsteps pounded away from her as he disappeared to the cockpit. The door to the cockpit hissed closed.

Once Nah heard the door click shut, she smacked her tome closed. A long sigh left her lips as she darted her eyes back and forth, a slight pang of guilt entering her. Kjelle would want her to stay put. But… her curiosity was getting the better of her.

As quietly as she could, the little Manakete crept past the closed cockpit, slipped down the corridor to the exit ramp, and entered the buzzing hive that was Numidian Prime's spaceport.

* * *

Numidian Prime… yet another wretched hive of scum and villainy. This one just happened to be in a better neighborhood in the galaxy. The mid-rim had a tendency to be a mixed bag. There were beautiful worlds with rich cultures in this portion of the galaxy such as Naboo; poorer worlds with strong people such as Ryloth; then this place. A shelter for pirates, smugglers, and criminals. A place for bounty hunters to gather and gamble without fear of interference by any sort of local authority.

Mace had been to his fare share of hellholes in his life. War torn places with surfaces and cities torn to shreds by blaster fire and flames. Dirt poor planets where the local populace were desperate to make a sliver of a living. Scraping by on whatever scraps they could manage. Places like that mostly populated the Outer Rim. And Numidian Prime belonged among them. Instead, it sat in this belt of the galaxy. And Mace could not help but scowl at the scum moving around him.

All of these beings, from far flung out places in the galaxy, all of them were more focused on their own lives, their own greed, rather than making a difference. Instead of focusing on resisting the Empire.

A pang hit his heart from out of nowhere. Flashes of Naboo hit his mind. The words that girl, Ragana, spat at him seeped into his mind like a slow poison.

" _You hid away while others died for your own ends."_ Her pain filled voice, laced with venom and hatred echoed through his thoughts, " _Who is really the coward, Jedi?"_

" _You are consumed with a lust for vengeance."_ Darth Sidious's vile croak replaced Ragana's voice, " _How far the mightiest of the Jedi has fallen."_

 _No!_

Mace's fist clenched at his side. The gears in his cybernetic arm whirred and spun as he clenched his fist tighter. Waves of fury rushed through him. The force fluctuated around him. Out of the corner of his eye, against the wall of a nearby cantina, he noticed a crate starting to shudder.

He quickly reined in his emotions. And the crate stopped shuddering. A long breath left the old Jedi Master's lips. Too close. One wrong move, one show of the Force, and any one of these criminal scum surrounding him would be in for one hell of a pay day. The bounty on a Jedi was high. Collect a bounty on a Jedi Master as prestigious as he once was, that criminal would never have to work another day in their miserable life.

He glanced at the half burnt out neon sign for the cantina. Half of a drink buzzed in hues of bright green and red. He noticed several patrons chatting outside of the cantina entry.

Mace glanced up at the sky, the sun was setting. And he had nowhere to stay, nor a way off of this planet… yet. If he wanted to hitch a ride out of here, his best bet would be to enter the cantina and listen in on the criminals that gathered there.

Begrudgingly, he entered the cantina. Loud, pulsing music blasted against his ears, thrummed in his chest, vibrated in his mind. He used the force to dull the sensation. He came here to find a way off of this rock, and maybe to find a small measure of peace. Not to be bombarded by terrible music.

He quickly spotted an open stool at the bar. Once he took a seat, the bartender, a rather tall Duro with big, bulbous, orange eyes greeted him. Mace quietly ordered a simple brandy then sat still and listened.

A drink in a small, crystal glass slid up to him. Mace glanced down at the amber liquid and nodded a quiet thanks to the bartender. He reached into his pocket and withdrew a couple galactic credits. The Duro behind the bar glanced at them with slight disgust, but swept them off the counter anyways.

 _They value any currency here, unlike the Hutt controlled worlds._ Mace thought to himself as he plucked his drink from the counter and took a small sip.

The door to the cantina opened again. Probably some more pirates and gangsters coming in for a drink. Mace sniffed to himself and reached out with the force, trying to find which scum in here would be the easiest to manipulate into a ride.

A bright light pulsed in the force near him. Mace furrowed his brow. The light stopped beside him, drawing his attention away from finding a way off of this rock, and to the previously empty barstool beside him.

A long, disapproving scowl filled his face.

"You shouldn't be here, Nah." Mace grunted before sipping his drink again.

"As far as I am aware, I can do what I want." The little girl with strange ears commented.

She glanced at the drinks behind the counter. As she looked the Duro bartender approached her. He uttered some words in his native language. Nah arched an eyebrow, puzzled.

"He's asking what you want?" Mace muttered.

"Oh?" Nah remarked, surprised, "There isn't an age limit?"

Mace glanced at her, "Look around you." He nodded at the crowd filling booths and standing tables throughout the cantina, "Do you think any of them actually care?"

Nah pursed her lips. She glanced at the bottles of liquor again and opened her mouth to speak to the Duro.

Mace slapped a credit chip on the counter, "Unfortunately for you, I do care a little bit." He glanced at the Duro, "Water for her."

The Duro nodded and swept up the credit. As he poured Nah a glass of water, Mace sipped on his drink again. The bartender slid the glass of water up to Nah. The little girl needed to adjust her stool in her order to reach it. Once she managed to grasp it, she took a long sip. Her eyes never left Mace as he stared forward at the bar in complete silence.

Nah lowered the glass back onto the counter. Her feet swung to and fro as they dangled from the bar stool.

"So…" Nah finally began. Mace bowed his head, "You claim to know Master Ben."

"I don't know a Master Ben." Mace grunted. He sipped his brandy again, "I know a Master Kenobi."

Nah furrowed her brow, "The way you described your Master Kenobi matches the description of my Master Ben." Her long ears twitched, "And I didn't sense a lie from you when you told us how you knew him."

Mace frowned a little bit, "Sensed a lie?"

Nah nodded, "A little gift myself and other Manaketes have. We are very good at sensing other people's intentions and auras." She sipped her water then let the glass hover near her lips, "Although, I'm not nearly as good at it as Lady Tiki was."

Mace furrowed his brow as he glanced over at the girl. She called herself a Manakete. What species was that? He had never heard of such a thing before. On top of that, she said she was able to sense intentions and auras. An ability that sounded awfully similar to using the force.

There were entire species born with an innate connection to the force in the galaxy. The two most prominent were the Night Sisters of Dathomir, and Mace's own species, the Korunnai; a small subset of humans from the planet Haruun Kal. But Manakete was not one of the species Mace had studied in his time at the Jedi Temple.

"What exactly is a Manakete?" He asked, allowing his curiosity to get the better of him for a moment.

Nah flicked her green eyes over to him, "Well, if you want a simple definition, we are dragons in human form." Mace gave her a puzzled look, "If you want a more complicated explanation, I'm not the person to ask."

"Why not?" Mace asked her, growing more curious by the second.

"Because I am a very young Manakete." Nah explained with a slight shrug of her bony shoulders. She sipped her water, "And… I never really got the chance to learn about my heritage back home." A melancholy washed over her for a brief second before she quickly returned to her neutral nature both physically and mentally, "What about you? What exactly is a-"

Mace's gaze hardened, silencing Nah.

"You can't throw that word around." Mace warned her, "Any one of these people," He gestured at the cantina patrons, "would love the chance to hand me over to the Empire, either as a prisoner or as a corpse." he sipped his brandy, "And because you know me, you'll likely be targeted to." He noticed her face pale, "So keep quiet on what I am." He pursed his lips, "Or what I used to be."

He downed the last of his brandy, smacked a credit chip on the counter, and ordered another drink. Nah took another quiet sip of her water. She gripped her cup in both hands as her feet continued to dangle off of the bar stool.

"So… what was Master Ben like?" Nah asked, "Before he arrived in Ylisse."

Mace furrowed his brow.

"Ylisse?" He wondered out loud.

Nah nodded, "My home. And Kjelle's home. It's called the Halidom because it is ruled by Naga's Exalted Bloodline." Mace gave her a curious look as she explained, "Oh, and Naga is basically god where I'm from."

Mace narrowed his eyes at her, "God?"

Nah nodded, "She was once a Manakete too, you know. Probably the most powerful that ever existed. From what I understand, the only people I know of that could have ever challenged her were Lady Tiki and…" Nah trailed off as a glaze washed over her eyes. Mace detected fear spike inside of her.

"And who?" Mace asked.

Nah swallowed hard, "Grima, the Fell Dragon."

Mace opened his mouth in understanding, "Your planet's devil?"

Nah nodded, "Basically." She gulped down the last of her water and set the glass down with a trembling hand, "He's the reason why me and Kjelle are here, lost."

Mace furrowed his brow, "Lost?"

Nah nodded again, "Me and Kjelle, we ended up here thanks to some sort of mistake in the ritual Lucina performed. A ritual meant to send us back in time to before the Fell Dragon's return." Nah shook her head, "I don't really understand it myself, even though I should. The ritual was made by a Manakete, and yet I don't get it at all. I don't understand how it could have deviated from what it was designed to do."

Mace gave her a hard look. He felt very puzzled by what she was rambling about. If what she was saying was true, then not only was she and Kjelle from a place he had never heard of before (which is saying a lot given his one time status as a Master of the Jedi High Council), but that they were from a different time period completely. That they and their friends performed some ritual to move back in time in order to stop some strange evil on their homeworld sounded baffling and implausible.

Yet, just like she did to him, Mace sensed her intentions, and he did not detect a lie.

 _She's either convinced herself of a false truth, or she is telling me a real truth._ Mace pressed his lips together, _The real question now is, why should I care?_

"The reason I am so curious about you and Master Ben," Nah continued, "Is because Master Ben was the strongest person we had left to face down Grima, once Lucina's father and Lady Tiki were slain. He rallied us. He stood against the darkness and kept it at bay for as long as he could." She fiddled with the strap to a satchel she had over her shoulders. Mace glanced into the satchel and saw a large, heavy book inside of it, "I was hoping, that maybe you could help us figure out how he did it and maybe you could-"

"No." Mace answered.

Nah blinked in shock, "N-no?" Her lips quivered a little bit, "Why?"

Mace glanced at her, "Because," He sipped a new drink given to him by the bartender, "My concern is-"

 _Not helping innocents of the galaxy anymore. Vengeance, against Sidious, against Vader, against everyone that helped wipe out the Jedi. Making sure I survive to see that vengeance through._

His grip tightened on his glass.

" _Who is really the coward, Jedi?"_

The door to the cantina opened. A dark presence in the force flared to life. Mace froze in his seat as the dark side of the force ebbed in silent, seething rage throughout the cantina.

"I'll be taking that little girl." A woman growled. A woman that sounded strangely familiar.

Nah gulped beside him as she spun around in her chair. She fumbled with her satchel, only for it to be ripped away by the force. Mace remained seated, facing away from the door, fingers brushing along the ridges of his glass of brandy.

"Stay away from me!" Nah cried as she reached into a pocket in her shirt.

 _What does she have? A blaster?_

Nah drew a simple, pale stone. Barely the size of her palm. Mace raised an eyebrow.

 _What do you plan on doing with-_

Bright light blinded him. Mace fell from his bar stool. The Force burst into brilliant light around him. Patrons around the cantina cried out in alarm. Their cries were drowned out by a mighty roar.

A blast engulfed the cantina. Rubble rained down all around Mace. He shielded his head with his arms. Patrons ran away screaming from the cantina all around him.

With a shaky head, Mace opened his eyes and looked over at Nah.

The little girl was gone. In her place, was a giant winged lizard. Glowing energy surrounded her as she floated off of the ground with one great flap of her green wings. Burning white fire leaked from her jaws as she stared down a Nightsister standing in what had been the cantina doorway.

Mace's eyes narrowed as twin red lightsaber thrummed to life in the Nightsister's hands. Now he knew why that voice sounded so familiar.

His teeth clenched tight. The glass of brandy shattered in his hand as he clenched it into a tight fist.

"Ventress."

* * *

"Aha!" Hondo cheered happily as he led Han and Kjelle through the double swinging doors. Both doors swung back and forth, creaking ever so slightly, as the other two followed him in. Hondo placed his hands on his hips and took a deep breath of the smoke filled, putrid air, "Nothing like a casino to swindle idiots in."

"A particularly dirty casino." Han grumbled as a pair of beat up slot machines whirred near the door. He glanced over and watched two toydarians chortle happily as a credits amount popped up on the screen, "But this is his preferred kind of hang out."

Kjelle frowned next to Han as she observed the cramped place known as a Casino… whatever the hell that was. To her, it seemed quite the garish place. Bright lights flashed all along the walls. Some were connected to strange machines that various humans and aliens were huddled around. Those machines would flash numbers, and the humans would either cheer or sag in defeat. Those confused her quite a bit. Then there were the obvious alcohol signs glowing in half burnt out neon signs along the walls and near the horseshoe shaped bar at the center of the small casino.

Beyond the bar were several tables, where groups of people gathered around, drinks and smoking devices in hand. Hondo led the way past those tables, chattering about cheating something out of someone in days gone by. Kjelle hardly noticed what the pirate was talking about. Preferring instead to observe her surroundings and maybe figure out just who Han's friend was.

What was he like? What did he look like? Was he an alien like Hondo and Chewie? Or a human like her? Was he nice, or abrasive? The only thing she knew about him, beyond his friendship with Han, was that he was a conman. Kjelle recalled Anna described what a con artist was to her and Owain a few years ago, when one of them actually swindled Owain on a piece of crap sword. Now that she thought about it, Kjelle really started to dislike this old friend of Han's.

A cheer rang out from one of the tables. Kjelle's gaze darted over to it. She noticed a bunch of playing cards on the table. Various metal chips were tossed back and forth between different people seated at the table. One alien, an extremely large, reptilian creature with wicked jaws, pounded his clawed hand against the table and threw what had to be an accusation at another reptile in their native language. Before she could even blink, the accused surged over the table and a brawl ensued.

Han snapped his fingers near her face.

"Keep your eyes to yourself." He advised, his voice low as he observed the growing brawl, "or you'll get sucked into some of that nonsense."

Kjelle snorted, "Given that I'm following you around, I'd say I'm already in some nonsense."

Han rolled his eyes, "Just stay close."

Kjelle gave him a small nod and followed him and Hondo further into the casino. They passed a few more tables, these ones more sparsely populated before winding up at a set of small doors near the back of the room. Two, large, pig like creatures with sharp tusks protruding from their large lips stood next to the door. Both wielded weapons that appeared to be a strange cross of a pike and a spear. They clacked both together as Han, Hondo, and Kjelle approached, barring the door from them.

Han and Hondo raised their hands.

"Relax, my Gamorrean friends." Hondo chirped, "We're just here for a, shall we say, high stakes game?"

The Gamorrean's eyes each other. The one on Kjelle's right snorted at Hondo.

"No blasters?" Hondo said, aghast, "Since when has such a lovely institution not allowed us to-"

The pig like creature uttered a snarl. Hondo sagged.

"Fine, fine." He leaned over to Han, "You heard the pig." He whispered so that the Gamorrean couldn't hear him.

Han uttered a heavy breath before unstrapping his blaster. He nodded for Kjelle to follow suit. Although, Kjelle was reluctant to part with her "new" weapon. Begrudgingly, she undid the holster and handed the weapon to the hulking Gamorrean, who placed it on a table beside the door. Both Gamorrean's removed their pikes and allowed all three to pass through the doors.

"Many thanks, my friends." Hondo smiled.

"Yeah, thanks." Han grumbled, "For taking away what makes me feel safe."

"Oh relax, as long as you don't say the wrong thing, you'll be fine. You know that, Han, my boy." Hondo reassured.

"Yeah, you shouldn't be nervous if this guy is your friend." Kjelle nodded as Hondo put his hands on the doors.

She heard Han inhale.

"We didn't part on the best of terms."

Kjelle sucked in a breath, "Oh."

Before she could ask any more questions, Hondo pushed the doors open.

The first thing Kjelle saw was a long, luxurious, gold colored table spanning the length of the room. Rich, red carpets lined the cracked wooden floors, hiding any blemishes beneath a thin veneer of luxury. Various aliens of all shapes, sizes, and colors sat around the table. All of them had playing cards in their hands, claws, or tentacles. And at the head of the table, flanked by two more guards (these ones reptilian in nature), was a dark skinned man with jet black hair and a smug smirk on his lips.

Kjelle followed Han and Hondo around the room to one of the darker corners. Hondo clicked his tongue at her, grabbing his attention.

"Quite the game." He muttered.

Kjelle furrowed her brow, "What game is it?"

"Sabacc." Han answered for Hondo.

Hondo's eyes gleamed, "So you know it, eh?"

Han nodded, "How do you think I got the Falcon?"

Hondo's eyes practically sparkled. A low chuckle rumbled from his chest. He smacked a hand against Han's shoulder, "I knew you were a better piece of scum than I initially thought."

A guard near the door grunted, causing all noise to fall to a hush. One at a time, the players around the table tossed chips into the center of the golden table. The last one to push chips in was the human at the head of the table. Kjelle's eyes widened as he pushed all of his chips to the center. Hondo whistled low.

"Ballsy." He whispered.

"As always." Han muttered.

Kjelle blinked. She focused on the dark skinned man again as he kicked back in his chair and leisurely brought a cup filled with a rich, red liquid to his lips. For a split second, she noticed his eyes flick over to her and her friends. Something flashed in them. Recognition? Maybe, but Kjelle definitely saw hints of surprise in his brief gaze.

"Show hands!" The dealer, a rough, scarred human, commanded.

Cards flashed on the table. Several aliens uttered disgruntled growls. A few gasped in disbelief. Kjelle heard a furious roar. And the man at the end of the table laughed.

"Thank you." He put a hand to his chest, "Thank you so much. Truly, you all played a lovely game." A droid buzzed to the center of the table and pushed the chips towards him. His dark eyes sparkled as they stopped in front of him, "But I believe I have won this round."

Many of the other players stormed out of their seats in a huff before he could continue gloating. A few gave him rather venomous stares before leaving their seats as well. The human leaned back in his seat and spread his hands outs.

"You can always win it back." He chirped to the exiting players, "Just stop by the desk for some more chips." He chuckled and sipped his drink, "I'll be waiting right here."

He continued chuckling even as Han took a deep breath and moved towards the man. Hondo and Kjelle followed. As soon as they got close to him, both reptilian guards reached for blasters at their hips. Han screeched to a halt and slowly raised his hands. Before he could even say a word, the dark skinned man's grin raced away. He swirled his cup, staring down at the red liquid in it.

"You've got a lot of nerve showing up here. After what you pulled." The man growled, setting the cup down.

He rose from his chair, a slight snarl on his lips. His dark eyes burrowed holes into Han as he took a few steps towards the now very nervous smuggler. Hondo tensed behind him. And Kjelle curled his hands into tight fists. The reptile guards' claws twitched near their blasters.

Han gulped and appeared surprised, confused, and a little afraid all at once. An expression Kjelle had never seen on his face before. But after how much he had helped her and Nah (even if it was only reluctantly), she would be damned if any "old friend" harmed him.

The man stared down Han for a moment. He suddenly reared back with a fist. Han flinched. Kjelle started to move. Then to her immense shock, the man threw his arms around Han and started laughing loudly.

"How are you doing you damn pirate!?" The man cried cheerfully, a beaming grin on his face as he embraced Han.

The tension died. The guards moved their hands away from their blasters. Hondo folded his arms and laughed a little bit. Kjelle still felt wary, but let her fists relaxe as well. Meanwhile, Han returned the man's embrace.

"Good to see you Lando." Han chuckled patting the man on the back, "I did not expect you to be at the head of the table now."

Lando pulled back, "Well when you run the place you sure as hell can be at the head of the table."

Han's eyes widened, "You run-" He looked around, "Huh?"

Lando laughed some more and patted Han's shoulder. He glanced past Han to Hondo and Kjelle. He did not even bother addressing Hondo, instead sweeping around Han in order to stand in front of Kjelle.

"Well hello there." He hummed, voice suddenly silky smooth. Which made Kjelle cringed on the inside, "Who have we here?"

"That's-"

"Kjelle." She said stiffly. One fist tightening at her side again as Lando drew a little closer.

"Kjelle… such a lovely sounding name."

He reached for her hand only for Kjelle to raise her fist. Lando froze in place, flashing her a bright smile. A small, amused laugh left his lips.

"Feisty one. I should have known. Only feisty girls stick around Han."

Han rolled his eyes, "Whatever, you smoothie."

Lando gave him a good natured chuckle, continued to ignore Hondo, and gestured for Han and Kjelle to take a seat. He motioned at the guards, who both moved to the wide open doors and shut them.

Kjelle exhaled as she sat down. She stared over at Lando. For some reason, despite his friendly attitude, she could not help but feel like something was very off about him. She kept her guard up and one fists half clenched, ready to pound any threat into the dirt.

"So," Lando kicked his feet up onto the table, showing off quite fancy blue and black boots. Boots that made Hondo's jaw drop, "What brings you back to these parts Han? Last I heard, you were about to start working for old Jabba way out in the outer rim."

Han bobbed his head, "Yeah well… you know how the life is. Plans tend to get derailed."

Lando threw his head back and laughed again, "All too well." He nodded, "All too well. So what derailed everything this time?" He leaned close to him and nodded over at Kjelle, "Don't tell me you married that one."

Kjelle coughed hard and wheezed, surprised by the sudden topic. Hondo snickered beside her, causing the Ylissean to jab her elbow into his ribs.

Han's eyes bugged from his skull, "N-no!"

Lando flashed a glance to Kjelle, "Well, wouldn't blame you if you did. It is not a common occurance to find such a lovely looking lady out in the outer rim." He sighed, "Girls out there tend to be… well…"

"Enslaved." Hondo suggested.

Lando nodded, "About sums it up."

"Well she isn't. In fact…" he took a breath, "She's part of my crew."

Lando drew back in surprise, "You've got a crew now, do you?" He glanced over at Hondo and Kjelle, "How many?"

"Me, those two," Han gestured at Hondo and Kjelle, "A friend of Kjelle's named Nah, and Chewie."

"Chewbacca is still running with you!" Lando said happily, "No wonder you're getting along so well. A little Wookie muscle goes a long way. If they weren't so damn rare, I'd hire one around here. There would be no problems at my door if one was around." He reached for his glass and sipped on it, "Well, Han, I doubt you'd come out here just to say hello."

"Not wrong there." Han admitted.

"You need something." Lando folded his hands in his lap, "So how can I help out an old friend?"

Han took a deep breath, "Well, first the Falcon-"

Lando's entire demeanor changed, "What did you to to my ship?" He asked, voice suddenly stern.

Kjelle blinked. The Falcon was Lando's ship? Since when?

" _My_ ship." Han corrected. Lando cleared his throat and returned to his smiling demeanor, "You know I won it from you, fair and square."

"Of course." Lando said through his smiling teeth, "So what is wrong with her?"

"Hyperdrive leak." Han replied.

Lando nodded, "Not too complicated. Easy fix really. So why come here when you could just go to any spaceport and get that done? Probably for a lot cheaper too."  
Han swallowed hard, "Jabba."

Lando's eyes became laser focused. He leaned forward in his seat, voice dropping low.

"What did you do, Han?"

Han pursed his lips, "I um… well, the Falcon has an order of spice in her cargo hold-"

Lando frowned, "I don't recall ordering any so…" His eyes widened, "Oh don't tell me you screwed up one of Jabba's jobs!" He saw Han pale. Lando exhaled and massaged his eyes, "Kriff, Han!"

"It wasn't my fault!" Han cried defensively, "Everything was going according to plan until some nonsense on Ord Mantell, slavers, the Empire-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Lando raised a hand, stopping Han in his tracks, "The Empire? How are they involved in this?"

"They aren't. But we had a close brush with them. And that caused me to miss the drop." Han admitted, "In all likelihood, the buyer is long gone. Which means-"

"Which means Jabba will want your head." Lando finished for him. He shook his head, "Han, you should not have come here. You should have found a hole to hide in. You and your crew. Once word gets around here that you're here, every bounty hunter on the planet will want a piece of the reward on you."

"Assuming Jabba has placed a price on my head." Han replied.

"Oh, I guarantee he has." Lando shot back, "This is Jabba the Hutt we are talking about. You don't mess up a job for the Hutts and expect there to be no consequences." He shifted nervously in his seat, "If they even know I'm entertaining you right now, they could come after me and my establishment."

"They won't." Han reassured, "I'm going to pay him back."

"How?"

Han took a breath, "Starting with finding another buyer, fast."

Lando furrowed his brow. His jaw worked back and forth as he crossed one leg over the other. Kjelle watched in silence as Han's friend studied the nervous smuggler.

"You want me to buy the spice." Lando correctly guessed.

Han exhaled, "That was the hope."

Lando bowed his head and thought for a moment. His thumbs tapped the armrests of his chair as he pondered Han's proposition. Kjelle's stomach dropped as Lando shook his head.

"I'm sorry, Han." Lando breathed, "I can't do that."

Han swallowed, "Why?"

The doors opened. Kjelle, Hondo, and Han's gazes snapped over to the doors. A lone figure stood at the other end of the table. He was a blue skinned alien. Scarlet, pupiless eyes stared at the group from beneath the bill of a large, round, black hat. A weathered, black duster sat over his shoulders. And two, metal breathing tubes protruded from his sunken cheeks.

Han blanched. An audible gasp rushed from Hondo's lips.

"Kriff, Cad Bane." Hondo gulped.

Han snapped his gaze over to Lando. Lando gave Han a defeated look.

"Jabba already put the hit out." Lando admitted, "Due to your rotten luck, you got here just after he did. And he was asking about you."

Kjelle clenched her fists beneath the table as the blue alien moved around the table towards Han. Han spun in his chair, one hand reaching on instinct for his blaster. Only to realize it was no longer there.

"Rookie mistake kid." Cad Bane drawled, drawing his own blaster pistol, "Never give up your blaster around here." The blaster primed, "I expected better from you, Hondo Ohnaka."

Hondo chuckled nervously, "Eh, I'm a bit rusty."

Cad Bane hummed. He glanced over at Kjelle.

"Who the hell are you?"

"No one!" Han quickly said.

Bane snapped his head back to Han, "She's someone then." He waved his blaster at Kjelle, causing her to tense up, "You're coming too. Jabba wants a word with all three of you."

Before anyone could move from the table, the ground rumbled. Lando's glass trembled then clattered to the ground, spilling its contents all over the red rug. A massive boom reverberated all around them, sending all of them to the ground.

Cad Bane knelt on the ground, head ducked as another explosion rocked the casino, "What in the-"

Kjelle acted first, she dove across the table and slammed into the skinny alien. One hand smacked the blaster from his hand. She drove her fist into his chest. A loud hiss erupted from her lips as her knuckles smacked into armor plating.

 _And I'm not allowed to wear my armor!_

A blue fist hit her side. Kjelle winced, grabbed Bane's outstretched arm, and threw him with all of her might against the table. As she pinned him to the table, Han rushed for his and Hondo's blasters. Lando remained seated, hands folded, an unsurprised look on his face.

"I'm guessing those explosions are being caused by your crew?" Lando asked Han as the smuggler managed to retrieve his blaster amidst the chaos from the main room. He tossed Hondo his blaster as well.

"Y-yeah," Han stammered back, "Sure."

Kjelle grunted as she struggled to keep Bane pinned, "A little help!" She exclaimed.

A dark hand slammed into Bane's cheek. The bounty hunter slumped against the table, unconscious. Kjelle glanced up in surprise at Lando.

"What?" Lando shrugged, "Can't let the lady do all the work, right?" He glanced over at a droid moving to deliver him another drink.

Another explosion rocked the casino. Screams echoed from outside. Blaster fire screeched beyond the walls. A dull roar sounded, causing Kjelle's hairs to stand on end.

"Nah." She breathed.

"Uh oh." Hondo gulped as he heard the roar, "Little lizard girl didn't stay put."

"Apparently not." Han breathed. He primed his blaster. Hondo and Kjelle did the same, "Stay sharp."

All three charged towards the exit. As they ran, Lando's voice followed them.

"Good luck with the hyperdrive!"

* * *

Ventress expected many things when she landed on Numidian Prime. She expected to find the crew of the ship she was after taking refuge there. As she followed them across the mid-rim, thanks in large part to her annoying force sensitivity and the alarmingly bright presence on board the ship, she received a communique on her ship's console. A bounty placed on a Han Solo and the crew of the Millenium Falcon, by Jabba the Hutt. A bounty that she wanted badly. Because now she could get paid for her vengeance.

When she landed, she expected for the crew to try hiding in plain sight. Blend in with the other criminal scum in order to avoid being caught. A foolish gamble, but one that could pay off if done correctly. Unfortunately for them, and fortunately for her, the little girl she was after did not have the same caution as the other crew of the Millenium Falcon. She just waltzed into a cantina, in broad daylight, without a care in the world. Ventress could hardly believe her luck.

She was reminded of her bad luck when that same little girl turned into a monstrous, winged creature that spat fire from its jaws.

Upon her transformation, the green haired girl destroyed the cantina. Ripping the roof and walls apart with furious blasts of fire and swings of her scaly tail. A tail, Ventress barely dodged as she remained in the ruined remains of the cantina doorway.

 _She thinks a party trick like that can stop me._ Ventress snarled to herself.

"Ventress." A voice growled near a pile of rubble that was once the cantina bar.

Ventress's eyes darted towards rough looking Korun male. One with a cybernetic hand and a furious gleam in his eyes. If she were a lesser being, the expression on his face, the fury in his eyes, would have intimidated her. But the lack of weapons in his hands made her want to scoff at him.

Before she could scoff, or even taunt, Nah's tail whipped towards her head once again. Ventress ducked beneath the blow then used the force to leap towards the beast's back. Just as she was about to land, a different force yanked her from behind and slammed her down to the ground.

Stars danced in the former Nightsister's eyes. Stars she quickly forced away as white fire rocketed towards her. She grit her teeth as she flipped back away from the flames. The ground shook as the ball of fire impacted and caused a small explosion. Through that explosion, the Korun male leaped at her, fists raised, a roar erupting from his open mouth.

Ventress jumped to the side, but not before she felt a hand smack against her hip, removing something extremely important. In a flash, she reached for her other hip and drew her lightsaber, igniting the scarlet blade with a snarl.

"You dare to-" She trailed off when she saw the Korun with her other red blade drawn in his hands. The fury in his eyes now caused her some concern. The force whipped in a frenzy around her as both the winged beast and the Korun stared her down.

"You'll pay for everything you helped cause." The Korun snarled, "Justice will be done in the name of the Jedi."

Ventress's eyes widened. Justice for the Jedi?

"Oh…" Ventress started to cackle, "You're a jedi, are you? If you are, then you certainly know who I am. And you will absolutely know my reputation. I doubt a little pissant like you could best me."

The Korun scowled at her but said nothing.

"I'll handle her." He said, no doubt addressing the lizard-monster, "Go find the others and get to the Falcon."

Blood rushed through Ventress's viens. She did not recognize this Jedi, but her adrenaline pumped through her as if she was fighting an old, long forgotten foe. It had been far too long since she needed to draw her blades for combat. As her eyes focused on her new foe, her old quarry soared up into the air with a roar. She briefly followed its flight, watching where it zipped to in a hurry.

 _Towards the casino._ She thought, _I'll get her in a minute._

Before she could even formulate a strategy of doing so, the Korun snarled and charged at her. Ventress grinned and raised her blade.

The first blow shook her arms. Her muscles groaned. Her bones shuddered. The heat from the lightsabers clashing rushed over her hands and forearms as she struggled to hold off the powerful strike. The Korun's eyes burned hot with anger as he shoved Ventress back.

Ventress danced lightly backwards then lunged forward with a stab of her own. The Korun easily parried it, adjusted his posture, then slashed hard down at her head.

She managed to block the strike, but the power behind it sent her down to one knee. Worry filled Ventress. Two strikes and she already noticed a substantial difference in strength between both of them.

"I don't recall if you and I ever fought before." The man growled, "But I remember seeing every single grave. I had to stand at every funeral as a member of the high council." Ventress's eyes widened in shock as he spoke, "I had to give eulogies to young padawans you slaughtered for fun. Back then, I might have shown you mercy if we fought. But now, never!"

The blades shrieked as they slid apart. Ventress surged to her feet as some panic filled her. This Jedi claimed to be a member of the high council. Those were the only Jedi that ever gave her some pause. The Jedi of the High Council were powerful enough to challenge her long dead master, Dooku. And this one had strength in spades. Who exactly was he though? Was he stronger than Masters such as Kit Fisto? Saesee Tiin? Kenobi?

That question was answered when, instead of parrying her next attack, he shoved her with the force. She flew backwards, then slammed into the wall of a nearby building. The concrete cracked and sank when she impacted. Her head swam and she slumped down to her hands and knees. Her lightsabers hissed off as it clattered out of her hands.

She snapped her head up as boots stomped towards her. Another dull roar rang out as blasters fired at the winged creature soaring overhead. But that barely garnered her attention. Ventress's entire focus remained on the Jedi Master storming towards her with all the fury of an enraged Rancor.

Her hand shook as she reached for her blade. Before she could grab it, a red glow filled her vision, causing her to freeze.

"Do you know who I am now?" The Korun growled.

Ventress raised her gaze up to meet the man's dark, enraged eyes. She gulped and slowly shook her head.

"If I don't know you," She said, "Then that must mean you were too cowardly to step foot on the battlefield."

His eyes flashed. She smirked. At least she got one barb in before the end.

An enormous boom filled the atmosphere. The Korun froze and looked up. Ventress followed his gaze.

An unmarked imperial star destroyer lumbered in the sky. Clouds rippled around it as it burst free from hyperspace inside the planet's atmosphere. A shockwave ripped through the air, taking the Korun off of his feet and shoving Ventress down into the ground.

The Force turned black as night. A frozen chill swept through the air. Any light from the little lizard girl shrank away in the face of the Dark Side of the Force. It was a feeling that caused chills to run up and down Ventress's spine. Fear gripped her heart as she felt the raw power boiling in the Star Destroyer above them.

"Windu!" A voice called, making Ventress freeze against the ground.

 _Windu? The Master Windu!?_ She raised a shaky gaze up at the Korun as he slowly rose to his feet. The wanted smuggler, Han Solo, and two more of his friends rushed up to him. The lizard girl soared overhead, rushing towards the small spaceport.

"We need to get out of here!" Han shouted.

Windu glared across the rubble covered ground at Ventress. The Nightsister paled beneath his gaze. She saw murder in his eyes, and she knew that if he wanted to, he could have his justice right now.

A sharp tug on his sleeve by Kjelle drew Windu's attention.

"Bounty hunters and the Empire are here! We need to go!" Kjelle shouted.

Windu glared again at Ventress. Starfighters screamed overhead now. An imperial shuttle lumbered from the belly of the star destroyer. Ventress watched it slowly descend down towards the surface.

She whipped her gaze back to where Windu was… and he was gone, along with his new friends. In the distance, Ventress heard engines fire up. A hunk of junk, the Millennium Falcon, burst into the air and rushed to escape the planet. Several TIE fighters pursued, but the shuttle continued its descent.

It landed only a few dozen meters away from Ventress. The Nightsister remained still as the ramp hissed and lowered. A Deathtrooper and several stormtroopers surged off of the shuttle. Following them was a young girl wearing a purple, black, and gold coat. Her hood was drawn. But Ventress could see glowing yellow eyes beneath that hood. In the force, she could sense the darkness generated by the little girl. She shivered.

"My friends!"

Ventress glanced over to see Lando Calrissian, the man in charge of this hellhole, quickly moving to greet the Imperials. A large, albeit nervous grin, plastered his face.

"What can I-"

"I don't believe we have met." The young girl interrupted. Her lips curled into an amused smirk as Lando's grin faded, "And I'm very careful as to who I call friend." She lowered her hood, revealing a face even younger than Ventress thought it would be, "My name is Ragana. I'm tracking a wanted Jedi Master. And last I sensed, he was here."

She glanced up at the sky as the Falcon raced out of the atmosphere, pursued by TIE fighters.

"He didn't happen to be on that ship, did he?" She asked, a dangerous gleam in her eyes.

Lando swallowed hard, "Well-"

"He is." Ventress spoke up.

Ragana's gaze snapped over to her. The Stormtroopers and Deathtrooper aimed their blasters at her as Ventress slowly got to her feet. As she stood, something wormed its way into her thoughts. Ventress winced and tried to push it out. For a moment, whatever was trying to invade her mind resisted. Then it relented, and her mind felt free once again.

Ragana raised a hand, gesturing for soldiers to relax.

"And you are?" She asked Ventress.

Ventress dusted some dirt off of her, "A bounty hunter. One that wants the prize on that crew's head."

Ragana's eyes sparkled, "Oh? Who placed the bounty?"

"Jabba the Hutt." Ventress answered quickly, before Lando could butt into the conversation.

"Interesting." Ragana hummed, a smirk still on her lips. Her yellow eyes flicked over to Lando, "You will be compensated for your assistance."

"What?" Lando muttered, shocked.

"And you," Ragana pointed at Ventress, "are coming with me. We have some business to discuss."

Ventress stayed put as Ragana marched back to her shuttle. The Deathtrooper followed her. She wondered if she should follow the young girl. The force shrouded her in a midnight black shell. One that set Ventress on edge. She worked very hard to get away from those types in the wake of the Clone Wars. Did she really want to get involved with the Empire and their dark adepts now? Especially since there was also a small price on her head due to her work with the Separatist so many years ago.

"Come along, Asajj Ventress." Ragana hummed nonchalantly, "You do want the bounty, don't you?"

Ventress's mouth fell open as the girl disappeared into the shuttle. The ramp to the shuttle stayed down, as if it was patiently waiting for her to board.

 _Well… it looks like I don't have a choice._

Lando remained quiet as Ventress stepped by him. He appeared a touch pale, and exceptionally nervous. Understandable really, he was a criminal and the Empire just paid him a visit. He was likely thanking his lucky stars the Empire was after more important prey at the moment.

She entered the shuttle and took a seat across the holding bay from Ragana. Ragana's yellow eyes gleamed as she sat down. The girl then glanced at Lando and the rubble that rested where the Cantina previously stood.

"Lovely establishment you have here." The ramp started to rise, "Very minimalist."

The ramp closed. The shuttle's engine whirred to life. Lando watched as it rose off the ground and lumbered back up to the unmarked Star Destroyer.

One of his guards rushed up to him, a comm link in hand. Lando grabbed it and put it towards his mouth.

"Han…" He breathed into it. The Star Destroyer's engines burst to life above him, "Jabba is the least of your concerns now."

 **And chapter! This was a fun one to write. We got some action. And we will get some more later on as the chase continues. A few interesting moments between Nah and Windu, as well as Han and the others. And we get an introduction to another character who will pop up again in the future, Lando Calrissian, one of my favorite Star Wars characters. Also a small cameo from an infamous bounty hunter, because why not?**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**


	109. From Bad to Good Fortunes

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 109

From Bad to Good Fortunes

"NAGA, DAMN IT! SHIT!" Kjelle roared as the Millenium Falcon shuddered then lurched hard to her right, slamming her against the armrest of her chair.

Han muttered a curse in front of her as he fought with the Falcon's controls. Chewie barked beside him in the copilot's seat.

"I know. I know." Han replied. His voice completely calm. Eyes laser focused on the multiple readouts on his console, the windows of the cockpit, and the TIE fighters screaming straight at them.

Green bolts flashed in Kjelle's eyes. They screeched over the cockpit, slamming into the top of the Falcon. The ship lurched downwards. Han yanked on the controls, sending the Falcon into a downward spiral. Or what Kjelle thought was down. With how many twists and turns they had done since leaving Numidian Prime's atmosphere, she was no longer certain what was up or down beyond the Falcon's protective metal shell.

Han fidgeted with the headset over his right ear.

"Hondo, Windu, please tell me you are blasting these guys to dust." He said, voice still completely calm in the face of terrifying chaos.

Static crackled back for a moment.

" _GOT ANOTHER!"_ Hondo suddenly cheered, startling Kjelle as she tightened her grip on the armrests.

" _There are too many swarming around us."_ Windu reported back.

Red blaster bolts flashed from both ends of the Falcon as they missed a pair of TIE's shrieking around them. The Falcon shuddered again. Red lights flashed all across the console, eliciting a tremendous roar from Chewie.

"I know, damn it!" Han barked, suddenly losing his temper.

He snapped his head to and fro, looking for any way out of the TIE swarm. Kjelle followed his gaze, throat bobbing up and down as sweat pooled in the creases of her palms. The Falcon spun, her eyes spun, the entire world around her spun. Her stomach flipped as she struggled to keep herself from growing sick. From the view in the cockpit, she suddenly saw the massive Star Destroyer looming large before them.

Kjelle grit her teeth as Han shoved the throttle all the way forward, shoving all of them back into their seats.

"Hondo, Windu, out of the turrets!" Han barked into his earpiece.

" _Come again!?"_ Hondo replied.

" _What are you planning, smuggler?"_ Windu asked, a hint of disdain in his voice as he launched a volley at the Star Destroyer out of pure spite.

"A little trick you should pay attention to." Han grumbled back as he flipped several switches, "Chewie, get ready with the magnetic locks."

Chewie chortled back. His massive paws darted over to several buttons on the side of the cockpit. Kjelle heard a faint whine beneath her feet.

She flicked her panicked gaze back out the window. The Star Destroyer filled the viewport. Her face blanched as the once smooth surface of the Star Destroyer now appeared cracked, craggy, and lumpy. She could make out various lights and panels along its surface as the Falcon sped along its bow.

"Han…" She gulped, "Don't you think we should slow down?"

Han grit his teeth. His hands tightened on the controls.

"I don't know the meaning of those words." He growled.

A yelp left Kjelle's lips as he yanked hard on the controls. The Falcon shot upwards, scaling the face of the Star Destroyer's bridge. They passed so close, Kjelle, in the split second she managed to notice it, saw multiple figures on the massive ship's bridge duck away from their own viewports.

"Engage the magnets now!" Han ordered sharply.

Chewie howled. Kjelle squeezed her eyes shut as the Falcon stopped soaring forward and instead rushed right into the back of the Star Destroyer's bridge. The Falcon shook, lurched, and shuddered. A loud clank filled the cockpit as it hit the bridge.

"Shut off all power!" Han snapped, "Only vital systems online. And no, heat is not a vital system right now." He flicked his head back at Kjelle, "Bundle up sweetheart."

"Heat is the last thing I'm worried about at the moment." Kjelle breathed.

The Falcon's engines died completely. The only sound coming through the cockpit now were the sounds of their bated breath and the dull, nearby roar of the Star Destroyer's monstrous engines. TIEs screeched over their heads and spun around. Kjelle sucked in a sharp breath as she waited for them to spot the wounded Falcon, clinging to the side of their own command ship.

Instead, the TIEs screeched overhead again. Kjelle's eyes followed them until they disappeared from view. As soon as they were gone, her shoulders sagged and she slouched in her seat. Relief flooded through her, and a long sigh escaped from her lungs.

"This is insane." She breathed.

"Yeah, you're telling me." Han said. A laugh of complete disbelief escaped his lungs. He tapped Chewie's arm, "Can you believe this actually worked?"

Kjelle's eyes widened as Chewie shrugged.

"You mean you've never done this before!?" Kjelle cried, "I thought you said this was an old trick?"

"I said a little trick, not an old trick." Han leaned back in his seat and exhaled. Calming his own racing heart in the process, "Came up with this one on the fly."

Chewie grumbled at him, causing Han to frown.

"All of my best plans are improvised, you know that." The smuggler replied with a roll of his eyes.

The door to the cockpit hissed open. Both Hondo and Windu entered. Han, Kjelle, and Chewie spun to greet them.

"You absolute madman!" Hondo exclaimed as he surged towards Han, picked him up out of his seat and placed a large kiss on his cheek, "What I would have given to have you as part of my crew back in the good old days!"

"Get off of me." Han pushed Hondo away. He wiped at his cheek with the back of his hand, "Don't get too touchy feely."

"Impressive." Windu said, voice monotonous as he glanced out of the cockpit, "But this is only a temporary solution."

Kjelle gulped, "What do you mean?"

Windu glanced over at her, his usual frowning look of contempt on his face. A look Kjelle was growing mildly annoyed with considering they saved his life for the second time on Numidian Prime and she had yet to hear a thank you from the man.

"This is merely a hiding spot. While clever, it will not conceal us for long. Eventually their scans will detect us." He explained.

"Not for a while though." Han breathed, "Imperial procedure requires idiocy and incompetence. They won't think to scan their own ship for us." He nudged Chewie, "In the meantime gather the tools. We need to figure out how to get one more jump out of the hyperdrive."

"I shall assist in what meager way I can!" Hondo grinned, "This insane stunt has caused me to grant you both my respect and admiration, Han." He rushed out of the cockpit.

"Not sure if I want those." Han muttered. Chewie uttered a small grunt, "Yeah, I guess it's better than nothing. Go get to it already. I'll make sure everything is good in here."

Windu furrowed his brow as he looked out the cockpit once again. He closed his eyes and took a deep, calming breath.

"We can only hope imperial procedure gets in the way." He warned Han, "I have a feeling we are dealing with much more competent commanders than the usual Imperial officers."

Han swallowed hard, "If that's the case, my luck really has gone rotten."

Windu nodded in agreement, "I will see what I can do with the hyperdrive." He glanced at Kjelle as he exited the cockpit, "And I'll check on Nah. Seeing Ventress shook her up a little bit."

"Thanks." Kjelle breathed.

Once he was gone, she slouched even further in her seat. During the initial chase, every muscle in her body was clenched tight. Now that the excitement died and the terror faded, she felt exhausted. Normally, a fight would give her a thrill. A rush of adrenaline that she would feed off of and enjoy every second it lasted. But this fight, both on Numidian Prime and beyond that planet's atmosphere, felt different for her. The explosions and shudders that rocked the Falcon still buzzed through her body. Vibrating up from her feet planted firmly against the floor, through her legs, and into her core. Causing her heart to hammer harder in her chest.

She took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves.

"Hey, Kjelle?" Han leaned forward in his seat, arms resting on his knees as he gave her a concerned look, "You alright?"

Kjelle gulped and gave him a shaky nod.

"I'll be fine just…" She flexed her hands open and closed, "Not used to this."

A small laugh left Han's lips, "I'll admit, it's a little difficult to get used to. But once you do, it becomes a bit fun."

"For a crazy man like you." Kjelle shot back.

"Gotta be a little crazy to be a smuggler." Han smirked back. He rose to his feet and rolled his shoulders, "Now, time to figure out how to-"

The comm link on the Falcon's main console buzzed, forcing Han to freeze midstep. He glanced over at the blinking blue light. Kjelle's throat bobbed as she stared at the blinking light also.

"Lando?" She asked, somehow hoping that piece of crap was trying to get a hold of them and maybe offer them a way out of this mess.

Han's jaw tightened, "I don't think so."

With a trembling hand, he pressed the button allowing the comm to activate. No hologram appeared on the console. Instead, a voice cut through a brief rush of static. A voice that made Kjelle's heart stop in her chest.

" _Crew of the Millenium Falcon, this is Lady Ragana of the Imperial Navy."_

Kjelle's hands started to shake. Her face turned ghost white. A cold sweat built up on her brow and trickled down the back of her neck.

" _I know you are still out there."_

Her mouth felt dry. Air surged in and out of her lungs in rapid breaths as her shock turned to relief, then to horror as realization settled in for her.

" _I know that your hyperdrive is offline. You know you cannot escape my grasp."_ The still, quiet voice said as it cut through the static.

Han remained rooted in his spot, throat moving up and down as he struggled to contain his own fear.

A wave of cold surged into the cockpit. It creeped over Kjelle's skin like frozen fingers. Prowling along her, trying to invade her thoughts. Something struck at her mind. An invisible vice like grip grabbed her thoughts, her memories, and strangled them. She squeezed her eyes shut. Her hands clenched the armrests of her chair tight. Her knuckles turned white, and the metal in her grip groaned as she squeezed tighter. Pain filled her mind as she resisted the presence attempting to invade her thoughts.

" _Yes… you are near. I can sense you."_

Kjelle cracked her eyes open. Her chest rose and fell in hard, heavy, ragged gasps. The grip on her mind eased, then brushed against her, almost like a tender caress that reassured her no more harm would come to her. But she did not believe it. She flicked her gaze over to Han. He leaned against the co-pilot's seat, wincing in pain, before letting out a low groan and slumping hard against the chair.

" _It is only a matter of time now. I will find you. So… how about we make this easy?"_

Kjelle's gaze focused on the blinking blue comm light.

" _Han Solo… you and your crew are harboring a wanted fugitive of the Galactic Empire, an infamous Jedi Master by the name of Mace Windu. If you turn him over to me, not only will I spare your lives, I will forget you even exist. No one will be the wiser of this little… incident."_

Kjelle saw Han glanced longingly at the comm.

" _If you do not comply, well… I'm sure you already know."_

The blue light stopped blinking. The static and voice cut out, leaving the cockpit in complete, deafening silence.

Han and Kjelle continued staring at the now dead light. Both fearing the moment it would start blinking blue again. The first noise either of them heard was the sound of Han letting out a ragged breath.

"Kriff." He gasped before slumping into the co-pilot's seat. He buried his face in his hands, "I- what-" He glanced over at a still petrified Kjelle, "Kjelle?"

She stared blankly forward, lips slightly parted, shock in her eyes. That voice, she knew that voice anywhere. She had heard it so many times growing up. Played with the person behind that voice. Called them comrade, ally, friend. And now, out in the cold expanse of space, that old friend was threatening her life.

"Morgan." Kjelle breathed, still struggling to believe what she heard.

Han raised his brow, "What did you say?"

Kjelle slowly shook her head in disbelief, "It can't be." She flicked her eyes over to the comm, "No… no, Morgan is not like this."

Han blinked, "Are-are you saying what I think you're saying?" He glanced over at the comm, "You know this Ragana lady?"

Kjelle snapped her gaze over to Han. She swallowed again, causing her suddenly parched throat to ache.

"I-I don't know a Ragana." She stammered, "But she sounded exactly the same as a friend of mine."

"One of your friends like Nah?" Han asked.

Kjelle slowly nodded. Han pressed his lips into a thin line.

"What are we dealing with then? Another lizard girl?" He asked, trying to make light of the situation. But the shudder in his voice betrayed the fear he felt.

Kjelle clenched her jaw, "Morgan… probaby can do that. She never really tried, but her mother was a Manakete. Morgan's greatest asset has always been her mind." Kjelle shakily rose from her seat. She braced herself against the wall, her body still feeling weak from the sudden shock and mental barrage, "She takes after her father, or so I've been told. He was a brilliant mage and tactician. Morgan's the same in that way. And… N-naga above, she's with the Empire." She ran her hand over her eyes and uttered a shaky breath, "What is she doing there?"

Han let his hands hit his legs as he rose to his feet and also struggled to find his balance. He massaged his brow and gulped.

"Does it matter? We've got our terms." Kjelle's head snapped around to look at him, "I say we take them."

Kjelle's mind raced for a moment. The way Morgan talked, it sounded like her, but it also did not sound like her. This Morgan-Ragana-, whatever her name was, she sounded… evil. In Kjelle's experience, you can never trust evil.

Han noticed her concern.

"You disagree?"

"Think about what she said for a moment." Kjelle breathed, "She will forget we exist. What does that mean exactly?"

Han shrugged, "She'll forget about us. We get away scot-free."

Kjelle raised a hand, forcing Han to stop reaching for the comm.

"She never said we get away."

Han's fingers hovered over the comm link. His brow furrowed as he pondered Kjelle's words. His hand slowly moved away from the comm.

"We'll be forgotten, because we will be dead." Kjelle swallowed hard.

Han furrowed his brow, "You said this lady was a friend of yours-"  
"I don't know what she is right now!" Kjelle snapped. She ran a hand through her hair, "Naga, I'm not the thinking type! Just… damn it! Just point me in a direction and tell me to hit something! I'm good at that. But all of this thinking, and cloak and dagger, no!" She bowed her head as she fought back tears, "Do not reply to her. If-if my gut feeling is right, she'll kill us, regardless of if we hand Windu over or not."

Han remained silent for a moment. Meanwhile, Kjelle's mind continued to race, and her heart ached.

 _Morgan, what are you doing?_ She thought, _Why do I feel this way about you?_

"Well," Han exhaled, "one option is, if we are lucky enough to time it right, we detach with the ship's garbage and float away. Then we wait till they leave."

"She knows we are here, Han." Kjelle reminded, "She won't leave. Morgan is far too… thorough." She shook her head, "We need to pray the hyperdrive can be used."

Han nodded, "Yeah… pray might be the best we can hope for at the moment. Not that I believe in it." He surged towards the cockpit exit.

Kjelle took another breath to compose herself. Right now, only she and Han knew about the conversation that just occured. The others did not hear it. Unless Han decided to disclose it to the others, they would never know about the imminent danger they were in. They would not know about the person at the other end of the line. Nah would not know about Morgan's sudden turn. A turn that caused Kjelle's heart to ache, and caused innumerable questions to bounce through her mind. How did this happen? How did Morgan end up with the Empire? Why was she threatening them? Did Morgan even know she and Nah were aboard the Falcon?

 _None of this makes any sense._

With one more calming (or as calming as she could manage) breath, Kjelle strode out of the cockpit and marched towards the engine room.

When she entered the engine room, she walked straight into a complete mess. Panels were ripped out of the floor, exposing a network of wires, pipes, and other instruments buried beneath the floor. Sparks flew up from the hole as Chewie used a strange, fiery tool. Hondo sat down there with him, cranking relentlessly with a wrench. Meanwhile, Han, Windu, and Nah watched from the edge of the hole in the floor. Han was trying to figure out what exactly was wrong. Windu was not doing much of anything other than keeping his eyes closed and breathing deep. And Nah watched with growing curiosity. Her eyes seemed focused on a group of glowing red tubes near Hondo's right side.

"What I would give for an astromech right now." Hondo grunted as he whatever he was working on with his wrench, "Hunk of junk!"

"Hey! Don't insult my ship. Do you talk to your mother like that?" Han snapped at the Wee'quay.

"Ha! You've obviously never met my mother. She'd repay those words in kind, I assure you." Hondo chirped back. He rattled off a few words in a strange language Kjelle could not understand, howled an obvious curse, then threw his wrench to his feet, "Bantha poodoo!"

"Have you tried turning it counterclockwise?" Han suggested.

"Have I tried turning it counterclockwise?" Hondo grumbled as he pulled himself out of the hole in the floor, "Why don't you try it?"

Before Han could hop down into the hole, Nah leaped in.

"Nah!" Kjelle shouted.

"Hey! Kid, get out of there!" Han snapped.

Nah ignored them as she focused on the glowing red tubes. Chewie stopped working and glanced over at her. He uttered a low groan in her direction. But Nah ignored him as well. Windu said nothing.

"What are these?" Nah asked, pointing at the glowing tubes.

Han sighed, "Power cells."

"Are they supposed to be red?" She asked.

Han shook his head, "No, they're supposed to be green. And that is what we are trying to fix."

Nah furrowed her brow and returned her attention to the tubes. She brushed her hand against them. The skin on her arms buzzed. A determined look crossed her face. Wordlessly, she drew a small, pale stone from her shirt.

Kjelle gulped, "Nah, now's not the time to use that."

"No dragon in here!" Hondo cried, "There is no room! I don't want to be crushed by a little lizard girl."

"Chewie get her out of there." Han growled.

Chewie let out an irritated groan, stopped working, and turned to grab Nah.

The wookie howled as the stone in Nah's hands glowed bright. White light drowned out everything around them, forcing Kjelle to squeeze her eyes shut. Curses erupted from Han and Hondo. The light lingered a moment longer, then faded away.

Dark spots lingered in Kjelle's vision for a moment. When her eyes refocused, she saw Nah, shaking beside Chewie. Her skin had turned deathly pale. Cold sweat covered her. The pale stone in her hands shuddered then cracked in two.

"Nah…" Kjelle breathed, stunned.

Chewie pawed at his eyes and glared at Nah. Any fury the wookie felt evaporated when he noticed green glowing tubes beside Nah.

"Did…" Nah swallowed and started to sway, "Did that help?"

She tipped forward. Chewie quickly caught her.

"Holy crap!" Hondo breathed.

"Chewie, give her to me, quick!" Kjelle snapped as she leaned over the edge of the hole.

The wookie hoisted the small Manakete up to Kjelle. Kjelle grabbed her and laid her gently down onto the floor. She brushed a hand over Nah's forehead.

"She's freezing." Kjelle gulped and glanced at the split stone still squeezed in Nah's hands, "Nah, what did you do?"

"Is it?" Han stared in awe at the tubes, "It is!"

He rushed past Kjelle back into the cockpit. Just as he reached the cockpit, TIE fighters screamed overhead again. This time, they turned and focused on the Falcon latched to the back of the Star Destroyer's bridge.

Kjelle hardly heard him shout for everyone to hold on. The Falcon burst free from the Star Destroyer. A high pitched whine filled the air, steam erupted from several pipes in the hole. The green glow started to turn red as the hyperdrive activated one more time. Sparks shot up from the hole. Chewie howled and jumped out as fast as he could.

A fiery blast rocked the hole. The Falcon lurched forward, nearly sending everyone against the back wall of the engine room. The screech of the TIE fighters disappeared instantly. A victorious whoop sounded from cockpit. Han rushed back to them.

"It worked!" He cried, "No idea how. And I have no idea where we are going, because we just had a massive power overload, but we are away from the Empire." He put his hands on his hips, "That is good enough for me."

Kjelle let out a small sigh of relief. They escaped, barely, and all thanks to whatever Nah did. She returned her gaze to the unconscious Manakete. She still looked so pale and frail. Her skin looked like the color of ash, lifeless and cold. The only sign of life from the little Manakete was the subtle rise and fall of her chest as she took small breaths.

"I hope there is a healer where we are going." Kjelle muttered, "Nah needs one now."

Han nodded, "We'll find one, don't worry." He took a deep breath, "For now, rest." He knelt down and picked Nah up, "I'll get her to the medical bay."

Kjelle nodded her thanks as he strode away. Hondo coughed as he waved steam and smoke away from his face.

"That went well." The Wee'quay wheezed.

Kjelle slumped backwards against the wall. She felt exhausted, worried, overwhelmed, and afraid. All foreign emotions for her. The only other time she felt this way was… she squeezed her eyes shut.

 _When mom and dad died… and when Grima was at the gates._

"No," Kjelle shook her head, "This has not gone well at all."

Ragana's voice rang in her mind. The sensation of being attacked, invaded, by a strange, dark presence lingered in her thoughts.

 _Morgan, what have you become?_

* * *

Windu sat in silence in the Falcon's small medical bay. It was a cramped section of the ship, barely big enough for a cot, medical supplies, and a couple of chairs. To most it would have been a very uncomfortable place to sit in, let alone try to recover in. But he did not mind, he had been in far worse places during his life. And he had grown sort of comfortable with this cramped room. It was where he woke up on this ship after all. And now, it was where the most curious of the Falcon's crew, Nah, lay comatose.

He still could not figure the little girl out. For how young she obviously was, there was an ancient wisdom and power to her that stunned him. The two occasions where Windu witnessed her abilities was enough to make him wonder just what exactly she was. She claimed to be a species he had never heard of before, a Manakete. A species from a place called Ylisse. But neither of those things resonated for the old Jedi Master. Such mysteries both intrigued and troubled him. The last great mystery revolving around a species and a planet occurred at the start of the Clone Wars.

Kamino, that water covered world beyond the outer rim, was the only other instance he could think of that bore any resemblance to the mystery in front of him. A planet lost, then found, with a species of stunning beings on it. Not stunning like Nah and her apparent magic. The Kaminoans were stunning with their intellect. They were the best Cloners in the galaxy after all. And they were a big reason why the Empire came to be.

He fought off a swell of anger inside of him as he thought of the Clones, the pawns that slaughtered the generals in the war. He needed to stay centered right now. Ragana was probably tracking the Falcon through the force. Sensing his own instability through the currents and following it. His emotions needed to remain in check, or the Sith Apprentice would find him once again. While he was confident he could easily defeat her, he was not confident she would be alone again.

A long breath left his lips and Windu returned his attention to Nah.

 _Manakete…_ He thought, still trying to figure out the first step in the mystery. Where in the galaxy did she come from?

There was a distinct difference between Nah's case and the Kamino case. Kamino was an already discovered planet. But it was lost, erased from the Jedi Archives and rendered forgotten on purpose. Manakete and Ylisse on the other hand, no one had ever heard of those places. Not Han, not Hondo, not Chewie, not even himself.

 _There has to be someone with knowledge about it._

Heavy footsteps neared the medical bay, Mace turned in his seat and saw Kjelle enter. The girl had been in and out of the bay most of the night. Unable to sleep due to her own worries regarding her friend's condition. Dark circles sat around her eyes. Her normally upright posture was slouched, even when she slumped into a chair by Nah's bedside. She ran a hand over Nah's forehead again, then shook her head.

"Still cold." She muttered.

Windu nodded. He had been monitoring the young girl personally. One of the first actions taken to try and help her was to wrap her in as many blankets as they could find on the ship. Then Han cranked the heat up in the ship (something Chewie was very upset about still). He wiped some beads of sweat from his brow and pursed his lips.

"We'll get her to a doctor." Windu said, trying his best to reassure Kjelle.

Kjelle furrowed her brow, "Doctor is the same as a healer, right?"

Windu gave her a slow nod.

"Good." Kjelle breathed, "Hopefully they know how to help her." She shook her head, "I've never seen something like this happen to her before."

Windu raised his brow, "To her before?"

Kjelle nodded shakily, "There were two other Manaketes at one point. Nah's mother, Nowi, and Lady Tiki. Nowi never had something like this happen, but Lady Tiki did often. She never fully explained it to us, but I have a feeling it is a power drain of some sort."

"She over exerted herself." Windu summarized.

"I think so." Kjelle breathed, "But that could also mean Nah will be asleep for a very long time."

Windu gave her a puzzled look, "How long?" Was it several days? A week? A month?

Kjelle shrugged, "Lady Tiki once said she fell asleep for nearly one hundred years at one point." Windu's eyes widened briefly, "I have no idea how long Nah will be gone like this."

 _Just how long does her species live for?_ Windu thought to himself. One hundred years was impressive for any species in the galaxy. But for a singular species to slumber for that long if overexerted sounded incredible.

"How old was Lady Tiki?" He asked, curious.

Kjelle uttered a weary laugh, "A rather rude question to ask, don't you think?"

Windu was not amused. He waited silently on Kjelle's answer.

KJelle huffed, "I think she said somewhere around three thousand." Windu's mouth fell open a little bit, "Give or take a few years. I don't know the exact number."

 _That's impossible!_

Kjelle had to be fooling him. No species, outside of some plant species in the galaxy, could last that long. Not even Master Yoda grew to be that old. The ancient master lived to be nearly nine hundred before the Jedi Purge. Even then, Windu suspected the force aided in the Grandmaster's longevity.

Then again… was it possible? Did these Manakete's have such an innate connection to the Force that it allowed them to live impossibly long lives, spanning millennia? Theoretically, it could be possible. But there was no way for him to possibly test it.

"Where is this Lady Tiki?" He asked Kjelle.

Kjelle swallowed hard and hung her head, "Dead… like the rest of our parents."

Windu fell silent for a moment, "Grima?"

Kjelle's head snapped up, "How do you-"

"Nah told me." Windu explained, "Your planet is locked in an apocalyptic conflict between the god and the devil, of your world at least."

Kjelle let out a dry laugh, "Lady Tiki would argue against the god bit, but the devil? Not far off there. Grima is," Kjelle took a breath, trying to compose her own emotions. Windu detected a flash of fear at the mere mention of Grima's name, "evil. Pure evil."

Windu nodded in understanding. Evil was not restricted to the greater galaxy it seems. Then again, he should not have been surprised. Evil takes many forms. Sidious was just one example, the Hutts were another, and Grima was now the latest example for him.

"Where is your planet?" He asked.

Kjelle frowned, "If I knew the answer to that, I wouldn't be here right now. I would be there, helping Lucina and the others prevent a terrible future."

Ah yes, he had forgotten about that. Nah claimed that a portal sent her and her friends back in time. Hondo seemed to believe it, since he claimed to have seen Kjelle arrive from said portal. But he was also a pirate, and Windu was hesitant to believe the word of a pirate.

Before he could continue his line of questioning, Han leaned into the medical bay.

"I've got good news and bad news." He said.

"Bad news first." Kjelle said quickly, keeping her eyes focused on the subtle rise and fall of Nah's chest.

"Alright, bad news." Han cleared his throat, "I figured out where we random jumped, because we are about to come out of hyperspace and the star charts finally caught up."

"And?" Windu asked.

Han gulped, "Near Alderaan."

Windu frowned. That was not good. Alderaan, since the Empire's inception, had been a key ally to the Emperor. Bail Organa had gone from being a staunch believer in liberty into one of the loudest voices of support for Palpatine. Of course, if rumors were to be believed, his opinions changed when Master Yoda attempted to hold him and his newborn daughter hostage in the immediate aftermath of Order 66. At least there was an understandable reason behind his sudden turn away from the Republic and the Jedi.

"How is that bad news?" Kjelle asked.

"Alderaan is in the core worlds. Very close to the Empire." Han breathed, "So… we may not be out of the woods yet."

Kjelle gave him a worried look, "Tell me the good news is better than the bad news."

Han grimaced, "Well… now that I think about it, I don't have much good news. We're almost out of fuel. Whatever Nah did to our hyperdrive sucked up almost all of the juice the Falcon had. Our hyperdrive is completely fried, so are some other systems. Basically, if we do not make port immediately, we will be drifting in a few hours."

Windu closed his eyes. Bad news indeed. Alderaan was now their only course.

"So," Han continued, "Hopefully the wanted posters haven't been distributed yet. We'll be landing in a few minutes. I suggest you two get ready."

"What about the spice?" Kjelle asked.

Han pursed his lips, "We're about to eject it." He tapped his leg nervously, "My work for Jabba is done now. And, if he ever catches me, I am a dead man." He nodded then disappeared back down the corridor.

Windu grimaced once he was gone, "Not good."

"Yeah, I can see that." Kjelle exhaled, "But we have no choice."

She rose to her feet and marched towards the cockpit. Windu decided to follow her. When they both entered the cockpit, Hondo spun in his chair to greet them.

"How's it going?" He asked.

"Been better." Kjelle sighed before flopping in her chair behind Han.

Chewie groaned in agreement. One of his paws swiped at his wet, matted fur.

"I know it's hot buddy, I'm sorry." Han breathed, "At least Alderaan is temperate. You'll get to cool off in a minute."

The engines to the Falcon whined and shuddered as Han pulled back on the throttle. The blue tunnel of hyperspace evaporated away, revealing a blue and green planet lumbering before them.

"There she is." Han breathed.

"Hm… never been here before." Hondo muttered as he leaned back in his seat, "Of course, I tried to avoid the core. Too many authorities here."

"Don't blame you." Han muttered, "I'd prefer not to be here too." he flicked some switched, "Chewie, we'll be hailed as soon as we enter the atmosphere. Put them through right away. We don't want any trouble."

Chewie groaned in agreement.

The stars faded as they entered Alderaan's atmosphere. Giant, white puffs of cloud enveloped the Falcon. The ship shuddered a little as it jostled through the planet's air. Through the rumbling of entry, static hit the comm link. Chewie's paw hit the comm, opening up the Falcon's main channel.

" _Unidentified craft, this is Alderaan Spaceport's Tower, identify yourself."_

Han gulped, "Here goes nothing." He tapped a button in front of him, "This is Han Solo of the Millenium Falcon. Requesting permission for an emergency landing. Engines and hyperdrive are mostly fried. One injured crew member on board."

Static in return. Han held his breath. Chewie uttered a low groan. Hondo leaned forward in his seat.

"Think they know?" The pirate asked.

"It wouldn't surprise me." Han muttered.

The static cut out. A new voice spoke to them. A strong, authoritative voice that instantly put Windu on edge.

" _Millenium Falcon, this is Captain Rex of the Alderaan security forces. Proceed to make an emergency landing at landing pad marked Alpha 15 in the Royal City. Myself and a medical crew will be there to greet you. Over and out."_

Han paled, "Security forces… great."

"We're finished." Hondo muttered.

Chewie uttered a despondent groan. Kjelle furrowed her brow, confused.

"But they're bringing a medical crew for Nah? Maybe they're just being careful?"

"We can only hope." Windu frowned.

That was a name he had not heard in a long time. And it was a name that caused him tremendous amounts of worry.

 _Captain Rex…_

The clouds broke around them. Slowly growing larger below them was a shimmering city that stole Kjelle's breath away. A grand city with towers and spires that reached high into the sky. It sat nestled into a snow-covered mountain range. Great pines lined the outskirts of the city. A few speeders and shuttles zipped in and out of a large area off to the side, which had to be the spaceport.

"Wow…" Kjelle breathed.

"And this is a rich world." Hondo muttered, "It pays to side with the Empire."

"Yes it does." Han nodded as he brought the Falcon in for a landing.

The Falcon's landing gear groaned open. The entire ship shuddered as it touched down. Through the cockpit window, Windu saw a group of medical personnel hustling towards the ship with a stretcher. Behind them were three Alderaan security forces soldiers in crisp, blue and white uniforms. At the head of those security forces was a bald headed, mandalorian man with a stern gaze and strong military posture.

Windu took a deep breath and reached for the force, only to stop himself. If he touched the force, both Sidious and Ragana would know. He glanced over at Kjelle and the others, then down the corridor to the medical bay.

He couldn't risk it.

"Let's see what happens." Han said nervously.

He marched out of the cockpit. Chewie and Hondo followed him. Kjelle muttered something about being with Nah then left the cockpit, leaving Windu alone as the ramp lowered. He drew in a deep breath and rose to his feet, ready to either enter Alderaan safely, or be killed and join his Jedi brethren in the force.

As he approached the ramp, he heard the familiar clip of a clone's voice. His pulse quickened as he stepped down the ramp. The medical crew rushed past Windu and moved down the corridor towards the medical bay.

At the base of the ramp, Windu saw Han speaking to Rex.

"Look, Solo, I still need to know what exactly happened?"

"Asteroid field." Han answered with a shrug, "One of my other crew panicked and overloaded the hyperdrive with power. Caused it to jump us then explode, injuring one of my crew in the process."

Rex furrowed his brow, "Likely," His eyes turned up to look at Windu, "story…"

Windu locked eyes with the former Clone Captain. He looked a little older now, no doubt due to the advanced aging in his genetics. While still bald, white whiskers were starting to grow on the clone captain's chin and lip. Crow's feet sat in the corners of his sharp eyes. But despite those obvious signs of age, he looked as fit as he did during the war.

Han noticed Rex's brief shock.

"Is there a problem?"

Windu held his breath as Rex shook his head.

"None at all." He cleared his throat, "Actually, I mean to congratulate all of you."

"Uh… what?"

"You are the one millionth users of this spaceport." Rex said with a large grin.

One of the guards leaned over and whispered something to Rex. Rex gave the man a stern glare, which shut him up immediately.

"As a reward for that, Prince Bail Organa would like to meet with all of you personally. And his personal physician will see to your injured crew member." Rex glanced back up at a stunned Windu. As they locked gazes again, the medical crew emerged with Nah in the stretcher and Kjelle following behind them, "Take her to the royal palace. The physician will be waiting." He ordered the medical crew.

The medics gave him a surprised look, but said nothing as they marched towards an emergency shuttle. Kjelle lingered a moment longer.

"Where are you taking her?" She asked Rex.

"To the palace. We'll follow." Rex turned on his heel and motioned for them to follow him to a nearby shuttle.

Windu hesitated as the others cautiously followed. He took a deep breath and glanced at the two security forces personal still waiting beside the Falcon. He gave both a stiff nod then followed Rex into the shuttle.

No words were exchanged with him as he took his seat towards the rear of the shuttle. Rex took a seat near the driver's seat. Han, Hondo, and Chewie chatted quietly amongst themselves. Stunned by what was going on. And thanking the universe that their luck finally took a good turn. Kjelle sat quietly beside Windu.

The shuttle hummed up into the air and shot towards the palace. The entire way there, Windu could not help but brace himself.

* * *

"Leia, sweetheart, don't play with your food." Bail gently admonished as he sat at the head of the dining table.

His beautiful little girl beamed at him, a mischievous gleam in her eyes, then flicked her food with her finger once again. A long sigh left Bail's lips as he gave her a suddenly weary look.

 _I got stuck with the trouble maker._ He thought to himself with mild amusement due to her antics.

For the life of him he could never find a way to stay mad at her. Leia was his whole world. She was what kept him sane through the chaos that enveloped the galaxy during the last days of the Republic. His rock that he stood upon when his wife passed a few years ago. The one thing he lived for more than anything else. The one person he fought and risked everything for in the shadows.

"Leia," Yarne's quiet voice piped up beside the Princess, "you should listen to your father."

Leia frowned at Yarne. Yarne's long ears drooped a little bit beneath her harsh glare. Nevertheless, despite her disagreement, Leia huffed, grabbed her fork and started to eat like a proper lady. Bail chuckled to himself as he brought his glass of tea to his lips.

"I'm glad she listens to you." He muttered to Yarne.

Yarne ducked his head a little bit, embarrassed. He said nothing in return. Nothing unusual for the Taguel.

Bail actually liked having the strange creature around. For one, he seemed to care a great deal for Leia, despite not having any personal stakes in her care. The Taguel had taken it upon himself to be both a guardian and playmate for the young Princess. While Leia had no shortage of guardians (Rex chief among them), she lacked friends in the palace. Yarne was a friend she desperately need. And that was likely why she bothered to listen to him in the first place. As always, the opinion of peers outweigh the opinion of the parent.

 _Funny how that works._ Bail thought to himself.

He sipped his tea once again. Just as he brought the cup away from his lips, his comm link buzzed on the table. Yarne flinched at the sudden noise. Bail simply plucked it from the table and held to his ear.

"Yes?"

It was Rex. And what he just said made Bail's stomach drop.

"Are you certain?" Bail rose to his feet, brow furrowed as he continued listening to Rex, "Yes, bring them to me immediately. And keep it quiet."

He clicked the comm link off and took a deep breath. Shock filled him. That shock was followed by a spell of fear, then hope and joy. Perhaps the fledgling rebellion he was trying to build would finally receive their first great general.

He glanced over at Yarne and Leia.

"Make sure she finishes her food." Bail told Yarne, "I have to go speak with Rex."

Yarne nodded, "Yes sir."

"Bye father!" Leia cried, waving her fork at him.

Bail gave his daughter a gentle smile before striding out of the dining room and marching towards his personal quarters, where Rex would take the new arrivals from the spaceport. A smart move by the captain of his security forces. There were no prying eyes there, unlike the main hall of his palace.

He shoved the doors to his quarters open and took a deep breath. He was alone for now, but that would soon change.

 _He's alive._ Bail smiled to himself, _There is hope!  
_ Footsteps approached his quarters. Bail composed himself before the doors were pushed open. Rex stepped inside and snapped to attention. Behind him were a motley group of people.

First was a young, roguish man with a blaster pistol hanging loose on his hip. He wore dark blue pants with red stripes on the side, almost imperial in design. A loose white shirt and black vest completed the look. He glanced around the palace with anxious eyes. One hand always lingered near the blaster pistol.

Next to him was a mammoth wookie. And next to the wookie was a Wee'quay male wearing the outfit of an outer rim pirate. A charming grin rested on the Wee'quay's face as he looked at Bail.

Then behind all of them was a young woman with brown hair and a worried look in her eyes. She wore a simple black tank and brown pants. A blaster hung loose against her hip as well. She was about as young as the man at the lead. Maybe a year or two younger.

Bail caught his breath as he caught sight of the last figure.

"Master Windu." He breathed before Rex could address him and introduce the newcomers.

He saw the Jedi Master's eyes narrow dangerously.

"You may leave Rex." Bail quickly said, "Unfortunately, he'll probably be more comfortable if you are absent for this meeting."

Rex nodded, "Understandable sir." Rex saluted and spun around. He paused beside a frowning Windu, "Good to see you, General." Then he left.

"General?" The young man at the lead of the group said, "Hold on, what do you mean General?"

"Jedi General Mace Windu, of the Grand Army of the Republic." Bail reiterated as he stepped closer to the group, hands folded in front of him, "That is what we mean by General."

The young man raised his brow and jabbed at thumb back at Windu, "You can't be serious?"

"He is, Han." The young woman muttered at the rear, "He's a Jedi."

"I don't need your input right now, Kjelle." Han hissed back.

Chewie groaned, causing Han's head to snap over to him.

"You knew!?" The smuggler cried.

The wookie shrugged, and the Wee'quay laughed.

"He's smarter than he looks."

"Shut up, Hondo." Han snarled.

"I suggest we delay the bickering for now, as entertaining as it may be." Bail interjected, "Please, allow me to introduce myself, I am Prince Bail Organa. And you are?"

"Han Solo." The young man said quickly, "This is my crew." He nodded the Wee'quay, "That annoying piece of bantha crap is Hondo Ohnaka."

"Hey!" Hondo gasped.

"Behind me is Kjelle. Resident trouble maker."

"I haven't caused _that_ much trouble." Kjelle frowned, folding her arms over her chest.

"And the rug beside me is Chewie." Chewie howled back, causing Han to roll his eyes. "He's the one with a temper."

Bail uttered a good natured chuckle, "I can see that. And I already know Master Windu." He nodded, "I trust you were treated well, all of you? And your injured comrade has been taken to my physician from what I understand?"

"Nah was taken somewhere, and I'd like to go see her as soon as possible." Kjelle said quickly.

"Of course." Bail replied, "But, well, first I need to make some things clear to all of you." He cleared his throat, "First of all, the Millenium Falcon is to be impounded."

"WHAT THE HELL!?" Han cried while Chewie uttered a furious roar.

"For your own safety." Bail continued, raising a hand to calm everyone down, "I can hide it easier that way."

"Hide it?" Windu spoke up for the first time.

"Yes, hide it." Bail moved over to a nearby table and snatched a datapad off of it. He turned it on, flicked through it, then brought up a picture of Han's face with a large number across it, "As you can see," He flicked the screen and Windu's face appeared with an even larger number, "You are wanted. All of you. Although, they don't have pictures of all of you, luckily."

"About the only piece of good luck we've had this trip." Han muttered.

"Well, you're luck really has turned then, Captain Solo." Bail replied as he set the datapad back down, "You are friends with Mace Windu, therefore you are friends of mine as well."

"I thought you were friends with the Empire." Windu snarled.

Bail pursed his lips. His head nodded a little bit, "A facade I need to maintain. One cannot effectively fight tyranny without knowing its intricacies, or having knowledge from the inside." He noticed the apprehension on all of their faces, "Let me be clear to all of you, I mean you no harm. You are safe here. The Empire does not enter this planet without informing me. And as long as you all remain underground here, you will be safe."

They all remained silent as the pondered Bail's words.

"Does that safety extend to gangsters?" Han asked.

Bail nodded, "I dare a gangster to get past Captain Rex." He clapped his hands together, "A few more things, I am requiring you to stay within the palace walls. Do not speak to anyone outside of myself or my staff. That ensures you remain anonymous. You will be provided with rooms and food, as guests of my house. I may only require you help around the place a little bit."

"Sounds like a deal to me!" Hondo cried, "Free food, free bed, and safety from the Empire and the Hutts, count me in!"

"Watch your valuables around that one." Han droned.

"I am reformed now, Han!" Hondo cried defensively.

"As of two seconds ago, Hondo is reformed." Kjelle smirked, causing Han to utter a small laugh and Chewie to chortle.

"You all have no faith in me." Hondo replied, folding his arms over his chest, "I am capable of not being a pirate."

"We shall see won't we?" Bail said with a slight laugh, "Hopefully your words are true. I'd rather not kick you out. Now, I'm sure you are all eager to see your friend and-"

"KJELLE!?"

Kjelle spun around. Her jaw fell open as she saw a Taguel holding a little girl in his arms.

"Yarne!?"

Bail blinked, "You-you know each other?"

Kjelle snapped her head back over to Bail, "You've helped him?"

Bail furrowed his brow, "I have…"

"Your officially a friend then." Kjelle marched over to Yarne and took him by the hand, "Come on, Ears, Nah is waiting for us."

"Nah is here too!?"

"Let's go already! Where's the medical bay?"

"W-why do you need to go to the medical bay?" Yarne stammered, suddenly concerned.

"Downstairs!" The girl in Yarne's arms declared happily.

Kjelle, Yarne, and Leia disappeared down the hall. Hondo, Han, Chewie, Windu, and Bail's eyes followed them.

"Has she always been that trusting?" Windu wondered out loud.

"She did think I was helping her when I tried drugging her." Hondo shrugged.

Chewie groaned.

"Yeah, keep that stuff to yourself Hondo." Han advised.

Bail nodded in agreement, "I'd prefer that. The rest of you may go as well. Remember to remain within the walls."

Chewie grunted and started to trudge away. Han took a breath and nodded his thanks to Bail before following Chewie. Hondo bowed and exited, leaving Windu alone with the Prince.

A scowl covered Windu's face as he glared back at Bail. The Alderaan Prince uttered a heavy sigh and hung his head.

"I probably deserve that look." He raised his gaze once again, "I don't exactly enjoy the charade I've had to put up."

Mace's frown deepened, "You betrayed the Jedi."

Bail grimaced, "I had no choice. It's not just my life I have to worry about anymore." He nodded down the corridor, "That little girl Yarne was holding, that is my little girl. I will be damned if any harm comes to her from anyone. So yes, I am executing a very dangerous balancing act at the moment. And right now, the only reason I am able to is because Palpatine thinks I am on his side, and Alderaan has influence in the Empire, which makes him like me a lot."

"If you think you can deceive Sidious you are a fool." Windu argued back.

"I don't think I can." Bail admitted, "But I can try to keep him off my back long enough to get certain things in place." He pointed a finger at Windu, "And hopefully, now that you are here, we can get things moving faster."

"We?" Mace replied.

"Yes, we."

Bail moved towards a desk in the corner of the room. He withdrew a small datapad. Heavily encrypted text appeared on the screen as he tapped it. A small light then blinked before he tossed it over to Windu. Windu deftly caught it out of the air.

"You'll receive a message soon from my top agent, Fulcrum." Bail said, "He will inform you of everything going on."

"And why won't you tell me everything?" Windu asked, still wary of the Prince.

Bail pursed his lips, "Because I don't know everything. The rebellion is growing in the shadows, Master Windu. Fulcrum is the one leading the charge, not me." He took a breath, "While you stay here, you cannot go around as Mace Windu. You'll need a cover name." Bail tapped his chin, "We'll call you Samuel El-Jack."

Mace arched an eyebrow. Bail waved his hand at his obvious confusion and concern.

"An old friend from the academy days. Bit of a foul mouth. Don't know whatever happened to him." Bail patted Windu's shoulder, "Hopefully, once you learn everything, you will agree to help. But, even if you don't, you are more than welcome here. Never forget that." He took a breath, "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to check on the newest resident in the medical bay."

Bail marched out of the room. As he walked away, Windu glanced down at the encrypted data pad in his hands. The light stopped blinking for a moment. A message darted across the screen, demanding that he open the commlink in the datapad. Windu frowned and looked around the room.

No one else was here, but if Bail really was forming a rebellion, then he needed to be careful. He moved to the doors behind him, shut and locked them, then opened the comm on the datapad.

"Who is this?" He asked quickly before anyone could say anything.

A sharp intake of breath was the initial reply. He could hear a voice disguiser click off.

" _Master Windu?"_ Windu's eyes widened as he recognized a young woman's voice on the other end. He nearly dropped the datapad in shock.

" _Is it really you?"_

 **And chapter! This was an extremely fun chapter to write! I love writing tense moments like that one between Ragana and the Falcon crew. So much fun! And Han's luck, just as quickly as it went bad, has snapped back to being extremely good. We probably won't see the Falcon Crew for a while now. Gotta get the main plot of the story rolling forward once again. But these past three chapters were real treats to write, and I hope they were just as fun to read.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**

 **Come join the Treehouse! Discord code: 9XG3U7a**


	110. A Tactician's Nightmare

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 110

A Tactician's Nightmare

Tiki's head throbbed. A long groan left her lips as she felt aches and pains rush over her body. Long blades of grass kissed her palms as she let her hands relax by her sides. Her eyes fluttered open. The scent of flowers rushed through her nose, forcing the fog out of her mind and causing Tiki to jerk upright. Which caused her already bad headache to grow worse.

 _Nothing like a pounding headache to wake me up._ Tiki thought with a wince.

She massaged her forehead for a moment, then looked around. A tinge of panic shot through her as she gazed at her surroundings.

The forest surrounding the Mila Tree were gone. In their place were rolling hills at the base of tall, granite peaks. Taller than any mountains Tiki had ever seen. Snow capped the top of the peaks. Below the snow, rocky cliffs cascaded down into thin pine forests, before ending at the foot of the mountains with the terrain sprawling out into rolling hills all around her. A gentle breeze brushed over her still form. Kissing her skin with warmth that brought her a small measure of comfort in the face of this foreign land.

She closed her eyes once again and took a deep breath, calming her racing heart. With how long she had lived, Tiki knew that panicking never solved anything. Panicking often made situations far worse than they needed to be. She needed to approach this mystery with a clear, rational mind.

First, she needed to figure out where she was. There had to be clues in the environment. The presence of mountains meant she must be due south of the Mila Tree, near the borders of Chon'sin. Did Robin and Aversa take her, while she was asleep, south instead of east as they planned? Tiki frowned. Aversa certainly seemed capable of such treachery, but Tiki doubted the woman had the courage to actually go through with it now that she knew how powerful she was. And unless she was very wrong in her initial assessment of Robin, then he would not deceive her in such a way either.

Besides, these mountains were much too tall to be the Kiba-

The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end as warm air brushed over her body. A bright presence slowly appeared behind her. For a second, Tiki did not recognize it. Then she felt something tug on a faint bond in her heart. Her heart skipped a beat. A sensation quickly squashed by her own caution.

 _So this isn't Valm._

"It's been a while." Tiki breathed as she sensed a lone figure standing a few feet behind her.

"The last time you and I spoke like this, you were still growing up." A soft, woman's voice replied.

Tiki uttered a heavy sigh, "That was a long time ago."

There was a pregnant pause.

"Are you still furious with me?"

Tiki's shoulders sagged. Slowly she turned around to face her lone companion atop the grassy hill. A beautiful looking woman who glowed with a pale white light stood behind Tiki. Long flowing hair cascaded down over her shoulders. A white dress fluttered in the warm breeze. Soft eyes looked at Tiki as the Manakete frowned back.

"That's a new look for you, Naga."

The woman closed her eyes, "You are still angry."

A huff left Tiki's lips, "Not necessarily. I have made peace with your decision. But that still does not mean I agree with it. Nor do I like it. Those feelings are not the same as anger."

Naga nodded her head, "True, but… the feelings I sense do not lie."

Tiki narrowed her gaze, "Betrayal is not the same as anger."

"I did what I had to, Tiki." Naga replied, voice calm and gentle.

"Was it for my sake, or yours?"

"For everyone's, my daughter."

Tiki's frown deepened. She wanted to refute that point, and yet, she couldn't. A long sigh left her lips before she brushed some of her green hair from her face.

"What do you want?" Tiki finally asked, hoping to move this unwanted conversation along.

Naga raised her brow, "Can't I have a conversation with my daughter without wanting anything specific?"

"You were never that way before." Tiki muttered back, "Pardon me for thinking you have an agenda behind bringing me to this place." She glanced around at the hilly landscape once more, "What even is this place?"

Naga did reply immediately. Her glowing visage instead gazed out to the rolling hills that, seemingly innumerable miles away, flattened out into plains, before jutting up into jagged, rocky mountains once again. Those mountains, instead of covered in snow, were hidden behind storm clouds that rolled with thunder and lightning.

"Home." She replied

Tiki arched an eyebrow, "I do not recall Archanea or Valentia looking like this."

"That is because we are not in either of those places." Naga responded, "But you already knew that." A small smile graced her pale lips, "You are so intelligent, it makes me proud." She returned her gaze back to the beautiful landscape, "This place was known as Mortis. It was my home for thousands of years."

Tiki arched an eyebrow, "How? You could not have lived elsewhere when you had me. Ban Ban would never have known you then."

Naga let out a soft laugh, "Bantu, that old man. I am forever grateful for what he did. He took care of you when I could not." A wistful sigh left her lips, "If only I had the chance to tell him so in person. Alas, that will never happen." She returned her gaze to Tiki, "When I say this is my home Tiki, I mean that more in a partial sense."

Tiki furrowed her brow puzzled. This behavior was rather unlike Naga. The Divine Dragon normally never approached anyone, even in visions. She was more content with a policy of non intervention in mortal affairs, rather than take any sort of direct action like this. So what sparked this sudden change in her mother?

Tiki decided to take a risk. She reached out and brushed against her mother's aura. For a brief second, she was stonewalled by the pure power of the being before her. The wall quickly crumbled when Naga realized what Tiki was trying to do. When Tiki managed to slip by her walls, she gasped, sensing more than just the Divine Dragon's spirit standing in front of her.

"Who are-"

"I am both Naga, and another." The woman replied, "The other was known as the Daughter. She perished on this world, but her spirit lives on in two places. A shard of it found its way to Naga. Another shard lives in a young Jedi Padawan, hiding in the far reaches of the galaxy."

Tiki stared at the woman with both awe and extreme caution.

"What are you saying?" Tiki breathed, "When did this-" She shook her head, "You were not like this before."

"Indeed, I was not. This happened fairly recently, and only occured out of desperation on the part of the Daughter. For if she did not merge with me, she would have been lost to the currents of the Force. And there would be nothing to stand against her brother."

Tiki gave the woman a puzzled look.

"Brother?"

" _Daughter of my sister."_ The shadowy monster from Robin's mind hissed in the back of her thoughts.

Her green eyes widened.

"Yes," Naga nodded, "The same fate has befallen the Fell Spawn, Grima." She glanced out to the storm covered mountains in the distance, "My entire family died on this world. My brother was slain, but his spirit also clung to existence. My father perished as well. As for his spirit, I know not of its fate. What I do know, is that my brother has merged with Grima. And now, he is more dangerous than ever before."

Tiki struggled to catch her breath as realization slammed into her.

"What I saw in Robin's mind-"

"What you saw was the truth." Naga interrupted, "Robin is the avatar of Grima. His bloodline was made for the purpose of carrying his spirit. Just as the Exalted bloodline was blessed by my power, so was his by Grima's fell hand. Normally, that would be the end of it. Unless awakened, Grima's spirit would remain in slumber within the boy. But… my brother has complicated matters. He is causing chaos to occur. Events unforeseen are now in motion as he aims to regain the power he lost in this world." Naga took a step towards Tiki, "He is accelerating the end of your world, Tiki. He is attempting to force himself and Grima to the surface and destroy Robin entirely in the process."

Tiki swallowed hard, "So… the powers he wields, they are not his own?"

Naga closed her eyes, "His bloodlines is gifted with magic, that much is certain. It would need to be in order to handle the raw power Grima exerts. But the Force?" She shook her head, "Robin is the first of his line to have such abilities. I suspect that to be the work of my brother."

Tiki pressed her lips together. She took a deep breath, an attempt to gather her bearings and refocus her racing thoughts. That moment in Robin's mind had been both illuminating, confusing, and terrifying all at once. She fully suspected him to be Grima's avatar after witnessing the Fell Dragon's power inside of him. This conversation simply confirmed her intense suspicions. But she did not know of this Brother. She did not know how dangerous the other presence in Robin's mind really was.

Now she had a sense of what she was up against. Her first piece of evidence regarding the danger were the Deadlords. Grima, when she last heard that Fell Spawn, had not been capable of summoning such sophisticated servants as Gharnef or the other known as Tyrannus. He was too chaotic, animalistic, to control such powerful beings, even if they owed their renewed existence to him.

But with the Brother alongside of him, Grima had grown considerably. Not only had his power waxed to a point that stunned Tiki, but his intellect far surpassed what he should have been capable of. His will had grown to the point of being able to subject a foul human as powerful and vile as Gharnef. Something even the mighty Medeus had been incapable of accomplishing.

"You know how dangerous he has become." Naga continued, drawing Tiki from her thoughts, "If Grima frees himself, with my brother's help, he will destroy your world. His ambitions will not stop there either. He will seek a way beyond your planet's atmosphere. He will seek to rule the galaxy. And all who stand in his way will be brushed aside. Slaughtered in his mad quest for power. I have foreseen it."

Any attention Tiki had been paying to Naga's words evaporated.

"Seen it?" Tiki said, apprehension building in her voice, "As in prophesied?"

Naga frowned a little bit, "Tiki-"

"Me and prophecies do not go well together, you know that." Tiki huffed, placing her hands on her hips, "What with the prophecy about me destroying the world if I were to grow to my full power and degenerate. Or something along those lines."

"It is a bit of an oversimplification." Naga nodded, "But what I have foreseen-"

"Is a possibility, nothing more." Tiki quickly rebutted, "We do not know if Grima will break free. From what I have seen of Robin he is…"

She trailed off as the image of Robin in her mind was replaced with the form of a regal, blue haired prince. A young man from a time long passed. A time when she was considered young. A kind young man with a gentle heart, but a strong sense of purpose and loyalty as well. A man who fought for others rather than himself, who sacrificed his own wants so that those he cared about could live better lives.

"He reminds you of Marth." Naga finished for her.

Tiki's chin quivered a moment. Yes, Robin did remind her of Marth. The way the young Ylissean threw himself into the fray to save her from Gharnef reminded her very much of the man she had fallen in love with so long ago. She sucked in a sharp breath, fighting off emotions she thought she had moved past many years ago.

"You need to be careful, Tiki."

Anger flashed in her as Naga spoke.

"Marth is gone. There will not be another like him in this life or the next. To think Robin could be like him is dangerous, especially given-"

"I will judge people based on my own criteria, not yours." Tiki snarled, cutting off Naga, "And from what I have seen, Robin is a good person. He is not as weak as you seem to think he is. If he was, Grima would have broken free already. Robin actively fights him on that, even if he doesn't realize it." Tiki took a deep breath, "Are you going to suggest I kill him?"

A hurt expression crossed Naga's face, "Tiki I would never-" She took a breath, "I came to warn you of the situation. And to ask you to tread lightly. I no longer know what Grima or my brother are capable of. The madness of both have bled into each other. They are not the same as the last time we encountered them."

 _You don't say._ Tiki thought to herself.

"Tiki…"

"What?" Tiki growled back, her patience starting to grow thin.

"I need you to promise me something."

Tiki clenched her jaw tight behind her lips. She could feel her fangs growing in her mouth as her frustration mounted. She just wanted this conversation to be over. There were more pressing matters to deal with. Like an undead Gharnef, for example. That dastard was still trying to hunt both her and Robin down. If he got either of them, then Grima would be handed a massive victory they all could ill afford.

"If you have no other choice, promise me you will do what needs to be done. I can no longer intervene."

Tiki closed her eyes and let out a long exhale. Do what needs to be done? A soft way of asking her to kill Robin if he completely lost control. Oh how she wanted to say no just to spite Naga. Old emotions had welled up inside of her throughout this conversation. Feelings of betrayal, hurt, and anger that she thought she had moved past long ago. But apparently the scars were still there, and they ran deep.

However, despite her own growing agitation, she also knew Naga was not entirely in the wrong. They could not risk Grima, and whatever the Brother was, roaming Archanea freely. The scale of death and destruction was near unimaginable to her. As loathe as she was to admit it, she knew Naga was only asking her to do what was necessary.

But could she? Could she kill someone as good as Robin obviously was? It ran against everything Tiki had grown to believe. She had no qualms about killing those who deserved it. Did Robin deserve death for circumstances beyond his control though? It was a hard question that she struggled to find the answer to.

Naga's eyes saddened as Tiki refused to answer.

"If I can, then we will speak again. Hopefully it will happen soon."

 _Hopefully it will be much later than soon._ Tiki thought to herself as the world around her started to blur, then it faded to black.

* * *

Tiki's eyes quickly fluttered open as she felt a hand roughly shake her shoulder. A soft sound left her lips as sleep attempted to reclaim her weary body. Through her cracked eyelids, she could see golden rays filtering through the thick forest canopy above her. The familiar scent of damp earth and fallen leaves filled her senses, telling her that she was back near the Mila Tree.

"Get up already." Aversa hissed in her ear.

Tiki's eyes snapped open as she became alert. Her green eyes flicked up to look at Aversa. The Witch looked very anxious. Her face lacked color. There was a rushed, panicked sound to her words as she looked around the forest. Her dark eyes flicked back down to Tiki.

"Risen." She hissed.

Tiki's heart thumped in her chest. The fell spawn of Grima have found them already? She should not have been surprised. Their small group did not cover much distance when they fled the Mila Tree a couple nights ago. But she did hold on to a small sliver of hope that the mindless creatures would either not find them, or possibly not even consider them worth the pursuit. However, with Gharnef leading them, she should not have clung to such hope.

With a quiet groan, she started to push herself upright, only to feel an arm slip down her back. She froze and glanced over to her left. Robin's still slumbering face greeted her. A peaceful expression covered his face as he snored softly beside her.

"Stop looking at the dumb puppy." Aversa snarled before spinning on her heel, "They're almost on top of us."

Aversa's urgency spurred Tiki into action. Normally, when she woke up from a deep sleep, it would take her some time to fully awaken. Exhausting herself with her magic tended to put her in a near comatose state for long periods of time. Sometimes her slumbers would last a few days, sometimes they could last several years. Once she slept for maybe one hundred years. That had been an interesting turn of events when she woke up at that time. But she had not been awoken from her slumber early, like now, in quite some time.

 _If I'm going to be running from Gharnef again, I'm going to have to get used to it._ Tiki thought with a frown.

She slipped out from Robin's limp arm and pushed herself up to her feet. As she rose, an intense cold washed over the trail they camped at. The last remnants of their fire from last night, which was now nothing more than a few glowing coals, did little to combat the icy chill in the air. The sun's golden rays shrank away as the shadows grew around them. A shrill shriek sounded through the morning air, silencing the birds in the branches around them.

Aversa glanced over her shoulder, "You ready?"

Tiki furrowed her brow and looked back down at Robin, "Have you-"

"I tried to rouse him first, but he apparently sleeps like the dead." Aversa narrowed her eyes at her, "Unless you did something to make him that way?"

Tiki shook her head, "Not that I am aware of. But the spell I cast last night was quite taxing, for both of us."

"Great, so we're about to fight off Risen, and possibly that Deadlord, while you are not at one hundred percent." Aversa's scowl deepened, "Why do I always get the suicide missions?"

"Because you haven't died on one yet." Tiki surmised.

A dry laugh left Aversa's lips, "You know what, you probably aren't wrong."

The leaves rustled in front of them. Through the thicket, Aversa saw several points of red light wink to life in the shadows. She took a deep breath, exhaled, and balled her fists. She forced the adrenaline pumping through her veins to subside as several shambling, masked corpses emerged from the thicket. Risen did not worry her, Gharnef did. She would have to save her best for when that vile corpse showed his ugly face again.

Aversa quickly struck once she spotted the Risen. A blast of dark magic rocketed from her free hand as the pages in her spell book glowed a dark purple. The spell slammed into the closest Risen. The corpse uttered a loud scream, shuddering inside of a veil of purple flames, then crumbled to ash.

The other Risen snarled, growled, then propelled themselves towards Aversa. The Witch took a step back, surprised by their speed. But they could not match a Manakete's quickness.

Tiki stepped in front of Aversa, flames licking at her knuckles. One of her fists slammed into a Risen's mask, cracking it and revealing the rotting flesh behind it. It gnashed it's blackened teeth at her then reached back with its rusted ax. Tiki dashed beneath is swing and delivered a powerful blow to its stomach. Her fist punched through its armor, striking it's decaying body beneath it. The Risen uttered a short cry then crumbled to fine black ash.

Metal hissed in her ears. Tiki moved to duck away from a sword aimed at her neck when another one of Aversa's spells slammed into the Risen, picking it up off of its feet and catapulting it into a tree. More Risen surged from the thicket in front of them. All of them howling for blood as they raised their weapons.

Tiki grit her teeth and brought her hands together. The flames dancing on her fingertips formed into a small ball.

"Cover your ears." She warned Aversa before launching the ball of white fire at the charging group of Risen.

The small ball of fire slammed into the ground in front of the Risen. Dirt flew up all around them. Black ash mixed in with the dirt as flames engulfed the charging Risen. A small smirk crossed Tiki's lips. She did not sense anymore Risen charging at them.

A black spell shot through her fire, putting it out as it erupted through the wall of flames. Tiki's smirk ran away as the spell hammered Aversa, causing her to fly back against a tree. A loud crack rang out as Aversa's head smacked against the tree trunk.

Tiki's eyes widened as Aversa slumped to the ground, unconscious.

"Is that the state of today's mages?" Gharnef's voice raced into Tiki's ears, causing a shiver to run down her spine, "I'm honestly quite disappointed."

She stared down Gharnef, chills running through her as he gazed upon his hideous face once again. The sneer on his lips made her snarl back at him. An amused expression crossed his face.

"Oh, there is still some fight in you after all? I was under the impression you overworked yourself last time we met." The black tome in Gharnef's right arm started to glow, "Then again, you always managed to surprise me."

Tiki did not immediately attack, even as she recognized Imhullu's power radiating from the spellbook. It would be foolish for her to strike right now. As soon as she charged, Gharnef would cast his spell, and he would be invulnerable. It did not matter how much raw power she tossed around, Gharnef would weather her fury, and then she would be either killed or captured. As will Robin. But for what purpose? She still had not figured that out yet.

 _If I cannot best him, then I can at least learn what his intentions are._ She thought to herself, _While I try to figure out a solution to this mess._

Aversa groaned by the tree, shifted, then went limp again as she struggled to regain consciousness. Robin hardly stirred on the ground behind Tiki. Her green eyes flicked down at him, slightly worried.

"I am surprised by you Gharnef." She breathed, returning her attention to the old sorcerer in front of her.

"Oh?" His lips curled into a mocking sneer, "Do explain."

"In the past, you were hellbent on capturing me." Tiki continued, "And yet, now that I am right in front of you, completely unable to harm you, you hesitate. Do I scare you so?"

Gharnef's sneer fell into a scowl, "Hardly." He growled back, "I am currently assessing what to do with you. My Master's instructions were rather… unclear in the case of you actually managing to leave your prison."

 _I would hardly call it a prison._ Tiki thought to herself, _If I really wanted to, I could have left anytime I wanted._

"I never took you as the type to obey a master, Gharnef." Tiki growled back, "You were always the power hungry one."

"Perhaps, but that was before I was given new life by a being that surpasses my own power." Gharnef remarked, pale fingers brushing over the pages of his Imhullu tome.

"Are you even aware of what Grima is?" Tiki asked, "You were quite dead when he first came to be. I can possibly forgive you acting this way out of ignorance."

Her comment seemed to take Gharnef aback. While he did not show any sort of surprise on his face, his pause told her he had not considered who his new master was.

"Enlighten me then, darling." Gharnef replied, his voice slipping into Tiki's ears, making her shiver with both fear and rage.

"Grima is not like Medeus. If you aim to eventually take control of him, you will fail, just as you did before. But unlike Medeus, Grima will not keep you around as a plaything for amusement. He will destroy you. Render your bones nothing but ash beneath his feet. You will be forgotten to history. An ill name never to be spoken again. Is that truly what the infamous Gharnef desires for his second lease on life?"

Gharnef's eyes narrowed at her, "Or, I could simply obey my Master's instruction. Contain you, capture the Ylissean, and… well… as for the Plegian traitor, she will die. But only after I extract some information from her." He chuckled as Tiki's lips curled back, "My sweet, your fangs do not cause any sort of fear in me. Neither does your power."

"Then clearly," Tiki grabbed a pale stone from a pouch on her hip. She channeled as much of her draconic powers through as she could. White light erupted around her form, "you haven't experienced enough of it!"

Just as she was about to transform, a war cry erupted from the woods around her. Gharnef's gaze snapped away from her towards a wild looking, blue haired man charging from the woods with what appeared to be a gang of bandits. The blue haired man shot up to Gharnef so fast, he did not have time to cast his spell. His sword drove into Gharnef's side. The sorcerer uttered a loud roar of pain. His roar was drowned out by the sound of hooves.

"Pick a god and pray!"

A group of cavalry barreled out of the thickets. At the lead, a young man in blue and white armor. His lance slammed into Gharnef's head, nearly cleaving it from his shoulders. With a shudder, the deadlord crumbled into a pile of ash carried away on a passing breeze.

Tiki's eyes remained wide as the cavalry circled off of their charged and turned towards her. The blue haired man with his large sword spun to face her as well. They did not attack her, but they were clearly wary.

 _Anyone who kills that vile creature is friendly in my book._ She thought to herself, letting the power she built up in her stone fade away. The white glow that consumed her body evaporated. A sense of lightheadedness hit her as her powers ebbed to and fro inside of her.

The blue haired man raised an eyebrow, "I guess she's a good gal, eh Frederick?"

"Good is a descriptor I am hesitant to use in this day and age." The lead horseman replied, "Have your men fan out, Priam. I want to make sure any more Risen are taken care of before we continue to the Mila Tree."

Priam frowned, "You ain't even going to let me get a swing in at the lady?"

"Why would I do that?"

"Because she's clearly strong. She's got some sort of magic thing going for her."

"And if I decided you were an enemy," Tiki breathed, trying to portray confidence through her own weariness, "you would not last very long."

Both Frederick and Priam blinked at her. Priam started to chuckle.

"Oh I like this one." Frederick glared at Priam, causing the man to sigh, "Fine, I'll do the boring work. Let you talk to the gorgeous lady. You knights always get the fun stuff."

"Quit acting like a brash, irresponsible rogue, and maybe you'll join it at some point." Frederick jabbed back as Priam stomped away, sword now sheathed in the scabbard on his back. Frederick returned his stern gaze to Tiki, "Pardon his words, my lady. We-" His eyes widened as he caught sight of Robin lying unconscious behind her. His grip on his lance tightened, "You have some explaining to do."

"Oh?" Tiki glanced back at Robin, "Do I?" She smiled a little bit as Frederick frowned, "Don't worry, he is fine, just asleep. In fact, Robin helped save my life from that very creature you and your friend just slew. I would never mean someone who did such a deed any harm. Least of all from my own hands."

Frederick seemed unconvinced. He gestured with his spear to Aversa as the Plegian Witch slowly woke up against the tree.

"And her?"

Tiki furrowed her brow, "I detect quite a bit of hostility. Has she wronged you in any way?"

"She helped kill Exalt Emmeryn." Frederick snarled.

 _Exalt Emmeryn?_ Tiki thought.

Exalt… that had to mean the exalted bloodline of Ylisse. The bloodline specifically blessed by Naga. Although, she did not know of anyone in that line by the name of Emmeryn. Then again, it had been a few decades since she heard anything about Ylisse and the Halidom that greatly concerned her.

"I was not aware." Tiki hummed as she glanced over her shoulder at Aversa.

The witch stayed still, sitting against the tree. Tiki felt waves of hatred and fear rushing out of her at the sight of Frederick and his men.

 _It appears Plegia and Ylisse are still not on good terms. Not much has changed over the years._

Frederick raised his brow, "Do you mean to say you have not heard of that Witch's crimes?"

Tiki frowned, "There is an entire ocean between here and Archanea, you know. News travels slow when it must go between continents." She noticed his cheeks flush a little bit as she scolded him. A light laugh slipped from her lips, "Besides, I may have been asleep for most of your nations' wars against each other. Forgive me for not being entirely aware of the world's current political state."

She turned around and stepped towards Robin. Frederick's horse snorted and stamped a foot, causing her to pause.

"Your steed is just as protective as you are, Sir." She noted, back still turned to Frederick. She stepped again and reached down to brush her hand over Robin's forehead. He was not running any fever, nor was he cold in any way. He was merely exhausted and finally getting the rest that had eluded him for several days, "You said you were on your way to the Mila Tree?"

Frederick shifted in his saddle as Tiki turned back to him.

"Yes, we are." Frederick answered stiffly, "We have a task force waiting for our arrival there."

"A task force?" Tiki inclined her chin, "So an army marches behind you then?"

Frederick swallowed, "Quite perceptive of you."

"I can be when I wish to be." Tiki folded her hands in front of her, "And if you are going to the Mila Tree, then I shall accompany you. That tree has been my home for a long while now, and I wish to make sure it is still in one piece."

Frederick furrowed his brow, "Your home?"

Tiki smiled, "Yes, well, as the Voice of Naga, I have been known to dwell there by many."

His jaw dropped, just as she intended. A flush of embarrassment rushed over Frederick's cheeks as he quickly loosened his grip on his lance.

"F-forgive my initial hostility, milady." He bowed his head, "I had no idea that-"

Her laughter cut him off, "There is nothing to apologize for, Sir Frederick. And there is no need for any sort of formalities. You killed the deadlord trying to kill me. I'd say we are far beyond the need for titles and milady's and milord's. Wouldn't you say so?"

Frederick opened and closed his mouth, unsure of how to proceed next. An amused smirk crossed Tiki's lips. Sometimes it was very fun to play with humans' expectations, especially the stern ones.

"Now then," Tiki reached down and picked up Robin with ease, "We have a small ways to go to the Mila Tree, do we not?"

Frederick cleared his throat, "A couple hours ride at least, mila-" He caught himself and Tiki chuckle again.

"Not a bad ride at all."

She flicked her gaze back to Aversa. The Witch had said nothing throughout this entire affair. LIkely due to not wanting to draw any of the Ylissean soldier's ire upon her. But now that they were about to move out, their attention would return to their former enemy.

 _Despite her intentions, she did save my life as well._

"I have one request before we go." Tiki breathed.

Frederick straightened in his saddle, "I shall honor any request you have, milady."

Tiki smiled sweetly as she hefted Robin up onto the back of his horse, "Aversa is allowed to leave in peace."

Frederick's face dropped, "I'm sorry I-"

"Ah, ah." Tiki wagged a finger, "You said you'd honor any request."

She resisted the urge to chuckle as he clenched his jaw tight, "I did, didn't I?" He took a deep breath, "Very well. But just this once." He turned his gaze to Aversa, "Get out of my sight before I change my mind."

Aversa stared in shock at Tiki. Tiki smiled back.

"Go on. I'm sure whoever sent you is anxious to know the results of your mission."

Without a word, Aversa shot off into the thicket around them. Disappearing in a matter of moments in the greenery and shadows of the forest. A long sigh left Frederick's lips.

"I have a feeling I shall regret that action."

"Mercy is never a regrettable action, Sir." Tiki replied, "Especially when someone has earned it."

Frederick frowned, "I hope you are right." He nodded over to one of his other horsemen. The Ylissean trotted up, "The Voice will ride with you."

Tiki easily mounted the horse and nodded at Frederick, indicating she was ready to ride.

"Priam!" Frederick called, "We're moving out!"

"I'll catch up!" Priam shouted back from somewhere beyond the forest.

Frederick shook his head. Clearly upset by the lack of military discipline the wild haired man displayed, "Mercenaries."

He snapped his reins and the cavalry took off back towards the Mila Tree.

* * *

Noire coughed as she fell to the dirt. Aches and pains littered her body as she lay still for a moment, her hand clutched tight around a blunted training sword. Her eyes squeeze shut as another wave of pain hit her. Then they flicked open as her frustration mounted. She shoved herself back up to her feet, not caring to brush the dirt off of her shirt.

Across from her, her father, Ben, gave her a worried look.

"Are you sure you wish to continue?" He asked.

Noire wiped some sweat from her brow with the back of her hand. Despite it being the early morning, and a cool morning at that, the sword training she was undergoing gave her quite the workout. She winced again as the bruises on her arms, legs, and torso throbbed. She let out a ragged breath, then gave Ben a shaky nod.

"You don't want to overdo it, Noire." She heard Lucina advise as her friend watched off to the side. Beside Lucina, Luke sat in complete silence. His gaze not focused on Noire, but on Ben.

"Lucina is correct, it is alright to take-"

Noire grit her teeth, "BLOOD AND THUNDER, STRIKE AT ME ALREADY!" She roared, fury overtaking her features, "I've got a lot of ground to make up and not a lot of time to do it so-"

She stopped speaking as Ben lowered his own training sword.

"What are you-"

"We're going to rest for now." Ben interrupted, taking a few steps towards her and placing a hand on her shoulder, "There is such a thing as overtraining, Noire. You are not going to make up for lost time quickly. These things take years, decades even, to properly master."

"I'm still working on it." Lucina admitted. She noticed Luke not say anything, causing her to nudge him with his elbow.

"What?" He remarked, "I'm damn good at what I do."

"Oh really?" Lucina replied, eyebrow raised, "If you're so good," Lucina nodded over at her master, "Beat Master Ben."

Luke raised his brow, "You serious? I've already done that."

Ben gave Luke a smirk, "Never fairly." He sheathed his practice sword then removed the scabbard. Noire took the scabbard from him as her own frustration was replaced with some excitement, "And never with a lightsaber."

Luke frowned back, "Is that arrogance I detect, Jedi?"

"More like confidence." Ben smirked back, "Of course, a powerful youngster such as yourself should be more than capable of handling me, a mere Jedi."

"Do you have to goad him, father?" Noire asked.

"Let me goad, I have fun with it."

"Enjoy that fun." Luke rose to his feet, confidently stepping forward to face the Jedi Master.

He drew his lightsaber. The blue blade hummed to life in his hands. For the first time since Ben met the boy, there was not a snarl on his face before a duel. Instead, there was a small smile of excitement.

Ben inclined his chin as Luke took the stance of Form Seven.

"You should know, that form will not serve you well in this instance." Ben ignited his own lightsaber and assumed Form Three's stance.

Luke did not reply. He charged instead. His lightsaber hummed in the air as it raced towards Ben's chest. Ben allowed a thrilled smile to cross his lips as he moved and easily parried Luke's strike to the side. His arms buzzed a little bit as Luke hammered against his defense with a second, powerful strike. Luke's third savage swing was caught by Ben's blade just over his head. As the blades locked, Ben smiled through the blue light at Luke.

"All that power, yet no control. Dooku would have a field day with you."

A frustrated snarl escaped Luke's lips as he yanked his blade away and staggered back a couple steps. Ben twirled his blade in his hands.

"Think for a moment before you strike," Ben advised, "How do I fight, Luke?"

Luke clenched his teeth, biting back some scathing words before answering, "Defensive."

"Precisely." Ben nodded, "Now, you fight aggressive, like Maul, who was a mortal enemy of mine. So would it be feasible to assume that I would know everything there is to know about how to combat your preferred form?"

Luke's eyes darted back and forth, "Possibly."

Ben nodded, "If I know how you fight, and I can easily combat it, then I can dictate the terms of this battle quite easily. With how hard you are swinging, and how much you are exerting yourself, the best strategy for me would be to simply outlast you. And it would not take long." To Luke's surprise, Ben deactivate his lightsaber, "You rely more on your physical strength than on either the force or actual technique and strategy. That is to your detriment." Ben glanced past Luke at Lucina, "Lucina, how would you engage me?"

"Other than not at all?" Lucina replied, brow raised. She thought for a moment, "I'd force you to be on the offensive. Play to what I know is not your strength. Soresu is a defensive form, I have nearly zero chance of breaking that defense barring a miracle."

"You don't give yourself enough credit." Ben nodded, "But yes, that would be a logical step to take." He ignited his lightsaber and returned his attention to Luke, "Force me away from my strengths, Luke. Make me fight on weaker ground."

Luke nodded a little bit as he took in Ben's advise. He huffed and readied himself again, this time, choosing to bide his time and wait for Ben to strike.

Ben lunged forward, swinging a hard chop at Luke's right shoulder. Luke grit his teeth and parried the blow, then sidestepped a quick stab at his midsection. He countered with a harsh slash at Ben's head. Ben ducked under the blow. Before Luke could follow up with another attack, the Jedi master flipped over him. Luke twirled around, just in time to come face to face with the point of Ben's lightsaber.

"Unfortunately for you, I can be aggressive as well if I want to be." Ben smiled a little bit as Luke uttered a frustrated groan then deactivated his lightsaber, defeated.

"Clearly all of that practice I had with Yen'fay did me little good." He muttered.

Ben shook his head, "No, it did you some good." He clipped his lightsaber to his hip, "You did not try to take my head off on purpose this time."

A dry laugh left Luke's lips, "Piss me off enough and that can still happen."

"You wish." Ben chuckled back. His laughter faded after a moment, "Luke, you cannot just rely on pure talent and brute force to win you the day. I'm sure Yen'fay has already told you that."

"He has."

Ben nodded, "He is wise then. You also need to rely on more than just strategy as well. Especially if you are going to duel someone like me."

Luke furrowed his brow, "What do you mean?"

Ben glanced over at Noire. She was listening closely as well as she sat on the ground near Lucina.

"You need to rely on the Force, Luke." Luke's face darkened, "I know what Maul taught you is not correct but-"

"But why the hell would I rely on the force when it has done nothing but hurt and mock me and those I care about?" Luke cut off.

Ben pursed his lips, "Because, regardless of your feelings on the matter, you have the potential to be one of the most powerful force wielders I have ever seen." Noire's eyes slowly widened while Lucina closed her and exhaled, "The force speaks to us, constantly, even in the midst of battle. Your instincts and feelings are how the force flows through you. Trust them, they will not lead you astray."

Luke let out a snort, "My instincts have been wrong for quite a while. I'd say I've been led astray."

"Were those Maul's instincts or your own?"

Luke remained silent. Ben gave him a quiet nod.

"Meditate on this." He patted Luke's shoulder, "You'll find your answers." He turned to Noire, "And you need to keep up on your exercises, or what little I have been able to teach you so far."

Noire furrowed her brow, "That time of day already?"

Ben nodded, "Chrom will be awake soon. As will Princess Say'ri, and I am certain they will want to discuss the million man army directly north of us." He ran a hand over his chin, "Force knows I haven't thought of a solution for that yet."

"I'm sure you'll think of something." Lucina reassured as she got to her feet.

"We can only hope." Ben sighed.

Just as he was about to walk away, he detected a bright signature in the force approaching. Ben glanced towards the east road. A cloud of dust slowly approached the Shepherds' small camp near the Mila Tree. At the front of that dust cloud, Ben saw Frederick riding full speed towards them. On the back of Frederick's horse, Robin sat, asleep.

"I'll be damned." Ben breathed.

Lucina followed his gaze. Her eyes widened, "Robin?"

Frederick's men slowed to a trot as they drew closer.

"Ben!" Frederick called from his mount.

"Frederick." Ben nodded at Robin, "Where in Naga's name did you find-"

"With me."

His gaze snapped over to a green haired woman riding with one of Frederick's knights. She quickly dismounted and clapped some dirts from her hands.

"I'm glad my home appears to be one piece." She said as she slowly approached Ben, Lucina, Luke, and Noire.

Ben raised an eyebrow, "Your home?"

A gasp left Lucina's lips, "Lady Tiki?" She quickly bowed her head, "I- um-"

"Ah, Marth," Tiki said carefully, "I see you are doing well."

Luke raised an eyebrow, "Why's Lady Tiki calling you Marth?"

Tiki blinked, "Oh! Well, I see that has been cleared up." She cleared her throat, "I am happy to see you are well, Lucina. No longer trying to hide your identity. That must feel nice. And I see you are in good company."

"Very." Lucina nodded. She jumped and quickly nudged Ben, "Master, this is the Voice of Naga, Lady Tiki."

Ben drew back, "You are the Voice?"

Tiki nodded, "Yes. Were expecting someone else? Someone taller perhaps?" She pressed her lips together, "Or maybe younger?"

"N-no just-" Ben noticed her pointed ears, "Yup, you would line up with Dooku's description." He brushed his hands on the front of his shirt, wiping away some sweat and grime, "I apologize for my appearance. I've been giving some of the others lessons."

Tiki furrowed her brow. Her eyes lit up as she looked at Ben, "You are Lucina's master, which means you are the one teaching others about the force." Her lips parted into a wide grin, "You and I have much to discuss later. For now, I am very curious about something."

"That being?" Ben asked.

"Why is everyone so interested in me right now?" Tiki wondered, "I mean, I'm not entirely against the attention, but it's been several hundred years since I've had both allies and enemies interested in taking me captive so-"

"Taking you captive!?" Lucina exclaimed, aghast, "We would do no such thing."

"We merely wish to speak with you, Lady Tiki." Ben stated, "Perhaps it would be a good idea for you to join me and the others in the command tent. I'm sure Chrom and Say'ri are already awake and ready to start discussing our options."

"Shall I bring Robin as well?" Frederick asked as Robin uttered a small snore behind him.

Ben thought for a moment then nodded, "He may wake up. When he does, he'll want to know what is going on."

TIki furrowed her brow. Her ears twitched as she listened to Ben, "There is an urgency in your voice, Master Ben." She started to walk by him towards the Mila Tree, "If you are so anxious, then we best not delay anymore. Like I said, my curiosity is getting the better of me. And while I know why my enemies want to harm me, I do not know why allies wish to speak to me. Beyond Robin's more personal reasons that is."

"Indeed, we better get to work." Ben glanced over at Noire and Luke, "Keep working. And whatever you do, do not talk to Dooku."

"Why not?" Noire asked.

Ben let out a sigh as he started to walk away, "Because he would be a bad influence for both of you."

Without another word, he left. Once he, Frederick, Tiki, and Robin were gone, Noire turned to Lucina.

"Dooku's really that bad?"

Lucina exhaled and glanced over at Luke, who still bristled every time Dooku's name was mentioned, "You have no idea."

* * *

Mornings in Chon'sin were always so peaceful and calming. Despite all of the hell Say'ri's life had been in recent years, between the acting and the facade of supporting the conqueror, to having to live with the man that helped condemn her parents to death, she could rely on the gentle sunrise through the morning mists to clear her mind. But for the past few weeks, she had failed to find that peace with the rising sun. Rosanne did not hold the same serenity that Chon'sin had. There was a quaintness to the rolling hills of Rosanne's countryside that she could appreciate. But there was also the ever looming threat of the conqueror's army charging through the hills, forcing any sense of peace and quiet to be replaced by slowly building dread.

The dread grew in the evenings, especially in light of General Cervantes's recent revelation. The Conqueror fielded an army of one million soldiers from his capital in the far northern reaches of Valm. The Archaneans barely had enough soldiers to effectively combat her brother's army, which combined with General Pheros's, numbered fifty thousand. She could not even begin to imagine the horrific battle that would take place if their small army of barely ten thousand met the Conqueror's in the open field.

 _It is impossible._ She thought as she shrugged on her robes then belted on her armor plates over them. She reached up to her midnight black hair and tied it back into a tight knot. Finally, she grabbed her katana and strapped it to her hip. With a final sigh, and a once over with her eyes, making sure she looked presentable as any high ranking official should, she stepped out of her tent. Ready to face another day of dread.

The dread evaporated as she stepped out of her tent and into a golden ray of light breaking through the Mila Tree's canopy. The sound of a gentle creek bubbling nearby eased the tension in her bones. Morning songbirds sang in the branches all around her. For the first time since this campaign began, she felt some peace.

Most of the Shepherds were not awake yet. She noticed Gaius's feet sticking out from the end of his tent for some odd reason. Loud snores resonated from him before he kicked with his right leg, then set it back down and lay still once again. The Ylissean royal tent remained quiet. Both Prince Chrom and Princess Lissa were likely still asleep.

The sound of a sword being drawn caused Say'ri to jump and move her hand to her own blade. Her panic subsided when she saw Lon'qu off to the side of the camp, going through a basic drill to start his day. She did not know where Ben, Luke, Lucina, or Noire were. But she had a feeling those four were together somewhere beyond the camp. Likely doing something with their strange abilities. Cervantes remained tied to a stake in the ground, fast asleep. She detected faint wisps of pipe smoke in the air, which meant Dooku was awake and not very far away. Near the newly restarted campfire, Virion placed a skillet over the flames and started cooking some bacon. The archer gave her a suave smirk, which Say'ri ignored even as she walked past him.

There was one person missing from their camp. Say'ri furrowed her brow.

 _Where is Sakura?_

She glanced over towards the sound of the bubbling brook.

 _Perhaps she went to freshen up._ Say'ri sniffed the air and recoiled as she caught her own scent, _I should probably consider doing the same. But first, a drink of water would be nice._

She calmly strode out of the camp towards the brook nearby. As she approached, she heard the sound of water quietly splashing. Say'ri furrowed her brow and paused near a large oak tree near the brook.

Sakura knelt down beside the water, in a very Chon'sin esque manner. Most of the Ylisseans would simply sit beside the stream, not kneel. Her hair, usually held up in a tight knot, ran in long, flowing, brown locks down to the small of her back. Her armor was removed, but not the clothing beneath it. Indicating that she was simply enjoying a quiet moment beside the stream.

Say'ri took a breath and stepped forward, her foot crunching on some fallen leaves.

Sakura jumped. Her eyes widened as she noticed Say'ri. Say'ri raised a hand.

"I do not mean to alarm you. But when I did not see you at the camp, I grew concerned."

Sakura's initial surprise turned to disgust as she tore her gaze away from Say'ri and reached for a band to tie her hair with.

Say'ri frowned. Sakura, despite being her ally, had always been quite cold towards her. She never knew why. Was it due to something she said? Say'ri doubted that because she had hardly spoken to the girl. She knew Sakura was not a sour person. The other future children spoke well of her. All except Inigo, who for some reason greatly disliked the girl. Which was even more peculiar because, according to Noire, Inigo liked all girls.

Nevertheless, Say'ri felt that this was not an issue to let go. Cohesiveness as a unit was a must in this war, especially now that they knew they were outnumbered. The Shepherds could ill afford instability and hostility within their own ranks.

So she knelt down beside the brook as well. An action that clearly surprised Sakura as she froze beside her.

"I take it the water is quite soothing." Say'ri breathed as she scooped some up in her hands and brought it to her lips.

"What do you want?" Sakura replied, venom lacing her voice.

Say'ri furrowed her brow. She wiped droplets of water from her lips before speaking, "I want to know why you feel the need to be so hostile."

The scowl on Sakura's face was easy to see. Every word Say'ri spoke seemed to infuriate the girl more and more. Say'ri frowned back.

"Have I said something that wronged you?"

"Oh you have no idea." Sakura seethed, starting to move to leave, only for Say'ri's hand to snap out and catch her by the forearm.

"Stay." Say'ri said sharply. Sakura swallowed hard, then returned to her kneeling position, "What am I to you?"

Sakura scoffed, "You haven't figured it out yet? Gods, you are just as oblivious now as you were before. Always more focused on the world and the mission than on your own damn daughter."

The declaration took Say'ri's breath away. Sakura was her child from the future? Say'ri shook her head in mild disbelief.

"I-I'm sorry I-"

"Damn, that is the first time I've heard that come out of your mouth." Sakura snorted, "I'm sorry. Dream words for me to hear. Never imagined I'd hear them in a scenario like this." She reached back and adjusted the band holding her hair back, "Why don't you do me a favor and go away?"

"Fie!" Say'ri cried, "Why would I do such a thing when I have only now learned who you are?"

A frustrated growl escaped Sakura's lips as she surged to her feet and started to march back to camp. Say'ri shot to her feet as well and followed her.

"Sakura, wait."

Sakura did not stop storming away, not even to brush her hand over the muzzle of her beloved horse. Before Say'ri could catch up to her, Chrom emerged from his tent.

"Oh good." Chrom started, "You're awake, I-"

Say'ri flashed him a dark glare, cutting off the Prince.

"Did I say something wrong?" Chrom asked.

"Everyday, brother." Lissa mumbled as she practically slept walked out of their shared tent.

Say'ri snapped her gaze back over to Sakura, only to see her disappear into her tent. Not wanting to be disturbed by anyone or anything. A heavy sigh left her lips.

"Damn." Say'ri muttered before spinning around to face Chrom again, "I apologize, Prince Chrom. I didn't mean to seem unfriendly."

Chrom shrugged, "It's okay. Most of the Shepherds aren't morning people. You get used to it after a while."

Say'ri nodded, "Understandable. I assume now that you are awake, you wish to find Ben and discuss our next move once more?"

"You mean figure out our next move? Yeah." Chrom nodded. Behind him, Lissa tugged on Gaius's ankle, rudely yanking the still slumbering thief out of his tent. Say'ri heard her mention something about a prank, which prompted Gaius to bolt upright, suddenly wide awake, "Shall we go find Ben?"

"Ben is about to find you." Virion called from the fire, nodding past them towards the dusty road.

Chrom and Say'ri glanced up the road. Ben strode towards them. Riding beside him was Sir Frederick, his knights, a green haired woman in a red dress, and-

"Robin!" Chrom exclaimed surging towards Frederick and the slowly waking tactician.

"Huh? Who's there?" Robin mumbled as he smacked his lips and cracked his eyes open.

"Ah, so your friend's voice wakes you, but a deadlord cannot." The green haired woman stated with a wry smirk, "I must therefore assume this is a very special friend."

"Chrom is married, Lady Tiki." Ben sighed.

"Very married." Frederick clarified.

"But to whom?" Tiki wondered out loud, putting a finger to her chin.

"Not Robin." Both Frederick and Ben said at the same time.

"With how often he's around me, he might as well be." Robin mumbled again, blinking the sleep out of his eyes as Frederick's horse came to a stop at the center of camp. Before he could dismount, Lissa moved towards him, healing staff at the ready. Robin waved her off, "No injuries here. Just still very tired."

"But not as tired as before, I hope." Tiki replied as she hopped down from the horse she was riding.

Robin exhaled, "I'll admit, I actually got some sleep last night. Not the best, but far better than the rest of this week. I assume I have you to thank for that?"

Tiki gave him a small nod as Robin jumped off of Frederick's horse. Right as his feet touched the earth, Chrom embraced him. One of the Prince's hands clapped Robin's back as the tactician froze, then embraced his friend as well.

"I was worried about you." Chrom pulled back, "No more running off mysteriously into the night."

"Even if I was with an ally?" Robin asked with a smirk.

"No more!" Chrom said firmly, pointing a finger at him.

TIki hummed, "Clearly a very special friend."

Frederick pinched the bridge of his nose, "I'm going to go wash that image from my mind. Ben, I'll meet all of you in the command tent."

"Command tent is just my tent for now." Chrom said to him as Frederick walked away, shaking his head. Chrom chuckled a little bit before glancing over to Tiki, "Robin mentioned you helped him. May I ask who I am going to reward?"

"There is no reward necessary." Tiki replied with a wave of her hand, "Seeing my only home intact is reward enough right now."

"Only home?" Chrom furrowed his brow puzzled. He glanced behind him at the Mila Tree, "You live here?"

"The Voice of Naga." Say'ri gasped, reverence filling her voice. Chrom's eyes widened beside her. Say'ri bowed low at the waist, "It is an honor to finally meet you in person."

Tiki shifted where she stood, looking a touch uncomfortable, "The honor is mine miss-"

"Say'ri, of Chon'sin." Say'ri replied quickly.

"Ah." Tiki nodded. She glanced over at Chrom, "And you are?"

"Prince Chrom of House Ylisse." Chrom answered. Say'ri jabbed his ribs, nearly forcing a loud laugh from Lissa while Chrom winced in pain. The Ylissean Prince jumped and quickly bowed as well, "A-an honor to meet you as well, um, Miss Voice?"

Ben pinched the bridge of his nose while Tiki laughed lightly.

"You all may call me Tiki. The whole Voice title is something given to me by those who don't really know me." She took a breath, "Now that I see my home is at least salvageable, I believe I have some questions I want answered. And I know you all would not have sought me out if you did not have something specific to request of me."

Chrom nodded, "Yes um… let's step to my tent and-"

"You're married Chrom." Robin chuckled.

"With the others." Chrom clarified, glaring over at Robin, "You too, Robin. Ben's position is only temporary after all."

Robin sighed, "Damn, my vacation is over then."

Tiki chuckled beside him, "Was it at least an exciting vacation?"

"Certainly heart pounding." Robin replied as he followed Chrom, Say'ri, and Ben towards Chrom's tent.

The group entered the tent, Frederick and Dooku were already inside. The knight scowled across the tent at Dooku as the elderly man puffed on his pipe. Chrom did not seem to mind the smoke too much as he strode across the tent and picked up a small table, placing it at the center of his tent.

"Maps, Frederick." He commanded.

Frederick grabbed and unfurled a pair of maps onto the tap. The first was of the immediate vicinity surrounding the Mila Tree. The second was a map of the entire continent of Valm. Chrom sighed and dug into a pouch, withdrawing a pencil. Frederick cringed beside him.

"I forgot to pack the map pieces." Chrom admitted with a sheepish look. He cleared his throat and circled the Mila Tree on the map of the Valmese continent, "We are here. How far out is the rest of the army, Fredererick?"

"They should arrive by nightfall, milord." Frederick reported.

Ben nodded, "Good, you all made better time than I anticipated."

"You must have driven a hard pace, Sir Frederick." Dooku hummed as he ran a hand through his beard, "The soldiers will need some time to rest before moving out again."

"I'm not sure how much rest they are going to get given our current situation."

"Before going into that." Robin said, stopping Ben before he could continue. He leaned up against the table and studied the map, brow furrowed. He nodded to himself, "This is still a decent point of defense, but I doubt Lady Tiki wants her home to become a battlefield."

"I would prefer it did not, yes." Tiki nodded beside him as she glanced past his arm at the maps.

"That being said, in case we are not given a choice, what do our numbers look like?" Robin asked.

Ben grimaced, "Casualties have been high so far. The initial toll from Charlet stands near three thousand. Of which, one thousand were considered wounded. And only three hundred may be combat ready within the week." He sighed, "Since then we have only been engaged in minor skirmishes and one pitched battle along the road."

"How bad?" Robin asked.

"Five hundred total casualties. Three hundred of which were killed." Ben breathed.

Robin's frown deepened, "That cuts deep into our already small numbers. Do we have any reserve forces holding Charlet?"

"Mostly the Plegian sailors and a contingent of knights from Themis." Chrom replied, "The wounded are with the main army. We did not feel comfortable leaving them in a lightly defended area, away from the majority of our skilled healers."

"That will slow our march." Robin sighed, "But I can see the reasoning behind such a move. Besides, I don't trust the Plegians as far as I can throw one."

"With the force, or without the force?" Tiki asked.

"Without." Robin replied with a slight smirk, "Pretty sure I could toss one pretty far with the force. Most of them are thin bastards." He cleared his throat, "Back to the topic at hand, do we have any intelligence on the enemy."

Ben grimaced once again, "That is the bad news."

"It gets worse?" Robin asked, stunned.

"General Cervantes, the man tied up outside, has confirmed enemy numbers. He also has given us a general location of at least one Valmese army. Apparently General Yen'fay and another General named Pheros have linked up to the south in Fort Stieger. They are holding there for now, likely awaiting orders from the Conqueror." Ben gave Robin a grave look, "Together their armies number fifty thousand."

Robin ran a hand over his mouth, "Fifty thousand…" He exhaled through his nose, "Difficult, but not impossible. Give me the right terrain and circumstances and I can even those odds out."

"That's not the worst of it." Chrom breathed, his concern easily evident to Robin, "We also know some things about the Conqueror's army, which is to our northwest."

Robin nodded, no one said anything. He furrowed his brow and glanced at the grave faces around him. The only one who did not seem the least bit worried was Dooku. The old man continued to study the maps and puff on his pipe, blowing small clouds of smoke up over the table as he remained quiet.

"Well?" Robin asked.

"One million." Ben breathed, his voice coming out shaky.

"One-" Robin drew back from the table, stunned. He gave his head a sharp shake, "I'm sorry, I don't think I heard you correctly. Must be more tired than I thought. Um, what did you say, Ben?"

"He said one million, boy." Dooku repeated, "Are you suddenly hard of hearing now?"

Robin's eyes widened. Suddenly, any strength he thought he had left him. His shoulders sagged and he glued his eyes to the maps in front of him.

"One… million." He shook his head, "That has to be a lie. A fabrication. An over evaluation. There is absolutely no way anyone can field an army of one million soldiers."

"Tell that to Kenobi. He's fought larger." Dooku shrugged.

"Droids are different than actual soldiers, Count." Ben sighed, "But, I do not believe Cervantes is lying. I did not detect any deception in him. Neither did Dooku."

Robin shook his head again, "No, it can't be. The logistics of such a force would be an absolute nightmare. Also, if what I saw of Rosanne a year ago is still relevant, most of the conquered nations would not willingly join the Valmese ranks."

Say'ri scoffed, "Tell that to my brother."

"Besides him," Robin continued, "There has to be some wrinkle to this. Something that we are not seeing."

Dooku sighed, "Clearly you all are not conquerors." He cleared his throat and pulled his pipe away from his lips, "Conquered people rarely view their conquerors in a positive light. That makes recruiting soldiers in those nations quite difficult. Force and threats are usually necessary. As such, I have a feeling most of Walhart's army is made of conscripts rather than legitimate soldiers."

"And that is where we believe you can help us, Lady Tiki." Ben continued. Tiki's ears twitched as he spoke, "Walhart seeks to conquer the world. To subjugate every living person beneath his iron rule. He already tried invading Archean. We managed to repel him. Then we came to the conclusion that the only way to permanently stave off this threat from Valm is to eliminate the threat entirely."

"So you executed your own counter invasion." Tiki correctly guessed, "A surprising move. Bold as well. Perhaps even foolhardy given the intelligence you just laid out."

Ben nodded a little bit, "I'm starting to feel the same way."

"But necessary as well." Tiki continued, "From what little I have been able to learn from atop the Mila Tree, Walhart does not have the best interest of the people at heart. I do not know what motivates this man known as the Conqueror, but I can feel the pain and sorrow he leaves in his wake. Now, not only has he subjugated an entire continent, he has decided to try and invade the land of Naga's blessed bloodline." She glanced over at Chrom, "I think, as the Voice of Naga, I should say that such a thing cannot stand."

Chorm breathed a sigh of relief, "We were hoping you would say that."

"Lady Tiki, we believe that with your support, we can draw a substantial number of Walhart's conscripts away and bring them, if not into our own ranks, then into open rebellion against the Valmese Empire." Say'ri explained, "Doing so will end his tyranny and likely end the suffering he has wrought on all of our lands."

Tiki gave her a nod, "But even with my support, not all will heed my call. You will still have a sizable force to contend with. Before you can speak of ending tyranny, you must defeat it on the battlefield." She eyed everyone, "Is there a plan for that?"

Silence. Robin rubbed his chin and he thought for a moment. Chrom gulped and shook his head, uncertain of what to do. Ben massaged the back of his neck and exhaled.

"We're still working on that. Right now-"

"Say'ri, how close are you to your brother?" Robin asked her.

Say'ri seemed taken aback, "I want to place my sword in his gut, but I doubt that is the answer you are looking for."

Robin cringed, "Okay, let me rephrase. How close is he to you?"

Say'ri raised an eyebrow, "Is that not the same question?"

"Does your brother hold the same animosity towards you that you hold towards him?" Tiki clarified. Robin gave her a thankful nod.

Say'ri pursed her lips. She shook her head, "I don't believe so. He has… always been very focused on protecting me from any harm. Even trusted me to rule our lands while he was away on one of the Conqueror's campaigns."

"Then you might be able to speak to him." Robin stated, "Perhaps even bring him over to our side." Say'ri's eyes widened as he spoke, "From what I saw of General Yen'fay's army, they are fiercely loyal to him. If we can add even half of his fighting force to our own we stand a much better chance against the Conqueror."

"I will not negotiate with him." Say'ri snarled quickly, anger flashing over her face, "That man allowed my parents to be murdered! He is a coward and a traitor to all of Chon'sin!"

"Say'ri…" Ben breathed, "We may need you to-"

"My answer is final." Say'ri snapped.

"I'll go."

All eyes turned to the tent's entry. Luke and Lucina entered. Luke cleared his throat as he approached the table.

"I'll go speak to Yen'fay."

"Luke…" Say'ri breathed.

"Will he listen to you?" Robin asked.

"I'm his brother. I guarantee he will." Luke replied.

Frederick and Chrom both gazed at Luke with uncertainty. The Knight shook his head when Chrom looked over to him for advice. A heavy sigh left Chrom's lips.

"I'm not sure that's such a good idea."

"Why?" Luke asked, "Do you still not trust me?"

"Considering what you have done in the past, I'd say we have every right not to trust you." Frederick scowled, "For all we know, you will turn coat once again and choose the side you feel will win."

Luke's gaze darkened at Frederick, "Care to insult me again, Sir?"

"Don't start, either of you." Ben said, voice stern and sharp, "We do not need division in our own ranks. Not now." He ran a hand over his face, "Say'ri if you will not go, then we must send Luke. This may be our one chance at eliminating the threat to our south while strengthening ourselves for the true battle with the Conqueror's forces."

"Do you trust him?" Chrom asked Say'ri.

Say'ri did not answer immediately. How could she? She had seen who Luke was. For well over two years now, he had lived with her family. She had witnessed both his best, and worst moments during that time. From telling Cynthia that her sister was dead and generally being an asshole to all of them, to stepping up and challenging Equus, Dooku, when the deadlord was hunting them down. She also did not miss his growth under Yen'fay's tutelage. A part of her did worry that, with the small amount of apprehension they held towards each other, Luke would choose to side with Yen'fay over her.

But, Robin's idea had some merit. She just could not bring herself to speak to Yen'fay, not anymore. Reluctantly, she nodded.

"He's our best chance." She sighed.

"I'll go with." Lucina stepped forward.

"No." Chrom said firmly.

"You all clearly don't trust him. And well… my trust is thin-"

"Wonderful vote of confidence there." Luke grumbled.

"This way, if he does lose his way again, someone is there to keep Luke in check." Lucina glanced at Luke, "Although, I hope that won't be necessary."

"It won't be." Luke growled, pushing himself away from the table, "I'll get Yen'fay on our side. And… if I fail, which I don't believe I will, I shall return. And I will fight alongside all of you."

He stormed out of the tent, the force whipping in a fury around him. Ben closed his eyes and exhaled.

"At least he is motivated." Ben said. He looked at Lucina, "Can you handle him?"

Lucina shrugged, "I've handled him before. And I don't believe he would do harm to me again."

"The key word there is again." Chrom argued back, "He already tried to kill you once before. I do not-"

"Father…" Lucina sighed, stepping around the table to stand before him. Tiki furrowed her brow in confusion as she watched, "I can handle this. Trust me. I've handled far more dangerous situations in the future."

Tiki's brow arched. The Manakete even more puzzled now than she was a moment before.

"I know just-"

Lucina wrapped her arms around Chrom, "Don't worry so much, father." She pulled away and smiled up at him, "I'll be back before you know it."

Lucina turned on her heel and marched out of the tent, ready to pack and follow Luke south towards General Yen'fay's army. A long sigh left Chrom's lips, followed by the sound of Frederick clicking his tongue.

"What?" Chrom asked the Knight Commander.

"She has you wrapped around her little finger." Frederick answered, shaking his head.

Chrom laughed sheepishly, "Yeah well, she's my grown little girl from the future, what can I say? No?"

"Yes." Both Robin and Frederick nodded.

Tiki gave everyone in the room a puzzled look. Her ears twitched as her confusion mounted. She glanced over at Chrom.

"Isn't she a little old to be your daughter?" Tiki asked.

Robin laughed a little, "There's a lot more to explain. But we can do that later. For now, Lady Tiki," He glanced over at Chrom who simply smiled and nodded, "Welcome to the Shepherds."

 **And chapter! Back to our Shepherds in Valm. I'm really going to crank the war into high gear now. We'll get maybe a chapter of Luke, Lucina, and Yen'fay before getting into some massive battle chapters that I am very excited to write. Mostly because I have some ideas, both fun, and devious (laughs maniacally). Let's get this war in gear!**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**

 **Come join the Treehouse everyone! Discord code is: 9XG3U7a**


	111. Divided Loyalties

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 111

Divided Loyalties

There would be no campfires tonight. Just like last night, and the night before that. Lucina doubted there would be a campfire tomorrow night either. Time was of the essence for both her and Luke. With each passing day, the possibility of their friends, their families, facing off against Walhart's legions grew. Ten thousand could not stand against one million, no matter how great a strategy Robin and Ben could think up. In her heart, Lucina felt afraid. A dread that spurred her to push through any exhaustion and discomfort so that she and Luke could reach Fort Stieger faster.

But they could only push their horses so hard. The loyal steed she sat upon needed to rest at some point. After three days of hard riding, Luke glanced back at her and nodded. It was time for a brief respite.

Lucina hopped down from her horse. Her hand ran along its neck, fingers brushing through it's short fur as the beast uttered labored breaths. She patted the side of its head and muttered a quiet thanks to her loyal steed.

Luke hopped down from his horse as well. He gave the animal a soft pat on its' side before glancing around the rolling plains surrounding them.

"Nowhere to tie them off."

"They won't run. Not unless something spooks them." Lucina reassured Luke as she reached for the bedroll on the back of her saddle. Despite her desire to hurry towards their destination, she had to admit, sleep sounded lovely right about now, "Do you want me to take first watch?"

Luke shook his head, "Go ahead and rest."

Lucina furrowed her brow. She reached out with the force and sensed the weariness in Luke's mind and body. He felt not only exhausted, but extremely anxious as well. Which made sense. Not only did the success of this war possibly hinge on the outcome of their negotiations with Yen'fay, but the lives of their friends were at stake as well. She would have been lying is she said she didn't feel some anxiety over it all either.

She spread her bedroll out on the ground and sat down on it. Her hand reached into a small pack she took from her saddle and dug out a small package of dry biscuits. As she wolfed one down, she glanced over to Luke as he set up his bedroll. Behind him, both horses knelt down in the long grass, grateful for the rest.

"Gonna eat at all?"

Luke shook, "Not feeling all that hungry."

Lucina frowned, "You won't be able to do much of anything if you don't keep your strength up."

"You'll be surprised by how much the dark side can sustain someone." Luke replied as he crossed his legs, rested his hands on his knees, and closed his eyes.

Lucina slowly chewed on a biscuit as she watched him with slight apprehension. Luke had been making a massive effort to move away from the Dark Side of the Force lately. And yet, whenever he felt pressured or boxed into a corner, physically or mentally, he always returned to that well of dark power. It was a crutch for him. His way of defending himself during times of great stress.

"Do you need to talk about it?" Lucina muttered as she finished one biscuit and wiped some stray crumbs from the corner of her mouth.

Luke exhaled, "What is there to talk about? We have our mission. We have our objective."

Lucina furrowed her brow, "We'll be entering your brother's camp as enemy combatants. Doesn't that worry you?"

Luke cracked an eye open. His glowing yellow eye stared at her for a moment. As if he was trying to figure out where exactly she was going with this line of questioning. He closed his eyes once again.

"Of course it does." He admitted, "Yen'fay is an incredible commander and warrior. I have been training with him for the past year, and even with my heightened abilities, he manages to push me to my limits."

Lucina nodded slowly, "How does he manage to do that?"

She was genuinely curious about that. Her entire life, Luke had been one of the best swordsmen she knew. If there was one thing Maul did teach him extremely well, it was combat. Luke's raw aggression was normally enough to overwhelm any opponent. It took steel nerves and a special opponent in order to face down the storm of power he could conjure when engaged in a duel. Back in Plegia, when she faced him down in a life or death situation for the very first time, the amount of dark side energy he produced took her breath away. The speed and power with which he fought still boggled her mind to this day. It was difficult for her to imagine anyone beyond her Master and Dooku matching Luke's raw talent with a blade.

Luke sighed again. She half expected him to not answer. The other half of her expected a sharp barb in reply, telling her to shut up and let him meditate. To her surprise though, he opened his eyes and withdrew from his meditative state.

"I can see this is not going to happen until later." He muttered, "How does Yen'fay push me?" He tapped his fingers on his knees. Behind him, one of the horses snorted and shook its head. Bothered by some of the fireflies buzzing up out of the long grass, "Physically, Yen'fay, without me using the Force, easily matches me. Mentally…" Luke thought for a moment, "he is far more centered than I am. He is at peace with his actions. It gives him a focus I lack. He was trying to mentor me to follow such a path, but this war derailed all of that."

"As does your constant retreat back to the dark." Lucina pointed out.

Luke narrowed his eyes at her.

"You use it like a crutch." Lucina explained, "I can sense it. Everytime you feel cornered, you retreat into the darkness. Ready to lash out with raw fury. Despite how the dark side has tormented you, you still retreat to it for safety." Luke averted his eyes as she spoke, clearly uncomfortable with how correct she really was, "That's probably why you still anger so easily. It's a defense mechanism."

"Well," Luke exhaled, "when all you know is anger and fear for defense mechanism, you kind of lose the ability to figure out the other ones easily."

Lucina gave him a sympathetic look, "You weren't always that way."

Luke's gaze saddened a moment, "Maul's corruption runs deep. It probably will never go away. I've come to accept that." He exhaled, breath shuddering as he did so, "Doesn't mean I like it very much. I-" He pursed his lips, "I really do want to be better, Luci. For Cynthia, for Say'ri, for Yen'fay, for you, for all of our friends that I… that I abandoned all those years ago."

He swallowed hard and bowed his head as shame washed over his face. Lucina closed her eyes.

"I spent years trying to figure out why you did it." She breathed, voice going quiet as the stillness of the night surrounded them. Fireflies winked all around them. Above, stars twinkled in the cloudless sky, "Now that I know how monstrous Maul really was, I cannot blame you." He gave her surprise look. Lucina shifted in her seat, "You thought Maul was your best chance to become powerful. Your best chance to be able to protect all of us. Naga knows, my Master did not want a second apprentice, so he refused to teach both you and Noire." She worked her jaw back and forth, "I still question the wisdom behind that decision."

"You mean the lack of." Luke corrected.

Lucina opened her mouth to argue, then closed it. Her fingers gripped a second biscuit lightly as she thought for a moment.

"You're probably right." She breathed, "As much as I idolized Master Kenobi, the further away we get from that time, the more flaws I see. And… the more I interact with this time's version of him, the more I realize just how much he may have failed all of us."

Luke nodded, "Kenobi is very different now than before. I'll agree with that." He leaned back in his seat, nearly falling onto his back as he relaxed a little bit, "He's no longer a boring stick in the mud. The guy actually gets laid regularly."

Lucina let out a quiet laugh, "I still cannot believe how much Lady Tharja has helped him considering how they were-"

"Like oil and water in our time?" Luke chuckled with her, "They came together out of selfishness in our time. But in this timeline, they hold genuine affection for one another." He pressed his lips into a thin, "It's strange how altering just a few events can have such wide ranging consequences. None of us could have foreseen any of this."

"Not even Maul?" Lucina asked, brow quirked in a playful fashion.

Luke snorted, "That horned bastard couldn't divine tomorrow's dinner, let alone an accurate telling of the future."

Lucina chuckled some more, a broad smile on her face. She saw a wide grin on Luke's face as well as he leaned back on his arm and lounged on his bedroll.

There! Right there. In that smile, she saw him again. Her old friend, not the Sith Lord that Maul created, rested across their dark campsite. All that was missing were the blue eyes that always held joy and mischief. Those yellow eyes still looked so unnatural on him.

Lucina could feel her cheeks heat up ever so slightly, and she mentally smacked herself. Despite her own mental beratement, for a moment, she could not help but think of what could have been. What if Maul never took Luke away? What if Luke never delved so far into the darkness? What if they remained side by side through all of this, both in the future and in the past? Would she be by his side instead of Cynthia? She always thought they would end up together when they were children and young teenagers. Every moment with him was always so much fun and so joy filled before, even in a ruined future plagued with death and despair. He always found a way to put a smile on her face then.

She could already see a future in front of her. Her, living in the royal palace, her father smiling as she wore a wedding dress. Luke's look of pure anxiety and tension as he waited. A family in the making. Him ruling alongside her, leading the Halidom to an era of peace never before seen in the world.

All of that will never happen. Maul stole it. Grima ended it with his savagery. And the dark side of the force tore another possible future to shreds. There was too much bad blood now. Too much betrayal, loss of trust, and sorrow for the two of them to ever overcome. Their paths diverged so far away from each other that they will never link again. She became a Jedi Knight, a paragon in the force. Meant to foster peace and hope. While Luke descended into the darkness. Into the chaos and terror his Master placed in him. While he desperately tried to break free of those chains, she knew she would not be the one to bring him back. If she was, then he would have joined her two years ago back in Plegia.

Cynthia was the one that brought her old friend back to her. Her little sister, the scatterbrained, airhead, who was so naive a puppy would think she needed to grow up. That innocence and willingness to see the best in even the worst people brought Luke back from the edge. And Lucina was forever grateful to Cynthia for it. For the first time in a long time, she saw Luke be genuinely happy. She had a feeling that there would be lots of trips to Chon'sin to visit her little sister in the future. If they managed to save that future from destruction as well.

"Hey Luci?" Luke said, tearing her from her thoughts

"Hm?" Lucina replied as she bit into her second biscuit.

"Do you ever think about what you'll do after all of this is done?"

Lucina furrowed her brow. Was he watching her thoughts just now? Naga she hoped not!

A nervous laugh left her lips, "Like, after the Valm war?"

Luke shook his head, "After all of this. After this stupid, pointless war, and after we defeat Grima; do you think about what you will do after that?"

Lucina thought for a moment. Other than just now, she never had before. And even then, her thoughts on the future had drifted to one that could never happen.

What did she want to do once all of this was over? Once Grima's scourge was cleansed from the world and she could finally be at peace. Before jumping back to the past, she probably would have assumed the mantle of Exalt and ruled her people. But now, she no longer had that responsibility. Her father, while he lived in this timeline, laid claim to that mantle, and rightfully so. This timeline's version of herself would eventually take the throne after him. And, Naga forbid, if anything catastrophic were to happen, her Aunt Lissa would be a steward in her father's place if necessary. Just like in their ruined future.

She had no responsibilities or expectations to rule in this time. Once Grima was defeated, what would her life be?

She furrowed her brow, "I never gave it much thought." She muttered. Before Luke could ask a follow up, she spoke again, "What about you?"

Luke drew back, "Well um…" he thought for a moment, "If you asked me that question a year ago, I would have had the same answer as you. But…" He nodded to himself then laughed a little, "I'm honestly looking forward to a quiet life in Chon'sin, once this is all done. I'll have a small house just outside of Koto. Maybe visit Say'ri and Yen'fay in the palace every so often. Hell, maybe I'll take up farming, who knows?"

"Ah, and my sister will keep you company the entire time. Be your little wife. Cook your meals, warm your bed-" Lucina replied.

Luke's cheeks flushed, "Yeah well… she's pretty good at that."

Lucina gagged, "I didn't need to know that."

"You're the one who asked!"

"Not about that. Naga, never about that." Lucina was torn between both laughter and discomfort. She glanced up at the starry sky above her. A long sigh left her lips, "So… how much further do you think till we reach Fort Stieger?"

Luke dug into his dark robes, retrieving a small map given to him by Say'ri.

"If we keep up our pace, maybe another day of hard riding." He said, "The horses should be refreshed after tonight, so we might even get there tomorrow evening."

"And then?"

Luke went silent for a moment.

"And then we try to speak to my brother." Luke breathed, the mirth he had long gone from his voice, "Hopefully, we are not killed before we can reach him."

Lucina frowned, "Why would you say that?"

Luke cringed, "Well…" He tapped his fingers on his bedroll, "Do you remember when we were all trying to rescue this timeline's version of me a few months back?"

Lucina nodded, "Yeah?"

"And at one point he was at Fort Stieger."

Lucina nodded again, "Of course I remember that." She took another large bite of her biscuit. Through her mouthful of food, she spoke, "I was the one that rescued little you."

"Yeah well," His fingers stopped drumming against his mat, "I got to that fort just after you did, and I-"

Lucina pinched the bridge of her nose, "Oh Naga, what did you do?"

Luke winced, "I may have killed a few of General Pheros's men. Then I threatened her and her captains."

"Goddammit Luke!"

* * *

Yen'fay always woke up before dawn. Long before the first of his captains could rise. Before the last round of the previous night's sentries had finished their assignments, even before the cooks started cooking breakfast for the army. He made waking up early a habit. A part of his routine that he could ill afford to break. Commanding an army that, combined with General Pheros's forces, now numbered near fifty thousand strong rendered his days extremely busy. Add in his previous duties governing Chon'sin for the conqueror, and he had grown accustomed to long days and short nights.

The air held a chill to it this morning. A chill he hoped would fade away as the sun rose. But that would not happen for a couple more hours. He took a deep breath of the cool air as he stood on top of Fort Stieger's walls, eyes gazing out to the innumerable number of tents and small campfires surrounding the ancient fortress.

 _Fifty thousand soldiers all stuck in one place._ He frowned as he watched the many fires flicker in the dark before dawn, _They'll grow restless soon._

He had yet to receive orders from Emperor Walhart. A fact that surprised the Chon'sin General. Normally, the conqueror was swift in his military actions. Any dissent or rebellion were quickly crushed by a brutal, swift counter attack led by one of the Valmese Generals, or by the Conqueror himself. But when the Archaneans invaded, there was no swift counter attack. Not even a mention or missive about planning a counter strike. It seemed as if the invincible Walhart had been caught by surprise by the daring Archaneans.

A part of Yen'fay wanted to smile at that thought, but the more logical side of him knew that the Archanean's boldness and daring could only last for so long. Soon the Valmese would no longer be flat footed, and the invaders' advance would grind to a halt before the might of the Empire.

 _Just as soon as I know what the Conqueror wishes for me to do._

"Do you always wake up this early?" General Pheros yawned as she approached him on the walls.

Yen'fay glanced over at the general. She was older than him by perhaps a decade and a half, but it failed to show. Long locks of blonde hair ran down over her shoulders. A gold, ornamental headpiece with fin like wings crowned her pale head. A red uniform hugged her thin frame, crisp and clean. Befitting of a respectable general in the Conqueror's army. Her healing staff clicked against the cold, gray stone beneath her boots.

"General Pheros." Yen'fay nodded back, "Quite early for you to be up and about."

"Hm." Pheros closed her eyes and yawned again, "Gonna need some good tea. Hell, maybe I'll indulge and break into our limited supply of Plegian coffee."

Yen'fay raised an eyebrow, "How did you come about such a luxury?"

Pheros gave him a weary look, "Like Chon'sin didn't break the embargo as well?"

Yen'fay inclined his chin. He did recall enjoying some Ylissean chocolate not long ago.

"Fair." He replied coldly.

Pheros shivered as a cold wind swept over the battlements, "Gods above, why is it so cold this morning?"

Yen'fay furrowed his brow, "I'm not sure."

"Generals!"

Both Generals turned to see one of the Fortress's guards marching up to them. He did not appear to be in any sort of hurry, but his face looked pale. As if he had just seen or heard something terrifying. The winglike crest on his armor told Yen'fay that he was one of Pheros's men. Which made sense, her men have manned this fortress for several years now. Holding the heartland of the Empire, making sure bandits did not ravage the farms that fed the entire continent. His men were just guests stationed beyond the walls at the moment.

The guard snapped to attention in front of both of them.

"I was sent to fetch you by Lord Excellus."

Pheros raised her brow while Yen'fay remained undisturbed.

"Excellus is here?" Pheros questioned.

The guard swallowed hard, "Y-yes General. Him and… some strange creature. He er- I don't know how to explain it, but the creature was terrifying to behold."

 _Creature?_ Yen'fay thought to himself.

"Lead us to him." Pheros commanded.

The guard spun on his heel and marched back towards the keep. Yen'fay and Pheros followed him. Warm air blasted into both General's as they entered the tight confines of Fort Stieger's massive, yet claustrophobic, heart. Winding corridors and narrow passages led to cramped rooms with low ceilings and small hearths. An unwelcoming place to live in. Yen'fay found it hard to believe someone like Pheros could stand to live in such a place. He did notice some attempts by her to liven up the dreary atmosphere though. A few red rugs covered the cold stone floors in the corridors. A few paintings were hung in several rooms. But there was only so much one could do with the harsh Fort Stieger.

They exited a corridor and entered the lone large room in the entire keep, the main hall. One long hearth burned hot down the center of the hall. A table sat at the head of the hearth. Maps were sprawled out across the large table. Evidence of both Yen'fay and Pheros's long hours of work formulating possible strategies to combat the Archaneans. Standing in front of the table, fat, pink lips parted into a sickly smile, was the last worm Yen'fay wanted to lay eyes upon. Beside him stood a hulking creature made of metal. It stood hunched beneath a heavy cloak that hid its body. Reptilian eyes narrowed at him and Pheros as they approached Excellus.

Whatever it was, Yen'fay did not like it.

"Ah, Generals," Excellus began, "It is about-"

"The hell are you doing here worm?" Pheros growled as she strode past him, eyes glaring at the strange creature beside him. Yen'fay swore he heard a low rumble, like a growl, emanate from it as it stared back at Pheros with an unwavering glare, "And what is this… thing?"

Excellus sniffed, "This thing is my latest creation." It growled low once again. Yen'fay noticed Excellus's face lose color for a brief second before, "He is known as Grievous, and he assisted me in the initial defense of Charlet."

"Ah, so he is just as ineffective as you." Pheros replied with a smug smirk, arms folded over her chest.

Excellus bristled, "Careful with what you say, General. You will find Grievous does not take kindly to insults."

"Is that a threat?" Pheros scowled.

"A warning, nothing more." Excellus replied, satisfied with Pheros's reaction. He turned his attention to Yen'fay as the Chon'sin general took his spot at the table, across from Pheros, "As for why I am here, the Conqueror has sent me to aid you against the Archaneans. Our orders are to march north while he marches south with his army. We will squeeze the life out of the invaders as they are caught in the middle."

Pheros hummed, "Simple and smart. Must've been the Conqueror's idea."

"I-I-" Excellus stammered, "I am capable of creating cunning strategies as well! Or do you forget my place by Walhart's side?"

"I see you standing right in front of me, so I'd say your place by his side is tentative at best." Pheros pointed out, to Excellus's chagrin, "Alright, I'd say we need to get the army ready to march. Wouldn't you agree, Yen'fay?"

Yen'fay rubbed his chin as he studied the maps, "Do we know where the Archaneans are currently located?"

Excellus frowned, "I believe they are near the Mila Tree."

Yen'fay flicked his gaze back down to the maps. The Mila Tree, a very defensible position. The massive tree was surrounded by thick forests as well as multiple rivers and streams that could easily slow down the Valmese advance from both north and south. Regardless of their own numbers, or Archanean numbers, a battle near the tree would be a bloody affair.

"Isn't General Cervantes's army there?" Yen'fay asked.

Excellus cringed, "Yes, well, he was relieved of his command and I-"

"How did you muck it up this time?" Pheros sighed, eyes closed and head hanging.

"Well…" Excellus cleared his throat, "Let's just say there is no more army at the Mila Tree. And we will leave it at that."

Before Yen'fay could ask another question, one of his soldiers burst into the main hall. Yen'fay glanced over at him while both Excellus and Grievous turned to face the young soldier. The man paled at the sight of Grievous, swallowed hard, then bowed to Yen'fay.

"G-general, we have captured two Ylisseans at the edge of our camp."

"What!?" Pheros cried, "How did they move south so swiftly?"

Yen'fay raised a hand, silencing her. He nodded for the soldier to continue.

"They did not resist us, sir. My captain bade me to come to you with all haste. He believes the Ylisseans wanted to be captured. Perhaps they are surrendering?"

Yen'fay raised an eyebrow. Ylisseans surrendering willingly, he doubted that. Tales of the recent Plegian Siege of Ylisstol reached the shores of Valm not long ago. From those tales alone, Yen'fay knew the Ylisseans would rather die than surrender to any enemy force. It was that quality that made both them, and their Feroxi allies, so dangerous on the battlefield.

"Where are they now?" Yen'fay asked.

"We took them to our main command tent, sir." The soldier informed.

Yen'fay nodded, "Good."

"Yes, excellent." Excellus grinned, fat lips curling back into a stomach churning smile, "Perhaps I can glean some information from-"

Yen'fay tapped his hand lightly against the table, cutting off Excellus.

"My men captured them." He said calmly, eyes never breaking from Excellus, "My prisoners, my interrogation." He backed away from the table and started out of the Main Hall, "I'll leave you to marshal the men, Pheros. Excellus, you and your pet are to listen to her."

"Excuse me!?" Excellus cried.

"Heh!" Pheros laughed, "Looks like I get to boss you around for a change. Why don't you go wake my captains for me. They should be in the barracks. Try not to offend them." She glanced at Grievous, "As for you…"

Yen'fay did not hear her next orders as the doors to the Keep shut behind him. To the east, he saw orange rays of light breaking over the plains and hills surrounding Fort Stieger. The distance hum of his waking army filled the morning air as he marched through the camp. As he passed through, some soldiers stopped and saluted him. Most nodded towards him and went about their work.

He preferred the latter, because he already knew the men respected him. They followed him to the bitter end, and that was evident by their valor in many battles against many petty rebellions. Why ask for salutes when you already know the army's feelings? In Yen'fay's opinion, let them give him a small nod, then go about their tasks. Their tasks were far more important than making an overt sign of respect to a commander they may not see everyday.

The main command tent sat at the center of the camp. It was the largest tent due to being the place where Yen'fay would gather all of his captains for meetings. It was also the most secure tent in the entire area, because it contained the most sensitive military information regarding his men, their condition, and the various strategies he could employ on the battlefield.

He paused in front of the large red tent. One of his captains was waiting for him. An older man, someone who likely served Yen'fay's father for several years before Chon'sin was conquered. He gave Yen'fay a stiff bow.

"My men captured the Ylisseans, General." The Captain reported, "I thought it prudent to bring them here instead of to the fort."

Yen'fay gave him a small nod, "A wise decision. Especially now that Lord Excellus is among our ranks."

The captain gave him an apprehensive look, "I'll make certain the men keep their lips shut."

Yen'fay nodded again, "Good. I'd prefer that worm not have anything to work with." He hesitated as he reached for the tent's opening, "Make certain no one disturbs me while I speak to the prisoners."

"Yes, General."

Without another word, Yen'fay entered the tent. He expected to see a pair of Ylissean scouts, maybe even deserters. But the pair he saw tied up to the center pole of the tent caused his breath to lodge in his throat. Hell, it took everything in him not to utter a loud curse. But he could ill afford the men to learn his true feelings regarding these two.

His eyes burrowed holes into both Luke and Lucina as he marched towards them. Small rays of sunlight filtered in through slits in the ceiling. A lamp burned on a table in the far corner of the tent. Most of the maps and sensitive information had been locked away in various chests lining the walls. But he did not care if these two saw any of those. Yen'fay's mind now lingered on more urgent matters.

He stopped a couple feet away from Luke. It was telling how his little brother failed to look him in the eye at first.

"Luke." Yen'fay said, voice deathly quiet as the army stirred all around them. He glanced over at the Ylissean Princess beside him. "Marth." He addressed her, careful not to say her true name out loud.

Luke swallowed hard, "Looks like it's been a boring few weeks for you."

Yen'fay snorted, "It was, until now." He narrowed his gaze at Luke, "What are you doing here? Where is Say'ri and Kage? The others-"

Luke shifted nervously against the tentpole. He winced as some of the rough wood dug into his back.

"You know I can't tell Say'ri what to do."

Yen'fay closed his eyes as he dreaded what his brother would say next.

"She saw an opportunity to take on the Conqueror, so she took it. And well, I may have went along with it."

"You completely went along with it." Lucina muttered rolling her eyes, "Quit trying to soften the blow."

"So they are not in the mountains where it is safe." Yen'fay breathed, his stress and anxiety mounting with each moment, "Instead they are with the people whom I consider an enemy."

Lucina raised her brow, "I wasn't aware we were enemies?"

"He commands what could possibly be Valm's best army, of course he's technically an enemy." Luke replied.

"Well he's your brother so I assumed maybe he'd try to stay out of this considering the slight friendship the Shepherds have with him." Lucina argued back.

"Friendships matter not when orders from a superior are given." Yen'fay interjected, "As much as I want to avoid war with Ylisse, I cannot disobey the Conqueror's will."

Luke met his brother's gaze, "Yes, you can."

Yen'fay's face hardened. A long, weary sigh left his lips. He stepped away for a moment. Through the force, Lucina sensed the emotional turmoil he was in. The General was trying everything in his power to contain himself. Fear and anger rolled through his thoughts. Luke and Say'ri disobeying him threw him off balance, and he could not even vent that frustration without giving away who she and Luke really were.

Yen'fay shook his head as he was turned away from them.

"It is not possible, Luke." He glanced back to them, "The Conqueror-"

"Can be beaten." Luke hissed quickly. He nodded at himself and Lucina, "We are living proof."

"From a future that no longer exists for us." Yen'fay followed up, "How can I know that the Conqueror can be defeated in this time? How can I know that by betraying him, I will not doom us to a fate worse than military defeat?" He stared hard at Luke, "Do you not understand why I am doing this? I know your sister doesn't. She has refused to try. She is far too blinded by her own hatred of Walhart and me to realize the severity of the danger we are always in. Walhart recognizes Chon'sin's power. That is why he actually used mages to defeat us, which is against his nature. Because he knew he could not win through conventional means against our people. During those final battles in our homeland, I saw the Conqueror's might. I pleaded with our father to surrender before it was too late. For him to think of me, of Say'ri, of mother and all those we held dear." Yen'fay let out a shaky breath. He ran a hand over his mouth and pursed his lips, "Honor, my son." He exhaled again, shuddering some more, "That is what our father told me when he refused to surrender. And when he left for battle the last time, he commanded me to protect our family by any means necessary. When he told me by any means necessary, I intended to follow that. Even if it meant forsaking my own honor, tarnishing my own name, so that Say'ri, and eventually you would be safe."

Luke and Lucina remained silent as Yen'fay inhaled deep again. His throat bobbed as he swallowed his breath, the struggle to contain his emotions growing even more difficult.

"The actions you and your sister have taken put all of that in jeopardy."

Luke's eyes widened, "You follow the Conqueror to protect us?" He shook his head, "If you truly wished to protect us you would stand by us."

"I stood by you since the day I found you weeping and screaming on that battlefield, Luke." Yen'fay growled back, letting his frustration get the better of him, "And I stood by you when you revealed yourself as my little brother from the future. Ever since Say'ri was born and I looked on her smiling face while my mother held her, I stood by her!"

"Until your fear took over." Luke spat back, "Until the conqueror stole your courage and pride."

Yen'fay's fist balled up at his sides. Lucina remained utterly silent as the brothers spoke.

"You have Valm's greatest army, brother." Luke said, voice pleading with Yen'fay, "Your force, combined with ours, can break the Conqueror."

"You cannot break a man that is being viewed as a god." Yen'fay sighed as he turned away, debating whether or not to leave the tent and come back when his head was clear.

"Unless you make him bleed!" Luke spat back, "The Shepherds have already given him several cuts. They repelled him at Port Ferox, they drove him from Charlet and Roseanne. They have even taken the Voice of Naga from him."

Yen'fay's gaze snapped back to him.

"The Voice has declared for you?"

Luke nodded, "I was there when she did. She believes Walhart has crossed a line by threatening Naga's blessed bloodline."

"The Exalted of Ylisse." Yen'fay nodded in understanding.

"You know as well as I do, that once word spreads of the Voice's stance, Walhart's army will start to fracture. He may think he has more sway than the Voice of Naga, but he is wrong, and you know that. People love Naga, and they fear him. In your experience, which is stronger?"

Yen'fay was silent as he thought for a moment.

"Your love for me and Say'ri made you do things that you otherwise would have never done. Made you forsake everything you believed in just to protect us." Luke continued, "Now it is time to finally fight back. Come with me and Lucina. Your men will follow you anywhere, they-"

Yen'fay closed his eyes, giving Luke his answer.

"I wish I could, Kage." Yen'fay breathed, "Gods I wish I could. But I cannot take that risk. Right now, as long as I remain loyal, your life… or rather, the life of your younger self, and Say'ri's life, are safe. Even though the Conqueror will view you both as traitors; because of your relationship to me, I know your lives will be spared. At worst, you will be exiled within our lands. Never to hold rank or title ever again. That is a far better outcome than the certain death fighting Walhart's army entails."

"Nothing is certain." Lucina breathed, "We are not as weak and our efforts are not as futile as you think. Besides, you swore to my sister to aid her against Grima's rise. You will need my family to defeat the Fell Dragon. What will happen when my family dies on the battlefield, crushed under Walhart's boot, and the Fell Dragon rises again?" Yen'fay remained silent, "Will this guarantee of safety matter then?"

Yen'fay remained quiet again, clearly struggling to decide which path to take. In the end, he straightened and gave them both a look that made Luke and Lucina's hearts sink.

"I'm sorry, but I cannot risk it." Yen'fay muttered, "However… I can risk saying that the trap is about to spring." Lucina's eyes widened, "Walhart is marching south with his entire host. This army is about to march north. We aim to squeeze the life out of your army."

"No…" Lucina breathed.

Yen'fay closed his eyes, "I cannot let both of you go."

"Brother please-"

Yen'fay raised a hand, silencing Luke, "One of you must remain behind. A hostage, a way for me to justify letting one of you go. The other will be the messenger to inform your leaders of what is happening." He turned his gaze to Lucina, "The hostage will be you."

"Like hell!" Luke growled, fury taking him.

"You will go back to your army, and your sister, and you will do your damndest to convince them to retreat back across the sea." Yen'fay snarled, his own calm demeanor finally breaking. The snarl startling Luke into silence, "If you fail Luke, they will all die. And there will be nothing I can do to stop it."

He reached for the binds around Luke's wrists, drew a knife from his belt, and cut them. Luke's hands balled up into tight fists as he glared angrily at his brother. His yellow eyes burned as the dark side of the force whispered in his mind, goading him to take action.

"This is all the help I can give." Yen'fay sighed, "You must leave, before Excellus learns of this arrangement."

Luke stood still for a moment. Fury rippling through him as the dark side built up in side of his body.

"I can break her out, and I can take so many of your men with me that-"

"You are better than that, Luke." Yen'fay breathed as he turned towards the tent's exit, "I know you are. I trust you to do the right thing."

To Lucina's shock, the force calmed around Luke as he heard Yen'fay's words. Luke's hands ranks relaxed at his sides. He drew in a deep breath and turned to Lucina.

"I won't leave you here long. We will rescue you." He told her, voice hushed so no one from the outside could hear him.

Lucina swallowed hard, "Just make sure you win the war first."

Luke jaw tightened, "I will." He stepped away from her and paused near the doorway, beside his brother, "I thought better of you." He told Yen'fay, "I guess Say'ri was right all along."

He exited the tent. Yen'fay struggled to catch his breath as his brother left. He took a ragged gasp then glanced over at Lucina, the mask of strength lifting to show his fear and worry.

"I will-" He cleared his throat as the mask started to return, "I will make certain food and water are brought to you."

Before Lucina could reply, Yen'fay stepped out of the tent. He caught a brief glimpse of Luke walking away before he blended in with the throngs of soldiers readying to march. Yen'fay raised an eyebrow.

 _How did he leave so easily without anyone stopping him?_

"General?" one of the tent guards said, "Did you speak to the prisoner?"

" _The_ prisoner?" Yen'fay replied, puzzled.

The guard nodded, "Yes sir. The woman we captured. We found her alone nearby. One of us tried to get some information from her at first, but she wouldn't talk."

 _They only captured Lucina? Impossible, Luke was-_ His mind stopped in its tracks, _What trick did you pull, Luke?_

"Did you see anyone exit the tent?" He asked the guard.

The guard's face twisted, as if a headache suddenly slammed into him. He winced and grit his teeth, struggling to recall the last few moments before Yen'fay left the tent.

"I-I don't believe so sir. I er- for some reason, I can't recall anything before last night. I apologize sir. Perhaps I am just that tired?"

Yen'fay shook his head, "You do not need to apologize." _The lack of memory is not your fault in this instance._ He noticed one of his captains approaching, "Captain Eiji!"

"General!" The Captain bowed.

"You and your men are to guard the prisoner. No one is to see her except for your men and myself. If Excellus or his creature try to gain access, you will deny them and inform me of the attempt. Am I clear?"

"Yes, sir." The Captain nodded.

"Good." Yen'fay breathed, "Other than that, prepare to march north."

"Yes sir." The Captain hesitated, "Sir, there are rumblings throughout the men. They say the Voice has declared for the Archaneans. I fear these rumors may cut into both our numbers and morale."

Yen'fay furrowed his brow. The news spread that swiftly? If such rumors were shaking the core of his men, he could only imagine the doubt it was casting in the soldiers of Walhart and Pheros's armies.

"We've already heard of deserters defecting to the Archeaneans from Pheros's army and what remains of Cervantes's army." The Captain gulped, "Is it just a rumor sir?"

Yen'fay shook his head, "Apparently not. The prisoner confirmed it."

The Captain grimaced, "Then… I would be careful around the older captains sir. They may swear loyalty to you, but they still hold deep senses of loyalty to Chon'sin… and to your father. It would not surprise me if many left our ranks and took their soldiers with them during the march north. The battlefield could become very chaotic very quickly."

Yen'fay nodded but did not reply. Instead, he turned and began to walk back to the Fort.

 _I can only hope that turns out to be the case._

* * *

Noire closed her eyes. Cool wind brushed over her as she sat in a quiet clearing far outside of the army camp. The Feroxi and Ylissean armies arrived late last night, turning the small camp of Shepherds into a city of tents surrounding the Mila Tree. When morning came, Noire found herself unable to focus on her training as instead she was dragged around the camp by Sakura and Severa, trying to accomplish as many tasks as they could. Severa's mother gave them a list of things to keep track of in the army manifest. Because, according to Cordelia, the quartermasters had trouble keeping track of supplies, and it doesn't help that Anna and Gaius are always looking to swipe anything valuable. Severa took the task with her usual amounts of enthusiasm, that being none at all. Noire got the sense that Sakura was just happy to be away from her own mother.

So, all three went about cataloging the supplies. Every sword, ax, arrow, biscuit, and barrel of water was accounted for. And finally, after a long day of staring at numbers and tedious counting, Noire escaped from the camp and found her quiet clearing to meditate in. A practice her father started to instill in her, but one she was not entirely used to yet. She desperately needed peace and quiet in order to even touch the force, let alone sink into it. So having an entire army nearby did not help her endeavors. Nevertheless, she had to try.

Her brow furrowed as she squeezed her eyes tight. So far, she felt nothing. No strange feeling washing over her. No buzz, not even the sensation of her leg falling asleep. Just a strange stillness that exasperated her. A long breath left her lips as her shoulders sagged.

 _Lucina and Luke make it look so easy._

She envied those two. Both had training from when they were younger than her. Lucina has been trained by her father since she could properly pick up a sword. Luke received training as soon as he accepted Maul's tutelage all those years ago. Both had so much talent, Luke more so than Lucina. Both were so far ahead of her. She felt like she did not have a chance at catching up. And Noire knew she had to catch up to them eventually. Grima would rise soon, they could all feel it. The tides of the force, during those brief moments she could actually feel it, were turning, growing darker, colder. A product of the Fell Dragon's influence rising in the shadows. Though from where, none of them knew.

She took a deep breath and straightened her posture once again. Her father's words danced in her mind.

" _You cannot force the force to come to you. You must relax, breathe. Let it flow through you, like water."_

 _Easier said than done._ She thought, _Why do all Jedi teachings sound like riddles?_

" _Because most are."_

Noire's eyes shot open and she jumped in her seat as she heard a voice speak to her. An older man's voice, kind and gentle. Her gaze snapped around the clearing. But she saw nothing. No one else was near her. Another gentle breeze slipped through the trees. Above Noire, the sky began to grow dark as night fell. She narrowed her eyes.

 _Must've been the wind._

She closed her eyes once again and took a deep breath.

 _Let the force come to me._

" _Well I'm here."_

"GAH!"

Noire surged to her feet and reached for a dagger on her hip. She spun around, searching for whoever was speaking to her. Someone had to be spying on her. Was it Owain? Had he and Cynthia decided now was a good time to restart Justice Cabal shenanigans? Or perhaps Inigo was trying to pursue her in some odd, off the wall way? Maybe it was Laurent? He was always the quirky friend. Then again, he would not be bold enough to sneak up on her like this.

"I swear to Naga if you are trying to scare me Brady."

" _I do not know this Brady. But he sounds like a decent friend for you."_

Noire spun around again, "Who's talking? Show yourself!?"

" _If only I could. Unfortunately, I never finished that aspect of my own training. I would love to look upon you with my own eyes. It is almost as if I am meeting a grandchild of mine."_

 _Grandchild?_ Noire wondered, puzzled. She groaned and massaged her temple.

"What is going on?" She huffed, "I'm hearing ghosts."

Noire sucked in a sharp breath as the voice uttered a light hearted chuckle, " _Obi Wan was just as jumpy when he first came under my tutelage. It took a lot of work to build his confidence, and strength, but he did become an incredible Jedi Master in the end."_

Noire's eyes widened, "You're my father's master?"

" _I was. My name is Qui Gon Jinn. I have very much looked forward to speaking to you. Unfortunately it was delayed due to the circumstances."_

"That being my inability to figure out the force?" Noire remarked, still uncertain if she was hearing an actual voice or if she was going crazy.

" _Only partially. And you need to be more patient with yourself, Noire. The force is difficult to understand, even for the most experienced of Jedi Masters."_

Noire sighed and sat back down again, "That's what everyone keeps telling, but Lucina and Luke don't seem to have any problems with it."

" _Lucina has had years of training at this point. You have only just begun your journey. To compare yourself to her would be a detriment to your own growth. As for Luke, he is nothing short of a prodigy. A rarity in the force. He comes from a line of Force Adepts the likes of which the galaxy has never seen before and likely will never see ever again."_

Noire quirked an eyebrow, "A line? What do you know about Luke and his family? I mean, I know he's not related to Say'ri by blood. He's adopted and all of that. But he never speaks of his actual family."

" _Because he does not know yet. But that is not the purpose of my talk with you."_

"Alright then," Noire replied, suspicious of the ghostly voice, "Why are you talking to me then?"

" _I simply wished to speak with you for the first time. This is an opportunity I could not miss."_

Noire frowned, "Okay then? Is there... um… anything else? I'm sort of trying to do something."

" _Yes you are. Perhaps I should-"_

A ringing hit her ears. Noire gasped and fell forward, bracing her body upright with her hands.

" _Noire!"_ Qui Gon cried in her mind, " _S-stay- str- he's- they-"_

A low, rumbling rasp hit her mind. A sharp inhale followed by a low, rumbling exhale. Unlike anything she had ever heard before. The Force slammed into her. A sensation that caught her by surprise as power surged within her. Her eyes widened as rocks began to levitate around her. The air in the clearing grew cold. Her breath misted in front of her face. Pain lanced through her head. She squeezed her eyes shut. The strange breathing rasped in her ears again, only louder.

When she opened her eyes again, she saw glossy, black, armored boots in front of her. The Dark Side of the force, a side she did not even know very well but could recognize just by the fear it instilled in her, swirled through the clearing. Her gaze shook as she raised her head.

Terror flooded her as her eyes ascended up a giant clad in black armor and black robes. At the peak was a black mask and helmet, the features of the mask twisted into a terrifying grimace. Even more terrifying than any risen mask she had ever seen. Cold sweat beaded all over her body as her breath froze in her lungs. The figure in black glowered down at her.

" _You are like him."_ The figure boomed, its deep baritone echoed through her mind.

Noire cried out and squeezed her eyes shut.

 _Go away, go away, go away!_

"Noire!"

Her eyes shot open. The terrifying figure in black was gone. She saw Luke rushing up to her, alone.

He skidded to a stop beside her and reached out to help her up. Noire growled and swatted his hand away.

"I don't need help from you." She snarled angrily.

Luke took a step back as she shakily pushed herself to her feet. While she stood, Luke scanned the area around them.

"I sensed something dark nearby. Is anything wrong? Has something happened?"

"You tell me." Noire snarled back, "Where is Lucina?"

Luke fell silent. Noire narrowed her gaze at him.

"What have you done?"

"Nothing!" Luke hissed, "But… I need to speak with Kenobi and Robin immediately. Where are they?"

"Where is Lucina?" Noire asked again, voice falling dangerously low as she reached for the dagger at her hip.

Luke swallowed hard.

"She's my brother's prisoner."

* * *

Flavia and Basilio's response to the dire news was not one Robin expected. At first, when he informed them that not only were they outnumbered by Valm's southern army but also completely dwarfed by the Conqueror's force, both Khan's fell silent. Robin expected them to start suggesting strategies, start wondering how they could possibly combat such an enormous force, suggest maybe moving to a more easily defensible location, or, even worse, execute a full retreat back to Archanea.

Robin did not expect Flavia to throw an army wide party.

The Feroxi soldiers broke out old war drums. Bonfires burned hot and high into the night sky, embers mixing in with the twinkling stars. As the drums pounded, they danced around those bonfires. Strange dances that, when Robin walked past some of Frederick's knights, were viewed as barbaric by the Ylissean men. Along with those drums, some of the Feroxi soldiers chanted. Deep growling chants that sparked something primal inside of Robin's northern allies. Mixed in with the gravely chants were the crystal clear, enchanting siren's song of other Feroxi soldiers. Singing in a tongue long lost to the annals of time.

All of it was a sight to behold. If he wasn't so worried about figuring out a way for them all to survive the coming onslaught, Robin would be thoroughly engrossed in the entire… celebration.

 _Would it be appropriate to call it a celebration? Perhaps I should ask Miri-_

An ache hit his heart at the thought of Shepherd's resident scholar. Someone who was now dead. Likely buried outside of Charlet with the rest of the fallen from that terrible day. A shaky breath escaped his lips as some tears formed in his eyes. He quickly wiped them away.

 _I can't dwell on it anymore. Not now. Ben and Chrom cannot lead this army alone._

Before he could think anymore, the first chants ended. A bottle of firewine was tossed into one of the bonfires, causing a massive ball of fire to rush up into the sky. A loud roar of approval erupted from the Feroxi. Then the dance continued, and the chants rose up in a harsh chorus once again. Robin let out a soft chuckle at the sight. One could always count on the Feroxi to throw the rowdiest of parties, even in the face of insurmountable odds.

He caught sight of several Shepherds dancing near the flames as well. Vaike and Sully joining the Feroxi in their celebrations was not surprising to Robin. Those two might as well have been Feroxi with how they fought and drank. Lon'qu joined his fellow Feroxi in their celebration. Although, he was much more subdued than the person dancing with him, a blonde haired princess that nearly made Robin's jaw drop.

 _Is that Lissa!?_ He peered a little closer and saw her trademark, mischievous smile followed by a laugh as she nudge Lon'qu with her hand. Now Robin's jaw dropped, _Since when did Lon'qu get comfortable around her!?_ He pursed his lips and glanced to his right as a Feroxi soldier set an entire crate of firewine down beside him. Robin opened his mouth in understanding, _That must be the reason._

"Robin!"

Robin tore his gaze from the bottles of firewine. To his surprise, Tiki walked up to him, a large smile on her face. She appeared to be a little out of breath. Robin raised an eyebrow.

"Getting some exercise?" He asked.

"Oh, what, dancing?" Tiki breathed, "Well, it's been a few hundred years, you can't blame me for joining in the fun."

Robin let out a chuckle, "No, I can't, can I?"

Another burst of flames shot up into the sky. This time caused by an extremely drunk Laurent accidentally casting a powerful arc-fire. But none of the Feroxi cared. They just roared in approval, wrapped their arms around him, and raced around the bonfires together.

"Any idea why they are doing this?" Robin asked with a slight smile as he watched the antics grow even more wild.

Tiki chuckled, "How would you want to spend your last days alive?"

Robin thought for a moment, "You know, I never gave that much thought."

"Oh, so you think you can live forever then?" Tiki teased.

"Now I never said." Robin replied, cheeks flushing as Tiki smirked at him, "But maybe you know a guy that can help me out with that?"

"Ha!" Tiki remarked, "Sorry, it's in the blood. No spells required for this flawless aging."

"Damn. Well, can't blame me for trying."

"Not at all." Tiki smiled. She folded her hands behind her back, then quickly stepped to the side, avoiding Brady as he drunkenly stumbled past the pair with one arm wrapped around Donnel's shoulder.

"THIS IS LIVING!" Brady cried hoisting a half empty bottle of firewine into the air.

"LIVING!" Donnel cheered as well.

Robin cringed, "Maribelle is just going to love hearing about that."

Tiki thought for a moment, "Is she the extremely proper one?"

Robin nodded, "Yeah?"

"I saw her lying passed out by the center fire." Tiki replied with a shrug, "I don't think she's going to remember this night."

Some concern came over Robin's face, "Well is she er-"

"If I recall correctly, Khan Basilio, the big, bald one; he took her to her tent along with Prince Chrom and Queen Sumia. Those three enjoyed the celebrations for a little bit, but I think they've retired for the night."

Robin blinked in surprise, "I've never known Chrom to skip out on a party before." He said as he started walking away from a crowd growing near them. Apparently a brawl broke out between a group of Feroxi soldiers. Robin had no interest in gutting sucking into a melee like that.

He stopped walking once he felt a safe distance from the growing brawl. Tiki let out a snort as she watched Frederick try to break up the fight, only to get sucker punched and subsequently join in. He was followed by Sully and Vaike, who saw the brawl and each declared that they would be victorious.

"You're friends seem to be more Feroxi than they are Ylissean. I've noticed not many of your countrymen are joining in this raucous fun."

"Yeah well… most Ylisseans still view the Feroxi as barbarians." Robin sighed, "Even though they saved our asses in the war with Plegia."

"Even though they are your allies now." Tiki muttered, "That is a shame. All of this is quite good fun." A sparkle danced in her eye. She gave Robin a mischievous smirk.

"Now hold on." Robin said

Before he could say anything else, Tiki took his hand and dragged him towards the nearest bonfire, where they were both swept into a swirling circle of Feroxi bodies dancing like madmen around the flames. Tiki threw her head back and laughed as she kept her grip on Robin's hand. Making sure he did not get lost in a sea of drunken bodies. Robin, meanwhile, felt positively terrified as he was shoved to and fro while the drumbeat pounded in his head.

Eventually, they were both tossed out of the circle by pure momentum. Robin spun with Tiki, both clinging to each other for balance. As Robin tried to catch his breath, Tiki was laughing hard against him. Eventually, after he calmed down and realized he was still alive, he started laughing too.

"I was going to say, I don't know how to dance."

"A Ylissean gentleman such as yourself doesn't know how to dance? I find that quite surprising." Tiki smirked.

Robin's cheeks heated up as he looked at her, "Yeah well um-"

"Robin."

"Uh huh?"

"You're squeezing tighter."

His entire face turned red. Everything suddenly felt very hot as he realized just how tight his embrace of Tiki was. He quickly pulled away from her, a sheepish laugh slipping from his lips.

"S-sorry about that. I didn't mean to hurt you."

Tiki smirked, "I was more afraid of hurting you actually." Robin swallowed hard as she smiled back at him, "I mean, I never said I wasn't squeezing either. I did feel a little dizzy for a moment."

Another nervous laugh left Robin's lips. He quickly rubbed the back of his neck.

"Um...well er- thanks?" He pursed his lips, "And um… I never got the chance to thank you for what you did in the forest. I mean, ever since we did that little mind adventure, I've actually gotten some decent sleep. So uh… thank you."

"You are most welcome, Robin." Tiki smiled back. Her smile wavered a little bit. Through the force, Robin sensed her mind torn about something. To his surprise, despite him sensing that, she did not block him out.

"Is everything alright?" He asked as the chants from the Feroxi grew louder and more feverish.

Tiki took a deep breath and nodded, "Yes, just… dealing with some things that I never thought I'd have to deal with again."

Robin gave her a puzzled look, "Like what?"

Tiki did not reply. She just bowed her head and laughed to herself.

"What?" Robin asked, even more confused, but laughing with her as well..

"Nothing, just…" Tiki sighed, "You remind me of someone I knew long ago. I think you and him would have gotten along quite well."

Both Robin and Tiki started to walk away from the bonfires as the party started to grow out of hand. More wood was piled onto the fires. The heat made Robin sweat in his coat, but it did not seem to affect Tiki as much. He could feel it even as they made their way to the edge of the forest surrounding the Mila Tree, far away from the rest of the camp.

"How so?"

"Well," Tiki took a breath, "He was just as selfless as you are. Brave, a great warrior-"

"Ah, a great warrior. I'm still working on that part." Robin smiled.

"I'd say you have already accomplished it." Tiki replied, "The soldiers in this army revere you and your intellect. Ben has said nothing but glowing things about your prowess with a blade."

"He has?"

"Yes." Tiki nodded, "He says you have come a long way since you both first met. In fact, the only person I have met who has said anything even remotely negative has been..." A frown creased her lips. Robin knew who she was talking about just from that expression.

"Ah, yeah, Dooku." Robin nodded, "He's the grouchy one."

"How did he come into your ranks, by the way?" Tiki asked, "Last I saw him, we fought on top of the Mila Tree. And I promptly sent him plummeting to the ground with one powerful spell."

Robin snorted out a laugh, "I sort of wish I had seen that up close. It's hard to imagine Dooku being bested by anyone." He took a breath, "As for how he joined us, well, apparently him and Ben knew each other. They were… enemies actually."

"And yet they're allies now?"

"They share two common enemies, Grima, and some guy named Sidious." Robin explained, "And well, the enemy of my enemy is my friend."

Tiki's ears twitched, "I don't believe I have ever heard that expression before. Or maybe I have? I'd have to parse through several thousand years of memories to know."

"Several thousand… how old are you anyway?"

Tiki gave him a taunting smirk, "Quite a rude question to ask a lady?"

Robin sputtered as she sauntered ahead of him, further away from the celebration. Robin quickly followed.

"I-I ask that purely from the perspective of an academic and well… pure curiosity, nothing nefarious, or insulting and-"

Tiki spun back around, chuckling at him, "It's always so much fun doing that. Spinning you humans up into little knots."

"Ha, ha." Robin said, trying to feign laughter, but in the end betraying a broad smile.

Tiki smirked back, "But if you must know, I am around three thousand years old." Robin's eyes widened, "Give or take a few dozen years."

"Uh… wow." Robin breathed, "That's… honestly that's incredible. You must have seen so much."

"Oh you have no idea. But, tonight is not a night to focus on the past, is it?" Tiki said, "You never answered my question."

Robin raised an eyebrow. He could feel his heart thumping in his chest every time Tiki spoke to him. Every time he saw that playful smirk on her lips, his stomach would turn into knots. He was smart enough to at least have a sense of what he was feeling. But was he foolish enough to act on it. Especially given they were in the middle of a desperate war where their last day could very well be tomorrow?

Was it bad he did not know the answer to that?

"What question?" He asked dumbly.

Tiki snorted, "How would you want to spend your last days alive?"

Robin smiled a little bit.

"Oh, that one." Robin hummed to himself as he thought for a moment. He flicked his eyes up at Tiki again, failing to stop himself from staring at the stunning Manakete in front of him. Everything about her made his brain switch off. Something that thrilled, worried, and terrified him all at once. A strange mixture of emotions that he clearly had no experience in, "Well um… I guess I'd want to spend my last days alive with friends I hold dear."

Tiki's smile broadened. She walked up to him and took him by the hand. A slight pink tinge to her cheeks.

"I'm glad to hear that."

His mouth felt dry now. Robin swallowed hard and as he locked eyes with Tiki. Before either of them could move, or say anything else, the brush rustled nearby, causing Robin to jump. Instinctively, he moved to put himself between the sound and Tiki, causing the Manakete to let out an amused snort.

"I can handle myself." She said.

"Uh… well, yeah, you're right but-"

He froze as Luke carefully inched his way out of the bushes. His face was pale, sweat beaded on his brow. He caught sight of Robin.

"H-hey, Robin." He swallowed hard, "Can you tell Noire to remove the dagger from my back please?"

Robin glanced past Luke and saw Noire following him closely, a dark scowl on her face.

"Luke?" Robin finally said, "What are you-"

"He returned without Lucina." Noire growled, "Said she's been taken prisoner. But-"

"But I am telling the truth. And there is more, Robin." Luke interrupted.

Robin's stomach dropped when he heard Luke's report.

"The Valmese are coming."

 **And chapter! When I said I was gonna get this war going, I was not kidding. This is the last build up chapter before the action kicks off. Next chapter we will get some warfare, and it's gonna be one heck of a ride. Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**

 **Come join the Treehouse! We are a conclave of nerds talking about nerdy things! Discord code is: 9XG3U7a**


	112. Desperation

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 112

Desperation

Chrom hastily buckled his belt around his waist. Sumia sat rigid in their small bed within their tent, face pale. A messenger waited outside, guarding the tent until they were both decent.

The Prince and his Queen had both retired early for the evening. While Chrom very much wanted to join in on the festivities thrown by Khan Flavia, despite the dire circumstances, he knew that he had an image to keep up now. The soldiers of Ylisse looked to him as a pillar of military excellence and discipline. While the Shepherds knew the truth, that being he could nearly drink any of them under the table if he really tried, he could not allow the facade to be cracked. The men needed to see a calm, commanding presence in the face of such terrible odds. So, after spending maybe an hour sharing a table with Khan Basilio, they both went to their tent, eager for the next day to come.

Neither were expecting the messenger to wake them in a panic, telling them Robin was calling an emergency war council. The fact that Robin was the one calling it told Chrom the matter was certainly urgent. Robin had been out of the loop in terms of the war since Charlet. Something bad had to have happened in order for the struggling tactician to grab hold of the war's reins once again.

"What do you think it is?" Sumia's asked, voice quiet, hard to hear over the sound of Feroxi chanting in the night.

Chrom grimaced as he faced away from her, carefully buttoning up a blue shirt before throwing on gray pants.

"I'm not sure."

He glanced back at Sumia. He could see the anxiety on her face. The worry in her eyes; it made his heart break. Sumia was always one of the most optimistic Shepherds. Her optimism and support helped him weather more things than he cared to admit. To see her look shaken meant that the constant bad news was starting to get to her. If she was beginning to worry and doubt, what were the others feeling?

A long sigh left Chrom's lips as he slipped his boots on, "Sumia?"

"Hm?" Sumia replied as she rose and quickly threw on a robe, tying a knot in front of her.

Chrom pursed his lips, "Do you think we should stay?"

She did not answer right away. Her brown eyes flicked back and forth for a moment. One hand tugged on a long lock of brown hair as she pondered Chrom's question.

"I don't know, Chrom." Sumia breathed.. She pursed her lips before reaching for a band and tying her hair back so that she looked more presentable for this surprise war council, "The odds of us winning now are… they're not good. And-" She swallowed hard, "Lucina is back home."

Chrom nodded. That was what was bothering her, and it bothered him as well. The more he thought about the many ways they could be defeated, the more he wanted to return to Ylisstol and hold his baby girl again. A part of him thought about doing that now. Ordering the army to march east back to Charlet, board the ships, and execute a full retreat back to Archanea. After all, they proved their point, right? The Valmese could not simply invade their lands without consequences.

 _Those consequences are moot if they have one million men to throw at them._ Chrom reminded himself.

They could not retreat now. Too much was at stake, and too much had been lost. If they failed to defeat the Conqueror here, on his turf, then he would simply try to conquer them again. Only the next time, he won't send an advance force, he'll just send his entire host. One million men would march onto Feroxi, Plegian, and Ylissean lands. Even if they all united their armies, they could not hope to match such numbers.

 _We either win here, or we were never meant to win at all._

"Your graces." The messenger poked her head in, "They're here. Are you-"

"Yes." Chrom nodded as he marched over to a table off to the side and dragged it to the center of the tent. Sumia reached out and helped him.

The first into the tent were Frederick and Say'ri. The Chon'sin Princess chose not to partake in the Feroxi's strange tradition of celebrating before battle, choosing instead to spend a quiet evening reading a book Sumia gave her. When the call for an emergency council came, she put out the lantern in her tent and rushed towards the Ylissean royal tent, ready to learn what was wrong. Frederick meanwhile, entered with a black eye, a busted lip, and perhaps the sourest expression Chrom had ever seen on his face.

"What happened to you?" Chrom asked with a light laugh.

Frederick slumped into a chair off to the side, hiding his eyes with his hand, "I'd prefer not to talk about it."

Ben and Dooku followed them in. Dooku looked regal as ever, not even weary. Ben meanwhile, looked like he might have had a glass of firewine or two. His hair was frayed a little bit, and he looked quite tired. Dooku gave him a disappointed look.

"You could at least try to look presentable when a council is called." Dooku sniffed as he stepped around the table and glanced down at the maps laid across it.

"I apologize if Tharja and I were interrupted." Ben remarked. He tugged on his shirt, smoothing out wrinkles, "I was told this was urgent, and I take urgent seriously."

"So do I, but you don't see me so disheveled."

Ben rolled his eyes, "If you were ever this disheveled, Count, I'd be…" He grimaced, "Nevermind, I don't want that image in my head."

"Getting rid of bad images," Khan Flavia sauntered into the tent, clearly drunk. Khan Basilio and General Mustafa followed her in. The two older men sober as could be, "is what this," The younger Khan hoisted a half empty bottle of firewine out in front of her, "is for. Want some, Ben?"

"Unfortunately, I need my mental faculties right now." Ben sniffed and rubbed at his right eye.

"Purging the toxins?" Dooku asked him.

"As quickly as I can." Ben muttered back, letting out a quiet groan as his head began to ache.

"Suit yourself." Khan Flavia put the bottle to her lips and tipped her head back. After a long gulp, she let out a satisfied gasp and slammed the bottle down onto the table, "Alright," She leaned up against the table, nearly dragging a map off of it on accident, "What's the deal?"

"We don't know yet." Chrom replied nodding over to both Mustafa and Basilio, "Robin called this council. We're waiting on-"

The tent opened. Robin, Tiki, and Luke quickly strode in. Everyone in the tent, except for Dooku and Flavia, bowed their heads to Tiki, an action that took her by surprise for a split second. She did not say anything in return as she chose to linger near the tent wall while both Luke and Robin stepped up to the table.

Chrom's eyes widened as a clearly exhausted Luke leaned against the table.

"Where's Lucina?" He asked, worry lacing his voice.

Luke hung his head, "My brother was less than accommodating."

Say'ri hissed, "I knew this would happen."

"What would happen?" Sumia breathed, "What happened to my daughter?"

"Luke," Say'ri addressed the young Sith. He raised his gaze to meet here, "Lucina?"

Luke gulped, "Captured and currently a hostage. Yen'fay viewed her as a far more valuable piece to hold onto than me."

"What!?" Chrom snapped, fist slamming down on the table, "Did you try to stop him!?"

"What could I do?" Luke replied, "Kill my brother? Those are the kind of actions I'm trying to avoid, in case you failed to notice. Besides, even with our abilities, there is no way Lucina and I could fight our way out of that camp. There are too many of them. If I killed Yen'fay, we would have been killed as well, or even worse, captured. The fact that Lucina is under my brother's watch means she will at least be treated well."

"How do you know that?" Chrom asked, teeth clenched tight as he struggled to contain himself.

"I know Yen'fay."

"Clearly you don't because you believed this foolish plan would work." Say'ri shook her head, "Yen'fay is a traitor and a coward, those kind of people do not change."

"I did not say the mission was a complete failure." Luke quickly followed up, "Yen'fay… illuminated his reasons to me. While I don't agree with them, I see where he is coming from." He noticed Say'ri's face flash with fury. He quickly raised his hand as she opened her mouth to reply, "We'll discuss it later. The important thing is while I could not convince him to change sides, I did learn that the Valmese are marching on us. They will be here any day."

"His army?" Ben asked, brow furrowed.

Luke shook his head, "Both."

"From what Luke told me, they plan to hit us from both north and south," Robin explained, "From there, they'll either squeeze the life out of us, or encircle us. We don't have the numbers to handle either scenario. While the terrain around the Mila Tree is solid for defense, if we stay here we are doomed."

"How so?"

Robin took a breath, "I can use the terrain to our advantage, but I cannot turn it into a disadvantage for them as well. Forests are good for concealing our movements, but it can also conceal their movements. Plus it is far too easy to encircle us here."

"Then what do you suggest we do?" Flavia asked, deadly serious as she slid the firewine away from her grasp, "Retreat?"

"That would be a wise decision." Dooku chimed in, "We can mount a more effective defense within our own lands."

"With what army?" Basilio asked, "Even if I was given a few months, I could not raise another ten thousand men up to fighting standards. From what we have seen of the Valmese army, any farmer or villager we hand a spear to will be torn to shreds. The army we have right now is our force. They are our best. If we cannot win here, how can we win back home? The Valmese will surely pursue us as quickly as they can."

"We decimated their fleet." Frederick muttered, wincing and reaching for his black eye.

"One million men can build ships very fast." Ben muttered, one hand raking through his beard, "We won't have any time to prepare for an invasion force. It will be just like Port Ferox all over again, except the Valmese will be prepared this time."

"We cannot retreat." Chrom said, "Not now. Not after everything that has-"

"Sometimes, your majesty, you must know when you are beaten." Dooku interrupted, causing Chrom to glare at him, "A man who knows he is beaten and flees lives far longer than a man who refused to acknowledge the gravity of the situation.

"I am well aware of the danger we are in." Chrom hissed back, "That is precisely why we cannot retreat. If we do not defeat the Conqueror here, we will not be able to defeat him in Archanea. He will invade, and we will have no force to stop him with. The war will come to our shores and our lands will burn once more. As long as I draw breath, I will not allow that to happen."

"Then we must consider alternative strategies." Ben muttered, eyes studying the maps carefully, "Less savory and less honorable methods." He flicked his eyes up at Robin, "How battle ready are Priam's men?"

Robin furrowed his brow, "What are you thinking?"

Ben glanced to Dooku, "What was the Separatists' favorite tactic when outgunned, Count?"

Dooku frowned, "Ambush and retreat."

"Guerilla warfare." Ben nodded, "Hit the enemy hard and fast, then quickly retreat before they can catch their bearings." He ran his finger towards Fort Stieger, "What we need is an even playing field. Part of creating that is cutting into the enemy numbers in any way we can. Priam knows these lands better than any of us. He can hit Yen'fay's army then disappear into the wilderness without a trace."

"It sounds cowardly." Flavia frowned.

Ben sighed, "Believe me, I'd rather not do this either, but we are left with little choice."

"Can I just say that I actually feel somewhat proud of you, Kenobi." Dooku stated.

Ben snorted, "You won't feel that way long." He muttered before returning his attention to the others, "With that strategy, we can put some fear into the Valmese to the south. Every step they take, as long as Priam is out there, will be carefully placed. It'll slow their march and buy us more time."

"But can we trust the mercenary to follow through?" Frederick asked, "What if he realizes how bad the situation is and decides to leave us to our fate?"

"That's a bit pessimistic." Flavia commented.

"Tell him he'll get a no holds barred duel with me and Dooku if he does his job and we somehow win this bloody thing." Ben muttered.

"I don't recall agreeing to such terms." Dooku grumbled.

"You just agreed to them." Ben snipped back.

"No, I did not."

"Anyways, that should buy us time when it comes to the Southern army." Ben huffed.

"What about Walhart's army?" Basilio asked.

"One million men will move slow, right Robin?" Ben remarked.

"And if what we learned from Cervantes and Say'ri is true, and they are mostly conscripts, they'll move even slower." Robin nodded in agreement, "A conscripted army is in no hurry to see action, no matter how favorable the odds. From the intelligence we have gathered, there is no love lost between the common soldier and the Conqueror. They'll attempt to resist in their own way. While it may not be the open resistance we want, leisurely walking instead of hastily marching will do wonders for us. Besides," He glanced over at Tiki, "I'm sure the rumors will spread soon. We have the Voice on our side. The peasants and villagers will hear her call. An army in doubt is less deadly than an army confident in their cause."

"Playing the mental game." Dooku hummed, "Smart play, but it will only get us so far. Eventually one of those armies will face us. We still need to find a battlefield that gives us the advantage. And as has been established, we cannot remain here."

"Then we move towards the army we have a better chance at defeating." Robin answered, "Yen'fay has fifty thousand. We have ten thousand. Give me the right terrain and conditions, and we can win against those odds."

"But where?" Chrom breathed, perplexed as to what to do.

The group was quiet for a moment. Chrom flicked his eyes up and down the maps. His eyes roved over the vast forest surrounding the Mila Tree. While an adequate place to mount a stand, the tree would not save them in this instance. He glanced south towards the hills and plains bordering Chon'sin. An even worse area to try and defend. The last thing they needed was a pitched battle out in the open.

"Demon's Ingle."

All eyes turned to Say'ri.

"Demon's what?" Ben replied, puzzled.

Say'ri raised her gaze from the map, "Demon's Ingle." She pointed to a stretch of mountains south of Fort Stieger, "At the tip of the Kiba mountains."

Luke's eyes widened, "Say'ri I don't-"

"You want an area that will turn Yen'fay's numbers against him, that is it."

"How so?" Robin asked her.

Say'ri took a deep breath, "Demon's Ingle is an active volcano. Everyday it spews out ash and fire. The terrain will be treacherous for Yen'fay's large army, but for a smaller force, we could use it to our advantage." She bit her lip, "There is one problem though."

"It is southwest of Fort Stieger." Luke muttered, "We will have to circumvent Yen'fay's army to reach it."

The council fell silent again. A pit formed in Robin's gut as he realized a solution, but one that caused great fear to form in him.

"We need to split the army."

"Are you insane!?" Flavia cried.

"We are already at a numbers disadvantage." Basilio replied more calmly, "Splitting the army will only serve to weaken us further."

"Let the man talk." Mustafa grunted, "He defeated a superior force in Plegia, he can figure this one out."

Chrom watched Robin carefully as the tactician uttered a shaky breath.

"We divide into three battle groups. One marches east as fast as possible, feigning a full retreat. If Yen'fay takes the bait, then we will have a small window in which we can move south to Demon's Ingle. From there, that army will turn and hurry back Northwest to link up with the second battle group," Robin tapped the Mila Tree, "Which will remain here to delay the Conqueror's forces." The silence was deafening as Robin took another breath, "Finally, the last battle group will go to the Volcano. There, we will draw Yen'fay to us and engage his army." He raised his eyes to look at everyone, "That is our best chance at victory."

Luke shook his head, "I-" He swallowed hard, "This is suicidal."

"Yes, it is." Dooku muttered, "The first two battle groups will certainly be on a suicide mission." He flicked his eyes up to Robin, "I shall lead the Eastern Group."

Robin's jaw fell open. His shock magnified when Mustafa cleared his throat.

"I'll go with him. With any luck, our presence will be enough to draw the enemy to us."

Robin closed his eyes in disbelief, "Your bravery is beyond words, both of you. But it won't be enough." He looked across the table at Chrom and Sumia. Sumia paled while Chrom's face hardened as they realized what Robin was about to ask them, "I wouldn't be doing this if it was not necessary."

Chrom hung his head, "March to certain death? I-"

"I'll go."

Chrom whipped his gaze to Sumia. His mouth opened and closed before he shook his head.

"N-no, you will not go! The Shepherds-"

"Will need you at Demon's Ingle." Sumia finished for him, "The main army will need you to be by their side. You cannot leave and act as a diversion."

"Sumia you-" Chrom clenched his jaw as he struggled to hold back his emotions, "Lucina needs-"

"Her father." Sumia placed a hand on Chrom's cheek, "And Ylisse needs their Exalt. Not only for this war, but for the one we know is coming." She gave him a reassuring smile, "They will need you when the Fell Dragon comes again." Her smile widened as she tried to ease her husband's worries, "I'll be fine."

"We will be by her side the entire time." Mustafa nodded, "Right Dooku?"

Dooku blinked and tore his gaze from the maps, "Hm?" He quickly cleared his throat as Mustafa glared at him, "Y-yes, well… royalty is oh so important on this planet. It would do no good for Queen Sumia to die on the battlefield."

"Way to be reassuring, Count." Ben sighed.

"Do you even know me, Kenobi? I have never been reassuring in my entire life."

Sumia shook her head and chuckled under her breath, "See, I'll be just fine."

Chrom closed his eyes and exhaled, "There is no talking you out of this, is there?" He brushed his thumb over her cheek, "Promise you'll come back to me."

"Only if you promise to do the same." Sumia smiled back. She backed away from the table and moved to grab her gear. She quickly heaved her armor over her shoulder while Mustafa grabbed her travel pack. He motioned for her to go first, out of the tent.

"I shall marshal the Pegasus Knights as well as a third of the Ylissean soldiers." Mustafa told the council and Sumia.

"Thank you, Mustafa." Sumia nodded. She cast one last glance back at Chrom, swallowed hard, then tore her gaze away. Resolutely marching out of the tent.

Once she was gone, Chrom sagged and hung his head, weight resting against the table.

"Robin, I swear to Naga-"

"I know Chrom." Robin nodded, "I just cannot see any other way forward."

Chrom closed his eyes and gave him a shaky nod, "I know just-" He exhaled, "We need to win this damn war."

Flavia slammed a hand against the table, startling both Robin and Chrom.

"Damn right, we do!" Flavia bellowed, "And we will!" She reached for her bottle of fire wine, put it to her lips, and threw her head back, taking a long, hasty drink from it. She gasped as she tore the bottle away from her lips. Then she unceremoniously smashed the bottle against the table, shattering it, "Oaf! We march to meet this Conqueror!" She declared, voice filled with fiery excitement, "Let's test his metal."

Basilio gave her a wry smirk. A low, rumbling laugh left his lips, "You'll make a good ruling Khan yet."

"Ha! I already am!" Flavia declared, spinning on her heel and marching towards the exit, "Let's gather up our rowdy barbarians. We've got an actual party to go to now." She glanced back at Chrom, Robin, Ben, and Say'ri, winking at all four, "Give em hell you guys. You know I will."

With a loud laugh, Flavia sauntered out of the tent. Basilio followed her. Through the walls and chanting, they heard her powerful voice rise up over the celebration. Ordering her men to get battle ready. To Robin and Chrom's shock, a loud roar of approval resounded from the Feroxi. Their chanting ended, and the sounds of an army stirring to life took over.

"That leaves us." Robin breathed, "The Shepherds, and a few thousand of our Knights and mages, will move south to Demon's Ingle. There, we will make our stand."

"I shall join you." Tiki said, speaking up for the first time, "You will need all of the help you can get if you intend to defeat the enemy."

Robin gave her a thankful nod. He took a deep breath, "Well, let's get this whole thing started. If this fails then… well… we were never meant to win."

The others nodded, grim faced yet determined. Ben and Dooku left the tent first, probably to prepare the few knights and mages they were taking for the march. Robin, Chrom, and Say'ri remained to do some final polishing on their desperate plan. Frederick rushed off to find Priam and deliver the mercenary his orders. Orders that the wild man was likely to enjoy. Especially once he heard the reward. He had been wanting a duel with the Mad Swordsman, Ben Kenobi, since his arrival in Charlet. Something Ben did not want to do, but had to dangle to the mercenary in order to ensure his allegiance.

As he exited the tent, he noticed Dooku linger nearby for a moment. The old man looked… strangely worried. Anything that worried Dooku worried Ben. The Jedi Master cautiously approached the Sith Lord.

"Kenobi," Dooku stated, anticipating the Jedi's worry, "There is nothing you need to be concerned about."

Ben nodded, "Maybe. But I can sense your own anxiety."

"Anxiety?" Dooku waved off Ben's comment, "Hardly. I am merely concerned with what seems to be an unwinnable situation."

Ben smirked a little bit, "Does the infamous Count Dooku actually care about others? Color me surprised."

"I am not entirely heartless, Kenobi." Dooku snarled back, "The Shepherds are certainly people to be admired. I do not doubt their courage or their conviction. I do occasionally doubt their sanity."

"You and me both." Ben snorted.

"I include you in that description." Dooku reminded.

Ben rolled his eyes, "You just choose to see me in a bad light."

"Mm… yes, someone who jumps from flying Pegasi while being shot at is certainly sane."

"I've jumped from larger heights than that." Ben argued back with a slight laugh.

"My point exactly." Dooku nodded.

Ben shook his head and chuckled some more, "Force, maybe I am crazy. I still believe we stand a chance after all."

"We always stand a chance, Kenobi." Dooku replied, "So long as the Force is on our side, we stand a chance."

Ben arched an eyebrow, "And you believe the Force is on our side?"

Dooku eyed Ben, "You are alive, aren't you? Despite all the odds, and all of the circumstances, you are living and breathing. The Force is not done with you Kenobi, and I doubt it will cast you aside in a meaningless war such as this. Not when there are far greater threats lingering both on this planet and in the wider galaxy." He noticed some doubt on Ben's face. Dooku uttered a heavy sigh, "What did I always tell Qui Gon?"

"Concentrate on the here and now?"

Dooku snorted out a small laugh, "Yes, actually. I assume he gave you the same speech as I did?"

Ben smiled a little bit, "Apparently he did." He took a deep breath. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched Priam and his band of mercenaries race into the forest. Ready to wreak havoc on the Valmese Southern army. Loud whinnies filled the night air. Pegasus Knights soared through the sky above them, angelic wings hiding the stars from their sight.

"I suppose I better get going, before the Queen leaves me behind." Dooku muttered, pulling his cape tighter over his shoulders as a cool wind rushed through the quickly emptying camp.

As he stepped away, Ben called out to him.

"Dooku!"

Dooku paused and glanced back at Ben. He expected Kenobi to give him a warning of some sort. To tell him he better not turn his back on the Shepherds. Or perhaps, he was going to plead with Dooku to make sure Sumia survived. The Queen and Pegasus Knight had been one of the first people to befriend Kenobi when he arrived on this planet. A fact that was not lost on the Sith Lord.

"May the Force be with you."

Dooku blinked in surprise. He averted his eyes for a moment, unsure of how to respond to a phrase he never thought Kenobi would ever say to him. A phrase meant to be shared between the Jedi and their allies. While he did recoil at the thought of being considered a Jedi again, the meaning of those words weighed heavily on him.

"You as well, Master Kenobi." Dooku said with a small bow of his head.

He turned on his heel and marched towards the Pegasus Knights, where an empty steed waited for him. He placed his boot in the empty stirrup and hauled himself up onto the saddle. The angelic beast snorted and stamped as he, an unfamiliar rider, sat down. Instead of berating the animal, Dooku gently patted its side and sent a calming wave through the force. With a single snap of the reins, the beast's white wings hammered against the air, and he lifted off. Soaring east, towards a desperate battle.

* * *

It rained. For the entire, swift sprint south towards the Kiba Mountains, it rained. Sheets of water cascaded over the Valmese countryside, drowning the dirt trails that crisscrossed the plains and turning them into thick, muddy rivers. With the rain came cold. A cold that chilled the bones. No matter how many layers Cynthia put on, the cold and wet seeped through it. Throughout the march, her teeth chattered, and she dared not fly her Pegasus into the sky for fear of the lightning bolts that cracked through the dark clouds. The rain did not even end at night. It soaked the tents, the bedrolls, caused sleepless nights and made the army eat cold meals.

 _But hey,_ Cynthia thought to herself, trying her best to remain optimistic as she led her Pegasus through the mud. Her boot sank into a deep puddle. She grit her teeth as mud and muck slipped into her boot, _It could be worse. We could have Grima trying to kills us._

The column of several thousand soldiers and the Shepherds came to an abrupt halt. Cynthia furrowed her brow. A gasp rushed from her lips. Through the sheets of rain and mist, she could see a massive mountain range jutting up into the dark clouds like shadowy teeth. At the tip of the range, staring down at them, was a black mountain spewing midnight smoke into the rain clouds.

"Demon's Ingle." Luke breathed beside her, "We made it." He trudged forward a little more and wiped raindrops from his eyes. More rain cascaded over his hood as he peered into the distance, "It's a damn miracle we did. The diversion must have worked."

"Yeah…" Cynthia muttered.

Worry filled her. The diversion was a desperate play by Robin and Master Ben. A way to possibly give them an opening so that they could reach Demon's Ingle and draw General Yen'fay into a trap. But… in order for it to work, someone important had to lead that diversion. Her mother and a large retinue of Pegasus Knights volunteered. When Cynthia learned about it, she pleaded to go with. But her mother forbade it. She would remain with the Shepherds. It was safer for her that way. Which told Cynthia all she needed to know about their dire situation.

 _It's safer for me to go fight in a volcano than for me to help my mother distract the enemy._

"Hey." Luke gently cupped her chin and turned her head to him. She looked up at his hooded head. Raindrops pelted against his hood and her forehead, "It's going to be okay."

"Bleh!"

Luke sighed as Brady snorted and stomped forward through the mud. The foul mouthed priest scratched at his backside then sniffed the air. On his shoulders sat Prince Kage, who was wrapped in a heavy coat, but seemed to be enjoying the rain.

"Save the mushy stuff for later, guys." He grumbled, "It's a small camp now. And I ain't in the mood to hear singing."

"No singing!" Kage cheered above him.

"That's right kiddo." Brady nodded.

Cynthia snickered a little bit, "It looks like you two have become inseparable."

Brady shrugged, accidentally jostling Kage, but the Prince laughed at the sudden movement, "Kid's alright. It's his grown up version I have a problem with."

Luke rolled his eyes, "You only have a problem with me because you know you can't kick my ass."

"I can and one day I will." Brady replied. A large raindrop pelted his forehead, causing a long frown to form on his face, "Hey kiddo, what'd I say about being on my shoulders?"

"I gotta catch the raindrops."

"Well ya missed one." Brady huffed before flashing a playful smirk over at Cynthia, "Gives him something to do."

"Sorry, Mr. Brady."

"Ha! Mr. Brady, that's a good one." Severa joined their small group, arms wrapped tight around her body as she shivered in the wet and cold, "He's probably the only one in this group that actually views you with some respect."

"My Pa respects me."

Severa shook her head, "He's supposed to. He's your dad."

"How are things going with your parents, Sev?" Cynthia asked, genuinely curious.

Severa rubbed her right arm, "Well… mother is getting better. She's able to sit up on her own now, so that's a good sign." She blinked and frowned, "N-not like I-"

"Oh save your breath, you care more than you want to let on." Luke sighed.

Severa's cheeks reddened, "I- you-" She folded her arms and huffed, "Screw you Luke."

"Can't, Cynthia's already doing it."

"Ha!" Brady guffawed as Cynthia smacked Luke's arm before snickering at Severa's look of disgust.

"What does screw mean?" Kage suddenly asked, causing Brady's face to twist up like he just ate a whole lemon.

"Well er-" Luke, Cynthia, and Severa started giggling uncontrollably as the Priest fumbled with his words. Brady stomped his foot, "See what yall did! Now I gotta explain screwing to the Kid."

"Oh Naga, no you won't!"

Brady's face lost all color as Maribelle approached the group, parasol open and shielding her from the rain. She frowned at Brady and glanced up at the toddler on his shoulders. Brady gulped and gave his mother a sheepish smile.

"Hey ma-mother."

"Just…" Maribelle pinched her nose and sighed, "Set the toddler down already, your father and I need help setting up the tent."

Brady glanced up at Kage, "Ride's over kid." He reached up and set Kage down on the ground. The toddler let out a disappointed sound as his feet touched the mud, "Gotta go be responsible now."

"I'd say you've been plenty responsible so far." Luke muttered, "Say'ri's been busy with the war, someone's gotta look out for me."

"Heh, ain't ya lucky I give I shit?" Brady replied.

"Language!" Maribelle scolded.

Brady cringed, "S-sorry Ma-mother." He cursed again, "I'm gonna get it right, I swear it."

Their conversation died in the rain as they moved towards the front of the column, where the tents were being set up. Severa huffed and shook the rain from her head. A long groan left her lips as stray red hairs splattered against her face.

"I swear I'm gonna cut it short one day." She grumbled as she shouldered her travel gear and started towards the front of the camp again. She paused and glanced back at Luke, "You seen Sakura? She's been in a mood lately. Figured I could try and cheer her up."

"Look for the corner that is furthest away from Say'ri and you'll probably find her."

"Thanks, I guess." Severa muttered before leaving the pair in the mud.

Luke looked puzzled as the redhead marched away, "You know, she never said anything about her father."

"That's because her dad is weird, remember?" Cynthia replied, "But in a good way."

"I always got the impression that he was batshit insane." Luke thought for a moment and glanced in Severa's direction again, "Maybe that explains her mood swings."

Cynthia shook her head and nudged him with her elbow, "Be nice."

"I am."

She sighed and laughed a little to herself. She knew Luke was trying, and for this entire trip he had been a surprising source of optimism among her and her friends. Always moving to help the others through the mud and providing words of encouragement (although those words tended to come out in an awkward mess). In a way, he had stepped into Lucina's shoes. Assumed her role as leader of their little band. Which made sense, since he was the oldest and strongest of all of them. Although, not everyone appreciated his efforts. Noire actively ignored him still, despite Cynthia and Brady's best efforts to get her to give Luke a chance.

Cynthia an a hand over her face, brushing her fingers over her eyes before a long yawn left her lips.

"We'll reach the volcano tomorrow?"

"Yes, we will." Luke breathed, "And then… well-"

"Then we fight." Cynthia gulped.

Luke nodded, "Yeah, then we fight."

Cynthia let out a shaky breath. An actual battle… that was something she had never been a part of before. In the future, she led scouting parties and joined what remained of the Pegasus Knights in small skirmishes. But when Ylisstol came under siege, Aunt Lissa, Master Ben, and Lucina told her to remain near the rear. Someone with Exalted Blood needed to survive Grima's carnage in case Lucina, Owain, or Lissa fell in battle. They chose her.

But now she was going to be in a battle. Not just any battle, but the most pivotal of the entire Valm campaign.

"Cynthia?" Luke whispered as he felt her starting to shake.

"If there is any good news to all of this, we know we win, right?" Cynthia gulped and looked at Luke again, "We win, and all of our parents and their friends make it out of this alive, right?"

Luke pressed his lips into a thin line. Softly, he took her hand and gave it a small squeeze.

"I will do everything in my power to make that happen." He breathed before leaning in to kiss her.

Their lips brushed together. Cynthia smiled a little bit, opened her eyes for a split second, froze, then abruptly jerked away from Luke.

Luke furrowed his brow, "Something wrong?"

"Uh oh." Cynthia gulped.

Luke looked puzzled. Then he sensed a particularly angry presence behind him. His eyes closed and an exasperated sigh left his lips.

"Your father is-"

"Watching? Yeah." Cynthia whispered. She looked down at her feet and squeezed his hand, "I'll set up the tent while you um-"

"Yeah, it's probably about time I deal with this." Luke nodded.

He spun on his heel and met Chrom's furious gaze. The Ylissean Prince stood a few yards away with Robin. Robin's jaw hung open while he stared at Luke. The tactician watched Cynthia quickly retreat away before clearing his throat and tapping Chrom on the shoulder.

"I'll um… I'll go do some… things like-uh- reading and stuff."

"Good idea." Chrom muttered back, eyes never leaving Luke, "Luke and I need to have a little chat."

Robin gulped, "I need him for the battle."

Chrom's head snapped over to Robin. The tactician shrank a little bit while Luke cautiously approached the two men.

"J-just saying but um- oh hey! I think I just heard Tiki call me!"

Luke gave Robin a perplexed look as the tactician rushed away. Him and Chrom watched Robin disappear into their growing campsite.

Luke glanced at Chrom, "He does know Tiki is in the other direction, right?"

"Cynthia." Chrom hissed back.

Luke looked down at his feet, "You couldn't go along with the change in subject?"

"How long?"

Luke grimaced. He took a deep breath, mentally reminded himself to not lose his temper in case Chrom did anything stupid, then exhaled.

"Just about a year."

The fist came out of nowhere. Luke reeled as Chrom punched his jaw and sent him tumbling down into the mud. Stars danced in his vision for a brief second. Then the force howled to life within him. His vision snapped into focus and he raised his hands, ready for Chrom to pounce and rain down more blows.

But none came. Chrom stared him down. Then the Prince winced and shook his right hand.

"That's for keeping it from me." He growled, wincing again as his hand throbbed.

Luke raised his brow, "That's what you're mad about?"

Chrom flexed the fingers on his right hand and winced, "Did anyone ever tell you that you have an iron jaw? Naga above." He reached a hand out to Luke. Luke looked at him, surprised, then reached out and took his hand.

"Well, when you have an animal like Maul as a teacher," Luke grunted as Chrom hauled him to his feet, "you tend to get very tough."

Chrom nodded, "Noted." He huffed and rolled his shoulders.

Luke let out a heavy breath as well as the two stood in the rain while the army set up camp around them. A few soldiers glanced in their direction when Chrom decked Luke. But no one moved to intervene, which did not surprise Luke in the slightest. Most of the Ylisseans still viewed him as a traitor and a villain.

"Luke," Chrom breathed, "I'm not going to pretend to be completely okay with this. I may not know Cynthia as well as I know Lucina, but she is still my daughter. Albeit from the future."

Luke nodded in understanding.

"And…" Chrom took a deep breath, "And I also know that she is a grown up. I wouldn't want my parents hovering over my relationships." He snorted to himself, "If father ever found out I married Sumia, Naga… I bet he is rolling in his grave right now. He always wanted me to be with a noblewoman like Maribelle."

Luke blinked in surprise, "Really?"

Chrom nodded, "But Emmeryn did not force me into anything, and I am forever grateful for that. I'll do the same with Cynthia, but only to a fault." Chrom pointed a finger at Luke, "You so much as harm a hair on her head and I swear-"

"I'll point Falchion at my heart myself if that ever happens." Luke said calmly.

"Good." Chrom nodded, "Then we are at an understanding." He started to walk past Luke, but paused beside him, "Luke…"

"Yeah?"

"You know how this battle is going to go, don't you?"

Luke was quiet for a moment. In the future, the battle went extremely well for the Shepherds. The entire war went well for them. None of the Shepherds died, they all came home to start or take care of their new families, it had been a resounding success for them. Of course, they had an army in the hundreds of thousands during that time, not the pitiful amount they fielded now.

"I know how it went in our future." Luke replied, "But that future is no longer certain. I won't pretend to know what is coming."

"But we won, right?"

Luke nodded.

"What were the odds?"

"Nearly even." Luke replied, "Your army stood toe to toe with both my brother's and the Conqueror's."

Chrom cursed, "I was afraid you were going to say that." He started to walk away again, then stopped, "Luke, if this goes poorly, I want you to promise me that you will get Cynthia out of here, and that you will rescue Lucina."

Luke's eyes widened, "I-you-" He cleared his throat, "That's surprising coming from you."

"I'm only asking because I know that if anyone can do it, you can. Ben will be in the thick of the fighting with me and Robin. Dooku is with Sumia. The only one I know that can fight off a whole company of soldiers single handedly after them, is you. Besides, you care about them. Despite what your previous actions showed."  
Luke grimaced as he realized Chrom was referring to the Plegian War.

"I'll do what I can." He answered.

"Good." Chrom patted his shoulder, "Get some rest. And-" Chrom grimaced, "Are you and Cynthia-"

Luke's cheeks reddened, Chrom immediately let out a heavy sigh.

"Should've known. Cynthia's impulsive like that. Only known her for a few weeks and still…" He shook his head and walked away. As he walked away, Luke heard Chrom grumble a few more things, "Crazy girl of mine. Gonna drive me up the wall when she is born, I swear."

He disappeared into the camp. Luke let out a heavy breath and rested his hands on his knees as he realized he had been holding his breath the entire conversation.

"How the…" He stared down at the muddy ground and laughed to himself, "Chrom just made me nervous, what the hell?"

"Luke!" Cynthia called to him.

Luke glanced towards the edge of the camp, where the rest of the future kids were setting up their tents. Noire had hers set up perfectly. Inigo was fumbling with his tent. Owain shouted he would come to assist Inigo as soon as he completed his own tent. Sakura had already disappeared into her tent. He could hear both her and Severa whispering fervently inside. Say'ri and Cordelia's names were tossed back and forth, giving Luke a good impression on what they were talking about. Laurent kept his tent to the edge of their little corner of the camp. Luke could smell the stench of vulneraries and elixirs being brewed inside of the bigger tent Laurent possessed.

 _Good, we'll need them._ He thought.

Brady was the only one that was not staying near them. His mother demanded he stay in the Themis tent with her and Donnel. Something about nobility and noble customs and whatnot.

Then… then there was Cynthia and what she called a tent. Luke chuckled a little as he stopped in front of the hopelessly lopsided construct. Cynthia stopped a foot and folded her arms, causing Luke to keep laughing.

"It's not that bad!" She cried, "You can't blame me! You were always the one doing this stuff before. And now you won't stop laughing and I'm cold, tired, my feet hurt, and they're full of mud and-"

Luke shook his head, wrapped an arm around her waist, and smiled.

"Want me to fix it?"

Cynthia rested her head against his chest and pouted.

"Yes." She muttered.

Luke laughed lightly again then kissed the top of her head.

"Just give me a second."

* * *

 _Naga above that was awkward._ Robin thought as he trudged through the rain and mud. He stumbled as his feet landed in a deep puddle along the side of the road. Mud and water soaked his legs up to his knees. A long groan left his lungs as he let his head fall back in exasperation.

 _First I tell all of them this suicidal plan then the weather turns on us._ Robin huffed and yanked his heavy, mud soaked boots out of the muck, _What's next? Is the Volcano going to erupt while we're near it?_

Robin shook his head as the rain started to come down even harder. Not even his coat could save him from the downpour. He shivered, mood now completely sour.

 _What am I doing?_ Robin thought to himself as he drifted towards the edge of the small camp.

Behind him the few thousand Ylissean soldiers and the Shepherds hastily finished setting up the camp. It will be another night of cold food and cold beds. Another miserable night for everyone on this damned march. A march he ordered, believing it to be the best course forward. But was he wrong? And was Dooku correct? The elderly man advised him and Chrom to execute a full retreat, and they ignored him. Ben remained mostly undecided, but supported his and Chrom's decision in the end.

However, Robin could not miss the worry Ben exuded every moment he was awake. The Jedi Master seemed off since they started marching. He stuck close to Tharja and Noire, spending as much time with them as he possibly could. He did not do that before Charlet, or the battle at sea, or even before Port Ferox. Ben was always in front of the army, ready to lead them into whatever the hell they were facing. But now, he lingered behind. Did he believe Robin's plan was impossible? That this war was out of reach and they were now doomed?

He let out a heavy breath and hung his head, rain running down the back of his neck, soaking into the shirt beneath his coat. He ran a hand over his face, wiping as much water away from his eyes as he could.

"Have I doomed us?"

"What are you muttering about?"

Robin snapped his head up. Tiki approached him, a concerned look on her face as she tiptoed her way around muddy puddles. Even in the rain, she looked positively stunning to him. And for some reason, dryer than they all were.

 _Am I seeing things, or is there steam coming off of her?_

Tiki noticed Robin's perplexed look as she drew up alongside him.

"Warming spell." She shrugged, "Little thing I picked up a long time ago. Back when I lived someplace quite cold. Bonus to it, it makes raindrops evaporate."

Robin's eyes widened, "When can I learn that?"

Tiki chuckled, "One day, Robin. One day." She folded her hands in front of her and glanced over his shoulder to the camp behind him, "I would think you would be with Prince Chrom and Princess Say'ri, planning our next move."

"W-well I was on my way to do that but then I- well- actually- Chrom got sidetracked."

"Oh?" Tiki remarked, curious, "Sidetracked by what?"

Robin blushed. A mischievous gleam entered Tiki's eyes.

"Now you have to tell me."

"I think it might be a bit of a private thing."

"Tell me." Tiki said again, smiling wide.

"Uh-"

"Please?"

Robin sighed, "Luke was kissing Cynthia."

Tiki narrowed her eyes in confusion, "And that is a bad thing because…"

"Luke tried to kill Cynthia's sister, and the Shepherds, two years ago."

Tiki blinked, "Oh! Well," She cleared her throat, "I've heard of youthful rebellion but that is… wow."

Robin nearly choked at what she said, "Youthful rebel- no, no, no. I doubt it's anything like that. From what I have seen, Cynthia and Lucina adore their parents." He furrowed his brow, "Which makes Cynthia and Luke an even more confusing relationship than I previously thought."

"Maybe they bring out the best in each other?" Tiki shrugged.

Robin thought for a moment, "Come to think of it, he has been less of an asshole since she came around."

Tiki laughed a little bit, "Well, there is your answer. A relationship doesn't have to make sense on the outside. So long as it helps both parties be better people, then it is a good one."

Robin bobbed his head back and forth, "I guess you're right." He took a deep breath as worry filled him again.

If Luke and Cynthia really cared for each other that much, then they were sacrificing everything because of the plan. His heart sank as another thought hit him. Sumia and Chrom could end up dying away from each other, condemned to lonely deaths on a rain soaked battlefield. Tharja and Ben… the rest of the Shepherds…

"Robin?"

"Yes, Tiki?" Robin exhaled as thunder rolled over their heads.

"What troubles you so much?"

Robin stammered in surprise, "Wh-what makes you think something is bothering me?"

"I can sense it." Tiki responded, "Your aura is very out of focus and off balance. Not quite to the extent as it was when we first met, but still enough to concern me."

Robin paled, "You don't think I'm about to lose control of the Force again, do you?"

She did not shake her head or deny the question. Tiki uttered a heavy sigh before finally responding.

"Robin, do you recall what happened when we entered your mind?"

Robin furrowed his brow. What happened when they entered his mind? He remembered bits and pieces, but nothing concrete. He recalled a cluttered room filled with dusty books and tomes. The only organized thing in the entire room was a desk with a few tactical journals and a spellbook on top of it. He recalled a fuzzy picture of an older woman within one of the dusty books he plucked from a large stack. Then everything started to grow hazy. The images faded and he could only recall feelings. Feeling terrified, then horrified, exhausted, followed by… by thrill. A sudden rush of power that excited a dark part of his mind. Relief as something had been freed before fury as it was shut away once again by an outside force, by Tiki.

"Inside of your mind were not just your thoughts," Tiki said, "There were two… entities within you as well. I-I was not certain what they were until recently, after much reflection."

Robin looked at her, suddenly very apprehensive, "What are you talking about?"

Tiki closed her eyes, "The voice in your head whenever you lose control of your powers, it is not your own. But at the same time, it is."

"That makes no sense." Robin breathed, "How can whatever it is in my mind be both me and not me?"

"Because it was born long before you were, and you were born specifically to house it." Tiki gulped as she thought hard about whether or not to continue. Was it a good idea to worry Robin further right now? No… she had to. Robin needed to know the danger that was present in every breath he took. He needed to know what he was, so that he could resist it. "You know how the Exalted bloodline happened, right?"

Robin thought for a moment, "I read something about it once. The history books say that Naga herself blessed Chrom's ancestors. She gifted them not only with her blessing but with symbols of her power. Or something along those lines."

"Mostly accurate. Not very detailed though." Tiki breathed, "Well, Naga is, in this instance, the good. The one fighting to keep humanity safe, through her anointed followers. Her enemy has done something similar. I only discovered this after we went into your mind."

Robin looked at her, confused, "After you went into my-" Realization dawned on his face. He fell silent.

"The opposite of Naga, at least nowadays, is the Fell Dragon, Grima."

Robin's hands started to shake. As they shook, he turned them, and saw the faded Mark of Grima emblazoned on the back of his right hand. Dooku suspected he was Plegian. The mark of Grima not only backed his suspicions, it also meant he might have ties to the Grimleal in a life he no longer remembered.

"It would make sense," Tiki continued, "for Naga's enemy to react to her actions, by creating a bloodline of his own. One that he not only blessed, but gave power to. Or even inhabits if the host becomes strong enough."

His mouth felt dry as sandpaper. Every limb, every toe, every finger, felt numb. Even though his hands were shaking, Robin could not feel them moving.

"Robin… I fear you may be the host for the Fell Dragon."

"No!" Robin snapped suddenly, "N-no I-" He raked a hand through his hair, "That is impossible. I mean, how can a literal deity inhabit me!?"

"Grima is not a deity, merely an abomination, albeit a powerful one." Tiki replied, voice quiet, "Again, I just suspect this but there are too many things lining up for this to not be the case. The biggest piece being Grima's presence in your mind."

Robin struggled to catch his breath, "But- but I'm fighting against him, aren't I? I-" He shook his head, "No, that is not true! I refuse to believe it! I refuse to believe that I would put my friends in such danger, even if I am supposedly ignorant of it!"

"Robin-"

"I mean," Robin ran a hand over his mouth, "If I am Grima incarnate, why have you not killed me?"

Hurt flashed through Tiki's eyes, "Do you think me so detached from the ways of the world that I would kill someone based on a suspicion?"

Robin pressed his lips into a thin line, "Why?" He asked again, his tone less accusatory, less panicked and angry.

Tiki closed her eyes, "A loaded question. I don't know the answer myself, not yet at least. I-" Tiki took a deep breath, "Robin, regardless of what we may be, or who we are born to be, it is our actions in the moment that define who we are, not our circumstances." She placed a hand on his shoulder, "You are you, now and in the future. So long as you continue to fight for good and fight for the light, you will remain that way. Chrom will be by your side, so will Ben, every Shepherd, and… and so will I."

Robin stared stunned at Tiki. If what she said was true, then he was everything she stood against. The very enemy they all feared would rise again could possibly be inside of him. While he did not believe it, refused to believe it, it did unsettle him to think that someone as intelligent and wise as Tiki suspected it. But despite her suspicions, she believed in him.

"Why tell me this?" Robin asked, voice shuddering.

"Because you deserve to know. I do not believe keeping such information from you to be wise or kind. And well… you've been kind and helpful to me since we met. I figured it would only be fair if I did the same."

Robin exhaled. He hung his head and nodded to himself.

"Please don't tell anyone else about this. I don't want there to be any-"

"It will stay between us for now." Tiki nodded in agreement, "I do not want to cause a fuss over a hunch that may or may not be true. But when this war is over, we will investigate it together."

Robin sniffled, "Th-thank you."

Tiki gave him a soft smile, moved forward, and wrapped her arms around him, trying her best to comfort the struggling Tactician. As they embraced, she could feel her own heart hammering in her chest. Even when confronted with such disastrous news, he thought of his friends. He thought only about protecting them. Feelings she had not felt in millennia sprang forth inside of her. And she had no idea what to do with them.

Robin closed his eyes and reluctantly ended their hug. When they pulled away, Tiki flashed him a small smile, and Robin's cheeks heated up.

"I um…" Robin gulped, "Better go make sure Chrom didn't kill Luke. Or vice versa."

Tiki chuckled, "Yes, you better go do that. I'll um… if you need any more help or anything, do not hesitate to come find me."

Robin nodded, "Of course."

As he walked away, Tiki let out a heavy breath. She inhaled, then exhaled again. Trying to steady her racing heart. But for the life of her, she could not calm herself down. Her mind raced as she thought not only of Robin's predicament, but also just about him as a person. She found herself admiring him. Even when given devastating information that could have shattered him, he pressed forward. His first priority was to make sure Chrom and Luke were alright. He did not go and wallow in self pity, or retreat away and hide from those he called friend. He threw himself into his work, into bettering the lives of those around him. Into making sure they would all live to see tomorrow.

 _I will fight for you, Robin._ Tiki thought, _We all will fight for you._

* * *

Say'ri lay awake on her bedroll, thin blanket tucked tight around her shivering body as the rain pelted the roof of her tent. She usually kept a lantern burning by her bedside late into the night. A way to comfort herself before the darkness set in. But they could not afford any Valmese patrols to see them. So there were no fires, no lamps, not a single flicker of light in their camp. It led to a dreary evening. One where Say'ri found herself struggling to fall asleep.

She tossed over onto her side, resting her head on her hand. Beside her bedroll was her sword. A gift she received from her father before he died. A katana forged specifically for her. The scabbard was even engraved with beautiful cherry blossoms. The very flowers she loved going out and looking at when she was a little girl.

Her heart ached as she thought of her father, her mother, the family she once had. They had been so happy before the Conqueror came. Chon'sin had been a land at peace for generations. She had begun learning how to run a royal household from her mother and various servants when the Conqueror's ultimatum came to her father. Surrender and pledge fealty, or die. The ultimatum was delivered with severed heads from a border outpost.

Her father chose to keep his honor. He chose to fight back. As a result, he died, just as the Conqueror promised. Meanwhile, her brother, the one her father trusted to hold Koto, to protect her from the Valmese, and to lead Chon'sin upon his death, gave up his honor so that he might live.

 _Damn him!_

She sat upright. Sleep would elude her once again tonight. With a heavy sigh, she reached for a heavy cloak and threw it over her body. She rose to her feet, slipped her boots on, then grabbed her katana and stepped out into the rain and cold.

It was not a downpour anymore. A light drizzle descended onto the camp now. But the temperature had fallen, and she could see her breath misting in front of her lips. Faint moonlight attempted to penetrate the dark clouds above her. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she saw a lone figure emerge from one of the Shepherd's tents. Glowing yellow eyes blinked sleepily over to her.

"Uh…" Luke gulped in the darkness as he caught sight of Say'ri, "I really hope you didn't hear anything."

Say'ri sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose, "Naga, Luke…"

"We were as quiet as we could be and-"

"I didn't hear anything, don't worry."

"Oh." Luke muttered back. He rocked back and forth on his heels as he stood across from Say'ri. No cloak or hood rested over his body. He seemed completely unaffected by the rain and the cold, "Then what woke you up?"

"I haven't fallen asleep yet." Say'ri muttered back as she marched towards the center of their camp, where she knew Anna's tent was located. Hopefully the merchant wouldn't mind some late night small talk. She was usually up quite late anyways.

"Off to find something to do?"

Say'ri paused, "Yes."

"You should talk to Sakura."

Say'ri closed her eyes, "I have already tried to speak to her but she-"

"Is difficult?" Luke snorted, "You have no idea. I grew up with her, I should know."

"She acts like she hates me."

"She doesn't hate you, Say'ri. She…" Luke sighed, "She hates what you did in the future."

"And what did I do exactly?" Say'ri asked, "Doesn't she know that who I am now is the same person as who I was in the future?"

Luke pursed his lips, "For some it is difficult to differentiate. Noire is still flabbergasted by her parents in this timeline. I know Severa remains very standoffish with Cordelia. We all have responded to this strange situation in our own ways. I have a feeling that if you just speak with Sakura, this can be resolved."

Say'ri shook her head, "I wish I had the time. But I do not. We have a war to worry about. When it is over, I will speak with her. Maybe I can build some sort of relationship with her." Say'ri turned to walk away again.

Luke grimaced in the darkness, "Say'ri."

"What?" Say'ri snarled spinning back around.

"We have no guarantees now." Luke breathed, "I do not know if we win anymore or not. Please, just go speak to her."

"You don't think we can emerge victorious?" Say'ri asked, "You don't think that when Yen'fay comes to us, I will be able to defeat him?"

Luke's gaze hardened, "By defeat, do you mean kill him?"

Say'ri's grip on her Katana tightened. Luke let out a heavy sigh.

"He's our brother, Say'ri."

"He _was_ my brother." Say'ri spat back, "He ceased to be when he betrayed my father and mother." She strode towards him, anger rising in her voice, "Do you have any idea what it is like? To live with the man who helped kill your family? To be around the coward that condemned everything you held dear to death?"

Luke's eyes blazed, "Maul."

Say'ri gulped as his eyes tore through her. She averted her gaze and kneaded the grip of her sword.

"Well… this is different. And it is rich of you to warn me against seeking vengeance when you did so before."

"And I was wrong."

"Were you?" Say'ri asked harshly, "You killed Maul after he harmed Lucina. Was that not vengeance? If you did not act that way then, would he still be terrorizing our allies?"

Luke remained silent.

"He would." Say'ri nodded, "Sometimes, vengeance is necessary. I will strike down Yen'fay and restore honor to both our house and Chon'sin."

"You will tear our family apart in the process."

"Our family!? How long have you been here? A year and a half at most?" Say'ri spat back, "Half of that time you were antagonizing me and Cynthia. What family do you think you have!?"

"You have Sakura, Kage, and like it or not, Yen'fay." Luke replied, voice shaking as rage started to fill him. He quickly inhaled, closed his eyes, then exhaled, "Vengeance will not bring you peace, Say'ri. When I killed Maul, I became more lost than I had ever been before. And it took… a lot for me to find the right path again. Don't make the same mistake I made."

Say'ri grit her teeth. How could her brother say this? He had finally seen Yen'fay's cowardice for himself. Seen how he cared only about his survival and not their own freedom. How could he side with him!? How could he be such a hypocrite!?

"Say'ri-"

She did not bother to stay and hear him speak anymore. His voice called out to her one more time as she marched away, delving further into the dark camp, but she did not turn around. Her boots sank into the mud as she stomped away.

As she drew closer to Anna's tent, she noticed a lack of tables and merchandise sitting out. Which meant the merchant with the red beret had closed up shop for the evening and had gone to sleep. Say'ri cursed under her breath.

 _What now?_

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a faint light flicker in a tent far off to the side. Say'ri furrowed her brow.

 _Who in the hell thinks that is a good idea?_

She marched towards the tent just as the light winked out. Say'ri did not stop her march though. She stormed right up to the tent's entry and threw it open.

A sharp breath rushed into her lungs as she saw the mop of brown hair sleeping hard on a bedroll. Sakura slumbered peacefully, with a recently extinguished lantern to her left, and a-

Her eyes widened when she saw a broken scabbard to her right. A scabbard with faded cherry blossoms carved into the wood. Say'ri swallowed hard and looked at Sakura's peaceful face. Right then and there, she could feel her heart swell with pride and love for the teenager in front of her. And for the first time, she desperately felt like speaking to her.

Say'ri opened her mouth, then snapped it closed as Sakura let out a soft snore.

 _No._ Say'ri thought, closing her eyes and smiling a little bit, _She needs rest._

Say'ri back out of the tent. A shaky breath left her lips. She put her hands on her hips and bowed her head. Luke's words lingered in the back of her mind.

 _If I kill Yen'fay, I will tear our family apart?_

Doubt filled her. What if Luke's words were true? Was that the action she took that turned her daughter against her in the future? Or was it the first of many decisions she made? Say'ri ran a hand over her head.

 _I cannot linger on this. I must… I must do what needs to be done._

Weariness slammed into her as the events of the past few days finally caught up to her. Say'ri slowly trudged her way back to her tent. When she got there, Luke was nowhere to be found. The young Sith likely back in Cynthia's embrace in her tent, sleeping peacefully.

She entered her tent, took off her cloak, and placed her Katana by her bedside. With a long sigh, she lay back down on her bedroll, sleep washing over her. As she started to drift away, the look of hurt and anger in Luke's eyes as she spat hideous words at him haunted her thoughts.

 _Am I already tearing us apart?_

* * *

Rain pelted the battlefield. Dark clouds rumbled high over Flavia and Basilio's heads. The sound of armor clanking drowned out the rolling thunder after each flash of bright lightning. The plains of Northern Valm were cold. Dead grass drifted in frantic waves along an icy wind. If Flavia did not know any better, she would have sworn she was back home during the summer months. Visiting some area to the far north in Ferox. The cold rain and dreary sky certainly reminded her of home.

But she was not home, she was standing on a field in Valm, staring at an army clad in red armor. It was like looking at an entire colony of fire ants swarming over the hills before her. Red flags flapped violently in the breeze. A nervous breath escaped her lips as her dark eyes roved over the endless sea of Valmese soldiers waiting across from her. She glanced over to her right, locking eyes with Basilio.

"You think that's all of them?"

Basilio frowned, "Only one way to find out." He rolled his shoulders, gripped his battle ax in one hand, and gave her a nod, "Care to address the men?"

Flavia shook her head, "They already know what we must do." Her lips curled into a smile, "I'm going to enjoy every second of this. Sound the horns!"  
Horns blasted through the air, ripping through the night sky like a roaring beast. Battle cries erupted from the Feroxi around Flavia. Her grin widened as she drew her sword and sprinted towards the Valmese lines. Her army charged with her.

The Valmese lines did not so much as move an inch. As the Feroxi moved forward, their war cries grew in volume. Flavia noticed some shields shift in front of her. The Valmese exchanged some nervous glances.

That was all they had time for. Flavia hit the enemy lines first, sword cutting a hideous arc up through the paper thin armor of some poor villager conscripted into the Conqueror's army. Her steel slashed through metal, flesh, and bone. Her body slammed against the poor sod with a shield behind the first man. He did not last long either. Behind her, the rest of her army slammed into the Valmese lines.

Cries of death, anger, fear; hellish screams surrounded her. Blood rushed through Flavia's ears, drowning out the noise. Adrenaline pumped through her veins, delivering to her the thrill of battle that she always craved. A broad smile covered her face as she bashed away a wayard lance with the flat of her blade, then brought the guard right into the face of that same soldier, shattering his cheekbone.

The soldier howled, fell back, then was impaled by one of Flavia's Lancers. Her elite force surged into the sea of red. Heavily armored soldiers that, in her opinion, were worth at least twenty of these pitiful Valmese.

Basilio roared nearby, swinging his ax down and nearly cleaving a man in two.

"How about a competition, oaf!?" Flavia called before slashing through two Valmese spearmen, "I have four now!"

"Seven!" Basilio barked back with a smirk.

"Bullshit!" Flavia bellowed, spinning around and slashing through another Valmese, "Five!"

Her second wave of Lancers hit the broken Valmese front line. All around her, Valmese soldiers, if she could call them that, threw their weapons down and ran. A mocking laugh erupted from Flavia's lungs as she gave chase.

"Is this it!?" She roared, cutting down a fleeing soldier, "Is this the mighty Conqueror's army!?"

"Don't get too cocky, Flavia!" Basilio shouted over to her, "We still have the rest of them to take… care… of…"

It sounded like thunder slowly building through the ground beneath them. A low rumble that made pebbles tremble and puddles ripple near Flavia's feet. Her boisterous army's war cries died in their throats. Flavia's eyes widened and her smile withered away.

Thousands of horses charged over the plains. The retreating Valmese parted like a red sea in the face of the charging horde. At the lead was the most imposing figure Flavia had ever seen in her life. A mountain of a man clad head to toe in red plate armor. He appeared as big as his horse. An enormous ax was raised over his head as he led the cavalry charge towards her stunned forces.

"B-Bas-"

"Lancers form a line!" Basilio bellowed over Flavia's stammering, "Interlock shields, lances out! Make them crash into our iron teeth!"

The Lancers rushed past Flavia. Two rows formed. The first knelt down, driving the butt of their lances into the soft earth, then interlocked their shields. The second row locked their shields then drove their lances out through the gaps.

"Archers, fire at will!" Basilio bellowed, "Slow their charge." He marched up to a still stupefied Flavia and gripped her arm, "Flavia."

"Y-yeah." Flavia gulped.

"We aren't winning this. That was never our goal anyways." He took her hand roughly and smacked a cloth covered ball, hard as a stone, in her palm, "Take this, go with Raimi's company, and regroup south with the Shepherds."

Flavia's eyes widened, "And leave my men here they will-"

"You let me worry about that, now go!" Basilio barked, startling Flavia, "Commander Raimi, fall back with Khan Flavia! Inform the Shepherds that we will hold as long as we can!"

"Yes, my Khan." The blonde Feroxi replied, rushing up to Flavia and nodding for her to follow.

 _Yes, my Khan._ Flavia thought, swallowing hard. In the heat of battle, when the odds suddenly turned and death was nearly certain, she wilted. Basilio roared to life for her, and the soldiers saw him as their Khan. _No wonder you always beat me._

"Khan Flavia!" Commander Raimi shouted over the ever growing cavalry, "We must flee, now!"

Flavia nodded. She glanced down at the hard cloth in her palm, gripped it tight, then cast one last glance back at what remained of her army. One last glance at the man that mentored her.

"Farewell Oaf." She whispered before turning and running.

* * *

The battle did not last long once the cavalry descended upon the Feroxi barbarians. The effort of their lancers were admirable, but in the end, they were futile. Blood soaked the dead grass and soaked soil beneath his boots as the Conqueror stepped down from his stallion. Rain pelted against his armor, but the water did not bother him. His milky eyes surveyed the battlefield.

Thousands of dead Feroxi littered the battlefield. Thousands more of his own army lay beside those corpses. Before he intervened, the Feroxi delivered heavy losses to his light infantry. An alarming prospect given how outnumbered the barbarians were today. Discipline would have to be reinstilled within the conscripts.

He was not a fool. He knew where the sudden reluctance to engage in battle came from. Walhart's fist clenched as he marched through the mud and guts soaking the battlefield. The Voice of Naga turned on him. Declared her allegiance to the weak, pitiful Archaneans. Even after he spared her life and allowed her to live peacefully on her perch in the Mila Tree, she dared to defy him.

 _She will be dealt with. But first… the barbarian._

His brow furrowed as his men dragged a bloodied man towards him. He was still conscious despite the many wounds littering his body. A torn eyepatch lay in tatters over a scarred left eye. His one good eye glared up at Walhart. Defiant despite being at the Conqueror's mercy. The mark of a warrior ready to die instead of surrender. He would not even have to ask the barbarian if he wanted to live or die. Walhart already knew the answer.

Walhart nodded at one of the men holding down the barbarian. The man grabbed a sword from his belt and tossed it into the mud in front of the man. A loud snort came from the Archanean barbarian.

"You expect me to fight with that piece of crap?"

Walhart glowered down at him, "You want to live? Prove you have earned that right."

The barbarian scoffed, "Prove it eh?" A bloody hand reached down to the sword, "I'll prove it to ya then."

Walhart's eyes widened as the iron blade flashed in front of his vision. He staggered back and swiftly drew his ax, raising it to block a vicious swing from the barbarian commander. The bald man's eyes widened as Walhart stood his ground, then pushed against him, easily backing the warrior down with a few powerful steps.

"Almost." Walhart growled.

He yanked his ax, ripping the sword from barbarian's hands. With one savage swing, he buried the ax head into the man's stomach. A sharp gasp left the man's lips, a long groan followed as Walhart tore his ax free. The barbarian fell to his knees once again, blood dripping from his lips.

"You made me back up." Walhart muttered, "And you lived after my first strike. Impressive, only one other can claim such a feat."

The barbarian let out a dry wheeze. It almost sounded like a laugh.

"Glad... I could... impress."

Walhart frowned back, "Your name?"

"Eh?"

"I wish to know the name of the warrior that stood their ground against me."

The barbarian winced, "Basilio, West Khan of Regna Ferox." He glared defiantly up at Walhart, "And I'll be the last warrior you defeat."

Walhart's face twisted into a scowl, "We shall see about that."

He raised his ax once more, Basilio smirked up at him. The ax fell… and so did the Khan.

 **And chapter! The war has gone into full gear everyone! The first major battle since Charlet has begun, and it is only going to get deadlier. The odds are very much against our heros, hopefully they can pull out a victory. Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**

 **Come join the Treehouse! We have cookies! Discord code is: 9XG3U7a**


	113. Fire and Ash

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 113

Fire and Ash

War was never something Yen'fay enjoyed. He saw warfare for the ugly beast it was. A terrible occurrence where unnecessary amounts of blood was shed, and countless lives were wasted. A fruitless action that served only one purpose: to destroy, never to build.

There were commanders in the Conqueror's army who saw war differently that he did. Some, like General Cervantes, saw war as a way to gain further station. To rise in the ranks and gain the Conqueror's favor through success. War was a vehicle for ambition in that man's eyes.

Some, like General Pheros, saw war as something that needed to be done. A task to be taken care of, then cleaned up. Those commanders remained detached from the horrors that came with war. It was just another job, just another assignment, the deaths and devastation simple statistics.

Then there were those who relished warfare, who enjoyed inflicting pain and suffering. Those who lived to be the boot that crushed those that they felt inferior. Men like Excellus, and creatures like Grievous, reminded Yen'fay of such commanders. Commanders he long since purged from his own army. Yen'fay would not allow a commander to enjoy war. Warfare, in his eyes, was a last resort. The final step in a process gone horribly wrong. It needed to be treated with a sober mind and a heavy heart. For these would be the last days of many lives.

He exhaled as he tightened the last buckle on his armor. Black plates overlapped across his torso, shoulders, and legs. Protecting him from enemy strikes. The sword by his hip, the one his father, and his father before him wielded, Amatsu, rested inside of its scabbard. Polished to a perfect shine. Sharpened to a razor's edge. The steel will run slick and red with the blood of Ylisseans today. A reality he wished was not about to happen.

His brother failed. Or, more likely, he ignored Yen'fay's wisdom, and decided to stubbornly push forward with the Archaneans' insane invasion. Luke, and his younger self, Kage, were always closer to Say'ri than they were to him. He was always away conducting the affairs of either his army or Chon'sin, never around them enough to truly enjoy time with them. Part of him regretted that fact. Another part of him was grateful that he did not grow extremely close to Luke. Now, instead of brothers, they were enemies. Luke and Say'ri chose their side. He would do everything in his power to see their lives spared. But the battlefield was a place where chaos ruled. Once blades were drawn and soldiers came to blows, he would have no control over the outcome. All he could do now was prepare for battle, and pray that his siblings came to their senses.

A heavy sigh left his lips. He closed his eyes and rose from his kneeling position, fastening the gauntlets on his forearms as he stood. He took one look at his reflection in the mirror across from him. Not a single piece of armor was out of place. Every piece of his battle attire was ready for war.

The entry to his tent opened, and one of his captains stepped in.

"Sir, messengers from the regiment we sent after the fleeing Archaneans to the northeast have reported back. They are about to engage."

Yen'fay closed his eyes. Those Archaneans were not fleeing. They were a diversion. A rather successful one too. Excellus and Pheros overruled him during their previous council when they learned of them and both decided to send a force to wipe them out. Pheros was going to lead it personally. Most of her army went with her, with the exception of a regiment of healers that remained with Yen'fay. In exchange, Yen'fay sent a regiment of spearmen with Pheros. He did not want to send his men to such a useless battle on the East Road, but Pheros and Excellus were insistent. Unfortunately, he had to work with them. Pheros he did not mind too much. Excellus… if he died today the world will be a much better place.

"Sir?" His captain said, snapping Yen'fay from his thoughts.

"Hm… yes. Thank you for informing me." He let out another heavy sigh and turned to face the Captain, "What do we know of the main Archanean force?"

The man blanched, "Well sir… they've decided to stand their ground within Demon's Ingle."

Yen'fay's eyes widened. An extremely bold, desperate move on the part of the Archaneans. That mountain could just as easily kill all of them as it could provide them with shelter and a tactical advantage. Most important of all, it served as a severe physical and psychological deterrent against his army. His men had already been harassed the entire march by a roving gang of mercenaries that dealt stunning amounts of loses despite their small numbers. Yen'fay's army was already on edge thanks to the lightning fast, savage ambushes during their march. Now he was about to ask them to charge into the fire and ash of Demon's Ingle.

 _I never knew the Archaneans could fight so dirty._ He thought grimly.

"How do you plan to approach this battle, if I may be so bold to ask General?"

Yen'fay furrowed his brow as he thought for a moment.

"The terrain is treacherous. I shall lead from the front with my personal guard. Three other companies will follow me into the fire. The rest of the army will remain in reserve in case we are pushed back. I will not risk my army being consumed by the Demon's fire."

Some color returned to the Captain's face as he let out a relieved sigh, "G-great General." He stiffened as Yen'fay narrowed his eyes, "Er- I shall go inform the men." He paused by the door before leaving, "Also, the prisoner requested to speak with you once more before you left for the battlefield."

Yen'fay sighed, "Of course she does."

He marched out of his tent and into the ordered chaos that was his army preparing for battle. Grindstones turned as the smiths finished sharpening the soldier's weapons. Horses whinnied as their riders and handlers saddled them. Spearmen moved into formation, shoulder to shoulder, the embodiment of discipline. He could feel some pride swell in him as they marched in perfect unison out of the camp and towards the fiery mountain spewing black smoke in the distance.

He would join them shortly. Right now, the Ylissean prisoner wished to speak with him one more time. He swiftly made his way through the camp towards a tent guarded by four members of his personally guard. As he approached, anger flashed through him as he caught sight of two figures standing outside of the tent. He picked up his step, reached the short, fat figure, and spun him around by his shoulder, eliciting both a fearful gasp and an angry snarl from the man.

"Unhand me, General!" Excellus sneered.

"You are not allowed near her." Yen'fay growled, towering over the plump tactician, allowing a rare instance of anger to show, "Did I not make myself clear back at Fort Stieger?"

Excellus's fat lips curled into a sickening grin, "Perhaps I need to make myself clear, General." He jabbed a finger against Yen'fay's chest, "I am the Conqueror's right hand-"

"And you are here, away from the body." Yen'fay cut him off. He glanced over Excellus's shoulder at Grievous. The hunched, metal monstrosity did not say anything. It just narrowed its reptilian eyes at him, "The only protection you have is that creature. I have my army at my back. Do not cross me again."

Excellus glared back at him hatefully, "Very well." He cleared his throat, "I assume you will be leading your men personally?"  
Yen'fay nodded carefully.

"Ah, very good then. Your presence will certainly help your already skittish forces remain steadfast against these dastardly Archaneans." Excellus mused, "I- well, I shall remain here. My brain is more useful than my brawn. Actually, my brawn is Grievous. He will join you on the battlefield."

Yen'fay frowned and glanced back at the cloaked monster behind Excellus. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end when he heard a low growl rumble from the monster. Yen'fay did not flinch, and the monster's eyes focused intently on him.

 _What are you?_ He thought.

"Very well." Yen'fay conceded, "Get away now. I am going to see if I can gain any more intelligence before marching."

"I could always assist in the interroga-"

A stern stare caused Excellus to gulp, bow, then quickly scurry away. If Yen'fay did not already think of the man as a worm, then he would have thought of Excellus as a fat rat. But that also would have been an insult to rats.

Grievous lingered a moment longer. Yen'fay moved to enter the tent, but paused when he felt the monster's gaze on him.

"Don't you have preparations to make?"

The monster chuckled, "Already finished them, General."

Yen'fay's eyes widened as the monster spoke with a gravelly croak. A rasp that demanded respect and fear. He stepped back from the prisoner's tent and glared at the monster.

"On the battlefield, you are under my command. The worm claims to know war-"

"But he is a coward." Grievous snarled back, "We are in agreement, General. And… do not worry. I only want to defeat my enemies."

It spun on its taloned foot and marched away, metal talons slashing into the slowly drying mud. Yen'fay eyed it as it disappeared into the marching regiments. A heavy breath rushed from his lungs. He quickly put the creature into the back of his mind and refocused himself on the Ylissean held prisoner within the tent.

Yen'fay stepped inside, and Princess Lucina raised her head to greet him. She remained bound to the center tentpole, but beyond that, no harm had come to her. That was thanks to his orders. There were many Captains that suggested torture in order to get her to talk. He rebuffed all of their "advice", and instead treated her with the civility due her position in the Ylissean ranks. Although, he did make sure to refer to her as Marth, no matter what.

"I was told you wished to talk." Yen'fay muttered as he made sure the tent was closed behind him.

Her blue eyes glared back at him as she sat against the tentpole, "You can't do this."

Yen'fay closed his eyes and shook his head, "I have no choice."

"There is always a choice." Lucina replied, "And the right choice is to side with your family."

"I am siding with my family."

"By going to war against them!?" Lucina snapped back.

Yen'fay stayed silent as she seethed in front of him. She flipped some blue locks from her eyes, penetrating stare never leaving him as he failed to meet her gaze.

"You know this is wrong. And you know that Excellus will never allow Luke or Say'ri to live once this is all over."

Anger flashed through Yen'fay's eyes, "I dare him to touch them."

"He won't have to. That thing will do it for him." Lucina snarled, "The Deadlord, Grievous."

Yen'fay's eyes widened, "How do you-"

"We've fought him before." Lucina said, "At Charlet, he killed two Shepherds and countless soldiers." She took a shuddering breath, "In Plegia, he killed another Shepherd, before this war even began."

Yen'fay furrowed his brow, "In Plegia?"

"Yes." Lucina nodded, "Don't you see? You are being played for a fool. Excellus has no loyalty to you, or to Walhart. Grievous certainly has no loyalty to any of them. He is a creation of the Fell Dragon, and you are doing exactly what the Fell Dragon wants. You are going to wipe out my family."

"You are here, aren't you?" Yen'fay replied in a matter of fact tone. Lucina's face dropped as she stared at him with stunned realization, "I meant what I said when I called you a valuable hostage."

"You bastard!" Lucina snarled, "You cowardly bastard!" Yen'fay turned on his heel, "I hope when Say'ri and Luke see you on the battlefield, you will know that you made a grave mistake!"

He tuned her voice out as he exited the tent. He took a few steps forward then felt something hit his heart. A ragged gasp rushed from him as he thought about what Lucina just revealed.

Grievous was a creation of the Fell Dragon's. That… that could not be true. The Fell Dragon was dead. Then again, the children from the future claimed he came back from the dead and destroyed the world. He swore to help them prevent such an apocalypse.

He also swore to protect his family. Was he really doing that now though? How could he be protecting Say'ri, Kage, and Luke if he was on the other side of the battlefield.

 _If I go through with this, am I really keeping my oaths?_ Yen'fay glanced up at a crystal clear morning sky, _What must I do Father?  
_ "General! The three regiments are ready to march." A captain called, drawing Yen'fay from his conflicted thoughts, "Will you take the lead?"

Yen'fay closed his eyes. A cool wind brushed over the camp. When he opened his eyes again, he focused on the rising column of smoke ascending from the peak of Demon's Ingle.

 _If I fail… forgive me._

"Move out." He quietly ordered.

"Forward!" The Captain bellowed.

Horns blared, drums pounded, and the army marched ahead to a battlefield filled with fire and ash.

* * *

The Force, an energy field that binds everything in existence together. A cosmic entity, forever a mystery to the uninitiated, and a long study never to be completed by those who practice its arts. Given enough time, enough patience, and enough study, a true adept in the force should be able to look to it for knowledge, understanding, and guidance.

Guidance, that was what Ben seeked as he knelt silently on one of the few smooth patches of lava rock near the peak of the Demon's Ingle. He had been in many hopeless situations during his time as a Jedi. Countless battles in the Clone Wars were either won or lost by a razor thin margin. They came down to one, singular decision he or Anakin made. Yet, during the entirety of the Clone Wars, with the exception of the last days in which Order 66 was issued, he did not feel as apprehensive as he did now. Every time he retreated into the force, looking for answers, for guidance, a murky fog entered his mind. Vague images, indiscernible through the haze. Random voices, unknowable through the static. His sight was clouded, just like how it was during the final days of the Republic, and that set him on edge.

For so long, he had relied on the assurance the Force gave him when it came to the future. But during the last few years, from the end of the Jedi to now, the future became hopelessly impossible to predict. Now more than ever the words of Qui Gon Jinn, that one lesson he always struggled to comprehend, danced in his mind.

Live in the moment. Ben liked to think he was starting to understand what Qui Gon meant when he said that. Concentrate on the here and now, do not get wrapped up in possibilities. Focus on what you have right in front of you, and let the Force guide you one small step at a time. It explained Qui Gon's often illogical actions. From listening to the advice of a Gungan buffoon to taking in a slave boy from Tatootine as a padawan learner, Qui Gon never bothered to look ahead, only at the moment. Even up until the moment of his death, he trusted the Force to lead him where he needed to be.

Ben needed to display the same trust. Especially in this hopeless situation as he knelt in front of the Archanean army, waiting near the volcano's peak. A few thousand soldiers and the Shepherds stood there alongside him in the heat and smoke. A few coughs came from their throats. Ben did not open his eyes to glance over at any of them. He sank further into the force. Looking to calm his own worries, and replace it with surety in his actions.

The volcano set him on edge. It reminded him of Mustafar. Images of that lava world flashed in his mind, along with the deadly duel that took place there. But it no longer filled him with panic. There was regret, there was sorrow, but now there was determination. The same determination that filled him when he stared down Anakin- no, Lord Vader- atop a floating platform in the middle of a lava river. When he was so certain that in that moment, Vader would kill him.

The Shepherds defeat felt certain. The odds were too great. Their own army was exhausted and demoralized. The enemy army was fresh, emboldened, and ready to end their attempt at a counter-invasion once and for all. Their one hope, converting General Yen'fay to their side, failed. All hope appeared lost.

Just like it did on Mustafar.

 _They may kill us. But we will make them work for it._

A hand tapped his right pauldron. Ben cracked his eyes open.

"You ready Ben?" Robin asked.

The dull sound of thousands of marching feet filled his ears. The earth rumbled beneath his knees as the mountain shook. To his left, Chrom shifted nervously.

"I wish it'd quit doing that." The Prince muttered.

"It's a volcano, what do you expect it to do? Be quiet?" Luke muttered next to Chrom.

"It could at least give us the courtesy of a less hectic battlefield." Frederick stated.

"I have a feeling it will only grow more chaotic." Ben breathed. He rose to his feet. Small swirls of ash and smoke drifted up from the hot ground. Sweat already caked his brow and body from the heat near the volcano's mouth. He reached for a small waterskin on his belt and drank a few drops, "Are you ready?" He asked Robin.

Robin took a deep breath, "As I'll ever be."

Ben nodded. He looked to his right, past Robin, over to the other Shepherds lined up with him at the very front. Say'ri kneaded the grip on her katana, impatient for the battle to begin. Tiki stood next to her, calm and determined.

Ben shifted his gaze to the left. Chrom looked nervous, but also ready. Falchion was planted into the ground by his side, the divine blade polished and ready for battle. Frederick's hand rested on the pommel of his sword as he waited patiently beside Chrom. Luke wore an emotionless mask as he waited for the battle to come to them. Although, Ben saw his hand twitch near the lightsaber at his hip.

He glanced back at the army behind them. Green Ylissean flags flapped in the hot air. The first few lines of defenders behind the leaders were the Ylissean knights. Their horses long gone, given to a small contingent of men that evacuated their wounded down the other side of the mountain. Horses would do them no good here. This would be a ferocious, hand to hand battle. Lon'qu, Kellam, Sully, and Vaike let that line.

Behind them were several rows of archers, led by Virion and Noire. The next few rows were the mages, led by Henry, Tharja, and Laurent. Ben tried his best to spot Tharja among the many robed figures further back. But he failed to catch a glimpse of her.

The final few rows were their Pegasus Knights and reserves. The last soldiers to be deployed in this battle. Most of the Pegasus Knights went with Sumia on the diversion mission, but a small platoon remained behind, under Cherche's command. The reserves were led by Donnel, now fully healthy and ready for battle once again, Gaius, Panne, and Anna. The rest of the future children; Severa, Owain, Inigo, Cynthia, and Sakura; were with him. Lissa, Maribelle, Libra, Prince Kage, Nowi, and Brady were with the wounded on the other side of the mountain. Likely praying that they would win the day.

 _We will need all the prayers we can get._ Ben thought to himself.

"They're here." Robin gulped.

Ben snapped his gaze to the front. Through the haze and volcanic smoke, thousands of soldiers in red armor emerged, led by General Yen'fay. The Chon'sin General looked incredibly somber as he viewed the Ylisseans standing against him. He took several commanding steps forward.

"Warriors of Ylisse!" Yen'fay bellowed, his usually quiet voice discarded in favor of a booming, commanding tone that echoed over the mountain top, "I am giving one chance, only one, to lay down your arms and surrender to the might of the Conqueror! This day does not have to end in bloodshed and death! We can end today in peace and-"

"Go to hell!" Say'ri roared, drawing her Katana, "I'll help send you there!"

 _So much for last minute negotiations._

Yen'fay's solemn gaze lingered on Say'ri and Luke. He closed his eyes and exhaled.

"Very well."

The General stepped back to his army and raised his hand. Before any command was given, Robin leaned closer to Ben.

"It's only a small force. He's holding the rest in reserve." Robin observed.

"Smart play?" Ben asked.

Robin shook his head, "No, it's not. He's evened the odds for us. I'm not sure if it was accidental or not."

Ben nodded, "Be prepared for anything, all of you."

"I am always prepared." Frederick snarled as he drew his sword.

Chrom took a deep breath. He yanked Falchion free from the volcanic rock and raised it to the sky. Just as he raised the divine blade, Yen'fay barked an order to his men. The first line of Valmese leveled spears at the Ylisseans and charged.

"Now?" Robin asked Ben.

Ben nodded.

"Mages!" Robin barked.

Fireballs arced over them, barely passing over and nearly grazing the top of their heads. An enormous wave of heat slammed into Ben as the fireballs rocketed into the first row of charging Valmese. Lava rock and flames exploded in front of him. Cries of dying men filled the hot air.

"Archers!" Robin shouted again.

Arrows whistled overhead, cutting down the second row of Valmese. But the third row surged over them. Before Robin could bark orders for another volley, the Valmese lines crashed into them.

Ben's lightsaber burst to life in his grasp. He heard Luke's blade hiss to life as well. Two blue lightsabers buzzed through the air, tearing into armor and flesh as if they were hot butter. Explosions of armor, muscle, and baldes crashing into one another rang in Ben's ears. Another volley of fireballs soared over his head and hammered the Valmese center, sending fire and shards of rock flying through the air.

The Ylissean Knights surged forward to join their Prince. Battle cries erupted from the Ylisseans around Ben. Through the chaos he caught sight of Chrom hacking and slashing with Falchion, the divine blade already slick with Valmese blood. He tore his gaze away from Chrom and swung at a coming spear, cutting it in two before driving his lightsaber through the attacker's chest.

"Ben!" Robin shouted over to him as he opened his spellbook and blasted away two Valmese with quick thunder spells, "You and Luke move to the center. Break their main mass!"

Ben nodded. He located Luke and sprinted over to the young Sith.

Luke attacked the charging Valmese with a ferocity that would have made Maul proud. In battle, he was in his element. The chaos, fear, pain, and fury allowed the dark side to flow through him unimpeded. His eyes glowed with power as he weaved through three Valmese swordsman, slashing through them in three simple motions.

Ben skidded over to him. A simple nod was all he needed to tell Luke what they needed to do. Both rushed into the center mass of the Valmese charge, blue blades cutting down anything with red armor. Tiki joined them into the fray, a Valmese ax in one hand, white fire dancing between her fingers in the other.

More fireballs shot over their heads, chased by a volley of arrows. The fireballs slammed into the ground, exploding violently and tossing soldiers through the air. After the explosions ended, the mountain shook. Ben slashed down at one more Valmese than paused as the ground shifted beneath him. A warning ripped through the force.

The ground ripped open with a mighty crack. He flipped away as an enormous fissure opened up in the volcanic ground. Splitting the battlefield in two. A river of magma bubbled to the top of the fissure.

"Kriff!" Ben cried as he backed away from a sudden blast of heat and gas. Coughs wracked his lungs. The ground rumbled again. His back bumped into Luke's.

"Kenobi, this is bad!" Luke shouted, force pushing away a group of Valmese, "The volcano-"

"Is going to erupt? Yeah, I noticed." Ben grit his teeth, "We're split in two."

"Where is Say'ri and Robin?" Luke asked.

"Where is Chrom and Frederick!?" Ben barked back.

"On our side!"

"Logically, that means Say'ri and Robin are across the molten river of death!"

"Don't patronize me!" Luke growled before spinning and jamming his lightsaber through the chest of a Valmese soldier that got too close to Ben for comfort, "And pay attention!"

Ben cringed, "It's strange being told that for a change. Normally I shouted those three words at Anakin."

"The apprentice tends to emulate the master." Luke smirked.

"The apprentice also tends to be less experienced." Ben remarked, twirled around Luke and taking the limbs from a pikeman that nearly reached Luke, "Pay attention."

Luke let out a haughty laugh, "I will when you do, Master Kenobi." He nodded to the river, "I have things over her! Get to Robin and Say'ri on the other side!"

Ben nodded. He turned on his heel and sprinted towards the lava river that slowly grew in the battlefield. The force coursed through him. With a loud cry, Ben propelled himself into the air, soaring over the lava river and landing hard on the other side. Before he could catch his bearings, two Valmese swordsmen charged at him. White fire consumed one. A lightning bolt slammed into the other, catapulting the poor soldier into the churning magma.

"A little slow today, Ben?" Robin chuckled as he stood alongside Ben and helped him to his feet.

"You try jumping over a fiery river of death and tell me how fast you get up." Ben replied.

"I would just fly." Tiki shrugged.

"Not all of us are dragons, Tiki." Robin replied.

More fireballs and arrows soared through the air. As the fireballs impacted, the Valmese responded with their own arrows. Ben cursed and raised a hand, using the force to direct a large cluster of arrows into the lava. But he could not catch all of them. Ylissean knights screamed as arrows slammed into them.

"Say'ri!?" Ben shouted, "Where is-"

"Hunting down Yen'fay!" Robin shouted back, "Another fissure opened up not long after this one. Her, Lon'qu, and Sully are on the other side of that one. But I wouldn't worry. The way things are going right now, we might be able to push them back. Our mages are tearing them apart."

Horns blared as soon as Robin said that. Ben swallowed hard and looked down the mountains. His eyes widened as he saw a familiar cyborg storming up the rocky slope, leading the rest of Yen'fay's army.

"Oh you've got to be kidding me." Ben breathed.

Grievous deployed all four of his arms. His reptilian eyes focused on Ben as the rest of Yen'fay's army joined the fray. Two blue and two green lightsabers ignited in Grievous's grip as he stalked towards Ben, Robin, and Tiki.

"Kenobi." The cyborg growled.

Robin swallowed hard as he recognized the droid general storming towards them, "He killed Ricken."

Tiki scowled, "Three against one, I'd say those are good odds."

Two points of yellow light appeared next to Grevious. Ben's heart jumped to his throat as two new figures, wreathed in the dark side, appeared. One was a Mirialan woman with red eyes that betrayed everything about who she once was. The other was human male Ben had not seen since he was a padawan learner.

Luminara Unduli and Xanatos stood shoulder to shoulder with General Grievous.

"Care to jinx us anymore?" Ben hissed to both of them.

"I'll take the green one." Tiki muttered back.

"Jealous of her?" Robin smirked.

"I'd say I pull off green much better than she does." Tiki snarked back before surging towards the deadlord that wore Luminara Unduli's skin.

"I guess scarface is mine then." Robin breathed, "Can you handle-"

"I've killed Grievous twice before. I can absolutely do it a third time." Ben exhaled, twirled his lightsaber, and charged with Robin at the enemy.

Tiki reached them first. She slid beneath a slash from Luminara's green blade, snapped her leg out at the Deadlord's right knee, and dropped the enemy to one knee. Before Tiki could follow through with a fiery punch, Luminara slammed a force push into her, launching Tiki away just as Robin reached Xanatos.

A thunder spell erupted from Robin's palm. Xanatos raised his red blade and caught the bolt. A wind spell chased after it, catching the Deadlord off guard and sending him skidding backwards towards a newly opening fissure in the ground.

Ben reached Grievous last. The Droid General uttered a furious snarl then attacked Ben before the Jedi Master could gain the upper hand. Ben lost focus on both Tiki and Robin as all of his attention was drawn to the furious storm of blue and green blades slashing at him. He eased back into Soresu's defensive patterns. The force coursed through him. Warning him of coming attacks as Grievous threw everything he had at the Jedi Master.

To his credit, the droid general put Ben on the ropes. Somehow, the cyborg turned deadlord had grown faster since they last fought. No doubt a product of whatever black magic brought him back to life. The General's reptilian eyes glowed in the light of their sabers as all four his blades were caught over Ben's head by his own lightsaber.

"I have waited a long time to finally kill you, General Kenobi." Grievous growled.

"Nice to see you as well, Grievous. How do you want to die this time?" Ben shoved the cyborg's blades away then went on the attack. Forcing the droid general to backpedal as the ground and air grew hotter. Ben feinted left, then spun his blade, taking one of the General's hands, "Do you want to die by blaster bolt to the heart?"

Grievous roared and attacked once again, forcing Ben back towards the edge of the first lava river. Ben tiptoed his way along the edge of the lava river, narrowly being pushed in several times by the Deadlord's furious slashs. Ben grit his teeth and shoved Grievous back with the force.

"How about death by Manakete magic? That worked wonders last time." A snarl crossed Ben's features, "When you slaughtered an innocent child."

"A soldier." Grievous corrected before locking blades with Ben once again.

"A mere boy! But it's not like you cared when you killed him. No, you just wanted to get to me. Well here I am once again, General." Ben stared definitely into the Deadlord's red reptilian gaze, "I say it's time you and I finished this once and for all."

Ben twisted his wrist, wrenching his blade free from the blade lock. He then surprised the Deadlord, jumping into Ataru's fighting patterns. He flipped over the cyborg, slashing down at him as he soared. Grievous managed to parry the strike, but he was not fast enough to spin around and stop Ben from taking another arm. Grievous howled in pain and staggered forward.

Ben moved to finish the General, only for a pain filled cry from Robin to rip his attention away. Robin lay flat on his back, blood flowing from a gash on his forehead. Xanatos stood over him, blade ready to impale the tactician.

Ben hurled his lightsaber towards Robin. The tactician reached out with the force, caught it, then used the blade to divert Xanatos's strike. Instead of impaling him, the red blade dug into the rock near Robin's right armpit.

Tiki cried out as Luminara's blade grazed her face. A gash opened up from nose to cheek on the left side of Tiki's face. Through the force, Ben felt Robin's rage boil over in an instant.

"BASTARDS!"

Lightning jumped from Robin's hands, shooting through Ben's lightsaber, up the blade, and arcing through the air into Xanatos. The stunned Deadlord staggered backwards as Robin jumped to his feet, dashing past Xanatos and charging at Luminara. Before Ben could join Robin in the fray against his old Jedi friend, Grievous roared behind him.

A warning ripped through the force. Ben dove down, dodging a green lightsaber by a hair's breadth. He rolled to his feet and spun around, ready to grab Grievous with the force, only to receive a taloned foot to the jaw.

Pain ripped through Ben's face as the metal talon dug into the skin. He cried out when Grievous grabbed him by the throat and threw him towards the lava river. Ben managed to slow himself down with the force, slowly skidding to the edge of the bank. Scrapes and bruises littered his body. His mind was in a daze. Warm blood trickled from a gash along his jaw. More blood welled up from a cut on his lower lip.

Through the haze, Ben looked around him. His heart sank at what he saw. The Ylisseans were fighting with everything they had. The archers, now out of arrows, grabbed whatever melee weapons they could and engaged the Valmese alongside the Ylissean Knights. Pegasus Knights and Cherche's Wyvern, Minvera, dove down through the growing plumes of smoke, trying to pick off whatever enemies they could without being shot down by arrows. Across the river, Ben saw Tharja and Noire fighting back to back. Tharja's magic raged around her in an enormous fury of dark power. She lifted enemy soldiers off of their feet, blasted them away with purple explosions, and sent hexes at footsoldiers that rendered them screaming messes on the smoking coals beneath their feet. Noire wielded a dagger and her bow, using the bow like a club as she protected her mother's back.

He could not see Chrom anywhere, but he also did not hear any cries of defeat or anguish from the Shepherds, which meant that despite the direction this battle was going, they were still fighting. There was still a chance.

Metal fingers grabbed him by the collar. Ben felt himself hoisted in the air then abruptly slammed down against the rocks, face hovering inches over the bubbling magma. His eyes widened as he felt Grievous's foot pressed down on his back, pinning him in place.

"You are beaten." Grievous growled. A green glow covered Ben, "Time for you to die!"

* * *

Chaos enveloped the battlefield when the first fissure in the ground opened up, swallowing a group of men whole and taking them to a fiery grave within the bowels of the planet. Say'ri barely managed to escape the volcano's gaping maw as it widened. Rising magma cast a horrifying orange glow over her as several more Valmese and Ylissean Soldiers fell to their terrible deaths. Say'ri tore her gaze away from the screaming soldiers burning alive near her. Smoke filled her vision as she tried to make sense of where she was, and, more importantly, where her traitorous brother was.

She had to kill him. Everything that had happened in the past few years, from his betrayal and subsequent surrender to the Conqueror, to her decision to join the Shepherds, led to this moment. To the moment where she would finally confront Yen'fay, and cut him down. It was time for her to avenge her mother and father. To avenge the lives lost due to her brother's cowardly actions. And when she cut him down and stood over his dying body, her next target would be the Conqueror. Justice will be served, and her blade would deliver swift judgement.

A Valmese footsoldier screamed then charged at her. Say'ri stepped to the side and slashed through the man's thin armor. Her blade shuddered as it impacted the ribs beneath the flesh and muscle. A gurgling sound bubbled up from the man's throat before he slid away from her blade.

She was surrounded by Valmese and very few Ylisseans. Her desire to find her brother carried her deep into the heart of the enemy ranks. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Sully and Lon'qu fighting side by side, swords cutting through enemy after enemy as they tried to clear a path back to their lines.

Say'ri ignored them and pressed on. Her sole goal focused not on winning this battle, but on gaining the justice she long craved. She sidestepped another Valmese soldier and struck him down with three quick slashes to his torso. As the man sank to his knees, another rushed her. Say'ri grit her teeth, parried a chop from the man's ax, then drove the point of her katana into the man's gut. With a loud roar, she drove the man backwards, shoving two enemies out of the way with the dying man's body before yanking her sword free.

That was when she saw him. The target of all her rage and pain. Yen'fay stood in the center of his ranks, conducting the battle, as any good general should. His right hand rested on Amatsu's pommel. The coward, the traitor, dared to carry her family's ancestral weapon onto this battlefield?

 _How dare he!_

"Yen'fay!" Say'ri roared as the mountain rumbled beneath her once again.

Her brother's eyes widened, he turned to look at her. Two of his captains turned to her as well. Before he could utter a word, the captains charged at Say'ri. Say'ri snarled and met the blade of the first captain. She ducked away from the second captain's slash, buried her knee into his groin, then bashed him to the ground with a backhand to his face.

A fist hammered into her gut. The first Captain loomed over her as he hacked down at her head. Say'ri rolled to the side, bounced to her feet, and slashed her Katana through his throat. In one fluid motion, she twisted her blade around and ran it through the second Captain's back. As both men sank to the ground, she stared at Yen'fay, fury burning in her eyes.

"Say'ri." He said, voice monotonous and calm as ever.

Say'ri pointed her blood katana at the man that was once her brother, "It is time this ended, traitor!"

Hurt flashed through her brother's gaze. He closed his eyes and uttered a heavy sigh.

"Say'ri, this doesn't have to happen. Everything I have done has been to-"

"To protect yourself!" Say'ri spat, cutting him off as she took several steps forward, never lowering the point of her blade, "Well, now you cannot. The Conqueror and his minions are not here to spare you from justice!"

Yen'fay grimaced, "Say'ri please listen-"

"I will not hear another word from you, murderer!"

She charged at him, aiming the tip of her sword at his heart. Yen'fay quickly sidestepped then drew Amatsu. The barbed blade slid free from its scabbard then came crashing down against Say'ri's katana. Sparks flew as the blades shrieked against each other. Say'ri's hands buzzed and her arms shuddered as the barbs of Amatsu shuddered along the flat of her blade.

She hastily pulled her sword back before Yen'fay could trap it between the barbs. With a loud cry, she raised her katana over her head and slashed down, aiming to cleave Yen'fay's arms from his body. Yen'fay bounced back then parried a stab from Say'ri. A frustrated snarl rushed from Say'ri's lips as he again sidestepped one of her strikes.

That was three times he could have struck back against her. Twice he could have turned the momentum and taken the advantage in their duel. Yet he was content with letting her attack him? Did he think her so weak that she was not worth the effort of taking seriously?

"Fight back!" Say'ri roared, twirling and cutting a savage arc through the air towards Yen'fay's neck.

He ducked beneath the slash and buried a fist into her solar plexus. All of the air rushed out of Say'ri's lungs. With a loud wheeze, she sank down to one knee, hate filled gaze never leaving her brother as he took a step back.

"Say'ri, stop this madness." Yen'fay pleaded, "Everything I did, I did to protect you and Kage."

"Yet here… we are…" Say'ri sucked in a sharp breath, air rushing back into her lungs. She shakily rose to her feet, "With you standing there, sword drawn. At war with me and Kage."

Yen'fay's eyes narrowed, "You pulled our brother into this. Your actions caused this."

"Spare me that, to use a Ylissean term, horseshit!" Say'ri spat. She shook with rage and they circled each other. Another fissure opened in the ground nearby, creating another channel for molten lava to run through, "The day you killed mother and father, was the day that caused this. Your actions, you cowardice and dishonor, caused this! Do not pin the blame for all of this on me!"

"I only did what father told me to do."

"LIES!" Say'ri roared. The mountain shook. Ash spewed out from the volcano's mouth at the very peak of the mountain, "Luke may have wanted to give you another chance. But you denied it. You denied any hope of redeeming yourself in my eyes. And now, I will kill you for what you have done to our family."

Say'ri readied herself to attack. Before she could, Yen'fay exhaled and sheathed his blade. She hesitated as he held his arms out to his sides.

"Then do it." Yen'fay told her.

Say'ri's eyes widened, "Y-you-" She cursed loudly, "Coward!" Tears brimmed in her eyes, "Draw your sword and fight me, damn it!"

"I will not fight you, Say'ri." Yen'fay replied, voice shaking as he spoke, "All I ever wanted to do was protect you and Kage. If my death somehow accomplishes that, then I will gladly give it."

"No! No you-" Say'ri sniffed and grit her teeth, aiming the point of her blade at his heart, "You are a liar! You are a coward, then and now!"

"Then kill the coward!" Yen'fay snapped.

Say'ri roared. She shoved her blade forward as Yen'fay closed his eyes. Before her blade could reach him, her strength left her. Sapped away by a sudden rush of sharp, burning pain in her back. The pain became unbearable as it shoved and twisted its way through her back like a-

A gasp rushed from her lungs as all of her air left her. Every ounce of strength evaporated. Her sword fell from her grasp and clattered to the hot, rocky ground. Blood dribbled from the corner of her mouth. In her ear, a voice sneered at her.

"Unfortunately," Excellus breathed down her neck, "I cannot allow you to slay the mighty General."

Her eyes widened briefly as Excellus yanked a dagger from her back. The noises of the battle faded all around her. Through the sudden drop in noise, she heard Yen'fay roar in anguish and despair. Behind her, Excellus cackled.

She dropped to her knees, fading vision looking back at Yen'fay. Tears cascaded from his eyes as he surged towards her. His lips were moving, but she could not hear him. The edges of her vision grew dark. She just barely felt his arms cradle her body as it went limp on the lava rock.

"Say'ri please." Yen'fay croaked, brushed a hand over her ghostly face.

She glared up at him, "You… did… this…"

"No!" Yen'fay exclaimed, "No, Say'ri I-"

The light left her eyes. Yen'fay's words were lost in his throat as he watched it fade.

"Say'ri." His voice shook as his hands brushed against her face, "Say'ri!" He cried, shaking her gently. But she did not move. The vacant stare of death lingered in her eyes as her blood pooled onto the arm cradling her back.

An anguished cry erupted from Yen'fay's lips. Tears rushed down from his eyes. He squeezed them shut and rested his head and against Say'ri's, rocking her body back and forth. Praying to whatever gods existed to give her life and to take his in return.

Vile cackling briefly freed him from the anguish. He raised his shaking gaze to look at Excellus as the fat worm wiped Say'ri's blood off of his dagger with his billowy sleeve.

"Does that count as killing the coward?" Excellus asked, a sneer on his lips as he looked down upon the broken General.

"You-" Yen'fay snarled, sorrow replaced with violent, "I will-"

"And that is my cue to leave." Excellus laughed like a madman, "I look forward to our next meeting, Yen'fay."

Bright golden light enveloped Excellus. In a flash, he was gone.

"COWARD!" Yen'fay roared as sobs rocked through him.

He did not know how long he stayed there, cradling the body of his sister. He could feel her growing cold in his arms, confirming what he desperately hoped was an illusion. An evil trick concocted by Excellus to break him. No matter how many times he pleaded with the gods, with Naga, with Grima, or even with the spirits of his ancestors, the horrific reality remained.

The mountain violently shook beneath him. Rumbling tremors rolled through the lava rocks. Several fissures opened up at once, swallowing entire groups of his soldiers. Through his bleary vision, Yen'fay saw his men running for their lives down the mountain. Ylisseans joined them in a mad dash away from the Volcano's mouth. Captain Eiji clapped a hand against his shoulder. He saw the captain's mouth move, but did not register what he said. Whatever it was, it did not matter. Not anymore.

The older Captain's face blanched when he saw Say'ri's body. He barked orders to someone. Soldiers rushed over and tried to grab Say'ri away from Yen'fay. He roared, shoved them away, fought as some his men held him back while the Captain threw her limp body over his shoulder.

"Eruption!" Yen'fay heard over the massive rumblings and shaking. He froze and turned to look up at the peak.

"Run General!"

Survival instincts took over. Along with his soldiers, and the Ylisseans he had been tasked with destroying, he raced away from the mountain's wrath.

* * *

All was lost. Robin spun around and watched in horror as the army died around him. Overwhelmed both by the wrath of Demon's Ingle and the vast numbers of Valmese washing over their ranks. Despair rested in him. It weighed down his already heavy, grief-stricken heart.

Lava bubbled and rushed down large fissures bursting forth from the ground. Men screamed as the magma burned them alive. Those that were not consumed by the mountain were slaughtered by the Valmese.

Behind him, Tiki grappled with a green skinned Deadlord. The same Deadlord from the pair Dooku fought at the Mila Tree. Her draconic magic managed to keep the Deadlord at bay, but she could not afford to get close due to the Deadlord's green lightsaber.

To Robin's right, near a river of lava, Ben lay on his stomach, the monster known as Grievous pressing down on his back as his face hovered dangerously close to the bubbling magma. To his left, the other deadlord, the one with a circular scar on his face, stomped towards him, red lightsaber ignited. Hatred lingered in the Deadlord's eyes along with static from Robin's barrage of lightning.

Ben's lightsaber hummed in Robin's grasp. The tactician now well aware of how thoroughly outclassed he was by the Deadlords when it came to both the force and swordsmanship. Hell, he could not even call himself a tactician anymore. He had doomed his army, his friends, the people he now considered to be a family to him. They were all going to die on this mountain. If the Valmese did not kill them, the lava will. His strategy failed. He failed.

Ben let out a cry as Grievous's talons dug into his back. Robin heard Chrom's voice boom over the battlefield, desperately calling for every soldier to fight for their lives, to fight to the last man. A pegasus screamed as both beast and rider spiraled out of control and careened into a river of lava. Spells flashed through the air as Tharja, Henry, and a bloodied Laurent desperately tried to punch a hole through which they could mount an escape.

 _I killed us all._

The hum of the Deadlord's lightsaber filled his ears. The red glow danced in the corner of his eye. A triumphant smirk covered the Deadlord's lips.

"It's been fun kid." The Deadlord growled, "But you and your friends are finished. My master's work is done."

Robin closed his eyes, resigned to defeat. He faintly heard Tiki defiantly roar as her draconic powers burst to full fury around her. Then through the force, as Robin sensed the deadlord draw back with his lightsaber, he felt the dark side roar, snapping his eyes back open.

Luke soared over the lava river, kicking Grievous off of Ben's back. His blue blade moved so fast that it caught the deadlord off guard. Luke took a third hand then force pushed the monster away. With speed that boggled the mind, he dashed over to Robin and caught the Deadlord's blade just before it could take Robin's head from his shoulders.

Robin stared in awe as Luke attacked the scarred deadlord with a ferocity he had never seen before. The dark side of the force erupted and flowed through Luke like a violent storm. It felt like a slumbering giant, filled with tremendous wrath and power, had been awakened from a long slumber.

Luke bashed the Deadlord away, sending the creature staggering back into Grievous. The metal monstrosity glared at Luke. The young sith took a step between it and Ben as the Jedi Master struggled to his feet.

"B-Ben!" Robin called.

He threw Ben's lightsaber back to him. Ben reached out and used the force to draw it to his waiting palm. The sapphire blade burst to life as soon as it hit Ben's hand. The Jedi Master glared at Grievous and Xanatos.

"Are you alright Robin?"

"Am I alright?" Robin gaped, "You're the one who looks like a dead man walking!"

"I've had worse." Ben breathed as he took deep breaths. He twirled his blade, the force bursting to life inside of him, "I think it's time I finished off these two old enemies once and for-"

The ground shook violently. Robin gasped and stumbled as the ground rippled beneath him. A pain hit his mind as the force shrieked in warning. A sensation he was still not used to.

An enormous crack filled the air, followed by a pulse that nearly took Robin off of his feet. He staggered backwards then looked up. Terror filled him as he watched an enormous plume of ash and smoke tower into the sky above them. A shockwave rushed out from the volcano's mouth, tearing away the thick smoke and clouds that previously enveloped the mountain top. Rocks and fire erupted from the peak.

"Naga above..." Robin breathed, horrified.

 _What have I done?_

"Eruption!" Someone screamed.

Soldiers on both sides fled down the mountainside. Some still tried to kill the enemy as they sprinted down the mountain. But most were more focused on survival than on defeating the enemy. Many cast their weapons down and fled in the face of the mountain's fiery fury.

A scream tore Robin's gaze from the mountain top. Tiki lay on her side, clutching a bloody patch that grew darker on her right side. Her red dress was torn in that spot from the green skinned Deadlord's lightsaber ripping into her.

All thoughts of fleeing, all thoughts of despair, any and all thoughts period, left him. He could hear that low, rumbling growl in his mind once again. The one that brought forth the horrible powers he displayed in Charlet.

" _ **You need us."**_

" _Unleash us. Give in to your anger, your hatred, and you can save your friends and yourself."_

" _ **Let me feed."**_

" _Become what you were destined to be, our Avatar."_

Robin's eyes widened. The sudden fury left him.

Tiki was right. This power in his veins, these voices in his mind, they were not his. They were another's. A being who existed long before he had been born.

"I am Grima." He whispered.

"We need to run!" Luke shouted, force pushing both Grievous and Xanatos back as they tried to advance on him and Ben.

A roar and the flapping of wings filled the air. Cherche and her wyvern, Minerva, landed next to Luke and Ben. Cynthia landed next to her, fear and panic in her eyes.

"Get on!" Cherche barked.

"Luke, hurry!" Cynthia cried as her pegasus snorted and stamped beneath her.

Ben shoved Luke forward, "I'll get Tiki, go!"

Luke nodded and hopped up onto Cynthia's Pegasus. Before Ben could sprint towards Tiki and stop Luminara from killing her, Robin rushed past him.

The Voice of Naga bared her fangs as the Deadlord stabbed down at her. Her defiant glare melted away when she did not feel the burning pain of a lightsaber going through her heart. Instead, her heart jumped to her throat as Robin shoved her to the side and allowed the green blade to pierce through his back and out his chest.

"Robin!" TIki screamed

"NO!" Ben bellowed.

Robin grit his teeth as he sank down to his hands and knees. Unimaginable pain coursed through him as the burning core of the lightsaber ate away at his body. Blood sputtered up his throat and out of his lips as he looked down at the steaming ground. He raised a shaky gaze and looked over at a horrified Tiki.

"Run…" He breathed.

 _I am Grima._

"Ben!" Robin shouted. He gasped and nearly dropped flat to the ground as the Deadlord yanked her lightsaber free, "Get Tiki out of here!"

He snapped his gaze over to Ben, who stood frozen between him and Tiki.

"Robin…" Ben swallowed.

"Hurry!" Robin roared, surging to his feet and catching Luminara by the wrists before she could slash into him.

The mountain quaked again. Another thunderous explosion rocked the volcano. Fiery rocks and ash plummeted down the mountainside towards the small group of fighters.

"BEN!" Cherche screamed at the Jedi Master.

Robin watched as Ben squeezed his eyes shut, grit his teeth, and rushed to Tiki. His friend scooped Tiki up. The Manakete struggled against the Jedi Master as he hauled her towards Minvera and Cherce. He quickly hopped up onto the Wyvern, Tiki locked in tight his arms. White light began to course through Tiki as she struggled to go and save Robin.

Robin gave her one last look as he struggled against Luminara. A look that told her to run. To live and be happy. Because now, not only were his friends going to live, a terrible future was going to be averted.

 _I am Grima._

Minerva and Cynthia's Pegasus launched into the sky, racing away from a fiery inferno cascading down the mountainside. Tears stained Robin's eyes as he watched the two fliers speed his friends away from their doom. Relief and sadness flooded him. This was not how he pictured the end coming. And yet, here it was. Death stared at him in the form of an alien Deadlord and her two undead accomplices.

Was there some regret? Yes, of course there was. He never discovered his past. Never learned where he came from or who he once was, in a life he no longer remembered. But as the end came, and the volcano's wrath descended down up on him and the Deadlords, he felt some sense of peace. With him gone, his friends, the ones he had grown so close to, cherished even, would be safe. The future Lucina fought so hard to prevent would be averted.

"For I am Grima." Robin breathed, glaring defiantly at the three Deadlords across from him. His eyes flickered from brown to burning yellow as the dark side of the force burst to life in him. Inside of his mind, two voices desperately attempted to force him to flee. But he blocked them out. They would not be able to control him.

"And I am Robin."

He gripped the Deadlords with the force, preventing them from being able to chase after his friends. His vision started to blur as pain and exhaustion washed over him. His strength ebbed quickly away as the wounds he sustained started to overcome him. But his resolve would not be broken. He remained standing even as two of the Deadlords fought to break free from his grasp.

The superheated ash and fire descended upon him and the Deadlords. All three Deadlords uttered terror filled cries as the eruption slammed into them, rendering them nothing but black ash on the wind once more.

For a brief moment, Robin felt the pain. Felt the heat and the pressure of all of that ash, rock, and magma hitting him. He also felt something else that made him laugh. A final thought as the darkness took him.

 _I defeated Grima._

* * *

A cool evening in Plegia was not as rare as one would think. The desert had a way of both containing the heat, and releasing it whenever it wanted to. Such changes created a harsh environment the bred strength and cunning. Both were needed to survive and thrive in these conditions. The Hierophant, in a previous life, had been one of those survivors. But now he was the master of these lands.

 _Soon, I will be the master of this world._ He thought as he turned the page on the latest novel he invested himself into.

As the page came to a rest, a shriek shot through his mind. He winced in pain. The book slipped from his hands, off of his lap, and fell face down onto the floor in his chambers. The shrieking continued. Any strength he had in his body evaporated as he slumped off of his wicker sofa and collapsed in a sweat covered mess onto the stone floor.

He gasped for air. It felt like his entire body was being ripped apart then burned. His eyes were wide with panic as he dragged his suddenly frail body towards the balcony doors. In his mind, the voice of the beast howled in fury and in pain. The other remained strangely quiet.

As suddenly as the pain washed over him, it went away. As if someone snapped their fingers and willed the Hierophant's strength back into his body. Ragged gasps rocked his lungs as he lay prostrate on the floor, face buried against the sandy stone. The cool night air rushed in and out of his body, giving his mortal form what it needed to live.

His mind raced as he lay still, gasping for air.

 _What the-_

" _ **HOOOOOOOOOW!?"**_

His yellow eyes widened as Grima screamed in pain. The Fell Dragon could only be wounded by two things: Falchion, that cursed blade created by Naga; and himself.

Himself.

"No." He breathed raising his head to look out his balcony and towards the full moon dominating the night sky over the desert, "It can't be."

He shakily pushed himself to his hands and knees. Spots danced in his vision. As the Fell Dragon raged inside of him, as he struggled to put together what just happened, the Son remained eerily silent.

He slumped against the balcony doors, eyes glued to the full moon.

"The vessel-"

" _ **Is dead!"**_

The Hierophant's eyes widened.

"No. No, that can't be. That was not supposed to happen." He surged to his feet and staggered to the balcony railing, "He was supposed to live. We were supposed to-" He clenched his fists, "How are we alive then?"

No one answered him. Silence lingered in his mind. Neither the Fell Dragon, nor the Son, knew the answer to his question.

What went wrong? What caused this timeline's vessel to die?

The Hierophant's eyes blazed. Rage unlike any he had ever felt before coursed through him. The Fell Dragon snarled and thrashed within his mind, wanted to be unchained. It took everything in him to not unleash right there and then. He had a different target for his wrath this night, other than the pitiful humans that resided in this city.

Brilliant golden light wrapped around him as dark magic pulsed in the air. Behind him, the door to his quarters opened. Validar stepped in, then froze as he sensed his master's furious power.

"M-my Lord?" The King of Plegia gulped.

" _ **He will die for his failure!"**_

"Oh yes, he will." The light glowed brighter around the Hierophant as he sensed where the worm teleported to.

 _First Excellus will burn._ Teleportation magic burst to life. An array of colors and sound engulfed him as golden light blinded him from everyone else. He disappeared from Plegia in a flash.

 _The world will follow._

 **And chapter! …. Betcha didn't see any of that coming. Don't worry, a lot will be both wrapped up and explained next chapter. But... no spoilers here. I probably won't have another chapter out till after Christmas. So Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of you out there! Have fun with your friends and family!** **See you all soon!**

 **Come join us in the Treehouse! Discord code is: 9XG3U7a**


	114. Broken Soldiers

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 114

Broken Soldiers

Sumia never got used to the sight of a battlefield in the wake of combat. The smell was always the first thing that made her stomach churn. A rancid mixture of rotting flesh, smoke, burnt earth, and sweating soldiers hung in the air. The horrific scene always followed the smell. As she landed her exhausted Pegasus on the blood soaked, scorched grass near the eastern road, Sumia's heart sank as she saw thousands of bodies littering the ground. Not many moved. Buzzards flew over them as the storms of the previous night faded into the distance and the heat of a humid day washed over the land. A few moans and groans lingered on a faint breeze. Sumia's eyes welled up as she watched several healers weave through the bodies, trying to save who they could, and comfort who they couldn't save.

She quickly reached up and wiped away the tears before the could fall.

 _Naga why?_ She thought to herself as she surveyed the destruction. She nudged her pegasus forward, stomach flipping at a terrible sight every few steps.

The battle had been savage. Somehow, the Ylisseans carried the day. Dooku was the one behind their main strategy. It was a dishonorable strategy, but one that saw Sumia and her Pegasus Knights wreak bloody havoc upon the enemy. What little mages they had in their ranks, Dooku placed on the backs of the Pegasus Knights. From there they strafed the enemy ranks as they marched. A deadly aerial assault that sent the Valmese army scattering, only to be ambushed on the ground by Dooku and Mustafa's few hundred men. With nowhere to run, hide, and enemies all around as well as above, the Valmese broke in minutes. It was a complete rout that saw her Pegasus Knights ride down any who tried to escape and capture all who willingly surrendered. In total, they captured nearly six thousand Valmese soldiers, including their commanding officer. Mustafa was keeping an eye on that general personally. One could not be too careful with Valmese military leaders.

She passed by a group of Pegasus Knights sitting on the ground, in a ditch along the east road. Their helms were removed, hair splayed over their faces, necks, and foreheads, covered in sweat. Each one looked exhausted, but happy. They had achieved an overwhelming victory against incredible odds. Whispers of Commander Cordelia being proud resonated throughout the ranks as Sumia rode among them. She could not help but smile whenever she heard that.

Cordelia did a magnificent job rebuilding the pride of the Ylissean military. When they all reunited with the main Archanean army, Sumia would tell her all about the valor of her knights on this battlefield. She was giddy to see the smile on her friend's face upon learning how well they performed under the most dire of circumstances.

She passed another group of Pegasus Knights loitering with some mages near a makeshift water station. The Knights immediately snapped to attention when she passed them by, referring to her as 'Your majesty'. She would quickly smile, nod, and they would go back to resting. They had earned it.

Sumia wanted to stop and speak to the knights longer. She wanted to check on their wellbeing, see how they were all feeling, make sure they were healthy and ready for the swift flight towards whichever army needed help; but she needed to consult the man that really won the day for them. As much as the Pegasus Knights displayed valor, courage, and skill, it was Dooku's strategy that carried the day. The elderly man's ruthlessness and stunning amount of cunning broke an army of ten thousand enemies. The least Sumia could offer was her thanks. Until Chrom got word of what Dooku accomplished, then the old man would be rewarded handsomely.

 _Where is he?_

She rode a few more paces before spotting Dooku. He was kneeling quietly on a large boulder. A position that Sumia assumed was quite uncomfortable for him. But given that the rest of the ground was soaked with either rain or blood, the rock was probably the best spot for him to do his meditations on. At least, that was what she assumed he was doing. He possessed the same powers as Ben, Luke, and her daughter from the future Lucina. All three meditated frequently in order to… do something?

 _Maybe it is a way for them to refocus?_

Her pegasus snorted as she pulled up beside Dooku and hopped off. Her boots sank into the slowly drying earth. She grimaced, wondering if it was a puddle of blood or muddy water she sank into. With a quiet sigh, she stepped up towards Dooku.

When she first approached the old man, he appeared calm, composed, seemingly impervious to the distractions created by his previously chaotic surroundings. But then she opened her mouth to speak to him, and suddenly the old man stiffened. Sweat beaded on his wrinkled brow. His jaw clenched tight and his fingers folded tighter in his lap. A sharp breath rushed from his lungs, and his eyes shot open. Sumia gasped when she saw yellow irises linger before turning to the blue color she and the other Shepherds were familiar with.

That was when Dooku noticed her. Sumia looked worriedly at him as his eyes softened, something she had never seen in the old man.

"What is it?" Sumia asked, heart hammering in her chest. Something was very wrong. Dooku appeared rattled, and the battle did not unnerve him in the slightest. He sensed something go wrong. Was it one of the other armies? Were the Khan's defeated? Sumia's throat tightened.

 _Chrom…_

"I…" Dooku swallowed, "I'm not sure. One moment, I sensed Robin's force signature explode into…" He took a deep breath. For the first time since Sumia met him, Dooku, despite his obvious age, looked old and weary, "The only person I have ever felt with as dark a presence is Sidious himself."

Sumia paled, "Did he lose control again?"

"That's just it." Dooku uncrossed his legs and rose shakily from the boulder. He reached out and steadied himself against the rock, inhaling deep through his nose, "He was in complete control, otherwise his power would not have been so potent."

Sumia looked puzzled, "What exactly is wrong then? Did someone-" She sucked in a sharp breath, "Someone died."

Dooku looked grave.

"Who was it?" Sumia demanded, voice trembling, "Chrom? Lucina? Cynthia?"

"Robin." Dooku muttered, hanging his head, "It was Robin."

Sumia's eyes widened. She opened her mouth but could not find any words to speak. Instead, the queen slumped against the boulder and sank down to a seat.

"Naga…" She breathed, stunned.

"I felt him explode with power." Dooku shuddered, "Then I felt his signature disappear" Dooku ran a hand over his mouth, "But…"

Sumia snapped her gaze up to him, "But?" Her voice trembled as she was nearly on the verge of tears.

Dooku shook his head, "I can't explain it. I felt Robin pass on, but I did not feel any bonds tear. Normally when a force sensitive dies, the bonds they share with people close to them are severed. It is a way for their spirit to move on permanently to the cosmic realm of the force. Robin died, but… I did not sense the bond he and I share, however thin it may be, sever." Dooku rubbed his forehead, "Maybe I am just getting old. It makes no sense to me at all."

Sumia swallowed hard, "Then Robin is-"

"Physically dead… yes." Dooku admitted somberly.

A whimper escaped Sumia's lips. If Robin was dead, then the battle went poorly for their main army at Demon's Ingle. Panic filled her.

"What about Chrom? Lucina? Cynthia? What are they-"

"I sense Lucina's is still alive." Dooku muttered, closing his eyes briefly, "So is Kenobi. Prince Chrom and Cynthia I cannot sense because their presence is mostly weak in the force." He hummed to himself, "I also sense the brat, Luke. He's… greatly distressed. So is Kenobi."

"Does that mean they lost?" Sumia asked, voice trembling as it barely rose above a whisper.

"I do not know, your majesty." Dooku snarled back. Sumia recoiled, causing Dooku to close his eyes again and take a calming breath, "I cannot sense the outcome of the battle. Everything is extremely murky in the force. But…" He pursed his lips, "I believe our best course of action is not to link up with the Feroxi, but instead to immediately move southwest towards Demon's Ingle."

Sumia raked a hand through her hair. Her fingers got caught in a snarled knot near the back of her head. She grimaced and yanked her fingers free. A sharp breath shot through her lungs as she struggled to hold back tears.

Robin was dead. One of her closest friends, someone who was practically family to her and Chrom, was dead.

 _Naga help us._

"Your majesty." Dooku's level voice slipped into her ears. With it came a surprising wave of calm that washed over her mind and allowed her to think clearly, even if it was only for a brief moment, "You must make a decision. And we have decide what to do with the prisoners."

Sumia gulped and nodded. She was still the commander of this mission. Every soldier on the battlefield, from Dooku and Mustafa to the simple mages and pegasus knights, were looking to her for leadership. Now that she was in this position, she marveled at how Chrom, Frederick, Cordelia, Ben, and… and Robin, all kept their sanity. She could understand how Robin unraveled in the wake of the Sea Battle and Charlet. She felt like curling into a ball and sobbing right now after just one bloody battle and the loss of a friend.

She did not have that luxury. Now, with Cordelia out of commission, she was the leader of Ylisse's Pegasus Knights. She needed to wear the same mask of determination that Chrom and the others wore when faced with war. With a final deep, shuddering breath, she rose to her feet and raised her chin.

"Dooku, your advice led us to victory here. I would be foolish to ignore it now. If you believe it is best we fall back to Demon's Ingle, then that is what we shall do." She took another deep breath as another calming wave hit her mind, "I will send a squadron of Pegasus Knights north still to inform the Khans of our actions. As for the Valmese prisoners…"

She faltered mid thought. What to do with the thousands of enemy soldiers taken prisoner? She could not march multiple days southwest with them. Not with the small force she had. They did not have the provisions to care for such a large amount of soldiers. Not unless they allowed the enemy soldiers to keep their own supplies, which would be a risky move.

"Normally, I would advise a mass execution." Dooku admitted, shocking Sumia, "But… seeing as how that is greatly frowned upon and how it is against your nature, an alternative may be to eliminate their General and destroy their morale. From there, bring them along in a forced march. It may not be very humane, but you will have control over-"

"I will not subject another person to such cruelty." Sumia hissed, surprising Dooku with her anger, "Enough people have died today. I am not going to add to the body count because it is convenient."

"Then what will you do, your majesty?" Dooku asked.

Sumia furrowed her brow. Indeed, what would she do?

"I am going to speak to the Valmese General now." She stated firmly, marching up to her Pegasus and mounting it.

Dooku inclined his chin, "If you plan on negotiating, I advise against it. You already hold all of the leverage."

"We shall see." Sumia replied, snapping the reins to her pegasus and quickly trotting across the battlefield towards the position where Mustafa held the Valmese General captive.

The Pegasus Knights planted a small stake in the ground to tie the General too. And she looked none to pleased about it. Under any other circumstances, Sumia would have regarded the enemy general as a stunning woman. But now, tied up to a stake in the middle of a bloody field, dried blood caking her forehead and armor, she looked like any other exhausted soldier. Yet, there was still a burning defiance in the General's eyes as Sumia approached.

Mustafa bowed to Sumia as she dismounted her Pegasus.

"Your majesty." The older Plegian rumbled.

He appeared to be the least distressed person on the battlefield. Something he likely had experience to thank. His bare torso had several scrapes and bruises, but he was otherwise unharmed. An oiled cloth rested on the head of his battleaxe while he leaned against it. Resting his weight on the ax and allowing his older body to catch a breath.

"General Mustafa." Sumia nodded. She turned her gaze to the Valmese general, "And General-"

"Heh." The woman spat some blood into the dirt near her legs, "Still calling me by my rank? You Ylisseans are a strange bunch. If the positions were switched, I'd be calling you a damn whore, or, if I was in a good mood, a wench." Sumia frowned, causing the woman to utter another dry laugh, "But here we are, I'm the one tied up, at your mercy. And you are the victor. If I had my helm, I'd tip it to you."

"I'm not here to gloat." Sumia replied, her voice lacking her usual kind tone and warmth. Replaced by a sudden sense of command she knew she needed in this moment.

"Oh really?" The woman spat some more blood into the dirt, "Gah, bloody lip! One of your knights really can deliver a punch." She sighed, "Fine, my name is Pheros."

"General Pheros." Sumia repeated, "I am-"

"Queen Sumia of House Ylisse, yeah I know who you are. I'd be stupid not to know. Any good general worth their salt knows their enemy. Although, I clearly did not know you well enough since you kicked my army's ass." Pheros admitted, "So why are you here? About to deal me the death blow? Execute me so you may demoralize my men? Sounds quite out of character for you." She grimaced as she knelt before Sumia, hands tied to the stake behind her back, "Or… perhaps I really don't know you at all, and you are going to kill all of us?"

Sumia shook her head, "No, I am not going to kill you or your men. I actually have a proposal for you, General Pheros."

"Oh? A proposal?"

"Yes." Sumia nodded. She glanced over at Mustafa. The old Plegian watched the conversation carefully as he cleaned blood and gore from his ax blade, "I will spare you and your men, I will even allow you to march free of binds alongside my army, weaponless of course."

"Of course." Pheros nodded with a slight smirk.

"In exchange, when we regroup with my husband's army, you will swear your allegiance to him."

Pheros raised her brow as she regarded Sumia silently. Then she broke out in loud laughter. Mustafa arched an eyebrow as Pheros threw her head back and laughed louder. A sputtering cough came from the General's lips, and she spat in the dirt again.

"That is a funny one, your majesty." Pheros sneered back, "You Ylisseans are stranger than I thought. Stupider than I thought too. Do you have any idea what the Conqueror does to traitors?"

"No." Sumia replied, "But we are going to beat the Conqueror. So I guess you have nothing to worry about on that front?"

Pheros's eyes widened, "You seriously think you can win?" She shook her head, "Damn I want to laugh, but I can't. Not at something like that. Listen, you seem like a very sweet girl. And I'm sure you would make an excellent queen, or ruling governor of a territory in the Conqueror's empire. Do yourself and your family, your people, a favor, and fall on your hands and knees before the Conqueror. I'll be damned if I do that to you when all you have proven to me is that you can execute a good ambush."

"And what if I told you we have already defeated not only you, but General Yen'fay as well?" Mustafa's eyes widened behind Pheros as Sumia spoke, "Would that have any affect on your decision? Seeing as how, with his defeat, his sister and my ally, Say'ri, will take over his army?" She noticed Pheros's brow furrow, "And from what I gather, Walhart's army is mostly conscripts while Yen'fay's is a professional fighting force. Which do you think will win?"

Pheros's jaw shifted back and forth, "You're bluffing."

"Am I?" Sumia asked, folding her hands behind her back and pacing a few steps near Pheros, "How would you know? How would you know that I haven't received a message already saying Yen'fay surrendered because he could not bear to fight his own family." She saw a flash of worry dance in Pheros's gaze, "That is something he would do, isn't it? Oh, then there is also the Voice of Naga factor. I'm sure there are already hundreds, if not thousands, of Valmese deserters moving towards my husband's army. Ready to do battle and regain their freedom." Sumia looked down on the quiet General, "The tide of the war has changed General. Will it carry you out to sea, or deliver you to shore?"

Mustafa's jaw hung open a little bit as he watched Sumia work. He quickly snapped his mouth closed before Pheros could notice his shock.

Pheros winced, spat, then cleared her throat.

"So, by swearing allegiance to you, I will be fighting on your side. Along with Yen'fay and his army?"

Sumia nodded, "And the Voice, don't forget her."

Pheros slowly nodded. She thought for another moment, "My men will be spared?"

"I will even share provisions with them so that they are comfortable during the march."

Pheros pursed her lips. Sumia maintained the look of command she had been maintaining. But in her mind, she was scrambling to think of a backup plan in case this failed. As much as she appreciated Dooku's tactical knowledge, the last thing she wanted to do was wet her blade with more blood today.

Pheros cleared her throat and spat in the dirt.

"Can you get a damn healer to fix my mouth already then?" Sumia's heart soared as she realized a small victory. Pheros flashed Sumia some broken teeth through a pain smile, "I'm tired of gargling my own blood."

"I'll take that as a yes." Sumia nodded, "And I will send a healer over immediately." She nodded to two Knights guarding the general. The knights untied Pheros, "Address your men. My adviser, Dooku, will be there to listen in." She glanced over at Mustafa, "General, walk with me."

"Uh…" Mustafa replied. He picked up his ax and rested it on his shoulder, "Sure."

Sumia spun on her heel and marched away from Pheros with Mustafa trailing just behind. Once they were out of Pheros's earshot and eyesight, Sumia let out a loud exhale and rested her hands on her knees.

"So…" She glanced up at Mustafa, "How'd I do?"

Mustafa blinked, "Um… amazing for such a risky move."

"Really? Oh good, I was scared I screwed that up." Sumia admitted with a slight laugh, "All of that bravado and confidence and whatnot. Thought about it from a book I've been reading. _Wyvern Wars: Terror at High Noon_ ," Sumia exhaled again, trying to calm herself down, "Highly recommend by the way."

"So you just negotiated not only a surrender, but a partnership, based on a book?" Mustafa asked, planting the butt of his ax in the ground as he tried to piece together everything that just occured in the past few minutes.

"I channeled a character." Sumia admitted, "The funny thing is, that character ended up dying." Mustafa paled, "So let's hope that doesn't happen now." She took a step forward, let out a sharp cry, and nearly fell face first to the dirt. Mustafa reached out and caught her.

"It's a good thing you didn't trip out of nervousness when speaking to Pheros." He grunted as he helped the Queen stand back up.

"I-I-I'm not nervous." Sumia stammered, "It's the… the… the boots. Yes! I need to um- get them- um- adjusted again. I thought Chrom did that already but apparently not." She finished with a sheepish laugh.

Mustafa uttered a rumbling chuckle and he shook his head, "You did well, your majesty. I'm guessing we are heading south instead of north?"

Sumia nodded, "Yes. A squadron of Pegasus Knights will fly with all haste north and inform the Khans. And we are going to move south immediately."  
Mustafa nodded, "I'll inform the men." He turned away. Before walking off, he glanced back at Sumia, "D-don't leave our fates up to a book again please."

Sumia's cheeks flushed with embarrassment, "I'll remember that."

Mustafa nodded and strode off. Once he was gone, Sumia's shoulders sagged. She trudged over to her pegasus and ran her hand along its muzzle.

"You believe the boots story right?"

The beast nodded.

"That's right."

* * *

A Jedi is forbidden from forming attachments. With that came other rules. A Jedi should not miss another person, a Jedi should not grieve, a Jedi should not mourn. For anyone who dies becomes one with the Force, and they live forever in the cosmic realm invisible to the naked eye. As Master Yoda often told Jedi struggling with such things, attachment leads to jealousy, and jealousy carried the shadow of greed.

But Ben… he struggled with grief many times. In the wake of his Master's death, he grieved briefly, then turned his full attention to training Anakin. To fulfilling his Master's final wish. Then he lost Satine, but any mourning for her had been brief. There was a war to fight, Sith to destroy, and a Republic to make whole again. When he failed Qui Gon, when he failed Anakin, he grieved for a long time. It took the combined efforts of Robin, Chrom, and Tharja to pull him from that depressed state of mind and bring him back to some semblance of his old self.

One of those three was gone now, and it left him feeling numb. Robin is… was… his closest friend on this world. It took a long time for Ben to figure out why they were so close, but he finally started to understand not long ago.

When they both met they were two lost souls. Robin was literally lost, without a single memory to guide him forward. His only guidance being the help of kind strangers. Ben was lost mentally, spiritually even. It took that same group of kind strangers to help him find his way once again. They bonded through their similar circumstances at first. Then Robin's similarities to Anakin strengthened their bond. There were moments in training, in battle, in simple relaxing times, where Robin reminded Ben so much of his old Padawan learner. It was as if someone gave all of the good parts of Anakin to another person and placed him in Ben's life as a way to move on from the heartache that occured on Mustafar.

And he failed him. Ben shuddered as Cherche guided Minerva to a landing at the base of Demon's Ingle, where the rest of the soldiers, both Ylissean and Valmese, had gathered. There was no fighting between the two shaken armies, but there was obvious tension. The Valmese eyed the Ylisseans nervously, but did not move to attack. The Ylisseans shifted to and fro, weapons drawn, waiting for the first Valmese to charge and continue the battle.

Minerva let out a roar as Cherche landed with Ben and Tiki. Once the Wyvern touched the ground, Tiki jumped off and rushed into the Ylissean ranks, disappearing from his sight. Ben lingered a moment longer, glancing back behind him at the erupting volcano. Any shred of hope that Robin survived died when he saw another violent explosion rock the mountain, sending more ash and fire flying into the air.

"Ben?" Cherche spoke softly in front of him, "I suggest dismounting. Prince Chrom is probably waiting for you."

Ben gulped, "R-right."

Force, Chrom… Ben forgot all about him. The Prince did not know of Robin's fate yet. He and Robin were also very close friends. Ben jumped down from Minerva's back and ran a hand over his face.

 _What do I even say?_ He exhaled again and cast a wary look across the field towards the nearby Valmese. Many were starting to sit down in the long grass at the base of the mountain, weapons sheathed. None appeared ready to continue the battle. For that, Ben was grateful. He could not fight anymore today. His heart was too heavy, body too exhausted, and mind too shaken to draw his blade and kill again.

"Ben!"

He froze beside Minerva. Chrom rushed towards him. Sweat and ash covered his face. Even more dirt and ash caked his blue hair, making it look gray. Worry was written in his eyes as he hurried towards Ben and Cherche.

"Cynthia and Luke touched down without you guys and I feared the worst." Chrom breathed. He glanced over at Minerva, "Where's Tiki and Robin?"

Ben gulped, "Tiki walked into the army."

Chrom nodded, "She's safe, good. And Robin?"

Ben's face turned grave, "Chrom-"

The Prince's face dropped, "Ben, where is Robin?" He asked again, voice lower.

Ben uttered a shaky gasp, "He bought us time." His eyes started to mist and he bowed his head, trying his best to hide his grief from Chrom, "He's gone Chrom."

Any strength Chrom had left in his body left him. His eyes watered and he staggered back a step, bracing himself against Minerva's scaly body.

"That-" Chrom shook his head, "No, we need to go up and-"

"We can't go up there Chrom." Ben breathed, "Look at the mountain." Demon's Ingle shook once more, making Chrom's face ashen, "I saw him fall, Chrom. I saw him challenge three deadlords then be consumed in the fire. And-" Ben choked, "And I need to go."

Ben spun away and marched as quickly as he could away from the army. He could hear Chrom calling his name, shouting for him to come back, but he did not turn around. In his mind he did not hear Chrom. Instead he heard the rushing flow of lava, the bubbling of magma, the superheated wind of a planet far away from this one.

He saw Anakin burning alive at his feet once more. Screaming at him. Shrill cries filled with pain and hatred filled his mind. The terrible memory was replaced by a fresh one. The sight of Robin letting out a defiant cry as he held the Deadlords at bay before being consumed in the volcano's fury. His heart ached as he stepped further away from the armies. The mountain shook again, forcing his misty eyes to look up at the pillar of ash and smoke ascending even higher into a darkening sky.

 _I failed another._

He sank to his knees and hung his head, shoulders shuddering as he started to cry. Tears streamed down his face as he looked up at the mountain through bleary vision once again.

"I'm so sorry." He shook his head and tore his gaze away once again, staring down at the grass in front of him.

Footsteps rushed towards him from behind. He could not tell if it was friend or foe. In this moment, he did not care. That changed when a body slammed into his back and slender arms wrapped tight around his chest.

Tharja sobbed into his back. He felt her tears stain the back of his ash covered shirt as she shuddered against him. In that moment, his own tears dried away and he quickly reached up and gripped her hand with his.

"Is he-is-" Tharja sniffled, "Is he really-"

Ben nodded his head. Tharja whimpered and buried her face into him.

"I'm sorry." Ben breathed, doing his best not to choke on his own words, "I couldn't save him." He shook again as a few stray tears dripped down his cheeks, "I lost another one."

He felt her head shake against his back. Her small hands spun him gently around to face her. Ben's entire body sagged when he saw Tharja's face. Tear stains ran like rivers through a land of gray ash, smoke, and dried blood. She looked like she had been through hell. Looked like how he did when he finished fighting through the fires of Mustafar.

 _How did I let it come to this?_

Tharja shook her head again, "You did not lose Robin." She reached up with her hands and cupped his cheeks, "You never lost him. Robin did what he did, because he cared for all of us. He cared for you. That is not the actions of someone you lost."

Ben's jaw clenched as Tharja's thumbs rubbed circles in his beard.

"Don't despair." Tharja breathed, resting her forehead against his, "We will-" A shaky sigh left her lips, "we will mourn him. And we will miss him terribly. But Robin would not want us to blame ourselves for his decision. You know that."

Ben swallowed hard, "He was a far greater Jedi than I could ever be."

Tharja exhaled, "Only because you taught him how to be great."

Ben's eyes misted again. The mask of weak strength broke and he let his head fall into her shoulder. Sobs wracked him as Tharja held Ben close and cried.

* * *

Cynthia's right leg bounced incessantly as she sat on her saddle, now removed from her exhausted Pegasus. Her hands were folded in front of her face. Fear, worry, sorrow, a mixture of feelings she had not felt in a long time bubbled inside of her. She sniffled as a stray tear ran down her cheek. She quickly reached up and wiped it away before looking up at the stars twinkling over her head.

The battle ended hours ago. Both the Ylissean and Valmese armies were in some sort of strange peaceful stalemate. Neither side moved to attack the other. They all stayed apart, a long channel of grass resting between them. A no man's land no one dared to cross for fear of being captured or killed. The only person who dared to move across that empty space had been Luke. Once the battle ended, he jumped off of Cynthia's pegasus and sprinted across, searching for Yen'fay and Say'ri, since they could not find his older sister in their ranks.

That happened hours ago. Now… now she sat by herself on her saddle. Her pegasus rested beside her. The rest of her friends were busy. Brady and the other healers arrived around an hour ago and started treating whatever wounded they could. Noire stood watch near no man's land, an arrow nocked in her bow at all times. Severa was probably helping Sir Frederick get rations to the soldiers that survived and were capable of eating. Inigo and Owain were helping her work. Laurent joined the healers in treating the wounded. And Sakura, well, she did not know where Sakura was. She was probably doing something to help out too.

And all Cynthia could do was sit and worry. Worry for Luke, for her sister who sat captured somewhere on the other side of no man's land, for her mother who led a near suicidal mission to the north, and for her father who she had not seen at all since the battle concluded. She knew he was alive, otherwise someone would have found her and told her otherwise, but she feared he was hurt. Despite that worry, she was not able to stand and search for him in the quiet, tentless camp. She found herself stuck in place, waiting for Luke to come back.

 _He'll come back._ Cynthia thought. She sniffed as she struggled to hold back tears, _He's Yen'fay's brother. The enemy won't hurt him._

In the back of her mind, she knew she was lying to herself. The enemy tried everything in their power to kill Luke on the battlefield. She remembered watching his lightsaber whirl around him like a deadly blue pinwheel. She could still feel the knot in her throat as she remembered him battling the deadlords from above the battlefield. As her mind drifted back to the terrible battle, she found her breath quickening and her pulse racing. Her leg bounced furiously and her fists tightened in her lap as she tucked her chin to her chest. A ragged gasp rushed from her lips as tears threatened to cascade down her face.

 _I never want to be in something like that again._ She thought with a quick shake of her head. She sniffled and wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand as she recalled all of the death, destruction, and fear, _Never again._

Footsteps drew near her. Cynthia sniffed and glanced to her left. She whimpered when she saw Chrom moving towards her. Without even thinking, she surged off of her saddle and barreled into him. As soon as her father wrapped his arms around her, sobs erupted from her. Chrom gently rubbed her back as he held her.

"Shh…" He breathed, embracing his daughter, "It's okay. Cry it out."

"I was so scared!" Cynthia bawled, "I-I'm still so scared!"

"I know." Chrom rested his chin on top of her head, "I'm still scared too."

Cynthia sniffled against him, "Did you cry too?"

Chrom swallowed hard. He slowly nodded, "I did, yes. We…" He grimaced, "We lost Robin today."

Cynthia's eyes widened, she jerked her head away from his chest and stared at her father in disbelief.

"Robin is-" Another sob rocked her body and she buried her face into him, "Naga, no! No! This wasn't supposed to happen!"

"I know." Chrom breathed.

"Who's next!?" Cynthia cried as she gripped him tighter, "Is it going to be Uncle Ben? Auntie Lissa? You and mom? Luci?"

"No!" Chrom said sharply, "I won't let that happen." He gently lifted her chin so that she looked at him, "You already lost all of us once before. I will fight with everything I have so that you will not lose us again."

Cynthia shook against him, "I-I want to believe you but-" She gulped, "I can't. No one was supposed to die in this war. But now Ricken, Miriel, Stahl, Gregor, and Robin-" Cynthia exhaled and shook again, "I'm scared."

Chrom closed his eyes as he kept hugging her. They remained silent, embracing each other for a few more moments before Chrom sighed and pulled away from Cynthia. Cynthia sniffled and wiped at her eyes, trying her best to keep more tears from falling.

"We're all scared." Chrom admitted, "Hell, I'm terrified right now. I'm afraid for our friends, for you and your sister, for your mother." He pursed his lips, "But… the measure of a hero is how they react to that fear. Do you rise up and overcome it, or do you let it win?"

Cynthia raised her head and sniffled.

"I want to be a hero." She mumbled.

Chrom smiled softly and brushed a stray tear from her cheek, "You already are."

A Valmese soldier shouted from across no man's land. Cynthia froze while Chrom instinctively reached for Falchion. His hand fell away from the divine blade when he saw two nervous Valmese soldiers guiding Lucina across no man's land over to him and Cynthia. He quickly reached out and caught Cynthia by the arm before she sprint out into the open, towards Lucina.

The Valmese pushed Lucina across the imaginary line separating the two armies, then quickly backed up towards their own lines. As soon as they let go of her, Lucina sprinted towards Chrom and Cynthia. Cynthia broke free from Chrom's grip and embraced her, sobbing into her older sister's shoulder.

"I'm alright, Cynthia." Lucina breathed. She glanced over Cynthia's shoulder at her father, "What happened? I saw the volcano erupt and I-" Lucina gulped, "I felt some terrible things in the force."

Chrom bowed his head, "Robin is dead." Lucina paled as Chrom pressed his lips into a thin line, "Your mother is leading a separate mission to the north. And the Khans are further north delaying the Conqueror's army for us."

Lucina swallowed hard, "I-I heard rumors. Heard some important people died but-" She shook her head, struggling to find the right words to speak, "Robin was not supposed to die."

 _Then again, no one was supposed to die during this entire war._ Lucina reminded herself, _Luke was right. Nothing is certain anymore._

"Did you see Luke over there?" Cynthia asked, "And Say'ri?"  
Lucina shook her head. Before she could open her mouth to say anything, sorrow ripped through the force. The Dark Side roared to life across no man's land. Lucina spun around and shoved Cynthia behind her. Her one good hand hovered over the old scabbard that held her Falchion's shards inside of it. For a split second, she did not know what was causing such a dark pulse in the force. Then her heart jumped to her throat.

"Luke…" Lucina breathed, face pale as she realized he was the one in absolute pain.

"What's wrong?" Cynthia tugged on Lucina's sleeve, "Luci?"

"Luke is-" Lucina caught herself. Her father and Cynthia were already worried enough, "Stay here." She told them.

"Where are you going?" Chrom asked.

"To find Luke."

Cynthia moved to follow, but Lucina stopped her with her hand.

"It's safer if you stayed away right now." She warned her sister.

"Why?"

"You can't go alone." Chrom said sternly.

"I can handle Luke if he gets out of hand." Lucina replied.

"Do you fear that happening?" Chrom asked, brow furrowing as his hand twitched towards Falchion.

"He won't!" Cynthia exclaimed quickly, "Luke is a good man he wouldn't-"

"I believe you, Cynthia." Lucina interrupted, "I just do not trust the dark side. Right now…" Lucina grimaced, "Just stay here, both of you. If- if you are really concerned, then if I'm not back in thirty minutes, tell Ben. He'll find me."

Chrom frowned, "I still don't think you should go looking for him alone. If he won't do something, a Valmese soldier could-"

"The Valmese are not fighting us now." Lucina stated, "I have a feeling they are done fighting us. Yen'fay is… something is wrong with him right now. I do not know what, but he personally set me free. Did not say a word when he did. If they haven't attacked now, then they won't attack at all."

Chrom's frown never wavered. She could tell he wanted to go with her. It was the protective instincts he developed ever since he learned she was his daughter from the future. But to his credit, Chrom also recognized that Lucina was capable of taking care of herself. With a reluctant nod, Chrom agreed to let her go.

"Thirty minutes." Chrom warned, "Then both Ben and I are coming to find you."

Lucina nodded, "Thank you." She glanced at Cynthia one more time, "Go sit with the others. I'm sure Cordelia wouldn't mind some company. It's not healthy for you to be alone right now." She glanced up at Chrom, "Either of you."

Before either could argue, Lucina turned on her heel and marched towards the empty plains to the south of the two armies. That was where she sensed the dark side roar to life. That was where she sensed Luke in pain. Not physical pain, she would feel the dark side act more defensive if he was in physical pain. The dark side felt extremely aggressive and angry, which was why she demanded Cynthia and Chrom stay away while she tried to speak to Luke. She was not sure of his mental state while wielding this kind of dangerous power. If he was as unstable as she feared, then at least she could handle his powers for a little while without the need for help.

She had to walk a ways from the armies before she found him in sitting in the tall grass. Dirt, both large clumps and small specks, rotated around Luke as he sat still in the grass. The Dark Side of the force surrounded him like a shadowy cocoon. A protective shell that he always retreated into when overwhelmed or afraid.

"Luke?" Lucina cautiously approached him from behind, "Are you-"

He stiffened in front of her. The dirt stopped rotating around his body. Each individual speck of dirt, small rock, and blade of grass hung in the air.

"It's me." Lucina gulped, "I sensed something and came to che-"

"She's dead." Luke whispered.

The dirt, rocks, and grass all fell simultaneously back to the ground, startling Lucina. She froze where she stood as Luke looked back to her. Tears filled his yellow eyes.

"Say'ri is dead." He whimpered.

Lucina's eyes widened. That explained all of the pain she felt radiating out of him. Wordlessly, she tiptoed her way over and sat down beside Luke.

Luke hung his head, hands balled up tight in his lap as he struggled to contain the dark side.

"I'm so sorry." Lucina muttered.

Luke sniffled, "D-don't be. It's not your fault."

Lucina gulped, "Can't help but think it is." He took a deep breath, "If I hadn't messed with the timeline-"

"Then everything we knew in the future would have happened again." Luke replied, breaths trembling as he spoke, "But still… why her?"

Lucina gave him a sympathetic look, "I don't know, Luke." A flash of worry shot through her, "Was it Yen-"

"No." Luke grit his teeth. The Dark Side rumbled like an angry beast around him. Pressure built up in the air, pressing down on Lucina as she sat beside him, "It was Excellus." His eyes blazed as all of the sorrow he felt turned to pure hatred, "If I see that worm again, I'm going to kill him. I swear I will. That cretin has destroyed my family in two timelines now. He took me away in our future. Now he has taken Say'ri from me." Lucina's throat bobbed as she dipped into the force and stared into a black abyss inside of Luke. Luke glared at her, "You better not try to stop me."

Lucina swallowed, "Luke, I-I can't pretend to know what you are feeling right now. And I won't lecture you on what you should and should not do. That is not my place. Besides, I felt the same thing you are feeling when I lost my parents in the future." Lucina pursed her lips, "But… my master told me-"

"Do you think I give a shit what Kenobi has to say about this?" Luke snarled. He stormed up to his feet, dark side rumbling and rolling like a violent storm inside of him, "What could he possibly know about any of this? Damnable Jedi, he'd tell me not to seek revenge. Is that the advice you were about to give me!?"

Lucina remained quiet as Luke raged in front of her.

"It is." Luke snarled. He stomped a few steps away, the force continuing to pulse around him, "Damn hypocrites, both of you." A stab of hurt shot through Lucina as Luke spat those words out, "What did you do when I nearly killed you in Plegia? You sought revenge against me. And your master," Luke shook his head, "He killed his own apprentice for what he did to the Jedi Order. Tell me how that is not revenge."

"That is justice."

"Are they not the same!?" Luke roared. He took a deep breath as he saw a brief flash of fear cross Lucina's features, "If I say it pretty like you and Kenobi, then will it not be considered revenge? I want justice. I will kill Excellus and call it justice. There, that makes it just!" Luke growled, "Invoking Kenobi's _wisdom_ as if it is something great, something that will apply to me, damn foolish of you. That man held nothing but contempt towards me my entire damn life! Refused to train me, despite the fact that I am stronger than you!" He nodded to himself, "I am stronger than all of you. And I will continue to get stronger until those I care about are never in danger ever again!"

"I heard something very similar once before."

Luke and Lucina's gazes whipped behind them. Ben slowly approached them. He looked like he had recently cleaned himself up. Ash and dirt still caked his clothes. But his face had been washed, although his eyes were red and raw from tears.

"What are you doing here?" Lucina asked, "I told father thirty minutes."

"And you thought he would listen?" Ben replied, "He came to me immediately and said you wanted fifteen minutes."

"Of course he did." Lucina sighed.

Ben nodded and glanced over at Luke. The young Sith seethed as he glared at the Jedi Master.

"Where did you hear it before?" Luke snarled as he started pacing back and forth, "You both are not capable of stopping me from getting revenge on Excellus. I will kill him."

"And that will bring Say'ri back?" Ben replied.

Luke roared, "Obviously not! But damn it all, it will feel amazing when I cut that worm's head from his shoulders!"

Ben nodded, "Yes, it probably will." Ben took a few more steps forward, a finger brushing against the corner of his mouth, "But once you go down that road, you will never come back from it."

"Oh yes, because once someone falls to the dark side they stay that way forever." Luke spat back, "I've heard it before from you, Jedi. Don't lecture me. You have no idea what it is like to lose family. None!" Luke inhaled sharply through his nose as the dark side thrashed even more violently around him, "I will do everything in my power to protect those I care about. Nothing will stop me!"

"You will become the very thing you want to destroy if all you live for is vengeance." Ben warned, voice shaking a little bit as his own composure started to waver. Lucina remained silent as she watched the two men talk, "And you cannot control who lives and dies in this life. If you think you have that power, you are no better than the tyrants who took Say'ri."

Luke let out a violent scream. His lightsaber thundered to life, forcing Lucina to take a nervous step back. She had never seen Luke like this before. This was no ordinary rage emanating from Luke. This was nothing like the fury she felt when he fought on the battlefield, or even when he fought her in Plegia. All of that anger had been reluctant. As if he was being forced to use the one aspect of the force he actually understood and hated doing so. But this anger she felt right now, this was raw hatred. This was unleashed rage that wanted to rip everything apart, friend or foe.

Luke pointed the tip of his blade at Ben, "If you stand in my way-"

"Luke stop it!" Lucina cried, moving forward only for Ben to stretch out and arm and hold her back.

Luke glared at Lucina. The fury in his gaze softened a moment as he looked at her. His rage filled glare returned to Ben.

"For her sake, don't make me kill you."

Ben's eyes widened briefly. The blue glow of Luke's lightsaber washed over him as Luke took several steps forward, bringing the tip of his blade mere inches away from Ben's chest. The Jedi Master raised his hands slowly up.

"Luke please-"

"I'll do it!" Luke growled, tears bubbling in his eyes as the lightsaber shook in his hands, trembling closer to Ben's chest, "I'll kill you if you try to stop me!"

Ben closed his eyes and uttered a heavy sigh.

"You are so much like your father."

Lucina blinked. Luke stopped shaking as he glared hatefully at Ben. He grit his teeth as he hesitated in front of the Jedi Master.

"What?" Luke growled.

Ben swallowed hard, "Your father said nearly those exact same words to me." Ben met Luke's gaze, "He even believed he could stop those he cared about from dying if he became strong enough. That mistaken belief led to his downfall."

"What do you know of my father?" Luke snarled, hands shaking as he gripped his lightsaber, "I never knew my parents. Yen'fay found me in the middle of a battlefield, they probably died there. So how could you know them?"

Ben shook his head, "You are walking the same dangerous path Anakin did."

Lucina's eyes widened. Luke froze in front of Ben. Ben remained motionless, hands near his head as he stayed calm in the face of Luke's wrath.

"What are you-"

"Your name is Luke Skywalker." Ben breathed, "And your father would not want you to fall like he did."

Lucina reeled behind Ben. Her master was claiming to know Ben's father. Not only know him, but-

 _Luke's father was Master Kenobi's former apprentice!?_

Confusion filled Luke, forcing away his blind hatred as he regarded Ben with suspicion.

"What game are you playing, Kenobi?" Luke asked.

Ben swallowed hard, "Your father was Anakin Skywalker, my apprentice when the Jedi Order still existed." He took a deep breath, "Like you, he was incredibly powerful, and incredibly volatile. But… he was a good man, up until he feared losing those he loved. Then he-" Ben choked a little bit as he remembered what happened to his one time brother, "he became an unrecognizable monster. He sought revenge against those who had never wronged him. He sought power to destroy enemies that did not exist. He even believed he could grow strong enough to stop people from dying." Ben flicked his eyes at Luke's lightsaber, "I have learned, after speaking to both your father, and Dooku, that the fall almost always starts with good intentions in mind. But intentions mean nothing when your actions are wrong. Killing Excellus will feel good, yes. I will not deny that. But will it end there? Or will you seek to kill the Conqueror next? Then who? Yen'fay, for not stepping up and standing against Walhart? Myself and Chrom, for not making sure Say'ri lived through this battle even though we could not control what happened? Lucina, for daring to go back in time and change the timeline? Cynthia, for helping you grow close to Say'ri once again?"

"I would never hurt them!" Luke snapped back, voice cracking as tears welled in his eyes.

"Not now." Ben replied, "You haven't gone that far. But you are close to taking that dangerous first step. Then you, like your father, will be gone. And nothing but death will stop your fall." He eyed Luke carefully as the boy's lip quivered, "You have seen what revenge does to your family, to those you care about." Luke's eyes widened as he stared at Ben, stunned, "You saw what it has done to Yen'fay… and to Say'ri. I saw what it did to your father. Don't make the same mistakes they made, Luke."

Luke shuddered. Through bleary eyes, he stared hard at Ben and Lucina.

"I would never hurt them." He whimpered.

"Then put the saber down." Ben breathed, "Let us help you."

Tears rushed down his cheeks. All of the strength left Luke's arms as he lowered the lightsaber and let it fall to the earth, blue blade hissing back into the hilt when it left his grasp. Lucina brushed past Ben and wrapped Luke in a tight embrace. Luke shuddered as sobs wracked him.

"She's dead." Luke whimpered as she cried.

"I know." Lucina replied, calm voice trying to soothe the grieving sith, "But she is not gone. She lives on in the force, and she will always be watching over you."  
Luke whimpered again and buried his face into Lucina's shoulder. As he cried, Lucina looked back to Ben. Her eyes widened as he saw him slowly walking away, head bowed, his presence in the force shuddering as he struggled with his own emotions.

 _Is it all true?_ She thought as she watched her master walk away.

"I'm sorry, Luci." Luke shook, "I'm sorry for everything."

"I know you are." Lucina exhaled, "Let's go find Cynthia. She's worried about you."

Luke sniffled and nodded. Before he could reach for it, Lucina used the force to call his lightsaber to her hand. She held it for a moment, contemplating whether or not to keep it, before ultimately deciding to hand it back to Luke.

Luke sniffed and stared at the outstretched blade, surprised.

"I trust you." Lucina nodded, "You said you would never hurt us. I believe that."

Luke swallowed hard. With a trembling hand, he grasped the hilt from her hand. Lucina smiled softly and nodded for him to follow her back to their army.

"Come on. Before anyone else decides to check on us."

Luke uttered a strained laugh and nodded. As he walked beside Lucina back to their now hastily made army camp, he furrowed his brow and glanced over at Lucina.

"Kenobi said that my father was his apprentice? Do you think he was telling the truth?"

Lucina pursed her lips, "Why would he lie about that?"

Luke shook his head, "I-I don't know." He thought hard for a moment, "I'll have to ask him about it."

"Later." Lucina looked up and saw Cynthia rushing towards them with Chrom waiting further back, "For now, someone wants to see you."

Luke broke away from Lucina, allowing Cynthia to barrel into his arms. The young Jedi Knight quietly stepped away as her old friend and her younger sister embraced at the edge of their camp. A smile crossed her lips in the night as Cynthia craned her head up and kissed Luke. Despite the horrors they all experienced during the day, she still felt a small sliver of hope for the future. Luke kept himself from descending into the darkness. They would all be there to help him fight back against those urges.

 _Perhaps there is some light today._

* * *

The golden glow of Excellus's teleportation magic evaporated away, but his glee did not. As he arrived in his quarters within the Conqueror's palace he uttered a loud cackle. Thrill filled him. Oh how delicious his actions were! He had broken the unbreakable General Yen'fay. Finally passed that damnable man and rendered him a useless husk to be cast aside. Princess Say'ri's death would put him in a melancholic state so intense that there would be no way he could lead his armies. Leaving him, Excellus, to assume command of Valm's greatest army.

 _The Conqueror likes to think his army is better._ Excellus snorted to himself as he marched over to his desk and grabbed a book of matches, _But a million men an army does not make. General Yen'fay's force would rip them apart if given the chance. His men are actual soldiers, not conscripts._

He saw the proof for that theory at Demon's Ingle. Even with only a few thousand of his actual host, Yen'fay broke the Ylisseans. If the damn volcano had not erupted, then the Ylisseans would have been wiped out entirely.

Excellus struck a match and lifted it towards a candlewick, _And then I could focus on much larger goals._

"Excellus."

Any glee he had rushed away as a snarl pierced the darkness. A cold wind slammed into his closed windows, shoving them open and snuffing the flame out before the candle could be lit.

"Please, tell me, I'm curious." Excellus remained rigid as the voice snarled behind him. Cold sweat formed on his brow, shivers ran down his spine as he sensed darkness incarnate occupying his quarters, "What are your larger goals?"

Excellus spun around. Two pin pricks of yellow light from the eyes of a monster glared at him from a chair across the room. In the shadows, Excellus barely made out the form of his master, the Hierophant. Fear shot through the fat man as he trembled before the powerful man.

"I-I-" He swallowed hard, "Well, my larger goals are your goals of course. I am merely a servant for you will."

A low chuckle emanated from the shadowy figure across the room. The Hierophant waved a hand, and the wick on one of Excellus's candles burst to life, showing the white haired man glaring at him.

"You know, I would believe you. You are cowardly enough to try and pull the wool over my eyes so you could just live a little longer." The Hierophant leaned forward in his seat, "Except you did the one thing that has thrown all of my plans into chaos. Every carefully laid step has been upended, because you are too damn stupid to do your job."

Excellus bristled despite his fear, "St-stupid!? I am not an idiot. I am Emperor Walhart's tactician. I have fooled him into thinking I serve-"

"If you think you have fooled that specimen of a human, you are a greater idiot than I thought." Excellus choked as the Hierophant interrupted. The white haired man rose to his feet, somehow towering over the terrified tactician despite being across the room. A shadow crept up the wall behind the Hierophant. A shadow in the shape of a massive black dragon, "You were a useful idiot for a time. But… your usefulness has run its course, now that I know your only goals are to fulfill you own ambitions."

"I-I-" Excellus dropped to the floor and prostrated himself before the Hierophant, "My lord! What have I done to displease you? Give me a chance to redeem myself."

"I already gave you one chance." The Hierophant stepped towards Excellus. A dark, rumbling chuckle sounded in the room. Just low enough so that only the two of them could hear it. Excellus's stomach flipped as the demonic laugh rang in his head, "I don't give worms like you two."

"What have I done to deserve this?" Excellus cried.

A squeal of fear ripped free from his lips as an invisible force lifted him into the air and pinned him against the wall over his desk. A rush of wind howled in Excellus's ears. The invisible force squeezed his entire body, rendering him motionless as he hung suspended in the air over his desk. His mouth hung open in a quiet scream as the Hierophant's eyes blazed with anger.

"You killed my vessel." The Hierophant hissed.

Excellus's heart stopped in his chest, "V-vessel?" He paled, "You mean… the Princess-"

A rope shot across the room and coiled around Excellus's neck. He wanted to move his hands to stop it from tightening around his throat, but he could not move. The rope tightened around his throat then shot up to a wooden beam in the ceiling. The worm's eyes bugged from his skull as the rope looped over the beam then tightened. The invisible force let him go, he fell, then jerked to a sharp stop. Any air rushed out of his lungs, and he could get no air to return. His legs kicked desperately and his hands scratched at the rope wrapped around his throat.

"You are still too stupid to realize what you have done. I told you to make sure the Valmese lost this war, and yet you did something that may have guaranteed their victory. Now I will have to correct your mistakes." His eyes blazed, "My first correction," The rope slackened, allowing Excellus to inhale a pitifully small breath, "is to consume you."

"Wait! WAIT! PLEASE!" Excellus shrieked.

The shadow shot out of the Hierophant. A hungry growl rumbled throughout the room. The Hierophant's eyes blazed as he watched Excellus scream. The fat in the Worm's body evaporated away. His skin turned to paper. Blood and guts shriveled up within the quickly drying husk. And he lived to feel all of it. Pain filled, terrified, beady eyes looked at the Hierophant, searching for mercy. Clinging to some hope that he, the rat, would somehow find a way out of this trap.

 _But you are not a rat._ The Hierophant thought, _You are a worm on a hook. Prey to be consumed._

" _ **And I am hungry!"**_

A sickening crunch filled the air. The husk of Excellus fell to the floor with a dry thump. Another cold breeze drifted into the worm's quarters, putting out the candle and blowing away Excellus's body as it turned to ash. The Hierophant exhaled as the shadow receded away from where Excellus once stood.

"Satisfied?"

" _ **Hardly! That creature was all fat. Quite chewy."**_

The Hierophant let out a quiet laugh, "But he will sate that hunger of yours for a moment longer." He looked down at the notes and messages on Excellus's desk. Eyes quickly committing to memory everything he saw. He smirked when he saw assassination plans for the Conqueror. He clicked his tongue, "Excellus, your ambition knew no bounds."

" _ **Are we going to act now?"**_ Grima growled in his mind, " _ **Shall I feast upon the world?"**_

The Hierophant raised his gaze from the desk and stared at the shadow climbing up the wall in front of him. Before he could answer, a voice that had been noticeably absent spoke up.

" _I would delay such a rash action."_

Grima snarled, " _ **Where have you been!?"**_

" _Searching the currents of the force. Working, unlike you."_

The Hierophant arched an eyebrow, "Searching the currents of the force?" He moved away from Excellus's desk towards the windows. There was no moon tonight. A few stars twinkled between dark clouds, but otherwise it was a pitch black night.

" _ **While you were gone, our vessel-"**_

" _Is not entirely gone."_

The Hierophant froze. Grima's snarls abruptly ended.

"There is a chance?"

" _He is not in this world anymore. Currently not even on our plane of existence. But I did not feel his essence merge with the force. He still lingers. No doubt thanks to my presence within him."_

"No wonder we still exist." The Hierophant mused, "If the Vessel perished, then we would have as well. Timelines aside, our powers are forever linked. That is why we need him in order to be whole once again."

" _ **What does that mean for us?"**_

The Hierophant furrowed his brow, "Our search must begin anew." He thought for a moment, "You said he was no longer on this world, Brother?"

" _I did?"_

"What other worlds exist beyond this one? And if he is beyond the stars, where are the likely places he could have ended up?"

" _If he resurfaces with physical form, he will be drawn to a nexus in the force. There are not many of those. Unfortunately for us, they are quite difficult to reach from here. A lack of space faring technology is limiting us."_

The Hierophant uttered a heavy sigh as he looked up at the few visible stars above him.

"So we must wait for an opportunity to present itself."

" _ **I hate waiting."**_

" _I have a feeling we will not have to wait long."_

The Hierophant froze as, in the back of his mind, he heard artificial, labored gasps. In his mind's eye, he saw a towering figure clad in black armor and a black mask. The Dark Side of the force was wrapped around him like a black cloak. Power and authority exuded from the figure. Pain and rage lived inside of it. And with each passing moment, its power grew clearer. It was getting closer.

The Hierophant chuckled to himself.

"I look forward to meeting this one."

" _ **He will be an extremely satisfying morsel."**_

" _And he is our ticket off of this world. Our way to finding the Vessel once more."_

"Then we will be patient." He took a deep breath, "For now, summon the Deadlords we have. We need to ensure Walhart's defeat."

" _Are you about to set them loose against the enemy?"_

Grima chuckled, " _ **More souls for me to feast upon. They can redeem themselves that way."**_

"Exactly." The Hierophant nodded.

Several pillars of black ash formed behind him. Tigris appeared first with a furious roar erupting from his masked face. Simia formed next. Her green skinned face remained emotionless as she stood still before her master. Porcus appeared beside her, a snarl on his lips as rage boiled inside of him. Bovis appeared from a pillar of ash last. A smirk rested on his pale, sickly face as his hands wrapped around the black tome, Imhullu.

"You four will enter the next battle with a group of Risen by your side." The Hierophant informed them, "Wreak havoc on both sides, but I want the Ylisseans to be victorious. If you can, wipe out the Valmese, slaughter the Conqueror, and kill as many Ylisseans as possible."

Tigris snarled, "Kenobi-"

The Force slammed into Tigris, knocking the metal clad creature to his knees.

"You will do as I command, or I will rip your soul away and replace you with another!"

" _ **And I will relish in feeding upon you."**_

The others swallowed hard as they sensed the Hierophant's power. The Hierophant glared at all of them.

"Fail me again, and all of you will cease to exist." He spun on his heel and faced the window once again, "On your way."

All four Deadlords glowed with bright gold light, then winked out of the room. The Hierophant exhaled as soon as they were gone.

"Soon…" He muttered then nodded, "The Vessel will be mine once again. Not even his death will stop me."

 **And chapter! This was actually a difficult chapter to write, especially since it was a follow up to last chapter. There were a lot of different perspectives I could have shown all of this from, and there are more still to look at, but we also need to keep everything moving. Lots of juggling. But, I think it turned out okay. I hope you guys think so too. Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**

 **Come join the Treehouse! Discord code is: 9XG3U7a**


	115. The Son of Skywalker

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 115

The Son of Skywalker

"I need more bandages!" Lissa shouted across the newly constructed medical tent.

She quickly wiped her bloody hands on the front of her already stained yellow dress before rushing towards a stack of vulnaries beside the cot her wounded patient lay in. The soldier groaned as his wound continued to grow worse. Lissa ran a comforting hand over the poor man's forehead then whipped her head around again.

"Bandages!" She shouted again, uncorking a vulnary and pouring it over the enormous slash that ran from the soldier's armpit to his hip.

"Coming!" Sakura barked back, arms laden with cloth.

She skidded to a stop beside Lissa. The Princess yanked several heavy strips of cloth from her arms and quickly started placing them over the soldier's wound. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw the man's face start to lose color and his eyes waver out of focus.

"No, no, no!" Lissa exclaimed, "Maribelle!"

"I'm coming darling." Maribelle shouldered her way past Sakura. The Duchess of Themis took one look at the soldier and closed her eyes, "Lissa…"

"We can still save him." Lissa breathed moving towards their dwindling supply of powerful elixirs.

"Lissa…"

"Where is Libra when I need him!?" Lissa cried uncorking the elixir.

Maribelle's hand snapped out and caught the princess by the wrist, stopping her from dumping the purple liquid all over the soldier's body.

"He's already gone." Maribelle muttered.

Lissa swallowed hard. She glanced at the man's face. His eyes were vacant. The blood stopped flowing from the wound as his heart stopped beating. A defeated sigh left Lissa's lips as she set the elixir down on the ground beside the dead soldier.

"Sakura." Lissa mumbled.

"Yeah?" The young girl replied, face pale as she looked at yet another dead body today.

"Make sure Laurent records his name and where he was from." Lissa ordered, voice quiet as she tried to keep herself from crying, "How many does that make it now, Maribelle?"

"We are now at three hundred wounded that we were unable to save." The Duchess sighed, "We don't have enough healers or supplies to do our jobs anymore."

Lissa nodded a little bit. She sniffled and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, spreading tears, grime, and blood over her the sides of her face. She gulped and tucked her chin to her chest.

The number of wounded continued to grow, and with it the number of corpses. Just from seeing the wounds, Lissa knew the battle had been savage. Burns abounded throughout their ranks. Any soldiers with minor burns were told to wait, or walk it off. The vulnaries and elixirs needed to be used on the critically wounded. Those with arrow wounds, ax wounds, stab wounds, the usual aftermath of a battle. Lissa felt like she was sort of used to those sights already. After Charlet, it was hard to feel ill looking at a bloody wound.

But the burns, the true burns that made the skin look charred, it made her stomach flip. She found herself unable to work on those poor soldiers. Libra had to step in and relieve her from working on the more devastating wounds because she froze up. He sent her to try and help the ones with more traditional wounds. But even then, she found herself unable to maintain the calm composure and presence a healer needed to have.

She was terrified. So many already dead and wounded. So few made it down the mountain in one piece. She had yet to see most of the Shepherds. Chrom had not come by, which meant he was either fine or dead. Her chest tightened at the thought of Chrom lying dead on the rocky, hot surface of Demon's Ingle.

 _No, that didn't happen._

If it did, someone would have told her. At the very least, Frederick would have rushed to her and informed her if anything terrible happened. Unless he was dead too, in which case-

She bowed her head, lip trembling as she tried to keep herself from breaking down into tears.

"Er uh-" Sakura reached out and placed an awkward hand on Lissa's shoulder, "It's gonna be okay, Exa- I mean- Lady Lissa."

Lissa let out a soft laugh at Sakura's slip up, "I'm not crowned yet. Hopefully I never will be." She exhaled and wiped at her eyes again. After she regained her composure she glanced over to the medical tent entry.

Luke stood there, grim faced. Lissa paled as he carefully stepped into the tent. His yellow eyes darted between the bedrolls lining the tent walls, glancing at the wounded men around him. The young man did not even flinch at the sight of bloody, dying men and women. But there was a strange look in his eyes. Melancholy rested on his face that bode ill for someone in the tent.

Lissa gulped as her heart stopped beating in her chest. Luke stopped in front of Sakura.

"Sakura…" Luke exhaled.

Sakura swallowed hard, "W-what?"

Luke grimaced. Some tears misted in his eyes, "It was Say'ri."

Lissa's eyes widened. She only briefly talked with the Chon'sin Princess. Both women were far too caught in their own duties to really get to know each other. Lissa had to work long hours with the healers, since she had grown remarkably in that field thanks to Libra's tutelage. Say'ri was busy conducting the war alongside Chrom, the Khans, Ben, and briefly, Robin. Lissa recalled Chrom speaking highly of Say'ri whenever Lissa actually had a moment's rest away from the medical tents.

Sakura stared hard at Luke, "What do you mean-"

"She's gone, Sakura." Luke breathed, "Say'ri's gone."

Lissa's face turned ashen while Sakura hardly moved a muscle. The Princess did not see a visible reaction. Not a single tear, not a single shiver or shake. The girl just stared at Luke stone faced.

Luke's throat bobbed.

"Do you-"

She shoved her way past Luke and marched out of the medical tent. Luke spun around.

"Sakura!" He called. He started to go after her only for Lissa to reach out and grab him by his arm, "Let go of me."

"Leave her be." Lissa sighed, "Everyone deals with grief differently. While you and I would seek comfort with others, she probably just wants to be alone."

"That's not healthy." Luke muttered.

"Probably not, but that's not our decision to make." Lissa exhaled, body shuddering as she reeled from Luke's information, "Is um… who else?" She asked, voice filled with fear.

Luke grimaced, "Robin."

Lissa's eyes widened as horror filled her. Maribelle dropped the vulnary she was carrying, the glass bottle shattering at her feet.

"You cannot be serious!" Maribelle gasped.

Lissa struggled to catch her breath as she sagged back against the tent wall and slid down it. She sat down in the grass inside of the tent, too dumbstruck to say anything.

"Robin's dead?" Lissa whispered, voice quivering as tears threatened to rush down her cheeks.

Luke closed his eyes and nodded.

"Naga, no." Maribelle breathed, her usual mask of noble manners gone, replaced with shock and sorrow. She bowed her head and shook her head, "What of-"

"The battle, as far as I know, is over." Luke informed them, "I spoke to my brother and…" Luke gulped, "And he did not say a word to me. But one of his captains told me none of their men were in a mood to fight anymore tonight. I'm sure we'll hear something in the morning." He took a deep breath, "On the bright side, they let Lucina go."

Lissa let out a relieved sigh, which felt odd given the ache in her heart from hearing about the death of a good friend. It made her feel guilty. Robin had been practically family to her, Chrom, Sumia, and her niece back in Ylisstol. He lived with them in the palace. Was there since… since the very beginning of this insane adventure. She could still recall first meeting the tactician near Southtown, finding him unconscious in the middle of an empty field. There was no way she could have known what he would become, but now that she knew his fate, a part of her regretted waking him up. Maybe if he never joined them, he would have never died.

"Don't start thinking like that." Luke said quietly, startling Lissa. He eyed her, "If you left him alone in that field, you would have never been friends with him. Which would be worse?"

Lissa blinked. Did Luke just read her mind? If she was not so exhausted and grief-stricken right now, she would have been mildly disturbed.

"I think losing a friend like this might be worse." Lissa admitted, sniffling as she fought back tears.

Luke grimaced, "So is never knowing them at all." He huffed, "Look, I'm not good at this wisdom thing, that's Kenobi's specialty. Speaking of which, I need to find him and ask some questions. But… I think he would tell you to mourn Robin, but don't regret being friends with him. It might hurt now, but you will look back and smile at the memories you all made together."

Lissa looked at Luke with some surprise. She did not know the young man very well, but after everything that had happened during the Plegian War, she did not have a glowing opinion of him. She viewed him as barely an ally, similar to how Chrom viewed him. His involvement in Emmeryn's death still lingered in her mind, making her reluctant to even speak to Luke, let alone be friends with him. Despite those bad feelings, she gave him a thankful nod. At least he was trying to make amends, in his own strange way.

She sniffled and got to her feet.

"Maribelle, c'mon, we've got more work to do."

Maribelle uttered a shuddering breath. The Duchess wiped a tear from her right eye and nodded, "Yes, work. These men will not heal themselves." She raised her chin to Luke, "Thank you for informing us."

"Yes," Lissa muttered, "Thank you." She turned to go help another wounded man, but paused and glanced back at Luke, "Luke… stay close to Cynthia please. I- I can tell she's not used to this sort of thing and I do worry about her."

Luke nodded, "I will." He moved to love but hesitated, "Er… Miss Lissa?"

"Yes?"

"If you get the chance, I think you should talk to Owain. Given what has happened for… for some of us future kids, it might be a good idea."

Without another word, Luke exited the tent and began his search for Ben. Lissa stared after him, puzzled. Why would he want her to talk to Owain?

 _Some of the future kids have lost parents now. Laurent lost Miriel. Sakura lost Say'ri. Nowi's child lost-"_ Lissa's eyes widened into saucers. Any thoughts of sorrow and grief ran away from her mind as shock filled her.

"Owain's mine?"

* * *

Sakura marched to her tent as fast as her feet could carry her. There was not a lot of activity in the hastily set up camp, which made navigating through the masses of soldiers easy. Most of the Ylissean men and women sat around tiny campfires, far away stares in their eyes. Many had not cleaned off their armor, clothes, or faces. Ash, soot, and gore still covered many of them as they muttered quietly among themselves, taking long looks across no man's land towards the Valmese camp mere meters away from them. So many blank faces in the wake of perhaps the most savage battle the army had ever seen.

Sakura tore her eyes away from the soldiers and moved even faster towards her tent. She needed to be alone right now. Needed to be with her own thoughts and nothing else. Her mother was…

She bit her tongue and clenched her teeth. Anger welled up inside of her as she recalled memories of her mother, Princess Say'ri. Every fiber of her being despised what her mother was in the future. And yet, despite that hatred, she felt pain in her heart upon learning she was dead in this timeline. It was a feeling that left her confused. A feeling she had to sort out, and not let others see. Especially Inigo.

 _The bastard will probably poke fun at me if he sees me cry._ She thought as she sucked in a breath and fought off tears.

She reached for her tent then froze as she heard a beast snarl nearby. Her eyes glanced to her left. The dark eyes of Cherche's Wyvern, Minerva, glared back at her. The massive lizards teeth were bared as one of its eyes stared at Sakura. Its scaly head, easily as big as her, snaked low to the ground as the beast crept towards her. Sakura took a deep breath and did her best to remain calm as the massive lizard growled at her.

"I know I'm at the edge of camp but I'm not the enemy." She muttered to Minerva.

The lizard was not convinced. It snarled again, flashing its razor sharp teeth at her. It's claws dug deep ditched in the soft earth as it stalked closer to Sakura. So close in fact, that Sakura could feel its hot breath kissing her face.

Her breathing quickened as she stood face to face with the Wyvern. A beast that could, if it wanted to, kill her with one powerful chomp from its jaws. She witnessed it happen before, both now and in the future. A friend of hers rode this very same Wyvern into battle in the future. Not many Risen could stand against the deadly beast.

 _Apparently not many men can either._ She thought.

"Minvery-kins, no!" A sharp voice snapped, making the Wyvern shrink away from Sakura.

Cherche stepped around a small tent that sat behind the massive beast. The Wyvern rider had removed her armor and instead wore a loose, black robe over her athletic frame. Her pink hair hung loose over shoulders as she stepped gracefully through the tall grass, one hand running along Minerva's black scales. She came to a stop in front of Minerva and wagged a finger at her.

"Allies are not for eating." She scolded. Sakura's eyebrow rose when she heard the Wyvern utter the equivalent of a sassy scoff back at Cherche. Cherche frowned, "You know better." She turned to Sakura, "I'm sorry about that, she's rather agitated given everything that has happened today."

Sakura swallowed hard, "I don't blame her." She pursed her lips and bowed slightly, "If you'll excuse me."

"Are you alright, Sakura?" Cherche quickly asked before the girl could retreat into her tent.

Sakura sagged in front of her tent. Her head hung as she struggled to keep a mask of stoic strength on her face. A mask she learned from her father in the future, but had never managed to perfect. Hell, it hardly ever worked. Most of the time she wore her emotions on her sleeve so that everyone knew exactly how she felt about a given topic. But when it came to her mother, other than the obvious disdain she held for the woman, not many in the Shepherds knew how she actually felt. Hell, she did not really know how she felt, not anymore at least.

"I'm…" She felt a tear drip down her cheek as she faced away from Cherche, "I'm fine."

Cherche furrowed her brow, "You don't sound fine, right Minerva?"

The Wyvern snorted then laid its head down on the ground. Cherche gave her loyal mount a soft smile as she sat down and rested against the beast's scaly neck.

"Come sit down, Sakura." Cherche said, "Tell me what is bothering you."

Sakura spun around, "It doesn't matter alright!" She snapped.

Minvera growled, forcing Sakura to snap her mouth shut and take a careful step back. Cherche tapped Minerva's snout.

"Be nice." Cherche scolded, "She's obviously having a rough night. Am I right?"

Sakura swallowed hard, "It was a hard battle. A-a lot of people died. I'm… I'm not used to it."

Cherche nodded, "Was this your first major battle? From what I know about you kids, the future was a dangerous place."

Sakura pursed her lips and nodded, "My father never let me near the front. Not once my mother and Exalt Lissa passed. He specifically made me a royal guard so that I had to stay near the throne. Even made me give up on perfecting my riding skills, which he had been teaching me." Sakura snorted, "Joke's on him though, I still got good at it."

Cherche chuckled quietly, "He must've been proud of you."

Sakura swallowed hard, "Like to think he was. I… I loved my father. He was everything I wanted to be. Strong, proud, honorable, but not ridiculous about that honor, unlike mother."

Cherche furrowed her brow. The Rosanne maiden took a long look at Sakura. A small gasp slipped from her lips.

"You're Say'ri's daughter." She breathed.

Sakura inhaled, "Unfortunately." She exhaled, teeth grit as she struggled with both anger and tears.

Cherche gave Sakura a sympathetic look. She quickly got to her feet and moved to hug her, only for Sakura to quickly bat her arms away.

"I'm not looking for any comfort or sympathy." Sakura said harshly, "That… that damnable woman is dead. Good riddance." She swallowed hard, "M-maybe that means I-" She paled, "I won't be born in this timeline."

"Sakura…"

A shaky breath escaped Sakura's lips, "Naga, I'm not going to be born. I'm-" She patted her body down, "A-am I going to disappear now? No, if that were the case, it would have happened already. But…but…" She stared wide eyed at Cherche, "My father is never going to fall in love with my mother. They're never going to have me. I'm- I'm not going to exist for them. Not anymore."

"Nonsense." Cherche replied, tone soft as she tried to comfort a suddenly shaken Sakura, "You are here now. And… Say'ri may be gone." For the first time tonight, Sakura uttered a heavy gasp that betrayed the sorrow building in her heart, "But your father is still here, whoever he is."

"Sir Frederick." Sakura muttered, lip quivering as she was on the verge of tears.

Cherche blinked, "Oh. Well then," Cherche cleared her throat, "I never took him to be the kind of man to actually-"

"Settle down with anyone and put work second in his life?" Sakura said with a wry laugh. She wiped at a tear dripping down her cheek, "Yeah, I don't think anyone did in the future. I know Exalt Lissa was always surprised by it." She sniffled, "It always surprised me that my mother of all people managed to make him that way. She was-" She grit her teeth, "Cold, heartless woman. Cared more about the damn world than about her own family." She stomped her foot and cursed, "I hate that woman!" Tears started running down her cheeks, "So why do I feel so much pain right now!?"

Cherche quickly wrapped her arms around Sakura, catching the girl before she could crumble to the ground. They both sank to their knees as Sakura sobbed into Cherche's shoulder.

"Why? Why am I feeling like this!?" Sakura cried loudly.

Cherche ran a hand through the girl's brown hair, "Because deep down, you know she is your mother, and you still cared about her." Sakura shook in her arms Cherche gently held her, "It is okay, Sakura. You can cry for her. There is no shame in that."

"But I h-h-hated her." Sakura sobbed, "She never gave me the time of day. Honor this! Respect that! Didn't give any to her own damn daughter!" She shook again, "Then I come back in time, and she-she actually tries. And I turned her away. I dismissed her, and now-now I can never-"

"Shh…" Cherche breathed, "Just cry, Sakura."

Minvera snorted behind her. The large Wyvern shifted closer and curled it's dark body around the pair as Sakura sobbed.

* * *

Tiki managed to find the most secluded, sheltered corner of the army camp. A little hill, barely tall enough to hide her as she sat on the far side of it. But the long grass hid the rest of her as she sat in the darkness, chin tucked and legs curled up in front of her. She had stopped crying hours ago and now simply sat beneath the moonless sky, every ounce of sadness spent and replaced with weariness. Yet, every time she thought of him, of Robin, her heart ached again and she found herself on the verge of renewed tears.

She hadn't felt this way in over a millennium. Not since the terrible day when her first love passed away, old and frail. Even then, she at least saw it coming. She at least knew that Marth had lived a long, fulfilling life filled with joy. His accomplishments were known hundreds of years after his passing. A legendary figure remembered for all time, and cherished by her forever as well.

But Robin… the first man to make her heart race in her chest in so long, he would not be remembered. He would be at best a footnote in history. His life taken from him far too soon. An abrupt, violent end that a good man like him did not deserve. An end she tried everything in her power to prevent. An end that she did not see coming.

Tiki thought that if Robin were to meet his end soon, it would be due to her having to kill him. Grima resided inside of him. The Fell Dragon, as long as Robin lived, lived as well, and was a threat to the world. She feared the day that she would have to unleash and attempt to kill Robin. A responsibility she knew her mother had implied she must take on when they last spoke. At that time, she rejected such a thing. After all, who was she to determine if a good man like Robin should die for something he had no control over. Killing him would have been her absolute last resort. Something she never wanted to do. More than anything else, she wanted to get to know him more. Wanted to speak to him about everything under the sun. Experience the world that she now barely knew with him by her side. Marvel at the wonders neither of them were familiar with.

She was not a foolish girl anymore. Had not been for a very long time. She was intelligent enough to know what these feelings in her heart were. Robin, with his great selflessness, boundless courage, and meek charm, swept her off of her feet the moment they met. He was so much like Mar Mar in personality that she found it uncanny.

But he was gone now. Robin sacrificed his life to hold off the deadlords long enough for her and Ben to escape the wrath of Demon's Ingle. Tiki hardly flinched when she felt the earth rumble once more as the mountain spewed more ash and smoke into the air. It hadn't stopped erupting since they all escaped the deadly lava and ash near the peak. But the violence in the eruptions slowly subsided with each rumble. Every rumble served to remind her that Robin was gone, consumed by fire and ash. Grima went with him, but that was little consolation in her mind.

 _He would have never allowed Grima to take control._ She thought to herself, _He would have died… first…_

A sickening thought entered her mind. Did she cause this? Did she lead Robin to his death by telling him the truth? In his sacrifice, did he make absolutely certain that Grima would never rise again? He did not believe her when she told him what she witnessed in his mind, but Robin was a logical person. Despite their brief time together, Tiki got the sense that he knew she was not a liar. That she would not purposefully mislead him in any way. Why would she make up such a tale about Grima being inside of him anyways if it wasn't true?

 _Gods I killed him._ Tiki covered her mouth as fresh tears entered her eyes, _He believed me after all._

"Tiki?"

She sucked in a sharp breath, green eyes widening as she heard Ben Kenobi walking nearby, searching for her. She did not move a muscle as she took a few shaky breaths. Did she want him to find her? Honestly she did not want anyone to see her like this. But after witnessing his prowess on the battlefield, and knowing his skill with the Force, she knew that he already located her. He was just giving her the opportunity to either invite him over, or tell him to go away.

 _I've grieved alone many times before._ She thought, _Perhaps I shouldn't this time._

"H-here." She muttered, not certain if she was loud enough for the Jedi Master to hear her.

She heard him move closer to her. Her ears twitched as she sensed him step beside her and sink down to a seat next to her. The Jedi Master stayed quiet for a moment as he stared out at the dark horizon with her. Both of their gazes lingering over the plains at the feet of the Kiba Mountains.

"We're so far from home." Tiki muttered, breaking the silence. She swallowed hard, bowing her head, "Robin died so far from home."

Ben nodded, "He did. But, he would not have had it any other way." He gave her a sympathetic look, "Now it is up to us to not waste the chance he has given us."

A weak sound escaped Tiki's lungs, "You'd think after thousands of years, after seeing humans of all shapes, sizes, station, and creed, live and die, I'd be used to it." She sniffled and wiped at her eyes, "You'd think one man's death would not leave me so shaken. Yet… Robin he was-"

"Different." Ben finished for her.

Tiki nodded, "Yes. He was different. I-" She took a deep breath, trying to calm down as she sat in the grass, "I had feelings for him. It may seem quite juvenile admit given we hardly knew each other, but I knew there was something about him. Something that drew me to him."

Ben smirked a little bit, "He probably felt the same way. I don't think I've ever seen him more red in the face than when you were around him."

Tiki chuckled between shaky breaths, "You and him were close?"

Ben nodded, "He was the first friend I made on this world."

Tiki blinked, "This world?" She raised her head, "You are from the stars."

 _No wonder your aura feels so strange._

Ben nodded again, "And Robin did not care. Of course, he did not know for years. Even if he knew right away, I don't think he would have cared." He laughed to himself, "That tactician could make friends with a tree if he wanted to." He swallowed hard, "I'm going to miss him."

"Me too." Tiki admitted, glancing up at the few stars that twinkled in the sky above them, "Ben."

"Hm?"

Tiki swallowed hard, "I'm scared I may have driven him to-"

"No." Ben cut her off sharply, "Never."

"I told him a terrible truth." Tiki continued, forcing Ben to stop his protest, "He didn't believe me at first, but I fear that in his final moments, he accepted it. And that may have given him the motivation to sacrifice himself instead of escaping with us."

Ben furrowed his brow, both worried and confused.

"What terrible truth?"

Tiki gave Ben a grave look, "Robin came to me seeking help. You know what I'm speaking of."

"His force powers."

"They were not his own." Tiki stated, catching Ben off guard, "Most of that raw power was not his own. There were… two other beings within his mind. Locked away by powerful magic the likes of which I have not seen in centuries. But the seals in place were cracking due to the raw power of the beasts it was holding back."

Ben was quiet for a moment.

"What were they?" He asked, voice hushed.

Tiki took a shaky breath, "The Fell Dragon was within him."

Ben's eyes widened, "What?"

"I could hardly believe it myself, but it is true. Grima was using Robin as a vessel. A way for him to eventually return to life."

Ben ran a hand over his beard, stunned beyond words.

"There was another in him though. One that was actually somehow more sinister than just the Fell Dragon. The Fell Dragon alone, while worrying, is manageable." Tiki explained, "If nothing else, I could have stepped in and… and done what needed to be done. But with this other creature inside of Robin, I'm not sure I could have done it."

"What was it?"

Tiki shook her head, "I'm not sure. I had to have it all explained to me by my moth-" She caught herself, "By Naga in a vision. She explained that this second entity was someone called the Son."

"What!?" Ben suddenly cried, jumping to his feet, "The Son? Are you certain?"

Tiki gave Ben a strange look, "Do you know of this creature?"

Ben's looked very worried now, "I-I do. Myself, Anakin, and his apprentice, Ahsoka Tano, encountered him and his family on a world called Mortis several years ago."

"Mortis, that was the location of the vision." Tiki explained, "Naga said that it was partially her home at one point. It did not make much sense to me, she could not have lived there at any point because I would have known about it." Tiki furrowed her brow, "If you have encountered the brother before, does that mean you defeated him before?"

Ben shook his head, "No. I lost quite badly actually, My former apprentice, Anakin, was the only one that managed to stand against him. If I recall correctly, we defeated the Son using a special dagger. The dagger was lost when we left Mortis though. I thought that to be the end of him, but I guess I was wrong." Ben paced a few steps, "If he survived that death, I worry he may have survived Robin's."

"I fear that as well." Tiki nodded, "But he will be especially weak, and not keen to reveal himself. Which could work to our advantage for a time. After all, we have the Valmese to defeat still. And from what I understand, there are children amongst us from the future who claim that Grima is resurrected." Tiki thought for a moment, "I suppose that future has been averted for now. Robin's death means Grima cannot rise." Her green eyes saddened, "I still wish there had been another way."

"So do I." Ben admitted with a nod, "Robin sacrificed his life. In doing so, he, whether knowing it or not, averted Lucina's terrible future, and at the same time, saved our lives. I'm not going to let that sacrifice be in vain. We will defeat the Conqueror. I will make certain of it."

"So will I." Tiki nodded, wiping away a stray tear, "We'll win this war for Robin."

A new aura approached both her and Ben. A darker one that made her bristle for a moment. It took Tiki a moment to recognize the aura belonged to the young man named Luke. The boy swiftly moved towards Ben but paused when he noticed Tiki sitting nearby. He shifted back and forth, nervous.

"We need to talk." Luke told Ben.

Ben grimaced, "Yes… we do, don't we?" He glanced over at Tiki, "If you-"

"I'm not going anywhere." Tiki said firmly. She gave Luke a wary look, "His aura is dark. Graying by the moment, but it is still dark. I fear that if you say the wrong thing, he may try to harm you." Her fangs flashed behind her lips, making Luke pale a little bit, "I'll remain to make sure he doesn't try anything."

"He won't." Ben reassured her, "And even if he did, I can handle him."

Luke snorted, "Sure you can." He took a seat in the grass, a ways away from Tiki "I seem to recall knocking you on your ass back in Plegia."

Ben uttered a wray laugh, "You had a Wyvern and I had a rapier, I'd say that was hardly a fair fight."

"Not my fault." Luke shrugged. He took a deep breath as Ben took a seat across from him. A cool wind swept down from the mountains, making him shiver in his dark robes, "Alright, just going to be blunt I guess." He cleared his throat, "What the hell do you know about my father?"

Tiki blinked, "Oh?" Her eyes darted back and forth between the two men, "It's going to be that kind of conversation."

Both Ben and Luke looked over at her as she remained seated.

"I'm still not going anywhere." Tiki told them, "Mostly because I'm kind of interested now."

Luke groaned, "Of course you are."

Ben sighed, "Tiki."

"Yes, Ben?"

"Please swear on your life that you will not tell another soul what we are about to discuss right now. Not unless Luke or myself say it is okay."

Luke arched an eyebrow, "Why all the secrecy?"

"You're about to learn why, but first-" Ben looked back to Tiki.

TIki frowned, "You know there is a saying: A secret between three people is only a secret if two of them are dead, right?"

Ben blinked, unsure of how to respond. Luke's jaw fell open a little bit as he regarded the powerful Manakete with renewed apprehension. Tiki smirked a little at Luke's nervous reaction.

"Don't worry, I'm not hungry right now."

Luke swallowed, "After what I saw earlier today, I'm not interested in pissing you off." he told TIki before returning his attention to Ben, "I think we can trust her."

"That's the first wise thing I've ever heard you say."

"Shut up." Luke snapped.

Tiki scowled at Luke, causing him to shift nervously in his seat.

"I apologize." He muttered.

Ben chuckled, "Oh yes, you may stay Lady Tiki. I think I'm going to enjoy having you around now." He took a deep breath, "Alright, Luke, what do you want to know?"

Luke narrowed his gaze, "First question: who is my father?"

"I already told you." Ben sighed, "Your father was Anakin Skywalker, my former apprentice. A knight in the Jedi Order."

"And you killed him." Luke snarled.

Sadness and regret crossed Ben's face, "I did."

"Why?" Luke asked, "Other than he wiped out your pathetic order?"

Tiki glared at Luke again, making the boy dip his head a little bit.

"I mean," Luke quickly corrected, "If he was your apprentice, then you two had to have been close. How could you have killed him?"

Ben uttered a heavy sigh, "It was… not easy. Probably the hardest thing I ever had to do, both literally and metaphorically." He folded his hands in his lap, "Your father was like a brother to me. But… the monster I killed on Mustafar was not him, not anymore at least." He met Luke's puzzled gaze, "Your father fell to the Dark Side. Became twisted and was manipulated by a Dark Lord of the Sith named Sidious."

Luke frowned, "I've heard of him. Maul talked about him once or twice."

"He was Maul's master at one point." Ben stated, "But that is beside the point. When your father fell, everything he had ever been ceased to be. The man I knew, the boy I raised as my padawan learner, died the moment Sidious sank his claws into him." Ben sighed and brushed his fingers against his chin, "I didn't want to believe it at first but… but when he…"

"When he what?" Luke asked.

"When he nearly killed your mother I knew he was gone. I knew I had to stop him."

Luke drew back, shocked. Through the force, Tiki felt his aura fluctuate.

"My mother?" Luke breathed, "What did you-"

"Her name was Padme Amidala." Ben said, "I only found out about her relationship with your father at the very end of their lives." He uttered a wry laugh to himself, "Honestly, I should have noticed earlier. I suspected they held feelings for each other, but I never thought Anakin would be stupid enough to act upon them."

Tiki furrowed her brow, "Stupid enough?"

"I was about to say the same thing." Luke muttered, brow furrowed as he took in everything Ben was telling him.

"Yes, stupid enough." Ben pursed his lips, "The Jedi Order, the Jedi Code, forbides attachments of any kind. It especially forbides romantic relationships. Those attachments were viewed as swift paths to fall to the dark side."

"Love causes the fall?" Tiki frowned, "I'm sorry but I fail to see the sense in that?"

"What would you do if you could save Robin's life right now?" Ben asked her.

Tiki pressed her lips into a thin line as her heart ached. She knew the answer to that question. She'd likely do anything to bring Robin back, even terrible things that she otherwise would never do.

"That's quite a cynical belief for the Jedi." Luke noted.

"In hindsight yes, it was." Ben admitted, "But in your father's case, it did lead to his downfall. I don't think I'll ever understand his full reasons for doing what he did. But I have a feeling he feared for your mother's life. He had always been prone to traumatic visions and premonitions. It is certainly possible he saw a vision of your mother in some sort of danger and that is what caused him to seek out power that he otherwise could not, and should not, have looked for."

"How powerful was he?" Luke asked.

Ben glanced at Luke, "He had the potential to become the most powerful Jedi ever. After all, most of the Jedi in the Temple, myself included, viewed him as the Chosen One."

Tiki let out an irritated sigh, "A prophecy, of course there is one." She huffed as both Ben and Luke gave her puzzled glances, "Nothing good ever happens when a prophecy is involved. At least that is my own personal experience."

"I'm starting to agree with you." Ben admitted. He turned back to Luke, "According to the prophecy, your father was destined to destroy the Sith and bring balance to the Force."

"A vague prophecy too. Double trouble." Tiki hummed disapprovingly.

Ben cringed, "Yeah well… given the state of the Force, both then and now, we needed some sort of hope to look to." He laughed to himself, "And at first, Anakin fulfilled that prophecy. He was everything we needed him to be. An incredible Jedi Knight, both powerful and wise. I can't tell you how many battles we won because of him, or how many times he saved my life in one impossible situation or another." Ben laughed a little louder, "But that business on Cato Nemoidia did not count."

"Cato Nemoidia?" Luke asked, confused.

"Another story, for another time." Ben replied, "Your father was everything we needed him to be and then some. He was a great master for his own padawan." He smiled a little bit, "He was also the best star pilot in the galaxy, and a cunning warrior." He nodded at Luke, "Judging by how you flew that Wyvern back in Plegia, I'd say you have inherited some of his flying skills." Ben smiled wistfully. A faraway look rested in his eyes as he remembered another time, "And he was a good friend."

Luke gulped a little bit. Before he could ask another question, Tiki raised her voice again.

"Anakin piloted stars?"

A loud laugh slipped from Ben's lips, "He probably thought he could. No, a starpilot flies a starship or a starfighter. Think a…" Ben pursed his lips, "A metal machine that flies like a pegasus or a Wyvern in the sky, only in outer space instead. It's difficult to explain in terms you both would know. Yes, no one was better at flying than your father, Luke. He always managed to give me a damn heart attack whenever he was flying the ship."

Luke flashed a wry smirk, "Sounds like my kind of flyer."

"With how reckless you flew in the Plegian war, you are not wrong." Ben nodded. He pursed his lips and glanced down at the lightsaber hilt at his hip, "That reminds me, you and I need to trade."

Luke frowned, "Trade?" He glanced at the lightsaber on his own hip, "Why would I want to trade?"

"For one, that is my lightsaber." Ben remarked, "I built it after I lost my second blade at the first Battle of Geonosis. For two," Ben unclipped the hilt from his hip and held it tenderly in his hands, "This… this was your father's." He held it out towards Luke, "He would have wanted you to have it when you were old enough. And I'd say right now, you are old enough."

Luke stared stunned at the hilt in Ben's outstretched hand. One of his hands absently unclipped the blade at his hip. He tossed it over to Ben, who easily caught it with his free hand.

The young Sith gulped and reached out to his father's weapon. As soon as his fingers brushed against the hilt, images flooded his mind. Battles, enormous in scale and devastation, raced through his thoughts. Creatures and aliens that likes of which he could not even begin to imagine danced in his head. Feelings of triumph, joy, thrill, sorrow, and rage filled him as his fingers wrapped around the hilt and slowly took it from Ben's hand.

He stared at the hilt with awe. It felt right to hold it. As if the weapon was meant for him to possess.

Tiki jumped back a little bit when he activated the blade, letting the azure blade hiss to life in his hands. He looked up at the glowing blue blade with a reverence he had never felt before.

"This has to be what it was like for Luci when she inherited Falchion." He muttered out loud.

Ben smirked a little bit, "Perhaps." He clipped his old blade to his hip, "It is yours now."

Luke glanced at the Jedi Master across from him. He swallowed hard, the emotions of the entire day washing over him. He still felt intense grief due to Say'ri's death. Once he got back to his and Cynthia's tent, he knew he would cry for her even more. But he also felt a strange feeling of relief in knowing who he really was. For so long he did know who he was or who he was supposed to be. Was he one supposed to one day serve as a dynast under Say'ri in Chon'sin, before Grima turned it into a wasteland in the future? Was he supposed to be a great knight, serving as a protector for the future Exalt Lucina in the future? Or was he supposed to follow Maul's path and become a being of unrivaled power, destined to rule over those weaker than him?

Then there was the path he had been on recently. A wanderer's road, meandering from place to place, time to time, like a stray leaf on the wind. Without any direction or true purpose, beyond wanting to protect those he loved. But now, he knew his path. His father was a great a powerful Jedi. Ben told him earlier that Anakin Skywalker would never have wanted him to fall to the darkside.

"Even grayer." Tiki said with a slight smile.

Luke glanced over at her. A small smile graced his lips as his thumb shut the lightsaber off, leaving them all in the starlight once again.

"Ben?"

"Yes, Luke?"

Luke gave him a curious look, "What happened after my father's death?"

Ben grimaced, causing Luke's smile to run away.

"After your father died, your mother had you. She died in childbirth, leaving you to me and Grandmaster Yoda. We were the only ones left from the old Order, and one of the few your mother trusted in the end. Both Master Yoda and I agreed that I would swiftly spirit you away to your father's home planet of Tatooine, where you still had some family. There you would have been far from Sidious's eyes and reach. While you were raised by Anakin's relatives, I would have gone into exile and kept watch over you from afar."

Luke nodded slowly, "What changed?"

Ben pursed his lips, "The Empire found us first. We managed to get into an escape pod when they attacked the ship we were hiding on, but they…" He trailed off, "They shot us down. We should have died right there and then. But we did not. I still don't know how that is possible." Ben returned his gaze to Luke, "In the end, I woke up outside of Southtown in Ylisse, and you-"

"Woke up kicking and screaming in the middle of a battlefield in Valm." Luke replied. He thought for a moment, "So, the entire reason you went to Valm a year ago wasn't just to search for Lucina, was it?"

Tiki's ears twitched, "You were in Valm a year ago?"

"Briefly." Ben replied before clearing his throat again, "You are correct Luke. Finding Lucina was not the only reason I journeyed to Valm." Ben took a deep breath, "I was looking for you. And… I found you."

"With Say'ri." Luke breathed.

Ben nodded, "I considered taking you from her. Raising you myself at that point but," Ben shook his head, "You looked happy. And my original mission was to simply watch over you, not raise you. I believed that the best course I could take was to let you grow up free from the troubles of the rest of the galaxy. I'm still trying to figure out if that was the right choice or not."

"We won't know till this is all over." Luke breathed clipping his father's lightsaber to his hip, "But, thank you, Ben. You… I think you did the right thing." He uttered a shaky breath, "My father, a Jedi Knight." He laughed to himself and rose to his feet. Before he turned away he glanced at a still sitting Ben, "Kenobi?"

"Yes?"

"If I-"

"I would be more than happy to teach you, Luke." Ben smiled a little bit, "I planned on doing so at some point anyways."

Luke shook his head as he smiled to himself, "I've waited over ten years to hear you say that." He chuckled under his breath, "It's about damn time. Um… let's finish this war first though."

"Agreed." Ben nodded, "That gives me some motivation to win faster."

"Do you think we can still win?" Luke asked.

Ben's eyes sparkled as he looked at Luke, "Give me a day with Yen'fay and we will have a larger army than yesterday. They didn't call me the Negotiator during the Clone Wars for nothing."

Tiki smiled a little bit, "There is hope for us after all." She nodded, "Neither Robin or Say'ri's deaths will be in vain. I know it." She rose to her feet, trying to rub the tear stains from her face as she stood up, "I think it is time I retired for the night."

Luke nodded, "Yeah, Cynthia is probably worried sick."

"Why?" Ben asked as the trio started walking back to the center of camp.

"She thinks I was on my way to try and kill you."

"Do you think we should play it as if you did try?" Ben remarked with a mischievous glance.

"That's evil." Luke smiled wide as they got closer to Cynthia's tent. One of his hands brushed against the new, old lightsaber against his hip. "And something the Justice Cabal would absolutely pull off." He cleared his throat and, with an exaggerated roar, uttered a phrase that caused Cynthia, Chrom, Frederick, every single Shepherd present, to come charging out of their tent, weapons drawn.

"PREPARE TO DIE KENOBI!"

* * *

"Hm…" Ragana raised an eyebrow as she lounged in a chair in her personal quarters, legs kicked up over one of the armrests. Her eyes studied the holotable between her and Commander Cody. He had just introduced her to a strange strategy game called Dejarik. Needless to say, she was enjoying herself tremendously. It was a challenging game. One that pressed her to be creative in how she played against the old clone.

She already knew she had an aptitude for the cerebral art of strategy. Everytime she went onto the holonet to study military tactics, she found herself lost in the histories and examples presented to her. Hours would pass without her knowing it as she learned about the exploits of great generals and admirals. Especially the generals and admirals of the Clone Wars. Thanks to her special clearance, she was allowed to study the actual tactics of the Republic's Jedi Generals. Most were incompetant fools, the lessons she gleaned taught her more about what not to do than what to do. But there were a few rare exceptions: specifically Jedi Generals Kenobi, Skywalker, and Pong Krell.

The first one, Kenobi; she was enthralled with his exceptional amounts of success despite bad odds. Defeat was a rarity for him, and a high casualty rate even rarer. But he was also very by the book in his approach to battle. Traditional in his tactics. A great example of old tricks being perfected and executed extremely well.

The second one, General Skywalker, was a far more interesting study. The amount of suicide missions he managed to not only survive, but thrive in, was awe inspiring. Victory after victory littered his dossier. The creativity and daring he displayed in battle blew her mind more than once. Who in their right mind would think of using walkers to walk on an asteroid in order to ambush an enemy frigate? It was so crazy and it somehow worked!?

Finally, Pong Krell, a perfect example of ruthless efficiency and effectiveness. His casualty rates were catastrophic, for both his own forces and the enemy. But she could not argue with his results. He was a study on what to avoid as a commander, in her mind. Ragana did not want to be a ruthless tyrant over her men. The Inquisitors were that, and she loathed those fools. She wanted to be a leader, beloved by her men. A soldier who loved their commander would do far more in battle than a soldier who hated their commander. As if to prove her point, she read last night that Krell was murdered by his own men at the Battle of Umbara. Even though he was almost always victorious, his methods betrayed him in the end. A fate she was keen to avoid.

"It's your move, my lady." Cody muttered as he finished making a move on the dejarik table.

Ragana sat up in her chair and studied the holograms on the holotable. Her brow furrowed. Cody was playing this game quite safe compared to before. Likely luring her into a trap of some sort that he would spring once she overextended herself. Yes, that was what he was doing. She could already see it playing out.

She tapped a few buttons and moved one of her pieces to a defensive position, guarding her right flank. Cody raised his brow.

"Different for you." The old clone muttered, "What are you playing at?"

"You tell me, Commander." Ragana drawled once again lounging back in her seat, "I'm curious about what exactly you are doing as well."

Cody snorted, "Wouldn't be a game if you figured out your opponent just by asking them what was going through their head."

Ragana shrugged, "I'm not so sure about that. I've been reading up about the Jedi Generals. One in particular was well known for getting the enemy to tell him what they intended to do." Cody grimaced a little, causing her to smirk, "I believe you worked with him regularly."

Cody nodded, "General Kenobi was not called the Negotiator for nothing. That man could talk circles around the most intelligent of beings."

"You admire him a great deal." Ragana noted.

"Admired." Cody corrected, "That title of negotiator did not save him when the end came."

Ragana nodded, "What happened to him?"

Cody exhaled, visibly upset now with the line of questioning. Ragana quickly raised her hand.

"Nevermind Commander." She said quickly, much to the Clone's relief, "If I had known that question would cause you distress I would not have asked it."

Cody regarded her curiously, "You're a strange protege of the Emperor's, did you know that?"

"If by strange you mean not like those inquisitors, I will take that as a compliment." Ragana commented. She shifted in her seat, "I aim to lead, Cody. Not command, not boss, and certainly not dictate. Nothing will be accomplished that way. Nothing significant at least."

"Your master would disagree with you."

Ragana worked her jaw back and forth, "Maybe… but, the student can have a small philosophical disagreement with the master."

"Wars have been started for less."

Ragana's eyes widened, silencing the commander, "You think I would try to dethrone the Emperor?"

Cody shrugged, "Isn't the student supposed to surpass the master at some point?" He tapped his fingers on the dejarik table, "Besides, I was not referring to the Emperor when it came to starting a war."

Ragana furrowed her brow as she thought for a moment. A laugh sputtered from her lips.

"You mean this Lord Vader I've heard so much about." Ragana rose from her seat and sauntered over to a small kitchenette in her quarters, where a kettle of tea was brewing. She poured two cups and spun back around to face Cody, "Where is this guy anyways? For someone with such an imposing reputation, he is very… absent, don't you think?"

"That's a recent development." Cody muttered, "I've only ever interacted with the man a few times. And you are correct, he is very imposing… and vengeful. He won't take kindly to learning about you."

Ragana's eyes sparkled as she handed Cody a mug of tea, "He'll have to come and get me then. I won't just bow down to someone I have no respect for as of yet." She sipped her own tea as she sat down in her chair once again, "I do respect his skills thought. I've studied up on him through the holonet."

"I was not aware you had the clearance for that."

Ragana gave Cody a mischievous look, "I don't. Vader is one of the only things my Master is trying to hide from me. Not exactly sure why, but what does it matter? Soon we will meet, of that I am certain. Then well… we'll see who is really the Emperor's apprent-"

Her words got caught in her throat as pain lanced through her head, shooting from her forehead to the nape of her neck. The hairs on her arms stood on end as the Dark Side of the Force rippled through the air around her. She sensed something strange. The Dark Side was not snarling, or roaring, it was screaming. As if it was in actual physical pain.

The sudden sharp pain became lightning hot, forcing her to fall from her chair and onto the floor. Her cup of tea shattered against the durasteel floor as she hit the ground.

"Ragana!" Cody exclaimed, moving quickly to her side.

She barely noticed he was there. Somehow the world around her was fluctuating. One moment she saw her quarters and Cody kneeling beside her, trying to make sure she was okay. The next her entire vision rippled, and she saw a strange place.

A dark environment, void of light save for ghostly white lines running along shadowy, invisible catwalks. Circular portals lined the catwalk she laid on. Every fiber of her being wanted to rise to her feet, but she found herself unable to move at all. It felt like a heavy weight rested on her, forcing her into the ground. She grit her teeth and tried to will the force into her body, to give her the strength necessary to get to her feet.

The force did not heed her call. Instead it rushed away from her. The Dark Side followed the pain filled call of someone else. She raised her head just enough to see a young human male standing down the catwalk. Her eyes widened when she caught a glimpse of a black and gold coat over his shoulders. The coat had many tears, burns, and frays in it. The man meanwhile appeared unconscious even though he stood with his eyes open. There was an impossible stillness to him as he stood in front of a circular window with a dense swamp on the other side.

She recognized him. There was a tug in her heart. A longing that made her want to run to him and throw her arms around his him. It took her a moment to identify why she felt this way.

"Father…" She breathed, hardly recognizing him due to the torn coat, ash covered skin, and pale complexion.

The world shuddered as a shadow sprouted out from him and shoved him forward through the window. The window rippled as his body disappeared into it, as if he slipped into a portal.

"No!" Morgan screamed as she fought with everything she had to get to her feet and go after him, "Don't go! I need answers!"

The shadow spun towards her. Inside of its inky blackness, she heard something laugh at her. Then it followed her father into the portal. Once it was gone, the lights on the dark catwalks crisscrossing the dark void winked out.

"Ragana!"

The feeling of Cody shaking her shoulder brought her back to reality. She gasped and sat upright with a start. The door to her quarters opened as she sat up. A pair of medics rushed in, equipment in tow.

Ragana uttered a few ragged gasps. Sweat covered her brow. Every limb felt cold and numb. She gave Cody a glare when she noticed the medics.

"I'm fine." She snarled.

"You fainted."

"I said I am fine."

She furrowed her brow as she stayed seated. She waved for the medics to leave, which they did without question. She saw her father again, but not like she usually did. Usually she saw him in dreams, within fragments of memories that plagued her nights. But this was not a dream, this was something else. A vision of some sort. One she could not wrap her mind around.

"We are returning to Coruscant." She breathed, shakily rising to her feet.

Cody reached out to help her but she shoved his hand away.

"I need to speak to my Master."

She exhaled leaning up against her chair then looking down at the shattered remains of her teacup. A curse slipped from her lips.

"Now I have to make more tea."

 **And chapter! Luke has finally learned the truth! 115 chapters in and he discovers the truth. Damn it still blows my mind that this story has gone on for that long, holy crap. This was an extremely interesting chapter to write, very character heavy instead of plot heavy. Something I enjoyed quite a bit. But this war needs to come to a close soon, and we are nearly there. Walhart's army approaches. What will our heroes do about it? We will find out soon.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**

 **Come hang out at the Treehouse! Discord code is: 9XG3U7a**


	116. The General's Resolve

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 116

The General's Resolve

He had failed. All of the fears Yen'fay had held for years, ever since the Conqueror slew his parents and conquered Chon'sin, had come true. The oath he swore to his father before he died, has been broken.

Say'ri lay dead on a table in his tent. The paleness of her skin looked unnatural. It made Yen'fay sick to his stomach. The sake did not help much either. But it helped numb him at least a little bit to the terrible reality he now lived in. However, it could not numb him enough.

He let out a whimper, tearing his gaze away from her corpse as he sat on the ground bottle in one hand, blade in the other. A fresh tear dripped from his left eye, which surprised him. He thought he had cried all of his tears during the night. But as the morning came, and the sun rose outside of his darkened tent, he was proven wrong.

 _My actions led to her death._ He thought, bringing the nearly empty bottle of sake to his lips and guzzling down the few remaining drops. _My cowardice killed her._

What would have happened if he had done what Luke and Lucina told him to do? Would Say'ri still be alive if he had an ounce of courage and decided to finally stand against the Conqueror? Would his family still be intact if he wasn't such a coward and chose the hard trail with its many trials instead of the easy road with its supposed safety. What good was that safety now? Excellus killed Say'ri.

Excellus killed Say'ri. The worm… the bastard… if Yen'fay had him in his grasp, he would slaughter that filth. He would have made the worm's death a slow and painful one for his betrayal. But of course, the worm slipped away before Yen'fay could exact his vengeance. Leaving the broken General to linger alone in his tent and drink all of his sake in grief.

He raised his drunken gaze to look at Say'ri's body again.

"I'm sorry." He slurred. He clumsily tossed the empty bottle of sake across the tent, "You were right in the end." He nodded, his grip on his short shoto tightening, "You were right." He sucked in a sharp breath and pressed the point of the blade against his stomach.

It was the only thing he could do right now. His failure had been too great. He had disgraced his family, disgraced his name, disgraced everything he once stood for. He failed to keep his promise to his father. With his death, someone far greater than him would take over Chon'sin. Luke would make sure his little brother, Kage, would grow into a great ruler. After siding with Say'ri, Yen'fay knew Luke was now a far greater man than he could ever hope to become.

And yet, despite knowing he had to end his life, Yen'fay hesitated. He could not bring himself to thrust the blade into his stomach. His teeth clenched tight as harsh breaths rushed in and out of his lungs. Finally, he uttered an enraged roar, and threw his blade across the room, before collapsing in a drunken heap on the ground.

"I am a damn coward." He whimpered.

The entrance to his tent opened, letting soft rays of morning sunlight filter in and wash over Say'ri's cold body. Captain Eiji poked his head into the tent. The older man's eyes roved through the darkness until they fell upon the broken General. A heavy sigh slipped from his lips.

"General." Eiji muttered stepping inside and closing the tent up behind him.

"I… ordered you… to leave me be." Yen'fay slurred, struggling to prop himself up onto his elbows, only to fall flat on his back once again, "Let me grieve."

Eiji bowed his head, "Yes, well… I figured such an order could be disobeyed when the ruler of Ylisse himself has requested an audience with you."

Yen'fay lifted his head from the dirt, a perplexed look on his face.

"Why would he want to speak with me?"

"You are our General, sir." Captain Eiji replied as he plucked a book of matches from a nearby table and lit a lantern hanging from the center tentpole. Warm light filled the tent, causing Yen'fay to squeeze his eyes shut.

"Some general I am." Yen'fay breathed, wiping his eyes with right hand, "I am a coward and a failure, Eiji." A rancid, drunken belch slipped from his lips. Yen'fay grimaced and gave Eiji a pathetic look, "I betrayed my people by surrendering to the Conqueror. I betrayed my family more times than I can count. Say'ri is dead because I am a coward who could not take a stand when she needed me."

Eiji grimaced as he opened up Yen'fay's personal chest, rummaged through some of his things, and found a powerful elixir inside. One the General always kept in case he injured himself while in camp. In this case, it would do wonders to help sober him up a little bit.

"Maybe." Eiji sighed as he closed the chest and spun around towards Yen'fay, "But the General I know is not a coward. He is one of the bravest men I know. It takes courage to forsake your honor and respect in order to protect one's family." Eiji held the elixir out to the General, "You made a tremendous sacrifice, General."

Yen'fay snorted, "Sacrifice?" He shook his head then nodded over at Say'ri's body, "She sacrificed. I did nothing."

"Her death is not your fault." Eiji replied, voice sharp, snapping Yen'fay from his melancholic musings, "I witnessed Excellus stab her in the back like the coward he is. I saw you try everything your power to make certain she survived the battle. Going so far as to not even strike at her with your blade while she had every intention to kill you." Eiji took a deep breath, "The fault lies with Excellus, and by extension, the Conqueror for putting you in this position." He gestured the elixir at Yen'fay once again, "Take the potion already, sir. The Ylissean delegation will be here soon."

Yen'fay swallowed hard as he stared at the bottle filled with purple liquid. It would not sober him up much, but it would allow him to function. With a trembling hand he reached for the bottle, missed it once, then grabbed it on the second swipe. He stared at the bubbling purple liquid then glanced over at Eiji.

"You should be the general of this army, Eiji." He muttered, fumbling with the cork, "You are a far greater man than I."

Eiji shook his head, "I could not have done what you had to when your father passed."

"Then let's call us even." Yen'fay breathed, finally wrenching the cork free and gulping down the elixir. When the last drop hit his tongue, he yanked the bottle away from his lips and handed it back to Eiji. One of his hands reached up and wiped some of his long, gray hair from his face, pulling it back over his head, "I look like shit, don't I?"

"Shit usually looks better." Eiji admitted with a nod.

Yen'fay snorted, "I might need some help getting ready."

Eiji nodded, "I thought as much. I'll send a servant or two to assist you. Clean you up so that you look semi presentable for the Ylisseans." He moved towards the tent's door and paused as he pulled the flap back, "If you are not out of here in the next ten minutes, I'm coming back to make sure you didn't do something stupid or rash."

Yen'fay gulped, knowing exactly what Eiji was referring to.

"You're a good man, Eiji." Yen'fay breathed, grimacing as he tasted his horrendous breath, "And a good friend."

The older captain smiled a little bit, "A captain's job is to support their general. I'm just doing my job sir." He glanced out of the tent and cursed, "They're early. I'll stall while you clean yourself up."

Yen'fay nodded, "Thank you."

Eiji stepped out of his tent, leaving Yen'fay alone once more. Yen'fay winced as a headache formed. He hissed as he got to his feet, muscles groaning in protest. A long breath left his lips as he rolled his shoulders, feeling the muscles in his neck and back pop then relax.

One of his eyes glanced at the shoto across the room once more. The General strode over to it and picked it up, turning the blade over between his hands as he stared at his ragged reflection in the steel.

 _If the Ylisseans were not about to arrive, then I would finally end it all._ He thought to himself, _If Eiji had not-_ He swallowed hard and raised the blade to his long gray hair. In one smooth motion, he sliced through it, grit his teeth, then glared at his reflection in the blade once more. The top knot that he once had in his hair fell to the ground behind him.

At that moment, a pair of servants entered. One carried a fresh set of clothes for him. The other had wet towels for him to quickly wipe himself down. He nodded his thanks to them then watched as they quickly exited his tent. With another heavy sigh, he cleaned his hair up with the blade. Trimming it to be as even as he could manage. Then he set the weapon down on his bed and turned to the fresh robes placed on a small table near the tent entry.

 _Time to face them._

* * *

It was official, there was nothing more awkward, in Chrom's opinion, than standing in the middle of an enemy camp with enemy soldiers glaring silently at him. Nothing more unsettling either. Every movement from the Valmese soldiers gawking at him, Ben, Luke, Tiki, and Frederick, put him on edge and made him want to reach for Falchion. It took several stern glances from Ben in order to convince him to maintain an appearance of peace. Something he still struggled with.

 _How did Emmeryn do this so easily?_ Chrom thought as he flexed the fingers on his sword hand.

Frederick shifted nervously to his left. The Knight's wary eyes glanced back and forth around the Valmese camp. Always watching, always waiting, always ready for an enemy to dare attempt an attack. His hand kneaded the grip to his sword as he remained at the ready.

"They're staring at us." He grumbled.

"Correction, they're staring at Tiki." Ben mumbled to Chrom's right.

Chrom arched an eyebrow then glanced at the Manakete on the other side of Frederick.

"In what way?" He wondered out loud.

Frederick facepalmed, "Milord, your marriage…"

Chrom's face reddened, "I-I didn't-" Luke and Ben started to chuckle to his right, causing Chrom to fume a little bit, "I didn't mean it like that and you all know it."

"I'm quite flattered, your grace." Tiki smiled back at him.

Luke covered his mouth as he attempted to stifle his laughter while Chrom gawked at Tiki, stunned by her comment. Ben shook his head, chuckling a little bit.

"You just enjoy toying with everyone, don't you?" He muttered just loud enough for Tiki to hear him.

"Toying? I would never."

"You would." Luke mumbled, "I remember you from the future. The Justice Cabal had their supporters in the palace, and you were one of them."

Tiki furrowed her brow in confusion, "Justice Cabal?"

"Quiet." Frederick hissed to all of them. He nodded to the ranks of soldiers separating in front of them, "Someone is coming."

The circle of Valmese foot soldiers surrounding them split as two men strode towards the five Shepherds. One was the Valmese Captain they had already spoken to. Chrom furrowed his brow as he tried to remember the older man's name. But he could not recall it. His mind was more focused on the Valmese soldiers around him than on the captain who pleasantly greeted them upon their arrival a few moments ago.

Chrom however, recognized the tall man walking stride for stride with the Valmese captain. However, he did not carry the same aura of authority and dominance he had earlier on the slopes of Demon's Ingle. He did a good job hiding it, did a good job covering it up, but Chrom recognized the glaze in the man's eyes. He had that same look when Emmeryn died. Felt the same way General Yen'fay felt when he lost his sister during the war with Plegia. The Prince had to give Yen'fay credit, unlike him, the Chon'sin General emerged to lead his men rather than hiding in his tent like he had.

Chrom took a deep breath as a slight twinge of shame hit his heart. That had not been his best moment, but it was one he grew out of. Emmeryn's death hurt him, still hurt him, but he had become a stronger leader, and a better man, in the wake of that tragedy. If Yen'fay was as great a man as Luke made him out to be, Chrom was certain the General would do the same.

 _Hopefully he is more reasonable now than before battle._ Chrom thought to himself.

Luke uttered a surprised gasp, drawing quick glance from Chrom. He saw the young man lean over to Ben and whisper something about Yen'fay's hair. Chrom quirked an eyebrow and cast one more cursory look at the General as he approached.

 _He cut his hair?_

Both Yen'fay and Captain Eiji paused a few feet away from Chrom, Ben, and Tiki. Luke and Frederick backed up a step, making it clear that the three Shepherds at the lead would be speaking for them. Yen'fay flicked his weary, raw eyes over at Luke. He grimaced. Guilt riddled his face. That grimace left quickly as he regained a commanding presence and offered Chrom a slight bow.

"Exalt Chrom-"

"Prince Chrom," Chrom corrected quickly, "I have not taken the title of Exalt yet."

Yen'fay furrowed his brow, mildly perplexed, "My apologies then, your grace."

 _He's got manners down._ Chrom thought to himself, somewhat amused, _I get the feeling Frederick and Maribelle would get along well with him_

"My name is General Yen'fay." Yen'fay continued, "Although, I assume you already knew that."

Chrom nodded, "I did. And I will say, it is an honor to speak to you under better circumstances."

Frederick nudged Chrom from behind while Tiki arched an eyebrow. Ben pinched the bridge of his nose, making Chrom realize what he said.

"Or er- better circumstances than when we were facing off on a fiery mountain." Chrom stammered out quickly.

Yen'fay eyed Chrom carefully, unamused. He glanced over at Luke again before speaking, "I suggest we take these negotiations somewhere private. Captain Eiji, the command tent?"

"Centrally located, as always, General." The older captain to Yen'fay's right replied.

Yen'fay nodded, "Good." He took a deep breath and motioned for the Shepherds to follow him. His body assuming a relaxed stance in order to ease the nerves of his soldiers watching them. Without another word, Yen'fay turned and marched deeper into the camp.

Frederick shifted uneasily behind Chrom, "I don't like this."

"You don't like anything." Luke said as he marched after Yen'fay, unafraid of the glares the soldiers gave him.

Tiki followed in silence as well, the angry glares given to Luke turning into looks of shock and reverence upon realizing who she was. Many of the Chon'sin soldiers bowed their heads to her as she passed.

"Relax, Frederick." Chrom breathed, "We'll be alright." He followed after Tiki with Ben and Frederick, "Besides, we have a plan if anything goes wrong, right Ben?"

Ben blinked. A sheepish look crossed his face.

"Your emergency exit is to go out swords drawn isn't it?" Frederick sighed.

"To be fair, it has worked for me before." Ben chuckled.

"I like that plan." Chrom nodded.

"Of course you do, milord." Frederick groaned.

When they reached the command tent, a large tent pitched at the very center of the Valmese camp, two of Yen'fay soldiers opened the entry for them, ushering the group quickly inside.

The inside of the command tent was very minimalist. A simple square table sat at the center. Bare, no maps even placed over it. Cleary set up in a hurry in the wake of the battle on the volcano. A few lanterns hung from the tent ceiling, and one sat unlit on the tabletop. Beyond that, nothing was inside.

Yen'fay ran a hand over his head as he stepped around the table, turned, and leaned against it, weary gaze focused on Chrom as he entered. Tiki and Luke stepped to the side while Chrom and Ben stood on the other side of the table from Yen'fay. Captain Eiji and Frederick remained near the door, both men warily eyeing each other every few moments.

Yen'fay took a deep breath, carefully eyeing the Ylisseans in the tent.

"I assume you called this meeting to negotiate a surrender?"

Chrom quirked an eyebrow. He glanced over at Ben as the Jedi cleared his throat.

"Negotiate yes. But not a surrender." Ben replied.

Yen'fay frowned, "My army outnumbers yours still, after that catastrophe of a battle, nearly ten to one. If I wanted to, I could order my men to execute an all out assault on your camp, and wipe out your forces in a matter of minutes."

"Assuming we don't have our other forces in reserve elsewhere?" Ben replied, causing Yen'fay's frown to deepen.

Ben smirked a little bit, "You didn't think that was our entire army did you?"

"It did seem quite small." Yen'fay admitted.

"The Khans of Regna Ferox and their Feroxi are elsewhere. So are the majority of our Pegasus Knights." Ben explained, "Oh, and that rogue group of bandits that have been harassing your men on the road, ours too. Daily, more and more Valmese defect because of her." He pointed at Tiki, who gave both Ben and Yen'fay a bright smile, "And now your men have witnessed the Voice of Naga personally, among our ranks. How do you think that will affect your men's desire to fight for the Conqueror?"

Yen'fay's lips curled back into a snarl, "Who said they fight for the Conqueror?"

Luke's eyes widened in surprise at the sudden flash of anger on Yen'fay's face. His eyes darted towards Ben and Chrom, who also noticed.

"Well, they fly his standard, don't they?" Ben remarked, grabbing hold of the topic, "I figured it would be reasonable to assume-"

"Your assumption is wrong. My men do not fight for the Conqueror." Off to the side, Eiji watched quietly, brow raised as his General spoke with rare hints of anger lacing his voice, "My men do not even fight for me. They fight for Chon'sin." He inhaled deeply, jaw clenched tight behind his lips. His fists curled on the tabletop, "At least they do now. There is no negotiation here, General Kenobi. The Conqueror had my sister killed by the cowardly worm, Excellus. My worst fears have already been realized." He pushed back from the table, "I have nothing left to lose at this point."

Ben raised his brow, concerned, "You have your life to lose."

Yen'fay shook his head, "That is already forfeit in my mind." Luke paled to the side, "My army will stand against the Conqueror." Eiji fell into a hard coughing fit, "Chon'sin will not live under the Conqueror's tyranny any longer. Captain Eiji!"

Eiji coughed again, "G-General."

"Inform the men and other Captains. Allow the Ylisseans to share our supply stores, I'm sure they need it. Especially for their wounded."

Chrom stared wide eyed and slackjawed as Yen'fay barked the orders at Eiji. The Chon'sin captain swallowed hard,

"Are you positive that you-"

Yen'fay pounded a fist on the table and pointed a finger at Eiji, "I will not be ordered around by a ruler who refuses to even bloody his own hands!" The General shook with rage, "The Conqueror's time has come to an end. Chon'sin will be free again. So go, now!"

Eiji quickly rushed out of the tent. Once he was gone, Yen'fay exhaled and stared hard at Chrom.

"I suggest you go tell your army the situation. That way we don't have any accidents during the supplies exchange."

Chrom nodded, "Agreed um-"

"Thank you very much, General." Ben bowed his head, "We greatly appreciate your generosity and welcome you in our efforts against the Conqueror."

Yen'fay worked his jaw back and forth, "We kill him." Yen'fay growled, "Or we die trying." He beckoned toward the door, "I would like some time alone with my brother."

Chrom swallowed hard and nodded once more. He, Ben, Tiki, and Frederick retreated. At the door, Ben glanced around and nodded to Luke. Letting him know that he would wait outside while the others went back to the camp. Luke simply rolled his eyes once the Jedi exited.

"He's sticking around." Luke told his brother, "The Jedi doesn't… trust…"

The aura of authority Yen'fay had been exuding disappeared entirely. He slumped against the table then fell to a seat beside it, exhaustion and grief consuming him once again. Luke rushed to his side.

"Yen'fay, are you-"

"I'll be fine." He whispered, "Just… tired."

Luke furrowed his brow. Through the force he could feel his brother's pain. The agony he was in made Luke's heart ache.

"Don't lie to me." Luke said, voice low, "I can sense when you do."

Yen'fay gave Luke a weary look, "Do you have an idea how annoying it is to know that now?"

Luke let out a wry laugh.

"I'm going to have to really guard myself around you now."

Luke shook his head, still chuckling, "It's not like I'll use your thoughts against you. I'm not like that anymore."

Yen'fay arched an eyebrow, "Anymore?"

"Yeah well…" Luke grimaced, "Old habits die hard." He took a seat beside Yen'fay, letting his head rest against one of the table's legs. A heavy sigh left his lips, "I'd ask how you're holding up, but I can already tell."

Yen'fay snorted, "What gave it away? The exhaustion, the alcohol scented breath, or the hair?"

"The hair." Luke answered, "You cut it. Last I checked, that was not a good sign."

Yen'fay shook his head. His weary gaze lingered on the wall, "I failed, Luke." His next breath came out in a shaky gasp, "I let her die. If I had only-" Yen'fay swallowed hard, "If I had only listened to you and Lucina she would be alive right now."

Luke grimaced, eyes staring down at his lap, "Maybe." He admitted, "But… we don't have time to think about what ifs. We have a war to win and a Conqueror to dethrone."

Yen'fay's gaze hardened, "Not just dethrone."

Luke pursed his lips, but did not say anything in reply. His brother flicked his eyes back over to him, a small smile on his lips.

"I saw how you fought. You took on that terrifying monster, Grievous, despite the animosity you hold towards Ben Kenobi. You still saved his life. Then, despite everything that happened, despite…" Yen'fay took a deep breath, struggling to contain his sadness, "despite Say'ri's death, you have risen to face the next challenge." He placed a hand on Luke's shoulder, "You are far more worthy to lead this army than I am."

Luke's eyes slowly widened, "I-I am not interes-"

"I don't care." Yen'fay replied, "I failed. I am not worthy of leading these men into battle. Not with how badly I betrayed Chon'sin, and our family. You are my brother, whether you are from the future or not, whether you are my father's blood or not, that fact remains unchanged. These men know that. They will follow you into battle." A proud smile crossed Yen'fay's lips, "And so will I."

Luke struggled to form words as Yen'fay's declaration hit him like a gut punch. His mouth hung open as his mind attempted to wrap around what Yen'fay just told him. His head shook.

"No, nope." Luke got to his feet. He looked down at Yen'fay, "If you are not worthy of leading, then I am certainly not. You know my past. You know I was Maul's apprentice. I betrayed those I considered my family ten times over."

"And yet here you stand." Yen'fay slowly got to his feet, "A better man despite those hardships." He uttered a heavy sigh, "Luke, please. Say'ri… weighs heavily on me right now. I cannot effectively lead these men like this. I believe you can. I saw how you fought on the battlefield. I have heard how the Ylisseans looked to you when the battle turned against them, even though you did not seek that out. You are a leader, Luke."

He moved towards the exit, leaving Luke in stunned silence at the table. Yen'fay glanced back at him as he pulled the exit open.

"I shall inform Captain Eiji. You can trust him. He's a good man."

The General exited the tent. Once he left, Luke exhaled and steadied himself against the table.

Him, the new General of the Chon'sin army? He blinked and shook his head, trying to see if he was still living in reality or not. His left hand ran along the grain of the table, but he barely registered the sensation in his fingertips.

Yen'fay surrendered control. Luke now had to lead this army against the Conqueror?

"Well?" Luke's gaze snapped up to Ben as the Jedi came in to see if he was alright. His arms were folded as he slowly stepped towards the table, face contemplative.

"You heard?" Luke asked him.

Ben nodded.

Luke snorted, "Rather nosy of you, don't you think?"

Ben smirked, "I was just trying to make sure something crazy didn't happen. Thankfully, nothing did." His grin widened, "So… General, what shall you do now?"

Luke drew back, "I don't have the faintest idea."

A dry laugh left Ben's lips, "At least you admit it, unlike Anakin."

Luke laughed a little as well, "I think the first thing I should do is find Captain Eiji. Then… then meet the men. Win them over. They probably aren't my biggest fan right now given how I was just on the other side of the battlefield a day ago."

Ben nodded, "That'd be smart."

They both moved towards the tent exit. As they left, Luke jumped.

"What?" Ben asked.

Luke swallowed hard, "I'm technically King of Chon'sin right now."

Ben furrowed his brow, "And?"

Luke gave him a nervous look, "That makes Cynthia a queen."

Ben blinked, "You're right, we should be nervous."

"Absolutely."

* * *

Flavia could honestly say that this had to be the most exhausted she had ever felt in her entire life. And that was saying a lot. As she sat on a large boulder resting in a field of rolling grass, the waxing crescent moon overhead, she let out a heavy sigh and massaged her aching legs.

In the grass, her soldiers, or what remained of them, set up a hasty camp. No tents, no fires, just bedrolls and cold food. Another miserable night on the march. It made her respect her soldiers even more.

She worked her jaw back and forth, watching the edges of the camp for her men. Every night, she took part in the first watch with three other lancers. And she always watched the northern corner of their camp, which was the corner closest to the enemy army pursuing them. If there was one advantage to being reduced to such a small force, it was that they could move quickly. It took a day or two to build up a comfortable gap between them and the Conqueror. But now that they had, Flavia no longer sat on edge whenever she was on watch.

Her dark eyes roved over the northern edge of the camp once more. Soft snores filled the night as her devoted lancers slumbered. Naga, if they survived this war, if she survived this war, she would reward each and every one of them handsomely. Their loyalty, their strength, was her rock right now. The oaf had been her support before.

But Basilio died. The oaf had to go and play the hero, sacrifice himself for her. Flavia grit her teeth, one hand freezing over her thigh and clenching the muscles tight. The other hand reached into her armor and gripped the strange gemstone wrapped in heavy cloth, given to her by Basilio before his death. She still did not know what exactly it was. But Basilio deemed it important enough to give to her, so it had to be something special. She gasped as the muscles in her thigh lashed out with a sudden pain, causing her to relax her grip. She uttered a heavy sigh and bowed her head.

 _Why'd you have to do that you damn oaf?_ She thought folding her arms as a cold wind brushed over the plains around her. _You were twice the Khan I am. These soldiers needed you to lead them, not me._

That was a fact that she was always afraid to admit. Flavia knew she was not an experienced ruler, or leader even. She had not been Khan of Eastern Ferox for long before winning the throne to the entire country. Certainly not as long as Basilio had been ruling the west. Hell, she recalled seeing Basilio ruling Western Ferox when she first became a Lancer herself so many years ago. Back then, the oaf had a few less wrinkles.

She chuckled softly, feet kicking at some loose dirt at the base of her boulder.

 _I always thought that you, old oaf, could not possibly be a better warrior than me. I believed that more and more with each passing year._ Flavia sighed, _You damn sure proved me wrong here… in Valm._

A hard question had been lingering in her mind since she led a full retreat away from the battlefield and the Conqueror's legions. Would she have done the same? Did she have the guts, the courage, to sacrifice her own life so that her rival Khan could escape and lead the men? Would she have done what Basilio did, or would she have ran as well? If Basilio had not taken a stand, precious time would not have been gained. His sacrifice bought Flavia and her Lancers enough time to run, gain some distance, and catch their breath.

 _Truly, you were a greater Khan than I._

A whistle skipped through the wind, snapping Flavia's head upright. Her gaze shot to the east, where she saw one of her sentries frantically pointing skyward. Her eyes widened, one hand slowly drew her blade from its scabbard. She did not know if the Valmese had fliers, but she could not be too careful now. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her southern and western sentries brushing past her men, quickly waking them all up and warning them of something approaching.

Was it a Valmese patrol? Flavia knew that Queen Sumia led a diversion mission to the east of her position. A fake retreat back to Charlet. Desperate by design, and meant to make the Valmese pursue with a great host in order to finish of the suddenly weak Archaneans. A mission as suicidal as the one she and Basilio took on. Had she been defeated as well?

She looked up to the sky, waiting to see shape flying over the stars and the moon. Around her, her weary Lancers prepared themselves. Captain Raimi moved over towards her.

"See anything yet, my Khan?" Raimi asked, blue eyes scanning the darkness.

Flavia kneaded the grip on her sword, "Not yet. You?"

Raimi shook her head.

One of Flavia's sentries hissed towards her. One of his fingers pointed skyward. Flavia followed his finger. She gulped when she saw fliers soaring towards them, barely visible against the dark sky. The lead flier swooped quickly down towards them, causing both her and Raimi to tighten around the grips on their weapons.

Flavia instantly relaxed when she saw the Pegasus land with Queen Sumia on its back. The Ylissean Queen shifted her grip on her lance, locked eyes with Flavia, and smiled.

"One army down."

Raimi's jaw fell open, "Did she-"

Flavia threw her head back and laughed. An action that calmed down her soldiers immediately.

"I'll be damned, girl." Flavia sauntered towards Sumia as the Queen dismounted her Pegasus, "I expected you to delay the enemy, not kick their ass."

"There's more." Sumia smiled.

Flavia furrowed her brow. Her eastern sentry uttered a surprised cry. All of her Lancers pointed their spears behind Sumia's Pegasus, where an enormous group of both Ylissean and Valmese soldiers were moving through the tall grass. At the lead were Mustafa, Dooku, and a Valmese woman in red armor and robes that Flavia did not recognize.

"We have a new ally." Sumia nodded.

Flavia eyes narrowed at the Valmese woman. Clearly a commander, given her much more expensive armor compared to her regular soldiers. She carried a healing staff instead of a sword. But Flavia had a feeling this woman knew more about magic than just the healing arts. She shifted where she stood.

"Are you certain?" She whispered to Sumia.

Sumia nodded, "We struck an agreement."

Flavia pursed her lips and eyed the woman as she passed by. Her soldiers eyed her as well, but the woman did not flinch at the cold display of hostility form the Feroxi.

"That does not look like a defeated enemy to me." Flavia whispered again, making Sumia frown, "She's carrying way too much confidence for that."  
"Perhaps she is confident because she knows she has chosen the winning side."

Flavia snorted, "Winning side? Don't be naive. I'm impressed by your victory, but be careful with who you trust, and who you strike bargains with." She glanced past Sumia, watching as Dooku approached both of them, "If you want my opinion, you should have killed that general."

"Her name is Pheros, and she is our ally." Sumia hissed firmly, "I am not going to unnecessarily kill anyone."

"Her death was necessary. I can feel that in my bones."

"Are you certain you are not just saying that due to your own defeat?" Dooku chimed in, making Flavia bristle.

"No." Flavia snarled.

"Defeat?" Sumia's eyes widened as she looked at the exhausted Feroxi around her, "Where is Khan Basilio?"

Flavia grimaced. She inhaled deeply, trying to keep a mask of strength on her face.

"He bought us time." She nodded to herself, "Gave up his life in the process."

Sumia paled, "Oh Flavia I'm so-"

"Don't be." Flavia shrugged, "He went out as any good Feroxi Khan should: Weapon in hand, battle cry on his lips, and blood on his hands." She flicked her gaze back to Dooku, "As for my opinion on this General Pheros, I don't trust her already. A defeated opponent would not be so comfortable around her former enemy, doesn't matter what agreement has been struck. I'd keep a close eye on her."

Dooku glanced at Sumia. The Queen frowned back at him.

"Just because she agrees with you does not mean I'm wrong. Allies are people we should trust."

"Not recent ones." Dooku remarked, "And certainly not allies that still have a reason to betray us. Walhart still commands a million man army, and they are fresh off of defeating the Feroxi, who are the finest warriors on the Archanean continent. It is likely Pheros has already observed all of this." Dooku glanced away from the two rulers and over his shoulder at Pheros as the Valmese general sat down with two of her surviving captains, "The question becomes, how does she play her situation now? This entire agreement hinges on whether or not Prince Chrom and Kenobi were able to pull out a victory south of here."

Flavia nodded, "If they didn't, then we're doomed." She shook her head, working her jaw back and forth. The entire invasion was sat on the edge of a knife now. And she was convinced that the enemy was now among them instead of in front of them. A prospect she did not like, "I still say keep a close eye on her. Hopefully we won't end up with knives in our backs."

Sumia let out a reluctant sigh. One look at Dooku, and the old man nodded.

"I am already keeping tabs, your majesty." Dooku said.

"Very well." Sumia sighed, "How far are we from Demon's Ingle?"

"Another day or two if we go with the pace I've set." Flavia answered, "The men will be exhausted once we get there, so if the Prince lost, we will be really screwed."

"Chrom did not lose, I know it." Sumia reiterated. She took a deep breath, running a hand over the top of her head, "The Pegasi need a moment to rest anyways. A few more hours, then we fly again."

Flavia nodded in agreement, "And we'll march with you."

* * *

Coruscant never changed. The planet always held a constant buzz, a constant whirr, and a constant sensation of light and motion that gave the impression of a world that never slept. Indeed, it was a restless world. No matter where one was, whether they were at the peaks of the many towers jutting high into the clouds; or in the lower, rat infested levels, something was happening. A political deal, a financial agreement, a bounty collection, or a simple crime; Coruscant resembled a mind that was always occupied and never focused. Much like how Ragana felt as she ascended inside of the Emperor's Palace, turbolift engines softly whirring around her.

She had been unable to focus ever since her vision. Every time she attempted to meditate and recenter herself, she found her mind plagued with the sight of her father being pushed into the swamp window by a dark shadow. A shadow that dripped with the dark side's very essence. It robbed her of a chance to speak with him. Kept her from gaining answers she had craved for so long now. Her hands flexed into small, tight fists, then relaxed as the turbolift came to a soft stop at the top of the highest spire in the Emperor's Palace.

The doors opened, leading into the short corridor that led into the circular rotunda that served as her Master's throne room. A way for him to always look out over the planet that never slept. She could sense him in there. His black presence hung in the air like an icy fog, chilling her bones and reminding her who was the master and who was the apprentice.

She paused in front of the doors that led into her master's throne room. He said nothing to her when she informed him that she would be returning the Coruscant without the Jedi Master. Something that concerned her greatly. A scolding she could understand, expected even. Praise, well… hell would have to freeze over before her master accepted her return with the Jedi. But nothing? Why would he say nothing?

She took a deep breath, drinking deep in the dark side, in the cold aura surrounding the throne room, before pushing the doors open.

The shades inside of the rotunda were closed, shadowing the room in a deeper darkness than the night beyond the windows would normally allow. Her eyes could not pierce the shadows as she stepped into the room. But she knew her master sat in his throne, already facing her. She could sense it.

She stepped to the center of the rotunda, then quickly fell to one knee, bowing her head before the Dark Lord of the Sith. At that moment, two points of yellow light opened as Darth Sidious gazed upon her.

"Master." She breathed, "I apologize for my sudden return."

He said nothing still. Ragana swallowed hard as she felt the temperature in the room start to drop. The force grew cold, and began to retreat from her, gathering within the body of Sidious. A shuddering breath left her lips as she felt a dark presence brush against her thoughts, meeting no resistance.

"A wise decision." Sidious croaked, "You do not shield your thoughts, or your intentions. And yet, I fail to understand why you disobeyed me."

Ragana grimaced, "I… I received a vision, Master, and it unsettled me."

Sidious's eyes narrowed dangerously, "You disobey me on the whims of a vision?"

Her gaze snapped up at her master, "It was not an ordinary vis-"

She cried out as a dark hand gripped her mind, causing her to fall face first to the floor. Pain erupted inside of her body as a vice grip clenched over her.

"I ordered you to return once Jedi Master Windu was either captured or killed. Yet you failed to-"

"My… father…" Ragana gasped.

The black hand retreated away from her mind. Curiosity filled Sidious's eyes. In the shadows, Ragana could see him steeple his fingers in front of him as he regarded her with renewed interest.

She slowly pushed herself back up to her knees, "I saw my father. He was in some strange… place. A dark place filled with shadows, with catwalks of pale light." Sidious's gaze narrowed once more, "He did not see me, even though I called out to him. Then… he was pushed into a window by a sentient shadow. One that glared at me and laughed." Ragana swallowed hard, "I-I don't understand it, Master. So I came back to seek your council, in person."

Her Master remained quiet for a moment.

"What do you remember of your father, Morgan?" Sidious asked.

Ragana bristled for a split second at the use of her dead name. She quickly quashed her own fury with the name as Sidious waited for her response.

"Not much. I recall what he looks like, obviously." Ragana took a breath, "I know he taught me tactics, and some magic, through his writings. I was not old enough to learn personally from him when he died. I do remember others, comrades of his, telling me how brilliant and powerful he was. But also how distant he could be."

Sidious raised his chin, "Have you ever considered that your abilities come from him?"

Ragana furrowed her brow, "It has crossed my mind." She pursed her lips, "Master, I fail to see how this relates to my vision? The place I saw was not natural and-"

"You are correct, it is not natural." Sidious waved a hand. The cold receded, releasing its grip from Ragana. Dim, soft lights glowed from the rotunda ceiling, allowing Ragana to easily see her hooded master, "What you witnessed is a place I have only seen once before, through great trial and error. A place known to a precious few. And those precious few, usually only see it when their souls are claimed by the Force."

Ragana's eyes widened as Sidious spoke.

"You witnessed what is known to the ancients as the World Between Worlds." Sidious rested his hands on the armrests of his throne, "Before you ask, I saw it once before when peering into it through ancient Sith Alchemy. Through it, I saw the World Between Worlds. I witnessed a lone, human woman within it. One who was filled with death, but wrenched herself free from its grasp." Sidious explained, "Since then, I have been studying such phenomena in the force with great interest. But that does not concern you." He leaned forward in his seat, "Out of curiosity, did you see where the window your father fell through led?"

Ragana shrugged, "A swamp, from the looks of things. I only caught a glimpse before the shadow saw me and the vision ended."

Sidious sank back once more, "Interesting." His bony fingers tapped against the armress, "I shall meditate on what you told me. So shall you. In the meantime, you will return to your mission."

"But Master, I want the answers I-"

The cold returned, silencing Ragana.

"You will find and execute Jedi Master Mace Windu before he can incite any more petty rebellions. Am I clear?" The Dark Lord growled, his rising power making Ragana shiver in her boots.

"Yes, Master." Ragana nodded. She turned on her heel to leave.

"Before you go. I am re-assigning the Inquisitors away from you." Sidious informed her.

A smile graced her lips.

"And giving you a new companion. An inquisitor who is… raw, but around your level. I believe you will both work well together. Besides, I have found him to be quite the skilled duelist. You would be wise to train with him." A frown fell on her face. Sidious smiled behind her, sensing her displeasure, "He goes by the Eleventh Brother. The last of their ranks."

"How will I know who he is?" Ragana asked, jaw clenched tight.

"You will know." Sidioius replied, "Back to your mission, Morgan. If I have any more instructions for you, you will hear from me."

She stepped out of the rotunda, doors creaking shut behind her. A heavy sigh left her lungs as Ragana stepped onto the turbolift and descended. Once the turbolift reached the ground floor, she was greeted by Deathy One. Her Deathtrooper gave her a small nod then fell into lockstep alongside her.

As they reached the transport to return her back to her ship, Ragana detected a strange feeling surrounding it. Someone else sat within the transport. She only brought Deathy One with her, no one else.

Her right hand twiched towards her spellbook hidden with her robes. Her left hand brushed against the silver and gold lightsaber on her hip. One she had yet to use in battle.

"Who else is here?" She growled.

She heard Deathy One's blaster whine as it was primed. Ragana smirked and nodded for her loyal soldier and friend to open the transport door. Deathy One yanked it open and Ragana drew her spellbook, charging a thunder spell in her free hand.

A lone figure sat within the transport, head bowed and eyes closed. A young teenager, somehow younger than her. His dark hair was trimmed short. Unlike the other inquisitors, he did not wear dark robes or black armor. Instead, he wore a brown shirt and pants, Gray armor covered his shoulders and chest. Two black belts criss crossed his waist. Strapped to those belts were various pouches filled with items that Ragana assumed he considered necessary for missions. On his hip was a lone lightsaber hilt. Once again, he distinguished himself from the other Inquisitors; opting for a simple, single bladed hilt instead of those ridiculous, spinning, double sabers that annoyed her so much.

The dark side of the force wrapped around this Inquisitor in a different way than the others. Every other inquisitor she met felt feeble in the force. The Dark Side controlled them. They did not wield it as a true dark side adept should. But this one wrapped himself in it, much like she did. He fought to bring it to heel, battled with the dark beast so that it would obey him.

A slight smirk formed on Ragana's lips. Then a wry chuckle left her lungs. Deathy One lowered their blaster as Ragana closed her spellbook with a loud pop. The Inquisitor's eyes opened at the sound.

"So," Ragana sauntered over and took a seat beside him, "What do I call you? Because I will not call you Eleventh Brother. I mean, you aren't my brother, you aren't even my friend, so why should I do that?"

The young teenager eyed her carefully, but said nothing.

"Silent type eh?" Ragana sighed, "Great this is going to be-"

"Marek." The boy answered, cutting her off.

Ragana grit her teeth, "Did you just-"

"Galen Marek."

Anger burned hot in her as the brat interrupted her again. The fingers on her left hand brushed along the pages of her spellbook as she was tempted to wrench it open and zap him.

"And you are Morgan."

"Ragana." Ragana hissed.

The teen sniffed, "Really? Last I checked, the Emperor called you Morgan. So I will as well."

Deathy One shifted nervously in her seat as the transport lifted off and made its way back to the Spaceport, where Ragana's Star Destroyer waited for them. Ragana worked her jaw back and forth as she struggled to understand how this brat would have the gall to talk to her this way.

"You know who I am, don't you?"

"And I don't care." Galen Marek locked eyes with her for the first time since they spoke, "You are nothing to me. I am nothing to you. We will see if that changes, ever."

Ragana clenched her jaw tight. So tight, her teeth threatened to creak as they ground together. The Dark Side of the Force thrashed inside of her. Galen must've sensed it because a smile crossed his lips.

"Losing control?"

Her eyes blazed as he closed his eyes and sank back into whatever meditative state she found him in. Her gaze snapped over to Deathy One.

"I'm going to kill him." She mouthed to her deathtrooper.

Deathy One froze, thought for a moment, then gave her a slight shake of her head.

 _Oh?_

Deathy One warbled in her coded language at her. Galen Marek did not react, which meant he either did not care or did not understand. But Ragana understood.

 _My master would be displeased, wouldn't he?_ Ragana uttered a sigh and slumped in her seat, her eyes glanced over at Galen Marek once more.

"Well…" She muttered, causing one of his eyes to open and look at her, "At least we hate each other equally."

 **And chapter! This is a bit more of a transition chapter than anything else. A lot of moving parts being put back together pretty quickly before we reach the next flashpoint of the Valm war. I've got two ideas in mind for the final moments of the Valm war, debating on which one to go with, but I am leaning one way and it is going to be wildly different than in canon, which I am excited about.**

 **And we get a new character! I really wanted to give Morgan an actual rival in this story. It couldn't be Vader, especially not right now, both for story reasons and due to the massive power gap between the two at the moment. It couldn't be one of the normal inquisitors because, other than the Grand Inquisitor, they aren't that impressive (I haven't played Fallen Order, but I think I recall seeing an inquisitor as the main antagonist. Since I don't know her or her character well, I excluded her from the story for now. That may change if I get the chance to play the game). So I came to the conclusion that Galen Marek would make a wonderful rival for Morgan. I did have to do some tweaking to him in order to make this work, particularly his age. But I already did that with Han, and it still won't change who he is exactly. I will explain more of this Galen Marek's backstory as the story progresses. So yeah, he's gonna be fun in Morgan's arc.**

 **Shameless Plug Time! I have started a Fire Emblem Awakening SI titled** _ **Rigged from the Start**_ _ **.**_ **It takes place in the ruined future and is only about seven chapters in now. Wanted to get it going before letting you all know that way you have a good chunk to read. Check it out if you want to. I'd love to see you all there!**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**

 **Come join the Treehouse! Where nerds be nerding! Discord code is: 9XG3U7a**


	117. The Monster and the Little Green Man

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 117

The Monster and the Little Green Man

Noire knew she should probably be practicing with her force powers and lightsaber. Her skills with those were shoddy at best, abysmal at worst, and generally terrible most of the time. Everytime she sparred with her father, he would soundly best her within a few moves. Of course, he always interjected instruction into their sparring; giving her advice and corrections after each successive mistake she made, but it was still deflating to know just how poorly she fared with the supposed gifts her father's blood gave her.

When she felt defeated like that, she liked to grab her bow and quiver, find a spot far away from everyone else, and let arrows fly into a target. It could be any target. An actual bullseye painted onto a straw circle, a practice dummy, a tree, it did not matter. As long as her arrows could sink into them with each snap of her bowstring, she would use it as the target of her frustration. Frustration that compounded even more today due to the battle that took place not long ago.

It had to be the most terrifying thing Noire had ever taken part in. Battles in the future were horrifying, but in a different way than at Demon's Ingle. Grima's hordes were numerous and deadly, but the Risen themselves, unless led by a Deadlord, were usually not too difficult to handle in small numbers. It was when they came at her in large packs that she really started to worry. Otherwise, she could handle Risen grunts. A quick arrow between the eyes, a dagger to their where their brain or heart should be, and they were done.

But fighting other humans… that was something she had not done to such an extent before. Sure, she had engaged bandits and other brigands since coming to the past. Hell, she saved Cynthia and Luke from a group of slavers when she first arrived over a year ago. But to fight an entire army hellbent on ending her life and the lives of her friends; it made her both furious and terrified.

She nocked another arrow and took aim at the target. A lone, scraggly tree sticking out of the plains. A lonesome, sickly looking thing that desperately needed water rather than her arrows peppering its bark.

She exhaled, focusing her sights on the thin tree trunk. As soon as she finished slowly exhaling, she let the arrow loose, bowstring thwacking forward with a loud twang. Her black arrow hissed towards the tree. Just before it touched the bark, it froze mid air.

Noire looked at the floating arrow, perplexed. In the back of her mind, she sensed someone nearby. A bright presence she recognized.

"What do you want, Luci?" She asked, quickly nocking another arrow and aiming at the same spot her previous arrow hovered in front of.

Lucina strode up to her, her missing arm hidden beneath her red cape. Her other hand rested on what remained of Falchion's pommel.

"The others were concerned about you." Lucina muttered, "You've been away all day."

Noire exhaled and let the arrow fly. Her black arrow shot through the air, drove through the first arrow, splitting it in two and smacking into the tree with a loud whack.

"I'm fine." Noire grumbled, reaching for another arrow in her quiver. She nocked it on the bowstring and moved to pull it back.

Lucina nodded and watched as Noire fired another arrow. The arrow slammed into a spot just a few inches below the second one. A curse slipped from Noire's lips.

"Impressive shot." Lucina remarked.

"Not where I wanted it to go." Noire muttered, shaking her head, "I've been so busy trying to get my force powers developed that I have neglected what I'm already good at."

Lucina furrowed her brow, "I don't see how that is a bad thing."

Noire drew back on her bowstring, testing it's tension before lowered her bow and turning to Lucina, "Skills can slip. I remember my father telling you that. What was his favorite saying to you?"

Lucina pursed her lips, "Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard."

Noire nodded, "Exactly." She drew another arrow and nocked it on the string, taking aim at the tree once more, "I'm not good at the Force. I'm abysmal with a sword, much less a lightsaber. If there is one thing I excel at-" She exhaled quickly and let the arrow fly. Her eyes lit up as the arrow burrowed into the third arrow, splitting it in two.

"I think Virion would even be impressed." Lucina smiled.

"He better be. He taught me after all." Noire sighed, reaching for a small skin of water on her hip. She took a long gulp, then took a small sip, swigged it, and spat the water out.

Lucina furrowed her brow. She eyed the arrows sticking from the small tree, "Still, I don't think you should be so hard on yourself." Noire sighed as Lucina spoke, "Everyone has to start somewhere, Noire. Especially when it comes to using the Force."

"Says the one with talent." Noire remarked, "That's the reason my father chose you over me after all."

Lucina frowned, "You sound quite bitter about that."

Noire shrugged, "I was at first." She plucked her bowstring as she thought for a moment, "Maybe I'm still a little bit."

"You shouldn't be." Lucina replied, "Noire, you are the daughter of one of the greatest Jedi Masters. Did he ever tell you how he started out?"

Noire shrugged, "I know I get my lack of confidence from him."

Lucina raised her brow, "Lack of confidence from Master Kenobi? Surely you're joking?"

A small laugh left Noire's lips, "I wish. Apparently mother thinks that's where it comes from."

"You're talking about the king of banter." Lucina remarked before thinking a moment, "Well, second maybe to Gaius. But Gaius doesn't have a filter most of the time."

"You forgot Anna." Noire pointed out.

"Her too. Imagine the battle of wits if all three of them decided to have a debate."

"Imagine the headache." Noire snickered.

Lucina smiled, "But seriously, did he ever tell you?"

Noire pursed her lips, "I don't believe so." She slung her bow over her shoulder and strode over to the tree. Lucina followed her, "You seem to forget, father was never very forthcoming with me about his past." She wrenched one of her arrows free from the tree's grip, checked the head, then placed it back in her quiver. "Although, from what I gather, that has changed quite a bit thanks to our actions?"

Lucina nodded, "It has. I'll admit though, I was not expecting that his origins and history were of the more… fantastical kind." She shook her head quickly, "But that is not the point. The point is, that Master Ben was also not very talented when he was young."

Noire furrowed her brow as she yanked a second arrow free from the tree with a small grunt. She flashed a doubtful look at Lucina.

"I'm serious." Lucina insisted.

Noire snorted, "Sure, Master Ben Kenobi, the greatest swordsman in all of Ylisse; the Bane of Grima's Hordes, was not talented at my age?"

Lucina nodded, "He has not gone into detail with me, but he did say that he was nearly passed over for padawan status. I'm not sure what that would have led to for him, but that has to mean he struggled as well when he was young. So don't be discouraged Noire, if you work hard enough-"

"I'll get good." Noire interrupted, pulling her third and final arrow free. She glanced at the tip of that one and grimaced at the bent head. She tossed it to the ground and glanced over her shoulder at Lucina, "But I will never come close to you or…" She snarled a little bit, "or Luke."

Lucina sighed, "Is it really a competition?"

"It isn't. It's just-" Noire huffed, shoulders sagging as she struggled to figure out what to say, "I'm a Kenobi, Luci. My mother told me that all the time in the future. I had to be strong, like a Kenobi. And I can't even live up to that. I never will be able to."

Lucina pressed her lips into a thin line. A gentle breeze swept down from the mountains, carrying a heavy scent of brimstone with it. Demon's Ingle still rumbled, days after its initial eruption, but the tremors happened less frequently now.

"Perhaps." Lucina admitted, "I can't predict how strong you can become, Noire. I can't even predict how powerful I will become, or Luke even. Luke has…" Lucina snorted, "We were even in the future. But now, he has surpassed me in almost every way. I might match him with blades but having only one arm presents one hell of a disadvantage."

Noire rolled her eyes, "I bet you can still beat him. You'd rile him up somehow, throw him off balance, then best him."

Lucina shook her head, "I'm not sure I can do that anymore. He's-"

"Oh don't tell me you've fallen for it too." Noire groaned, undoing the cap to her waterskin and taking another sip.

Lucina blinked in confusion, "Fallen for what?"

Noire pulled her waterskin from her lips, "His reformed crap." Lucina closed her eyes, suddenly exasperated. Noire shook her head, "I don't buy it for a second. He is still the same dastard that betrayed and abandoned us all those years ago. Only now that dastard has an army he commands and he is in Cynthia's pants."

"Watch it." Lucina growled, making Noire gulp.

"Sorry." Noire muttered. She bowed her head and kicked a loose pebble towards Lucina's feet, "It's just… if he hadn't done what he did we-"

Lucina raised her hand, silencing Noire. The blue haired princess took a deep breath.

"We would have still lost." Lucina exhaled. She did not miss the sudden flash of disbelief in Noire's gaze, "Think about it Noire. Master Ben, Maul, Luke; they are only three men. Three very powerful men, but still only three. Eventually even they would have been overwhelmed."

"But we could have-"

"In all likelihood held out for another year… maybe two. Then we'd be where we are now anyways, only with the risk of losing some of our friends instead of just our parents." Lucina continued, "I have been doing a lot of reflecting about all of this. Trust me, I held the same animosity towards Luke as you for a while. Especially after the Plegian war. I-" Lucina let out a shuddering breath, "I still cannot fully understand why he did what he did. But, if there is one thing I have learned since going through this entire ordeal; coming back to the past and fighting a harder fight than almost anything we have ever faced, I have learned that we cannot dwell on the past. We cannot allow the feelings we have towards the previous actions of others cloud our judgement on what we must do right now." Noire lowered her gaze, contemplating what Lucina told her, "Luke may have done some terrible things in the past. But before he did those things, he was as close to us as anyone. And he has made a tremendous effort to do better today. The Dark Side of the Force is not an easy thing to turn away from. It is addictive."

"How do you know?"

"What do you think vengeance is?" Lucina retorted, drawing silence from Noire, "I won't deny it. I wanted revenge for what Luke did to us, to me. More than anything else, I wanted to understand. Even if I got the explanation through violence and running my blade through his heart, at least I would have understood. The feeling, the drive revenge gives you, is… powerful. To be honest I should not have even been up and moving so soon after the Plegian war."

Noire gave Lucina a concerned look, "The injuries were that bad?"

Lucina grimaced, "I was dead, Noire." Noire paled when Lucina's words sank in, "I don't know how I came back. Maul killed me. I should have been in bed, resting for weeks after the war. Instead, I left and searched for vengeance. Anger drove my actions, gave me a power that felt… intoxicating. If Cynthia had not been with Luke when we finally ran into each other, I don't know what would have happened. But she saved me from taking a step down a very dark path. So yes, I do know what the dark side feels like, even if it is only slightly."

Noire nodded her head.

"It's really that difficult?" She asked, voice quiet.

"The fact that Luke has come as far as he has amazes me." Lucina admitted, "Now, do I trust him?" Lucina thought for a moment, hand tapping against her hip, "Well… I have no choice but to now. He commands the backbone of our forces."

"Unfortunately." Noire huffed, "But, I see your point. I won't put an arrow in his heart, yet."

Lucina smirked, "Thanks."

"That doesn't mean I won't ask my mother for a hex." Noire remarked, "I may be terrible at the force, and equally crappy with magic, but I can cast a damn good runny nose hex."

Lucina chuckled, enjoying her friend's slowly building confidence. Ever since she started training with Ben, and rebuilding her relationship with her parents, she became far less timid and more sure of herself.

"I'm sure you can. But I urge you to give him a chance. Who knows, maybe he shows you a few pointers."

Noire shrugged, "Maybe." She rocked back and forth on her heels.

Before Noire could say anything else, the sound of marching feet drew their attention. Both of their gazes snapped to the north, fearing the approach of yet another Valmese army. Noire was already on her toes, ready to sprint back to the camp and raise the alarm.

A Ylissean banner crested over a small hill, carried by a Pegasus knight. An entire row of white Pegasi appeared on the plains, trotting over the small hill. Behind them marched thousands of soldiers. Most wore the red armor of Valm. Some wore the gold and green garb of Ylisse. Very few wore the rust colors of Regna Ferox. Queen Sumia rode at the head of the column, making Lucina's heart soar.

"Mother." She breathed, a broad smile forming on her lips.

Sumia slowly trotted up to the two girls. The Queen of Ylisse looked exhausted. Heavy bags sat under her eyes, but they did not hide the happiness in her gaze at seeing both Lucina and Noire unharmed. As soon as she drew near Lucina, Sumia jumped down from her steed and wrapped her future daughter in a tight embrace. One that Lucina eagerly returned.

"Thank Naga." Sumia breathed, "When we met no messengers on the road south, I feared the worst."

Lucina uttered a choking sound, "We feared the worst as well." She pulled back, resting her hand on her mother's shoulder, "You're here now. Both Father and Cynthia will be eager to see you."

Sumia nodded, "Yes, your father is alright?"

"He is safe." Lucina replied as Sumia grabbed the reins to her pegasus and guided it towards camp.

Both Noire and Lucina walked alongside the queen. Out of the corner of her eye, Lucina noticed Dooku and Mustafa walking alongside a middle aged blonde woman in Valmese red. Khan Flavia trudged alongside Raimi and the Feroxi Lancers. Every single one of them looked weary.

"How fast did you march?" Lucina asked.

"Too fast. But it was necessary." Sumia admitted as they entered the camp.

While the column moved into the camp, the Chon'sin soldiers stopped what they were doing and gawked at the large force peacefully entering the newly combined army camp. Sumia nervously eyed the Chon'sin soldiers as they emerged from their tents.

"On our side?" She whispered.

Lucina nodded, "General Yen'fay abdicated command upon the death of-" She trailed off. Sumia stopped walking, allowing the rest of their column to march past her. The Valmese woman glanced in their direction briefly before striding away, with Mustafa in tow.

"Death of who?" Sumia asked.

Lucina swallowed hard, "Both Say'ri and Robin perished."

Sumia's face turned ashen, "Then what Dooku sensed is true." She sniffled, "Naga, what are we going to do?"

"Keep fighting." Noire muttered, speaking up for the first time since Sumia's arrival, "That's all we can do now."

Sumia gulped and nodded, "More fighting, as always. Will it ever end?"

"Only when the Conqueror is deposed from power."

Sumia, Lucina, and Noire all looked to see Ben emerge from one of the Ylissean tents. Alongside him was Chrom. Chrom locked eyes with Sumia then sprinted up to her, wrapping her up in a tight embrace, spinning around, then kissing her.

"Thank Naga you're alright." Chrom breathed, breaking off the kiss.

Sumia beamed and pecked his lips again, "I feel the same way."

Ben quietly approached, one hand brushing his mustache. He flashed a bright smirk at Noire. Noire gave him a small smile in return.

"Go find your mother." He told her, "I'm sure I'm about to be caught up in more meetings."

Chrom let out a dry laugh, "Unfortunately yes." He gave Sumia an apologetic look, "No rest yet."

"I expected that." Sumia sighed, "I am looking forward to sleeping on a bedroll instead of on pegasus back for a night." She took Chrom's arm and handed the reins to her Pegasus off to one of her knights, "Shall we get started?"

"I think we shall."

Chrom nodded at Ben, beckoning the Jedi Master to follow. Ben glanced over at Lucina, who shook her head.

"You all deal with the strategy. I will gather the others and see how they're doing."

"Alright. Come find one of us once you are done." Ben told her, "I want you to remain in the loop."

"So do I." Chrom called back as he, Sumia, and Ben strode towards the Chon'sin command tent, or rather the coalition command tent, where Dooku already waited for them; arms folded over his chest, scowl on his face.

 _Grumpy as ever._ Lucina thought. She glanced at Noire, "Go find the others, we'll meet at my tent."

Noire nodded, "Sounds like a plan."

* * *

Luke knew there were different kinds of exhaustion. There was training exhaustion, the kind that felt good. Where his muscles would ache, but it would also give him a sort of high that left a smile on his face. That kind of exhaustion was his favorite kind.

Then there was exhaustion that lingered in the wake of a battle. Depending on the battle, and how it went, it would either feel like the highest of highs, or the lowest of lows. Maul taught him to take advantage of post battle pain. To use it as fuel to grow. Part of Luke still hesitated to follow the wisdom of that monster, but that may have been one of the few lessons imparted on him that he could still implement. In a way, it was a lesson that forced him to learn from mistakes in battle. Only now, he had to implement that lesson in a less… evil way. The exhaustion in the wake of a battle was usually all consuming. Every ounce of adrenaline and energy spent fighting to survive, rendering the body entirely useless. The kind of exhaustion that demanded immediate rest.

Then there was this exhaustion. The type he was feeling right now. Where none of his normal muscles ached, but his neck throbbed and his head pounded. Even though he had done nothing but talk to other people all day, his body still felt weary. His eyes were heavy. Each step felt difficult to take. None of it felt good. There was no high with this exhaustion, no thrill attached to it. Stress and worry replaced that high. Because now Luke was in charge of an entire army. Nearly fifty thousand soldiers looked to him to lead them. Fifty thousand souls were in his care.

He ran a hand over his eyes as he paused in front of his new tent. A tent given to him by the Chon'sin army so that the Captains could easily find him. A long groan left his lips and he rolled his shoulders.

Before he could open the entry to his tent, it opened for him. Cynthia poked her head out, a wide grin on her lips.

"About time." She smiled.

Instantly, most of Luke's aches and pains evaporated. He chuckled and shook his head.

"You know, if the rest of the army finds out you're here they'll-"

"Be jealous?" Cynthia finished for him, "I bet. Get in here already."

She disappeared back into the tent. Luke stared at the tent doorway, slack jawed.

"That's not what I was going to-" He sighed and shook his head, "No point now."

He entered the tent. Before he could even shut the doorway behind him, Cynthia surged towards him, wrapping her arms tight around him.

"You're sooooo late." Cynthia hummed as she rested her head against his chest.

Luke chuckled lightly, kicking the tent door shut behind him, "Comes with running an army now." He grimaced a little bit as he said that. It was still sinking in form him. He was in charge of Chon'sin's army. With Yen'fay giving up command, he was technically King of Chon'sin.

 _How the hell did this happen?_

"Hey." Cynthia rested her chin against his chest and looked up at him with her large eyes, "You're being grumpy quiet again."

Luke snorted and ran a hand through her blue hair, "Grumpy quiet? You mean brooding?"

"That's the word." Cynthia snickered, "I knew it was a big one like that." She took him by the hand and skipped her way through the large tent, passing by a large table laden with papers and maps, a few chests with even more things a general had to keep track of, until eventually reaching the back of the tent, where the bedroll was located. That was where she let go of his hand.

Cynthia spun back around. Her smile faded when she saw Luke sink slowly down onto a stool, eyes closed and mouth drawn tight, as if he was in pain.

"Luke?" She quickly shuffled up to him and pressed a hand to his forehead, "You aren't sick, are you?"

"No." Luke breathed, he gave her a weary look, "Just tired."

Cynthia raised her brow, concerned. Before Luke could stop her she sank down and sat in his lap, arms wrapped around his neck. She pecked his lips with hers as her fingers undid the clasp to his black cloak.

"You look it." She snickered, "Good thing I'm here to help you rest up."

"Oh yeah, sure. Because you always help me relax." Luke answered sarcastically, a smile twitched on his lips though.

Cynthia chuckled, "Absolutely." She kissed his on the cheek, "I always put your mind at ease."

"Even when you are being kidnapped by slavers?"

Cynthia paused, "Well-"

"And being kidnapped by mercenaries?"

"Priam's a good guy now." Cynthia quickly pointed out.

"And flying into battle without me nearby."

Cynthia furrowed her brow, "You're nearby. Just not right next to me." She put a finger to his lips as Luke opened his mouth to reply, "Strategy didn't call for it, so you couldn't."

Luke quietly laughed to himself, "Point is, you manage to both relax me and give me a heart attack no matter what."

"Well that's what love is, isn't it?" Cynthia asked with a broad smile.

Luke thought for a moment, "I have absolutely no idea."

"Ha!" Cynthia declared jumping to her feet.

She danced around in a circle for a moment, bounced up and down twice, before rushing at Luke and kissing him deep. Luke's eyes widened for a moment before he returned the kiss. Once they separated, he gave her an incredulous look.

"I normally regret asking this, but what was that all about?" He asked, laughing a little bit as Cynthia beamed.

"You admitted it."

Luke arched an eyebrow, "Admitted what?"

"You know, the 'L' word." Cynthia teased as she stood in front of Luke.

She yelped as Luke wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her into his lap again. A loud laugh lept from her lips as he planted a kiss on her cheek and smiled.

"Figured you already knew." He smiled.

"Well it's not like you to admit it." Cynthia chuckled back.

"Is so." Luke muttered, "I can admit things."

"You usually only do so when you're hurt or… or hurting… or in danger." Cynthia pursed her lips as she retreated deep into thought. She gave Luke a worried glance, "You sure you aren't sick?"

Luke shook his head as he laughed at her, "I'm not sick. I am just going to admit that you are absolutely beautiful and I have no idea how I got this lucky."

Cynthia's eyes widened as she froze in his arms, "If you're not sick then you really are very tired."

"Oh, I definitely am." Luke sighed.

Cyntthia took him by the hand and dragged him down to the bedroll. Once Luke laid down on his back, Cynthia curled up beside him, one hand twisting curls into his blonde hair. Luke remained quiet, staring up at the ceiling.

"I forgot to put the lanterns out." He sighed.

"I'll get it!" Cynthia chirped, jumping to her feet and moving around the tent. One by one, the lanterns were snuffed out, until she got to the last one, hanging over the stool. She hesitated and glanced back at Luke, who was still wide awake, watching her.

"You need to just close your eyes and rest." Cynthia pointed out, "First step to sleeping is not seeing stuff."

Luke snorted, "Tell that to a force sensitive."

Cynthia frowned as she watched Luke glance around the tent, his gaze lingering on the maps strewn out on the table before moving back to her.

"You're more than tired." Cynthia sighed, taking the last lit lantern with her towards the bedroll and setting it down to the side.

Luke closed his eyes, uttering another long sigh as she sat down next to him.

"C'mon, talk to me." Cynthia said, fingers drawing light trails on his left arm, "Lucina made us all talk to her. Well, all of us except you. Because you were sorta busy with army stuff… and that's it, isn't it?"

Luke looked at her with half lidded eyes, "Very perceptive of you."

Cynthia rolled her eyes, "You know I have my moments. Admittedly, they're a little few and far between." She took a breath, "So, you're worried about the army. Why?"

Luke worked his jaw back and forth.

"What did Luci talk to you guys about?" He asked.

Cynthia blinked, "Oh well, you know Luci, she gathered us all together in order to help us regroup, vent, put together a plan of action, and- and you are trying to change the topic. Not happening buster!"

"Buster?" Luke replied with a slight laugh.

"Nope." Her finger jabbed his chest, "Not happening. You need to talk about it."

Luke let out a long sigh, "What about? The fact that I am now the General of an army. A position that I am not only wholly unqualified for, but also am nowhere near worthy of."

"Worthy?" Cynthia furrowed her brow, "Is that what you're worried about? You don't think you're good enough to lead the Chon'sin army?"

Luke shrugged, "Maybe. I mean… look at Lucina. Now that I am in charge of others, I wonder how the hell she ever did it on her own in the future. I mean, yeah she had Kenobi by her side, but that Kenobi was a broken man. She had to rule a nation on the brink of decimation daily. I see her qualities as a leader whenever she gathers us for our little meetings. How she is able to get everyone to open up and speak their minds, without any fear or hesitation. How she can simultaneously plan out solutions to whatever problems pop up, even if they aren't the best, she can still do it without breaking a sweat. And-"

"And, little secret," Cynthia interrupted, "Lucina relies on you more than you think."

Luke raised his brow, "I doubt that."

"She does, at least recently." She nodded back, "Notice how whenever things get tense in those meetings, she lets you speak up. She allows you to be the forceful voice she needs to cut through the panic that we are all feeling right now, given how many people have died to get to this point. She was missing that today, and it took her a moment to regain our attention once we starting asking who could-" She took a shaky breath, "Who could die next."

"No one. I won't let it happen." Luke said sharply.

"See, that." Cynthia gestured at him, "That is what I am talking about. If you were there to say that in the meeting, it would have cut off everyone's worrying and, at the very least, made everyone look at you like you were being an asshole again."

"Glowing review of my 'leadership' there." Luke muttered.

Cynthia pushed him lightly, "You know what I meant. You've got this… toughness to you. A mentality of: Enough whining, we've got a job to do. You're so good at refocusing everyone on the fact that we need to keep fighting. Luci relies on that a lot now." Cynthia shrugged, "So… are you a leader like Lucina? No. You are a different kind of leader. So stop trying to compare yourself to her." Cynthia flopped down beside him and brushed her fingers along his cheek, "You are more than able to lead the army. I don't doubt that for a second."

Luke allowed a soft smile to cross his lips. He placed a soft kiss on Cynthia's forehead and gently rubbed her shoulder.

"Thanks." He whispered.

"No problem." Cynthia smiled, "Now, you need to rest."

Luke let his head fall back, "I'm trying."

"Need my help?" Cynthia asked as she moved away from his side and snaked down towards his waist without him noticing

"I don't need any help to-" Luke's eyes widened, "Actually-" He shuddered, "I could use a lot of help right about now."

* * *

Luke slowly opened his eyes. Bright sunlight bombarded his sight, forcing him to squeeze his eyes shut. A cool autumn breeze brushed over his still waking form. Soft grass brushed against his palms as he lay still on his back. He forced his eyes open again and stared up, not at the ceiling of his tent, but at a crystal clear sky. Not a cloud in sight. Cynthia was not lying beside him. He was alone.

His brow furrowed as he glanced around him. He looked to his left and saw a very familiar trail leading into a bright forest. When he looked to his right, his breath got caught in his throat.

Ylisstol's white walls towered nearby. It had been years since he had seen them like this, full of strength and majesty. A structure nearly as awe inspiring as the Exalt's Palace. When he was a boy, he always thought those walls were impenetrable. Nothing could bring them down, no army could break them. Growing up in their shadow gave him a sense of security, even if it was mostly false.

But those walls were not what made fear grip him by the throat. No, it was the monster standing before the walls, back turned to him. A monster in black robes, similar to the ones he was wearing now. A deep hood was drawn over the monster's head. Parts of the hood protruded higher thanks to the horns hidden beneath it.

Luke swallowed hard. As carefully and quietly as he could, he reached for his hip. His fingers brushed against his father's lightsaber, a still unfamiliar sensation to him. Yet, it gave him some comfort knowing that a blade meant for him was now in his possession. It was a small comfort in the face of seeing the monster again, but it was better than nothing.

He drew the hilt from his hip, teeth clenched as he stared at the back of the monster. His thumb hovered over the ignition, trembling with rage. Too late, he realized he needed to rein himself in before the monster sensed him. Just as he regained his composure, the monster's head twitched.

A soft, mocking laugh floated through the space between Luke and Maul.

"You try so hard to keep the rage at bay, but you and I both know that it is still there." The Sith Lord turned around, blazing yellow eyes beneath his deep hood glowering at Luke, "You don't seem too happy to see me again."

Luke's rage boiled to the surface again. He was tempted to ignite his lightsaber and strike, but in the back of his mind, something was making him hesitate. Maybe it was the part of his mind that knew this could not be real. Maul was dead, after all. And he was supposed to be in Valm, not outside of Ylisstol.

Or maybe it was something deeper than simple logic keeping him from igniting the sapphire blade and striking the monster down once more. He could not place why he was hesitating right now, but Maul's mocking laugh nearly made that hesitation break.

"Oh, you are very enraged right now." Maul limped forward with the help of that damn cane he always had, "You are so desperate to be rid of me, but you and I both know that will never happen." He stood, posture stooped in front of Luke, "After all, I created you, boy. Everything you are is because of me and my teachings." Luke bristled as he caught a glimpse of the red and black skin beneath the hood, hidden by shadows, "I've never heard a thank you."

"You ruined my life." Luke snarled back.

Maul grinned back, "Did I? What life was there to ruin? What would you have become if not for me?" He paced back and forth in front of Luke, cane digging into the dirt with each step, betraying the actual strength the monster really possessed, "A mere knight, serving some little girl on a meaningless throne? Perhaps a shopkeeper? An even more mundane, vulnerable existence. No, that is not your destiny. I made you strong, I made you indestructible." He stopped pacing, cane digging into the dirt. Maul glowered at him, "I made you what you needed to become."

"You made me into what you wanted me to become." Luke spat back.

Maul chuckled, "I did not force you to come to me. If I recall correctly, you sought me out once Kenobi's rejection became too much to bear." He glanced at the sky above them, "On a day much like today, actually. Imagine that."

"Very funny." Luke growled, "Considering that you are nothing more than a figment of my imagination. The real you is long dead. And I have surpassed you in every way."

"Have you now?" Maul's eyes lit up.

"Yes. Or did you forget, I killed you."

Maul sighed, "In a most deceptive manner, you did. Indeed, you caught me quite off guard. In the moment, I was both very surprised and enraged. But, looking back on it now, I should have seen it coming. After all, it is the nature of the Sith for the apprentice to betray the master. As my master once told me, that is the only way we can progress, and grow stronger." Maul sniffed, "It was foolish of me to think I could avoid that fate forever."

Luke narrowed his eyes at Maul, puzzled. How was a vision speaking to him like this? Visions were not supposed to be this sentient. They were supposed to be simple glimpses of past, present, or even the future. Not an intelligent conversation with a dead man.

Maul chuckled under his breath, "Do you still think I am really dead? Do you know nothing of the force, boy? For someone who claims to be so much stronger than me, you are quite disappointing to behold."

Maul yanked his cane from the dirt and started shuffling towards the forest. Luke glared at him as he walked past. Part of him wanted to let him walk away. To completely forget about the monster and move on. But there was something else to all of this. He would not see Maul unless he needed to learn something. Would not be able to speak to Maul unless the force wanted him to. And so he reluctantly followed the Sith Lord into the forest, where the sun was slowly blocked out by the increasingly thick canopy.

Maul paused near the mouth of a small cave, burrowed into the dirt.

"Do you remember this place?" Maul asked, glancing around.

Luke gulped and nodded, "The Justice Cabal used this as a spot for a lot of our… operations."

Maul snorted, "Justice cabal, childish nonsense. Although, I wonder… is that little Cynthia as fun between your legs as she was when she was a mere playmate?"

The Dark Side flared to life around Luke, making Maul's eyes gleam with delight.

"Good," Maul continued, "You are not a lost cause after all."

Luke grit his teeth. Maul wanted him angry, wanted him to lose control and prove him right. Maul wanted him to be the apprentice once more. To be the Black Rider and wield the force as a cudgel against his enemies. Nothing had changed, as always, Maul wanted him to be a dark manifestation of who he really was. A persona that Luke wanted nothing to do with anymore.

"I've moved past all of that." Luke growled, slowly reigning himself back in once more.

"Have you?" Maul clicked his tongue, "You are lying to yourself, apprentice. The Dark Side is not so easily scorned. You know your destiny. You know what you are supposed to become, supposed to grow into."

Luke clenched his jaw, "I will never become you." He raised his chin, "I am Luke-"

"A name is nothing more than a bunch of letters, jumbled into an easy to read pattern. It does not determine your destiny." Maul sneered quickly, "So you may know your lineage now, does it matter? You are still mine. You will always be mine. The Dark Side will always have a hold on your heart, and your destiny. If you do not believe me," Maul nodded towards the cave, "see for yourself."

Luke furrowed his brow, suspicious of Maul's intentions as this old master stepped out of the way and motioned towards the small cave mouth. Luke flicked his wary gaze to the cave. It was calling to him. A soft, seductive whisper, coaxing him to step forward and enter into the dark maw. He paused in the cave mouth, one hand pressed against the top of the small entrance. His yellow eyes peered inside, searching for whatever Maul wanted him to see.

There was nothing but shadows.

"Enough of the games, Maul."

The earth crumbled away beneath his feet. Luke cried out as he plummeted into the earth. He hit a chute of mud, dirt, and roots and slid to a stop inside of a cramped chamber within the cave. Luke remained still for a moment and blinked dirt out of his eyes. His vision slowly adjusted to the deep darkness around him. The air tasted stale. It felt humid in the cave, unlike how he remembered it. He also did not remember there being any underground chamber within the cave.

 _What the hell is going on?_

He spun around to try and go back up the chute, but it was gone. Replaced by an impassable wall of rock, dirt, and thick, wet roots. The lone sign of any exit was a small hole covered in dense fog.

 _I guess all I can do is press for-_

A low inhale, slow and steady. A sharp exhale, loud and raspy. The hairs on the back of Luke's neck stood on end as the thick, humid air turned ice cold. His breath lodged in his throat, struggling to enter and exit his lungs. The Dark Side of the Force retreated away from him and gathered around a presence slowly approaching him from behind. It was a feeling unlike any he had ever felt before. This presence commanded the dark side in a way that dwarfed Maul in every way.

He swallowed hard, dry throat aching, before he slowly turned around to face the darkness within the cave. The artificial breathing rang in his ears, bounced in his mind, pounded in his skull like the incessant beat of a drum. Growing louder to the point where he could hardly hear himself breathe, let alone think. His hand darted towards the lightsaber on his hip.

Once he yanked the hilt free from his belt, he caught a glimpse of something stalking towards him in the darkness. A tall, hulking figure, clad in inky black armor. A black cape hung by a chain around the figure's neck. It's head was hidden beneath a mask and helmet, both black and polished to such a fine shine that Luke could see his own terrified expression inside of it.

The figure paused a few feet away from Luke. It towered over him, glowering down with lidless black eyes. It felt like Luke was staring into a void in the dark side, cold and unforgiving. His hands shook as he stared back at the figure that commanded the dark side as if it was nothing more than a plaything for it to manipulate. All the while, the breathing continued.

A slow inhale. A sharp exhale. Sweat beaded down Luke's face despite the sudden cold in the air. This thing was blocking his way out of here. It needed to be removed.

He ignited his father's weapon, blue blade bursting to life; casting a sapphire glow over his enemy. The figure did nothing for a moment, simply choosing to stare down Luke further. It appeared completely undisturbed by the weapon in Luke's hand, which only antagonized Luke's fear.

His eyes widened as a red lightsaber hissed to life in the figure's gloved right hand. A deep scarlet blade that hummed with deadly intent.

 _So that's how it's going to be then._ Luke gulped, _Fine. If you will not get out of my way, then I will destroy you!_

Luke swung hard at the figure's head. The monstrous figure easily parried, surprising Luke with both its speed and strength. But right away, Luke noticed its lack of mobility. He chopped at the figure's right flank, watching as the figure parried with one stiff, but powerful, motion.

 _It lacks mobility!_

Luke twirled his lightsaber, stabbing right at the strange, lit up panel on its chest. The figure backpedaled back, tightening its defense around that panel. Just as Luke hoped It would do. As quickly as Luke could, he flicked his wrist, arcing his blue blade at the figure's neck. The blue lightsaber hissed. Sparks erupted as the figure's head was cleaved from It's shoulders. The breathing within the cave, within his mind, finally ended, and he stared down at the masked head, victorious.

The face mask burst. Luke's sense of victory evaporated as he caught a glimpse of a face within a steady stream of smoke. As the smoke dissipated, his heart jumped to his throat.

He saw his face within the mask.

Luke's thumb trembled as he deactivated his lightsaber, gaze never leaving the dead look in his own eyes within the mask. As he stared, the breathing returned.

"What is this?" Luke breathed.

Three voices erupted in his mind. One a deep rumble. The second he easily recognized as Maul. The third was a croak laced with sinister intentions.

" _Your destiny!"_

"No!" Luke bellowed surging over the fallen body of it and emerging out of the cave and into a dense, fog covered swamp.

He spun around, confused and disoriented. Where was Ylisstol? Where was the forrest and the cave? Where the hell was this place? There were no swamps in Ylisse. Not that he knew of at least. Fear filled each breath as he looked around the haze covered world, unsure of where to go or what to do.

 _Just a vision. Just a vision. Just a-_

"Lost, are you?"

Luke twirled around, blade ignited, pointing right at… right at a small, green creature with pointy ears. The creature jumped and covered his bulbous eyes with his short arms.

"Lower your weapon. No harm, I mean you." The creature quickly said.

Luke gave the creature a puzzled look, "What are you?"

"What am I?" The creature blinked back. Its short stature shuffled forward with the help of a gnarled wooden cane, "Live here, I do. Ask you that, I should."

Luke's mouth opened and closed, "W-well, I'm clearly human. And uh-"

"Your name, what is it?" The creature asked, green eyes focused on him.

Luke pressed his lips into a thin line, unsure if he should answer or not. This creature was unlike anything he had ever seen before. From the looks of him, he appeared ancient. Heavy wrinkles covered his oblong head and small face. Short wisps of white hair crowned the top of its green head. It appeared to be rather feeble, but as Luke learned long ago with Maul, looks could be deceiving.

Instead of an answer, he attempted to prod at the creature's mind with the force. He brushed against the creature's mind and recoiled as an intense light ripped through his thoughts. Luke fell backwards, stars dancing in his eyes as he struggled to recover from the sudden intense brightness.

"Mistake, you made." The creature hummed near him, "Reckless and stupid, you are."

"Tell me something I don't already know." Luke grumbled back, one hand massaging his eyes, "Seriously, what are you?"

"My question, answered you have not. Only courteous it is, for a visitor to introduce himself." The creature nodded, cane stamping the wet earth.

Luke sighed, "Luke." He breathed with a small shake of his head, "Luke of Chon-" He hesitated, "Skywalker."

The creature's eyes widened briefly, "Skywalker, hmm?" It shuffled up to Luke and jumped up onto a rotting log beside him. The creature let out a content sigh as it sat down, setting its cane to the side, "Out of cave, you came, hm?"

Luke blinked, still seeing spots, "Y-yeah. How did you-"

"Saw you, I did. Watch you rise up… yes, watch I did." The creature nodded, "In the cave, see what, did you?"

Luke furrowed his brow, "What do you know about that place?"

The creature frowned, "Ask the questions, I do. Intruder, you are still."

Luke rolled his eyes, "Clearly I'm not going to hurt you, little guy. And I doubt you could hurt me, so maybe drop the tough guy act."

That little wooden cane slammed down onto Luke's head with a hark thwack. Stars danced in Luke's eyes again as he howled and reached up for his head, already feeling a bump growing beneath his hair.

"Judge me by my size, you will not." The creature harrumphed.

"Alright, so you're insecure about how short you are, got it." Luke groaned, "Mind explaining to me-"

"In cave, see what, did you?"

Luke let out an annoyed sigh, "Do you ever talk normal?" He muttered under his breath before glaring at the little green man, "Fine. I saw… I saw what I guess is supposed to be my destiny."

The creature hummed, "Believe it, do you?"

Luke frowned, "What's that supposed to mean?"

The creature nodded towards a depression in the ground, some feet away from where they sat. A hole sat at the center of that depression, covered in vines and roots.

"Deceptive, that place can be." The creature muttered, "Much danger you were in, going there." His eyes refocused on Luke, "Destiny, what is it?"

Luke grimaced, "I'm not sure." He sighed, "Maul-" He noticed the creature frown at the mention of that name, but Luke decided not to say anything about it, "Maul said my destiny was inside of the cave. I went inside and I saw this thing… this figure, clad in all black." Luke swallowed hard, "I was terrified of it. And it stood in my way of escaping, so I attacked it. I killed it." Luke paused, eyes turning back to the cave, "When I saw its face, it was my own." He swallowed hard, "That thing was shrouded in the dark side. I am trained in the dark side, and my father fell to the dark side. Perhaps I'm destined to follow in his footsteps?"

"A name, determine destiny, it does not." The creature replied, "Name, simply letters, a pattern to read, yes?"

Luke gave the creature an incredulous look, "Maul said the same thing."

"Different meaning, he had." The creature smirked back, "Destiny, do you believe it is?"

Luke thought for a moment. Was it really his destiny to fall? To give in wholly to the dark side and embody it? He shook his head.

"I don't want it to be." Images of Cynthia, Yen'fay, Lucina, and… and Say'ri, appeared in his mind, "I can't let it happen."

The creature gave him a gentle look, "Future, never certain it is. As is destiny. Intertwined with future, destiny is. Always changing, it can be." The creature sighed, "This, too late, I learned." He cleared his throat and looked Luke once more, "Strong you will become, young Skywalker. Stronger still, you must be, for trials to come."

The little green man plucked its cane from the log and started to hobble away. Luke watched him walk away, slack jawed. He shook his head and rose from his own seat.

"Hey!" Luke shouted, causing the creature to pause and turn back to him, "Who are you?"

The creature smirked at him as the edges of his vision started to darken, "Meet you, looking forward to, I am."

Luke's vision turned blurry as he started to chase after the little green man. Before he could catch up, his sight darkened, and sleep claimed him once more.

 **And, Chapter! This one was really hard to write, and I struggled getting it done, but here it is, and I even feel good about the result. We see a bit more of Yoda, and some nice Luke moments. I debated whether or not to show more planning scenes, but seeing as how we're going to get a good bit of that in the upcoming chapter, I decided it was not necessary for this one. So, here we are! We're nearing the end, so buckle up! Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**

 **Come join the Treehouse! Discord code is: 9XG3U7a**


	118. The Calm

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 118

The Calm

Ben slowly opened his eyes, blinking sleep away as he stared up at the roof of his tent. He uttered a soft sigh before rolling onto his side and smiling at Tharja's peaceful, sleeping face. As quietly as he could, he placed a kiss on her forehead before rising from their bedroll.

The day was still young. Stars still sprinkled the slowly lightening sky above Ben as he stepped out of his tent, a simple shirt and pants thrown haphazardly over his body. He'd worry about getting properly dressed later. Right now, he needed some water. Maybe some tea. He uttered a loud yawn and stretched his arms over his head, feeling some muscles and tendons pop in the process.

 _Yeah… tea._ Ben nodded to himself as he scratched an itch on his neck.

He trudged towards the officer's mess tent. Along the way he was surprised by the level of activity he saw within the camp. Many of the Chon'sin soldiers were already awake and going about their daily business. Their blacksmiths were hammering away at blades on anvils. Soldiers were busy sharpening their weapons and inspecting their armor within their tents. A few gave Ben wary looks as he walked by them. Even more gaped at him in shock. Probably due to his lack of formal dress in the morning. Ben got the impression that their previous commander, Yen'fay, had been a man of impeccable decorum and protocol. At least that is what the Jedi Master assumed, judging from the incredible discipline his army displayed. And he was the General of their new allies, the Archaneans. They likely thought he would emerge from his tent fully dressed, groomed, and bright eyed, ready to conquer the day. Instead, he emerged barely dressed in a baggy white shirt and pants, with hair splayed haphazard every which way, and a half awake look in his eyes.

 _Tea first. Conquer the day later._

He smelled the food before he reached the mess tent. The scent made his footsteps feel lighter as he approached the officer's dining tent. He stepped inside, and his brief sense of content was replaced with a frown.

"By the Force, Kenobi." Dooku scowled as he sat near the doorway, tea in one hand a book in the other, "Do you always look like such a vagabond in the morning?" Ben closed his eyes and started walking past the surly Count, "Honestly, I thought you would be the kind of person who cared about his appearance."

"A lot has changed, Count." Ben huffed as he reached the table with several hot tea kettles and poured himself a full mug. He did not care about the flavor, he just needed something to help him wake up in the morning. One sip made his mood brighten a little bit, enough to deal with Dooku at least, "What are you doing up so early?"

"I'm always up early." Dooku frowned back, turning a page in his book, "Have you not been paying attention?"

Ben glared back, "You seem a lot grumpier than normal."

"I have good reason to be." Dooku snarked back, "My pupil is dead, no thanks to you."

Hurt shot through Ben's heart. Images of Robin's final stand raced through his thoughts. A long gulp of tea chased them away once more. His nights were already plagued with both Robin and Anakin's deaths, he did not need to have his days disturbed by them as well. Otherwise he might go insane. The last thing the Shepherds needed was one of their military leaders to crumble due to a tragedy. He could do that later, once this war was over. There would be time to properly mourn then.

"I did everything I could, short of taking his place." Ben muttered back as he started to leave the tent and head back to his own, a second mug of tea in hand for Tharja, "Which I contemplated."

"But you did not. Most selfish of you." Dooku replied.

Ben paused at the door. Dooku's eyes flicked up from his book.

"Is that anger I sense, Kenobi? Why would you-"

The Count uttered a startled cry as he was lifted out of his chair and flung across the mess tent. His book flopped over his face and his cup of tea remained completely still at his table. A series of stunned, sputtering sounds erupted from Dooku as he shot upright and glared angrily at Ben, eyes blazing yellow. Ben shrugged at him then stepped out of the mess tent.

"Had it coming." Ben muttered as he sipped his tea and walked back to his tent.

He sensed the Count come raging out of the mess tent, dark side of the force billowing out of him. Ben glanced over his shoulder and smirked.

"Are you going to kill your commanding officer in front of the entire army, Count?" Ben taunted as Dooku seethed behind, "Rather ungentlemanly of you, wouldn't you agree?"

"Kenobi." Dooku snarled.

"Benny!"

Both Dooku and Ben's gazes snapped over to Gaius as he came sauntering over to them. Panne was not far behind him, a few twigs sticking out of her thick hair. She frowned at Gaius, arms folded, as they both stopped in front of Ben.

"Back from scouting." Gaius said with a mock salute.

Ben cocked an eyebrow, "I never sent you-" He narrowed his gaze, "Did you run off to steal something again?"

Gaius shook his head, "Nope, not this time."

"Yes he did." Panne sighed.

"It was just a pastry from the nearby village and it was worth it." Gaius retorted, "You've got me in withdrawal with the freaking diet these Chon'sin guys got. I mean, rice? Really!? No sugar? Nothing!?"

"It's good for you, Gaius." Ben drawled.

Gaius gripped Ben by his shirt and jerked him close, "Look at me Ben. Look into these desperate eyes!"

Ben flicked his gaze over to Panne instead, "A bit melodramatic, yes?"

"What is melodramatic?" Panne asked, genuinely unsure.

"It's a disease." Ben sighed, causing Panne's eyes to widen in alarm, "Gaius. You need to get a hold of yourself."

"I ran out of lollipops six days ago, Benny. SIX!" The thief cried, "I find myself subconsciously sucking the air at times. You gotta help me!"

"Didn't you get your fix from that pastry you admitted to recently stealing?" Ben asked.

Tears filled Gaius's eyes, "I have… a problem."

Ben was silent for a moment, "Clearly. But I don't have time for this right now, Gaius. I have to go wake Tharja, then I have to-"

"Do your daily meetings crap, yeah, got it." Gaius let go of Ben's shirt, "But still, Benny. You gotta help me. I can't let my last sweet be a pastry before Wally arrives and crushes us. I mean hell if those scouts we saw in the village were any indication-"

Ben dropped the mugs of tea, letting them shatter on the ground. He yanked on Gaius's shirt, "Scouts?"

Gaius blinked, "Oh yeah, those."

Panne smacked her forehead, "You really are diseased."

"I am not sick, Whiskers. I have a problem and it was the first thing on my mind a moment ago. But now that Benny mentions it-"

"You mentioned it." Dooku frowned as he drew close to the group, eyes flickering back to their normal blue color.

"Right, right." Gaius waved back, "Er- me and Whiskers were sneaking around, doing… stuff." Panne growled behind him, making him pale, "Nothing inappropriate. Totally family friendly and stuff. Other than the thieving at least. She helped with that."

"I certainly did not!" Panne cried.

Gaius worked his jaw back and forth as he carefully thought over his next sentence, "Okay, she didn't. But as I was saying-"

"How many scouts?" Ben asked, voice firm as he was now wide awake.

Gaius thought for a moment, "Twelve, maybe thirteen? They were on horseback. Moving fast to the north from the village. Scared us shitless, right whiskers?"

"If you say so, manspawn." Panne huffed, fingers tapping her biceps as she scowled at the thief.

Gaius laughed nervously, "I'm gonna get it later." He gulped, "Benny-"

"I don't have time to save your ass this time, Gaius." Ben sighed, "But thank you for letting me know about this so quickly."

"You call that quickly?" Dooku remarked.

Ben closed his eyes and took a slow, calming breath, "Anyways, Dooku, I'm sure you'll want to be a part of the war council. I will meet you at the command tent. Panne please go wake Chrom, Sumia, and Frederick. Gaius, go wake Flavia, Tiki, and Mustafa."

"Why do I get the scary ones?" Gaius exclaimed as Ben marched towards the command tent.

Ben threw his hands in the air, "Because your annoying presence will do wonders getting them out of bed!"

 _Great, now I sound like Dooku._ Ben groaned to himself as he marched deeper into the army camp, moving towards both the main command tent and Luke's tent.

It did not take him long to reach Luke's tent. The entryway was drawn tightly closed when he approached. Ben frowned and threw the doorway open, allowing light to flow into the tent without any warning. Once the sun's rays slammed into the far corner of the tent, both Luke and Cynthia cried out in alarm, sitting upright simultaneously.

"Who goes there!?" Luke cried, drawing his lightsaber.

"I'm blind!" Cynthia cried, throwing her arms over her eyes.

Ben sighed and averted his gaze, "Cynthia, put a shirt on already."

"Is that you, Uncle Ben?" Cynthia shouted, eyes squeezed shut, head on a swivel.

"Are you staring at her, Kenobi?!" Luke bellowed, thumb hovering over his lightsaber's activation button.

Ben sighed and massaged his eyes, "I am in my own happy relationship at the moment Luke, so I have absolutely no interest in Cynthia." He paused as he turned away from the pair, "And even if I wasn't in a relationship, Cynthia would not be high on my list."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Cynthia asked, suddenly offended as she threw a robe over her body.

"It means that-" Ben groaned and wiped his face, "I don't have the energy for this right now. Luke, get up. We have an emergency. Be at the command tent once you are dressed."

He quickly left the tent before Luke could say, or do, anything stupid. Ben's nerves were already on edge now. All he wanted was a warm cup of tea to start his day. Now he wasn't even going to get that.

 _When this is all over, I'm retiring from the military_. He thought with a huff as he brushed past some Chon'sin soldiers and marched into the command tent, where Dooku, Frederick, Chrom, and Sumia were waiting.

"What's going on?" Chrom immediately asked Ben as the Jedi Master strode in and took his spot near the table.

"The Valmese were seen nearby." Ben flicked his eyes over to the command tent doorway. Tiki, Flavia, Mustafa, and Luke all strode in.

Luke glared at Ben briefly before shaking his head, "Ever heard of knocking?"

"You can be angry later." Ben said sharply, "Right now, we need to figure out where we can go from here. Gaius has reported Valmese scouts in the nearby village during the night, which means the Valmese force is not far behind."

"Already!?" Flavia cried.

"I don't suppose holing up in the Volcano would work again?" Chrom asked with a slightly nervous look.

"Not unless you want to breath ash and bathe in fire." Frederick frowned.

"That doesn't sound too horrible." Tiki noticed Sumia, Flavia, and Mustafa gawk at her. The Voice shrugged, "At least to me. I've got a higher heat tolerance."

"No one else does, unfortunately." Ben wiped his brow and stared down at the map, "In order to defeat Walhart, we have to counter both his numbers and his cavalry. If I recall Cherche, Virion, and… and Say'ri's intelligence correctly, his cavalry is unrivaled."

"So don't do what Basilio and I did and engage them in the open." Flavia pointed out, folding her arms over her chest as she carefully studied the maps, "That makes finding an advantageous battlefield in this area difficult."

"There is not enough time for us to march up into the mountains." Luke mumbled. He focused his eyes on a single city on the map, "We need to mount a city defense."

"Oh a siege, lovely idea." Flavia said with a roll of her eyes, "What's to stop Walhart from just starving us out at that point?"

"It's not in Walhart's nature."

All eyes turned to tent entrance. Yen'fay ducked into the command tent, already armored up and ready to march. He quickly gave Luke a stiff bow. Luke returned his gesture with an awkward nod before clearing his throat.

"How is it not in his nature, Yen'fay?" Luke asked.

Yen'fay approached the table, "The Conqueror is not the kind of man to starve out an enemy. He is a man who believes in strength above all else. To him, starving an enemy to death would be a weak man's strategy. A coward's move if you will."

"Not out of the question given Excellus is his strategist." Luke grumbled.

The corner of Yen'fay's mouth twitched at the mention of the Worm, "Not incorrect, but ponder this. Excellus was not by Walhart's side when he engaged the Feroxi. Instead, he was sent to me and Pheros. Both of us correctly surmised that Excellus is not in the Conqueror's good graces right now. The fact that he failed to attain victory here at Demon's Ingle will only exacerbate that. Walhart will want to do things his way. And his way is to crush the enemy with pure might. If we do make a stand in a city, he will try to end the siege quickly. But… he will not be able to use his cavalry in the attempt."

"Our mages will be able to wreak havoc from a heightened, and covered position." Ben said, stroking his beard, "Especially on the grunts that make up most of the Conqueror's army." He glanced at Luke, "I'm guessing you plan on taking us to the nearest city?"

Luke nodded, "Koto."

Yen'fay's gaze snapped to Luke, "Are you sure that is wise?"

Luke gave Yen'fay an unsure look, "Not really. But… what other options do we have? We can't retreat to Charlet anymore. Walhart has cut that route off by this point. For all we know, he has retaken the city." Luke nodded, "Yes… this is the way we must go. We will use Walhart's nature against him, negating his cavalry in the process. I would love to see a Valmese grunt take on a Chon'sin warrior in Koto. Let them try and take the city."

"I will fly ahead." Sumia spoke up.

"And I shall accompany you in order to prepare the defenses." Yen'fay nodded, "If my general agrees to it?"

Luke shrugged, "You're more experienced at this than me. Do what you believe is best, brother."

Yen'fay bowed at the waist again, turned on his heel and marched out of the tent. Sumia quickly embraced Chrom then followed Yen'fay out of the tent. Marching off to rally the Pegasus Knights.

"Well then, nothing like a time crunch to force us into a decision." Ben muttered.

"Isn't that how it always happens?" Chrom smirked back, "Frederick, rally the soldiers. We march immediately."

"Yes, milord." Frederick rushed out of the tent.

"We have one last issue." Flavia quickly spoke up, keeping everyone from exiting the tent, "That Pheros lady; I don't trust her."

Ben furrowed his brow, "Pheros is the Valmese commander you and Sumia captured, right Mustafa?"

The old Plegian general grunted, "Yeah, it was rather easy. Makes me a bit nervous to be honest. She and her soldiers haven't tried anything yet. But the fact that she was so at ease betraying someone like Walhart is a red flag to worry about. Dooku has been personally keeping an eye on her."

"That does little to ease my own worries." Ben sighed. Dooku scowled back, but said nothing, "However, if anyone will keep Pheros from doing anything devious, it would be Dooku. Make sure her soldiers are watched closely."

"Of course." Mustafa nodded.

"I'm already doing that Kenobi. Do you take me for an idiot?" Dooku huffed as he marched out of the tent, cape sweeping behind him. Ben watched him exit and shook his head.

 _Already giving me a headache._

"As for the rest of us," Ben took a breath, glancing at the other leaders of the army, "Time to prepare for the decisive battle."

* * *

Ben furrowed his brow. There was an itch in the back of his mind. The kind of sensation where he knew someone was glaring at him. He already knew who it was, but for the most part, this little dance had become a bit of game. Ever since he flipped Dooku out of his chair using the force several days ago, the Count had been furious with him. For the most part, Ben couldn't care less. The old man had it coming for a long time. If for no other reason than he perpetually managed to annoy the Jedi Master.

Ben frowned, _I'm starting to think like him now._

"What's wrong?"

Ben glanced over at Tharja. The dark mage walked side by side with him during the march to Koto. Most of the time, her nose was buried in her spell book. Her way of practicing her craft without actually subjecting someone to the horrors of dark magic. Ben already had to persuade her out of dubbing the Chon'sin soldiers prisoners, which would have justified her using them as practice. So instead, she started committing new spells to memory. Ones she was eager to use on the battlefield. Every so often, a soft, sinister snicker slipped from her lips as she flipped through the pages. Forcing Ben to wonder if it was really a good idea to entertain her darker nature while they were surrounded by former enemies.

 _If she goes off, I'll point her in Dooku's direction, then laugh._

Tharja glanced over at her shoulder, "He's still glaring at you."

Ben grunted, "I sensed as much."

Tharja flicked her gaze back to the disgruntled old Sith Lord once again. Dooku narrowed his gaze dangerously at her, but she was undisturbed. Instead, she started to snicker.

"Runny nose hex?" She whispered to Ben.

Ben snorted out a small laugh, "As entertaining as that would be, I'd much rather the Count's wrath be directed at me and not you." He glanced back at Dooku and sighed as he sensed the man's anger, "Go ahead with the others."

Tharja frowned, "You plan on talking to him again, don't you?"

Ben nodded.

"You know, everytime you two chat, it ends in one of you being angry at the other." She pointed out, "I'd say just accept you two are oil and water. Use Dooku as a means to win this war, then let him prance about Themis to his heart's content. I'm sure Maribelle and Donnel won't mind."

Ben chuckled again, "Count Dooku prancing. I love that mental image." He rubbed Tharja's shoulder and urged her forward, "Go ahead. If I don't catch up in a few minutes-"

"I have permission to use the hex?"

Ben sighed, "Fine."

Tharja smirked and quickly strode towards the front of the column. Ben stopped walking, letting a few rows of Chon'sin and Ylissean soldiers pass him by until he came shoulder to shoulder with Dooku.

"Kenobi." Dooku growled, voice missing it's usual aristocratic drawl and instead replaced with a seething anger that made Ben smirk back.

"Count." Ben replied, "Still angry at me for bruising your ego?"

Dooku sniffed, "My ego is hardly bruised, Jedi."

Ben winced, "Now you're simply referring to me as 'Jedi'. I absolutely hurt either your ego or your pride. Perhaps both?"

Dooku snarled.

"We'll go with both." Ben nodded before taking a breath, "Listen, Dooku. I-"

"When this whole nonsense is over with, I more than agree that we must go our separate ways, Kenobi. We no longer have a common pupil to train, therefore we have no need to interact. Thank the Force for that." The Count interrupted bitterly.

Ben glanced at Dooku, "Robin's death is affecting you much more than I thought."

Dooku stopped walking abruptly, forcing several Feroxi soldiers to sidestep around him and Ben.

"And you are unaffected?"

Ben took a deep breath, "Dooku, every night I think about what I could have done differently. If I allowed myself to think about what I could have done in every waking moment, I won't be able to make certain we all survive this war. Now, I need you to be with me in this. Because as much as we can't stand each other, we are allies in this nasty affair, like it or not."

"Most certainly dislike." Dooku harrumphed, folding his arms over his chest. He resumed walking, but at a much more leisurely pace than the rest of the army, still forcing most of the column to step around the two force adepts, "And I am more than committed to winning this war. If for no other reason than to gain vengeance upon the damnable fools who dared to destroy what plans I had laid down."

Ben sighed, "Using Robin and the others as weapons against Sidious."

Dooku nodded, "I'm surprised, given your reluctant agreement to such a plan, that you let him die."

Ben grit his teeth and spun around, stopping Dooku in his tracks, "Let's get one thing clear, Count. I hardly agreed to that mad scheme of yours. I might recognize the need to be prepared for Sidious but I certainly did not agree to you making Robin your apprentice. I merely agreed to your assistance. And another thing, I did everything I could to save Robin. Force, I wish I could have done more. I should have done more. But I cannot change that now. Just as I cannot change Anakin's death, I cannot change Robin's death." He took a breath, letting the rare flash of anger he felt subside, "All I can do is keep moving forward, and maybe… maybe honor his memory in some way. Naga knows, Robin was more of a Jedi than either you or I ever were."

Dooku arched an eyebrow. Ben turned on his heel and started walking again. Dooku picked up his pace so that he continued walking alongside Ben.

"Were?"

Ben bowed his head, "Semantics, Count."

"Semantics is simply an excuse. You no longer consider yourself a Jedi." Dooku smirked, "That should not surprise me though, given your sudden bursts of anger. Are you finally seeing my side of things, Kenobi?"

"No." Ben sighed, "I am simply recognizing that I am human." Dooku furrowed his brow as Ben spoke, "And part of being human is having emotions that one cannot suppress no matter how much training one has. Anger is simply another emotion. And… I am slowly learning that it is not necessarily evil. The actions someone does in those moments of anger determines the good or evil of it. For example, I was furious with you when you basically accused me of letting Robin die instead of myself. I could have tried to kill you. That is what you would have done. But instead, I flipped you out of your chair. I controlled myself, unlike you. And yes, Count, I believe control to be different than suppress."

The Count hummed to himself, "You would be surprised by how Sith you just sounded."

Ben rolled his eyes, "And we both know that is not the case."

"Oh, you are quite correct, Kenobi. And… there is wisdom in what you said." Dooku admitted.

"A compliment? That had to taste like venom on your tongue." Ben drawled.

"You are making me regret giving it." Dooku frowned, "Besides, you need to understand that the Jedi and Sith-"

"Are two sides of the same coin." Ben interrupted with a weary sigh, "I'm aware of that all too familiar analogy."

"Wrong." Dooku replied, forcing Ben to stop in his tracks. The Jedi gave him a puzzled look as Dooku folded his hands behind his back, "Jedi and Sith are simply two extremes on a long spectrum. Both believe in total control. One believes in control to dominate, the other believes in control to serve. So yes, Kenobi, you are certainly no Sith. Although, you have broken the dogma of the old Jedi Order, so you are no Jedi either. I'd say you are something new, but since we both have no idea what that entails, we shall simply call you a normal human being."

Ben uttered a quiet laugh, "We're a couple of clueless fools then, aren't we?"

"A master has to be a fool first, Kenobi." Dooku replied, "I'm simply glad you and I are no longer ideological enemies."

"Simply enemies." Kenobi sighed.

Dooku pursed his lips, "I'm not so certain of that either. I say we go with antagonistic friends."

Kenobi tilted his head, "That makes literally no sense."

"As does your friendship with the thief, Gaius, but that bears the same nature." Dooku smirked back.

Ben furrowed his brow, thinking for a moment, "Fair point. But his antagonism is mostly innocent compared to yours."

"On that we can agree." Dooku nodded.

Ben uttered a deep breath, peering at the rear of the column as the final few rows of soldiers passed the slowly moving force adepts. Among the ones bringing up the rear was Lady Tiki. The ancient Manakete had been very aloof in recent days, since they all left Demon's Ingle. Although, Ben assumed that may have been due to his preoccupation with organizing a defense plan. Tiki came and went into the many strategy meetings as she pleased. None dared to argue with her about it, mostly out of fear of her power, which Ben admitted, was considerable.

"She's been quite somber of late." Dooku muttered.

Ben noticed Dooku's eyes trailing Tiki as well, "She's much too old for you Count."

Dooku spun towards Ben, "I'll have you know, I have no interest in such a-" Ben's chuckling snapped Dooku's mouth shut, "Your humor continues to become lower and lower brow."

"Take a joke, Dooku. It's in good fun. After all, we are antagonistic friends now."

Dooku scowled, "I'm regretting that immensely. Force, I can already feel the migraine now." He swept his brown cape further over his shoulders, covering his arms, as he walked, "I am simply curious as to why the once cheerful Voice of Naga is now… not."

"Perhaps it's because she's lost a close friend?" Ben remarked.

Dooku frowned, "That's a foolish notion, she hardly knew Robin."

"Or, maybe she is not used to losing friends?" Ben suggested.

"Come now, Kenobi. Someone who has lived as long as she has will be used to loss."

"For the record, you two should be aware that Manaketes have very sensitive hearing."

Both Dooku and Ben sucked in a sharp breath as Tiki marched up to them. The shorter woman glared over at Dooku then gave Ben a weary look.

"If there must be a winner in this argument, Ben is right." Tiki spun and started to walk away again.

"Ha!" Ben remarked.

"Right in what way, Lady Tiki?" Dooku pressed.

Tiki stopped in her tracks. A long sigh slipped from her lips as Dooku and Ben caught up to her.

"It is because of Robin." She admitted quietly, "Even though we knew each other for a very short period of time, I could tell he was different. Special, if you would."

"I already knew that." Dooku replied.

"Special in a different way, Count." Ben pinched the bridge of his nose, "One moment you provide controversial wisdom the next you fail to understand basic human interaction."

"Well I was a Jedi for nearly seventy years. That kind of lifestyle is known handicap such things." Dooku jabbed back.

"Is that all you two do?" Tiki suddenly interrupted, "Bicker back and forth like a pair of… pair of… what's the metaphor again?"

Both Ben and Dooku shrugged. Tiki sighed and shook her head, dropping the matter.

"When it comes to Robin," Tiki continued, "It's not just how I personally felt about him that has made me rather distant lately. I-" She pursed her lips, glancing at Ben, "Well, you already know, Ben."

Dooku jerked back, "Know what? What am I not aware of?"

Ben glanced at Dooku, then over at Tiki, "It is up to you, Lady Tiki."

"Just Tiki is fine, Ben. I'd say we've passed beyond formalities." She folded her hands and took a deep, calming breath, "During Robin's last days, I learned what he really was. What he was made to be, at least." Dooku furrowed his brow as she spoke, "Robin was meant to be a vessel for Grima. I ventured into Robin's mind in order to discover what was ailing him, and I discovered the Fell Dragon as well as another creature known as The Son within him."

Dooku drew back, face like stone. He reached up and brushed his white beard, deep in thought.

"If you don't know what The Son is, Count, he is from a species called the Ones, of which there were only three." Ben carefully explained, "Anakin, Ahsoka, and I encountered all three of them on a planet known as Mortis during the Clone Wars. The Son was a pure manifestation of the dark side."

Dooku's eyes widened, "That… that would explain…" He trailed off, stepping around Tiki as he continued pondering her and Ben's words.

"That would explain what, Dooku?" Ben asked.

Dooku stopped stroking his beard, "Well," He cleared his throat, "It would explain Robin's affinity for the Dark Side of the Force. What puzzles me is that despite having both of those creatures inside of him, he was not corrupted. Either he was remarkably strong willed, or there was another factor at play. Although, I do believe his amnesia had something to do with holding such monsters at bay."

Tiki furrowed her brow, "His mind was quite locked, when I investigated it. He was even surprised by the amount of mystery surrounding his own memories and thoughts."

A sputtering sound came from Ben, "You memory walked with Robin?"

Tiki blinked in surprise, "Yes, in a way I did. A bit more advanced than what you might know." She furrowed her brow, "How do you know about such a thing?"

Ben cringed, "Ah, well…" He cleared his throat, "I am with Tharja, after all."

"I have yet to get to know Tharja very well, so why do I not feel any surprise?" Tiki muttered, puzzled.

"You shouldn't be surprised." Ben laughed sheepishly.

"We are getting off topic." Dooku interrupted, "The fact right now, is that Robin was Grima's vessel. With him dead, where does that leave the Fell Dragon?"

Tiki pursed her lips, "I'm not sure. I would assume Grima is dead, but assuming anything about that monster is dangerous. Add in the second presence within Robin's mind, and everything is unknown right now. We can only hope that the fury of Demon's Ingle buried and ended the Fell Dragon once and for all. If so, then by sacrificing himself, Robin saved us all."

Ben nodded in agreement. His nodding ended when he noticed Dooku looking unconvinced.

"Magma and rock does not kill a being like Grima that easily." Dooku muttered, "I have a feeling that Grima is still lingering."

Ben stared hard at Dooku, noticing the flashes of concern on the Count's face whenever he fell silent.

"What do you know, Dooku?" Ben asked, "You are a Deadlord, technically."

Tiki scowled at Dooku, but said nothing as Dooku gave her a concerned glance.

"I'm not under Grima's control anymore, Lady Tiki." Dooku said carefully, "I haven't been since I remembered exactly who I was. I believe he gave me more autonomy than was necessary, and thus I was able to break free. We cannot say the same for any other Deadlords, obviously."

"Where were you summoned?" Tiki asked, "And by whom?"

Dooku swallowed hard. For the first time ever, Ben saw visible fear flash in the Count's eyes.

"Plegia of course." Dooku answered, "Who else would be interested in assisting the Fell Dragon? As for the who," He glared at Ben, "who do you think?"

Ben's eyes slowly widened, "Validar and the Hierophant."

Dooku nodded, "I do not know what those two have planned exactly. I'm not sure how they managed to summon me. But we can only assume they are agents of the Fell Dragon. As such, we must be extremely careful when dealing with them. In light of what we have learned now, I would say we should return to Archanea and depose them from power; but that would upset Prince Chrom's sensibilities, and we no longer have the military to do so."

Ben swallowed hard, "They had to have known Robin's predicament. Why else would they torment him when we visited Validar's summer palace on Carrion Isle?" Ben paced a few steps, worry filling him, "I fear we are being played for fools and that we are squandering our army in a pointless conflict."

Dooku nodded, "I now feel the same way. But… there is nothing we can do now. Walhart does not surrender, and he will only accept our absolute defeat. We cannot stop the course of events to come now, only react."

"I'm damn tired of just reacting." Ben grumbled.

Tiki nodded, "What shall we do with this information?"

"Most of it is still simple conjecture, and Prince Chrom has been known to act rash in the face of conjecture." Dooku pointed out, making Ben and Tiki frown, "I advise we keep this close to the chest until this war is finished. Then we pour our resources into figuring out what Plegia is scheming. As a main political player in Themis, I have good reason to be concerned about this now."

"That you do." Ben nodded, "And he's right, Tiki. We cannot afford to remove our focus from the right now. A million men are about to march on us, we need to focus on that."

Tiki's long frown remained, "In my experience, keeping a secret such as this never ends well. But… I also see your point regarding the need to focus on the Valmese. As such, I'll tentatively agree. But once this war is over, I believe it best to inform Prince Chrom of the situation."

Ben nodded in agreement. Dooku pressed his lips into a thin line.

"You'll have to keep a tight leash on the Prince, Kenobi."

"Chrom has grown considerably, Dooku. He'll grow even more, don't worry. Both Frederick and I won't let him do anything rash." Ben sighed and glanced back towards the column. He furrowed his brow as Cynthia guided her pegasus towards them, a broad smile on her face.

"Uncle Ben! You gotta see! C'mon!" She grinned, waving for Ben, Dooku, and Tiki to follow her.

Cynthia spun her pegasus back and around and snapped the reins, urging her steed into a quick trot back towards the column. Ben glanced at Tiki and Dooku before following Cynthia back to the column. Tiki and Dooku trailed just behind him.

As they reached the crest of a small hill in the plains, Ben caught sight of their destination. A large city with ancient stone walls. An enormous, pagoda styled building dominated the city, which Ben assumed was the Chon'sin royal palace. Flooded rice fields surrounded the city. Beyond the city stood a great bamboo forest. And further beyond rested the shores of the great sea that separated the continents of Valm and Archanea. Waves glistened in the fading sunlight like orange jewels. A breathtaking sight.

Cynthia bounced excitedly in her saddle, "See! Isn't it great?"

Ben smiled up at the upbeat girl, "Yes, it is."

 _Unfortunately, it will soon be a battlefield._

* * *

It had been years since Sakura had seen Koto, her birthplace. Years since she wandered the cracked stone streets, weathered down by centuries of travelers, citizens, and storms. This place had been where she lived for half of her life. Where she had been raised as a young girl by her mother, to be the perfect little Chon'sin Princess. Honor the family, first and foremost. Duty is next. Her duty was to her family and her people.

She stopped strolling down the nearly empty streets. Puddles covered the weathered stones beneath her feet. A storm had blown through here recently. Not uncommon during this time of year, it was the rainy season after all and the fields were flooded. Pale moonlight glinted off of the puddles as she stopped at the steps leading up to the royal palace.

The Chon'sin army returned to Koto only a few hours ago, with their new Ylissean and Feroxi allies alongside them. Upon seeing the rust colored Feroxi banners and the green Ylissean ones, the streets cleared out rather quickly. The people were afraid, as they should be. But Sakura knew they were not afraid of the Ylisseans or Feroxi. They were afraid of the Conqueror. They all knew that if the Archaneans were here, and not laying siege to the city, then Chon'sin was now in open rebellion against the Valm Empire. A dangerous position to be in.

The others, her friends in the Shepherds, had all gone into the palace hours ago. Cynthia and Luke were probably spending some quality time together, a fact that still weirded Sakura out. Lucina was probably doing some meditation. The other Shepherds, the parents… she didn't really care what they were doing. Why should she? What did they mean to her? Sure, Cherche had been kind to her. And her father… well, she did care about him. But she never grew close to any of the other parents. A product of growing up away from them all. Of her mother taking her away to Chon'sin instead of raising her alongside her father.

"Damn her." She muttered.

A pang hit her heart. Naga, she hated this city, and she wanted to hate her mother. Yet, ever since the battle at Demon's Ingle, ever since her mother's death, she could not bring herself to truly hate them. She was still angry at her mother. Yet again, she did something stupid and put her own desires ahead of her family. This time, it was her attempt to kill Uncle Yen'fay. In the end, it cost Say'ri her life. The opposite of what happened in Sakura's timeline.

 _Why did you have to do that, mom?_ Sakura glanced up at the full moon sitting over the city. Innumerable stars twinkled around it, blanketing the darkness in small dots of light. _Why did you have to die now? And kill our family then?_ She clenched her fists tight at her sides. _You never changed did you?_ He head bowed, _Family this, honor that, duty this… damn hypocrite._

Footsteps splashing softly into puddles drew her attention. Sakura scowled into the shadows near the palace steps.

"It's dangerous to wander the streets alone. Even a city like this." Yen'fay said as he stepped forward, a torch burning in one hand.

Sakura swallowed hard, "I can take care of myself." She patted the katana sheathed against her hip, "I might not use it as well as a lance, but I'm no slouch."

Yen'fay's eyes darted to the katana on her hip. He inclined his chin, eyes narrowing as he caught a glimpse of the floral pattern in the orange torchlight.

"You're one of the children from the future, correct? I don't believe I've had the pleasure of meeting you personally."

Sakura grimaced, "Yeah, well." Her foot splashed in a puddle as some nervousness filled her, "That is entirely intentional on my part."

"Ah, of course. You do not want your parents learning of you before you exist. Understandable. Although, from what I understand, several of your friends have already broken that rule."

Sakura snorted, "Yeah, well…" She pursed her lips, "That's their choice."

Yen'fay nodded, "It is." He turned and motioned for her to follow him up to the palace, "Another storm is coming. You shouldn't be out here or you'll catch a cold."

Sakura frowned, "I can find somewhere else to-"

"Nonsense." Yen'fay said quickly, "All of the Shepherds are welcome in the palace, including you. Now come along."

Sakura flicked her eyes side to side, unsure of what to do. She never met her Uncle Yen'fay. He died long before she had been born. All she knew about him were from stories told to her by servants. Her mother did not speak of him often. The few times she did, Say'ri mentioned how brave he was. Nothing more, nothing less. Her Uncle Yen'fay was a brave and brilliant general.

She never expected him to be so soft spoken. Generals in her time were always so firm and tough. Even Master Kenobi had a grit about him in the future war with Grima. Yet her Uncle had a softness to him that did not fit a commander. Curiosity got the better of her, and she followed him up the steps. Towards the home she wanted to run away from for so long.

When they both reached the top of the steps, the guards positioned at the door stepped aside, bowing slightly to Yen'fay and Sakura. A gesture Sakura was used to, but had not seen in a long time. When Grima rose again, Say'ri immediately spirited her away to Ylisse, where she would be safer. The Fell Dragon razed all of Chon'sin to the ground shortly afterwards. She never saw her mother again after that. Something she both mourned, and was grateful for. It meant she was no longer a princess, no longer bound to the archaic, honor code of her ancestors. She could just be a warrior, or a knight, like her father. Free from those painful bonds.

 _I still don't know how those two ended up making me._ She thought to herself as she followed her Uncle into the palace courtyard.

Her breath hitched as she looked around the beautiful space. Small bonsai trees and taller cherry blossoms bloomed in the cool night air. The small stream that flowed through the courtyard filled the air with the soft sounds of trickling water, producing a sense of tranquility she had forgotten for a long time. If there were any place in the royal palace that she missed in the future, the courtyard was it.

Yen'fay sighed as he sat down on a small, wooden bench near the pond. Fish swam in lazy circles in the pond, drawn closer to the torchlight as it flickered in his hand. Sakura took a deep breath and sat down beside him, eyes taking in the place she had long relegated to being a mere memory.

"This place is always peaceful." Yen'fay breathed, relaxing in his seat, "It's a good place to reflect. I know Luke sat here many days and nights, pondering his place in this world."

Sakura flicked her gaze over to him, "He did?"

Yen'fay nodded, "He's come a long way. I'm proud of him." He shifted in his seat, "Now it is my turn to sit here and reflect. To ponder my actions, the decisions I made that led my family to this point." His jaw clenched tight for a moment, "It's not very pleasant."

Sakura furrowed her brow, "How so?"

Yen'fay uttered a quiet grunt, "What happened on the battlefield a few days ago was my fault. I believed I was doing what was best for my family. In reality, I was taking the easy road… the coward's road." His eyes stared blankly into the pond, "Say'ri was right in the end. If I had only stood up to the Conqueror sooner, perhaps she'd still be alive."

"She was always too damn stubborn." Sakura huffed, folding her arms over her chest, "Family this, honor that. Rules and more rules set by ancestors that we only know from paintings and stories."

Yen'fay smirked a little bit, "I know the feeling. But she was not wrong, family comes before anything else. I was wrong in that regard, and she was right."

Sakura frowned back, "It's too bad she never practiced what she preached."

Yen'fay gave her a puzzled look, "I'd say she did."

"Really?" Sakura snorted, "She put her family first?" She rose to her feet as restlessness and anger filled her once more. Her foot nudged a smooth stone near the edge of the pond as she stood, "Why should she take me away from my father?"

Yen'fay furrowed his brow as Sakura uttered a shaky breath.

"Why would she hide who you were from me?" She glanced back at Yen'fay, "Why would she die twice, not telling me once how she really felt!?" She shook her head, teeth clenched, "Family first. Honor and duty next. She disobeyed every single one of those-"

"You're alive, aren't you?"

Sakura's mouth snapped closed. She glanced over her shoulder at Yen'fay. In that moment, he looked ten years older. The strength he had when he walked up the steps with her had evaporated away. His shoulders her slouched, head slightly bowed, as he stared into the pond.

"Both now… and in the future," Yen'fay raised his gaze to Sakura, "Your mother died for you, for her family. The circumstances may be very different, but her goal was the same. Her family rested first and foremost in her mind. As it should have been for me. I fooled myself into thinking I was doing what was best for our family. I thought that by casting my lot with the Conqueror, I could shield her and Luke from his wrath." He shook his head, "A temporary cure to a festering wound, that is what that belief was." He rose to his feet, shuffling towards Sakura and placing a hand on her shoulder, "Your mother may have done many things you did not agree with, but never doubt her commitment to you."

Tears started to form in Sakura's eyes.

"I know she would have loved you with everything she had."

Sakura spun around and threw her arms around Yen'fay, sobs wracking her body. Yen'fay froze for a moment, then gently wrapped his arms around her as well.

"Do you think she'd forgive me for hating her so much?" Sakura asked between cries.

Yen'fay nodded, "I know she would have."

Sakura swallowed hard, tears still rushing down her face as she let go of Yen'fay.

"I wish she would have talked about you more." A dry, sad laugh left her lips. She sucked in a shuddering breath and wiped at her eyes, "You're not that bad."

Yen'fay sighed, "She probably did not mention me because I angered her so much."

"On the contrary." Sakura replied, gulping in another deep breath as she fought off more tears, "She only ever called you courageous and brilliant. She never fully explained why but…" She hesitated a moment, debating if she should go further. With one last deep breath, she made up her mind, "I learned the truth from Old Man Eiji, just before Grima destroyed this place. He told me that my mother struck you down on the battlefield, and afterwards, she learned that you let her do it. That you only chose to side with Walhart in order to protect her from his wrath, since she ran away years before to join the resistance fighters in Rosanne. Eiji said that she mourned you ever since the day it happened. That she regretted every ill word and feeling towards you, the bravest of men she had known."

Yen'fay swallowed hard as Sakura's words hit him like a sledgehammer. Part of him wanted to sit back down on the bench as he reeled, but he forced himself to remain standing. He would be strong now.

"It made me respect you quite a bit. You lived up to what she preached, and she did not." Sakura nodded to herself, "So… don't er- don't hate yourself for what happened. I know if mom learned the real truth, she wouldn't have hated you either."

A shaky breath left Yen'fays lips. He nodded his head, forcing back tears.

"Thank you." He breathed.

Sakura sniffled, "No, thank you. I um… at least I still have some family left."

"Sak!"

Both of them snapped their gazes over to one of the palace bedrooms, where Inigo was waving frantically at her.

"Get over here! Luci's called a meeting! Owain has already gone to grab Sev!" The silver haired swordsman disappeared back into the room, sliding the door shut behind him.

Sakura bristled a little bit, "I told him to quit calling me Sak."

Yen'fay laughed lightly, "Go to your friends. If you need to talk anymore, you know where to find me."

Sakura nodded, "Yeah um, I think I'll take you up on that at some point, Uncle."

Yen'fay smiled warmly, "It's a bit strange hearing that. But I can get used to it."

"Sak!"

Sakura grit her teeth as Inigo shouted for her again, "I'm going to go kill him now." She bowed a perfect bow to Yen'fay, eliciting a smile from the man, "If you'll excuse me."

She spun on her heel, marched up to the door, and threw it open.

"I dare you to call me that again!"

* * *

"Gawds, do you have to make me get a cup of water for you all the time?" Severa complained as she strode across the room.

Cordelia laughed softly as the other red head yanked the pitcher of water off of the table near the window and quickly poured a glass.

"I can't exactly move on my own, Severa." Cordelia sighed, "Believe me when I say, I would love to be able to get my own glass of water."

Severa froze next to the window, "I- well-" She bowed her head a little bit, "Sorry just-" A loud sigh left her lips, "Still not used to this whole situation."

Cordelia gave her future daughter a warm smile as Severa spun on her heel and walked back to her bedside. A smile she hoped would ease whatever guilt Severa was feeling over such a comment. It wasn't her fault after all. Nothing about Cordelia's condition was Severa's fault, and it was natural for Severa to be irritated with having to constantly look out for her now.

 _I might even be mildly irritated if I was in Severa's situation._ Cordelia thought as she took the cup of water from Severa and brought it to her lip, _Not to mention afraid._ Her smile wavered a little bit, _Her very existence is hanging in the balance._

"So," Severa brushed one of her long, red ponytails over her shoulder as she sat down in the chair by Cordelia's bedside once again, "How's everything coming?"

Cordelia nodded, "Well, Libra is trying. I know that much." She let the cup rest in her lap, "But he has told me any shot of me regaining my ability to walk is a longshot. Magic may be miraculous, but it can't cure everything."

Sadness flashed over Severa's face, "Well," She folded her arms, "he better be able to figure it out."

Cordelia chuckled lightly, "I'm sure he will." A slight amount of concern crossed Cordelia's face, "Although, I know Henry is also brewing up something."

Severa blinked, "He is?"

Cordelia nodded, "That guy is strange to say the least."

"You don't know the half of it." Severa muttered.

"What was that?"

Severa jumped in her seat, "I mean er- yeah, he's a weirdo. Totally nuts. Agreed." She nodded.

Cordelia eyed Severa for a moment, "What do you know about him?"

Severa paled, "I-I know he's a strange person who is- well- strange. And I wouldn't want my kids hanging around him."

"And yet you seem completely comfortable whenever he drops by." Cordelia replied, "Were you two close in the future?"

Severa sniffed, "Henry and me, close? Pfft, yeah sure, and Nah can communicate with Naga."

"Nah?"

Severa waved her hand dismissively, "Another friend." She paused a moment, "One we still haven't found yet." She quickly shook her head, "Besides the point, Dad and I weren't really _that_ close."

"I knew it!" Cordelia exclaimed, making Severa suck in her lips like she just ate a lemon drop.

Severa's head hung from her shoulders as a defeated sigh rushed from her lungs, "Gawds dammit, I hang around Cynthia too much."

"So… me and Henry huh?" Cordelia sank into her pillows, pondering this newfound information.

She suspected Henry had a fondness for her ever since the Dark Mage decided to make her his best paralyzed friend (according to Henry, she was the first paralyzed friend he'd had since some other mage named Xavier). But she could never weasel out the exact reason for why Henry seemed so fascinated with her. The Dark Mage had an incredible ability to bounce from one random subject to the next so fast it would make her head spin, and she honestly found it quite amusing. And he always seemed to enjoy the most random of mundane subjects. One day, while on the march, she decided to try her hand at knitting once again. Henry found the scarf so fascinating that they chatted about it and the many intricacies of knitting for a couple hours before he was called away to handle some other work. Without a doubt, other than Severa, he was her most frequent visitor.

 _Although, Chrom and the others are busy running the war, so I can see why they don't have a lot of time._ She thought to herself.

"How in the world did that happen?" Cordelia asked Severa.

Severa shrugged, "Not too sure. You both were always the odd couple. Of course, any situation involving dad involved the word odd." Severa uttered a slight, nervous laugh, "One time, you were sad about something or another," Her laughter faded as a scowl formed instead, "probably had something to do with Chrom now that I think about. But anyways, he took you on this big shopping spree. I tagged along. I think I was maybe five at the time? You bought me this very pretty red dress, and dad… he got me an eyeball in a jar."

"I see you've inherited my love of shopping." Cordelia laughed lightly.

"When this war is over, you and I are totally going-" Severa caught herself and cleared her throat, "I mean, erm- gawds, no. I shop far better than you ever could."

To Severa's shock, Cordelia shrugged, "Okay then. So about your father and I-"

"You never actually married." Severa grumbled, "You were always smitten by Prince Chrom. Prince Chrom this, Prince Chrom that, never bothered to see that someone cared about you constantly right under your nose. Even when you two had a drunken romp and wound up with me, you still were devoted to Chrom over dad."

Cordelia's eyes widened a little bit, "I was that stuck on Chrom?"

"Well yeah," Severa huffed, "So stuck you died for him in the end. And what good did that do? He died anyways too." She swallowed a little bit as sadness entered her eyes, "Dad wasn't really the same after that. I mean, he was still batshit insane but… there wasn't as much fun surrounding his craziness."

A knock sounded on the door, drawing both Cordelia and Severa's attention.

"Art the two red flames of the army decent?"

Severa rolled her eyes, "Oh gawds, its Owain." She mumbled before coughing a little bit and shouting back at the door, "What do you want!?"

The door slid open a little bit, allowing the blond to peek inside. A broad smile crossed his face when he caught sight of Severa sitting with Cordelia.

"I trust I am not interrupting anything overly important to this grand relationship."

"Actually Owain we-"

"Not at all." Severa said quickly, interrupting Cordelia, "Get in already, you're letting the cold in."

Cordelia gave Severa a perplexed look, "It's not even that col-"

"I'm shivering." Severa frowned, folding her arms, "Gawds, you'd think both of you would care if I caught a cold or not."

"R-right, sorry, Venator." Owain replied, quickly entering and shutting the door behind him.

"For the last time, quit calling me that you idiot." Severa hissed back.

"Where on earth did you get that nickname for Severa, Owain?" Cordelia asked with a slight laugh.

"What, Venator? I assumed it to be a noble military term meant for things of great destructive power!" Owain declared, "Why, Master Kenobi used the term once when describing what he would want in a clearly desperate situation involving us against several thousand Risen. Granted he never really explained what Venator really meant, but if Master Kenobi desired such a great thing against our enemies, then surely it is a compliment to refer to you as such, Severa."

Severa gave Cordelia a weary look, "You see what I have to put up with?"

Cordelia chuckled, "It's kind of cute."

"Ew, gawds no!" Severa stuck her tongue out, shivering with slight disgust.

"You wound me, Venator."

"I'm going to kick your ass, Owain!"

Cordelia laughed some more, drawing a frown from Severa and a wider smile from Owain, "What do you need to talk to us about?"

"Oh, well, Cousin Lucina has called a meeting, Ven-" Owain caught himself as Severa balled up a fist, "Severa."

Severa nodded, relaxing her hand, "Better." She glanced at Cordelia, "Gotta go."

"You don't need my permission." Cordelia replied as Severa got to her feet. She yawned and sank further into the soft pillows beneath her, "I'm about to fall asleep anyways."

"Glad to hear I'm boring." Severa huffed as she marched over to Owain, who was holding the door open for her.

Cordelia closed her eyes, "You could never bore me, Severa."

Severa's heart jumped in her chest. She was about to reply when she heard a soft snore come from Cordelia. A small smile formed on her lips as she looked over her shoulder at her slumbering mother.

The door quietly slid shut.

"Is that a grin I see?" Owain asked.

Severa rolled her eyes, "It's dark out, you don't see anything."

"False! There are torches everywhere."

Severa shook her head and marched towards Lucina's quarters, where she knew her friend would hold the meeting. As she approached, she could see the silhouettes of Brady and Inigo against the nearest wall. She knew it was Brady because his head was tilted back with a flask to his lips while Inigo was doing his best to look cool for someone in there.

 _Probably for Lucina, but who knows at this point._

She slid the door open, causing everyone to look at her and Owain.

"About time you showed up." Brady grunted.

"Hey, gorgeous." Inigo said, putting on his most dashing smile, "How are you-"

"Not impressed." Severa deadpanned as she strode past him, leaving the swordsman to sputter on his next few words.

She nodded over at Sakura and Noire, who were near the window talking quietly. Noire smiled back while Sakura simply nodded in return. Severa then locked eyes briefly with Luke, who quickly averted his gaze over to Cynthia, who stood at his side, wide smile on her face. Finally, she spotted Lucina sitting in a chair, waiting for them to arrive.

Lucina smiled at Severa, rising from her chair and embracing her friend.

"How is your mom?"

Severa sighed, "Doing better, I think."

"Good." Lucina nodded, pulling away and clearing her throat, "Alright, everyone listen up."

The chatter in the room ended.

"There was a war council not long ago, and I was part of it." Lucina began, "It seems the Valmese army moves faster than we all thought. They could be here any day now." Her friend's faces turned sober as she spoke, "Luke already has the Chon'sin army working round the clock to fortify the city walls, but… there is no guarantee that we will be fully prepared for their arrival."

"We kinda have to be if we're going to stand a chance." Brady pointed out, fingers drumming nervously against his flask.

"No one ever has the luxury of perfect circumstances in war." Luke pointed out, making Brady frown, "We're being dealt a shitty hand, but we have to win with it."

"Exactly." Lucina nodded.

"What's the strategy then?" Severa asked, folding her arms over her chest, "How in Naga's name are we going to beat one million men?"

Lucina grimaced, "We're not entirely sure. We've negated the Valmese cavalry, for the most part, by holing up in the city. What we're now counting on is Walhart to be impatient and want to defeat us outright rather than try to starve us out like in a typical siege."

Noire paled, "Starving the enemy out is typical for a siege?"

"Didn't you pay attention to my father's lessons in the future?" Sakura remarked, brow raised.

"I thought he was exaggerating." Noire replied.

"Well, he was not." Lucina said, "I've read some reports from the siege of Ylisstol during the Plegian war." She grimaced, "They weren't pretty."

"So all of our hopes for this battle are pinned on Emperor Walhart being pissed off." Severa let out a long sigh, "Great."

"Yen'fay seems to think this will work." Luke reassured everyone, "He knows the Conqueror better than any of us. If he says Walhart won't drag out a siege, then he won't. But that also means this will be the most dangerous battle we've fought. Even more dangerous than Demon's Ingle."

"We all know how that went." Sakura muttered.

"Yes, we do." Lucina replied, "But we won. And we will win here. We just have to rise and meet our enemy." She looked at Cynthia, "The Pegasus Knights will be executing quick hit and runs throughout the battle, you'll be joining mom in that."

Cynthia's eyes widened, "I will?"

"Yes." Lucina nodded before turning her attention to Laurent, "You will join Tharja, Henry, and the other mages on the wall. Noire," Noire raised her gaze, "archers will be in the towers and on the walls. You will stick close to Virion, he is commanding the archers."

Noire and Laurent both nodded.

"Inigo, you and Sakura will be down at the main gate. Sakura knows these streets better than nearly any of us." Lucina glanced at Luke, "Luke will be down at the main gate as well. Severa you will be with me on the walls. Brady-"

"With Ma, Libra, and Miss Lissa?" The drunk priest nodded, "Ya'll need any help though, holler for me." He patted his hip, where his ax rested, "I'm pretty handy with this still."

"Hold up." Severa said quickly. She turned to Lucina, "You'll be on the walls too? How? You've got one arm-"

"One extra hand is better than no extra hands." Lucina interrupted, "I will not stay out of this fight. Not when it could be our last."

A sober silence descended on all of them. Cynthia gulped audibly and raised her hand. Lucina nodded at her.

"If it is our last, who will fight Grima?" The Pegasus Knight asked, voice quiet like a mouse as nervous tension filled her.

"It won't be our last." Luke said, voice filled with determination.

"It very well could be." Lucina admitted, a bitter taste in her mouth as she did so, "I'm not going to lie to any of you, this situation is grim. We are outnumbered, and not by a small amount. People will die tomorrow, some we may know… some may be us." She grimaced, jaw clenching tight for a moment as that realization slammed into her. She bowed her head for a moment, trying to figure out what to say to all of them. Some words of comfort, or courage, that could help all of them push forward, "We have faced down Grima himself and lived to tell about it. This is not our darkest hour. The Valmese will not break us, and they will not end our quest, our mission. Perhaps in the end, it is a blessing in disguise that some of us are not here yet. But know this, I will do everything in my power to make certain that we win. I will make certain that we get to see our remaining friends again, that we get to live with our families again, and that we get to see a world filled with peace for once in our lives. But I need all of you by my side."

"Well spoken! True words from a great leader! One I shall happily fight and die beside!" Owain declared, unsheathing Misseltain and raising it in the air with gusto. Not a hint of hesitation in him as he showed where he stood.

Severa shook her head a little bit, "Damned if we do, damned if we don't. I don't plan on being the one that doesn't." She unsheathed her sword as well and tapped Owain's with it, "We've got your back, Luci."

Brady tipped back his flask, gulping down the last few drops of firewine he had in it. He uttered a satisfied gasp and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, "Ain't gonna be able to have more of that unless we win this thing. Might as well stick by ya." He tapped his staff against the floor and smirked a little bit.

"No matter the outcome of the battle," Laurent began, pushing up on his glasses as he held his tome close to his chest, "It is certain the Conqueror will show no quarter. Just as he did at Demon's Ingle, on the road, and… and at Charlet. Frankly, I wish to avenge my mother's premature death. My spells will ignite the enemy ranks ablaze, Lucina."

"Letting a gorgeous flower such as yourself dance with death alone? It would be most ungentlemanly of me to allow that." Inigo wiped his gray hair from his forehead and smirked at Lucina, "Consider that gate held, right Sak?"

Sak grumbled under her breath then nodded to Lucina. Her silent nod all the Princess needed to know that the former Chon'sin Princess was ready for a fight.

Noire flicked her eyes around at all of them, "We've got everything to lose don't we? That means we'll fight even harder.

"You know I'm with you, Luci!" Cynthia declared, putting her hands on her hips, "A true hero sticks by their family!"

"Huzzah to that!" Owain cheered.

"The Justice Cabal fights for- er- justice!" Cynthia cheered louder.

Luke let out a soft laugh, "This is my home, Luci. You can bet I will fight for it."

Lucina's breaths rushed in and out of her lungs. Once again, her friends proved their loyalty to her and their cause. Everytime they did, she felt overwhelmed.

"What did I do to deserve friends like you?" Lucina shuddered, struggling to contain her own emotions. She gave them all a grateful smile, eyes roving over all of their determined faces, "Let's win this war."

* * *

The end was near. He could feel it in his bones. Bones hardened by years of conquest and war. They knew when the end of an enemy, the end of a war, approached. The only thing that irked the Conqueror about this end is that it was not on his terms. Because of that, his Empire, his army, the symbol of invulnerability he had spent years building, had been weakened significantly. And by what? A ragged band of Ylissean weaklings who couldn't defeat desert rats without a miracle, Feroxi barbarians who held no martial discipline, and worst of all, traitors who believed in an ancient religion over him and his empire.

Walhart's fists clenched tight as he stood alone in his large, mostly empty tent. His scarlet armor rested on a massive mannequin, one of the few pieces of furniture he allowed himself to have while the march. His milky eyes roved over the solid steel plating until they landed on a lone dent, the only strike that anyone had landed on him during his years of conquest. A blow given to him by that Feroxi Khan, the lone warrior from his enemy that has garnered his respect. Unlike the Ylisseans, led by their Prince and mysterious tandem of tactician and general, that barbarian had the stones to face him head on. Had the courage to test strength against strength.

The rest of the Archaneans were content with fighting a coward's war. Fleeing from battlefield to battlefield. Manipulating his generals into betraying him despite the goodwill he gave them, their soldiers, and their families. His army had been harrassed by roving gangs of mercenaries for his entire march south. Harassment that only worsened as he passed Demon's Ingle. He knew who led those vagabonds; a damned fool of a foreigner name Priam. That fool's death will come soon. When it did, Walhart was determined to make it a slow, annoying one. Let him feel how his army felt whenever those mercenaries struck the edges of his million man column.

Now, his enemy retreated to Koto. To the home of the one general that actually gave him some concern. Yen'fay's army knew how to fight, they knew how to defeat any opponent. They were professional soldiers, from the highest captain to the lowest man at arms. He was no fool. He knew that each one of Yen'fay's soldiers was worth at least ten of his own. Now that the enemy sought shelter within Koto's ancient walls, his greatest asset, his cavalry, was obsolete.

The smart play would be to wait them out. Starve the Archaneans and the traitors from their shelter and force them to either surrender, or die in a desperate attempt to escape his wrath. But his fury had been kindled. Excellus's incompetance, combined with his general's disloyalty, led him to be filled with anger. He would not accept surrender. Not until every single Archanean lay dead and their commanders were kneeling before him, utterly broken. Not until his ax, Wolf Berg, severed Yen'fay, Pheros, and Cervantes's traitorous heads from their shoulders. Only then would the siege end.

 _Then Archanea will fall._ He thought to himself, candle light flickering in his tent, _The world will finally be united for the real war._

His tent opened. A messenger stepped inside, immediately saluting the Conqueror. Walhart glowered down at the smaller man.

"Your excellency." He held out a folded up letter, "A message for you. It came in secret. We don't know how it got to us."

Walhart arched raised his brow. Without saying a word, he plucked the letter from the messenger's grip and unfolded it. His milky eyes strained to see the words, but eventually they came into focus. He quickly read it then handed it back to the messenger.

"Our cavalry will be at the front when the siege begins." He told the man, "Inform the captains."

The messenger appeared perplexed, "Pardon me, your excellency. But wouldn't cavalry be useless in a siege?"

Walhart glared down at the messenger. The messenger gulped then quickly bowed.

"As you wish, sire." He rushed out, leaving Walhart alone once more.

The messenger was not wrong. Normally, when it came to besieging cities, cavalry was useless unless the gates were breached. Or in this case, thrown open for him.

Weariness filled him for the first time today. The mammoth of a man uttered a weary sigh and moved towards his bed. He sat down on it, the frame creaking as his hulking body rested on the mattress. He cupped his hand around the lone candle burning near his bed and blew it out, ready to rest before the beginning of the end.

 _There will be one less headless General._

 **And chapter! Sorry for the small wait on this one folks, got hit upside the head by the old writer's block. But we are getting into the final battle now, and it's gonna be a big one. I'm excited to write it! Hopefully I do a good job with it. As for this chapter, we got some interesting moments between some of our characters. I tried to flesh out our lone OC unit in Sakura a little more, she's a tough character for me to write because I haven't written many OC's before, so I've got a bit of a learning curve there. Still an interesting character to explore. Often times the game portrayed the relationships between kid and parent as being at least okay (Tharja and Noire aside… that one is a whole other can of worms). So making one where the parents weren't the closest and their kid knows that is interesting to do. Anyways, time to get this final battle planned and written! Let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**

 **Come join the Treehouse! A little place for writer's, readers, FE fans, and fans of everything else! Discord code is: 9XG3U7a**


	119. The Storm

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 119

The Storm

Dooku strolled through the strangely empty streets of Koto. He thought a city of this size would be bustling at this time of the day. After all, the sun was already high in the sky. Obscured by storm clouds, but still up and bringing small amounts of light to the land below. The streets should be choked with people. There should be vendors in the markets selling their wares. Bakers and other cooks making their food. Smiths pounding on their anvils. Instead, there was only silence and the wind whipping through the empty streets and alleyways.

His boots clicked against the ancient stone streets. As he walked, he found himself looking at the many buildings around him with great interest. Unlike Ylisstol, Port Ferox, and Charlet, this city was built very compact. The streets were narrow, the alleys even narrower. He doubted a speeder could pass through some of the places he walked.

 _Then again, speeders are non existent here._

Normally, he would not bother with exploring a city like Koto. Why should he? He had no personal stakes in the city, unlike Themis. The Skywalker brat and his adoptive brother were the ones focusing on fortifying the city, and they were better for such a job. So he had no tactical need to know the many details about this place. Under normal circumstances, he would have remained in his quarters and enjoyed a good book, or even meditation.

But this time, he had to move through the city and get to the market district that was located near the main gate. Earlier in the morning, he received a message from a certain, red haired merchant. His materials were finally all gathered together. Much later than he would have liked, but beggars could not be choosers on this planet. Platinum, gold, and silver were exceedingly rare elements for this world, which was why the primitive humans on this planet placed such a high value on those metals. Honestly, Dooku was impressed Anna had managed to gather what he requested at all, especially given the heavy fighting recently.

Her tent was the only one set up in the square. As always, Anna's table out in front of the tent was laden with all manner of wares. If this were any normal town on a normal day, she would have dozens, if not hundreds, of customers coming to inspect her stock. After all, apparently her new identity as the Red Beret Seller was picking up steam throughout the land. But this was not a normal day. The citizens of Koto had boarded up their homes and locked their doors. They knew what was coming. All the more reason why Dooku was mildly irritated with Anna's timing.

The merchant was leaning against her table, head in her hands, a bored expression on her face when she spotted him.

"Oh thank Naga, a customer. Even if it is only you, you are at least someone." She said, eyes lighting up upon seeing him, "I already wrote the bill up for Maribelle. You sure she's okay with this?"

"She will have to be. And if nothing else, I'll fix some numbers for the Themis rebuild." Dooku replied as he stopped in front of her table.

Anna arched an eyebrow, "A little books scheming eh? Unethical, but then again, I got a bunch of my stuff in the not so ethical way so… " She shrugged, "I didn't hear it from you."

"Very good." Dooku remarked, "Do you have what I require?"

Anna raced back into her tent for a moment, then emerged with a small chest. A note with his name on it was attached to the chest.

"In the amounts you asked for." Anna smiled as Dooku opened the chest and glanced inside, "Like I said, I'm the best at getting you the best."

 _Most impressive._ Dooku thought to himself. Anna got him exactly what he was looking for. All of the correct materials rested within the chest in the amounts he required. He closed up the chest and lifted it from the table.

"Mind if I ask what it's all for?" Anna said, leaning up against her table once again, red beret cocked to the side of her head. Her fingers tapped against the tabletop as she stared at Dooku, curiosity on her face.

"I plan on making an arm for Princess Lucina." Anna's jaw fell open. Dooku sensed her confusion, which he knew would be followed up with a flurry of inane questions that he did not have the time or patience to answer, "If you'll excuse me, I have a lot of work to do and not a lot of time to do it."

Dooku spun on his heel and marched as fast as he could back towards the royal palace. Since the streets were utterly empty, he made good time. When he arrived back at the palace, he asked one of the guards for directions to the palace smith. Then he made his way there.

Thankfully, the blacksmith was doing his job this morning. Dooku did not want to venture to the military camp beyond the walls unless he absolutely had to. There was no telling when the Valmese army would arrive to lay siege to the city, and he did not want them to arrive while he was working on this important project, otherwise he would be forced to abandon it quickly. That would be a waste of both good material and money, something he was loathe to allow.

The blacksmith, the largest Chon'sin man Dooku had seen so far, took one look at him and his chest of materials and shook his head.

"Sorry, blades only."

Dooku motioned with his hand, "You will assist me with my project."

The smith's eyes glazed over as Dooku hammered his mind with the force.

"I… will assist you in your project." The smith muttered absently.

Dooku smirked, "Very good." He set his materials down, "We need to smelt this down, except for the copper wire, quickly." He flicked his eyes to the forge and blasted it with some force lightning, igniting the coals to a white hot temperature, "Let's get to work."

Dooku paused when he noticed one of the palace guards strolling by on patrol. He snapped his fingers in the man's direction, drawing his attention.

"You will remain here." He drawled.

The guard stiffened, "Sorry, milord, but I-"

Dooku reached into the man's mind with the force, "You will remain here and do as I command." He shrugged off his cape and neatly folded it onto a bench off to the side, "It's been a good many years since I've done work like this, and my skills may be rusty."

The guard's eyes glazed over, "I will… remain here and do as you command."

Dooku nodded, "Very good." He grabbed an iron ingot and prepared it for the forge, "At least the mind tricks have not gotten rusty."

* * *

The rain started around noon. Drops tapped against her window like soft, musical notes, creating a soothing aura within Lucina's room. As a Ylissean royal, Luke and Yen'fay both made sure she was given her own quarters, just like her parents. It still made her mildly uncomfortable to be singled out and given special treatment like that. Growing up, such luxuries were fleeting. By the end of the war against Grima in the future, several of her friends shared her quarters with her due to how decimated Ylisstol became. She preferred to be among her friends anyways, but she also knew it would be rude to turn down a generous offer from another royal household. Even though Luke was technically in charge, she considered Yen'fay the chief royal in Chon'sin, and treated him as such. Something she had a feeling Luke was grateful for. He did appear rather awkward and uncomfortable in his new position as General of Chon'sin's army.

Her eyes remained closed, legs crossed, hand resting in her lap as the soft sounds of rain tapping against the window and wall calmed her mind. The Force flowed through her like a gentle stream. Easing her worries, allowing her thoughts to be clear and concise. Ever since she lost her arm to Maul and was forced to rely on the Force more than her martial skill, she had grown in her meditations. The many lessons Master Kenobi taught her in the future regarding the spiritual nature of the Force resonated in her now more than ever, and she embraced them fully. Meditating, resting in the Force, kept her sane and focused during these difficult, desperate times. It helped her still grieving heart from aching too much.

Her mind wandered to the friends she had lost during this war. Ricken, Miriel, Gregor, Stahl, Say'ri… Robin; she inhaled, forcing back tears as she slowly exhaled. In the future, she lost many people close to her. Most of whom raised her. The death of her parents lead to her life as Ben Kenobi's pupil. The death of Aunt Lissa was one of the ones that hit her the hardest. When that terrible event happened, her master reminded her that her Aunt was now one with the Force. He let her grieve, but he reminded her of her duty. A duty she still had to uphold today. Sorrow could wait until Grima was gone. Mourning could wait until the Fell Dragon became nothing more than a horrible note in history. She cast all of her sorrows into her meditations and allowed them to wash away, only to resurface another day.

Lucina swallowed hard as her mind drifted away from those morose thoughts to a far more worrisome one. After the meeting she had with her friends last night, she realized that they had yet to find many of their fellow comrades. Yarne, Kjelle, Gerome, Nah, and Morgan were all still missing. Given how far she and her friends had now traveled, she wondered if Laurent might be correct. That they were now all on other worlds. If so, then she feared for them. None were prepared for what was beyond the stars. She could not even fathom what lay beyond the sky, in the deep reaches of space. Ben had not been the most forthcoming, even now, about what the stars held. That probably had to do with him being more concerned about the war than about enlightening her, but she still worried.

 _The only one who might do well is Morgan._ She thought to herself, inhaling deeply and letting her mind sink into the currents of the Force, _She's always been extremely adaptable._

"Well, now." Lucina inhaled sharply as a voice she had not heard in nearly three years spoke to her, "I don't exactly know who you are, but I thank you for the compliment."

Her eyes flew open, and her heart lodged in her throat. Her room was gone. The floor mat that served as a surprisingly comfortable bed had been replaced with a cold, hard, jet black metallic floor. A strange hum filled the air, a noise she could not place. The air felt very cold. Not cold like Regna Ferox, but cold like… like the future. Like how the air felt when Grima descended upon Ylisstol and destroyed her home. Sinister and dark, it was an invisible shadow that hung in the air. Other than the Fell Dragon, only two others felt like this to Lucina, Luke (when he had been hopelessly lost), and Maul.

"Who are Maul and Luke?"

Lucina whipped her head around. Her eyes widened. Morgan sat in a sleek, black chair behind her, legs crossed, fingers steepled in front of her face as… as yellow eyes studied her. She still wore the same, old, weathered purple and gold coat that she loved. But beneath that coat were black robes that looked out of place for the usually bubbly tactician. The black haired girl tilted her head to the side, both curious and amused with Lucina's shock.

"You know who I am, don't you?" Morgan muttered, a perplexed look crossing her face, "I'm anxious to ask you some questions but first I want to know, how the hell did you get by Deathy One?"

 _Deathy who?_

Lucina winced as she felt something strange burrowing into her mind and thoughts. Before she could figure out what was going on, Morgan shrugged.

"My personal bodyguard. One of them at least. I kinda like her. Silent type, but I'm sure I can get her to open up and joke around soon. We've only known each other for a few months." She waved a hand, "Useless information for you, fun little facts for me." She hummed to herself as her hands fell into her lap, "Speaking of you, who?"

Lucina gaped at her, "I-I-" She reached up with her one hand and wiped at her eyes, tears threatening to form in them as she stared at her friend, "Is it really you, Morgan?"

Morgan's unnatural, blazing eyes narrowed at her as she bristled at the mention of her own name.

"You know _that_ name… unfortunately." She sighed, "Call me, Ragana." Lucina stared at her, puzzled, "Now, I've introduced myself. I think it's only polite that you do so too."

Lucina could not believe what she was seeing. Morgan was in front of her. But how? Where as well? What in Naga's name was going on? She quickly sank into the force and reached out to Morgan, hoping to glean some answers.

Instead, she ran into a steel trap. Morgan's eyes narrowed as Lucina slammed against a solid, dark wall in the force. Seemingly unbreakable upon first glance. A sharp gasp rushed out of Lucina's lungs as she felt the dark side of the force flare to life inside of Morgan, making her already burning eyes blaze bright.

"Oh, now that's interesting." Ragana smirked, "Do I detect a little force sensitivity there? Ohohohoho!" Ragana rose to her feet, sauntering over to Lucina with the same excitement a child had when they were about to receive a present. She stood in front of a still sitting Lucina and bent at the waist, gaze meeting Lucina's, "Who taught you?"

Lucina blinked, "Y-you know who did, Morgan."

The Dark Side snarled, making Lucina closed her mouth. Ragana exhaled and shook her head.

"That name again?" Lucina's mouth fell open, stunned and confused, "I've moved beyond it, can't you see? Now for the last time." The force gripped Lucina by the throat and hoisted her in the air, "Your name?" Ragana blinked, "Oh right… magic words, my mistake." She cleared her throat as Lucina struggled to breath, "Please."

The pressure around Lucina's throat lightened, "Lucina." She gasped out, "Your… friend."

Ragana blinked and let Lucina fall back to the floor. Lucina gasped for breath as she rested on her knees. Loud coughs erupted from her lungs as air rushed back into them. She shakily raised her gaze up to Ragana. The black haired girl stared at her even more puzzled than before.

"I was not aware I had friends." Ragana muttered to herself. The fire in her eyes faded a little bit as she stared at Lucina with wonder, "You have answers for me." The force tightened around Lucina as she was hoisted in the air again, "You're going to answer my… wait… why are you fading?"

Panic surged through Lucina as the world around her faded to black. Her heart beat fast in her chest as her breathing felt uneven. When light returned again, she was back in her room in Chon'sin. The light tapping of rain had turned into a heavy pounding as the storm grew in intensity. Her body suddenly felt weak, and she pitched forward, catching herself with her hand as ragged gasps rushed from her lips.

 _Morgan… Morgan was…_ Lucina shook her head, _No! I refuse to believe it. That had to be a trick. An illusion. Morgan would never allow herself to go that far. She saw what it did to Luke, so she would never… would she?_

So much about the vision, the illusion, made no sense to Lucina. What kind of place was that? A place with no windows, a metal floor, and an intense cold the likes of which she only ever felt in the presence of the Dark Side. Things Morgan said puzzled her. It was as if she did not remember Lucina; did not remember that they were close friends. That she used to advise Lucina on battle tactics during the last days of Ylisse, in the future.

She shook her head, drawing in a deep breath as she pushed herself back upright. That vision could not be taken in a literal sense. Hell, Lucina was hesitant to listen to it at all. If it was not a trick of the Dark Side, then it had to be something more symbolic. Perhaps it meant that Morgan was lost to her and her friends entirely? That she was far beyond their reach and would never be found. But in her heart, Lucina felt uncertain about that explanation as well.

Someone as good, kind, and fun loving as Morgan would not fall to the Dark Side. It just couldn't happen.

 _You said the same about Luke when Maul arrived._ She reminded herself, rising to her feet. Tired of meditation for today, _I'll have to consult Ben. He might have an idea of what is going on._

Yes, she needed his wisdom on this matter. She could not see this vision clearly. So much of the Force felt clouded recently. A shroud of darkness had fallen over the Force ever since this terrible war in Valm began. It worried her, but she did not bring her worries to either Dooku or Ben yet. Not with this war in full swing. Perhaps it was just a matter of her own inexperience leading to such fogginess?

A knock on her door snapped her attention from her thoughts.

"Come in." Lucina said quietly.

The door slid open. A Chon'sin guard stepped inside, brow and body caked with sweat and rain. Despite being red in the face and clearly exhausted, he bowed at the waist to Lucina and moved with the urgency of a man under duress.

"Princess Lucina, Count Dooku requires you at his quarters." The guard informed her.

Lucina raised an eyebrow, "May I ask why?"

The guard did not reply. He turned on his heel and left before she could say anything else. Lucina remained in her room a moment longer, confused. Dooku never asked to speak with her, not on her own at least. The man hardly recognized her existence. The last time she had a genuine conversation involving him was in the wake of the battle at Port Ferox.

 _Naga, that already feels like a lifetime ago._ Lucina thought.

So much had happened in the span of a few weeks. So many battles fought, triumphs witness, friends lost, it felt so overwhelming. She took a deep breath and moved to her door, sliding it open and stepping out into the rainy day. If Dooku wished to see her, then it had to be important.

* * *

Ben massaged his temples. A splitting headache lanced through his forehead as he paced to and fro in his and Tharja's room. A loose fitting shirt rested over his shoulders and simple pants covered his legs. Comfortable clothing that allowed him to somewhat decompress. Or at least try to. But with the reports the scouts have given him recently, he could not even force himself to sit still.

He found that to be both concerning and odd. During the Clone Wars, he never felt like this. There were times where he was worried, Mandalore being the most poignant of those times. But there were never instances where he felt so consumed with anxiety as he did now. Despite the savagery of the Clone Wars, there was a calm in him during that chaotic time that he knew he lacked now. Maybe that was due to his suddenly young biology mixed with a more wizened mind, the two fighting for control over his actions? Or perhaps it was due to his slow walk away from the fallen Jedi Order's philosophy of detachment. There were people he cared about in the Clone Wars. If anything happened to Ahsoka or Anakin, before the Order's fall, he would have been beyond devastated. Each death in the Jedi Order hurt his heart in different ways. But now, here in Valm, if he lost another Shepherds, if he lost a close friend like Gaius or Chrom, Naga forbid if he lost Tharja, he would likely be consumed by his own grief. That realization gave him flashbacks to his state of mind in the wake of the Jedi Purge.

 _Perhaps that is why I'm on edge._ He wondered as he paced back and forth, the pattering of raindrops doing little to ease his mind, _I'm afraid of falling back into that bad state of mind._

"Ben?"

He glanced over to a small desk in the room. Tharja had been sitting at it for some time, reading by candlelight. The shades were drawn in their room. Not that it mattered too much, the clouds were too dark for much sunlight to break through.

He stopped his pacing as she glanced over her shoulder at him.

"You're pacing again." She said with a soft smile.

Ben snorted, "Yes well…" He wiped his eyes with his hand and uttered a long groan, "So much that can go wrong."

Tharja arched an eyebrow, "Did command always bother you this much?"

Ben quickly shook his head, "I've always been aware of the responsibility of command, but I never had to deal with this amount of… worry. Somehow, commanding thousands of Clones on a battlefield against tens of thousands of droids with advanced technology is easier than commanding a battle where the most advanced weapon is a bow and arrow." He slumped into a chair near the window and massaged his eyes again, "I've got a splitting headache."

Tharja gave him a sympathetic look. One hand closed the tomb on the desk. She rose and quietly padded towards him, taking a seat in his lap and pulled his hand away from his eyes.

"You are overdoing it again." She smiled a little bit before brushing some hair from his forehead, "Should I put a little sleeping hex on you so that you can rest?"

Ben thought for a moment. It wasn't a bad idea, but he also could not afford to fall into that deep of a sleep. Not with the Valmese due to arrive on their doorstep at any moment.

"No, that is not necessary."

Tharja quirked an eyebrow, "It seems very necessary. Perhaps a more potion-esque remedy then?"

Ben shook his head and Tharja frowned.

"Are you going to let me help at all?"

Ben smiled a little bit, reaching up and brushing his hand against her cheek.

"You being here is help enough."

A dry laugh slipped from Tharja's lips, "Always the smooth talker." She placed a soft kiss on his lips, "Hard to believe it'd take someone like you to make me such a softie. Anyone else and I'd hex them to oblivion."

"I'd save that pent up aggression for the Valmese if I were you." Ben chuckled, feeling some tension in his body subside as she rested her head against his shoulder.

"Oh, there is plenty for them." She muttered, "They must pay for what they have done."

Ben closed his eyes, softly exhaling as she said that. Tharja did well at hiding it, but he knew she mourned Robin greatly. When he first met the dark mage, she had an intense infatuation for the tactician. Neither of them really understood why exactly. Tharja pinned the blame on her being drawn to powerful people, which Robin absolutely was, as well as being drawn to mysteries that need solving. Ben tended to agree with her. After all, the reason why they wound up together was because her curiosity and infatuation shifted from Robin to him due to his own force powers and enigmatic past. He had been more forthcoming about it all than Robin, which led to Tharja solving the mystery of Ben Kenobi.

Despite the loss of her initial fascination, borderline obsession, with the Shepherd's tactician, Tharja never lost the desire to be Robin's friend. Close friend even. Eventually, over the course of their travels as a group, Robin grew to not be as nervous around Tharja and Tharja grew to be a good friend and confidant. His death hit her just as hard as it hit any other Shepherd. Ben could feel her grief through the force, as well as her fury. Any Valmese that dared stand against her on the battlefield would be annihilated, and she would relish in it.

"Don't get too carried away." He whispered to her, one hand rubbing her shoulder.

Tharja sighed, "Ben-"

Ben met her dark eyes, "There is a distinct difference between delivering justice, and seeking vengeance."

She furrowed her brow, "Don't you want to avenge Robin?"

Ben sighed, "Part of me does. Another part of me also knows that if I allow my emotions to run rampant, I won't be able to command effectively. I have to control my own grief so that we stand a better chance at winning. I-" He took a breath, "I believe you must do the same, since you will be leading our mages on the battlefield. They will be looking to you for a level head in the chaos to come."

Tharja's frown deepened a bit as she listened to Ben, "That's going to be difficult for me to do."

Ben nodded, "I know. It'll be difficult for me as well."

"You have your Jedi training to fall back on." Tharja rose to her feet moving back over to the desk, where her spellbook waited for her, "I have Grimleal training. Needless to say, if someone pissed me off back then, I would incinerate them with the most insidious, slow burning flame I could conjure."

Ben nodded, "But you have also come so far from that place." He got to his feet and followed her over, gently placing his hands on her waist as she stood next to her chair, "Don't give in to that darkness, Tharja. It never ends well."

Tharja's jaw tightened. She knew Ben was right, but she also knew he was coming from a perspective she still barely understood. From what little she had learned of Jedi philosophy, revenge was very frowned upon. It was seen as a dark path, unnecessary to a person's life. But if it was unnecessary, why did she feel the need to extract it? Why did she feel the need to destroy the Valmese for killing Robin? Old Grimleal teachings raced through her mind as she contemplated the many hexes she could implement on her enemies. Teachings that, instead of making her feel powerful, now made her feel a little wary.

 _I've become soft because of you, Ben._ She thought to herself.

He placed a soft kiss on her cheek, chasing her doubts and thoughts away.

"I'll be there with you on the battlefield. If you need help, I'll be there." He breathed in her ear.

"And vice versa." Tharja replied with a small smile, "We face everything together, right?"

"Absolutely."

An aristocratic voice clearing its throat interrupted the couple, causing Ben to rest his head against Tharja's shoulder and utter a long groan.

"Kenobi, I don't think this is the type of thing you should have an audience for."

Tharja snickered lightly as Ben pulled away from her and turned to face Count Dooku. Ben raised his brow as he saw the Count's appearance. The old man looked far more disheveled that he would normally allow. Sweat stained his dark brown shirt. His white hair was soaked with rain and more sweat, and his face was red with strain.

"There's such a thing as knocking." Ben replied.

Dooku shrugged, "I didn't hear any strange noises so I assumed the situation was relatively appropriate." He regarded Tharja, "Then again, her attire makes any situation borderline."

"You were around Twi'leks before, Count. So you shouldn't be so offended." Ben sassed back, "What do you want? And why do you look so… so…"

"Well, I've been working on an important project, Kenobi."

"Oh?"

"Yes." Dooku nodded, "And in order to finish it, I require both yours and Tharja's assistance."

Ben narrowed his eyes, "You're asking me for help?"

"And me?" Tharja echoed, suddenly very curious, dark eyes once again ripped away from her spellbook.

"As much as it pains me to do so, yes." Dooku droned, "Now we don't have much time. Please follow me to my quarters."

The Count quickly marched away, leaving both Ben and Tharja puzzled. Ben glanced over at Tharja.

"Bring your spellbook." He told her as he used the force to call his lightsaber over to him.

Tharja raised an eyebrow, "Why?"

"Because this is either something very strange, or very deadly. And when it comes to Dooku, I'd rather not take my chances."

"I thought you two were working towards a more friendly relationship?" Tharja asked as she picked her spellbook up and followed Ben out of the door.

Ben slid the door shut behind them. Rain cascaded down the tiled rooftop over their heads and crashed down onto the soaked ground and courtyard.

"Friendly is a very relative term for us." Ben replied as they strolled down the open corridor towards Dooku's quarters at the far end, "We're more antagonistic friends at the moment. Who knows when that old Sith's switch will flip."

Tharja gave Ben a confused look.

"Figure of speech."

"Star speech, got it." Tharja nodded, "You meant to say you don't know when his loyalties could shift?"

Ben nodded, "Precisely." They paused in front of the Count's door, "Now, unlike the oh so rude Count, I'm going to be a good neighbor and knock."

Tharja snickered as Ben rapped his knuckles against the door.

"Confound it all, Jedi! Get in here already!" Dooku shouted from inside.

Ben rolled his eyes and slid the door open. Tharja quickly stepped inside, sheltering herself from the rain and cool air. Ben followed her in. Both were surprised when they saw Lucina waiting for them inside with Dooku.

Ben glanced at Dooku as the count threw a clean white sheet over a long table he somehow managed to find, "What exactly are you doing?"

"I'm curious about what is going on as well." Lucina muttered, "He asked for me personally."

"Why?" Ben wondered out loud.

"Looks to me like he is preparing a ritual of some sort." Tharja suggested, flicking her dark eyes over to the table with a white sheet over it.

"What gives you that impression?" Ben asked.

Tharja shrugged and gestured at the table, "The sheet is good for keeping blood off the floor."

Lucina paled. Ben sighed and shook his head.

"I doubt that is what this is all about."

"Actually she is correct, Kenobi. I'd rather not get blood on my floor." Dooku muttered as he swept across the room and lit a torch.

Ben pinched the bridge of his nose as he sensed some panic flare to life inside of Lucina, "Really, Count?"

Dooku glanced over his shoulder as he shuffled away from the torch to a small chest on his desk, "What?" Dooku replied, "I'm not going to lie to Lucina. This procedure will be painful."

"I knew it was a ritual." Tharja nodded.

"I'm not interested in whatever you have planned, Sith." Lucina quickly spat.

"Quite frankly, I agree with Lucina." Ben said, hand twitching ever so slightly towards the lightsaber on his belt.

"You'll both be interested once you see," Dooku opened chest and pulled something out of it that made Ben's eyes widen, "this."

An exceptionally crude cybernetic arm rested in the Count's grip. Exposed copper wires ran up and down the length of the arm while the protective iron shell was thrown open, revealing the rough inner workings.

"Is that what I think it is?" Ben breathed.

Dooku nodded, "It is very, very crude. Personally, I'm hoping it actually works. It was a hasty build, unfortunately. I'd prefer to have a few weeks to construct one, but our preferred merchant chose now to finally gather the materials I required."

Lucina eyed him carefully as Dooku moved to the table, "What exactly is it?" She asked.

Dooku raised the cybernetic arm for her to see, "Your new arm, Princess."

Lucina's blue eyes widened, "New-" Any other words were lost in her throat as she stared completely stunned at the strange contraption in Dooku's hands, "That's… that's not possible." She whipped her gaze to Ben, "Right?"

Ben sighed, "Actually, such things are commonplace in the rest of the galaxy. Although, the good ones are extremely expensive."

Lucina's throat bobbed as she swallowed hard, "And is that a-"

"No." Both Dooku and Ben said simultaneously, doing little to ease Lucina's wariness.

"But," Dooku continued, "if it works as I intend it, you will be able to fight with two hands once more. Something I'm sure you are more used to than trying to fight one handed."

Lucina's eyes brightened at the mere mention of being back to her old self. But as quickly as that hope entered her eyes, it was replaced with wariness once again.

"What do you have to do to make that happen?"

Dooku grimaced, "It will not be pleasant."

"What will happen," Ben began, turning to Lucina, "is he will have to reopen your wound in order to access the various nerves, tissues, ligaments, tendons, and muscles left in your arm. From there, he will attach all of that to a socket, which will then attach to the cybernetic." Lucina's face lost color as she began to understand what Ben was telling her, "It is not pleasant. Even with the best pain killers, it is an excruciating procedure."

"And that's why I'm here." Tharja sighed, closing her eyes, "You require my numbing and clotting hexes."

Dooku nodded, "Normally I would not give a damn. But with the Valmese bearing down on us, I'd prefer the Princess to be back on her feet as quickly as possible. If she chooses to go through with this procedure."

"I'm not sure this is a very good idea, Dooku." Ben stated, "This is a procedure normally done under very sterile conditions with trained doctors and droids-"

"Are you saying us force wielders are lesser than droids, Kenobi?" Dooku remarked.

Ben flinched, "Well, no, but-"

"I'll do it."

Ben snapped his gaze to Lucina. The fear in her gaze disappeared. Determination replaced it as she stared down the table as well as the cybernetic arm in Dooku's hands.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Ben asked, worry etched on his face.

Lucina nodded, "If it helps me help everyone else, then absolutely." She marched up to the table and carefully removed her shirt. She hesitated as she unwrapped the cloth wrapped tight around the stump of her right arm. With a long sigh, she finished unwrapping her old wound, jaw tightening as he looked at the scarred flesh once again.

"Lie down." Dooku instructed, "Kenobi, I will need your assistance in attaching the socket. Tharja, please do your thing."

Tharja raised her brow as she followed Ben to the table, "He's even saying please now. You two are making progress."

"Don't jinx it." Ben muttered as Tharja thumbed through her spellbook.

Lucina's chest rose and fell in hard, heavy breaths as she watched Dooku grab a knife and place it over the torch, heating the metal up to prevent infection.

"Even more crude." He grumbled, "But unfortunately, decontamination does not exist here."

"There is such a thing as soap." Ben deadpanned.

"Does it look like I have the time for that?" Dooku snarled back.

Tharja muttered near Lucina's ear. Dark tendrils of magic spilled out of her black spellbook and coiled around Lucina's body. Her sense of touch evaporated as the dark magic sank into her flesh, seeping into her muscles and bones. Rendering her completely numb and immobile. Tharja then directed her magic to the stump and waited for the surgery to begin.

"Will she feel this?" Tharja asked, sweat beading on her brow as she conjured powerful magic to negate the pain, "Because if the pain is as terrible as you say, I'm going to really be straining myself to contain it."

Ben gave Tharja an uncertain look, but said nothing. Lucina sucked in three quick breaths as Dooku moved to her arm.

At first she felt no pain as Dooku reopened the wound. Ben remained nearby, readying to attack a metal socket around the stump.

 _Maybe this won't be so bad?_

White hot pain ripped through her mind and body as cold metal was slipped over her stump. She could feel it. The sensation of nerves, ligaments, and muscles pulling and squeezing as Ben and Dooku quickly worked to attach the new arm. It made everything else fade around her. Spots filled her vision even as more dark magic plunged into her from Tharja. The dark mage strained herself as she struggled to negate the painful effects.

A nerve tweaked, and Lucina's body arched. Her mouth opened in a silent scream as her eyes widened in pain.

"Careful Kenobi!" She heard Dooku's muffled voice in her ringing ears.

"You act like I've been trained to do this!"

"Surely you helped Skywalker once or twice?"

"He was more mechanically inclined than me!"

"Both of you shut up and work." Tharja snapped at them, "I'm fighting wave after wave here!"

Their voices faded away as more surges of pain shot through Lucina. It rushed from her stump up her shoulder, into her neck and head. She bit her tongue as she fought off a loud scream. But it was too much.

She could not hear herself scream, could not hear Ben and Tharja's worried reactions, or Dooku's annoyed comments, but the amount of air escaping her lungs let her know she was screaming loudly. As she screamed, all sensation left her. Her vision blacked in and out. Her hearing fluctuated. Through the muffled noises of her friends around her, she heard another voice. One that made her heart hammer even harder in her heart.

" _Call me Ragana."_

Her eyes went wide. Another scream ripped out of her throat as the nerves were attached to the cybernetic limb.

Her vision blacked out. When it returned, she saw a strange world covered in massive buildings. There were towers so tall she could not even see their peaks. Strange vehicles whizzed through the air around her as she knelt on the ground. She was on a platform of some sort. Master Kenobi and Luke were across from her. She felt weak, helpless, terrified, and injured. The Dark Side howled in her ears.

" _The circle is now complete."_ A voice thundered in one ear, " _When I left you I was but the learner. Now I am the master."_

Maniacal, sadistic laughter followed, " _Oh? More Jedi!?"_ A second dark presence joined the first, " _Time to even the odds."_

"Lucina!"

The image shot away from her mind. Ragged gasps rushed in and out of her lungs. She expected to see Ben, Dooku, and Tharja looking at her. Instead, she stared up into the eyes of her father as his hands cradled her shivering head.

"Look at me." He breathed. Fear and worry covered his face, "Can you hear me?"

"I-" Lucina gasped.

"Out of the way!" She heard her Aunt Lissa snap, "What in Naga's name are you three doing!?"

"I'm about to ask the same thing." Chrom snarled.

Lucina's delirium slowly faded as warm, comforting healing magic flooded through her body.

"What were you doing to my daughter, Dooku!?"

"Helping her, of course."

"Helping her!? I heard her screaming all the way across the palace!"

The door to the room slid open. Lucina's gaze shifted over to see Luke storming in with Cynthia right behind him.

"What the hell is going on!?" Luke demanded, glared moving between Dooku and Ben. His eyes landed on Lucina. Anger flashed through him and he immediately reached for his lightsaber.

"Luke, don't." Cynthia said quickly, snagging his wrist.

"You better explain to me what is going on, Ben." Chrom demanded angrily.

She could not see Ben, Dooku, or Tharja. That's not what she was focused on anyways. Her attention was drawn to the sudden sensation of movement returning to her right arm. Trembling still, she raised her right arm. Her eyes went wide as she stared at a cybernetic arm, covered in iron plates. It moved when she wanted it to move. Twisted when she wanted it to twist. She wiggled her new fingers, watching with amazement as they danced awkwardly before her eyes. The others seemed to notice as well as the angry arguing died around her.

"I don't believe it." Lissa breathed, staring stunned at Lucina's new arm. The green glow of her healing magic faded away from her healing staff as she watched Lucina's arm in amazement.

Dooku gave Chrom a smug look, "I told you I was helping."

Chrom moved quickly to Lucina's side, "Lucina?" He brushed a hand over her sweaty forehead, "Talk to me."

She smiled as she tapped his arm with her new hand, "It works." She whispered painfully. A happy laugh escaped her lips, "It actually works."

Chrom's lips parted into a wide grin, "Yeah." He nodded. He looked up at Ben, smile still on his lips, "I guess it does."

Lucina tapped Chrom again, "Don't get mad at him. It was my decision."

"I'm not mad." Chrom quickly replied, "Well, I was at first but… now… I think this is one of the few times I've ever seen you smile this big."

Lucina let out another small laugh, "Let the Valmese try to stop me now!"

The smile on her face evaporated as a strange sound burst through the air. Chrom's smile raced away as well. Her eyes widened as a sudden burst of fear erupted within her. Warhorns blasted through the air. A long, booming sound that signaled the early arrival of their enemy.

"Kriff." Ben breathed.

Lucina propped herself up on her elbows.

"They're here."

* * *

Noire plucked her bowstring as she sat on the cold stone floor of one of Koto's towers. A soft twang reverberated through the air every few moments as her finger played little notes along the string. A small distraction for her already anxious mind. The tower she sat in was mostly empty, save for a few watchmen, Laurent, Inigo, and Virion. Three people she had not had the chance to talk to very much in recent days.

Not that she was particularly interested in talking to any of them. The more she was around Virion, since he commanded the Ylissean archers, the more she understood where Inigo got his womanizer ways from. While Virion did not stoop so low as to be flirtatious with her, likely due to his own fear of her mother's wrath, that same fear did not stop Inigo. Everytime she stopped plucking her bowstring in order to glance at those two, he'd wink at her. She'd roll her eyes back, but it did nothing to end the stupidity.

Laurent meanwhile, was the opposite. He hardly said a word to her at all. Preferring to instead have his face buried in his spellbook rather than interact with the outside world. He had been like that a little bit in the future, but the death of his mother in this timeline amplified his already quiet nature. She just hoped he would pull himself free from the melancholy at some point once this war ended. He had a brilliant mind, and it would be tragic if he locked it away forever. His father did try to help him, but Vaike struggled to relate to his son. He was always friendly and comforting to the kid, but at the same time, he was not Miriel.

 _I can't blame Laurent though._ Noire thought, _When my mother… disappeared, I was quiet for weeks too._

And she did not have time to mourn her father from the future. She slipped through the portal shortly after Grima's hordes ended his life, then she arrived in Valm, hiding from Risen and saving Luke and Cynthia from slavers. Life has been such a whirlwind for her recently, that she never had the time to properly think about what had occurred. It all was nearly beyond her belief. If she was not living this fantastical tale, then she would have though none of this to be possible. She was not just the daughter of a man from beyond the stars, she was a time traveler. A last hope from a lost future, along with the rest of her friends.

 _Now this timeline is in peril._ She thought, stopping her plucking and letting her hand rest limp over the bowstring, _So much has gone wrong already._

What if this siege goes horribly wrong? What if this is the end for all of them? If it is, then Grima was sure to rise again. From the sounds of things, Walhart was not going to take prisoners. If the Exalt's line died here, there will be no one left to oppose the Fell Dragon. All hope will be lost.

Then there was her more personal worries. Her father and mother were extremely powerful people, but they were only two people. A million men could easily overwhelm them, despite their skills and strength. Their army might be bolstered by Chon'sin manpower and some Valmese deserters, but they were still hopelessly outnumbered, and now they were cornered. Their entire strategy for this battle hinged on Walhart's behavior. If Walhart was smart, he would starve them out. Set up camp beyond the walls and have dinner right in front of the gates every night. Demoralize the army to the point where all hope would be lost and there wouldn't even be a fight.

She shivered as she recalled the last days of Ylisstol. Those dark days were similar to this. Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, all she and her friends could do was wait for the enemy to come to them. All they could do was wait for the end. An end that seemed completely beyond her control and understanding. Those days had been hard, hungry days. Once again, she feared the same thing happening now. Except this time, it was not an army of mindless Risen storming the strong walls Ylisstol. Instead, it was humans, trying to break a ragtag army of loose allies taking shelter behind ancient stone walls that had been conquered once before by the Conqueror.

A hand gently patted her shoulder as she hung her head. Noire glanced up at Virion as the archer gave her a confident, reassuring smile.

"Fret not." He said, "Your father has helped us out of closer scrapes than this."

Noire snorted, "I want to believe that." A long sigh left her lips as she rested her head back against the damp, cold, stone wall, "I should believe that. But-"

"But you look at the odds and doubt?" Virion's small smile did not leave his lips, "It may not be equivalent to this, but your father and I are avid chess players."

Noire arched an eyebrow, "What's that got to do with anything?"

Virion smirked, "I once reduced your father's side of the board to his king, his queen, a knight, and three pawns while he barely put a dent into my own side. I thought I had him defeated there and then. And yet somehow, he pulled out a stunning victory over me at the last moment. Checkmating me without me even realizing it until it was too late." He took a seat beside Noire, "Then there was that time where we had to fight our way through the Longfort, the time where he negotiated us out of a desperate situation in Plegia, the final battle of that terrible war, even the battles of Charlet and Demon's Ingle. All terrible odds for us. And yet, all victories. Do not doubt your father, Noire. I made that mistake in chess once, I never will again."

"Remember in the future how many times he pushed Grima back?" Inigo reminded her as he paced back and forth across the room, chest puffed out, an easy grin on his lips as he sought to impress her, "I recall him defeating wave after wave that crashed against Ylisstols walls. Against all odds as well. And those were monsters that were difficult to kill, not mere men that are-" He grimaced, "Well-"

"Oh, don't hesitate my good boy." Virion chuckled, "Living humans are much easier to defeat than the walking corpses, I agree." He nudged Noire again, "Head up, Noire. You are only defeated when you believe you are."

"Well said!" Inigo nodded in agreement, "That is why I never admit defeat when I-"

"You'll admit defeat with me." Noire said with a wry smirk, causing Inigo to sputter. Off to the side, Laurent chuckled softly as he turned a page in his spellbook.

"Well…." Inigo sniffed, "we'll see about that, won't we."

"Careful, or she will unleash her mother upon you." Laurent muttered behind his tome.

Inigo paled, "I-I'm aware. I've already had that happen."

"Not with me though." Noire snickered, "You made the mistake of flirting with her."

"Bold decision!" Virion declared as he laughed at Inigo's mild embarrassment, "The pursuit of such a beautiful, yet deadly flower is to be praised. But the manner of which you went about it could use some work. Why, deadly flowers are often the most beautiful. And while I am now going to settle down with the most beautiful of them all, the lovely Olivia, I will say I felt drawn to deadly flowers for most of my adult life."

Noire rolled her eyes as Virion regaled her with tales of his many conquests. Usually she drowned these out with her own thoughts. But just as he was about to really get going, horns blasted through the air, rendering his speech mute. His mouth hung open for a moment as the horn blast cut off.

Inigo appeared tense across the tower. Laurent stopped reading and raised his gaze from his spellbook. The silver haired swordsman swallowed hard.

"Do you think that was one of our-"

Virion raised a hand, silencing his future son. An eerie silence hung in the air, broken only by the steady patter of rain hammering against the stone walls and wood roof of the tower. The steady patter crescendoed as the slow, methodical pounding of drums joined it's chorus, roaring louder and louder until Noire's ribs rattled in her chest. Stomping armored feet stormed against the ground, making the floor shake. A blast from a horn sounded again. Virion and Noire burst to their feet, racing up the rickety wooden steps to the top of the tower.

Noire nearly slipped on the slick wooden planks at the top, but when she recovered, she wished she had gone back down the steps. A sea of red armor and banners spread out before Koto's main gates. A sight so vast it boggled her mind, and was only matched by the dark hordes of Risen she witnessed in the future. Her chest rose and fell in worried gasps as the drums continued to pound, drowning out the calls of Chon'sin soldiers and commanders as they scurried along the walls and in the town.

More archers joined her and Virion on top of the tower. Laurent followed them, spellbook sheltered from the rain by his billowing sleeves.

"Naga above…" Noire breathed as they all gazed upon the Valmese army.

Her breath lodged in her throat as the sea parted down the center. A lone rider, a mammoth of a man covered in dark scarlet armor resembling blood, rode to the front of his army. The poor horse looked small compared to the giant of a man as it stopped its slow walk to the front.

"The Conqueror." Virion breathed, grip tightening on his bow as he stared down at the man that decimated his home.

The drums suddenly stopped. Silence hung in the air once again. Noire heard more footsteps rushing up to the top of the tower. She sensed her mother join her at the top. She sensed her father moving along the walls nearby with Luke, Dooku, and Lucina. All of their eyes were glued to the riding mountain on a black horse, glowering at Koto's walls as if they were an insignificant obstacle rather than an ancient fortress.

The Conqueror inclined his head, dismissive of his opponent. Noire sucked in a sharp breath as Valmese horns roared in the air, drowning out even her thoughts with a thunderous noise.

"Draw!" Virion barked as the horn's monstrous cry ended.

Noire fumbled with one of her black arrows. She dropped it on the ground, cursed, and quickly drew another. Her arm shook as she drew her string back, feeling the tension of the bow grow as the arrow rested on the string.

Magic pulsed in the air. The mages on top of the walls and towers charged their spells. Purple energy flared to life beside Noire as her mother charged a devastating dark spell. Fire burned beside her as well as Laurent brought flames to life in his free hand.

The Conqueror stopped riding along his ranks and turned his horse towards Koto's main gate. Noire could see a snarl slip over the giant's lips. With a nod, he turned his horse and rode back to the center of his ranks.

One more horn blast. Noire shivered as the cold rain pelted against her, the storm growing in intensity. A loud cry erupted from the Valmese ranks, somehow louder than the horn blast.

The front line of red charged. She heard Virion shout for the archers and mages to hold. He shouted to hold again. Noire grit her teeth as a terrified feeling entered her gut. Something was very wrong. Was the Conqueror so callous about his own men that he would send them to die in needless waves against the walls?

Chains groaned. The stones beneath her shuddered as something massive began to move. Cries erupted behind her as steel clashed against steel. She sensed the sudden surprise from her father and Luke. Both flew from the walls down to the main road into the city. But why? What was going wrong?

Her eyes widened as the center section of the charging Valmese narrowed into a thin column, heading right for-

"The gate."

"FIRE!"

 **And cliffhanger! The battle has begun everyone! Lucina is nearly back to her regular self thanks to Dooku's quick, but admittedly rough, work. We'll see how she fares in this battle. Our heroes are in a tough situation now, we'll see what happens next chapter! It's gonna be big, that's for sure. Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter. As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**

 **Come join the Treehouse! Discord code is: 9XG3U7a**


	120. The Siege of Koto

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 120

The Siege of Koto

Priam snorted in his sleep. A loud noise that rumbled from his throat. That rumble was followed by another, this one from his stomach. Part of his brain told him to wake up and find some food. He had a big day ahead, after all. But before the other half of his brain could relay the message to his body, a hand roughly shook his shoulder.

"Boss."

Priam grumbled and shifted in his sleep.

"Wake up, Boss."

A low groan slipped from his lips as his groggy mind woke up. A pounding headache vibrated in his skull, reminding him about why he managed to sleep so well last night.

 _Went a little overboard._ He laughed to himself as he tasted the alcohol lingering on his breath.

He cracked his eyes open and blearily looked up at one of his younger mercenaries. A kid from Ylisse named…

 _Shit, what's this kid's name again?_

"I don't smell bacon, Alan." Priam grumbled, deciding to just call the young man whatever name first came to mind.

"It's Alex." The kid replied.

 _Oh right, Alex. The kid who… who… didn't he lose a hand last week? I'm gonna have to get that fixed. Wonder if he wouldn't mind a metal one?_

"Whatever." Priam yawned, sitting upright and stretching his arms over his head. He smacked his lips together, grimacing at the stench coming from his dry mouth, "Bleh." He glanced at the blond kid still staring at him, "What?"

"It's late."

Priam snorted, "Yeah, so?"

He rose to his feet, grabbing his belt as he stood and cinching it around his waist. He tapped Ragnell with his sword hand, smiling as he felt the familiar pommel against his fingertips.

"We're late, boss."

"Listen, boy scout," Priam grumbled as he stumbled over to where the bonfire burned last night, "It ain't late till I've had my breakfast. Who's cooking?"

He glanced around at the rest of his little band of battle hardened mercenaries. All of them joined him in the revelry last night. A little pre battle celebration. They had been tailing and harassing the Conqueror's army for several days now, all the way down to the outskirts of Koto. Where Priam guessed the Archaneans were planning to make a stand. Personally, he would've gone into the mountains. Fought using guerilla tactics against an army way bigger than his. But he wasn't the general, and as long as he got both coin and a good fight, who was he to complain?

He arched an eyebrow as no one moved to stoke the fire, or even grab a skillet to start cooking for everyone. Instead they all stood there, watching him… in full armor… grim faced...

Prima squinted his eyes and glanced up at the sun.

 _Oh, it really is late._

He yawned again. Then his eyes bugged out from his skull as he saw-

"Shit!" He spun on his heel and started sprinting east to Koto. He heard his men chase after him, some of them laughing good naturedly. Hell, he joined their laughter. Not because he liked laughing at his own forgetfulness, but because be was excited.

"I am not missing this one!"

* * *

The time had finally come. Time to finally cast off this wretched deception she had been forced to put on. Time to no longer be a weak, sniveling war prisoner to these damn Ylisseans and Feroxi. Time to put the traitors Yen'fay and Cervantes in their places. To watch her Emperor, the mighty Conqueror, Walhart, smash these insignificant flies once and for all. Pheros could hardly contain her own excitement as warhorns blasted through the air, signaling the long awaited arrival of his excellency.

The Ylisseans would not know what hit them. Her message managed to leave in secret. She simply made a more sympathetic Chon'sin soldier deliver a message to an old contact she had within Koto. A contact she made back when she was the general in charge of making sure this land bent the knee completely, in the wake of their subjugation.

She knew this city well enough. Knew that the old walls were sturdy and strong. A siege would be deadly. The main objective for the Conqueror will be the main gate. Throw those ancient stone doors open, and the city will fall. Meager walls surrounded the royal palace, but those were not meant for military defense. Rather, they were designed to separate the royalty from the general populace. A way for the Chon'sin royals to seem higher than the common folk.

 _They will not be that way much longer._

She made her way towards the gatehouse. Four of her most loyal soldiers flanked her. Her staff clicked against the cobblestone road as she weaved by anxious enemy soldiers. Each Ylissean, Feroxi, and Chon'sin was blissfully unaware of what she was about to do. A slight smirk graced her pale lips. They thought they were so clever, having that old man keep tabs on her. But old men do not have the attention span of youngsters, nor are they as quick of thinkers. They are set in their ways, uncreative and predictable. It made deceiving him oh so easy. And now, instead of being seen as a traitor alongside Yen'fay and Cervantes, she would be seen as a valuable asset to the Conqueror. A loyal soldier that executed the brilliant deception leading to a decisive victory for his excellency. Her place by his side would be secured forever. Not even that worm, Excellus, wherever he had slinked off to, would move her now.

Two Chon'sin soldiers guarded the gatehouse door. The rest of the soldiers were busy rushing to their posts as more horn blasted through the air. Drums pounded all around her, the war beat of the Conqueror.

 _Koto will not just fall, it will burn. And Yen'fay will watch as the last things he holds dear: his city, his people, and that blonde brat he cares so much for, will die. Even that toddler will be cast to the wayside, either slaughtered or orphaned. Never to rise up against Valmese might._ Pheros stopped in front the gatehouse, noticing the suddenly wary gazes of the Chon'sin guards, _Then, Yen'fay will join his sister in death… if my lord feels merciful._

Her staff snapped out like a viper, cracking one guard over the head and denting his helm. Her four other soldiers quickly pounced on them as well, jabbing knives into their throats without any of the panicked men scurrying around them noticing. Her soldiers quickly opened the gatehouse, dragging the two bodies inside. Two of her men waited outside, acting as guards while she entered the gatehouse.

A pair of levers were inside, attached to an intricate system of chains and pulleys. As she approached the levers, she felt thunder rumbling through the earth. The signal that the million man charge had begun. She could feel magic humming in the air as the Ylissean mages and their allies prepared to repel the first wave.

 _They will fail… because of this._

She gripped the levers and gave them a sharp yank. Her eyes widened in mild surprise as they took more strength than she anticipated to activate the ancient chains. Then she heard the metal running through the walls around her groan and creak. A rumbling ran through her body as the gates swung open.

"THE GATE!" She heard soldiers shout in alarm outside of the gatehouse.

A victorious smile graced Pheros's lips.

"GET IT CLOSED!"

Her guards outside of the gatehouse, two of her best soldiers, drew their blades and began to repel any attackers. Some of her other soldiers joined her side, creating mayhem before the charging legions of Valmese soldiers. Steel clashed violently beyond the door as soldiers who once thought they were allies were drawn into a battle from within the city, and soon to be the victims of a massacre from outside of the city.

"Let it burn." She breathed, "The Conqueror falls to no one. The Conqueror allows no quarter to traitors."

She moved towards the doors. Magic crackled around her as spells roared from the stone walls above her. Explosions reverberated through the gatehouse walls, signaling the start of the savagery. Some of her men would die in the carnage to come, but that was the nature of conquest. Sacrifices had to be made in order for her lord to dominate the world. These men and women, these loyal soldiers and dishonorable traitors, were just the latest lambs placed on the altar.

 _They are not Shepherds._ She thought smugly as she reached for the doorknob, _They are cattle to be slaughtered now. Beasts to be fed in order to fatten the glorious Empire._

Her fingertips brushed against the doorknob. Ice filled the air. Her breath misted in front of her face. The sound of steel clashing against steel faded away, replaced with screams of terror and a strange buzzing noise. As if a million angry hornets had descended upon the doorway. Static crackled through the air, lancing over the brass doorknob and forcing Pheros to jerk her hand away.

A pair of heavy bodies slammed against the door. Pheros jumped back. Something was wrong. Her men had stopped fighting beyond the door. The air should not feel this cold. It was not wintertime. Chon'sin did not have true winters like the lands in the northern portion of the continent. Why was she seeing her breath? Why did she suddenly feel so afraid even though this was her moment of triumph?

Her guards took nervous steps back as blue lighting danced briefly over the doorknob. Then it zapped out of existence. Pheros felt cold sweat beading on her brow as the doorknob turned.

"General?" One of her guards gulped.

The doorknob stopped turning. Pheros held her breath as she stepped to the side, wondering if whoever was on the other end was distracted by something, or someone, else.

 _Or maybe they were killed?_

The door burst off of its hinges, flying across the gatehouse. It slammed into one of her guards, smashing him against the back wall. The other guard raised his blade to defend his general, only to be hoisted into the air by an invisible force. Pheros's eyes widened as she saw his metal armor crimp up like paper. Blood spurted out from the poor man as the armor was crushed tighter and tighter. With a final wet snap, the man fell into a bloody pile on the cold ground.

A tongue clicked in the air.

"It has been a good many years since I have been deceived like this."

Pheros's eyes widened. The old man, he was doing this? How?

 _What is he!?_

She gripped her staff tight and readied herself for a fight. She may not be the best warrior among her comrades, but she was a general for a reason. She had cunning, and a talent for exploiting the weaknesses of her enemies. The old man would be no different. She was physically younger, sprier. Her mind was sharper and clearer. He may exhibit unnatural abilities, but so did mages, and she killed many mages in her day.

A dark chuckle came from the doorway. Pheros grit her teeth as the old man known as Dooku stepped into the gatehouse. She briefly glanced behind him and sucked in a sharp breath. Bodies littered the street behind him, most of them Valmese. Flames licked the cobblestone street. What Valmese soldiers still lived were sprinting back out of the gate as two men wielding blue blades slashed them to ribbons. Their mages followed them, hammering the red armored soldiers with devastating spells. Finally, Feroxi Lancers held a phalanx before the wide open gates. Daring the enemy to crash into their iron teeth and steel bodies. She could see the Feroxi Khan screaming as she buried a lance into the gut of another charging Valmese before drawing her sword and cutting down another fleeing Valmese man.

How was this possible? The cavalry should've charged into the fray already and decimated those pathetic lancers. What was holding them up? What was keeping them from entering the city and annihilating these pathetic excuses for soldiers?

"You are never going to learn the answers to those questions." Dooku snarled, a glowing red blade ignited in his right hand. Pheros's fear filled eyes flicked to the blade as it hummed in front of her, "You made a very grave mistake today, General."

Pheros tried to show confidence. A nervous smirk crossed her face, "A mistake? I've ended this battle before it has begun. The cavalry will smash your pathetic line of Lancers. Then you will be crushed beneath the Conqueror's might."

Dooku smirked back, "Perhaps."

Menace filled his eyes. More men screamed behind him as the Feroxi Khan bellowed out orders. Another charge was coming, but the old man did not care. Pheros's eyes widened as his irises flickered from a piercing blue to a deadly, glowing red. An unnatural color that gazed upon her like a hungry predator.

"I sense your fear, General." Dooku took a deep breath through his nose, "You should know, it only makes me stronger."

He snarled out the last word as lightning ignited in his free hand, dancing along his fingertips. The temperature plummeted around Pheros. The shadows inside of the gatehouse deepened. She felt like she was shrinking before the menace in front of her. In that moment, she realized she was not facing down an old man, an old warrior beyond his prime. She was looking into the eyes of an apex predator. One she managed to provoke.

She struggled to form words as fear filled sounds slipped from her lips. Any confidence she tried to portray died as the one guard stuck behind the door screamed. The door slammed into him again, crushing his body against the wall and leaving him nothing more than a bloody smear against the stone. Pheros squeezed her eyes shut as she started to shiver.

"Oh where is that bravado, General?" Dooku snarled, "Where is that arrogance? Did you really think you would survive this little stunt? Did you really think I did not suspect? I figured you would consider treachery. I just did not believe you were actually capable of doing it. I thought you smarter than that. Cleary I was wrong. And part of me is oh so disappointed."

"You will die." Pheros shook, teeth clenched tight as she opened her eyes once again. Tears brimmed in them as the predator stood over her, "The Conqueror will-"

Any words she had died as an invisible hand gripped her throat. A squeak left her lungs as she flew towards the old man. Her eyes went wide as pain unlike any she had felt before ripped through her chest.

Dooku's red blade protruded out of her back as he impaled the General. As her body went limp on the red blade, Dooku leaned close to her here.

"I thought you to be intelligent. Such a waste."

He watched the light leave her eyes. A permanent expression of fear and pain etched forever on her pale face. His blade deactivate, letting her body fall limp to the floor. Dooku sniffed and kicked her staff away from her lifeless grasp.

"Such a waste indeed." He muttered.

Dooku turned on his heel and marched out of the gatehouse. Over the loud crash of battle, he heard Flavia's powerful voice ring out, warning her Lancers of a coming cavalry charge. Dooku turned to face the thrown open gates, no longer able to close thanks to the sheer number of bodies attempting to funnel through them. His eyes continued to burn as he allowed the Dark Side to flow freely through him. He noticed the Skywalker whelp joining Flavia at the front of the Lancer line, staring defiantly at the coming cavalry charge.

 _Time to show this boy the true nature of the Dark Side._

He grit his teeth, gathering power to him. The massive hinges on the gate groaned as the force grabbed the great stone doors. Rock cracked as he closed his eyes and drank deep from the dark fountain within the force. The dark side snarled and gnashed its teeth in defiance, but he beat it back into submission. Forcing its immense power to bend to his will.

The gates broke free from their hinges. Tremors ran through his head as he lifted the heavy objects into the air and pointed them directly at the charging cavalry. With a final snarl, he opened his blazing eyes and propelled them forward with the force.

A smug grin crossed his lips as he watched Luke's eyes widen with both shock and fear. The stone doors shot across the open rice fields and slammed into the cavalry charge, stifling it before it could reach the line of Lancers holding the open gate. The boy's eyes flicked over to him, and Dooku's smirk widened.

"Now you know."

* * *

Noire felt like she was watching an entire colony of fire ants charging at her. A sea of soldiers clad in red armor, broken free from their disciplined lines and charging in a mad dash towards the walls of Koto. And with them, a contingent of cavalry gathering into a thin column, ready to crash through the slowly opening gate. Her heart stayed lodged in her throat as she nocked another arrow on her bowstring and quickly loosed it into the red mass bearing down upon the walls.

It did little good. She could see her black arrow sink into the gap of some poor conscripts armor, but then his falling body was swallowed by the growing mass. All she could do was keep firing arrows. Do her part in stemming the tide and taking as many of the enemy to their graves as she could before they could get to her.

"Arrows!" Virion barked.

Noire drew back another black arrow, ready to fire when she realized what Virion meant. The Valmese were returning fire. She uttered a startled cry and pressed her body against the stone wall in front of her, on top of the tower. Her eyes squeezed shut as the enemy arrows sailed through the air. Some hissed over her heard, a few narrowly missing the hairs on top of her head. Many clattered harmlessly against the stone she took shelter behind, falling uselessly back to the ground far below. Then there were the ones that made it over the wall and hit their mark. Her eyes shot wide as she watched two Chon'sin archers beside her slump to the ground, several arrows with red and gold feathers protruding from their bodies. Their eyes stared lifeless over to her.

She squeezed her bow tight in her hands as another volley of enemy arrows hissed over her head.

"Return fire!" Virion roared, "Tharja!"

Her mother snarled, conjured a fireball in her hand, and sent it crashing down upon the enemy ranks. A fiery explosion erupted in front of the gates. But it did little to stem the charge. More disposable soldiers replaced their fallen comrades, and they surged into the open gate.

Noire swallowed hard. The enemy numbers needed to be cut into. That would not happen if she hunkered down behind this wall and allowed others to do her fighting for her. Her fingers reached up for her neck, searching for the talisman that gave her both courage and confidence throughout her brief life. When she did not find it, she squeezed her eyes shut.

 _You are a Kenobi._ She thought, taking a few quick breaths. _Father and Mother aren't hiding. You can't either._

She clenched her teeth, reached up to her quiver, and drew another black arrow. As quickly as she could, she poked her body up over the wall and fired an arrow into the mass of red soldiers. She didn't even think as she nocked a second and took aim. As she took aim, the Valmese ranks parted to allow ladders up towards the walls around the tower.

"Noire!" Virion shouted at her, "You and Tharja remain here, rain hellfire down on them." He smirked and patted Laurent's shoulder, signaling the mage to follow him down the wooden steps to the walls, "We'll focus on those ladders."

Noire nodded. Virion turned and rushed away with Laurent. The others were probably on the walls too. A quick dip into the force, and she sensed Lucina moving towards the walls. Her presence felt tired and in pain. Was she wounded? Noire gulped. Had an arrow hit one of her friends already?

Her father was down near the open gate with Luke and Dooku. Those three combined could hold off the enemy for a time. She also knew Khan Flavia and her Lancers were down there as well. That was where the heaviest fighting would be. She needed to concentrate her arrows on the enemy soldiers moving towards that spot.

She tilted her arrow towards her mother, "Fire!" She barked.

Tharja smirked, muttered under her breath, and set the arrowhead ablaze with purple fire. Noire quickly drew back, took aim, and shot the arrow. As soon as the black arrow hit its target, it exploded into a ball of dark magic. Purple flames leapt across several ranks of soldiers, clinging to them and rendering them burning on the wet ground. Even the rain that cascaded down from the sky failed to put out the dark magic Tharja cast.

Noire smirked a little bit, "I've gotta learn that one."

"One day." Tharja snickered back.

Loud bams rang through the air as ladders slammed against the walls. Noire rushed to the side of the tower and peered down. Valmese soldiers rushed up the ladders, surging up onto the walls. Her friends and the Chon'sin soldiers desperately tried to shove the ladders down. But for every ladder they knocked down, another replaced it.

A loud roar filled the air above her head. Noire snapped her gaze skyward. A smile graced her lips as Queen Sumia dove down at the head of the Pegasus Knights. Sweeping down into the rows of Valmese soldiers as they tried to scale the walls. Several Pegasus knights, including Cynthia, flew close to the walls. Using their lances to knock enemy soldiers, or even entire ladders, free from the walls. They were a blur as they shot past Noire's.

The symbol of Ylissean might soared through the air faster than the enemy archers could keep up with. Some were still shot down, but their presence managed to make many Valmese soldiers hesitate. With that hesitation came a roar from the Archanean ranks. Noire's voice joined their chorus, even as the Pegasus Knights soared back towards the clouds in order to avoid enemy arrows.

Her roar died in her throat as her attention returned to the enemy below her. A column of horsemen burst through the Valmese infantry, surging towards the open gate. Noire gulped and reached for another arrow. As she drew it back on her bow, her eyes widened in shock. Both stone doors to the main gate shot out and slammed into the cavalry charge, smashing several rows of Valmese horsemen and breaking the charge before it could reach its destination.

Her mother uttered an eerie cackle when that happened. Noire could not help but smile when she heard it. It had been years since she heard her mother laugh like that. Even if it was at something as morbid as men being crushed beneath massive stone doors, it gave her confidence knowing her mother was not afraid right now. The Dark Mage laughed in death's face, and Noire was tempted to do the same.

Tharja's laughter started to die when another column of cavalry joined the first, barreling towards the open gates. Her dark eyes hardened and she rushed towards the edge of the tower. Dark magic billowed around her as she conjured a powerful spell. She muttered under her breath and sent jagged barbs of dark magic shooting from her open palm down into the enemy ranks. Screams erupted from below as the dark magic exploded on impact, sending plumes of shadowy smoke up into the air. Still, the cavalry charged through, bursting through the columns of smoke. Hooves hammered against the soft ground, causing ripples to form in puddles along the walls.

 _If they hit the gates, it's over._ Noire thought, heart hammering in her chest.

It would not matter how many soldiers her father and friends had at the gate. It did not matter if they were lancers, knights, men at arms, mages, or even manaketes, the sheer speed and power behind this cavalry charge would shatter the lines and rip the belly of their defense open. The city would be breached, and no amount of fighting would stop the red tide.

 _Father is down there._ She stepped back from the wall towards the stairs, _He'll need my hel-_

Five bright golden lights erupted in front of the cavalry charge, blinding Noire as she cast one last glance back at the enemy. Horses screamed as the golden lights started them. Their screams were replaced by human cries of pain and agony.

The dark side of the force erupted on the battlefield. Washing over the rice fields and city like tidal wave. Shivers ran up and down Noire's spine as she sensed the oppressive wave, drawing fear and anxiety out of her and crushing the scant confidence that remained within her.

Her mother leaned over the wall as the lights faded. Noire saw her face pale.

"Grima above, no." Tharja breathed.

"MONSTERS!" Soldiers screamed from the gates.

Noire's heart stopped in her chest.

"Risen." She whispered, rushing back to the tower wall and looking over. What she saw made her fears grow exponentially.

The lights were not from simple Risen being summoned. They were Deadlords. She recognized three of them from Demon's Ingle. The four armed metallic monster that shredded enemy soldiers with reckless abandon, the green skinned woman in black robes that cut through both Archanean and Valmese soldiers like a scalpel, and the young man wielding a red lightsaber that savagely butchered both sides of the battlefield; all three made fear pump through her veins.

"How did they get-" She locked eyes with a fourth Deadlord. One she did not recognize. An elderly looking man with greasy, long, black hair and a hideous face. Red eyes blazed up at her from beneath a dark green hood. A lump formed in her throat as she watched him crack open a black tome with a skull on its sinister cover. Dark magic wrapped around him like black tendrils, shielding him from any soldier that tried to harm him. Then he raised a hand, pointing his palm right at her.

"Get down!"

Tharja tackled her, throwing both of them down the wooden stairs as a ball of dark magic shot from the Deadlord's hand and hit the top of the tower. An explosion rocked the tower as both Noire and Tharja fell down the stairs, landing in a heap on the bottom floor. Noire quickly ducked her head as large chunks of wood and stone fell around her. Several bodies followed them down as the top of the tower was obliterated.

"Mother!" Noire called, wiping dust from her eyes.

She swept her gaze around the ruined floor. The tower shook again, causing more rubble to fall down around her. Noire shoved herself up onto her hands and knees, shook her head as bells rang inside of her skull, then got to her feet. Her legs wobbled as she took a couple steps, forcing her to brace herself against a nearby table.

"Mother!" She called again.

A hand grabbed her shoulder. Noire started to scream, but stopped when she saw her mother behind her, spinning her around. A massive gash sat beneath her dark bangs. Blood ran in a scarlet river over her nose and right eye. She kept her right eye closed as dust and grime covered the rest of her face.

"Are you alright?" Tharja hissed.

"Me? Are you-"

"I've had worse." Tharja winced, gripping her spellbook tight in her scrapped hands. She glanced up at the ruined peak of the tower.

"That deadlord-"

"Is a powerful sorcerer. I could tell just from the amount of magic he just put out." Tharja said quickly, "I need you to find your father. We'll need his help against those monsters."

"And you?" Noire asked.

"I'll-"

Another explosion hammered the tower, ripping the outside wall apart and exposing Noire and Tharja to the Valmese army. Noire screamed as the shockwave slammed her against the ruined stairwell. Her shoulder cracked against a wooden stair, sending waves of sharp pain shooting throughout her left arm. Tharja flew through the air, landing on the stairs over her head.

"It appears two have avoided my initial spell." A snake like voice slithered into Noire's ears, making the hairs on her body stand on end. She stared at the destroyed wall, watching as the robed Deadlord rose through the air and landed softly across the room from her, "You two are more resourceful than the common grunts." He snickered, "Good, intelligent prey is always so much more fun."

Noire's fear filled gaze shot over to Tharja again. Her heart stopped in her chest as she saw her mother's eyes closed, knocked unconscious by the blast. A large welt grew on her jaw from where she hit the stairs.

Noire scrambled up the few intact stairs, kneeling beside her mother and shaking her shoulder.

"Mother. Mother!" She cried, "Wake up! I need help!"

"Oh? She seems a little young to have had you, doesn't she?" The Deadlord eyed Noire, "Oh wait," He chuckled, "you must be one of those little Shepherds that have been giving my master such trouble. I'm still puzzled by the parentage. Then again, that beauty appears to be a mage, like myself. Perhaps she discovered some secret to not aging that I do not know of?" His gnarled fingers ran over the spine of his spell book as he stalked towards Noire, "I'll have to ask her when she wakes up."

"You won't touch her!" Noire snarled, reaching for an arrow, only to grasp air instead.

 _Kriff!_

Thinking quickly, she gripped her bow with both hands, ready to use it like a club. Noire grit her teeth, swallowing her fear as she stood between the Deadlord and Tharja.

"Out of my way, little one." The Deadlord sneered, "I may want to kill many of you, but I cannot kill all of you. Grima's orders."

"Grima can go to hell." Noire charged at the Deadlord, "I'll send you there to warm a seat for him!"

Dark runes crawled up her bow. It exploded in a violent burst of splinters. Several small shards of wood dug into her hands, making them bleed. Noire cursed and recoiled backwards as the Deadlord snickered.

"Foolish girl. Thinking you can hurt me with such a pitiful weapon." He waved his hand. A tendril of dark magic shot out from his fingers and smacked Noire. She twirled off of the stairs, landing hard on the main floor, nearly sliding out of the tower entirely.

Her entire body ached. Outside of the tower, she could hear screams and explosions. The battle turned into pure chaos as the Deadlords churned through both the Archanean and Valmese lines, killing indiscriminately. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted the fifth Deadlord hiding in the shadow of Koto's walls. The only indication of his presence being the sun glinting off of his silvery armor and helm.

"Oh yes." Noire froze and her eyes widened, "This little mage is an excellent prize." She rolled over, head trembling as she watched the Deadlord grab her mother's limp form and raise her up by her arm, "So much to glean from such a powerful body." His red eyes flicked over to her, "Wouldn't you agree?"

Something inside of Noire snapped as she gazed upon her Mother's unconscious form at the mercy of one of Grima's monsters. The Force roared to life within her as anger and fear collided with desperation.

"BLOOD AND THUNDER!" She bellowed, "UNHAND HER!"

A violent force push slammed into the Deadlord, forcing him to drop Tharja as his body was pinned to the back wall of the tower. The push died as Noire reached for her hip and drew her father's old lightsaber. The sapphire blade burst to life in her hands. She gripped it tight, grit her teeth, and charged at the Deadlord.

"Interesting." The Deadlord mused.

He ducked away from a wild slash. The stone in the wall turned to slag as Noire's lightsaber cut through it like a hot knife through butter. The Deadlord cackled as he gathered a ball of black magic and pressed it against Noire's side.

"All for nought." He sneered.

The ball exploded against her hip. Pain shot through Noire's entire body as she flew across the tower once more, this time hitting the door with a hard thunk. Her head snapped back, smacking against the hard wood. Stars shot through her vision as her head swam. She slumped down to the ground, unable to find the strength to get back on her feet. A warm sensation covered her left side, from her hip to her armpit. Her shaky gaze glanced down and saw her flesh torn up by the dark spell.

"A valiant effort though, girl." The Deadlord continued. Noire looked at him, terrified again. Her father's lightsaber lay by her limp left hand as he approached her, "What is your name? I'm curious."

Noire grit her teeth, refusing to answer. She tried to grab the deactivated lightsaber with her right hand, but the Deadlord reached it first, snatching it up from the ground and inspecting it as he towered over Noire.

"Quite the strange weapon." He said, "I've never seen anything like it. And there are not many things that I, Gharnef, have never seen before." He snickered darkly, red eyes boring down into her, "Did you get it from a friend?"

Noire spat at him. The only defiance she could muster as more strength left her body. Gharnef seemed unperturbed as he looked at her father's lightsaber.

"I wonder what it does, when applied to the human body?" Noire's blood froze as he stared down at her again, "Shall we find out together?"

Noire tried to surge to her feet, but froze when Gharnef tossed the lightsaber up in the air and held an open palm out to her. A dark smirk graced his lips as he muttered a word that made Noire's blood run cold.

"Nosferatu."

Dark magic slammed into Noire, exploding in her face and destroying the door behind her. She kept her eyes squeezed shut as she rolled along the wall, slick with blood and rain. She could hear more fighting around her. Could hear steel clashing against steel as her friends desperately tried to fend off the Valmese. Both Valmese and Archanean soldiers screamed as she sensed more dark magic billow out of the tower and consume them.

"There. No more distractions." Gharnef said as his voice drew closer.

Noire rolled onto her back. She tried to open her eyes, but for some reason the world remained dark. She shook her head and reached up with both hands, ignoring the pain she felt. Her fingers brushed against her eyes, and came away with a wet, warm substance on them. Her hands started to shake as her vision stayed black.

 _Wh-what?_

A hand grabbed her by her hair, hoisting her up. Noire yelped in pain as she blindly tried swiped at the hand grabbing her, to no avail.

"Let's test this weapon, shall we?"

She heard a lightsaber ignite, then braced herself.

* * *

Lissa yelped, ducking her head beneath the walls as a volley of arrows soared towards them. Her hands squeezed her staff tight as she heard the Valmese arrows whistle over her head. Thousands of them soared through the air before hitting a target. Once she heard the first screams, she bolted towards them.

Chrom wanted her to remain in the palace. He wanted her to take care of the wounded brought there by other healers. Lissa knew her brother expected her to be there; not here, on the walls, healing staff in hand ready to do her work. Little did Chrom know that she decided to tap in to her more stealthy ways and sneak out. Wounded soldiers needed help immediately. Not after being stretchered across the city. They were more likely to live if she treated them where they fell. So, never one for half measures, Lissa set out of Koto's palace, and found herself rushing towards the closest soldier suffering from an arrow wound.

She skidded to a stop beside the Chon'sin soldier. Blood dripped from the woman's lips. The arrow punched through her armor, likely hitting a lung.

 _Punctured it more likely._ Lissa thought as she quickly broke the arrow shaft and reached into a bag for a vulnerary.

"Keep those eyes open." Lissa ordered, her voice calm and gentle despite the chaos surrounding her.

Soldiers dove for cover again as another volley of arrows hit the walls. More soldiers fell to the stone floor or off of the walls entirely, arrows sticking out of them like they were pincushions. Lissa ducked her head, hearing one narrowly miss her.

She raised her head again and put the vulnerary to the woman's lips.

"Drink up." Lissa helped tilt her head up, watching as the blue liquid entered the woman's mouth, "Good job. You're gonna be alright."

Once the Vulnerary was half gone, she yanked it away, jamming the cork back into it and stuffing it back into the bag slung over her shoulder. She grabbed her staff and held it over the bleeding wound, closing her eyes and willing healing magic to resonate out of the green gem atop the staff.

After several seconds, she opened her eyes again. The wound was still bleeding, but she could sense that the lung had been saved. Lissa placed a reassuring hand on the woman's shoulder.

"Stay down, someone will be along to get you out of here soon."

"LADDERS!"

Lissa whipped her head beyond the wall. A lump lodged in her throat when she heard that warning. The Valmese were about to scale the walls. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Lucina, Chrom, Vaike, Lon'qu, and Frederick scaling the stairs near her. Weapons drawn, all of them ready for battle. Crimson already painted Vaike's axe and Frederick's blade. She noticed Lon'qu glance over towards her, stopping his mad dash.

"Lon'qu!" Frederick barked, "We need to-" He noticed Lissa next, "Milady!"

"I'll get to her." Lon'qu replied, sweeping past both Chrom, Lucina, and Frederick, and racing up onto the walls right as the first ladders impacted the stone.

The loud crash of a ladder hitting the wall near her spurred Lissa into action.

"Looks like I'm the one getting you out of here." Lissa breathed as she grabbed the wounded soldier and slung her arm over her shoulders.

 _Oh Naga, you're heavy!_ Lissa winced as she struggled to haul the woman to her feet, _How much does this armor weigh!?_

Her legs wobbled as she struggled to bear the woman's weight. To her credit, the soldier tried to help out and walk. But she had lost too much blood already. Her face looked as pale as a ghost as she struggled to move and breath.

"We just gotta get to those stairs." Lissa told her. She whipped her head back as she heard swords clashing.

An explosion rocked the walls, causing Lissa to lose her balance and fall over. The soldier landed on top of her, knocking the wind from her lungs. Hard coughs erupted from the Princess's throat as small chunks of stone rained down around her.

"Lord Virion! The tower!"

"I know!" She heard Virion shout back.

He did not even notice her as he sprinted past her, bow in hand. Inigo and Sully rushed towards the explosion with him. Before they could get halfway to the wall, Valmese soldiers surged up a pair of ladders, cutting them off. She heard Sully roar as she engaged the enemy. Watched as Inigo clashed blades with two Valmese men at arms before quickly cutting them down. Virion drove an arrow through one Valmese soldier's face before drawing it against his bowstring and firing it into another enemy soldier further away.

 _They really want to get to the tower._

She shifted the wounded soldiers off of her.

"Alright." She breathed again, "Lets-"

Her patient did not move as Lissa got to her hands and knees. One look told Lissa why. A large, bloody, shard of stone stuck out of her back. Death's vacant stare filled the woman's eyes, and tears filled Lissa's.

"No, no, no." Lissa swallowed hard, ducking her head as a ladder slammed into the wall, right beside her.

She quickly got to her feet, staff in hand, and sprinted for the stairs. Near the tower at the other end of the wall, she saw Lon'qu. The Feroxi swordsman made quick work of two Valmese soldiers as he quickly moved towards her. Lucina covered his back. Cutting down soldier after soldier with her own blade. Lissa's eyes widened when she saw Lucina use the force to shove a ladder off of the walls, sending the soldiers scaling it crashing back down to the ground.

 _I just need to get to them._ She breathed, stumbling as another explosion rocked the tower behind her. She spun around to look back. Horror rushed over her face as she saw dark magic billowing out of the tower.

 _Sully… Virion…_

"Aunt Lissa!" Lucina shouted across the wall.

Lon'qu did not say anything. Instead, he fought even more ferociously. Churning through Valmese soldiers as if they were nothing more than the straw dummies he practiced on.

Lissa turned back to them and started running again, only to be cut off by two Valmese soldiers. She skidded to a stop. One swung his sword at her. Lissa screamed and ducked beneath the wild slash. The other Valmese soldier kicked her to the ground before she could back away from them. Her healing staff clattered out of her grasp as she fell backwards.

Her blue eyes stared up, fear filled as the second Valmese soldier stood over her, blade raised over his head, pointing down at her heard. Lissa squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the final blow. But it never came. She carefully opened her eyes. A katana jutted through the Valmese's chest. Lon'qu stood behind him, a snarl on his usually emotionless face. Lucina swept beside him, cleaving her blade through the other Valmese's stomach then force pushing him off the wall.

Lon'qu yanked his blade free, reached down, and took Lissa by the hand. Under normal circumstances, Lissa would've been stunned. Lon'qu did not allow any woman to go near him, let alone touch him. Yet here he was, in the middle of a horrific battle, taking her by the hand and hauling her to her feet.

"I've got your back." Lucina said as Lon'qu's grip tightened around Lissa's wrist.

Lon'qu simply nodded, spun on his heel, and sprinted with Lissa towards the stairs. As they ran, Lissa noticed Chrom and Frederick fighting desperately near the far tower. The Prince was doing everything in his power to move towards her and Lon'qu. Falchion cut savage arcs through the air as he dismembered enemy soldiers. Frederick protected him against any soldiers the Prince might have missed.

Another ladder hit the walls, and another explosion rocked the tower behind Lissa, causing her stumble again. As she regained her footing, she noticed the true extent of the carnage around her. Chon'sin bodies lined the stone around her. Rainwater mixed with blood, making the smooth stones beneath her feet slick like ice. Her boots were stained a sickening crimson color as she hopped over a dead Valmese soldier and raced with Lon'qu to the stairs.

"We're almost there." Lon'qu told her, letting go of her hand in order to kill two soldiers that got in their way.

Lissa could feel some relief starting to fill her as they got closer to the stairs. Nowhere in the city was safe, but she would be safer away from all of this. She flicked her gaze back to the destroyed tower, heart thumping in her chest as she saw black and purple smoke billowing out of it. She could not see where Virion, Inigo, or Sully were. Part of her wanted to rush back and see if they were alright, but she also knew she would just get in the way. She wasn't like Chrom or Lucina. She did not know how to fight, or wield a sword, she could barely manage to get herself away from a battle, let alone be involved in one. Moments like this made her feel utterly useless.

"Hurry." Lon'qu said, snapping her attention away from the ruined tower back to the stairs.

"What is that!?" A Chon'sin soldier cried.

Two sharp shrieks hissed through the air, chasing after two bright bars of red light. The Chon'sin soldier didn't utter a sound as the two red lights slammed into him, burning through his armor and leaving charred holes in his body.

A dull roar followed the two shrieks. Lon'qu shoved Lissa to the ground. A fiery explosion hit the ground near her, sending Lon'qu flying backwards while rubble flew up around Lissa.

"Lon!" Lissa cried, scrambling to her feet and rushing towards the injured swordsman.

Before she could reach him, someone… no… something landed in front of her. A man, or what she thought was a man, wearing silver and purple armor blocked her path. A helmet with a dark, T shaped visor, covered his face. She froze as the thing leveled two strange, blunt weapons at her.

A pair of bright red lights flashed from the weapons in his hands. Before Lissa could blink, the lights shot across the spaced between her and the enemy. Pain ripped through her stomach as they slammed into her. The force of the impact caused her to double over immediately, falling to her knees.

The initial pain was replaced with an intense burning sensation. Lissa squeezed her eyes shut. A ragged gasp left her lips as she cracked an eye open and looked down at her stomach. Two charred holes were burnt through her dress. As she looked down she felt a hot trail of blood sputter from her lips.

"Lissa!" Lon'qu roared, trying to rise to his feet as she started to fall forward. Body weak, mind in a daze.

The strange soldier twirled around, faced Lon'qu, and pointed his wrist at the swordsman. A white cord shot out from his wrist and wrapped around Lon'qu as he tried to get to his feet, tangling his legs and rendering him useless on the ground. Lon'qu cursed as he tried to cut himself free, only to freeze as the enemy aimed one of his weapons at his head.

Lissa fell onto her stomach, wincing as more pain erupted through her. The cold, wet stone did little to ease the intense burning she felt. It was as if someone had stabbed a torch directly through her, and it continued to burn instead of being put out. Her vision started to turn blurry as she watched the Soldier point his weapon at Lon'qu.

"No…" She weakly whispered, "Please… don't…"

A blur of blue leaped over Lon'qu, tackling the Silver Soldier to the ground. Lucina quickly wrenched one of the man's strange weapons from his grasp; elbowed his helmet with her new metal arm, cracking the visor, then used her sword to slash into the man's other hand. The man snarled, dropping his other weapon to the ground. He launched a savaged punch at Lucina's head, landing it against her jaw with a loud crack.

Lucina flopped back, dazed by the blow. She quickly dove into the force, clearing her mind and allowing her to recover quickly. With a snarl, she leaped back to her feet and faced off with a familiar foe. One she now had a name for.

"Fett." She snarled, recognizing the Deadlord from their encounter in Port Ferox.

She flicked her gaze behind him to Lissa. The Princess's eyes were closed, but she could sense her still clinging to life.

"Lon'qu! Get her to Frederick. Then get you both to a healer!" She twirled her blade and willed the Force to gather around her. She grit her teeth as she stared down the Deadlord, "I'll take care of this one."

Without any word or warning, she charged. The Deadlord activated his jetpack, blasting off of the walls. Lucina snarled, using the force to propel herself off the slick stone and into the air. She reached out with her cybernetic hand and grabbed hold of the Deadlord's ankle, throwing his balance off and causing both of them to crash through a window in the far tower. Lucina rolled over as she landed and jumped to her feet again, ignoring the cuts and bruises on her body.

The Deadlord rose with her. She could see one, red eye glaring at her from behind his cracked visor.

"You think you can win, Jedi?" The Deadlord snarled, voice fluctuating between a strange, muffle clip, and a very human growl, "My master has won once before, he will win again. Your fate is already sealed. You will die. Just like all of the others."

Lucina grit her teeth, raised her blade over her head, tip pointed at her enemy, before pointing two fingers at her enemy with her cybernetic hand; Soresu's battle stance.

"Then I challenge my fate!"

* * *

The Force ebbed and flowed like a river. The light side was akin to a gentle stream. Flowing at a reasonable pace as to not drown those who dipped into its waters. A calming, serene place meant for reflection and peaceful meditation.

The Dark Side was more like a raging river. Weak force adepts, weak willed men and women who dared to test its waters, were swallowed whole by the chaos. Rendered mindless beings, consumed by their more animalistic tendencies. Weak willed creatures sought out the light so that they may feel at peace in a universe ruled by chaos. The strong sought out the dark side, and subjugated it. With that subjugation came power beyond the wildest of imaginations. The Hierophant knew this truth all too well.

He took a deep breath as he meditated beneath the boughs of the Mila Tree. A strange place for him to decide to delve into the force, but one that had a unique connection to it. Two very powerful Manaketes called this place their grave. Due to their nature, it allowed the force to be more accessible here. A minor nexus, in a way. It was no wonder Lady Tiki felt drawn to this place as well. A home with such a wellspring of power was an attractive place for a creature with a natural connection to the Force. The pitiful humans may view this tree as sacred for being the grave site of two beings who nearly ascended to godhood, but the Hierophant knew this place was sacred for an entirely different reason.

It amplified his powers. Allowed the waters of the force to rush through his mind like a flood. Consuming his conscious self and allowing his presence to drift along the force's currents. An advantageous thing for him. He wanted to monitor the battle far to the south, in the ancient city of Koto. But he also could not go near that place. After all, Lady Tiki, that insufferable spawn of Naga, was there, assisting the Shepherds and their allies.

 _Very unlike the future._ He mused as he took another deep breath, letting the dark side pulse out of him.

In the future where he had nearly been completely victorious, Tiki did not join the Shepherd's ranks until it was too late. His moves had been made, the game had been set, and check had been called against the Naga-spawn. All she could do in the end, was watch as those belonging to her mother's blessed bloodline fell in battle. Consumed by the Fell Dragon's hunger and destructive nature. In her last desperate moments, she tried to unleash. Tried to undo the chains she placed on her own power.

He killed her before she could. Showed her his face, rendering her too stunned to fight anymore. A small pang hit the Hierophant's heart as he recalled the look of utter betrayal he saw on Tiki's face that day. When she saw the face of her love, and could not bring herself to strike, he knew he had won. When her blood stained his hands, he knew the Naga-spawn were defeated.

Of course, Naga had one last trick of her sleeve. A damned ritual designed to send individuals back in time. A pesky nuisance that, thanks to a tenacious Princess and her friends, became a glaring problem for him.

Events were no longer on their intended course. Obi Wan Kenobi had revealed his true nature and fought alongside the Shepherds with the confidence of a true Jedi Master. The Shepherds have no doubt been warned of what is to come already, and they were undoubtedly making plans to counter his rise. A rise that would now be delayed thanks to the worst deviation in course, the loss of his Avatar.

The Son assured him his vessel survived the fury of Demon's Ingle, but that damned creature refused to divulge how. Just that his spirit was drawn to a powerful nexus in the force. One beyond the Hierophant's reach. Because of this snag, any plans he had for executing a quick takeover were now delayed. He could not hope to combat Tiki without his full strength. To do so would be suicidal, because she would unleash just at the mere sight of him. After all, she had not fallen for Robin the Tactician, yet. Every move he executed now would have to be carefully done.

The first move was to decimate both Valm and Archanea. As far as he could sense, this move was having mild success. The Archaneans were making their stand within Koto's walls, correctly predicting Walhart, in a rare moment of foolishness, would rather take them by storm than starve them out. Many Valmese would die on those ancient walls. But would Walhart's arrogance and the Archanean's defiance prove enough. From what he sensed at the moment, he doubted it.

 _It appears I have underestimated the Conqueror._

" _ **You did that last time too."**_ Grima snarled.

An exasperated breath left the Hierophant's lips, "Robin did that last time, not me."

" _We sensed something in your heart when you recalled Tiki's death."_ The Son said, " _Are you certain you are not Robin?"_

" _ **Is the vessel still living?"**_

The Hierophant opened his eyes with a snarl, "Yes, he is in me. Robin is me! I am Robin. There is no separation. We are one, and his will is my will. His desires, my desires. Tiki is nothing to me anymore. She'll either be a corpse or a trophy when this is done!"

The Son chuckled in his mind, " _Very good. But that won't happen with the way this battle is going."_

" _ **The Deadlords are doing their job, but there are still many souls against them. Many to feast upon…"**_

"We cannot go near, you know that."

" _Then perhaps it is time for another Deadlord to join the battlefield?"_

" _ **Or two?"**_

The Hierophant thought for a moment, "I'm surprised you two aren't suggesting him this time."

" _You have made your stance in regards to him clear. He may turn out to be difficult to control due to his… more voluntary submission to our will. This battle requires a more surgical approach."_

"A more delicate approach, you mean." The Hierophant replied. He thought for a moment as he considered what to do next. "Delicate for this battle… surgical for our enemies."

" _ **What do you mean?"**_

"We destroy the Conqueror with these two," The Hierophant's lips parted into a sinister smile, "And demoralize the Naga spawn at the same time."

" _Who do you have in… oh."_

Grima's dark chuckles rumbled in his mind.

" _ **I like this."**_

The Hierophant took a deep breath, willing his powers to flare to life around him. Shadows deepened in the forest. The wind whipped up around him, cold and relentless. The boughs of the Mila Tree groaned as the Dark Side of the Force merged with the blackest of magic. Two pillars of dirt and clay emerged from the ground. The Hierophant inhaled deep, body trembling as the Dark Side coursed through him. He opened his eyes, gazing upon the pillars of clay, eyes blazing with power.

With a loud cry, he threw his hands out, blasting the pillars with black mist and ash. Breathing life into the dirt. A shudder ran up his spine as he reveled in the feeling of power it gave him.

The ash and mist billowed in and around the pillars, molding them into shape. With a final draconic roar, the Hierophant finished his spell. The clay cracked, unveiling his two newest servants. The first a regal woman wearing black and purple robes that were once white and pure. Her face remained gentle, and upon her forehead, instead of the Exalt's brand, rested the Brand of the Defile. A glowing red mark, showing the six eyes of the Fell Dragon.

Beside her stood a more ancient soul. Green hair, once vibrant and bright, now appeared dull and muted. Pointed ears sat hidden beneath those mossy locks, while once bright, cheerful green eyes glowed red with his power. It was a face that nearly took the Hierophant's breath away as he gazed upon it for the first time in years.

 _She was always so beautiful._

He quickly drove that thought from his mind. This was not her. This was one of his servants.

"Anguilla." The green haired woman inclined her chin at him, "Lepus." The more serene soul bowed her head.

 _Time for the Tyrant to fall._

" _ **I h**_ a _v_ e a _tas_ k for b _ **oth**_ _o_ _ **f**_ you."

 **And chapter! The siege has begun, and it is looking bad for the Shepherds. Gharnef has his eyes set on harming Noire, Lissa has been grievously wounded, Lucina is engaging an old foe in Deadlord Fett, and the Valmese continue to pour onto the walls and through the gate. But… the Hierophant has another trick up his sleeve, and it is a devious one. I wonder if you all can guess who these two new Deadlords are? The conclusion to this battle should happen next chapter, and it's gonna be a big one! Hope you all are ready for it!**

 **Also, we've hit 1,000,000 words! HOLY CRAP! That is insane to me. I never thought I would write something this massive and it is all thanks to all of you, reading and reviewing my work. All of your support and criticism is so greatly appreciated and I am so happy to be writing a story that is this much fun. Here's to the future of this story folks! Let's have some fun!**

 **Anyways, let me know what you guys think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!  
Come join the Treehouse! You can come chat with me and so many other great authors and readers who love FE, Star Wars, and many other fandoms! Discord code is:** **9XG3U7a**


	121. Fall of the Tyrant

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 121

Fall of the Tyrant

Pain lanced through Tharja's head as her eyes slowly fluttered open. The pain reverberated from her forehead, down her neck, into her chest and back. She shifted where she lay, feeling small grains of rubble and stone slip off of her as she moved. A groan slipped from her lips. A hard cough followed as dust got caught in her throat.

"Noire." She gasped, voice hoarse.

A sticky sensation ran down the right side of her face, rendering her right eye shut. She quickly reached up and wiped at her eye, swiping blood away and allowing her eye to open. As her vision cleared, she saw that the entire tower was in shambles. One whole wall, facing out to the Valmese army, had been blown to pieces. Dark magic and purple smoke lingered in the air like a vile haze.

Her body trembled as she struggled to get onto her hands and knees. Splinters dug into the palms of her hands from the chipped, broken up wooden stairs beneath her. She coughed again, wincing at how hoarse and sharp it felt against her throat.

"Noire!" She croaked.

Her daughter from the future had yet to reply to her, which worried the dark mage. She did not know Noire very well. They had rarely spoken to each other since she revealed her parentage; mostly due to Tharja's own apprehension about the entire situation, and despite Ben's best efforts to get her comfortable around Noire. One would think that little interaction would mean Tharja would care less if she was harmed or not. But there was a strange worry that stirred inside of Tharja when she failed to see her daughter in the rubble with her.

She shakily rose to her feet and stumbled down the broken steps, nearly falling over several times as her head swam and her legs wobbled. When she reached the bottom of the steps, her vision cleared up and she was able to properly see the devastation around her.

Bodies lay in the rubble she stepped through. Chon'sin archers that had shared the tower roof with her lay crushed beneath large stones, or blown to pieces by powerful magic. She swallowed hard as she stepped over a body. Outside of the ruined tower, she could hear the sounds of heavy fighting. Steel hammered against steel. Magical explosions shook the remaining intact walls around her. The screams of dying men and women reverberated through the air like a sickening choir. It gave her flashbacks of Port Ferox and Charlet. Of how desperate those battles were. Somehow, this one was even worse.

"Noire!" She called once more as she shuffled to the tower door, which had been ripped off of its hinges by the explosion that took the wall.

How did that explosion happen again? She couldn't recall. Her head hurt whenever she… wait… there was a Risen. A Deadlord, if she recalled correctly. And he-

"Oh no." She willed her body to hurry through the door, then froze once she got out onto the walls.

A Chon'sin soldier fell to his knees in front of her, blood spurting from a wound in his chest. A Valmese soldier drove a lance into the dying man's back, finishing him off. Before Tharja could even blink, the enemy soldier spotted her and charged, lanced leveled at her belly. Tharja reacted quickly, opening her spellbook and casting a quick Flux into him. The man screamed as he was blasted off of the walls, falling to his death below.

Pure chaos surrounded her. Chon'sin and Ylissean soldiers fought desperately to hold off wave after wave of Valmese that ascended ladders along the walls. Slowly, the men in red armor began to outnumber the Archaneans and their allies. Even though the Valmese were mainly conscripts, they fought well, using their superior numbers to overwhelm the enemy. One on one, a Chon'sin, Ylissean, or Feroxi soldier could easily win. Even if it was two against one, the safe bet was with the Archaneans. Things changed when it became ten to one, or worse, twenty to one. No warrior could best those odds.

Tharja's eyes roved the chaos, desperately searching for Noire. Had the explosion caught her and buried her back in the tower? Did it knock her out of the tower and into the Valmese ranks? Tharja's heart jumped to her throat at the thought of Noire down below, dead, her body being trampled by thousands of soldiers as they moved in to defeat their enemy. No one deserved such a fate, certainly not her child.

"Noire!" She shouted over the din of battle, praying that by some miracle, she heard her.

Dark magic flared to life in the air, making her freeze in place. Her eyes quickly scanned where the sudden influx came from, roving over soldiers as they fought around her. Her search quickly ended when she spotted the Deadlord down the wall… with her daughter in his grip, an ignited lightsaber in his hand.

Tharja did not think. She did not speak, did not scream, or cry out. She simply reacted. The pages in her spellbook flew in front of her eyes until they landed on a spell she had been working on for weeks. Unholy amounts of power welled up inside of her as her fury and fear spiked. She grit her teeth, condensing the dark magic into a powerful ball in her free hand.

"Waste." She breathed.

The ball of dark magic flared, then it burst into a river of purple, shadowy fire. It screeched across the walls with an unholy howl, scorching anyone that dared get in it's path, friend or foe. The spell's scream grabbed the Deadlord's attention, but too late. It slammed into him, forcing the stooped creature to drop both Noire and the lightsaber to the ground as it drilled into an impenetrable wall of magic surrounding him.

The lightsaber hissed back into its hilt when it hit the ground. The creature slowly turned to face Tharja, a sneer on his lips as he regarded her with an annoyed expression.

"Do you mind?" He growled as Tharja stepped closer, her focus entirely on the Deadlord and not on the soldiers fighting to the death around her, "I'm conducting an experiment."

"The only one allowed to conduct experiments on her is me, fiend!" Tharja snarled.

One flux shot out of her palm. Then two, then three. All three slammed into the enemy at once, erupting in a shower of dark magic and smoke. She then gathered a Nosferatu into her hand, charging it for several seconds before allowing the powerful spell to rocket into the plume of smoke surrounding her opponent. An enormous blast erupted on impact, shaking the ground around her and knocking some stones loose from the walls.

Tharja inhaled deep, letting her body briefly recover from the sudden exertion.

 _Take that._

Low chuckling caused her eyes to widen. The smoke began to clear, and the wretch still stood, completely unharmed. Tharja's hands lowered to her sides as she stared in stunned shock at the enemy in front of her. She could see a dark shield of some sort flickering around him as the aftershocks of her spells ended. When they did, his lips parted into a yellow toothed grin.

"Powerful indeed." He said, taking a step towards her. He briefly glanced back at the still down Noire, "Both of you are. The apple apparently does not fall far from the tree. And you are a mage after my own heart as well. Dark Magic is clearly in your blood."

"It may be in my blood, but I certainly don't take after you, monster." Tharja snarled as she let an arc-thunder spell crackle in her hand.

The Deadlord chuckled, "Yes, I can sense it. You have tremendous talent. A shame you will have to die here. I would have loved to learn how you acquired such skills."

He snapped his hand out, sending a fireball careening at Tharja. Tharja gasped and ducked low, feeling the flames singe the top of her head as the attack narrowly missed her and consumed a Valmese soldier just reaching the top of the wall instead.

She lashed back with her arcthunder, letting the thunderbolt zap across the space between her and her enemy with an enormous crack. The spell slammed into that dark shield surrounding her opponent once again, causing Tharja to growl in frustration.

 _What is he doing?_ She thought, eyeing her opponent as he flashed her an arrogant smirk.

Her eyes ran up and down her opponent as she tried to figure out what was generating the near constant shield around him. Was he wearing a charm of some sort? Was there a hex he cast on himself? She certainly never heard of any enchantment or hex that could make someone invulnerable, at least not for this long. Her eyes lingered for a moment on the strange tome in his grip. One unlike any she had ever seen before.

 _That has to be it._ She scowled.

The Deadlord laughed and cast another spell. This one made Tharja's eyes widen. She dove out of the way as he executed a flawless Waste, engulfing the area over her head in bright, purple flames that consumed a group of ten soldiers behind her. Their screams echoed around her as the flames turned them from soldiers into ash. Just as Tharja was about to counter, the Deadlord's assault continued. He launched a fireball, then a thunder, then an arc-wind that cut across the stones with a razor sharp edge. Tharja pressed her body to the ground and winced as the arc-wind buzzed over her head.

"You're an elusive one." The Deadlord grumbled.

Tharja grit her teeth. She could not land an attack on him, and he was making sure she did not have any time to counter. All she could do was dodge. Not a lot of good that would do her. Eventually, one of his spells was bound to connect. Given the power he was tossing around, if even one of his spells landed, she would be done for. Her body already felt weak from the explosions in the tower, as well as launching spell after spell into the never ending mass of charging Valmese. There was no way she could keep this up.

Her eyes landed on Noire. Her daughter lay completely still behind the Deadlord. Tharja's eyes widened as she noticed her eyes. She could not tell if they were open or closed, there was so much blood smeared over them. Her hair was plastered to her forehead by it. She lay there, so still and pale. The sight cause fury to erupt inside of Tharja.

"DIE!" Tharja roared, her pages stopping on a spell labeled 'Goetia.'

Purple and black lighting crackled from the pages to her free hand. She could feel her reserves sapped immediately from the sheer power coursing through her body. The dark lightning shot towards her enemy, making him stop in his tracks as it slammed into his shield. Tharja's grit her teeth as she watched the lightning explode against her enemy, knocking him back several steps, but leaving no trace of any harm on his body.

"Oh ho ho!" The Deadlord chuckled, "Very good. That one I actually felt a little bit. But you will not be able to defeat the mighty Gharnef so easily." He eyed her, "I'm curious, you've displayed a vast wealth of knowledge to me." Tharja narrowed her eyes as frost kissed the tips of Gharnef's fingers, "But are you familiar with this?"

Ice and snow erupted from the ground around Gharnef, appearing out of thin air. The temperature plummeted in the area as ice crystals gathered in his hand. With a cry, he launched the spell at Tharja, creating a wall of sharp ice shards in front of her. With nowhere to dodge or take cover, Tharja did the only thing she could. She grabbed the closest Valmese soldier, incapcitated him with a sharp punch to his nose, then jumped behind his dazed body. Letting the shards tear him to shreds instead of her. She winced when she heard a sharp exhale as his life ended. When Tharja was certain the spell had passed, she let his body fall to the ground, riddled with ice shards.

Gharnef chuckled evilly again, "Clever girl. Ruthless even. Are you sure you and I aren't cut from the same cloth?"

Tharja hissed. This clown was getting on her nerves, but there was no way to silence him. Goetia was the most powerful spell she knew. And it severely weakened her after using it. There was no way she could cast another without risking her own life.

Her eyes landed on Noire again. Her heart thumped in her chest when she saw her daughter stir a little bit, moving her hand and pointing her palm at Gharnef. As if she was trying to fight him still.

 _He threatened my daughter._ Tharja thought, renewing her resolve _If I have to give my life to save hers… then so be it._

She prepared to charge another Goetia when a blur of blue light rushed at Gharnef. Ben surged over the wall, landing what should have been an impossible jump. He slashed at the Deadlord, knocking Gharnef back as his lightsaber hissed against the shadowy shield.

"Tharja!" Ben called, "Are you-" His words died when he noticed Noire lying on the ground.

Tharja could see how every muscle in Ben tensed up. This was something she had not seen from her love. When Ricken died, she caught a brief glimpse of the fury he could unleash when pushed. When her life was in danger, she witnessed the raw power he could wield when backed into a corner. But she had yet to see how Ben fought when he was truly enraged. When all thoughts of restraint were discarded in favor of an all out assault.

But that was against his nature. That was not Ben Kenobi, and she knew it. If he attacked Gharnef, throwing everything he had against him, he would lose. The invincible shield Gharnef possessed, from what she observed, would not allow any harm to come to him.

 _So long as he is able to hold it._ She eyed the tome with the skull engraved in its cover, resting in Gharnef's left hand.

She strode up to Ben's side and took his free hand in her own, drawing him out of his stupefied daze and causing him to glance at her.

"Together." She said, eyes narrowed at Gharnef.

Ben took a deep breath and nodded.

"Get that tome away from him. We can win that way." She advised.

"Are you certain?" Ben asked, voice shaking as he tried his best to not look at Noire and focus his attention on the Deadlord.

"No, but I don't have a better plan."

Ben exhaled, "Alright. I'll take him up close, you take him from afar."

"I might accidentally hit you."

Ben focused his sights on Gharnef, "You won't. I'll sense it coming."

Without another word, he dashed at Gharnef, lightsaber humming in his grip. Gharnef lips parted into an evil grin as he waited for the Jedi Master to reach him. Ben reared back and slashed hard at Gharnef's right flank. His blade sparked against the barrier around Gharnef before being pushed back by the dark magic enveloping the Deadlord.

Ben snarled, twirled his blade, then struck again. Just as his blade glanced off of the shield, he sensed a spell screeching up from behind him. He stepped to the side, watching as a thunder spell cracked in front of his eyes and hammered against Gharenf. Ben followed it up with a force push, forcing the Deadlord to backpedal.

 _It didn't harm him._ Ben realized, _But it still pushed him._ He grit his teeth and deactivated his lightsaber causing Gharnef to laugh at him.

"Giving up so soon?"

"Funny," Gharnef's eyes widened as he felt something grip his entire body. Ben smirked at him, "I was about to ask you the same thing."

With a harsh cry, Ben shoved Gharnef with all the force he could muster into the next tower. The Deadlord crashed against the stones, making the entire structure shake from the impact. Before he could recover, a fireball shot at him, slamming against his barrier and blinding him with light. Gharnef hissed, squeezing his eyes shut just long enough for Ben to get in close again.

A fist smacked against Gharnef's jaw, spinning him around and causing him to fall flat on his back.

"You know, I don't understand what good an impenetrable magic shield is if I can beat it with just a punch." Ben stated, reigniting his lightsaber and standing over Gharnef.

The Deadlord stared up at him in shock, "How did-" He snapped his gaze to his hands, where Imhullu no longer lay. It rested by his side, just out of reach. The pages were open, and some were missing. The pages were torn out, but by who?  
An enraged expression flashed over the Deadlord's face.

"Angry?" Ben asked, "Too bad. You have no idea what it really is." He raised his blade, "This is for my daughter!"

Gharnef roared, unleashing a massive thunder spell on pure instinct. Ben soared through the air, slamming up against the tower and sliding down it. Dazed by the spell, he struggled to recover as static arced over his body.

"Ben!" Tharja cried.

Gharnef whirled around to face Tharja as she charged Goetia once more. A spell he knew he could not handle without Imhullu's protection. The little mage was proving to be a greater nuisance than he anticipated. But more importantly, someone defiled his Imhullu, and he had a very good idea who did.

He dove for his spellbook, grabbing it and avoiding a wayward arrow from hitting him. Just as Tharja finished charging her spell, Gharnef spoke a quick incantation. Golden light erupted beneath him and enveloped his form. In a split second, he vanished in a flash of bright light.

As soon as the Deadlord disappeared, Tharja sprinted to Ben's side, dodging several sword swipes along the way. She skidded to a stop next to him as he carefully stood back up, using the tower wall as support.

"That hurt." He winced, "He's gone?"

Tharja nodded, "Let's get Noire out of here."

They moved towards Noire. As they walked, Ben suddenly froze. Tharja furrowed her brow in confusion.

"Ben? We need to hurry?"

The air around them dropped in temperature. The already dark storm clouds over their heads turned black. Thunder rumbled in the sky as rain poured down in great sheets. A massive branch of lighting arced through the sky, revealing two points of golden light appearing at the center of the Valmese mass pushing against Koto's walls.

The lights faded. Another bright flash of lightning. Another peal of thunder. Then a woman's mournful wail pierced the sky.

* * *

Lucina stared down her opponent, blue eyes narrowed as she waited for Jango Fett to make the first move. She already successfully disarmed him of those strange weapons he preferred to use. The ones that shot fire. But she also knew this Deadlord was exceptionally crafty. She fought him once before, in Port Ferox. He managed to escape that time thanks to that strange pack on his back. One that allowed him to fly with the assistance of some strange technology or magic that she did not understand.

 _It doesn't matter if I don't understand it._ A bead of sweat dripped down the side of her head as she held her breath, waiting for Fett to strike, _I will defeat him._

Her patience won out. Fett uttered an irritated growl before charging right at Lucina. Lucina quickly slashed down with her sword. Jango lowered his head, letting the blade glance off of his rounded helm as he crashed into Lucina, slamming into her with a bone jarring tackle. Lucina uttered a cry as her sword slipped from her grasp due to the impact.

Her head snapped back when she hit the ground, causing stars flash in her eyes. As she lay, dazed beneath Fett, she felt an armored fist slammed into her side. Lucina bit back a howl as she quickly refocused herself, bringing her knee right up into Fett's groin. The Deadlord growled in pain as Lucina quickly turned the tables, cracking Fett's already broken visor with her cybernetic arm before grabbed him by the head and slamming him forward against the ground.

As he reeled, Lucina kicked him off of her, allowing her to scramble to her feet and gain some separation. Fett was not much taller than her, but he was still heavier, and more muscular. If this became a ground fight, she knew she would lose. She needed to keep this fight upright, focus on speed and agility. The Force gave her the advantage there, even if the Deadlord had Grima's power coursing through his undead viens.

Fett recovered quickly. He rushed at her again, aiming to take her to the ground once more. Lucina quickly sidestepped, using her new arm to bury a powerful strike into his armored abdomen. Iron crunched against his silvery armor as the blow reverberated through her cybernetic and into her shoulder. She hissed as she felt some pain from the blow, yanking her hand back to see the knuckles on the cybernetic dented from the strike.

 _What is his armor made of!?_

She did not have time to figure it out. This fight needed to end. She could not afford to get caught in a long, drawn out affair with an enemy who did not seem to tire. As Fett doubled over from her first strike, she brought her knee up to his visor, cracking it against the glass and sending small shards into his face.

The Deadlord howled as he stumbled backwards. Lucina pressed the advantage, gathering the force in her palm and shoving him against the stone wall. The stone cracked behind the Deadlord as he slammed into the wall.

Now, she charged at him. Ready to rain blows down on the enemy until he was forced to run. Before she could reach him again, Fett raised his wrist. A stream of fire shot out from his gauntlet, catching Lucina by surprise. She uttered a cry and sank below the fire, narrowly avoiding it. The heat washed over her face as she stayed low and snapped her leg out, catching Fett by his ankles.

The Deadlord snarled as his legs were swept out from under him. As soon as he crashed to the ground, Lucina pounced again. She gathered the force around her once more and used it to shove Fett through the floor down to the basement of the tower. The rest of the floor crumbled beneath her feet as well, catching her off guard. Using the force to slow her fall, she managed to land on her feet across from a dazed Jango Fett.

"Not…" Jango hissed, yanking his cracked helmet off and spitting blood from his mouth, "Not bad, kid."

Lucina balled her fists, readying for the next round as Jango got to his feet. She was surprised by just how human he looked. It shouldn't have surprised her, but to see a grizzled, middle aged face behind the helmet took her off guard. He did not seem any different from a normal man. His tan face was clean shaven, a few faint scars rested on his jaw. Wrinkles lined the edges of his eyes. Short black hair crowned his head. The only thing marking him as non-human were the red eyes, mirroring the same color as the eyes of his Fell Master.

"Surprised?" He asked, "You thought I was a monster under that helmet?"

"You are one." Lucina snarled, "Just because you have human skin does not change what you are. You're a deadlord, You helped kill so many people I knew and cared for in the future. That will not change."

Fett snorted, "Surprisingly strong feelings for a Jedi." He raised his hands, ready to continue their brawl.

"I'm far from a typical Jedi."

Lucina swept forward, aiming a hook at Jango's head. Jango quickly raised an arm, blocked it, then hammered his free hand against Lucina's ribs. She winced as his armored hand cracked against her body, making her feel like the thin, leather plates she wore within her outfit were useless. She could already feel a welt forming on her side from the sheer force Fett punched her with. She may have dazed the Deadlord, but he was far from done.

He quickly followed it up with a sharp jab to her chin. Lucina bobbed to the side and kicked her right leg out, planting her foot flush beneath Fett's armpit. The Deadlord snarled as he staggered sideways. Lucina quickly sidestepped with him, delivering a jab to his head before throwing an uppercut.

He caught the uppercut and twisted her arm, trying to draw her in so he could take her to the ground again. Lucina followed the momentum, flipping up in the air and twirling with the twist. Letting the force run through her freely, she propelled herself fast over his head, yanking his arm backwards and pinning it behind him. She kicked out the back of his knee next, dropping the deadlord to his knees before her. Once he was down, she wrapped her hand around his chin, making him freeze.

She yanked hard on his chin, feeling the bones in his neck snap with a harsh twist. His body slumped forward, lifeless.

Once Lucina was certain he was no longer a threat, she relaxed, suddenly feeling the exhaustion in her body. Her bones ached, and she was certain Fett might've cracked a rib or two. She slumped back against a fallen slab of stone from the ceiling, letting out a long exhale.

"Two to one now." She breathed, recalling that when she first encountered Fett, she killed him with Falchion's shard in Ylisstol. She nodded to herself at that memory, "I think I might be getting good at this."

She took a deep breath and looked up at the broken ceiling above her. With the help of the force, she jumped back up the main level in order to rejoin the battle. She quickly located her fallen sword and plucked it up off of the ground before marching to the tower door.

Just as she reached for the doorknob a warning ripped through the force. Lucina winced and reached up, brushing her left hand against her head. A shuddering gasp left her lips as the dark side of the force howled in her ears. That howl turned into a roar as two dark prescenses made themselves known in the force. Their signatures eerily similar to the other deadlords on the battlefield, but somehow stronger.

 _There are more?_ She thought as panic surged inside of her, _How are there-_

An ear piercing wail shot through the air. It rang in her ears, pierced her mind, and sent Lucina to her knees as pain split through her head. Ragged gasps left her lips as she felt the dark side crawling over the walls. It swept over the city like a consuming fog, swallowing up her other senses. Blotting out the deaths and pain she felt in the force and consuming it whole.

Panic seized her when she saw strange, purple mist shoot through the slit beneath the door and rush towards her. Lucina backpedaled, but could not avoid it as it slammed into her. Hard coughs wracked her lungs as the mist rushed into her mouth and nose, nearly suffocating her.

As quickly as the mist grabbed her, it vanished. Lucina sagged to her hands and knees, gasping for breath. As she sucked in air she realized something strange. Her ribs no longer hurt. She pressed her hand against her side and did not feel a massive bruise over it. Her brow furrowed in confusion.

 _What is going on?_

She surged to her feet and rushed out of the door. Horror spread through her as she watched that same, strange mist run over the fallen bodies of every dead soldier on the battlefield. It filled their bodies, nearly consuming them whole. Their skin turned ashen, and their eyes turned red as the Fell Dragon's power filled them. Thousands rose to their feet once more, rendering everyone else fighting on the walls too stunned and terrified to move.

 _H-how!?_

She spun around, looking at the strangely docile Risen surrounding her. It was as if she was reliving her past, and entering this world's future. Flashes of Ylisstol's last days danced in her mind.

 _Where is he!?_ He wondered, panicking as she searched the skies for any sign of the Fell Dragon.

Instead, she caught sight of a lone figure floating down to the ground, a black staff with a midnight gem on top clutched in one hand. A figure Lucina recognized and was now horrified to see.

"Aunt Emmeryn?"

* * *

Despite nearly every soldier, every guard, every able bodied fighter being out on the walls of Koto or at the main gate, holding off the Valmese Legions, the Palace still buzzed with activity. Tiki strode through the halls and corridors, looking around with sympathetic, sad eyes as she watched one wounded soldier after another wounded soldier transported within the Palace Walls on stretchers. She could smell the blood hanging in the air within the palace. If it was not a smell she was used to at this point in her life, she likely would've suffocated from it. Her sensitive ears heard the moans and screams from wounded men and women in different areas of the palace as healers attended to them, trying to save their lives.

Nowi slowly walked alongside the older Manakete, the usually energetic young Manakete rendered quiet by the suffering surrounding them. Every so often, her little ears would twtich and she'd snap her gaze in the direction of a loud cry, flinching as she realized what was causing it.

As the pair reached the palace entry, they paused, allowing several more healers to rush in with fresh wounded on stretchers. Nowi paled when she caught sight of the bloody wounds, barely staunched by heavy gauze and vulneraries. Tiki noticed her distress and placed a reassuring arm over her shoulders.

"Are you alright?"

Nowi gulped and shook her head, "They're all-" She squeezed her eyes shut, "It reminds me of Ricken."

Tiki furrowed her brow in confusion. She'd heard that name before. Everytime someone said that name, heavy sadness would linger on their words. She could sense through the force Nowi's own sorrow when she said his name. Then she sensed a second life force in Nowi move at the name, making Tiki's eyes widen.

 _How did I not notice before?_

"Nowi?"

"Hm?"

"Are you-"

Nowi uttered a heavy sigh and nodded, "It's why I'm not out there, fighting."

Tiki swallowed hard. This was certainly unexpected. In her three thousand years she had some… trysts. Nothing that ever meant anything. They occurred out of curiosity more than anything else. The only one during that time who ever meant anything to her was Marth. Nothing ever amounted out of from her feelings for him. It was a relationship never meant to be. Yet, even in her small escapades, she never had something like _that_ happen to her. She never allowed it. Yet here was Nowi, with a new Manakete growing inside of her.

 _Far too young as well._ Tiki thought to herself with a heavy sigh.

"Was Ricken the father?"

Nowi sniffled and nodded, "He… he died, in Plegia. A Deadlord killed him."

Tiki opened her mouth in understanding. No wonder all of the Shepherds held great sorrow whenever Ricken came up in conversation. They counted him as one of their fallen. She observed how the Shepherds for a few days now, and they reminded her greatly of her travels with Marth and his companions. They were all a close knit group of not just comrades, but close friends. One could even venture to call them a loosely connected family. Not based on blood but on bonds. It spoke wonders about Prince Chrom that he was able to get such a diverse group of individuals to come together and fight as one. It certainly made him worthy of being part of Marth's bloodline.

Because of these close bonds, whenever one was severed, the pain lingered, both in reality and in the force. Tiki could sense it and she was sure Nowi could too, even if she did not fully understand it. It made her grief that much more intense, because she could feel every else's grief as well.

 _This one will need instruction._ Tiki thought as she reassuringly rubbed Nowi's shoulder, _Perhaps I won't return to the Mila Tree once this is all finished._

"Come Nowi." Tiki muttered, guiding her away from the main door when she saw more wounded being rushed up the palace steps, "Lets step away from here."

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Libra and Maribelle emerge from one of the palace's many rooms. Donnel was with them. Tiki recently learned that the young man was grievously wounded during one of the opening battles of the war. While nearly fully recovered, the other Shepherds were still hesitant to throw him right back into the heat of battle so early. So he stayed behind to guard the healers. A task he undertook with enthusiasm.

Tiki guided Nowi over to them. Maribelle noticed the duo first.

"Is everything alright, Lady Tiki?" Maribelle asked, slightly bowing her head in deference to the Manakete.

Tiki smiled a little bit, "There is no need for that, Maribelle. You are the noblewoman, I am not."

"But you are quite an important religious figure, as Naga's voice." Maribelle countered, "It is only proper that I show such deference." She noticed Donnel standing still and quickly smacked him on the chest, "Show deference."

"Aw, r-right." Donnel bowed, "My apologies milady. Still ain't used to this sorta thing."

Tiki chuckled lightly, "You both are fine." She turned her attention to Libra, "Do you require any assistance?"

Libra uttered a weary sigh, "I could use more elixirs and vulneraries. Sadly, our supply is running low and we have no way to replenish. I dare not send anyone out into the city to gather up what we need."

Tiki's ears twitched, "Sounds simple e-"

She froze, sensing the currents of the Force suddenly change throughout the city. The sense of uncertainty disappeared, replaced with a feeling of impending doom and dread. Nowi shivered beside Tiki, reaching out and taking her by the hand.

"It's really cold." The younger Manakete complained.

Tiki furrowed her brow. The others seemed to notice the sudden change as well. The dark clouds over the city darkened further, making the day feel like night. Lightning and thunder rumbled in the previously silent rainstorm. By no means were they natural.

 _The dark side…_ Tiki sensed it now. Her senses stretched out at that point, and she quickly found the source. Two new beings, new deadlords, being born before their very eyes. Her eyes widened. _How? Robin died, so Grima should be…_

She let her hand slip from Nowi's grasp.

"Tiki?" Nowi whimpered.

"Maribelle, keep Nowi close. Don't let her out of your sight." Tiki ordered the Duchess.

"What's wrong?" Maribelle asked, noticing Tiki's change in demeanor from gentle and quiet to focused and wary.

"I'm not sure, but I need to go to the front lines. Donnel, can you and Anna hold things here?"

Donnel scratched the back of his head, "We'll do our best ma'am."

Tiki nodded, "Good. I'll be back before long."

She turned away, pink cape fluttering behind her. Once she was out of sight of the other Shepherds she picked up her pace. She ran out of the palace's safe confines and into the chaotic streets of Koto. As she ran, she noticed two bright lights forming on the battlefield down the hill from the palace.

 _As I feared, more deadlords._

Her jog turned into a sprint as she rushed for the front lines. She could not make out what the Deadlords looked like, but she knew ill intent when she sensed it. Part of her was still confused as she neared the front lines, wondering how it was possible for more Deadlords to appear despite Grima's vessel dying.

 _Grima must have somehow survived._ She realized, _And he may be making his move to destroy us now._

If that was the case, then she knew what she would have to do. Grima was powerful, even without his vessel. She would have to confront him personally. Their battle would be devastating, and she likely would perish in the attempt. But she would make sure to take Grima with her if she had to. It would require her to unleash entirely, but after coming to know everyone within these city walls, she was fully prepared to make that sacrifice.

She neared the front lines. The sounds of battle carried on the wind and filtered into her sensitive ears. She heard the savagery before she saw it. Thousands of screams, cries, and groans rang out around her. Swords clashed, bows sang, spells thundered; for a lesser Manakete, inexperienced in their abilities, it would have been overwhelming.

 _But not for me._

She reached the main gate, where she knew the fighting would be the most intense. Immediately she caught sight of the strange Deadlord, Dooku, dueling another Deadlord. One with green skin and black robes that covered almost her entire body. Her green blade clashed violently with Dooku's red saber, but the old man appeared to have the advantage, forcing the other Deadlord to retreat back into the gate's shadow.

The next person she noticed was Luke. The young man was doing an excellent job commanding the Chon'sin military. He allowed Khan Flavia and her Feroxi to comprise the first few lines of defense, knowing that their heavier armor would serve them well against the waves of lightly armored Valmese grunts. Their lances also proved deadly for the Valmese cavalry that attempted to punch holes into the lines. Tiki saw horse carcassas and fallen riders littering the area beyond the main gate as the Feroxi pushed back the Valmese with each successive charge.

Any Valmese that were unfortunate enough to make it through the Feroxi Lancers came face to face with Luke and his men. His blue saber cut savage arcs of sapphire light through the air as he cut down one Valmese soldier after another. The Force wrapped around him, flowed through him in strange shades of gray that made Tiki quite curious about his true nature.

Her focus turned to the walls, where she spotted Prince Chrom and Sir Frederick fighting back to back against a never ending tide of Valmese surging up onto the walls. The gate was holding strong, but the walls were failing. That was where she was needed.

Tiki rushed to a set of stairs, quickly scaling them. As she neared the top, she drew back, watching the body of a Ylissean soldier fall onto the steps. She deftly stepped over the fallen soldier and stepped up into the fray.

As soon as she set foot on the walls, she attracted the attention of a group of Valmese grunts. They brandished their swords at her and rushed her. Little did they know the gravity of their mistake.

Tiki allowed white fire to consume her hands. She did not like the idea of attacking other humans, especially ones like these Valmese soldiers, who unknowingly fought alongside servants of Grima. But she had to defend herself in the end. A regrettable situation.

She buried a fist into the gut of one soldier, engulfing him in white fire that quickly killed him. The other soldiers hesitated at that point, but Tiki did not. She made short work of them and moved past their burning forms as the white fire consumed them.

Swiftly, she made her way towards Prince Chrom. As she reached him an ear piercing wail shot through the air, making her flinch and reach for her ears. The force howled with the wail, creating a wall of sound that nearly overwhelmed her. Fell, purple mist swept over the walls and city, causing goosebumps to form on her arms.

 _What manner of magic is this?_

She whipped her gaze up to one Deadlord slowly fluttering back down to the ground, between the lines of waiting Valmese and the ones already engaged in heavy fighting. A second Deadlord waited for that one on the ground. While she did not recognize the first Deadlord, who wielded a black staff and seemed to command the mist rising from the ground, she did recognize the second Deadlord, and it made her heart stop in her chest.

 _It's… me._

How… how was it possible? Unless Tiki had some twin she was unaware of, then there was no way for a Deadlord to be her. It had to be some trick. An illusion created by the Fell Dragon to rattle her. It certainly worked. Her previous confidence walking into this battle wavered at the sight of an evil doppelganger lingering out beyond the front lines, as if it were waiting for her to come and fight.

The battle came to a standstill as the purple mist flooded into the bodies of the fallen. Tiki's eyes widened as she felt the force ripple around her. Her stomach lurched as she watched dead soldiers' eyes flick open all around her. Scarlet light filled their eyes as the Fell Dragon's power coursed through them.

 _Is he really this powerful?_ Tiki swallowed hard, _Gods above._ She thought, chest rising and falling with heavy breaths.

She felt too stunned to move. She knew Grima was powerful, but she never imagined he could will the dead back to life at this magnitude.

Corpses rose to their feet on the battlefield. They remained motionless, as if they were waiting for a command. Both Valmese and Archanean soldiers stood still, holding their collective breath. All eyes were glued to the two Deadlords out in the open. The one with the staff turned away from the Conqueror's army and faced the city.

"E-Emm?" Chrom croaked.

Tiki sensed shock rip through the Prince. Sorrow swiftly followed as the Ylissean prince staggered forward, eyes glued to the blonde woman staring down the city.

Her eyes widened, _Exalt Emmeryn._ She grit her teeth in fury as she looked out to the two new Deadlords, _Grima, you dare defile Naga's bloodline!  
_ A horn blew in the breeze. It came from the Valmese lines. Tiki caught sight of Emperor Walhart straddling his horse, riding to the front of his last wave of men. A massive surge of Valmese were about to strike.

 _Is he that foolish!?_ Tiki thought, _He thinks he can wipe out the Risen, the Deadlords, and us in one strike?_

The Deadlord that wore Exalt Emmeryn's skin twirled around to face the marching Valmese. Silently, she raised her staff. Black light emanated from the gem on top of her staff. Each Risen she raised reacted to the light, turning their attention to it and groaning as one.

Tiki locked eyes with Sir Frederick. For the first time, she saw the Knight Commander look afraid. One Deadlord controlled a third army on the field. An army capable of wiping all of them out and growing its numbers in the process.

Tiki reached for a small gemstone hidden in a pouch on her hip. Her last resort may be necessary now. She would have to break the seal in order to make certain they were victorious this day. In order to stop Grima, she would have to risk her own power running amok.

 _Better mine than his._

The Risen shrieked all around her, making her hair stand on end. Valmese and Archanean soldiers shook in their boots at the sound. Then, to Tiki's utter shock, the Risen surged out of the city, off of the walls, and away from the gates, moving right at the charging Valmese legions. At the same time, Walhart's main cavalry broke into full gallop, with him at the head. He raised his massive ax, ready to cleave the head off of Emmeryn's head.

Both deadlords vanished in a puff of purple mist before he could slay them. Walhart recoiled in his saddle, but did not break off his charge. Instead, his cavalry and last army group crashed against the horde of Risen.

A switch flipped, and the fighting resumed. A Valmese soldier uttered a cry and swung his sword with all his strength at Frederick, catching the knight off guard. Tiki quickly stepped in, using her white flames to end the attacker's life before he could harm the Knight Commander.

"My thanks, milady." Frederick nodded.

"Focus on the battle at hand, Sir." Tiki replied, "It looks like these Risen are on our side."

"Indeed." Frederick glanced around a moment. He then whipped his gaze around, "Where is the Prince?"

Tiki furrowed her brow. She searched the chaos on the walls, but found no sight of him.

 _He saw his sister on the battlefield... oh no._

"Frederick, we need to get out there." Tiki nodded towards the mass of Valmese cavalry and Risen clashing in the rice fields outside of the walls.

Frederick paled, "You don't think-"

"He saw Emmeryn. I don't think, I know." Tiki interrupted, "We cannot let him die today."

"I'll give my life before I allow milord to give his own!" Frederick declared, surging towards a Valmese ladder and punching a Valmese soldier off of it. He held out a hand to Tiki, "We must make haste."

Tiki took his hand and held on tight. Frederick shoved the ladder away from the wall. The ladder teetered for a moment, then plummeted down towards the shrinking Valmese ranks. At the last moment, Tiki shot a wind spell at the ground, slowing their descent just enough so the impact didn't kill both of them.

Tiki sprang to her feet, whipping white fire around her as Frederick shakily rose. At that moment, a roar erupted from the city. Feroxi Lancers came screaming out of the main gate, crashing into the confused Valmese lines and tearing them to shreds. Khan Flavia and Luke lead the way, both wreaking havoc on the enemy. Yen'fay followed them with thousands of Chon'sin soldiers. Sweeping through the now terrified Valmese ranks with ease. Their charge focused directly on the Conqueror as his own charge came to a halt thanks to the dwindling ranks of Risen on the field. A last desperate gambit to defeat the seemingly invincible man.

 _And it may just work._ Tiki thought as she watched the Valmese front lines break before the charge. They fled before the fury of the Archaneans. A small retreat turned into a large route as the sea of red receded back to their leader.

"Frederick." Tiki breathed.

"Yes, milady?"

Tiki set her sights on the horde of Risen. At the very center, she caught sight of the two deadlords. Emmeryn stood at the center of the undead mass, staff radiating its fell light as she commanded the horde. The Deadlord wearing Tiki's skin stood beside her, as if it was guarding her. Anytime a Valmese soldier got close, she would quickly dispatch them with a blast of purple fire radiating fell magic. It made Tiki's stomach flip.

Walhart's charge slowly worked towards her, but he was losing horsemen by the thousands to the Risen. Still, his stubbornness won out. Or perhaps it was his own arrogance believing in his perceived invulnerability. Regardless, the battle hung on the edge of a knife, and Tiki could feel it drawing to its close.

"Let's help end this."

* * *

Despite his youth, Chrom had seen many battles. From light skirmishes involving no more than a dozen or so people, to titanic clashes of armies that enveloped entire landscapes and cities, he had seen war in all of its ugly colors.

At first, the battle at Koto had been no different. Certainly there was much more desperation surrounding this battle than any before. It was not everyday he helped lead an army of roughly sixty thousand against an army of one million, but he still viewed it as another battle. He still viewed it as winnable, because he and the Shepherds had already been in so many impossible battles. In every impossible situation, they carried the day. Whether it had been in Plegia when Gangrel led his armies to crush the Feroxi and Ylissean coalition once and for all, or at sea when the Valmese navy was barreling towards the Archanean shores. Charlet and the meat grinder that was the city's port and beach, Demon's Ingle and the volcano's fury in the midst of heavy fighting; it all impacted the battle, impacted him, but it never wavered his ability to command and his belief in victory.

He felt that resolve being tested with every uncertain step he took out into the rice fields beyond Koto. His boots sank into mud and deep puddles as he marched out of the city. While he marched, the Archeanean and Chon'sin armies charged out. Screaming at the top of their lungs as they routed the first few waves of stunned Valmese. But the Prince was not focused on the routed enemy lines, or the stifled Valmese cavalry charge further ahead of him. His entire being was focused on one woman, with a black staff, commanding a horde of Risen that blocked the Conqueror from finishing off Koto's defenders.

It was Emmeryn, or some strange perversion of her. It couldn't be her. She was dead. He watched Maul kill her. Saw her body plummet down the cliffs in Plegia. He was never able to bury her because of Gangrel and the Grimleal, but he was at her funeral. Mourned her for days afterwards.

No, it was not Emmeryn. She would never step foot on a battlefield and lead soldiers. Such actions were against the creed she tried desperately to hold onto. She believed in peace above all else and would never lead an army unless it was her only option. Whatever this thing was in front of Chrom, it was not Emmeryn. It was an abomination.

His heart ached at that realization. It looked just like her. She seemed paler than he remembered, appeared menacing instead of tranquil, but everything about her looked similar.

He needed to know if it was really her. Needed to see if Emmeryn was actually alive, or if this was some sick spell tricking his mind. His pace picked up as he rushed towards the Risen horde that churned in front of him, consuming the retreating Valmese soldiers and adding their corpses to their ranks.

Another roar erupted from his army as they shattered the rest of the retreating Valmese and barrelled towards the Risen. To Chrom's shock, Emmeryn raised her staff, and the sea of Risen parted, allowing the Archanean army to charge through them and slam into Walhart's stalled charge. He could see Luke and Flavia at the very front of the charge, leading Lancers and Chon'sin warriors into the mass of terrified Valmese soldiers and cavalry. Their charge not slowed by anything, not even the thick mud from the storm.

Falchion was already slick with blood as Chrom neared the main fray. He paused within the Risen ranks, looking around as sudden horror filled him. These Risen were all once on his side, or on the Conqueror's side. Their peace and free will were stripped from them as they were made to serve some insidious purpose. A purpose he failed to understand in the moment. It was a vile action that Chrom knew Emmeryn would never do, nor would she be capable of. He glanced at her one more time. He was so close to her, he could practically see the glow of her red eyes through the throngs of walking dead.

Chrom turned his attention back to the main battle. The Conqueror's charge may have been stymied, but he was not defeated. His numbers were still vast, and soon his army would recover and push back against the Archanean advance. Chrom needed to rejoin the battle. His men, the brave soldiers of Ylisse, needed to see him standing on the front lines, fighting with everything he had to preserve their freedoms. Fighting to end the reign of a tyrant. This selfish goal of seeing Emmeryn once again would have to wait.

The only way this battle would end, the only way the Valmese would surrender entirely, is if their figurehead fell. The Conqueror needed to be defeated in battle, personally. Chrom tightened his grip on Falchion and turned to charge into battle. Rain dripped down his face as his blue eyes scanned the chaos for the Conqueror.

It was not hard to find him. The mammoth of a man had dismounted from his steed in order to fight the Archaneans. His massive ax swung in savage arcs through the air, lopping limbs off any enemy of his that dared to challenge him. Chrom's eyes narrowed as he watched Yen'fay break free from fighting the Valmese grunts in order to stand face to face against the Conqueror. Regardless of how great a warrior Yen'fay appeared to be, Walhart was a powerhouse. He would need help.

Luke was occupied commanding the bulk of their forces. Directing charges and defenses, leading the Chon'sin forces into the fray. Flavia was busy preventing the Valmese cavalry from regaining any momentum, marching her lancers up the field of battle and pushing the enemy back on their heels. Above the battlefield, the Pegasus Knights swooped down in savage, lightning fast strikes. Picking off Valmese soldiers unfortunate enough to stand out too much in the melee. He could not find Ben or Dooku, but he assumed they were busy dealing with the Deadlord monsters that entered the battle back near the walls.

That left him, the Prince of Ylisse, to join the disgraced General of Chon'sin in a duel against the Valmese Tyrant. He cast one last longing glance to Emmeryn, took a deep breath, spun on his heel, and charged at the Conqueror.

He steeled his courage. Raindrops ran down Falchion, mixing with blood in runny, scarlet rivers that drenched his hands. His muddy boots stomped up onto the rain soaked road where Yen'fay stood against Walhart. As Chrom approached, Yen'fay made his first move, snarling as he swung his sword in a harsh, upwards arc. Walhart jerked his head back then shot a large fist out at Yen'fay, tagging the much smaller man on the chin.

Yen'fay stumbled back. The punch didn't even look like it had a lot of force behind it, but it was enough to daze the Chon'sin general. Before Yen'fay could fully recover, Walhart's ax hissed through the air, aiming to take his head off.

It did not connect. Chrom dashed forward, raising Falchion and catching Walhart's axe with the divine blade. The two weapons ground together. Sparks spat from the steel. Chrom grit his teeth as his feet sank further into the mud.

 _Naga, he's strong!_

Chrom yanked Falchion away, the divine blade shrieking as it slid against Walhart's ax. Before Walhart could follow up with another strike, Chrom hopped back to stand by Yen'fay's side.

"Thought you could use some help." Chrom remarked, focusing his eyes on Walhart as the Conqueror remained still in front of them.

"Appreciated, but he's mine." Yen'fay snarled, "He had my sister killed. I will avenge her."

Chrom glanced over at Yen'fay. Usually the man wore a neutral mask on his face. That mask was gone, replaced by an enraged expression as he stared down the Conqueror. Yen'fay shivered with anger as he tightened his grip on his blade and pointed the tip at the Conqueror.

"This is your end, Tyrant!"

Before Chrom could react, Yen'fay charged again. His katana cut a brutal swath through the rain soaked air, aiming to take the Conqueror's head from his shoulders. The Conqueror displayed shocking agility, ducking beneath the strike and slamming the blunt side of his ax into Yen'fay's gut.

Yen'fay doubled over. Air wheezed in and out of his lungs as he struggled to breathe. He staggered forward a couple steps before dropping to a knee, one hand clutching his stomach.

"A pathetic effort in the end." Walhart said, tone even as he glared down at Yen'fay. He looked at the battle around him, watching as his forces consolidated and reorganized. The Archanean charge lost ground, and the Valmese roared to life once more, "Such a waste. You could have been so much more under my Empire, Yen'fay. You were so much more already. Now, you sacrificed your life, your family, your people, for what? Some misguided attempt at freedom, at peace on your own terms?" His milky eyes glanced over at Chrom, "You both don't see it, but I do. Peace can only be achieved one way, through force. Peace through strength. If you stand against my goal to unite this world, then I shall sweep you aside. For if you stand against me, you stand against peace."

Chrom grit his teeth as Yen'fay struggled to rise to his feet.

"This hardly looks like peace to me." The Prince spat back, circling around Walhart so he could get near Yen'fay, "What good has your conquest done, Conqueror? It has caused your own people to grow desperate as they yearn for freedom, for the ability to decide their own destinies."

"Desperate?" Walhart's face twisted into a snarl, "Do you have any idea what this continent was like before you decided to invade? Before I decided to embark on my great conquest? This land was enveloped in petty wars. Peasants were slaughtered like sheep as dynasts throughout the continent battled each other. For what? For a scrap of land, or for respect due to a perceived slight. It was chaos, and I have brought order. You intend to upend that order, and for that you will die." Walhart circled Chrom, moving away from Yen'fay and allowing the Chon'sin General to stagger to his feet, "I wanted to bring that same order, that peace, to Archanea as well, Prince." His milky eyes glanced over at Emmeryn as she raised her staff once more, rallying what remained of the Risen around her, "You could say that at one time, your sister and I were of the same mind. That we held the same goal at heart."

Chrom's face twisted into a snarl, "You dare say that? Emmeryn would be appalled by what you have done."

"And I am appalled by what she did." Walhart retorted, "I admired her for her desire to achieve peace, but I was appalled by her lack of will to achieve it. The meek, the weak, they do not deserve peace because they are incapable of seizing it. She realized the error of her ways too late." He glanced in Emmeryn's direction, "I heard of her death, but it puzzles me how she is here now. Perhaps, in your desperation, Prince Chrom, you have made a pact with a demon. What greater enemy to peace is there than someone who is willing to do that?"

Chrom struggled to contain his anger. He glanced at Emmeryn as well. The many lessons he learned from her, both in life and in the wake of her death, raced through his mind. Even with a tyrant like Walhart, she would have given him one last chance to change his ways.

"You claim to want peace, then let us end this fighting." Chrom said, lowering Falchion as he faced Walhart, "Join me, let us be allies instead of enemies."

"ME!? JOIN YOU!?" Walhart scoffed, "Does a pegasus join with the flea on its back? A dragon, with a cow it eats? You forget your place, boy! I am the Conqueror! I will unite the world!"

Chrom grit his teeth, "No… you won't. I will. Not through fear, or strength of arms. Not by forcing people to choose the sword or the knee, as you have done, but by stoking people's hearts… not their fears."

"Such tripe." Walhart growled, "I've heard enough. You, just like your sister, are weak. Incapable of recognizing the harsh realities of the world we live in. This cruel world, the enemies we both know to exist, they only understand one thing. Those that would stand against peace only understand strength. You are incapable of understanding that, so you will join them in death. Die for your peace!"

Walhart's ax twirled in his hands. The mighty weapon hissed through the air and rain. Chrom quickly raised Falchion and blocked the savage strike. The Prince jerked Falchion free and countered, flicking the tip of his blade at Walhart's chest. Walhart muscled through the strike, letting the blow glance off of his scarlet armor, leaving a deep scratch, but nothing more. Like an unstoppable bull on a rampage, Walhart stormed at Chrom, swinging down with his ax. Aiming to cleave the Prince in two.

Chrom sidestepped the strike, but Walhart moved quickly. He adjusted his ax and swung to the side. Chrom's eyes widened. He could not dodge this attack. As quickly as he could, he brought Falchion down to meet the chop, just barely lowering it in time to block the ax blade.

The brute strength behind the swipe sent Chrom falling backwards. He landed hard in the mud, sinking a little bit as the rain intensified around him. Walhart pounced, standing over Chrom and raising his ax over his head, murder in his once unreadable gaze. Chrom's eyes widened. He was not going to be able to move fast enough. The mud kept him from getting the leverage he needed to block the coming blow.

Just as Walhart was about to bring Wolfberg crashing down onto Chrom, Yen'fay attacked. The Chon'sin General drove his sword into Walhart's back. Walhart howled as Amatsu slipped through his scarlet armor and bit into his body. The massive man twirled around and backhanded Yen'fay, the sudden motion yanking Yen'fay's blade from his grip.

Chrom surged to his feet, using Yen'fay's distraction to his advantage. He swiped with Falchion at Walhart's back, slashing through his armor until Falchion met Yen'fay's blade. He quickly yanked Falchion away, grit his teeth and backpedaled away from a wild swing from Walhart's ax.

The Conqueror's face twisted with pain and rage. With a snarl, Walhart pulled Amatsu from his body and let it fall to the ground. Somehow, the two strikes did not stop him. It only made him grow stronger. Chrom took a deep breath as he thought quickly, trying to figure out how to finally defeat the Tyrant.

The massive man was far stronger than him. Walhart was also seemingly faster. In every way, the Conqueror was a superior warrior. One blow from his ax could be the end for Chrom, whereas the Conqueror shrugged off two harsh blows from Yen'fay's blade and from Falchion. Chrom would have to land a fatal blow, but he needed to create the opportunity to do so.

He recalled a lesson he received not too long ago, from a mad swordsman and a crotchety old man.

 _Dictate the rules of engagement._

What were the apparent weaknesses in the way Walhart fought? He was faster, stronger, more skilled, but he relied on brute strength more than anything else. Arrogance permeated every strike he made and every word he spoke. He truly believed that his way was greater than any other. Which meant he was overconfident in his approach.

 _I need to bait him._ Chrom realized.

He quickly backpedaled, creating distance between himself and the Conqueror. A frustrated growl rumbled from Walhart.

"Running away? Are you realizing the error of your ways?" He rushed at Chrom as Chrom backed away towards the edge of a rice field.

At the last second, Chrom jumped to the side, avoiding Walhart's savage ax swing. As Walhart's ax hit nothing but air, he lost his balance on the edge of the road. For a moment, he teetered back and forth. The teetering ended when Chrom drove his shoulder into the small of the Conqueror's back, using all of his strength to pick the massive man up and drive him into the flooded rice field.

Water flooded every sense. The sounds of battle turned muffled. His breath lodged in his throat as he held them, trying to prevent water from flooding into his lungs. Chrom could feel Walhart struggling against him in the water, but his size and strength betrayed the Conqueror here. He twisted and turned, but he could not generate the same amount of power while slowed by the water, could not gain the leverage he needed to swing his ax as Chrom remained on top of him, keeping them both underwater.

The rules of engagement changed. Walhart was no longer in control. Even if this domain was just as perilous for Chrom, it was far more dangerous for the man in extremely heavy armor.

Walhart's struggling intensified. Bubbles rose from his lips as he spun around to face Chrom. Chrom jabbed the pommel of his sword against Walhart's right hand, causing him to lose his grip on Wolfberg. Walhart's head surged up and collided with Chrom's forehead. Chrom grit his teeth as sharp pain lanced through his skull, but he refused to fall back. He shoved Walhart down again, pressing the conqueror into the deep muck at the bottom of the rice field.

The Conqueror's eyes widened as he struggled to get to the surface. His hands clawed at Chrom. His feet kicked desperatly, trying to dislodge the Ylissean Prince. Chrom's lungs burned. He was almost out of air.

 _Just a little longer._

Walhart reached up and grabbed Chrom's head, taking Chrom off guard. The Conqueror yanked Chrom's head forehead, bashing it against his breastplate. Stars danced in Chrom's eyes as his head spun. His body slackened as he recoiled from the sharp blow. Walhart slipped away from him, making Chrom's heart speed up in his chest.

The Conqueror emerged from the flooded field first, poking his head up and throwing himself against the embankment along the road. Harsh coughs wracked his lungs as he crawled up the small slope towards the road. As he reached the top, Chrom surged up from the water. Unlike the Conqueror, he raced up the hill, Falchion in hand. With a loud cry, the Prince drove Falchion through the back of Walhart's shoulder, not stopping until he felt the divine blade pierce the muddy ground. Pinning the Conqueror down.

This time, the Conqueror did not cry out in pain, he simply sagged against the ground, gasping for breath. As he lay there, Yen'fay stepped forward. Amatsu rested in his hands as he stood over the exhausted Conqueror.

Chrom remained on top of Walhart, keeping his weight pressed down on Falchion in case the massive man tried to wriggle free. He looked up at Yen'fay.

"I'd say we won." He breathed.

Yen'fay's hard gaze remained fixed on the defeated Conqueror. Chrom saw the General's fists tighten.

"This is my chance." Yen'fay breathed, "To kill him for everything he has done to my family."

Walhart tensed beneath Chrom. Chrom bowed his head and nodded.

"Yeah, it is." Chrom raised his gaze, "But… would that make you any better than him?"

Yen'fay's eyes snapped up to Chrom. His brow furrowed as he contemplated Chrom's words.

"No…" Yen'fay admitted, "It wouldn't." He placed the tip of his blade near Walhart's throat, "Give the command." He ordered the Conqueror.

The Conqueror's milky eyes stared up at Yen'fay. Fury faded away, replaced with shock as he realized that he had lost. He glanced around, watching as the horde of Risen returned to the main battle, colliding with his already off balance forces and slaughtering them. The conscripts that made up the majority of his army tossed their weapons down and fled in the face of such a terrifying onslaught. Right into the whooping cries of a group of mercenaries led by a wild haired man with a large sword. His famed cavalry, the soldiers that made him an Empire, crumbled as Feroxi Lancers and Risen monsters slammed against them.

It was over, but he refused to believe it.

Walhart snarled as he raised his powerful voice.

"I will never-"

Chrom cracked a fist against the back of the Conqueror's head. Walhart's eyes fluttered, then he went limp; lying face down in the mud, blood, and rain.

Chrom uttered a weary sigh and looked up at Yen'fay.

"Got tired of his blustering."

Yen'fay snorted, "So you drowned him. Smart move." He looked around.

The Valmese were running. Many saw their Conqueror fall, and lost heart. The fear of the Risen added to their terror, forcing the once mighty Valmese army to crumble. Soldiers in red armor threw down their weapons and raised their hands in surrender. Archanean and Chon'sin soldiers quickly surrounded those who surrendered, keeping their weapons trained on them in case of treachery.

But there would be no treachery. Walhart was beaten. With his defeat, the spirit of the Valmese Empire was broken. Yen'fay took a deep breath.

"I hope I don't regret killing him now."

Chrom got to his feet, leaving Falchion in Walhart's shoulder.

"You won't." Chrom replied.

The Prince observed the battlefield. A few Risen chased after the retreating Valmese soldiers, but most turned docile once the outcome was determined. Against all odds, the Shepherds and their allies carried the day once again.

The war was over.

 **And chapter! The battle is finished! And with it comes the end of the Valm War. This was a tough battle to write. So much had to happen in such a short span of time that is was extremely difficult to juggle. But I am happy with how it turned out, and I hope it was entertaining for all of you as well. There will be an epilogue chapter for this arc coming up next, so stay tuned! We've got some cleaning up to do in the wake of this war after all. Then… well, we'll see where it goes from here. There's a certain Sith Lord still searching for this planet after all.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**

 **Come join the Treehouse! Discord link is:** **9XG3U7a**


	122. In the Wake of War

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 122

In the Wake of War

The battle ended a few hours ago, and still the magnitude of the carnage and devastation was still sinking in for Ben. Tens of thousands lay dead within the city, on top of Koto's walls, and in the shadow of the main gate. Tens of thousands more lay within the flooded rice fields, their blood poisoning the waters they lay in. Multiple towers were destroyed, innumerable small fires still burned even as what soldiers could still stand rushed to put them out.

All of this horror really hit the Jedi Master though, when he walked into the palace and saw his daughter lying still on a cot within his and Tharja's chambers. Heavy bandages covered her eyes. Dried blood was still plastered to her pale skin despite Tharja's best efforts to clean it all off. Noire's chest rose and fell in soft, weak breaths. But they were steady, and they would grow stronger. Tharja assured him as much. She was seeing to her well being personally. While Ben would have liked it if she allowed Libra to assist her, he was still reassured to know a mage as skilled as Tharja was making sure Noire lived and recovered.

He leaned against the doorway and watched Tharja work. His lover was hunched over a small table near Noire's bedside, mortar and pestle in hand as she ground a magical ingredient down to a fine powder. Her fingers snapped across the room, drawing the attention of the two people she allowed to assist her.

"Henry, turn that newt's eye into paste." She ordered.

Henry snickered, "Yes, ma'am." The disturbingly cheerful dark mage grinned as he plucked a jar filled with small eyes and plopped one down into his own mortar and pestle. As he ground it down, Ben heard him humming a happy tune to himself.

"Laurent," Tharja continued, "Glasses."

Laurent glanced over at Tharja as he turned away from a pair of bubbling alembics, confusion on his face.

"I am indeed wearing glasses but-"

" _Glasses._ " Tharja reiterated, "Fill them with water. I'm thirsty." She returned her attention to her work, "And if Noire wakes she will be thirsty too."

She then noticed Ben leaning against the doorframe. For the first time since they both returned to the palace, Tharja let some vulnerability show on her face. She looked exhausted. Dark rings circled her already shadowy eyes. Her posture remained slouched even when she turned away from her work to face Ben. Through the Force, he could sense her body's labored efforts to keep pushing onward. It was enough for Ben to quietly walk up to her, take her by the hand, and place a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"You need to rest." He whispered.

Tharja's contentment disappeared. She narrowed her gaze at him before yanking her hands free.

"I will not rest, not until-"

"You said so yourself when we brought her here, Noire will live." Ben swallowed hard as he glanced over at Noire. His heart ached every time he saw her in this condition. If he had only been there sooner, this could have been avoided.

 _No… don't start. That's a road you've been down before, and it nearly destroyed you._ Ben chastised himself.

"Doesn't matter." Tharja huffed, spinning back around to focus on the plants she was grinding down, "I will not rest until I know for certain that she-"

"Tharja-"

"What would you have me do, Ben!" Tharja whirled around, raising her voice. Off to the side, both Henry and Laurent paused in their work.

"I think I shall go fetch some aloe leaves." Laurent muttered, "Her eyes received severe burns from whatever spell hit her and-"

"We don't need the details, Laurent." Ben interrupted, "Just… do what you need to do."

Henry's grin wavered a little bit before he returned to focusing on his work while Laurent quickly stepped out, sliding the door shut behind him. As the door clicked, Tharja took a deep, shuddering breath.

"I apologize." She breathed.

"You have nothing to apologize for." Ben replied gently, "You're scared, and you have every right to be."

Tharja pressed her lips into a thin line and nodded, arms folded over her chest. She rubbed her arms with her hands as more anxiety filled her.

"I don't get why I'm like this." She sighed, taking a seat on a small bench she placed beside her table. She wrung her hands in her lap as she sat, "I hardly know her. I shouldn't care at all."

"You're her mother." Ben reminded her, "Noire is your blood, even if she is from the future. It is natural for you to be worried and scared right now."

Tharja sniffed and wiped at her eye, doing her best to hide tears that threatened to form. She swallowed hard, bowing her head as she tightened her fists in her lap.

"I should've fought harder." She muttered, "Been stronger, then she-"

"You don't know what would have happened." Ben said, brushing some of her dark hair from her face, "We need to focus on the here and now. Right now, she is wounded… but alive. I am forever grateful for that. You saved her life, Tharja."

Tharja squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, still fighting tears, "Yeah…" She croaked. Her head turned to look at Noire, "Hopefully I'll be able to save more than that."

Ben gave her a sympathetic smile, bent down and placed a soft kiss on top of her head, feeling the tension in her body release as he did so.

"Like with everything, we'll face it together."

The door to their quarters slid open, letting in a rush of cool, damp air. The sound of rain falling softened, signaling the end of the storm. As the rain drizzled down, Ben heard someone clear their throat in the doorway.

"Um… Benny?"

Ben took a deep breath, "Yes, Gaius?"

Ben furrowed his brow as he looked back at the thief. Unlike how he normally stood, there was no confidence in the thief's posture. Instead, it looked like he had seen a ghost. He seemed especially twitchy. As if he were nervous to be talking to Ben and Tharja. His eyes shifted to and fro a moment before he took a deep breath.

"You're um… you're gonna wanna come see this."

Ben shook his head, "It can wait. I'm needed here."

"Yeah uh, this ain't a military thing, I think?" Gaius folded his hands behind his back, reached into a pouch, and yanked a lollipop from it. He jabbed the candy into his mouth, and twirled it into his cheek, "It's a… damn, I don't know how to describe it. But you're gonna want to come see."

Ben furrowed his brow. Not a military matter? So he was not being summoned by Chrom or the other royals. Then what was so important that he had to leave Tharja and Noire immediately?

Ben uttered a heavy sigh and glanced at Tharja.

"Go ahead." Tharja nodded, "I'll be fine here." Her dark eyes glanced over at Henry as a wet squelch sounded from his table, signaling that he popped an eyeball. The other dark mage uttered a light snicker while Ben grimaced, "I've got him to keep me company."

"Fun company." Ben remarked with a slight smirk, "I won't be gone long."

"Mhmm." Tharja hummed back, returning her entire attention to her mortar and pestle.

Ben quietly stepped out of the room with Gaius. Soft raindrops pattered against the palace's tiled roof. Muffling the sound of wounded men groaning within the walls. The entire palace had been converted into an emergency hospital. As the two men strode down the corridor alongside the courtyard, they passed healers hurrying between rooms; soldiers with minor wounds wrapped in bandages, sitting outside for some fresh air; a few healthy soldiers that milled around as guards, or just as company for those that were injured. It was a familiar sight for Ben. The Republic hospitals and infirmaries operated in a similar manner. Oftentimes, Clones would wander in while they were off duty to check in on their wounded brothers.

 _Amazing how, despite the vast difference in technology, and the distance between stars, humans behave in a similar way in such situations._ Ben thought to himself as they neared the palace exit, where they noticed Maribelle pacing back and forth, and Donnel trying to calm her down.

"For the last time, Donnel, I am perfectly fine." Maribelle growled, hands wringing against her parasol as she paced in front of the doors, "My best friend may be seriously wounded and not in my care at the moment, but I will be fine."

"Ya don't seem all that fine." Donnel replied.

"I said I'll be fine. I mean, it's not like I could assist Libra or anything. I am a perfectly experienced healer who can handle a wound such as Lissa's." She bent her parasol as she finished her sentence, nearly snapping it in two.

Donnel raised his brow, "I'm starting to see why Libra kicked ya out, Mari."

Maribelle stopped pacing and wheeled around on the farm boy, jabbing her parasol against his chest.

"What have I said about calling me that in pub-" She blinked when she finally noticed Ben and Gaius standing there, watching her fret. The Duchess quickly pulled her parasol away from Donnel and took a deep, dignified breath, "General," She eyed Gaius carefully, "Gaius."

Gaius snorted out a laugh, "Mari eh, Twinkles?"

Ben shook his head and sighed, "Antagonize her at your own peril, Gaius."

Gaius feinted offense, "Me? Antagonize? I would never."

"You would." Ben grumbled back before turning to Maribelle and Donnel, "How is Lissa?"

He had heard about her condition as soon as he reached the palace with Tharja and Noire. The Princess had received a strange, grievous wound the likes of which Libra had not seen before, but was confident he could treat. Apparently, Lissa remained conscious when she arrived with Lon'qu and walked Libra through what had harmed her, seeing as how she was somehow familiar with her strange wound. Ben had a feeling one of the Deadlords was responsible for harming the Ylissean Princess, but which one?

 _It doesn't matter now._ Ben thought to himself, _The battle is over, and they haven't overtly attacked… yet._

"I wouldn't know. Libra won't let me assist him." Maribelle huffed, throwing her parasol over her shoulder and popping it open, "If you'll excuse me, I need to go for a walk."

The Duchess quickly strode out of the palace and back out into the rain. Donnel uttered a heavy sigh and shrugged at both Ben and Gaius.

"Ain't able to do much in this case." He admitted.

"The best thing you can do for her is to be with her." Ben nodded, "Go on."

Donnel smiled, "Ya always know what to do, don't ya?" His eyes turned to Maribelle as the Duchess marched down the palace steps and made her way towards the stables, "Guess I'll go make sure she don't make a horse mad or something like that."

Gaius snorted, "Maribelle could make anything mad, except for you."

"Alright, enough antagonizing." Ben remarked, gripping Gaius by the shoulder and steering him towards the exit, "Take me to what I need to see."

"Oh, right." Gaius's mirth faded, "That."

The duo marched down the palace steps, boots splashing in small puddles as they walked. The streets of Koto, beyond the palace walls, were slick with rain. Some citizens emerged from their homes, still wary about the situation they found themselves in, but also aware that somehow their army was victorious. A few even joined what remained of the army in cleaning up the devastation. The rain took care of most of the fires, even as the storm fizzled out. All that remained for clean up was clearing the debris and the bodies.

 _There are bound to be many bodies._

Ben furrowed his brow as he passed a pile of black ash on the side of the road, near the main gate. The dark side of the force swelled to life as they passed through the gate's shadow, making him throw up his mental barriers on instinct. Beneath the gate, more piles of ash mixed in with bodies littering the cobblestones. Only one thing left black ash in their wake on the battlefield: Risen.

Both Ben and Tharja exited the battle as soon as they rescued Noire and determined she needed immediate medical attention. He was not there for the battle's conclusion, deciding to trust Luke and the others to handle the Valmese army. When the enemy failed to break through the gate and walls after hours of fighting, Ben knew he was right in trusting the young Sith and the other commanders. But he was still puzzled as to how they managed to fend off Walhart's forces.

As the piles of ash grew more numerous, he was starting to figure out the answer to that puzzle.

Gaius glanced at him, face pale as he nodded.

"Yeah…" Gaius breathed, "There were a lot of them."

The pair made it out onto the main road leading into Koto, where even more ash and bodies lay. Broken lances, shattered shields, dead horses, and discarded swords littered the rice fields and the road. A few red Valmese standards lay in tatters in the flooded, bloody fields. In all of that destruction, Ben failed to see how Risen managed to arrive on the battlefield.

He raised his gaze, and his heart stopped beating in his chest.

Gaius moved a few paces ahead of him as the Jedi Master froze in his tracks. He saw Tiki and Chrom standing a little ways in front of him, and standing before them were two beings wreathed in the Dark Side of the Force. One of them Ben recognized immediately, even if the aura she exuded was completely unrecognizable.

It was Emmeryn. She was… she was alive. Ben felt a lump for him his throat as he looked at her. The Brand of the Exalt had been replaced by a strange, crimson seal with six eyes on her forehead. Her once gentle, white and tan robes were now a shadowy purple and black. Her skin looked almost translucent. And her eyes, once a soft, kind blue were now a shocking, intense red. Around her were a ring of Risen soldiers, acting as bodyguards. Preventing both Chrom and Tiki from getting any closer.

"It can't be." He breathed.

Gaius stopped in front of him, "I thought the same thing, Benny."

Ben did not say anything back as he brushed past the thief and moved towards Chrom and Tiki. He stopped walking beside them, swallowing hard as Emmeryn's blazing eyes locked with his.

"Ben," Chrom croaked, "you can sense weird stuff right? Is it really her?"

He reached out with the force, just as anxious as the Prince to discover if what he was seeing was real or an illusion. When he brushed against her in the force, he felt nothing. There was no free will in there. No independence, but a wellspring of power that stole his breath away. It gave him little information on who exactly was standing before him, but it allowed him to gauge just what he might be dealing with.

His eyes turned to the many bodies littering the battlefield. The road was slick with rain, blood, and ash. A place Emmeryn would have never set foot in unless she could bring healing and comfort. This thing in front of him did not exude an aura of serenity like Emmeryn. He sensed carefully reined in rage and intense sorrow.

Ben shook his head, his shock at what he saw dying as he realized the thing he was looking at could not possibly be her.

"No, it is not." He answered Chrom, jaw tightening as he felt a twinge of anger within him. Whatever this thing was, it was taking on Emmeryn's form. Perverting her legacy by causing suffering on the battlefield.

"Astute observation." Tiki nodded.

"But…" Chrom shook his head, "It looks just like-"

"Appearances can be deceiving." Tiki interrupted, "One look at her aura and I know this is not your sister, but a fell demon instead. What I am curious about is how is she and her friend are here?"

Ben glanced away from Emmeryn to the other creature beside her. While the thing that wore Emmeryn's appearance had carefully contained emotions, this one's anger ran wild within her. In fact, this one looked exactly like Tiki. The only differences between the two were the ghost pale color of the creature's skin and the intense, crimson eyes instead of vibrant, green eyes. Ben could sense Tiki's distress every time she glanced at that one.

"Deadlords?" Ben asked her.

"Definitely." The Manakete replied, "But like I said, unless they were around and hiding in the shadows, I am confused how they are here. Robin is dead so they shouldn't exist right now."

Chrom snapped his gaze to her, "How does Robin's death have anything to do with this?"

"Hush." Ben hissed as the green haired deadlord stepped forward, parting the ring of Risen so that she could see the three Shepherds, unimpeded, "It looks like one wants to speak."

A low growl emanated from Tiki as her dark doppelganger stepped forward.

"Greetings." The Deadlord started, red eyes roving over the three Shepherds for a moment, "It has been too long since I have seen you three together. What is the human emotion attributed to this feeling?" She hummed for a moment, "Ah, yes… nostalgia. Forgive me, but I must gaze upon this a while longer, I'm feeling quite nostalgic at the moment. I believe the last time you three were together like this, facing me, was when my Master declared open war on you Naga-spawn."

"Declared?" Chrom repeated, brow raised in confusion.

Tiki stepped forward, a snarl on her lips as she confronted her doppelganger, "Who are you?"

The Deadlord put a finger to her chin, "Hm… well, I wouldn't exactly be telling the truth if I said I was you. But if you must know my name, it is Anguilla."

"And what about her?" Chrom asked, nodding his head at the other Deadlord, "Is she going to talk or-"

"Her voice is only used when necessary." Anguilla interrupted, flashing an evil grin, "As I am sure you witnessed this day, your majesty." Chrom swallowed hard as she grinned at him, "A forewarning for all three of you, this will be the only time my Master shall assist you."

"Assist?" Ben parroted.

"Why would Grima assist us?" Tiki asked, eyes narrowing at her doppelganger. She let some of her enormous power ebb to the surface, "And how is he even alive? His vessel was killed."

"Mmmm… perhaps the vessel is dead, but my Master is still very much alive." Anguilla replied, a sneer crossing over her face, "And if you think you can intimidate me, Child of Naga, you are sadly mistaken. Your power is my power as well. I am already very aware of your limits. I mean, I helped kill you once already." She shuddered, "I'll admit, I'm a little anxious to do so again."

A hiss snapped Anguilla's attention back to her comrade. The shrill hiss lingered on the wind, reverberating like a high pitched echo. Some of the Risen surrounding Emmeryn tensed. Anguilla rolled her eyes, clearly annoyed by whatever her comrade did.

"Right, right." She grumbled, "Master's orders. Those annoying little commands. It would be so much easier to just ignore them and-"

A staff lashed out and rested against Anguilla's shoulder, silencing the Deadlord. An irritated snarl left Anguilla's lips.

"Fine, Lepus." Anguilla growled, "We'll leave them for now." She flashed a smirk at Tiki, Chrom, and Ben, "Farewell, Naga-spawn. Enjoy your hard earned peace while you can."

Tiki grit her teeth, showing her fangs as golden light enveloped the two deadlords. Chrom's hand gripped Falchion tight as he prepared for treachery. Ben, meanwhile, remained motionless. No warnings came through the force. The Deadlords were not their enemies today.

With a bright flash of light, both Deadlords disappeared. As soon as they were gone, the few Risen that remained crumbled into piles of black ash.

Chrom exhaled, shoulders sagging as all of the tension in his body left him at once.

"I need a drink." He admitted.

"You and me both." Ben agreed as he massaged his forehead, "But Tharja and Noire need me. We should-"

"We all need some time to rest and… figure stuff out." Chrom said, reading into where Ben was going, "Sometime tomorrow, I'll convene a war council. We'll have to figure out what to do with all of the prisoners of war. Then we'll have to draft a treaty with whoever leads the Empire."

"If it hasn't already collapsed with Walhart's defeat." Ben nodded.

"I'm sure it will." Chrom muttered, "But we can't worry about that right now. Go to Noire and Tharja, I'm sure they need you more than I do. I need to go be with Lissa, but first I need to speak with Tiki about something."

Ben smiled gratefully at Chrom. He patted the Prince's shoulder and strode away. As he walked away, Chrom took a deep breath and turned his attention to Tiki.

"So," Tiki's ears twitched as Chrom addressed her, "What does Robin have to do with those Deadlords?"

* * *

War councils… so many war councils. These meetings had become a regular part of life now for Lucina. She never really had war councils in the future. What was there to council about? Despite how devastating the future war against Grima was, it was a pretty straightforward conflict. Master Kenobi handled most of the strategy for that war along with Sir Frederick, and she sat by and learned as much as she could. They were always brief meetings that allowed her two mentors to go over how they could best delay or retreat away from the Risen hordes.

The strategy meetings she now sat in, here in the past, were much more complicated. They involved multiple different parties, each with their own ideas and agendas. Each with their own problems and their own solutions for both their problems and everyone else's problems. It felt more like a game of politics than of strategy, especially with Robin's passing. Thankfully though, most of the people in the Archanean war council had been in agreement on how to conduct the war against Valm.

 _But will we be able to figure out how to handle the aftermath?_

In the days following the Siege of Koto, word spread throughout the Valmese continent that the Conqueror had not only been defeated in battle, but had been captured and forced into surrender. Dynasts throughout the land tore down the red Valmese banners and replaced them with their old standards, declaring their sovereignty from the suddenly weak empire. Without their best generals or their once invincible leader, Valm's armies were paralyzed in the face of the growing resistance.

Lucina rounded the corner and made her way towards the Palace's main hall, where the War council would be held, since most of the palace's rooms were still being used as infirmaries for the severely wounded. The doors to the main hall were thrown open. Two guards stood beside them. Both were Feroxi Lancers, due to them being quite possibly the most imposing soldiers from any army in the city. Lucina gave the two guards a small nod as she stepped into the main hall.

Unlike the palaces in Archeanea, and certainly unlike the Exalt's palace in Ylisstol, the palace in Koto had a rather small main hall. It was more like a small sitting room, with a simple throne up on a small pedestal. There were no grand tapestries portraying the deeds of previous kings and queens. No statues of great leaders that once dominated the land of Chon'sin. It was a fairly bare room with the exception of long table and chairs brought in for the other military leaders to sit at. Soft beams of sunlight filtered through windows along the walls, making fires and lamps unnecessary. It gave the entire space a much more modest feeling.

Most of the other military leaders were already in attendance. The first one she noticed was the old Plegia, Mustafa. He lingered near the door, away from the others. Perfectly content with his solitude.

Next, Lucina spotted her father and mother sitting near the Chon'sin throne. Both wore their formal wear instead of the usual armor she had grown used to seeing them in. Sumia looked radiant in her green dress, sporting Ylisse's traditional colors, while her father looked positively regal in his blue suit. Although, Chrom looked a tad uncomfortable in the suit. Lucina had to laugh a little bit as he squirmed in his seat. They both smiled at her as she entered the hall.

She spotted Maribelle and Dooku off to the side, near one of the windows. The pair were talking fervently about something, likely the ongoing rebuild of Themis. Or more likely, how to expand Themis's power in western Ylisse. They were the dominant power in the region, and Dooku was probably advocating for keeping a standing army loyal to Themis, just in case Plegia decided to try something again. Judging by the expression on the Duchess's face, she was seriously considering it.

Lady Tiki sat near the at the end of the table, near the door, a weary look in her eyes as she rested back against the soft cushions in her chair. Every so often, her ears would twitch and she'd perk up a little bit, before sinking back into the cushions.

Khan Flavia sat beside her, a broad grin on her face as she kicked her boots up on the table. She winked over at Lucina.

"How's it going, kid." She grinned.

"Well, thank you." Lucina nodded.

"Good." Flavia nodded, "Hey, if you ever get Dooku's ear, tell him if I ever lose a limb, I want one of those arms. But steel instead of iron. I ain't gonna let somebody else's limb be better than mine."

Lucina snorted out a laugh, "Hopefully you'll never need one." She looked down at the iron limb. The knuckles were still dented from when she fought Fett, but otherwise it held up remarkably well in the battle. Although it felt heavy as it sat against her shoulder, "It's not the most comfortable thing in the world."

Flavia shrugged, "Comfort ain't my concern." She nodded over at Chrom and Sumia, "I'm sure you're gonna be seated by them."

Lucina nodded and made her way around the table over to her parents. Sumia rose from her seat and quickly embraced Lucina. Lucina's breath hitched as she felt both of her arms wrap around her mother.

"Did you sleep well?" Sumia asked.

"As well as I could. There's still a lot going on, and it kept me awake late."

Chrom nodded beside Sumia, yawning a little bit, "Same here." He muttered, "This is going to be one busy day. Lots to figure out in not a lot of time."

As Lucina took her seat, the doors to the main hall opened again. Ben quietly walked in. The Jedi Master smiled over at Chrom and made his way to the empty seat beside Lucina. Flavia barked over at the Jedi, drawing his attention.

"About time you showed up, Ben!" Flavia crowed, "And the hell are you doing over there with those Ylisseans. You're my General, aren't ya?"

"He's my tactician too." Chrom chuckled.

Flavia blinked, "Well damn, I don't think I've ever had a man stolen from me by another man." Chrom's cheeks flushed while Sumia giggled beside him. Flavia smirked over at Ben, "Fine, go sit by your new boyfriend. But know I'll be waiting for ya later."

"I'm very taken, Flavia." Ben sank into the chair beside Lucina, "And Tharja, I can confirm, is absolutely the jealous type."

Lucina furrowed her brow, "I've never noticed that."

"Neither have I, but I wouldn't put it past her." Ben chuckled lightly, "She places a runny nose hex on Gaius for the slightest inconvenience he gives her, imagine what she would do to the Khan?"

"I think she just hexes Gaius for sport now." Frederick cut in as he entered the room, choosing to stand against the wall behind Chrom instead of taking a seat. Chrom motioned for him to sit, but Frederick shook his head, "I am not a decision maker in this, milord. Just an observer and advisor."

A loud cackle rang out through the room. Henry burst into the room, broad grin on his face as he pushed Cordelia forward in a rolling chair. Cordelia uttered a loud laugh as Henry yanked on the chair, spinning her into a spot next to Ben.

"And thus, the ride end!" Henry bowed to the Pegasus Knight, "No further injuries, unfortunately."

"I would call that a good thing, Henry." The Wing commander remarked as she reached for the table and pulled herself closer.

"Not for me, cause then I'd have to stop taking care of you." Henry grinned, making Cordelia blush a little bit. The Dark mage quickly spun on his heel and walked out, offering a small wave to everyone else, "Gotta go. There's corpses that need examining."

"Have fun?" Flavia remarked, brow raised.

"It is a lot of fun!" Henry smiled, then he left.

As he walked out, the last three major leaders walked in.

Luke strode in first. He wore simple, blue formal robes. Traditional garb for Chon'sin nobles. His long blonde hair was pulled back into a tight knot. Beside him, Cynthia hopped along, giddy with excitement since this was the first time she was going to be a part of a war council. She also sported traditional Chon'sin wear, this time a green kimono with a beautiful floral pattern stitched into it. She looked stunning to Lucina, and it made the older sister smile wide. Cynthia excitedly waved to Lucina as she and Luke made their way up to the three seats at the head of the large table.

Finally, Yen'fay entered. His robes were more muted in color than Luke and Cynthia's. As he walked up towards the Chon'sin throne, he paused when he noticed Luke not sitting in it.

"You're in the wrong seat." He said to Luke as his younger brother sank into the chair to the throne's right.

"Not at all." Luke replied with a shake of his head. Yen'fay opened his mouth to reply, but Luke cut him off, "I'm not cut out to rule a country, brother. I don't have… the…"

"Patience?" Ben smirked.

"We'll go with that." Luke nodded, "Besides, I'd say you've more than regained the right to rule."

"That is not for you to decide." Yen'fay replied.

"Actually it is." Luke lounged back in his chair, "I recall that I was given power to rule over Chon'sin by you. Well, as ruler, I hereby name you my successor. And now that is done, and since we have all of these wonderful witnesses, I hereby step down. As my successor it is your duty to both me and your nation to step up and rule."

Yen'fay blinked down at Luke in surprise. Luke shrugged, letting a wry smirk cross his lips.

"I did some light reading on Chon'sin law."

"You've had too much free time you mean." Yen'fay said with a quiet laugh. He took a deep breath, "Very well then. If that is what you decree, then I will follow."

Yen'fay ran a hand along the backrest of the Chon'sin throne. With a heavy sigh of resignation, he sank down into the chair. The doors to the main hall closed, and a heavy silence descended upon the hall. Yen'fay cleared his throat.

"Let's get this started. We have a lot on the agenda today. From figuring out how to repair this once besieged city, to dealing with prisoners of war, to deciding the fate of the Conqueror." He took a breath, "We also need to start drafting treaties. Especially a new one with our allies from Archanea. That is, if Prince Chrom and Khan Flavia feel up for that?"

"Eh, you proved yourself out there." Flavia shrugged, "Takes strength, and gigantic balls, to challenge one million men. I'd say we could make a Feroxi outta ya if you ever pay a visit to my icy home."

Chrom chuckled at that, "Ylisse would be thrilled to become allies with Chon'sin, your majesty."

 _There is the formalities father has been working on._ Lucina smiled to herself, recalling how tales of her father's not so graceful ways in court. _Mother and Frederick must've had a hand in that._

"Wonderful." Yen'fay nodded, "But… before we do any of that. An assessment of the battle, and war, I think is in order. Casualty lists will be compiled in the coming days, and I'll make sure reparations are dispensed to the families of the fallen from my territories, and to those who were killed by my actions at the Battle of Demon's Ingle."

Both Chrom and Flavia gave grateful nods to the Chon'sin king.

"As for what occurred during the siege here… well, what is there to say?"

"We probably should've lost." Flavia admitted.

"It took a miracle for us to pull out a victory." Chrom nodded in agreement. He glanced over at Ben and Tiki, "A miracle facilitated by a third party."

Ben furrowed his brow, as did Lucina.

"You're talking about those two new deadlords?" Lucina asked, "The ones that-"

"That looked like both Lady Tiki and Exalt Emmeryn," Chrom nodded, taking a deep breath as he mentioned Emmeryn's name, "Yes, I am. They referred to themselves as Anguilla and Lepus respectively." Dooku shifted uncomfortably where he stood near Maribelle, "In case anyone failed to notice, these two were significantly stronger and far different from the other Deadlords we have encountered."

"The ones we have encountered so far have mostly been warriors or assassins." Ben pointed out, "Grievous, Luminara, and Xanatos are skilled in many things, but they are primarily soldiers. As for Jango Fett, his role seems to fluctuate. These two new deadlords are different though. Anguilla appears to be a powerful… something. It's hard to say what it is given it did nothing but guard Lepus throughout the battle. As for Lepus… well, we all saw."

"That thing literally raised an army of the undead with a scream and a fancy staff." Flavia said, her voice devoid of its usual carefree tone, "Where the hell are these things coming from?"

"We aren't sure." Chrom stated, "I learned quite a bit in the wake of the battle, thanks to Lady Tiki."

Lucina saw Ben's gaze snap over to Tiki. Lucina followed suit as well, curious about what revelations Tiki gave her father. Tiki sat upright in her chair, accidentally letting a small yawn slip from her lips before blinking herself awake. She took a deep breath, then spoke.

"What I am about to reveal cannot leave this room." She said, "Most of what I am saying can be tossed aside as mere conjecture, but it is also a worst case scenario. In this case, it would be prudent for us to assume the worst and prepare for it. That being said, I would rather not tip off the enemy that we are aware of his survival."

Lucina furrowed her brow, "His survival?"

Flavia raised a glass of water to her lips as Tiki started to speak again.

Tiki nodded, "The enemy that I speak of, for those of you who are not aware yet, is the Fell Dragon Grima." Flavia choked then sputtered on her water, coughing hard as Tiki's words hit her, "We know this because of the courageous efforts of a group of time travelers that have come to warn of us of his rise." She nodded over to Lucina.

Lucina folded her hands, "I'm still puzzled, you said Grima's survival? Do you speak of when he was last defeated centuries ago or-"

"I speak of Robin's demise at Demon's Ingle." Tiki sighed.

It felt like a fist slammed into Lucina's gut. Her breath was stolen from her lungs as she stared stunned at Tiki. The others in the room, except for Chrom, Dooku, and Ben, seemed equally stunned by what Tiki was insinuating. Yen'fay leaned forward in his seat, brow furrowed.

"What does Robin have to do with the Fell Dragon?" He asked, "From what I am aware, he was simply a tactician and a powerful mage."

"That is what I thought when I first met him as well. And that is what he genuinely was." Tiki explained, "However, when I first met him, something was ailing him, as some of you are aware. His powers would frequently lash out beyond his control. Both Robin and Dooku sought me out for assistance in the matter." She shifted in her seat, slightly uncomfortable with what she was about to say, "I entered Robin's mind using an advanced scrying technique, and he was aware and with me the entire time. Within his mind, I discovered that the Fell Dragon personally inhabited him."

Lucina shot up from her seat, "What!?"

Cynthia gasped. Her hand clenched tight around Luke's hand while the young man's brow furrowed, one hand rubbing his chin.

"Lucina." Chrom said quickly, warning in his voice.

Lucina swallowed hard, "S-sorry. That is just… difficult to fathom." She returned to her seat, "Please continue, Lady Tiki."

"Grima was sealed behind some exceptionally advanced and powerful magic, the likes of which I have not seen in a very, very long time." Tiki said, "Under normal circumstances, unless someone knew how to break those seals, Grima would have been kept at bay. Those seals seemed to have a hand in Robin's amnesia as well, since it basically locked up his mind and thoughts. However, there was a second entity within Robin as well, one that identified himself as the Son. This entity is one not of this world. I was not aware of who or what he was. But, with his assistance, Grima was starting to crack the seal on Robin, causing these enormous lapses of control."

"This Son sounds dangerous." Yen'fay said.

"He is exceptionally dangerous." Ben began, "I have encountered him once before."

"Another old enemy of yours, Ben?" Frederick chimed in.

Cordelia gave her fellow commander a withering look, but Ben waved off Frederick's comment.

"I thought him to be very, very dead." Ben huffed, "Apparently I need to stop assuming people from my past are dead." He glanced over at Dooku, causing the old man to smugly smirk back, "The Son is… a very difficult person to explain. It involves going into the nature of the Force, the power myself and others use, as well as much of the mythology behind it. The short version is: the Son is a cosmic entity, beyond most of our understanding. He can take physical form, but the best way I can describe him is as the Dark Side incarnate." Lucina paled beside Ben as he spoke, "Several years ago, myself, another Jedi named Anakin Skywalker, and his student Ahsoka Tano were transported against our will to his realm in the force, a planet called Mortis. To make a long story short, we discovered a way to destroy the Son, so we did. At that point, we were transported away from Mortis and the planet was never seen or heard of again. So you can understand why I would think him to be long dead. I watched him pass on after all."

"He should've died." Tiki agreed, "But a shard of his spirit survived. That shard made its way to Grima and inhabited the Fell Dragon. I'm not sure of the nature of their relationship, but they appear to be of the same mind and goal: domination of this planet. I'm not sure where a vessel factors into Grima's plans, there is much research I will have to conduct on the matter, but needless to say, when Robin sacrificed his life at Demon's Ingle I thought that to be the end of Grima as well." She tapped her hand against the table, "But the appearance of these new deadlords throws that assumption into question. It is entirely possible they were created before Robin's passing, but that is a dangerous assumption to make."

"Tiki and I are in agreement." Chrom spoke up, folding his hands on the table, "Until we are one hundred percent certain the Fell Dragon is dead, we operate as if the ill fated future Lucina warned us of is still going to come to pass. We continue to prepare, and we continue to keep a wary eye out for the Fell Dragon and those that serve him."

"The Grimleal." Frederick snarled.

"Exactly." Chrom nodded, "Keeping tabs on them and Plegia is going to be a delicate political game. I'm not going to start a crusade like my father did. Especially since we barely have a standing army anymore."

"Wise decision." Dooku nodded.

Tiki nodded in agreement, "Remember everyone, this does not leave this room. No one is to speak of this to anyone. If Grima really is still alive, we don't want him knowing we are aware." Her green eyes roved from Cynthia and Luke, down to a still shocked Lucina, "Am I clear?"

Every head nodded as Tiki exuded an authoritative aura. If her words were crossed in this instance, severe repercussions were in order.

Lucina felt conflicted on the matter thought. On the one hand, she understood the need for secrecy. But to not tell anyone beyond this room meant she could not let the others know about Robin and Grima. Surely there had to be an exception made for her friends, who had been fighting for nearly their entire lives.

Lucina exhaled and closed her eyes.

 _I need to speak with Master Ben. There is a lot that is bothering me now._

"Well," Yen'fay cleared his throat, "Now that is concluded, we can get down to other business. Starting with the Conqueror."

Lucina hardly paid attention to the deliberations regarding Valm and the Conqueror's fate. The brute was defeated, that is all that mattered. Grima's machinations were more important to her. The revelation that Robin was a vessel for Grima shocked her to her very core. A lingering question plagued her mind.

 _If he was the vessel in this time, was he the vessel in the future?_

A sick feeling entered her stomach. She remembered the day her father died all too well. He died in a titanic battle in Plegia, fighting to prevent Grima's resurrection. Robin, a man she looked to as an Uncle, was with him and supposedly died during that very same battle.

 _He died… and Grima rose from the ashes._

Robin did not die… he became Grima. Lucina swallowed hard. Her heart hammered in her chest.

 _My father was betrayed by his closest friend._

"Lucina?" Ben whispered over to her.

Lucina whipped her gaze over to him. He sensed her sudden distress and was obviously concerned.

"I need to leave." She whispered back, quickly rising to her feet and exiting.

As she left the hall, she was surprised to sense Ben following her. The doors shut behind them both.

"Lucina-"

"Do you have any idea what Tiki's information means, Master?" She asked Ben, voice shaking with both sorrow and anger. She exhaled and pursed her lips, "My father was killed by his best friend."

Ben gave her a sympathetic look, "Yes, it appears he was."

"And… and you were killed by the one person you called a friend in the future too." Lucina raked a hand through her blue hair, "Naga above, Grima was under my very nose this entire time."

"And what would you have done about it?" Ben asked.

Lucina's eyes flashed, "What was necessary."

"You would have killed Robin even though he was innocent."

Uncertainty filled her gaze as Ben bluntly confronted her on the matter. Lucina's gaze shifted back and forth.

"I-I don't know." Lucina gulped, "But… something would have to have been done."

"You heard Tiki in there. Even with Robin's death we don't know if Grima has been stopped." Ben reminded her, "Do not try to take fate in your hands, Lucina. If you react to a future, you will inevitably create one you are not prepared for. The future-"

"Is never certain." Lucina snorted, "I learned that one the hard way." She gestured with her cybernetic arm.

"Exactly." Ben nodded, "You must live in the moment. The future will take care of itself. The will of the force will handle it."

"And if the will of the force told me to slay Robin?" Lucina asked.

Ben was silent for a moment, "I'm not sure." He finally answered, "But that did not happen. We cannot dwell on what could have happened, or what we should have done. We can only deal with what we can do now. It is a difficult thing to learn and put into practice. Believe me when I say, it is difficult. Especially for us force sensitives. But it is a necessity if we are to follow the force's will."

Lucina nodded, "I think I understand."

Ben gave her a small smile, "You don't. But in time you will. Understand that is part of a Jedi's long journey, and few reach the end destination before they become one with the force once again. I certainly am not there yet. We will both have to be patient with the force and with ourselves."

Lucina smiled a little bit, "It's been a while since I've gotten one of these wise speeches from you."

"We'll have to make a better habit of it in the future." Ben remarked with a smile, "Now, I can sense there is more you wish to speak of, but we lack the time at the moment. Perhaps on the return journey, or when we get home, we will speak." Ben moved to return to the war council, "I think when we get home would be better. I could make my famous vegetable soup then."

Lucina chuckled, "I'm looking forward to it."

Ben nodded, "Me too."

The door opened and shut, leaving Lucina alone outside. The Princess took a deep breath. Ben was right, he almost always was when it came to stuff like this. She ran a hand over her forehead and started walking back to her quarters.

The time was coming to go home, and she still needed to pack up. She glanced down at her cybernetic arm.

 _I doubt the sea spray will treat this well._

* * *

Noire woke up a few days ago, and she could not see anything. It made her panic. Made her scream and cry, without feeling any tears come from her wounded eyes. Thankfully, her mother had been by her side. A fact that surprised her, since Tharja often would have nothing to do with her since Noire arrived in the past. But her mother hardly left her side as she lay in a cot, recovering from her injuries.

After a day or so, she was able to get out of bed. Her blindness meant that she needed someone to guide her through the room and the halls. Whenever she tried to move around by herself, she would bump into walls, furniture, and trip over her own two feet a times. All of her senses had been thrown out of balance by the sudden loss of only one, and she felt utterly helpless.

She struggled to remember how it even happened. She could recall firing her arrows into the legions of Valmese attacking Koto. She remembered the tower exploding. But after that, it was a blur of images and feelings that felt too painful to dredge up. So she let them sit, alone in a dark corner of her mind, never to be touched again. It may not have been the healthiest thing to do, but it helped her try to get a grip on her new reality.

Thankfully, she still had her other senses, otherwise she would not have known she was at a port. She could feel the warm sun kissing her skin. The salty scent from the sea filled her nose, making her think of foamy waves and sand filled beaches. She could hear dockworkers moving all around her, as well as large amounts of armor and soldiers marching up gangplanks and onto boats she thought floated nearby. She leaned against a wooden railing, which she guessed was at the edge of the docks and let the sea spray from the waves gently touch her face, reminding her of what the ocean looked like.

"Oh my gosh!"

If Noire could blink, she would have. Before she could react, a body slammed into her and wrapped arms tight around her.

"Is that you, Cynthia?" Noire asked, lightly laughing.

"Of course it's me silly! Can't you hear?"

"It's hard to mistake your loud voice." An annoyed girl stated next. A voice Noire recognized as Severa, "How are you feeling, Noire?"

Noire exhaled as Cynthia stopped squeezing her and back away, "Better than before but… still not sure if this is real or not."

"It is real, silly!" Cynthia's happy voice replied. Noire heard Severa smack Cynthia on her shoulder, "I-I mean, I'm sorry it's real."

"Gawds, your dumb." Severa huffed, "So who's with you Noire?"

"Mother is around somewhere." Noire replied, "I think she is trying to find my father. He had to run off and do some last minute things with Yen'fay and Chrom before we set sail."

"It probably had something to do with that Wally guy." Cynthia replied, "Do you know what we voted to do with him?"

"Hang him by his entrails, I hope?" Severa remarked, showing a hint of her father's influence.

"Gruesome." Noire deadpanned.

"Very." Cynthia shivered, "But no. He's going to be in the dungeons of Koto for a long, long time. Yen'fay called it pen- pena- point is it's a big word that means punishment."

"She means penance."

Noire's mood dampened a little bit when she heard Luke's voice. Unlike the others, she could at least sense where he was at. He stood in front of her, likely with one arm wrapped around Cynthia's shoulders.

"I'm surprised they aren't executing him." Noire muttered.

"I think many hoped Yen'fay would, but… Yen'fay says that if they exact revenge on Walhart, then we are no better than him. He also said he could not deny any of the good Walhart did and attempted to do. He helped end many petty wars that were killing peasants by the thousands throughout the continent. Granted, he killed many in his own conquest but there was an attempt at reforms. Plus, Yen'fay also learned that Excellus killed Say'ri on his own volition. Walhart did not order it."

"So that stayed your brother's hand?" Noire asked.

"For now." Luke replied, "I think it allowed Yen'fay to be more impartial regarding Walhart."

"Speaking of that fat toad," Cynthia butted in, "Do we know where in the world he ran off to?"

"No one really knows." Luke replied, "After the battle at Demon's Ingle he just vanished. I know Yen'fay ordered a detachment of soldiers, commanded by Priam of all people, to go to Walhart's capital and raid it for relevant information. Maybe the worm is hiding out there. He was a coward, so it wouldn't surprise me."

Noire nodded in agreement, "Hopefully he is just gone for good. But I do hope we catch him. He needs to answer for his crimes."

She felt Luke's darker signature flare in the force.

"He better hope my brother gets to him before me."

Noire drew back a little bit, "Get to him before… you aren't returning to Ylisse?"

She had a feeling Luke nodded his head. That feeling was confirmed when she could practically feel Severa roll her eyes.

"She can't see, dumbass." Severa remarked, "Gawds, you and Cynthia are both airheads. Definitely deserve each other."

"I know right!" Cynthia cheered.

"S-sorry." Luke stammered, "Yeah, I'm not going to Ylisse. It isn't my home." He uttered a wistful sigh, "Chon'sin is where I'm needed."

"But that doesn't mean we won't visit." Cynthia finished for him.

"We!?" Both Severa and Noire exclaimed.

"Well yeah." Cynthia said, "You don't think I'm going to let Luke get away from me that easily do you? He's stuck with me."

"Oh joy." Luke droned, making Noire snicker.

"I am a joy to be around, and you know it." Cynthia leaned close to Noire, "In more ways than one for him."

Noire felt her cheeks heat up, "O-okay then." She cleared her throat, "Where is Mother at?"

"Hey! There she is!"

A heavy arm slung over Noire's shoulders, startling her before she smelled alcohol on someone's breath.

"Brady." She sighed, reaching up and removing his arm from her.

Brady blinked, "How did ya know it was me?"

"You're charming accent." Noire sassed back, folding her arms over her chest.

"Ya think my accent is charming?"

"She smelled your breath, idiot." Severa deadpanned.

"I ain't even had that much today." Brady dismissed, "So, Noire, is it your ma or pa walking ya around-"

"Mother." Noire answered.

"I'll be going then."

She heard Brady quickly walk away. As his footsteps faded, both her and Severa broke down laughing. Noire bent forward and clutched her stomach as her laughter grew.

"He's still that scared of your mother?" Severa exclaimed, laughing.

"About as scared of her as he is his own mother." Noire snickered, "And he must've had a lot to drink, because he should know that both Mother and Father will be with me on the boat."

Severa sniffled and chuckled some more, "Yeah, probably. But no one ever accused Brady of being very observant either."

"He can be, when he isn't inebriated." Noire replied, her snickers fading with Severa's laughter. Noire cleared her throat, and turned her head to where she thought Luke was standing. She didn't hear any correction, so he must be there, "So, is Sakura staying too?"

"Noire, you're talking to the ocean." Luke deadpanned.

Noire whipped her gaze back over to Luke's voice, "O-oh! Um… whoops."

Luke uttered a small laugh, "No worries. And yes, for now Sakura is staying in Chon'sin. Her and Yen'fay have sparked a niece and uncle relationship. It's actually kind of sweet."

"This uncle is jealous." Cynthia stated, patting Luke on the shoulder.

"Oh that's right you're technically her Uncle." Severa pointed out.

"You don't have to remind me." Luke sighed, "I'm sure she will point it out with her wonderful sarcasm many times in the future."

"She better." Noire snickered.

A pair of footsteps approached Noire. Through the force she detected her father's bright signature coming up from behind her. As he approached, Severa cleared her throat.

"Boats are loading up. I'll see you there, Noire." Severa said, patting her friend on the shoulder before quickly walking away, her boots clicking against the wooden planks beneath their feet.

She then heard her mother's voice as one of her slender hands tapped her right arm.

"Are you ready, Noire?" Tharja asked.

Noire did not reply right away. For the first time in over a year, she was going to go home, back to Ylisstol. This time, it was not going to be under seige or crawling with Risen as Grima declared victory. It would be like how she remembered it was in her early childhood. A place filled with life and happiness. She was about to have an actual life again.

 _Unfortunately, I won't be able to see it._

Despite her own excitement about going home, she did feel some pain in her heart. She had called Chon'sin home for more than a year now. Despite the animosity she held towards Luke, she could not imagine not being around him, Cynthia, and Yen'fay. It would certainly be a strange thing to not hear Cynthia's loud, rambunctious voice everyday; or hearing Yen'fay's calm words of wisdom whenever she was dealing with a problem. It would even be difficult to not sense Luke lingering nearby, in spite of how she felt about him.

 _But he has made an effort to be better._ Noire thought, _We can thank Cynthia and Yen'fay for that._

"Yeah." Noire breathed.

"Good." Tharja said, "Help me get her to the ship, Ben."

"Absolutely."

She felt her father's warm hand take her own. As she walked away, she heard Cynthia shout after her.

"See ya soon, Noire!"

Noire turned her head to the sound and smile back.

"See you soon." She replied, much quieter than Cynthia.

The gangplank up to the boat made her nervous as it wobbled beneath her. Her father gently and slowly guided her up until the wooden planks beneath her feet leveled out, signaling that she now stood on the top deck of a ship.

"Hey Benny! There you are!" Gaius chirped, "How's Snickers doing?"

"Snickers?" Both Ben and Noire asked.

"Yeah, heard her snickering with Little Blue and Little Red, so I'm calling her Snickers."

Noire covered her mouth as she laughed, "Severa is Little Red. Naga she won't be happy about that."

"I don't care. Right Whiskers?"

"You're penchant for giving idiotic nicknames is both endearing and annoying." Noire heard Panne drone.

Ben chuckled at that, "You heard the lady, Gaius."

"Doesn't mean I'll stop." Gaius replied as Ben, Noire, and Tharja moved along the deck, avoiding Plegian sailors as they walked.

A door creaked open in front of Noire. She cautiously threw a hand out in front of her, grasping at the air until she found the railing to the set of stairs that led below deck. Her father gave her other hand a reassuring squeeze.

"Just take your time."

"Nay, there is no time waste!"

Noire yelped as her father's hand slipped from her grasp. She felt a pair of arms scoop her up and rush her down the steps.

"Behold! The brave slayer of Deadlords has arrived!" Owain cheered.

"About time!" Brady called from somewhere in the boat, Noire could not tell where.

"Owain, you can put me down now." Noire muttered.

"Noire!" Her mother called, "Are you alright? Who am I about to hex? It is the particularly flamboyant one?"

"Oh!?" Noire heard Laurent utter to her left, "Flamboyant, an excellent way to describe Owain."

"Oh, so Owain it is." Tharja growled as she drew nearer.

Owain quickly dropped Noire without warning. Noire hissed as she hit the deck hard.

"You're digging a deeper hole, Owain." Inigo called from across the hold, "Just take the hex now before it gets worse for you."

"Please hex him. Gawds, please do it." Severa pleaded, clapping her hands together.

"No need, mother." Noire sighed, shakily rising to her feet and putting her hands out, feeling a wall nearby for her to lean against, "Owain didn't mean any harm. He just got excited."

Tharja hummed in disapproval. Noire knew she was glaring at the bombastic swordsman as she stopped walking by her side.

"Very well." Tharja leaned close to Noire, "Do you want to stay with your father and I?"

Noire furrowed her brow. She heard more chit chat between her friends, likely Severa giving Tharja's retribution to Owain for her. She did hear the word Venator thrown out there once and a snarl erupt from where she heard Severa's voice. Brady was laughing loudly. She could hear Laurent chuckling softly as he turned a page in his spellbook. And she could hear Inigo flirting with someone just now approaching her.

"I think I'll stay here for now." Noire told her mother.

A cold but reassuring hand squeezed hers.

"Alright." Tharja breathed, "But if you need anything-"

"I'll call for you." Noire smiled back.

Tharja uttered a heavy sigh, turned, then left just as the last set of footsteps reached Noire.

"Good to see you up and moving." Lucina said, wrapping Noire in a warm hug.

Noire smiled and returned her embrace.

"It feels good to be moving." Their embrace ended and Noire took a deep breath, "And it feels even better to be going home."

"Home… shit, that's right." Brady gulped, "I gotta live with Ma again."

"Good luck with that!" Inigo hollered.

"Which means I can't look at Inigo's hot ma." Brady clicked his tongue, "Such a shame."

"Y-you- you-"

Noire covered her mouth as she started to snicker. The others laughed as well as Inigo sputtered then gave up with a huff. In that moment, it occurred to Noire that the only two people to have seen Ylisstol this entire time were Laurent and Lucina.

"So," She breathed, glancing towards where she sensed Lucina through the force, "What is home like nowadays?"

A wistful sigh escaped Lucina's lips.

"It's… paradise."

Noire smiled. Paradise? That was hard to fathom given what she remembered from Ylisstol's last days. But after everything that has happened, she was looking forward to some peace and quiet in paradise. She may be blind now, but she would not let that hamper her from living. She knew her friends and family would be there to help her along the way.

"Let's enjoy it then."

* * *

Space is usually cold and dark. One would be surprised by how empty the galaxy could be at times. Hyperspace often warped Thrawn's perception of how vast the universe really was. After all, hyperspace made the galaxy a much smaller place than it was during the days of his ancestors, millennia upon millennia ago. Traveling between worlds as often as he did meant that much of the majesty of seeing a new planet was lost with each subsequent journey until now it had all become routine for him.

That feeling of routine was why he felt particularly thrilled about this search and expedition he had embarked on at the Emperor's orders. The Deep Core was an uncharted mess of black holes, asteroid belts, derelict worlds, and unknown planets. The latest map was tens of thousands of years old and belonged to the mythical Rakatan Empire, meaning that is was basically useless.

As a result, him and his crew aboard the _Chimaera_ were literally discovering, or rediscovering, an entire portion of the galaxy. They were charting a new course for ships to travel through. If their end destination really lay within the Deep Core, as both Lord Vader and the Emperor believed, then they were about to make contact with a new world, filled with new species, and opening up an entire wealth of knowledge and trade to the rest of the galaxy. Exciting prospects indeed.

But first he had to find the unknown planet first. It had been nearly two years of fruitless searching so far. Sure, Thrawn and his crew had charted, and re-charted, many lost worlds, including the mythical planet of Tython, which many history books from before the Empire claimed to the homeworld the Jedi Order. Thrawn was not certain how accurate those texts were. Hearsay when it came to history had a tendency to be exaggerated or inaccurate. But it was still fascinating to think that he was responsible for uncovering an ancient secret like Tython. The Emperor had been most pleased with its discovery. Vader, not so much.

But that had been the most significant of their discoveries up till this point. Beyond Tython were a myriad of asteroid belts, derelict planets wrenched free from long dead suns, rouge stars without any systems around them, and the black hole that currently projected bright light right into the Chimaera's bridge. A stunning, majestic sight to behold… from a safe distance. It was the first black hole the ship had encountered on this journey, which meant both Thrawn and Vader were getting closer to the more wild portion of the Deep Core. Where any and all expectations were no longer valid and anything was possible.

 _Hopefully the map stays somewhat relevant and we do not accidentally jump into a black hole or dense nebula._ Thrawn thought as he folded his hands behind his back and observed nature in its most powerful state.

The black hole was immense, and yet, only visible thanks to the disk of light surrounding it. It blotted out the Chimaera's bridge, hiding nearly all stars and empty points of space with it's sheer majesty. Thrawn had to admit, the sight of it nearly stole his breath away. He knew it left most of his crew in awe as well. To be so close to the most dangerous thing in the known universe had a way of making a living being reflect on much in their lives. It showed many people's true nature.

Thrawn could instantly tell which officers he could rely on in a crisis. They were the ones who observed the black hole, marveled at it briefly, then returned to their duties with calm dedication.

He knew which ones were the more creative thinkers. Those he could turn to in times where he would need assistance in strategy. They were the soldiers and officers who spun tales about the black hole. Who speculated on its origins and came up with wild theories as to what lay within, or even on the other side, of the singularity.

And finally, he knew which officers he would have to dispose of once this mission was finished. These officers were cold, uninterested in the supernatural, and yet, constantly fretting about a power they could not hope to understand. Panicked by the mere sight of the black hole, yet incapable of formulating a proper plan for dealing with it.

 _They'll be reassigned to a less demanding station upon my return._ Thrawn thought to himself as he folded his hands behind his back and looked out of the bridge.

The blast doors to the bridge hissed open then closed. A hush fell over the soldiers and officers within as Lord Vader strode onto the bridge. The imposing figure stopped beside Thrawn, lidless eyes looking out at the black hole.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Thrawn stated.

Vader said nothing. Thrawn was used to that. The Dark Lord had treated him as if he didn't exist ever since the cunning Chiss deduced his true identity and managed to get the Emperor to scold Vader.

 _Lord Vader may want to seem like an imposing giant, but he does love his petty grudges, doesn't he?_

"It has to be one of the most powerful things in the universe." Thrawn commented, "Not even light can escape its clutches. Could you imagine what it would be like to wield such power?"

"I can." Vader thrummed, "The Force makes such a thing look insignificant."

Thrawn raised his brow, "Does it? I'll admit, I have my doubts when it comes to that. The Force may be impressive, but compared to nature's raw fury in its purest form?" Thrawn shook his head.

"It may be nature's fury, but the Force is nature itself." Vader rumbled, "Never underestimate it."

Thrawn sniffed, "Very well. Has the Force revealed where we must travel next? You have been quite reliable in that regard."

Vader glowered at the Chiss, no doubt detecting the barbs lacing what on the outside seemed to be a compliment.

"We must move past the black hole." Vader pulled out a holographic disc and pressed a button, bringing up the ancient Rakatan map, "Into the area even the Rakatans failed to chart."

Thrawn furrowed his brow, "The risk of making a jump like that is great."

"Your risk of disobeying the Emperor is even greater." Vader growled.

Thrawn's face remained emotionless, "A fair point." He nodded, "Yes, we have lingered long enough. Helmsman!"

"Yes, Admiral!?"

"Set our course for the edge of the empty section of the Rakatan map." Thrawn ordered.

Vader did not say anything as the helmsman followed the orders. The hyperdrive generate whined loudly as the engine flared to life. The _Chimaera_ turned away from the black hole and faced empty, uncharted space.

"Let the search continue."

Stars became bright streaks of light, and the _Chimaera_ thundered deeper into the core.

 **And chapter! The Valm arc is officially over! This was a very fun wrap up chapter to write, but also a challenging one. There was so much to wrap up and cover and not a lot of time to do it. I think this was the best way to go. It focused more on the characters than the events, which I always liked better in stories I read. I hope you all thought it was good too!**

 **Now… I will admit, this arc was exhausting lol. In total, the Valm arc was nearly fifty chapters long (it started all the way back at chapter 75, like what the hell?). There were many moments where I felt completely drained and burnt out on this arc. But you all were so amazing as readers, reviewers, and critics. And it made this endeavor totally worth it in the end! I had a blast writing this arc and I'm excited to get to the next one! We will have a few interlude chapters before we reach arc 3 of this story. One that I hope will blow you all away!**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**

 **Come join the Treehouse! Discord code is: 9XG7U3a**


	123. Ghosts of the Tactician

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 123

Ghosts of the Tactician

The ice caves felt colder today. Of course, Morgana knew they were not any colder than they usually were. Many enchantments and charms were in place to regulate the temperature within the ruins and caves she called home. A steady temperature was crucial to her and her followers' work. While there was always a nip in the air, it was never overpowering, until today. But the cold she felt did not come from the air, or the frozen winds that whipped against the ruins, caves, and the cliffs beyond the ruins; they came from her own heart.

 _My son is dead._

Her room stayed dark for days after she learned the news. Aversa returned not long ago, having remade the dangerous crossing over from the Valmese coast via a friendly Feroxi sea-captain who was quickly becoming a rich man transporting strange people between the continents. Before she managed to leave Valm though, she heard a rumor that she told Morgana with all of the spite she could muster.

Robin, Ylisse's Tactician, a hero of the Plegian war, fell in battle at Demon's Ingle. Consumed by the volcano's fury in a sudden, violent eruption of ash and fire.

She grieved for him. How could she not, he was her son. She sacrificed everything she knew to save him from a terrible fate. One worse than death in her mind. In Plegia, when she was still married to Validar, she was the High Priestess of the Grimleal. Revered and beloved by the followers of the Fell Dragon. Admired for her enormous power and vast wealth of knowledge on all subjects of magic, both dark and light. All of that; all of the power, the wealth, the admiration, she gave up trying to save her son, Robin. She even gave up her adopted daughter to save him. An action she still regretted terribly.

 _What has it all amounted to?_ She thought bitterly as she knelt before an empty fireplace, black soot lining the cold stones in front of her.

She sniffled as the cold in her quarters penetrated her bones, not due to tears. She already cried all of her tears in silence days ago. She kept herself locked away from all of her followers, all of her helpers during this time. Especially away from Aversa, who seemed to relish in her grief.

 _I should have never left him._ She thought, head bowed as another cold wind blew in through the open balcony doors, looking out over the vast ice fields to the north, _Robin should have been by my side now, helping me build the Ark. Helping me face down the evil Validar wishes to unleash on the world._

But she left him. At the time, it had been for his own safety. Validar had been chasing them for years, ever since she spirited Robin away in the dead of night when he was just eleven years old. Ever since she learned Validar's true intentions for her child, and grew fearful of the monster he would turn her boy into. Somehow, he tracked them down, no matter where they ran to.

Eventually, Morgana came to the determination that he was tracking her, not Robin. She left him in Ylisse, a few years after they first went on the run. The one place where Validar would be hesitant to try and look for Robin, due to the power the Naga-spawn held in the region. What better place to hide someone like her son than in the shadow of Grima's sworn enemies. It worked for a time, but then Robin had to display his brilliant mind and wellspring of skill to the Prince of Ylisse.

 _He had to join a military instead of continue hiding._

Could she really blame him for that though? A few more years after she left him, she sensed him in duress and immediately transported herself to him, along Ylisse's southern coast. She found him wreathed in dark power the likes of which she could barely imagine. It took a tremendous amount of energy and effort to seal away whatever was breaking through her son's mind and body. She had no doubt it was the Fell Dragon, attempting to accelerate his rise. In order to prevent that, Morgana sealed her son's mind. Locked away memories of everything he once had. He would never remember her, his old life as a son of Plegia, all he would know was his name and a few spells she made sure to let linger in the back of his thoughts. Just so he could defend himself if necessary.

It should have been enough. Yet, in the end, it was not. Grima could not be reined in forever. Eventually, he would have broken free. Morgana only hoped she could find a solution to the problem before that happened.

Now, she would never even get the chance. Robin was dead. Grima was possibly dead with him, but Morgana did not deal in possibilities. Alfred made sure the ark's construction continued while she grieved. It would be the human race's last hope if all goes dark in the world.

 _Everything has already gone dark in mine._ Morgana thought, closing her eyes and feeling a tear drip down her cheek.

A knock sounded on her door. Not the first one in the many days she had kept herself locked away. She answered it like all of the others, with silence.

 _Leave me be._ She thought, keeping her eyes downcast, looking at the closed spellbook in her lap and brushing her hand over the cracked leather cover.

The knock sounded again, and she replied with nothing. She heard some muffled voices beyond the door. One voice she recognized as the posh tone of Alfred, her second in command and brilliant helper. The mage who managed to crack the enigma of the Artifact. He stopped by to give her updates on the Ark and Artifact every so often, but he knew to give her space. So he could not be the one demanding to see her by knocking twice.

A second muffled voice snarled angrily at Alfred before slamming against her door, bashing it in with brute force. Morgana didn't even raise her head as she heard boots clicking against the stone floor.

"Well, look at that." Aversa sneered, turning to look at Alfred as the older mage carefully shuffled inside, "The Witch is not ill, just broken. How pathetic."

"Miss Aversa I would advise-"

"That is Lady Aversa to you, old man. I outrank you in every metric: power and intellect."

"I-I wouldn't be so certain of-"

"Oh, and initiative it seems." Aversa continued, cutting off Alfred once again, "Now, seeing as I am stuck here, already viewed as a traitor to the land I held dear, it means I unfortunately have to cooperate with you heretics until I can figure out some way of either hiding from death, or cheating it." She whipped her furious gaze to Morgana, "You have hidden yourself away from me long enough. I demand answers."

Alfred took a nervous step back at Aversa's forward tone. Morgana remained silent and still.

"Not speaking?" Aversa growled, taking a few aggressive steps towards the kneeling Morgana, "You refuse to tell me why you practically sent me to my death as well!? Oh, it was a simple mission to capture a Manakete. I fail to see how that is relevant to your science experiments, but whatever. You didn't kill me when you captured me, so I guess I owed you. But it wasn't just any damn lizard. It was one of the MOST powerful Manaketes possibly in existence. On top of that, there were others after her. Powerful foes that are servants of the Fell Dragon. Did you know any of this?"

Silence.

Aversa's face twisted into a snarl. She spun around and yanked Alfred by his collar.

"What about you?" Aversa growled, "You're her second, what did you know about the Manakete?"

"Lady Aversa please calm yourself." Alfred replied, calmly.

"Calm myself?" Aversa grit her teeth, "How? The life I had is long gone because of you sorry lot. I can never return home. I can never regain my former titles and status. I am an outcast, a traitor, and a heretic. Unwillingly so, I might add." Dark magic flared to life in her free hand, "So give me my damn answers, old man. Before I decide to test some spells on you."

Alfred's eyes widened. Aversa smirked evilly.

 _Good._ She thought, _I have made my point. Now he will ta-_

The temperature within the room plummeted. Alfred's face paled. Aversa furrowed her brow as she sensed tremendous power building up inside. A pressure pressed down on her body, making her feel small and weak. A sensation that caused anger to build up within her. Aversa loosened her grip on Alfred's collar and turned around.

Morgana was no longer kneeling. She was standing, facing Aversa, head still bowed. Her spellbook hovered in the air in front of her body, pages flying rapidly from cover to cover. Aversa swallowed hard as any thoughts of forcing answers out faded in her.

"You… dare… threaten one of my followers?" Morgana whispered, "After what I have done for you?" Morgana raised her gaze, green eyes now blazing with yellow light, "If it was your brother, he would have been grateful for what I have done. Yet you spit in my face, ungrateful child!"

"Ungrateful-" Aversa worked her jaw back and forth, "Ungrateful! After what you have done to me!?" With a furious roar, Aversa let a pulse of dark magic rocket out of her, causing all of the furniture in Morgana's room to tremble, "You, Witch, tore-"

The floors shook beneath Aversa's feet. She heard Alfred audibly gulp. The old man quickly shuffled back to the door, face paler than a ghost as the temperature continued to drop in the room. Glass cracked on the balcony doors. The bedposts across the room splintered as raw pressure grew within the small space. Soot swirled from the fireplace as a great darkness swallowed the room whole, making Aversa seem insignificant before it.

It took the Plegian mage a moment to realize where this raw power was coming from. Her dark eyes stared stunned at Morgana as the Witch's eyes blazed brighter than the Plegia summer sun. Veins become visible as they crisscrossed the Witch's face in dark blue lines. Dark magic pulsed around her, making the wooden furniture crack and the stones shake. Aversa's jaw fell open as she beheld the full might of Morgana the Black, rendering her shaking in her boots.

She provoked the High Priestess, and now she expected a swift death. Aversa swallowed hard, gulping down her terror and replacing it with stubborness. She rose back to her full height and glared at Morgana, defiant against her fury.

For a few more seconds, the entire room shook. Alfred squeezed his eyes shut. Aversa could hear him muttering a prayer under her breath. She was tempted to do the same as she waited for Morgana's retribution.

It never came. Morgana's shoulders sagged as the pressure within the room dwindled. The quaking ended, and her stature seemed to decrease before Aversa. The violent, yellow glow in her irises faded away, receding to their normal, emerald color. The fury that filled the Witch's gaze turned to quiet sadness. Weary, half lidded eyes looked at Aversa as the shadows receded in the room.

"I am sorry, Aversa." Morgana whispered, shocking her adopted daughter, "It may not be enough, but I truly am sorry."

Morgana swallowed hard and quietly shuffled towards the glass doors to the balcony, gingerly closing them as she tried to keep shards of glass from digging into her palms. They closed with a quiet click.

"You may leave, Alfred." Morgana breathed, "I will find you in a moment."

Alfred quickly bowed and rushed away, closing the door to Morgana's room shut behind him. As it clicked closed, Aversa narrowed her gaze, suspicious of Morgana's every move. The Witch uttered a heavy sigh as she bowed her head.

"The Manakete you were after is an ancient one. Likely alive during the time of the Hero-King Marth." She began, "I was uncertain of how powerful she really was, so I could not provide you accurate intelligence. As for…" Morgana took a deep breath, "the other parties involved, I had no idea they would be there."

Aversa's scowl remained, "You think an apology will suffice?"

Morgana shook her head, "No, an apology will never suffice for the mistakes I have made, both recently and long ago." Aversa's face softened a bit as Morgana pursed her lips. The Witch folded her hands in front of her, "But that is all I can offer. That, and a place to be safe from your father. Of course, that is only if you want it. I won't require you to stay any longer if you don't wish to."

Aversa observed Morgana as the older woman visibly aged several years. The Witch quietly padded back over to the unlit fire, gathered a small flame in her right hand, and flicked it onto the unburnt bundle of logs sitting in the sooty stone. Warm firelight filled the room, chasing away the intense cold was chased away.

A pit remained in Aversa's gut as she silently watched Morgana sink into a lone chair near the fire. Her spellbook hovered back into her hands, as if the Witch gently pulled it over with an invisible thread. As soon as it brushed over her fingertips, Morgana cracked the pages open and started studying the words within. Her signal that she wanted this conversation to end. Aversa was more than happy to oblige.

Without a word, the dark mage turned on her heel and strode out. She quickly made her way down the cold stone steps back into the main, icy antichamber, where the Ark was being constructed.

Progress on the Ark was starting to slow, partially due to Morgana's melancholy, and also due to the new complexity of figuring out how to make it airtight. Both Alfred and Morgana hypothesized that simple pitch and tar would not work when flying through thin air at fast speeds. So many mages were in the process of trying to magically seal the craft. At the same time, Alfred was hard at work with the artifact, trying to find a way of producing air artificially so that people inside of the strange project could breath.

Or, Alfred was supposed to be in the small chamber where the Artifact rested, doing his work. Instead, Aversa noticed the old man waiting for her at the base of the stairs. The Dark Mage's scowl returned as she strode by him.

"Morgana would never harm you." The old man said, making Aversa screech to a halt.

He shuffled past her, one hand waving for her to follow him. She silently walked alongside the older mage until they entered the Artifact's chamber. The thing still puzzled Aversa. She had seen it once or twice and could not understand what in Grima's name it was. It resembled an enormous squid, but made of metal instead of flesh. It's body was filled with wire and lightning instead of blood and bones. Several bulbous glass eyes rested around the round head of the thing, which made it appear even more alien than it already was.

Alfred sighed as he reached for a tool and broke open the hard outer carapace of the Artifact, near one of its eyes. Aversa folded her arms as she stood across the examination table from him, one foot tapping against the icy floor.

"You brought me here for a reason." Aversa snarled, patience running thin.

"Hm? Oh yes." Alfred cleared his throat, "Pardon me, sometimes my mind runs to my work and I lose my original line of thought." He glanced up at the ceiling, "What was I saying again?"

"Something about that Witch, and harm."

"Ah yes." The old mage rolled up his dark sleeves as he placed his tool deep into the head of the Artifact, "Morgana would never harm you."

"It seemed like she intended to." Aversa sniffed indignantly.

"Oh, she certainly considered it." Alfred remarked with a slight smirk, "I haven't seen her that furious in over a decade." He prodded at some wires, eliciting a few sparks, "Not since your father told her of your brother's true purpose in fact."

Aversa furrowed her brow, "True purpose?"

She recalled something that Manakete, Tiki, told her when they were on the run from the Deadlord. The lizard said something about Grima and one other inhabiting Robin. It made no sense to Aversa. The Fell Dragon would not debase himself so much that he would willingly reside inside of a human; the equivalent of a fleshy meat sack to his majesty. He certainly would not dwell within someone who closely resembled a dumb puppy.

"You don't believe it, do you?" Alfred asked.

Aversa huffed, "I believe in what has been written and proven. Grima is far too powerful to be contained within a mortal form."

Alfred uttered a loud laugh, "So you've been led to believe." More sparks fluttered out of the Artifact, "There are many lost secrets within the Grimleal. Well… more like hidden rather than lost. Removed from the archives in order to preserve the order's power and integrity. Only the Chief Archivist and the High Priest could observe such texts. Seeing as how your mother-"

"Heretic." Aversa corrected with a snarl.

Alfred nodded, "Yes, she was called that. Ironic how the person that knows the absolute most about Grima, Dark Magic, and Fell Magic would be called such a thing. Don't you agree?" He set one tool aside, wiping his hands off on an oil stained cloth beside the Artifact, "Meanwhile, your father always rode on her coat tails. Granted, he was a most impressive mage. Had an appetite for knowledge. Certainly would have made an impressive archivist himself, if he wasn't so ambitious and power hungry. Alas, a peaceful road such as that was not to be. Then again, his bloodline meant he would assume a much grander purpose than a mere bookkeeper."

Aversa furrowed her brow, "Bloodline?"

"It goes along with Grima needing a vessel to return to existence." Alfred hummed, "Your younger brother, Robin, was to be the chosen one, so to speak. Validar's bloodline had grown strong enough to accomplish it, all he needed was for the boy's magical potential to be enormous. Morgana's blood gave him that potential. Rather interesting given her more common birth." Alfred tossed the towel to the side and looked hard at Aversa, "Despite Robin's importance to everything, your mother cared very much about you." He laughed a little bit, "I remember when you were brought in from the streets. A little shriveled up thing, you were. Pity is not a common emotion in the Grimleal, but Morgana took pity on you. Infuriated Validar in doing so, but her word kept him line. After all-"

"Bloodlines and power." Aversa nodded.

Alfred smirked, "You're starting to get it." He turned away and moved towards a table laden with different tools, none of which Aversa could identify, "Your father went along with it eventually. He saw potential in you, obviously. He was always very good at identifying powerful mages at a young age." He snickered lightly, "I mean, there was this one little one he brought in when he was hunting your mother and brother. A dark haired brat from the dunes. Grima, she was magnificent. Had many interesting conversations with that one. I can only hope she grew powerful enough to survive the Plegian war."

Aversa grit her teeth, "Now you are just talking to hear yourself talk. What does this have to do with the Witch and me?"

Alfred glanced over his shoulder at her, icy blue eyes twinkling.

"Pity is a rare emotion among dark mages, Lady Aversa. Your mother has it in spades. It was pity that saved you as a street urchin. Pity has saved you once again, from both her wrath and Validar's wrath. Now, that may sound insulting-"

"It is." Aversa frowned.

"But even the most insulted of mages knows that pity is better than death." Alfred lowered his gaze at her, "If Morgana really wanted to, and I'm certain for a moment she did, she could have annihilated you with one swipe of her hand. But… she's already lost one child. One she sacrificed everything, including her relationship with you, to save." He picked up a thin metal rod and brought it over to the Artifact's domed, armored head, "She doesn't want to lose you all over again. That's probably why we're still working."

He ducked his head low in order to look at some of the inner workings of the Artifact. Aversa frowned as she pondered Alfred's words.

"I thought we were still working because she believes the Fell Dragon to still be a threat?"

"Oh, he most certainly is." Alfred winced as he reached deep into the Artifact with the rod, "You think a little fire and brimstone will kill him? He's our god for a reason."

Aversa snorted, "Our god." She looked up and down the artifact, "I doubt a god would want to kill its followers simply for failing one order."

Alfred shrugged, "Validar and this Hierophant want to kill you. I'm of a mind that Grima is not necessarily keen on those two speaking for him. Perhaps they are furthering their own agenda, and not his?" A shower of sparks spat out from the Artifact, "We won't know that until those two are beaten and Morgana gets her hands on them. If that ever happens."

His metal rod touched something within the dome. Aversa's heart skipped a beat as she heard a sharp whine come from the Artifact. Alfred froze on the other side of the table, arm still inside of its head.

"That's new." He muttered.

The whine cut off sharply. A blue light winked on inside of a knob on the side of the head, project light over Aversa. Aversa squeezed her eyes shut as she was nearly blinded by the sudden, bright light.

"Argh!" She growled, throwing a hand over her eyes, "Shut it off."

"Even if I could, I won't." Alfred remarked as Aversa carefully cracked an eye open.

"Why?" She asked, irritation building in her.

Alfred pointed at her, "I believe we have stumbled upon a solution to our air problem."

Aversa furrowed her brow in confusion as Alfred took a step back, observing something on the wall behind her. Aversa stepped out of the blue light and glanced at the wall. Her mouth fell open as she saw an image being projected onto the wall. Like a painting made of light. They were schematics too… the best she could describe it was a ship. A great, triangular behemoth. The projection winked and a more detailed image replaced the initial one, showing something labeled _Life Support Systems_.

"Well then," Alfred's eyes twinkled as Aversa stared at him, shocked, "Time to work on this breakthrough."

* * *

It was a dream Lucina felt like she had many times before. Ever since her and her friends passed through the time portal, escaping their ruined future and arriving in the past, dreams of the future war haunted her mind. There were dreams where everything was exaggerated. Where Grima would cover the entire sky, blotting out clouds, smoke, and the stars with just his head as he towered over her, making her shake like a leaf. And there were dreams that were exceptionally vivid. Memories relived as she slept.

This time, she knew it was a memory because she heard voices. Usually, in the hyper exaggerated dreams, there were no voices. Just images and terrors.

She almost would rather that than to hear the voices. At least those terrors did not invoke pain filled thoughts whenever they reared their ugly heads.

She could hear several familiar ones as her eyes remained closed. Could feel soft grass beneath her, brushing against her palms. A faint breeze swept over her slumbering form, making leaves rustle nearby.

A playful laugh chirped nearby, forcing her eyes to flick open. She lay in a clearing in the woods beyond Ylisstol. A blue sky sat over her head. White puffs of clouds drifted lazily along the wind, passing over the forest canopy with grace and patience. A beautiful day in the future. Likely one of the last.

She grimaced as she sat upright, her body aching from the sensation of laying on the ground. As she sat upright, she caught sight of five children sprinting into the clearing from a path in the woods.

At the lead was a short, blue haired girl with her hair tied up in two little pigtails. She had to have the most loud, boisterous laugh of the bunch. A literal ball of energy, bouncing from one foot to the other without a care in the world. Behind her, sprinted a blonde haired boy wearing a bright yellow outfit. He carried a wooden sword in one hand as he chased after the blue haired girl. Huffing after them, struggling to keep up, was a girl with midnight black hair and emerald eyes. Finally, Lucina recognized a younger Luke and herself bringing up the rear.

 _Me and Luke must be about ten or eleven._ She thought with a soft smile. She glanced over at Cynthia and the other two members of her Justice Cabal, _That would make them around eight._

What memory was this again? Gods, there were so many she had a hard time keeping them all straight. This was clearly a happy memory. Which meant Maul was probably not around yet. Luke did not look sullen or beaten up, and Lucina appeared to be more of a princess than a warrior, flaunting an aqua colored dress that did not keep grass stains off very well.

" _Slow down!"_ Her younger self huffed as she chased after Morgan, Owain, and Cynthia.

Cynthia spun back around, twin pigtails twirling with her, " _Too slow, Luci! WHA!"_

Owain slammed into her, tackling her to the ground.

" _Huzzah! The villain of our adventure hath captured the hero at last. I shall smite thee with Misseltain and conquer the world!"_ Owain declared, quickly rising to his feet and placing his foot on the small of Cynthia's back, pinning her to the ground.

" _Oh no!"_ Morgan gasped, " _Whatever shall we do?"_ She turned to Lucina and Luke, " _Our brave hero's sidekicks must step in to save the day!"_

Lucina chuckled to herself as she watched her younger self fold her arms and lift her nose in the air, very much in the way Aunt Maribelle taught her to do.

" _A princess cannot engage in such things."_

" _A princess also shouldn't have grass stains on their clothes."_ Luke snickered beside her. He cleared his throat, " _Beware, fell villain!"_ He pointed a finger at Owain, drawing his friend's attention, " _I, Kage, knight of the great Queen Cynthia, shall dispatch of you at this very moment."_

" _Ha ha!"_ Owain stepped away from Cynthia, " _Tis a shame that thou appears to be weaponless."_

Owain let out a yelp as the Force flared to life around Luke. Misseltain, or it's wooden cousin of the actual blade, shot free from Owain's grip and landed easily in Luke's waiting hand.

Luke grinned and shrugged, " _It appears that you are the one weaponless, vile- er- person."_

" _Smooth."_ Morgan deadpanned before chuckling. Her chuckling sputtered when she noticed the younger Lucina frowning at Luke, Owain, and Cynthia's action, " _What's the matter, Luci?"_

Lucina huffed, " _Father and mother are leaving to go to Regna Ferox. They won't let me come with. I have to stay behind with Aunt Lissa."_

" _Auntie Lissa is staying behind!?"_ Cynthia cried with delight, " _Yay! It's going to be fun at the palace!"_

" _Tis always fun at the palace when the Justice Cabal is on the march!"_ Owain declared, throwing his arms over Cynthia and Luke's shoulders, laughing the entire time.

Morgan chuckled with them, but again, Lucina was not amused.

" _Cynthia, you need to stop this childish nonsense. We're royals. We need to start acting like it."_

" _You're ten."_ Morgan remarked with a wry grin.

Lucina sputtered, " _I-I- and you're only eight."_

" _Yup, I am."_ Morgan shrugged, grinning wide as a sparkle danced in her green eyes, " _So that means, I can play all I want and no one has to tell me otherwise. If anyone does tell me otherwise, well…"_

A small pulse of the force smacked into Lucina, flipping her dress up over her head. Lucina's arms flailed while Luke blushed furiously. Owain, Cynthia, and Morgan fell over laughing.

When the younger Lucina managed to yank her dress back down, she glared at Morgan, red in the face. The older Lucina, meanwhile, simply chuckled softly at their antics.

 _Gods… that feels like a lifetime ago._

And it really was. Even the war with Plegia, which for Lucina was only two years ago now, felt like a lifetime ago. So much had changed in just those two and a half years. She could hardly begin to fathom how much had changed in the past ten. She had grown up, significantly at that. Her more princessy ways were cast to the side due to the harsh world of the future and the teachings of her master, Ben Kenobi. She traded dresses for swords. Exchanged a snooty attitude for leadership and determination. The cruel future forged her into the person she is today. Those harsh lessons helped her survive and thrive, both then and now, in a past so different from the one she grew up hearing stories about.

Her eyes focused on Morgan. She was always the prankster, the schemer, the head of the Justice Cabal. Cynthia was the face of it, Owain and Luke the brawn, but the brains belonged to Morgan. She meticulously planned out every plan as if it were a battlefield strategy. That kind of attention to detail made her so valuable during the war with Grima. She swiftly rose up as a tactician and assisted her Master, Sir Frederick, and Exalt Lissa in planning the war effort.

 _Always way too smart for her own good._ Lucina smirked as the memory rippled like water in a still pond, fading to black as the ripples faded.

When she opened her eyes again, she was staring up at the ceiling of the Shepherd's Barracks. The blankets on her bunk were thrown all over the place, leaving her head, her right stump, and her left foot uncovered. Part of the blanket dangled down onto the floor, showing just how much she tossed and turned during the night.

Lucina winced as she stretched her one good arm over her head. Her cybernetic was currently in Themis, being improved by Dooku. Apparently the Count was not only miffed about her damaging the outer shell during the battle; he was also appalled by his own shoddy work that it would even come close to being damaged at all. The socket for the cybernetic remained over her stump, since removing that would be an exceptionally painful process. But she gladly let him take the arm to improve.

 _Hopefully he'll make it more comfortable._ She thought as she swung her legs out from her cot and rested her bare feet on the stone floor.

Her blue eyes looked out the window at the crystal clear skies over Ylisstol. They drifted down to the training yard just outside of the barracks. Ever since the end of the war with Valm, few Shepherds occupied the yard. The war had been so exhausting for all of them that they all decided it would be best for them to spend a week or more recovering. All of them followed this, except for Lon'qu, who continued to train relentlessly in the yard.

Lucina nodded as she watched him chop what was probably the third straw dummy of the morning to smithereens. She could see her Aunt Lissa watching him.

Lissa had been one of the biggest worries during the crossing home from Valm. Her wounds were healed as best as they could be at the time, but they were so foreign in nature, making them difficult to properly tend to for Libra and the other clerics. Thankfully, Lissa knew the type of wound all too well. After all, Lucina suffered from a similar one at the end of the Plegian War.

Her chest burned as she remembered that pain. One hand reached up and brushed the scarred flesh beneath her night shirt. Even with the best healers and elixirs, the scars would never fade completely. Such a fact bothered her for some time, but in the wake of Valm, she was simply grateful she was alive, and that her family survived.

Now, she had a new mission in place. Grima likely still lingered somewhere in the ether, his spirit roaming for a host. Tiki certainly believed the volcano did not consume him, and Lucina sided with her immediately. She had seen Grima personally in the future. Stared him down as he stormed the battlefield. Ash and fire would not kill that demon, only delay and possibly annoy him. She would have to keep her eyes out for any sign of his reemergence. In the meantime, there were several of her comrades still missing.

Yarne, Kjelle, Nah, Gerome, and Morgan: none of them had made an appearance. No sign or word of them reached her ears. It was not unsurprising. The world was a vast place with many unknown, lost, and undiscovered places dotting the continents of Valm and Archanea.

 _Then there is that one continent of legend._ She thought as she slipped out of her night shirt and started to get dressed for the day, _Jug- something. I'll have to consult Laurent on that. Perhaps some of them wound up there? If it even exists._

Then there was Laurent's hypothesis; one that worried her tremendously. It was entirely possible that what was left of her friends wound up on other worlds entirely. Many of her dreams hinted at this, especially in regards to Morgan.

Her mind wandered back to the first vision she had of Morgan as she tightened her blue jerkin over her torso and slipped on her boots. That vision caused her great anxiety, compounded by these sudden memories in her sleep of the pair together as children.

" _Call me Ragana."_

She was still convinced it was a trick. Morgan was far too kind, fun loving, and intelligent to allow herself to fall to the dark side. She cared way too much for her friends and family. She witnessed what the dark side did to Luke, through Maul, and wanted nothing to do with it in the future. Going so far as to avoid using the force entirely in favor of normal magic. Why would the Force show Lucina a vision of one of her best friends steeped in the dark side?

 _I need to speak to Master Ben._

Lucina tightened her belt around her waist, feeling slightly naked without the weight of a sword against her hip. She was near Ylisstol, so there was no need to carry around a weapon. Not with how strong the Halidom was becoming thanks to her father's rule. Besides, she was just walking to Ben's house. He would sense any trouble first and make sure it did not get past his little cottage in the woods.

As she stepped out of the barracks, she heard Lissa lightly laugh as she got close to Lon'qu, making the Feroxi swordsman uncomfortable. But he did not run off like he used to do. He also did not push Lissa away like he usually did ever since Chrom made him her personally bodyguard. Lucina chuckled to herself as she turned away and strode through Ylisstol.

 _You might be on the way, Owain._

She ignored most of the hustle and bustle of Ylisstol as she made her way out of the city through the main gate. Once outside of the city, she took a deep breath and turned onto a dirt trail that led into the southern forest.

Ben's cottage was only a few miles outside of the city. Close enough that he could rush to the city if he was needed, but far enough away to provide him the privacy he craved. Of course he did not get that privacy at all. He still had a pair of tenants residing in a much larger tent outside of his cottage, near the small stream that ran by it.

Lucina paused in her approach to the cottage as she heard some scuffling from within the tent. There was a loud bash, the sound of pots and pans clanging together, a snarl, followed by a growl. Gaius bolted out of the tent. Just before he could escape the exit, a furry hand reached out and snatched him by the back of his shirt.

"BLUE, HELP!" Gaius cried before being yanked back into the tent.

Lucina arched an eyebrow.

 _What did he do this time?_

She strode up to the tent and raised her fist to knock. She blinked, and smacked her forehead. It was not very easy to knock on a tent after all.

"Um… Gaius?" She called, "Panne?"

More shuffling, another muffled cry, the sound of someone being shoved into the ground; then Panne poked her head out. Lucina raised an eyebrow at Panne's appearance. Her hair was a mess to say the least. As were the bits of fur she could see. Even more puzzling was the… well… not irritated expression on her face.

 _That's cause for concern. Gaius always annoys her._ Lucina thought.

"What is it, man-spawn?" She asked.

Lucina did not take offense to Panne's address. It was how she talked to everyone, except for Gaius. Somehow the thief managed to get onto a first name basis with the Taguel.

"Is everything alright?" Lucina asked, trepidation filling her as she heard Gaius groan inside of the tent.

Panne smiled, "Everything is fine, Gaius is just… well-"

"Being Gaius?" Lucina said with a light chuckle.

"In a way." Panne nodded, "I asked him to chase me. He refused when I explained to him why."

Lucina felt even more confusion build in her, "Uh…."

"Are you here to see Ben?" Panne followed up quickly, keeping the rest of her body hidden behind the tent's doorway.

"Yeah." Lucina nodded slowly. She tried to peek past Panne. Her eyes widened when she saw Gaius lying on his back, shirt yanked open, in a daze. She sucked in her lips and nodded, "Yeah… um… just going to-"

"He's alone if you're worried about the other man-spawn. The Sunshine one." Panne explained, "Her and Snicker-spawn went to the magic academy together."

 _Snicker-spawn?_

"Hey… you're using my nicknames." Gaius mumbled deliriously.

Panne sighed, "If you'll excuse me."

"Uh yeah… sure?" Before Panne closed the tent, Lucina stopped her, "Panne, um… don't do anything rash, okay?"

"Rash?"

"Just uh…" Lucina blushed a little bit, "Gaius is a weird guy."

"I'm very aware of that."

"And he takes different things at very different paces. Keep that in mind."

Panne blinked, furrowing her brow in confusion for a moment before nodding, "I think I know what you are saying." She sighed, "Very well, it appears I misread a situation. Not the first time with you man-spawn. Your customs are all so strange. Normally, if a male presented a female Taguel with a rather nice gift, such as a large portion of a hunted meal, that was a sign that-"

"And I'm going to walk away now." Lucina laughed nervously, "Maybe Gaius would be up for going to the candy shop?"

"Did she say candy shop!?" Gaius's head jerked up from the floor.

Panne sighed, "A good suggestion. Have a good day, man-spawn."

She ducked back into the tent, leaving Lucina a little flush in the cheeks.

"Uh… you too? I think?"

Lucina turned away from the tent and quickly moved to Ben's door. She glanced over her shoulder at the tent one more time, noticing how no one emerged from it. Her cheeks flushed one more time before she quickly shook her head and knocked on Ben's door.

"Come in!"

Lucina quickly stepped inside. Ben was sitting in a chair near the window, a book in his lap. One Lucina recognized from her mother's bookshelf.

"Oh, Lucina." Ben softly closed the book and set it to the side, "I had a feeling you would show up today."

Lucina smiled a little bit, striding over and sinking into a chair across from him, "Good read?"

Ben nodded, tapping the cover of the book, "Wyvern Wars… very entertaining. Outlandish, but fun." He got up and moved over to the small pantry he had on the other side of the room, "Hungry?"

Lucina thought for a moment, "A little bit."

Ben pulled out a pair of apples. He tossed one to Lucina and kept the other for himself, biting down into it and letting out a satisfied sigh.

"I can never get over how good everything tastes here." He mumbled before swallowing.

Lucina chuckled, "The food at the Jedi Temple was that bad?"

Ben shook his head as he returned to his chair, "The food at the temple was fine. Food on a Venator class Star Destroyer was not. Military rations don't have the best of flavors available."

Lucina furrowed her brow, "Venator…" She mumbled before her mind was slammed with realization, "Wait a moment."

"Yes, Owain nicknamed Severa after a spaceship."

Lucina chuckled, "Oh, Owain. He has no idea. He thinks its some grand, heroic title of great power."

Ben shrugged, "To be fair, with one Venator I could have won the entire Valm war in a few days. So he's not wrong about the great power bit. I wouldn't call them grand though. They were always a bit stuffy. But being on a ship with several thousand other soldiers and officers, along with all of the equipment, leaves little room for privacy."

Lucina's eyes widened, "Several thousand?"

"Oh yes, Venators are massive." Ben nodded, "Not the biggest ships that exist, but still very large."

Lucina smiled to herself, shaking her head a little bit before bringing the apple to her lips, "Don't mention the large part to Severa." She bit into her apple as Ben laughed.

"I'll remember that." Ben nodded. He quickly finished off his own apple and tossed the core into a nearby waste bin. The Jedi Master then folded his hands in his lap, "So, what brings you here Lucina? I recall you wanting to talk to me back in Chon'sin."

Lucina nodded, wiping some apple juice from her lips with the back of her hand, "Yeah…" She swallowed, "I did. But you said it was probably a good idea to wait until we got back home and weren't so overwhelmed by… everything else. At the time, that was a little upsetting. But, considering everything that happened, I'm glad you suggested we do that. It gave us all time to settle down and process everything."

Ben nodded in agreement, "Certainly." He leaned back in his seat, lounging in it like he used to do in the Jedi High Council chambers, "What did you want to talk with me about?"

Lucina pursed her lips, "There's… a problem. Well several actually." The fingers on her left hand tapped against her thigh, "I am worried about my friends; the ones that we still haven't found." Ben furrowed his brow as she spoke, "There is a possibility that they are still wandering and we just haven't run into them yet, as we did with the others. But… Laurent brought up a theory that they may have wound up on other worlds." Ben inclined his chin as she mentioned that, "That they might not even be able to be found anymore."

Ben nodded, "I can see how that would be concerning. I feared that I was in a similar situation with Luke, for a time." He took a breath, "Do you believe you will be able to find them?"

Lucina closed her eyes, "I don't know." She pressed her lips into a thin line, "You always told me that instinct is how the force speaks to us. Well, that and our feelings. Unfortunately, my feeling is that Laurent is correct."

Ben narrowed his gaze at her, "There's more to that conclusion than instinct, isn't there. It's unlike you to give up so readily on searching for them when you could easily."

Lucina gulped, "Yeah." She brushed some of her blue hair from her forehead, "I have been having strange dreams, Master. Visions perhaps." Ben's brow furrowed further, "You always told me to be wary of such things because they can be easily manipulated."

"They can be." Ben nodded, crossing his legs and resting his arms on the armrest of his chair.

"At first, I discounted them as just that. Manipulations from something in the force. I mean, the dark side has been so thick recently that it has been warping my ability to see things through the force."

"Dooku and I have felt that as well." Ben confirmed, "It is eerily similar to what I felt in the force during the waning days of the Jedi Order. You are correct to be wary of these dreams and visions, Lucina. When the Force is as clouded as it is, nothing can be certain."

"That's the thing about this." Lucina continued, "Most of my dreams have been memories. Specifically of a certain person. And prior to those memories surfacing, I had a pair of distressing visions about her that I know are not memories. It makes me believe this to be more concrete than what I want it to be."

Ben nodded his head, brow furrowed as he listened to Lucina. He could sense an enormous amount of conflict within the young Jedi. Her hand kept opening and closing in her lap, wrapping tight around her half eaten apple, then letting it rest on its own with her hand cradling it.

"Lucina?"

"Yes?"

"You are not mentioning something. If this is bothering you so much, and you want my advice, I'm going to need to know every angle of this situation."

Lucina uttered a heavy sigh, "Naga, you always know when I am holding something back." She pursed her lips, "At least I know you are good at keeping secrets. Because this one must remain between us."

Ben furrowed his brow, his own worry starting to grow as he listened to the Princess.

"The dreams… they revolve around Robin's daughter."

Ben's eyes widened, "Oh."

Lucina nodded, "Robin survived the Valm War in the future. He went on to marry and have a daughter. Her name is Morgan. She… she is so much like him. Sharp as a tack, intelligent, and powerful. A bit more scatterbrained." Lucina continued with a light laugh, "But that's because she's young."

"Is she force sensitive like Robin?" Ben asked, curious.

"Yes." Lucina said, "She is… so powerful, it boggles my mind at times. She didn't like using her force abilities though. She preferred the magic her mother and father wielded."

"Her mother was a mage?"

Lucina bobbed her head and back and forth, "Not exactly. She's very, very powerful but-"

"It's Tiki, isn't it?"

Lucina looked like she just ate a lemon, "How did you-"

Ben chuckled a little bit, "The only time I had ever seen Robin go redder than a tomato was when he was around her. Those two got along really well. Now you mention a future daughter with great power, and I assumed-"

"You assumed correctly." Lucina said with a slight smile, "Lady Tiki is- er- was Morgan's mother. You can see why I want to keep this between us. With Robin's death, Lady Tiki will never… you know..."

Ben's face saddened, "I see. It is a similar situation to Sakura's then?"

Lucina nodded somberly, "It is."

The Jedi Master wiped his mouth his hand, glancing out the window as a pang of sadness hit him.

"Robin would have made an excellent father." He breathed.

Lucina grimaced, "Even after everything we learned about him?"

Ben's eyes darted back to her, "He was just as unaware of it as we were, Lucina."

Lucina flinched, "R-right. I just-" She uttered a heavy sigh, "I have a hard time separating him from Grima now, since they were essentially one being. Now that I know that, and given Morgan's lineage, I am even more concerned that the visions I have seen are not tricks of the Dark Side."

Ben furrowed his brow, leaning forward in his seat.

"When did you see them?"

Lucina swallowed hard, "The first vision I had was just before Dooku gave me my new arm. I was meditating and my consciousness was somehow transported somewhere else. It was… a cold, metal room. A residence of some sort, very martial in design. And Morgan was sitting there." Lucina's bit her lip, "Her eyes weren't green anymore. They were bright yellow." Ben's face saddened, "She acted like she did not know me. Like she genuinely did not recognize me as her friend. Not only that, but when I said her name, she grew angry. Ordered me to call her Ragana, not Morgan."

"Strange." Ben breathed.

"Very." Lucina agreed, "And worrying. There's no room made of metal in this world, that I am aware of at least."

Ben brushed his beard, "You said it was cold, and militaristic in design?"

Lucina nodded.

A heavy sigh slipped from Ben's lips, "Laurent may be correct then. What you described sounds similar to what my quarters looked like aboard a Star Destroyer."

"A Star-what!?" Lucina cried.

"A Venator class Star Destroyer." Ben clarified, raising a hand to calm her down, "They don't destroy stars; they fly around them, so to speak. Destroyer refers to the type of vessel, since they are meant for attacking and the like." Ben paused as he raked a hand through his beard, "It sounds like Morgan was on one of those when you saw her."

Lucina nodded, "I think I understand. Why do you think she did not remember me? Why would she hate the name her father gave her?"

Ben pursed his lips, "You said her eyes were yellow? Not their normal color?"

"Yes."

Ben sighed, "That is a sign of deep immersion in the dark side of the force." Lucina paled, "That is why Maul and Luke both have such a… condition." Ben continued carefully, "Although, Luke is a strange case because he is actively trying to avoid the Dark Side now."

"But Dooku doesn't-"

"Dooku knows how to conceal it." Ben interrupted, "Very well too. Make him angry enough, and it will emerge involuntarily."

Lucina's face fell, "So you're saying that…" She grit her teeth and shook her head, "No, I refuse to believe that. Morgan would never-"

"Luke would have never too, right?" Lucina's looked down as Ben spoke. She saw his face sadden significantly, "Anakin… well… you get the point I am trying to make. The fall into the dark side, once committed to fully, is not as gradual as you might think. It is a swift drop. It sounds to me like Morgan has thrown herself completely into the darkness."

"But it could still be a trick, right!?" Lucina asked, desperation thick in her voice.

Ben nodded, "It could. But you are also having recurring visions of her, yes?"

Lucina drew back in her seat, "Yes." He whispered, "There was… one more that was not a memory. It happened when you and Dooku were-" She visibly shivered and glanced at the metal socket over her right arm.

"Ah, I see." Ben replied.

"Yeah," Lucina gulped, "That one was even more confusing. I did not just see Morgan. I actually did not see her at all. I saw you and Luke. Your blades were drawn. We were standing on some platform, surrounded by massive towers. Two voices spoke to both of you. I can't remember what they said, but I knew one was Morgan. She was excited to be fighting you."

Ben furrowed his brow, "And the other voice?"

Lucina became deathly quiet, "That one… that one was different. I've heard it once before. I can't remember what it said, but it was… deep, artificial." Ben's drew back in his seat as she spoke, "I distinctly remember its breathing. It was loud and labored. Gods, I can still hear it echoing in my head."

Concern washed over Ben's face. The Jedi Master rose from his seat and walked across the room, one hand brushing over his beard as he went to look out the window that faced the dirt trail leading to his cottage. Lucina's gaze followed him as he paced away from her.

"What is it?" She asked.

Ben bowed his head a moment before looking back at her, "I've heard that voice as well." Lucina blanched, "In a nightmare when I first arrived to this planet. It melded with your voice, and called me Master."

"M-melded." Lucina gulped. Her eyes immediately darted to her socket, "You don't think that I become some… strange, machine like thing do you!? That's why I could not see it or Morgan?"

"No." Ben quickly shook his head, "I won't let that happen to you." He quickly crossed back over to the room as she shot up from her seat, "Lucina I-" Ben hesitated, "I'm not entirely sure what to make of these visions either. But it sounds like Laurent may be correct about where your other friends are. We of course need to keep a sharp eye out for them, but if they are beyond the atmosphere then we will never find them."

Lucina swallowed hard, fighting off some tears.

"As for Morgan," Ben took a deep breath, "That is a mystery that will require plenty of meditation. I will assist in any way I can, but… Tiki has a point when she says we should assume the worst. That way we can prepare for it."

Lucina nodded, sniffling a little bit, "What about the other voice?"

Ben expression grew even more worried, "I will worry about that." He placed a hand on her shoulder, "Right now, Lucina. You need to concern yourself with growing in your abilities and possibly finding your other friends, okay?"

Lucina sniffled again and nodded, "Yes, Master. It's just… hard." She finished with an exasperated sound.

"Nothing in life is ever easy." Ben replied, "Especially when it comes to the life of a Jedi, and a Princess." Lucina laughed under her breath at that, "If you need to speak about anything else, you can always come to me. You know that. For now, meditate on these visions. Try to clear your mind of your worries associated with them so you can observe them with a clear, objective perspective. That will help unveil some details you may have missed."

A knock sounded on the door.

"Hey Benny!" Gaius called from the other side, "Some Royal Guard is here for ya. Said something about Princey wanting you to help him and Tiki with Robin's things."

Lucina's eyes widened, "O-oh!" She wiped at her eyes, quickly brushing away any tears that threatened to fall, "I am so sorry, Master. If I knew that you were about to-"

"You have nothing to apologize for." Ben said with a gentle smile, "A fellow Jedi comes before the few possessions Robin had." He walked over to a small wardrobe against the wall, reached inside, and withdrew a new, brown cloak, with his lightsaber hiding in a pocket inside of it, "You are more than welcome to join us. It might help give you some closure."

Lucina thought about it for a moment.

"Maybe even distract you for now?" Ben added as he walked over to the door, throwing his cloak over his shoulders.

Lucina smiled a little bit, "Not a bad idea."

Gaius knocked again, "Benny! This guard is giving me the side-eye!"

Ben rolled his eyes, threw the door open, and started his journey to the city by berating the thief for trying to steal the guard's dagger.

* * *

This had to be one of the hardest things Chrom ever had to do. He had led men into battle, written letters to families of those fallen soldiers, done his best to be a great husband and a great father, fought a million man army with a ragtag army of his own; none of that compared to entering his late best friend's quarters within the Exalt's palace.

Everything was kept clean by the palace staff while they were gone in Valm. Not a hint of dust lingered on any of the furniture. Granted, there was not much furniture to begin with. Robin did not have many personal possessions. The tactician was always so busy. He never had any time to treat himself to anything material. The one exception was the large bookshelf he had near his bed.

The Palace had a library, but Robin insisted on keeping his own personal collection of spell books, tomes, and tactical volumes. According to him, it let him focus on his work rather than running back and forth between his room and the library.

 _Always trying to be efficient._ Chrom thought as he walked up to the bookshelf and glanced at the titles along the spines of the books.

Several of the spines were not cracked, never opened by the tactician. Most of the books like that were spellbooks. Robin had not only been a brilliant tactician, but an incredible mage as well. Whenever he was not studying tactics, or training, he was attempting to perfect his spellcraft. Chrom recalled how he came home one day with a mountain of spellbooks cradled in his arms, bought from the Red Beret Seller, Anna.

 _He never got a chance to read them all._ Chrom thought with a heavy sigh, turning his gaze away from the books to his friend's cluttered desk.

Notes were spread out all over the desk, exactly as Robin left it when they set out for Valm. A half full inkwell rested on top of several pages of tactical notes that Chrom could hardly make sense of. Robin often thought faster than he could write, which made some of his notes nonsensical to anyone except himself. With the inkwell and pages of loose paper, were several more books. One that was open was a tome called Bolgannone. A fire spell from the looks of things.

 _I don't remember him ever using that one._ Chrom thought as he glanced at the strange diagrams within the book.

He tapped his hand against the desk then sank down into the well worn chair in front of it, blue eyes roving over the room.

"This won't take long." He sighed.

Part of him did not want to do this. Part of him really wanted to leave this room alone. It was Robin's room. Sumia and Chrom set it aside just for him when the Plegian War ended. While living here, he became a part of their family. Sure, he was away with Ben on a grand adventure to find Lucina and Luke for the better part of two years between the Plegian and Valm wars, but that did not matter in the end. Robin became part of Chrom's household. Now that he was gone, the palace seemed emptier. Even Sumia said as much.

But it all had to go. If Chrom let Robin's personal effects remain any longer, then the pain would never fade. The wounds they all felt when he passed would not heal. The process of moving on was going to hurt, but Chrom knew he would never forget his friend. The man that helped him save the Halidom twice, that fought with him at every major battle in his life, and that stood by his side through great times and terrible times.

The doors to Robin's room opened. Chrom raised his gaze to see Tiki, Ben, and Lucina all walking in together. Ben swallowed hard as he entered Robin's room, eyes roving over the place.

"I actually never came here." Ben muttered as he quietly walked over to the bookshelf, "We all weren't on the best of terms when he moved here."

Chrom nodded as regret filled him, "That was a mistake, by all of us."

"Agreed." Lucina sighed, striding over to the window and looking down to the training yard near the barracks, "Lovely view."

"You can have it if you want, once we get Robin's…" Chrom patted his legs as he remained seated, "Once we take his stuff out."

Tiki moved over to Robin's closet, throwing it open. Not much was in there either. A few extra sets of shirts and pants hung on pegs over a small chest with the latch locked. Tiki furrowed her brow and reached for the chest. As her fingers brushed over it, she felt a strange power buzzing around it.

"I'm sure the library or the academy will take the books." Ben muttered, "Tharja will want her pick of the litter."

"Her and every other mage." Chrom said with a small laugh, "That might end up being the hardest part. He loved those books."

Lucina flicked her eyes down, still conflicted over being in this room. On the one hand, her friend lived here. Someone who traveled to the otherside of the world to make sure she did not get killed going after Luke. A man who supported his friends every chance he could, and fought with everything he had to make sure the future was a brighter place.

On the other hand, this was technically the Fell Dragon's room as well. This room housed the very enemy she had spent nearly her entire life trying to defeat. He lived here, with her parents. Dined with them, laughed with them… played with their newborn daughter.

Lucina's jaw clenched tight. Before she could continue that line of thinking, she heard a sharp hiss, followed by the dull thunk as a hunk of metal hit the floor.

"What in Naga's name are you up to, Tiki?" Ben asked, brow raised as he watched her melt the lock away from the small chest.

Tiki's ears twitched as she looked at the chest. She tilted her head to the side, studying it a moment.

"Did Robin keep secrets?"

Lucina wanted to say yes, he was the Fell Dragon after all. But… he was never aware of that personally. At least, that is what Ben, Tiki, and Chrom believed. Part of her suspected his amnesia was a fabrication. A way for him to get close to the Fell Dragon's enemies. But if he really did mean them all harm, why would he fight so hard in wars for them?

 _He was the Fell Dragon._ She thought, _So why do I feel so… so uncertain about this._

"Not really." Chrom replied. He looked past Tiki at the chest in her hands. The Manakete set the chest down on Robin's neatly made bed, "I've never seen that before."

"Neither have I." Ben muttered, eyes narrowing at the chest.

"What do you think is in it?" Tiki wondered out loud.

Ben shrugged, "Dirty pictures?"

Tiki's face turned bright red. Chrom laughed. Lucina simply took a deep breath and watched them investigate.

"I think Robin would die of embarrassment if that was the case." Chrom laughed.

"That's probably why it was locked." Ben chuckled with Chrom.

Before they could say anything else, Tiki yanked the chest open. Lucina's heart jumped to her throat as a wave of dark side energy poured out of the chest. Chrom took a surprised step back as a penetrating cold took over the room. Tiki frowned, green eyes glued to an object within the chest. Meanwhile, Lucina could feel Ben's mental defenses go up. An action she emulated.

Tiki reached into the chest, braving the darkness and cold coming from it. Inside was… another box. A small, rectangular box with gold trim. Unassuming in appearance, intentionally so. When Lucina saw it, a sharp breath rushing into her lungs.

"Naga…" She gasped, chest rising and falling as she stared at the Reeking Box.

"What is it?" Chrom asked, swallowing hard as the shadows deepened inside of Robin's room.

Ben furrowed his brow, "I'm not sure. But it is-"

"This is something I did not anticipate." Tiki muttered, moving her fingers to the box's latch.

"DON'T OPEN IT!" Lucina cried, making Tiki freeze.

Chrom whipped his gaze to Lucina, "Why not?"

Lucina marched forward, forcibly yanking the box from Tiki, surprising the manakete in the process. The Princess quickly shoved the box back into the chest, then slammed the chest shut. She latched it for good measure. As soon as the metal latch closed, the cold and darkness inside of the room receded. The Dark Side of the Force shrank away as warm sunlight returned to the space.

Lucina's shoulders rose and fell in heavy breaths.

"I knew it." She growled, hands tightening around the lid of the chest. She turned to look at Tiki, Ben, and Chrom, "The bastard was a liar."

"Hold on!" Chrom exclaimed, a twinge of anger flashing on his face, "Where is this coming from? What is that thing?"

"That is a reeking box." Lucina snarled, "A tool the Fell Dragon's servants use to summon a horde of Risen." Chrom paled as she spoke, "Considering what we know about Robin, I think it is safe to assume that he-"

"If he was going to use that to harm your family, Lucina, then why lock it away?" Tiki interjected, her calm voice cutting through Lucina's furious tone and Chrom's worry, "For that matter, if Robin was aware of being the Fell Dragon, why would he sacrifice himself? Why would he fight on your side when it would be easier for Grima to just wipe you all out as soon as Robin could?"

"I-I-" Lucina grit her teeth and uttered a frustrated snarl, "I don't know! But that box is incredibly dangerous. Where the hell did he even get one!?"

"I can answer that, Blue."

All four of them twirled around to see Gaius sauntering in, a lollipop dangling from his lips. He gave the chest a casual glance, sighing as he pulled the lollipop from his mouth.

"Damn it, Bubbles. You told me that they knew about it." He muttered, shaking his head. He wagged his lollipop at the chest, "Bubbles found that during the Sandstorm. In one of the huts we took shelter in."

"Sandstorm?" Lucina questioned.

"Ah." Ben nodded in understanding, "We were helping Anna find her sister. She went missing on a caravan route in Plegia. The route took us through an abandoned village. We were caught in a sandstorm as we passed through and were forced to take shelter. Myself and Tharja got separated from Robin and the others."

"Yup, all of us except for Bubbles thought you were dead." Gaius commented, "Underestimated ya then, Benny. Never doing that again." He stuck his lollipop back into his mouth, nestling it inside one of his many cheeks, "Bubbles got pissed at me while we hunkered down. Stunning revelation, I know. So he stormed off to a different room in the hut we stayed in. I found him after he cooled off. He was reading something…" Gaius's eyes darted over to a bookshelf, where he spotted an old, dusty tome with sand embedded in the cracked leather binding, "This!" He snatched the book from the shelf, "Bubbles was reading this."

He tossed the book over to Ben. Ben caught it and cracked it open, studying the first few yellowed pages. The ink was faded after years of neglect, but he could make out just enough to realize what he was looking at.

"This looks similar to Robin's spellbook." Ben muttered, surprise lacing his voice.

"Bubbles said the same thing. He considered it a personal mystery for him." Gaius jammed his hands into his pockets, "In fact, he thought that entire hut looked familiar. Gave him some weird nostalgic feelings that he couldn't fully explain. Of course, while he was explaining all of that I got bored and started looking for something shiny."

"You are like a damn bird." Ben groaned, rubbing his eyes.

"Hey, shiny means valuable. Don't blame me for having an eye for it." Gaius retorted, "One thing I can tell ya about strange places like that hut, is that they usually keep precious stuff in hidden places. I managed to find a hidden hole in the wall. Bubbles helped me get into it, and we found two of those boxes. One of which had been opened already."

Ben's eyes lit up, "That's how there were Risen in the area!"

"My thoughts exactly." Gaius nodded, "Bubbles took the box. He wanted to figure out what made it tick so that he could learn how to destroy them. Apparently, that Aversa lady had one at the final battle in Plegia and tried to open it, but Bubbles stopped her. So obviously, the one in that chest caught his attention very quickly."

Tiki furrowed her brow, turning her attention back to the closed chest.

"Prince Chrom, do you believe anyone in your Magic Academy could decipher the box without releasing the threat it holds?"

Chrom rubbed the back of his neck, "I don't know. Ben, do you think Tharja-"

"She would love to see this." Ben muttered, nodding his head, "Her, Henry, Laurent: those three would have a field day with it."

"No!" Lucina snapped quickly, "It needs to be destroyed!"

"How?" Tiki pointed out, "If we destroy it, could it still unleash its power? What if conventional means of destroying it does not work? What if the box is enchanted so that an even worse outcome occurs if it is destroyed? What if it is cursed? These are the questions we need answered in order to handle it properly." Tiki picked up the chest with one hand, making Gaius pale, "Master Kenobi, shall we head to the Academy?"

"Master," Lucina pleaded, "Please just…" She uttered a heavy sigh, "Make sure that it is destroyed as soon as Tharja figures out how."

Ben nodded, "Of course." He glanced at the chest dangling from Tiki's right hand, "The less of the Fell Dragon in the world, the better."

Ben muttered a quick goodbye to Chrom before following Tiki out of Robin's room. Chrom, Gaius, and Lucina remained for a moment. The two royals still stunned that Robin had such an evil object in their home while Gaius appeared completely relaxed.

"Come on you guys." Gaius groaned.

"Wh-what?" Chrom stammered, putting his hands on his hips.

"Bubbles would never hurt ya."

"Yeah well-" Lucina caught herself as she nearly blurted out the secret she swore to keep back in Chon'sin. She clenched her jaw and took a deep breath, "I need to meditate."

She stormed past Chrom and Gaius. As her footsteps faded down the hall, Chrom let out an exhausted sigh.

"Naga dammit." He muttered, massaging his neck, "I've got enough to worry about as it is."

Gaius nodded in agreement. The thief silently dug into a pocket then yanked out a blue lollipop. He held it out to Chrom.

"Blueberry for Papa Blue." He said, giving Chrom a quick pat on his shoulder before walking out.

Chrom lingered a moment long, lollipop sitting softly between his fingers. He twirled the sweet, glancing around Robin's room once more. More sadness filled him, but also a lingering sense of betrayal. He grumbled to himself, unwrapping the candy and jabbing it into his mouth.

He shook his head at the thought of Robin wanting to harm his family. Chrom knew his best friend. He knew that Robin just was not capable of hurting him or his family… right?

"What were you up to with that box, Robin?" Chrom sighed.

He turned on his heel, walked out of the room, and closed the doors with a soft click.

* * *

Dagobah was a world constantly shrouded in shadows and mist. The swamp world reeked with the stench of decomposition, muggy air, muck, and filth. It's surface was always foggy, making the planet ideal for predators that used smell and hearing instead of sight to hunt their prey. One would think that the little green alien shuffling along the soft, muddy ground would be an easy meal for those predators.

Yoda chuckled to himself. Those predators knew better now. During the first few weeks of his exile, many of those animals tried to make a meal out of him. Judged him by his size, they did, and they paid the price for it. Their hides helped him make nice, warm blankets for his little hut, hidden deep in the dense swamp world.

Even though the carnivores of this world knew better than to trifle with him, Yoda did not make a habit of wandering far beyond his hut. He may be able to fend for himself, but that did not mean a predator couldn't catch him by surprise. It has happened before, and Yoda knew it could happen again. However, something drew him further than he usually roamed. A feeling in the force made him hobble deep into the swamp, to the point where he could barely see the flickering firelight within his hut behind him.

His green ears twitched as he stopped walking, gnarled cane sinking a few inches into the muck beneath his three toed feet. A dark, oppressive wave in the force slammed into his small form. Yoda closed his eyes and placed a hand to his wrinkled head, letting a small groan slip from his lips as the Dark Side of the force howled around him.

He was used to this sensation. The reason why he chose Dagobah to hide in, and not a Jedi world like Jedha, was because of the very sensations he was feeling. Yoda did not like to boast, but his presence in the force was massive. It was a bright beacon in the waters. A signal that he was indeed alive. Something he did not want the Emperor to find out.

Dagobah's darkness hid his light. At times, it gave him some duress. The planet's darkness wanted to break him. It wanted him to surrender to the dark side of the force. Whispers of vengeance, sorrow, pain, and anger constantly slipped into his long ears through the force. Centuries of being a Jedi, of following the light, helped Yoda fend those sinister thoughts off. The Force was his ally, and it did not want him succumbing to the same lust for power that consumed so many others before.

For some reason though, this pulse in the force felt different. It was not a subtle whisper, trying to seduce him into giving into the darkness. It was an enormous, pain filled howl. As the howl ripped through the air, Yoda could sense hundreds of creatures hidden by the swamp and the mist scurrying away. Terrified by the sound rippling through the force.

Yoda combated the sudden wave of darkness by allowing the force to flow through him. His mental defenses, sharpened and strengthened after centuries of intense study and meditation, stood strong against the howl. After a momentary lapse of pain, Yoda's eyes opened again.

A long frown formed over his lips when he realized where he was. Sitting in front of him, as if the planet's dark maw itself had opened to devour him whole, was the Cave. A discovery he made not long after he arrived on the planet. It was a place filled with dark side energy. The Dark Side was so dense inside, that it threatened to consume anything and everything that dared to descend into its depths. It was a black pit, filled with nothing but the darkest of thoughts, the most sinister of scenarios and the most fell powers.

Rarely did it release anything from its clutches. Even rarer did it literally spit out an unconscious body.

Yoda remained where he stood, large eyes carefully studying the young human male lying on his stomach in front of the Cave.

He had seen many humans during his long life, many strange ones for that matter. Although, the strangest were relegated to his younger days. In his old age, he did not get out very much. But he did not recall humans as young as this one appeared to be having snow white hair. On top of that, he was wearing something that looked strange, even to his ancient eyes. Even stranger still, the boy smelled like burnt meat and brimstone. Some holes were burnt through the purple and gold coat that rested on his shoulders.

"Hmm…" He shuffled towards the unconscious man and stared a little closer.

A soft sound came from Yoda's lips when he reached out with the Force. The boy was brimming with the dark side of the force. It did not just cover him, wreath him, or swirl around him. It penetrated him to his very core. Every fiber of the boy's being hummed with powerful Dark Side energy.

His first instinct was to leave him lying there. Anyone this powerful in the Dark Side was someone he should not bother with. Someone like him had to already be long gone, relegated to the Dark Side's enslavement of the mind.

As Yoda turned away, a voice whispered in his mind. The voice of his new master.

" _Bring him inside, Master Yoda."_

Yoda uttered a weary sigh, "Last time I listened to you about powerful children, destroy my order it did."

" _This one is different."_ Qui Gon Jinn's voice replied, as calm as ever.

Yoda harrumphed, "Different. Hmm… same thing said about Skywalker, you did."

" _Look closer."_

Yoda bowed his head. Usually Qui Gon was a pleasant person to have around. Their conversations about the force kept the monotony of the days away for Yoda. Gave him some sense of companionship.

Other times, like now, he wished the ghost would be quiet.

Yoda turned back to the white haired boy. He closed his eyes and dove into the force once more, determined to follow Qui Gon's advice… and maybe prove his fellow Jedi Master wrong. As he sank deeper into the waters, he could feel the boy's massive presence reverberating like a great tremor. Yoda's brow furrowed as he sensed something strange within the boy. It was as if his presence in the force was not his own. It felt split. Multiple beings were having a great tug of war for the boy's soul.

 _Interesting…_

Yoda opened his eyes. Perhaps Qui Gon was correct. This one was different.

With a wave of his hand, the boy floated off of the ground and drifted through the air after Yoda as the Jedi Master hobbled back to his hut. It was a good thing he had lots of blankets. The boy was much bigger than him, he was going to take up a lot of space.

 _And a lot of my blankets._

 **And chapter! The first of what I would call a mini arc of interlude chapters. There is a lot that is going to happen during Arc 3, and I want to use this mini arc to set it all up. Also, it is way too fun writing these smaller character moments. They are much more in my wheelhouse than the massive, epic battles in my opinion. So… with this chapter, we got to see Morgana and her reaction to Robin's "death". Also touched a little bit on her backstory, and Aversa's backstory for this tale as well. Then we got to find out what ever happened to that Reeking Box Robin picked up waaaaaaaaay back during the timeskip. I didn't forget about that one lol. Just had a hard time figuring out a way to fit it back into the story until now. And finally, Master Yoda has officially arrived in this story. This is gonna be good! I'm excited!**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this story! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**

 **Come join the Treehouse! Discord code is: 9XG3U7a**


	124. The Impostor

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 124

The Impostor

 _Fools, all of them. Incompetent, idiotic, blind, fools!_

Sidious grit his teeth as he leaned back in his chair, glowing eyes focused on the report on his desk. He steepled his fingers, exhaling as he struggled to rein in his furious rage. He was not in his royal palace, where he could let his powers run rampant to his heart's content. He was in his office in the building that was once the Republic Senate, now just the Imperial Senate. A neutered governing body that was for show rather than having the ability to exercise any real authority. Even though the Senatorial body lacked power, he still had appearances to maintain. If it ever came out that the Jedi were correct in claiming he was a Sith Lord-

 _There will be a lot more bodies to bury._ He thought, furrowing his brow as he studied the report once more.

He kept the shades drawn in his office, blotting out the piercing Coruscant sun and allowing him to conduct his business without the worry of any outside eyes peering in. This piece of business was especially sensitive for him. It had nothing to do with policy, or petty rebellions, or even propaganda (a tool he was very fond of employing).

Someone had discovered a secret he had buried long ago. A secret that could be used against him in such a way that it could damage his credibility with the masses. Tarnish Palpatine's squeaky clean image. An image he needed to maintain. The people were more likely to follow the appearance of a benevolent ruler, in the wake of the Republic's death, than they were to follow someone like Sidious.

For the first time in a long time, he had been outmaneuvered politically. He glared at the report once more, given to him by one of his Inquisitors. The headline on the report, a news article from Naboo, read: _THE EMPEROR'S SON SPEAKS._

He grit his teeth, feeling the fuming leviathan that was the dark side within him stir. Who could have possibly discovered that he had a child? Even worse, who had the gall to impersonate him?

In the Emperor's opinion, the imposter looked nothing like a Palpatine. But according to the masses, the press, and the infernal Senate, he greatly resembled their ruler. There were even links to articles on the holonet pointing out how similar the imposter's facial structure was to Palpatine's mother. His Mother! Like the press could even comprehend what she looked like.

The imposter wore an arrogant smirk that made Sidious's blood boil. He appeared charming in all of the ways Palpatine knew to be idiotic. More focused on impressing people than actually winning them over permanently. A false facade of charisma built up by a clever con artist.

The worst of all of this, he was spreading nonsense. False stories passed off as truths. Fake news! The audacity of this fool. The audacity of Sidious's propaganda officials for not catching this ridiculousness and smothering it immediately. The sheer audaciousness of some senators when they asked him about the article baffled him. Rarely did anything leave him lost for words.

 _Oh yes… there will be bodies to bury. The imposter will die for this, first. Then perhaps a few senators that like asking too many questions._

There was also a nagging thought in Sidious's mind though. Any good liar, any artist of deception, even the lowliest of con artists and imposters knew that the best lies always contained grains of truth. Whoever this imposter was clearly did his research. He managed to deceive the masses with his physical appearance. Perhaps that was the grain of truth.

 _No, no one would dare do this unless they knew the truth._ Sidious sat up in his seat and moved a knobbly finger towards a button on his desk, _The real truth._

He pushed down on the button. A small chime sounded from the hologram generator on his desk. He waited for a moment, his impatience growing with each passing millisecond as the person he was attempting to contact failed to answer. With a growl, he was about to disconnect the call when someone finally answered.

Commander Cody's blue image appeared as a small, full body hologram on his table.

"Your excellency." The Commander said, bowing low at the waist.

"Commander," Sidious croaked, hiding his fury at his intended contact not being the one to answer, "Where is Morgan?"

Cody rose back to his full height, "She is currently preoccupied, milord."

Sidious narrowed his eyes. What in the Force could cause his apprentice to not immediately answer his call. The Dark Side churned around him, making the blinds in his office tremble as he barely contained his rage. His jaw clenched tight as he leaned forward in his seat, gaze boring into Cody. The old Clone Commander visibly gulped as the Emperor glared at him through the hologram.

"Preoccupied with what?"

* * *

Ragana's eyes glowed with delight. The corners of her mouth were curled back into a giddy grin. Finally, after so long, her ship had a name. She came up with it only a couple hours ago in a mania induced by making a breakthrough within her spellbook.

Her spellbook was one of the few things she possessed from a life she could not remember. Her only link to her past. So she studied it voraciously, tearing through and devouring the knowledge within like a starving survivor stumbling upon bread. Her mind soaked up the knowledge written in neat handwriting that was definitely not her own.

Within one of those moments of intense study, as her Star Destroyer lumbered over the surface of Kuat, she discovered a spell that positively thrilled her. So much so, that she decided it would be the perfect name for her ship.

Now, she could not just have the name etched onto the hull. In her opinion that would be far too boring. Every Imperial's Star Destroyer just had the name carved into the hull. She wanted something that was uniquely her. A symbol to unite her crew, and to warn her enemies of what was coming. Nothing could be better than the spell she discovered in her spellbook. One that spoke to her like an old friend.

"Thoron." She breathed, staring up as the final brushes of blue and yellow paint were placed onto a crackling lightning bolt on the Star Destroyer's hull.

A pleased smile crossed her face. Perfect, it looked absolutely perfect. She jabbed her elbow into Deathy One, who stood by her side as impassive as ever.

"Looks good right? Right?" She said, voice trembling with excitement. She hopped up and down, "Oh wait till the admiralty sees it!"

"The admiralty is going to hate it." A bored voice grumbled nearby.

Ragana's glee filled grin wavered. She slowly turned her head to look at the greatest thorn in her side that ever graced the halls of her ship. Inquisitor number eleven, Galen Marek, aka, according to the files she got one of her soldiers to hack into, Starkiller.

 _An absurd code name._ She thought folding her arms as he quietly approached her, a bored expression on his face. _He barely looks like he could kill a puppy. Let alone a star._

So far, she kept this Inquisitor assigned to her at arm's length. Mostly because she could feel her irritation grow whenever he was in her presence. The boy simply had no respect for her or her station within the Empire. She was the Emperor's apprentice, his ultimate weapon, his successor, if all went as she thought it would. Starkiller was simply a soldier. A special operations fighter meant for specific missions where he was told what to do and told not to ask any questions. A useful tool, but nothing more. Nothing special or grand. So the fact that he seemed bored with her drove Ragana nuts.

 _I'm not boring. I'm awesome! And he should know that._

Starkiller glanced up at the epic lightning bolt etched and painted into the hull of the star destroyer.

"A bit much in my opinion." Ragana's mouth fell open, utterly aghast that he would say such a thing, "Do you really need to do something like that in order to-"

He did not get another word out as the young Sith finally had enough. She allowed many of his snide, underhanded comments to slide, out of respect for her Master's decision. But to insult her taste in ship name and design was the last straw for Ragana. With a snarl, she gathered the force into her palm and shoved him with all of her strength across the massive platform the Star Destroyer hovered over.

He flew across the platform, right for a tanker laden with fuel for the many ships that docked in the Kuat Drive Yards.

 _I'll just tell Master it was an accident._

Right before he hit the tanker, he spun, using the force to propel his body away from the tanker. He flipped in the air, then deftly landed on his feet. A scowl rested on Starkiller's face as he glared back at Ragana.

Ragana blinked in surprise.

"Alright, so you are capable of doing that."

Starkiller grit his teeth and started to stalk towards her. The young Sith could feel rage emanating from the young teen in powerful waves. A sensation that made Ragana's lips widen in a broad smile.

Deathy One primed her blaster rifle, but Ragana quickly raised her hand.

"No need." She rolled her shoulders, feeling the muscles loosen up as she let her new lightsaber fall from her sleeve into the palm of her right hand, "I think it's time I measured just how strong our tagalong really is."

Her lightsaber thundered to life. A red glow passed over her dark coat. The scarlet glow shimmered in the golden trim of her coat, danced in the blazing light of her eyes, as excitement raced through her veins. Her heart hammered in her chest as a giddy laugh bubbled from her lips.

Starkiller did not stop storming forward. Instead, two lightsabers shot to his hands from his hips. His stalk broke into a sprint. A furious roar erupted from him as he ignited the blades and surged at Ragana, leaping through the air in order to strike at her from above.

Ragana grinned and raised her lightsaber while Deathy One quickly backed away. Starkiller landed hard, slamming both of his blades down on hers. Ragana's arms buzzed from the sheer force behind his strike. She grit her teeth, heels sliding along the slick, durasteel platform as Starkiller shoved down at her.

With a sharp cry, she jerked her body to the side, letting Starkiller's lightsabers slide off of hers and slam into the ground where she had been standing. With a quick flick of her wrist, she snapped her blade out, aiming to slash the tip of her crimson weapon along his upper back.

With shocking speed and agility, Starkiller blocked her strike. He twirled around, using his right blade to execute a savage chop at her left flank. Ragana beamed as their blades connected in a shower of sparks. Starkiller snarled across from her, twirling his other blade and quickly slashing it across her body.

Ragana bounced back, narrowly avoiding Starkiller's swipe. With her right hand, she used her lightsaber to block another quick attack from the enraged teen. With her left hand, she drew her spellbook. Using the force, she allowed her spell book to float directly behind her, letting the pages race from cover to cover until it landed on the spell she wanted.

A quick force push gave her some space. She snatched the spellbook from the air, deactivated her lightsaber, and spun around, lighting already charged in her sword hand.

Like a blaster bolt being shot from a blaster, the thunder spell rocketed through her deactivated blade, firing out like a laser directly at Starkiller. The Inquisitor's eyes widened in surprise, before he ducked to the side. The ground shook as the thunder spell hammered into the platform, exploding in a shower of sparks and static.

He rushed at her, blades held in a reverse grip. A style Ragana was unfamiliar with.

 _Oh, so we're going to play that way?_

She slipped her lightsaber onto her belt and smirked at Starkiller. Just as he closed the gap between them, Ragana allowed purple energy to ignite in her hand.

"Enjoy this Flux!" She snarled, aiming the purple ball of energy directly at Starkiller's abdomen.

An explosion of black and purple energy erupted from her palm, engulfing both her and Starkiller in a dense cloud of smoke.

Ragana smiled to herself as the smoke lingered around her. Was this really all this inquisitor was capable of? Her Master made it sound like this boy had great potential. Then again, potential means nothing unless it is realized.

 _And unfortunately for Galen Marek, he died long before he could-_

Twin bars of red light whirred in front of her face. Ragana sucked in a sharp breath and bent backwards, narrowly avoiding the lightsabers as they hummed over her chest and face. Before she could snap her body back upright, a boot plowed into her gut. She doubled over then felt the force slam into her, shooting her out of the smoke, across the platform, careening into a few weapons crates that were supposed to have already been loaded onto the _Thoron_.

Ragana shook her head, fighting off the sudden daze filling her as she reeled from the powerful blows. As she blinked stars from her eyes, a knot formed in her throat. Starkiller emerged from the smoke with one blade activated. The other rested on his belt. In his free hand, Ragana saw blue sparks dancing between his fingertips.

Most beings in the galaxy would see such a sight, with the intimidating glare on Starkillers' face, and immediately cower in fear. But Ragana had seen far worse. She had witnessed her Master, the powerful Darth Sidious, angry once before. A brat no older than her was not going to elicit any terror. In fact, she could only laugh as he approached her.

"Oh, that's cute." She chuckled gesturing at the lightning in his fingertips, "Did you figure that one out yesterday? Been practicing in your room?" She threw her head back again as he stopped stalking towards her, lips curling up in a furious snarl, "Galen, Galen, Galen," Ragana tsked, "Never challenge me with lighting." Blue and yellow sparks erupted in her free hand as the pages in her spellbook turned, "You'll only end up dead."

His eyes widened as a ball of blue lighting formed in Ragana's palm. A small core for her arc-thunder spell to wrap around. Through the force, she could feel his presence quiver for a split second as he second guessed his decision to challenge her at her strength. He may be better than her with a lightsaber, she came to that conclusion as soon as their blades crossed for the first time. He had more dexterity, agility, speed, and power behind his physical attacks. But the Force, and the magic within it, was her domain. Her talent in that area was why she was chosen by Darth Sidious to be his new apprentice.

Her lips curled back into a cruel smirk.

"Think my lightning is stupid now!?" She roared pointing the deadly ball of condensed electricity right at a slightly pale Starkiller.

"Lady Ragana!"

Her yellow eyes flicked to the side, where a small shuttle touched down. Commander Cody hopped out of it, a look of panic on his face as he rushed towards her.

"Can't you see I'm busy?" She hissed at him, nodding her head over at Starkiller, "I'm educating the petulant boy."

"You're not much older than me." Starkiller growled, taking a hesitant step forward.

"Ah, ah, ah!" Ragana let the ball of lightning pulse in her hand, "One step forward, and I'll send you to your maker without a second thought."

"Trust me, milady." Cody sighed, "I would not be bothering you in your free time if it was not important." He glanced back at the _Thoron_ , "Oh… that's the new name."

"You like it!?" Ragana beamed. Her smile quickly evaporated as she glanced over at Starkiller again, "He's being a party pooper about it."

"The lightning bolt is a nice touch." Cody nodded.

"Oh thank you. My brilliant idea there." Ragana flipped some of her black hair back, "See?" She jabbed her still lightning covered hand at Starkiller, "It's not a stupid name or idea!"

"There is such a thing as difference in opinion." He grumbled.

"Not on my ship!" Ragana shot back, "Tell him, Cody."

Cody let out a long suffering sigh, "I would love to, ma'am, but the Emperor is calling you."

Ragana blinked, "He is? Well why didn't you tell me right away!"

"I was-"

"You let the Puppy-killer distract me!"

"Puppy killer?"

"I mean really, Cody." Ragana dispelled her lightning and tapped his shoulder with the back of her hand, "Get your priorities straight." She glanced back over at Starkiller, "How about we try to kill each other later? Come, Deathy One."

Her Deathtrooper guard nodded and trailed after Ragana as she stepped onto the shuttle. Cody joined, keeping his hands folded behind his back as he remained rigid near her. Starkiller remained on the ground, probably to make sure all of the Ship's supplies were properly delivered and cataloged.

 _He may be boring, but at least he can be a little bit useful._ Ragana thought as the shuttle raced up to the _Thoron's_ main hangar.

When the shuttle touched down in the hangar, Ragana quickly stepped off and marched towards her quarters. The entire ship buzzed with activity as her crew made final preparations for take off. Their detour to the Kuat Drive Yards had been unscheduled, mostly because Ragana really wanted the paint job to be good. Only the best could work on her Star Destroyer. Since the Kuat Drive Yards produced most of the ships in the entire galaxy, she figured they were the best. Their work reflected that.

But right now, she could not admire her brilliant idea or the exceptional artistry of the ship builders on this world. Right now, her Master waited for her. That was never a good thing.

She stepped off of the turbolift and marched up to her quarters. Cody stepped off to the side of the lift, deciding it was best for him to wait outside. Deathy One snapped to attention beside her door as Ragana slipped into her personal quarters.

Her door hissed shut behind her. As soon as it closed, a wave of piercing cold slammed into her. Her Master's blue silhouette waited for her, standing atop a hologram pedestal in the corner of her quarters. A long frown rested beneath his deep hood as she approached. Ragana took a deep breath and kneeled before the Dark Lord of the Sith.

"Where were you?" He snarled before she could say a word.

The temptation to lie to her Master was tremendous. He probably would not appreciate her taking a detour just to add a paint job to her ship. But… he would know if she was lying. He always knew. He was always in her head, watching every thought, parsing it for specific details that would either please or enrage him. She knew how this dance worked. Now was not the time to be her usual, playful self. She needed to be reverent and truthful towards her Master.

"I wanted to paint my ship." She gave him a small smile, "I thought of a name for her too, finally."

Sidious's frown deepened. Ragana winced a little bit.

"Starkiller thinks it looks bad. I personally like it."

"You are not supposed to go wandering the galaxy doing whatever you want to your heart's content, Morgan." Sidious snarled, making her head snap back down. She swallowed hard as she felt his terrifying presence filled her room, "What progress have you made on tracking down Mace Windu?"

Ragana gulped, "None, Master." The cold hit her with an icy snap, "The Jedi has hidden himself well. I've tried searching through the force for his presence but…" She winced as she could feel his disappointment in her growing, "Master, I feel like something is both hiding him from me, and deliberately blocking my efforts."

Sidious's frustration with her subsided for a moment.

"Explain." He growled.

Ragana pursed her lips, "I'm not exactly sure how to explain it, Master. I tried to search for him once, and instead… someone else appeared in my room." She raised her gaze as she remained on one knee before her Master, "A girl with blue hair."

Her Master's presence surged in the room. It slammed into her mind, causing her to gasp in pain as he burrowed into her thoughts. Without a second thought, Ragana sagged, allowing her master to comb through her memories and thoughts without resistance. An act which pleased Sidious as the pain in her mind subsided.

In her mind, she saw the girl once more, seated across from her. One arm, blue hair, bright blue eyes, and a horrified expression on her face. One that caused a stab of pain to hit her heart for some reason. It still puzzled her. How did that girl know her name, her real name?

Sidious' presence left her mind, "Interesting…" He drew back, sinking into his chair within his office, "I appreciate you being so honest with me on this. We will discuss this… occurrence, in detail later. For now, I have a task for you."

Ragana's heart leaped, "Really!?" She hopped to her feet, "Oh please tell me! Tell me, tell me, tell me!"

"Patience." Sidious chided, silencing his young apprentice. Ragana quickly dropped back to a knee, giving her Master a sheepish smile. Sidious remained unamused, "The task I have for you is extremely delicate in nature. The nature of it must be kept the utmost secret. There is… a certain imposter posing as a family member of mine on Naboo."

"Aw, you care about your family that much?"

The cold returned, silencing Ragana, but not reducing her wry smirk.

"This imposter, must be found. Interrogate him. Find out how he learned of my family, and what his end goal is. Once those answers are uncovered, eliminate him. Am I clear?"

Ragana nodded, "Like crystal, Master."

"Good." Sidious nodded, "That is all."

His image flickered off. Once he disappeared, the cold in her room faded away. Ragana took a deep breath, a smile on her lips. She bounced to her feet and skipped to her door, forcing it open with a wave of her hand.

"Ragana?" Cody questioned as she burst out of her room.

"We have a new mission!" She cheered, waving for him and Deathy One to follow her. She tapped her wrist, opening up a comm link, "Bridge, this is Ragana. Set course for Naboo immediately. I will be up shortly."

"Naboo?" Cody remarked.

"Yeah." Ragana beamed as they boarded the turbolift, "We're going back." She leaned close to his ear, "Someone is posing as one of the Emperor's family, and he is not pleased."

"Ah." Cody nodded, "Capture and interrogate?"

"Oh most definitely." She shivered with excitement, "I can't wait!"

* * *

Of all of the places for an impostor of the Palpatine family to be, Ragana did not expect him to be at a seedy cantina in one of the less desirable parts of Naboo's capital city, Theed. The city was still recovering from the deposed Queen's failed rebellion. But from what Ragana could see, it was recovering remarkably well. As it should, considering it is the Emperor's home planet. Ragana knew her Master would spare no expense in order to make Naboo the Imperial model of a planet under the Moff system. Moff Panaka seemed to be doing well enough, although there were still areas that needed to be cleaned up.

 _Like this place._ Ragana thought as she kept her hood drawn over her head, keeping rain from drenching her head, as well as disguising her identity.

She decided to handle this situation as her master instructed her to, delicately. That meant no stormtroopers. Deathy One could not be by her side either. Cody certainly could not appear with her, as he was the public face of the destruction of Naboo's monarchy following the rebellion. One of the biggest reasons why he returned to active service under Ragana's command as well as received high praise from the admiralty was because of "his" swift destruction of the rebellion. The only person she could take, that she knew could handle something like this, despite her own annoyance with him, was Starkiller. After all, capturing and interrogating people discreetly, as an inquisitor, is what he was trained to do.

That being said, there was no way in hell she was letting him take the lead on this mission. As the door to the cantina hissed open, Ragana shoved her way inside first. She glanced back at Starkiller with an amused smirk as the teen followed her in.

"Do you have to be first in everything?" He grumbled under his breath as he drew up alongside her.

Ragana scanned the small cantina. The main bar area was quite cramped and already packed with Naboo citizens looking to drink the day's worries away. She noticed some off duty Naboo palace guards, soldiers Moff Panaka elected to keep in place as a symbol of good will towards the more traditional Naboo citizens. A smart play in Ragana's opinion. The group of guards were occupying a large, round booth in the far corner of the cantina.

The main bar was completely full, mostly with humans. Although, Ragana spotted a couple gungans milling about. Many humans gave them particularly nasty glances, but otherwise did not interact with them.

The rest of the patrons were working class folks. A few crewmen from various vessels docked at the spaceport not too far away from here. Lower class business men, service workers, the usual type of crowd that occupied a space like this on a world as privileged as Naboo. So it really caught her eye when she spotted, sitting in the furthest corner booth against the left wall, a group of wealthy individuals wearing rich clothing and drinking only the finest of wine. All of them were laughing and smiling. Enjoying themselves and their company. Sitting among them was the con artist Ragana was looking for.

"There." She nodded at Starkiller.

Starkiller rolled his shoulders and took a step forward, but Ragana reached out and stopped him.

"Hold on." She smiled, "How do you plan on getting him to talk?"

Starkiller shrugged, "I find fear to be a powerful motivator." He replied as Ragana beckoned for him to follow her to a high table at the center of the cantina. They both took a seat on tall stools. Ragana threw her hood back with a happy sigh, "You probably should keep that up." Starkiller continued.

"Why?" Ragana remarked, "I'll draw more attention if I have it up than if I don't. Naboo is not a place for people trying to hide themselves. So suspicious people in hoods," She gestured at Starkiller's still raised hood, "are bound to attract attention more than a cute girl such as myself."

Starkiller snorted, "Cute… that's funny."

"Screw you." Ragana teased, rested her elbows on the table, "You know I'm adorable."

Starkiller raised his brow, puzzled, as he drew back his hood, "What are you doing?"

"What do you mean, what am I doing?"

"You're acting strange."

Ragana leaned closer, "I'm always strange. But this time it is intentional." She said at a volume so low that only he could hear her, "No one is going to pay attention to a couple enjoying a night out, right?"

Starkiller coughed hard, "I-I'm sorry, what?"

"This is a delicate matter, Galen." She smiled, using his first name instead of his code name, "We can't just come in here, blades drawn ready to choke the life out of someone. Fear may be a good motivator, but in this instance, it would be a bad idea. We need to get information, not make an example. Torture can get you information, sure. But, will it be correct information? We don't know."

"For a small time con artist playing the part of an impostor, it should work well enough." Galen grunted before noticing a waitress droid zipping towards them.

" _Anything to drink, darlings?"_ The droid asked, grinding to a halt on its one wheel.

"Water." Galen muttered.

"What do you recommend?" Ragana asked with a smile.

" _The local favorite is Corellian brandy."_

"Oh yummy! We should share a bottle, right Galen?" She reached over and took his hand, making the Inquisitor freeze, "It's our anniversary." She told the droid, "Three months of dating!"

" _Congratulations. I'll return shortly with your drinks."_

"Thank you." Ragana waved as the droid sped away. Once it was gone, Starkiller yanked his hand from hers, "Aw… you don't like hand holding. That's not going to win ladies over."

"I don't care." Starkiller grumbled, "We're here on a mission. We are not here to have fun."

"We can have fun while on a mission. Hell, the mission itself is part of the fun." Ragana smirked back.

Starkiller rolled his eyes, "Whatever. We'll do it your way then." He glanced over his shoulder at the group of wealthy citizens surrounding the false Palpatine, "What is your plan anyways, if not simple interrogation?"

"There are other ways to interrogate other than fear and trauma. Some of them are way more fun." Ragana replied, crossing her legs and studying the group for a moment, "No girls with them. That is strange." As she said this, a woman with deathly pale skin emerged from the restrooms and sat down with the group, "Nevermind, that's very interesting."

"Why?"

"Dathomirian." Ragana replied.

Starkiller eyes widened a little bit, "You don't see one of those often anymore."

"Especially this far into the mid-rim." Ragana replied, "Let alone dressed all fancy like that." She furrowed her brow as the droid returned with a bottle of brandy, two glasses, and a glass of water for Starkiller. Ragana smiled as the droid opened the bottle and poured the glasses, "Thank you so much."

" _A pleasure to serve you."_

The droid sped away. Ragana plucked her glass and drank a small sip. She winced as the alcohol burned against her tongue then down her throat.

"Gah!" She coughed hard, "I wasn't expecting that."

"Never drank before?" Starkiller asked, eyeing his glass warily.

"I don't remember." Ragana smiled back. Starkiller gave her an uncertain look, "No, really, I don't remember. My memories go back oh… a year and a half now, just about. Woke up in Palps' palace without a clue about anything except my name. So you could say I'm relearning about life as I go."

She glanced past Galen at the con-artist again. The charming man stood up and adjusted his suit coat, buttoning it up as he stepped away from the main group. She noticed the Dathomirian eyeing the man carefully as he moved towards the front door, likely on his way to get some fresh air. It was a bit stuffy in the Cantina.

"She's watching him." Starkiller noted, as he kept the glass of brandy close to his lips.

"I noticed." Ragana nodded, "Very curious indeed." She tapped her fingers along her glass of brandy, "Methinks this is not a normal con. What about you?"

Starkiller arched an eyebrow, "Methinks?"

Ragana rolled her eyes, "You're no fun." She gulped down her glass of brandy, "Time to interrogate."

Starkiller moved to get up as she did, but Morgan raised a hand.

"Nope." She smirked, "Con artist is probably going to like me more than grumpy you." She spun her heel, "Enjoy the brandy for me, sweetie. I'm going to get some air."

Ragana could feel Starkiller's aura pulse with both annoyance and confusion as she sauntered towards the door. Pestering him was quickly becoming one of her favorite activities. He certainly was not like the other inquisitors, who merely irritated her with their presence.

The Seventh Sister was nothing more than the Dark Side's angry puppet, incapable of an independent thought that was not based solely on rage or cowardice. The Grand Inquisitor, while effective with his methods, looked down on her despite her clear authority over him. They both regularly ignored her orders, like during the Battle of Naboo when he decided to go after the Jedi instead of moving towards the palace like they all planned on doing. The only reason she had not killed the Pau'an or Mirialan yet was because her Master still had use of them and she did not want to cross her Master that badly. But she had been tempted to more than once. Especially after how they lied to her when she first met them.

A flash of anger shot through her as she recalled those poor prisoners slaughtered for nothing more than pleasure. It was such a waste. Violence could be fun, but unnecessary violence was just wrong and unfulfilling. That was why she was taking this different approach with the con artist. Sure, it would be easy for her to drag him out of the Cantina kicking and screaming. All she would have to do was wave a hand, call in some stormtroopers, and the man would be arrested and brought before her shivering with fear.

But… she couldn't bring herself to do that. Not just for the reasons her Master gave her, although that was at the forefront of her mind. Simply barging in and getting answers out of the Con-artist by force sounded boring to Ragana. A bored Ragana is a grumpy Ragana. Nobody wanted that, least of all herself.

The rain still fell in a light drizzle over Theed as she stepped out of the Cantina. The sun had nearly set, revealing bright stars and Naboo's three moons overhead. A few soft street lamps flickered to life. Their light glinted off of the puddles in the old roads of Theed. Off to the side of the cantina entry stood the con-artist, having a smoke.

 _So much for my fresh air theory._ She thought, yanking on her coat so she could shake droplets of water from it.

She took a deep breath and decided to start her interrogation.

"Hey, I know you." She blurted out, nodding over to the Con-Artist

He was a thin man. Tall and lanky, with black hair slicked back on his head, and sapphire eyes. Ragana took a hard look at him for a moment and nodded to herself.

 _Yeah, you could pass off as a young Palps._ She thought, _Then again, I've never seen what he looks like as a young man. Has anyone?_

The man gave her a charming smirk, "Well that doesn't surprise me. I've been all over the holonet recently." He brushed some of his hair from his forehead, "A bit of a circus for me, but-"

"Circuses can be fun." Ragana smirked back.

The Con-Artist chuckled, "That they can be. Um… Consinga Palpatine."

"Morgan." She smiled back, letting him take her hand and kiss it, "Such a charmer."

"Well, when one has my lineage, charm comes naturally."

"Does it?" She blinked, "Oh, right, you're related to the Emperor." She laughed sheepishly.

 _But if you were half as smart as you think you are you would not have gone with Consinga._

"Indeed." He grinned back, "But not just related to him. I am his child."

"Really!?" Ragana said, eyes genuinely widening at the mention of an Emperor's child.

 _Oh, Master… this is too good._

"Really." Consinga smiled back.

Ragana folded her hands behind her back and allowed a light blush to rush over her cheeks, "So, Consinga, what brings a nobleman such as yourself down here?"

Consinga's charming grin never wavered, "Well," He flicked his smoking device off and stuff it into his breast pocket, "I like being away from all the snobbery and falseness of high society. Down here, you get to see people at their most genuine," His eyes sparkled as he looked at her, "Their most beautiful."

 _Okay, you're better than I thought._

Ragana uttered a small laugh, "Beautiful? I guess if this is your idea of-"

"Well of course." Consinga interrupted, "What is more beautiful than the normal citizens of the empire? I find them to be far more interesting than the high society folk who only know how to schmooze and-"

"Ass kiss?" Ragana snickered.

That elicited a genuine laugh from 'Consigna', "Yes," He nodded, "Precisely. You are a very smart girl, you know that?"

"So I've been told." She said, creeping a little closer to his side. She shivered as some rainwater misted over her, "It's a little cold out here. Should we head back inside?"

Consigna smiled at her, "If that's what the lady desires." He gestured for her to go in first.

Ragana sauntered back into the cantina, with the Con-man following her. She immediately noticed Starkiller had moved to a seat at the bar. A smart play by him. It drew attention away from them pretending to be a couple and instead made it seem like the Emperor's son had seduced her away. A believable scenario for anyone foolish enough to fall for the Con-man's ruse.

He gestured for her to join him at his table. Several of his entourage scooted to the side as she slid into the booth. Consigna sat down next to her. Ragana again made herself appear like a blushing, stupefied, dumb girl as he flashed her another grin.

 _Keep thinking you're in control._

"So who are your friends?" She asked.

"Oh well…" She tuned him out a little bit as he rattled off a bunch of names she did not care about. Then he came to the one that actually intrigued her, "... and my pale friend over there; her name is Nenjashe."

"Nenjashe, a pleasure. My name is Morgan." Ragana nodded across at the Dathomirian. The pale woman returned her nod, but Ragana could feel the hesitation that came with it, "Tell me, how does a woman such as yourself wind up in the company of such a dashing man?" She asked, rubbed Consinga's shoulder lightly.

At the same time, she allowed the force to subtly leak out of her and spread throughout the booth. As she reached out, she felt another force presence flicker near her. Ragana's eyes brightened as she realized the Dathomirian woman was force sensitive. Her plan to simply coax answers out of her with the force was shelved. The woman was not weak willed in the least.

 _But Consinga is._

She refocused her efforts on the con-man, letting her will subtly grab hold of his mind as the Dathomirian opened her mouth to speak.

"Trading." Nenjashe said simply.

Ragana's grip on Consinga's mind tightened, but she pulled back when she noticed him flinch a little bit.

"N-nonsense Nenjashe." Consinga replied, "It's not just trading-"

 _Let it slip out._ Ragana thought, placing the suggestion into his mind.

"I mean, not many traders come from Dathomir, right?"

Nenjashe's eyes narrowed dangerously at the Con-man. Ragana felt him shift nervously beneath the woman's icy gaze.

"Dathomir?" Ragana breathed, looking surprised, "That's like… really far away. Not easy to get away from either, from what I hear."

"Oh you are quite right." Consinga continued as Ragana prodded his mind into opening up, "Dathomir is a world shrouded in mystery and darkness. It's rare to find a Dathomirian beyond its atmosphere. Especially a female."

"Why's that?"

"Well the-"

The Dathomirian woman rose from her seat, "Consinga, I think you might have had too much to drink."

Consinga drew back, "I don't think I have. I'm just enjoying the company of a beautiful woman." He smiled at Morgan then sighed, "But… if you believe it is best for us to leave, then we shall. Morgan, do you wish to accompany me?"

"Consinga-"

"I would love to, Consinga." Ragana smiled, rising with him and stepping out of the booth.

She smirked at Nenjashe's clearly upset visage. Now she knew who was the brains behind this con. If Consinga had any sort of intelligence, he would have made certain to figure out Ragana's intentions as well as learn more about her. Instead, he was deceived by a pretty face.

 _But why would Nenjashe want to do this?_

As the three of them exited the Cantina, Ragana sensed Starkiller following them from a safe distance. The teen kept to the shadows along the road, but his presence allowed Ragana a sense of confidence in her plan. If it went south, then he would come in with his lightsabers ignited. That is the last thing she wanted to have happen, but if necessary, she would allow it.

"So Nenjashe," Ragana glanced over at the grumpy Dathomirian, "What do you trade?"

Oh, that question stumped her. Nenjashe was not prepared for any direct questions. Ragana could sense small amounts of panic and worry forming in the Dathomirian as she scrambled to figure out an answer to Ragana's question. Consinga appeared to be the one with those answers, but he answered to her. And he was not prepared for such a direct question either.

 _A nice little conspiracy is forming._ Ragana thought as she hung onto Consinga's arm, _Someone wants to tarnish the Emperor's reputation._

They rounded a corner and entered an alleyway. As they walked, Nenjasha sped up ahead of them then spun around, drawing a blaster and pointing it directly at Ragana.

"Whoa! Nenjashe, what are you doing!?" Consinga cried.

Ragana pretended to be afraid for a moment, allowing Consinga to put himself between the blaster and her.

"She's not who she says she is, Consinga. She is an assassin sent to kill-"

Ragana started to chuckle, "An assassin, really?" Ragana shook her head, folding her arms into her coat as she spoke, "If I was an assassin why would I bother getting close to Consinga? Wouldn't it be easier for me to just… oh I don't know, hit him from afar?"

A red lightsaber whirred through the air, slicing through Nenjashe's hand. The Dathomirian screamed as she crumpled to her knees. Her blaster clattered to the soaked ground as she curled her body around her wound.

"Morgan-"

Consinga stopped talking as Starkiller emerged from the shadows in front of them, one of his blades drawn. His hood rested over his head, concealing his face in deep shadow.

"Looks like my way works better." Starkiller smirked at Ragana.

"On the contrary," Ragana hummed as Consinga froze in next to her, "Your way would have allowed her to escape without me learning that she's the brains behind all of this." She pointed at Nenjashe, "Isn't that right, Consinga?"

Fear washed over the Con-man's face, "I-I have no idea what you are-"

"Oh don't start with that. We can do this the easy, pain free way, or the hard way." Ragana interrupted, "You're not the ill actor in this entire situation, so I'd much rather not hurt you. Tell my friend who the brains behind your scheme is."

Consinga swallowed hard as Starkiller took a menacing step forward.

"She is!" He cried, pointing at Nenjashe, "It was all her idea. She came to me. I was satisfied with pulling simple cons, but she told me that there were a lot of credits for this job." Panic rose in his voice, "I knew I should not have-"

"Very good. Thank you, Consinga." Ragana cut him off, taking a step towards the terrified man and leaning close to his ear, "I would suggest for you to run but…"

The blaster pistol rose from the ground. One blaster bolt shrieked out of it as Ragana used the force to pull the trigger. The bolt slammed into Consinga's chest. A sharp gasp rushed from the imposter's lips. He stumbled back a step, gave Ragana a betrayed look, then fell backwards, dead in the alley.

"That was easy." Ragana shrugged. She spun around, "Now," She took a few steps towards Nenjashe, "I am very, very curious," She crouched in front of the Dathomirian woman, "about you. Tell me what I want to know."

A wad of spit smacked into Ragana's face. Ragana grimaced, reached up, and wiped it away.

"So that's how it is going to be?"

The Dark Side roared around her. Ragana flung Nenjashe across the alley with the force, slamming her against a building so hard that the stones cracked behind her. A sharp cry rushed from Nenjashe's lips as fear filled her eyes.

"Now," Ragana paced up to her, keeping her pinned against the wall with the force. The Dathomirian's legs dangled in the air as she was held aloft, "Normally, I'm kind of a nice, understanding person. I mean, I did not want to kill Consingna, or whatever his name really was. But, my Master told me I had to, and well, you don't disobey the Emperor of the galaxy." The Woman's eyes widened further, "And you certainly don't impersonate his kid. Hell, I didn't even know he had a kid. So," Ragana assaulted the woman's mind, "where did you get that _brilliant_ idea from?"

The Dark Side slammed into the woman's mind like an unwieldy sledgehammer. A ragged gasp came from Nenjashe as she writhed against the wall. Ragana could feel obscene amounts of pain ripping through the woman's mind, and she relished in it for a moment longer as she attacked her thoughts.

A brick wall emerged in the woman's mind, blocking Ragana from going further. Ragana tilted her head, puzzled and curious. She allowed the force to release its grip on Nenjashe, who fell hard onto the stone road below.

"That's… even more interesting." Ragana worked her jaw back and forth, "Starkiller?"

"Yeah?"

"How common are force sensitive Dathomirians?"

Starkiller furrowed his brow, "I'm not sure."

Ragana nodded, "I see. I bet we know someone who does know."

"The Commander?"

"Absolutely." She stooped over a whimpering Nenjashe, "Hear that? You're gonna meet Cody! He's wonderful, really. But you won't be able to enjoy him for long. He does have a ship to run. So sadly for you, I'm going to be your primary… hm… what would you call me, Starkiller?"

"A childish pest."

Ragana narrowed her eyes at him, "I'm gonna let that one slide for now. Eh, whatever, it doesn't matter what you call me. Because, by the time I'm done with you, your mind," Ragana tapped Nenjashe's forehead, "is going to be nothing but mush. Sounds good?"

"Please," Nenjashe pleaded, "Please don't kill me."

"Did I say anything about killing? No, no, no. My Master wanted me to kill him." Ragana gestured back at the Con-man's dead body, "He said nothing about killing accomplices. Although, because you not only threatened me, but spat in my face, you are going to wish I killed you."

Her fist slammed into Nenjashe's temple, knocking her out. Ragana huffed and backed up.

"You can carry her." She told Starkiller as she turned to march back to the spaceport, where her shuttle waited for them.

"Why can't you carry her?" Starkiller grumbled.

"Because I'm a lady, and you are a gentleman." Ragana smirked back.

Starkiller scowled as he watched her tip toe over Consinga's body, then march away from the alley with a hop in her step. A heavy sigh left his lips before he raised his hand and used the force to pull the Dathomirian over to him. He slung her unconscious body over his shoulder and followed Ragana.

"Hurry up, Starkiller! We've got places to be, torturing to do!" She called back.

"I'm coming!" He shouted back. He adjusted Nenjashe over his shoulder, "You kriffing pest."

He cast one glance back at the dead body of the Emperor's "son". The Emperor's propaganda arm will quickly work to discredit any notion of that fool actually being related to the Emperor. There will be an initial panic upon finding Palpatine's "son" murdered in the streets of Theed, but Imperial intelligence will work out the problems with that. Right now, even though he would not admit it, he was curious as to where Ragana was going with this mission. Their only parameters were to find, interrogate, then eliminate the impostor. So why was she so interested in this Dathomirian?

The spaceport loomed in front of both of them. Soon, they made their way to the docking bay where an Imperial Shuttle waited for them. Deathy One waited at the bottom of the ramp. The Deathtrooper snapped to attention as Ragana and Starkiller passed him, then he followed both of them inside. Once in the shuttle, Ragana grabbed a comm link and turned it on.

" _Lady Ragana?"_ Commander Cody answered.

"Cody, prepare a cell. We're going to be having a guest."

" _Yes ma'am."_

Ragana turned her comm off and sank down into a chair near the cockpit of the shuttle. She glanced over at Starkiller, then her eyes fell on the Dathomirian lying unconscious on the floor.

Starkiller shifted in his seat as he saw her blazing eyes gleam excitedly. The pest was concocting something in that childish mind of hers. Something that made her more excited than a mission, or painting her ship, or even training. But what?"

The shuttle launched from the spaceport. Starkiller glanced out of the window up to the Star Destroyer waiting above Naboo's surface.

 _Time to find out._

 **And chapter! A little Morgan side story time! She is going to have an extremely big role to play in the next major arc of this story, so I need to develop her and her fall a little more. Honestly, she is way too much fun to write. Such an erratic character is far outside what most of the characters in this story are like, so it makes it both a challenge and a thrill to do. I am pulling from legends material for this story. So for those of you theorizing about what might be going on, there's your little hint. We'll have one more chapter of this small side story before we either go to our Falcon crew or back to the Shepherds, we'll see what happens. Anyone who can guess what's coming gets a prize.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed it! Have a nice day!**

 **Come join the Treehouse! Discord code is: 9XG3U7a**


	125. The Crone of the Coven

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 125

The Crone of the Coven

Cody kept his hands folded behind his back as he stood on the bridge of the now christened _Thoron_. A name that still puzzled him, but it obviously held some meaning to the Star Destoyer's commanding officer, Lady Ragana. It hovered over the planet of Naboo, an ever watchful presence along with a trio of other Star Destroyers assigned to the planet.

Moff Panaka was still consolidating power for the Empire on the surface. It would take time to root out any remaining rebels and royal loyalists in the jungle and swamp covered world. Part of the Clone Commander wanted to be a part of the mop up. Going from door to door, street to street, city to city and town to town, engaging what remained of the Naboo rebellion. Operations like that reminded him of the glory days. Of the days where he was a soldier, fighting what he believed to be the good fight.

 _Then the Jedi betrayed us._ He thought bitterly, _Betrayed the Republic. Betrayed the Chancellor._

Maybe the Separatists were correct, in a way? Maybe Dooku, even though he was a murderer responsible for the untold number of deaths in the war, had a point about the Jedi when he left their order?

 _Does it matter now?_ He thought, looking out the Bridge's main viewscreen down onto Naboo's green surface, _Neither exist anymore._

The Empire swallowed both whole, the Confederacy and the Republic. Chancellor Palpatine assumed the mantle of Emperor, and moved to shape the galaxy in his image. An image of peace and prosperity, something he had been fighting for since his first days in the high office during the last days of the Republic. Cody had no doubt the Chancellor could accomplish those goals. He was the one who defeated the Separatists. He was the one who destroyed the Jedi Order. Cody's loyalty was to him, and to those who served him. The Emperor's word was law. His orders were absolute. Cody was bound to follow them. After all-

 _Good soldiers follow orders._

Even if those orders involved staying away from the front lines when rebels wanted to end the peace that everyone craved at the end of the Clone Wars, Cody followed them. Like a good soldier.

He took a deep breath, wondering what their next orders were going to be. Ragana and Starkiller returned not long ago with a prisoner from the surface. A Dathomirian woman, missing a hand due to obvious contact with a lightsaber. Ragana immediately ordered her to be locked away in the brig, then she went to her room to freshen up. Cody was unsure of what she was up to now.

Starkiller, meanwhile, went down to engineering. The young man liked to fill his time with tinkering. Nothing Cody objected to. In his experience, force sensitives liked to tinker. Knowledge that led him to ask the question: what in the world did Ragana do in her spare time?

He knew Ragana was an avid reader. Whenever he dropped by her quarters, her nose was in that archaic book of hers, studying some strange part of the text. He could hardly understand the scribblings within it whenever he caught a peak at the yellowed pages. He also knew she would study that thing she kept on a pedestal in her room, the holocron. He knew when she was busy studying that, because her chambers would be locked down tight. No visitors, no messages, nothing was allowed to disturb her unless it was absolutely urgent. He had seen her when angered, which made him feel inclined to follow that command.

But beyond constant study, what did she do? Cody liked to know his commanding officers. It helped him better work with them. During the War, he was close friends with his Jedi General, Obi Wan Kenobi. They trusted each other, and had each other's backs. They knew how the other thought in any given situation. That knowledge allowed both of them to form one of the most effective clone legions in the entire war; taking fewer casualties than almost any other unit while achieving tremendous victories under difficult odds.

He could feel that kind of relationship beginning to form with Ragana, but at the same time, there was something distinctly different about it. He knew Ragana was extremely intelligent. But there was a childishness to her. A distinct lack of maturity that gave him pause. She almost treated running the ship, the crew on it, and missions, like a game. A fun event for her to test out her powers. It made Cody feel like she did not take her responsibilities seriously, something he never questioned Obi Wan Kenobi of doing.

 _Then again, Ragana is a child._ He thought as his mind drifted back to when he was first informed that she would be his commanding officer. He expected someone a little taller, obviously. He did not expect a teenage girl with hardly a memory in her head. _She's learning about the universe while being put in command in the process. A dangerous combination._

He witnessed that combination once before, albeit in a person with a couple more years on Ragana. Anakin Skywalker possessed that same childlike wonder, recklessness, and immaturity when Cody first met him at the start of the Clone Wars. Thankfully, General Skywalker also had Obi Wan Kenobi as a guiding force for him. He blossomed into an incredible battlefield commander and leader of men. Unfortunately, Ragana did not have that steady, firm mentor to guide her. She had the Emperor, who while great, was often distant.

 _And she has me._ Cody took a deep breath, _When did I become a parent?_

"Lieutenant." He barked over at a young human officer near the helmsman, "The bridge is yours for now. Inform me of anything important. I'm going to go speak with Ragana."

"Yes, sir."

Cody turned and strode out of the bridge. As he made his way to the turbolift, he passed by several stormtroopers who saluted him as he passed by. He saluted back, feeling his chest puff out a little bit at the feeling of being respected like that again. When the Clone Wars ended, he had been relegated to training and educating the new Stormtrooper corps. A job he loathed. He was a soldier, not a teacher. He was bred to fight, not train incompetant fools who thought they were superior to him just because they had unique genetics.

Then the Naboo Insurrection happened, and he led them all to victory. Well, Ragana had a massive hand in that, but she dealt with the Jedi insurgents. She left him to take the city of Theed. Trusted him and his strategy to prevail. Trust that Cody appreciated and rewarded with a resounding victory that the Emperor himself applauded him for. Ever since, each soldier aboard the _Thoron_ looked at him with admiration and respect.

 _Just like the old days._

He entered the lift and pressed the button to ascend up to Ragana's quarters. Within a few short seconds, the lift doors opened again and he stepped out. As he approached Ragana's door, he hesitated. Normally, the air on this level of the ship was always freezing. But right now, it was not. It felt like the rest of the ship. A peculiar development. Cody figured Ragana liked to have her space colder, she always wore that strange coat after all.

 _I wonder where she got it from?_

He raised a hand to tap on her door. Before he could knock, it hissed open.

 _Not locked?_

He poked his head inside. Her quarters were empty. The bed was neatly made. Everything seemed in its proper place except for two things. Her holocron and her book were missing.

Cody furrowed his brow and stepped away from her door.

 _Where did she go?_

He returned to the lift and pressed the button to take him down to engineering. If there was one person on this ship who might know where she ran off to, it would be Starkiller. He and Ragana had a strange relationship. They were both hostile towards each other, but they also understood that they had to work together, per the Emperor's instructions. Starkiller blatantly antagonized Ragana at every turn, even referring to her by her old name instead of the one she preferred. A mistake few made more than once. Ragana even tried to punish Starkiller for that, and for disliking her choice of name for the Star Destroyer. Unlike everyone else, Starkiller held his own.

 _She still does not like him._ Cody mused to himself as the lift slowly came to a stop, _But she had him help her on her latest mission. So at the very least, she respects him._

The lift doors opened. Cody entered the engineering section of the ship. The engineers in their light gray uniforms and open faced helmets milled around the massive space, performing their various duties. Monitoring the ship's engines and vital systems. Making any necessary calibrations and recalibrations. A bunch of complex stuff that a simple soldier like Cody did not want to try and understand.

Starkiller sat off to the side, at a table filled with scraps of junk and pulled apart wires. The teen's focus centered entirely on a droid that lay across the table. A strange thing that Cody had never seen before. It was thin and lanky, lacking armor and mostly assembled with cords and thick wires. Cody arched an eyebrow as he approached Starkiller and watched him work.

"I call him Proxy." Starkiller breathed, sensing Cody behind him, "He's nowhere near done yet. But when he's done, he will be my training droid."

Cody sniffed, "Can't the Inquisitors provide you with a training droid?"

Starkiller glanced back at Cody, "Yeah. But I beat them all already, so why would I use those?"

Cody nodded, "Now it makes more sense. But won't you know how this droid will fight you?"

"Not once I program him." Starkiller murmured as he placed the parts he was working on by the droid's side, "I plan on making him the perfect training tool. But… that's going to take some time."

Cody snorted and shook his head, "You force users, always tinkering."

Starkiller frowned back at Cody. But when the Clone did not flinch, the young teen simply shrugged.

"It keeps me focused."

Cody hummed in understanding.

"What do you want?" Starkiller finally asked, spinning around in his stool to face the Clone, "I doubt you came down here for idle chit chat."

Cody smiled wryly, "Not wrong there. Where's Ragana?"

"Who?" Starkiller replied, spinning back around in his chair in order to return to his work.

Cody uttered a weary sigh.

"Everyone on this ship needs to understand that her name is Morgan. Until the Emperor says otherwise, that is how I'm going to refer to her." Starkiller clarified.

"She'll probably kill you for that stance."

Starkiller snorted, "She's already tried. And did she?" He shook his head, "I'll take my chances."

"You just live to antagonize her, don't you?"

"And you live to serve her, instead of the Emperor." Cody narrowed his eyes as the boy kept his back turned to him, "Don't say otherwise. We both know you would be lying. Your devotion to her is apparent since it was her that gave you the life you love back."

Cody clenched his jaw tight, "Bold words for you."

"Maybe? But am I wrong?" Starkiller wondered out loud, "If you really want to know where she is, check the brig. She has a prisoner there after all."

Cody drew back. Why did he not think of that? He tapped the side of his head and sighed.

"Have a good day, Commander." Starkiller muttered, knowing he was about to leave.

Cody shook his head as he strode out of engineering. His annoyance partly due to his own error in forgetting there was a prisoner on board, and partly due to Starkiller's attitude. Regardless of personalities, beliefs, origins, even species, the crew on this ship had to function as one unit to succeed. Neither Starkiller nor Ragana seemed to understand that since they liked to be at each other's throats.

 _When did I become a parent to two teenagers?_ He thought wearily as he entered the lift and hit the button to take him to the brig.

As soon as the doors opened on the lift, once he hit the brig level of the ship, a wave of intense cold slammed into Cody. He felt goosebumps form on his skin as he stepped off the lift and into the ship's small prison. The lone officer leading this guard shift nodded at him, his face pale with fear. Cody furrowed his brow.

"Ragana?" He asked.

The officer swallowed hard and jabbed a thumb down the short corridor, "Last cell on the right. I-I have no idea what she is doing but-" He shivered, "It wasn't this cold earlier."

Cody nodded, "She likes a chill in the air, that much I have noticed."

 _But this is much colder than normal._

In fact, the chill in the air made him feel uneasy. He clenched and unclenched his hands as he moved down the hall, doing his best to maintain the facade of a hardened soldier. This was not the first time he had faced down a feeling like this in his life. Whenever General Kenobi and General Skywalker faced off against Count Dooku, he felt this same intense cold. It never perturbed them, so it should not disturb him.

In his gut though, he knew this cold had to be coming from Ragana. So in the end, it did give him some pause. A young girl like her should not be able to generate power that rivaled Count Dooku.

His throat bobbed as he reached the final cell on the right. He hesitated a split second as he reached out to open the cell door. The cold slashed into his hand like a sharp knife, making his fingers go numb. He grit his teeth, shaking off his mild trepidation, and opened the door.

It was pitch black inside the cell. His eyes narrowed as he tried to make out any sliver of light within. His breath misted in front of his face as the cold started to rival the many ice worlds he had been to in his life. But he had never been in this kind of inky darkness before. It was as if something was making the shadows deeper, the darkness more complete.

Finally, a red glow filled his vision as he heard small bits of metal sliding against each other. In that red glow, he saw Ragana, kneeling at the center of the cell, facing away from him. Her head was bowed in the darkness. Her form silhouetted by the crimson glow generated by the holocron floating in front of her face. The corners of the holocron twisted away, allowing the sides to unfold like a small puzzle.

As it unfolded, a voice entered Cody's mind. A quiet, small whisper in the back of his thoughts. So soft that he hardly even noticed it was there until he really focused on it. He could not understand what it was saying as it whispered to him in a harsh, hissing language that made his skin crawl. The cold within the cell intensified as the holocron unfolded entirely and floated up to

Ragana's eye level. She lifted her head, eyes closed as she soaked in the power exuded by the artifact.

As she raised her gaze, Cody did as well. His heart jumped to his throat as he saw the Dathomrian woman pinned to the far wall by an invisible force. The woman was completely rigid, eyes wide, lungs heaving as she struggled to catch her breath. A low, pained groan emanated from the pale woman as she struggled to free herself from her invisible chains. All of her efforts futile as the Force tightened its grip on her.

Ragana took a deep breath, a smile crossing her lips as she cracked her eyes open.

"Now then… you will talk." She told the Dathomirian, commanding the woman to obey.

Cody remained completely silent as the woman whimpered against the wall. Her legs kicked ever so slightly in the air, only to pinned down hard against the durasteel cell once more. Cody heard bones snap as her legs twisted funny.

"Did I say you could move?" Ragana asked, still kneeling on the floor. She lowered her gaze at the woman, yellow eyes blazing in the darkness. Illuminated by the red glow of the holocron, "Move again, and I will break more bones. The worst part for you, is that I am in your head. I will not let you lose consciousness."

"Please…" The Dathomirian pleaded, her terrified eyes glued to Ragana.

"Please?" Ragana clicked her tongue, "You should have known this would happen as soon as you decided to be uncooperative. I mean…" She rose to her feet, holocron rising with her and remaining at eye level, "You spat in my face." Cody cringed, "Why would I reward such rudeness by being merciful?"

"I-I'll tell you anything!" The Dathomirian screamed, eyes wide and fear filled. Like a wounded animal knowing that it was within the grasp of an apex predator, "Just make it stop! The voices, the pain- enough!"

Ragana swept up to her, getting close to her ear. A smirk rested on her lips.

"I'll say when it is enough." She whispered before backing away, a light chuckle jumping from her lungs.

Her yellow eyes noticed Cody for the first time, and her smirk widened into a grin. She did not mind him being here at all. In fact, she was relishing in his own fear and uncertainty. She spun back around to face the Dathomirian.

"Do you know who I am, Nenjashe?" She asked, "I mean, our minds are a bit linked right now and you are force sensitive. If you are half as capable as you should be, then you should be able to take a very good educated guess."

Ragged breaths rushed from the Dathomirian.

"You're a Sith." She rasped, "You work for _him._ "

Ragana smiled as the Dathomirian's voice turned venomous.

"There it is." Ragana wagged a finger, "Anger, hatred even. Oh you really do have a connection to the force. Your mind rippled as soon as you thought of my Master. But… I doubt he had any contact with you. You're far too low on the food chain for him to care about."

"He wiped out my sisters." She snarled back, regaining some courage as Ragana allowed her grip on the woman's mind to ease ever so slightly.

"Sisters? So this is revenge for your family?" Ragana frowned, "An odd way to go about it. Most people would just hire an assassin."

"You of all people…" The Dathomirian winced in pain as she writhed against the wall, Ragana's grip on her mind tightening once more, "Should know that won't work."

Ragana snorted, "Well, I haven't tried to kill my Master, if that is what you are implying. That's a stupid thing to do at the moment. I wouldn't last a second against him. So what makes you think you could take him down? Hm? What in that oh so stupid mind of yours made you think that challenging the Emperor of the galaxy in any way, shape, or form, was a smart idea?"

Nenjashe croaked out a pain filled noise, "Mother told me- argh!"

"Yes?" Ragana smiled, tightening her grip and diving into the woman's thoughts full force, "Go on? Just say what you need to say, and the pain will go away." Ragana blinked, "Oh that rhymes!"

Nenjashe uttered a shrill scream as her head snapped back against the wall.

"Ragana, maybe you should-"

"Hush, Cody." Ragana cut him off, "I know what I am doing."

Cody grimaced as he heard the woman utter another pain riddled screech.

"Oh, don't be so dramatic!" Ragana complained, slamming the woman harder against the durasteel wall, "You're acting like I'm peeling your skin off. And to be honest… gross."

This time Ragana jumped when she screamed again.

"That's an impressive set of lungs."

"Ease up a little bit, Ragana. Otherwise, she won't be able to say anything."

Ragana rolled her eyes at Cody, "I don't need her to say anything, just think it."

"Well she currently can't think of anything other than pain." Cody pointed out harshly, "You want information," He nodded at the Dathomirian, "She needs to be coherent enough to give it."

Ragana pressed her lips into a thin line as she folded her arms over her chest. Her fingers danced along her forearms as she pondered Cody's advice for a moment. A begrudging sound left her lips as the holocron hovered down to the floor. With a snap of her fingers, the Dathomirian fell unceremoniously to the floor.

Air heaved in and out of the woman's lungs as she crawled a few steps away from the wall. Harsh coughs wracked her throat, making Ragana frown.

"Geez, for a force adept, you're weak. I was barely putting any pressure on you at all." She crouched down in front of Nenjashe, yellow eyes gleaming, "You can thank Cody once you give me what I want." Nenjashe looked at Ragana, some defiance still in her eyes. Ragana tsked, "Just so you know, defy me, and it's back up against the wall for you." Her eyes narrowed, "Only this time, my compassionate commander won't stop me."

Nenjashe paled even further, eyes widening in fear.

"If I say anything, I'll be dead. Either by your hand, or by mother's."

Ragana frowned, "I thought mothers were supposed to care for their children."

Nenjashe uttered an amused laugh that sounded more like a pain filled wheeze. Her gaze shakily rose up to meet Ragana's.

"You know nothing about us… that will be your undoing, Morgan." She snarled.

Cody sighed and closed his eyes as cold fangs grabbed everything and everyone in the cell. He could see the red glow of the holocron through his closed eyes. With a final sigh, he turned and stepped out of the cell. Content with not seeing what was going to happen next.

As soon as the cell door shut behind him, he heard the Dathomirian shriek so loudly her voice turned hoarse. The hairs on his arms stood on end as static filled the air. Cody gulped as he knew what that meant. Ragana was done playing with her food.

The scent of burnt flesh hit his nose, making him grimace. The pungent odor grew worse when he heard the cell door hiss open once more.

Ragana marched out, fury in her eyes.

"I really wish she wouldn't have done that." She muttered, turning down the corridor so she could leave the brig. Cody did not dare look back into the cell. The smell alone was enough for him to know the Dathomirian's fate.

"Did you get anything?" Cody asked.

Ragana snarled lowly, "She was shockingly resistant, hence the pain she was in." She snapped her fingers at the two stormtroopers and officer guarding the brig, "Clean up the cell, please. You might want to wear gloves."

The officer blanched, but knew better than to say anything. He swallowed hard, nodded, then motioned for the Stormtroopers to check it out while Ragana tapped the button to call the lift. When the lift arrived, she and Cody stepped on.

Cody breathed a sigh of relief as the lift zipped up towards Ragana's quarters, leaving the smell of cooked flesh behind. That was an odor, even after years of war, that he would never get used to. Something about it made his stomach flip every time.

"So…" Ragana started, nodding her head as the lift ascended swiftly away from the brig, "What did you make of her?"

Cody arched an eyebrow.

"How force sensitive are Dahtomirians, in your experience?" Ragana clarified as the lift slowly came to a stop.

"They are all force sensitive." Cody replied as they both stepped off the lift once the doors opened.

Ragana froze in front of her door, jaw falling open at Cody's revelation.

"You're kidding me?"

Cody shook his head, "Not at all," He opened Ragana's door for her, allowing the stunned girl to enter her room first, "A regular foe of General Kenobi's was a Dathomirian as well by the name of Ventress."

Ragana narrowed her eyes, "Ventress… Ventress… oh her!"

Cody drew back as the door closed, "You mean you-"

Ragana nodded, "She and I teamed up briefly while you weren't looking. A bit of a grouch in my opinion. Kinda glad she just skipped off on us when we failed to catch the Millennium Falcon." Ragana scowled, "That still ruffles my feathers. We had that ship dead to rights." She shook her head as she walked across the room and gingerly returned the holocron to its pedestal near the viewport, "So, by sisters, did she mean her entire species?"

"Not likely." Cody replied, "The Dathomirians divided their planet among different clans, so to speak. Each clan was known as Nightsisters. The most prominent during the last days of the Republic was led by a woman named Mother Talzin."

"Oh… that explains that weird mother bit." Ragana nodded, shrugging off her coat for the first time ever around Cody. She tossed it onto her bed and rolled her shoulders, "So, this Mother Talzin-"

"Is dead." Cody replied, "Been dead for some time now."

Ragana blinked, "Hm…" She sat down on her cot, arms folded as she furrowed her brow, "So who's the new mommy?"

Cody raised his brow, "New mommy?"

"Yeah. A vacuum, especially a power vacuum, needs to be filled at some point, right? Talzin's dead, so someone had to move in and gather up all the little stragglers left in the wake of her death, Nenjashe being one of them." She rubbed her chin, "I'm thinking it's time we paid a trip to Dathomir. Tell me, how's the weather this time of year?"

Cody snorted out a laugh.

"You'll love it."

"Really?"

Cody nodded, "There are plenty of lightning storms."

Ragana's eyes lit up and a giddy squee slipped from her lips, making Cody rolled his eyes.

"Please never do that around anyone else."

Ragana uttered a haughty laugh.

"I do what I want!"

* * *

The _Thoron_ burst out of hyperspace, but Ragana hardly felt her magnificent ship lurch in the slightest as she stood on the bridge, facing the viewports. As soon as the streaks of light that engulfed the Star Destroyer in hyperspace disappeared, a planet boomed into existence. An enormous ruby gem suspended in the stars. It's scarlet glow a result of the red star the planet orbited. Ragana noticed thick mists swirling through the atmosphere, disguising most of the planetary surface in a red fog where occasional bursts of lightning lit up the skies. All of this intrigued her, but what caught her full attention was the aura around this planet.

The Dark Side of the Force was strong here. Powerful, far more than most other planets. Ragana closed her eyes and inhaled deep. She dipped a toe into the still waters of the force. As soon as she touched it, ice shot through her veins. The Dark Side was not a furious beast here. It was controlled, tamed, and deadly. Barely controlled, but still reined in.

A curious feeling for her. It was a stark contrast to the feeling she had when she visited the only other planet she could compare Dathomir to, Moraband. The ancient birthplace of the Sith felt like a dark shadow, swirling with untapped energy. One brush with the force there, and the Dark Side ran wild, as if it had been slumbering only to be shaken awake and, in its fury, it lashed out. Instead of lashing out at Ragana, Dathomir seemed to carefully observe her. It let her brush through the force's waters, but it also kept its true secrets well hidden.

 _I need to get down there._ She thought, slowly opening her eyes.

She spun on her heel and quickly made her way to the lift. Once she was on the lift, she hit the button for the main hangar. She rocked back and forth on her heels, waiting impatiently for the lift to take her to the belly of the _Thoron._

" _Child…"_

Ragana stopped rocking on her tippy toes. Her burning eyes flicked back and forth inside of the lift. She then glanced up at the ceiling, then down at the comm link wrapped around her wrist. She tapped it with two of her fingers, eyes narrowing as she waited to hear static from another comm.

Nothing.

 _Strange._

" _Come…"_

She twirled around as the lift came to a slow stop. The doors hissed open behind her as she looked at the empty space behind her.

"You know the door opens the other way, right?"

Ragana's lips dropped into a long scowl.

 _Stupid voices._ She thought, spinning on her heel and marching out of the lift, nearly bumping shoulders against Starkiller as she walked.

"Grumpy much?" He asked, turning around and walking side by side with her.

"Only because you're here." She snarled back as she marched towards a Lambda shuttle, where a platoon of Stormtroopers, Deathy One, and Commander Cody waited for her.

Starkiller rolled his eyes, "Whether we like it or not, the Emperor wants us to work together."

Ragana stopped marching and turned to face Starkiller, "Alright, fine. We have to work together. So here's what you are going to do. I'm going down to Dathomir."

"And I'm going with you."

"No, you are staying here." Ragana said sharply.

Starkiller frowned in reply. Ragana's own scowl deepened.

"Before you question why I want you staying up here, remember that I am still your commanding officer. My way is the only way on this ship, clear?" Starkiller's brow furrowed at that, "Secondly, that planet is full of force sensitives. All of them might have a vendetta against the Empire and now an Imperial ship is hovering over them." She glanced around the hanger, "I'd feel a lot better knowing someone like you was here to keep an eye on things. Stormtroopers can only handle so much on their own."

She marched past Starkiller.

"When did you stop acting so childish!?" He taunted as she strode away from him.

"When I started hearing voices." She shot back, not bothering to look at the current bane of her existence.

 _They worry me._ She thought as she approached the shuttle. As she drew near, Cody stepped forward.

"I'm guessing you want me to stay here as well?" He muttered, keeping his voice low so Starkiller would not hear.

Ragana nodded, "He's an inquisitor, not a member of my crew." She did not turn to look at Starkiller. Instead, she reached into her coat and withdrew her spellbook, "I don't trust inquisitors."

Cody nodded, "Understood. I'll make sure to keep an eye on him."

"Be careful about it. He's strong."

Cody blinked in surprise as Ragana stepped by him and boarded the shuttle. Deathy One and the platoon of Stormtroopers followed her in. The shuttle's engines roared to life as the ramp closed. Cody folded his hands behind his back as it lifted off out of the hangar then descended down to Dathomir.

 _Be careful, Ragana._ He thought glancing down at the mist covered world, _This planet is treacherous._

* * *

They had yet to find a landing spot, not for lack of space or clear areas, but for lack of any lifeforms. Ragana did not want to land at any random spot. She wanted to land where she knew she would find the Nightsisters. So, the shuttle zipped over the planet's surface, scanners active as they searched for the elusive clans dotting the misty surface.

Ragana grit her teeth, her impatience growing. Her fingers tapped against her arms as she kept them folded over her chest. Her burning eyes looked out the main viewscreen of the shuttle, focusing on the red mists blotting out her vision. The pilots flew with the instruments in conditions like this, not with their eyes. The instruments should have picked up something by now. The scanners should have been tipped off.

 _What is going on?_

"Anything?" She asked the co-pilot, allowing the lead pilot to focus on guiding the shuttle through the atmosphere. Behind her, the platoon of stormtroopers religiously checked their loadouts. Deathy One remained rigid in her seat, confident in her equipment.

The co-pilot shook his head, "Nothing, ma'am."

"Why?"

He swallowed hard, "The um… the instruments seem to be acting funny. We're trying to recalibrate them but…" He took a deep breath, "We think the mist and storms are interfering."

Ragana frowned, but said nothing in reply.

 _If we can't see with our eyes, or with our instruments, then I shall see with the Force._

She recalled the lesson her Master gave her on the Force's ability to see through anything. The eyes can deceive, never trust them. Instruments and technology can fail, do not rely on them. The Dark Side is the only reliable tool at her disposal. It was time she used it.

She closed her eyes and allowed the Dark Side's cold waters to wash over her. Just like before, Dathomir's intense connection to the dark side surprised her. She thought only worlds steeped in the ancient ways of the Sith could feel this way. Once again, the Dark Side did not snarl when she dove into it. It welcomed here. Beckoned her further into its depths, as if it desired to show her something. Very strange for such a dangerous part of the Force.

" _You are here."_

Ragana took a sharp breath as the voice returned. It was quiet, shrill; a snakelike hiss that made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. It did not need to be loud and powerful to grab her attention.

" _Come to me, child."_

An image of a cave invaded her mind. A massive cave, with a cavernous mouth that opened wide and descended down into the depths of the planet. Red soil, rocks, and mist surrounded the cave along with dense jungle foliage.

Ragana's eyes flicked open. She leaned over the co-pilot and tapped the navigational map they were using, inputing a specific set of coordinates.

"There." She ordered.

The co-pilot arched an eyebrow, "That area is not very well mapped."

"For good reason." Ragana replied, "Get us there."

She drew back as the shuttle rocketed towards the coordinates she requested. After taking one last glance out the main viewscreen, she spun around and entered the shuttle's holding area, where the stormtroopers and Deathy One waited.

"Ready to go?" She asked her loyal Deathtrooper.

Deathy One nodded her head.

"Good."

The Shuttle shuddered as it descended through the mists. Ragana heard the landing gear deploy beneath her feet before the shuttle came to a stop. Every stormtrooper rose to their feet, priming their blasters as they waited for the shuttle ramp to lower.

"Stay sharp." Ragana told them all as she felt the Dark Side of the Force seep into the shuttle. The cabin depressurized as the ramp lowered with a loud hiss, "This is not friendly territory."

The ramp touched down, the first four stormtroopers marched off of the shuttle, blasters trained on the misty area surrounding them. The next four exited, fanning out to provide cover for Ragana and her Deathtrooper to exit. The final four stormtroopers waited on the shuttle, acting as guards.

 _I'll be damned if my only way off this planet is destroyed._

Ragana paused at the base of the ramp, her eyes scanning the deep mists surrounding her. There was stillness in the air here. A quiet that did not feel natural. She did her research on Dathomir before the _Thoron_ arrived. Dathomir had plenty of native species, some which were very loud, like Rancors. This place should be crawling with life right now. Teeming with the sounds of predators and prey. Insects should be buzzing nearby at the very least.

Instead, there was only an eerie silence.

Deathy One warbled, and the stormtroopers marched forward, guiding Ragana through the thick mist. Her boots sank into the soft soil beneath her feet. As they delved deeper into the jungle and mist, she sank further into the force. Trying her best to navigate the indecipherable waters and discover what exactly was calling her.

As they entered a clearing in the brush, the mist evaporated away. Ragana furrowed her brow. Her hand reached for her spellbook inside of her coat

" _Contact!"_ One of the stormtroopers shouted.

A sharp whine, then a harsh pulse, followed by the stormtrooper dropping dead with a smoking hole through his white helmet. A green flash, and another sharp whine. A second soldier fell dead.

Ragana flicked her eyes through the mists as more green flashes rushed around her. One by one, her stormtroopers fell. Deathy One trained her blaster into the mist and fired a quick three round burst.

Her lips curled into a smile as Ragana felt a life join the Force. Deathy One already knew what was going on.

She drew her spellbook, force lightning already crackling on her fingertips. As soon as the pages opened, she channeled a thunder spell, condensing both the yellow and blue lightning into a tight ball of electrical energy. She waited a moment, heard the sharp whine followed by a green flash, then fired in that direction.

A woman's scream pierced the clear air, and the mist suddenly returned. Ragana narrowed her eyes, standing still as she looked around her. All of her stormtroopers lay dead with smoking holes in their armor. Deathy One still stood, blaster to her shoulder, carefully scanning the mist around them.

The force ebbed through the mist, setting Ragana on edge. The tension she felt grew as she heard several sets of footsteps approaching her. Half a dozen force signatures came to life all around her, surrounding her and Deathy One. Deathy One noticed, swiveling where she stood as a group of lithe women in form fitting red attire, masks, and hoods emerged from the mists, weapons in hand.

Their weapons looked archaic. Nothing but swords, pikes, and bows. But judging by the destruction of Ragana's platoon, they were anything but simple stone age equipment. Ragana felt some panic form inside of her deathtrooper as her loyal soldier spun around, keeping her blaster trained on the women emerging from the mist.

One stepped forward, icy eyes staring directly at Ragana. Ragana stared back, an amused smirk on her lips.

"Not bad." Ragana said, nodding at the woman, "I take it you and your friends are the Nightsisters I've heard so much about?"

The Nightsister's eyes narrowed dangerously at Ragana. The smirk on the young Sith's lips grew as she sensed the malice and hatred directed at her from the women surrounding her.

"Oh, yup. I'm right, again." Ragana smiled over her shoulder at Deathy One, "I was right."

Deathy One warbled at her, making Ragana sigh.

"Relax, if they wanted us dead, they would've already tried to kill us." She tapped Deathy One's black shoulder pauldron, "Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to you." She stepped towards the lead Nightsister, "I take it you want me coming alone? Well, sorry, but Deathy One is coming too. If you have a problem with that well…" Ragana shot a thunder spell at one Nightsister to her right without warning. The Nightsister screamed as the thunder spell slammed into her, burning a hole through her chest, "I trust we understand each other." She finished, lowering her hand as the unfortunate Nightsister slumped to the ground, dead.

The lead Nighsister inclined her chin, regarded Ragana carefully for a moment, then motioned for her and Deathy One to follow.

Ragana smiled, "See, Deathy." Her deathtrooper carefully lowered her blaster rifle, "I told you I was right."

Ragana did not hesitate. She confidently marched forward, slipping her spellbook back into her coat as she walked. Deathy One hesitated a moment, then followed, blaster held low, finger hovering over the trigger.

Eventually, through the mist, Ragana could see a dark shadow looming ahead of them. The mist cleared as she got closer, until she could see the yawning mouth of a massive cave opening wide in front of her. None of the light of Dathomir's red sun seemed to penetrate the inky blackness within the cave. The Nightsisters entered the cave first, with their leader lingering near the entry, watching Ragana as she paused.

"Deep, dank, dark cave… why am I not surprised?" Ragana huffed, glancing left then right, "You should know I can see your invisible guards. Well, not physically. But I know they are there." She smirked at the lead Nightsister as the woman's eyes widened, "I'm not your typical visitor."

The Nightsister glowered at Ragana, "Mother waits."

That elicited a small laugh, "You hear that Deathy?" She glanced over at Deathy One, "Mommy is waiting."

She sauntered into the cave, not caring at all that she could be walking right into the jaws of an elaborate trap. Frankly, Ragana hoped it might be a trap. If nothing else, the Nightsisters would give her a challenging opponent for once. The only person who gave her a proper challenge in training had been Starkiller. Even then, they only fought each other one time. Her heart still hammered in her chest as she recalled how exhilarating it felt to be put on the ropes and have to resort to using her full abilities. Letting the dam that held the Dark Side back break free was an intoxicating experience that she relished in and craved.

 _The more I'm challenged, the stronger I'll become._ She thought as the shadows within the cave consumed everything around her except for the faint lights on Deathy One's armor, _The stronger I become, the more likely I am to get what I want._

A green mist rose up from the ground. It lingered around Ragana's ankles like heavy smoke. The mist grew denser the further into the cave she delved, and with the increased density came a green glow that hung in the cave like a haze. Power radiated in the air. Dark power that made Ragana shiver. The air grew cold as the Dark Side grew denser by the second. Whoever dwelled in this cave was someone with power that boggled her young mind. Doubt crept in with the mist as Ragana slowly came to a startling realization: whoever lived in this cave dwarfed her in power.

A large chamber opened up at the end of the long tunnel. Massive stalactites hung from the rocky ceiling, silhouetted in a ghostly green glow. The mist swirled throughout the room, sweeping up from the floor to a great round dais at the center of the chamber, resting right below an oculus in the roof. The oculus seemed to be the only place on the planet with unimpeded light as the pale blue light of a moon shone through it.

Sitting on a jagged, stone throne, hunched over like a decrepit corpse, sat an elderly woman with sickly, grey skin that hung loose on her bones. She wore heavy crimson robes accented with harsh metals that appeared to hang heavily over her frail body. Her eyes were clouded, yet Ragana knew the old Crone was looking directly down at her from her throne upon the dais.

The Nightsister that led Ragana and Deathy One into the chamber moved to the side, allowing Ragana to step forward, right to the edge of the dais, where two Nightsister guards crossed pikes, preventing her from moving any closer.

Ragana smirked, "If you two think those toothpicks will-"

"They will not stop you." The crone atop the throne said, her voice shrill and sharp. A commanding presence lingered in her tone, not unlike Ragana's own Master, "Your own curiosity will stay your recklessness tonight."

Ragana worked her jaw back and forth, "Recklessness?" She glanced over at Deathy One, who gave her an honest shrug, "Alright, fair enough."

The Crone uttered an amused snort, "If anyone else within this coven insulted you so, you would have killed them. Yet, you accept my criticism of you." The Crone motioned with a knobbly hand, right at Ragana despite her apparent blindness, "Care to explain why?"

Ragana shrugged, "I don't know, you tell me."

The corner of the Crone's mouth curled slightly, "Still petulant, despite the knowledge that you are outclassed. You are a risk taker, and I can appreciate that, Morgan."

Ragana felt anger swell in her as the Crone called her by that name.

"Oh… does that upset you?" The Crone hummed, leaning back in her seat. Her milky eyes lingered over Ragana's form, studying her, "I wonder why? You act as if you hate that name, but it is that name you seek more than anything else in this life."

"I have left that name behind." Ragana snarled, "Ragana, that is my name. It was given to me by someone who deemed me worthy, and I shall not deny it. Now, since we are doing introductions, care to tell me your name?"

She bit back the temptation to refer to the woman as a Crone. Through the force Ragana could feel the power emanating in the air. The Dark Side was suffocating within the chamber. All of it swirled to the Crone, obeying her every wish and command. It reminded her far too much of her Master and how he could will the Dark Side to do his bidding. She knew she was nowhere near such mastery of the force. If she provoked this old woman, regardless of how frail she appeared to be, Ragana knew she would die. After all, Emperor Palpatine appeared to be a frail old man, just as the Crone appeared to be a frail old woman. But Darth Sidious could destroy anyone with a single wave of his hand. Ragana held no doubts that this Crone was capable of doing the same.

The Crone's lips flickered into an amused grin, "You are a bold one, Morgan." Long fingernails tapped against the stone arms of her throne, "Call me Gethzerion, Mother of this Coven."

Ragana smirked, "I had a feeling you were Mommy." She glanced around as a group of twenty Nightsisters with their faces hidden behind red masks surrounded her and Deathy One, "I'm guessing you didn't have many hobbies when you were younger?"

One Nightsister hissed at her for the disrespectful comment, but Ragana just smirked back at that one.

"Don't like it? Too bad. I don't believe I'm wrong." Ragana's gaze snapped back to Gethzerion as the old Crone chuckled lightly.

"Those days are long gone. None of the ones you see here are biologically mine, not anymore. Many who were mine are long dead, and these are their descendants."

"So it'd be more accurate to call you Grandmommy." Ragana nodded, "Well, I'm all for respecting elders and hearing about life stories, but I'm curious as to why you called me here."

Gethzerion furrowed her heavy brow, "Impatient… bold… reckless… powerful, naive, and childish. The marks of a girl playing with power, rather than someone actually realizing what power really is." Ragana bristled as Gethzerion spoke, "The marks of someone who has never been challenged, never been defeated… at least as far as she can recall."

Ragana's anger faded, "Recall?"

Gethzerion leaned forward, "Yes, recall." With great difficulty, the old Crone rose from her throne. She held out a hand, and a gnarled cane of black stone rushed to her fingertips, gently nestling into her grip. She stepped down from the dais and stood before Ragana, glowering down at her with her clouded eyes, "I may be blind, but I see all. I saw your arrival, both long before it occurred, and when it finally happened… Child of the Daughter and the Son."

Ragana furrowed her brow as she looked up at the tall, old woman, "Now you're speaking riddles. Not the fun kind either." Gethzerion sniffed and turned to return to her throne, "What do you mean you saw me before and during my arrival?"

"You came through a portal, did you not?" A lump formed in Ragana's throat. Gethzerion set her cane to the side and sank back down into her seat, exhausted from the exertion of rising and moving a few steps, "You arrived in this time, in this life, and yet you cannot recall the life previous, can you? A life that you both run from, and seek to find."

"Riddles, and more riddles. Speak straight, damn it!" Ragana snarled, making the Nightsisters around her snarl, "I love puzzles, but when it comes to my life I prefer things to be said plainly."

"You seek answers, that is what you mean." Gethzerion held out her hands, "I can provide them."

Ragana furrowed her brow and took a step up onto the dais. As soon as her foot touched the stone, the pikes crossed, barring her from moving forward. Ragana hissed and glared at the two Nightsisters. The Dark Side sparked to life within her and gripped the two Nightsisters by their throats, causing them to gasp and drop their weapons as they clawed at their throats.

"Out of my way." Ragana snarled, stepped by them onto the dais's second step.

With one, powerful pulse, the Nightsisters were flung to the sides of the chamber, and Ragana loosened her grip. Gethzerion did not react, but the other Nightsisters readied their weapons. Deathy One primed her blaster and took aim, making Ragana pause on the step and give an anxious glance back at her loyal guard.

A single, gray, frail hand rose from the throne, freezing the other Nightsisters around the dais.

"You seek your past life. You seek Morgan." Gethzerion said, lowered her gaze.

"You're saying you can give me that." Ragana replied, voice hushed as she carefully observed the Crone in front of her, "How?"

Gethzerion's gray lips curled into a smile, one that seemed pleased by Ragana's curiosity.

"There are more mysteries to the Force than mere duality of light and dark, Morgan." Gethzerion explained, "More than the simple little combative techniques you know. More than even the mind games you used to crush poor Nenjashe."

Ragana's eyes widened a little bit at the mention of the Nightsister that dared to disrespect her.

"Oh yes, I know of that." Gethzerion droned, "I know of your trek across the stars on the whims of a powerful Master that gives even me pause. Does he know you are here, I wonder? And would he approve? I feel not."

Ragana gulped, "That may not be incorrect. I… have gone a bit further than what he ordered me to do, due to my own curiosity on the matter."

"You have a voracious appetite for knowledge. This is good." Gethzerion smirked, "It makes you an excellent student, even if you are willful and arrogant. But, to hear my musings on your thirst for knowledge is not why you are here. You seek to know what I know. You seek to understand the Force, as I understand it. As a conduit to see things that any normal being cannot see."

Ragana frowned, "You still have not told me how."

Gethzerion's long fingernails tapped against the stone chair, "The light… the dark… are but two sides of a vast spectrum. There is the middle, where we reside. Where those with an understanding of the force, greater than that of Sith or Jedi, dwell. Where there are powers beyond imagining. Strength beyond reckoning." She smirked down at Ragana, "Magic, beyond comprehension."

Ragana felt the heavy weight of her spellbook within her coat. One of her hands absently brushed against the old, weathered tome. The cracked leather scratched against her fingertips like the comforting touch of an old friend. Power tingled within the palm of her hand as the magic within the spellbook seemed amplified in the presence of Gethzerion.

"Tell me already." Ragana snarled.

"I do not give knowledge for free." Gethzerion hissed, eyes narrowing at Ragana, "As with everything that has to do with power, there is a cost."

Ragana eyed Gethzerion for a moment as her words rang through the air. Then she laughed. Softly at first, then it crescendoed louder, drawing puzzled glances from the Nightsisters.

"Oh," Ragana took a step down the dais as she wiped a tear from her eye, "You have no idea who you are dealing with, do you?" She gestured to herself, "I am a Sith. I take power, and I give nothing in return. Such is the nature of the relationship between the strong," She motioned at Gethzerion, "and the weak."

The Nightsisters hissed and snarled around her. Gethzerion's eyes narrowed dangerously at Ragana, any amusement long gone from the old woman's lips.

"You judge me by my face. By my wrinkled hands, and sunken skin. By my frail bones and whispering voice." Gethzerion's clouded eyes seemed to blaze in that moment with a clarity that startled Ragana, "The Force overcomes all… even death. Even… amnesia, and the loss of a life once lived." Gethzerions leaned forward in her seat, resting her elbows on the armrests of her throne, "You claim to take power and give nothing in return. But there is a price you are paying. For every step you take on the path to power, you lose more of the life you once had. You lose who you are. You lose your mind."

"Are you calling me insane?" Ragana snarled.

"No, an insane being would have backed up their words against me." Gethzerion growled, voice lowering to a threatening tone, "But you may be on that bleak path." Her eyes closed as she drew in a breath, "Yes… even for a Sith, there is always a cost to power. There is always a price for knowledge. And this is mine." She flicked her eyes open, the clouded vision gone, replaced by burning red irises surrounded by black sclera, "A life for a life."

Ragana furrowed her brow.

"I'm not surrendering my life to you."

"I did not expect you to." Gethzerion replied as the Dark Side of the Force simmered within the room, ready to explode to a boil as the Crone gathered more power to her. The green mists swirled in thick wisps around her throne, shrouding the floor in its ghostly emerald glow, "You claim to be Sith. Which means you are selfish like one." She smirked down at Ragana, "Once before, a young Sith ventured to this world seeking knowledge. I refused him, but Talzin, she welcomed him… gave him one of her sons to train. The exchange was for safety, for Talzin knew in the end she could not match that Sith. But as with all Sith, such a bargain was not honored. She and her entire coven died anyways. I shall not make the same mistake. Not with you. I do not seek a relationship with you, nor an alliance. I seek a life." Her yellow eyes flicked away from Ragana over to Deathy One, "Give me one, and I shall provide you the sight you desire."

Ragana's heart stopped beating in her chest. Through the Force she felt Deathy One's sudden uncertainty. Her jaw clenched tight as she glared up at Gethzerion.

"You want me… to give her life?" She asked, gesturing to Deathy One, "And I will have my memories returned to me?"

Gethzerion nodded, "A life for a life. The ritual will be painful, for you and her. But you will have the knowledge you seek, and more. The yoke of the Sith will be removed from you." Her wrinkled lips curled, "And maybe you will desire to stay and learn even more."

Ragana furrowed her brow, "All of that, for her life?"

Gethzerion nodded silently.

Ragana took a deep breath. It was such a small price to pay. When she heard there was a price to pay for knowledge, Ragana expected something extreme. She expected the Crone to demand servitude, or for her to pledge her life to the coven. Instead, she received what on the surface seemed to be an extremely favorable deal.

Far too favorable. She glanced at Deathy One again, the lone soldier that has been by her side since she first arrived in this galaxy. One of her Deathtroopers that was with her when she first began training, when she led her first mission on Naboo. Who fought with her against the Jedi on Naboo, despite the fact that she was hopelessly overpowered by the enemy. She had no doubt the Deathtrooper would throw herself in front of enemy blaster fire for her. No doubt that Deathy One would willingly die so that she could live. That was her purpose. Her mission and her assignment.

 _But not like this._ Ragana thought, _I will not be her executioner._

Gethzerion's smile faded as Ragana looked back up at her with defiance.

"She's my friend." Ragana replied, "I do not betray my friends."

"Then the life you seek will be lost to you." The black scleras faded, replaced by the clouded eyes Gethzerion possessed when Ragana first came before her, "The path you have chosen is not clear. There is no light at the end, nor shadow. But there is suffering, there is pain… and there is power. And all power comes at a cost, let that be the lone lesson you receive from me, Morgan… of Ylisse."

Something pulled on her heart at the mention of the word 'Ylisse'. A strange sense of nostalgia filled her. At that moment, she smelled fields of flowers. Heard a gentle brook of water passing over smooth stones. Felt the soft touch of someone's hand against her cheek. A final temptation from the Witch upon the throne.

Ragana snarled, stepping off of the dais.

"There is nothing further for us to discuss then. But be warned, Gethzerion the Crone," Ragana growled, reaching for her spellbook as she noticed more Nightsisters filled the chamber, "Cross my Master again, provoke him once more, and it will not be me paying you a visit."

"No, you will never visit me again." Gethzerion scowled, raising a hand, "Of that, I am certain."

Deathy One warbled nervously at her as more Nightsisters encroached. Ragana clenched her teeth.

"On that, we can agree."

Ragana drew her spellbook. The pages whirred in front of her eyes, landing on a lightning spell she had been studying for months. A spell that graced the hull of her Ship. Thoron crackled in her hand. Blue force lighting arced around it, supercharging the spell until the energy became too much to contain. With a roar, Ragana slammed her hand into the ground right as Deathy One jumped into the air.

The spell ripped through the stone beneath her feet. Bolts of blue and yellow lightning jumped from her open palm, into the rock, then surged into the bodies of the closest Nightsisters. Green mist prevented the spell from chaining up the dais, but Ragana did not need the spell to strike Gethzerion. She only needed to create an opening.

Part of her wanted to attack the old Crone, but another part of her heard Deathy One's blaster rifle firing rapidly. If she attacked, she would die. Deathy One would die as well. Her denial of Gethzerion's knowledge would be for nothing if that happened. Ragana would be damned if she gave the Crone that amount of satisfaction.

She spun on her heel and raced towards the cave's exit, blasting away a pair of Nightsisters with a powerful force push. The Dark Side screamed around her, and the welcoming aura of Dathomir turned violent. Pain lanced through Ragana's head, making her stumble and brace herself against the wall as she entered the tunnel out of the cave. A gloved hand hooked her arm and yanked her forward.

" _Hurry, milady."_ Deathy One warbled in basic, blasting away at Nightsisters that got too close.

Ragana snarled and attempted to use the force once more, only for the Dark Side to hiss at her and deny her its power. It followed the call of only one on Dathomir, and it was not the call of the young Sith.

"Hurry!" She hissed to Deathy One, wincing in pain as her attempts at using the Force backfired.

She abandoned the force at that moment, choosing to draw her lightsaber. A green bolt of energy arced at her. Ragana yanked Deathy One behind her and used her lightsaber to deflect the bolt back at its shooter. A Nightsister screamed in the darkness.

"To the shuttle!" She shouted at Deathy One.

They both broke into a sprint, not worrying about killing any of the Nightsisters, only about survival. The mist flooded the ground beneath them, making Ragana feel like she was wading through smoke instead of sprinting on solid ground. Each step felt more difficult than the last. It felt like the very energy in her body was being sapped from her.

She gasped as she neared the cave entrance, legs giving out from under her as a spell of weakness consumed her body. Harsh coughs wracked her lungs. Ragana covered her mouth with her hand, removed it, and saw dark splotches of blood in her pale palm.

"Deathy…" She croaked, hand trembling. Her lightsaber hissed off and she quickly slipped it up her sleeve in order to avoid losing it.

Her Deathtrooper hooked her right shoulder and hauled her to her feet. Ragana's vision started to cloud over and grow hazy.

 _The mist… that damn witch!_ She coughed hard again.

" _A life for a life…"_ A voice in her mind chuckled, " _The cost of power. I have lived long for a reason."_

Ragana's eyes widened.

"Get… me off of this… planet." She gasped, struggling to catch her breath.

As Deathy One hauled her to the shuttle, blasting into the mist as more Nightsisters pursued, Ragana tapped the comm link on her wrist.

"Cody!" She croaked, voice hoarse and short of breath.

" _Ragana!? What-"_

Ragana coughed sharply, more blood bubbling up from her throat. It felt like knives were carving into her neck as she struggled to breath. The edges of her vision darkened as she fought to stay awake. The Force abandoned her, leaving her unable to call on it for aid.

" _Ragana! Ragana!"_

Through her bleary vision, she saw the Lambda shuttle. Only two of her stormtroopers still stood, using the shuttle as meager cover against an assault of Nighsisters. One pilot lay dead at the base of the ramp, the other was still in his seat, frantically starting up the Lambda's engines as he saw Deathy One and Ragana approach.

More green bolts shot past Ragana. One grazed her right leg. Ragana hissed, and reached down, feeling hot blood pooling in her right hand. Deathy One snarled as a blaster bolt scraped against her helmet, melting away part of it.

Her connection to the Force flickered as Ragana, with her last bits of strength, demanded it obey her. Reluctantly, it gifted her with one glimpse of the world around her.

Hundreds of Nightsisters were descending upon the shuttle. Swarming over her and her soldiers, ready to tear them limb for limb. Ragana's eyes widened as more blood trickled from her lips.

" _Ragana!"_ Cody shouted through her comm again, " _Get Starkiller down there now!"_

" _No…"_ Ragana croaked as she collapsed in a heap on the ramp, spitting up blood with every harsh cough. Deathy One grabbed her by the hood of her cloak and dragged her into the shuttle as her last two stormtroopers were cut down, " _Delta… zero…"_

Silence.

" _Ragana…"_

" _Execute Base Delta Zero!"_ Ragana screamed, before blood bubbled up her throat and spilled out of her mouth onto the shuttle's metal floor.

" _Close the shuttle and take off!"_ Deathy One barked at their lone pilot, " _HURRY!"_ Deathy One tossed off her ruined helmet and knelt down beside Ragana, turning the ailing Sith onto her side as blood pooled in her mouth. Ragana stared wide eyed into Deathy One's dark brown eyes, "Stay with me, milady! Make sure a trauma team is-"

An enormous boom rang through the air, followed by a massive shockwave that nearly picked the shuttle up off of the ground. Ragana looked back down the ramp as it slowly closed. The shuttle's engines roared to life. Deathy One fired a few more shots out, taking down two more Nightsisters before another boom slammed into the planet.

Gigantic blasts of green hammered the mist covered land around the shuttle. Dirt shot up into the air in gigantic blasts of fire and dust. Nightsister bodies flew through the air as more blasts careened down from the sky. An orbital bombardment.

 _You were right… Crone._

Ragana's eyes blazed with hatred as the mist cleared and she caught a glimpse of the nearby cave. Several cannon blasts crashed down onto the cave, smothering it in fire and smoke. Rock and dirt flew through the air, and the scent of charred flesh followed it. When the explosions died, the cave was gone. Ragana's eyes fluttered as she let her head fall to the ground, her body too weak to move as her lungs felt like they had been set on fire.

Blood trickled from her mouth. Despite the intense pain, as the shuttle lifted off the ground and the ramp closed, immense satisfaction filled Ragana as she saw the cave obliterated.

The ramp closed. The shuttle blasted off towards the _Thoron_ at top speed. Ragana's vision started to fade as her breathing grew weak. Deathy One shook her shoulder, then raced for a medical kit within the ship. Ragana's eyes rolled into the back of her head. She heard a screech in the force. The Dark Side roared furiously, and she felt a massive presence explode like a violent supernova before disappearing just as quickly.

 _I will never visit you again._

 **And chapter! This was a big little story for Morgan. It did a lot to show her character as well as what she thinks of those around her. It gave her her first truly devastating defeat with no one there to rescue her, unlike when Mace beat the tar out of her on Naboo. She was still victorious in the end on Naboo, thanks to Sidious making sure she lived of course. Here, she lost. And she will take some important lessons away from it.**

 **As for the character Gethzerion, she is a legends character that was very intriguing to research. There is not much about her, but anyone that puts as much nervousness into Sidious as she does is someone I wanted to write about, even if it is only a little bit. Basically, Sidious did try to kill her at one point, but his minions failed. So he decided killing her was not worth the risk and just made sure she could never leave Dathomir. It's really interesting to look into actually and I thought it would be fun to have a character like her in this story interacting with Morgan.**

 **We'll go see a few different characters in this story before returning to Morgan at a later date. These interlude chapters are a lot of fun, and I'm excited to show more to all of you!**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**

 **Come join the Treehouse! Discord code is: 9XG3U7a**


	126. Fulcrum

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 126

Fulcrum

Alderaan had to be one of the most peaceful places Mace Windu had ever been to, let alone lived on. Even during the height of the Republic, when the Jedi Order was at its zenith and the Sith were nothing more than ghost stories spoken in hushed whispers among Padawan Learners, Coruscant never possessed this much serenity and tranquility. The peacefulness permeated the entire planet. Washing over it like a gentle stream upon smooth stones. The aura lingered in the Royal Palace of Alderaan, where Bail Organa did everything in his power to maintain the facade of peace and cooperation, especially when it came to dealing with the empire.

 _Oh how the waters churn beneath the surface._ Mace thought.

He had himself cordoned off in the small room Prince Organa gifted him. Only ever leaving to have his meals or to meet personally with the busy Prince. Though, those meetings did not occur often. Bail Organa regularly had to deal with multiple calls with the Imperial Senate and other Imperial officials in his private study. On top of that, he had to coordinate and bankroll a slowly budding resistance through his various agents throughout the galaxy. An even more tense task than speaking to politicians and bureaucrats, something the man was always skilled at. At any moment, something terrible could happen that would out the Alderaan royal as a traitor. Whether that be a mole, a traitor within the rebellion, or someone just eavesdropping on his discussions with his top agent, Fulcrum. Every conversation was a risk, and to Bail's credit, he was exceptionally careful. Only trusting people that he knew he could trust. Those people included Mace, and Captain Rex.

 _But not Solo or those kids. For good reason._

Mace did not dislike them. But he was also not interested in getting close to any of them. They were mere children caught up in something they could not understand. He did not feel like holding hands through the chaos and tyranny of the Empire. That being said, he did notice some distinct characteristics that allowed him to engage them more effectively.

Kjelle had a bit of a naive, simplistic view of the world. For her, strength mattered above all else, which led her to constantly train her body in order to be the best warrior. He knew Jedi like that in the old Order. Hell, he was like that to an extent in his younger years, before he truly understood the wisdom of the elder Masters like Yoda and Oppo Rancisis. Her surprising physical strength came from that excessive training, and likely from her heavy armor (even though it appeared to be useless against blasters).

 _Then there is her ancient weapon of choice._ He thought with a shake of his head as he rose from his mattress and decided to take a seat at the center of his small room. His legs folded and he rested his hands on his knees. Now would be a good time for meditation.

Nah… that was the next one. A diminutive little girl with power that boggled his mind. He knew of changelings, beings who could readily change their physical appearances. But Manaketes? Beings who could literally transform their bodies into a powerful beast with what amounted to magic? Even in the strangest of worlds, with creatures long thought to be forgotten or myth, such a thing was unheard of. She drew the most of his curiosity, for she also knew of someone named Ben Kenobi. Someone Mace suspected was actually Jedi Master Obi Wan Kenobi. On top of that, she knew about the Force. Apparently, she had a novice's grasp on it, which intrigued him.

 _I may speak with her some more._ He thought, _But later._

Yarne, the timid one. The strange, hybrid creature that acted as a retainer of sorts for Bail's daughter, Leia. Well, retainer was probably a strong description, and was something the Taguel did not appear to be. He was more like a nervous babysitter and playmate. A curiosity to occupy Princess Leia's time and direct her boundless energy in a positive direction. Somehow, he knew Nah and Kjelle, which made Mace believe they all either grew up together, have run into each other before, or even came from the same planet entirely.

 _The galaxy would have to be a very small place for that to happen._

Han Solo and Chewbacca; they seemed like typical small time criminals. Nothing too important. Although, it was unusual to see a Wookie in such enterprises. They normally frowned on such activities.

 _The Empire can make even the most stoic and strong of species desperate enough to resort to crime._

Hondo… well… the less said about that old pirate the better. Mace was familiar with him. The crazy fool captured Count Dooku, Obi Wan Kenobi, and… and the Traitor, at one point during the Clone Wars. All part of a mad scheme to extort the most amount of credits out of the Republic or Confederacy as possible. It didn't work in the end. The entire plan blew up spectacularly in the Wee'quay's face. The fact that he was even alive now surprised Mace, but it also spoke to how slippery the pirate could be. He appeared to be a bumbling buffoon, but a buffoon could not successfully capture two Jedi and a Sith Lord. He had cunning that he carefully hid until he absolutely needed it, which made him dangerous. Someone Mace absolutely had to keep an eye on.

 _I'm surprised he did not recognize me._ Mace furrowed his brow as his dark eyes remained open, staring at the wall across from him, _Unless he did, and he's just keeping that information close to the chest._

Yes, he would have to keep a very close eye on the old Pirate.

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Before he could slip into the force, he felt a chime come from the nightstand beside his bed. He cracked an eye open and glanced over at the lone hologram communicator resting on top of the nightstand. A green light blinked on the side of the round disk.

He quickly got to his feet and strode over. Using the force, he made sure no one was approaching his room and that no one was listening in, before he picked up the disc and tapped the button the side. A hooded figure, face hidden in deep shadow, appeared.

"Fulcrum..." Mace grumbled.

"Master..." The woman on the other end replied, not using a voice disguiser. She got rid of it as soon as she realized who he was on their first call. Her voice still sounded tense. As if it was both awkward and nerve wracking for her to speak with him. Not surprising given how they parted last time they met.

Did he regret what happened? He regretted a lot of things. But there was nothing he could do to change the past. All he could do was claim vengeance upon the foul actors who caused the suffering his fellow Jedi experienced. Fulcrum just so happened to be one of the lucky ones that was out of the Order before it fell. Making her not a high priority target of the Clone Army or the Empire.

"Is everything alright?" Mace asked, taking a seat on his bed once again while keeping the hologram disc at arms length.

"Fine, for now. I'm on Kuat."

Mace furrowed his scarred brow, "Why are you there?"

"Why do you think?"

Mace frowned, "Any large purchases there will draw attention, Fulcrum."

"I don't plan on making large purchases. Just small ones. A ship here, a ship there. Plans and part shipments to our newest secret base, via a different address of course. The mechanics can figure out what to do with them at that point."

"You don't have a contact to do that for you?" He asked, "It's a bit risky for you to go personally to that place. The Empire has a large presence there."

"You're telling me." Fulcrum replied, keeping her voice hushed as she ducked into an alleyway, "The shipyards in orbit are massive. I don't think I've seen this many Star Destroyers being built since I was on Kamino. Lots of stormtroopers around here to keep an eye on things."

Mace arched an eyebrow, "The Empire is still building up that significantly?"

"I'd say they've accelerated their buildup. Especially in the wake of the failed insurrection on Naboo."

Mace bit his tongue when she mentioned that. She still did not know that he was the Jedi at the center of that doomed rebellion. Still did not know that the entire purpose of that rebellion was not to inspire hope, or defiance, but to exact revenge against the Sith Lord that wiped out the Jedi Order. A Sith Lord that has gone disturbingly quiet as of late. His violent activity was replaced by the enigmatic, yet loud, Lady Ragana.

"Just be careful about it. Don't stick those montrals where you can't get them out of."

That elicited a quiet laugh from Fulcrum, "You act like I haven't been doing this for half a decade now, Master. I've gotten pretty good at avoiding Imperial eyes."

"It's not imperial eyes I'm worried about. Most of those officers and soldiers are useless." Mace snorted, "It's the other ones they employ."

He saw a frown crease beneath the deep, gray hood, "If you think an Inquisitor can harm me-"

"There's a new one prowling the galaxy. I've already run into her once before. Codename: Ragana."

Fulcrum's frown deepened, "They like to use their brother and sister numbers. I've never heard of one abandoning that."

"She's delusional, but dangerous." Mace remarked, "Claims to be an apprentice of the Emperor's."

Fulcrum stiffened, "How likely is that? I thought the one called Vader-"

"I thought so too but…" Mace thought carefully about his next few words. His mental walls remained tall and strong, preventing Fulcrum from digging through his thoughts. It was nothing personal, he just did not want anyone crawling around his mind. He was certain she was doing the same thing, "She claimed it when I encountered her. Before I could destroy her, Sidious showed up and stopped me."

A heavy silence lingered in the air.

"He showed up _personally_?" Fulcrum asked, seeking either clarification or confirmation.

Mace sighed and nodded, "He saved her. Which gives credence to her claim. Sidious would not do that for a mere inquisitor."

"No, he wouldn't." Fulcrum nodded in agreement, "This warrants some investigation. I'll have my contacts look into it. Whatever information I find, I'll relay to you."

Mace wanted to snort at that. Any information she would relay to him. What that meant was any information she deemed necessary for him, she would relay to him. Most of the important stuff went directly to the Rebellion's top brass, Bail Organa being one of them. It made sense. Mace was a newcomer to the rebellion. A newcomer Fulcrum did not fully trust. Then again, after everything that has happened, it would be wise for her to not trust anyone, even him.

"Is there anything else you need, Fulcrum?" Mace sighed, rubbing the top of his head, fingers brushing over faint, spider webbing scars from a terrible old wound, "I doubt you wanted to call just to make small talk."

Fulcrum shook her head, "Not wrong there, I just wanted to give you my location. Bail knows where I'm at as well."

Mace furrowed his brow, "You've never bothered to do that before is-"

"I'm concerned someone is tracking me. I haven't seen anything as of yet, but…" Fulcrum glanced over her shoulder, "I've got a bad feeling."

"Bad feelings should be carefully considered, especially in times like these." Mace nodded, "Contact me if you need assistance."

"You're my last resort, Master." Fulcrum replied quickly, "The last thing we need is for you to resurface and draw attention to Bail. Everything could be undone if that happens."

"Still, do not hesitate to seek help." Mace advised.

"Noted, Master." She glanced over her shoulder again, "I think it's time I went somewhere crowded. I could use a drink anyways."

She noticed Mace's eyes narrow, causing a lighthearted chuckle to come from the rebel agent hidden beneath the gray hood.

"Relax Master, I'm not Quinlan Vos."

"Yet." Mace grumbled. A long sigh left his lips while she chuckled again, "May the force be with you."

"You as well."

Fulcrum's image flickered then faded away. As the blue glow of the hologram disappeared, Mace uttered a weary sigh.

This had to be the worst feeling in the world. Knowing that he, a powerful Jedi Master, former member of the Jedi High Council, was basically imprisoned within a small section of the Alderaan royal palace, unable to assist in anyway. Meanwhile, a former Jedi Padawan that he helped drive out of the Jedi Order, that he was uncertain of her ability to perform this kind of covert work, worked for the rebellion from the shadows. Proactively moving ahead with plans carefully laid out by the upper brass, of which Mace only knew Bail Organa.

It made him feel useless. A feeling he despised. Useless was how he felt when Sidious defeated him the first time. Useless was how he felt when he lay in a clinic in the lower levels of Coruscant, body encased in bacta patches and bandages while all of his fellow Jedi were slaughtered throughout the galaxy. He could still feel the lingering pain in the force from all of their sudden deaths. A void rested in the force, empty due to the lack of any light. The Dark Side swallowed the galaxy whole with the Order's destruction. Hope seemed faint, if not dead entirely.

All that remained was justice, and vengeance. A chance to set things right. To force those who caused the terrible suffering he and others in the galaxy experienced to pay the price for their horrible deeds.

 _If Ragana shows her face again, I will crush her._ He thought as the image of those newly knighted Padawans she killed filled his mind, _When Vader appears again, I will destroy him._ Anger burned hot within him as he thought about the Jedi Traitor, _And when I face Sidious again, I will not lose. Not a third time._

"Well then..."

Mace's dark eyes flicked to the door. He hadn't realized it hissed open.

Kjelle leaned against the doorframe, wearing a different outfit than the one she wore on the Falcon. This time, she wore a black t shirt that hugged her frame tight, good for her training. Black pants, a bit looser around her legs, covered her lower half, held up by a black belt and blaster holster. Although, the holster lacked a blaster. Probably because Prince Organa did not want someone not fully trained in using one to carry one openly in the palace. Not with an energetic toddler bouncing around all over the place.

"You look… entertained?" Kjelle quirked an eyebrow as she crossed her arms, "Do you Jedi types always enjoy staring at walls?"

Mace simply glared back. Kjelle snorted.

"You are far from the most intimidating thing I've stared down, bud. So don't try that." She pushed her body off of the doorframe, "You and I need to have a pretty blunt chat."

"Not interested in talking." Mace grunted back, kicking his legs up onto his bed and lying down, staring up at the ceiling.

"Don't care." Kjelle made sure the door shut behind her, "What do you know about Morgan?"

"Who?" Mace muttered, closing his eyes.

Kjelle hissed, "Ah, crap, right. You don't know that name. Er… the one chasing us not long ago. She called herself Ragana."

Mace's eyes flicked open. Immediately, he reached out with the force, trying to sense Kjelle's intentions. When he brushed against her mind, he encountered something that surprised him. A great deal of concern filled her. Concern, sadness, all wrapped in a hardened shell of superficial strength. He was tempted to dig further, but decided against it. If he looked any deeper, she would notice.

"What do you know about her?" Kjelle asked again, voice blunt, demanding an answer.

"What do you know about her?" Mace replied in kind, turning his gaze towards her.

Kjelle frowned. She strode across the room to a small, metal stool situated near Mace's closet. She grabbed it, picking it up with ease in one hand, and hauled it over to the doorway. Once she set it back down, she sat down on it and tilted back, balancing on the stool's back legs while her back rested against the wall.

"You first." She remarked, folding her hands in her lap.

Mace scowled back, "I don't know anything about her, other than she claims to be the apprentice of Darth Sidious."

"Who?"

Mace now looked puzzled, "How do you not know the Emperor?"

"The Emperor is named Sidious?" Kjelle snorted, "That's sure to win people over."

"The public doesn't know that name. They know him as Palpatine."

"That's not much better." Kjelle replied, unimpressed, "Next question: why was she after you?"

Mace kept his expression guarded, "Why would she be after me?"

"Because before you came along, we didn't have problems with any Empire." Kjelle growled, "So it's safe to assume that the reason the Empire, and Morgan, are hunting us is because of you. Judging by how both Prince Organa and Captain Rex reacted to you, I'd say it's safe to assume you are an old friend of theirs, and that you are a wanted man. I overheard some interesting conversations between both you and the Prince in the halls."

That got Mace to sit up, "How could you-"

"A special talent from my Pa. Back home, they called him the Unseen." Kjelle replied, "From what I've gathered on you, your name is Mace Windu. You were a member of the Jedi Order. Of course, around here, that's pretty common knowledge for those in the know. So you're the second Jedi I've met; well technically third-"

"Hold on." Mace raised a hand, "Second? Third?"

Kjelle nodded, "Master Kenobi and Lucina."

Mace's eyes slowly widened, "Kenobi's alive?"

He immediately sensed a wave of sadness wash over Kjelle, "Yeah well…" Her thumbs twisted in her lap, then untwisted, "Not anymore. Grima got him, just like all the other parents." Kjelle uttered a quiet laugh, "Although, he didn't go down without a fight. Damn Jedi Bastard faced that lizard down face to face. Gotta give him credit for that. He may have been a bit of an asshole, but gods did he have balls of brass."

Mace's entire body sank, "I see."

 _I can't get my hopes up like that._ He thought, _The truth is always disappointing._

"Don't look so down, he's still alive."

He did a double take, "I'm sorry? You just said he's dead."

Kjelle shrugged, "In the future, yeah. In the present… or at least I hope this is the present, he should be alive. Although, given where me, Nah, Yarne, and Morgan have wound up, it wouldn't surprise me if the timeline got screwed up too."

Mace drew in a deep breath, "So, your friend was telling the truth before."

Nah previously told Mace about how she and Kjelle arrived where they were via a strange ritual designed by the "god" of their world in case of an apocalypse. He doubted she was telling him the truth. Even with all of the impossible, borderline insane things he had seen in his time with the Jedi Order, time travel was impossible. Even the Force could not achieve such a thing. The closest to time travel any force adept achieved were particularly vivid visions of the future, nothing more. Even then, that's not true time travel. The future is always uncertain.

"Well yeah," Kjelle remarked, "Nah's a lot of things, but a liar?" She shook her head, "Nah's no liar. A bit stiff, but not a liar."

Mace nodded, "So, Master Kenobi is alive?"

Kjelle nodded.

"Where is he then?"

"Back home." Kjelle readily answered, "Wherever the hell home is. I didn't know anything like this," She gestured around her, "existed before. So I doubt I'd know where home is in relation to Alderaan."

Mace bowed his head briefly.

 _Great._ He thought, _I finally learn about another powerful Jedi's survival, and they are still lost to me. In exile on an unknown planet._ He grit his teeth. _I did not take Kenobi for someone to run from the fight._

"You don't look very happy about it." Kjelle said as she stretched her right arm across her body.

Mace shook his head, "I'm puzzled. If Kenobi is alive, why did he not try to contact any other Jedi? Why is he exiling himself on some unknown planet when he could be here." He pointed down at the ground, "Helping us take the fight to the Empire."

Kjelle shrugged, "Your guess is as good as mine. I know nothing about the guy. Just that he's powerful, he's Lucina's master, Noire's dad-"

Mace's eyes widened, "Hold-" He coughed and raised a hand, "Hold on. Kenobi, a father?"

Kjelle chuckled, "Yeah, it was pretty unbelievable when my Ma learned about it too. She never thought a guy like him could ever be a good Pa to anyone. And well… I mean, he fought hard to make sure we all lived. But he never really was a Dad to Noire. Kinda gave her the cold shoulder most of the time. Hell, he refused to even teach her anything about those strange powers they both got."

Now Mace reeled. Not only was Nah's explanation of her and her friend's origins apparently true, he did not detect any lie coming from her or Kjelle, but Obi Wan Kenobi was alive and apparently had a child at some point in the future. A weary, overwhelmed sigh rushed from his lungs. His hands reached up and wiped at his eyes before running down his face and falling into his lap.

"So, yeah. We can chat about Master Ben later. I'm sure Nah wants to be awake for that fun conversation." Kjelle muttered, "I don't want her awake for our talk about Morgan. And I sure as shit don't want Yarne overhearing it."

Mace furrowed his brow, "They're your friends, why wouldn't you-"

"Nah's the youngest of us. She's also the most distant. Never really got close to any of us, but she looked up to Morgan. They were book buddies." Kjelle explained, "As for Yarne, have you seen him? He shakes when a leaf rustles nearby. Morgan treated him like she treated all her friends: playfully, but a bit too playfully."

"She tormented him." Mace surmised.

Kjelle frowned, "That's a rough way of putting it. Morgan was always a prankster. Yarne was the easy target. She always made sure not to hurt him or scar the poor guy, if that's what you're wondering. Hell, more than once she saved his life on the battlefield. S'not like they didn't like each other or nothing." She sniffed and wiped at her nose, "Gah, must be springtime outside. Pollen and dust is getting to me."

"I'm sure there is a remedy for that." Mace replied, "You should go get it."

Kjelle's weight shifted as she moved to rise from the stool. She froze just as her butt was about to lift off the seat. A deep scowl came over her.

"Oh no!" She wagged a finger at Mace, "No you don't. You ain't dodging my question that easily." She flopped back down on the stool and crossed her legs out in front of her at the ankles, hands shoved in her pants pocket, "What's the deal with Morgan right now? Why's she acting like this? She was never so-"

"Evil."

Kjelle's face darkened, "Say that again, and I don't care what magic powers you have, I'll beat you within an inch of your life."

Mace remained unfazed, "That kind of anger will only get you killed. Especially if you direct it at me." Kjelle folded her arms as Mace's gaze failed to waver, "And your friend is now evil. Twisted by the Dark Side of the Force. The Morgan you knew is dead."

He sensed disbelief within Kjelle. Confusion, sadness, and frustration mingled with that disbelief. He was impressed though by the strength of the indifferent mask on her face. Sure, twinges of frustration appeared. A furrowing of her brow, a slight frown in her lips, her generally closed off position as she sat down, arms folded. But if he did not have the force, he would have believed this news hardly impacted her.

"You're wrong." Kjelle muttered, "Morgan-"

"Is consumed by Ragana. Sidious has turned her, twisted her, and is now using her." Mace said plainly. He had a feeling Kjelle did not appreciate people dancing around difficult topics. She seemed like the kind of girl that tackled problems head on. So she would at least appreciate the blunt truth, rather than a sugar coated one. "Your friend is gone, Kjelle. She is the enemy now. It'd be a good idea for you to get used to that fact."

Kjelle worked her jaw back and forth, the mask cracking a bit to show the pain she felt. She swallowed hard, eyes darting down to her lap as she wrung her hands.

"Naga…" She breathed, bowing her head and exhaling, "This has all gone so wrong." She uttered a shaky breath, "First we wind up in the wrong place, then Morgan is…" She bit her tongue, a shuddering gasp slipping from her lips again, "Now Nah is still unconscious, I mean." She glanced up at Mace, some tears in her eyes, "The hell am I supposed to do?"

Mace's face remained like stone. Why would she seek advice from him? Kjelle hardly knew him. The only reason they were in the same room was because they all wound up on Alderaan at the same time thanks to an odd set of coincidences. Personally, Mace would much rather the group he came here with leave him alone. He wanted his space. Wanted to meditate and figure out how to topple the Empire on his own.

He was in no position to give any wisdom. What could he give Kjelle? She was a time traveling child from an unknown planet suffering from unknown devastation, thrust into a galaxy she had no idea existed. And now, one of her close friends was her enemy. There's not much anyone could say about such circumstances.

Kjelle gulped and got to her feet.

"Um…" She raked a hand through her brown hair and took a deep breath, trying her best to reset the mask, "I'm going to go check on Nah. See if she's woken up yet. Um…" She shook her head and moved to leave.

"Kjelle." Mace spoke up.

"What?" Kjelle croaked as the door hissed open in front of her.

"How many of you are there?" He asked.

Kjelle was quiet for a moment, "Fifteen of us; counting me, Nah, Yarne, and Morgan."

"You don't know where the rest are?" He asked.

Kjelle shook her head.

That Mace could somewhat understand. Once Order 66 occurred and the Empire rose from the ashes of the Republic, what remained of the Jedi Order scattered. He spent a good two years trying to find survivors, with each day during his search turning more and more hopeless. The Jedi Council had been utterly wiped out. Even Master Yoda had been supposedly captured. Although the rumors surrounding his fate were muddled. The few Jedi that remained were hidden, and Mace did want to find them, for a time.

"Don't give up yet." He advised Kjelle, "The galaxy is a smaller place than you think."

Kjelle snorted at that, "Used to think Ylisstol was a big place. One city, the biggest place in the world. Took an entire day, from sunup to sun down, to walk around the walls. I'd play games of hide and seek with my friends when we were little, and it'd be impossible to find some of them in that place. Just too damn big." She rested her hand against the doorframe, "Now I need to find them in a galaxy? And I can't go out and actively search because I'm an outlaw for some reason?" She shook her head, "Giving up would be the easy thing at this point."

Mace nodded, "It would be. But something tells me you don't like doing things the easy way."

"Har!" She guffawed, "Damn right, I don't. Ma always said I learned best the hard way. That ain't going to change. This is just…" Her bravado faded a little bit, "Just the latest big challenge." She grimaced and took a deep breath, "Um… the- er- Prince invited me, Han, and the others for dinner tonight. Sure he'll invite ya too. You're not bad to talk to, ya know. Wouldn't mind seeing ya there."

She tapped the doorframe once with her palm, sighed under her breath, then left his room, the door quietly hissing shut behind her.

Mace leaned back on his bed. Him, easy to talk to? He knew more than one Jedi that would have laughed at such a notion. He shook his head, one hand rubbed his chin.

 _Kenobi is alive._ He thought, _And he's with Kjelle's friend Lucina, probably._

His eyes widened. The faster Kjelle found her friends, the faster he would find Master Kenobi. The image of Mace Windu was forever tarnished. He would never be able to actively lead the budding rebellion the way he could have during his prime, before the Empire sullied his name and destroyed his hope. But Obi Wan could. He was always a skilled politician, even if he disliked such activities. There were pockets of the galaxy that still viewed him in a favorable light thanks to his heroism and association with… with the Traitor, during the Clone Wars. If there was one name that could make the Rebellion grow from small time resistance, to an emerging threat against the Empire, it would be him.

He reached for his hologram communicator and tapped the button.

 _Pick up._ He thought.

The hologram flickered, and Fulcrum appeared, still shrouded in her hood.

"Yes, Master? I thought we were finished with our-"

"I have a mission for you, Tano." Mace cut her off.

Fulcurm hissed low, "Not so loud! Do you want to give me away!? I'm still on Kuat you know." She took a deep breath and ducked into an alcove along a broad street. He could see drops of rain pelting against her hood and cloak as she talked to him, "Whatever you need me doing, it's going to take a backseat to me getting these parts."

"Understood but… keep your eye out for any strange people."

Fulcrum snorted, "Strange people? Have you seen the galaxy at all, Master?"

Mace frowned, "You have Skywalker's tongue."

"And I use it with pride." She remarked as a neon light flickered in her holographic image, "What do you mean by strange people, Master? You wouldn't contact me and tell me this unless it was actually important."

"People who don't look like they belong running around the galaxy." Mace clarified, "I've made a few… strange acquaintances here on Alderaan. They're friendly, and they know Master Kenobi."

He saw her eyes widen beneath her hood, "Master Kenobi…" She breathed, "He's-"

"They claim he is alive and with a friend of theirs named Lucina. They were scattered due to bad circumstances. But find them all-"

"And we find-" Fulcrum's voice trailed off as she reeled from the news, "Do you have any idea how much he could help the rebellion. Force, I thought he was dead. But if he is really alive-"

"I was thinking along the same lines." Mace nodded, "There are fifteen total, three are already with me. I don't know their names, I forgot to ask. But when I learn their names, I'll relay them to you. However, if you keep your eyes open, I'm sure you'll pick them out of a crowd."

"Why do you say that?" Fulcrum asked as she turned into a building, escaping the rain. Mace could hear loud chatter and music inside of the building she entered, "Do they have three heads or something?"

"They're human, but… they like their archaic weapons." Mace answered.

"Archaic?" Fulcrum asked as she lingered in the doorway of the building she entered, "Like, old blasters, pikes, Nightsister type stuff?"

"Try steel swords, spears, and armor." Mace answered.

"Well then, that would make them easy to spot. Alright, Master, I'll see what I can do." She turned her head, "No better place to start keeping an eye out than a Cantina."

"Tano…"

"I'll drink responsibly, don't worry. I'm still on a mission. Fulcrum out."

"Tano, wait!" Mace cursed when the hologram ended. He tossed the disc to the side and huffed, "Willful as ever."

* * *

Fulcrum could not shake the feeling that someone was watching her. The montrals on her head twitched as she took a deep breath of the musty cantina air. Every cantina seemed to smell the same on working class worlds like Kuat; dusty, dingy, smoky. The stench of strong alcohol and sweaty bodies mingled with the smoke filled air, making the air even more unpleasant to the smell. At this point though, she had been to enough rodent infested, stagnant air, scum infested hives for two lifetimes, let alone one. Being an underground agent for a slowly building Rebellion was dirty work, and it required mingling with the dregs of society in order to gather intel easily.

Kuat was a perfect world for this sort of work. The Empire used the massive shipyards just beyond the atmosphere to produce nearly all of their naval ships. From massive Star Destroyers, to the smallest of those new fighters they were producing, TIE fighters if she recalled correctly. Oh what she would give to somehow get her hands on those plans. Sadly, they were too high profile for her to possibly snatch, and espionage was not the reason for her being on this world.

The small rebel base that had just been established on the fourth moon of Yavin required ships to supply their remote corner of space. She needed to purchase them and their parts in small increments. Small enough orders to make people think some rich Togruta wanted to build a collection, but not enough to raise any red flags. Suspicions will always be high when a lone, mysterious woman makes ship purchases, but those suspicions were easily quelled with enough credits and a slight suggestion through the Force. However, if she ordered more than one or two fighters at any given time, Imperial Officers with much more authority will take notice. At that point, she would have to bail and hope that they did not trace the source of the funds. That was a risk she could not afford to take.

What was even riskier than that, was remaining on one world for too long. The Togruta liked to linger on one planet for at most three days, maybe four if business took longer than normal. Today was day seven on Kuat.

The reason? The Imperial Officer in charge of overlooking ship orders was taking his sweet ass time approving her order of two brand new EE-730 transports. Small ships that could hold six crew and passengers. Mostly meant for cargo runs, which would greatly benefit the budding rebellion at this point. Right now, they needed to build up their bases, not instigate any fights.

Every day she stayed on one planet was another day something bad could happen that would draw attention to her, and by extension, the rebellion. She knew her identity, Fulcrum, was already being circulated among Imperial channels. During the early days, before she really figured out how to be a shadow operative, she was a bit too active, a bit too clumsy. Thankfully, none of those reports mentioned her true name, or what she looked like. But it would take just one Bounty Hunter tenacious enough to track her down to upend all of her meticulous work. Right now, she feared one may have done just that.

That was why she decided to divert her route tonight. Normally, she would leave the Shipyard's acquisitions office and immediately go back to her room at a local inn. The less she was out and about, the less she would be noticed. Tonight, she could not do that. Not with someone tracking her. A bounty hunter was less likely to try and get into a violent confrontation when a large crowd was nearby, especially if that bounty hunter was any good. They would know that a fight in a large crowd involved too many uncontrollable variables, which makes it far easier for her to escape than most bounty hunters are comfortable with. So, she walked from the acquisitions office, to the nearby cantina. After the headaches the Imperial bureaucracy was giving her, she could use a stiff drink.

As she stepped down onto the Cantina's main floor, she took a quick survey of the room. Already a crowded night. Second shift just finished up on the drive yards. Most of the patrons were human, since the Empire only trusted humans to work on their military craft. She cursed under her breath at that observation. Less aliens like her meant she would be easier to pick out of a crowd, even with her hood drawn. She would just have to be extra careful.

 _Handle this like Master Kenobi, not like Anakin._ She thought with a slight, wistful smile.

Master Kenobi… that was a name she had not heard in a long time. Five years to be exact. One moment, he was alive, fighting General Grievous and his droid armies on Utapau. The next she heard he had been killed by his Clones on that same planet. Obliterated by a cannon blast as he charged up one of the sinkhole walls. Since there was no bounty contract on him, Fulcrum assumed it to be true. After all, still living Jedi, and those who were known associates of Jedi, had rather high prices on their heads.

 _Last I checked mine was at about four hundred thousand._ She thought, a light chuckle slipping from her lips as she brushed past a group of four human workers in order to take a seat at the Cantina's main bar.

The bar tender approached her, and she quietly ordered a simple human whiskey. Something that would not completely drown out her senses and that she could purge quickly from her system if needed. This was a bar, so she had to drink something. If she ordered water, others would notice, and not in a good way. If she was right about someone tracking her, then she needed to blend in as best as she could.

The bartender placed a glass of whisky in front of her. Her slim, orange colored hand reached out and plucked the glass. Fulcrum nodded her thanks then took a small sip of the amber liquid, wincing as the alcohol burned against her tongue.

 _Master Kenobi…_

Hope sparked in her heart as she thought of the legendary name. Master Windu insisted he was alive, and with a strange group of people who liked their ancient style weapons. Despite the hope that flickered in her heart, she found it difficult to believe. All hope for the Jedi died when it was publicly announced that Master Yoda had been captured. Of course, he escaped. But the fact that he had not surfaced since made her thoughts on the survival of any Jedi drearier.

 _Master Windu lived._ She reminded herself as she took another sip of her whisky. She swirled the amber liquid in her glass as her blue eyes remained focused on the white lights lining the simple bar counter. _Everyone was certain he died trying to "assassinate" Palpatine._

She doubted that story. It had to be propaganda from the Sith. Why would the Jedi attempt to assassinate anyone? More likely, Mace Windu and a group of Jedi were going to confront Palpatine about his promise to abdicate power once the war was over. With Master Kenobi cornering Grievous, and likely killing him (although all reports said a team of Clones ended the droid general's life), Palpatine's war powers would end and he would have to leave office. She knew the Jedi secretly worried he would not abdicate, so that was probably the reason Windu went to see the then Chancellor Palpatine.

It all ended in the Jedi's destruction, and Mace's "death". Yet, there he was just a few moments ago, talking to her on the other side of a hologram from Alderaan. He looked rough to say the least. Long, spiderweb scars ran all over his dark face. There were more lines on his face and a heavier set to his brow. His eyes held an anger in them she never noticed before. But she could not blame him for that. When the Jedi Order fell, she had been angry too. Her anger nearly consumed her when she learned of Anakin's death at the Jedi Temple. That was the one Jedi death even Palpatine mourned, and the rest of the galaxy mourned the Jedi Hero, Anakin Skywalker.

 _At least his name hasn't been dragged through the mud._ She thought glumly.

She raised her gaze slightly as two new patrons entered the bar. A couple more shipyard workers. Their faces caked in black grease and smoke. Another long day of work done. They paid her no mind as they took seats further down the bar. As Fulcrum's eyes followed, she spotted someone sitting in a far corner booth, hidden partially by the high, grey seats.

 _There's something you don't see everyday._ She thought as her index finger tapped her glass of whiskey.

She stared at a young man with long rose colored hair slicked back tight over his head. He appeared to be rather average in height and build, a bit on the thin side actually. He looked like he could use a hearty meal or two. He wore strange armor, the likes of which Fulcrum had only heard in stories. The armor was black in color; made of what looked to be heavy metal plates. The strangest part of his outfit though was the black mask that covered his eyes and the top of his nose. It didn't cover his mouth at all.

 _Maybe he likes that better?_ She thought, _I've worn plenty of masks that made me feel a bit claustrophobic._

She glanced over at him again and watched as one of his hands reached for a half empty bottle of red wine at the center of the table. Without skipping a beat, he placed the bottle to his lips and drank a large gulp before gently setting it back down in front of him. As he set it down, his other hand tapped his hip, where Ahsoka saw-

 _Is that an ax?_

Not an ax with a vibroblade, but a legitimate ax. The kind that primitive civilizations used to chop down trees and stuff.

She sucked in a breath. Master Kenobi traveled with a group of young humans wearing archaic metal armor and wielding strange, archaic weapons such as axes, lances, and swords.

 _And there's no such thing as luck._ She thought as she downed the last drops of her whiskey.

She cautiously glanced around again, making sure no one was really paying attention to her, before she stood up and made her way over to the corner booth where the young man sat. He did not flinch as she approached, did not turn his head when she cleared her throat next to him, did not even react when she decided to forget any formalities and just take a seat across from him. The only reaction she managed to get, was a slight narrowing of his eyes behind that black mask.

"Hello there." Fulcrum said, her voice low. Just loud enough for the young human to hear over the cantina's music and the loud cacophony of conversation between shipyard workers.

He said nothing back, but his eyes remained focused on her. Even as he reached for his bottle of wine again, his stare did not waver.

Fulcrum frowned beneath her hood, "It's uh… kinda good manners to say hello back."

"Why should I do that?" The young human male grunted. He plucked the bottle from the table and took another small sip from it, "I don't know you, and you don't know me."

"Well that's why-"

"And I don't plan on getting to know you. So leave me in peace." He let the bottle hover near his lips again, "Or whatever peace I can manage."

Fulcrum arched an eyebrow. _Talk about down in the dumps. What's making him so upset?_

He eyed her again after he took another long swig from his bottle, "You aren't leaving."

She shook her head, "Nope. I'm not that easy to get rid of. For now, you're stuck with me."

"Why?"

She shrugged, "Look around." She gestured to the other patrons in the bar, "You and I are just about the only ones in here not from the Driveyards. Haven't seen another outsider in some time, so I figured I'd say hi. Maybe get a nice story or two out of you."

"I have no story to tell. Now leave me alone."

Her frown deepened, "Sour much?" She took a deep breath, "My name is Fulcrum-"

"What kind of name is that?"

She scowled back, "You've got an attitude, did you know that?"

"I," He leaned forward a little bit, "don't give a damn. I'm just here to drink and be left alone."

Fulcrum nodded her head. She could understand that. If Bail Organa had not contacted her so soon after the Empire fell, she probably would've done the same in the wake of the Jedi Purge. The Rebellion gave her purpose, and a job she was exceptional at. Without it, what would she be but another outcast, languishing in some cantina on a backwater world no one bothered to care about. She could at least empathize with how this guy felt.

But that did not mean she had to tolerate it.

"Alright, fine." She grumbled, shifting in her seat and resting her arms on the table, fingers lacing up into a tight ball, "If you're going to be disagreeable, then I'll cut to the chase. Do you know an Obi Wan Kenobi?"

That got a reaction. An extremely subtle one, but one she noticed. A slight widening of his eyes as soon as she mentioned the name Kenobi. A small brush of his fingertips along the neck of his wine bottle. A little twitch in the corner of his mouth. He seemed… pissed off by that name. Not exactly the best sign for someone she suspected Master Kenobi knew.

"I don't know an Obi Wan Kenobi." He grunted, leaning back in the booth, "I know a Ben Kenobi."

"Ah…" Fulcrum nodded, "That's a decent cover on his part. Tell me, does he still have the beard or not?"

"Why should I say anything to you?"

"I'm an old friend of his."

For the first time in their entire conversation, she got a genuine reaction from the young man; a scoff.

"Kenobi has friends? I doubt that. He never mentioned any." He tapped a finger along the body of his wine bottle, "And I think I'm done chatting. I never wanted to chat anyways. I just want to sit here and drink. Yet somehow, you managed to get me talking."

"It's probably my infectious personality." Fulcrum grinned beneath her hood.

"Then I need a cure." He grumbled. He tapped the bottle again, "This is probably it." He tipped it back and took one long gulp.

Fulcrum furrowed her brow when he let out a loud, satisfied gasp after he set the bottle down. Something was very off about this guy. He had the look of a jaded, broken soldier, but he also seemed way too young to be that way. He could not be a veteran of the Clone Wars, not unless he was much older than he looked.

"How old are you, friend?" Fulcrum abruptly asked.

"Why do you care?" He grumbled.

Fulcrum shrugged, "Just having a conversation." He let out a long sigh at that, "It gets boring hearing the same old stuff about starships day in and day out."

He looked at her wearily, and clearly a little frustrated, "Eighteen." He grunted.

 _Definitely not a veteran of the war. Not unless he was a child soldier… like I was._

She winced internally at that thought. Those were feelings she needed to keep in check.

"So what made you so… so…" Fulcrum waved at him, "like this."

"None of your business." He grunted again, treating her as a waste of his time.

Fulcrum frowned. She could not let this guy chase her away that easily. He knew a Kenobi. How many Kenobis could there possibly be in the galaxy? She only ever knew one, and if he did survive then he would use a false identity he could easily remember. Ben Kenobi fit the bill. No, he needed to give her his location. Obi Wan Kenobi was a name the Rebellion could rally around.

But first, she needed to get him to open up. Even if it was only a little bit. Just a small opening is all she needed.

"You know how I got here? Crazy story, I-"

"I don't care." He interrupted, his voice dropping to a low growl, "Leave me be."

 _Now you're not just being surly, you're being damn rude._ Fulcrum thought, _How would Master Skywalker handle this?_

Probably with a lightsaber, some mild force powers, maybe a harsh mind suggestion, and a strong punch to the jaw. Aggressive negotiations, for short.

 _As fun as that is, it won't work here._

Master Kenobi would slowly whittle away his social defenses. Get friendly with him. Make him open up on his own through subtle suggestions, both with and without the Force's aid.

 _Yeah… let's try a small little tap against the mind._

Fulcrum motioned her hand across her face.

"Tell me your name." She said, reaching out with the force and carefully placing the suggestion within the young man's mind.

His eyes glazed over behind his mask for a split second.

"Gerome." He muttered.

"Gerome." Fulcrum parroted, she held out a hand, "Nice to meet you."

He reached out to shake her hand then froze. The glaze over his eyes evaporated. His pinkish eyes narrowed on her.

"You…" He snarled, "You're like him."

Fulcrum frowned, "Like who? Like Kenobi? Well, yeah. I _am_ an old friend of his."

"Not just him." Gerome's scowl deepened, "You're like Maul."

Fulcrum's blood ran cold. Maul, another name she had not heard in years. The last time she heard of him, she had been battling against him on Mandalore, during one of the final battles of the Clone Wars.

 _How do you know Maul?_

She sensed anger well up inside of Gerome. A slowly bubbling volcano of fury that simmered beneath deep layers of indifference. That name provoked rage the likes of which he did not normally possess. Why?

"Well… Maul is not a friend of mine." Fulcrum replied, "In fact, he and I were on opposite sides of a war so-"

"Doesn't matter." Gerome snarled, "You're just like him, Kenobi, Lucina, Morgan; a wielder of that unnatural magic." He pointed an accusatory finger at her, "That magic killed my mother and father. So if you value your life, I suggest you get lost."

 _He calls the Force magic? And he knows Master Kenobi and Maul?_ Fulcrum leveled her gaze with Gerome's meeting his unbreakable stare and challenging it. _This is getting stranger by the moment._

Before she could reply, she spotted someone enter the Cantina. Or, at least lingering near the main door. A shorter figure in full Mandalorian armor, green in color. The armor was scraped up and dirty, but undoubtedly strong. A jetpack sat on his back. The tinted visor focused on her. As she locked eyes with the man in Mandalorian armor, she noticed a small dent in his helm. Ice shot through her veins.

 _Fett._

The absolute worst case scenario was now in play.

She leaned across the table, "Listen to me very carefully Gerome. My name is Ahsoka Tano. Master Kenobi was a teacher of mine when I was growing up. We are being hunted down." She nodded past him, "That guy is after me."

Gerome leaned back, "Don't care. It's your problem, not mine."

"It'll be your problem when I lose him and he comes to you to figure out where I went." She saw the corner of his mouth twitch at that, "Believe me when I say, Fett does not ask questions. He demands answers, and he gets them only one way. I doubt you want to find out how. I'll give you a small hint though, it does not involve leaving you to wallow in peace."

"I'll just tell him I don't know you."

"After how long I've chatted with you, I doubt that excuse will work." She smirked as realization flickered in his eyes, "You're still gonna be stuck with me, Pinky."

He grit his teeth, "My hair is rose, not pink."

"Doesn't matter." Ahsoka flicked her eyes back to the entrance. Fett was gone.

 _Where did he go?_

"Do you have a speeder? Some form of transportation to quickly get me to the spaceport?" She asked Gerome, "I'll pay you. I'll give you a ride out of here if needed, just help me out."

Gerome shifted his weight as he weighed his options. His reluctance was plain to see. The guy really did not care about his well-being if he did not agree with this deal immediately. Ahsoka was confident she could eventually shake Fett and escape the planet, somehow. Once she did that, the infamous bounty hunter would go to Gerome and torture him for information on her. Worse yet, he'd probably hand him over to the Empire and they would do the torturing for him. As abrasive as this guy has been, Ahsoka wished that fate on very few beings in the galaxy.

"Fine…" Gerome begrudgingly sighed, "Back door."

He slid out from the booth, stumbling a little bit as the copious amounts of wine affected his mind. Ahsoka carefully looked around the cantina. No sign of Fett. No sign of anyone out of the ordinary. She knew she was not just imagining things. There was a bounty hunter here. The most dangerous one to be exact. But was he the only one?

Her right hand brushed against a lightsaber hilt hidden up her cloak's sleeve. Her weapon of absolute last resort. Once she used it, she would never be able to return to Kuat. They will all know she is a Jedi then.

She followed Gerome out the back door, both of them quietly slipping outside into the pouring rain. Deep puddles lined the road near the back door of the cantina. Ahsoka looked for a speeder, but saw none.

"I thought you said you had a speeder." She hissed to Gerome as he stumbled towards a large waste bin with an enormous tarp haningin off the side of it, covering up what was probably the cantina's cleaning supplies.

"I never said anything about a speeder." He grunted, boots sloshing in the rain soaked alley. "The hell is a speeder anyways?" He finished under his breath.

As he approached the tarp, Ahsoka saw it shift. At first, she thought it was a trick of the neon lights reflecting in the rain. But then it moved again, and she was certain she saw something long, black, and scaly slither beneath the tarp.

"Easy, girl." Gerome grumbled as he reached for the tarp and pulled it back a little bit. Ahsoka carefully approached as she did so, her lightsaber gently creeping down her sleeve towards her hand.

He pulled the tarp back. Ahsoka saw a single, yellow, slitted eye open up and narrow at Gerome. A flurry of motion, and the tarp fell away as an enormous winged reptile emerged from its hiding spot. It shuddered, shaking rainwater from its scale as several irritated growls rumbled from it's toothy maw.

"Yeah, I was drinking." Gerome said with a heavy, weary sigh. "What's it to you, Minervykins?"

It… it barked at him? At least, Ahsoka thought it was a bark. She couldn't quite place the sound, but the thing was somehow communicating with Gerome. Gerome sighed and brushed his hand against it's scaly snout.

"Yeah, yeah. Don't worry, I'll find you a drier spot for tonight." He grunted, spinning around to look at Ahsoka. As he turned, the lizard swept its scaly head past him. It's gaze narrowed on Ahsoka as it barred massive fangs at her.

"Um…" Ahsoka gulped, "Easy er- Minervykins?"

The beast snorted. A puff of steam shot from its nostrils as its hot breath mixed with the cool, damp air. It's scaly lips curled back as it barred more fangs at Ahsoka.

"It's um," Ahsoka gulped as it's teeth got closer to her. So close that it's snout was nearly beneath her hood, "It's protective, huh?"

"It is a she." Gerome replied, voice still monotonous, but Ahsoka detected a hint of defensiveness when he said that, "And don't call her Minervykins. She doesn't like that."

Ahoska arched an eyebrow, "But you just-"

"Only I can call her that. You can call her Minerva, got it?"

Ahsoka gulped as the beast snorted at her, as if it was trying to get Gerome's point across further.

"Got it." Ahsoka nodded, allowing her lightsaber to not fall into her hand, "Don't worry Minerva, I'm not going to hurt Gerome."

"She wouldn't let you even if you tried." Gerome tapped Minerva's right flank while he worked to fasten a saddle of some sort onto her back, "Don't eat our way out of here." He muttered at the beast.

Minvera turned her head to look at Gerome. It gurgled at him, and he rolled his eyes.

"There's hardly enough meat on her for a snack, let alone a meal. I told you I'd find you some good food as soon as I figured out where the hell we are."

"You're on Kuat." Ahsoka deadpanned as she glanced cautiously around the alley. Doing her best to keep an eye out for Fett or any other bounty hunters.

"I know that." Gerome grunted as he finished what he was doing. He placed his boot into the large stirrup and hauled himself up into the rain soaked, leather saddle, "I meant in relation to Ylisse."

Ahsoka gave him a puzzled look, "Ylisse?"

"The Halidom." Gerome attempted to clarify, "East of Plegia, south of Regna Ferox. Across the sea from Valm."

Ahsoka shook her head, "You're speaking gibberish now." She glanced at Minerva, "Do you know what he's talking about?"

Minerva growled at her, and Ahsoka snapped her mouth shut.

Gerome narrowed his eyes at her, "How could you not know-"

Ahsoka raised a hand, silencing him as she felt a disturbance in the force. Something was moving in the alleyway. She flicked her eyes to the shadows, her lightsaber once again drifting down her sleeve to her open, waiting palm.

She saw a flash of white in one shadow, followed by the sound of a blaster priming.

"Watch out!" She shouted, leaping up onto Minerva and activating her blade.

An azure lightsaber burst to life in her grasp and deflected a red blaster bolt aimed directly at Gerome's back. Minerva uttered an enraged roar as she spun to confront the attacker. Ahsoka nimbly backflipped over Gerome and gracefully landed in front of him, twirling her lightsaber to deflect another blaster bolt.

"Bounty hunters!" She shouted at Gerome, "Go!"

"Better hold onto something."

Gerome snapped the reins. Minerva snarled, unfurling her massive, black wings. She hammered them against the air once, and all three soared high into the sky. A blaster bolt shrieked after them. Ahsoka jumped around Gerome, taking a seat behind him. As she sat, she deflected the bolt back to the shooter, narrowly missing him. The light from the bolt reflected against a human man wearing rough armor and heavy bandages around his scarred head.

 _Dengar._ She thought with a scowl.

A loud whine filled her ears. Ahsoka gasped and looked to her right. A Mandalorian rocketed towards her with the help of a jetpack. She was not going to be able to get her lightsaber around in time.

Minerva's wings folded, and the beast dove sharply. Ahsoka gasped, nearly losing her grip on her lightsaber as Boba Fett overshot them.

"How fast can she fly?" Ahsoka asked Gerome, "Faster than a jetpack I hope?"

She heard a slight laugh from Gerome.

"Are you really going to challenge her?" He leaned close to Minerva's neck and whispered to her.

Minerva broke out of her dive just before she could crash into the treetops below them. Her scaly belly brushed against the dark leaves at the top of the jungle canopy. Each branch, each leaf, zoomed faster beneath Ahsoka as the massive reptile powerfully beat its wings against the wind.

 _Oh yeah, she can outrun Fett._ Ahsoka thought as an enormous smile crossed her lips.

"Where's the spaceport?" Gerome asked as he gripped the reins tight, spurring Minerva to a faster pace.

Ahsoka leaned close so he could hear her through the howling wind. As she moved, her hood fluttered back, revealing her orange face and her blue and white montrals, "Due west. Not far, you can't miss it. Don't worry about your friend. I can haul ten loads of X-wing spare parts in the cargo hold." Ahsoka beamed, "So yes, Minerva can fit."

She noticed a ghost of a smile cross Gerome's lips. She also sensed a large amount of confusion in him, but he did not bring it to Ahsoka's attention. His sole focus was on guiding them safely to their destination as quickly as possible.

"Good." He turned Minerva west, "I think?"

The beast rumbled beneath Ahsoka. A pleased sound. One that put the Togruta's nerves at ease. She slid her deactivated lightsaber back up her sleeve and took in the feeling of this flight. A thrilled smile crossed her lips even as cold rain battered against her skin. It had been a long time since flying felt this exciting. Not since the days her Master piloted the Twilight did she feel this much excitement and adrenaline.

A sad smile crossed her lips as they neared the spaceport.

 _Anakin would have loved this._

Through the rain, she could see her small freighter waiting for them on its landing pad. She pointed it out to Gerome and he quickly set Minerva down. As soon as they landed, Ahsoka jumped from Minerva's back and opened the cargo bay ramp.

"Get her inside, quick!" She hissed to Gerome.

A flurry of motion occurred near the catwalk to her ship. Ahsoka noticed white armor sprinting towards her. She quickly flicked her hood back over her head.

" _There's the Jedi! Blast her!"_ A stormtrooper barked.

Red blaster bolts shrieked at her and Gerome. Minvera hissed and roared as one passed too close to her head.

"Get in the thing!" Gerome snapped at her, "I know it's a tight space but it's better, safer, and drier, than here!"

Ahoska's lightsaber burst to life in her hands. The azure blade deflected one bolt after another back at the stormtroopers. One by one, they fell to their own blaster fire.

Gerome shouted at her.

"She's in!"

"Get in too!" Ahsoka shouted back, turning and sprinting to her ship. She tapped a comm link on her wrist, "Artoo, start her up!"

A series of whirs and beeps replied, then the engines to her ship thundered to life, startling both Gerome and Minerva as the cargo ramp began to ascend.

"Take off, Artoo!" Ahsoka snapped as she spun back around to deflect more blaster bolts.

The ship started to ascend. Right before the cargo doors closed too far, Ahsoka gathered the force around her. She snarled, propelling her body through the air in a sheer arc up into the closing ramp. She grabbed the top of it and hauled her body over the ramp just before it slammed shut. She slid down onto the ground, and, not missing a beat, jumped to her feat and sprinted to the cockpit of her ship. All the while, Minerva snarled and gnashed her jaws while Gerome did his best to calm her down.

 _Can't pay attention to that. Need to fly. Need to fly._

The door to the cockpit burst open and she surged inside, nearly knocking over a small, blue astromech.

"Artoo, is the hyperdrive ready!?"

The astromech beeped at her.

"Good boy." Ahsoka gasped as she got in the pilot's seat, took the controls, and rocketed out of Kuat's atmosphere.

She watched as the nav-computare input random coordinates for a random jump to a nearby planet. Not one with any rebel presence. Good, Artoo was sticking to their emergency plan. The last thing they needed was the Fett, or worse, the Empire, tracking them back to Yavin.

Fighters screamed towards her. As she evaded them, the door to the cockpit open and Gerome took a seat beside her. His eyes were wide behind his mask as he gripped the armrests to the copilot's chair tight.

"Where's the sky?" He gulped.

"About to look different, again" Ahsoka said with a slight laugh.

She hit the hyperdrive. The engines roared, Minerva roared, the stars around the Driveyards turned into streaks of bright light as Fulcrum made her latest escape.

 **And chapter! Gerome finally appears, and with Ahsoka of all people. Talk about two very different personalities now needing to work together. That's going to be fun to write. This was a pretty small chapter in the grand scheme of things, but still a good one for the story. We got into Mace and Kjelle's heads a little bit, and now Mace is on the lookout for Obi Wan, whenever he arrives. I'm excited!  
Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed it! Have a nice day!**

 **Come join the Treehouse! Discord code is: 9XG3U7a**


	127. To Bake a Cake

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 127

To Bake a Cake

Ben shifted as his eyes slowly blinked open. Another morning in Ylisse. It still surprised him to wake up every day in this place; with a log cabin roof over his head, a soft, wool filled pillow beneath his head, and a slender arm snaked lazily over his chest as a beautiful dark mage snoozed peacefully beside him.

If someone had told him that he would be in this place when Order 66 happened, he would not have believed it. He would have laughed, or scoffed, or just remained silent and believed that person was on a deathstick trip. He was a Jedi Master, a member of the Jedi High Council… lone survivor now.

That was a sobering thought that lingered in the back of his mind daily. As far as Ben knew, he was alone. He was the last of the old Jedi Order. Everyone else died during those fateful days at the end of the Clone Wars. A part of him still wanted to believe that some Jedi survived, but Sidious's masterstroke had been so decisive, so swift and surprising, it seemed impossible for there to be any more survivors. He had been, for lack of a better term, lucky. And while he still believed there was no such thing as luck, it was hard to see his survival as anything else.

He shifted where he lay, turning onto his side so he could look at Tharja. He smiled a little a soft sound slipped from her lips, the only sign that she knew he was awake and moving.

 _Always the heavy sleeper._ Ben thought with a small smile.

He slipped Tharja's arm off of him and sat up, letting his feet fall to the floor. Sunlight filtered through the curtains he had recently put up in front of his bedroom's one window. As the warm sun hit him, he smiled again. The morbid thoughts of Order 66 started to fade. Technically, he was supposed to be dead. But… call it luck, call it fate, or destiny, call it the Will of the Force; he was alive now. The Jedi Order was not.

 _Live in the moment._

A reminder he told himself daily, and one he struggled to follow. There were moments where he felt sorrow for what had happened. But then… that sorrow contrasted with the moments where he was with Tharja and Noire, being their own version of a strange family. Contrasted by his moments with Lucina, who constantly asked him questions about the Force, and he was happy to answer them. With those stark contrasts, came a quick end to any sudden melancholy, and he felt something he had not felt since the days he was training under Qui Gon Jinn.

He felt at peace.

There was no war to fight anymore. No dire threat to worry about. The closest Sith Lord had become, in his own words, "An antagonistic friend", rather than an enemy. It helped that Dooku also lived several days away in Themis, rather than nearby. Distance was good for both of them, but Ben no longer feared Dooku running about sowing discord and violence. The Count had taken to his role as chief advisor to Duchess Maribelle Themis, which kept his darker inclinations buried and instead focused his time and energy on running Ylisse's second largest city. A task he was doing a marvelous job at, according to both Maribelle and Chrom.

The only worry Ben had anymore resided in the deserts and wastelands beyond Ylisse's western border. Plegia, despite their vital assistance in the war against Valm, caused extreme worry in Ben whenever he heard news from that place. Tiki's revelations regarding Robin, along with both Validar and the Hierophant's keen interest in Robin, made Ben wary of everything regarding the desert kingdom.

Plegia put on a strong facade of friendship and goodwill towards Ylisse. Thankfully, Chrom was wise enough to exercise the same amount of caution as Ben. While he did not directly advise the Prince, preferring instead to remain out of politics in general, whenever Chrom came by to visit, or vice versa, Ben would give his opinion when asked.

All in all, this entire feeling he had now, peace and quiet, felt strange. Once again, just like at the end of the war with Plegia, he did not know what to do. Warfare was such a massive part of his life that Ben felt somewhat lost without it.

As his thoughts lingered on this, he felt slender fingers rub his back.

"Awake already?" Tharja mumbled sleepily.

Ben smiled back at her, "It's probably past nine o'clock."

"Too early." Tharja muttered. She groaned as she stretched her arms out, "Dark Mages like the night." Ben chuckled quietly as her dark eyes cracked open and she gave him a small smile, "What are your plans for today?"

"I'm not sure. You?"

"Class." She answered, "The urchins are going to learn how to brew their first poison today."

Ben raised his brow, "Should I alert Libra?"

Tharja let out a quiet laugh, "He already knows. Byron made sure to tell him as soon as he read my latest lesson plan." She sat up, black hair tousled on top of her head. Another loud yawn left her lips, "It'll be a mild poison."

"How is a poison mild?" Ben asked with a laugh as he got to his feet and moved over to the curtains.

"Well… some poisons-"

Ben threw the curtains open, revealing a curious thief peeking inside.

Gaius's eyes flicked up to Ben as Ben glowered down at him through the window. The thief gulped, then paled as Tharja's voice fell to a low mutter.

"This isn't what it looks like." Gaius said quickly, raising a hand in an attempt to make Tharja hesitate when casting her hex, as Ben pushed the window open.

"Oh really?" Ben leaned against the windowsill, head resting in his right hand while he allowed Tharja to continue her incantation, "Seems to me like you were up to no good again."

"Depends on what you define as no good, Benny." Gaius laughed nervously. He attempted to creep his way away from the window, but one sharp glance from Tharja made him freeze, "D-didn't see ya there, Sunshine. I thought you were," He swallowed hard, "already gone."

"So you weren't peeping?" Tharja growled low, her incantation momentarily paused as she waited for Gaius's fear filled response.

Gaius gave Tharja an exasperated look, "You really think I'm stupid enough to do that?"

"Yes." Both Ben and Tharja answered as one.

"Give me some more credit than that, you two. I may not be the sweetest candy in the shop, but I'm pretty sweet."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Ben asked, brow raised.

"It means exactly what you think it does, Benny." Gaius said, exhaling as he watched Tharja rise and step to the side of the window in order to throw on her outfit for the day. He leaned up against the cabin's wall and glanced at Ben as the Jedi Master took a deep breath of the morning air, "So… you going anywhere to-"

"There are no sweets in here Gaius, so don't try it." Ben remarked, keeping one eye on the thief.

"Damn." Gaius spat, hanging his head briefly, "Whiskers has got me on this health kick ever since we got back. Y'know, a guy gets winded while chasing her one time and all of a sudden she's got me eating roots and plants and all that garbage."

"Ah, so you are actually eating something of substance."

"It's gross." Gaius frowned.

"It's good for you."

"If it was good for me it'd taste good." He leaned close, "Don't repeat this to Whiskers, but her radishes make me gag. And she can't eat potatoes. Did you know that!? Potatoes are the one vegetable I actually like."

"Potatoes are a starch." Ben deadpanned.

"No wonder I like them so much!" Gaius cried.

Tharja briefly tapped Ben on the shoulder and gave him a light kiss, "I'll be back for another later."

She smiled at Ben, glared at Gaius, then turned to leave the cabin. Both Gaius and Ben heard the door to Ben's room click shut as Tharja left.

"Why's she out to get me?" Gaius abruptly asked.

"Maybe it's because you can be a pest." Ben sighed as he stepped away from the window.

Before the Jedi could stop him, Gaius clambered up into the cabin through the open window. Ben opened his mouth to complain, but only managed a weary sigh. He ran a hand over his eyes.

"My point exactly." He muttered as he used the force to call a shirt over to his open palm. He snagged it and threw it on over his torso before moving to exit his room, "Vegetable soup?" He asked Gaius.

"Did you not hear my rant?" Gaius snarked back as he sauntered at Ben, eyes flicking from corner to corner of the cabin as he sought out any secret hiding spots where he might be able to pilfer some goodies.

Ben snorted at that, "Fair enough." Ben went over to the fireplace, reaching into a nearby cupboard, and pulled out a small pot. Next to the pot was a sealed jar filled with soup. Gaius gasped.

"It's not yours!?"

"Anna jarred some earlier." Ben remarked as he popped the lid off, "It's handy when I'm not in the mood for cooking."

"You're not in the mood for cooking?"

"Not when I'm being pestered." Ben sighed as he poured the jar's contents into the pot.

He strode over to a small water basin on the other side of the room and scooped up some water into the jar. After that, he poured the water into the pot, and used a flint to spark a small fire in the fireplace. Ben used the force to place the pot over the flames, then he took a seat in his chair next to the fire.

Gaius flopped onto the sofa next to him, kicking his feet up on the armrest. Ben gave the thief a withering look.

"What?" Gaius asked, "I've decided to stop pestering you."

"Talking is not the only way to pester someone."

"I'm aware." Gaius shrugged as he picked at his teeth with his finger. He sniffed and stared up at the ceiling, "So… what are we doing today then? That is, if you aren't leaving and-"

"I'm not leaving until you do, Gaius." Ben remarked.

Gaius jolted upright, "You are hiding something in here!"

"I am not hiding anything. Where would I hide any sweets?" Ben asked as he eyed the pot of soup bubbling in the fireplace.

Gaius rubbed his chin as he laid back down on the soft, head sinking into the fur covering over the cushions. He snapped his fingers, "Sunshine's stuff!"

"Oh yes. Because mixing candy with her poisonous ingredients is a _wonderful_ idea." Ben replied.

He used the force to call a wooden spoon over from the cupboard, then he stirred the soup as he sat in his chair. His finger spun small circles in the air as he controlled the spoon, making Gaius's mouth fall open.

"Oh Naga…" Gaius glanced at Ben, "That's genius, Benny."

"You want to know another genius thing?" Ben asked, glancing over at the thief.

"Enlighten me, Mad Swordsman." Gaius grinned, lacing his fingers behind his head.

"Get out and get a hobby."

"My hobby is-"

"Stealing from me does not count as a hobby." Ben quickly interrupted as the spoon floated out of the pot towards his lips, a small serving of soup in it. He took a quick sip and nodded, "Couple more minutes."

"Well, you gotta be doing something, Benny." Gaius said, staring up at the ceiling again, "I mean, maybe my hobby ends up being your hobby."

"I'm recording Jedi knowledge."

Gaius quirked an eyebrow, "Writing stuff?"

"Yes." Ben nodded, "Care to join?"

"I'm out." Gaius sighed, swinging his legs off of the sofa and rising to his feet, "That sounds like a really boring hobby, Benny."

"Boring, but necessary. I honestly enjoy it. If the order remained intact, I might have eventually found my way into Master Nu's position." Ben smiled sadly as he mentioned the old Jedi Master that absolutely loved the library she watched over, "The archives were always a peaceful place."

"Well have fun with that- er… stuff." Gaius replied, stepping towards the door. He paused as he reached for the doorknob, "Does-"

"Stealing from other people does not count as a hobby either, Gaius."

"Damn!"

The door to his cabin opened and shut, and Gaius finally left. Ben inhaled deep, the delicious scent of soup filling his nose. It had easily become one of his favorite dishes from this world. Easy to cook, easy to eat. A simple dish, very much like the type of food he was familiar with at the Jedi Temple and on Star Destroyers. Unlike war rations though, this food tasted good.

He used the force to raise the pot out of the fireplace and floated it over to the small countertop he had on the other side of the room, near a small window looking out towards the road to Ylisse. Ben smiled a little bit as he watched Gaius stroll up the road to the white walls beyond the forest he lived in. As much as the thief annoyed him, Ben had to admit he was good company. If nothing else, Gaius kept his wits sharp.

The pot settled down onto the countertop. Ben quietly ladled some soup into a wooden bowl, then pulled up a stool and sat down at the counter. As he quietly ate, he pondered what he said in order to get Gaius to get the hell out of his house. It was something he considered doing even before Valm invaded. If he really was the last Jedi, then someone had to record the Order's teachings. Even if he no longer believed in all of them, they were still valuable pieces of knowledge.

His thoughts wandered to Lucina and Noire. His daughter was an early riser, and was probably out gathering berries with Panne, which was why Ben hadn't seen her yet this morning. Her wounds from Valm were still fresh in his mind, and he did worry about her wandering. But he also trusted Panne, who regarded Ben, Tharja, Gaius, and now Noire, as part of her new Warren. From what he learned, Taguel were fiercely protective of their families, especially of their young. It was a little amusing to see Panne guard Noire so closely as they both wandered the nearby woods in the early morning hours.

 _Lucina and Noire._ Ben took a deep breath, _Those two are the future._

He took a deep breath, and rose from his seat, leaving his steaming bowl of soup on the counter. A quick stroll into his room, and a swift look through some of Tharja's things, and he found an empty tome. The spine was not cracked, and the pages were crisp. Probably bought only a few weeks ago. Something for Tharja to record her experiments in once her other tomes she had at the Academy were full.

 _I'll buy her another._ Ben thought as he carried the book, a quill, and some ink back out to the main living space.

He set the book down to his left, and stirred the soup n in his bowl to his right. He gulped down another mouthful of the hot broth, let out a content sigh, then cracked the pages to the empty book open. He dabbed the quill into the ink and scratched some words down on the first page. A simple heading in order to convey what was in the book. Once he finished writing that down, he paused, leaned back, and pinched the edge of his mustache between his fingers.

"Where to begin?"

* * *

Gaius let out a long sigh as he strolled through Ylisstol's broad streets. His hands were jammed tight into his pant pockets. Fingers grasping for lollipop sticks that were not there. The lack of sweets made him feel antsy. All he wanted was a nice, cherry lollipop to stick between his teeth. He shuddered just thinking about it.

 _Why'd Whiskers have to go to such extreme measures?_ He wondered as he strolled through the market crowds and started to wander near the Academy. _According to her, I'm still thin as a reed._ He huffed and kicked at a loose pebble lying in the cobblestone road, _Now she's got me off candy cold turkey._ He paused in his stroll alongside the white walls surrounding the Academy, _I mean… I could easily snatch some candy, but she would know._ He sighed despondently, head hanging from his shoulders as he looked at the pebble near his toe, _She always knows._ He furrowed his brow, _Does she smell it or something?_

He shook his head. A heavy huff left his lips, making his shoulders sag as he leaned up against the walls surrounding the Academy. He kept his hands shoved in his pockets, but he already knew he would be disappointed in what was there. Lint, more lint, maybe some sugar crystals?

 _If only I was so lucky._ He thought with a snort, _Usually I am._

He withdrew a hand from his pocket, sniffled, then brought it to his nose, hoping to detect even the faintest hint of sugar on his fingertips. When none came, he sagged further into the wall, a despondent sigh slipping from his lips.

"I need sugar."

 _Or… a distraction… that eventually leads to some sugar!_

He perked up and brought a hand to his chin, brow furrowed.

"Benny says I need a hobby." He muttered, thinking hard, "But what would be-"

The gates to the Academy opened. Gaius glanced over and saw two friends quietly walking out from the academic grounds. Laurent was hard to miss with his massive hat and spectacles. That, and Gaius thought he was one gangly looking fellow. His companion, Henry, was even harder to miss. Not everyday you see Grimleal robes flaunted openly in Naga's Capital.

 _Of course, no one has the courage to tell him or Sunshine 'no'._ Gaius laughed to himself, _Not even Benny._

"How's it going Specs!" He focused on Henry, "And… hm… I don't think I have a nickname for you yet?"

"Greetings, Gaius." Laurent nodded as he and Henry stopped beside him.

Henry grinned at Gaius. Somehow, that smile made his skin crawl. But he couldn't let the mage see him shiver. Gaius knew full well that once someone became a Grimleal mage, they were always a Grimleal mage. They thrived on sowing fear and chaos with both their magic and their very demeanor. Sunshine did so by being abrasive to anyone she did not fully trust, or consider a close friend. Henry… he managed to unsettle everyone with an unnerving smile and foreknowledge that he would not hesitate to kill anyone and everyone. In fact, he'd probably laugh if he had to do that grisly task.

"What are you doing out here?" Laurent asked, "Is Miss Panne occupied at the moment?"

Gaius arched an eyebrow, "I'm not always hanging around Whiskers, ya know."

Henry snickered, "Could've fooled us." Laurent's cheeks blushed a little bit.

Gaius folded his arms, "Says the guy who won't leave Red alone. How many times have you visited her place in the past few weeks, eh, Junior?" _Eh, a bit sloppy, but it works for a nickname._ "You gonna meet the parents at some point?"

That knocked the usually smiling mage off balance. A nervous chuckle slipped from Henry's lips.

"I believe they are on their way to visit her from their home near the Eastern Palace. Messages travel slowly through the mountains, what with it being the tail end of winter and all now."

"Mmmm… you're probably praying that Mommy and Daddy Red take their sweet time getting here." Gaius snickered, "Oh, when they meet you, I would not be surprised if they grant you your greatest wish, pal."

"That being?" Laurent asked, puzzled.

"A long, drawn out, bloody death." Henry muttered, though not with his usual gusto. He cackled under his breath, "Not entirely sure I want that happening at the hands of the Wing Commander's family."

Gaius's jaw fell open, "Oh Naga, you are head over heels, aren't you?"

"I fail to comprehend how he can be head over heels when he is clearly standing on the grou-"

"Figure of speech, Specs." Gaius said with a roll of his eyes, "Geez, it means he's… he's… well he's head over heels for Red."

Laurent narrowed his eyes, "Puzzling." He cracked open the tome nestled in the crook of his right arm. A piece of charcoal sat in the binding, "I'll have to take note. Conduct further research and…" He blinked, a scarlet tint rushed over his cheeks as he pushed his glasses further up his nose, "D-do you perhaps mean that Professor Henry wishes to… mate with the Knight Commander?"

Gaius could not contain his laughter when Henry turned bright red. He doubled over, guffawing loudly while Laurent grew even more puzzled.

"I-I fail to see how this is a laughing m-matter." Laurent sputtered.

Gaius shook his head and waved off Laurent's concern, "Wh-whatever…" He sniffled and laughed some more, hands resting on his knees as he tried to catch his breath, "So, what are you two up to?"

"We just finished assisting Professor Tharja in investigating the enigmatic reeking box." Laurent answered.

Anymore laughter died in Gaius's throat, "Oh… that thing, eh?" Gaius leaned back against the wall again, "You working on that too, Junior?"

The mild embarrassment Henry felt earlier evaporated as the scarlet blush Gaius put on his cheeks faded. Instead, that same, mad gleam returned to his blue eyes. His lips parted into an almost manic smile.

"Absolutely. It is as if we are studying a piece of Grima himself. Of course, we haven't gleaned much yet but-"

"Yeah, yeah, fancy words and stuff." Gaius interrupted as he gestured at Henry, "Did ya figure out how to blow the damn thing up?"

Henry blinked and glanced over at Laurent, "We have to blow it up?"

"I was not aware?" Laurent whispered back.

"Tharja didn't say anything about-" Henry glanced over at Gaius again. He cleared his throat, "Not yet. Right now, Tharja is working on it on her own. I have been asked to deal with her Urchins while she conducts experiments. She has deemed the box too dangerous for the students to be around."

"Indeed." Laurent nodded.

Gaius worked his jaw back and forth, "So, you all are supposed to be with the brats, aren't you?"

"Our classes are done." Henry replied, "Now, Laurent and I were heading back to the barracks to conduct our own experiments."

"On?" Gaius asked, curious.

"Well, Laurent is curious about Plegian culture. Specifically, Grimleal customs and rituals. One of them involves a cake and-"

Gaius's hand snapped out and snagged Henry by the collar of his shirt. An already incredibly dangerous thing to do, but at this point, he felt so starved for his sugar that he did not care about his own survival. He yanked Henry close and glared into Henry's surprised, but still disturbingly cheerful eyes.

"Did you say cake?"

* * *

The oven inside of the palace kitchens burned hot, heating the entire room to a balmy temperature that reminded Gaius of a hot, summer day back in Plegia. Usually, the heat would cause complaints to come streaming from his lips. Plegia was a life he did not want to relive, or go back to. If he were to be honest with himself, he quite enjoyed the quieter (if he could even call it that) lifestyle of being a Shepherd. He enjoyed having a home, well… tent… to come back to at the end of the day. Enjoyed Whisker's company with him, even if she was a tyrant when it came to both sugar and stealing.

 _But you're letting her do that to ya, and you're sticking around._ Gaius thought as he greedily eyed the cake baking inside of the oven, _What does that say about you?  
_ The thief drew back, eyes wide.

 _I might be head over heels for a bunny._

Laurent tapped his finger against the pages of his spellbook as he sat at a table near the oven. He removed his hat, letting his head breath in the hot room. One of his hands ran through his slicked back, blond hair as he stared down at some notes he scribbled in his spellbook. Off to the side, near a set of cupboards filled with various cooking ingredients, Henry looked busy. The Dark Mage opened a cabinet, investigated a set of spices by taking a sharp sniff of them, smirked, then quickly stuffed the entire jar into his robes.

 _There's a bit of a thief in him, eh?_ Gaius chuckled before glancing over at Laurent as the young mage let out an uncomfortable sound.

Laurent glanced over at Gaius.

"So… head over heels. Um…" He cleared his throat, a blush coming over his cheeks again, "I recall my father and Miss Sully discussing this topic with me in the future, but they never mentioned such an expression. Do you perhaps mean when the woman is on top of the man, with her face in-"

Gaius fell into uncontrollable laughter before Laurent could finish. Henry snickered off to the side as he shoved a large jar of cayenne pepper into his robes.

"Oh Naga… Muscles and Teach told ya that!?" Gaius howled where he stood, arms wrapped around his stomach, "But they didn't- they didn't, oh Naga, I can't. This is too-" He glanced over at Henry, "Please tell me you know what we're talking about?"

"I'm a Grimleal mage." Henry shrugged, "Perfectly aware."

An embarrassed expression flashed over Laurent's face. Henry lightly snickered some more as he pulled up a chair and joined Laurent and Gaius near the table.

Gaius nodded at Henry, "So, the Wing-Commander won't be your first, eh?"

Henry shook his head, "Actually, she would be my fir-" He caught himself, pale cheeks turning dark red. Gaius laughed some more.

"Oh I really wish Teach and Muscles were here now. They'd be having a field day with you two." He chuckled some more, "You both think I'm relentless, just be glad you're baking a cake with me." He whipped his gaze back to the oven, "Speaking of the cake, who is it for? What is it made of? And does that person actually need it?"

"Yes, she does actually need it." Henry finished with a mutter, scratching the back of his neck.

Gaius's eyes widened and he whipped his head back around to the Dark Mage.

"Oh…. ohohohohoho." Gaius nodded, "Yup, head over heels."

Laurent gasped, "Ooooh, that's what it means."

"He's finally caught on." Gaius said, gesturing the mage as he scribbled notes into his tome.

Henry snickered, "I was wondering when he was going to catch on."

Laurent furrowed his brow, "Are you two calling me slow?"

Gaius pursed his lips and shook his head, "No… not at all." He returned his attention to the cake, "So, flavor?"

Henry put a finger to his lips, "How to describe the flavor of this cake?"

"Is it vanilla?" Gaius asked, "Strawberry?" His excitement grew, "Chocolate? Oh Naga, if it's chocolate, I'm gonna steal it."

"How starved has Panne made you?" Laurent asked, slightly concerned.

"Very." Gaius whined. He then muttered under his breath, "Dumb vegetable diet. Guy loses his breath one time and…" He trailed off to where both Laurent and Henry could not hear him, "Can we try it?"

Henry nodded, "Of course. We have to taste test it to make sure it is cooked correctly." He looked past Gaius and into the oven, "And it should be ready."

"Yes!" Gaius cheered as Henry scooted past him, grabbed a pair of oven mitts, reached into the oven, and gently pulled the cake pan out.

It was a jet black cake. To Gaius, it looked like a burnt stone. Judging by the hard sound it made when Henry heaved it, and the pan, up onto the table, it weighed about as much as a large stone too. Gaius furrowed his brow and gave the circular cake a suspicious look.

"Um…" He drew back, putting a finger to his chin, "Is uh…" He gestured at the cake, "Is it supposed to look like uh… that?"

"Yup!" Henry beamed while Laurent watched, matching Gaius's apprehension.

Gaius raised his brow, "It's supposed to look like a piece of charcoal?"

"Absolutely!" Henry moved to a drawer in the cupboards nearby. Gaius expected him to grab a knife, or a fork, maybe a spoon? He did not expect the guy to grab a meat mallet and a butter knife, "I'll have to chisel off a piece."

Gaius looked incredulously at Henry, "Chisel?"

He flicked a nervous glance at the now intimidating slab of… something, sitting on the table beside him. Henry reached for the cake and lined up the butterknife with one of the round edges. He aimed the meat mallet, one eye closed.

"Gotta be careful now," Henry muttered, tongue sticking out the corner of his mouth, "Or I'll smash the cake… and possibly my hand." He cackled, "That'd be a fun visit to Libra."

"Very." Gaius muttered, still anxious about the strange cake.

With one sharp swing, Henry knocked several chunks off of the edge. All three hit the table with light taps, like pebbles falling down onto a wood floor. Gaius's apprehension grew as he noticed a black sludge coming from the cake, where Henry chipped off several pieces.

"Oh darn." Henry sighed, "Took a little too much off the top."

"What is _that_?" Gaius nodded at the sludge.

Henry beamed and slapped a piece of the cake into Gaius's palm.

 _It even feels like a rock!_ Gaius gulped.

"Just try it already." Henry turned and flicked a piece over to Laurent, which landed on his spellbook. Not a single crumb broke off of the piece, making Laurent's eyes widen with both worry and fascination, "It took me forever to find the right ingredients."

Gaius glanced over at Henry. This was the first time a sweet made him feel nervous like this in his entire life. But this… this did not feel like a normal sweet. He brought the piece close to his nose and sniffed.

 _Oh Naga!_ He recoiled as the scent of brimstone hit his nose.

"Hurry up! I need to know if I need to bake another for her." Henry snapped, a dangerous look entering his eyes.

Gaius swallowed hard and nodded over at Laurent, who gave him a stiff nod.

"Down the hatch, Specs."

They both popped their pieces of cake into their mouths. Gaius winced as the rock hard piece hit his tongue. Immediately, he tasted burnt dough. Chasing after that burnt taste, was the taste of… of…

 _Did this maniac put peppers in cake!?_

As quickly as he could, Gaius spat it out. But that was not enough. The spice, the burning, the horrendous scent of charred dough and the taste of death lingered in the back of his mouth. As fast as his feet could carry him, Gaius scrambled over to a nearby water basin and dunked his entire head into it, gulping in water like a fish as he nearly drowned himself.

When he came up for air again, he found Henry staring absently at him. Meanwhile, through the water that dripped down the red hair plastered to his forehead, Gaius saw Laurent sitting deathly still, completely pale, one hand clenched into a tight fist as the chunk of cake he had been given rested inside of his cheek.

"Help." The young mage finally managed to squeak out.

"Spit or swallow already!" Gaius cried.

Laurent furrowed his brow as sweat built up on his brow, "Is that another euphemism for-"  
Henry smacked Laurent's back hard, forcing him to cough up the piece of cake up onto the table. Laurent hacked several more times, wincing as Henry's hard slap reverberated through his lanky body.

"Ouch." Laurent gasped.

A despondent sigh left Henry's lips, "It's a traditional recipe."

He frowned over at Gaius. A very, very dangerous thing for anyone to see. Henry never frowned. He always smiled, even at the most dastardly, sickening, stomach churning things, he grinned. A frown meant one, terrible thing.

Someone had to die, and in a most painful manner.

Gaius quickly reacted, "It didn't taste bad per se. It was just-" Henry narrowed his eyes dangerously at the thief, "Different, right Specs."

"My mouth burns." Laurent replied bluntly.

"There's the Vaike in him." Gaius muttered, a defeated sigh on his lips. He took a deep breath and clapped his hands together, "I'm sure for a traditional recipe, Junior, you made it perfectly. It is just not… sweet. It is very, very, veeeery spicy."

"Extremely burnt too."

"Specs." Gaius stated.

"Yes?"

"Shut up!" He hissed.

Laurent gulped and ducked his head as Henry turned his dangerous glare over to him. The Dark Mage's lips twitched, and slowly, the corners of his mouth curled up once more.

"Well… what do you think she will like then?" Henry asked, folding his hands in front of him, "And can we make it look like that?" Henry pointed a finger at the abomination of a cake, "Because I already told her what it looks like."

Gaius held his breath for a moment. Was Henry serious? Did he… did he really just forgive them that easily?

 _I really am that lucky._

Gaius cleared his throat, "Y-yes, well um… Laurent, I recall a recipe that I liked quite a lot."

"It needs the ooze." Henry pointed out.

"Of course it does." Gaius grumbled under his breath. He thought hard for a moment. How to make the cake- "Fudge…"

"Pardon?" Laurent asked, "Did you say-"

"Fudge!" Gaius declared, "Specs, I need a bunch of fudge squares. Junior, get me some flour, eggs, milk, and sugar, now! When is this cake supposed to be done?"

"I was bringing it to her tonight, before dinner."

"The best time to eat cake!" Gaius declared, making Henry's grin broaden, "Excellent thinking, Junior." He slung an arm around the mages' shoulders, "A man after my own heart in that regard."

"Don't worry, I'm not going to kill you for disliking the cake." Henry snickered as Gaius sucked in a sharp breath, "We used it to torture Ylisseans for a reason."

Gaius gulped, "Good to know." He squeaked before clearing his throat again, "Flour, eggs, milk, sugar, go!"  
"On it!" Henry declared, sprinting off to the kitchen pantry.

Gaius clapped his hands together and rubbed them, anticipation mounting in him.

"I'm about to make the best damn cake this kitchen has ever seen, and that Red has ever tasted." He reached up and tightened his red headband. It was time to get to work.

* * *

"Gawds, mom." Severa drawled. She rolled her eyes as she carefully brushed Cordelia's long, red hair, "Why do I have to do this again? Your hands aren't paralyzed."

Cordelia laughed lightly at that even as Severa cringed in the wake of those harsh words.

"This is just a way I thought we could spend some time together, Severa." Cordelia said softly as she rested back against soft pillows.

When the Shepherds returned to Ylisstol, one of the first things both Chrom and Sumia did was grant Cordelia her own personal suite within the palace. She could stay as long as she wanted to, which Cordelia was grateful for. She also hoped she would not have to stay much longer. Part of her wanted to have her own house, now that Severa was in her life.

For now, her future daughter resided in the Shepherd's barracks. While cozy, Cordelia also knew Severa had a taste for the finer things in life. She learned that during her first attempt to spend time with the younger girl. The bill for that shopping spree ended up being enormous. While fun, Cordelia also knew it ate into the income she made during the war… significantly.

 _But there were some very pretty dresses involved._ She thought to herself.

"We could spend time together by, y'know," Severa shrugged, pulling the hair brush away from Cordelia's head, "Shopping and-"

"As much fun as that would be," Cordelia chided, "Now that I can no longer do my job, we're not going to be able to afford such extravagant sprees anymore."

Severa furrowed her brow, puzzled, "But… you're still Wing Commander. Prince Chrom hasn't taken the rank from you and-"

"And eventually, the Pegasus Knights will need a commander that can actually fly with them."

Saying that out loud caused a pang to hit Cordelia's heart. It still hurt to think about. She will never be able to straddle a Pegasus again. She will never feel the wind blowing through her hair at thrilling speed, never feel her loyal steed's heart hammering beneath her as she guided it through the currents in the air, never hear the beat of angelic wings hammering on either side of her head. Her entire life, the one she knew, had been upended, and now… now it was not just herself she had to worry about.

"You alright?" Severa asked, in her usual gruff tone. She didn't add anything to it. Meaning she was genuinely concerned.

Cordelia put on a small smile even as the pain in her heart lingered. She brushed her hand along Severa's, "I'll be fine." She uttered a shuddering breath, "I um… I'm going to have to start finding my replacement probably. Sumia and Chrom will want my input."

"A little harsh, don't you think?" Severa asked, brow furrowed as she pulled the brush gently through Cordelia's hair again.

Cordelia swallowed, "Maybe, but it needs to happen. The Knights cannot wait for me to be ready, neither can the crown. Sumia and Chrom have a Halidom to rule, and the Knights protect the Halidom."

"Can't Sumia take command?" Severa asked, "I mean, she did a good job while you were gone. Not as good as you, but uh-" Severa winced as Cordelia turned to look at her, "G-gawds, why are you looking at me like that? I'm not good at this, okay!?"

Cordelia just smiled back, "I can tell, but it is still appreciated." She felt the brush run through her hair again, "It's not a bad idea either. Sumia was… well, if I read the reports right, she was incredible. Then again, I expected nothing less out of her. She's been training with a Pegasus nearly as long as me. I just happened to be knighted quicker." She took a deep breath, "If I can't find a suitable replacement, then Sumia will probably take over, temporarily. But she is also the Queen, Severa. She has-"

"Queen stuff? Yeah, yeah, I get it." Severa sighed, sagging in her chair beside her mother, "I just figured having her take over would, I dunno, hurt less?"

Cordelia nodded a little, "It would, I'll admit. I'd at least know the Knights will be in very capable hands." She took a deep breath, "It's just-"

"You want to stay?"

Cordelia nodded, swallowing down a shaky breath as she bowed her head.

"I'm sure Libra is trying his best, ya know." Severa said, doing her best to be reassuring, "I mean, he better be, or I'll kick his ass."

That managed to elicit a small laugh from Cordelia, "I'm sure you will." She turned and gently pushed Severa's hand down from her hair, "I'm um… feeling a little tired now, Severa. Do you mind if-"

The door to the suite burst open. Severa surged to her feet, drawing a dagger she always kept on her person. Cordelia whipped her gaze over as two flour covered men entered the room.

When Severa saw Gaius and Laurent, covered in flour, faces smeared with chocolate frosting, her eyes bugged out of her skull.

"Wh-wh-" She started to giggle, "What did you-"

"Lady Cordelia!" Gaius suddenly declared, making Cordelia jump in her bed, "We have spent the past few hours laboring hard and… and…" He leaned close to Laurent, "What was the word again?"

Laurent leaned into his ear and whispered. A flustered look came over Gaius's face.

"You mean I said it wrong from the start and-" He shook his head, "Aw, to hell with it. Junior! Get in here already!"

Cordelia furrowed her brow as she remained puzzled. Her confusion turned to pleasant surprise as Henry strode in, a small, round cake covered in chocolate frosting, sitting on a tray in his hands. Next to the cake were three small forks. A bright smile rested on the dark mage's face as he glided over the marble floor and set the tray down in front of Cordelia.

"Surprise!" He beamed.

Cordelia's eyes remained wide, "I-I-" She laughed a little, "Henry, I figured you would stop by at some point but to-" She sniffled, "Thank you."

"Thank me when I get ya fixed up!" Henry replied, "Now, wipe those tears away." He said with a wave of his hand, "Eat the cake."

Gaius and Laurent leaned forward as Cordelia picked up a fork. Time seemed to slow down as she dug into the chocolate mass. Hot fudge oozed from the center and over the small bit Cordelia cut out. Gaius gulped hard. Sweat beaded on his brow as he watched her bring the bit to her lips.

She chewed for a moment, then froze.

 _Uh oh…_ Gaius thought.

She swallowed and stared blankly forward for a moment.

"Henry…" Cordelia breathed.

A nervous smile replaced Henry's previously confident one, "Y-yeah?"

"That…" She glanced down at the cake in her lap, "Is perhaps the best cake I have ever had in my life." She ravenously took one more bite. Then another, and another. Severa's eyes widened as soon, half of the cake was missing. Chocolate fudge leaked out over the tray, but neither Cordelia or Henry cared.

"It is!?" Henry smiled.

"Absolutely!" Cordelia said with her mouth full.

"Oh Naga, she's forgotten her manners now." Severa nodded, "Yup, she's happy." She patted Henry's shoulder, "I'll leave ya two alone before I start gagging."

"Bye bye sweetheart!" Henry waved to her.

"Never call me that again." Severa grumbled as she neared the door. She paused beside a dumbfounded Laurent and Gaius, "Good job guys." He muttered before finally exiting the room.

Gaius stared stunned as Henry took a seat alongside Cordelia, picked up a fork, and joined her for dessert. Laurent rubbed at one of his eyes, before removing his glasses, polishing them with his robes, and replacing them on the bridge of his nose.

"We actually did it?"

Laurent nodded, "It appears we did."

"I was winging it the entire time." Gaius breathed.

"I knew that." Laurent muttered, "Who puts hot fudge in a cake?"

"Apparently we do." Gaius said with a slight smile, "And it's apparently delicious."

"Oh!" Cordelia cried, "I need to tell Sumia and Chrom about this. They're gonna want to have this at the ball they have planned soon." She looked over at Gaius and Laurent, "I'm sure they'll pay for them too."

Gaius froze, "Pay?"

"Payment is not neces-"

Gaius clapped a hand over Laurent's mouth, "Great idea, Red! C'mon Laurent, let's go get this recipe figured out a little more."

They both quickly exited, leaving Cordelia and Henry alone to enjoy the cake. As they strode through the corridor, Laurent wrenched Gaius's hand from his face.

"Gaius! What was that? We don't require payment from our friends."

"And what does Anna do?" Gaius countered.

Laurent frowned, "I think that is different. Her occupation is a merchant, after all."

"And ours is now," Gaius wrapped an arm around Laurent's shoulders, pulling the tall mage down to his height, "Sweet makers extraordinaires! We're gonna be rich, Specs!"

Gaius whooped and rushed down the hall. As he ran, his grin widened.

 _I've found my hobby!_ He turned the corner and ran down the stairs. _Who knew I could take people's money and enjoy sweets at the same time?_ He paused on a landing, _Why the hell did I not think of this sooner!?_ He laughed to himself and rushed out of the palace back towards home.

As he rushed, he made sure to mentally recite the recipe he came up with over and over in his head. He stopped in front of Ylisstol's gates and spun around, a wide grin on his lips. The ball would be soon. He heard about it from the other Shepherds a few days ago, but discounted it entirely at first. Balls weren't his thing, and Panne never let him go after any of the shiny stuff during them. But now, he was looking forward to it. Especially since his sweets were going to hopefully be the main dessert!

He stared back at the city gates and put his hands on his hips.

"I'm gonna cook the greatest sweets this city has ever seen!"

 **And chapter! This was very, very fun. Nothing like doing a nice, sweet (ha!) chapter for a change. This all does eventually lead into the rest of the ongoing story. Chrom and Sumia would not call a ball without something important coming up. It's going to be fun! Next chapter we'll probably jump across the pond to Valm. We've got a few characters to check in on there.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**

 **Come join the Treehouse! Discord code is: 9XG3U7a**


	128. A Family Day

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 128

A Family Day

The gentle trickle of a nearby stream filled the air. Soft water; small runoff from the mountains in the distance. What was left of melted snow from the Kiba Mountains that passed over smooth stone and soft mud in a crystal clear flow that was like ice to the touch. It's trickling was a pleasant, peaceful sound. A tranquil noise beside the smooth stone embedded in soft earth nearby.

Luke took a deep breath as he stood in the family graveyard. It resided in a specially designated spot in the bamboo forests beyond the walls of Koto. Only the royal family could enter these grounds. They were kept under constant watch, with several guards always patrolling the area. The guards were especially watchful now, in the wake of the fall of the Valmese Empire, due to a new grave that had been dug beside the gentle stream. Those guards initially denied Luke entry, but when he produced his lightsaber hilt, they were quick to realize who he was, and they stepped out of the way.

Now, he stood in front of her grave, looking down at the lone, smooth stone that rested atop the soft earth. He read her name that was carefully etched into the stone, before taking another deep breath and looking up towards the stream.

"Quiet spot." He nodded, "I'm sure you would've liked it." He snorted to himself, "Probably not the best way to describe a graveyard. I mean… who likes these places?"

He grimaced and placed his hands into his pockets. A faint chill ran down from the mountains and washed over the forest, making Luke shiver. He reached up and tightened the robes over his shoulders.

"I should've brought a coat." He muttered.

"Yes." Luke snapped his head around. Yen'fay quietly entered the graveyard, although Luke did not recognize him right away. His gray hair, trimmed short after the war, still looked strange to him, "You probably should have." Luke then smirked a little as Yen'fay held out a neatly folded cloak to him, "Good thing I thought of it."

The young Sith shook his head and shrugged the cloak over his shoulders, "How did you know I'd be out here?"

Yen'fay shrugged, "You have a routine now."

"Do I?"

"Every fifth day," Yen'fay knelt down in front of Say'ri's grave, his face a perfect expression of calm, "you come down here to talk to her."

Luke let out a small laugh of disbelief, "Which guard has been talking, hm?" He glanced back at the trio of soldiers standing guard at the graveyard entry.

A ghost of a smile crossed Yen'fay's lips, "You're louder than you think in the morning." He glanced over at his younger brother, "Your younger self has better morning manners."

"That is Cynthia." Luke chuckled as he sat down beside Yen'fay, legs crossing in front of him, "Not me."

"Excuses, excuses." Yen'fay waved off, jokingly, "We both know you enjoy singing just as much as she does."

"I-" Luke blushed furiously, "Well-"

Yen'fay laughed loudly now. Which for him, was audible enough for Luke to actually hear him, but not necessarily for the guards at the entryway to hear him. He reached over and clapped his hand on Luke's shoulder, giving him a friendly shake.

"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone." Yen'fay teased some more.

Luke tucked his chin to his chest, "You better not." He muttered quietly, making Yen'fay chuckle some more.

As he laughed, the King of Chon'sin's eyes drifted to his sister's grave. It rested between the graves of their father and mother. Two parents Luke never met, but ones Yen'fay could never forget. His father's wisdom always guided him as he ruled. His mother's kindness and gentle demeanor helped him when interacting with those close to him.

His gaze halted over Say'ri's gravestone. Her final words haunted him still. He heard them incessantly in his dreams.

" _You did this."_

He closed his eyes, trying to hold back the spring of sorrow that always threatened to shatter his facade of calm. His actions caused the death of his sister. It nearly ended worse. If the battle at Demon's Ingle were a true fight, without the volcano's timely eruption, Luke, Kage, Cynthia, and Sakura, they all could have died with her.

Luke's reassuring hand gripped his shoulder.

"She didn't know." Luke breathed to him.

Yen'fay swallowed hard and nodded, "I should have told her. All along, I should have told her."

Luke sniffed as another cold breeze swept over the bamboo forests. Winter was over, but damn was it still cold. He shivered and shook his head, "She would've been just as stubborn if she knew, maybe more than she already was."

Yen'fay uttered a long sigh, "Perhaps, but… maybe she would have understood. I only wanted to protect both of you. I never-"

"She knows now." Luke grimaced, bowing his head and taking a shaky breath, "I'm… I'm sure she knows now." He let out a small scoff, "For all the evil that bastard taught me, Maul always said that when we died, we became one with the Force. I'm sure becoming one with it allows for a more enlightened perspective on things."

Yen'fay nodded, "Maybe. Or… she's with our parents once more." He raised his gaze to the stream flowing behind the three graves, "I just hope she has forgiven me. That way, when I do join her in the next life, after my time here is done, I can embrace her again." He pressed his hand to Say'ri's grave, hand sinking into the soft grass and soil around her marker, "I am grateful our entire family survived. In the end, it was thanks to her… and you."

Luke gulped, "Yeah."

He took one more deep breath, pressed a hand to Say'ri's grave, then rose to his feet. Yen'fay followed him, standing upright and bidding a quiet goodbye to his sister and his parents.

Both men turned to leave the graveyard. As they strode out of the graveyard, two of Yen'fay's royal guards flanked them. Luke chuckled a little at that. The two guards were entirely unnecessary in his opinion. Yen'fay was an accomplished warrior on his own, and Luke was powerful enough to match Master Kenobi (or at least he thought he was). If anyone dared to attack, they would die a quick, violent death. Amatsu would cut their throats and Luke would crush their bones with the Force.

 _No one will harm our family again._ Luke thought.

"Speaking of family." Yen'fay breathed as they both neared the edge of the bamboo woods. Koto spread out in front of them, the gates standing wide, waiting for them both to return to the city they loved, "You and Cynthia…"

Luke blushed again, "What about us?"

The corner of Yen'fay's mouth turned upright, "We are at peace now. There is no war on the horizon. Any bandit gangs roving the countryside are being taken care of by Priam-"

"I bet that is costing a hefty amount of gold." Luke interrupted.

"It is worth it. The Valmese Empire is gone. Walhart is in chains, and with no one to rule the empire, it has crumbled into chaos, with only us, and Rosanne, remaining stable in the aftermath. Priam will make sure none of Valm's violence spills over into our lands. The security is well worth the high price."

"I can go out once and while and really intimidate any criminal scum." Luke suggested, "And, more importantly, I can do it for free."

Yen'fay laughed a little as they both walked past the newly planted rice fields and neared the city gates. As they walked, several farmworkers stopped what they were doing and waved to them. Luke ducked his head, offering back an awkward wave back while Yen'fay stoically nodded to them.

"I'm sure you could." Yen'fay finally replied as they passed beneath the gates and entered Koto. Luke knew what that reply meant. He could go out and destroy some bandits, but Yen'fay was probably not going to let him. Not until the rest of Chon'sin was secure internally.

Most of the citizens quickly moved out of their way as the two royals strode through the ancient stone streets. It had been a couple of months since the massive siege of Koto, where Walhart had finally been defeated on the field of battle and deposed from his throne. Thanks to the strength of the people, and Yen'fay's steady leadership, the city of Koto, and the nation of Chon'sin, quickly recovered from the Conqueror's brutal invasion. The walls were still being rebuilt, with several towers still undergoing repairs or reconstructions. Most of the damaged homes and shops were fully repaired at this point, which helped bring the city back to life. The markets thrived once again as trade flourished between Chon'sin and Archanea, now that both the Empire and its embargo were gone. Overall, it was a remarkable turnaround for the once besieged capital.

 _Eat your heart out Dooku._ Luke thought with a smug grin.

They approached the Palace district, where thin, decorative walls separated the royal Palace from the rest of the city. Yen'fay and Luke slowly strode up stone steps that led up the hill towards the Palace gate. Halfway up the steps, Yen'fay cleared his throat.

"You're not dodging my prying this time."

Luke rolled his eyes, "Me and Cynthia are fine, Yen'fay. Right now… we are happy. I don't want to do anything to possibly upset that."

Yen'fay furrowed his brow, "You think actually marrying her will upset her?"

"I-I don't know." Luke sputtered as they reached the gates. A pair of guards opened the gates for them, and both royals entered the main courtyard, "I-" He grimaced and snapped his mouth closed.

Yen'fay stopped walking. Luke took a few more steps forward, realized Yen'fay was no longer stride for stride with him, then paused.

"She would say yes, Luke. You know that." Yen'fay said with a small smile.

Luke sighed, "I know she would. But…" He shook his head, "That means, starting an actual family, and- well… I-"

"You're past is just that Luke, the past." Yen'fay said, his voice reassuring, yet commanding. A strange combination that made Luke feel a little better about this conversation. He no longer felt pressured at least, "Maul is gone, and you are no longer on that dark path. You have fought hard to get to where you are now, and Cynthia has been by your side the entire way. That is how I know she would say yes and be ecstatic about it."

A small, nervous laugh slipped from Luke's lips. He glanced off to the side, noticing some of the palace servants carrying trays of food to the dining room. Breakfast was about to be served. It was one of the few moments during their busy days that all of them could be together and be a family.

Usually, their days were spent apart. Cynthia would fill her time doing… something or another. Usually she helped look after Kage, or spent time training with Sakura. Luke often trained on his own, usually going through deep meditations in order to continue purging Maul's influence from his mind. A tedious, time consuming, and often frustrating process. A process that Yen'fay tried to assist him with by advising him and often being the person he vented his frustrations and concerns to. But those moments were few and far between. Yen'fay had a kingdom to reorganize in the wake of the Valm Empire's collapse. That left him little time to spend with Luke, Cynthia, and Sakura.

But at least they had breakfast together.

The two men entered the dining room. Right as they entered, a blur of blond hair shot past Luke. Yen'fay reached out and snagged Kage by the back of his shirt, yanking the child to a stop.

"Mind your manners." He chided the boy as Kage slumped in his grip.

"Yes, brother."

Luke chuckled quietly to himself as Yen'fay let go of Kage. The boy stomped over to his spot to Yen'fay's right and flopped down onto his cushion, clearly bored. Sakura was already at her spot at the table, sipping on some tea in silence. As Luke reached his seat, Cynthia emerged. A mess of bedhead sat on her head, and heavy bags rested under her eyes. She uttered a loud yawn and stretched her arms over her head.

"Well…" Luke chuckled as she trudged over to her spot, "Good morning, sleepy head."

Cynthia leaned down and pecked his lips, "Good morning." She flopped down on her seat and thanked Sakura as the other child from the future passed her a cup of hot tea. Cynthia hummed as she took a sip, "That's the good stuff." She smacked her lips and squinted her eyes, "Sakura?"

"Yeah?" Sakura muttered as she took another sip of her tea.

"Could you pass the soy sauce?"

Sakura furrowed her brow in confusion while Luke and Yen'fay poured their own tea, "Uh… the food is not here yet, Cynthia."

"I know." Cynthia shrugged, "Just… uh… got a hankering."

Sakura glanced over at Yen'fay, but he did not seem to notice. A servant had rushed in and delivered a report from Priam for him to read over. He sipped his tea as he read the report, not paying any attention to the others at the table as he engrossed himself in some abrupt work. Luke, likewise, did not notice Cynthia's peculiar request. Instead, Luke was busy talking to Kage about one of the horses in the stables. Apparently the young boy wanted to learn how to ride soon, so eventually he could learn to ride a Wyvern.

"Okay?" Sakura reached for the small bottle of soy sauce and slid it over to Cynthia.

"Thanks." Cynthia beamed.

Sakura eyed Cynthia as the blue haired girl opened the bottle. Horror filled Sakura when Cynthia suddenly turned the soy sauce over and dumped a bunch of it into her tea. Her mouth fell open further when Cynthia set the soy sauce down, picked up her tea, and drank a large gulp of it.

"Ahhhh." Cynthia breathed happily, "That's good." She glanced at Sakura, "You should try it."

"Uh…" Sakura shifted a few inches away from Cynthia, "No thanks."

"Why not? It's good. It gives the tea a sweet and salty taste."

"Cynthia do you even-"

The doors opened and the servants entered with breakfast. Cynthia's eyes lit up as she saw a large plate of rice and fish placed in front of her.

"Yay!" She cheered, making Luke chuckle.

Yen'fay set his papers to the side and began to eat. Luke reached for his chopsticks so he could take a bite. Cynthia fiddled with her own chopsticks a moment before giving up and grabbing a fork meant just for her. She jabbed her fork into the rice, paused, then glanced at Luke.

"Could you pass the tea please?"

Sakura sucked in a sharp breath, terrified of what was about to happen.

"Sure." Luke replied, oblivious to what Sakura was fearing.

Cynthia plucked the teapot from Luke, "Thank you."

Then to everyone's shock, she poured tea all over her fish and rice. Once she was happy, Cynthia passed the teapot back to a stunned Luke. They all stared at her as she took a gigantic bite of tea soaked rice.

"Yummy." She smiled happily, oblivious to everyone's incredulous stares as she munched on her soggy breakfast.

Luke glanced over at Yen'fay. Yen'fay shrugged, just as puzzled as him. Kage laughed at Cynthia's antics before taking a big bite of his own breakfast, and Sakura smacked a hand to her forehead.

"You and I are going for a walk after this, Cynthia."

"We are!?" Cynthia asked, mouth full of tea infused rice. She quickly swallowed, "Great! I love walking."  
"Uh… yeah. We're just walking." Sakura glanced past her at Luke. A glance that asked Luke what the hell was wrong with Cynthia. Luke shook his head, unsure of what was going on as Sakura took a look back at Cynthia and said, "We've got some stuff to discuss."

"Like what?" Kage asked.

"Girl stuff." Sakura replied to the young Prince.

"Girl stuff?" Cynthia replied, puzzled.

"Yes, now hurry up. I'm sure everyone else has stuff to do too. And I need to check on the horses once we're done walking."

"Alright!" Cynthia declared.

Sakura's eyes remained wide throughout the entire meal. She had no idea Cynthia could eat that much food that fast.

* * *

Cynthia took a deep breath of the cool air. The winter was nearly over, and spring was coming soon. The cherry blossoms would soon be in bloom, the rice fields flooded once more with green patches of plants sprouting from the waters around Koto. She couldn't wait for it to come. Already, a giddy smile sat on her face as she walked with Sakura through Koto's markets. After breakfast, Cynthia initially followed Sakura out to the stables to help her with the horses, and now they were browsing the market for apples for those horses. Cynthia was in a very good mood, and she wanted to share that good mood with the loyal mounts in the royal stables.

Plus, both her Pegasus and Sakura's horse loved apples. She could not bear to not give them a treat at some point. As they looked through the market's many stalls and shops, admiring some lovely clothes, oohing and aahing at a group of street performers with the rest of a large crowd, Cynthia munched on a bag of dried mango.

"You've been eating a lot lately." Sakura muttered as they approached the last grocer in the market, who hopefully had some nice, ripe apples.

Cynthia furrowed her brow, mouth stuffed with several strips of dried mango. She spoke back at Sakura, but her words were a jumbled mess of grunts and muffled sounds, causing Sakura to pinch the bridge of her nose.

"Chew then swallow, for the love of Naga."  
Cynthia blinked, munched furiously, then swallowed. She gave Sakura a sheepish smile as they both entered the grocer, "Sorry about that."

Sakura rolled her eyes but said nothing back. She wanted to say a scathing rebuke regarding Cynthia's childishness, but she bit her tongue instead. She feared saying something she would regret… again.

A heavy sigh left Sakura's lips as her hand brushed against the beat up, old scabbard with cherry blossoms carved into the wood.

"Do you miss her?" Cynthia asked quietly.

Sakura pursed her lips, "In a way yes, but also no. It's-" She noticed the slightly puzzled look on Cynthia's face, causing Sakura to sigh, "It's complicated."

"Well, at least Yen'fay, Luke, and I are there to help you uncomplicate it." Cynthia smiled back. She shoved her last few strips of dried mango into her mouth, quickly chewed, then swallowed.

Sakura looked at Cynthia incredulously, "Two plates of breakfast and now a whole bag of fruit?" They strolled past a shelf filled with various jars of soup, "You alright, Cynthia?"

Cynthia shrugged as she eyed a jar of potato soup, her mouth watering at the sight of it, "Just been extra hungry lately." She sighed a little bit and looked down at her waist, "I just… feel like a bottomless pit for some reason."

"Well you have been putting on some weight." Sakura teased.

"I have!?" Cynthia cried, not picking up on her joke. She twisted her body to look at her behind, causing Sakura to bury her face into the palm of her hand, "It's getting bigger?"

"N-not-" Sakura uttered an exhausted sigh, "Trying to explain anything to you feels like an exercise in futility."

"Oh, Sir Frederick said that a lot."

"I know he did." Sakura said with a half hearted laugh, "We were both on the receiving end of those words many times, remember."

"Rarely together though." Cynthia reminded, "You always thought the justice cabal was dumb. So you never got in trouble with me, Owain, and Morgan."

Sakura shook her head as they rounded an aisle, "I never said dumb, but I did think it was incredibly immature and stupid."

"Aren't those the same things?" Cynthia countered.

Sakura opened then closed her mouth. Her eyes darted away from Cynthia and managed to land on a small barrel of dark red apples, "Oh hey! Look!"

Cynthia let out a happy gasp then pumped her fist, "Mission success! Ooooh, the horses are going to be so happy!"

She rushed up to the barrel, and started to gather some apples into her arms. Sakura watched with exasperation and some amusement. Sometimes she wondered if there was something wrong with the Pegasus Knight's head. Maybe she fell on it a little too hard as a kid one time? Or perhaps she received too many concussions while training with Lucina, Severa, and Kjelle? The latter seemed pretty likely. Those three were always tough outs in training.

 _I wonder how they're doing?_ Sakura thought as she approached the barely and opened up the bag she brought with her. Cynthia threw her armful of apples in, _Lucina is probably doing something Princesses are supposed to do. That or learning from Master Ben. Severa… I hope she and her mom are okay. And Kjelle, I hope she's safe. Wherever she is._

"You got the money with you?" Cynthia asked as she snatched one more apple and bit into it.

Sakura gawked at her, "You just ate!?"

Cynthia shrugged, "I'm hungry."

Sakura furrowed her brow. As they walked up to the counter to pay for the apples, the young Cavalier carefully observed Cynthia. She was eating an abnormal amount of food, even for her. She doubted anyone in their group could beat her in a eating contest at the moment. Then there were the odd combinations she was concocting in that strange mind of hers, punctuated by the appalling display of soy sauce dumped into perfectly good tea. That still made Sakura shiver just thinking about it. Finally, her robes seemed a bit tighter around her stomach. Not noticeably so, but…

Sakura sucked in a sharp breath as Cynthia snatched the money pouch from her and paid the shopkeeper.

 _Is she…?  
_ Sakura eyed Cynthia even more carefully as her friend wolfed down one apple, reached into the bag of apples, and bit into another. She arched an eyebrow and thought even harder. In the future, she was just old enough to remember when Miss Nowi gave birth to Nah.

At the time Nowi was exhibiting strange behaviors, according to Lady Tiki at least. She would regularly eat three chickens in a meal instead of one, usually consuming feathers and bone too (Tiki did not object to it, but still wondered how Nowi managed to stomach that many servings of raw poultry). Sakura recalled the Manakete's stomach slowly swelling as time passed. She also remembered Miss Nowi combining foods that were not meant to go together, such as chocolate and chili powder. Apparently it tasted extra sweet to Miss Nowi at the time. One time, she even ate the pages of an empty book for lack of anything else to eat. The other parents often joked about how that was the reason why Nah was always reading. A joke the other kids enjoyed telling as well.

 _It all lines up._

"Cynthia?"

"Yeah?" Cynthia replied with a mouthful of apple.

"Do you feel nauseous in the morning?"

Cynthia furrowed her brow, "That's a strange question."

"Well you are strange." Sakura muttered under her breath.

"But now that you mention it, yeah." Cynthia nodded, "That's why I look so terrible when I wake up." She bit into her apple again and munched on the bite a moment, "Until I get some food in my gut, I feel awful." Her eyes widened, "You don't think I've got some illness do you?" A sharp gasp rushed from her lips, "Is it measles!?"

"I'm pretty sure you'd know if you had measles, Cynthia." Sakura said with a roll of her eyes.

"Then why do I feel so sick in the morning?"

"Well," Sakura cleared her throat, "How often have you and Luke… y'know…" She made a small, sharp clicking sound.

"Clicked?" Cynthia asked, confused.

" _Sang,_ dammit!" Sakura exclaimed before running a hand over her eyes, "For lack of a better analogy that Kage will not fully grasp yet."

Cynthia blinked, "O-oh?" Her cheeks flushed, "Well, it's a pretty regular activity."

"Oh Naga, I regret asking." Sakura groaned, her head bowed as her face turned green.

"Then why did you ask?" Cynthia countered as they both neared the Royal Palace.

Sakura stopped working abruptly, "Think about it, Cynthia. Think really hard for a moment."

Cynthia furrowed her brow and narrowed her eyes, staring past Sakura as she entered her thinking mode. For a moment, Sakura hoped Cynthia could possibly follow her own train of thought and grasp what she was insinuating.

"I have a tapeworm!" Cynthia declared with a snap of her fingers.

 _I need to stop hoping._

Sakura sighed and grabbed Cynthia by her shoulders, "Cynthia…"

"Uh… yeah?"

"This may come as a shock to you."

Now some concern flashed on Cynthia's face, "What do you mean?"

"Well… when two people love each other very much-"

Cynthia turned dark red, "S-Sakura- erm- Auntie Tharja and Auntie Lissa both already gave me this talk. They were very different versions, and one uh… one was way naughtier than the other-"

"Miss Tharja's talk was that in depth?" Sakura asked, brow raised.

"Tharja?" Cynthia shook her head, "No, Auntie Lissa's the healer. You can bet she went into detail."

Sakura's eyes widened. "O-oh, that's uh, kinda surprising."

"Wait a moment." Cynthia's mouth fell open and her eyes widened, "I… I don't have a tapeworm, do I?"

Sakura shook her head.

"Am I-?"

Sakura nodded her head, "I'd check with a healer first to know for certain. If you're still not sure what to do then-"

A loud cheer rang out from Cynthia. She threw her arms over Sakura, making her freeze in place. The Pegasus Knight bounced up and down as she embraced Sakura, then she froze too. A gasp shot from her lungs. She grabbed Sakura's shoulders and stared at her.

"What do I do now?" Cynthia wondered out loud, "What do I tell Luke?" A sharp breath rushed into her lungs." Oh Naga, what do I tell mom and dad?"

"Those," Sakura peeled Cynthia off of her, "are your problems to figure out. But… I'll help you with what to do next. Now, we should probably wait to tell Luke until-"

"Cynthia!"

 _Oh Naga dammit._

Luke strolled down the steps towards both of them. A smile rested on his lips, and he gripped a letter in one hand. Sakura noticed the Exalt of Ylisse's seal on the letter, which made her eyes widen.

 _Did Lucina write?_

"We got an invite to some ball in a few months. I figured you'd want to go and-"

Before Sakura could stop her, Cynthia bolted up to Luke and threw her arms around him, placing one enormous kiss on his lips. Luke chuckled a little and kissed her back before returning her hug.

"I'm happy to see you too, even though it's only been maybe an hour or two since breakfast."

"Guess what?" Cynthia said, voice giddy.

"What?" Luke asked, his voice both amused and suddenly filled with a small amount of apprehension.

Cynthia leaned up to Luke's ear. Sakura braced herself. For a split second, nothing happened as Cynthia pulled away from Luke's ear, an enormous grin still on her face. Luke stared dumbly at her for a moment. Sakura furrowed her brow.

 _Why is he not-_

Luke pitched forward, rigid as a board. Cynthia yelped and caught him as he fell, where he eventually went completely limp in her arms.

"Luke!?" Cynthia cried, struggling to keep him upright, "You don't have to be so melodramatic."

Sakura rolled her eyes and quietly walked up the steps, leaving the two lovebirds to deal with their good news. As she quickly ascended the stairs and entered the courtyard, she noticed Yen'fay leaning up against the palace gate, watching Cynthia trying to shake Luke back to his senses from afar. A small smile rested on her Uncle's lips as he kept his arms folded over his chest. A knowing smirk that told Sakura all she needed to know.

"You already knew." She gave Yen'fay a small shake of her head.

Yen'fay shrugged, "My mother exhibited the same traits when she was pregnant with Say'ri. Once I put the pieces together, it was the only logical solution."

Sakura snorted as they both entered the main courtyard, "You'd think one of them would have noticed first? I literally had to spell it out for Cynthia, and her first thought was she had measles."

"And then she-"

"Then she thought she had a tapeworm."

Yen'fay pressed his lips into a thin line as they walked to the beautiful palace gardens, near the living quarters for all of them.

"At least Luke is there to be the brains." Yen'fay admitted under his breath.

Sakura laughed quietly at that, "Cynthia has her moments, but she is the airhead of the group." They both paused in front of the small pond in the garden. A few koi fish swam up to the edge, expecting some food to be dropped down to them. When none came, they quietly swam away, "Speaking of the group, have your feelers-"  
Yen'fay shook his head, cutting her off as he took a seat on the bench beside the pond.

"Nothing?" Sakura questioned.

Yen'fay let out a small sigh, "Nothing. Priam is keeping a lookout, but he hasn't seen or heard of any strange occurances. No future children spotted. Not even any Risen sightings. Everything has quieted down quite a bit." He folded his arms again as Sakura sat down beside him, "I wonder why."

"Why what?"

"Why have the Risen suddenly vanished?" Yen'fay clarified for her, "One moment they help us win a war, with a deadlord declaring it to be the only time they would aid us, then they completely disappear?" He shook his head, "Something is brewing, I can feel it."

Sakura gulped, "You don't think it's another war do you?"

Her face paled, and it only grew paler as she watched Cynthia and a half delirious Luke make their way to their quarters. Cynthia gave them an excited wave, then dragged Luke into their room.

 _Is it THE war?_

A reassured hand patted her shoulder, "Don't be so anxious. If the Fell Dragon was planning something, I'm sure the Risen would be much more active rather than quiet."

Sakura swallowed hard, some color returning to her cheeks due to her Uncle's reassurance.

"So…" She rubbed her arms as a cold wind swept in from the mountains, "A royal ball in Ylisse?" Yen'fay nodded, "You going?"

"Are you?" Yen'fay replied, one brow raised.

Sakura frowned then glanced over at Cynthia and Luke's shut door.

"Someone's gotta help Cynthia keep her family from killing him." She said with a mutter.

Yen'fay chuckled lightly, "I'm sure it won't come to that."

"I don't know." Sakura replied, "I remember Prince Chrom could have a temper when he wanted to. And Lucina… she used to have a thing with Luke when they were younger. Now, not only is Luke with Cynthia, he's knocked her up and-"

"And I think Lucina has grown tremendously during her time here, just as you have." Yen'fay said, "You both are no longer children. You are hardened warriors and adults now."

Sakura snorted, "Me? Us? Adults? Have you seen Cynthia and Owain?"

"They are just very cheerful adults, but adults nonetheless." Yen'fay replied with a small smile, "I'm sure Lucina and the others will be thrilled to see you there."  
Sakura sighed, "Which means I'll have to go."

Yen'fay furrowed his brow as she picked at her nails in her lap, "I thought you'd be excited?"

"Oh I am, just…" Sakura raised her head and glanced around the gardens, "It's been a couple months now, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't starting to feel at home here. If we sail across to Ylisse, it's going to be a few months before I get back. Hell, Cynthia will probably end up staying there since she is, y'know, pregnant and all. I doubt her parents will let her leave the palace."

"I wouldn't expect them to." Yen'fay nodded in agreement, "And if there is anywhere I am comfortable with Luke being, other than here, it is in Ylisstol." He drew in a deep breath, "At least there, Master Kenobi can give him the counsel he really needs."

"He's still struggling?"

Yen'fay nodded slightly, "A little bit." He leaned close to Sakura, "He has complained about strange nightmares of late. One recurring figure in them has been-"

"Maul." Sakura correctly guessed. She shivered as she spoke that name as if it was an ill curse, "I never liked him. Vile creature; always was, and always will be. Even if he is technically dead."

Yen'fay nodded a moment, "Do you know anything regarding Luke's dreams? Why does he have them so frequently?"

Sakura shook her head, "Not my area of expertise. Maul and Master Kenobi were extremely secretive in regards to theirs, Lucina's, and Luke's abilities. Plus, you gotta understand, when Maul came around, he completely took over Luke's life." A sad expression crossed Sakura's face, "We kind of grew apart because of that. Lucina, Morgan, Owain, and Cynthia remained close with Luke during that time, but only because they were always around each other. Me?" She shrugged, "I stuck close to Sev, Kjelle, Gerome, and my father."

"Sir Frederick," Yen'fay nodded, "I did not speak with him much, but… he seems like a good man. A careful man, but a good one."

"He is." Sakura replied, a wistful smile on her lips, "He may have… cracked a little bit towards the end, but I never questioned his devotion to us, to his family." She shifted in her seat, "Are you going to the ball?"

A reluctant noise came from Yen'fay lips.

"Oh, you better not try some dumb excuse." Sakura warned.

"I have kingdom to rule."

"Captain Eiji can handle it." Sakura argued back, "You know that, and you won't have to be as gone for as long as the rest of us. Just spend a night in Ylisstol then come back."

Yen'fay shook his head, "Royal Balls are not for me."

"C'mon, it'll be fun. You'll get out of your study for once."

"I get out of my study plenty." Yen'fay argued back, mildly amused by his niece's arguing, "I'm out of it right now, aren't I?"

"Moving to a different spot in the house doesn't count." Sakura declared, "No more hermiting, Yen'fay." She jumped to her feet and marched towards Cynthia and Luke's room, "I'm telling them to write back that all of us will show up. You can't say no."

"Sakura-"

"No arguing!"

Yen'fay uttered a heavy sigh as he watched the stubborn girl march up to Luke and Cynthia's room. As she knocked on their door, he shook his head and laughed to himself.

 _She is just as stubborn as you, Say'ri._

"Oh Naga! Put all of it away you two! NAGA ABOVE!" Sakura slammed their door shut and pressed her back to it. She stared wide eyed over to Yen'fay, "I swear I knocked."

"Maybe they didn't hear you." Yen'fay chuckled as he got to his feet.

"Then they need to _sing_ quieter." Sakura harrumphed as she walked back over to him. She huffed again, blowing several strands of her brown hair from her face, "Well, since you will be going-"

"As of right now."

"You. Will. Be. Going." Sakura reiterated, "And you will need to get some new clothes."

"I can send a servant to go and find some for me." Yen'fay sighed with a wave of his hand as he got to his feet.

"Nope!" Sakura latched onto his arm, "You and I are going to spend some family time together already! No work included."

"Sakura, the Kingdom-"

"Can wait! C'mon, maybe you'll meet someone out there? Some Koto maiden looking for some love?"

Yen'fay frowned down at her. Sakura chuckled nervously.

"Unless of course, you prefer-"

"Let's just get this shopping spree over with."

"Okay!"

A small sense of dread built inside of Yen'fay as both him and Sakura descended the palace steps. His pocketbook already felt lighter, and for some reason, he had a feeling this shopping spree would involve more dresses than suits.

 **And chapter! A short, sweet little chapter once more. Just a little snippet showing the life across the pond in Valm during this time. I considered adding on another scene, but this felt like a solid stop point, and I didn't have much more to add on so, yeah. It looks like Cynthia and Luke really are going to be a family (and I thought it'd be really fun to have Luke react the same way as Chrom did when Sumia told him she was pregnant). These were nice moments to write and it is a breath of fresh air after all of the tension and action of the Valm war. Besides, I need to butter you all up before I destroy you all in arc 3 :)**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed it! Have a nice day!**

 **Come join the Treehouse! Discord code is: 9XG3U7a**


	129. Dueling Perspectives

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 129

Dueling Perspectives

Sidious's lips were a thin line on his shrouded, wrinkled face. He could see his faint reflection in the glass in front of him. His true mask stared back at him. Pinpoints of yellow light being his eyes, while his face was covered with pale skin sagging over his skull with deep trenches. A hideous sight to see, one to strike fear, a Sith Lord's guise. Most would be uncomfortable with such a visage, but he did not care. He was not vain, at least not in the physical sense. As such, his vision focused on his reflection for only a brief moment, before returning to the medical room beyond the glass.

His newest apprentice, Morgan, lay on a medical bed, a mess of medical instruments and tubes sticking out of her body. Through the force, he could feel her life hanging by a thread as she fought to remain in the world of the living. A pathetic sight in his opinion.

 _Is it as pathetic as Lord Vader?_ He thought as his mind wandered back to that fateful day on Mustafar, where he found Lord Vader nothing more than a charred head and torso upon the banks of a lava river. It was difficult for him to decide which was worse, Morgan's failure, or Vader's failure.

 _At least Vader fell to a Jedi Master._ He thought as he glanced at the machines pumping live saving oxygen into Morgan's lungs.

Most of the damage to Morgan was apparently internal. He merely gave the medical report provided to him by the emergency personnel on Coruscant a cursory glance before delving into the Force to determine the nature of her injuries. What he found managed to give him pause. Most of her body was fine… except for her lungs. Her lungs were incredibly scarred and filled with fluid. According to the various doctors, it was a miracle she survived long enough to receive medical attention.

Sidious knew it was no miracle. Morgan was strong in the force, and the amount she had grown in such a short amount of time was nothing short of impressive. The Force, and her strong connection to it, saved her life. That… and her peculiar genetics, which made her body much stronger than a normal person . The genetic analysis was the one part of the report he paid very close attention to due to the various anomalies the medical staff found. Anomalies compounded by the fact that now, with her dark hair pulled back tight behind her head, he noticed pointed ears for the first time.

 _She's a hybrid._ He thought with a small scowl, _But with what?_

They report mentioned multiple strange genetic signatures in her. Some were human, but they were the minority. Sidous made sure to send the report to one of the top scientists in the Empire. This was a mystery he wished to solve. If there were a species in the galaxy with Morgan's capabilities in the force, he wanted to know. Such a species could either be a tremendous asset, or a dangerous threat.

 _Unfortunately I can't ask her._ He thought as he folded his hands in front of his body.

Through the glass, he could hear the various instruments beeping and whirring around Morgan. One machine hissed as it pumped more fluid from her lungs and dispensed them into a container to the side of her bed. His scowl deepened as he observed the receptacle filled with blood.

 _Whoever did this will be crushed._

The door to the private medical room hissed open then closed. Sidious recognized the clack of officer boots against the metal floor. These footsteps were purposeful and confident, but also filled with trepidation. A wise and experienced officer approached him. Very few of those existed in the Empire at the moment, and only one would have reason to be here.

"Commander." The Emperor croaked as Cody drew up alongside him. The Commander quickly bowed to him. A small nod from the Emperor told the clone he would relax.

"If I may ask, milord, how is she?"

The Emperor glanced out of the side of his eyes at the older Clone. Cody was an exceptional warrior and leader. He had proven himself over and over again in some of the most dire of combat situations both during and after the Clone Wars. It was a foolish move on the Emperor's part to decommission the man in the first place after the end of the Clone Wars. That was a mistake Sidious would not make again.

"She will live." Sidious answered simply, his voice terse as he felt more rage build inside of him. Rage directed both at whoever dared to harm his apprentice, and at the apprentice lying so close to death beyond the glass.

Cody uttered a relieved sigh, making Sidious glance over at him from beneath his hood. Clones did not get this attached to their commanding officers, typically. Cody was a rare exception. He had been good friends with his Jedi General, before his duty to the Empire overruled his friendship with Obi Wan Kenobi. From what Sidious could sense, that same feeling of camaraderie and loyalty now extended to Morgan. He could tell this was true through the worry and anxiety he sensed within the Commander.

 _Odd…_

"Commander, you have yet to deliver a report." Sidious stated, his voice nearly growling out from his lips. His tone had its intended effect. Cody stiffened beside him.

"Forgive me, milord." Cody exhaled, "It's been a bit of a whirlwind recently. I've had to inform the crew of their commanding officer's condition, maintain the status quo aboard the _Thoron_ -"

"Thoron?"

Cody nodded to Morgan, "The name she gave her Star Destroyer. I believe she got it from something she read in that book of hers."

Ah yes, Morgan's "spellbook". A curious artifact; one she kept very close to her at all times. She treated that book with more love and care than anything else, including the holocrons Sidious allowed her to study. She believed it was once her father's book at one point, which led her to treasure it since her father was one of the few things she could faintly recall in her amnesia riddled mind. That book gave Sidious some concern, but now it could also be an opportunity. Morgan was out of action, unconscious, and injured. He could easily take a look at the writings without her interference or objection.

 _Perhaps there are secrets within it that could explain her inexplicable survival._

"When will I receive an official report, Commander?" Sidious asked, turning away from Morgan's form and striding towards the door. He had seen enough for today

Cody strode beside him, "I can compile one by the end of the day, you excellency. I just need to interview the survivors from Dathomir."

"Dathomir?" Sidious snarled, grinding to a halt in front of the door. It hissed open and stayed open as he stood in front of it, "What were you doing on Dathomir?"

Cody swallowed hard as Sidious's glowing eyes focused on him, "We initially went to Naboo as instructed. Ra-" He caught himself before he said the name Morgan preferred but the Emperor had not granted, "Lady Morgan found the miscreant responsible for sowing discord in your family's name, and she discovered he was not the mastermind."

"Oh?"

Cody nodded, "The mastermind was a Dathomirian Nightsister."

Sidious remained eerily silent upon hearing that significant detail. It was something he had not expected. The Nightsisters were a reclusive bunch, with the most outgoing being the conclave led by the late Mother Talzin. A witch Sidious ordered destroyed several years ago. Since then, the Nightsisters have been inactive. Preferring to remain secluded within their covens on their homeworld. They should have been nothing more than a nuisance if they drifted beyond the atmosphere of Dathomir. Instead, they caused his apprentice's current condition and attempted to damage his personal reputation on his home planet. A bold move… but a stupid one.

 _Morgan was right to go for the source._ He thought, _But foolish to go alone._

"Did Starkiller accompany her to the planet's surface?"

Cody shook his head as they both resumed their walk out of the private medical room in Coruscant's best hospital, "No milord. She ordered him to remain on the _Thoron_."

"May I ask why?" Sidious snarled.

Cody grimaced, "I tried to argue against it, but she was firm on the order. She does not trust Starkiller, milord. Just as she doesn't trust any of the inquisitors."

Part of Sidious felt pleased by this newfound knowledge regarding his apprentice. Wisely, she was wary of any potential rivals. But he was also somewhat surprised by her apparent misgivings. He initially hoped she would see Starkiller as some much needed competition, but not a total threat. Perhaps she did not think she was as powerful as she hoped to be, or perhaps she overestimated Starkiller's abilities?

 _Either way, instruction is needed._ He thought.

"And I assume she ordered you to keep a close eye on him?" Sidious assumed.

Cody nodded, "She did."

"Who did she take down to the surface?"

They both paused beside an expansive window that looked out to Coruscant's massive skyline. The sun was setting in the distance, throwing dark orange hues up against the atmosphere and silhouetting the skyscrapers towering around the hospital in shadows.

"She took a squadron of Storm Troopers and DT-117, milord." Cody answered.

Sidious inclined his chin, "Her Deathtrooper and Stormtroopers? Who did she think she was dealing with?" He snarled and glanced out the window, "Nightsisters are not typical foes. You are well aware of that, aren't you Commander?"

"I am, and I tried to tell her as much."

"But she did not listen?"

Cody grimaced, "Well… I never said she was not stubborn."

"Apparently she very much is." Sidious sighed, "It nearly cost her her life, foolish girl." He finished with a hiss, "I already have one crippled apprentice. I do not need another." He took another deep breath, trying to calm himself before he unleashed and allowed the dark side to tear apart everything in the corridor, including the good Commander. That would be most unfortunate if that happened. Competent officers like Commander Cody were a rarity, "I want to speak with DT-117 immediately."

"I will make sure she-"

"I said, immediately." Sidious growled, interrupting Cody.

Cody stiffened, "Yes, milord."

He reached for a comm link on his belt and quickly called the _Thoron_ , telling the commanding officer aboard to send Morgan's Deathtrooper to the hospital immediately. Both he and Sidious were pleasantly surprised when they learned she was already on the way. Shore leave; given to her by Starkiller due to what occured on Dathomir, and she decided to spend part of it at the hospital.

As they waited for the Deathtrooper's arrival, Sidious drew in a deep breath.

"What do you know about my apprentice, Commander?"

Cody raised an eyebrow, "I'm not sure I understand the question, milord."

Sidious lowered his gaze at Cody, "What is she?"

Cody drew back a little bit, surprised by the strange question, "What do you mean? She is your apprent-"

"She is a hybrid." Sidious hissed, "Have you not noticed?"

Cody blinked in surprise, "I-I don't believe I have."

A harsh sigh slipped from Sidious's lips, "Of course not."

Cody frowned back, "Forgive me for speaking plainly, milord, but my job is to command a Star Destroyer filled with several thousand soldiers and crew, not observe someone's physical appearance. Quite frankly, I do not give a damn about what a person looks like, only that they can competently complete the task they are given, which Lady Morgan has done more than once."

Sidious stared hard at Cody. Not many people in the galaxy had the nerve to speak to him in such a manner. Some did so when he was merely Senator, or Chancellor, Palpatine; those people usually being fellow senators or Jedi. But as Emperor, none questioned him or argued back at him with their own sharp remarks. At first he felt some irritation with the Commander's brashness on the matter, but another part of him felt pleased. Cody was clearly an opinionated, but loyal, soldier. Effective, efficient, intelligent; the qualities of a strong leader. Most importantly, mature enough to make his voice heard when it was needed. Not many officers would do that. The only ones Sidious regularly interacted with, and suffered, were Moff Tarkin and (recently, when they managed to make contact), Admiral Thrawn.

 _Perhaps there is a bright future ahead for the Commander._

"Keep a closer eye on things from now on." Sidious muttered, reserving a harsh rebuke of the Commander for another time, "And be more careful with your words, Commander. I hold you high esteem. It would be a shame if that changed."

Cody gave the Emperor a stiff nod then returned his attention to the setting sun outside of the hospital.

"Do you have any idea what she is, your excellency?" He asked.

Sidious frowned, "No idea."

"And the doctors?"

"Uncertain as well."

Cody furrowed his brow, "I assume you've sent her lab results to be studied?"

"Certainly." Sidious answered, "Morgan's progress as my apprentice, even under my best case scenario, is beyond remarkable. Within a year, she has risen to the level of most Jedi Knights, and managed to survive an encounter with Mace Windu." He grit his teeth as he recalled his own duel with the vicious Jedi Master, "That last one is no small feat. I may have assisted her, but the fact that she held out long enough for my arrival is remarkable. At first I attributed her quick progression to previous knowledge locked away due to her unique amnesia. Now… now I think she may be genetically predisposed to this kind of power. Much in the same way the Korunnai, or even the Dathomirians, are."

Cody blinked in surprise, "She's that powerful?"

"And growing." Sidious nodded back. He furrowed his heavy, wrinkled brow, "Commander, I also require her spellbook, as well as any other personal items of hers."

He felt Cody's anxiety suddenly flare through the force. This was a request he was not comfortable with.

"Milord, may I ask wh-"

"Those are my orders, Commander. I expect them to be followed." Sidious snapped quickly, silencing any of the Commander's possible objections. He needed to learn more about Morgan. If his hunch was correct, then she belonged to a race of beings undiscovered in the galaxy. A species powerful enough in the Force to make him worry.

The doors to the turbolift at the far end of the corridor hissed open. Both Cody and Sidious turned to see an olive skinned woman marching in. She wore simple Imperial fatigues; a black shirt and black pants. She carried a blaster pistol on her hip, just as any high level soldier did. Her dark brown eyes widened when she saw Cody and the Emperor in the corridor. Once she approached both of them, she quickly saluted.

"You excellency." She said to Sidous. Her gaze darted over to Cody, "Commander."

Sidious nodded. Cody cleared his throat.

"At ease, DT-117."

The young soldier fell into a more relaxed posture, but still alert and far more rigid than a normal person. Sidious found himself nodding in mild approval. This soldier recognized who she was speaking to and made sure to maintain a high level of respect and decorum.

"DT-117," Sidious began, voice croaking out from beneath his hood. He saw her tense up as he spoke. Not surprising; not many saw the guise he now wore. "Also known as Deathy One."

Cody snorted a little at that. The Emperor scowled, but did not react to the Commander's amusement.

"I want to know what exactly happened on Dathomir. Be very clear, and thorough." Sidious ordered.

Deathy One nodded, "Yes, your excellency."

She took a deep breath. A flash of fear shot through her as she recalled the events on Dathomir. Another surprise for Sidious. Deathtroopers were, other than the Inquisitors and perhaps his own personal guards, the most elite soldiers in the Empire. They were hyper conditioned to withstand any amount of physical and psychological trauma through brutal training in both. Few passed the initial training, even fewer survived their first few missions. For one to feel afraid, meant something truly terrible occurred.

"We had no LZ initially." She began, her voice coming out with a small hint of Coruscant's refined clip, "Lady Ra-" She caught herself, just like Cody, "Lady Morgan identified a landing zone for the shuttle after using her abilities. Upon landing, myself and a squadron of stormtroopers cleared the landing area before proceeding into the mists, following Lady Morgan's lead. We managed to only get a few miles from the LZ before we were ambushed by natives."

"Nightsisters?" Sidious asked.

"If that is what they are called, then yes, my lord."

"Were you and Morgan the only survivors of the initial attack?"

Deathy One swallowed, "We were, my lord. It was not apparent at the time, but I believe they intended on sparing Morgan and another for their own purposes."

Sidious furrowed his brow beneath his hood.

"What happened next?" Cody asked.

"We were taken to the home of their coven. A cave near the LZ. I can mark it on a planetary map if needed." She replied, "Once inside we were taken before their leader, a woman named Gethzerion."

Ice shot through Sidious's veins.

"Are you certain?" He asked her, voice coming out as a whisper rather than a croak.

Deathy One nodded, "Yes, my lord. She identified herself as such. Her importance was not lost on me. All of the nightsisters reacted to her, and they moved to protect her when Morgan decided to approach."

A snarl flashed over Sidious's face. Gethzerion, that was a name he had not heard in a long time. She was a protege of Mother Talzin, but unlike Talzin, had more cunning, power, and intellect. She had been tossed out of the main cult of Nightsisters due to her more extreme practices. In the end, those Nightsisters did her a service, since she survived while Talzin and the others did not. He recalled meeting her once, along with Talzin, and needless to say, Sidious was impressed by her. Gethzerion would have made either a formidable ally, or an extremely dangerous enemy. Unfortunately, the latter seems to have occured.

She knew of abilities in the Dark Side that even he did not know fully. Anything that Sidious did not know or could not fully comprehend gave him pause. Unknowns were not something he dealt in. Knowledge is the ultimate form of power. With knowledge, one's power in the Force grew. Being in Gethzerion's presence was one of the few times he felt like the ignorant one in regards to the mysteries of the Force.

 _Foolish girl!_ He thought again as he realized Morgan went to confront her alone.

"What did this Gethzerion want?" Cody asked.

Deathy One shrugged, "I'm not entirely sure. It is my personal belief that she was trying to draw Morgan to her. I recall Morgan and Starkiller bickering before we left, and she mentioned she heard voices speaking to her."

Sidious's teeth ground together. Voices near Dathomir while on the hunt for the Dathomirian ringleaders behind the impersonation of one of his family; certainly not a coincidence. Her overconfidence in this mission bordered on arrogance, and she came crashing down because of it. If not for DT-117's actions, his promising new apprentice would have died at Gethezerion's hands.

 _Then Vader would have been my only option._ He thought as a scowl formed on his face.

"Why would Gethzerion want Morgan?" Cody wondered as the Emperor remained silent.

Deathy One pursed her lips, "Sir, I cannot say with any certainty why. But… Gethzerion wanted Morgan to sacrifice me in exchange for her memories. She knew something regarding Morgan." Sidious's eyes slowly widened beneath his hood, "I'm not exactly sure on the specifics, unfortunately. I was more focused on the Nightsisters surrounding us."

 _A sacrifice for memories?_ Sidious tensed up, _A blood ritual. An exchange with very dangerous ramifications, and unpredictable outcomes. One of which being that if it worked, then Morgan could have a reason to leave._

The reason she agreed to learn from him in the first place was because of his promise to help her unlock her memories. He did take promises seriously, but that did not mean he always fulfilled them in the way the other party expected. Morgan's memories would eventually be restored, but only after she was so thoroughly devoted to the Dark Side, and to him as her Sith Master, and only after she supplanted Lord Vader… if she could.

Gethzerion nearly threw that entire plan into flux. The very thought made Sidious's blood boil.

"What happened next?"

"Lady Morgan turned her down."

Sidious blinked in surprise.

"She said she would not sacrifice or betray any of her friends for a simple hope from a witch." Deathy One explained, "After that, things went downhill rather fast. A green mist engulfed the cave we were in, and I think that might be what injured her."

 _An infernal "spell", no doubt._ Sidious thought.

That angry thought faded though as he considered the ramifications of Deathy One's report so far. Morgan had her goal within her grasp. Her memories, who she was before her life as his apprentice, were there for the taking. All she had to do was sacrifice one Deathtrooper. Kill Deathy One, and she could have what she truly wanted. But she refused to make any sacrifice. Not because she was insulted by the notion of having to sacrifice anything (that would have been very Sith of her if that was the case). She refused because she considered Deathy One a friend.

 _This is… interesting._ Sidious observed the Deathtrooper as she finished outlining what occured for him and Cody. _Morgan is not as Sith as I thought she was._ He pressed his lips into a thin line, _I have been too hands off with her instruction._

"Morgan made sure to deal with the Nightsisters." Sidious heard Deathy One state.

Cody raised his head, "Base Delta Zero."

 _What!?_

Cody glanced over at an impassive, but internally alarmed, Sidious, "When things went south, she called in an orbital strike on the enemy. Danger close, but it worked."

"Gethzerion would not die so easily." Sidious muttered.

 _A cleanup crew may have to investigate. Or better yet, I may just leave the Witch to rot on her planet, unable to escape._

Deathy One finished up by recounting Morgan's condition for both of them. Details that Sidious already knew

"Thank you DT-117." Cody nodded to her as she concluded her retelling of events.

"Indeed." Sidious spoke up, making Deathy One tense up again, "Your actions are to be commended. You saved my apprentice's life, in the face of overwhelming odds as well. You bring great distinction to the Deathtroopers."

Deathy One put on a meek smile at that, "Just doing my job, your excellency. You tasked me to safeguard Lady Morgan, and I intend on doing that." She glanced back and forth between both Cody and Sidious, "Is there anything else you require from me, your excellency?"

"Nothing." Sidious croaked, "You are dismissed."

She saluted and walked past them, heading towards Morgan's medical room. As she strode away, Sidious pondered her report.

Morgan was acting in ways he did not anticipate. He knew she was a bit childish, she was young after all. Not young enough for him to properly mold like he did with Maul, but young enough to not be mature enough to handle many things, such as Gethzerion. If Lord Vader were in her shoes during this mission, he would not have flown off to Dathomir. He would have contacted him, informed him of the situation, and sought the next best forward after that consultation.

Lord Vader had a more experienced approach to things; which made sense, he already fought one war after all. He also had more instruction in his abilities. Lord Vader knew his personal strengths, weaknesses, as well as how effective he was in certain situations. Morgan did not know her limits, and it nearly cost her life.

 _Instruction is absolutely needed._ Sidious nodded to himself.

"Wait, Lady Rag-"

The door to her room hissed open. Morgan stumbled out in a tangle of wires and tubes. Her eyes blazed with the dark side of the force as blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. The Dark Side thrashed around her in a chaotic fury.

Deathy One rushed up from behind her. Morgan whipped her head around, making the Deathtrooper freeze in place. Her gaze returned to her master, who stood still down the corridor.

"I want…" Morgan rasped, her voice a shaking, hoarse, whisper. Filled with strain and choked with fluid, "I want… to put that Crone's head… on a damn pike!" She hacked, blood spewing from her lips again. Once she stopped coughing, she gave her master a bloody grin, "Nice to see-" She inhaled weakly, "you again." A rasping, mad laugh came from her weak lungs, "Care to help me kill the witch?"

Her legs buckled beneath her. Deathy One caught her as Cody rushed over. Doctors quickly surged into the corridor, no doubt thanks to the multiple alarms that went off due to Morgan leaving her room and probably breaking a few machines in the process. As she crumpled to the ground, still awake, the dark side roaring in rage, Sidious's lips curled into a pleased smile.

 _There's hope for her yet._

He followed the doctors as they carried her back over to her medical bed. She initially resisted, but once another bloody cough erupted from her lips, she relented and allowed them to set her back down. Sidious drew up along her beside as fresh tubes and wires were plunged into her skin and reattached to the machines.

"You will grow very powerful, my young apprentice." He said as her mouth was forced open by a doctor. She winced as a tube was put down her throat in order to get the fluid from her lungs, "It is time for your true training to begin. You will remain on Coruscant. If you wish to be capable of destroying a creature such as Gethzerion, then I will have to teach you much."

Morgan's eyes blazed. This time, not with rage, but with excitement. If there was one thing she possessed that Lord Vader lacked, it was a voracious appetite to learn. An appetite that greatly pleased the Dark Lord of the Sith.

* * *

Robin felt ethereal. Everything in his body felt like air. Light, without form, without any sort of restriction or shape. It felt like a high of some sort. Similar to the kind he occasionally experienced during or immediately after a successful session of training, when every muscle in the body felt loose and warm and his mind felt clear. Unlike those moments, he did not feel the usual happiness that came with that. He could not feel that. There wasn't anything to feel happy about, not with what he was seeing now.

Images flew by his eyes. A flurry of scenes; as if his life was flashing before his eyes. Moments he did not recognize or remember. From when he was a tiny toddler waddling around a sandy, stone floor and into the waiting arms of a smiling woman in dark robes; to learning how to use magic from a slim looking man with bright, yellow eyes and a pointed chin covered in a dark beard; to moments of terror as he ran for his life from enemies that looked both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. They were his memories, and he failed to recognize them.

His heart hammered in his chest when the memories caught up to one that caused a multitude of emotions to well up inside of him. A lone hand was held out to him as he lay still in a green field, with a blue sky over his head. Puffs of white clouds drifted by in a lazy procession.

He saw Chrom, Lissa, Frederick; the trio that discovered him and sparked the journey that he could remember. He shared their warm laughter as a flurry of moments with them passed by. Chrom's wedding stuck out the most in his mind. He had been the best man, and shared his friend's joy during that special day.

He saw Ben, Tharja, Donnel, Gaius, and Panne; the group he traveled the world with. Laurent and Anna eventually joined the small picture. They all rested on the shores of Charlet. A journey, a mission, finally complete. A sense of accomplishment and relief flowed between all of them. That adventure bonded them all together in friendships so strong they would never break, no matter the bumps in the road.

He saw the rest of the Shepherds; his comrades, his friends, faces forgotten due to the stresses of the war. Faces that made sadness and regret build up inside of him. Ricken, Stahl, Gregor, Miriel; his heart ached as he saw them. They were smiling back at him. Miriel was cooking something for the group, adding her usual herbal remedies to the mix. Ricken was sitting with Nowi, and… and Nowi had a small child in her lap? Gregor and Stahl were sharing a pint together, howling at a joke the old mercenary shared to the younger cavalier. These were not memories, these were possibilities. What could have been. But why did they not happen?

Flashes of war shot through his mind. Fire, smoke, and chaos filled his thoughts. Blasts of magic rocked the space around him. Screams of dying men and woman shrieked through the air, causing him to squeeze his eyes shut in a desperate attempt to end the terror.

It only became worse. The possibilities faded entirely. Their deaths rushed back to his mind. The Fire and Ash of Demon's Ingle choked his lungs. Heat scorched his skin, and he uttered a piercing scream that made his throat hoarse. With that scream, came an earth shaking roar, filled with darkness and despair. The images he saw rippled away, replaced by hundreds of thousands of Risen marching over barren plains and through dead forests. Black wings spread out over the sky, blotting out the sun and replacing it's warm light with the cold stare of six, ruby eyes. Fear filled Robin at the sight, but he also felt power. It felt familiar, natural, the way the world was supposed to be. The way it all was supposed to end.

A hooded figure wearing a dark coat with gold trim stood across from him now. Glowing yellow eyes stared at him. Through the glow, Robin recognized his own face beneath the hood, partially hidden in the shadows.

" _You're alive."_

 _I'm alive?_

" _ **But where are you?"**_

* * *

Air rushed into Robin's lungs with a violent gasp. His eyes shot open, and he saw a lumpy ceiling made of clay. Another harsh gasp rocked his body, causing his back to arch upwards as his body stiffened in the small bed he lay in. Pain flooded his mind. He hissed and squeezed his eyes shut, teeth grit tight as he struggled to keep himself from crying out. As he writhed in pain, a power erupted within him. Dark and dangerous, looking to consume or destroy everything around him. He had no strength or will to fend it off. Pain was all he felt, and the power would stop the pain.

"Enough, that is."

The power shrank away from a blinding light. The darkness hissed and snarled in defiance, but shrank even further as the light backed it down. Robin felt blinded for a moment from it. Stars filled his sight as he stared up at the clay ceiling. He sucked in a harsh breath again, and the pain forced him onto his side. His head swam. Blurriness joined the stars, rendering him nearly blind. One of his hands reached out and clawed for something, anything, to help him feel… something other than pain.

He grabbed hold of a tiny table next to the bed and gripped it like a vice, squeezing so hard that his knuckles groaned. As that happened, the darkness retreated back down the dark well from whence it came. A begrudging defeat that it would not forget. As it surrendered, the light faded as well.

Robin kept his eyes screwed shut as sweat coated his body. He was terrified that if he opened them again, the pain would return. As he lay on his side; musty, humid air heaving in and out of his lungs, he croaked out some words.

"Hell-hello? Ch-Chrom? Ben?"

"Hmm…" An elderly voice hummed. He felt a small hand tap the hand gripping the table, "Let go you should, before break something you do."

Robin hesitated. He felt a wave of calm hit him, causing his tense body to slowly relax. The pain he was feeling continued to subside as the calm took over. His lungs stopped heaving and he started to breathe normally again. Finally, he let go of the table, eliciting a thankful grunt from whoever was with him.

 _I don't recognize that voice? Where-_

"Chrom?" He called again, keeping his eyes closed, "Ben?"

"Chrom? Ben?" The voice hummed again, "Know these names, I do not."

 _Who the hell is talking to me?_

He braced himself, then forced his eyes open.

The first thing that puzzled him: he was not lying in a river of molten lava, nor was he covered in hot ash. He was in a very small, cramped, one room hut. A little fire burned in a squat fireplace across the room. A copper pot sat over that fire as a brown liquid bubbled inside of it.  
Second thing that puzzled him, and probably the biggest source of confusion he had beyond the fact that he was somehow not dead: the little green man shuffling across the room with a wooden bowl filled with the brown broth in one hand. Its bulbous, green eyes blinked at Robin as he stared back at it, mouth agape.

"Uh…" Robin swallowed hard then noticed the thing's pointy ears, "You uh…" His vision was still blurry, "You don't happen to be a Manakete, do you?"

As his vision focused, he got a better look at the thing in front of him… and it definitely was not a Manakete. Unless Manaketes were capable of having green skin, pointy ears, rose up to his waist, and actually aged after several thousand years. And this thing was looking quite upset with the misidentification.

"Manakete?" It croaked at him, eyes narrowing, "Nonsense, you're talking. Ill, you still are. Eat!" He jabbed the bowl of brown broth at Robin, "Root soup mmmm… good, good, eat."

Robin eyed the thing suspiciously, then glanced at the bowl of thick brown broth. He sniffed the air once and wrinkled his nose.

"Are you sure?"

"Strength, you need. Eat." The thin jabbed the bowl at him again, and Robin felt compelled to take it from his wrinkly, three fingered hand.

Robin hesitated as he gripped the tiny wood spoon sitting in the bowl. As he swirled it through the brown soup, he wrinkled his nose further, noticed brown chunks of… something, swirling around in the thick slurry.

"I'm not very-"

"Lie, do not." The Thing croaked as it hobbled across the room and poured itself a bowl of the Root soup, "Can tell, I can."

Robin snorted, "What? Can you read my mind?"

"Stomach, loud it is. Growling like Krayt Dragon all night, it was." The little green man chuckled as he finished pouring a second bowl of soup, it turned it's oblong shaped head back to Robin, large eyes staring at him, "Eat."

Robin sighed, felt his stomach growl, then gingerly ladled some of the soup into his mouth. The thick soup landed on his palate, and Robin cringed, bracing for a disgusting, foul, rancid-

His eyes widened.

 _It's not bad._ He thought, staring at the slurry with surprise. He jabbed his spoon into it again, _it's not bear meat but…_ He gulped down another spoonful. Then another, and another until eventually he held out his bowl, hoping for more. The little green man pursed its wrinkled lips as it stared at his bowl.

"Another bowl, you may have. Answer questions first, you must though." The Thing said, setting its bowl to the side on a small table beside a little rocking chair just big enough for him to sit in. His bare, three toed, leathery feet hovered over the dirt floor of the hut as he sat in the chair, a picture of pure contentment. At least, he looked content to Robin. But his eyes, those eyes glared at Robin with intense suspicion.

"Yeah, uh, sure." Robin swallowed hard. His parched throat ached from the action, "Mind if I have some water first?"

The thing's eyes widened, "Oh?" He chuckled to himself, "Forgot, I have."

He waddled out of his chair, moved to a little bucket off to the side of the one room hut, and scooped up a small amount of water into a little wood cup. He carefully handed it over to Robin. Robin nodded his thanks and took a small sip, relishing in the feeling of the cool liquid running down his scorched throat.

He uttered a satisfied gasp as he finished off the small cup, "Thank you."

"Welcome, you are."

Robin swallowed again, _Doesn't really hurt anymore, good._

"You name?"

Robin glanced around at his surroundings again. Now that he was not in blinding pain, he got a better sense of the small hut he was in. Small was probably an understatement though. The ceiling sat so low he could reach up and brush his palm along it while sitting upright in the little bed. The one room was barely the size of his closet in Ylisse, but it must have felt plenty big enough for the little green man.

 _Cozy, I guess. But I wouldn't want to-_

Something thin and hard jabbed Robin's arm, jerking him from his thoughts.

"Hey!" He exclaimed as he realized the little green man just poked him with a gnarled cane.

"Question, I asked you. Hmmm…rude to ignore your host, it is."

Robin blinked, "O-oh, I um-" He shook his head, "Sorry, I did not hear. I was just um-"

 _Wait a damn moment._ His mind screeched to a halt, _How am I talking?_ He furrowed his brow, _How did I just eat and drink?_ He frantically patted his torso, then ran his hands over the patchwork quilt that covered his legs. _How am I feeling!?_

The cane jabbed him again.

"Hey!"

"Focus." The creature snapped back at him, "Questions, I have. Appeared near my home, you did. Alarming for me, it was. Poor heart, hrmmm... beat too quick it did."

"Well, sorry about your heart." Robin snarked back as he kept a close eye on the gnarled cane resting in the creature's grip, "But I'm currently going through a bit of a crisis."

"Oooooh?" The creature shuffled closer to him, rising to its tippy toes to get closer to him, "Crisis, hmmm… can tell. Strange, crisis must be. On swamp world you are, but smoke you smelled like." A small, amused chuckle came from the creature's little mouth, "Light self on fire, did you?"

"Sort of." Robin remarked, causing the creature's amused laughter to abruptly cut off, "And to answer your question, my name is Robin."

The creature harrumphed at that, "Heard question, you did. But ignored, instead of answered. More focused on self, not surroundings." Its lips pressed tight together as it seemingly frowned at Robin, "Focus on self, like so much, then who are you?"

Robin furrowed his brow as he glared incredulously at the little green man, "You talk about rude, but you haven't told me your name yet."

"My house, you're in. My name, choose not to say, I do. Threat, you are, until I know you are not.."

Robin's mouth fell open a little bit in confusion, "I'm sorry, what?"

"Age?"

"Rude." Robin shot back.

"Rude, you are being." The creature said with a jab of its cane right into the meat of Robin's shoulder.

Robin grit his teeth in irritation, "I'm not the one poking you with a stick!"

He thought hard for a moment. Of course this had to be a question he did not know the answer to. Hell, he did not know what his actual birthday was. He simply celebrated the day Chrom and the others found him. The others didn't know that of course. It was more of a 'oh hey, its my shepherd anniversary' sort of moment, rather than a big extravaganza. Personally, he had always been too busy to really worry about how od he was. So, with a huff, he folded his arms,

"I'm… I'm… I don't know how old I am."

The creature narrowed its eyes at him, "Old, are you?"

"Obviously not."

"Hair says otherwise."

"My hair?" Robin remarked, perplexed. He reached up and felt the top of his head. It felt a little damp, probably due to the humidity in the air, but it felt the same as it always felt, "It's fine."

"So white hair, you always have?"

"White? It's brown."

The creature nodded to a foggy mirror across from the little, lumpy bed. Robin peered into it. His reflection was warped by the imperfect glass, but what he did manage to see he did not recognize.

"What the-"

He shot forward in the bed, ignoring the pain erupting throughout his joints and body as he drew closer to the small mirror nailed to the clay wall. He saw his face, but with red eyes instead of brown, and white hair instead of brown hair. A trembling hand shuddered up to his head. His fingers raked through the snow white locks as his eyes continued to widen in the reflection.

 _What in the name of Naga, Grima, and whatever the hell Ben worships, is going on?_

He glanced over his shoulder at the little green man as it hummed at him.

"Ghost, have you seen?"

Robin gulped, "N-no just-" He took a deep breath, wincing as his lungs ached, "Don't recognize myself."

He glanced back at the reflection. It was undoubtedly him, but it looked so different from what he was used to.

"You don't happen to know what did this to me, do you?" He asked the creature shuffling over to the rocking chair near the bed.

"Thin air, out of, you appeared." The creature hummed, "Cave, spat out of, you were."

Robin furrowed his brow as he whipped his head back to look at the creature. A big mistake on his part. His head swam from the sudden motion and he found his weak body flopping backwards as the world spun. A long groan slipped from his lips as he reached up with his shaking hands and rubbed his eyes, trying to get the world to slow down.

"Impatient, you are."

"Freaking out, I am." Robin replied with no small amount of sarcasm.

"Hmmm… mock me, you do."

A soft, exasperated laugh slipped from his lips, "Forgive me if I need some humor at the moment. I'm currently coping with my death and apparent resurrection." Robin raised his head, doing his best to ignore how much the motion hurt, "Unless this is the afterlife. In which case, who are you: Naga, or Grima?"

The creature's long, green ears twitched, "Those names, do not know them, I do. Afterlife, this is not." The creature nodded it's oblong head, "Dagobah, you are on. And my home, you are in."

Robin furrowed his brow, "Dagobah… Dagobah…" He scratched an itch on his jaw, "Where is that in relation to the Halidom?"

"Halidom?"

Robin sighed, "You know." He rolled his hand in the air as he struggled to form words for a moment. All the while, a pit formed in his stomach, "Th-the Halidom, Ylisse, the kingdom ruled by Naga's exalted bloodline. It's east of Plegia, south of Regna Ferox."

No reaction from the little green man. It just stared at him, eyes blinking every so often.

"You have no clue what I'm talking about." Robin let his head fall back. He stared up at the ceiling and let out a heavy sigh, "Robin, what did you get yourself into now?" He muttered to himself.

"Last memory, what is?" The creature asked him.

That made Robin guffaw, "That's a bit of a difficult question for an amnesiac."

"Amnesiac you are not." The creature practically scolded, "Name, you recall."

Robin frowned back, "Fair point."

He thought for a moment. Brief images flashed in his mind. Slowly, it all came back to him. A tidal wave of fear, pain, and fury slammed into him. Heat washed over his body as he recalled the sensation of molten lava and ash consuming his body. A shiver ran up his spine at the thought of his body being eaten away by the elements and buried beneath the fury of Demon's Ingle. There was no regret within him. He did what he had to do to help his friends escape the volcano and the Deadlords. But there was a sadness within him as he realized that they all probably thought he was dead.

 _Unless this place really is an extremely strange afterlife._ Robin thought.

"I was in a battle." Robin breathed, "Me and my friends were running because a volcano erupted. There were several dangerous enemies I was holding off so some of my friends could escape." The creature listened patiently as he spoke. Unmoving, except for the gentle rocking of his chair, which caused small squeaks to bounce off of the hut's clay walls, "I then used the Force to hold those enemies in place so that the volcano could consume all of us." Robin gulped, "So that they would not hunt my friends down." His heart stopped pounding in his chest, "I died."

"Alive, you are."

"But… but I died. I," Robin's shoulders fell as his arms went slack, "I meant to die." He stared vacantly at the wall a moment, "But here I am, alive."

"You want to die, why did?"

Robin's face hardened, "That's getting a little personal." He growled back at the creature, "And I did not want to die, I just-" He sighed, annoyed with his inability to articulate himself at the moment, "I needed to die. I did not want to, I think? I-" He shook his head, "Whatever, it's not important right now."

Thankfully, the creature allowed the subject of his "death" to end there.

 _At least the little guy knows when not to push something._

"You come here, how did, hrmmm?"

Robin rolled his eyes at the question, "Do you really think I know the answer to that?" He snorted, "If I knew how I got here, I'd know how to get home too. One moment I was dead, the next I was reliving my life all over again, then I woke up on this lumpy bed." He bounced on the mattress, "Speaking of which, what is in this thing? It's lumpier than Vaike's stomach."

"Dead leaves." The creature answered with a small nod.

"That explains the crunch." Robin sighed, "Alright, I've answered your questions. Can you answer mine now?"

"Answering, I have been." The creature gestured at the bed, "About bed, you asked. My turn, it is."

"Oh, Naga save me." Robin groaned, bowing his head, "Chrom didn't play twenty questions with me when he found me passed out in the middle of a field." He raised his head, and everything in his body suddenly felt fuzzy. He winced as his vision blurred. Exhaustion rushed over him, and all of his strength left him once again.

"Exhausted, you are." The creature hummed, "Rest, you must. Talk again, when clearer mind you have."

Robin's head fell against the pillow. His entire body felt heavy, a stark contrast to the weightlessness he felt right before he first awoke. His heavy eyelids slowly started to close, but he fought to keep them open. Partly out of stubborness, but also out of fear. What if he woke up, and he was gone again? What if he woke up somewhere else? What if-

"Rest." The creature hummed again as his eyes closed, "Here, safe, you are."

A wave of warmth and calm washed over Robin. Something batted away the anxiety and worry that had bombarded his thoughts since he woke up. As he drifted off to a dreamless sleep, the little green man uttered a heavy sigh as he rested in his rocking chair.

"Strange, he is." His large eyes glanced up at the clay ceiling. Searching for a face, a presence, that resided beyond his physical sight, "The Dark Side, resides within him it does. Grips his very spirit, hrmm…" He closed his eyes, "Strange indeed."

" _But not dangerous."_

The creature frowned at the ceiling, then bowed its head, an irritated rasp rattling from its small body.

"Dark Side, dangerous always it is, Qui Gon." He protested, "The boy even more so. Old, he is. In control of his emotions, his abilities, he is not." A long frown creased over his lips, "Impatient, rude-"

" _He did just wake up from being dead, Master Yoda."_

Yoda snapped his gaze up, "Dead, you were. Rude to me, you were not."

He heard Qui Gon Jinn utter a weary, long suffering sigh, " _You've grown irritable in your exile."_

"Irritable, I am allowed to be." Yoda's defiance faded a little as he sank further into his chair, "Faint hope, there is. Lost, the galaxy is." He glared up at the ceiling, "Irritable I can be now."

" _Even the faintest hope can defeat the greatest darkness."_

Yoda uttered a weary sigh, "To believe, hard it is, when half of hope, snuffed out it was. Other half, sheltered away it is." He shook his head as recent memories came to mind. One terrifying day, where the Empire nearly extinguished any hope the Jedi or the Galaxy had left, "Organa, barely deceive the enemy, he did. But still, watched, he is. Yes… watched. Sidious, not easily fooled, he is." He kept his chin tucked as his own weariness started to manifest, "Barely a hope now, little Leia is."

" _Perhaps that is why Robin has arrived?"_

Yoda flicked his eyes to the white haired boy as he quietly slept in his bed. The ancient Jedi Master was not sure why the boy was brought to Dagobah, or why the pit spat him back out. He was even less certain of the boy's intentions and origins. Most of what he said sounded like nonsense to Yoda. In all of the centuries he had lived in the galaxy, and interacted with all manner of species and cultures, he had never heard of a Halidom or people named Naga and Grima. The Force had delivered an enigma to him in a time where he prayed for answers. The irony was not lost on the wizened master.

"Tired, I am." Yoda sighed, letting his eyes close, "Rest, I must."

He sensed Qui Gon's brilliant presence in the force fade away. As the ethereal master disappeared, Yoda drifted off as well. He would deal with the enigma named Robin later, when they both had clearer minds.

 **And chapter! We finally get back to Robin and Yoda! This is going to be an interesting relationship to write, given Robin's proclivities for the dark side (thanks to a certain One and a certain dragon) and Yoda's misgivings about the dark side. We also got to see what happened to Morgan, as well as the Emperor's perspective on the matter. I thought it'd be interesting to write both Yoda and Sidious in this chapter and show their differing perspectives and methods in regards to their mysteries from Ylisse. Makes for an interesting comparison, in my opinion.**

 **Also, there is a small easter egg to a different sci fi franchise in this chapter. Not hard to notice, but I thought it was a small, fun thing I could throw in there. Especially since this character is turning out to be quite the badass.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed it! Have a nice day!**

 **Come join the Treehouse! Discord code is: 9XG3U7a**


	130. The Signal

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 130

The Signal

Sparks flew throughout the massive ice cave. Bright, Feroxi sunlight from the mildly warm summer filtered in through some of the frozen air holes poking through the ceiling. It still felt cold, but now the chill was at least bearable. It was warm enough for Morgana to no longer worry about keeping a charm on her person in order to fend off the cold. At the same time though, it almost felt too warm. Snow melt occasionally dropped down from the ceiling, which put her and her follower's delicate work at risk. Much of their work, from piecing together the massive metal panels to bundling the wires the Ark needed, required Thunder Magic. A fickle type of magic when around large amounts of water, and it made their work especially perilous.

Thankfully though, most of the major Thunder work was now on the interior of the Ark. The shell, and many of the inner workings within, were finally complete after years of hard work. The Ark no longer looked like a large hunk of metal. It now looked like a sleek shard. A dagger meant to knife through the air, the atmosphere, and whatever lay beyond.

Morgana rested her hands on the railing along the icy stairs that led to her personal chambers. Her emerald eyes focused on the Ark as her followers rushed around it, going about their work. Not long ago, Alfred discovered how to generate fresh air without needing to open up the ark at all. An enormous breakthrough for the project.

Morgana long hypothesized that the further up into the sky one wandered, the less air there was to breath. She recalled studying the effects of high altitude flights among Wyvern Riders when she was a mere mage and researcher with the Grimleal all those years ago. Strange altitude illnesses, loss of consciousness, death: all very common results for such flights. She was grateful she studied such a thing for the Plegian military. Now her notes on the subject proved vital. Alfred might not believe in her hypothesis fully (he thought there still had to be air that high up, otherwise, how could eagles fly that high?), but she was determined to take the extra precaution. The Ark needed to be sealed. Not a shred of air could be allowed to escape once generated within the vessel. It took a complex system of engineering, charms, and enchantments to accomplish the task, but it was all coming together.

 _Finally._ She thought as she exhaled slowly.

She turned to the stairs and started to descend. Alfred was busy working on the Artifact, trying to see if he could glean any more secrets from the strange machine. Aversa often lingered near him, avoiding Morgana entirely. After how their last… conversation went, Morgana could not blame her. In a rare moment of fury, the powerful witch allowed her powers to come bursting forth. Powers not tapped into in over a decade. It shocked her when she came down from the power's high and found the bannisters to her bed turned into splinters, the glass in her windows shattered, and the furniture shifted several feet away from their original position.

 _Aversa needed to learn her place._ She pursed her lips as she reached the bottom of the steps, left hand falling from the cold railing as she glanced back up at the Ark, _Perhaps I did go too far._

Aversa was a far different child than Robin was. Morgana recalled Robin being a very quiet, young boy. He preferred to indulge himself in tomes, novels, and works of great knowledge. Her mother's son, no doubt. Under her watchful eye, he became a capable mage and a caring soul. The former common amongst the Grimleal, but the latter an extreme rarity.

Her adopted daughter, on the other hand, reminded her far too much of Validar in his youth. Ambitious, prideful, drunk on their own sense of power and superiority. There were merits to such behavior. The ambition and cunning made her a dangerous opponent to her foes, which meant mages and enemies who knew themselves to be weaker often avoided confronting Aversa entirely. She had raw talent, and the ambition she had caused her to study in depth… but only on the things that would accelerate her rise in the ranks. Robin would study the finest minutiae of a spell until he was certain he had it right. Aversa would figure out a Thunder, then attempt to jump to a Thoron. Her children were polar opposites, and Morgana loved them for it.

 _Now I have only Aversa._ Morgana though, a heavy sigh slipping from her lips as she tore her gaze from the ark and marched towards the chamber where the artifact rested, _I will not lose her too._

Her black robes swept out behind her as she entered the Artifact's chamber. When she entered, she noticed Aversa sitting on a stool, looking over Alfred's shoulder as the elder mage prodded against the inner workings of the artifact. The younger mage recoiled at the sight of Morgana, quickly averting her dark eyes as the Witch strode into the chamber.

 _She fears me now._ Morgana thought, a pang of sadness running through her like a cold knife, _I'm not sure if that is a good thing._

Morgana cleared her throat as sparks spat out of the area where Alfred worked, "Alfred?"

A sharp thunk, followed by a quick howl and a biting curse, caused Morgana and Aversa to wince in unison. Alfred pulled his head out from the bulbous main body of the artifact, one hand rubbing the back of his head.

"Pardon me, Lady Morgana." He winced. A sharp hiss slipped from his lips as he poked the growing lump on his head, "I did not hear you come in." He glared over at Aversa, "You couldn't have warned me?"

"She said something before I could." Aversa shrugged.

"Mmm… sure she did." Alfred grumbled as he peeled heavy leather gloves off his hands and tossed them onto the workbench behind him. A good natured smirk on his lips betrayed his actual feelings towards the younger mage.

 _At least she is getting along with someone._

"How goes your work?" Morgana asked as Alfred turned his back to her, probably so he could fiddle with some of his instruments on the work bench behind him.

Alfred adjusted his spectacles, "Relatively well." He spun back around, a metal rod in hand, before bending at the waist to inspect the Artifact's inner workings closer, "Those curious blueprints were quite the find. I wonder why they were placed in this thing? It certainly throws my theories about the purpose of our little artifact into question."

"You don't believe it to be some sort of investigative machine?"

Alfred sighed as he studied a clump of strange metal chips within the Artifact, "It could still be, but perhaps that is not it's only purpose? I'm not entirely sure anymore. Those blueprints make it seem like it is an information unit of some sort. Perhaps something a civilization would use to make first contact?"

Morgana's eyes widened, "A civilization? But who would send something like this?"

"From beyond the stars maybe?" Aversa shrugged, speaking up for the first time, "It's not like anyone has anything like this in their lands. Unless mythical Jugdral is somehow centuries ahead of us."

"Decades, not centuries, I hope." Alfred argued back with a wag of his finger. He ducked his head down to the Artifact again as continued prodding the inner workings, hoping to trip up another good surprise, "It took us just over a decade to reverse engineer this in order to properly build the Ark. Speaking of which, how is that project coming, my lady?"

A small smile graced Morgana's lips, "The final seals and enchantments are being put in place. With any luck, we can test the engines soon, assuming we have some sort of power alternative. Have we made any progress on that front?"

Alfred grimaced, "Afraid not." He sighed as he gestured at the Artifact's long, metal appendages, "I haven't been able to find any source of propulsion in this thing. The only clues we've had have been those plans made of blue light that have been projected from this device here." He tapped a small knob on one end of the Artifact's body, "Beyond that, nothing. Quite frankly, it frustrates me."

"It would frustrate me too." Morgana sighed, biting back a curse.

The only surefire way to power the Ark, that she knew of, was with magic. The problem was that the Ark required an obscene amount of magic in order to function. Magic in amounts that no human could naturally wield or produce. Even a small group of exceptionally powerful mages could not power the Ark, and there was not enough room within the Ark's cabin to hold the amount of mages necessary to easily power the ark. A bad miscalculation on her part, but if the machine was made any bigger, then it would require even more power.

Only one creature on the planet could generate enough magic to properly power the ship, and even then, Morgana was not certain one on its own could manage to do it. In the decade she had been working on this humanity saving endeavor, she had only managed to locate two Manaketes. One slipped through her fingers, thanks to the Shepherds arriving as her men tried to chase the little Manakete down in the dunes of Northern Plegia. The other became engulfed in the Valm conflict before also allying with the Ylisseans.

A reluctant breath slipped from her lips.

"If we cannot find a power source soon, then we may need to resort to our last option."

Alfred paused in his work. Aversa frowned as she glared over at Morgana.

"Last option?" The younger mage asked, her dark brow furrowed.

Morgan turned to Aversa, "The Ylisseans have the Manaketes and-"

"No!" Aversa snapped quickly, "Absolutely not!"

"They already showed you mercy once before." Morgana argued back, doing her best to keep her voice calm and level. Losing her temper again would not be ideal. Not when she needed Aversa now more than ever, "Perhaps they will again."

"The only reason I was shown mercy was because I helped that damn Manakete against the Deadlords." Aversa hissed, "Need I remind you that I helped kill their beloved Exalt. Her brother now rules Ylisse, and he has a far more violent temper than Exalt Emmeryn."

Morgana took a deep breath, "Then you reveal your relationship to Robin."

Aversa snorted, "Yeah, like they'd believe it."

"They have to know he is Plegian."

"It doesn't matter to that group." Aversa frowned back with a wave of her hand, "All they care about is their virtues and morality. They will not spare me for bringing them life saving knowledge. They'll capture me, judge me, then execute me. I know that one knight very much wanted to when we encountered each other in Valm."

"One man does not control the minds of others. Least of all a knight." Morgana reminded her, "You have guile, Aversa. This is your time to use it. I need you to go to Ylisse and-"

Alfred yelped as a shower of sparks spat at him. The sparks caused a long, loud whine to generate from the artifact. Lights flickered along the bulbous, black body. The whine turned into a buzz. A pair of long appendages moved on the table.

The Artifact lurched upright, propelled by some invisible source. It's size dwarfed everyone in the room as it hovered in the air, long appendages dangling down from its body like the tentacles of a jellyfish. The very top of its round head rotated until the glossy, glass eye faced Morgana. A few strange noises emanated from it as an antenna jutted up from the top.

"Alfred," Morgana stared down the living artifact, "What did you do?"

"I'm not sure ma'am, but I-"

A low noise sounded, followed by a whine. The hairs on the back of Morgana's neck stood on end. On instinct she dove out of the way, right as a blast of red light flashed from the Artifact. The light shot out of it with a harsh scream before slamming into the ice wall behind Morgana with a violent bang.

Morgana whipped her head around. Her eyes widened when she noticed the burned patch of ice, blackened by the bar of red light that fired out from the hovering Artifact. It continued to burn through the ice, leaving a glowing, charred hole in its wake.

"Alfred, shut it down!" Morgan cried as the Artifact swiveled around and took aim at the older mage.

Alfred froze. Right before the Artifact fired, a blast of dark magic hit it's shell, crumpling it like a piece of paper. The Artifact shuddered, groaned, then fell back down to the table, cracking it when it landed.

Morgana whipped her eyes over to Aversa as the last remnants of a powerful Flux faded from her daughter's hand.

"Shut down." Aversa breathed, face paler than normal.

Morgana gave her a small nod before turning to the ghost white Alfred. She moved around the table and quickly placed a comforting hand on the old man's shoulder.

"Alfred," She shook him, "Talk to me."

Alfred's wrinkled mouth rapidly opened and closed, "I-I-I-" A trembling hand reached up, removed his spectacles, then set them to the side as he stared wide eyed at the machine, "I have no idea what just happened."

Alfred gulped again and slowly approached the Artifact. Sparks spat out of the ruined shell, and small flames licked at the insides of the. A look of despair fell over Alfred's face.

"It's…" He sighed, bowing his head, "I can't study it any further. The secrets were locked within, and now they're gone."

Aversa remained eerily quiet off to the side, trying her best to not be noticed, but Morgana still glanced at her anyways.

"An unfortunate outcome," Morgana breathed, "but in the end," She ran a hand over the ruined shell of the Artifact, the metal heating up against her palm before she finally pulled it away and turned to Aversa, "it was necessary. Now though, we have a problem."

"A problem?" Aversa echoed.

"The Artifact still held knowledge within it, obviously." Alfred waved an exasperated hand at the ruined machine, "And it clearly had some form of propulsion, otherwise it would not have moved the way it did. We won't be able to figure out how now because it is basically scrap metal." He ran a hand over his aged head, fingers running through the wispy white hairs on his scalp, "I'm at a loss, Morgana."

"But all is not lost." Morgana replied, drawing both Aversa and Alfred's gazes, "I'm sending both of you to Ylisse."

"Bad idea!" Aversa exclaimed quickly, "Really, really bad idea. Especially for me. Just… send Alfred, the Ylisseans won't try to kill him at least."

"Maybe," Morgana nodded, "But they might also write him off as a raving madman. You give his story credibility."

Aversa snorted, "Yes; me, the Ylissean enemy, gives Alfred credibility."

"You do." Morgana argued back, "Because they know you are not insane. The Manakete you helped knows you are not crazy, and if you can reach her ear they may just listen to you. We need a Manakete's magical reserves in order to power the Ark." Morgana spun on her heel and marched to the exit, "Get it done."

As Morgana strode out, she could hear Aversa grumbling quite loudly to Alfred. Alfred seemed about as enthused about going to Ylisse as her daughter. Morgana felt hesitant about such a move as well. It opened up an entire world of risk for her and her small group of Grimleal heretics. If one Plegian spy heard about her work and her location, it would undo everything she had worked so hard to achieve. With the Ark so close to completion, the risk needed to be taken. Her son might have died on the slopes of the Demon's Ingle, but she doubted Grima would be slain by fire and ash. They all needed to be ready to escape.

Even if it meant speaking to old enemies.

* * *

Sumia paused in front of the closed door to the Pegasus Knight's barracks, one hand raised, ready to knock. It felt strange to have to knock on this door. For one, this place used to be like a second home for her. When she was just a soldier, a Shepherd, she could come and go as she pleased. She never had to announce herself. She would just arrive and join her sisters in the Pegasus Knights as they relaxed after a hard day of training. Often she would spend her time beyond this door with Cordelia. The screw up and the genius, both equals at the bottom of the totem pole in the Pegasus Knights.

 _Now I'm Queen._ Sumia thought as she looked down, unable to see her feet at the moment, _And Cordelia became the Wing Commander._

Until she wasn't. Valm robbed Cordelia of who she was, of what she became, and of what she loved. Flashes of Charlet hit Sumia's thoughts. The horror of watching her best friend spiral down to the ground after being shot down hit her like a punch in the gut all over again. Ever since that day, Sumia struggled to see Cordelia. Not just because of the war, but because Sumia partially blamed herself for Cordelia's condition.

During that battle, on that horrific day, Cordelia was more focused on making sure Sumia stayed safe in the conflict rather than watching out for her own safety. The Wing Commander was shouting at her, warning her of oncoming arrows, guiding her through the hailstorm of projectiles, when she was shot down and nearly killed.

Sumia bit her lip as it quivered. Both of her fists clenched tight as she struggled to reel in her emotions. This was going to be one of the few times she had visited Cordelia since, but she couldn't stay away any longer. The Wing Commander was always going to be her best friend, and it was time for Sumia to speak to her again.

She took a deep breath and rapped her knuckles against the heavy oak door. There was some shuffling from within, and the door slowly creaked open, revealing a set of icy, blue eyes, a shock of white hair, and a wide grin.

"Hello Henry." Sumia said with a soft smile.

"Oh, hello Sumia!" The Dark Mage said, throwing the door to the Pegasus Knights barracks wide open for her. He twirled his head around, "Hey, Sevvy, Sumia is here."

A second set of footsteps stomped their way.

"What did I tell you about calling me Sevvy?" The disgruntled redhead from the future grumbled as she approached. Her red hair stuck out in strange directions, and her eyelids rested half lidded, indicating she had just woken up.

"You love me for it." Henry smiled back, undeterred by the girl's abrasive tone, "What brings you here, Sumia?"

Sumia's smile widened. As much as Henry made the other Shepherds nervous due to his more… eccentric tendencies (more than once she heard reports of him bringing in dead cats to examine for his spells), she enjoyed his company. He was one of the few Shepherds, the few people in all of Ylisstol, that still viewed her as just Sumia. Not Queen Sumia, not your majesty, just Sumia… the Pegasus Knight. She was not sure if that was because Henry knew that she appreciated such a gesture, or because he just did not care about royal titles (she suspected the latter). Regardless, she was grateful for the informality.

"I'm here to visit Cordelia actually." Sumia answered, "I um…" She ducked her head a little bit, "It's been a while since we hung out."

"It has?" Henry replied.

"Mom's been kinda out of it for a while." Severa yawned as she turned on her heel and retreated back into the barrack's main common room, "But she should be good to go now."

"Thanks to me." Henry beamed.

"Thanks to Libra." Severa deadpanned.

"Also me and my remedies." Henry replied quickly, that grin never leaving his face. He stepped out of the way and gestured for Sumia to come in.

"Thank you, Henry." Sumia smiled.

"Cordelia is up the stairs." Henry told her as he swept back over to the small kitchen within the common room. Sumia smelled eggs cooking on a skillet, "First door on the right."

 _Commanders's quarters, good._ Sumia nodded to herself. She said another thank you to Henry before quickly marching up the steps.

She was happy Cordelia resided in the comfortable Wing Commander's quarters still. Henry and Severa likely had to force her to do so, but it was still a very good thing. The privacy and comfort it afforded likely did wonders for Cordelia's mood and recovery. It kept her away from the ogling eyes of the Pegasus Knights, both fresh faced and veteran. Allowed her some peace and quiet that she desperately needed. With Henry guarding the door Cordelia would be allowed to recover as much as she could without any sort of disturbance.

 _Thank Naga for that._

Sumia knocked quietly on the first door to the right, at the top of the stairs. A quiet voice called back, beckoning her to come in.

She carefully cracked the door open, and her heart shattered.

Cordelia looked like a shell of her old self. Her eyes appeared sunken, her face gaunt, her entire body looked brittle and frail. Even with half of her body hidden beneath heavy blankets, Sumia could see the toll her injuries and situation had taken on her. Even her hair did not seem as vibrant as it was before.

Her appearance looked even worse due to the shades being drawn in the room. It was as if Cordelia, the powerful Wing Commander, was determined to hide from the rest of the world.

"Hey." Cordelia said, her voice like a quiet whisper in the dark room. She struggled to sit upright, but eventually managed to prop her broken body up onto her pillows.

"Hey." Sumia replied meekly. She quietly shut the door behind her, "It's um… it's been a while and- and it's way too dark in here."

Before Cordelia could protest, Sumia strode over to the window and threw the curtains open. Warm, morning sunlight rushed into the previously dark, cold space. As soon as she threw the curtains open, Sumia noticed some color rush back to Cordelia's cheeks.

"Better?" Sumia.

Cordelia quietly laughed, tucking her chin while shaking her head, "If anyone else did that, I'd be quite upset with them."

"Is it because I'm the queen?" Sumia laughed with her.

"Partially." Cordelia replied, her lips parting into a small smile. She glanced to the window and sighed, "You know, I can't even leave this bed. At all. I only feel that sunlight when the sun rises, but once it grows later in the day, it's all shadows in here again."

"Well," Sumia took a seat at the foot of Cordelia's bed, "Maybe we need to move the bed around then? I can get Henry in here and-"

Cordelia chuckled some more, "I'm sure he'd do it, but have you seen him?" She let her head rest back against the pillows, "Unless he can magically grow some muscles, he won't be able to lift this bed." Cordelia narrowed her eyes at Sumia, "And you can't strain yourself right now."

Sumia smiled nervously. She ran a hand through long brown hair, "So, you've heard already?"

"It's a poorly kept secret among the palace maids that come in here and clean." Cordelia replied, "How far along?"

Sumia felt her cheeks heat up, "Well, Lissa believes we're nearing four months now."

"Ha!" Cordelia threw her head back, "Couldn't even wait till the Valm war ended, could you two?"

"Would you?" Sumia shot back, cocking an eyebrow.

Cordelia inclined her chin, "Touche." She let out a wistful sigh, "You probably exercised more patience than me. Is this one Cynthia? Or are we about to meet a different future kid in the- er- well, future?"

Sumia laughed lightly, "I'm hoping it's Cynthia, because I think two would be enough for me. Even with the help of palace maids, Lucina on her own is a handful. But now Cynthia too? And with how rambunctious we both know her to already be?" Sumia shook her head, "Naga help me and Chrom."

Cordelia chuckled along with her friend, "A bunch of handfuls aren't they?"

"You have no idea! I mean I'm sure you'll know once… you…" Sumia trailed off as a wave of melancholy washed over Cordelia. Sumia cleared her throat, "I'm sorry."

"No, no." Cordelia waved her hand, "You have nothing to apologize for, Sumia. We were just talking like we used to do. It's just-"

"Things are different now." Sumia nodded.

"Very," Cordelia exhaled. She looked down at her hands as she picked at her fingernails, "Everything is so different. Even Severa admits as much."

"So does Lucina." Sumia nodded, "So much… loss, and in such a short amount of time."

Cordelia nodded, "I don't know how many funerals I haven't been able to go to now." Sadness filled her eyes, "So many of my soldiers, my sisters in arms, lying in the ground… and I wasn't there…" She choked on her next few words, "I couldn't even go to Ricken, Miriel, Gregor, and Stahl's funerals. And- and I've known them for as long as I can remember."

Sumia scooted up the bed and wrapped her friend in a warm hug. As she embraced her, Cordelia burrowed her face into Sumia's shoulder as some tears started to sting her eyes.

"I'd cry more," Cordelia whimpered, "but I think I'm out of tears."

"I'm so sorry." Sumia sniffled, "If I hadn't distracted-"

Cordelia instantly yanked back, "Don't you dare."

Sumia blinked, shocked at the red head's sudden fury. Cordelia's voice shook as she spoke.

"Don't you dare blame yourself." Cordelia swallowed hard, "What happened to me, could've happened to you. Naga forbid if that ever happens, I would be beside myself with grief. You have a family to worry about and I- well-" Cordelia took a deep breath, "I probably won't have one of my own anymore. Neither Libra, Lissa, or any other healer can give me any absolute answer on that. And it's… hard. I can't fly, I can't even walk, I'm… useless. But none of that, _none_ of it, is your fault, Sumia." Cordelia sat a little stiffer, "It's those damn Valmese mages who were doing their jobs. It was a stupid war that did this, not you."

Sumia bowed her head, avoiding Cordelia's gaze as her words hit her. She nodded a little.

"I understand." Sumia breathed, raising her eyes again, "But I am still so sorry."

Cordelia took a deep breath, steadying her own emotions, "Me too, because I probably won't be able to go to that ball you and Chrom are all excited about."

That made Sumia laugh out loud, "You don't worry about that. You focus on you, right now. Leave me to deal with all the politicking, nobility pleasing, and pegasus knights matters. I want you to focus on getting stronger." Sumia leveled her gaze, "Promise me you will."

Cordelia sighed, "I will."

"That includes eating whatever Henry is cooking up down there." Sumia sniffed the air, then wrinkled her nose, "I thought it was eggs, but now I'm not so sure."

Cordelia giggled, "I thought he was a great cook after he gave me a wonderful chocolate cake not long ago, but it turns out that was all Gaius. Henry enlisted that thief for help."

"Awwwww," Sumia smiled widely, "somebody likes you."

Cordelia blushed a little bit, "Maybe he does." She picked at her nails some more, "I'm not really sure why."

"I know why." Sumia smiled back, "He likes you because you are beautiful, capable, strong, and-"

"Apparently a touch violent," Cordelia chuckled, "Given my initial feelings about Lucina before we found out she was your future daughter."

Sumia laughed as well, "Don't worry, I felt the same way." She slowly caught her breath, "So, Cordy, you are going to the ball."

Cordelia frowned back at her, "I can't-"

"You can, and you are." Sumia protested, rising from her bedside, "Getting out of this room might help your mood. Besides, I contracted Gaius to make that cake you loved so much."

Cordelia remained quiet for a moment, "How much cake?"

"As many as he could bake." Sumia chirped back.

A reluctant breath left Cordelia's throat, "Well… why let such a delicious opportunity go to waste?"

Sumia clapped happily, "Wonderful! Oh, I'll have to get you fitted for a dress. The ball is only a day or two away now. Hm… it's gonna have to be a rush order and-"

"Sumia..."

"Then there's the matter of figuring out how to move you around? Would crutches work or-"

"Sumia."

"Maybe if we lugged you around in a wheelbarrow?"

"Sumia!"

"Yeah?" Sumia blinked, unfazed by Cordelia's loud shout.

Cordelia could not help but shake her head and laugh at her friend's boundless energy. Cynthia was certainly her daughter. The few times Cordelia interacted with that bubbly girl was enough to leave her exhausted for a month. A small smile crossed her pale lips.

"Henry's whipping something up to help me move around. He's enlisted Laurent to assist him. Something about a rolling chair?"

Sumia reeled, "That's- that's brilliant!"

"I thought so too." Cordelia nodded, "Maybe there'll be a way I can move around on my own with it. It'd be nice to not have to stay in bed all day anymore."

"Definitely." Sumia squeed, "I'm so excited now!"

"So what's this ball all about?" Cordelia asked, nodding at Sumia's ever so slightly swollen belly, "Official announcement?"

Sumia sighed, "Yup, the nobility would be offended if Chrom and I did not do this. Gods know I would love to just have a day to breathe and not have to worry about any of the queen stuff."

"Once the whole Halidom knows about the coming princess, you'll have plenty of downtime." Cordelia replied with a smile, "I'm sure Chrom will see to that himself."

"Oh, but then he has to shoulder all the responsibilities on his own and… and I can't just let him do that. I mean without Robin…" Sumia bit her lip as she brought up their fallen friend's name, "Without Robin," She shook her head, laughing quietly to herself, "Chrom can barely keep track of his own shoes when they're on his feet; let alone all the royal duties." A long sigh left her lips, "Naga, I still have a hard time believing he's gone."

Cordelia nodded in agreement, "It's hard to believe any of them are gone."

"Yeah." Sumia glanced out the window and froze, "Oh no!" She surged to her feet.

"What?" Cordelia asked.

"Maribelle is arriving today." Sumia cried as she rushed to the door.

Cordelia sucked in a sharp breath as Sumia threw the door to her room open, "How much is ready for the ball?"

"Absolutely nothing!" Sumia exclaimed, pausing at the door as she looked back at Cordelia, "And you know how Maribelle gets about these things."

"Naga help you and Chrom." Cordelia chuckled.

"It'll certainly take an act of Naga." Sumia breathed, "Maybe if I bribe Tiki with something, she can help out?"

Cordelia laughed at that, "Worth a shot. But stop delaying, get going. I'm… I'm not going anywhere right now."

Sumia gave her a sad smile, "It won't be that way forever, Cordy." She slowly started to shut the door, "I'll come back to visit as soon as I can."

"I'll be waiting." Cordelia replied just as the door closed.

It clicked shut, and once again, Cordelia was left alone in her room with nothing but her thoughts for company. She sighed and glanced to the window as the rising sun slowly lumbered into the sky, sending rays of sunshine further into the shadows of her room. The broad smile she put on for all her visitors faded away despite the warm sunlight.

She tore her gaze from the window and back down to her legs. Her feet stuck up under the heavy blankets and sheets, but she could not feel the scratchy cotton against her skin. No matter how hard she tried, she could not feel anything below her waist. Desperately, once again, for what felt like the millionth time since she first received her wounds, she tried to wiggle her toes. She hoped for a sign, prayed for any sort of shift in the sheets wrapped over her feet.

Nothing.

The Pegasus Knight sank further into her pillows, giving up her attempt. As she sank back, the door opened and Henry barged in.

"Eggs and toast!" The Mage happily declared.

Cordelia smiled to herself, _You were wrong, Sumia. He was cooking eggs._

Henry set the plate down on her lap, and she looked down at a couple blackened slabs of bread and… and…

 _Okay… maybe they aren't eggs._

* * *

"Mari, if ya'd please take a breath-"

"I mean, how in the name of Naga, Grima, and whatever mythical entities there are, can they possibly believe that such ludicrous levels of laziness is acceptable!" Maribelle raged towards Donnel as she glanced out the window of her carriage as it passed through the gates of Ylisstol, "No streamers, no trumpets, no… anything! It's as if the city has no clue that a royal ball is actually being held!?"

"A most unfortunate situation, indeed." Dooku nodded as he sat across from both of them, one leg crossed, his aged eyes glancing out the window every few moments, and with every moment, his frown deepened.

"Perhaps y'all are overreacting a little bit. I mean," Donnel scratched the back of his head, fingers raking through his carefully combed lavender hair, as he felt a furious glance from Maribelle pierce him, "maybe us common folk don't really care all that much?"

"Us common folk?" Maribelle leveled her gaze at her fiance as fury danced in her eyes, "Us common folk?"

Dooku uttered a heavy sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose, "All of those etiquette lessons..."

"Need I remind you, Sir Donnel, that I am a distinguished duchess, and have been a part of nobility since I resided in my mother's womb. And you," She jabbed his chest with her finger, "are my fiance and a member of nobility now as a result of that." She huffed and folded her arms, "Such a high class affair should be celebrated by the lower classes. Why, it is a sign of prosperity and peace throughout the halidom. Do you think Chrom and Sumia would be having a royal ball if there was a war going on?"

"They'd probably be on the front lines of that war." Donnel admitted sheepishly.

"Preciscely!" Maribelle frowned as she looked out the carriage window. Her frown turned to horror as she caught sight of the palace walls, "Naga above there isn't a hint of decor up!"

"Mari-"

"Not even on the palace walls, and… why are we stopping, what is going on? Why?"

Dooku cleared his throat, "I am making a stop here at the Academy, my lady. There are several people I must speak to, and I believe they will be here."

Maribelle blinked, "Those aren't the palace walls then?"

"That's what I was trying to tell ya, Mari." Donnel sighed wearily, one hand rubbing his eyes, "We ain't at the-"

"Why didn't you say something sooner?" Maribelle asked as Dooku uttered another weary sigh and exited the carriage.

He carefully shut the carriage door behind him then smacked the side of it, signaling the driver to continue on his way to the Exalt's palace. As the carriage rolled away, Dooku could both hear Maribelle fretting, and sense Donnel's own exasperation and exhaustion. He shook his head as he watched the carriage disappear down the road on the short final leg of their journey from Themis.

 _Whatever insanity compelled the boy to fall in love with the Duchess, I will never know._

He sniffed and turned to the Academy gate, which was thrown wide open for all to enter. Several mages lingered in the shadows of the gate, huddled into small groups as they discussed either their latest experiments or lessons. Dooku paid no mind to any of them. They deserved neither his time or attention. In fact, in his opinion, only one mage within these walls earned the right to speak to him, and that was the mage he was searching for.

He could have stopped at Kenobi's personal abode in order to speak to Lady Tharja; but he had a feeling that, due to his delayed arrival from Themis thanks to Duchess Maribelle's fretting about proper appearances, neither Tharja nor Kenobi would be in their shared residence.

Kenobi's location was mostly a mystery to him. Dooku thought about detecting the Jedi Master through the force, but he also enjoyed the look of despair and regret on Kenobi's face whenever he drew near, and felt it would be better to enjoy surprising the Jedi Master instead. If Kenobi was not going to be at his residence, the next best place would be the Academy, where Tharja taught her Dark Magic classes.

He entered the main hall of the academy. Not an unfamiliar space for him, he had visited this immense building before. Even though he had seen far more impressive architecture throughout the galaxy, there was a sense of… for lack of a better term, magic, and wonder. It reminded him of how he felt as a young man upon returning to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant after a long mission. Those were days where the Jedi were actually Jedi, peacekeepers and not warriors, and where the Sith were nothing more than a terrifying legend. Life felt simpler then.

He could understand why Kenobi enjoyed this city, this planet, so much. This place represented a dream of a simple, quiet life. Something any warrior, regardless of mentality or circumstance, thirsted for.

 _Unfortunately, I am about to shatter that dream._

The dream for him shattered already. For a few months, he found some peace running the city of Themis. It was a job that he actually enjoyed, and he was exceptional at it. It was a way for him to channel his ruthless efficiency into something anyone, Jedi or Sith, would consider quite constructive. Now, Themis was a booming city. Trade flooded in from all corners of Archanea, all corners of the world even. He had even heard rumors of traders possibly coming from some faraway land called Jugdral, a land not even mapped out by the Archanean cartographers. Maintaining those gains involved careful planning and proper pressure on the right nobles, and he was exceptional at both of those things. It was a dream of a better life.

Gone now, because of visions that started plaguing him only a few weeks ago. He could sense the Dark Side of the Force in utter turmoil. It thrashed about unpredictably, and rejected his attempts to discern anything from its murky waters. The only time the Force unveiled anything to him anymore, was in brief visions that would interrupt him as he worked. As a Deadlord, he hardly needed sleep, although the longer he dwelled away from his creator, the more weary and weaker he felt (a still disturbing development that he kept very close to the chest). So these visions would hit him abruptly during the day or night, often at the worst possible times. Each vision was exactly the same.

He saw Ylisstol in flames. Sections of the city leveled to the ground by blaster fire as strange black and red banners flapped in the wind from the stone battlements. Soldiers in polished white armor, as clean as fresh snow, marched through both Ylisse and Regna Ferox as those same banners swept over the land. Strange starfighters with small cockpits and hexagonal foils for wings would shriek overhead. Most disturbing of all, the vision always ended with one lone figure, garbed in black armor and a black helmet, staring down at him, a red lightsaber ignited. He would hear the thing's rhythmic breathing, then he would hear Grima's dark laughter, then it would end.

Dooku turned down a corridor and made his way towards one of the smaller auditoriums on the main Academy floor. As he made his way through a sudden surge of students exiting the furthest auditorium in a furor of excitement and noise, he pondered the visions further.

He was no fool. He knew exactly what these visions meant, and what they were warning him of. They were visions of the future. A future of fire and ruin, coming not from Risen, or an Emperor in Valm, or even a Mad King in Plegia. The danger came from beyond this planet's atmosphere, in the form of an enemy Dooku had been warning Kenobi about since they both met up over two years ago.

The problem, now, was that he was unsure if they were true or not. The Dark Side of the Force had begun to actively spurn him, the Light Side of the Force rejected him long ago, when he turned his back on it. He was stuck in a strange gray area, where his power and focus ebbed and flowed based on the Force's whims. A precarious position that he loathed, but could not find a way out of it no matter how much meditation he did. Because of his precarious position, and utter lack of foresight in this instance, he now sought out the assistance of a Dark Mage and a Jedi Master.

 _I'm never going to hear the end of this._

Dooku entered the auditorium all of the students were exiting. He chose correctly. Tharja stood near a lectern that overlooked rows of benches and tables. The lectern had several pages of notes lying on top of a heavy tome. An inkwell rested on the corner, sitting precariously close to the edge. Even when teaching, Tharja liked to take notes.

Her dark eyes noticed him as she spoke to a pair of students lingering to ask her a few questions. With a dismissive wave of her hand, she shooed the two urchins away. Both young mages rushed past Dooku, a flurry of blue robes and large hats. As soon as they left, Tharja folded her arms and frowned at Dooku.

"He has no idea you are here." She grumbled.

"That was the point." Dooku replied with a wry smirk, "I do enjoy causing Kenobi some misery. If I cannot give him the same amount I once did, then perhaps I can cause some petty misery instead."

Tharja rolled her eyes, "Why are you even here?" She asked as she strode over to the lectern and began to gather her materials.

Dooku arched an eyebrow, "Are you unaware of the royal ball happening tomorrow night?"

Tharja froze. A heavy sigh, followed by a long groan, slipped from her lips as her shoulders sank and her forehead hit the lectern. The inkwell wobbled on the edge of the wooden surface, but the dark mage did not care.

"I forgot all about that." She muttered.

An amused expression crossed Dooku's face, "I figured someone like you would be most excited. Kenobi's attendance is no doubt required, and you will be there to be the pretty thing by his side."

"Keep wagging your tongue and I am liable to cut it out." Tharja growled as she plucked the inkwell and set it at the center of the lectern so it would not fall over, "Do you want to know where Ben is or not?"

Dooku furrowed his brow, "You sound quite upset."

"I'm seeing you. So yes, I am a touch upset."

"Such a lovely way to speak to a friend." Dooku shot back as Tharja smacked her spellbook closed and started striding out of the auditorium. Dooku followed her.

"Antagonistic friend." Tharja snapped back over her shoulder as she stepped out into a now empty main corridor. Sunlight streamed in through the enormous windows along the wall, giving the corridor a warm, airy feeling, "Ben told me all about that strange arrangement."

"Isn't that how your friendships are with every Shepherd not named Kenobi?"

Tharja scowled, "I think after I cut your tongue out, I'll pickle it and use it for some poisons given how much venom is laced in it."

"You could try." Dooku drawled. He sighed as Tharja hardly broke stride. The dark mage was simply impossible to rattle. Hopelessly boring in that regard, "Where is Kenobi? I really need to speak to him."

"And I need some Plegian coffee that Anna hasn't priced at a ridiculous amount. We don't always get what we want." Tharja replied with an indifferent shrug.

Dooku's amusement receded into a long scowl, "Fine, I will find him myself."

Tharja uttered a heavy sigh as she stopped walking, "That'll probably involve you intimidating one of my Urchins. Only I'm allowed to do that." She nodded to a door that led to the Academy gardens, where many plants for both medicinal and non-medicinal purposes grew, "He's walking with Noire."

Dooku nodded, "Thank you."

"Dooku." Tharja said, stopping him in his tracks, "Say anything hurtful to my daughter, and no force in this universe will save you from the pain I will inflict upon you."

Dooku pursed his lips and nodded. This was the one instance he would not talk back to Tharja. Force help the man that dared get between a mother and their child. Even he, a Dark Lord of the Sith and Deadlord, knew that proverb all too well.

He quietly stepped out into the Academy gardens. An immense expanse of plant life that stretched out in a large circle at the very center of all of the academy buildings. A courtyard of wildlife for the students to examine. It took him several minutes before he finally found both Kenobi and Noire, standing near a cornucopia of plants with bright berries on them.

Kenobi locked eyes with him, and the smile he had on his face dropped.

"Naga damn it." Ben muttered.

Noire furrowed her brow, "What is it?"

Ben sighed, "Try to sense it."

Noire pressed her lips into a thin line as she concentrated, "I sense… you're upset, and-" She sucked in a sharp breath, "Oh."

"Yup."

Dooku smirked as he approached both of them, "Good morning Kenobi, Noire." He said with a small nod.

Ben frowned back at him, "You couldn't have announced your presence?"

"And upstage Duchess Maribelle?" Dooku replied, "I don't plan on dealing with that firestorm, do you?"

"You could have done so with the force." Ben sighed.

"You can let someone know you've arrived somewhere with the force?" Noire asked, surprise flashing over her face despite the opaque nature of her once vibrant eyes.

Dooku gave Ben a knowing look while Ben ran a hand over his face, "Honestly, Kenobi, why do you even bother teaching her if you aren't going to teach her anything useful?"

"I am taking her instruction at a slow, reasonable pace." Ben argued back, "Besides, right now is not learning time, right Noire?"

Noire nodded as she plucked a large strawberry from one plant, "Father, daughter time." She waved in Dooku's general direction, "Do we count him as the grandfather in this scenario?"

"More like great grandfather, and not a very welcome one." Ben remarked.

"I'm not that old." Dooku replied defensively.

"Compared to Master Yoda, perhaps not. Compared to anyone else, you are an ancient being." Ben replied with a slight snort, "How many strawberries do we have, Noire?"

Noire jammed her hand into the basket that rested in the crook of her right arm, "Hm… seventeen, no- eighteen!"

"Should be more than enough for a good pie then." Ben nodded. He glanced over at Dooku again, "Don't you have a Duchess to babysit?"

"Don't you have students to teach?"

Ben sighed, "I am not an instructor at the Academy, and my only student is my daughter. Lucina is a Jedi Knight now. She only comes to me for wisdom and advice." He took a breath, "The occasional training session too."

Dooku chuckled as he trailed along with the two Kenobis out of the garden, "No one is ever done learning, Kenobi. Not even a Jedi Master of your diminished caliber."

Ben snorted, "I'm betting I can best you in one on one combat now, Count."

"Oh really? Last I checked, Grievous was not supposed to be such a difficult fight."

"He was difficult for me." Ben justified.

"Never for me."

"He was never trying to kill you." Ben shot back.

"Dad, granddad, please stop fighting." Noire said with a slight snicker, drawing the ire of both men.

Ben uttered a weary sigh, "Always have to ruin my day."

"What can I say, I enjoy doing it." Dooku replied.

Ben nodded, "Naga forbid if I prevent you from doing what you enjoy, no matter how infuriating it is."

"Perhaps Dooku needs a hobby like Gaius?" Noire suggested, "He's stopped pestering you ever since he opened up that bakery with Anna's backing."

"Gaius never got off on causing me misery." Ben replied, "Dooku has enjoyed that for many years. And you know the saying: 'You can't teach an old dog new tricks'."

Noire snickered at that while Dooku harrumphed.

"You are setting a wonderful example on how to respect your elders, Kenobi."

"Noire knows better than to be disrespectful, right?" Ben asked.

"I let Severa be the disrespectful one for me." Noire nodded in agreement, "Besides, I can't outbanter the negotiator."

"Ah, I see you have spun some tales for her." Dooku cut in, "Care to hear how those tales actually happened, Noire?"

Her face lit up, "Embarrassing details about my father? I would love to-"

"Why are you really here, Dooku." Ben sighed while Noire snickered, "I didn't think you would come to this ball. I thought Maribelle would leave you behind to watch over Themis for her?"

Dooku took a deep breath, "You are not wrong, Kenobi. I did not intend to come to this affair. I had many more important responsibilities to worry about, however things have come up that I simply cannot afford to ignore."

"What things?"

Dooku glanced over at Noire. The girl's blank eyes stared straight forward, looking at him, but not up at his face. Burn scars ran over the pale skin around her eyes, and for a moment, Dooku held some sympathy for the girl. That sympathy ran away though as he refocused his mind on the visions.

"I've been having visions Kenobi and-"

"Could- could this _really_ be happening? Truly?" Ben said with feigned shock, "Count Dooku, Sith Lord, ex-Jedi Master prodigy, is coming to _me_ for wisdom?" Noire started to snicker uncontrollably, "Tell me Count, how many Death Sticks have you taken today?"

Dooku seethed, "None, and this is important Kenobi." He glanced around, "Also, this may be a discussion we should have in private."

Kenobi furrowed his brow. He was no longer in a teasing mood as he noticed the seriousness etched onto the Count's face. With a nod, Ben gestured for Dooku to follow him and Noire out of the Academy.

All three walked out of the Academy, through Ylisstol, and out of the city towards Ben's cottage in the forest south of the city. As they walked, Dooku heard Noire ask question after question regarding the Force and the more mystical abilities surrounding it. From his own observations of the questions, he deduced that Noire was seeking a way to use the Force in order to see again. An admirable pursuit, and certainly not an impossible one. However, it was a difficult road to travel, something he made sure to point out to her in a manner that might have made Kenobi frown, but that the Jedi Master acknowledged as correct.

As they neared the quaint cottage, Dooku noticed a blue haired girl with one arm waiting by the cottage door. Ben furrowed his brow as Lucina looked up from her feet.

"Master." She nodded to Ben then glanced at Dooku with wariness in her eyes, "Dooku."

Dooku smiled back, "Your arm is in my personal luggage, Princess. Improved and ready for use once again."

Her wariness faded a little bit, "Thank you. I'm looking forward to having it." She stepped past both men and gave Noire a warm hug, one that Noire gladly returned, "How are you feeling, Noire?"

"Better today. I listened in on Mother's lecture for a bit before Father pulled me out of class." She finished with a snicker, "I think I'll eventually be able to cast a flux at some point, once I get the theory down that is."

"That's wonderful!" Lucina smiled.

Dooku cleared his throat, "I hate to break up this meeting, but Kenobi and I have much to discuss."

Lucina frowned and turned to face both Dooku and Kenobi, "Yeah, well so do I." She spun towards Ben before Dooku could interject, "Master, I need some… advice. The visions I'm having, the ones with the man in black, they're growing more frequent."

Dooku blinked in shock, "You too?"

Ben's face paled, "Everyone inside."

Ben ushered all of them inside then quickly shut the door behind him. He rushed over to the window and glanced outside before drawing the curtains closed.

"It's moments like this that I'm glad Gaius started that bakery. He and Panne don't live on top of us now."

"I kinda liked having them around." Noire sighed.

"Space is a good thing too." Dooku nodded, "I'm assuming you are glad they are not around so they don't report our ensuing discussion to the royal family?"

"Gaius would let something slip on accident." Ben sighed, "He almost always does." He took a seat in his chair while Noire carefully walked to a new chair set up across the fire from Ben. Lucina sat down on a stool while Dooku remained standing, "Alright," Ben breathed, resting his arms on his knees as he leaned forward, "I need these visions explained to me in precise detail."

Lucina glanced at Dooku, but he gestured for her to go first. Lucina cleared her throat.

"It's… growing more vivid now, Master. I see the Siege of Ylisstol again." Noire's face lost color as she also recalled those horrific days in the ruined future, "The city is burning, people are dying, and as usual I expect to see Risen laying waste to everything. But… it's changing. More and more frequently, the Risen are replaced by soldiers in bright, white armor and grimacing helmets. They use weapons similar to what that one Deadlord, Fett, uses. Their attack is always abrupt, out of nowhere, and it catches me off guard every time. In every vision, a…thing, man, I don't even know how to describe it, leads them. I can't recall its name. I can't even remember if its name is ever mentioned, but its sole goal is finding me." Lucina swallowed hard as Ben listened intently, "Every time, in every version of this vision, him or his soldiers succeed in capturing me." Her leg bounced up and down as nervousness filled her, "Master, what does this mean?"

Ben glanced over at Dooku. Dooku grimaced back, arms folded.

"Similar visions, different endings."

"Better ending?"

Dooku shrugged, "For Lucina, maybe? How should I know that? Mine ends with the man in black armor cutting me down." Noire gulped when Dooku said that, "I see the soldiers as well, but on top of that, I hear both a strange artificial breathing intermingled with the laughter of the Fell Dragon."

Lucina's eyes widened, "You- you don't think-" She slumped on her stool, "The Fell Dragon is alive then. Tiki was right."

"Let's not get too far ahead of ourselves." Ben reassured Lucina, "Even if he is alive; Chrom, Tiki, and myself have been working on contingencies to combat him. What we do know for certain, is that since Robin is… gone." He swallowed a moment, "Since he is gone, Grima is severely weakened, and cannot regain his full form."

"But these visions imply he does have his full form."

"Exactly." Dooku nodded to Lucina, "They imply, they do not guarantee. This is why I sought out your opinion, Kenobi. You have not had these visions," Kenobi rose from his seat and moved towards the fire in order to place logs into the fireplace. It may be summer, but Dooku did feel a slight chill in the room as they delved further into the meaning of these strange visions, "So a fresh perspective on the matter would be very much-"

"I've had them too." Ben breathed.

Everyone went quiet as Ben sparked the fire. Small orange flames jumped along the dry logs and tinder, bringing light and warmth to a suddenly cold, dark room. Ben pressed his lips into a tight grimace as he sat back down in his chair, eyes focused on the flames. In that gaze, Dooku saw the look of a lost warrior. A man wandering in harsh memories of war.

Ben blinked and shook his head.

"Mine are not as vivid, but I've had them. Soldiers in white armor, similar to Clones." He pursed his lips, "The man in black armor, with the strange breathing and tremendous power in the Force..." He ran a hand along his chin, "It's no coincidence we are all having these at the same time."

"There is no such thing as coincidences in the Force." Dooku nodded, "The Force is attempting to warn us, Kenobi. The Sith are coming."

Ben furrowed his brow as he drew in a long breath. He thought for a moment, "Maybe…" He admitted, voice quieter than a mouse.

"Then we need to warm my father, and Lady Tiki!" Lucina cried, "An army needs to be raised. We-"

"We can't do that, Lucina."

"Why not!?"

"We have no idea when they'll arrive, or even if they will." Ben argued back, "This could be the manipulations of the dark side. We now know that the Son, the pure embodiment of the Dark Side, has brokered some sort of partnership with Grima." He stared hard at Dooku, "You admit to hearing his laughter in your visions. That alone could be a sign that these visions are just that, visions, and nothing more. Scary nightmares meant to rattle us. Especially given the recency of them."

Lucina clenched her jaw, "Master… mine are not recent." She took a deep breath, "And neither are Luke's."

Ben's gaze snapped over to her, "What?"

Lucina inhaled, "I've had these visions since the Plegian War. I did not think much of them because… well I could not understand them. Not until now, since you finally revealed the truth to me about you and the galaxy. Luke, likewise, had visions immediately after the Plegian war. His mostly pertain to Maul, but in some of them, he admitted to seeing soldiers in white laying waste to Ylisstol. Although, I don't recall if he said anything about a man in black."

Now Ben looked disturbed. One hand ran through his beard while the other rested on the armrest of his chair, fingers tapping the wood his arms sat on.

"That changes things." Ben muttered, "Dooku, this figure in black, what do you make of it?"

"Honest opinion?"

"Do you give any other?"

Dooku shook his head, "I do not." He took a breath, "Unless Sidious has a group of very powerful acolytes, then we can reasonably assume the figure to be a Sith Lord as well. Likely his new apprentice."

"Man in black…" Noire muttered. She turned her head in Lucina's direction, "Did he wear a mask?"

Lucina nodded, caught herself, then spoke, "Y-yes, he did?"

Ben turned paler than a ghost, "You've seen him too?"

Noire nodded, "I did. But… he wasn't invading Ylisstol. He was sitting in some strange chamber. And… he looked right at me. Said I felt similar to someone." She shook her head, "It made no sense to me at all. I thought I might have eaten some bad food or something, but hearing what you all just said… it really gives it meaning now."

"This is no coincidence, Kenobi." Dooku said, urgency in his voice, "Even Skywalker's brat is having visions similar to ours, and he has the most potent connection to the force out of all of us." Dooku stepped forward, meeting Ben's eyes, "The Sith are on their way, or they've likely already found us. We need to prepare now."

"I'm in agreement." Lucina said.

Ben glanced at Noire. His daughter shrugged.

"I think it'd be smart to be ready for such a threat. If what you've told me about the Sith and what they've done is true, if they're anything like Maul, then we need to be ready."

Ben uttered a heavy sigh. As his breath escaped his lungs, he slowly started to nod.

"Perhaps the Force is saying something to us then. I hesitate to believe it due to the clouded nature of the force right now, but… it would be unwise to ignore." He rose from his seat, "I'll speak to Chrom and Lady Tiki immediately. Lucina, Noire, Dooku, you are welcome to wait for me here, or join me and-"

Someone furiously pounded against Ben's door.

"Ben!" All three heard Sully bark from the otherside, "Open this damn door up, Ben! It's an emergency!"

Ben glanced at Lucina. Lucina swallowed hard, one hand drifting towards the sword on her hip. The Jedi Master cautiously approached the door and cracked it open.

"Yes, Sully?"

Sully looked out of breath. Behind her, her horse appeared tired too.

"Just…" She sucked in a breath, "Just got done racing here. Went top speed. Chrom needs ya at the palace. Something… about, er- you recall that Plegian Witch that gave us trouble during the War? The one that helped kill Exalt Emmeryn?"

Ben's brow furrowed, "I do?"

Sully gulped some more air in. She put her hands on her hips and gave Ben a worried look.

"She's stopped by to say hello."

* * *

There were no black holes to gaze out upon. No nearby stars sat nearby to illuminate the bridge of the _Chimaera_. Only the harsh, artificial lights of the bridge kept the area lit. There were no derelict planets, moons, or asteroids to navigate around. The _Chimaera_ sat in the cold blackness of space, drifting slowly between stars as it lumbered away from yet another fruitless search in a worthless solar system.

Nearly three longs years had passed since this mission began. Three long years of searching the most treacherous expanse of space in the entire galaxy: the Deep Core. What was once a maze of black holes, impossible to navigate nebulae, and mythical planets, was now a known, partially mapped, somewhat understood section of the galaxy. Akin to the Empire's understanding of the area beyond the Outer Rim. All of that, all of the knowledge and data gathered, was Thrawn's doing. He made sure to take meticulous notes and logs of each star system, each planet, each route the _Chimaera_ took through this part of the galaxy. Now a meandering hyperspace lane existed where once there was none, and soon Imperial outposts were going to be set up on some of the planets and asteroids they passed by. If this were a simple exploration mission, it would have been a resounding success.

But this was not a simple exploration mission. Thrawn was given a task: Find the Planet where a girl named Lucina lived, and retrieve the girl for the Emperor for reasons still mostly enigmatic to him. In order to make sure this task was carried out to the Emperor's exact requirements, the Emperor sent his fist, Lord Vader, to assist Thrawn.

The Chiss could see the imposing figure that was Vader beginning to lose patience as he lingered near the bridge's blast doors, and he was losing patience as well. Three years was a long time to search for anything, let alone a planet and a woman who may or may not exist.

And now… now the _Chimaera's_ provisions were about to run dangerously low. If they did not turn back soon, Thrawn ran the risk of having to cut rations severely. Something he did not wish to do, as it would harm the morale and worth ethic of his crew. He already managed to ration everything out an extra year longer than the Star Destroyer was supposed to handle, largely thanks to stops on mythical planets like Tython, but there were no such planets nearby now.

The Rakatan map was blank now. They were in truly uncharted territory now, and if Thrawn were to venture a guess, they were likely nearing the galactic center. Despite the broad search, he still found nothing.

 _This cannot be a fruitless endeavor._ He thought as he folded his hands behind him, red eyes gazing out at the far away stars doting the viewscreen of the bridge like little flakes of snow in a black sky, _I will not fail this mission._

But he was nearly out of options. His crew, his ship, came before the mission. If he could retreat and properly resupply, he could redouble his efforts. A fresh crew would work far more efficiently than an exhausted, demoralized one. Good shore leave on Coruscant would do wonders for the weary men and women under his command. But if he turned back, he would have to answer to Lord Vader and the Emperor. He doubted his excuses would work then. At best, he would be relegated to some administrative role on a backwater world, where he could never use his talents in the field again. A fate worse than death in his mind, but one that seemed likely if he should fail.

 _How could this place be so elusive?_ He thought, _How could the Rakatan map be incomplete._

Eli Vanto slowly approached him. His aide cleared his throat and took a deep breath.

"Admiral," The young human officer whispered, "we ran another analysis of the map." He glanced over to the side, near the doors, where the figure of Darth Vader loomed, "Nothing still."

Thrawn sighed and closed his eyes. He did not shake his head. He could not show any weakness in Lord Vader's presence. When he opened his eyes again, Thrawn found himself at a crossroads.

 _Maybe the Emperor would understand?_

Out of the corner of his eyes, he noticed one of his bridge analysts looking flustered. The young analyst pushed back from his monitor and glanced up at Thrawn and Vanto.

"Admiral."

Thrawn glanced over at the young human. The human gulped, clearly nervous. Perhaps it was something trivial that he was bringing up? In which case, it would be good for him to feel nervous. Thrawn was not in the mood to deal with stupidity.

"Um…" The analyst cleared his throat, "I'm um… getting something strange."

Lord Vader's boots boomed against the floor as he strode up to Thrawn. Thrawn glared down at the analyst.

"Define strange." Thrawn asked, voice still monotone and measured.

"Er- well," The analyst paled when he noticed Lord Vader, "It's uh… probably nothing sir but, I'm picking up a reading from a Republic probe droid."

Thrawn raised his brow, "Republic?"

"Out here?" Vanto questioned, "I don't recall the Republic ever sending deep space probes into the inner core?"

"There are many Republic secrets neither of you are privy to." Vader rumbled.

Thrawn did not say anything in response. Both he and Vader were on edge, best not to upset the man, "What were the readings?"

"That's the thing sir, I-I think it's malfunctioned or something. Maybe it's this machine, I don't know." The flustered analyst jabbered, "But it's… it's sending me lifeform readings." Thrawn's red eyes slowly widened, "The planet it is on is nearby too. But… those readings were coming fast, then they were suddenly cut off."

Any hopelessness Thrawn felt was dashed. He glanced over at Lord Vader, a smug smirk on his blue lips.

"Do you have coordinates?" He asked the analyst.

The Analyst looked surprised, "Y-yes sir."

"Helmsman," Thrawn barked, "Input those exact coordinates. We are following that probe droid signal."

Vanto gulped, "Are you sure that is a good idea, Admiral. We are nearly out of provisions and-"

Vader's breathing cut him off as the Emperor's attack dog glowered at Vanto. Vanto swallowed hard and ducked his head. He stepped around Vader and barked Thrawn's orders to the rest of the bridge. As Vanto relayed the orders, Vader drew up alongside Thrawn. They both stared out at the inky blackness of space.

"What does your Force tell you about this?" Thrawn asked, tone level even as excitement built up in him.

Vader was quiet for a moment. The Sith Lord stared out the viewport, then folded his arms. He nodded ever so slightly at Thrawn, and Thrawn allowed a ghost of a smile to cross his lips.

 _I have found her._

 **And chapter! LET ARC 3 BEGIN! Everything is mostly in place! It is time to get this show on the road! GAAAAAAH, I'm so excited! This is going to be so good. And you all are probably going to hate me lol. In the words of the Joker, "Here. We. Go."**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed it! Have a nice day!**

 **Come join the Treehouse! Discord link is:** **9XG3U7a**


	131. The Pawns in Play

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 131

The Pawns in Play

His eyes were closed, body relaxed, mind clear, as he lingered in the dark side of the force. Mediation was an exercise he did regularly in order to recenter himself. It cleared his mind, focused his rage, prevented the Beast from gaining total control and unleashing his abilities far too early. Now was not the time for the Hierophant to reveal himself. Now was not the time for him to lay waste to the world and any resistance to him. Patience was required, and in order for him to be patient, he needed to be calm.

For now, his plans had nearly grinded to a halt. The Vessel, the linchpin to all of his plans, was beyond his reach. The limitations of this world's technology kept him chained to a planet that was no longer of use to him. But how to remedy this problem? That was one of the questions lingering in his mind, despite his meditations.

A knock sounded on his door, causing one of his yellow eyes to crack open. Only one person would dare to knock on his door at this time. Every Grimleal mage, every grunt of a soldier, knew not to disturb him during his meditations. The only person he allowed to do so, was Plegia's King, Validar. Why? Well, appearances needed to be upheld, and that thin reed of a man was still Plegia's ruler on the surface. The other reason was because he still had use for Validar. His bloodline remained important, and if the Vessel were to be forever beyond the Hierophant's reach, he would need Validar to continue the Fell Bloodline so that a new vessel could be created. Hopefully at a much swifter pace than last time.

"Enter." He sighed when a second knock sounded against his door.

As he predicted, Validar carefully stepped within the Hierophant's shadowy chambers. The Plegian King shut the door with a quiet click, and remained within arm's reach of it. No doubt hesitant to delve further into the shadows. Even though the Hierophant still had use for him, he did not wish to displease his master. If there was one thing the Hierophant could not discount, it was Validar's penchant for weaseling his way out of death's hands.

"What?" The Hierophant exhaled as he remained seated in the center of his chambers, legs crossed and hands resting on his knees.

Validar cleared his throat, "You have been rather silent as of late, my lord." The King began, "Are all of our plans in that much disarray?"

"Any plans we had have been tossed out the window already." The Hierophant sighed, letting his mind return from his meditative state. He rose to his feet, eyes cracking open. With a flick of his hand, a small fireball shot from his fingertips and ignited a sconce on the wall, bringing light to the large chambers, "It is all in flux, and we need to proceed carefully."

Validar nodded in agreement, "What do we do about the Naga-spawn then? Those damn Manaketes could unveil the secrets of the Emblem to them. Since they possibly know of your-"

"They know nothing." The Hierophant snarled as torch light flickered on the wall. He took a deep breath, reining in his fury, "Nothing concrete at least. I'll admit, my Deadlords inability to capture both the Vessel and the Voice may have compromised us. The Naga-spawn are wary now, especially the Voice, which is why we will tread carefully. We can no longer launch an all out assault, not with Naga's infernal daughter at the Ylissean's backs. I am not strong enough to combat her in this state."

Validar sighed, "Then you may never be strong enough." His face paled a little as the Hierophant narrowed his eyes, but said nothing in return, "The Vessel was killed. It could take generations for a new one to be ready."

"The Vessel is not dead." The Hierophant muttered as he strode over to his bookshelf and started glossing over the tomes, "Merely beyond our reach."

"In death."

A snarl rushed from the Hierophant. He twirled around, eyes blazing at Validar.

"If the Vessel was actually dead then I would likely be as well!" He roared, making Validar visibly shrink near the door. He raked a hand through his white hair and exhaled, once again- through sheer force of will- curtailing the demonic beast within, "I have reassurances that our Vessel is alive, and simply out of reach for the moment."

"How can that be?" Validar asked. The Hierophant turned back to his bookshelf and ran his finger along the many tomes until it stopped on a book about astronomy, "The Vessel may have been powerful but even it could not have withstood the wrath of the Demon's Ingle."

"Yet, he did." The Hierophant plucked the astronomy book from the shelf and flicked the cover open to the first page, "And he was removed from our reach."

"Your reach covers the world, how can-"

The Hierophant flicked his eyes up from his book, silencing the King.

"Whoever said he was on this world?"

Validar blinked, "O-on-?" He cleared his throat, "Are you implying that the Vessel has been transported elsewhere? And if so, by whom?"

"By another entity that I have an… arrangement with." The Hierophant answered carefully, "As for where, I'm not sure. It had to have been someplace with a significant well of dark power. That is the only way something like this could have happened." I lifted the book up to eye level for Validar to see, "And that is what I am trying to research. Unfortunately, this world's limitations in technology and knowledge are becoming more apparent by the day."

Validar's eyes widened. He stepped away from the door and took a seat on a wicker chair near the unlit fireplace. One hand brushed through his narrow beard as he pondered the Hierophant's words.

"So how do we find him?" The King finally asked, daring to make such a blunt question when his master was clearly frustrated.

"I was meditating on just that topic when you so rudely interrupted." The Hierophant growled. He kept the book in the crook of his right arm as he sat down on his wicker sofa, kicking his feet up onto the cushions, "Who is the one person in the Grimleal who has studied the stars, the atmosphere, and flight extensively?"

Now Validar's face descended into a deep scowl, " _Her._ " He answered, voice lowering to a furious growl.

The Hierophant nodded, "Draco and Porcus are hunting her down as we speak. They know their orders."

"Do you trust them to fulfill those orders?"

The Hierophant fell into a very telling silence, "I would prefer Bovis to handle this." He admitted, "But he refuses to answer my call. If I was not so preoccupied with locating the Vessel, I would have already disciplined him." His yellow eyes flicked up from the book now in his lap back over to Validar, "Instruct the Grimleal to start researching ways to… leave… the…"

He furrowed his brow as the dark side of the force stopped churning. A powerful entity swooped into the waters, instantly bringing them to a chilling calm. Within his mind, he sensed the Son recoil as an intense presence, filled with rage and hatred, made itself known through the force. Power surged through the Force. A power that made the Hierophant pause in his reading as it swirled in the force, corralling the tumultuous dark side and bringing it to heel. As if someone was gathering it to them for battle. Willing the force to answer their call, and only their call.

"Interesting…" He set his book to the side and rose to his feet, quickly gliding across the stone floor to the balcony. He reached the balcony railing and stared up at the stars as a hot summer wind blasted Plegia's capital during the night.

"My lord?" Validar asked as he cautiously followed, puzzled by the Hierophant's erratic behavior.

The Hierophant closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He carefully dipped back into the Force, so carefully that he did not even leave a ripple upon the waters. He did not want this new presence to detect him, otherwise he may not get a proper judgement on what, or who, he was sensing. As he delved further into the force, the presence's strength grew clearer until, in his mind, he saw the image of a towering figure clothed in black robes and armor. A grimacing mask and helmet hid his head and face, but the Son within the Hierophant still recognized him.

"Skywalker…" The Hierophant breathed, the corner of his mouth twitching upright as the Son quickly poured his knowledge into his mind. He turned back to Validar, withdrawing from the Force without a hint of his presence being left behind, "Withdraw from the borders."

Validar drew back, "I-is that wise?"

"With what is coming, yes, it is." The Hierophant answered as his lips curled into an even more vile grin. His yellow eyes blazed again, not with fury, but with excitement, "My way off of this world is coming sooner than I thought it would." He strode past Validar and re-entered his chambers. Upon entering, he closed his eyes and whispered new orders to his Deadlords.

Assasination orders.

"What does that mean for us? Who exactly is coming?" Validar pressed, both alarmed and confused by the sudden change in his master.

The Hierophant chuckled, "An old friend is about to arrive. It's been a while since we last spoke. I'm not sure how receptive he will be to us, but I aim to ally with him, and allow the Naga-spawn to make the mistake of antagonizing him."

Validar arched an eyebrow, "Is this newcomer a threat to us?"

"Oh he certainly is." The Hierophant admitted, "But… I believe he will partner with us. After all, he may be a threat, but he is not _the_ threat from beyond our world." He snatched up his astronomy book and tossed it onto his bed, before he also flopped down onto it, a content sight slipping from his lips, "That will be all Validar. Do as I command, and if the Naga-spawn call for help, do not answer."

Validar grinned evilly. He bowed at the waist, then stepped out, leaving the Hierophant to revel in his newfound victory.

* * *

Aversa had to admit, she expected to be killed on the spot. In fact, she and Alfred very nearly were. As soon as they both teleported into the Ylissean Throne Room- right in the middle of the Prince's royal court, therefore interrupting a particularly furious noblewoman from Themis, much to the relief then immediate distress of the royal Prince and his Queen upon realizing who exactly emerged right in front of the blustering blond- the royal guards drew their weapons and leveled them right at her and her elderly companion.

Immediately, Aversa raised her hands, which was a poor action to take. While normally a universal sign of surrender, when a dark mage raised their hands, it tended to mean something nasty was about to be conjured. Wisely, the Ylisseans knew that particular bit of information very and well, and thus acted accordingly. The Prince, Chrom, shot from his throne and drew the cursed weapon of Naga, Falchion, from its sheath. The Queen… Aversa squinted up at her as she remained seated on the small dais.

 _Was her name Sume? Same? Samey?_ Aversa shook the useless question from her mind. _Doesn't matter._

Her dark eyes flicked all around her as she noticed the Ylissean knights in attendance tightening a small noose around her and Alfred. Lances and swords were pointed at them. One knight she recognized as the one who spared her back in Valm, on the Manakete's request. Another knight sprinted out, probably to grab some more help.

 _The more the merrier I suppose._ Aversa locked eyes with Prince Chrom as he took a step down from his throne. Falchion glinted in his grip as he kept it drawn and to his side, _I wonder who will manage to strike first? Me… or him?_

Alfred leaned over towards her, making a few of the knights surrounding both of them tense up and take a few careful steps forward.

"I assume this is exactly the response you expected?" The old man whispered to her.

Aversa shook her head, "No, I expected us to be killed on sight."

"Ah, then this is a good start then."

"Mostly." Aversa shrugged as she kept her hands raised.

Prince Chrom glowered down at her as he took one more step down from the Ylissean throne. It was odd seeing him in anything other than armor. Then again, she had only ever seen him in battlefield attire, and the last time they had actually interacted was nearly three years ago now. She had to admit, the hotheaded boy she once knew appeared to have matured quite a bit since the start of the Plegian War. He filled out a little more, or perhaps the armor he wore during the War was a bit big? There was a sharpness to his eyes now. Not a sharpness due to anger, like before, but an edge that spoke to experience dealing with people like her. He would not tolerate any treachery, but he also would not strike until she was heard.

However, that did not mean he would give her a lot of time to speak. Aversa watched his jaw work back and forth as his grip on Falchion tightened.

"You have-"

Something dull and hard thwacked Aversa's back. She jumped, uttering a howl as it whacked her back once more.

"You have some nerve!" The noblewoman, Maribelle, roared, "Why, I am in the middle of addressing my good friends, wondering why on earth none of the planning for the ball is going into effect, then you both so rudely interrupt my session in court and-"

"You had to hit only me?" Aversa snarled, resisting the urge to twirl around and hex the woman up to her eyeballs. If she did that though, she would be dead. There would be no chance for her to speak. If what her… her mother said was true, then she needed to speak. Humanity's fate rested on her shoulders at the moment. Why? Well, she was beginning to doubt Morgana's sanity.

"Clearly this was all your idea since you are such a vile wretch of a woman. Especially given your reputation here." The woman folded her arms, "You did assist in my abduction, and the only reason I am not urging you to be strung up on the spot is because I lack rope."

"After hearing about that, I'd think a rope'd be too kind." A young man who was clearly not of noble blood, but wore noble attire snarled. He had a sword drawn in one hand as he stood beside Lady Maribelle of Themis.

Aversa rolled her eyes, "Must we always resort to violence?"

"You always did." Prince Chrom glowered while Queen Sumia remained silent, "Or do I need to remind you of what your people did to my sister, who caused you no harm at all."

"Oh we could get into an endless debate about that, your majesty." Aversa drawled, slowly lowering her hands, "But I doubt we have the time for it."

"You mean you don't have the time for it." Frederick growled, "Considering that as soon as milord gives the word, I will cut you down."

"Oh lovely to see you too, good sir. Should I inform his majesty of how you spared my life and failed to arrest me in Valm?"

Chrom's eyes flashed with surprise, and Aversa chuckled.

"Oh, he doesn't know? Well, Prince Chrom, he had good intentions at heart. Then again, the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Perhaps that decision is the one brick that leads you there?"

Frederick snarled and took a menacing step forward, only for Alfred to clear his throat and speak up.

"Everyone, I urge calm." The elderly mage stated, raising his hands as his billowy robes fluttered with each move of his arms, "This is not the time to bicker."

"I'd say we are far beyond the point of bickering." Chrom growled, "You both have exactly thirty seconds to tell me what you are doing here and why I should not order your arrests."

Aversa blinked, "Arrests? For what, justice? As if I'd receive any sort of fair process within these walls."

"Like my sister did within yours?" Chrom growled, teeth clenched tight.

"Chrom…" Queen Sumia breathed, only for Chrom to raise and hand.

The Prince leveled his sword at Aversa specifically, aiming the tip at her heart. Aversa glanced at the glinting, perfectly polished metal. She could feel her heart beating faster as the Prince took another step down the dais, a step closer to plunging the sword through her chest.

"Talk." Chrom growled.

Aversa bit back the urge to continue her scathing remarks, "I think my friend Alfred, who had nothing to do with your sister's demise, should do the talking."

"Twenty seconds." Chrom snarled.

"It's impossible to explain in twenty seconds, your majesty!" Alfred exclaimed.

Chrom flicked his eyes over to Alfred, "Ten seconds."

The circle of knights tightened around the two mages. Alfred threw his hands in the air, exasperated.

"Well I certainly cannot explain in ten seconds."

"Do your damn best, old man!" Aversa hissed, now she was feeling nervous.

"Oh, I'm back to being the 'old man' again. I thought you and I finally built up a mutual respect after your mother nearly tore your head off."

"I'll tear your head off if you don't start yapping about the actual problem we're facing!" Aversa growled back.

"Five."

"What do you expect me to do, give him the short version?" Alfred cried.

Aversa uttered a frustrated sigh, "I expect you to die alongside me now."

Chrom took one more menacing step forward. Queen Sumia rose from her throne, concern and suspicion written on her face as she carefully observed Aversa and Alfred. Just before Chrom could order the pair to be arrested, the doors to the throne room burst open.

"I will speak for the Mages!"

A hush fell over the knights and the royals as a powerful voice thundered through the cavernous throne room. Aversa carefully glanced over her shoulder. Her eyes widened as two manaketes strode into the throneroom. One was Lady Tiki, the one she helped rescue in Valm. The other appeared younger, but at the same time, had a curiously round belly beneath the heavy dress she wore. That one had a pout on her lips as she trailed along behind Tiki. The Knights parted as Tiki strode to the center of their circle. She stepped around both Aversa and Alfred, getting between Falchion's point and Aversa's heart.

Tiki flicked her green eyes down at Falchion, then back up at Chrom.

"I suggest lowering the weapon, your majesty." She said, tone light, almost joking, "I doubt anyone wants to clean blood out of the rug."

"I don't think the servants would mind cleaning the witch's blood." Maribelle sniffed.

Tiki flicked her eyes over to Maribelle, "I wasn't referring to her." Maribelle paled a little bit as Tiki cleared her throat, "I tend to want those that saved my life to live a nice long life themselves, your majesty. And not only did Aversa save me from a Deadlord, she helped save Robin too." Chrom's gaze narrowed at Tiki and Aversa, while Alfred's jaw fell open beside his fellow dark mage, "I'd say that more than merits a moment to speak?"

The Prince kept up his wary demeanor, but it was clear to Aversa that Tiki's input held great sway in this throneroom. Rightfully so, the Naga-spawn viewed her as a conduit to their deity after all. The reaction would be similar if they were in the Plegian throneroom and the Hierophant strode in. Well… there would probably be much more fear than reverence in that particular case.

"Frederick," Chrom said, "Is what Tiki says true?"

Aversa tilted her head a little bit, _So, even after the Voice vouches for me, he is still cautious. How interesting._

The anger burned slower, but once it started, it would not be doused quickly. The boy she knew from the border pass was still within the Ylissean Prince, it just took awhile for him to wake up. Such a shame; she was just beginning to have a little more respect for the brat.

Out of the corner of her eye she could see Frederick shift uncomfortably.

"Yes, milord." Frederick sighed, "What Lady Tiki says is true. This Plegian mage indeed helped rescue both Lady Tiki and Robin from a Deadlord."

Aversa smirked over at Frederick as he spat the admission out like a foul taste on his tongue. Sumia inclined her chin, the Queen remained silent as the others handled this matter. It was one of the few times Aversa actually got a good look at the young woman. She'd heard the rumors, especially in the wake of Valm's defeat, of the Ylissean Queen who flew into battle against impossible odds and claimed monumental victories. She seemed much more restrained than her husband, but she carried a reputation just as hefty.

 _I still need to be careful._

Chrom lowered Falchion, his intense gaze never leaving Aversa, "Very well." He breathed. He nodded over to Frederick and the knights stood down, but all of them remained on edge, "Why are you both here?"

Aversa finally exhaled. She did not realize she had been holding her breath. Tiki turned around and took a seat on one of the steps leading up to the Throneroom. The little manakete followed suit, trying her best to mimic her older companion, but not managing to stay still at all. Every few seconds, she'd squirm and her pout would grow. She leaned up to whisper into Tiki's ear, and the older Mankate placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, appearing to quietly admonish her, which made the younger Manakete fold her arms grumpily.

Just before either Alfred or Aversa could open their mouths to speak, the doors to the Throne Room opened again. Four figures strode into the throneroom. Aversa recognized three of them. The first was the Knight that quickly retreated upon her and Alfred's arrival. The second was the infamous Mad Swordsman, Ben Kenobi. His beard had gotten longer since the Plegian War, and he actually looked comfortable around his fellow Ylisseans for a change. Quite a lot must have happened in the years since the War ended.

An older gentleman with perfect posture and a powerful stride walked shoulder to shoulder with Kenobi. There was a darkness wrapped around him that contrasted tremendously with both Kenobi and Lady Tiki. At his arrival, Aversa noticed Tiki's lips dip into a slight frown, but she said nothing.

Finally, following the two men, was a little dark mage Aversa instantly recognized. This time, she could not resist the urge to speak.

"Well, well, well, little Tharja." The black haired mage glared back at Aversa as she followed Ben and the elderly man over to Tiki, "It has been some time. How does being a heretical traitor feel?"

"I don't know." Tharja shrugged, "How does being enslaved to a god that couldn't give a damn about you feel?"

Aversa grit her teeth at that. Before she could respond, Alfred gripped her arm.

"Now's not the time." Alfred muttered. He gave Tharja a curt nod. Tharja furrowed her brow, puzzled, and did not return the gesture. Alfred cleared his throat, "Well then, I suppose I actually have time to explain now?"

Chrom sighed, turned around, and sank back into his throne alongside Sumia. The Prince kept Falchion out its sheath. He lay the flat of the blade over his lap and waited for the two Dark Mages to start talking.

"I'll take that as a yes." Alfred cleared his throat, "Ladies and Gentlemen, we come here not on behalf of Plegia, but on behalf of Lady Morgana the Black."

"She's alive!?" Tharja cried, stunned.

Alfred looked quite puzzled at that declaration, "Well, yes, why wouldn't she be?"

Tharja stared stunned at the older mage, "I was told by my mentors that she died just before I became a Grimleal."

"Who exactly is Morgana the Black?" Sumia asked, raising her voice for the first time while her husband remained deathly silent beside her.

"The former High Priestess of the Grimleal." Alfred explained quickly, "Currently, the Grimleal's most wanted and dangerous heretic, alongside myself and Miss Aversa here."

"Heretic?" Tiki replied, "Your order cast you out?"

"Not exactly voluntarily, in my case." Aversa grumbled under her breath.

"We left, your graces." Alfred conceded, "I followed Lady Morgana in her quest, which upset her husband, the High Priest and current King of Plegia, Validar."

Chrom's eyes widened. He leaned forward in his seat, brow furrowed as he continued to quietly listen to the elder dark mage. Sumia took a deep breath. She nodded over to Frederick.

"I think it is best if we convene court for now."

Frederick sputtered, "B-but milady, your guards and knights-"

"Are not required." Chrom sighed, agreeing with Sumia, "If these two try anything, I'm sure you, Ben, Dooku, or Lady Tiki will move to stop them." He glanced over at Maribelle and Donnel, "We can continue later."

Maribelle sniffed, clenching her parasol tight, "If you weren't technically the Exalt, Chrom, I would protest being kicked out. But…" She sighed, "I suppose I could use a moment to take a breath. The road was long and I have been quite irate as of late."

"You could say that again." Donnel said with a small laugh before offering his arm to Maribelle and walking out with the rest of the knights. Leaving the royals, the manaketes, Ben, Dooku, and the mages to their small council.

Once the doors shut, Chrom nodded to Alfred to continue.

Alfred bowed his head, "Lady Morgana, firstly, sends her greetings, and regrets her inability to come in person. If she were to leave our hideout, Validar and the mysterious Hierophant would surely detect her and throw all of our hard work into jeopardy. That hard work, of course, is what we are here to discuss." Alfred coughed into his hand as he took a breath, "Currently, Lady Morgana has been actively working against the coming return of the Fell Dragon Grima for over a decade now."

"Hold on," Ben spoke up, "The High Priestess of Plegia working against Grima?"

"Yes, quite unbelievable, I'm aware. I was stunned when she approached me in the Temple Archives so many years ago, but in the end, the work she is doing could save all of humankind from the horrors to come." He took another heavy breath, "The work is an ark, a transport vessel the likes of which this world has never seen. It will be able to carry roughly half a dozen, maybe a little more, human beings away from this world once completed."

Ben's brow furrowed, "Away from this world."

"Beyond the stars, Ben Kenobi." Alfred replied.

Aversa noticed a flash of concern go across the swordsman's face. Dooku also looked a little alarmed as he cast a sidelong glance at Ben.

"Beyond the atmosphere?" Ben asked, seeking to clarify.

Alfred nodded, a small smile gracing his wrinkled lips, "Why yes, sir. Do you perhaps have knowledge pertaining to the subject. If you do, maybe you can translate some of the more technical terms should they need explaining."

Ben ran a hand through his hair, "Please um… continue." He said with a gesture.

Alfred glanced up at Sumia and Chrom. Both nodded for him to keep speaking.

Alfred nodded back, "Yes, well, the Ark is nearly complete. However, we lack one crucial item: a power source. We were unable to come up with any solution other than pure magic energy. The problem is, we cannot produce enough magical energy within the human form to sustain the necessary requirements of the ark. Only one species on this planet has the reserves to do so." His aged eyes fell on both Nowi and Tiki.

Tiki furrowed her brow as she looked at the two dark mages with suspicion, "Manaketes." She answered.

Alfred nodded, "And as of right now, you are the only two Manaketes we know of."

Aversa could see the wheels turning in Tiki's mind as she pondered Alfred's words.

"Are you aware Grima's vessel was…" Tiki took a breath to steady herself a moment. Nowi brushed her hand against Tiki's for a brief moment, "Killed during the Valm war?"

Alfred nodded grimly, "Lady Morgana is aware."

Aversa blinked, "Vessel? What vessel? What are you talking abou-"

Alfred raised a hand, motioning for her to be quiet, "It was need to know information, Aversa."

"And yet, despite that, you and your mistress still believe that Grima will return?" Tiki pressed further.

Alfred sighed, "I think we are both smart enough to know a little fire and ash will not be enough to stop the Fell Dragon permanently."

Tiki nodded in agreement. Without skipping a beat, she turned her head to Chrom, "I guess I must go investigate this ark."

Chrom blinked, "H-hold on! How do we know we can trust these two?"

Tiki shrugged, "I trust them. And if they double cross me, well… I haven't had breakfast today, so there's that."

Aversa's stomach flipped, _Breakfast? Is she threatening to eat us?_

Chrom rose to his feet, sheathing Falchion as he stood, "You aren't going alone then."

"You need to remain here." Ben said quickly, "Both you and Sumia have a Ball to worry about, and I doubt the nobles will appreciate their ruler skipping out, even if these circumstances seem quite important."

Chrom opened his mouth to protest, thought for a moment, then smirked at Ben, "You're just trying to save me from Maribelle, aren't you?"

"Oh most certainly." Ben chuckled back, "Robin is not here to hold your hand now, so I'll have to when I can. Since you have to be here, I shall go."

"Now you just want to get out of the Ball." Chrom sighed.

"That too." Ben replied with a wry smirk, "If you need someone to protect Tiki, not that I think she needs it, I will accompany her to meet Lady Morgana."

"You won't be going alone you two." Tharja breathed, stepping up beside Ben, "You might need some magic to get out of there."

Aversa sneered back at her, "As if your pathetic excuse for hexes could do anything."

Tharja's gaze darkened, "Perhaps you'd like to experience one of them?"

Ben put a hand on Tharja's shoulder, "Perhaps we could avoid any aggressive confrontations until absolutely necessary?"

Tharja flicked her eyes over to Ben. A begrudging sigh slipped from her lips, "Fine."

"If I may be so bold as to request both Manaketes join us?" Alfred asked, folding his hands in front of his heavy, purple and gold robes.

"Where I go, Nowi goes." Tiki nodded, "Especially in her condition."

"Condition?" Alfred wondered before noticing the swell in the younger Manakete's belly, "I see there are three Manaketes then."

"Don't get any ideas." Chrom growled.

"I am not a nefarious man, your majesty. Only a studious one." Alfred replied, "Those four are as much as I can transport safely anyways. Give me one moment to prepare."

As Alfred prepared, Chrom moved from his throne over to Tiki and Ben. He cast a suspicious glance at Aversa, who met his glance with a sharp glare before Alfred beckoned her to assist him with something.

"Where's Lucina?" He asked Ben first, "She said something about going to speak to you earlier this morning."

"We spoke, she's with Noire at the moment."

Chrom nodded, "Good." He took a deep breath as he folded his arms, "Do you trust them?" The Prince asked Ben, his voice hushed so only him and Tiki could hear.

"Alfred, mostly." Ben replied, "I did not sense any nefarious intentions. As for Aversa, I don't trust her even if her intentions seem somewhat friendly." He turned to Tiki, "You?"

"If nothing else, we fight our way out." Tiki shrugged,

Ben blinked, "Well… simple enough plan then."

Chrom chuckled at that, "The simplest plan, and it almost always works, doesn't it?" He patted Ben on the shoulder as Alfred called over to the four Shepherds, "Be careful."

"We will be." Ben nodded.

"And I'll have spots saved for you at the Ball." Chrom said as Alfred gestured for them to form a ring along with Aversa around him.

"Of course you will." Ben sighed, laughing under his breath as Alfred muttered a spell.

Bright, golden light enveloped them all. Chrom shielded his eyes, and in a flash, they were gone.

* * *

Ben blinked as the golden light that suddenly swallowed his entire vision winked out. Spots filled his vision as he was temporarily blinded. His stomach rolled over, and he felt some bile creeping up his throat. A few heaving gasps rushed in and out of his lungs as he suddenly felt off balance. He reached out and felt Tharja's reassuring hand grasp him by the wrist.

"Take a deep breath." Tharja instructed, "The first time is always rough."

Ben inhaled deep as his world became a little less blurry, "Kriff, I didn't think anything would be worse than Anakin's flying."

Tharja snickered at that, "Welcome to teleportation magic."

As his vision cleared, Ben caught sight of stone ruins surrounding him, Tharja, Tiki, Nowi, Alfred, and Aversa. The ruins looked ancient. Some stone blocks were worn away at the edges, rounded off by centuries of snow piling up then melting away on their surface. Currently, the snow only existed in light patches, leaving small streams of icy water running down the stones and through tufts of rough, spiny grass. Boots clicked against rocks and hard soil. Tiki drew up alongside Tharja and Ben. Nowi walked impatiently by her side.

"This place seems oddly familiar." She muttered.

Nowi shrugged, "It's old."

"It's ruins." Tharja scowled, turning her gaze to the right, where Alfred and Aversa stood, "This isn't exactly a great hiding spot."

Alfred glanced back at Tharja, a knowing smirk on his lips, "Apologies for any confusion. Sometimes," He waved a hand, and a shimmering portal appeared in front of him, "you've gotta be extra careful."

He waved a knobbly hand, beckoning everyone to follow him and Aversa into the portal. Ben hesitated a moment, sensing something off about this place, but when Tiki and Nowi strode ahead without batting an eye, he and Tharja followed.

For a moment, the world shimmered around Ben as everything turned murky again. Then, everything solidified once more, and he found himself standing in a long, icy tunnel, slick with snow melt. Standing before them, dark robes trimmed with gold and shadowy purples, was a middle aged woman. Her jet black hair had small streaks of gray hidden with the dark locks. Her emerald eyes widened a little in surprise when she saw two more people than expected enter the tunnel. Her hands tensed in front of her, but she kept an amicable look on her face.

"I see you were successful Alfred, Aversa."

Alfred bowed his head, "Indeed we were, Lady Morgana."

A small smirk crossed the woman's lips as Aversa strode up beside her, "I judged correctly."

"You got lucky." Aversa retorted as she disappeared down the tunnel, her part of the mission complete.

A small sigh slipped from Morgana's lips. She shook her head then turned to address the Shepherds now entering her home, "Welcome." She locked eyes with Tiki and Nowi, "I am most honored and gracious that you decided to trust my emissaries."

Nowi pouted again, "I'm guessing we aren't going to eat anyone, Tiki?"

Tiki tapped Nowi's shoulder, "Not yet. Depends how this goes." She cleared her throat, "It is good to meet you too, Lady Morgana. I apologize if I am unfamiliar with you, there was an ocean between us for a long time."

A good natured smile crossed Morgana's lips, "An understandable hurdle. In the end, I am glad you have not heard of me. That means I am doing my job well." She glanced past the Manaketes and stared down Ben and Tharja, "I recognize a Grimleal mage when I see one, child."

Tharja stared at Morgana with a look of utter awe. For the first time in his life, Ben witnessed Tharja duck her head towards someone out of respect.

"Lady Morgana," Tharja breathed, "It is… an incredible honor to speak with someone of your legendary status."

Morgana guffawed at that, "Legendary? I assumed Validar would try to make me infamous."

"He most certainly did, but tales of your experiments and exploits are something I still admire." Tharja replied.

Morgana smiled a little at that before turning to Ben, "And you are?"

"Ben Kenobi." He replied, bowing a little at the waist. One has to be respectful to their host after all.

Morgana inclined her chin, "That is a name I certainly have heard through the grapevine." She confidently strolled up to the group, emerald eyes fixated on Ben, "My spies have brought me reports for a while about a swordsman with unknown abilities and an otherworldly weapon of choice. The Mad Swordsman, they all call you." She hummed to herself, "You don't seem mad to me?"

"That nickname was born out of jest, I assure you."

"He likes to jump from Pegasi mid air." Nowi piped up with a toothy grin.

"And that is why." Ben admitted while Tharja snickered by his side.

Morgana smiled a little, "I would say so. A sane man does not do such a thing." She took a deep breath, taking a step back from Ben, "However, we must end the pleasantries. You all are not here for small talk, and we do not have time for much of it." She turned on her heel, "Follow me, and watch the ice. It gets slick this time of year."

Ben glanced over at Tharja. A giddy smile rested on her face.

"Excited?" He asked as they all followed Morgana down the tunnel.

Tharja glanced over at Ben, "Very. Do you have any idea who that woman is?"

Ben blinked, "Someone exceptionally powerful and probably very independent, like yourself."

Tharja grinned at him, "Absolutely. She was… vilified by the Grimleal hierarchy, but when I looked into her works further I couldn't help but be fascinated. She was such a brilliant researcher and mage. It's no wonder they failed to capture or kill her once she was declared a heretic."

"Do you have any idea why she was declared a heretic?" Tiki whispered back to them as they followed Morgana and Alfred.

Tharja shrugged, "No idea. No one actually knows within the Grimleal, other than Validar and perhaps the Hierophant."

Tiki nodded, "Interesting."

She did not say anything else as they continued down the tunnel. Eventually, the sound of their footsteps echoing off of the icy walls was drowned out by loud sounds of construction. Ben heard the oh so familiar, but oh so foreign sound, of electricity and fire welding metal together. The tunnel began to widen as the noises grew louder, until finally it opened up into an enormous cavern with icy stalactites dangling precariously from the ceiling. What Ben saw within stole his breath from his body.

"Impossible..."

His pace quickened, catching Tharja off guard. Before she could catch his hand, he shouldered his way past Tiki and Nowi, brushed by Morgana and Alfred, and approached the crude starship sitting in the cavern. Workers crawled all over it. Some paused in their work to observe the newcomers, but once they caught sight of Morgana, they all returned to their work, diligently putting the final pieces together. Some polished the metal while others inspected it to make sure all the seals and welds were in place.

Ben stared up in awe at the ship. Morgana furrowed her brow as she drew up alongside the stricken Jedi Master.

"Are you alright, Ben Kenobi?"

Ben ran a hand through his beard. One finger pointed up at the ship, "Wh-where did you learn how to build this?"

Morgana furrowed her brow at Ben's strange behavior, "We recovered a strange artifact from the ice when we arrived here, it is why we began this project in the first place."

Ben's entire body froze, "Artifact?"

"Is this the Ark?" Tiki interjected as she stepped up beside Morgana, green eyes taking in the ship, "This is what will take us beyond the stars?" She glanced over at Ben, noticing his ghostly pale complexion as he stared up at the Ark with a look of stunned awe, "Ben?"

Ben ducked his head, one hand running over his scalp, "It's a damn consular ship." She heard him mutter, thanks to her more sensitive hearing. He raised his head and turned to face Morgana, "Where is this Artifact?"

Morgana furrowed her brow, "You seem quite distressed, Ben Kenobi. Are you feeling unwell?

Ben waved off her concerns with a trembling hand, "Just… this artifact? What is it, and where is it?"

Alfred cleared his throat, "You all may follow me. Morgana and I will explain the finer details as we walk."

Alfred and Morgana led the group away from the ship. As they walked away, Ben lingered a moment longer, eyes glued to a ship designed in a manner he had not seen in over two decades. The last time he flew on one of these ships, he and Master Qui Gon were on their way to negotiate with the Trade Federation over the planet of Naboo. He felt like an old ghost was haunting him with every glance he took at the ship sitting within the massive cavern.

Tharja's hand brushed against his. Her fingers laced with his, pulling him out of his racing mind and reminding him that he was in fact supposed to be following someone to see the Artifact. Tharja looked at him, concerned, as he finally turned to follow Morgana, Alfred, Tiki, and Nowi down a smaller tunnel out of the main chamber.

"Are you alright?"

Ben uttered a heavy, shuddering sigh. The slight shake he gave Tharja was all the answer she needed.

"You've seen that before?" She whispered.

Ben nodded carefully, "A consular class cruiser." He glanced over his shoulder one more time before a bend in the tunnel obstructed his view of the craft, "Light, fast, and rather advanced, even with their crude construction of it. How in Naga's name did they…"

Ben trailed off as they all congregated into a smaller chamber, clearly set up like a strange laboratory and workshop. Various tables and benches lined the icy walls, with lots of instruments and notes scattered across them. Sitting on a central table, half of its outer shell melted away by a powerful spell, was a Republic probe droid. His eyes roved over the bulbous main body before trailing down to the long, tentacle-like metal prongs at the base of the probe's body.

"This is the Artifact." Alfred explained, "Everything we learned from it, we applied to the ship, including various plans discovered within a sort of… knowledge storage the likes of which I never thought possible. It's purpose to me is entirely unknown and-"

"It's a Republic Probe Droid." Ben spoke up, stepping forward and running a hand along the shell of the droid until his fingers brushed against the curled, melted durasteel plating where a spell ripped through, "Designed for both exploration and possible first contact." He glanced over at a stunned Alfred and a skeptical Morgana, "That is why there is a data bank within it. It was designed so that whoever it found, or whoever found it, would be able to make sense of the visitors to follow."

Morgana furrowed her brow, "Visitors?" She glanced over at Tiki as the Manakete pursed her lips, "What is he going on about?"

Tiki cleared her throat, "Ben Kenobi isn't exactly from this world."

"I call this planet home now." Ben strode around the table so he could get a better look at the inside of the probe droid, "But I am not from here at all. I'm from the civilization that constructed this, and that drafted the original plans for what you are building out in the main chamber."

Ben stuck his head into the ruined probe droid's shell while Morgana's eyes widened. Fascination rushed through her as she observed Ben Kenobi reach into the droid and carefully withdraw one of the small, green chips with microscopic wires and smaller chips placed within it. He handled the piece with tender care, reached for the table behind him, and grabbed an empty leather pouch to put it in.

"What was that?"

"The droid's memory bank." Ben explained, "If you were able to reverse engineer an entire starship from this droid and it's data, I should be able to somehow figure out who sent it here and why." He furrowed his brow further as he studied the droid, "Why would the Republic send a probe droid here?"

 _Where exactly is here?_ He thought to himself, once again realizing, for what felt like the millionth time, that he had no idea where he was in relation to the rest of the galaxy. For all he knew he was far beyond the outer rim, into wild space, or perhaps even the unknown regions. He did recall the Republic sending Probe Droids out into those regions on numerous occasions.

"Did Sidious send it?" Tharja asked, her voice hushed in the cold chamber.

Somehow, Ben's blood ran even colder than when he first observed the Ark. His eyes went wide as he looked down at the probe droid. It was not a newer model, but it lined up with models produced before the Clone Wars. Which meant Palpatine, or someone in his administration, would have been the one to authorize its mission.

"Did it activate at any point?" He asked Alfred, voice trembling.

Alfred furrowed his brow, "Y-yes it did. We're still unsure how but-"

"Kriff!" Ben hissed, backing away from the probe droid and pacing back around the table, towards Tharja, Tiki, and Nowi.

"Bad?" Tharja asked.

Ben sucked in a deep breath, raking a hand through his beard as he struggled to breathe, "If it activated, it would have sent a signal of some sort, which would ping off of the closest Republic- or now Imperial craft- to it."

"Is that what the antenna is for?" Morgana wondered, flicking a finger against the thin strip of metal on top of the Droid's bulbous body.

Ben nodded, "As long as it did not malfunction, then it would have transmitted its location for as long as it was active." He gave Tharja a grave look, "Which means the Empire is aware that a probe found life on a previously unknown planet."

Tiki frowned, "This Empire you speak of, are they dangerous?"

Ben exhaled, "They wiped out the Jedi Order." He steadied himself against the table as the reality of the situation slammed into him like a turbolaser, "As far as I'm aware, I'm the only survivor of the old Order. Which means they will be actively hunting me down."

Morgana remained silent as she observed the Jedi Master. His pale face told her all she needed to know. This Empire terrified the Mad Swordsman. This was a man who willingly leapt from flying Pegasi, stared down Risen hordes, and helped defeat a million man Valmese Army against all odds, and the Empire terrified him.

"The leader of the Empire is a man named Sidious?" She asked, recalling Tharja's first question.

Ben nodded.

"How much of a threat is he?"

Ben uttered a sound that was somewhere between a scoff and a hopeless laugh, "Grima would have some competition."

Morgana paled, "That… shouldn't be possible? Is he not human?"

"He may as well not be." Ben breathed, "I don't think I've ever sensed a more powerful being in my life. Then again, I've never had a chance to gauge Grima so I can't really compare the two."

Alfred leaned close to Morgana's ear, "Then that means we have two possible cataclysmic threats."

Morgana nodded, "Indeed we do." She cleared her throat and spoke louder, "It is a good thing you all decided to trust me then. The Ark is nearly complete. Final preparations are being made, and we've even started loading provisions into the cargo space. However, we lack one thing."

"A proper power source." Alfred picked up for her, "We thought we could divine one from the Artifact-" He coughed, "Probe Droid, I mean. Apologies for my absence in proper terminology."

"The last thing we're worried about is terminology right now, Alfred." Tiki replied with a gentle, but urgent, tone.

"Yes, yes." The elderly mage agreed, head bobbing up and down, "We were unable to figure out a power source from the Arti- erm- Probe Droid. Our initial solution was to use pure magic power, as it is the source of quite a bit of energy in the world. However, that solution proved unworkable due to the lack of magical reserves in actual human mages. Not even Lady Morgana, with the assistance of over two dozen other mages, could possibly control enough magical power to sustain the Ark. After much deliberation, debate, and study, we both concluded that the only creatures on this planet capable of producing enough magic to power the Ark were-"

"Which is why you sought us." Tiki finished for him, glancing down at Nowi.

Alfred nodded, "Precisely. Manaketes, such as yourselves, are quite rare. So when we caught word of a young Manakete roaming the deserts of Plegia, well-"

Nowi's eyes widened, "You were the ones trying to capture me!?"

Ben sucked in the sharp breath, "They were the ones we helped kill."

"Yes," Morgana gave Ben a sideways glare, "You were. I lost many good, loyal mages that day in the desert."

"Well, to be fair." Ben argued back, "Your mages weren't exactly the most forthcoming with their reasons, nor were they especially friendly."

Morgana scowled at that, but decided to say nothing in return. Petty disagreements needed to be cast aside right now. Greater threats lay on the horizon, and they both rapidly drew closer.

"Yes well…" Alfred tucked his chin, "It probably could've been handled better. But, when we lost Miss Nowi to you Ylisseans, we refocused our efforts on finding another Manakete. That is when we located you, Tiki, the Voice of Naga, in Valm."

"I sent Aversa and a team of mages to retrieve you." Morgana explained, her hands pressing into the tabletop as she leaned against it, "But, Grima apparently intervened."

"Deadlords." Tiki nodded, "Three of them in fact. One of whom provided me with an immense amount of… discomfort." She finished with a slight snarl. She took a deep breath, "They were intent on keeping me on the Mila Tree. Thanks to Aversa and Robin, I managed to escape and join the Shepherds."

A wave of sadness washed over Morgana at the mention of Robin. Tiki clued in on it immediately, despite the sorceress's best efforts to disguise how she felt. The powerful Manakete was starting to wonder why the woman looked familiar. She carried herself in a similar, academic, yet powerful manner as Robin. Her mind drifted back to when she and Robin delved deep into the tactician's mind, and to the one book Robin opened, where there was a dusty, faded portrait of a young woman with jet black hair and emerald eyes.

"Are you-"

Morgana took a deep breath, "Robin was my son." Ben, Nowi, and Tharja's eyes widened, "It is… good to know his last moments alive were spent alongside such great companions, helping him fight against the forces of evil." She swallowed hard, averting her eyes and casting them down to one of Probe Droid's long appendages, "We… um… we mention all of this to you, because we need you Lady Tiki, Miss Nowi, to power the Ark, so that a select few humans can escape this world should Grima rise."

"Or should this Empire you fear, Sir Kenobi, arrive." Alfred added in.

Ben laughed under his breath as he folded his arms, "I'm not a Sir, Alfred." He inhaled, "And this is not my decision to make."

He turned to Tiki, who stood in silent thought beside the Artifact, brow furrowed, green eyes glued to the ruined droid. Nowi lingered beside her, one hand resting below her swollen belly as she reached for Tiki's left hand and clenched it tight. Ben could sense the nervousness within both Manaketes, though more so in Nowi than in Tiki. Now that Nowi knew who her potential captors were, she was very on edge. Her left hand constantly drifted towards a small pouch on her hip, before slowly falling away. As if she was debating grabbing something important from inside of it.

Tiki lifted her eyes to Morgana.

"How does it work?"

A relieved sigh rushed from Morgana's lips, "I take that as an agreement to help us?"

"Tentative agreement." Tiki replied, "I want to see how this works before I throw myself headfirst into this. Especially for Nowi's sake, since she is-"

"Yes, quite." Alfred nodded in agreement, "Hopefully we will only require one of your services."

"Yes, hopefully just me." Tiki breathed.

"Let's pray that to be the case." Morgana agreed, "If you would all please follow me. We will board the Ark, and see if our mad plan actually works."

As they all slowly walked out of the tunnel, Ben glanced back at the Probe Droid. His mind raced a million light years a minute, rushing through the whirlwind of events that just happened. One moment, he was living a content, quiet life in Ylisstol with his daughter from the future and Tharja; the next moment, relics of his past rear their ugly head once more, only this time the danger was greater than ever before. Sidious knew something was here, and he would be very curious about an unknown planet with signs of life on it. Someone from the Empire would be here, soon. This all lined up far too easily with the string of visions he, Dooku, and Lucina were having lately.

As he followed the rest of the group back to the main chamber, a sinking feeling sat in his gut, and his heart pounded in his chest.

 _I've got a very bad feeling about this._

* * *

It took them long enough, but after weeks of searching, weeks of waiting for Porcus to use the Force to search for their targets, a pair of Deadlords finally found what they believed to be the hideout of the Grimleal heretics. A set of ruins, ancient and crumbling, buried deep in the northern ice fields of Regna Ferox. Just beyond these ruins lay an expanse of ice, permafrost, and frigid waters from a sea that lined the northern coast of the frozen country. Thankfully, Draco had both his armor, and his undead form to fend off the freezing temperatures. Despite it being Summer, he could still tell there was a sharp chill in the air. The wind alone would have made him shiver if he was actually flesh and blood, and not just a mere servant of his Master.

Both Draco and Porcus remained hidden behind a series of broken towers, blending into the shadows they cast, as they watched a group of six people suddenly emerge from a bright golden light. Evidence of teleportation magic. Advanced stuff, if Draco recalled correctly. He had only ever witnessed his master use such abilities before.

Upon seeing the six figures, Porcus reached for his lightsaber and readied himself to attack. But something did not feel right for Draco. He reached out and gripped Porcus by his right arm, holding the overeager Deadlord back.

"What are you doing?" Porcus hissed, yellow eyes blazing with raw fury at the Mandalorian Deadlord, "Kenobi, the Voice, and one of our targets is there! This is our-"

"This is not the hideout." Draco's muffled voice cut him off sharply, "And our main target is the heretic, Morgana. This group are merely pawns on the board."

"Pawns?" Porcus hissed, "Kenobi is one of the reasons I am like this." He jabbed his chest, "Enslaved to a Master I did not desire."

"Me too." Draco reminded Porcus, causing his companion's fury to shrink a little bit, "But we have a job to do. The mission comes first, regardless of our own personal feelings on the matter." He turned to observe the group again as the elderly mage glanced back to speak to the rest of the small group at the center of the ruins, "I learned that the hard way."

Porcus sniffed, "You enjoy Master's leash far too much."

"And if you don't start to enjoy it, he will send you back to the void." Draco slowly turned his head so he could glare at Porcus through his tinted visor again, "Are you anxious for that to happen?"

Porcus growled back, but that was his only reply. Apparently, the aggressive Deadlord had a bit more sense than Draco thought.

As Draco observed their potential quarry, his tinted visor focused on the figures of Obi Wan Kenobi, and the Voice of Naga. Both were highly sought after prizes for his Master. Perhaps they could end up being secondary objectives for this mission. Once Lady Morgana was killed, along with the traitorous mage Aversa, he and Porcus would attempt to capture the two and bring them before the Hierophant. His Master could decide what to do with them at that point.

 _The mission first._ Draco reminded himself, instincts from his old life as the galaxy's best bounty hunter once again kicking in.

He furrowed his brow as he watched the old man wave a hand. A shimmering portal appeared in front of the two heretics and the four Shepherds. One by one, they stepped through the portal. As Ben Kenobi stepped through, Porcus uttered a frustrated snarl.

"Now look at what you have done." He shoved Draco's shoulder, "They got away!"

"Not at all." Draco replied, tone even, despite his displeasure with Porcus's brazen actions. One of these days, he'd put a blaster bolt through the arrogant ex-Jedi's skull, "They just showed us how we are going to get to Lady Morgana." He drew a blaster pistol, "But we shall require our Master's assistance."

Without a second thought, he aimed his blaster pistol at Porcus's head, and blasted him between the eyes. Right as Procus's limp body hit the frosty ground, the portal closed behind their six new targets. Draco paid Porcus no mind as his companion's dead body turned to black ash on the ground. Killing him was the swiftest way to send a message to their Master that they would require assistance at this point. They both accomplished their main jobs: to locate the traitors and their possible hideout. Now the final attack needed to be executed, and he felt his Master would know how to best handle the heretics, the Jedi, and the Voice.

 _Besides,_ He thought as he turned around and took a leisurely seat against the tower he was hiding behind. He holstered his still smoking blaster pistol, glanced at the scuff mark on his silver shoulder pauldron, and scowled, _I intended to kill the bastard anyways._

 **And chapter! It's all building up now! We've got a showdown setting up in the frozen wastes of Regna Ferox, within the old Ruins of Time. Ben is starting to realize just how screwed they all are, and a Royal Ball is about to commence once a certain group from Valm finally arrives after a few months traveling across the ocean and overland. I'm sure Cynthia and Luke are going to be thrilled to see everyone again! (Oh, and there is the matter of a certain ISD moving fast towards our heroes). This chapter ran a little longer than initially intended, so you all are going to have to be just a little bit more patient for the good stuff to really kick off. With that being said, I am so excited I can hardly contain myself! Over 130 chapters of build up is now about to start paying off! And you all have made this possible, so thank you so much for that!**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed it! Have a nice day!**

 **Come join the Treehouse! Discord code is: 9XG3U7a**


	132. Arrival

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 132

Arrival

The _Chimaera_ burst out of hyperspace, lurching forward with titanic force as the jump finally completed. Thrawn felt his weight shift forward, but he never lost his footing as he remained on the bridge, red eyes staring out the expansive viewscreen, upon a blue world with a solitary moon circling it. The coordinates transmitted by the Republic Probe Droid, before it's communications were suddenly cut off, had been correct. Clearly there was something here. Judging by his cursory glance of the planet surface, it had to hold life on it.

"Analysis." Thrawn ordered, never turning his gaze from the blue gem suspended in a sea of black.

The dark side of the planet faced him. Behind it shone a brilliant, yellow sun, millions of miles away from where the Chimaera drifted. The lone moon orbiting the planet drifted in a lazy path between the Chimaera and the planet. Certainly not a life sustaining moon. It was a gray rock drifting in space, pockmarked by craters and crevices. Nothing special. Perhaps it would make a decent orbital outpost once the Empire formally arrived on this Planet's surface? Of course, that would entirely depend on the natives' level of cooperation.

 _But first, I need to figure out what we will be walking into._

He could hear the scanners on board the _Chimaera's_ bridge whirring and beeping as they scanned the surface. It was just a preliminary scan. Nothing in depth yet. Although, he would certainly order a more thorough scan before deciding whether or not to lead a landing party. One could not be too cautious when it came to unknown worlds.

"Admiral, the planet is life sustaining. Average temperatures appear temperate. Liquid water is present, as is oxygen." An analyst on the bridge informed him.

 _Excellent._ Thrawn folded his hands behind his back, _We are finally making some progress._

The last time they stumbled upon such a promising, life sustaining world had been Tython. But that planet had been abandoned for millenia. Nothing but ancient stone ruins and wild jungle remained on the surface there. A few native species of animals did reside on the surface of the ancient Jedi homeworld, but there were no intelligent species to make contact with.

 _Will this planet be any different?_

"Run a full scan of the planet." Thrawn ordered, "I want to know life form readings, if any. And if there are, I want a full readout on population centers."

"Should we deploy probe droids sir?" His aid, Captain Vanto, asked as the young human eyed a scanner over an analyst's shoulders.

Thrawn pondered the request for a moment. It would not be a bad idea, however, if there was intelligent life on this planet, they were likely uncontacted. Judging by the lack of any sort of artificial satellites in orbit, Thrawn felt it was safe to assume any civilization on the surface remained primitive. Meaning they would not react well to a machine being the first form of contact with a galactic civilization that dwarfed them in size, technology, and military power. They'd react much better to actual organic contact.

"No." Thrawn replied, "Keep it to simple scans. It may take longer that way, but we run less chance of appearing hostile. Remember, this is a possible first contact scenario with a primitive civilization. We need to treat this entire situation with delicate care."

Vanto nodded, "Yes sir."

Thrawn nodded back, then returned his attention to the blue gem hovering in front of him. The final stop in his mission handed to him by the Emperor. If the woman named Lucina was not here, then the _Chimaera_ would have to turn back. They did not have the provisions to continue after this. If this planet was a failure, then he would do his duty as an officer and accept the Emperor's judgement for his failure.

 _If nothing else, I have discovered new worlds, new hyperspace lanes; an entire portion of the galaxy has been rediscovered and reopened to the rest._ He thought, a faint smile crossing his blue lips, _Maybe I will be remembered for that._

"Scans are in progress sir." Eli Vanto informed him as the Captain moved away from the analysts, stepped up a small fight of steps, then stood beside the Chiss Admiral, "Estimates put the time for completion to be roughly thirty two hours."

Thrawn arched an eyebrow, "Thirty two hours?"

Vanto winced, "Yes well, when you said thorough, then we are going to do thorough. By the time they are done, we might even know the population of this planet down to the hundreds. Currently the computer is scanning the biomes."

Thrawn blinked, "Biomes?"

 _More than one?_

He peered closer at the planet in front of him. Indeed, there were multiple biomes. Several deserts dotted one continent. On that very same continent, immense plains, forests, even an arctic tundra, dominated the landscape. There was a second continent across a small ocean that seemed more temperate than its neighbor, but also possessed varying climates. Thrawn drew back, red eyes wide with fascination and mild surprise.

"How interesting." He muttered, his curiosity piqued.

"Do you want us to shorten the scans sir?"

Thrawn thought for a moment, "No," He replied, shaking his head, "I want all the information we can get in regards to this planet. I do not want to be blind when it comes to any area." He took a breath, drinking in the planet's visage once more, "I want to go down there personally."

Vanto smiled at that, "Wanting to be the first to set foot on a new world eh?" His aide joked, "Perhaps it will be named after you?"

Thrawn sniffed, "Clever jest, Vanto. But I doubt that will happen. This planet already has a name, and if we are to be seen as peaceful newcomers, rather than a threat, we would be wise to use the one the natives have already given it."

"Only way we'll learn that is when we get down there." Vanto nodded, "I'll see if we can speed things up at all, but we'll remain completely thorough."

"Very good."

Vanto stepped away in order to continue directing the scans. Thrawn did not follow him. Instead, he remained contemplative as he observed the planet before him. He could see various mountain ranges now. Some were capped with snow, and others were just granite peaks jutting up into the planet's atmosphere.

A truly unique planet indeed. Thrawn struggled to find an accurate comparison. Perhaps, in terms of the temperate sections, Naboo or Alderaan would be an accurate representation. But those deserts appeared as harsh as Tatooine. As for the arctic regions near the planet's poles, he wondered if Mygeeto might be a fair comparison? They certainly could not be colder than his homeworld of Csilla. The only way he would find out is when he stepped foot on the planet. Even though he ordered a thorough scanning, scans could only reveal so much.

The blast doors to the bridge hissed open. Heavy, artificial breathing echoed through the room. Thrawn could feel the other officers and analysts within the bridge tense up as Lord Vader strode in. The menacing servant of the Emperor paused beside Thrawn, the dark lenses of his grimacing mask focused on the planet as well.

"This could be it." Thrawn muttered, "Preliminary scans say it is life sustaining."

"It is it." Vader rumbled, "I can feel it."

Thrawn raised his brow and gave Lord Vader a questioning look, but he did not say anything in reply. Lord Vader firmly believed in his religion and the power it commanded. Thrawn had personally witnessed the immense power of force wielders before. He had encounters with Jedi during the age of the Republic. However, he doubted Vader could measure up to the great Masters Thrawn knew of in the Jedi Order. Even then, how could the Force be greater than the massive feats achieved by the galaxy when it came to science and intellect?

"We will complete thorough scans." Thrawn informed Vader, making it clear that he would not be rushed into going down to the planet surface, "They should be done in thirty two hours. At that point, I will personally go down to the planet's surface and make first contact."

"You?" Vader rumbled, glowering down at Thrawn.

Thrawn smirked back, "Who do you think will be better at making first contact with an isolated population; you, the terrifying fist of the Emperor, or me, the blue skinned Chiss?" Thrawn turned his attention back to the planet, "I aim to preserve this planet's innocence at least a little bit. We will get much more cooperation from the natives if we present ourselves as explorers rather than conquerors."

"Conquerors achieve cooperation," Vader reminded Thrawn, "And much more quickly."

"They also achieve resistance more quickly. Are you keen on dealing with that?"

Vader did not reply, making Thrawn smirk due to his small victory.

"I think we are in agreement then." Thrawn breathed, "I will immediately inform you when the scans are complete, Lord Vader. Oh, and I will also message the Emperor, informing him of our achievement. I suggest you do the same."

Oh, that likely made Lord Vader seethe. Thrawn knew the powerful man did not do well taking orders from anyone other than the Emperor. But thanks to the Emperor's protection, Thrawn could give him… suggestions. They were sensible ones too. It was a little mental battle he and Vader were engaged in. Who held the authority aboard the _Chimaera_. Thrawn would be damned if he allowed Vader to claim such sweeping command over his vessel.

In the end, Vader had to understand that he was being transported. This was a joint operation. He and Thrawn were equals in this endeavor, whether he liked it or not. The Emperor demanded it to be that way, and so it was, despite the reluctance either side felt about the matter.

Vader turned on his heel and strode off of the bridge. Thrawn had a feeling he would do as suggested. He will contact the Emperor, then likely seethe, brood, or meditate within his pressurized chamber in his quarters. That was fine for Thrawn. The longer Vader remained pacified, the easier this mission could be for him. Unleashing the Emperor's fist was a last resort, in case the natives decided not to cooperate. Hopefully it would not come to such bloodshed.

 _It would be such a waste._

* * *

Flashes of war surged in Lucina's mind. A sky, painted blood red by flickering flames that engulfed Ylisstol. Raging fires swallowed the once glistening city whole. Swarms of the undead poured over the once impenetrable, towering walls that guarded the city from a host of enemies in its long history. Commoners screamed in the streets, sprinting for what little safety was left in the Exalt's palace, only to find the gates barred to them. Closed, due to one of the cruelest, and most difficult orders, her master had ever given. And he had given them with the same impassive, emotionless tone he always wore in the future.

The dead were at the gates. Swarms of Risen scream, snarling, the gnashing of their teeth grating in her ears. Sweat coated her body, and she felt boxed in. Stuck in place. Unable to escape. Wings beat in the smoke filled sky. A titanic roar bellowed out. She cast her eyes up, expecting to see the Fell Dragon haunting her nightmares once again.

Instead, she saw a triangular shard of metal, massive in size, hovering over Ylisstol. Smoke billowed up in great plumes towards the mysterious, terrifying object. The roar she heard came from the metal shard as it stayed put over the city. She cast her eyes out from the palace terrace she stood on, and saw that the undead were gone, replaced by soldiers in white armor. Their strange weapons shot red light, red fire, red lightning- whatever it was, she could barely understand it. The carnage was unspeakable. At the head of the carnage, wielding a crimson lightsaber, was the new object of her nightmares. The Masked Man, his black mask forever fixed into a terrifying grimace.

Suddenly, he was before her. Or more accurately, she was before him. On her knees, bloodied, bruised, beaten. Terror filled her to her core as the monster glowered down at her. She felt powerless, helpless, incapable of fighting back despite her desperate desire to do so. Her hands shook, her spine crawled. A gloved, black hand reached down and gripped her by the throat. A lone question slipped from the monster's gaping, black maw within the mask.

" _Where is Kenobi?"_

* * *

Lucina gasped as she shot awake. Cold sweat covered her from head to toe, causing the thin, silk sheets to cling to her body. Her chest heaved up and down as her panic filled eyes whipped around the Master Kenobi's common room. The remnants of a small fire burned in the fireplace, nothing more than cinders. Morning songbirds chirped outside of the window in the wall opposite of her. As she settled back into reality, she realized she had fallen asleep at Ben's cabin. Someone had placed a sheet over her.

 _D-did Noire-?_

Her thoughts were interrupted as the front door opened then quietly shut. Lucina snapped her gaze over to see Panne quietly padding into the cabin, a basket hanging from the crook of her right arm. Various vegetables, all ripe, rested in the basket. Along with a couple of apples.

As Panne walked in, the Taguel shivered, shaking morning dew from her fur. She took a deep breath, then noticed Lucina quietly watching her.

"Good morning, man-spawn."

Lucina took a deep breath, still reeling from the nightmares that endlessly plagued her, "Good morning, Panne."

The Taguel quietly moved to the dying fire, quickly stoking it with an iron poker, then adding a couple of logs to it. She then set a kettle filled with water over it.  
"I grabbed those leaves you man-spawn enjoy drinking." Panne informed Lucina as the Princess swung her legs from the sofa she fell asleep on. A low yawn escaped her lips. She still felt so weary, "Noire enjoys them, and I made sure to grab some for you as well."

"Oh um… thank you, Panne." Lucina muttered, her mind drawn away from the Taguel, the cabin, and the present to instead focus on the terrible visions tormenting her nights.

Panne narrowed her eyes at Lucina as she set the basket down on the little counter across the room. The Taguel quietly removed the vegetables, setting them neatly down on the counter, before speaking.

"You seem quite troubled?"

"Oh?"

Panne nodded, "I have not seen you so distressed since we all embarked on the mission to save Exalt Emmeryn." Lucina's eyes widened at that, "You look like timid prey, knowing that it is being stalked by an apex predator." Panne tilted her head to the side, "Do I intimidate you so?"

Lucina's cheeks reddened with mild embarrassment, "N-no. Not at all, Panne. Believe me, I have faced down far more intimidating in my short life."

"Then why are you so fear filled. I can practically smell it coming from you. Both now, and during the night."

Lucina arched an eyebrow, "During the night?"

Panne nodded, "That elder man-spawn, Dooku, informed me of Ben and Tharja's departure with some dark mages yesterday evening." Lucina's eyes widened at that, "He told me that you and Noire were alone here at the cabin. And while I'm sure you can take care of yourselves, I also know Noire is blind, and… well… your cooking does not have the greatest reputation."

A dry laugh left Lucina's lips. It felt hollow, but at the same time, relieved some of the pressure sitting on her shoulders and simmering in her mind. It was amazing how humor, even the smallest amount, could distract her from the troubles she felt.

"I haven't heard that." Lucina replied with a slight smile, "Then again, I suppose I should've noticed when everyone didn't go for seconds whenever I cooked during the war." She rubbed the back of her neck, noticing how stiff it felt for the first time, "Thank you for coming by Panne. I must've been asleep when you arrived."

"You were. Noire insisted I place a sheet over you." Panne clicked her tongue as she grabbed a knife and began to chop up some of the vegetables, "I told Noire that it was too hot, even for sheets, but she insisted. Said you slept better with something over you." Panne rolled her eyes when she said that, "Never understood that about you man-spawn. Why must you always cover yourselves when you sleep? Even in a desert, you insist on a blanket."

Lucina shrugged, "I don't know. It's… comforting, I suppose."

Panne hummed, "You did not appear comforted. Before I left this morning to the markets, you were shaking like an autumn leaf. Muttering in your sleep too. I could not understand most of it, but you appeared to be distressed. I thought about waking you, but I also recalled how grumpy Gaius gets whenever I wake him too early, and decided against it."

The door to Ben and Tharja's room opened then closed. Noire quietly stepped out, a night gown over her body, and a big yawn stretching out from her lips.

"You never decide against it with Gaius." She mumbled as she stumbled into the room, using her hands to find her way over to a chair next to Lucina. She turned her head away from Lucina, "Good morning, Luci."

Lucina uttered a light chuckle, "I'm over here, Noire."

"O-oh!" Noire whipped her head around, "S-sorry."

"Don't be." Lucina laughed, "You're still figuring things out."

Noire grimaced, "Yeah."

The kettle over the fire screamed, startling Lucina right as her thoughts drifted back to her nightmares. Panne raised her brow when she saw Lucina jump in her seat.

"Very distressed." The Taguel muttered.

Lucina sighed as Panne strode over to the kettle, carefully removing it from over the fire and proceeding to take it over to the counter, where she poured the hot water into a pair of teacups then threw a couple of tea leaves into them. Panne turned and handed Lucina her cup, then carefully placed the second teacup into Noire's hands.

"Thank you, Panne." Noire said sleepily.

"Yes, thank you." Lucina nodded.

Panne sniffed, returned to the counter, and continued working on whatever breakfast she was preparing for the two girls. As she chopped her vegetables, she glanced back at Lucina again.

"What troubles you?"

"Hm?"

Noire furrowed her brow, turning to look in the direction of Lucina's voice, "Nightmares? Again?"

Lucina pursed her lips, "Yeah." She breathed.

"Worse?" Noire asked, "They sound worse?"

Lucina grimaced, "Y-yeah, um… I'll talk to Ben when he and Tharja get back."

Noire drew back, "Get back?" She turned to look at Panne, "Where did they go?"

Panne shrugged, "Apparently a pair of dark mages arrived. They claimed to be envoys from someone named Morgana the Black."

"Ominous." Noire muttered.

"Agreed." Lucina nodded.

 _Morgana the Black?_ The Princess thought. She took a sip of tea and sat quietly for a moment, _Who is that?_

"They apparently needed assistance on something from Lady Tiki and Nowi. Both Ben and Tharja accompanied them just in case things go bad." Panne explained, "And I would not worry. If anyone is capable of taking care of themselves, it is your parents, Noire."

Noire gave her a weak smile, "Y-yeah, not wrong there."

Lucina quickly reached out and rubbed Noire's shoulder, "They're going to be fine, Noire."

"I-I know." Noire stammered. Lucina watched her instinctively reach for her neck, searching for a talisman that was no longer there. A defeated breath slipped from her friend's lips, "Just… worried. These visions we're all having keep growing worse, and more frequent. Both Father and Dooku clearly believe they are a warning."

"And nothing more than a warning." Lucina reassured, "Nothing has happened yet, and I'm sure when Ben is done with whatever he is doing with this Morgana person, he'll inform my father about these warnings."

"Warnings?" Panne replied, "Is there some threat on the way? I hope not. It will upset your man-spawn celebration plans. Certainly put a damper on things for those who've traveled here from Valm."

Lucina froze mid sip, "Valm?"

Panne blinked, "Right, I nearly forgot." She turned around, "Your sister arrived this morning and-"

The teacup did not stop spinning on the table in front of the sofa when Lucina sprinted out the door. She did not hear Noire or Panne calling out to her. Any thoughts of visions, of Ben, of Morgana the Black, were wiped away from her mind at news of her sister's arrival in Ylisstol. Excitement filled her as she barreled through Ylisstol's gates, dashed through the crowded market district, rushed through the palace gates and up to the palace doors. Just as she reached to open the doors, they burst open, and a shorter woman with blue hair like her own barreled into her, nearly tackling Lucina to the ground.

"Luci!" Cynthia cried, wrapping her arms tight around Lucina.

Lucina cried out happily, wrapping her younger sister in a warm hug. They both spun around in front of the doors. Joy filled Lucina's heart.

After several more moments, Lucina pulled back from their embrace, a broad smile on her lips, "It's so good to see… you… again?"

 _Did Cynthia put on weight?_

Cynthia beamed up at her. Her blue eyes were bright with delight as a giddy sound escaped her lips.

"Take a guess?" She teased, bouncing up and down, "Guess, guess, guess!"

Lucina furrowed her brow, thinking hard for a moment, "All of that rice must be very filling, Cynthia."

"Wah!" Cynthia cried, "No!" She stomped a foot, "Me and Luke are gonna be parents!"

Lucina did not react for a second. Cynthia's words took a moment to sink in. In her mind, glass shattered. Her one hand curled up into a tight fist as her teeth clenched tight. Cynthia's smile wavered as Lucina said nothing.

"Hey uh… Luci?" She waved a hand in front of Lucina's face, "You okay?"

"Just… perfect." Lucina hissed through grinding teeth, "Where's Luke?"

Cynthia lit up, "Oh well he… he… you're not smiling." She rubbed her chin, "You're not happy. Why are you…" A gasp shot from Cynthia, "Hey! This is just as much my fault as his."

"Cynthia…" Lucina finally groaned, letting all the tension escape her body in one breath. She smacked her forehead and uttered a long groan, "Please tell me father and mother are aware?"

Cynthia nodded, "They are."

"How did they take it?"

Cynthia folded her hands in front of her, "Well… Mom took it better than Dad did."

"Oh Naga, is Luke in the dungeons?" Lucina gulped.

"No, silly." Cynthia chuckled, "Dad passed out. Apparently, the thought of being a grandfather in his early twenties made him feel a little weak."

Lucina's eyes widened, "Yeah uh… that'd make me feel a little weak too."

"Hey, at least you're not passing out." Cynthia smiled back. She took Lucina by the hands, "But, let's not get all worried about that. This is going to be so much fun!"

She practically dragged Lucina into the palace. As they walked in, Lucina noticed all of the final decorations for the Ball were being put in place, with Duchess Maribelle supervising of course. Several of the Shepherds were assisting in the setup, although most were exasperated by the Duchess's fretting. More than once, as they walked through the hall, Lucina heard both Vaike and Sully shout curses back and forth at Maribelle. Leaving Maribelle offended, aghast, and righteously angry. Wisely, Cynthia dragged her quickly away from there, up a flight of stairs, through a set of double doors, and into the royal living wing.

Once in the safety and privacy of the royal living wing, Cynthia spun around, grinning ear to ear.

"Naga, it feels so nice to be back. I mean, I love Chon'sin and all, but there's something about this place."

Lucina chuckled, "Indeed there is."

"Oh! Have you picked out a dress for the ball yet?" Cynthia asked excitedly.

Lucina rolled her eyes, "I don't think I'm cut out to wear dresses anymore Cynthia."

"Nonsense!" Cynthia replied, smacking Lucina's arm, "There's gotta be one for you to wear. Maybe we can run to the market and get you one last minute. I'm sure Anna will have something available."

"Yeah. For the low, low price of the entire royal treasury." Lucina snorted.

"Worth it to see my big sis super pretty!" Cynthia chirped.

Lucina just shook her head, laughing under her breath, "I'll think about it. Right now, let's just rest before this entire ball happens and-"

A door opened and shut down the hall. Luke stepped out, wearing his usual loose, Chon'sin robes. Her eyes locked with Luke, and Luke paled.

"Uh…"

Cynthia spun around, "Luci knows now too!" She hopped in place, "Isn't that exciting!?"

Luke sucked in a sharp breath, lips pucking like he just ate an entire lemon. He refused to make eye contact with Lucina, even as she stormed past Cynthia towards him.

"I'm just going to-"

Lucina grabbed him roughly by the ear and dragged him towards her own chambers, "We're going to have a chat."

Luke yelped as she dragged him along. Cynthia briefly gave chase. Lucina slammed her door shut and locked it. Cynthia knocked several times, asking Lucina, then demanding, to open the door. Lucina just shook her head and spun around to face Luke as the young Sith wince, pain still smarting through his ear.

"I thought you were gonna rip the damn thing off." He hissed, reaching up to touch his tender ear.

"I was considering it."

"I'm getting mom!" Cynthia shouted from the otherside of the door.

Lucina rolled her eyes, "And that is what we need to talk about."

Luke sighed. He opened his mouth to speak, then Cynthia shouted again.

"And Dad!"

That made Lucina hang her head. She sighed wearily, raising her gaze to Luke.

"You two…" She grumbled, moving over to a small, padded stool and sinking down to a seat, "What were you two thinking?"

Luke winced and rubbed the back of his neck. He stayed a safe distance away from her. Not that Lucina couldn't close that gap quickly, but in this instance, Luke felt like it was wise to stay further than an arm's length away. Hell, if he had his way, he'd be having this conversation with a set of jail bars between him and Lucina. That would somehow feel safer.

"We probably weren't." He admitted sheepishly.

Lucina rolled her eyes, "You two were never the best at thinking."

"Not wrong there." Luke sighed, leaning up against the wall, "That was always Morgan's job in the Justice Cabal."

Somehow, he made her snort out a laugh.

 _Naga damn it, how does he do that?_

Lucina shook her head, "Do you really think she is ready?" Luke pressed his lips into a thin line, "Do you really think you're ready?"

To his credit, he gave her an honest answer. A small, shake of his head followed by an anxious sigh.

"I never expected this." Luke muttered, stepping away from the wall then moving towards the large, bay windows that dominated Lucina's room. Allowing bright sunlight to filter in from the rising sun, "When I first came back with Maul I…" he shook his head, "This is both the happiest I've been and the most terrified I've been in my entire life. It's difficult to explain."

Lucina felt some of her own frustration and fury subside, "Well… at least you have a mature perspective about all of this."

Luke gave her a wry smirk, "Look at that. You think I'm mature."

"Don't push your luck." Lucina warned, "It took a great deal for me to say those words."

"Hmm, I'm sure it did." Luke nodded in agreement, a wry grin never leaving his face. He took a deep breath and glanced out the window again. The final preparations for the Ball were being brought to the palace, including several large cakes from Gaius's Bakery, "I swear to you Lucina, I'm not gonna screw this up." He glanced back at her, "I won't let myself screw it up."

Lucina felt some surprise fill her at how sincere Luke spoke. He treated this matter with incredible amounts of maturity and seriousness. Cynthia might be all happy, innocent, and childish still, but Luke viewed this as a new challenge and responsibility. Something he had to rise to meet. That alone gave the Princess a small measure of comfort.

"You better not." Lucina replied, a slight smile twitching on her lips.

A knock sounded on her door.

"Lucina," Her mother called from the otherside, voice weary, "Cynthia is bawling. She's… she's claiming you're about to kill Luke."

Luke and Lucina's eyes widened.

"I don't know what is going on, but sweetheart, that is not the-"

Both of them descended into raucous laughter. Luke covered his mouth as he laughed. Lucina's shoulders jumped up and down as she laughed hard. She rose to her feet, strode over to the door, unlocked it, and pulled it open.

Cynthia practically knocked the door down. She raced over to Luke and slammed into him.

"Thank Naga, you're alive!"

Sumia uttered an exhausted sigh in the doorway, "I told you he was fine, Cynthia." Her weary gaze turned to a still chuckling Lucina, "You both are a handful." She waved for Lucina to follow, "Come on."

Lucina furrowed her brow. She glanced over at Luke and Cynthia, and smiled when she saw Luke kiss the top of Cynthia's head. Any childish jealousy she might have felt a year or two ago had gone away long ago. Luke was not on her path in life. His path crossed with Cynthia's, and it formed a beautiful relationship that they both needed.

Lucina's path was not for romance, she knew that in her heart. In the future, her path was one of responsibility, ruling, and war. Of being one of humanity's last hopes against the Fell Dragon, and shouldering that terrible burden for the rest of her days. In the present, her path was that of a Jedi Knight, and a Shepherd. A warrior, and a peacekeeper. Her childish infatuation with Luke died in the sands of Plegia. Stomped out by his actions, and Maul's cruelty. A friendship had blossomed in its place. A shaky one, but still a friendship.

 _Focus on the here and now._ She reminded herself as she followed her mother to her parent's chambers, _Focus on the-_

She froze in her parent's room. A pair of dresses hung on hangers near a full length mirror.

"Time to pick." Sumia said, a bright smile on her face.

Lucina stared wide eyed at the beautiful gowns her mother was offering to her. One the royal blue her father enjoyed wearing, the other the emerald green of House Ylisse. She practically tip-toed towards them. The fingers on her lone hand brushed against the silk with tender care. Dresses… a luxury she never had in the ruined future. All worries about the visions, about Grima, about Luke and Cynthia, faded away. She turned around to her mother.

"Can I try both?"

* * *

Chrom sighed as he stared into the full length mirror in his and Sumia's chambers. This was not an outfit he was entirely comfortable in. Formal wear was something he did not enjoy wearing, but nonetheless, he was required to wear it. Every bit of it felt too stiff. Moments like this were when he envied his fellow Shepherds. While he wanted all of them to come to royal functions such as this Ball, he never expected them to. He also never expected them to dress exceptionally fancy (especially Vaike). He wished he could live under those expectations as well.

 _Alas, I am the Prince. And these Nobles can't have their feelings hurt._

He sighed again, straightening the white cape he wore over his shoulders. A glittering silver chain clasped it, sitting over the top of his chest. The rest of his attire was a mixture of royal blues and bright whites, which he wanted. If he was going to wear formal attire, he at least wanted it to be in colors he liked. As traditional as the tan and green were to House Ylisse, he preferred blue and white. The nobility might frown upon such a flagrant disregard for tradition, but frankly, when it came to clothing he could not give a damn.

He rolled his shoulders, grimacing at how restricted his movements felt. Before his frown could grow anymore, a pair of slender arms snaked over his shoulders before a set of soft lips pecked his check.

"Why the long face?" Sumia asked.

The frown disappeared, and a small smile replaced it, "You know how I feel about these things." He uttered a heavy breath and turned to face his wife.

She looked absolutely radiant. While he ignored the traditional colors of House Ylisse, Sumia embraced them. It was a way for both royals to placate the more entrenched Nobles that showed up to these functions. The soft tans and vibrant greens in her gown took his breath away, as always. But what stole his breath even more, and made his heart hammer hard in his chest, was the ever so slight bump visible in her stomach. A sign of a future Princess that would bring even more joy to their lives.

"What? You don't like sleeves?" Sumia teased, even as a dark blush crossed over her cheeks. Chrom chuckled at that, wrapping his arms around her and holding her tight. A happy sigh slipped from Sumia's lips. "Why is it," She asked, keeping her hands clasped behind his neck, "That even after everything we've been through, you still make me blush this badly?"

Chrom chuckled at that, feeling his own cheeks heat up a little bit as well, "Because you are absolutely beautiful, and I wonder how I got so lucky."

Sumia's face turned beat red, "S-stop it." She stammered before resting her head against this chest in order to hide how flustered she was, "I'm the one who should be wondering about my luck."

She heard his laughter and felt a soft kiss press against the top of her head, "No you shouldn't. Do you want to know why?"

"Why?" She asked, resting her chin on his chest as she looked up into his eyes.

"Because we both have rotten luck," He said with a wry smirk, "WE need to go entertain nobles at a Ball now."

Sumia laughed, shaking her head, "Yes… that we do." She stood up straight again and took his hand in hers, "Shall we face the enemy together?"

Chrom threw his head back, laughing loudly. Sumia chuckled with him. Chrom's laughter died down as they both exited their personal chambers. Guards flanked them once they left their room and started through the palace towards the ballroom. After descending a couple flights of stairs, and striding through long corridors, where great windows allowed moonlight to filter into the Exalt's Palace, they both arrived at the ballroom. The small door that would serve as their entryway, behind the throne within, was closed. Waiting in front of the door was Knight Commander Frederick, also in his formal attire, sporting blues and whites like his liege lord.

"Milord, Milady." He bowed his head to both Sumia and Chrom

Chrom chuckled, "Frederick how many times-"

"Tonight is a night of tradition, milord." Frederick interrupted, he cleared his throat quickly once he realized that he interrupted his Lord, "Apologies, milord, but-"

Chrom laughed under his breath and patted his friend on the shoulder, "You never have to apologize to me Frederick. Not when you haven't done anything wrong."

A small smile crossed his oldest friend's lips, "Very well." Frederick took a breath and nodded at the closed door, "Ready to have fun?"

"Is that sarcasm I hear?" Chrom smiled. He and Sumia both took deep breaths, "Are the Shepherds in attendance?"

"All except Ben, Tharja, Nowi, and Lady Tiki."

Chrom furrowed his brow, "They're still gone?"

Frederick nodded, and Chrom felt some concern grow in him. The four Shepherds left with envoys of a Lady Morgana two days ago. No word had come from them since. While he was worried, Chrom also knew the power both Ben and Lady Tiki wielded. Doing any harm to them would require a tremendous amount of effort. Tharja and Nowi were no slouches in combat either. If anyone could handle a group of heretical dark mages that could potentially be enemies, they could.

 _I still wish they were here._ He thought as Frederick placed a hand on the doorknob, _If only because Ben is exceptional at warding off prying nobles with his smooth talking._

Frederick pushed the door open. As soon as it swung outward, bright light from lanterns and the great chandelier over the ballroom dance floor shone over both Sumia and Chrom. Festive music already played in elegant, fun tones through the great hall, though it stopped abruptly as a herald stepped forward and announced their arrival.

Polite applause rang out through the hall as Chrom and Sumia entered the ballroom. They smiled brightly at the crowd of nobles and special guests in the ballroom. Both waved their hands at the crowd. As they waved, Chrom searched the crowd for the Shepherds.

He found most of them near the back, already taste testing the alcohol selection. He could see Sully's scowl, when she found out the main drink would be champagne, all the way from here. He smirked when he saw Kellam sneak a small bottle of something to her. An action that earned him a friendly jab to the shoulder, something the large man easily shrugged off.

Vaike remarkably wore a tie _and_ a shirt. His son from the future, Laurent, was by his side. He wore spiffy, new robes, but he still wore the same hat as before. Although he made sure to dust it for this special occasion.

Virion had a hand around his fiance's, Olivia, waist. The pair announced their engagement upon their arrival from Themis, when they precluded the arrival of Maribelle in order to make sure her own lodging was ready. Apparently, working in close proximity as often as they did, what with Olivia being the Feroxi ambassador to Themis and Virion being an advisor to the Duchess, caused a romance to blossom between the two.

Lon'qu remained near those two, as did Lissa. Ever since the Siege of Koto, Lissa remained near Lon'qu's side. The Feroxi swordsman had fought with everything in his power to save her, and get her to medical attention during that terrible battle. Because of this, she was the lone woman that he looked even remotely comfortable around. Of course, Lissa exploited that to the fullest. Already she hung onto his arms like it was a tree limb. A bright smile painted her face, and Chrom couldn't help but smile happily for her.

Both Libra and Cherche stayed off to the side, inconspicuous to the others in the ballroom. They seemed friendly enough to each other, both easily going back and forth in conversation. Anna was busy near the sweets table with Gaius and Panne, helping the former thief turned pastry chef, and the Taguel, set up the cakes that she funded.

Donnel, Maribelle, and Dooku were all already entertaining several nobles near the center of the ballroom. Donnel's commoner charm seemed to work wonders on the nobles, much to Maribelle's delight and Dooku's approval.

A delighted gasp rushed from Sumia. Chrom followed her gaze and a thrilled grin erupted over his face. Cordelia entered the ballroom, with the assistance of a chair with large wheels in the back and small wheels in the front, pushed forward with glee by the Dark Mage Henry. A quaint smile rested on her lips as many of the nobles in attendance bowed their heads in respect to her. Many heard of Sumia's victories in Valm, but Sumia always credited Cordelia for teaching her, and for training the Pegasus Knights to the point that they could dominate the Valmese armies.

Severa trailed after her mother and father. The grumpier red head absolutely refused to wear a dress, preferring a fancy tunic, jerkin, and pants. Her sword remained on her belt as she strolled into the ballroom. As quickly as she could, she bade her mother and father goodbye, then joined Owain, Brady, Inigo, Noire, Luke, and Cynthia near a large window that looked out over the rolling plains beyond the walls of Ylisstol.

Every one of the children from the future looked thrilled to be at the Ball. Probably because none of them ever had the chance to experience something as… well… magical as something like this. As much as Chrom considered a Ball with Nobles and tradition to be an annoyance, he did realize how important it was to others he called friends.

Lucina lingered near the royal thrones. Chrom and Sumia approached their seats, faced the crowd, nodded, then took a seat in their thrones. A signal for the night's festivities to begin.

Once they sat down, and all eyes were no longer on them, Chrom turned to speak to his future daughter. At that moment, he realized she was wearing a gorgeous, royal blue gown. There was nothing flashy about the gown. It was simple, and certainly something from Sumia's personal wardrobe, but it fit Lucina wonderfully. Chrom smiled broadly as Lucina stood beside him.

"You look lovely." He complimented.

"Lovely?" Sumia replied, "She looks beautiful!"

Lucina tried to suppress a faint blush on her cheeks, "I'm not used to this."

"Neither am I." Chrom snorted, earning a smack on the chest from Sumia, "Don't worry, once this is done, you can get back into something more comfortable. I know I will."

Lucina chuckled, "You act like this is worse than going to war."

"I prefer war." Chrom pointed out, "Less bootlicking."

"Chrom…" Sumia sighed, but a knowing smile still rested on her lips. Even she agreed. She was just better at hiding it.

Lucina snickered a little, "Father this is just… wonderful. I haven't seen anything like this in years. Not since I was a little girl. Even then, I can't really remember it."

Chrom smiled back, "Then enjoy yourself. There is no need for you to linger around me and your mother either. Go, enjoy your friends. I'm sure they're waiting for you."

Lucina glanced over to the other future kids. Inigo waved for her to come join them. Brady raised his flask to her, undoubtedly filled with something much stronger than champagne. Cynthia bounced up and down, practically demanding her to come over as she beamed beside Luke. Noire looked a little more lost, likely due to all the noise, chatter, and music in the ballroom, but both Severa and Brady were doing a good job of keeping her comfortable.

"I wish everyone was here." Lucina breathed.

"Sakura stayed in Chon'sin." Chrom nodded, "She wanted to remain with Yen'fay and learn more about the country. Besides, with Cynthia being…" He let out a long breath, "Pregnant." Sumia rubbed his shoulder, "Her and Luke are going to be staying for a while."

Lucina blinked, "O-oh? They are?"

Sumia nodded, "It's a nearly month long journey back to Port Ferox. Especially at this time of year when the Feroxi roads are basically mud. Then another three months crossing the sea and back overland to Koto. By the time they get back, she'll be too far along."

"That kind of travel is dangerous for her right now." Chrom agreed, "So they will stay here. Luke even suggested it."

Lucina smiled at that, "I'm glad he's taking this so seriously."

Chrom sighed, "You and me both." He furrowed his brow when he noticed Noire, "Have you heard anything from Ben?"

Lucina shook her head, "I didn't even know he was gone until this morning."

"Oh." Chrom blinked, "Well, I'm sorry I didn't tell you. Things have been kind of chaotic here recently."

"Maribelle and Balls can do that." Lucina nodded.

"Pfft…" A gruff voice struggled to contain laughter. Lucina's cheeks reddened along with Sumia's, while Chrom began to chuckle uncontrollably. Sully sauntered up to the thrones with Kellam by her side, "Might wanna rephrase that, kiddo."

"O-oh! I- um- well-"

Sully threw her head back and laughed loudly at Lucina's sputtering. SHe smacked Lucina's good shoulder hard.

"Lighten up! It's only a joke. Trust me, ya hang around us long enough, and you'll hear a lot worse."

"That's very true." Kellam nodded, a quiet smile on his lips.

Sully chuckled, "Damn straight it is. I'll have this girl here redder than a fair maiden on her wedding night by the time I'm through with her."

"Sully!" Sumia cried, struggling to contain her own laughter.

"What? I ain't wrong. Just wait till it's me, Vaike, and Gaius teasing her. She might just wanna go to a cathedral then." Sully laughed loud again, "Don't worry though, Lucina. You fight good, so I'm sure you'll joke just as good once we get ya warmed up." The bawdy cavalier took a breath and glanced around, "Damn…" She turned back to Chrom and Sumia, "Peace feels weird."

Chrom snorted at that, "You can say that again. We fought so hard to get it, and now I have no idea what to do with it."

Lucina blinked as discussions of the hard won peace after the Valm War came up, "That er- reminds me, Father. I need to speak to you in private."

Chrom furrowed his brow. He glanced over at Sumia, who nodded at him.

"I can handle things in here. You two go ahead."

Chrom smiled back at her, "What would I do without you?"

"That is an excellent question." Sumia snickered back, "Hopefully we never need to find out the answer. Now get going."

Lucina started to walk away, and Chrom followed. The two made their way back through the doors Chrom and Sumia walked out of. They passed by Frederick, who bowed to both of them, before joining the other Shepherds in the festivities.

Chrom shut the door behind him and Lucina. The hallway leading to the ballroom was quiet, save for some noise bleeding in through the thick walls and door. Pale moonlight filtered in through the windows along the hallway, lighting up the wall and the tapestries hanging from the walls with soft light.

Chrom glanced up at one tapestry which told the story of the Hero King Marth. Or, one story of the Hero King. Now that he looked at it, he could see a little, green haired Manakete by the Hero King's side at one point, which made him do a double take.

"I-is that-" Lucina peered at where he was pointing, "I never noticed it before till now but-"

"Naga, Tiki's that old!?" Lucina exclaimed.

Chrom chuckled, "Apparently." He took a breath, lowering his hand, "Strange the things we notice when everything goes quiet, huh?"

Lucina nodded, "Yeah." She cleared her throat, "Speaking of noticing, Mom is-"

"Yup." Chrom grinned, "Cynthia is on the way."

Lucina bowed her head, laughing under her breath, "It's gonna get a lot crazier in here, isn't it?"

"Definitely." Chrom smiled, "But… I'm looking forward to it. Better to have two crazy daughters running around than a bunch of Plegians or Valmese, right?"

"Right…" Lucina bit her lip. If she had her other arm on, she would have been wringing her hands in front of her, "Father, I'm not sure if Ben managed to talk to you before he left, but there is something important you need to know."

Chrom furrowed his brow. Normally, when the subject of Ben and something important came up, it was not good news. At least, that is what would happen before Ben revealed who he really was and where he was from. He could tell from the worry on Lucina's face that this was not going to be something good.

"Well," Chrom breathed, "Let's hear it."

Lucina took a deep breath, "Me, Ben, Noire, Dooku, and Luke… we've all been having nightmares."

"Nightmares?"

"Visions." Lucina quickly clarified, "Dark… terrible visions." She gulped, "Father, we're all having visions very similar to each other. When it comes to the Force, that is not a coincidence."

Chrom furrowed his brow. All of the joy, and exasperation, he felt regarding the ball was pushed to the back of his mind.

"What about?" Chrom asked, worry building up within him as well.

Lucina's eyes shifted back and forth, up and down the hall, making sure no one was listening in. An old habit her Master made her develop. A way of making sure Maul was never listening in on any of their conversations in the future. She worked her jaw back and forth after determining that they were alone.

"Ben and Dooku believe Sidious may be on his way."

Chrom's eyes widened, "What!? Why haven't they said anything to me yet?"

"Because something about a Lady Morgana intervened. What is that all about anyways?"

"Getting sidetracked, aren't we?" Chrom retorted, "And I have no idea what this Morgana the Black wants. That's what Tiki, Nowi, Ben, and Tharja have gone to find out." He wiped a hand over his mouth, "Are Dooku and Ben absolutely certain?"

Lucina shook her head, "None of us are. That's the thing about visions. They are… fickle. Enigmatic, to say the least. Especially when they start revealing things about the future. As my Master always liked to tell me: 'The future is never certain'."

"So Dooku and Ben are approaching this with… caution?" Chrom asked, one eyebrow arched in confusion.

"They are probably wise to do so, but they did agree to tell you." Lucina frowned, "I'm not sure why Dooku refrained. Ben likely got sidetracked by the dark mages that appeared here."

Chrom nodded in understanding, "Yeah, that I can understand. Dooku, however, I-I-" He took a deep, calming breath, "Why are the guys from stars always giving me a headache?"

Lucina snorted in agreement, "I don't know, but they can give me one too."

Chrom worked his jaw back and forth as he thought about what Lucina told him, "How do we prepare?"

Lucina shrugged, "I'm not sure. That's more Ben and Dooku's area of expertise."

"Okay then." Chrom glanced out the windows to the starry sky, the moon, and the flickering lights in Ylisstol. A long breath escaped his lips, "Just as peace finally comes, a new threat may be arriving. We're never going to get a break, are we?"

Lucina winced a little bit, "I hope we're wrong."

"Yeah…" Chrom sighed, "Me too." He tapped the windowsill he was staring out of before turning back to his daughter. He could see the worry on her face, and that made his heart ache. He walked back over to her and brushed a long, blue lock of hair away from her face, "You know what, even if you are right, it could be a ways away, right?"

Lucina put on a forced smile, "Right."

"So, tonight, we aren't going to worry about it. Tonight is a happy night. There is a Ball back there," He nodded at the closed door, "for you to enjoy." Lucina smiled at that, "So go enjoy it. Be with your friends. Leave worrying about the future to me and your mother, for once."

Lucina bowed her head, chuckled, then nodded.

"Okay."

"Okay?" Chrom asked again.

"Yes." Lucina stated.

"Good."

Chrom nodded for her to get back to the Ball, and Lucina quickly rushed back. He could only smile at her newfound excitement. The door opened, the Princess rushed through, then it shut. Festive music rushed into the hall briefly before the door shut, clashing violently with the worries now bouncing around in Chrom's mind.

He lingered in the hall a moment longer, eyes drifting away from the windows, back to the tapestry of the Hero King. Legend had it that the Hero King Marth was his ancestor. The one who helped start the long line of Kings, Queen, and eventually Exalts, that now ruled Ylisse. His exploits before becoming the Hero King were the stories every young boy lived to hear, including Chrom. In this strange moment, instead of trying to plan out how to combat an unknown enemy, Chrom found himself thinking of those stories told to him by his parents, and his grandparents, and the many history teachers he had growing up.

"You never had a break either, did you?" He asked the stitched visage of the Hero King, carefully placed into the colorful tapestry, "Us rulers never have a chance to catch our breaths…" He sighed, wiping a hand over his already tired eyes, "One crisis, then another, until the final crisis." He glanced at the Hero King again, "That being, the one where bells ring from Naga's Cathedral, and one of my children ascend to the throne."

 _That's a morbid thought._

He sighed heavily. The festive music paused a moment, then resumed as the band of brass and strings began a new song for everyone to dance to. He smiled as he recognized the tune, and his foot tapped to the beat.

"They're not here yet." He muttered, turning away from the tapestry and to the city itself, "I've got time." He nodded, "Time to...time to figure this out." He massaged the back of his neck as sudden stress caused the muscles inside to tighten up. Finally, he cast his gaze up to the moon and stars, "I wish you were here, Robin."

He turned to head back to the Ball. He had to return at some point, otherwise people would start murmuring and gossiping about why he was away for so long. Then he'd have to deal with that, and the Shepherds' teasing about it as well.

His hand wrapped around the doorknob, and he took another breath before returning to the Ball. He put on a smile, but his heart ached as he realized the tremendous task that laid before him, and the fact that possibly faced it alone. The face of his good friend, Ylisse's tactician, lingered in his mind.

"I could really use your help, my friend."

* * *

Thrawn hardly slept. How could he? The end to his years-long mission was finally in sight. The scans were nearly complete. The time has almost come. He waited with bated breath aboard the bridge, but he also did not allow the crew to see how anxious he felt. The fate of him, of his ship, of his crew, rested on this one planetary scan. If it failed to bring up results that satisfied him and Lord Vader, then the entire mission would be deemed a failure. They would turn around and go home. He would face judgement for his failure, and he would likely lose the _Chimaera_ in the process.

 _This is it._ He reassured himself, red eyes staring out to the planet, _This has to be it._

A loud series of beeps rang out through the bridge. Eli Vanto, who was nearly asleep in a seat next to one of the analysts scanning the planet, jerked awake. Thrawn spun around where he stood, finally letting his own anxiety show.

"Finished?" He asked, tone still level despite his excitement.

The young officer in charge of the scan nodded, "Yes sir."

"Results?" Thrawn snapped quickly.

The officer jumped in his seat. As he pulled up the results of the scan, Lord Vader entered the bridge. His breathing set everyone but Thrawn on edge.

"Alright, results…" The analyst muttered to himself, sweat beading on his brow when he noticed Lord Vader glowering down at him, along with Admiral Thrawn, "Results…"

He tapped his screen then took a deep breath. His eyes widened as he read them.

"You've gotta be-" He stared up at Thrawn and Lord Vader, completely stunned, "We've got civilization!"

Cheers and whoops rang out through the bridge. Eli Vanto smiled up at Thrawn and Lord Vader. Thrawn allowed a faint, ghost of a smile to cross his blue lips. Vader remained as machine-like as ever.

"Where are the major population centers?" Lord Vader boomed, quieting the cheering within the bridge.

The analyst gulped, then studied the scans further. He nodded and pointed a finger at his screens.

"I've got five- no six, major centers of life here. Scans show significant structural signs as well, indicating the possibility that these are major cities on the planet. I've got two located on this continent," He gestured to the more temperate of the two Thrawn could see through the bridge's viewscreen, "And four on the other."

"What is the largest?" Vader asked, clearly growing impatient.

"Th-the largest is here." The analyst pointed to what appeared to be a decent sized city in the middle of rolling plains on the more extreme continent, "Most structures, most lifeforms. Appears to be a major hub of sorts too. Might be worth checking out?"

"Then that is where I will go." Thrawn acknowledged, he turned to Lord Vader, "I will be taking a detachment of the 501st with me, for protection." Lord Vader just nodded in reply, "And I leave command of the bridge to you, Lord Vader."

Thrawn strode to the exit. As he walked, he waved a hand back over towards Captain Vanto.

"Captain." He called, beckoning the young human to join him.

"O-oh, r-right." Vanto scrambled up to the main catwalk and rushed after Thrawn, reaching his side just as the Chiss passed through the Bridge's blast doors, "I'm joining you in this?"

"You are, yes." Thrawn replied as they strode to the turbolift. Once on the lift, Thrawn pushed the button to take them both to the main hangar, where a Lambda Class shuttle waited for them.

"Okay." Vanto nodded, "Why?"

Thrawn glanced at him, "Do you want to be alone with Lord Vader?"

Vanto paled, then gulped, "Fair point."

Thrawn smirked at that, "Besides, this is a good opportunity for you to learn the fine art of negotiation, Captain." He glanced down at his grey officer's uniform, grimacing when he noticed a speck of dust near the badges indicating his rank. He wiped the dust away then waited for the lift to come to a stop, "Captain?"

"Yes, sir?"

"Did you ever stop your investigation into the motives of our mission, and the identity of Lord Vader?"

Vanto blinked, "Well, no. You never told me to."

Thrawn nodded, "What have you found out?"

Vanto pursed his lips, "Not much, honestly. Although, I have found something rather curious on imperial channels. A new ship was commissioned recently."

The lift stopped and the doors opened out to the main hangar. Thrawn strode out, and Vanto followed, struggling to keep up with the Chiss's brisk pace. A detachment of stormtroopers waited for them near the Lambda shuttle. Their armor polished to a fine, white shine.

"I fail to see how a new ship is related to our mission, Captain." Thrawn muttered.

"That's the thing, sir. I think it might be. It has two commanding officers, one an old Clone Commander by the call sign CC-2224."

Thrawn blinked in surprise. He paused near the shuttle's landing ramp.

"Commander Cody? He's been recommissioned?"

"Apparently sir." Vanto nodded, "But he answers to a civilian officer, I think? Someone who has appeared literally out of thin air. I've only found a rare mention of her in channels, and a lone description of her."

"And?"

"Unknown species sir. Near human-like, but not all the way." Vanto replied, "No records of anyone else like her."

Thrawn inclined his chin, "You believe we may have found where this civilian officer comes from?" He asked as they boarded the shuttle. The Stormtroopers followed them in.

"Yes sir." Vanto answered, keeping his voice hushed.

"What is her name?" Thrawn asked.

Vanto furrowed his brow, trying to remember, "Morgan… the channels referred to her as Morgan."

Thrawn nodded, "Morgan." He took a breath, "Perhaps that name will be of some use to us on this planet. We shall see." He nodded to the pilots in the cockpit. The ramp closed and the shuttle's engines flared to life, "Keep this between us for now."

The shuttle lurched as it lifted off from the hangar and left the confines of the _Chimaera._ Thrawn glanced out a small viewport and watched with fascination as the planet he had discovered loomed larger below him. After so long, he was finally close to the end. Close to victory.

"What do you think we will find down there, sir?" Vanto asked, adjusting his officer's cap on his head.

Thrawn furrowed his brow, "I'm not sure."

They broke through the atmosphere, and the inky blackness of space was replaced with the dark violets and shadows of a night sky, complete with starlight and moonlight. The city they found started to grow beneath them as they drew closer.

"It is time we found out."

 **And chapter! IT HAS BEGUN! Thrawn and Vader have arrived, and it couldn't come at a worse time. Poor Chrom thinks he has time, little does he know, time is already up. The Empire has found our heroes, and now the chaos can begin! I'm so excited I can barely contain myself!**

 **Now, as for things in the real world. This coronavirus thing looks pretty serious. Thankfully, I'm not in a major hotspot (yet, who knows how fast this thing will spread in the US). But I really hope all of you stay safe out there. Me? I'm gonna go to Winchester's, have a nice cold pint, and wait for all this to blow over.**

…

…

 **Wait… the bars are closed. Oh well XD.**

 **Seriously though everyone. Be safe, practice social distancing, wash your hands, don't lick things, you all know the drill. I hope all of you stay healthy and safe during this crazy time. Hopefully it'll all be over soon.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always I hope you all enjoyed it! Have a nice day!  
Come join the Treehouse! Discord code is: 9XG3U7a**


	133. An Imperial Ball

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 133

An Imperial Ball

Lucina shoved the door to the ballroom open, then quietly shut it behind her. She did not hear her father follow behind her. He was probably staying behind a moment so he could catch his breath. After all, she dropped a major problem into his lap.

The visions she, Ben, Noire, Luke, and Dooku were having caused her great concern. She could not simply keep all of that worry and stress to herself. Bottled up and pressurized, waiting for it all to explode. It was not healthy for her, or for anyone else. Besides, all of them (except for Luke, since he was still traveling to Ylisse at the time), agreed to inform her father about the visions.

It still puzzled her why Ben and Dooku failed to mention it before the Ball. Well, Ben's forgetfulness made some sense. He was whisked away by some unknown faction of Dark Mages in order to act as a guard of sorts for Lady Tiki and Nowi. Obviously that would take up most of his attention, rather than talking to Chrom about their nightmares. Besides, he was always the skeptic regarding the visions and nightmares. Always choosing to believe that it was more likely a trick of the Force rather than a reveal of the future.

Maybe he was right? Maybe the Dark Side was attempting to sow doubt and discord among her and her allies. The Force was so cloudy lately, so shrouded in darkness. No doubt a product of the Fell Dragon's influence upon the world. The time was coming soon for his rise, she could feel it. While she hoped Robin's death would have mitigated Grima's return, she also sided with Lady Tiki. There was no way a volcano killed a monster that powerful. She witnessed Grima's terrifying powers firsthand. Watched as he razed the world. Fought back in a desperate attempt to offer some resistance, before finally being forced to retreat to the Past in a last ditch attempt to defeat him.

If this were a normal night, the stress would be getting to her. She'd feel a sense of… hopelessness maybe? What could she do now? What was there to do? How could they defeat Grima once he rose to power? With how the Deadlords had been acting up to this point, it seemed like the Fell Dragon was, once again, one step ahead of them at every turn. He attempted to take Lady Tiki off the board before she could have any impact. Thankfully, Robin was there to help stop that. He also attempted to kill the Shepherds at Demon's Ingle. Weaken his most dangerous foes before finally striking. That failed too… thanks to Robin.

 _How could he have been Grima's vessel?_ She thought as she drifted towards a table laden with sparkling glasses of champagne.

She could still scarcely believe that Robin, of all people, had the Fell Dragon's essence within his body. Not just Grima either, but an entity known as The Son, as well. Two entities of incredible power and capable of such evil that it caused her Master to worry. This fact left her feeling… torn. She considered Robin a good friend. They had fought two wars together, and her father placed his absolute trust in him, even when his powers ran amok.

 _Those two evil entities would explain why that happened._ She thought, recalling Robin's final days, where he had been terrified of his own abilities. She frowned as she reached the champagne table, _But why would-_

A hand slapped against her shoulder.

"Good cousin!" Owain declared, "Why do you have such a scowl upon your face? You look absolutely stunning in such a fine blue gown. A smile will certainly brighten it even more!"

Lucina's thoughts drifted away from her worries, back to the present moment.

 _Father told me to enjoy tonight. We can worry about tomorrow, tomorrow._

She gave Owain a small smile, "It's nothing, Owain. Just… been thinking."

"Ah yes, thinking. That could cause quite the scowl."

"Need a way to turn off that thinking?" Brady asked as he joined the pair in conversation, holding out his flask to Lucina.

Lucina waved off his kind offer, "No thank you, Brady. It's just…"

She took a deep breath, then realized that she had accidentally found her group of friends. All of them were around the drinks table, with drinks in hand. Except for Cynthia, who was clearly a little upset about being left out of the "fun part". Apparently, Luke made sure she would not touch the alcohol. Cynthia probably knew she couldn't, but at the same time, Cynthia was Cynthia. She was nearly impossible to control.

Despite that, Cynthia had a wide grin on her face as she stuck by Luke's side, her head resting against his arm as he chatted with Inigo. The two were exchanging swordsmanship training techniques, with Luke arguing that the flashy maneuvers Inigo enjoyed utilizing could be easily broken by blunt force. Inigo argued that blunt force could not trump superior technique. Both arguments had their merits in Lucina's mind.

Severa lingered towards the edge of the group, likely so she could keep and eye on her mother and father. She might put on a tough act regarding her feelings towards her family, but she held an intense soft spot for them in the end. Especially after spending the past few months helping her mother, Cordelia, recover from the injuries she sustained in Valm. It helped the pair forge a bond that had been severed during Grima's terrible war in the future. Lucina did not think it was possible for Severa to appear happier than she was right at this moment.

Laurent was nose deep in his spellbook, of course. He was always quiet, preferring his solitary study rather than engaging in societal activities such as ballroom dancing and small talk. He did flash her a small smile from beneath the brim of his oversized, worn out hat. A smile she returned.

Finally, she returned her attention to Owain and Brady. Brady was taking a long swig from his flask. She noticed his gaze occasionally darting towards Noire, who sat in a chair near the cakes table, making conversation with Panne and Gaius.

"Peace is strange." Lucina finally admitted.

Owain let out a hearty laugh, "Indeed, it is."

"Strangely quiet." Brady muttered in agreement, as violins and flutes played through the ballroom.

Lucina laughed under her breath, "Indeed, strangely quiet." She sighed, "Leaves me on edge."

Brady arched an eyebrow, "Just waiting for the shoe to drop, eh?"

"Hm?"

"What our priest friend means." Owain started, "Is that, despite this hard won peace, the true war is still coming."

Lucina closed her eyes, "Yes… it is."

"Worry not, Cousin!" Owain declared, "I am certain that this time; with our parents by our side, courage in our hearts, and unwavering resolve, we shall overcome the Fell Dragon and send him back to the pit from whence he came! Why, my sword hand trembles at the very thought of such grand deeds. It yearns for the thrill of combat against the Fell Hordes once more."

"He's excited." Brady translated with a mutter.

Lucina chuckled, "I can tell. And… hopefully it never comes to that."

Brady arched an eyebrow, "Why'd ya say that?"

She was half tempted to tell them all about Robin. To let them know that, after all this time, they were fighting alongside the Fell Dragon instead of against him. Not that Robin knew he was Grima's vessel, gods no. By all accounts, he had no idea until death came for him. Still, he willingly gave his life to help save them all at Demon's Ingle, and that was something to be admired.

That was the way he needed to be remembered. Especially if they found Morgan at some point. She would be crushed if she ever found out that her father was the reason her mother died in the future. All of her friends would be destroyed if they knew that someone they all knew well, Uncle Robin, Ylisse's Grandmaster Tactician, was the one who ruined their lives.

No, she couldn't tell them. She could not sully his memory like that. A new vessel may come along, or Grima himself could rise from the lava rock and ash at the base of the volcano in Valm; but she would never tarnish Robin's memory. She may feel torn about his place in this world, and the true purpose behind it, but she would never doubt his memory again.

"No reason." He sighed, hoping that would satisfy both Brady and Owain, "Just hoping moments like this last longer."

"Ain't that the truth." Brady remarked, flicking his eyes over towards Noire again.

Owain rolled his eyes, "Brady, if you are smitten by Noire, then you need to go speak with her!"

"Sm-smitten!" Brady stammered. He quickly undid the cap to his flask and took a large gulp of whatever strong liquid he had within. He gulped down his drink then winced, "Shit, that was a bit much."

"You're nervous." Lucina chuckled, using the Force to briefly sense how he was feeling. She leaned towards Owain, "He must really like her."

"After living with her in Valm for over a year, closeness has developed." Owain nodded in agreement, "Perhaps their hearts indeed do beat as one, and they have yet to find out."

"Quit with the flowery words crap before I punch ya in the jaw." Brady grunted.

"Is he wrong?" Lucina asked, letting a little bit of juvenile curiosity consume her. The future never allowed her to enjoy anything like this before. It was always a state of chaotic defense. Death and destruction reigned. And getting to learn about who liked who, and who crushed on who, was something she never had the opportunity to engage in.

Brady's cheeks reddened, "Well ah-" He scratched the back of his neck, "I mean-"

Lucina spun him around, pointed him towards Noire, and shoved him forward, nearly making the tipsy Priest trip over his own feet and crash into the cakes table. Lucina chuckled before cupping her hand to her mouth.

"Go get her!"

"I think he would've gone for a more subtle tactic." Owain muttered, rubbing his chin as he observed Brady flip both of them off, take a deep breath, then turn to speak to Noire.

"What are you and the loser talking about, Lucina." Severa interrupted, moving towards the table in order to grab a glass of champagne.

"Vena-" Owain froze as Severa gave him a sharp glare. He cleared his throat, "Severa. We were just witnessing either romantic triumph or catastrophe. Care to join?"

"Owain…" Lucina sighed.

"We're about to watch Brady make a fool of himself?" Severa sipped her glass of champagne, "This is gonna be good. Almost as good as when I saw your father's reaction to Cynthia being pregnant, Luci."

Lucina pinched the bridge of her nose, "Really, Sev?"

"Or that time Brady got into a fight with his violin and lost."

"Ha! Good times!" Owain laughed heartily.

Lucina uttered a light chuckle as she recalled how Brady received the scar over his left eye. It was during a night after they had successfully repulsed Grima's forces from Ylisstol. One of the few moments her Master allowed all of them to celebrate. They broke open the last barrels of firewine from the palace cellars and drank to their hearts' content. The entire time, Brady played his violin for them; until he messed up a note, blamed the violin, and smacked the strings with his bow. Which resulted in a string breaking and snapping against his eye. It left a scar as a nice reminder of that fun evening. The accident was the end of the revelry for the night, as her Master and Sir Frederick promptly confiscated the firewine.

She smiled at the memory. Even during the darkest of times, they found joy where they could. She had the same worries and stresses then as she did now, but it was so much easier to enjoy the little moments before. Why was that? Why did she struggle to live in the moment and enjoy this peaceful time with her friends and family now, and not back then? Was it the constant threat of death? Had she grown complacent due to the lack of an apocalypse surrounding her?

"You're scowling again." Severa pointed out, "Ain't gonna get a noble to come leaping after ya with that."

Lucina rolled her eyes at her friend, "I am not interested in getting a noble interested in me."

Severa shrugged, "Fair enough. Neither am I."

"Is that why you refused to wear a dress?" Owain asked.

"Exactly why." Severa muttered, taking a sip of her drink, "Besides, mother is wearing a dress, and I don't want to-"

"Be compared to her?" Lucina asked.  
Severa's face reddened and her grip on her glass tightened, "Steal her thunder… damn it." She sighed, "Fine! I don't want to be compared to her. Can't stand that."

"We don't do that to you, Venator." Owain replied.

Severa opened her mouth to reply, blinked, then glowered at Owain. At that moment, a waltz began to play.

"Odin…" Severa worked her jaw back and forth, "You and I need to have a talk."

Before Owain could protest, she set her glass down, grabbed him by the hand, and dragged him out to the dance floor. Lucina giggled a little as she watched Severa dance with an enormous frown, occasionally berating Owain for both the nickname, and his two left feet. Owain had a goofy, sheepish grin on his face the entire time as Severa guided him through the dance. Lucina remained near the drinks table, a content smile finally passing over her lips.

"Just enjoy tonight, Lucina." She reminded herself, muttering under her breath, "Just enjoy tonight."

A heavy sigh left her lungs, and she plucked a glass of champagne from the table. As she took a sip, she noticed Dooku approaching her. She grimaced, setting her glass to the side.

"Good evening, your majesty." Dooku said with a slight bow.

"Good evening, Dooku." Lucina nodded back, "What brings you in my direction."

"I was just coming by to inform you that your arm is ready for you to pick up. But please, I would prefer if you did so tomorrow morning. Who knows what business the Duchess will need me to conduct tomorrow." He took a glass of champagne and, in his usual regal, proper fashion, took a sip from it. He hummed, giving the glass an approving glance, "Wonderful selection. The Prince and Queen did well."

"Did they?"

"Ever had champagne before, Princess?" Dooku asked.

Lucina shrugged, "I think I had a sip of some after the Plegian War but I was… I was too lost at that time to enjoy it."

Dooku inclined his chin, "Lost, hm? As compared to now?"

"Now I am simply worried, not lost." Lucina met his gaze, "Why did you not inform my father about our visions?"

Dooku pursed his lips, "Kenobi and I were going to do so, but the appearance of Morgana the Black's envoys gave me some pause."

"Why would that give you pause?" Lucina asked.

Dooku frowned, "I'm not sure." He rubbed his chin, "It was a feeling in the force. Something stilled my tongue in that moment. There was a sudden clarity to the force that caught me off guard. I cannot entirely explain it."

Lucina furrowed her brow, "Something you can't entirely explain about the force is usually something to worry about."

Dooku chuckled at that, "At least you recognize my expertise, unlike Kenobi."

"To be fair, your history with each other is very- er- intense." Lucina replied.

"Has he told you stories?"

"A tidbit here and there." Lucina admitted, "So forgive me if I am a little more guarded now."

"You are wise to be that way." Dooku complimented, "A force adept should always remain on guard. One never knows when the force will send an unforeseen event our way." He glanced away from Lucina over to Luke, "The boy doesn't seem to understand that."

"I think he's simply trying to enjoy this evening." Lucina pointed out, "And probably still trying to figure out how in Naga's name he's going to be a good parent."

Dooku blinked, "Parent?" He narrowed his eyes over to Cynthia, and finally noticed the swell in her stomach, "Ah, I see." He shook his head, "The children couldn't control themselves."

Lucina snorted, "Cynthia controlling herself? You might as well ask the wind not to blow."

That managed to get an ever so slight laugh from Dooku, "Perhaps you are right. You're the one who apparently received the self control of your mother, rather than the impulsiveness of your father."

Lucina frowned at the apparent jab, but said nothing in reply to it. Dooku was just an abrasive old man. A Sith Lord as well. Of course they would not get along very well. They were polar opposites in ideology.

"Did you inform your father?" Dooku asked.

"Hm?" Lucina replied, suddenly dragged out of her thoughts by Dooku's question.

Dooku sighed, "Children and their inability to focus." He cleared his throat, "Did you inform your father about the situation involving the nightmares and visions?"

"Oh! Well, yes. I did tell him." Lucina nodded.

"And his thoughts?"

"He's worried." Lucina replied, "Rightfully so, in my opinion. If Sidious is as dangerous as both you and Ben say, then we need to be prepared for his arrival. Even if it is only a small chance that happens-"

"It is not a small chance anymore." Dooku muttered.

"Visions can be tricky, Dooku." Lucina argued back.

"But the Force eventually reveals all." Dooku reminded her, "And in this case, I feel the Force may be showing us something." He lowered his voice, "Dip into it now. Feel it."

Lucina furrowed her brow. Dooku seemed… anxious. The Sith Lord turned Deadlord was never nervous or anxious about anything. He had supreme confidence, bordering on arrogance, in his abilities with both a blade and the force. If all else failed, he had the knowledge that he could not truly die to help him through any moments of doubt. So if something worried the man, Lucina had to investigate it for herself.

She dipped her toes into the Force, expecting to feel it still in turmoil. Still tossing and rolling like mighty waves in a great storm. She thought she would see a haze through the force, nearly impenetrable to any attempt at foresight. As it had been for the better part of her time in the past.

Instead, the waters were calm. Still, like glass. Filled to the brim with the Dark Side of the Force. Something had calmed the raging storm, tamed the snarling monster within, and commanded it to rise to the surface. It made a cold sweat form on her brow. Grima himself did not leave the Force feeling like this. If anything, he sowed even more chaos into it with everything he did in the future. Making the raging storm more violent, the haze thicker, and the beast that was the Dark Side more furious. He never commanded it, but instead provoked it into a great wrath.

So who was controlling it?

"Only a Sith is capable of this." Dooku warned, "An exceptionally powerful one at that."

Lucina sucked in a breath, "H-he's close, isn't he?"

Dooku nodded, "I fear closer than we should be comfortable with."

Her heart pounded in her chest, "We need to tell my father, now!"

She took a step forward, then froze as her father rose from his throne. A hush fell over the nobles in attendance, and the music stopped. He took a deep breath, readying himself to address the crowd.

"I am sure you all are wondering why myself and the Queen are throwing such festivities tonight." Chrom began, a small, gracious smile on his lips as he played to the Nobles. Much to their delight, and to his internal chagrin, "Well, it is because we are celebrating some great news." He held out a hand to Sumia, "Sumia and I are expecting-"

The doors to the ballroom burst open. An Ylissean soldier with a terrified look on his face, and fear in his eyes, gasped as he rushed towards the thrones.

"Your majesty! Your majesty!"

Nobles started murmuring. Lucina's heart stopped beating in her chest as fear gripped her heart in a vice. Dooku tensed beside her, brow furrowing as he sank into the force, trying to decipher what the meaning of this interruption was.

"What is it?" Chrom asked, his noble smile gone and replaced with a furrowed brow. The gaze of a battle hardened commander.

The poor soldier looked like he soiled himself out of fear. WIth wide eyes, and a trembling hand, he pointed out the thrown open doors of the ballroom.

"A-an Iron Dragon! I swear to the gods, to Naga, even to Grima, milord! An iron dragon is coming down from the sky!"

Chrom's eyes widened. His gaze whipped over towards Lucina. Before she could do anything, Dooku was striding towards the doors. The Nobles all muttered, confused. Some started to laugh at the soldier's wild claims. But when they noticed their Prince unamused, their laughter died, and they began to wonder if what the soldier said was true. Dooku went silent, and stepped to the side in order to peer out a window.

"Take me to it." Chrom ordered.

Lucina jetted over to Luke. Luke was already striding towards her, Cynthia right behind him.

"What's going on?" Luke asked.

"I don't know, but-"

A loud roar filled the air within the ballroom. Nobles cried out in alarm, ducking their heads. Truly, a dragon had stumbled upon the city. Frederick cleared his throat and started ordering the guards within the ballroom to begin evacuating the Ball. Sumia remained near Frederick, but not out of choice. Chrom told her to stay put, since he was not sure what they were dealing with and wanted her to remain safe.

The rest of the Shepherds began to assist in calming the nobles and evacuating them. A few of them joined Chrom as he marched out of the palace. Lon'qu, Lissa, Kellam, Sully, and Vaike flanked the Prince. Cordelia did her best to calm down the Nobles while Henry wheeled her through the ballroom. Donnel stayed close to Maribelle as both worked to funnel the Nobles out of the palace, away from where the roar of the Iron Dragon was coming from. Anna, Gaius, and Panne defended the cakes, much to the Taguel's annoyance. Virion and Olivia joined Maribelle and Donnel, acting as calm guides out of the palace.

Lucina's face paled as the roar only grew louder. It was coming from the Palace Courtyard, near the Shepherds barracks.

"Let's go." She told Luke.

"Hey! Wait for me!" Cynthia cried. She picked up the hem of her dress and chased after the two force wielders. The rest of the children from the Future followed.

Lucina and Luke sprinted out of the palace and out to the courtyard, where they joined Chrom, Sully, Vaike, Lon'qu, Lissa, and Kellam. All of their gazes searched the night sky for any sign of an Iron Dragon. Lucina saw stars twinkling above her head. A full moon lumbered high in the night sky. But there was no-

The outline of a strange, flying object with three wings shadowed out the moon. Her eyes widened as it descended lower and lower. A bright light winked to life from it, nearly blinding her. She raised her hand, shielding her eyes. The roar from the object grew louder, drowning out everything else.

She squinted through the bright light and saw Luke's hand drift towards the lightsaber he always had on him. Chrom's hand rested on Falchion's pommel, his grip tightening, even though he was not sure what this thing was. Sully barked at both Inigo and Owain to grab all of them some swords from the barracks, and both of them rushed off to follow her order.

The roaring remained as the three winged, metal… thing finished its descent. It landed with a low groan in front of her father. Lucina pushed her way past Vaike so she could stand beside him. A strange wind whipped up around them as the bright light softened, revealing the head of the strange metal beast. A beast without eyes. Unless the strange, black colored glass counted as eyes? Or was it even glass?

 _What kind of dragon is this?_ Lucina thought as she struggled to compare it to the draconic forms of both Tiki and Nowi.

The sharp hiss rang out. Steam shot from a pair of pistons at the belly of the iron beast. A ramp started to lower, revealing a gray, lit up interior. Lucina's eyes widened. This was not a beast, and it certainly was not a dragon.

A group came down the ramp. For a split second, she could not tell who they were.

The hammering of her heart ended when she caught sight of stark white armor, perfectly polished and shined. Soldiers in white armor, with grimacing helmets, and strange, black weapons came down the ramp. At the head of them, was a… person? But he could not be a person. What person has blue skin and pupiless, red eyes. He looked human enough. He walked like a human. Had hands, feet, two ears, two eyes, and a nose. But at the same time, Lucina knew he could not be human.

"The hell?" Brady muttered, eyes wide. The cap to his flask was off, but he did not bother to take a drink.

Luke remained tense beside Lucina, his hand drifting closer and closer towards the lightsaber hidden in his robes. Chrom hand tightened around Falchion's grip. They all waited with bated breath as the group of five soldiers in white, a normal looking man in a gray uniform, and the blue skinned creature paused a few feet from them, at the base of the iron thing's ramp.

Lucina could scarcely catch her breath. Her eyes were glued to the soldiers in white. Then, the blue skinned man took another step forward, making her heart hammer in her chest again.

 _They're real._ She thought, panic and fear filling her, _Naga, they are real._

The blue skinned man paused a few feet from her father. He was taller than her father, but not by much. Maybe an inch or two. His slicked back, carefully tended to, black hair was a stark contrast to her father's more natural, blue hair. To Chrom's credit, he did not show any weakness in the face of this new creature. His face remained like stone, and his hand never left Falchion. The blue skinned man glanced at the divine weapon for a brief moment, then opened his mouth to speak.

"Greetings." He said, his voice disturbingly montone, "I am Admiral Thrawn of the Galactic Imperial Navy. May I ask who I am speaking to?"

The normal looking man leaned close to the blue man's ear, "Sir, perhaps they do not understand-"

"I understood just fine." Chrom replied, voice terse as he eyed Thrawn carefully.

Thrawn's red eyes widened ever so slightly, "Indeed, you did." The corner of his mouth twitched, hinting at a slight smile that he refused to wear, "I am glad to know that we can understand each other. That is a most fortuitous coincidence."

"I guess?" Chrom replied, suspicion thick in his voice.

"May I ask your name?" Thrawn asked once more.

Chrom kept his brow furrowed, "Prince Chrom, of House Ylisse."

Thrawn's gaze lit up, "Ah, then I guessed correctly. This is an important place on this world. Judging by the Prince title, I assume you are the ruler of this world?"

The tense exchange gained some levity when Sully snorted, "Of the world? Maybe in his head."

"Sully." Chrom hissed, warning her.

An amused look crossed Thrawn's eyes. Before he spoke again, he noticed some of the Nobles exiting the palace and gawking at him and his soldiers. He cleared his throat, and folded his hands behind his back.

"Perhaps we could move our discussion to a more private place? I'm sure it will help cause less of a stir."

Chrom followed his gaze over to the Nobles evacuating the Palace. Many stared in stunned awe at Thrawn, his vessel, and his men. Donnel gaped at the three winged thing, while Maribelle was rendered completely silent. Virion kept himself between the newcomers and Olivia, his brow furrowed as he regarded them with caution.

Chrom nodded in agreement.

"Yeah." His grip on Falchion relaxed a little, "Let's go somewhere private." He nodded for Thrawn to follow, "This way. Your men can stay here."

"Admiral?" The normal human questioned.

"You may come along, Captain." Thrawn replied, "I think the good prince is referring to the Stormtroopers." He waved a command, and the soldiers in white returned to the belly of their vessel, "Lead the way, your majesty."

Lucina stayed rooted in place as Chrom turned on his heel and walked back to the Palace. Thrawn followed, but he paused right beside her, red eyes regarding her with mild curiosity.

"You've been staring for some time. Who might you be?"

Lucina swallowed hard, "Lucina."

His expression did not change. But through the force, Lucina felt something strange emanate from him. A sense of victory, triumph, as if the knowledge of who she was fulfilled him in some way.

"It is a pleasure to meet you."

* * *

Primitive.

Far more primitive than even Thrawn could have anticipated. Especially since these people managed to destroy a probe droid.

A Republic Probe droid, even the old models, were always capable of self defense. They all had at least one blaster to fend off any threats or impediments to their assigned mission. Usually, Probe Droids were heavily armored as well, so they could withstand the impact they sustained upon landing on a planetary surface. The weapons these humans possessed, on this planet, could not penetrate that armor. Not unless they were made of an extremely durable, strong, sharp alloy.

 _So how did they destroy the Probe droid?_ He wondered as he followed this location's ruler, Prince Chrom, towards what he assumed to be a study within what appeared to be a palace.

While definitely a primitive society, judging by the lack of anything remotely industrious (there weren't even basic electrical lights, or even kerosene lamps), he had to admire one thing about this little civilization hidden in the deep core of the galaxy.

They were exquisite craftsmen. One could easily call them artists. The blade he saw on Prince Chrom's hip was unlike any he had ever seen before. It lacked any sort of traditional form, especially when it came to a guard. He wondered if it was, perhaps, a ceremonial weapon of sorts. But judging by how quickly the Prince's hand drifted to it upon his arrival, he doubted it was merely ceremonial.

The weapons they sported weren't the only things he found to be quite beautiful by design. The rest of the palace was a sight to behold. It was not as grand, or massive, as some of the other palaces he had seen in the Galaxy. It certainly did not rival the elegance or pomp of the Imperial Palace on Coruscant. By most metrics, it was far from spectacular.

However, it did not need such displays of grandeur. It was fancy enough, but also incredibly welcoming. A building that did wonders to display the skill of its people, while at the same time embracing newcomers with open arms. Wonderfully designed, in Thrawn's opinion. It spoke much about the values of the people that lived here. From the design of the palace: the soft tones of the paint, the gentle curves in the columns, the rounded edges of the windows along the corridor he strode through, and the focus on their history through tapestries instead of on any overt displays of power, he could tell these were peaceful people. They desired tranquility, craved it even.

 _But…_ He glanced at the heavily armored guards that flanked Prince Chrom. His red eyes flicked to the swords on their hips, and the lances in the grip of various guards wandering the halls of the palace, _They are not afraid of combat._

A peculiar dichotomy, but not one he necessarily disagreed with. Many civilizations in the galaxy believed in one of two philosophies: War and domination, or peace and cooperation. Galactic worlds, especially before the rise of the Empire, often revolved around one or the other.

The Mandalorians, for example, until the Empire brought them to heel, were a warlike race that thrived on conquest and domination. Their entire culture was built around it. The very thought of peace with others sparked outrage among the common folk of that world. It made them a powerful warrior race. But it also created their greatest flaw: the inability to know when to quit. To know when they were beaten.

The Naboo, were on the other end of that spectrum. A Human civilization with enduring peaceful intentions. For the majority of their history, with the exception of the Gungans, they lacked any formal military. Only a small security force resided on the planet. While admirable, and a recipe for mild peace and quiet, it also made them easy targets. Queen Amidala and her advisors found that out the hard way when the Trade Federation came knocking on their door.

This civilization of humans believed in both. Peace, but strength. Perhaps even peace through strength. The prospering city surrounding the royal palace was a sign of strong leadership. It made him grow some respect for Prince Chrom. Even if this was a primitive people, without knowledge of even the most basic of steam engines, they were not primitive in their culture or their morals. It made the gap between the Empire, and them, possible to bridge.

 _If all goes well, Lord Vader will never have to set foot here._

Thrawn hoped the Fist of the Emperor would never have to come down here. Lord Vader was not meant for peaceful negotiations. Now, he could be wrong, but he doubted it. Thrawn was hardly ever wrong when he assessed an individual. He had been around Lord Vader enough in the past three years to have a pretty firm grasp on who he was, and how he would interact with these people. He would be cold, firm, blunt- perhaps too blunt. He was a hammer that someone brought to the negotiating table when they did not plan on striking a compromise. The brute force, the trump card, the player that flipped the table over and punched the opponent until they couldn't put up anymore resistance. He was not suited for delicate first contact work. Even less suited due to the main objective.

He glanced at the woman trailing behind him and Vanto. Lucina looked at him with intense caution, bordering on fear. Other than when his shuttle touched down in the Palace courtyard, scaring all of the natives in the process, she was the only one who showed any fear afterwards. Odd too, considering that the others guiding him towards the Prince's study did not seem afraid. Rather, they were wary and curious.

A guard opened a solid, wood door at the end of a hallway, allowing the Prince, his small retinue, Thrawn, and Vanto to enter. Thrawn quickly took notice of everything in the study.

It was certainly a monarch's office. A grand tapestry hung from the one wall without windows, depicting the life of a woman with blonde hair and a serene expression. Perhaps the founder of this nation? Or maybe someone of even greater importance? If she was the founder, then she would have been on display for the entire palace to see, not just in the Prince's study. No, the woman depicted in the tapestry had deep personal meaning to the Prince. He noticed the strange mark on her forehead, then noticed that same mark on the Prince's shoulder as the monarch unbuttoned, then shrugged off his formal coat and set it over the back of his chair.

 _A relative? Perhaps a parent or a sibling?_

Another thing he quickly gleaned: this Prince did not give a damn about formality. If he did, that coat would have stayed on. He would have remained stiff, but courteous. As soon as the study doors closed, and it was only himself, his retinue, Thrawn, and Vanto, his entire demeanor shifted to a more relaxed posture. He still appeared wary, and rightfully so. Thrawn did just descend from the sky in a machine no one on this planet had ever seen before. But he no longer looked uncomfortable or tense.

There was a large bookshelf in the study, and for a second, Thrawn guessed the Prince to be a man of learning as well. But the spines were not cracked, which told Thrawn that perhaps the Prince was not as much an intellectual as he initially thought. Finally, the large window behind the chair and desk, looking out to the city he ruled over. A fabulous view fit for a king. The fact that Prince Chrom placed such emphasis on that window, dominating the room, told Chrom that he cared deeply for the success of those he ruled over. He was a good ruler, and likely a good man.

 _Perhaps negotiations are going to go much smoother than expected?_

A heavy sigh escaped Prince Chrom's lips, "So… your name is Thrawn?"

"Admiral Thrawn." Captain Vanto quickly corrected, only to be silenced by a sharp glare from his commanding officer.

"It is, your majesty." Thrawn replied, tone as even as if he were speaking to one of his soldiers. He made a show about glancing around the room, "I must say, this is a lovely study."

That earned him a slight smirk, "It's not really mine." Chrom stated, catching Thrawn off guard, "I use it now, but I've never been the kind of person to sit behind a desk and do work. This was my… close advisor's study at one point. He's gone now though."

 _Much more of a soldier than ruler then?_ Thrawn observed as the Prince remained standing, his hand never drifting too far away from the sword at his hip.

Chrom cleared his throat, "Right, I always forget my formalities. Frederick loves to remind me about those." He nodded to the taller, broader man near the door, "That is Frederick, Knight Commander of Ylisse." Thrawn gave the man a nod, "These are a few of his subordinates: Sully, Kellam, Lon'qu, and Vaike." The Prince then gestured to the young, blonde woman standing near him, "This is my younger sister, Lissa."

"H-hi?" Lissa replied, giving Thrawn and Vanto a nervous wave of her hand.

Chrom opened his mouth again, only for the doors to the study to burst open. A woman in a wheeled chair was shoved in by a man in purple and gold robes. A bright smile was on the young man's lips despite the apparent tension within the study. Trailing just behind those two, was a woman wearing a regal gown fit for a queen. She carried herself tall and proud, calmly striding by everyone else towards the Prince.

"And…" Chrom uttered a reluctant sigh, "This is my wife, Sumia."

 _Oh?_ Thrawn now understood that hesitant sigh. The Prince did not want someone so close to him in this room.

"And you've already introduced yourself to Lucina."

Thrawn glanced over his shoulder at the anxious, blue haired woman. His objective in this mission was mere feet behind him. All he had to do was calmly negotiate a way to come with him to Coruscant. It shouldn't be too difficult. She was clearly someone of importance in this land, otherwise she would not be in the Prince's study at this moment.

"Now then," Chrom cleared his throat, "Where um… where do we go from here?"

Vanto pursed his lips, "That's actually a good question. Admiral?"

Thrawn nodded, "Normally, there are certain protocols that must be followed when a vessel of the Imperial Navy makes first contact with a new civilization. However, that first contact is normally not with people, and I mean this with no offense, as primitive as you are."

"Primitive?" Vaike said, a little puzzled.

"He's calling ya dumb, shit for brains." Sully muttered, "One of them cave folks from waaaay back in the day. Har! Maybe I should call you a Knuckle Dragger. You might've fit in well with them."

The people in the room chuckled at Sully's jest. Vanto even joined in the laughter, albeit more quietly. Thrawn allowed an amused expression to cross his lips, but he kept his attention focused on the task at hand.

"Due to the nature of your civilization, I'm going to disregard the usual protocols in favor of gathering as much information as possible. The more information I have, the more easily we can build a cooperative relationship."

Chrom furrowed his brow at that. He remained standing, never even moving to pull the chair out from his desk.

"In my experience, empires are not very cooperative." He explained, "I've already fought one, and beaten them, in a war. A recent one at that. So forgive my hesitance to believe you in this instance."

Thrawn inclined his chin. Another Empire existed at one point on this planet. Which meant this world was fractured between different civilizations. Civilizations that were actively hostile to each other too. No better than a bunch of warlords and clans running about the planet. No wonder the Prince and his people valued strength of arms as much as their desire for peace. They needed to be militarily capable of defending themselves and striking back against any manner of enemy.

 _It will also make any sort of peaceful takeover of the planet borderline impossible._ Thrawn thought. After all, different rulers, different civilizations, had different cultures. They had different laws, different priorities, different values. All of which would be difficult to properly balance.

 _One thing at a time._ He reminded himself, _We must complete the objective first._

"I completely understand, your majesty." Thrawn replied, "War tends to leave unseen scars, and it can make us hesitant to engage with anyone similar to their previous enemy. But I can assure you, the Galactic Empire is not a warmaking Empire. In fact, its founding ended a years long civil war, and brought stability and peace back to the galaxy."

"Did it?" Chrom replied, skeptical. He glanced at Sumia, who gave him a small shrug, "I'm sure you want to negotiate some sort of… treaty?"

Thrawn nodded, "That would be ideal, yes."

"Well," Chrom took a breath, "I would like to do so as well, but I will not without one of my chief advisors present. He is currently away on a diplomatic mission, but should return soon."

"Oh, right!" Lissa chirped, "Ben had to go talk to those Dark Mages."

 _Dark Mages?_ Thrawn thought, his brow raising slightly.

"Heh, gotta wait for General Kenobi to come help out, eh Chrom?" Vaike teased. Thrawn's entire body stiffened, "Maybe you should ask him to teach ya a thing or two? Or better yet, Teach himself could teach ya a thing or two about talking."

"Negotiating is different than talking." Sully pointed out as she jabbed Vaike's shoulder.

"Teach knows that!"

 _General Kenobi?_ Thrawn thought.

One glance at Vanto, and he noticed that his aide was thinking the same thing. It should not be possible for there to be a General Kenobi on this planet. Unless this world had a familial line called Kenobi (which would be a remarkable and impossible coincidence with odds that even a protocol droid could not calculate), then the Prince was referring to _THE_ General Kenobi. The one supposedly killed during the latter days of the Republic, when the Jedi Order was purged by then Chancellor Palpatine.

"So, I appreciate the offer to begin discussions." Chrom stated, not missing a beat despite his friends comments, "but I'm going to wait until I can get a second, reliable perspective on this. Besides, I barely know you." Chrom pushed away from the desk and stepped around it, "I hope that maybe you could stay a day or two, so that we can get to know each other a little better."

The Prince held out a hand to the Chiss Admiral. Thrawn glanced at it, then took it, giving the Prince a firm handshake.

"It would be a pleasure, your majesty." Thrawn said with a small nod.

"Great." Chrom nodded back, "Frederick, see the Admiral to the guest quarters. And try your best to give him a room away from Maribelle."

"Of course, milord." Frederick nodded, opening the door to the study for Thrawn and Vanto. As the pair exited with Frederick, Thrawn could feel Lucina's stare never leaving him.

 _She suspects something._

Chrom walked with them for a few paces, "It is late. In the morning, we can talk more. For now, um… enjoy Ylisstol. I'll send a messenger for you to let you know when breakfast is ready in the morning."

"That would be appreciated, your majesty." Thrawn blinked, "What of my soldiers?"

Chrom hesitated, "Cordelia?"

"Yes?" The woman in the wheelchair replied.

"How much room is there in the old barracks?"

"The Shepherds' barracks?" Cordelia replied, "There's… a few bunks available. More than enough for the Admiral's men to sleep in."

"Then they can stay there. Sully and Vaike can show them where that is."

"We can?" Sully replied, one eyebrow raised.

"We can!" Vaike declared, marching away with Sully trailing behind him.

Thrawn gave them all a small, grateful smile, "Thank you very much. Myself and my men are grateful."

Chrom nodded, "Well, enjoy your evening, Admiral. I have some work to get done now, so we will talk in the morning."

"You as well, your majesty." Thrawn said with a bow. Vanto mimicked him.

Without another word, the Admiral and his aide followed Frederick away from the Study. As they walked, Thrawn took in more of the palace, occasionally taking a long glance at a painting or tapestry that caught his artistic eye.

After a few moments, a flight of stairs, and a stroll down a long corridor, Frederick directed them towards a room with a pair of small beds in it.

"Unfortunately, this is the best we can do. Duchess Maribelle of Themis is also in town at the moment, and she is a close personal friend of the Royal Family. She has the main guest suite." Frederick explained, his expression neutral, eyes wary, and voice tense.

Thrawn nodded, "Not to worry. The hospitality alone is appreciated."

Frederick nodded, "If you need anything, there is usually a guard at the end of the corridor. Privy is also at the end of the hall."

Vanto blinked, "Pr-privy?"

"Thank you, Sir Frederick, I assume?" Thrawn guessed. The broad shouldered man nodded, "We will not need any more assistance. It has been a long day, and we are looking forward to some rest."

"Likewise." Frederick nodded in agreement, "Have a goodnight, Admiral."

The door shut, leaving Thrawn and Vanto alone in the guests' quarters. A quaint space. Neutrally decorated to match the rest of the palace. A small, green banner with the same symbol he saw tattooed on to the Prince's shoulder rested over the door. There was a small balcony on the other side of a windowed doorway. The two small beds were on opposing sides of the room, giving the two occupants their own space.

"It's not bad." Vanto mumbled, "What exactly is a privy though?"

"The lavatory, Captain."

Vanto blanched, "O-oh- um... I'm guessing plumbing is-"

"This palace certainly has plumbing, otherwise it would not be so clean." Thrawn corrected Vanto before he could finish his statement, "It is just not very advanced. I suggest washing your hands thoroughly."

"Noted." Vanto nodded, a weak grin on his lips. He sighed and folded his arms. His fingers tapped against his sleeves, "So, this is interesting."

"You noticed, didn't you?" Thrawn quickly brought up, keeping his voice low in case there was any way for anyone to listen in on their conversation.

Vanto's eyes shifted back and forth. He was keeping a wary eye out for any listening devices as well. Good, Thrawn had taught him well so far.

"I did. It's been a long time since I heard _that_ name. Used to hear it all the time in Republic Propaganda during the Clone Wars." Vanto furrowed his brow as Thrawn moved towards the balcony door, "You don't think they're the same person, do you?"

"Unless this planet also has a Kenobi family here, which I very much doubt, then that is certainly a possibility."

"How?" Vanto asked, "Obi Wan Kenobi was reported killed in action on Utapau."

"Did they ever find a body?" Thrawn asked.

Vanto furrowed his brow, "I-I'm not sure." He reached for the small, portable datapad he kept on his person, "I'll conduct some quick research."

"Good." Thrawn nodded, "If this is the same Kenobi as the Jedi General, then we may have hit an unforeseen snag in our mission."

Vanto was quiet a moment as he picked up on what Thrawn was worried about.

"A Jedi is going to attract Lord Vader's attention, isn't it?"

Thrawn gave Vanto a grim nod before returning his attention to the balcony window, "It will. And unfortunately, I must report the possibility to him."

Vanto paled, "C-can't we just… fudge the report for now? We want this to remain peaceful, right?"

"Do you want to test Lord Vader's wrath? Remember, he may be joining us on this mission, but his primary mission for the Emperor has always been the eradication of any surviving Jedi. If Obi Wan Kenobi is here, then that is a Jedi Lord Vader cannot ignore. Kenobi was a member of the Jedi High Council, after all."

Vanto furrowed his brow as Thrawn brought a hand to his chin.

"You're worried now, Admiral?" Vanto observed.

"Very." Thrawn muttered, "Because now, we're stuck. No matter what, Vader will want to investigate this personally. If his personality is any indicator, the investigation might end in a bloodbath."

"So… our offer of negotiations and a treaty is-"

"Now a farce, yes." Thrawn finished for Vanto. The disgruntled Chiss reached for his comm link and clicked in on, "Now, all we can do is buy what little time we can to remedy this situation and maybe achieve the objective before violence occurs."

"Isn't there a possibility that Lord Vader restrains himself for the sake of the mission?" Vanto asked.

"When it comes to hunting Jedi, I'm not sure." Thrawn replied, "That uncertainty worries me." He brought the comm to his lips, "Chimaera, this is Admiral Thrawn, do you read?"

Static at first. Then the thunderous baritone of Lord Vader replied.

" _Have you located the target, Admiral?"_

Thrawn sighed. Such single minded focus was both a blessing and curse. In this instance, a blessing for Vader, and an annoying curse for him.

"I have." Thrawn replied.

" _Is she apprehended?"_

Thrawn exhaled, "Not yet."

" _Why not?"_

Thrawn clenched his jaw. Rare conundrums like this caused him great annoyance. There were not many right moves to take from here. He wanted to avoid violence if at all possible. Decimating this civilization with brute force would be an exceptional waste of firepower and lives. But he did not want to risk Lord Vader's wrath. He already pushed his luck far enough in that regard. If he were to go against the Emperor's directive to eliminate any Jedi upon discovery, that would give Vader all the excuse he needed to eliminate him in turn.

There was only one route forward.

"There is a complication."

" _I do not deal in complications, Admiral. Neither does the Emperor."_ Vader growled back, " _Are you incapable of accomplishing the task at hand?"_

Thrawn grit his teeth, "I am. However… we have a possible Jedi here."

Vader went dead silent. Thrawn furrowed his brow after a couple moments as he wondered if he might have lost connection with the _Chimaera._

" _Have you identified the Jedi?"_

Thrawn took a deep breath, "In person, no. But we have a name." He took one more breath. No turning back now, "The locals call him General Kenobi."

The silence from Vader was deafening. Thrawn again, wondered if he lost connection.

" _I am on my way."_

 _Wh-what!?_

"Lord Vader?" Thrawn asked, voice even, "These people could be mistaken. It could be that-"

" _Obi Wan Kenobi was never confirmed killed on Utapau."_ Lord Vader growled, " _We thought he was eliminated later during the purge, but his body has never been recovered. Which means any report of his survival is to be treated as true. I will be on the planet's surface in the next hour. I expect to speak with you, and whoever you contacted, immediately."_

The comm on the other end of the connection clicked off, telling Thrawn the conversation was over. Thrawn uttered a heavy sigh. He clipped the commlink back to his belt.

"Vanto, you might want to go tell that guard that I need to speak with the Prince urgently."

"What should I say, sir?" Vanto asked.

Thrawn looked up at the night sky from the balcony window. He folded his hands behind his back. The first steps have been taken. He hoped Lord Vader would wait for concrete confirmation regarding the possible Jedi. He should not have gotten his hopes up.

"Tell him Lord Vader is on his way to talk."

 _And pray that he keeps himself restrained._

* * *

It was a name that made Darth Vader's heart nearly stop beating his chest. When it started again, it beat faster than ever before as rage pulsed through his veins. Sheer hatred burned hot within him as the name Thrawn said echoed in his mind.

 _General Kenobi… Obi Wan Kenobi… Master…_

All of those feelings, all of those stirrings in the Force that he felt throughout this long journey to this planet, were not misplaced. The Dark Side revealed the truth to him long ago, he just refused to believe it. Obi Wan Kenobi was alive, and hiding here; on an unknown planet in the Deep Core of the galaxy. Vader could scarcely believe it, but he knew it was true.

His powerful, cybernetic legs carried him off of the turbolift as soon as the door opened to the hangar bay. A platoon of stormtroopers, the 501st's finest, waited for him next to a second Lambda class shuttle. They were not there to act as guards on the planet's surface. Lord Vader did not need guards. He needed soldiers to help him exterminate the Jedi, and any who sheltered him.

This was the vanguard, which he would lead personally. More landing shuttles were being fueled as he marched past the platoon and up into the belly of his shuttle. Within a few hours, more soldiers would be ready to storm the planet, if needed. Lord Vader would assess the necessity of further action once he landed.

 _Kenobi…_

He strode to the cockpit of the shuttle and folded his arms. After all these years, his old master, the man who betrayed him, who nearly killed him, who turned Padme away from him, was within his grasp. Vader long feared that he would never have the opportunity to kill the damned Jedi Master personally. Initial official reports during Order 66 always said that Jedi General Obi Wan Kenobi had been killed during the Battle of Utapau by his soldiers in the 212th Attack Battalion. When no body was recovered, it was immediately assumed by those in the know that Kenobi survived.

In reality, Kenobi was killed attempting to kidnap Senator Bail Organa of Alderaan and his newborn daughter, Leia. Blasted to smithereens as he tried to flee the Imperial navy via an escape pod from Senator Organa's corvette. Of course there would be no body to recover then, it was supposed to be vaporized. The entire situation was kept very quiet, in order to save the reputation of Senator Organa, who had become a staunch supporter of Emperor Palpatine in the Senate. Lord Vader learned of it only when his Master told him personally.

So, how was it possible for Kenobi to be alive? Was he, perhaps, acting prematurely?

No, the Force did not lie. His instincts did not lie. The Dark Side whispered to him throughout this voyage, telling him that his greatest foe, his greatest prize, lay at the end of it. Obi Wan Kenobi was alive.

 _I will destroy him._

Vader's shuttle lifted off. The foils unfolded as it exited the hanger, and it jetted down to the planet's surface, following Thrawn's signal to a lone city. A city Thrawn managed to message the name of.

Ylisstol.

 **And chapter! Thrawn has arrived and met Chrom! A pretty tame meeting all things considered. But now, Vader is coming down, all because of Kenobi's name being dropped. Things are gonna get bad, fast. And I'm going to have fun writing it! Not much else to say about this chapter, really. We're moving at a pretty fast pace now towards a big showdown. Hope you all are ready for it!  
Anyways, let me know what you guys think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed it! Have a nice day, and stay safe out there!**

 **Come join the Treehouse! Discord code is: 9XG3U7a**


	134. Imperial March

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 134

Imperial March

Sleep utterly eluded her. Lucina lay in her bed, inside of the royal palace. As soon as the Ball ended, and Thrawn was escorted out of Robin's old study, she retreated to her room and quickly shut herself inside. She lit a single candle, set it down on her nightstand, stripped out of her gown, and quickly dressed herself into clothes that were far more comfortable. As much as she liked the dress her mother gave her, she needed something cozy, because right now, she felt very on edge.

They were real. The soldiers in white armor weren't just machinations of the Dark Side. Those very soldiers slept in the Shepherds' barracks now, compliments of her father and mother.

She sat upright and tucked her knees close to her chest, wrapping her arm around her legs. Even in the comfort of her bed she did not feel safe. If those soldiers were real, that meant the coming assault on Ylisstol was real too. That meant the monster in black armor was real too, wasn't he?

She swallowed hard, head turning to look out the window that led to her personal balcony. Her window looked out to the Ylissean countryside, with its rolling plains and fields of waving grass that shimmered with faint silver light due to the full moon. If her visions were correct, they would be illuminated by fire soon. The city she loved, the city she sacrificed everything to save, would be destroyed.

The fear settled in her gut, then was quickly replaced by sharp determination. Resolute defiance filled her, and she surged to her feet, marching across the room to her wardrobe. She threw it open and reached for her usual travel clothes: a black bodysuit to go beneath her blue clothes that hid small leather plates. Once those were on, she grabbed the red cape she always wore and tied it around her neck, draping it over the stump that was her right arm.

These clothes were similar to the ones she wore when she left the future and retreated to the past. Similar to the ones she wore when she dedicated her life to defeating Grima, and creating a different future than the hellscape she knew.

Out of the corner of her eye, sitting in the back corner of the wardrobe, was her old blue mask. A thin film of dust rested over the blue metal, making it look dull in the faint candlelight. She reached out and plucked it from the wardrobe, hand shaking a little bit as she gazed upon the relic of an old life.

Memoires flooded her mind. She recalled the day she first donned the guise of Marth, the descendent of the Hero-King. It was a way for her to bring hope to her people. A beacon of light in the darkness that Grima spread during the last days of her Halidom. That hope remained even when she returned to the past. She kept the persona, kept the mask, and used it to try and fulfill her mission. Did her best to keep her true identity hidden, until she couldn't do it anymore.

She swallowed hard, grip tightening around the mask. Was this her fault? Did she upset the course of events too much? Was Ylisstol going to burn earlier because of her? Because she decided to reveal who she really was to her parents and her Master? It felt like a fist embedded itself in her gut at that thought. She bowed her head, keeping the mask in sight.

If she was going to figure out Thrawn's true motivations for being here, she would have to don the persona of Marth once again. He knew her real name, knew what she looked liked. She had to protect herself and her family somehow. Just as she was about to place the old, familiar mask over her face, a knock sounded on her door, freezing her in place.

"Luci?" Cynthia called from the other side of her door, "Luke's um… kinda upset, and he needs to talk to ya."

Lucina furrowed her brow. She hesitated, set the mask down in her wardrobe, then strode to the door, opening it for Cynthia. She expected to see just her sister in the doorway, but was surprised when Luke barged in, pulling Cynthia inside with him. Lucina quietly shut the door behind them.

"What is it?" She hissed.

"Luci, Luke's been saying some freaky stuff and-" Cynthia's eyes narrowed, "Why are you in that? You should be sleeping."

"Can't sleep." Lucina said with a shrug.

"Me too." Luke muttered as he passed by her wardrobe, eyes focused on her window. Using the force, he quickly drew the curtains closed, turned around, and noticed the mask sitting on the shelf in her wardrobe. He reached for it, and took it gingerly in one of his hands. His sharp glare turned back to Lucina, "Planning on going somewhere?"

Cynthia gasped before Lucina could respond, "Luci, you can't just leave."

"I didn't plan," Lucina marched over to Luke and snatched the mask from his hands, "on leaving." She huffed, tossed the mask back in the wardrobe, then shut it, "I planned on spying."

Luke furrowed his brow, "Spying huh?"

"You're not sneaky, Luci." Cynthia pointed out.

"I-" Lucina grit her teeth, trying to keep her frustration and anxiety from exploding out. Her entire body felt shaky due to how much fear she felt. Her visions were true. They were all true. She needed to stop them.

"Sit down." Luke ordered her.

Lucina felt his presence in the force, and she scowled at him.

"Don't you dare try to read my thoughts." She warned, "We may be on much better terms, but that is still a boundary."

Cynthia's gaze whipped back and forth between the two, "You can read minds?"

"You knew that already." Luke sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, "And that's not the point. I don't have to read your mind to know how on edge you feel, Lucina." He took a deep breath, exhaling slowly as he ducked his gaze down to his feet, "I feel the same way."

Lucina nodded, "Yeah… it's happening. The Visions are coming true." She grit her teeth, marched over to the chest that rested at the foot of her bed, opened it, and withdrew two blades. The first was a simple steel sword. A common weapon among the Ylissean military. The other were the shards of her Falchion, still resting within the battered scabbard she had worn since she inherited the divine weapon, "But only if we let it."

Luke furrowed his brow at her, "Lucina, I'm not one to bring up Maul but-"

"Don't then." She replied coldly. She marched past both Cynthia and Luke towards her door.

Luke spun to keep speaking to her, "He tried to change the future too." He sighed as she stopped walking at the door, hand wrapped around the doorknob, "Maybe in a more personal way, but he still tried. We both know how that ended."

"So what about us?" Lucina argued back, "Have we made things worse by trying to change the future? If we know something is for certain going to happen, don't we have an obligation to change it?"

"How could either of you think we've made it worse." Cynthia finally piped up, her voice quiet in the night, a stark contrast to her usual cheerful volume. She marched a few steps closer to Cynthia, getting between both force wielders as her eyes remained wide, tears bubbling in them, "H-how could either of you-" She sucked in a deep breath, "Have we lost people, yeah… we have. But… we have our families again. Do either of you have any idea how- how happy that makes me. How happy that makes all of us. Laurent lost his mom, yeah. But he has his father again, _and_ he had his mother for a time. That's better than not having either!" She stomped her foot, "A-and I have my mom and dad again, and I have a second family now with you Luke! And you all want to say things have gotten worse!?"

Lucina swallowed hard, eyes failing to meet her sister's. Luke glanced down at his feet, lips pursed as some shame filled him.

"We've sacrificed so much for this." Cynthia breathed, "I refuse to believe we've sacrificed all that for… for worse results!"

"Cynthia…" Lucina breathed, she finally looked back over her shoulder at her younger sister, "If I don't do what I'm about to do, it will be far worse."

She pulled the door open, and all three froze inside when they saw Lissa standing in front of their door, knuckles raised to start knocking. A long candle burned in her free hand. She was clearly still sleepy, or just woke up from being fast asleep. Her hair was not held up in its usual twin ponytails, but instead sat down in long, lazy blonde locks. Her half open eyes widened quickly when she saw Lucina staring back at her.

"Oh!" She said with a start, "Good, you're up. Um…" She rubbed a hand over one eye, "Chrom needs to see you."

Lucina's heart stopped in her chest. She had a feeling she knew what this was going to be about. Her father knew about the visions. Now that they were seemingly coming true, he would want to talk about them in much more depth than before. She glanced back at Luke.

"You should come too." she told Luke.

Luke nodded and proceeded to follow Lucina. Cynthia and Lissa trailed behind both of them, the usually bubbly royals eerily quiet this evening.

They all strode quickly through the dark corridors of the Exalt's palace, easily navigating their way through the deep shadows and pale moonlight towards her parent's quarters. When they neared their door, Lucina could see light flickering from the crack beneath their door.

"Do they know?" Luke asked as they reached the door, his voice hushed.

Lucina drew in a deep breath, "My father knows." She knocked on her parent's door, "Mother is about to find out."

Silence, for a moment, then the door cracked open. Chrom peeked out at both Lucina and Luke. His brow furrowed a little when he noticed Luke, but when he saw Lucina his expression softened and he opened the door for them.

"Come in." He muttered.

Lucina and Luke stepped inside. Once inside, Lucina realized that multiple candles were burning in the room. Her parents have not tried to fall asleep at all. Her mother sat still on their bed, hands wringing in her lap. Chrom uttered a heavy sigh as he walked back over to her. He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. His way of trying to ease the tension she felt, but it did not work, only managing to elicit a shuddering sigh from his wife.

Chrom raised his gaze back to the two children from the future.

"She knows?" Lucina asked.

Chrom nodded, "Yes. I told her as soon as we had time after… after Thrawn was shown to the guest quarters." He took a deep breath, "I need to know what exactly happens in these visions. Every detail. Nothing held back." His eyes flicked over to Luke, "From both of you."

Lucina nodded. She opened her mouth to start explaining when a knock sounded on the door. Everyone in the room froze. Sumia stiffened where she sat. She gave her husband a fear filled glance. He gave her a gentle rub on her back before rising from where he sat next to her and striding to the door. A guard was on the other side, waiting for the Prince to answer.

"Y-your majesty, that um… the blue man wants to speak with you."

Chrom furrowed his brow, "I told him we would speak in the morning."

"His comrade, the normal looking man," The guard continued before Chrom could close the door, "said it was urgent. He looked a bit afraid, milord."

Chrom uttered a heavy sigh, "No rest this evening…" He muttered, "Not that I could get any given what is going on. Very well, lead the-" he stopped talking as boots clicked against the floors behind the guard. Chrom peered into the darkness and saw both Thrawn and his human comrade striding towards his door. He grit his teeth, and Lucina gripped her steel sword.

Thrawn paused behind the guard, "I apologize for the intrusion, your majesty." He began, voice as monotone and emotionless as ever. There was something about it that unnerved Chrom. No one should be able to talk like that, "But this is urgent, and your guard was taking his time."

Chrom frowned back, "It better be good."

"It…" For the first time, some emotion flickered on the blue alien's face. Lucina's grip tightened on her sword, "It depends. May I come in? It may be best for us to speak without any other ears hearing. At least, those you may not be able to trust."

Chrom glanced at the guard, "Thank you. Back to your post."

"Yes, milord."

As the guard walked away, Chrom nodded for Thrawn and Vanto to enter. Lucina's heart thumped in her chest as Thrawn walked in. His pupiless eyes shifted, making it look like he was glancing at her. It only made her want to draw her blade and impale it into his unfeeling heart. Something about this man, if she could even call him that, made her feel afraid. He was dangerous, the force told her as much. The way he moved and spoke so calmly told her that even in the presence of an entirely foreign situation he would not be disturbed.

Sumia rose at that point. She hid her own fear well, as a Queen should. But not as well as Chrom. She swallowed hard, giving Thrawn and Vanto a stiff nod.

"Good evening." She muttered.

"Good evening, your majesty." Thrawn nodded back.

"What's the meaning of this?" Chrom asked, voice curt.

Thrawn drew in a deep breath, "My superior is on his way down from our ship beyond your atmosphere. He is going to be here within the hour."

Lucina's eyes widened. Luke's brows furrowed beside her. Through the force, she could feel his senses immediately stretch out. An attempt to figure out who, or what, was coming their way. Meanwhile, Lissa and Cynthia lingered near the door, apprehensive about this late night visit from the Imperial Admiral.

"Superior?" Chrom echoed, puzzled, "I thought you were an Admiral. Who could outrank you?"

"The Emperor's right hand." Thrawn answered bluntly, "He accompanied me on my mission. His name is Lord Vader, and he is anxious to speak with you about a specific topic."

Chrom furrowed his brow as Thrawn slowly walked away from the door towards the balcony. As he walked, he brushed something on his gray sleeve. A button of some sort. Lucina could not tell what it was.

 _Maybe he's adjusting his sleeve?_

"What topic?" Chrom asked.

Thrawn paused by the balcony doors. His red eyes peered out into the night sky. One bright light grew brighter as it drew closer to the city, signaling that it was definitely not a star. As it drew closer, Luke's face blanched. He glanced at Lucina.

"He's stronger than Maul." He whispered to her, causing her to pale.

"The topic is one that is… personal for Lord Vader." Thrawn began, "You see, before he was assigned to assist me on this mission of discovery, he was known as the Jedi Hunter."

Lucina's mouth was dry. Sweat formed on her brow. Her heart hammered so fast in her chest that she feared it would burst due to fear. Not even Luke's familiar presence in the force could stem the terror she was feeling. A man known as the Jedi Hunter was descending to her world, to her home, and she knew why.

 _Master…_

Chrom seemed to pick up on what Thrawn meant as well. His brow furrowed and he scowled, "Whatever your people think of Ben, it is no longer any of your business."

Thrawn seemed surprised by Chrom's quick realization of where the conversation was going. He turned to glance at the Prince. Vanto remained near the door, hands clasped in front of his body as his gaze shifted nervously between everyone in the room.

"So…" Thrawn said, voice cutting through the night air like a dagger, "There is a Jedi hiding amongst you?"

Lucina's heart froze in her chest. It was a test. The question, the mention of the Jedi Hunter, was a trick. A way for Thrawn to deduce if her Master really was one of the most wanted men in the entire galaxy. He did not know Ben was actually a Jedi. He suspected, but he was not certain. After her father's reaction, he knew for sure that Ben was a Jedi.

Chrom was caught off balance, "I- I didn't-"

"Oh, but you did." Thrawn tapped his wrist with two fingers again. Vanto's eyes widened briefly near the door, "Do you have any idea how dangerous a Jedi is, your majesty? There is a reason why the Emperor has designated them as outlaws of the highest degree." He spun around to face Chrom, "However, given how close you and your family seem to be to this Jedi leads me to believe that you are entirely aware of their prowess." Thrawn stared directly at Chrom. An unblinking, red stare of judgement, "Which means you have been sheltering an enemy of the Empire."

Chrom glared right back, his own stare unwavering. Out of the corner of her eye, Lucina could see him reaching into the sleeve of his left robe.

"We are not a part of your Empire." Chrom growled back.

Thrawn sniffed, "Neither is Hutt Space, but they know their place. You will know yours as well."

"Is that a threat?"

"It is a promise, your majesty." Thrawn replied, even toned and unfazed by Chrom's growing anger. He turned his body to look out the window again, his reflection distorted by the night sky filtering through the glass, "A promise that will be kept if certain concessions are not made. Make them with me now, and worse consequences will not come to you."

Outside, drifting down even faster from the stars and the inky night sky, was a set of bright lights and a ship with three short, triangular wings. A shuttle that was identical to the one Thrawn arrived in. Lucina's throat bobbed as she reached out with the force and sensed the occupants of the shuttle.

Ice flooded her thoughts. The most unbearable cold she had ever experienced shot through her veins. A blizzard filled with rage raced towards her home, and she felt powerless to stop it. All she could do was wrap one hand tight around her Falchion's weathered grip, and pray that somehow this was only another nightmare.

"You will not extort anything from me." Chrom growled, "This conversation is over and-"

A low whine filled the room. Lucina spun around and saw Thrawn's companion, Vanto, holding a strange weapon to Lissa's head. Chrom's eyes widened and his face paled. Rage contorted over his face and he balled up his right hand into a tight fist. Sumia was pale with fear as well. Sweat pooled in Lucina's palms. Luke reached up his sleeve.

"Listen to the Admiral, or the girl dies." Vanto threatened.

Thrawn uttered a sigh, "It really came to this…" He said with a slow exhale, "I would much rather it not be this way-"

"You made it this way." Chrom snarled.

"Hardly." Thrawn snapped back, catching Chrom off guard, "You made it this way when you knowingly sheltered a Jedi. You made it this way when you failed to inform me of such a thing yourself. Instead, you hoped that I would fail to notice the mention of Obi Wan Kenobi by one of your soldiers."

"I don't know an Obi Wan Kenobi." Chrom snarled back.

"Oh right, my mistake. Ben Kenobi then." Thrawn frowned, "But does it matter? They are one in the same."

Light flooded the windows to the royal chambers as the second shuttle landed beside the first. Thrawn flicked his gaze back to Chrom and Sumia.

"These are my terms. Answer correctly, and your city, your lives, will be spared. On that, you have my word." He took a deep breath, "Surrender the rogue Jedi Obi Wan Kenobi to Imperial custody. Allow for a garrison to be stationed beyond your walls as a way of opening mutual relations between yourself and the Empire." his eyes drifted to Lucina, "And she is to come with me back to the capital of Coruscant."

Before Chrom could open his mouth to protest, a shot of cold entered the room. This cold did not come from the shuttle, but instead came from the young man beside Lucina. Luke swooped towards Vanto, ripped his hand from his sleeve, ignited a sapphire blade, and lopped off Vanto's hand with one clean stroke. The Imperial Captain howled as his hand fell to the floor, still gripping his blaster. His screaming ended when Lissa buried a fist beneath his jaw, knocking him out.

Chrom twirled, reaching for a dagger he had in a nightstand by his and Sumia's bed. Thrawn reached for a holster on his hip, but Luke growled, staying the Chiss's hand.

"Draw it." Luke growled, lightsaber humming in front of him, a sapphire glow washing out the candlelight in the room, "I dare you."

Thrawn eyed the young Sith Lord carefully, "So…" The Imperial Admiral took a small step back, towards the balcony doors, "Another Jedi is here."

"I'm no Jedi." Luke growled.

"But I am." Lucina snarled, drawing her steel blade, "And you are in no position to make demands."

A dangerous sparkle crossed Thrawn's red eyes, making them glisten like vibrant rubies. For the first time that evening, he showed emotion. Not fear at being threatened, or concern for his unconscious comrade. Instead, the corner of his mouth twitched up. He gave them all a small, smug smirk as he folded his hands behind his back.

"I think I am."

Several red lights flashed against the glass windows, shattering them. Shrieks followed the red flashes, making Sumia, Cynthia, and Lissa duck their heads as two red bars of light slammed into the walls near the chamber doors. Four more bars of red light followed, peppering the bedroom with shrieks and fire.

Lissa screamed and ducked her head. Luke's lightsaber buzzed as more blasts screamed into the room. Four soldiers in white armor climbed over the railing on the balcony, training their strange weapons on the royals as Thrawn took a step back and allowed them to go in front of him.

The firing did not stop. Luke jumped in front of Cynthia and Lissa, blue lightsaber blazing bright streaks of light as it deflected red bolts away from the two Princess's. Chrom tackled Sumia, flipping her over the bed. Lucina hopped back towards Luke.

"Go!" Luke bellowed.

Before Chrom ran, he grabbed Falchion next to the other nightstand, grabbed Sumia by the wrist and sprinted out of the room with Lissa and Cynthia. Sumia tried to bolt to another room, but was cut off as soldiers in white armor rushed them from that end of the corridor. A terrible cry emerged from Sumia. Chrom was about to rush towards the room, but when red bolts shrieked at them, he yanked Sumia down a different corridor, away from the room she was desperately trying to reach.

Lucina hesitated to follow as Luke desperately fended off the enemy onslaught. Three more soldiers climbed up onto the balcony and took aim. Lucina grit her teeth, gathered the force to her hand, and sent a massive pulse directly at the blue skinned Admiral.

The push lifted Thrawn and his men off of their feet. They crashed through what was left of the balcony doors, bodies cracking hard against the stone railing on the balcony. Luke grit his teeth, deactivated his blade, spun around, and raced with Lucina out of the room.

"GUARDS!" Lucina heard her father roar, "TO ARMS! TO ARMS!"

Frederick was already surging down a flight of stairs. He lacked his armor, wearing only a night shirt, a pair of black shorts, slippers, and a nightcap. A blade rested in his hands, drawn and ready for battle. Lon'qu emerged from another flight as the royals raced down the corridor towards the doors that led to the Palace's main hall.

Blaster fire shrieked after them, scorching the once spotless walls with their heat. Frederick briefly turned to face the enemy, only for Luke to spin around and yank him back with the force, through the door Lon'qu opened for them.

"Not one you'll win." Luke warned the Knight Commander as he helped him regain his balance.

"TO ARMS!" Chrom bellowed again as he raced through the halls.

Lucina drew her weapon as well. Not that she thought it would help much. Whatever weapons these soldiers used were similar to what the Deadlord Fett used. Her sword could not do much against something like that. Their only defenses now were Luke's lightsaber, and the Force.

Donnel and Maribelle came careening around a corner as they neared the main hall. Donnel looked half awake, but he had his sword and scabbard strapped around his body. The rest of him remained half dressed. A pair of fuzzy slippers were on his feet, he had on his small clothes, and that was it. Maribelle managed to be in a silky nightgown, and she had her staff in her grip.

"What is going on?" The Duchess cried.

"The enemy is in our midst!" Lucina called to them.

"Grima!?" Donnel asked, suddenly wide awake.

"Thrawn!" Luke snapped back as they all rushed through the main hall doors.

Palace guards were gathering in the main hall. All of them were haphazardly outfitted. Some were still struggling to get their armor on. Others barely managed to cinch their belts over their waists as the royal family barged in.

"The Offworlders!" Chrom roared, "They are the enemy!" The guards drew their weapons as he raised Falchion in the air. A warning ripped through the force, slamming into both Lucina and Luke, but too late, "We must defend our land!" He turned towards Frederick, "My daughter is still-"

An explosion rocked the main hall. Fire and stone rushed towards the guards, burning and slashing those who were closest to the fiery inferno. The blast the next row off of their feet, sending their bodies flying through the cavernous hall. Before the third row could spin around and face the threat, red blaster bolts shredded their ranks. The fourth row of guards turned, and began to backpedal as soldiers in polished white armor stormed the main hall, blasting away at the Ylisseans in the room.

Luke and Lucina moved in front of Chrom, Sumia, Cynthia, and Lissa. Lucina gathered the force into her hand, ready to deliver another devastating push in order to create an opening. She launched it, and waited for the impact.

Through the smoke and fire, a gloved hand reached out. To Lucina's horror, it caught her push like a wave crashing against a rocky shore. Some of the soldiers were knocked off balance, but none were taken out of the fight.

The screams of dying men, the sound of her father barking orders as he called for a retreat further into the palace, the crackling of flames licking against the stones and royal blue carpet on the floor, became muffled. A slow, sharp inhale echoed through the main hall. A slow, low exhale, followed; making Lucina's spine crawl as she recognized the sound.

 _Naga no…_ She thought, eyes widened in terror as a black boot stepped through the smoke, _No!_

He emerged through the smoke like a demon being summoned in the darkness. A towering monolith of black armor that radiated fear and fury. The Dark Side of the Force was wrapped around him like a thick blanket. Utterly impossible to see through, and impossible for Lucina to even fathom. Not even Maul felt this way in the force. The presence felt controlled, menacing, and forceful; not wild and unpredictable like Maul's.

Black, lidless eyes, on a grotesque mask glared at Lucina, Luke, and her family behind her. More guards died around her, blinking out like candles being snuffed out in the force. Lucina grit her teeth, feeling terror grip her heart as she stared at the visage that had haunted her nightmares.

 _No… no, no, no!_

Luke gave her a glance.

"Get Cynthia out of here."

Before she could stop him, he charged. Her heart stopped in her chest as a red lightsaber ignited in the monster's right hand.

"Retreat!" Frederick bellowed behind her.

She should have stayed. Wanted to stay and fight alongside Luke against the monster. As his blade clashed with the blood red blade of the monster, all she could do was turn, wrap her arm around Cynthia's waist, and yank her through the second exit towards the palace wing that once housed Robin's quarters. She did not dare look back, not even as more lives were snuffed out in the force. Not even as the Dark Side roared violently in her ears, echoed in her mind, like a beast let off of its leash.

She just ran, with her family. Ran as fast as her feet could carry her, to the safety of Robin's study.

* * *

Dooku uttered a heavy sigh as he took another step down the road away from Ylisstol. The time that he had long warned would come, had arrived. As the night air wrapped around him, bringing a chill to his old bones, he could sense the Dark Side stirring in the force. A powerful Sith approached this place, trailing behind the first Imperial arrivals to this planet.

The elderly Sith took a deep breath as he stopped walking at the edge of the woods, south of Ylisstol. He looked up to the dark boughs and thickets in front of him. A long, lonely walk through the shadows awaited him. His warnings were not heeded; not by Skywalker's brat, barely by Princess Lucina, and certainly not by Kenobi. Not until it was far too late. All three of them could hope for a peaceful resolution to this, but Dooku knew better. He knew Sidious, and he knew the kind of people Sidious enjoyed having near him. There would be no peace for this planet, not anymore. War had arrived, whether Prince Chrom and his family liked it or not.

And this was a war they could not win.

 _Better to leave than to get caught up in the mess._ He thought, taking another forceful step towards the woods.

The familiar sound of blasters shrieking in the night stopped him from taking another step. He heard the hum of shuttles descending down from the night sky, bringing more imperial soldiers down to the surface. He could sense a torrent of the dark side whipping through the Halidom's capitol. Two dark presences collided, one significantly weaker than the other.

 _Skywalker's idiotic spawn is acting just like him._ Dooku snorted, taking a cursory glance back at Ylisstol, _How predictable._

The second dark presence seemed… familiar? He could not place what he recognized about it, but there was a nagging thought in the back of his mind that told him he knew this person. He sensed this dark presence before. It was not Sidious, but who else could it possibly be?

His eyes widened, "A new apprentice…" He muttered, temporarily surprised.

He did not think his old Master would have found a new pawn in such a short time. When he heard Skywalker had fallen to Kenobi's blade, he assumed Sidious would take his time to search out a new, unwitting fool willing to follow him. However, the initial surprise he felt was replaced by shock when he discovered the depths of power this apprentice wielded.

He was too much for Skywalker's brat. Luke did not stand a chance. Lucina would certainly crumble to his might. Ylisstol was going to fall, swiftly too.

… Donnel and Maribelle were still in there.

The Count's jaw clenched tight as he thought of those two idiotic children. The peasant farmer and the noble duchess; two people that somehow always managed to grate on his nerves. Whether it was Donnel's seeming inability to properly grasp life as a noble, or Maribelle's inability to have some understanding of the poor boy's plight. Honestly, she needs to learn some proper patience, otherwise she will never rise to the potential Dooku knew she had.

 _But she won't live through the night._ He thought, eyes staying on Ylisstol as horns blasted through the night, calling the city guard to arms. Not that they could do anything against Imperial soldiers, _None of them will._

He lowered his gaze, dropping it down to the curved hilt on his hip, then to the grass beneath his feet. He recalled what Lucina informed him and Kenobi about during the Valm War. How she had encountered Sidious in a strange realm in the Force. How Sidious reached out to her, trying to grasp her and take her. She was the target behind all of this, Dooku could feel that.

But he did not care. She had thrown her lot with the Jedi, foolish girl. If she had only realized the power the Dark Side commanded, she would have surpassed Luke, even Kenobi, already. She even had a ready and willing teacher waiting for her to say something.

Instead, she stayed loyal to Kenobi. Stayed loyal to her code, to her morals, to her friends, and her family. Stayed loyal to those that loved and cared about her. He knew she would die fighting to save them from the hell that landed on their doorstep.

There was a time when he would have done the same.

A voice whispered in the wind. One that he had not heard in decades. One that sent a shiver down his spine and brought an involuntary, stray tear to his eye.

" _Help them."_

 _Qui Gon._

His throat bobbed, he raised his gaze again. An explosion rocked the palace district. Screams broke through the night. The Dark Side howled through the force, declaring dominion over Naga's city. Another explosion shook the earth, and those screams of battle turned to screams of dying men and women. Stray, red blaster bolts streaked out from the city before fizzling out.

He took a deep breath, glanced back at the woods behind him, then took one step forward. Another step forward. His boots sank into a patch of mud, but he did not care. His next footfall rose up onto the stone road that led to Ylisstol. His blue eyes flickered, and a yellow glow filled his irises.

 _Count Dooku will not flee… not anymore._

* * *

Morgana watched with great interest as the Ylissean from another world, Ben Kenobi, inspected the Ark. She watched him circle the immense ship, casting his eyes up at the vessel every so often in order to observe the finer details of the ship. The young ex-Grimleal, Tharja, remained by his side as he inspected. Meanwhile, Lady Tiki and Nowi followed Alfred into the ship, where they would be told how the ship functioned, and how their immense magical reserves would be used to power the ship.

Under normal circumstances, Morgana would be alongside Alfred, helping him explain their great project. But these were not normal circumstances. Ben Kenobi possessed dangerous knowledge that threw every scenario she had in her mind into total doubt. The Ark was no longer a means for humanity to possibly survive an onslaught from the Fell Dragon. It was now a vessel meant to help their civilization escape an invasion from an otherworldly Empire.

She kicked herself for never considering the possibility that the Artifact, which helped them construct the Ark, was not from her world. She long assumed it was a relic of a lost ancient civilization. A civilization from a time before the Great Hero King, perhaps even before the two dragon rulers of Old Valentia. One of whom's namesake graced the largest living organism known to her, the Mila Tree.

How could such an advanced object come from a civilization predating the Hero King and the mighty Mila? For so long, nothing added up about the artifact. For even longer, Morgana relegated interpreting the Artifact's origins as a side project, rather than her main focus. After all, what did it matter that the Artifact's origins were an enigma? So long as it helped her in her goals, it's past could remain a mystery to be solved later.

Oh how she wished she had dug further into the myths and legends surrounding the histories of Archanea and Valm. Perhaps then, she would have realized that the Artifact, the Probe Droid, could not be from this world. Such a revelation revealed sooner would have caused a myriad of new variables to enter her mind, like the one they were all facing now. The upcoming arrival of an advanced civilization with abilities and technology she could barely fathom.

 _I must learn more, and quickly._

She strode to catch up to Ben and Tharja as they paused near the Ark's ramp. Ben rubbed his beard as he glanced up into the Artifact's cabin for the first time.

"Quite a lot of exposed wires." Morgana heard him mutter with a tsk.

"Steel is hard to come by at times." Morgana interjected, drawing both Ben and Tharja's attention.

Ben nodded, "That may be so, but the more put together a ship is, the more likely it's not going to break apart."

Morgana furrowed her brow, "Break apart?" She asked as Ben and Tharja both ventured into the cabin.

She watched the outworlder grimace at the cramped nature of the space within the Ark.

"Kriff, it's… rough." He muttered, glancing up and down a narrow corridor barely wide enough for one person to walk through, "The Consular Classes I flew in were much more advanced. Then again, given your limitations, the fact that you even managed this is beyond impressive."

Morgana arched an eyebrow, "Thanks?"

That elicited a small snicker from Tharja, and a quiet laugh from Kenobi, "You're definitely Robin's mother." Morgana's heart hammered in her chest, "He would say the same thing about my comments. Mostly they were about his progress in training with the Force."

Morgana's confusion grew as they neared the cockpit of the small cruiser, "The Force?"

Instead of explaining, Ben reached out with the force, lifted a stray metal panel off of the floor, and placed it in it's appropriate spot over a bundle of wires on the wall.

"The Force." Tharja nodded back to Morgana as all three reached the cockpit, "That is merely a small sliver of what I've witnessed it do."

Morgana's eyes remained glued to Ben Kenobi as he stepped up a small stair into the cockpit. He arched an eyebrow as he saw a pair of wooden chairs bolted down to the steel floor. He tapped the back of the chair in front of a crude set of controls.

"Whatever works…" Ben muttered, sinking into the chair and studying the various controls put haphazardly in front of the pilot and co-pilot's chairs, "How exactly do you plan on getting this thing airborne?"

"A group of powerful mages can get it airborne, but providing it with enough power for a sustained flight of decent speed requires at least one Manakete of sufficient magical strength." Morgana explained.

Ben gripped the yoke in front of him and grimaced at how loose it felt, "You may want to tighten that up." He suggested before standing from his seat, "Flight with these smaller cruises requires quick reactions, and a loose console will not help with that."

Morgana blinked as he brushed by her, Tharja quietly followed, her own studious eyes taking in the cramped space as they continued down the main corridor.

"Small cruiser?" Morgana asked, stunned by Ben's description of the Ark, "This ship took nearly a full decade to construct."

"That is a testament to you and your follower's persistence, skill, and ingenuity, but in regards to what lumbers through the cosmos, this is a small cruiser. I've been on ships that could house thousands of soldiers and crew, along with cargo and large contingents of starfighters."

Morgana's shock grew. There were bigger ships beyond the stars? That seemed so impossible to her. Then again, the idea of someone living on this world that came from another seemed impossible just yesterday, so perhaps she should start considering the impossible possible. Although, most of what Ben described sounded like a foriegn language to her. Starfighters? Just what were those?

"In case you are wondering," He said, as if he read her very thoughts on the matter, "Starfighters are like… like… think of a metal pegasus. They're meant for individual combat, both within and beyond planetary atmospheres."

 _A metal pegasus!?_ Morgana thought. She knew the outworlder had to be simplifying it for her, but that still seemed far too ludicrous to be true.

The trio passed by the small living space for whoever flew aboard the Ark. It was designed to hold perhaps just a hair more than half a dozen comfortably, and around a dozen uncomfortably. Most of the space aboard the ship was dedicated to fortifying the exterior carapace, immense bundles of wire to route power to the various systems in place, and enchanted areas that would keep the entire ship sealed as well as providing a flow of constant fresh air. Everything was utilitarian by design. This vessel was not meant for comfort. It was meant for survival.

A pair of small offshoots from the main corridor caused Ben to pause. Morgana cleared her throat.

"Defense spheres." She explained

Ben glanced back at her, surprised, "Turrets?"

Morgana furrowed her brow, "If that is what you call them?"

"Don't tell me you figured out how to make blasters." Ben peered down one offshoot and saw a small sphere made of enchanted glass and steel. There was no evidence of any canons, not even a blaster pistol, within.

"They are meant for a mage to cast spells from, however we ran into a problem of-"

"Can't cast if that sphere isn't open." Ben correctly assumed.

Morgana nodded, "It's only useful if there is enough air to breath outside of the Ark."

Ben pursed his lips, but did not seem surprised, "Consulars normally aren't meant to be assault craft anyways. They were typically diplomatic vessels in the Republic. So I don't blame you for encountering that hurdle."

Morgana nodded, "Noted."

All three stepped away from the small offshoot then continued down the corridor. All three passed by a small area with a set of stairs that led down to what Ben assumed to be a cargo hold. If it wasn't all the way full, then the cargo hold could possibly hold a few more crew. A good thing to remember. He'd slept in worse spaces than a ship's cargo hold during his life.

Finally, they arrived at the part of the ship that took up the most space, the engine room. A gargantuan area of the ship that somehow felt extremely cramped. Wires and cords snaked along the metal floor towards two central pedestals with steel handholds built into them. That is where they found Alfred, Tiki, and Nowi as the elderly mage finished explaining the function of the pedestals to the two Manaketes. Tiki was frowning, and Nowi looked ill, both bad signs for Morgana.

"Ah, there you are." Alfred chirped when he saw Ben, Tharja, and Morgana enter, "I was beginning to wonder if we lost you in the chaos outside. I was just finishing explaining how the Ark will tap into-"

"It makes me not feel good." Nowi complained as she looked at the two pedestals with great apprehension.

"I'll admit," Tiki muttered, brow furrowed as she studied the two pedestals as well, "it does not sound very pleasant."

"What is not pleasant?" Ben asked, concerned.

Tiki sighed, "These pedestals are basically magical conduits. They are enchanted, and therefore operate on a similar principle as the tomes you humans enjoy concentrating magic spells through."

"Only bigger!" Nowi chirped.

Tiki uttered a laugh, but it did not sound good natured. To Ben, it sounded nervous.

"Yes, much bigger in scope." Tiki exhaled, "This entire ship is basically a massive tome, with its sole function being… well… flying away from wherever it is at."

"A simple explanation, but not incorrect." Alfred acknowledged, "You sound very apprehensive, Lady Tiki."

"I should be." Tiki muttered, eyeing the pedestals carefully, "Exactly how much magic will it take to activate? For that matter, lose too much magic, and even a Manakete risks dire consequences. It's dangerous for us to exhaust ourselves in such a manner."

"It is?" Nowi asked, eyes bugging from her skull as fear gripped her.

Tiki nodded, "This has to be used as a last resort."

"It is our last resort." Morgana stated, "Believe me, if we could have found a different power source, we would have used that instead. Unfortunately, we are out of time to conduct proper research. It could be months, even years before we make another breakthrough."

"And we don't have that kind of time." Ben stated, "Depending on where this planet is in relation to the rest of the galaxy, the Empire could have an envoy here very soon."

"How much of a chance do we stand against this Empire?" Morgana asked, folding her arms as she stood in the engine room entryway.

Ben shook his head, "None."

"None?" Even Tiki blinked in surprise at Ben's certain reply, "There must be some sort of chance?"

"This planet lacks the firepower." Ben replied as he took a seat on a wooden crate resting near one of the engine room walls. He laced his fingers together in front of him as he rested his elbows on his knees, "I don't care how much magic we may have, if you can't hit your enemy, you won't be able to defeat them."

"Can't hit?" Morgana asked.

Ben sighed, his face turning grave, "I would not put it past the Empire to, if you cause them enough problems, execute what is called an orbital bombardment."

"What does that mean exactly?" Alfred inquired.

Ben swallowed hard, "It means a Star Destroyer, a class of ship specifically meant for warfare, will hover over a target from beyond the atmosphere and blast it into oblivion, killing everything below it." Morgana paled, Tharja's eyes widened, Nowi whimpered, and Tiki's lips curled into a defiant snarl, "It would be like Demon's Ingle erupted and consumed an entire city in fire and ash."

"So how can we fight back?" Morgana asked. Ben shrugged in reply. Morgana furrowed her brow as she tried to puzzle out a solution, "I already planned on sending a group beyond our atmosphere as an insurance in case all hope fails. The Empire's arrival is a moot point if Grima rises first."

"How could he rise though, his vessel is dead." Tiki muttered.

Morgana's eyes widened. She whipped her gaze over to Tiki, "How could you know that?" She breathed.

Tiki turned somber, "I-" She lowered her gaze, "Robin left… quite the impression." She took a deep breath, "If you'll excuse me um… Tharja, please keep an eye on Nowi."

"Huh?" Tharja sputtered, but before she could protest, Tiki marched out of the engine room and off of the Ark.

"Tiki?" Nowi called after her, brow creased as she watched her mentor leave in silence.

Ben glanced around at everyone else in the engine room. All of their faces looked grim, and he could not blame them for that. Not only were they facing down a threat of enormous scale with the Fell Dragon, they were now learning of a new threat that was bearing down upon the entire planet with each passing moment. A threat that they had no hope of countering. Sidious was too powerful for anyone to fight alone. He certainly could not fight the Dark Lord of the Sith. Yoda said as much when the Grand Master ordered him to kill Anakin.

 _Yoda lost._ Ben thought, a frown on his lips as he remained seated for a moment longer. _If he lost, what hope do any of us have against Sidious and his entire army?_ His gaze returned to the corridor leading out of the engine room, _Tiki…_

He rose to his feet. The Manakete was still hurting from Robin's death, that much was clear. Oftentimes, Ben thought it would be a good idea to let someone grieve alone for a while. But then, he recalled his own moments of intense grief when he arrived on this planet several years ago now. If it hadn't been for the Shepherds, for Robin, Tharja, Cordelia, and Lucina, he'd likely have fallen down a dark path. Not the path of the dark side, no, he would never let himself drift that far. It would have been a path of deep sorrow, grief, and depression. A pit he probably could not crawl out of. Noire told him tidbits of his future self that made his blood boil, and his heart ache.

 _If not for the Shepherds, I would be long gone._ He thought.

Perhaps, solitude was not the best environment to grieve in.

He started to follow Tiki when Morgana swept past him.

"Pardon?" Ben stated, one eyebrow raised.

The powerful sorceress glanced over her shoulder at him, never breaking stride, "He was my son, and she clearly held something for him. I shall speak to her."

"But you-" Ben sighed as Morgana disappeared down the corridor, "You didn't know him recently."

"They are both grieving, young man." Alfred stated as he shuffled up beside Ben, "It might be good for them to grieve together, even if it is only for a moment."

Ben uttered a heavy sigh. He did not want to leave Tiki alone in a place like this, not when these people wanted something from her that clearly made the powerful Manakete nervous. Anything that made Tiki nervous, put Ben on edge. He had witnessed the raw strength Tiki wielded during the battle at Demon's Ingle. She was able to hold her own against Deadlords that were once both enemies and allies of his during his old life in the Jedi Order. Being able to hold her own against the likes of Grievous, Xanatos, and Luminara was nothing short of impressive. Very few Jedi in the old Order could ever make such a claim.

The last thing they all needed, was for these people to fool someone as powerful as her. Despite their claims of wanting to help, the fact that all of these mages; Morgana, Alfred, their followers; were former Grimleal and had mostly unknown motivations, made Ben wary of them.

Alfred patted his shoulder suddenly.

"Fret not. Morgana is a kind soul," He said with a gentle smile, "Quite the rarity in our line of work."

Without another word, the old man shuffled out, leaving Tharja, Nowi, and Ben alone in the engine room. As he left, Ben finally allowed himself to show some weakness. He sank back down onto the crate. Shock, exhaustion, and fear rolled through his thoughts. He brought a hand to his brow and rubbed it. Everything had become a whirlwind, just as life was starting to slow down and be peaceful.

 _As if someone like me will ever know true peace._

Tharja sank down to a seat beside him, her right hand falling into his left. Their fingers locked together, and she let her head rest on his shoulder.

"You're brooding." She said, a light smirk on her lips.

Ben snorted, "I'm thinking."

"You must be thinking pretty hard, Ben." Nowi chirped as she continued to study the pedestals in the engine room with great apprehension.

Ben uttered a small laugh, "I am…" His mind drifted off again as Tharja's calm, steady breathing steadied his own heart, "I am…"

He turned his head and placed a small kiss on Tharja's head. The dark mage hummed, but said nothing, knowing that right now, Ben just needed her by his side. He was coming to grips with the events of the past few hours. Everything they had all fought for, the peace that some of their friends died for, was about to be gone.

Dooku, in the end, was right. Sidious had found them, sooner rather than later. Ben ran a hand through his hair as he inhaled a breath.

"What do we do now?" Tharja asked him.

Ben pursed his lips, "We have to prepare. I'll somehow get a message back to Chrom and… and…"  
Pain lanced at Ben's heart. He shot up to his feet as the Force cried out in agony. Something was very wrong, but he could not place what it was. He could sense Tharja's concern as he immediately dove into the force, trying to decipher the tremor he felt.

The Force… had gone still. The Dark Side's turbulent waters had calmed. Something moved through them, slowly and silently stalking the light.

"Ben?" Tharja whispered, picking up on the sudden worry lancing through Ben's heart.

"W-we need to go." Ben breathed, "Something is wrong back home and-"

"LADY MORGANA!" A mage screamed outside of the ship, "LADY MORGANA!"

The stillness in the force broke. Ben sensed Tiki's power flare to life, followed by the dark presence of Lady Morgana. He worried that they were about to come to blows, but then sensed more dark powers entering the cavern. They blasted through any magical defenses put in place.

Tharja sensed it too. She took Nowi by the hand, and raced with Ben out of the Ark. When they got outside, they saw Morgana and Tiki standing in front of the ark. Staring back at them were two figures. Ben recognized Jango Fett. His old foe glared at him briefly before returning his attention to Moragana and Tiki.

The other was King Validar, of Plegia. Dark power radiated out of him like a black fog. His yellowed eyes glared hatefully at Morgana as the pair eyed each other. Aversa emerged from a tunnel off to the side, freezing where she stood when she spotted Validar and Fett. Her eyes widened, and Ben sensed terror fill her. She shot the Ylisseans a desperate glance, then carefully inched her way towards the Ark.

"Master Kenobi." Morgana stated, voice firm and powerful, "Are you capable of flying the Ark?"

Ben swallowed hard, "Shouldn't be too difficult."

Morgana nodded slowly, never breaking her staredown with Validar, "Lady Tiki, they will need your power to-"

"You will need help." Tiki warned as a third dark presence entered the cavern.

A few dark mages cried out as their lives came to an abrupt end. Grievous jumped down from an icy balcony, moving to Validar's other flank. Xanatos emerged next, rushing down the tunnel alongside Luminara. A puddle of black liquid bubbled near the tunnel that contained the probe droid, and Gharnef, the monster that blinded Noire, emerged from the ground, a long scowl on his grotesque face. Ben felt an emotion he had not felt in a long time bubble to the surface when he saw that monster, fury. It took all of his willpower not to draw his lightsaber and attempt to hack the Deadlord to pieces.

"I don't need help." Morgana replied, removing her eyes from Validar briefly to glance back at Aversa as her adopted daughter stepped on the Ark's ramp, "They do."

Tiki eyed the woman for a moment. A flash of understanding washed over Tiki's face, and she nodded to the sorceress.

"Good luck." Tiki muttered before turning and rushing towards the Ark.

"Go now, Master Kenobi!" Morgana called. She raised a hand as Xanatos snarled and threatened to give chase, "Your friends need you."

Ben hesitated a moment, allowing himself to steal one last glare at Gharnef. The Deadlord met his stare, and gave him a sneer. Ben's blood boiled, but he could not attack. The Force did not feel right. He could sense something was very wrong back home. He needed to get back, needed to find Noire, the Shepherds, and make sure they were all safe.

A bad feeling rested in his gut, and he knew it had nothing to do with flying a barely functioning machine.

He raced up to the cockpit, Tharja close behind him. Tiki and Nowi moved to the engine room to take their place at the pedestals. Aversa closed the ramp behind them, then shot to the cockpit, looking out the window as Ben studied the controls.

"Familiar enough." He muttered, flipping several switches.

A low groan emanated from the metal around them. Tiki's voice hollered up to them.

"Ready!"

Ben took a deep breath, "Here goes nothing."

He took the yoke, and flipped the power on. The ship whined. The engines flared to life. Arcs of electricity rocketed through the metal and the wires running through the walls of the ship. Ben grit his teeth, silently praying that it would start.

He pulled on the yoke, and the ship began to rise. As it rose, he noticed a wall of purple flames rise up behind Morgana, blocking the Deadlord's and Validar's advance towards the arc.

"She's not going to make it." Aversa breathed, watching with wide eyes as Luminara and Xanatos launched their first attacks at the Sorceress.

Ben grimaced as he powered the engines to life, "She never intended to." He grit his teeth, "Brace yourself."

He spotted a small tunnel dug into the ice roof, just big enough for the Ark to slip through. He found the throttle, and slowly pushed it forward, accelerating the rickety craft out of the cavern. With a roar, it rocketed out of the Heretic's hideout, blasting into the Feroxi sky with a thunderous boom.

Ben thought the bad feeling in his gut, the worry sitting in his heart, would recede as they raced away from the hideout and headed back to Ylisse. But as the Ark lumbered through the air, rising higher into the twilight sky, the bad feeling grew worse.

The sun began to set. The stars came out. A pale moon rose high into the dark sky. The Force remained still, like glass.

Then it exploded in violent fury. The Dark Side uttered a triumphant roar the likes of which he had not heard since the dying days of the Republic. Ben's heart stopped beating in his chest and his eyes glazed over as he realized a horrifying reality.

The Empire has arrived.

 **And chapter! This was a massive chapter for this story. These next few are actually. I have been planning and thinking these out forever! For-freaking-ever! They are finally happening and now I'm so excited and nervous at the same time because I want to do a good job with them. So here goes nothing! The Empire has arrived! Vader has begun his march! And Ben is on his way to save the day… maybe? Or is he too late? Finally, Morgana is staring down the Deadlords and Validar. I think we're about to see why Grima was nervous about her. Ohohohohohoho! This is going to be good!**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed it! Have a nice day!**

 **Also, come join the Treehouse! Discord code is: 9XG3U7a**


	135. The Fall of the Halidom

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 135

The Fall of the Halidom

Thrawn expected one Jedi when he heard the name General Kenobi. He expected the royal family to act hostile. To, perhaps, draw their primitive weapons and attack him. Of course, he made sure to have a contingency in place for such a thing, but still, even with that contingency in place, he did not expect two more Jedi.

He placed a hand over Eli Vanto's forehead as a Stormtrooper medic tended to the unconscious Captain, carefully wrapping bandages and bacta around what remained of his right hand. If not for his contingency, Thrawn knew that foolish boy would have killed him next. Thankfully, the Stormtroopers of the 501st followed their orders, as good soldiers should do. But that did not save Vanto from suffering a terrible wound.

In a rare instance of anger, Thrawn grit his teeth and rose from his kneeling position. His boots, polished to a pristine black shine, crunched over shattered glass as he stepped away from his wounded aide back towards the balcony. Blasterfire screamed throughout the Ylisstol as Lord Vader began his assault. An assault Thrawn hoped to thwart, but the unpredictable nature of humans, once again, boggled his mind and tossed any plans he had to the wind. If the royal family simply heard him out, agreed to his terms, their city would not be burning. Their lives would still be their own.

But they didn't. They chose to act like rash fools. They decided to defend an enemy of the Empire.

 _I have no sympathy for naive fools._

He folded his hands behind his back as an explosion rocked the royal palace. More shuttles ferrying more stormtroopers descended from the Chimaera, which hovered high above, just on the edge of the planet's atmosphere. If he stared hard enough, he might even be able to pick it out among the stars, and the embers that drifted into the night sky. A heavy sigh left his lungs as he watched a pristine city begin to burn.

 _Still… this is a shame._

Glass crunched behind him. Thrawn glanced over his shoulder as a Stormtrooper sergeant approached him.

"Admiral, Lord Vader has landed and is engaging the enemy within the palace."

Thrawn closed his eyes. The Royal Family's lives really were forfeit. Prince Chrom, his wife Sumia, his sister, their servants; they were all going to die. Lord Vader took no prisoners when it came to hunting Jedi. That devastating reputation was well known among officers of the Imperial Navy. He only hoped Vader would hold off his wrath enough to keep himself from accidentally slaying Lucina. That girl was the entire reason the Emperor sent them here. If she died, the Emperor would be furious. That was something Thrawn did not wish to see.

"Thank you for telling me, Sergeant." Thrawn replied.

"Also sir, we have several squadrons assaulting the district next to this one. Specifically a walled citadel we believe to have military purposes."

"And?"

The Sergeant was quiet for a moment, "one squadron was wiped out. The other suffered seventy five percent casualties." Thrawn's gave the Sergeant a surprised look, "More men are heading there to reinforce, but the resistance we are facing has taken us by surprise."

The 501st taken by surprise? What in the Emperor's name could possibly catch Vader's fist off guard? These were veterans of the Clone Wars. Hardened by some of the deadliest battles in Galactic History. Some were even survivors of the deadly Umbara campaign. These men were impossible to scare, surprise, or even defeat.

What was going on at this citadel then?

"Take me there." Thrawn ordered.

"Sir." The Stormtrooper saluted, turned on his heel and marched to the exit, with Thrawn trailing behind him.

Glass crunched for a few steps, then his footfalls became silent again as he stepped onto the rich rugs blanketing the palace floor. Thrawn paused briefly next to Vanto, glancing down to check if his Aide would be alright. The Medic nodded to him, a small signal that said he would be fine and would be transported to the Chimaera once he awoke. Thrawn nodded back, and returned his attention to the task at hand.

He was in his element now. Political maneuvering may be fun. Playing a spy by hacking Imperial databanks was interesting. But War… War was what he knew. War was his dominion. No one bested him at it. No one outsmarted his tactics. No one resisted him.

No one defeated him.

* * *

Lucina struggled to catch her breath as she barreled into Robin's quarters, chasing after her father, her mother, Lissa, Frederick, Cynthia, Donnel, Maribelle, and Lon'qu. Frederick was the last to enter the room. The Knight-Commander spun around and slammed the doors shut behind them, quickly locking them and barking at Lon'qu to help him barricade it. Chrom raised a hand stopping both of them.

"Wait, we need a plan." Chrom breathed.

Lucina toned out Frederick's protest as she walked away from the door towards Robin's old closet. She barely registered what she was doing as she walked. Everything felt surreal. She could smell smoke as fires burned in the city she loved. The city she jumped back through time to save, burned outside of the foggy windows of Robin's old room. Tears built in her eyes as she heard scream pierce the night. Intermingled with those screams, and growing explosions, were the shrieks of those ungodly weapons the enemy wielded.

Lucina gripped the side of her head. Flashes of Ylisstol's last days danced in her mind. The smoke, the fire, the smell of cinders and ash, the rancid stench of decaying bodies: it all felt so fresh in her mind. It wreaked havoc in her thoughts. Bringing fear to her that nearly brought her to her knees.

 _I escaped that._ She thought, swallowing hard as she struggled to stop the tears from falling, _I… tried to put a stop to that. I-_

"We cannot leave without my daughter!" Chrom roared at Frederick, snapping Lucina from her thoughts and making her heart stop in her chest.

She slowly turned to look at her Mother. Lissa was holding Sumia back from charging right out of the room to go get her daughter, the younger Lucina. Cynthia joined Lissa in that endeavor. If it was anyone else, Sumia might have torn them limb for limb.

"Milord, we need to get you to safety. Lon'qu and I will-"

"No," Lucina finally spoke up, her voice shaky as she struggled to regain her steely resolve. She took a deep breath, forcing the tears back from her eyes. Flames danced outside of the palace, casting long shadows throughout the room, "I'll go get her. I can fight these enemies."

"Ya ain't going alone." Donnel remarked, "Dooku taught me how to fight like him. Might be able to help out."

"You might need a healer." Lissa nodded.

"Where you go, I follow." Lon'qu told Lissa as he placed a hand on his sword.

Lucina nodded to all four of them. She wondered how she managed to gain such great friends, and a tremendous family. She took a deep breath and, even without her mask, donned the guise of Marth. A warrior of unshakeable resolve was needed now. The last days of Ylisstol came early, and she would stop them early.

"Frederick." She began, her voice commanding instead of fear filled. The Force welled up inside of her as she drew on it for strength, "If any place can hold out against this onslaught, it'll be the Academy. Get my mother, my father, Cynthia, and Maribelle there."

Chrom's eyes blazed with defiance, "You are not going-"

"You are the ruler of Ylisse, father." Lucina cut him off, "I am… just someone from the future. Someone who has been through something like this before." Chrom's mouth closed as he realized what she was alluding to, "I can handle this. For now, you, mother, and Cynthia need to get to safety."

"We'll follow you out." Frederick nodded.

Lucina did not reply. She started to march to the door, only for Cynthia to snag her by the wrist. Her younger sister spun her around then wrapped her in a tight hug. She could feel wet tears staining her shoulders as Cynthia started to cry.

"Be safe." She mumbled, "And… if you can-"

"I'll get Luke too." Lucina nodded, "I promise." She broke away from Cynthia, "To the Academy, all of you." She waved at Donnel, Lissa, and Lonq'u, "With me."

She marched out of the room, not even bothering to make sure if the corridor was clear. There was no time to hesitate or to worry about safety. Immediate actions, without any hesitation, needed to be taken. She heard Frederick and Chrom guide her mother, her sister, and Maribelle down the other end of the corridor, towards an exit. Meanwhile, Lucina marched back towards the monster that haunted her nightmares.

They reached the doors that led to the main wing of the palace. The sounds of battle within the palace were faint, signaling that the enemy had taken out most of the palace guards. Unsurprising given the firepower they wielded. But beyond the doors to the main hall, Lucina could hear the humming of lightsabers whirring wildly through the smoke filled air. She exhaled in relief. Luke was still alive.

She turned to Lissa and Lon'qu, "You both know the way back to the Princess's room from here. Donnel and I will enter, try to get Luke away from the enemy, then meet you at the Academy."

Lissa's eyes widened, "Are you sure you can-"

"Alone, probably not." Lucina admitted, "But together, we can't be stopped. Not even by a monster like the thing Luke's fighting." The force flared in her mind, and she sensed Luke's pain for a split second. A sharp sensation that made her hair stand on end, "Get moving, now!"

Lon'qu gripped Lissa's arm and tugged her away from the door, towards a flight of stairs. Once they were gone, Lucina took a deep breath and gripped her steel sword. She nodded to Donnel, who grabbed the doorknob.

"One…"

She allowed the Force to rush through her. A wave of darkness hit her mind. She grit her teeth and pushed through it, trying to find the light.

"Two…"

Her sword scraped out of its scabbard. Her mind focused, and she willed the Force to bolster her physically.

"Three!"

The door shoved open.

* * *

This was not something Luke had to think about. There was no hesitation when he looked back at Lucina and told her to get Cynthia to safety. She did not have the weapons, nor the limbs, to fend off the monster that stormed into the Main Hall of the Exalt's Palace. Her powers were strong, but not to the level needed to combat this. Kenobi was not here to face the monster. Dooku had gone completely missing in the face of this crisis (not that it really surprised Luke. He was always suspicious of the Deadlord).

Only Luke could fight the enemy now. He was the one with a lightsaber. He was the one with great power in the dark side of the force. He surged towards the monster, sapphire blade buzzing in his grip, ready to strike the enemy down.

A crimson blade ignited in the monster's grip, and in one smooth motion, he parried Luke's violent hack. The strength behind the parry stunned Luke. It was as if his blade hit a solid, stone wall. No matter how much he struggled against the blood red blade of his opponent, he could not make it budge.

Luke grit his teeth, then jumped back. Even from a distance, the monster's rhythmic breathing rang in his ears.

"So… Kenobi has taught another." The armored figure growled, his deep baritone catching Luke by surprise. The amount of power behind his voice made his stomach flip, "Do you know who I am?"

Luke grit his teeth, "Does it matter?" He gripped his blade with both hands, "But please, tell me the name of the man I'm about to kill."

There was no amusement within the thing. Just the steady inhale, and raspy exhale of its breathing.

"Darth Vader."

"Well then… Vader," Luke snarled, "Guess I can at least give the Prince accurate info when I kill you."

Luke lunged. Vader lazily parried his thrust to the side, then raised his free hand. Luke cried out as he was lifted off of his feet, then thrown violently to the side. His body crashed against a stone pillar, cracking it as he bounced off. He managed to stay on his feet, even after stumbling a couple steps.

There was no time to recover. His dazed mind sharpened into focus quickly as Vader beared down on him. The crimson blade slashed at his left flank. Luke quickly moved to block. His arms shuddered as the force behind the blow nearly made his own lightsaber bite into his body. The glow of the blades illuminated the lidless eyes of his opponent, and through the glossy texture, he thought he saw the glow of yellow irises glaring hatefully at him.

 _He's a man!_

Luke used all the strength he had to shove Vader's blade to the side. Instead of following up with a predictable slash of his lightsaber, he balled up a fist and buried it into Vader's gut. He heard the monster suck in a sharp breath. Luke did not give him time to recover. He willed the force around his elbow, then slammed it against Vader's helmet. A violent crack filled the main hall, drowning out the shrieks of blaster fire outside of the palace.

But he failed to daze the enemy. Vader lashed out with a gloved fist. Luke narrowly avoided it, stepping back and creating distance. Distance he cursed himself for making, since it meant the advantage he gained was lost.

Vader did not pursue. The behemoth of a man simply glowered down at him.

"Obi Wan… has taught you well."

Luke smirked at that, "Would you believe me if I said he taught me nothing at all?"

Luke slashed right, chopped left, swung a heavy stroke towards Vader's neck, then aimed to take the man down a peg at the knees. Each swing of his weapon was easily blocked by the enemy. No matter what he did, Vader saw it coming. Vader easily blocked every attack. He was toying with Luke, as if the young Sith was nothing more than an amusing toy for him to play with. It infuriated Luke.

"Yes…" Vader growled as Luke broke their latest blade lock, "The Dark Side flows through you. You are not a student of Kenobi's. This is most surprising."

"You'll find I'm full of-" Luke allowed lightning to crackle in his fingertips, "Surprises!"

He launched a torrent of force lightning at Vader. The Sith Lord's breathing hitched, and, with speed that stunned Luke, dove to the side of the lightning. Luke felt some triumph fill him, despite the missed attack. He heard that caught breath, felt the sudden fear within Vader.

 _So, you don't like little sparks._

Luke roared as he allowed another torrent of lightning to flow wildly through him. Stray bolts arced from his fingertips and slammed into the floor and pillars nearby. It crackled and glowed with a ghostly aura as he attempted to hit Vader flush with the powerful attack. Vader moved with dexterity that was surprising for such a large figure. His movements with a blade were stiff, but his movements when he dodged Luke's lightning were more fluid and just as purposeful.

Frustration filled Luke as he continued to miss. Luke snarled, deactivated his lightsaber, and poured all of his power into his lightning. Finally, he managed to catch Vader. One bolt scraped against the man's suit. Electricity arced through it until it hit the strange board of blinking lights at the center.

Vader uttered a pain filled howl. Luke felt triumph

 _I have him no-_

Vader was on top of him. In the blink of an eye, he was before Luke, between his torrents of lightning. Behind those lidless eyes, Luke sensed pure malice directed towards him. His triumph turned to terror, and he quickly reached for his lightsaber.

He activated it just in time to catch the stroke that Vader intended to bisect him with. Luke stumbled to the side from the sheer force behind the attack. Vader chased after him, swinging with a berserker's rage as the boy backpedaled.

Luke twirled his lightsaber and raised it to block another strike. He falled for a feint, and Vader backhanded him. Bones shifted in Luke's face. His jaw went slack as he twirled through the air. When he hit the ground, he slid a few feet.

The world spun. Stars danced in his eyes. Everything felt out of focus, and his mind felt fuzzy. Luke tried to push himself up to his feet, only to feel the dark side grab him and flip him onto his back. Blood pooled in his mouth as his jaw hung limply open.

Vader used the force to lift him upright, off of his feet. His lightsaber was sheathed. One hand held him in place, fingers clenched around air. The other was by his side. The Dark Lord moved to take his lightsaber, but froze when he finally got a good look at it.

Luke wanted to grit his teeth, but he couldn't move his jaw. Blood pooled up in his mouth then dripped down his chin and throat. He coughed, sending bloody spittle in front of him. Vader did not pay attention. He simply glared at the sapphire blade still active in Luke's hand.

"Where did you get that?" Vader asked.

Luke could not talk, no matter how hard he tried. He could only manage one thing. He gathered as much bloody spit as he could, and spat it at Vader's face. The droplets painted the Sith Lord's mask with red splotches, and any curiosity Vader disappeared. The faint yellow glow Luke could see behind those eyes burned bright.  
Vader reached for his lightsaber. Luke glared at him with defiance. He was afraid. Naga above he was terrified. But he would not give this monster the satisfaction of seeing it. He may sense it, Luke knew he could sense it. At the very least, he would remain strong on the surface. He would not die begging for mercy.

Before the Dark Lord could draw his weapon, the doors to the Main Hall burst open. Lucina and Donnel rushed in. Immediately, the Princess fired a powerful push at Vader, catching the Sith Lord off guard. The force behind the push wrenched Luke free from his vice-like grip, and sent Vader flying back towards the shattered palace doors.

Luke flopped onto his back, utterly spent.

"Luke!" Lucina cried, rushing towards him.

His eyes widened as she skidded to a stop next to him. He tried to say something, but his words came out as a wet, bloody gurgle.

"She's safe." Lucina reassured him. Luke let his head fall back as he uttered a weak sigh of relief, "Let's get you out of here. Donnel, help me."

"Yes ma-"

"You."

Donnel and Lucina froze. Vader got back to his feet. The powerful push hardly fazed him. He shrugged dust from his broad shoulders, and eyed Lucina.

Lucina's throat bobbed. She could feel a cold presence, like icy talons, grapple her mind and attempt to crack it open. She winced, closed her eyes, and trembled as she struggled to keep her mental walls in place.

It was no use. She crumbled, and the dark side flooded her mind. It dragged up images she buried long ago. Images of her parent's marred bodies when they died at the start of Grima's War. Images of the many battles she fought. The sights of each Shepherd falling in battle in one terrible way or another. It brought tears to her eyes. Her heart lodged in her throat. All the monster could say for causing such misery, was her name.

"Lucina." The Sith thundered, taking another step towards her.

Donnel was unaffected. The brave farm boy tore himself away from Luke and stepped in front of Lucina, rapier drawn and pointed at Vader.

"Back away!" Donnel snapped, eyes defiant.

Vader glowered at the young man a moment. Then he swiped with his lightsaber. Donnel flinched, inching back just enough to avoid the blade taking a limb. However, it chopped his weapon clean in half. Donnel stared dumbfounded at his blade. That was when fear threatened to strangle him too, but he refused to budge.

"Step aside." Vader growled, "Or I will make you."

Lucina remained reeling behind Donnel. The young farmer turned Noble glared back, defiant.

"I ain't afraid of you."

The crimson glow of Vader's blade filled Donnel's vision, "Then you will die braver than most."

Donnel didn't flinch as Vader reared back. As the Dark Lord started to bring his blade forward, he froze. A rich, aristocratic voice filled the air.

"I do suggest you restrain yourself, my lord."

Vader's breathing paused a moment. Donnel's eyes lit up, and Lucina stared in shock, as Dooku's silhouette filled the open doorway.

Vader slowly turned to face the Deadlord, and former Sith Lord.

"Dooku." Donnel breathed, relief flooding his face.

Dooku inclined his chin to Donnel and Lucina, "Children, I suggest gathering what remains of the brat and leaving. The Academy is holding strong. I advise you to make your way there."

Vader stared silently at Dooku. Lucina could feel the Force around him rippling with shock and rage.

Donnel stepped around her and picked Luke's now unconscious form up like a sack of potatoes. He slung the beaten Sith over his shoulder.

"C'mon Princess. We gotta go."

Lucina hesitated as Dooku stepped further into the Main Hall. Vader glared back at her a moment, then turned to face his new opponent. There was a hesitance to Vader's movements now. A certain caution that surprised Lucina. The only explanation was that Vader knew who Dooku was, and he knew how powerful the Deadlord could be.

"Lucina." Donnel barked, snapping her back to reality.

"R-right. Er- the Academy."

"Way ahead of ya." Donnel remarked as they both turned and ran.

Dooku watched the two children rush out of the main hall. Once they disappeared down a corridor, he returned his attention to the Sith Lord in front of him. And he knew this behemoth was a Sith Lord. The dark side was wrapped around him like a dense, impenetrable fog. The power that radiated from this new Sith boggled Dooku's mind.

"So…" Dooku drawled, "You're the new plaything for my old Master." The pair started to circle each other. Dooku's hands remained relaxed, while Vader's hand tightened around his lightsaber, "You must be quite the idiotic fool. I really must know your name, just so I can tell Sidious how you died in an accurate manner."

Vader glowered at him as they circled each other, "Vader."

Dooku nodded, "Vader… not bad actually. It avoids the usual norms of a Sith title." He paused his circling, "I suppose I should introduce myself, I am-"

"Count Dooku." Vader growled, his presence in the force growing as pure rage filled him.

Dooku's eyes twinkled, "I see Sidious did not hide me from you."

"How could he." Vader snarled back, his circling ending as well. His back was to the shattered doors now, while Dooku's back was against the throne, "I killed you."

Dooku's mirth evaporated. His brow furrowed, perplexed for a moment. He delved into the force quickly, and the familiarity he felt became apparent.

"Oh…" Dooku inclined his chin, his thrill about this battle completely gone now, "I see…" His lips twitched as a snarl threatened to form over his aged face, "Kenobi failed to finish the job." He scoffed, "I should've known he lacked the spine to end your life, Skywalker."

With that one word, that one name, he sent Vader into a blind rage. The Apprentice charged, like a bull seeing red. Dooku's hand shot to his hip, drew his curved hilt, and ignited his red blade.

He danced to the side of Vader's charge, sweeping his lightsaber to parry the newly annointed Sith's powerful first strike. Dooku grit his teeth as the force behind the blow surprised him.

Dooku grimaced as she struggled against Vader, "You have not lost any of that boyish recklessness."

"Skywalker is dead." Vader growled threateningly, "I destroyed him."

Dooku's smirked back, "If that were true, then his name would not anger you so much."

He wrenched his blade free from Vader's. With grace befitting a dancer, Dooku counter attacked. The tip of his blade twirled and spun, sending Vader backpedaling through the Main Hall towards the doors, then out the doors and onto the first step, where Vader retaliated, locking their blades together with one mighty swing.

"How are you alive!?" Vader roared.

Dooku grit his teeth as his muscles strained. Why was his strength failing him? Why was the force betraying him? When he first came back to life, he felt like a new man. Unstoppable, indefatigable, far more powerful than any Jedi, any Manakete, any mage, or any Sith except Sidious. Yet now, in the face of this monster Skywalker now inhabited, he felt old. He felt crippled.

He felt weak. The vitality he had when he rose as Grima's deadlord had ebbed away. A terrible truth hit him in that moment as sparks flew from their interlocked sabers.

Grima's power was leaving him.

Dooku grit his teeth, then took a step back as Vader's overwhelming strength shoved him backwards. Vader broke the bladelock with a snarl. He wildly slashed down at Dooku. The nimbler fighter sidestepped as Vader's blade bit into the stone step. Just before Dooku could swipe his saber through Vader's abdomen, the Apprentice whipped his free hand at Dooku. An enormous push sent Dooku flying backwards, down the steps, to the courtyard at the foot of the main hall's doors.

He bounced when he hit the dirt. Dooku rolled to a stop, then quickly bounced to his feet, in time to see Vader storm down the steps to engage him again. Their blade collided in a shower of pulsing crimson light. Dooku growled as Vader pressed down, nearly forcing him to a knee.

"Your powers are weak old man."

Dooku's eyes flashed. The blue in his irises faded, and were replaced by yellow, then the red of a Deadlord's.

"That would be true if I was simply an old man."

 _If Grima's life is leaving me, then I will use what is left of it!_

Lightning arced through his lightsaber, up the hilt, into the blade, catching Vader off guard. As he suspected, that suit Skywalker wore was susceptible to electricity. A nice little safeguard for Sidious to keep his Apprentice on a leash with. The Dark Lord of the Sith truly had the gall to spit in the Sith's one great rule. Then again, Dooku should not judge. He tried to break that rule too.

That little pulse of lightning was enough to make Vader backpedal. As he backpedaled, Dooku pounced. One slash, a thrust, a quick sidestep by Vader and a counter, then an upward slash… that connected. Sparks flew from the left side of Vader's mask as the tip of Dooku's blade wrent a jagged gash.

Dooku readied himself to continue the assault, but a barrage in the force hit him like a torrent of howling wind. Vader's breathing was labored, sounding more like an unsteady wheeze than a steady inhale and exhale. He hurt Vader, but he did not injure him. The Apprentice was very much in the fight.

Vader rose back to his full height. Through the gash in Vader's mask, Dooku saw a yellow eye, surrounded by a pale, hollow socket, glaring hatefully at him.

"Well?" Dooku remarked. He raised his blade in front of him, then whipped it to the side- a salute, "Shall we continue?"

Vader growled, but it lacked the sharp baritone. His voice fluctuated between the deep, menacing growl of Vader, and the soft, hoarse whisper of a broken man.

"We shall."

* * *

Morgana dared not look back as the engines to the Ark, her life's work, burst to life with a thunderous boom. She could feel the heat from the engines. The swirling of hot air, the sensation of ice melting beneath her feet, the sound of the great metal construct lumbering out of the cavern, jetting out of a tunnel in the ice, told her that Ylisse's Mad Swordsman did it. He got away with the Ark, the Manaketes, her daughter; they were all safe. Or as safe as they could be, given the circumstances. She had a feeling Ben Kenobi was taking them all back to Ylisstol, which could be in grave danger at any moment thanks to the Galactic Empire she only recently learned of.

But that Empire, the Ylisseans, they were not her concern. Her attention lay on the group of villains directly in front of her, led by the man she once loved. As the Ark jetted away, she muttered under her breath. A wall of purple flames burst to life behind her, keeping Grima's servants from giving chase.

And cutting off her only route of escape.

 _Escape is not my plan._

Her emerald eyes landed on Validar as he stood a few feet from her, his own yellow eyes glaring hatefully at her.

"Well, well," Validar hummed. One hand rested on the cover of the spellbook that sat in the crook of his right arm, "It has been far too long, dearest."

Morgana narrowed her eyes, "In my opinion, it wasn't long enough."

Validar feigned hurt, "How could- do you truly hate me so? Was it not I that gave you free reign within the Grimleal? Yes, I remember now." His voice dropped to a snarl, "I was the one who picked you out of the ranks of researchers and gave you greater purpose. I was the one who handed you power beyond your wildest imaginations. I was the one who made you a matriarch for the next age!"

"You gave me nothing." Morgana hissed, her voice quiet as the flames crackled behind her, melting the icy floor beneath her feet, "Need I remind you, that if not for my power behind you, you would have been killed long ago." Validar scoffed as she continued, "You were an archivist, a glorified librarian-"

"My bloodline-"

"Was dying till my power entered the picture." Morgana interrupted, her voice like venom to Validar's ears, "My power secured your position among the Grimleal. My power allowed you to pursue your ambitions." She grit her teeth, "Little did I know the true extent of them."

"Extent?" Validar sniffed, "Yes, the extent. Is it so wrong that I wished to see my bloodline's purpose come to fruition?"

"If it means killing everyone else, yes… I'd say it is wrong." Morgana snarled back, her emerald eyes flickering as a yellow tint crept into her irises. Her throat bobbed, "If it meant dooming our son-"

"Dooming?" Validar growled, "I would have given Robin power beyond anything he could have ever achieved!"

"No," Morgana shook her head, "You would have damned him to a life of enslavement. A life you lead now. Must you make everyone miserable, along with yourself?"

Validar uttered a mocking laugh. He shook his head, dumbfounded by Morgana's words. As she was dumbfounded by his flippant dismissal of them.

"You never understood. You never tried to understand the destiny that Robin had in store for him." Validar sneered at her, "You wanted to keep him a boy. A child, sucking at your teat instead of growing into the world dominator that he was meant to be."

"If I wanted him to forever be mine…" Morgana's throat bobbed as memories of her precious son flooded her mind, "I would have never left him. So, don't you dare say that I only had selfish intentions for him." She reached into her robes, withdrawing the weathered spellbook she had since she first joined the Grimleal so many years ago, "I am not you."

Validar's jaw clenched. His long fingers tapped the leather spine of his spellbook, "Indeed, you are not. You were always far too soft for my vision."

Without another word, he waved a hand. The Deadlords that entered the hideout with him attacked. First, the metal one, with the reptilian eyes surged towards Morgana. It's four limbs whirred as four blades of light ignited in its hands. Morgana hardly flinched. Her spellbook opened, the pages became a blur, and magical energy coursed through her. Her eyes turned yellow, and the dark magic she loved coursed through her veins, from her spellbook to her open palm.

A titanic blast of dark magic rocketed from her palm right as the first Deadlord swung at her. The blast of shadowy energy engulfed the Deadlord, taking it by surprise. It uttered a loud screech as it's metal melted on it's wiry skeleton. Eventually, it's feet melted to the slick cave floor, rendering it immobile.

The next two were nearly on top of her: A green skinned woman covered head to two in black robes, and a furious looking man with a circular scar on his cheek. Both wielded glowing blades, like the first deadlord- the woman green, the man red. She ducked beneath the male deadlord's wild first swing, then twirled over the woman's chop as she ducked. Black Magic twirled on her fingertips. With a quick mutter, she cast a hex.

Purple chains erupted from the stone beneath the Deadlord's feet. In the blink of an eye, they wrapped around their bodies. With another mutter, another rush of power, the earth's maw opened. The Green Skinned Deadlord uttered one panicked yelp before being swallowed whole by the earth, along with her companion.

The four armed deadlord continued to melt once the earth closed its jaws, but it's shrieking finally died. After a couple more agonizing moments, it faded to a pile of ash on the ground. Morgana scowled, and kicked the pile with her foot, scattering the ashes.

The final two Deadlords hesitated. One out of obvious fear. The armored one looked nervous about engaging her. His fingers twitched near the holsters on his hips, but he never drew the weapons within them, preferring instead to carefully watch for her next move. The other one, the trollish looking man sulking in the shadows near the Artifact's tunnel, grinned in delight at her. He enjoyed her actions, her spellcraft, which made her assume he was once a fellow dark mage.

"I see," Validar inhaled sharply, "you have not lost any of your skills."

Morgana smirked back, "I have had a lot of free time during the past decade."

Validar inclined his chin. He waited for the last two deadlords to attack. When they did not, he grabbed the armored one by his shoulder pauldron, and shoved him forward.

"Kill her already!" The Plegian King roared.

A chain of black magic erupted from Morgana's palm. Before the deadlord could draw his weapons, she whipped the chain out, wrapped it around him, then yanked hard. Barbed tips on the magical weapons shredded through his armor, spun him around, then left him slashed to ribbons on the melting floor, black blood mixing with icy water.

She saw fear flicker in Validar's eyes as she took another step towards him, the pages in her spellbook whirring at a blinding rate.

"Wh-what are you waiting for!?" Validar cried to the final deadlord. The decrepit monster simply observed him as he took a small step back, "Stop her!"

"I was sent to support you, Validar." The Deadlord started to cackle, "Not fight your battles for you."

Validar's eyes widened, "You- you-"

He returned his gaze to Morgana. She paused in front of him. The flames behind her climbed higher into the cave, causing the ice to melt faster around them. Droplets of water dripped down from the icicles over their head. Water ran like fast moving rivers beneath their feet as the floors disappeared, revealing a fissured floor beneath their feet.

Deep crevices that had no bottom started to form around Validar and Morgana, cutting off their ways out of the cave.

"Neither of us are leaving, Validar." Morgana snarled, "There is only one exit now," She charged a spell that made Validar's breath hitch. A spell he had mastered, but that she created- Grima's Truth, "And it is death!"

She fired the spell. Validar reacted quickly. He opened his spellbook and threw up his most powerful ward. The black spell blasted against the ward, briefly wrapped around it, then shattered the invisible shield. Validar howled as he was blasted backwards towards the edge of one of the deep trenches in the earth.

Smoke erupted in a giant plume around him as the spell ended. Morgana eyed the smoke, waiting to see if her one attack managed to put an end to her husband.

Lightning crackled in the smoke. Her eyes widened. A bolt of yellow lightning shot out from the smoke. Morgana gasped, and dodged to her left. The bolt grazed her hip. She yelped, her free hand dashed down to her hip as she covered the growing bloody patch where her robes were now torn. Static crackled around the wound. She winced, grit her teeth, and raised her gaze.

To see a fireball rushing at her face. She ducked, rolled, then retaliated; launching a ball of purple fire back into the smoke.

Validar soared through the air, leaping over her counter. He landed on the melting floor with a small splash. His face was bloodied, robes torn, flesh ripped by her powerful first strike. Morgana stared stupefied at him. He should have been dead. If the blast did not kill him, then he should have been shoved over the edge of the crevasse and consumed by the earth.

Instead, he emerged from the smoke, wounded, but not defeated. Great power flared from him, causing Morgana to narrow her gaze. As she watched him rise to his feet again, she got a better glimpse of his wounds, and her heart lodged in her throat.

His blood was black.

Validar chuckled quietly as he saw her look of horror.

"Yes, dearest, beloved, love of my life," Yellow lightning crackled around his free hand, "Grima's power courses through my veins as well. But unlike those little slaves you handled… I gave my life willingly!"

A massive Thoron spell rocketed towards her. Morgan sidestepped it. The static and heat from the beam of electricity burnt her flesh, even though she avoided a direct hit. She spun around, got a better angle, and launched a Bolgannone at Validar. With a dismissive wave of his hand, and a quick cast of a ward, the fire wall exploded in front of Validar, then evaporated into a plume of black smoke.

"This could have been our son's power too!" Validar roared as he charged another devastating Thoron in his hand, "I would have given him, not just this power, but the world!"

He cast it at Morgana. She jumped out of the way of this one, narrowly avoiding the deadly beam of lightning as it rocketed through the air and cut a deadly path through the stones where she once stood. She landed on her hands and knees, off balance and off guard.

 _How did he get so powerful?_

"You're wrong." She spat back, not giving Validar the satisfaction of seeing her afraid, "You would have taken the world for yourself, and left Robin with nothing. Nothing but empty promises and a false destiny." She grit her teeth. More fire erupted in her grip, "You never cared for him. You only ever cared about yourself."

A torrent of fire erupted from her hand and rushed with a roar towards Validar. This time, he did not attempt to deflect the attack. This fire had enough force behind it to make him duck out of the way. The fire scorched the exposed stones behind him, blackening them like coals.

"Valflame," Validar said with a small laugh, "Growing desperate?"

The ice kept melting around her, turning into waterfalls that ran down into the dark pits of the world. The icicles over her head dangled precariously as more water rained down from them. Their once solid color was gone. They were clear now, like glass. Wavering with each successive explosion, and rush of power, beneath them.

They were in a stalemate now. Each powerful sorcerer threw everything they had at the other. A Thoron, a Valflame, Ruins, Wastes, Fluxes, Bolganones- Morgana tapped into every ounce of power she had within her. She needed to buy the Ylisseans time. Perhaps, in doing so, she could also remove one piece off the board. If she managed to kill Validar, that was one less enemy in their way. If she killed Validar, the Fell Bloodline might end.

Her son was dead, which left Validar as the last of the Fell Blood alive. If he died, no more Fell heirs would be born. Grima would forever remain locked away, unable to regain his true power.

Morgana snarled as a Valflame came too close for comfort, narrowly grazing her shoulder and slamming into the stone behind her. A fiery explosion erupted behind her, sending stone and embers flying over her head. She lowered to a crouch and sent another dark spell at Validar- a Mire.

A web of green energy rocketed towards Validar. It clipped his right thigh, drawing more black blood from his corrupted body. His eyes glowed brighter as Grima's power grew within him, allowing him to power through the wounds she had given him.

This was not the Validar she knew when they were nothing but mere mages within the Grimleal's temple. Back then he had been a charming, if a bit reclusive, archivist. A talent with magic, but nothing overly impressive. She had been the prodigy. The one the elders deemed the next great sorceress. If this fight had taken place two decades ago, he would have stood no chance.

Now, they were even. For how long, Morgana could not say. Validar had the Fell Dragon's power within him. It likely gave him more stamina, more reserves, more power. As the duel dragged on, as they traded lightning spells, fire spells, and fluxes, she grew wearier. Meanwhile, he hardly flinched, save for when one of her spells grazed his fell body.

This duel could not last any longer. Morgana knew she needed to end this. She needed one massive strike to bring Validar to his knees. If she had the time, she would cast a hex strong enough to chain him down. But he was not giving her that time, and unlike the Deadlords, he was not charging recklessly at her. He was not underestimating her.

That left her with an option she was hesitant to use. Years spent trapped within these ice caves allowed her time to conduct research on lost magic. Specifically on a school of magic that was practiced by those who once lived in these caves, and the ruins nearby, long ago. Magic not seen since the days of the Hero-King. She just needed an opening.

 _I'll make one._

She sent one Thoron at Validar, then another, and another. Two more followed in rapid succession. The first Validar ducked, the second he weaved around, the third grazed his right shoulder, the fourth glanced off his left wrist, and the final impaled him in the gut, staggering the King of Plegia.

 _Now!_

The pages in her spellbook stopped turning. A sharp chill filled the air, crawling up her spine, along her arms, from her spellbook, to the tips of her fingers. Her breath misted in front of her face as she muttered the complex sequence of words that were needed for this spell.

"Fimbulvetr." She whispered.

A cyclone of icy shars whipped from her fingertips, wrapping into a tight pillar in front of her before surging towards Validar. A torrent of snow and ice followed, like a creeping wall of frost.

Validar's eyes widened. The shards hit him, tearing his robes and flesh to pieces. The blizzard of snow and ice followed, plowing into his weakened body and shoving him off the edge of a crevasse. He uttered a furious howl as the snow carried him off the edge, before it covered his head, muffling his roar.

The spell continued a few more moments, then finally died as the last bits of snow and ice cascaded into the bowels of the earth. The chill in the air evaporated, and the wall of fire behind Morgana flickered, slowly turning to embers as she allowed her body to finally relax.

Her shoulders sagged. Weariness flooded her mind. She uttered a ragged gasp as her body reeled from the duel. It had been many years since she was pushed that far. But now… it was over. Validar was dead.

 _The nightmare… is finally over._

A bloody hand reached up over the edge. Black blood stained the stones as the graying hand gripped a faint handhold. Morgana's eyes widened as Validar slowly pulled himself back up to the surface. Thick ribbons of inky liquid ran from deep gashes all over his body. He had neither the strength nor ability to stand anymore. All he could do was crawl back to the surface, then fall onto his back, utterly spent.

Still, Morgana regarded him with caution. When it came to a snake as vile as Validar, one could not be too careful. She inched towards him, a thunder at the ready in case he tried anything.

She froze as a hoarse, wet laugh rumbled from his lips.

"Ah…" He coughed hard, black blood bubbling from his lips, "I… did not see that coming." He glared at her, one eye open, the other sealed closed, "Always the researcher, aren't you?"

There it was. The charm she had fallen for so many years ago. But instead of feelings of joy, it only made her feel disgusted now. She regarded Validar with contempt as she glowered down at him, victorious.

"Of course." Morgana replied, breathing heavily, "It's through that research that I found out your intentions for my son." She snarled down at him, "When I had him, did you always intend to sacrifice his life to Grima? Did you ever plan on telling me?"

Validar uttered a mocking laugh, "Why tell you anything?" He glanced down at his wounded body, "This is the result of you finding out, after all."

Morgana felt fury build up in her, "You still act like this is a game. A little fun maneuvering for you to gain more power. You never cared for my life, or Robin's life, or Aversa's life." Validar's mocking grin wavered as her rage grew, "You only cared about your bloodline. About destiny, and gaining the power you craved. Here is where it brought you, Validar! This is what you gained! Death! By my hand!"

Morgana raised her hand. One last Thoron built up in her palm. The Deadlord off to the side still did not move to intervene. If he planned on helping Validar, he would have done so sooner. Validar's eyes widened as the lightning crackled in her grip.

Morgana grit her teeth, "This is for my son."

She lowered her hand to strike, then froze. A pair of hands clapped within the melting cavern. It was slow, purposeful, both applauding and mocking her at the same time.

A pair of boots leisurely strode down the main tunnel. Through the smoke, the cascading water raining down from the ceiling, and the frost still lingering in the air, Morgana saw someone she never thought she would see again. Her breath hitched, lodging in her throat. Her mouth was incapable of forming words as she watched her son walk into the cavern.

But he looked different. His hair was snow white, not warm brown. His eyes were a blazing yellow, like fiery coals. Not the kind brown that she loved seeing every day they were together as a family.

Her heart hammered in her chest. She desperately wanted to believe that the figure moving towards her and Validar, wearing that same coat she gave him so many years ago, was her son. But he was dead. Demon's Ingle consumed him in fire and ash. How could he be alive? What was this apparition in front of her.

The figure stopped clapping. His eyes twinkled with delight as he watched Morgana stand over Validar, ready to deliver the killing blow.

"Marvelous duel." He said, with her son's voice, "Truly a stunning display of power and skill."

He paused at the edge of a deep crevasse, unfazed by the bottomless pit in front of him. Morgana eyed him carefully from the otherside. He smiled back at her. An innocent, happy grin, that she knew was a facade hiding the true nature beneath the surface of this man.

"Hello mother." He said, smiling still, "It has been… a very long time."

"Who are you?" Morgana growled, rooted in place over Validar. Validar meanwhile, watched the newcomer with awe and surprise.

The newcomer wagged a finger, "That's funny. It is me, mother. Your beloved son, Robin." He titled his head to the side, "But… there is no fooling you, is there. If I could do that, you would never have been a threat to me in the first place."

Morgana furrowed her brow puzzled for a moment. Then she sensed it. A well of immeasurable, dark power resided within the young man across from her. It was endless, pitch black, and colder than the deepest of Feroxi winters. A shiver ran up her spine, and her hair stood on end.

"Grima…" She breathed.

He smirked at her. Then, with power unknown to her, he easily jumped over the gaping hole in the earth, onto the same patch of stone she and Validar dueled on. She staggered back from Validar, trying to create some distance between herself, and the monster now in her midst.

"So intelligent." Grima breathed, genuinely impressed. He glanced over at the last Deadlord, who glowered back, but still shrank in the presence of his master. Grima's eyes then fell to his broken servant, Validar, "And so powerful. I was right to be cautious when it came to you."

"H-how?" Morgana gasped, chest rising and falling as fear gripped her, "You- you can't be-" She swallowed hard, trying to steady herself as she took another frantic step back, "Robin died."

Grima grimaced, "Did he?" He chuckled at her perplexed, worried look, "It doesn't matter. That Robin is… beyond my reach."

Morgana's confusion grew, "Th-that Robin?"

"Yes, this time's Robin." He drew in a deep breath, "It has been a long time since I've been in this place. The Ruins of Time… I remember doing battle with the Naga-spawn here once. They were after some artifact of Naga. Thought it could kill me, in fact. They failed, of course. And that failure led to their long retreat to Ylisstol, where I laid siege to them, then broke them." He noticed Morgana's lingering confusion, "Perhaps you aren't as intelligent as I thought?" He shrugged, "Then again, the concept of time travel really is a mind boggling one."

Morgana's eyes widened, "What?"

Grima chuckled, "With all of your intellect, all of your scheming, and your spies, you were never able to piece that together, were you? Those children fighting alongside Ylisse's ruler… are his and his follower's children." He saw realization dawn on her, "Yes, you understand now. In their desperate attempt to defeat me, they sowed their final destruction. Naga's ritual has backfired. They left the door open, and I followed them through it." He glanced down at Validar, a disgusted snarl passing over his face for a brief moment, "Of course, in order to get through that blasted portal, I had to… downsize." He chuckled to himself, "But, in the end, if it means finally destroying Naga's followers then I will do so. Besides, this fresh start allowed me to gain a nice little perspective on things. It allowed me to form new goals."

"You only want destruction." Morgana breathed, her chin quivering as the embodiment of evil paced in front of her. His pacing froze when she spoke, "Death is all you crave."

He shrugged back, "Maybe. But… I've already destroyed the world once, before this little adventure." He stepped closer to her, leaning forward so that his breath brushed near her face. She wanted to shove him back, to step away, but she found herself unable to move beneath his penetrating glare, "Do you know what I learned though?"

Morgana shook her head in reply.

"Once everything is dead, once it is all destroyed, once the world is nothing more than a blasted, scorched heap of rubble, it becomes quite… boring. I mean, think about it. What is there to do, once there is nothing left to do? Nothing left to destroy. Nothing left to kill. Nothing but wastes." He shook his head, "I don't want to be alone, now that I have experienced it once before. I don't want to destroy this world. Such goals are beneath me now." He smiled at her, "I want to rule, Mother."

Morgana's eyes widened. Was this really the Fell Dragon in front of her? The one where, in all of her research, sought only to end all life in existence? What changed him in the future? What influenced him to desire power instead of destruction? Was it Validar?

 _No… Grima would not listen to someone as weak as Validar._

He smirked, "You aren't wrong there."

Morgana gulped.

"Yes," He nodded, "Your thoughts are not your own. Not now, at least. There is more power in the universe beyond the magic we already know, and I am a master of it all." His eyes shimmered with excitement, "I'm sure you'd love to learn about it."

"L-learn?"

"Yes," He said, voice slipping into her mind like a poison, "I need servants. Powerful servants. You have proven yourself to be the most powerful dark mage in existence. Even with my power, Validar was nothing to you." He held out an inviting hand, "Join me. Rule with me. Be the Matriarch of a new world, a new universe!"

Hesitation filled Morgana. She looked at his pale, outstretched hand. So inviting, so welcoming.

"This way, we can be a family again."

 _A family…_

Memories of Robin as a boy flooded her mind. His bright smile, infectious laughter, innocent intelligence that she adored so much, danced in her thoughts. The kind heart that made her feel warm inside whenever it showed brought a brief smile to her lips. That Robin… was her Robin. He never desired power. He did not want to rule, or to dominate. He wanted to be a good man.

He already died a good man.

Grima's smile faded as he sensed her decision.

"I see…"

"I will never join you." Morgana snarled, allowing lightning to crackle in her hand again, "And you will never win!"

She raised her hand, ready to impale a Thoron through his black heart. Before she could, an invisible force grabbed her. It pinned her arm to her side, wrenched the spellbook from her hand, and carried it to Grima's waiting fingers as she was lifted into the air, stiff as a board. Terror filled her as she struggled against invisible bonds she could not break. Meanwhile, Grima gripped her spellbook and glanced down at the Thoron formula within.

"I remember this spell." He said, fingers on one hand clenching tight, forcing the invisible bonds to coil tighter around her body. Morgana uttered a loud cry as it felt like her bones were on the verge of breaking, "This spell… ended the Naga-spawn's hopes for defeating me, in the future." He uttered a nostalgic laugh, then the mirth died as a faraway look filled his eyes, "This spell ended the life of my best friend." He grimaced, throat bobbing a moment.

Lighting crackled in his hand. Morgana sucked in a breath. A breath that violently left her lungs as a burning object penetrated her chest, burrowing into her heart with a sickening crackle. Her eyes widened, and any strength she had left her body.

"As it has ended yours." Grima breathed in her ear.

Grima watched as she stared at him one more time, slackening his grip on her through the force. He expected to see her glare at him with hate, with rage, with utter contempt and disgusts. Instead, one trembling hand reached out and brushed his cheek.

"You are still in there…"

A last gasp left her lips, and Morgana the Black was no more.

* * *

"Hurry Donnel!" Lucina called over her shoulder.

Blasterfire screamed after both her and the farmboy as they slid around a corner and down another palace corridor. Lucina cursed her rotten luck as they sprinted down the hall as quickly as they could. Donnel could only go so fast, since Luke was over his shoulders. For such a slight young man, Donnel had a surprising amount of strength.

"It's from all the farming!" He hollered to her with a grin when he noticed her surprise that he was still keeping pace with her.

Lucina could not help but shake her head in reply. How Donnel kept smiling through this insanity boggled her mind. She was practically shaking from head to toe with fear, stress, and anxiety. But the simple farm boy, now soon to become a Lord of Themis, was showing indomitable resolve in the face of a siege they could not win. His courage gave her courage, just like he did in the future.

They found a flight of stairs and barreled down them. Donnel did everything in his power to keep Luke steady, but the constant jostling caused the wounded Sith to utter a weak groan with every sharp movement. Lucina glanced at her old friend over Donnel's shoulder.

He was weak, barely conscious, and utterly spent from his duel with the monster from her nightmares. It was a miracle he was even alive. Then again, she had heard about the vicious wounds he received in Valm when he was watching over Cynthia, Say'ri, Brady, and Noire; so perhaps it should not have surprised her so much.

At the bottom of the stairs was a doorway that led out of the palace. She shoved it open and stormed outside, ready to bolt down the road to the Academy. She took one step, then froze, mouth open in horror as she looked above her.

More of those things, those transports, were descending from the dark sky. Smoke billowed high into the air as fires burned throughout Ylisstol. Screams of dying men, women, and children echoed through the night like a twisted chorus, causing tears to brim her eyes. It all sounded so familiar, but the enemy was different now. It was happening all over again, but this time, she could do nothing to stop it. She couldn't jump back in time again, she couldn't fight back against that monster Dooku now fought, she could barely fend off the soldiers in white armor. All she could do was run, and pray to Naga that her family somehow made it out of this alive.

"C'mon, Lucina!" Donnel shouted to her as two strange metal birds with hexagonal wings shrieked overhead, circling around a new group of transports like a pair of guards.

She ducked her head at the shrieking noise they made. The screams in the air, mixed with the sharp whines of blasterfire, and the roaring of the transport engines: it all threatened to overwhelm her. It all reminded her of the last days of Ylisstol. Of the shrieks of Risen storming the white walls, cutting down everything in front of them with a mindless, bloodthirstiness that was utterly unholy. It reminded her of the powerful roar of Grima himself, reverberating through the sky. So terrible was his war, that Lucina wondered if it would crack the sky like a glass of wine.

Donnel shouted at her again, snapping her back to the present. He was in front of her now, barely slowing down to scream at her. Lucina grit her teeth, and sprinted after him. They both bolted for the one spot Lucina knew no enemy soldiers would be. The spot she snuck in through when she wore the guise of Marth, back when she wore the mask, and when Exalt Emmeryn still lived. When life was somehow simpler. When there were no intergalactic Empires, Sith Lords, or heretical dark mages. Just her mission, Grima, and the goal of saving her entire family.

The cleft in the palace walls had been covered up by a thick hedge, one she tore from the ground with a sharp jerk through the force. Thankfully, it was still there. A small oversight forgotten about by her father due to the whirlwind of events in their lives.

"I can't fit through with him." Donnel hollered to her as he tried to crouch through the short, narrow break in the wall.

"Hand him to me." Lucina ordered, "I hand him to you once you're through."

She hooked her arms beneath Luke's shoulders as Donnel crawled through the gap in the wall. Once he was through, Lucina adjusted her grip and turned around so Donnel could hook Luke's arms. Just as the farm boy grabbed a hold of the Sith Lord, a muffled voice barked at them.

"Stop them!" A soldier in white exclaimed, a finger pointing at her. Beside him was Eli Vanto, Thrawn's comrade, awake and weary, with heavy gauze wrapped around his wrist where Luke severed his hand.

"Take him!" Lucina screamed to Donnel as Vanto leveled a pistol at her.

The soldiers in white started firing. Red blaster bolts screamed through the air, slamming into the wall behind Lucina. She ducked her head, feeling the heat of one bolt graze the top of her head, missing her by mere millimeters.

Luke's weight left her arms as Donnel yanked his now unconscious form through the wall.

"Lucina!" Donnel cried.

Her hand curled around her steel sword's grip. A knot rested in her throat. If she turned and ran, the enemy would follow. With Luke bogging them down, there would be no way for her and Donnel to outrun the enemy. Not with their ranged weapons threatening to gun them down. On top of that, if they were being pursued, then there was no guarantee the Academy would grant them entry. Especially if the Academy was already under siege.

She glanced back at Luke and Donnel, a blaster bolt just missing her again. Her mind drifted to Cynthia. Her little sister would be devastated if they were all captured, or killed. She promised her she would get Luke out of the palace safely. In her mind, there was only one way for Lucina to fulfill that promise now.

Donnel's face softened, "Lucina don't-"

"Get him to safety." She breathed, before clenching a fist.

"No-"

He was cut off as the gap in the wall crumbled, blocking Lucina's escape. She unclenched her fist, and allowed the Force to recede from the stone wall.

 _Now they can't follow him._

She spun around to face the enemy, and was greeted with a blaster bolt screaming into her stomach. The force behind the bolt made her double over. Pain erupted throughout her body, centered around the sharp burning sensation in her stomach. A hoarse, harsh cry slipped from her lips as she fell to her knees, steel sword clattering from her grasp and falling softly to the grass beneath her.

It felt like a hot poker was being jammed through her, twisting, never cooling or relenting. She gasped and curled up tight over her wound, hands clasped over the charred flesh. It was a feeling she was familiar with, thanks to Maul, but not one she would ever get used to.

"Don't kill her!" She vaguely heard Eli Vanto order frantically, "We need her alive."

She snarled as an enemy soldier reached her. With all of the strength she could muster, she lashed out with her fist. It cracked against his helmet, causing the strange material it was made out of to splinter. The soldier fell back, unconscious. Before Lucina could rise to her feet and attack again, a strange, blue pulse hit her.

Everything in her body went numb. Every muscle went slack as she crumpled to the ground, unable to catch herself. Her eyes remained wide, but she could not move her head. Her breathing felt unsteady, labored, but she could not steady it. Everything in her felt stiff, and frozen. As if someone had encased her in a solid block of ice.

Vanto's polished, black boots stepped into her field of vision. She managed to glare up at him as he looked down at her, grim faced.

"Take her to a shuttle. Then inform Lord Vader and Admiral Thrawn that we have acquired the target."

She did not feel the soldiers grab her roughly by her arms and legs. She did not feel the strange binds forced around her ankles. Everything was numb, everything was fading, but she fought to remain awake. And remain awake she did, though she wished she had not.

Her city burned as they carried her through the streets. The soldiers in white moved methodically through each alley, avenue, and street. They broke down doors, dragged people out of their homes, then shot them on the orders of officers in black or gray uniforms. Merciless, unbiased, horrifying. They were executing a massacre.

Tears bubbled in her eyes as she saw homes engulfed in torrents of blaster bolts and fire. As she watched corpses left to rot in the once pristine city. The white walls of buildings were blackened. As she felt herself ascend a ramp, she saw a Ylissean banner fluttering by a thread against the city walls. A harsh, hot wind hit it, and it ripped free from its spot, fluttering without a sound into a burning building.

She broke. If she could speak, if she could scream, she would have. Everything she had fought for, had been for nothing. Her city burned. Her people died.

She had failed.

The ramp to the shuttle she was on close as the shuttle started to lift off. Tears obscured her vision, and she squeezed her eyes shut, pleading with Naga that this was not real. That this was all another terrible dream, another terrible vision.

But it was not. It happened. She failed, her family was trapped, and she could do nothing to save them.

The enemy had won.

* * *

Cynthia trembled as she sat on a wooden chair within the walls of the Academy. Outside, the city she grew up in burned. The enemy from the stars, the Galactic Empire, were busy conquering her people. And here she was, locked inside of the Academy's main hall. The place where the most wards were in place to protect the few citizens that managed to reach the safety the mage's provided.

Every now and again, she would raise her gaze from her lap, from her smoke encrusted hands, to the people inside of the main hall. Most of the time, when she raised her eyes, the doors would open, and another wounded or dead mage would be hauled inside to Libra, Lissa, Maribelle, and the precious few healers they had. With each opening of those doors, the sounds of battle filled the main hall, causing those seeking refuge within to shrink away.

Screams of the dying, unnatural screams from weapons none of them could understand, the moans and groans of soldiers and mages dying at the Academy walls and gate, drifted into the main hall. The doors would then close, and what little hope they all had within fell like sand in an hourglass.

Most of the Shepherds were out fighting on the Academy Walls. Cynthia knew Henry was out there, casting all manner of terrible hexes upon the enemy. She swore she could hear his mad laughter through the screams of blasterfire and the roar of spells outside. Across the main hall, she spotted Severa sitting next to her mother, Cordelia. Severa's right leg bounced up and down as she kneaded the grip of her sword. No doubt she was furious about being kept out of the fight, but her mother needed her, and she would not leave her mother's side. Not after they had finally started to grow close again. Brady assisted his mother in healing the wounded. Inigo helped haul wounded soldiers into the main hall so they could be treated, since his sword was useless in this fight. But those were the only Shepherds she could see in this mess.

Sumia and Noire sat beside her. Sumia was unable to fight alongside her husband due to her pregnancy. Noire was unable to join the battle due to her injuries from the Valm War. Everytime the doors opened, she tensed beside Cynthia. Those strange powers of hers allowed her to sense what was going on outside of the main hall. Judging by the gooseflesh on her arms, the shivers she would fall into when the doors closed, and the bob of her throat as she swallowed hard, Cynthia made the accurate assumption that this battle was not going well. The Academy would not hold out for long, but where could any of them go? Where could they all run to?

The toddler princess, Lucina, whimpered next to Noire. Cynthia glanced over and saw the small girl toddle over to her and grab her by the leg. She buried her face into the hem of Cynthia's dress, and, for a brief moment, Cynthia's heart melted. That moment ended quickly when the doors burst open again. She expected to hear the moans of another wounded mage being hauled in. Instead, she heard Donnel shout for help.

Her head whipped over, and she saw Luke over Donnel's shoulder. Her breath hitched, and she dashed away from where she was seated, leaving little Lucina with Noire as the blind archer tried her best to comfort the terrified Princess.

Donnel set Luke down beside Lissa. Cynthia's aunt quickly looked him over, the healing stave glowing green as she did some quick healing to stabilize him. He was unconscious, his jaw was slack, and there was hideous bruising forming along his entire jawline.

"Broken jaw." Lissa mumbled, casting a brief, concerned look up at Donnel and Cynthia before putting the vulnerary she grabbed away, "He won't be able to swallow that."

Cynthia's chin quivered, and she ran a gentle hand over Luke's forehead. He stirred at her touch, but did not awaken. The green glow of Lissa's staff hovered over his face.

"Give me some room, Cynthia." Lissa ordered.

Cynthia whimpered and took a step back. One hand shook at her side, the other ran over her the small bump in her stomach.

 _Don't die Luke. Don't die. Please don't-_

Her train of thought froze as she realized Donnel was the only one to make it with Luke. She whipped her gaze over to the farmboy, who was sitting next to Maribelle, completely distraught. His head hung on his shoulders and he covered his eyes with one hand.

"I tried Mari-" He blubbered, "I really tried-"

Maribelle held him a tight embrace. As Cynthia gingerly approached them, fear gripping her heart, she froze. The Academy walls shook, and several refugees within uttered cries alarm. A few of the greener mages started muttering about the runes as they stood guard over the terrified people within the main hall, but Cynthia did not care. All she cared about was her sister.

"Uncle Donny?" She began, voice small.

Donnel froze in Maribelle's arms.

"Where's Luci?"

Donnel swallowed hard. He opened his mouth to speak, but the doors burst open again, cutting him off.

"Damn it!" Cynthia jumped when she heard her father bellow that out. She whipped her gaze over and saw him speaking quickly with the headmaster of the Academy, Byron. Maribelle glanced over as well, then stole a peak up at the tall rafters of the main hall.

"The wards aren't holding." She whispered. She placed a small kiss on Donnel's cheek, "I need to start moving people."

"I'll help ya."

"Donnel!" Cynthia snapped, drawing the attention of the farm boy, and of her father nearby, "Where is Luci?"

Guilt filled Donnel's face, "She… she stayed behind." He squeezed his eyes shut, "She didn't give me no choice either!"

Sumia tiptoed towards Cynthia, as did Chrom. The two royals were stunned by Donnel's news. The farmer shook his head.

"They shot her." He said, lips quivering, "I heard it."

Cynthia uttered a pain cry, spun, and buried her arm against her mother's shoulder. Her mother hardly moved, too shocked, and she struggled to process what Donnel just said. Chrom meanwhile, shook beside his family.

"She's… she's dead?" Chrom whispered.

Donnel inhaled, "I dunno, milord. But… those weapons don't give much hope for us."

Cynthia squeezed her eyes shut. This was not real. It could not be real. Lucina could not die. She was too strong, too powerful, too determined to die. No one could beat her in a fight, least of all strange soldiers from beyond the stars. She couldn't be-

Chrom's hand brushed her cheek. He gave both Cynthia and Sumia a comforting glance, before donning the mask of a warrior again. He was grieving, Cynthia could tell. There was a sorrow in his eyes, a slight watering in his eyes, that betrayed his true feelings, but he could not let them show. Not now; not when he needed to lead a final defense of his city.

"We need to figure out a way out of here." Maribelle informed Chrom, "I'm going to begin evacuating wounded and civilians towards the student dorms at the rear of the Academy."

"Do so." Headmaster Byron nodded in agreement, the old man exhausted from the magical strain he was under, "Myself and the mages will hold for as long as we can."  
"Is there a way out of the palace?" Chrom asked Byron.

The elderly headmaster shook his head, "No… not un- wait-" His brow furrowed, "The Academy is ancient. Built during the founding of the Halidom. The cellar may yet hold a way out. It has been locked for ages due to the more-" He cleared his throat, "sinister experiments that took place there generations ago. Unsanctioned of course, but they still happened. Those ruffian mages who did them so many years ago had to have a way to get in and out with their materials without being seen."

Chrom spun on his heel, snapping a finger over a Sully and Vaike, "Both of you get on that!"

"Got it, Captain." Sully nodded.

"Teach is on it."

"Laurent!" Byron called out to the young mage, who had been helping Libra treat wounded mages, "Assist them!"

Laurent nodded and raced after Sully and Vaike. The trio disappeared down a side corridor, the light from their torches growing dimmer as they ventured further into the bowels of the Academy. Once they left, Chrom took a deep breath. He cupped Sumia's face and rested his forehead against hers.

"We will be okay." He breathed to her as a stray tear dripped down her cheek. He placed a tender kiss on her forehead, then spun back around to Byron, "If that plan fails?"

Byron shrugged, "Blast a hole through the rear of the Academy and make a run for the forest?"

Chrom nodded, "Alright, that's something at least."

"I'll have a pair of mages on standby for that plan." Byron stated as he shuffled away.

The palace doors opened again. Gaius sprinted inside with Panne.

"Prince! Stumbles!" Gaius hollered over the groans of wounded mages and panicked survivors, "That blue guy is at the gates!"

Chrom whipped his gaze over to Sumia. Sumia took a deep breath, then nodded at him. Chrom grit his teeth, gripped Falchion tight, and marched towards the doors, leaving her behind with a grieving Cynthia.

He stormed out of the main hall and back towards the battle, with Gaius and Panne trailing after him. The spell fire that roared through the air before had died away. The blaster fire that had been pounding against the Academy wards, some piercing through and wounding mages, had ceased. A heavy silence hung over the Academy, only broken by the occasional spat of blaster fire from the main city, and the shriek of strange metal ships soaring through the night sky.

He bounded up the stairs to the top of the Academy walls. Once at the top, he saw Admiral Thrawn standing before the Academy gates, undeterred by the dozens of mages with spells aimed directly at him. His red eyes glanced up at Chrom as Chrom glared down at him with rage filled eyes.

"I hope you understand that I never wanted this outcome." Thrawn spoke up, ending the eerie silence around the Academy.

Chrom took a deep breath. He gazed out at Ylisstol, the city he fought so hard to liberate in the Plegian War, the city his family had ruled over for generations. Fires burned high into the night sky. The stench of bodies filled the air. More of those shuttles descended from a dark triangle in the night sky. A triangle that blotted out the stars behind it. The only light illuminating the dark shape in the sky was the flickering light of fires burning throughout Ylisstol, and embers slowly ascended in faint spirals.

"You never wanted this?" He replied, voice trembling with fury, "This is your doing!"

Thrawn took a deep breath, "On the contrary, your majesty."

His even tone managed to unnerve Chrom. It was as if the violence and death did not disturb him the slightest. Chrom would have called it not human, but the blue skin made that fact painfully obvious. Still, even the strangest of creatures would be disturbed, even appalled, by the massacre taking place, yet Thrawn displayed not even a hint of remorse.

"I gave you a way out of this, before it even began." Thrawn continued, "My demands were not overwhelming. They were actually quite light. But you insisted on protecting the Jedi, as such, my superior deemed it necessary to send a message."

The massive triangular ship in the sky slowly descended a little lower, allowing the fires to illuminate the name and the strange creature etched into its underbelly.

 _Chimaera._ Chrom thought, jaw clenched.

"I offer you one last chance, Prince." Thrawn's voice broke the silence again, "Although, my terms are now not as favorable. You are to surrender unconditionally to the Galactic Empire. Your kingdom will be dissolved, and an Imperial governor will be placed in your stead. Your family will not be harmed, but we will take one of them as hostage so that a rebellion will not take place. Your military will be dissolved. All claims you have will be void. You will simply become a citizen of the Empire." Thrawn folded his hands behind his back, "And you will surrender the Jedi Master known as Obi Wan Kenobi, as well as any other Jedi sheltered here, to Imperial custody. Those are my final terms, otherwise…"

Chrom furrowed his brow as he heard blasters prime from soldiers hunkered down in buildings behind Thrawn. His hands clenched the stone walls as he carefully considered the Admiral's words. If he was not so furious, he would have recognized it as an extremely generous offer. But in his experience, he knew how negotiating with tyrants worked. Gangrel never followed such agreements. Neither did Walhart. All tyrants betrayed their word, and at some point, his family would be killed, regardless of if they held power or not.

No, this was it. This was the last stand of the Ylisseans. There would be no surrender.

His silence was all the answer Thrawn needed.

"Very well." Thrawn replied with a heavy sigh. He tucked his chin, then nodded his head, "I wish you good luck then, your majesty."

He spun on his heel and waved a hand to his lines. Chrom furrowed his brow, puzzled. What was he signaling for?

Thrawn strode away, and a sharp shriek filled the air. Chrom whipped his gaze up to see a pair of those strange ships screaming towards the walls. Another pair followed, then another. He then realized an entire swarm of them were emerging from the _Chimaera,_ like angry wasps from a hive. Green bolts screamed down at the Academy. Mages along the walls braced as the wards were hammered by massive explosions.

One bolt pierced the ward, exploding against the wall and sending stone flying through the air like deadly shrapnel. Mages screamed as they were blown sky high in an immense fireball. The wall shuddered beneath Chrom's feet.

When the smoke cleared, a section of the wall was gone. Blown to smithereens by a single, green bolt. Chrom's eyes widened, and he whipped his gaze to see stormtroopers surging towards the break in the walls.

"BREACH!" Frederick bellowed over the renewed roar of spells in the air, "WE HAVE BEEN BREACHED!"

Chrom drew Falchion and moved to charge down the gap. Gaius reached out and stopped him, grabbing him by the neck of his shirt.

"Something's coming!" Gaius shouted to him over the screams of blasterfire as mages engaged the enemy.

Fireballs roared through the air. Thunders cracked against enemy stormtroopers, impaling them with bolts of yellow lightning. Wind spells whipped over the scorched city, sending fires behind the stormtroopers into a blazing inferno. Through the chaos and flashes of light, Chrom saw a small ship zipping towards the Academy. A rickety looking thing, very different from the ships the Empire threw against the Academy. It was dogged by enemy craft, but was fighting back. Chrom could see dark magic flying from the ship racing towards the Academy and impacting against the enemy ships.

"What is it?" Panne asked.

Gaius's eyes widened, "That's Sunshine!"

Panne furrowed her brow, "How-"

"I know her terrifying magic anywhere."

 _Tharja and Ben._ Chrom thought, a small renewal of hope welled up inside of him. Ben was here, which meant he would help them fight back, "Open the wards! Close them as soon as that craft makes it through!"

A pair of mages nodded at the base of the walls as Chrom rapidly rushed down the stairs. The walls shuddered again as more blaster fire peppered the white stone. Mages rushed to plug the gap in the walls, throwing up wards and sending deadly spells against the slowly advancing enemy. Through the gap, Chrom could see the enemy dead starting to pile up.

 _Thank Naga for magic._

As he reached the base of the walls, the rickety ship made it through the wards. The two mages sagged, and the wards returned to place, just in time to block an enemy fighter from chasing after Ben and Tharja. It exploded against the wards in a dazzling fireball, and a great cheer erupted from the mages along the walls. They were not done yet.

A ramp lowered as the rickety, black ship came to rest in front of the main hall. Chrom sprinted towards it, and Ben sprinted out of it, lightsaber ignited.

"Ben!" Chrom bellowed.

Ben's gaze whipped over to him. Before he could say anything, a blast broke through the ward. At first, Chrom thought it was another green blaster bolt. His eyes widened in horror as he saw an enemy ship twirling out of control towards the main hall. It slammed against the front facade, exploding in a bright ball of fire. Metal shards spat through the air, tearing through mages moving towards the main hall doors. Chrom felt a shard slash through his arm, but he shrugged the pain off. A look of horror crossed his face as he saw the front facade begin to crumble.

Ben sheathed his lightsaber and stretched out both arms, palms splayed open. The stones stopped sagging as he grit his teeth. The Force ebbed around him, and a faint white-blue glow started to form along his fingertips.

"I can't hold it long!" Ben screamed at Chrom.

Chrom nodded. He, Gaius, and Panne sprinted for the main hall. Mages started to spill out of the shattered doors, dazed and confused. A few of the Shepherds rushed down from the walls and followed Chrom to the doors in order to help people get out. Even Anna joined, which surprised Chrom since the merchant was doing everything in her power to figure out a way to escape instead of help in the fighting.

Relief flooded Chrom when, as he climbed the first step, he saw Sumia and Cynthia stumbled out. Cordelia and Severa were right behind them. Just behind the two redheads, Brady hauled Luke out, carrying the thin Sith Lord over his shoulder.

"The hell just-" Brady glanced behind him as the front of the main hall started to sag again, "OH SHIT!"

Noire stumbled out just as the front facade began to crumble. Ben uttered a loud cry and wrenched his hands downward, using the force to yank the wall straight down instead of having it fall inwards onto the wounded and sheltering civilians. Dust billowed up from the ground as the wall fell, making the ground shake with every heavy stone that fell.

Chrom's heart lodged in his throat as he reached Cynthia and Sumia.

"Lucina is-"

"They found the way out." Sumia breathed, "Lissa and Lon'qu grabbed Lucina and made for the exit when the building was hit. I was about to follow them, but the way out caved in."

Chrom's face paled, "Then-"

Cynthia nodded, eyes shimmering with tears, "We're stuck."

Byron emerged from the crumbling main hall. Dust, grime, and smoke plastered his wrinkled face. His spectacles were cracked, and hoarse coughs wracked his lungs. He took a deep breath as he approached Chrom.

"The wards are about to give." He informed the Prince, "I've ordered for the walls to be blasted open as a secondary escape."

"That won't give you much of a chance." Ben said grimly as he recovered from the strain of holding the building up. As he sank to a knee, Tharja and Tiki descended down the ramp, both horrified but what they were seeing.

"It's the only chance we have." Byron said, "Unless you can fit more onto this thing of yours, Master Kenobi."

Ben gave Chrom a weary look, "I can, but… not much more."

Chrom looked around him. The other Shepherds who had not made it out through the Academy cellar were around him now. They all looked exhausted, and defeated. For the first time in his life, he saw his Shepherds broken. Their homes were destroyed. The city, the nation they all fought so hard for, was gone in a single night. But hope remained alive as long as they remained alive too.

"Can-"

His stomach dropped when Ben shook his head, "I can fit a few more, but after that-"

"Milord." Frederick spoke up. His armor was scorched in several spots by blaster bolts that came a hair too close for comfort, "You and your family need to go."

Chrom's eyes widened, "Frederick I can't just-"

"The city is lost, Chrom." Cordelia stated, joining her fellow commander's side, "As long as you, Sumia, and Cynthia are alive, then Ylisse lives on."

"You should go as well, Cordelia." Frederick stated, "I can lead military matters here for the time being but-"

"But I can't, I'm aware." Cordelia breathed. She glanced over at the gap in the walls. Only a couple dozen mages now held it. The rest laid dead on the scorched, torn up ground, "We need to-"

The walls shuddered. Another blast rocked them. Byron's face twisted into a horrified grimace as he felt the wards fall completely.

"No more time for debate! Go!"

"But-"

Chrom's protest was cut off as an explosion slammed into what remained of the walls. Dirt, dust, and stone fell down on all of them. Cynthia let out an alarmed cry. Brady grabbed Noire with his free hand and yanked her up onto the ship. Luke bounced on his shoulders he sprinted up the ramp with them. Tharja took a nervous step back as the smoke cleared, and stormtroopers advanced on them.

"Go, milord!" Frederick shouted, "The rest of us will evacuate the city!"

Chrom felt numb. He was being told to run. This time, there would be no counterattack. In the Plegian war, Robin came up with a counter campaign against Gangrel that ended up winning the war, even though Plegia conquered most of Ylisse. In Valm, the Shepherds retreated for much of the war on the other continent, but they won thanks to savvy strategy and counter attacks that took the Valmese off guard.

There was no plan for a counter attack now. This was a pure retreat. An admission of total defeat. It made his heart ache, and burn with fury. He found himself unable to form words as a group of mages made a desperate attempt to defend the royal family. Wind spells slammed into the quickly advancing stormtroopers. Tharja joined their vicious defense, while Tiki retreated up the ramp with Cordelia and Severa. Anna sprinted over as well, dashing up the ramp. As Gaius moved to follow them, with Panne behind him, a series of blaster bolts hit the ship, making it shake.

"Chrom!" Ben shouted at him.

"Your majesty, you must leave!" Byron cried as he opened his spellbook and began his defence. Just as he casted his fourth, devastating Arcfire, a blaster bolt screamed through the air and slammed into his chest, cutting him down.

Byron's sudden death spurred Chrom into motion. Frederick gathered the remaining Shepherds and led them as quickly as he could to the rear of the Academy, where their last route of escape remained. Ben ignited his lightsaber, using the blade to deflect as many blaster bolts as he could back at the enemy.

Cynthia rushed past Ben. Blaster bolts nipped at her heels as she rushed up the ramp and into the waiting arms of Tiki. Tharja inched her way up the ramp with Sumia beside her.

Chrom stepped up onto the ramp. Ben extinguished his lightsaber and rushed past him, Tharja, and Sumia in order to get to the cockpit. Just as he reached the top of the ramp, a warning ripped through the force. He spun around, eyes wide as he searched for the threat. Chrom turned with him, and he saw Thrawn aiming a blaster pistol at him.

The Chiss pulled the trigger. Ben reached out with the force and yanked Chrom up the ramp, out of the blaster bolt's way. Chrom heard the botl whine past his ear, but he did not hear the pop of it hitting metal. Instead he heard the sickeing hiss of it hitting impacting flesh.

He fell hard onto his back at the top of the ramp. Tharja slammed her fist into a button, and the ramp began to rise. Meanwhile, Ben sprinted towards the cockpit along with Severa as the younger redhead pushed Cordelia in that direction. Gaius rushed with Tiki, Panne, Anna, Noire, Cynthia, and Brady towards the engine room.

"Nowi, Tiki!" Tharja shouted, "Get us going if… you… can… Naga no..."

Chrom lay on his back a moment, expecting to feel pain. He was certain the blaster bolt had hit him. It was aimed directly for him. If not for Ben's timely intervention, it probably would have killed him. But… he did not feel it. He did not feel any pain at all in fact. Yet, he did not hear the bolt hit metal. So who did-

His heart froze. A lump formed in his throat. His head trembled as he turned to look to his right. What he saw made an agonized howl erupt from his lungs.

Sumia was slumped against the wall of the corridor, a blackened hole in her chest. Her face was as pale as a ghost. Tears welled in her eyes as she slowly slipped down the wall to a seat on the cold, metal floor. Chrom scrambled to his feet and rushed to her side. He hardly felt the ship start to lift off from the ground as she reached Sumia. Tharja was by his wife's side, working her magic as quickly as she could in order to save the Queen's life.

He did not see anything else, or anyone else. His focus was on Sumia, his wife, sitting there, trembling like the last autumn leaf on a dying tree. Her eyes were wide, filled with pain and fear. Chrom reached out and took her hand. His heart jumped in his chest as he felt her fingertips, icy against his palm.

"No…" He breathed as she uttered a croaking breath. Tharja's incantations grew more desperate as the ship lurched to the side. He felt Sumia's grasp weakening in his hand, "No, Sumia, please!"

A tear dropped from the corner of her eyes. She gulped, taking a shaky breath as she stared into Chrom's eyes. Her pupils began to dilate as all color left her face.

"Chrom…" Her shivering started to ebb away, "I…I… love…you."

Her final word came out with a quiet exhale. A faint whisper he hardly heard through the pounding of his pulse in his ears. Tharja's incantations suddenly ceased, and her breathing stopped for a moment. Chrom stared at Sumia's face, waiting for her to say something else.

She said nothing. The light left her eyes, and her hand went limp in his. Her skin was like ice to his touch. His lips started to quiver as Tharja ducked her head.

"S-Sumia?"

Nothing.

"Sumia!" He shouted, "Please no-" He whipped his gaze to Tharja, "Do something! Do-"

He felt his spirit break as Tharja averted her eyes downward. Her fists clenched in her lap. In that moment, Chrom knew the horrible truth. That truth made him utter a loud, anguished cry. Tears cascaded down his cheeks as he held Sumia close to him, one hand gripping hers while the other tenderly cradled her head against his chest. Sobs wracked his lungs, and he squeezed his eyes shut.

The ship shuddered. He heard Ben shout a curse, but he did not care. His wife was gone… Sumia was gone.

* * *

For the first time since his resurrection, when Grima summoned him to become one of his Fell Servants, Dooku felt something he did not think he would ever feel again: exhaustion. His duel with Vader had carried from the main hall of the royal palace, outside to the courtyard. Glowing lines ran through the ground from where their red lightsabers slashed through the earth, burning grass and charring dirt in the process. Stones were shattered from force pushes, pulls. Through the bright light of his lightsaber smashing against Vader's once again, Dooku could see flames flickering in the night, but he could not focus his attention on burning Ylisstol. If he ripped his focus from this duel for one second, he would be dead.

The intensity of this duel matched few in his long life. Vader was relentless, and Dooku had to admire him. The amount of progress Skywalker made in the path of the Sith in such a short period of time, stunned the former Sith Lord. It took him nearly a decade before he could claim to hold power in the dark side that matched Lord Vader's. The natural talent this monster had shone in this duel. But his resourcefulness also came to the forefront.

When Dooku previously fought Vader, or when he was known as Anakin Skywalker, he had been prone to flashy displays of power. Childish notions, wasted movements in his fighting in order to dazzle or intimidate the enemy into submission. Effective against lesser opponents, but not against a seasoned warrior such as himself. It was only when Skywalker tapped into his rage, and brutal efficiency, that he overcame Dooku aboard the Invisible Hand so many years ago. When he first engaged the now christened Lord Vader, he expected much of the same. However, the obvious injuries Vader had sustained against Kenobi made his fighting style a stark contrast to Skywalker's.

Vader fought with punishing efficiency. He lacked the grace and finesse of Skywalker's fighting, and instead relied on brute force and leverage. Gone were the flashy swings, twirls, flips, and dancing of Skywalker. They were replaced by powerful chops, heavy handed slashes that rattled Dooku's bones whenever their blades collided. It was as if he was fighting an entirely different person. Which, given what Dooku knew about the Dark Side and how it could utterly corrupt a being, made sense.

Vader clearly gave himself to the Dark Side. He was wreathed in it. Soaked with the dark side to a level that Dooku thought only possible by Lord Sidious and Grima. The hatred with which he fought stunned the former Sith Lord. It did not seem possible for anyone to hate their opponent so much, let alone someone who was once as soft as Anakin Skywalker.

 _He's not that boy anymore._ Dooku quickly reminded himself as he tore his blade free from Vader's, then scampered back a few steps, trying to catch his breath, _He really has become a Sith Lord._

While he breathed heavily, Vader hardly seemed fazed. Sure, his breathing did not sound healthy thanks to the damage to that mask over his face, but he still fought with the same energy he had at the very beginning of the duel. Meanwhile, Dooku felt gassed. His arms were heavy. His head pounded with a splitting headache. He could feel the last ounces of vitality given to him by Grima's magic slipping away. If he did not end this duel now, he would lose.

 _No._ Dooku thought as Vader stalked towards him. He uttered a heavy sigh and readied himself for another brutal onslaught. The longer he fought Vader, the more he realized something that he wished was not true. He was not capable of defeating Lord Vader. For all of the strength Makashi had in one on one combat, it could not overcome a brute force attack the likes of which Vader threw against him. It was how Skywalker killed him aboard the Invisible Hand, and it was likely how he would die now.

 _Although, I won't technically die. I'll be sent back to Grima._ A dry laugh slipped from his lips, _Once I'm before him again, I'll probably die._

At the start of this duel, he did not feel ready to die. Just like aboard the _Invisible Hand_ , when Sidious gave the final order to have him killed, he felt that there was so much left for him to do. Here, on this backwater world, he had a duchy to take care of. A pair of idiotic, naive nobles to look out for. Donnel and Maribelle needed his guidance. With that in mind, he resolved to defeat Vader at first.

Now… now he realized that his destiny was not to defeat Vader, but to simply buy time. As always, he was a stopgap. A spacer between the larger destinies in this cursed life. Only this time, he accepts this reality. As he raised his blade to engage Vader again, the harsh rasp of the Sith's breathing ringing in his ears, he felt… content. Donnel and Maribelle would be fine. He trained the boy well, and he was a remarkable swordsman. Though he would never say that to his face. And Maribelle… so much potential as a politician. He hoped she listened to his lessons on the subject. He knew Donnel did. Those two together could conquer this entire measley continent if they wanted to through lovable charm and charisma. It made him feel quite proud.

That pride made him realize that now… now as a good time for him to die. He had done his job. He bought as much time as he could for the royals and those Shepherd brats. One more assault by Vader, and he would be finished.

 _But I will make him work for it._

Dooku grit his teeth, then attacked. He unleashed, scarlet blade whirring through the night air in quick, sharp arcs of red light. Vader moved just as fast to parry them. His blocky defense proved to be surprisingly effective against Dooku's fluid attacks. But every defense has a weakness, and Vader's was glaring.

He lunged for the control panel on Vader's chest, hoping to pierce it with the tip of his blade. The movement forced Vader to backpedal, and Dooku continued his assault. A flurry of quick slashes at Vader's flanks allowed him to attempt the stab at his chest again. Vader smashed his blade out of the way, only for Dooku to quickly flick it up.

The tip of his blade just barely missed the control panel. It slashed up through Vader's suit, just barely missing his throat, then up through the front of his helmet. Vader reeled, uttering a pain filled howl as Dooku's lightsaber stunned him.

He grit his teeth, ready to continue his attack, when something distracted him. A presence that caught him off guard. It was bright, and rushing towards the Academy.

"Kenobi…" Dooku breathed.

Vader's breathing hitched. Dark power surged within the dark lord, and Dooku took a step back. He could feel burning hatred boiling within Darth Vader, the likes of which he had never sensed before. Vader knew Kenobi was here, and Dooku was in the way of his ultimate prize.

A sense of calm rushed through Dooku. A warm feeling, like a gentle brush of a hand, came over him. He sensed Qui Gon's presence and knew it was time.

His thoughts wandered to the brats that had taken him in these past few years: to the Prince and his Queen, to Kenobi and the dark mage that managed to seduce him, to curious Noire and grumpy Luke, and finally, to Maribelle and Donnel. A gentle smile creased over his lips and he straightened upright, lowering his guard.

 _The fight is yours now._

Vader roared. Dooku closed his eyes, felt Vader's lightsaber cut into him, then embraced the cold void beyond this life.

* * *

Vader felt… confused. This entire mission had been both confusing and enraging. One moment he was dueling an inexperienced whelp who wielded the Dark Side like an unwieldy club, the next, a resurrected Count Dooku confronted him. And the Count gave him one of the most difficult duels he's had since Mustafar. But finally, he cut down the disgraced Sith once and for all.

He watched, pleased, as Dooku's body fell to the ground. Then his confusion grew worse as his body did not remain, but instead crumbled into fine ash blown away on a scorching wind. Vader watched the ash float away. Before he could process what happened, a shuttle descended into the courtyard. The ramp lowered, and Thrawn stepped out towards him, a grim expression on his face.

"Lord Vader, we have taken the city but-" Thrawn paused when he noticed Lord Vader's shoulders sag as a wave of exhaustion hit the Sith. His breathing regulators were shot, and now, without adrenaline or the dark side pulsing through his body, Vader could feel the wear and tear on his wounded body,

"-Pilot! Tell the _Chimaera_ to ready a medical crew!" Thrawn barked before moving towards Vader and offering his assistance.

Vader brushed him away with a weak growl. It probably sounded more like a quiet hiss, given how damaged his mask was, but he did not care. He sensed Kenobi arrive, then depart just as quickly. The Jedi would not escape so easily. He would be hunted down with all of the resources Vader could muster.

But first… an example needed to be made of. This planet, the people on it, they needed to see what resisting the Empire could lead to.

"Have you acquired the target?" Vader asked.

A pleased look covered Thrawn's face as they both moved up the shuttle ramp, "Captain Vanto apprehended her himself, milord. She was wounded, but we have our medical staff treating her as we speak."

Vader furrowed his brow behind his mask. She probably attempted futile resistance, which was why she was wounded. Thrawn was not worried, so he would not worry. The girl would be fine, and would soon be before his Master.

The ramp closed behind Thrawn and Vader. Thrawn exhaled as the shuttle lifted off while Vader moved towards the shuttle cockpit. The other shuttles filled with Stormtroopers ascended up to the _Chimaera_ as well as they left the burning city.

"We've sent a message today." Thrawn breathed, "This planet will know of our power, and they shouldn't resist anymore."

Vader glanced back at Thrawn, "Not enough of a message."

Thrawn furrowed his brow, "What do you-"

"Execute base delta zero."

For the first time since he met the chiss, Vader saw shock wash over the Admiral's face. Thrawn cleared his throat.

"I-I'm sorry, Lord Vader. Did you-"

"Annihilate this city." Vader growled, turning his attention back to the cockpit's viewport. The _Chimeara_ grew overhead as they neared the lumbering star destroyer, "Let this entire planet see what happens to those who shelter rebels, and Jedi."

Thrawn's throat bobbed. He took a deep breath, and the mask of indifference returned to his face. He quickly tapped a commlink on his wrist and relayed Lord Vader's orders.

As the shuttle's wings folded together, so that it could fit into the hangar in the _Chimaera's_ belly, Vader saw green flashes of light come from the massive turbo lasers on the star destroyer. The green bolts impacted against the ground with violent explosions that sounded like great peals of thunder. Through the force, Vader could sense lives being snuffed out in quick, brutal fashion. As the shuttle docked, he managed to catch a brief glimpse of the city, and saw nothing but husks, smoke, fire, and a crater where it once stood.

He nodded to himself, the shuttle's ramp lowered, and he limped aboard the _Chimaera_.

 _Let that be the message._

 **And chapter! HOLLLLLLY SHIT, it's been a minute! Sorry for the wait on this chapter everyone. Life got very busy lately, but I was finally able to sit down and get this behemoth finished.**

 **This was a chapter I've been wanting for literal months! I had to sit down and carefully plan this one out, because I wanted it to be this big, epic chapter for you guys. I hope I did well in that regard, because this is easily the most complex chapter I've written in a very long time. So many different scenes, perspectives, and moments clashing all at once; got kinda overwhelming, I gotta admit.**

 **So… as for what happened here, a lot happened. Ylisstol has fallen to the Empire. Dooku and Morgana executed their last stands, and concluded their arcs in this story (with Dooku getting a bit of a redemption story here, which I loved writing). Some Shepherds escaped, but not all (that was a difficult decision to make and easily the hardest part of writing this chapter). ANd Thrawn and Vader succeeded in capturing their target, Lucina. Now, our heroes are on the run, what do they do now? You'll find out soon, I assure you.**

 **Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!**

 **Come join the Treehouse! Discord code is: 9XG3U7a**


	136. Uncontrolled Escape

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 136

Uncontrolled Escape

Ben could barely focus. The force screamed around him. Vibrating in his ears. Rushing through his thoughts like a mournful wail as thousands of deaths slammed into him at once. His heart ached in his chest, reminding him all too much of how he felt in the wake of Order 66. Just like then though, he did not have time to dwell on the horrors happening around him. He did not have time to ponder the tragedy brought about by the Empire as it unleashed its wrath on Ylisstol. He needed to focus, to live in the current moment.

Right now, the moment involved him piloting a bucket of bolts through an ever growing swarm of Imperial fighters. He was not alone in this endeavor. He knew Tiki, Nowi, and most of the Shepherds that made it onto the Ark were in the engine room. The Manaketes were busy powering the ship with their immense reserves of magic. Meanwhile, Tharja was rushing from one makeshift turret to the other, launching torrents of spells into the growing cloud of fighters swarming towards the Ark. She was the ship's only means of fighting back. Which left one other person in the cockpit with Ben. One of two experienced fliers in the ship, albeit with a much different beast than a starship.

Cordelia gripped the arms of the chair she sat in tightly, her knuckles white with strain. Her eyes were glued to the viewscreen in front of her as Ben deftly guided the Ark through the smoke filled sky.

 _Kriff, kriff, kriff!_

A flurry of six imperial fighters rushed towards him, the sound of their loud engines screaming through the cockpit. He yanked on the controls as hard as he could, sending the Ark skyward, further up into the atmosphere.

"Naga above!" Cordelia cried as she braced her body against her chair while sinking further back into it.

"Steady…" Ben muttered, both trying to calm Cordelia down and hoping his words would get through to the ship around him. Of course, talking to the ship was a bit of a silly thing to do. But old instincts were kicking in, and usually when he flew like this, he had an astromech helping out.

The Ark shuddered as green flashes of light rebounded around the hull. Ben grit his teeth as Cordelia uttered an alarmed cry.

"There's a lot of flashing!" She called over to him as she frantically glanced at the many crude instruments in the cockpit.

"I'm aware." Ben replied, voice calm as he gave the readings a cursory look.

"What do they mean!?"

Ben grimaced as a red light flashed to his right, on the main console, "Nothing good."

 _At least there are no blaring alarms._

Fighters cut off his skyward trajectory, forcing Ben to grit his teeth and take a risk. He pitched the nose of the Ark down. Cordelia's eyes widened beside him as wind howled outside of the cockpit.

"B-Ben, the ground!"

Ben didn't reply. He kept the nose down, rushing faster and faster towards the burning city of Ylisstol. At the last moment, just before the Ark was about to smack into one of the Academy's tall spires, he pulled up on the yoke. The ark lurched. He could hear metal groaning in protest at the sharp change in direction, but it stayed together. Explosions rumbled outside, and Ben sensed several enemy fighters exploding behind the Ark, unable to pull off the same knee jerk move he did.

The Ark skimmed over the Ylisstol skyline, passing over the burning city one more time as Ben contemplated whether he could land one more time and get more people aboard. The various towers of the Exalt's palace were in flames, crumbing as smoke engulfed the space they once occupied above the city. He could still see small pockets of Ylissean soldiers doing everything they could to evacuate civilians from the fallen capitol. Stormtroopers in white armor were rushing through the streets as well, most of them heading back to their shuttles.

 _Why would they be-_

His eyes widened.

"They wouldn't…" He breathed as he watched packs of landing craft take off into the air, heading back towards the Star Destroyer lumbering over the city.

"They wouldn't what?" Cordelia asked, eyes watering as she looked out over the burning city.

Ben did not have time to respond. Before he could open his mouth, the first blast rained down from the heavens. A pillar of green light slammed into Ylisse's southeast walls, obliterating them in one massive, fiery explosion. Violent light flashed through the cockpit, nearly blinding Ben.

"What the hell!?" Cordelia cried.

Ben banked to the right, and hit the throttle. More blaster fire chased after them, and more enemy fighters appeared in front of him. Not an ideal scenario, but at this point, he was out of options. He needed to get out of the shadow of the Star Destroyer, and fast.

More brilliant flashes of green light and fire exploded around them. Gigantic plumes of dirt, dust, fire, and stone burst forth from the ground with each impact. Cordelia leaned forward in her seat, eyes wide with horror.

"What is happening!?" She cried as she watched Ylisstol being obliterated.

"Orbital bombardment." Ben replied, voice grim.

"What!?"

"Not now."

He needed to focus. No time for chit chat. These Imperial Fighters swarmed like bees, and seemed to be just as quick and nimble. The ark was anything but agile. Outmaneuvering the Imperial forces was going to take a miracle. But, he had pulled off miracles before. Usually they happened when Anakin was the one piloting, but hey, if that reckless boy could do it, then so could he.

He let the oncoming fighters get close enough that he could see their pilots through the tinted, oval cockpit windows. Then, Ben yanked on the yoke. The Ark shot upwards, soaring higher and higher, towards the stars.

Out of the corner of his eye, Ben could see the Star Destroyer growing larger to his right. If there was one thing Morgana and her group of mages spared little expense on, it was this thing's engines. Force above, they were powerful. That, or the amount of speed being produced by the Ark was a testament to how absurdly strong Tiki and Nowi actually were. It didn't matter either way, so long as they could outrun the Empire, they stood a chance.

Green flashes rocked the Ark, making the entire ship shudder, and Ben was reminded of why outrunning the enemy was still a longshot. The Ark was, for all intents and purposes, well built. Especially given the availability of advanced technology on this planet, which was none. Under any other circumstances, Ben would have marveled at the immense intellectual and reverse engineering achievement made by Morgana and her followers. There was, however, one thing they failed to put into place: proper deflector shields. There were magical wards crawling all over the Ark, but how long could those hold out against constant, blaster bolt bombardment.

 _Not very long, I think._

He needed a way out of this mess, fast. If the wards around the Academy were any indication, then the ones placed on the Ark would only last so long before blaster fire penetrated them and tore the ship to shreds. He couldn't keep flying around Ylisstol, not with the orbital bombardment turning the city to ash. Imperial fighters would chase after the Ark, no matter where it flew on the planet. He felt like there was only one option.

"Tharja! Get inside and seal the turrets!" Ben shouted over his shoulder, praying she heard him

Cordelia gulped beside him, "What are you planning."

Ben gripped the controls with both hands, "Something stupid."

He twisted the controls, and the Ark spun, narrowly dodging a flurry of green blaster fire. From the corridor behind him, Ben heard Tharja utter several loud curses. Relief flooded him. She heard him.

Once out of the roll, the Ark shot higher into the sky, breaking through the thick cloudline and rocketing up higher into the atmosphere. Any blue tint remaining in the night sky began to fade, replaced by the pitch black of outer space. As they went higher, Ben found himself muttering a prayer to Naga under his breath. He might not believe in a divine entity such as Naga, preferring to instead believe that the Force controlled all things, but saying that little prayer did fend off some anxiety for him. For all he knew, the Ark would break apart as soon as it was exposed to the zero gravity of space.

 _Then it would all be over._

Instruments frantically blinked all around him. Ben gave them all a glance before deciding it would be in his best interest to disregard them. At this point, as the Ark ascended beyond the pull of the planet, there would be no going back.

Green flashes continued to rock the Ark, even as Tharja and Gaius stumbled into the cockpit, faces white with fear.

"Benny!" Gaius cried, "We've got a situation back there."

"Not now, Gaius." Ben replied, his grip on the controls tightening as he fought to stay ahead of the enemy fighters.

Tharja sank into a seat behind Ben, exhausted from the battle and from defending the Ark. Gaius leaned over Ben's shoulder.

"It's Stumbles," Gaius gulped, "She's-"

"Gaius not-"

A violent shudder rocked the ship as a blaster bolt slammed into the hull, slipping through the protective wards. Cordelia yelped, Tharja stiffened in her seat, Ben grit his teeth, and Gaius fell forward. On instinct, the thief reached out to catch his balance, accidentally shoving a lever forward. A lever Ben was not sure would work or not.

The engines whined loud, then they roared. From down the corridor, Ben heard a woman screech in pain. Through the force, he could sense Tiki in intense pain. Her scream crescendoed into a draconic roar that made his seat and the controls vibrate.

Before Ben had anytime to even figure out what was happening, the loud whining in the engines ended. The stars beyond the planet's atmosphere turned into brilliant streaks of white light. Ben's eyes widened.

"Oh no."

With a massive wham, the Ark shot into an uncontrolled hyperspace jump.

* * *

It was a sight Ben never thought he would see again, and one he really wished he wasn't looking at right now. A great blue tunnel surrounded the ark, the telltale sign of a hyperspace jump. It caused him to remain frozen in his seat, wide eyed. For a split second, he was not sure of what to do. Hell, he wasn't even sure if the Ark would last another ten seconds traveling at such a high speed, or if it would have the power to complete whatever jump accidentally occured.

It took Gaius groaning in pain for Ben to shake himself out of his stupor.

"Wh-what just happened?" Gaius mumbled as he pushed himself off of the lever that had buried itself in his gut. He flicked his eyes up and saw the hyperspace tunnel wrapped around the ship. A sharp breath shot into his lungs, "What just happened!?"

Ben leaned forward in his seat, letting his face fall into his hands with a long groan.

"I screwed up, didn't I?" Gaius muttered.

"Ben?" Cordelia spoke up, eyes flicking between the thief and the strange sight outside of the cockpit.

Ben rubbed his eyes, then rested his forehead in his right hand, "An uncontrolled hyperspace jump."

Everyone else in the cockpit regarded him with puzzled expressions. A long sigh escaped his lips.

"It means I have no idea where we are going."

Cordelia's brow furrowed. She glanced over at an exhausted Tharja, who merely shrugged, unsure of what Ben meant. Ben picked up on their growing confusion. He let out a long exhale and sank further into the pilot's seat.

"We just entered an uncontrolled hyperspace jump. Which means we are currently traveling faster than lightspeed. Normally, when traveling at speeds like this, a computer is used to calculate the jump. That way the ship doesn't accidentally shoot through a star, stop in an asteroid field, or bounce too close to a supernova."

Gaius furrowed his brow, "Which means-"

"Those are all very quick ways to die." Ben clarified.

The thief paled, "O-oh that's um-" He cleared his throat, "How likely are we-"

"Considering we just did an uncontrolled jump, with no calculations, and no galactic map, the odds are not in our favor."

Ben ran a hand over his forehead, mind quickly running through various mental calculations. If a protocol droid were here, the odds would be even worse. He closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath as he resolved to remain calm. No one else had ever been through this kind of situation before, hyperspace being the newest marvel to them and all. He could not afford to panic, because then everyone likely would.

He needed to steer the topic away from what might be their impending doom. With a heavy sigh, he turned in his chair to face Gaius.

"You ran in here because?"

Gaius's already pale face blanched completely, "Y-yeah… um…"

His throat bobbed, and Ben knew it was bad news. Gaius was never nervous about anything. Well, unless Panne was involved, he usually wasn't nervous. He certainly was not someone to dance around a topic. Not unless it was extremely bad news.

Ben quickly delved into the Force as his mind mentally brought up the people he knew made it onto the shuttle. He could see Cordelia, Tharja, and Gaius. Obviously they were all unscathed. Exhausted, perhaps a bit traumatized, but uninjured. He sensed Aversa, Severa, Noire, Brady, and Cynthia off in a part of the ship away from the engine room. Likely a small bunk room of some sort for crew. Luke was there as well, but his signature in the force was faint. Luckily, Brady was there to make sure the boy lived. Ben was confident in the drunken priest's ability. After all he did heal Luke multiple times in Valm.

The others should be in the engine room then. Anna was in the engine room. She seemed… off, for some reason. Not her usual, chirpy self. Not surprising given what everyone had just gone through.

Nowi and Tiki's signatures were beyond anything he expected. They fluctuated wildly, fading to near nothing then exploding with sudden raw power, only to dim like a slowly fading fire once again. Something had gone wrong. He didn't sense it as life threatening, but he was concerned.

 _That scream,_ Ben recalled someone yelling out in pain when the hyperspace jump occurred, _That was Tiki._

He started to rise from his seat, then froze as he sensed Panne. She was… sad. Panne did not show much emotion anyways, as human emotions and behaviors befuddled the Taguel at times, but her sorrow did not escape the Jedi Master's attention. He then sensed Chrom, and heartache washed over the Jedi Master. The intense sorrow could be linked to only one thing. Or rather, the lack of one person that Ben could not sense.

"Oh no…"

He surged to his feet. Tharja tried to get up and follow him, but her exhausted form slumped back into her seat. Her body too spent to move anymore. He didn't even hear Cordelia's worried calls to him as he left her to handle the cockpit on her own. The ship was in hyperspace, which meant she didn't have any piloting to worry about.

Besides, if the ship crashed landed somewhere, or shot through a supernova, or a star, Ben would have likely not noticed at that moment. His mind remained glued to the intense pain he sensed Chrom was in. As he rushed down the corridor, he noticed scorch marks peppering the wall opposite of the Ark's ramp. Even more concern rushed through him, and he barrelled into the Engine Room.

Tiki was slumped at her pedestal, hands still clutching the device that powered the ship. Her entire body sagged forward, all of her weight leaning up against the machine. Her eyes were closed, and her breathing was even, signaling unconsciousness. Nowi was next to her, back against the pedestal. She was still awake, but barely. Her half lidded eyes flicked tearily over to Ben. The little Manakete sniffled then nodded across the room, towards three other figures.

Panne stood beside a curled up Chrom, her furry head bowed in solemn silence. Chrom's form was hunched over Sumia. When Ben saw the smoking hole in her chest, his heart stopped beating.

Everything went numb for him. He hardly noticed his own feet carefully inching towards Chrom and Panne. The Taguel flicked her head up to look at him, before taking a deep breath and stepping away, leaving Ben to try and speak to the grieving Ylissean ruler.

For some reason, Ben struggled to find words. When he first arrived in Ylisstol, other than Chrom, Robin, Frederick, and Lissa; it was Sumia who befriended him first. She was the one who decided to help him find the bathroom when the shock of his unique scenario took place. She was always a ray of hope and light in their war councils, throughout the Plegian War, and the Valm Campaign. As Ben looked down on her now cold body, one thought ran through his mind.

 _Why her?_

It was a thought that plagued him whenever someone close to him, or his friends, passed. He asked that question when Satine was killed by Maul. He pondered it when Emmeryn died. He even asked the same question to himself when Robin was slain at Demon's Ingle. Even after so many times asking what should have been a simple question, he never received an answer. And he couldn't give Chrom an answer either, even as his friend looked up at him, tears running down his cheeks.

The Prince tried to say something, but it came out as a choking sob. His hand gripped Sumia's limp one tightly, refusing to let go. His head fell forward until it rested against the wall of the ship, beside her head. Chrom sobbed, his shoulders heaving up and down with each breath he took. Ben did not say anything. All he could do was place a reassuring hand on his friend's shoulder, then walk away.

Chrom needed time to grieve, and Ben would give him that time before speaking to him. As Ben spun away, Chrom managed to croak out words.

"She had Cynthia." He croaked through his tears.

Ben froze where he stood. His eyes closed as an iron ball lodged in his throat. He fought with all his might to swallow it.

 _Two lives…_

That must have been what Chrom and Sumia were holding the ball for. It wasn't like it was a special Ylissean holiday occuring that night. It was probably one of those formal balls the nobility required them to do whenever something important happened in their family. It was supposed to be a joyous occasion, but the Empire ruined it, as they did all things.

The iron ball finally ran down his throat, and Ben managed to inhale a shaky breath.

"I'm so sorry." He managed to whisper before moving towards Tiki and Nowi.

Nowi now lay unconscious beside the pedestal, her own small form exhausted from the strain the ship put on her. Ben knelt down and placed a hand on her forehead. He didn't feel a temperature, nor was she freezing. Both were positive signs. She probably just needed rest, and a lot of it. He suspected magical exhaustion had claimed her and Tiki. He knew the toll such a thing took on Tharja, and suspected it would be magnified in Manaketes (given their enormous reserves and the strain it would take to use them).

When he shifted towards Tiki, he reached up and carefully pried her fingers from the pedestal. Her fingertips were raw, nearly bleeding, from how tightly she was gripping the device. He saw evidence of faint burns on her palms. Her skin felt cool to the touch, which caused some more worry to flare inside of him. He quickly placed his hand on her forehead.

Her emerald eyes shot awake, and her hand snapped out and snatched his wrist. Ben froze, staring into the narrowed eyes of a predator. He could feel a sudden surge in raw power, making the force twist and turn in ways that he had never sensed before. Just as quickly as the surge came, it went. Tiki's grip on his wrist slackened, and her hand fell with a thump to the metal floor. The feral glow in her eyes evaporated, replaced by weariness.

"What…" She swallowed, "What happened?"

Ben took a deep breath, "Something unexpected, but that doesn't matter right now. Are you alright?"

Tiki winced as she tried to sit herself up against the Pedestal. As she shifted, Gaius inched his way into the engine room.

"Been… better." She admitted as she sagged again, giving up on her attempt to sit taller, "It has been a long time since I've felt like this." She flicked her eyes towards Nowi, "Is she-"

"Asleep." Ben said, calming Tiki's concern, "I checked on her, and she should be fine."

"Thank goodness." Tiki exhaled, "That was… I had to…" A sudden fear latched onto her. One she worked hard to quickly repress, but Ben managed to notice it before it disappeared, "It was a lot." Tiki said, her tone now guarded, "Too much for her."

"Hopefully it won't happen again." Ben glanced over at Gaius, then nodded at Nowi, "Let's get them to wherever bunks are located in the ship."

"Just down the hall." Gaius nodded. The thief glanced over at Chrom and Sumia. His face turned white, and his chin quivered. He quickly averted his eyes, and moved to gently pick up Nowi. As he picked her up, he grunted, "Naga, when did she get this heavy?"

"When another Manakete started growing in her." Tiki said, a dry, weary laugh coming from her throat, "One that should be among us soon." Her eyes widened, "Hopefully nothing-"

"I don't sense anything wrong, Tiki." Ben interrupted as he put one of her arms over his shoulders, "I'm sure you don't either."

Tiki furrowed her brow, "Too exhausted to tell. Will…" She uttered a long, loud yawn, "Will check when I wake up."

All of her weight slumped against Ben as she slipped back into unconsciousness. Ben staggered, adjusted his grip, then hoisted her up into both arms. Before he left the engine room, he looked over at Panne, Chrom, and Sumia. He didn't even need to say anything to Panne to get a message across to her. She simply nodded back to him, telling him that if Chrom needed anything, she would fetch him.

 _Good._

He and Gaius carefully carried both Tiki and Nowi into the bunkroom at the opposite end of the narrow corridor.

The bunkroom was small, to say the least. It contained eight bunks, which meant some of them would be sleeping on the cold floor, or in the cockpit chairs. Not the most comfortable of situations, but Ben had slept on worse. He doubted he'd be able to sleep right now anyways.

Luke already occupied one bunk. It was the first time Ben had a chance to get a good look at the boy. What he saw made Ben's stomach turn. There were not a lot of obvious physical wounds. Bad scrapes and bruises, obvious signs of physical and mental exhaustion, that was all he could see on the outside. Most of his body was hidden beneath a thin sheet Cynthia had placed over him. Through the force, Ben sensed how drained and injured Luke really was. A faint green glow took over the small bunkroom as Brady remained seated near Luke's side, his staff hovering over his body. The priest glanced over at Ben as Tiki and Nowi were carried in. He simply nodded over to two bunks nearby.

"I'll look at 'em in a second."

Ben gave Brady a grateful nod. He turned to a bunk, and found Aversa laying on it. The dark mage glared at him, forcing Ben to move over to the next one.

The next bunk was occupied by Severa. She was curled up into a tight, shivering ball. One shake of Brady's head, and Ben knew not to bother her.

He reached the third bunk, then gently set Tiki down on it. He noticed Noire sitting on the end of that bunk. The sudden change in how the bunk felt beneath her made his daughter shift and turn her head in his direction.

"Wh-who- wait!" Noire inhaled, "Sense it… sense… oh…" She sniffled, "Hi dad."

Ben gave her a small smile. He took a seat down beside her, wrapping an arm around her slim shoulders. She sank into his embrace, sniffles rushing through her nose as she fought back quiet cries.

"I sensed it." She muttered to him.

Ben closed his eyes, "Do they know?" He whispered back, briefly glancing over at Brady and Cynthia.

Noire shook her head, "Not yet."

He didn't blame her for not saying anything. How could she say anything? Cynthia had been her closest friend since they both arrived in the past near each other a couple years ago. They lived together, ate together, fought together; all of those things would have made it beyond difficult for Noire to tell Cynthia that her mother had been killed, with her younger self now no longer going to be born. How could anyone be able to say something like that to a close friend? He was certainly not a model example on breaking world shattering news to someone.

Ben rubbed her shoulder gently, "It's going to be okay."

Noire sniffled again, one hand reaching up on reflex to rub one of her blind eyes. She nodded against his shoulder.

"Is mom okay?" She asked.

Ben nodded, "She's tired, but alright. Do you-"

"L-let her rest." Noire stammered out, "I know she was really going crazy with her magic earlier so…" She gulped, "She needs to rest." She looked up to his face, "Are you okay? I can sense anxiety?"

Ben sighed, "I'll be fine. I was just worried about you. Right now, you need to rest too. If you need anything, come and get me in the cockpit."

"Right… the cockpit." Noire pursed her lips, "That is er-"

"Where I pilot the ship. I'm sure Gaius or someone else can lead you to it."

"Oh good." Noire said, relieved, "Last… um… question before you go. Who's in the bunk now?"

Ben laughed quietly under his breath, "Tiki. She's spent."

Noire opened her mouth, "Ah. Well, I'll find another bunk." She got to her feet, and hesitated, her head briefly turning in the direction of Cynthia and Luke, "She needs to know."

Ben did not say anything as Noire took a step towards Cynthia, hesitated, then closed the gap. He watched as Noire knelt down beside Cynthia and spoke quietly in her ear. Through the force, he sensed overwhelming terror shoot through the Princess. Like a terrified pegasus, she shot out of the room, her hand slipping from Luke's grasp as she sprinted towards the engine room.

"C-Cynthia!" Noire called after her.

"What's the matter?" Brady asked as he moved away from Luke and towards Nowi.

Noire gulped, "Sumia's-"

"The queen's hurt?" He jumped away from Nowi, "Why didn't ya'll-"

"She's dead, Brady." Ben muttered.

Aversa stiffened in her bunk, Severa stopped shaking, Brady froze in the doorway, Gaius coughed in his hand and decided to step out, and Noire hung her head.

"You're…" Brady looked back at both Ben and Noire. Their words confirmed when a blood curdling wail echoed down the corridor. Brady blanched, lost strength in his legs, then slumped against the wall, using it to hold himself up, "Oh Naga…"

Ben grimaced. He got to his feet and walked over to Brady. Without a sound, he patted Brady on the shoulder, then moved out of the bunkroom and back towards the cockpit. As he walked down the corridor and re-entered the cockpit, he heard Cynthia's sharp, mournful cries all around him. Even when he closed the door to the cockpit behind him, he could hear them.

Cordelia turned her head to look at him from the co-pilot's seat.

"Ben?" She knew something terrible had happened. She knew someone had died. The Wing Commander gulped, "Who?"

Ben sank into the pilot's seat, then ran a hand over his mouth, "Sumia."

Cordelia didn't register it at first. She stared at him, unblinking, and unbelieving. But when Tharja nodded her head, confirming what Ben had told her, Cordelia's lips began to quiver.

"N-no…" She swallowed hard as tears ran down her cheeks, "Not…" She whipped her head back over to Ben, "How?"

"I don't know." Ben muttered.

"That blue man." Tharja croaked, her tone exhausted, "He shot her."

Ben furrowed his brow, "Blue man?"

"Thrawn." Cordelia replied, choking back quiet sobs. She reached up and wiped tears from her pale face, "That's what he called himself. Admiral Thrawn of the Galactic Empire."

Ben furrowed his brow. Thrawn… Thrawn… it had to be someone new. He did not recognize the name. All he knew about the man was that he was not human (due to Tharja calling him the Blue Man), and he was tactically ruthless. Without a conscience when it came to casualties or collateral damage. The worst kind of commander, in Ben's opinion.

 _Apparently the most desirable for the Empire though._

Cordelia sniffled again. With each breath she took, she fought back sobs. Ben pursed his lips, glancing over at her.

"If you need to cry, don't be afraid to."

"You two aren't." Cordelia pointed out, glancing over at Tharja.

Tharja exhaled, "I am barely awake."

"And I," Ben grimaced, swallowing hard as some tears threatened to bubble in his eyes, "can't afford to right now. Someone needs to focus on… on…" He motioned to the controls in front of him, "this."

"What can you do right now?" Cordelia asked him, wiping another tear from her eyes, "Given our out of control situation."

Ben flicked his eyes over the controls. The lack of a computer, or map, made it virtually impossible for him to do anything. He glanced back over at Cordelia, saying nothing in return.

Cordelia pressed her lips into a thin line, "Then… we hope and pray."

Ben nodded. Hope and pray, that was all any of them could do in this situation. If by some miracle they didn't crash into anything deadly coming out of this hyperspace jump, then he would do everything in his power to pilot them to a safe landing. Then… then… Force only knows what would happen then.

 _Live in the moment._ Ben exhaled as he rested his head back against his chair. Behind him, he heard Tharja doze off, finally too tired to remain awake. Cordelia quietly cried in the co-pilot's seat, and Cynthia's wails came in muffled waves through the cockpit door. He closed his eyes, feeling a stray tear drip down his cheek.

 _What a cruel way to make me do it._

* * *

Corellia: the crazier, seedier, crime infested cousin of Kuat. At least, that's how Ahsoka viewed this place. The one place in the core worlds very few people really wanted to visit. Sure, this planet produced some of the finest freighters, starships, and fighters in the world; but at a cost that made Kuat look like a lawful paradise. Ahsoka had already been to this world several times on errands for the fledgling rebellion, and every visit made her want to come back less and less

Currently though, the general dingy atmosphere the main city of this world possessed was a benefit for her, as much as she did not enjoy them. There were enough outlaws, bounty hunters, and criminal scum on this planet so that she could easily blend in with the crowd. And unlike Kuat, there were plenty of non-humans here as well. Which meant she no longer stood out like a sore thumb anywhere.

She let out a long breath as she sat on a crate near the landing gear of her ship, an empty meal tray in her lap. It was something bland, as always. You could take the girl out of the Temple, but you could not take the Temple out of the girl. The bland food gave her comfort, reminded her of better times. Times where she served aboard a Republic star destroyer, fighting a massive galactic war alongside her now dead Jedi Master.

 _Huh… hard to believe that I consider death defying missions better times._

She shrugged, shifting the hood that was drawn over her head. Couldn't be too careful in the core worlds. Despite the more criminal inclinations of Corellia, the Empire still had a massive presence here. Stormtroopers patrolled the spaceport in their usual, orderly, timely fashion. So much so, that she already had the pattern committed to memory. Just in case she needed a quick escape, she'd know exactly when it would be best to do so.

But… thanks to her low profile, some credits placed in the right hands, and a slight mind suggestion here and there, no one asked her any questions. In fact, the only person that seemed to pay her any mind was the curious human sharing a meal with her.

Gerome sat on a crate a few feet away, his masked face looking down at his half eaten tray of bland sustenance. It was nothing more than some gray protein paste, a slice or two of hard bread, and some blue milk. A solid meal, all things considered. It wasn't like the Rebellion had much to go around at the moment, and Ahsoka was wary with what she bought using Bail Organa's credits. The less of that floating around, the better.

In fact, Gerome hadn't touched his food in a good ten minutes. At first, he quietly ate bits of it at a time, before deciding to stop. She arched her brow beneath her hood.

"Not hungry?"

The masked boy glanced up at her, his usual scowl on his face.

 _I swear, the only person I've seen frown more is Master Windu._

"It tastes terrible." Gerome said, voice monotonous and cold.

Ahsoka shrugged, "Your opinion."

"My opinion is right."

She smirked over at him. During the few days they had traveled together, Ahsoka had been slowly trying to get a read on her new traveling companion. She had a feeling he was one of the strange people Master Windu told her about during their last conversation. The giant winged lizard, archaic armor, and choice of weapon (who the hell uses steel for a weapon anymore?) were dead giveaways that Gerome was not from anywhere remotely advanced. So at first, she assumed his general grumpiness was likely due to confusion and frustration. If she were in his shoes, she would have been extremely irritated with not knowing how anything worked around her.

But after trying to talk to him several times, and being nice (as Master Kenobi often told her to be growing up), she came to learn that Gerome was neither confused or frustrated. He was simply an ass.

"Would your lizard eat it?" She asked.

Usually, she failed to get any sort of rise out of Gerome. I mean, she did try. She got bored flying around, all alone. Actually having company gave her something to do. When Gerome refused to speak with her, refused to eat with her, even refused to sit in the cockpit with her, she decided the best use for him was as a source of entertainment. Thus, her poking him with comments every so often became their new way of communicating. The only time she ever managed to elicit any shred of emotion other than grumpiness out of him, was when she called Minerva a lizard. Then she would sense some anger flare, and at least that was something of substance.

"She is a Wyvern." Gerome growled, his grip on his spork tightened, "I've told you that a million times already."

"Hmmmm… a million?" Ahsoka chirped back, "I don't think we've been around each other long enough for that." Gerome hung his head as she kept talking, "I think you've said it at least twenty times though."

"A hundred." He growled back.

She chuckled, "I've mentioned the lizard that much?"

"One hundred and one."

She snickered again, and that only made his frown grow. When she saw that, she exhaled and set her tray down on the crate next to her, "Listen, Lizard Boy-" He growled, but she ignored it, "In case you haven't noticed, your little tough guy act isn't going to work on me. I mean, why would it? I did save your life."

He narrowed his eyes at her, "Last I checked, you needed me to get out of that bar on Kuat."

"Last I checked, you needed me to fly you _off_ of Kuat." Ahsoka replied with a wink, "And let's be honest, of the two of us, who do you think would have fought off those bounty hunters?"

He was quiet for a moment, "I haven't seen you fight."

She nodded, "And hopefully you never have to."

A bright light burst through the dark sky over the spaceport. Ahsoka furrowed her brow as she glanced up at it. It looked like a ship was entering Correllia's atmosphere, and it was coming in hot.

A group of stormtroopers marched past, and she quickly ducked her head. Once she was sure they were gone, she reached out with the force, trying to sense if it was a ship coming into the atmosphere. She glanced up, still attempting to sense it. It wasn't slowing down, which did not bode well for her efforts at finding crew members on it.

"Crash landing…" She muttered.

"What are you talking about now?" Gerome grumbled.

Ahsoka glanced at him, "Does everything I say have to revolve around you?"

"You make it revolve around me."

"I do, and it is fun. But this time it is not." Ahsoka snipped back, making Gerome grip his fork even tighter, "I think someone's about to crash land outside the city."

While a curious thing to see, it was also none of her concern. The last thing she needed to do was get involved in an emergency like that. Crash landings attract unwanted attention, especially when they occured on a world like Corellia. Right outside of Coronet City no less. It was as if a beacon was arriving on the planet with a signal saying, "Here Empire! Check me out"!

 _Yeah, I'll stay… away…_

Four force signatures. Three of them were faint and weak. One of them was bright and strong, a telltale mark of a Jedi Knight. Ahsoka's blood ran cold in her veins. The smirk she had on her lips evaporated as she stared at the ship crashing down to the surface, outside of the city.

"Done teasing me?"

Ahsoka blinked when Gerome spoke, "I-I'm sorry, what?"

"You're not smiling."

Ahsoka barely paid attention to him. If there was a Jedi on that crashing ship, then they were about to be in an entire galaxy of trouble. She bit her lip, debating whether or not she needed to get involved. She had already been driven off of Kuat, which rendered their drive yards almost useless to the rebellion. If she was driven off of Corellia, then the rebellion would have to get their ships and parts through less savory means. Possibly by dealing with criminal gangs like the Hutts or the Shadow Collective.

Perhaps it wasn't worth the risk. But… if there was a Jedi Knight on that ship, then they would prove far more valuable to the Rebellion than a few ships from this Empire infested place.

 _To hell with it._

"C'mon Gerome." She said as she got to her feet.

Gerome frowned, "Where are we going?"

"To a crash site, before the Empire gets there."

He scowled at her as she started walking away from the ship, "You're not taking Minvera. She is not your-"

"Does it look like we're riding the lizard?" Gerome growled as she spoke, but she returned to her amused look, infuriating him even more, "We're renting a speeder, now c'mon."

"Why do I have to go?"

Ahsoka rolled her eyes, "Do you want to deal with passerbys on your own?"

Silence.

"Didn't think so. Now lets go."

With a heavy sigh, Gerome got to his feet, setting his food down on his crate and marching after Ahsoka. She could hear him grumbling under his breath as they marched towards a line of speeders for rent, but she did not care. Let him grumble, she was not about to let him jeopardize the chance at rescuing a Jedi Knight. One last time, she looked up and briefly glimpsed the crashing ship break out of her line of sight, falling behind the skyline of Coronet City. As it plummeted, she could see emergency vehicles in the spaceport loading up and readying to move towards its location.

 _We need to hurry._

Before the large Bith renting speeders could even say a word, Ashoka slapped down a wad of credit chips.

"I need your fastest speeder."

 **And chapter! I LIIIIIIIIVE! It's been a while, hasn't it? I apologize for the wait on a new chapter. I got hit with a really, bad case of burnout. And after writing over 1 million words, 135 chapters, and doing this for over a year and half, I decided it was probably a good idea to take a little time off from this fic. In the meantime, I was working on my Awakening SI (Shameless Self Promotion: Check out Rigged from the Start), just so I could keep writing and not get thrown into any deeper funk. But now, the burnout has finally worn off, the writer's block has broken, and I've finally gotten another chapter out!**

 **This one is shorter than the past few, but it is packed with stuff. We got our heroes making their escape, and Ahsoka witnessed something strange. I wonder what it could be? You'll find out soon enough.**

 **I probably won't be updating this fic at the rapid pace I had been before, mostly because I do need to get back into the groove of writing this one. But I'll do my best to get chapters out as often as I can! With that being said, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed it! Have a nice day!**

 **Come join the Treehouse! Discord code is: 9XG3U7a**


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